"A Wolf in the Forest", Twilight (books), PG-13, Leah/Angela.
Title: A Wolf in the Forest
Fandom: Twilight (books)
Rating: PG-13 for language.
Length: About 3600 words.
Characters/Pairings: Leah Clearwater/Angela Weber, Jacob, Seth, Bella, Renesmee.
Warnings: Spoilers for everything through Breaking Dawn.
Summary: Is there a way to find love, even when both parties are forced into considering it?
Notes: This story has more similarities to the last Femmeslash Friday story than I would have liked, but I had the idea for this one before I ran into problems with my Iron Man story, so I decided to go with it anyway. Extended notes after the story.
A Wolf in the Forest
Dirt, trees, rotting wood, bushes, bugs, deer, and even the slightest hint of human, not washed away. The usual smells of the forest.
And bloodsucker. Never usual, not to Leah.
Okay, she'd admit it, if only because no one else was around. She wasn't taking patrolling very seriously today. She didn't want to check for threats; she wanted some in her face, and she wanted to take them down. If only those damn Volturi hadn't...
Geez, give it a rest. They've been gone for months.
She snarled aloud, although she knew Seth wouldn't hear. Why aren't you at school?
It's nearly four.
Leah looked up to the sky. Sure enough, the sun had sunk behind the trees, and she was in shadow. She really hadn't been paying attention.
Then why aren't you doing your homework?
Seth laughed in her head. Jake was wondering where you were.
So? He could have checked on his own. She sighed. Does he need anything?
He's been spending the day with Nessie. What do you think?
What did Leah think? That imprinting was bullshit made up by her ancestors. If they could walk with the spirits and ride in the body of a wolf, then it didn't seem a stretch to add arranged marriage to the mix. Not to mention infertility. Made controlling the womenfolk that much easier.
She heard a sigh. I'm going back. Mom said dinner'll be done in an hour or so.
I'll catch up later. I want to swing by Forks before it gets dark.
Forks?
It was Leah's turn to sigh. Yes, Forks. Don't you think there could be trouble in town, too?
Sure. But you know what Jake...
He isn't here. Go home.
Before Seth could say anything else, Leah dashed in the direction of the road. She always followed it into town during her circuits because Jake and Seth checked it the least. It made sense to keep out of sight, like they did, but trouble could come into the area just as easily by the highway as it could by the trails in the woods. Easier, actually. And she was willing to risk a little exposure if it meant being sure that no one was sneaking in under her nose.
Of course, there wasn't anything on the road worth noticing today. There weren't even many drivers, but that was no surprise; Forks wasn't a hugely popular destination even if the best of weather, and the weather in December didn't usually fall into that category. It was dry right now, but snow liked to sneak in.
It was almost completely dark by the time she'd made her circuit around the town -- which was also quiet and boring as ever -- and started back out toward the forest. She had to cross the road in order to get back toward La Push, but she was pretty good about avoiding traffic.
So good, in fact, that she'd forgotten to even check for cars until she was in the road. And by then, it was too late to stop.
Something screeched in her left ear, and she turned her head to look.
It was a car. Of course. It looked blue, but it could have been green or something; Leah's vision, even in wolf form, was the worst around sunset.
But she stopped noticing the car once she spotted the woman inside.
~
"You're kidding."
Angela shook her head, then realized that she was on the phone, and Ben wouldn't be able to see her. "I didn't think the bears were still in the area, but I nearly ran it over."
"It nearly wrecked your car, you mean."
"Yeah." Considering how big it was -- smaller than the black one she'd seen a while ago, but still big -- that was probably an understatement. "Good thing I just got my brakes checked."
"But you were stuck?"
"It didn't move for five minutes or so. I didn't want to drive around it...I thought I might provoke it."
"Huh."
Angela wished she could convey the whole experience, but it was nearly impossible to put into words. The way the bear was looking at her...she couldn't even put her finger on it. It wasn't a hungry look, or an angry look, and it hadn't made any threatening noises, but it had watched her until she honked her horn. And when she had honked the horn, Angela blinked, and the bear had disappeared. She hadn't known that bears could run that fast, and the knowledge wasn't at all comforting.
Since Ben didn't seem too intrigued anyway, she decided to change the subject. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"
"Plans? Oh, we're going out for dinner with Grandma. What about you?"
"I'm visiting Bella, probably."
"She's still in town? I thought she was going to Dartmouth or something."
Angela ran her fingers through her hair. "She told me Alaska. But maybe she's here for the holidays."
"Have fun with that." The next words were muffled.
"What?"
Ben's voice came in again. "Sorry, Mom needs the phone."
"Do you want me to call back?"
"I'll call you in a couple of days. Night, Angie."
She ended up saying "I love you" to the dial tone.
~
Shit, shit, shit.
