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Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Part Twenty-Three-Leah Says Goodbye to the Wolf

Charlie listened silently as Billy finished his long-winded explanation. He didn't interrupt his old friend as he spoke, wanting him to try and explain exactly why he had let his daughter walk into danger knowingly without giving him due warning so he could have put a stop to it.

"My hands were tied, Chief. I tried my very best to warn Bella about what she was doing by having a relationship with Cullen, but at that time she was too infatuated with him to listen to me." Billy looked at Charlie for understanding. He was sadly disappointed.

Charlie glared at him, anger still flaring from his brown eyes. "And that's it? That's your excuse? Pathetic!"

"Pathetic?" Billy questioned him. He slammed his fists down on the arm rests of his chair. "They are valid reasons. I am bound by the laws of my people."

"And what about friendship?" Charlie retorted. "We have been friends for most of our lives. I have gone out of my way over the years to support you and your children, even more so after Sarah died, and this is how you repay me? By knowingly letting my daughter put herself in danger without warning me. I don't care if you are bound by some ancient laws. This is my little girl's life we are talking about here. I could have put a stop to it years ago and she wouldn't be suffering now."

"It is not as simple as that." Billy thundered, hurt by Charlie's accusations. "I did the best that I could."

"Well, your best is so very poor, old friend." Charlie spat sarcastically as he began to pace back and forth, trying to walk off his anger. "I can't believe you didn't even give your son prior warning about what was in store for him, and the others too. You tell me Jake and his pack are out there every day protecting your lands. Your loyalty is screwed, Billy. Jake should have been your first priority; he is your son."

Billy became still as Charlie's barbed comments hit home. He couldn't even deny the truth of his words. He did feel like he had let Jake down. Harry had felt the same regarding his children, especially poor Leah. It had ended up killing him. "You have no concept of the guilt and shame that I carry on my shoulders every day." He confessed eventually.

Charlie stopped pacing and stared at his friend. Billy's face was lined with grief. "I just don't think I can ever forgive you." He responded quietly, his tone now more hurt than angry.

"And I can't blame you." Billy bowed his head, a tear falling down his weathered cheek. "I can barely forgive myself."

Charlie flinched as he watched Billy crumple right in front of his eyes. He knew that as Chief of the tribe his friend carried a huge burden, but he was still struggling to understand how he could possibly keep something as big as this from him. Still, Charlie was a compassionate man, he couldn't stand by and do nothing as his best friend fell apart. He reigned in his anger and knelt in front of Billy, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Have you told me absolutely everything? Is there any more that I need to know?"

Billy raised his head and saw with relief that Charlie no longer looked angry. "Yes, there is more, it's about Ethan."

Charlie pulled a chair up and sat opposite Billy. "Then tell me then. And no more lies."

"I promise." Billy agreed. "No more lies."

Leah cradled Ethan in her arms and strolled around the sitting room, rocking the small boy gently. She sung him an old Quileute lullaby. Ethan seemed mesmerised by her voice as his dark eyes were riveted to hers. Sue watched her daughter cradle the infant and she wiped a tear from her eye.

"I hope that she will be able to have children of her own one day." She confided to Jacob and Bella.

Bella gazed over at Leah. "Is there a problem?"

"We're not sure, but because of the transformation, Lee hasn't menstruated in months. We don't know what that means for her in the long term." Sue admitted sadly.

Bella's hand flew to her flat stomach. She couldn't imagine not being able to carry her own child. "If she gave up the wolf, surely her body would return to normal?" She asked.

"We don't know." Sue replied. "I am not sure how easy it is to stop phasing completely."

Jacob was watching Leah with interest; an idea was forming in his mind. He recalled issuing the Alpha order on Ethan's wolf to stop the phase. Would it work on an older wolf? If he did the same for Leah, maybe she would be able to return to a semi-normal life. Out of everyone he felt she deserved it the most. Even though she was part of the pack, in a way, she was still an outsider. Being the only female made life that much more difficult for her. Jacob knew she was unhappy; all the wolves could sense it. It wasn't just her grief over the loss of Sam to the imprint, but also the loss of who she was as a person. No other female had ever phased in the whole history of the tribe, Leah remained an anomaly.