Leah hugged her legs. She wasn't cold, even though she had been in her human form all night in the forest, but regardless, she was shaking.
She had imprinted. On a woman. As if she wasn't enough of a freak already.
Not for the first time, she heard a howl in the distance. Seth and Jacob had been looking for her all night -- that is, if they hadn't enlisted Sam to help -- but she had switched out of her wolf form the second she had left the road, and she hadn't switched back. There was no way she had wanted her brother knowing...or Jacob, either.
But she hadn't been doing this for long enough to control it. None of them had. She would have to change back eventually, and then they would all know.
Leah, the big dyke.
The howl was closer now. Whomever it was had probably caught her scent. She got to her feet and prepared to run.
"Wait!"
Jacob. In human form. She let her muscles relax a little as he came into view.
"Damn it, Leah," he said. He had pulled on some pants, but they were streaked with dirt, probably because he'd been carrying or dragging them. "Why didn't you answer me?"
"Why didn't you leave me alone?" she shot back, but instead of managing to sting, her voice shook. She hoped Jacob didn't hear it.
He did, of course, and his face fell immediately. "Are you okay?"
"Just fucking dandy."
"What happened?"
"Why would you think something happened?"
He scoffed. "Let's see. You didn't show up home last night, and Seth called me in the middle of the night when I was getting some sleep, and then I had to track down some of the Cullens, and--"
"Fine, I get it! I'm a big screw up! Now can you leave me the hell alone?"
Jacob met her eyes, then took a step backward. "You weren't...crying?"
"I don't cry." They both knew that was a lie -- one of the benefits of being part of the same pack for so long -- but he didn't challenge her.
"Look," he said, putting his hands up. "You've gotta be hungry, right? We could go back--"
"I am not going to La Push right now."
"--to the Cullens, and you could have breakfast."
"Leech food. Yummy."
Jacob scowled. "Or you could stay in the forest until you rot. Your choice."
None of the options were appealing. But, if she did go with Jacob back to the Cullens, then maybe she could pick a fight if Emmett was around. Oh yeah, that sounded good right about now.
Except that she'd have to change to fight him properly. Well, she'd figure that one out when she got there.
"Lead the way, fearless Alpha," she said. "But I'm walking."
~
The Cullen house looked decidedly less pretty than the last time Angela had seen it, but it had been decorated for Bella and Edward's wedding then. Saying that the Cullens knew how to throw a party was an understatement; both the graduation party and the reception they'd hosted had to be the most expensive events she'd ever gone to.
She pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. She could see Bella waiting by the front door, holding a little girl's hand. Bella had told her about Edward's niece on the phone, so she wasn't surprised to see her. Bella looked different, like she'd changed her hair or something, but she wouldn't be sure until she got closer.
As she stepped out of the car and closed the door, a couple of people emerged from the trees close to the house. One she recognized as Jacob Black, Bella's best friend, but the other was a striking woman who was probably a couple years older than she herself was. The woman could have been Jake's sister with her height and skin tone, not to mention they were both wearing absolutely filthy clothing, but she had a look on her face that made Angela pause before she advanced too far from her car. It definitely said "don't mess with me", and Angela didn't want to intrude if something was going on.
The woman stopped in the exact same instance and turned to look at Angela, and her face changed completely. Instead of looking angry, or upset, her eyes widened, and a smile spread on her face. She'd been stunning before, but smiling, she was so beautiful that she took Angela's breath away.
Jacob called to Bella, although Angela was still a little too far back to hear exactly what was being said, and the woman's eyes tore away from hers. Now, she didn't look mad; she shook, and her shoulders hunched. She was scared.
The shaking increased, and Angela took a step forward, crying out as the woman fell forward. She cried out again as gray fur exploded from her skin, completely tearing apart the clothes that she was wearing, and the woman reshaped completely.
The woman was the bear.
Except that, for the instant that the woman remained in front of her, Angela could see that she wasn't a bear. The fur was light enough that Angela could see the features of her face more clearly than she did on the black bear she'd spotted earlier in the year, and the snout was much closer to a wolf's than a bear's. Angela blinked, and the woman was gone, Jacob darting into the trees after her.
She could have been standing there dumbstruck for hours after that; her sense of time was gone completely. But it still seemed that Bella came up to her in an instant, walking the little girl alongside her.
"Hi, Angela," Bella said, her voice far sweeter than Angela had ever remembered, "we have some catching up to do."
~
WHAT THE HELL WAS...
Jacob trailed off as he read Leah's memories, and Leah took that time to scan through his surface memories to see what he knew about the girl. Her name was Angela, and she was a friend of Bella's from school, so she was over eighteen. Jake didn't know much because they ran in different circles, but he did know that she was at the wedding. Yeah, that was useful.
That's why you were gone all night?
Oh yeah. He'd been checking her, too.
Yeah. What are you going to do about it?
She wasn't sure what she expected next, but it hadn't been laughter. Why didn't you say so in the first place? I thought you'd been attacked, or...
Yeah, because fights freak me out.
Good point. He laughed again. Man, I was so scared you'd let a normal human in on this.
She is a normal human.
But you've imprinted on her. You can tell her everything. That's probably going to make Bella pretty happy, I bet.
I don't want it!
Jacob stopped in mid-run, and so did she. As good as running felt, she didn't want to lose him.
You don't? But...
I won't do this to her. I can't!
It's too late. Jacob's voice had lost all of its amusement and now sounded pitying. Just what she needed.
It can't be. There has to be some way to reverse it.
You really want to?
No, she didn't. Looking at Angela had been like discovering the true focus of her life, and both times she had done it, she had never been happier, or more content. She hadn't felt anything even close since Sam...no, not even before that. And that was the problem.
Look. Jacob's head-voice sounded unsure, but she supposed that wasn't unfair. This is a new one for me, too. Maybe you should go back to Bella's and see if Angela's still there. You could talk to her.
Yeah, sure. How would that conversation go? Let's see..."Your happiness is now my top priority, even though this is the first time we've ever talked. No, you don't get a choice in the matter."
Bella was with Nessie. You probably don't have to explain anything.
For the first time in her life, Leah was relieved that the little creep existed. What else would I say?
I think you'll find that you'll have plenty to say. Or hear.
~
Angela had thought that her first day of college had been culture shock. Living in the dorms, not having her parents around, getting to see campus...it had been new, sure, but nothing, nothing would ever compare to this day.
She was sitting on the couch across from Bella. That was normal. The color of Bella's eyes under the contacts that had dissolved? Not normal. The fact that the little girl was Bella's daughter and looked old enough to be in elementary school? Definitely not normal.
The fact that a werewolf was in love with her? That was beyond abnormal; that was just crazy.
"It's not love, not exactly," Bella said as Renesmee ran toward the front door. "I mean, love's there, but it's not necessarily romantic."
"Right," Angela said. She'd gotten that somewhat from Renesmee's thought trick, but it was definitely hard to put into words. "But...I have a boyfriend. A human boyfriend. He's not going to understand if a werewolf's hovering around me."
"He can't know."
Bella didn't twitch at all, but Angela nearly jumped out of her skin. She hadn't heard Jacob come in.
To cover up her surprise, she rose to her feet and turned around. Sure enough, Jacob was standing behind the couch, wearing the dirty jeans again, and he didn't have a shirt on, either. Why hadn't Angela noticed that before? It was December, not July, and Jacob had been walking around outside as if he didn't feel the chilly wind even though he'd just been in his pants.
Jacob had Renesmee in his arms, and she put a hand onto his face. He smiled, closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again as Renesmee pulled away. He beamed at her, and Angela shivered.
It was the exact same look the werewolf had given Angela.
"Where's Leah?" Bella asked from behind Angela.
"Getting some clothes from Alice. She ruined her last set."
Bella laughed. "Now I know something's up."
Angela swallowed hard. "What?"
"Leah doesn't like the smell of vampire," Jacob said, putting Renesmee on the ground. "None of us do. But she'll feel better if she's dressed, so she decided to borrow some clothes anyway."
"Jacob! Outside!" the girl said.
"She was waiting for you to get back so she could go eat," Bella said, rounding the couch. She knelt and kissed her daughter (daughter!) on the cheek. "Is that okay?"
Jacob raised an eyebrow, then took Renesmee's hand. "Let's go, sweetie."
The two walked out of the room, and Angela turned to Bella. "What did he mean, Ben can't know?"
"It's the whole secrecy thing," Bella said. "Werewolves aren't quite as strict about keeping things quiet as vampires are, but they don't tell humans who they don't imprint on. Usually, anyway. It's for safety."
"Oh." That did make sense, but...there was so much that she'd learned, and she couldn't tell Ben?
Bella looked behind Angela, then nodded. "I'll give you guys some privacy."
"But..."
Before Angela could even start a second word, Bella had disappeared completely.
"Um...hello."
Angela turned to look behind the couch again. The voice belonged to the woman -- Leah, Jacob had called her -- who was wearing a dress that not only looked a little too small, but the completely wrong style. It was flowing, elegant, and something a rich and super-feminine woman would wear. Leah certainly wasn't a girly girl, although Angela would never have mistaken her for anything but a woman, even with her cropped bob.
Their eyes locked again, and the smile from earlier spread onto Leah's face. Angela felt her cheeks warm.
"Do you want to sit down?"
"Not really," Leah said. "But I will if you want me to."
"Um, no, don't feel like you have to." Angela stuck out her hand. "I'm Angela. Weber."