Bella could see he was thinking hard about something. She touched his arm gently. "Jake?" She prompted curiously.

The sound of her voice pierced his reverie. Jacob looked at her and smiled. "Yeah."

"Tell me what you're thinking." Bella said, returning his smile.

"I'm thinking it's about time Lee was given her life back. Will you be alright here while I go and talk to her?"

"Of course." Bella was intrigued by his statement; she was sure he would fill her in later.

Sue looked toward her daughter, a sad light shining in her eyes. "If you can help her, Jake. I beg you to do it. I want my Lee to find happiness."

"I'll do my best." Jacob promised. He stood up and walked over to Leah, asking her if they could go outside and talk. Leah seemed stunned by his request. Her whole attention had been taken up with Ethan and she seemed reluctant to let him go. However she did as Jacob asked and gave him back to Bella before following him outside.

"What is it, Jake?" Leah lounged against the wall of the house as she asked her question.

"I was watching you with Ethan." Jacob said.

"So?" Leah faked nonchalance, wondering where he was going with this.

"You were good with him." Jacob replied gently. "You will be a good mother one day."

"Like that is ever going to happen!" Leah snapped. "Is this your idea of torturing me for leaving? By ramming it in my face that I probably won't ever have kids of my own?"

Jacob faced down her anger, he knew it was driven from a deep hurt and despair. "I want to help you, Lee. I know you're unhappy and I want to fix things. I believe you were never meant to phase."

"Then why did it happen?" Leah's voice broke as she yelled out her question. "My dad died because of me. I phased and he had a heart attack."

Jacob placed a hand on her trembling shoulder. "Lee, what happened to Harry was not your fault. You want to know why I think you phased?"

Leah became still. It was the first time, other than her mother and Seth, that anyone had shown her any kind of sympathy and told her that what happened to Harry was not down to her. "Why do you think this happened to me?" She whispered.

"I know that you were upset over losing Sam to Emily. No more than that, you were deeply devastated. You were arguing with your dad the day he died, thinking that he didn't care that your cousin had stolen Sam from you. You thought he had taken Emily's side and not yours. We all know that you worshipped Harry, it must have been upsetting thinking that you had lost your dad's support too." Jacob gave her a sympathetic smile. "Your family carries the wolf gene on both sides, this creates a much more powerful mix. I think the combination of your hurt and anger that day triggered something deep inside that was never meant to happen."

Leah took a calming breath as she tried to reign in her emotions. "You think I phased by accident?"

"Yes." Jacob squeezed her shoulder gently. "I do. This was never meant to happen to you, Lee. There is a reason why females never phase, it prevents you from having offspring."

"How can you help me?" Leah begged.

"You remember what I did with Ethan, how I ordered him not to phase." Jacob reminded her.

"Are you going to try that on me?"

"Yes. I am going to talk directly to your spirit wolf."

Hope flared in Leah's eyes. "Then do it, Jacob, please I beg you."

Jacob gave her a determined smile. "Close your eyes." He said huskily.

Leah did as he asked. She pushed away from the wall and stood stiffly in front of him. Jacob put his hand on the top of her head and stared at her, the rims of his eyes changed, turning yellow as he invoked his Alpha power as he spoke directly to her inner spirit wolf. "I order you to leave Leah Clearwater. You are no longer needed to protect the tribe. Your work here is done. I thank you, but your time is over. Go now and never take over Leah's body again."

Jacob's eyes snapped shut as an image of a slim grey wolf appeared in his mind's eye. The wolf stared at him; its dark eyes rimmed with yellow. Jacob could feel a silent battle of wills going on between him and Leah's spirit wolf. He stared it down, commanding it yet again to leave. Slowly the wolf's head dropped and it swiftly turned around and headed into darkness. Jacob's eyes opened; they had returned to normal. Leah was breathing heavily, a tear running down her face as she carefully opened her eyes.

"She's gone." Leah sobbed.