"Leah Clearwater."
Leah took her hand, and Angela nearly gasped. Even through her gloves, she could feel the heat that Leah's body was putting out. But she didn't gasp; she just shook the hand a couple of times, then let go and sat on the couch where Bella had been previously.
"This is a little strange," Angela said, a nervous laugh following her words. "There were times I suspected that the Cullens weren't...but this, this is way more than I expected."
"I know. When I first changed, I was terrified. I had no idea it was coming." Leah's hands had the back of the couch in a death grip.
Angela nodded. "What was it like?"
Leah proceeded to tell her all about what had happened. How her pack leader had been her boyfriend first, and that he'd imprinted on her cousin after he became a werewolf. How she was the only woman who had changed, and she'd had to endure every single thought that her ex had about his new love. How she'd left the big pack behind to get away from all of it. Angela found herself engrossed, and it wasn't until she stopped asking questions that she noticed that the light had changed, and the clock on the wall had told that two hours had passed.
"What about you?" Leah said. She'd sat on the couch long before her story had finished, and now, she stretched out her arms. "You have a boyfriend, right?"
"Ben," Angela replied. "We went to high school together, and now we're both in Seattle for school. But he's visiting his grandmother in Delaware for Christmas, and I'm here visiting my parents."
Leah nodded, smiling again. Angela blushed yet again. "My life is so boring next to yours. There's not really much to say. I grew up in Forks, I graduated from Forks High, and I go to school in Seattle."
"I wish my life was a little more boring, trust me." Leah leaned forward. "And I've liked meeting you. I just don't want you to feel pressured by this imprinting thing."
"Pressured?"
"I told you how Sam and Emily ended up together."
"Right."
Leah sighed. "They're getting married. And they're not the only ones...to fall in love, I mean. In our tradition, it's generally what happens. Not all the time, but most of the time."
Angela looked at the floor.
"But I don't want you to feel pressured," Leah repeated quickly. "I mean, I've only been with guys before, and you're in a relationship. And the main thing behind imprinting is that the pack member wants the person they imprint on to be happy, above everything else. So I'm totally prepared to walk away from this and never set eyes on you again, if that's what you want."
"I don't know what I want," Angela whispered. She'd never even considered a woman before. Not that she didn't know gay people -- it was impossible to go to college and not meet anyone in a relationship with someone in the same gender -- but they weren't hugely common in Forks, and she'd normally drifted toward guys. She had a boyfriend, after all, and she didn't want to hurt him.
But even though she didn't want to hurt anyone, and even though this had never even entered her mind before, Angela wasn't ready to back down just yet. So, she made a decision.
She bit her lip. "Would you be willing to try something?"
"What?" Leah asked.
"Can I..." Goodness, it was hard to get the words out. "Can I kiss you?"
Leah's eyes widened, and Angela's cheeks became painfully inflamed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend..."
"I'm not offended! Not at all. But..." Leah looked to the side. "Is it what you really want?"
Angela nodded immediately. "I can't promise anything, so if it would hurt your feelings..."
"It wouldn't."
"I just..." Angela sighed. "I've just always thought I would date in college, probably Ben, graduate, get a job, get married...you know."
Leah leaned back. "I thought something similar once."
"This is completely unfair to you," Angela continued. She knew she was babbling, but she couldn't help it; it was the only way she could seem to think right now. "You didn't get a choice. This is your life, and that's it. I do have a choice. But if I walk away now and never see you again, then I'll never know what life you were forced into, and I don't think I could do that."
"You don't have to do anything for me!" Leah said, holding out her hands. "Don't even think of me!"
Angela felt a twist in her stomach as she took Leah's hands. "I want to think of you. And that's why I need to try this."
For the first time, a flush arose under Leah's skin, and Angela laughed under her breath. She closed her eyes and leaned in, breathing in the sweet smell of Leah. Even if Angela never saw Leah again, she would never forget her beautiful scent.
Extended Notes: Yeah, that's where I'm ending it. I mostly stopped there because, if I kept going, this story would be twice as long as it was, but it also felt finished to me. The story was about Leah imprinting, and if I'd kept it going, it would have been more about their love or lack of it, depending on where I decided to go. (Neither option was very appealing; if they ended up together, it would have only been a slightly less bland version of everyone else in the books, and if they went separate ways, it would have been too cruel to Leah.)
This story was hard to write in-character at all, to be honest. I don't agree with Stephenie Meyer's views on pretty much anything, and the two things I've hated the most were the way she dealt with imprinting and the way she treated Leah's character. In Breaking Dawn in particular, Leah goes from hating vampires and talking about how much she hated being a member of Sam's pack to wanting babies and rueing that she couldn't have any. And I obviously tried to improve both elements in the story, mostly because I've always seen Leah as a feminist by necessity; she's a woman in an almost entirely man's world, and it isn't at all kind to her.
Angela, on the other hand, was pretty much as bland a character as could be written into existence; she was created to support Bella and give her something to do that didn't involve the Cullens, and that was it. And since SMeyer more than filled her quota of jealous human shrews, she decided to throw in a saint (that is paired up with a guy because every character must have a heterosexual life mate). After the wedding, she disappears from Breaking Dawn completely. I've been wondering for a while what she was really like, and what she would do if she was introduced to the world that goes on without her knowledge.
And as far as imprinting goes, I wanted to see if I could make it not creepy and not a terrible fate (not that it was supposed to be either in the book series, but that's how I saw it). I don't think I really figured it out. I might try to tackle the subject from a creepier perspective later, but this is it for now.
Fandom: Twilight (books)
Rating: PG-13 for language.
Length: About 3600 words.
Characters/Pairings: Leah Clearwater/Angela Weber, Jacob, Seth, Bella, Renesmee.
Warnings: Spoilers for everything through Breaking Dawn.
Summary: Is there a way to find love, even when both parties are forced into considering it?
Notes: This story has more similarities to the last Femmeslash Friday story than I would have liked, but I had the idea for this one before I ran into problems with my Iron Man story, so I decided to go with it anyway. Extended notes after the story.
A Wolf in the Forest
Dirt, trees, rotting wood, bushes, bugs, deer, and even the slightest hint of human, not washed away. The usual smells of the forest.
And bloodsucker. Never usual, not to Leah.
Okay, she'd admit it, if only because no one else was around. She wasn't taking patrolling very seriously today. She didn't want to check for threats; she wanted some in her face, and she wanted to take them down. If only those damn Volturi hadn't...
Geez, give it a rest. They've been gone for months.
She snarled aloud, although she knew Seth wouldn't hear. Why aren't you at school?
It's nearly four.
Leah looked up to the sky. Sure enough, the sun had sunk behind the trees, and she was in shadow. She really hadn't been paying attention.
Then why aren't you doing your homework?
Seth laughed in her head. Jake was wondering where you were.
So? He could have checked on his own. She sighed. Does he need anything?
He's been spending the day with Nessie. What do you think?
What did Leah think? That imprinting was bullshit made up by her ancestors. If they could walk with the spirits and ride in the body of a wolf, then it didn't seem a stretch to add arranged marriage to the mix. Not to mention infertility. Made controlling the womenfolk that much easier.
She heard a sigh. I'm going back. Mom said dinner'll be done in an hour or so.
I'll catch up later. I want to swing by Forks before it gets dark.
Forks?
It was Leah's turn to sigh. Yes, Forks. Don't you think there could be trouble in town, too?
Sure. But you know what Jake...
He isn't here. Go home.
Before Seth could say anything else, Leah dashed in the direction of the road. She always followed it into town during her circuits because Jake and Seth checked it the least. It made sense to keep out of sight, like they did, but trouble could come into the area just as easily by the highway as it could by the trails in the woods. Easier, actually. And she was willing to risk a little exposure if it meant being sure that no one was sneaking in under her nose.
Of course, there wasn't anything on the road worth noticing today. There weren't even many drivers, but that was no surprise; Forks wasn't a hugely popular destination even if the best of weather, and the weather in December didn't usually fall into that category. It was dry right now, but snow liked to sneak in.
It was almost completely dark by the time she'd made her circuit around the town -- which was also quiet and boring as ever -- and started back out toward the forest. She had to cross the road in order to get back toward La Push, but she was pretty good about avoiding traffic.
So good, in fact, that she'd forgotten to even check for cars until she was in the road. And by then, it was too late to stop.
Something screeched in her left ear, and she turned her head to look.
It was a car. Of course. It looked blue, but it could have been green or something; Leah's vision, even in wolf form, was the worst around sunset.
But she stopped noticing the car once she spotted the woman inside.
~
"You're kidding."
Angela shook her head, then realized that she was on the phone, and Ben wouldn't be able to see her. "I didn't think the bears were still in the area, but I nearly ran it over."
"It nearly wrecked your car, you mean."
"Yeah." Considering how big it was -- smaller than the black one she'd seen a while ago, but still big -- that was probably an understatement. "Good thing I just got my brakes checked."
"But you were stuck?"
"It didn't move for five minutes or so. I didn't want to drive around it...I thought I might provoke it."
"Huh."
Angela wished she could convey the whole experience, but it was nearly impossible to put into words. The way the bear was looking at her...she couldn't even put her finger on it. It wasn't a hungry look, or an angry look, and it hadn't made any threatening noises, but it had watched her until she honked her horn. And when she had honked the horn, Angela blinked, and the bear had disappeared. She hadn't known that bears could run that fast, and the knowledge wasn't at all comforting.