"Yeah." Jacob agreed softly. "She's gone."

When they went back inside, they saw Bella and Sue looking at them expectantly. Leah gave her mother a subtle nod.

Sue let out a joyful cry, immediately running over to her daughter and hugging her tightly. "Oh, thank god." She mumbled.

Leah hugged her mother back, doing her best to blink back tears. She hated showing any signs of weakness. Bella went to join Jacob, he put his arms around her, enclosing her and Ethan in a safe embrace.

"You're so amazing. Do you know that?" Bella looked up at him proudly.

Jacob kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too, Jake." Bella rested her head on his chest as she cradled Ethan in her arms.

Sue made them all something to eat. Seth had returned home by this point and he eagerly tucked into the food. Leah filled him in on what had happened in his absence and he was shocked but happy for his sister that she was no longer a slave to the wolf. He knew how unhappy she had been ever since joining the pack. Leah had asked Bella if she could hold Ethan again, and she was now sitting on the sofa, watching the little boy sleep.

A little while after the meal was over, they heard a car pull up outside. Sue peered out of the window and told the others that Charlie had arrived, with both Billy and Renee in the car with him. Bella felt her heart flutter in her chest at this news. The recent drama with Leah had been a welcome distraction, now she was about to face the consequences of her past actions. She felt Jacob put a comforting arm across her shoulders. "It's going to be fine, Bells."

"I hope so." She replied sadly as she watched Seth open the front door, stepping aside to let her father, Billy, and Renee inside.

Jacob went up to the two men and looked them both straight in the eyes. "Well?"

Charlie gave him a small nod. "We've reached an understanding."

"There are still issues to work out, but the Chief has agreed that there is no point fighting, everyone has been through enough." Billy agreed tiredly.

Jacob saw how exhausted his father was. He knew how much it must have cost him to have one of his best friends so disappointed in him. He hunkered down in front of his dad and put a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure you are okay?"

Billy patted his hand. "Yes, I will be fine. I should have told Charlie a long time ago. He made me see that I have made many stupid decisions. I have put duty before family and for that I apologise."

"It's alright, Dad." Jacob assured him.

"Is it?" Billy's eyes became moist. "I should have told you."

"I'm not sure knowing beforehand would have made the transition any easier. Thinking back, I'm glad I didn't know." Jacob confessed.

"Really?"

"Yes, ignorance is bliss. Isn't that what they say? I know that you were worried enough for both of us." Jacob gave him a small smile.

"I'm proud of you, son." Billy praised him.

Sue came to join them. "We're all proud of him." She declared. "Has he told you what he did for Lee?"

Billy looked between them curiously. "No."

While Sue told Billy what had happened, Bella had gone outside to talk to her dad. Renee was sitting alone on one of the chairs, staring around like a lost soul.

Bella stood next to her dad as they stared up at the night sky. For once it was clear, the stars shining brightly. "I'm so sorry, Dad. I don't know what else to say."

"You don't need to apologise, kiddo." Charlie replied. "You were a child; it was my job to protect you and I failed. I'm the one who's sorry."

Bella shook her head fiercely. "No, you had no idea what Edward was. I am the one who thought I was in love."

"I still sensed there was something wrong with him, kiddo. I shouldn't have let my fears that you would leave hold me back from ejecting him from your life. A whole lot of trouble could have been avoided." Charlie said regretfully.

Bella took his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "There was nothing you could have done, believe me."

Charlie sighed. He patted her hand as he continued to look up at the stars. "We need to do something about your mother. She can't be allowed to go blabbing about this."

"What can we do? I asked her to keep quiet and she ignored me." Bella told him.

"I'll sort her out, Bells. Don't worry." Charlie assured her.

"How?"

"I have my ways." Charlie smirked which made Bella laugh.

"You're an awesome dad. Have I ever told you that?"

"No, but feel free to say it again." Charlie joked. "I think we better get back inside so I can talk to your mother."

"Okay." Bella held onto his arm as he led the way back inside the house, closing the door firmly behind them.

A/N-thanks for reading!