Since Ben didn't seem too intrigued anyway, she decided to change the subject. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"
"Plans? Oh, we're going out for dinner with Grandma. What about you?"
"I'm visiting Bella, probably."
"She's still in town? I thought she was going to Dartmouth or something."
Angela ran her fingers through her hair. "She told me Alaska. But maybe she's here for the holidays."
"Have fun with that." The next words were muffled.
"What?"
Ben's voice came in again. "Sorry, Mom needs the phone."
"Do you want me to call back?"
"I'll call you in a couple of days. Night, Angie."
She ended up saying "I love you" to the dial tone.
~
Shit, shit, shit.
Leah hugged her legs. She wasn't cold, even though she had been in her human form all night in the forest, but regardless, she was shaking.
She had imprinted. On a woman. As if she wasn't enough of a freak already.
Not for the first time, she heard a howl in the distance. Seth and Jacob had been looking for her all night -- that is, if they hadn't enlisted Sam to help -- but she had switched out of her wolf form the second she had left the road, and she hadn't switched back. There was no way she had wanted her brother knowing...or Jacob, either.
But she hadn't been doing this for long enough to control it. None of them had. She would have to change back eventually, and then they would all know.
Leah, the big dyke.
The howl was closer now. Whomever it was had probably caught her scent. She got to her feet and prepared to run.
"Wait!"
Jacob. In human form. She let her muscles relax a little as he came into view.
"Damn it, Leah," he said. He had pulled on some pants, but they were streaked with dirt, probably because he'd been carrying or dragging them. "Why didn't you answer me?"
"Why didn't you leave me alone?" she shot back, but instead of managing to sting, her voice shook. She hoped Jacob didn't hear it.
He did, of course, and his face fell immediately. "Are you okay?"
"Just fucking dandy."
"What happened?"
"Why would you think something happened?"
He scoffed. "Let's see. You didn't show up home last night, and Seth called me in the middle of the night when I was getting some sleep, and then I had to track down some of the Cullens, and--"
"Fine, I get it! I'm a big screw up! Now can you leave me the hell alone?"
Jacob met her eyes, then took a step backward. "You weren't...crying?"
"I don't cry." They both knew that was a lie -- one of the benefits of being part of the same pack for so long -- but he didn't challenge her.
"Look," he said, putting his hands up. "You've gotta be hungry, right? We could go back--"
"I am not going to La Push right now."
"--to the Cullens, and you could have breakfast."
"Leech food. Yummy."
Jacob scowled. "Or you could stay in the forest until you rot. Your choice."
None of the options were appealing. But, if she did go with Jacob back to the Cullens, then maybe she could pick a fight if Emmett was around. Oh yeah, that sounded good right about now.
Except that she'd have to change to fight him properly. Well, she'd figure that one out when she got there.
"Lead the way, fearless Alpha," she said. "But I'm walking."
~
The Cullen house looked decidedly less pretty than the last time Angela had seen it, but it had been decorated for Bella and Edward's wedding then. Saying that the Cullens knew how to throw a party was an understatement; both the graduation party and the reception they'd hosted had to be the most expensive events she'd ever gone to.
She pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. She could see Bella waiting by the front door, holding a little girl's hand. Bella had told her about Edward's niece on the phone, so she wasn't surprised to see her. Bella looked different, like she'd changed her hair or something, but she wouldn't be sure until she got closer.
As she stepped out of the car and closed the door, a couple of people emerged from the trees close to the house. One she recognized as Jacob Black, Bella's best friend, but the other was a striking woman who was probably a couple years older than she herself was. The woman could have been Jake's sister with her height and skin tone, not to mention they were both wearing absolutely filthy clothing, but she had a look on her face that made Angela pause before she advanced too far from her car. It definitely said "don't mess with me", and Angela didn't want to intrude if something was going on.
The woman stopped in the exact same instance and turned to look at Angela, and her face changed completely. Instead of looking angry, or upset, her eyes widened, and a smile spread on her face. She'd been stunning before, but smiling, she was so beautiful that she took Angela's breath away.
Jacob called to Bella, although Angela was still a little too far back to hear exactly what was being said, and the woman's eyes tore away from hers. Now, she didn't look mad; she shook, and her shoulders hunched. She was scared.
The shaking increased, and Angela took a step forward, crying out as the woman fell forward. She cried out again as gray fur exploded from her skin, completely tearing apart the clothes that she was wearing, and the woman reshaped completely.
The woman was the bear.
Except that, for the instant that the woman remained in front of her, Angela could see that she wasn't a bear. The fur was light enough that Angela could see the features of her face more clearly than she did on the black bear she'd spotted earlier in the year, and the snout was much closer to a wolf's than a bear's. Angela blinked, and the woman was gone, Jacob darting into the trees after her.
She could have been standing there dumbstruck for hours after that; her sense of time was gone completely. But it still seemed that Bella came up to her in an instant, walking the little girl alongside her.
"Hi, Angela," Bella said, her voice far sweeter than Angela had ever remembered, "we have some catching up to do."
~
WHAT THE HELL WAS...
Jacob trailed off as he read Leah's memories, and Leah took that time to scan through his surface memories to see what he knew about the girl. Her name was Angela, and she was a friend of Bella's from school, so she was over eighteen. Jake didn't know much because they ran in different circles, but he did know that she was at the wedding. Yeah, that was useful.
That's why you were gone all night?
Oh yeah. He'd been checking her, too.
Yeah. What are you going to do about it?
She wasn't sure what she expected next, but it hadn't been laughter. Why didn't you say so in the first place? I thought you'd been attacked, or...
Yeah, because fights freak me out.
Good point. He laughed again. Man, I was so scared you'd let a normal human in on this.
She is a normal human.
But you've imprinted on her. You can tell her everything. That's probably going to make Bella pretty happy, I bet.
I don't want it!
Jacob stopped in mid-run, and so did she. As good as running felt, she didn't want to lose him.
You don't? But...
I won't do this to her. I can't!
It's too late. Jacob's voice had lost all of its amusement and now sounded pitying. Just what she needed.
It can't be. There has to be some way to reverse it.
You really want to?
No, she didn't. Looking at Angela had been like discovering the true focus of her life, and both times she had done it, she had never been happier, or more content. She hadn't felt anything even close since Sam...no, not even before that. And that was the problem.
Look. Jacob's head-voice sounded unsure, but she supposed that wasn't unfair. This is a new one for me, too. Maybe you should go back to Bella's and see if Angela's still there. You could talk to her.
Yeah, sure. How would that conversation go? Let's see..."Your happiness is now my top priority, even though this is the first time we've ever talked. No, you don't get a choice in the matter."
Bella was with Nessie. You probably don't have to explain anything.
For the first time in her life, Leah was relieved that the little creep existed. What else would I say?
I think you'll find that you'll have plenty to say. Or hear.
~
Angela had thought that her first day of college had been culture shock. Living in the dorms, not having her parents around, getting to see campus...it had been new, sure, but nothing, nothing would ever compare to this day.
She was sitting on the couch across from Bella. That was normal. The color of Bella's eyes under the contacts that had dissolved? Not normal. The fact that the little girl was Bella's daughter and looked old enough to be in elementary school? Definitely not normal.
The fact that a werewolf was in love with her? That was beyond abnormal; that was just crazy.
"It's not love, not exactly," Bella said as Renesmee ran toward the front door. "I mean, love's there, but it's not necessarily romantic."
"Right," Angela said. She'd gotten that somewhat from Renesmee's thought trick, but it was definitely hard to put into words. "But...I have a boyfriend. A human boyfriend. He's not going to understand if a werewolf's hovering around me."
"He can't know."
Bella didn't twitch at all, but Angela nearly jumped out of her skin. She hadn't heard Jacob come in.
To cover up her surprise, she rose to her feet and turned around. Sure enough, Jacob was standing behind the couch, wearing the dirty jeans again, and he didn't have a shirt on, either. Why hadn't Angela noticed that before? It was December, not July, and Jacob had been walking around outside as if he didn't feel the chilly wind even though he'd just been in his pants.
Jacob had Renesmee in his arms, and she put a hand onto his face. He smiled, closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again as Renesmee pulled away. He beamed at her, and Angela shivered.
It was the exact same look the werewolf had given Angela.
"Where's Leah?" Bella asked from behind Angela.
"Getting some clothes from Alice. She ruined her last set."
Bella laughed. "Now I know something's up."
Angela swallowed hard. "What?"
"Leah doesn't like the smell of vampire," Jacob said, putting Renesmee on the ground. "None of us do. But she'll feel better if she's dressed, so she decided to borrow some clothes anyway."
"Jacob! Outside!" the girl said.
"She was waiting for you to get back so she could go eat," Bella said, rounding the couch. She knelt and kissed her daughter (daughter!) on the cheek. "Is that okay?"
Jacob raised an eyebrow, then took Renesmee's hand. "Let's go, sweetie."
The two walked out of the room, and Angela turned to Bella. "What did he mean, Ben can't know?"
"It's the whole secrecy thing," Bella said. "Werewolves aren't quite as strict about keeping things quiet as vampires are, but they don't tell humans who they don't imprint on. Usually, anyway. It's for safety."
"Oh." That did make sense, but...there was so much that she'd learned, and she couldn't tell Ben?
Bella looked behind Angela, then nodded. "I'll give you guys some privacy."
"But..."
Before Angela could even start a second word, Bella had disappeared completely.
"Um...hello."
Angela turned to look behind the couch again. The voice belonged to the woman -- Leah, Jacob had called her -- who was wearing a dress that not only looked a little too small, but the completely wrong style. It was flowing, elegant, and something a rich and super-feminine woman would wear. Leah certainly wasn't a girly girl, although Angela would never have mistaken her for anything but a woman, even with her cropped bob.
Their eyes locked again, and the smile from earlier spread onto Leah's face. Angela felt her cheeks warm.
"Do you want to sit down?"
"Not really," Leah said. "But I will if you want me to."
"Um, no, don't feel like you have to." Angela stuck out her hand. "I'm Angela. Weber."
"Leah Clearwater."
Leah took her hand, and Angela nearly gasped. Even through her gloves, she could feel the heat that Leah's body was putting out. But she didn't gasp; she just shook the hand a couple of times, then let go and sat on the couch where Bella had been previously.
"This is a little strange," Angela said, a nervous laugh following her words. "There were times I suspected that the Cullens weren't...but this, this is way more than I expected."
"I know. When I first changed, I was terrified. I had no idea it was coming." Leah's hands had the back of the couch in a death grip.
Angela nodded. "What was it like?"
Leah proceeded to tell her all about what had happened. How her pack leader had been her boyfriend first, and that he'd imprinted on her cousin after he became a werewolf. How she was the only woman who had changed, and she'd had to endure every single thought that her ex had about his new love. How she'd left the big pack behind to get away from all of it. Angela found herself engrossed, and it wasn't until she stopped asking questions that she noticed that the light had changed, and the clock on the wall had told that two hours had passed.
"What about you?" Leah said. She'd sat on the couch long before her story had finished, and now, she stretched out her arms. "You have a boyfriend, right?"
"Ben," Angela replied. "We went to high school together, and now we're both in Seattle for school. But he's visiting his grandmother in Delaware for Christmas, and I'm here visiting my parents."
Leah nodded, smiling again. Angela blushed yet again. "My life is so boring next to yours. There's not really much to say. I grew up in Forks, I graduated from Forks High, and I go to school in Seattle."
"I wish my life was a little more boring, trust me." Leah leaned forward. "And I've liked meeting you. I just don't want you to feel pressured by this imprinting thing."
"Pressured?"
"I told you how Sam and Emily ended up together."
"Right."
Leah sighed. "They're getting married. And they're not the only ones...to fall in love, I mean. In our tradition, it's generally what happens. Not all the time, but most of the time."
Angela looked at the floor.
"But I don't want you to feel pressured," Leah repeated quickly. "I mean, I've only been with guys before, and you're in a relationship. And the main thing behind imprinting is that the pack member wants the person they imprint on to be happy, above everything else. So I'm totally prepared to walk away from this and never set eyes on you again, if that's what you want."
"I don't know what I want," Angela whispered. She'd never even considered a woman before. Not that she didn't know gay people -- it was impossible to go to college and not meet anyone in a relationship with someone in the same gender -- but they weren't hugely common in Forks, and she'd normally drifted toward guys. She had a boyfriend, after all, and she didn't want to hurt him.
But even though she didn't want to hurt anyone, and even though this had never even entered her mind before, Angela wasn't ready to back down just yet. So, she made a decision.
She bit her lip. "Would you be willing to try something?"
"What?" Leah asked.
"Can I..." Goodness, it was hard to get the words out. "Can I kiss you?"
Leah's eyes widened, and Angela's cheeks became painfully inflamed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend..."
"I'm not offended! Not at all. But..." Leah looked to the side. "Is it what you really want?"
Angela nodded immediately. "I can't promise anything, so if it would hurt your feelings..."
"It wouldn't."
"I just..." Angela sighed. "I've just always thought I would date in college, probably Ben, graduate, get a job, get married...you know."
Leah leaned back. "I thought something similar once."
"This is completely unfair to you," Angela continued. She knew she was babbling, but she couldn't help it; it was the only way she could seem to think right now. "You didn't get a choice. This is your life, and that's it. I do have a choice. But if I walk away now and never see you again, then I'll never know what life you were forced into, and I don't think I could do that."
"You don't have to do anything for me!" Leah said, holding out her hands. "Don't even think of me!"
Angela felt a twist in her stomach as she took Leah's hands. "I want to think of you. And that's why I need to try this."
For the first time, a flush arose under Leah's skin, and Angela laughed under her breath. She closed her eyes and leaned in, breathing in the sweet smell of Leah. Even if Angela never saw Leah again, she would never forget her beautiful scent.
Extended Notes: Yeah, that's where I'm ending it. I mostly stopped there because, if I kept going, this story would be twice as long as it was, but it also felt finished to me. The story was about Leah imprinting, and if I'd kept it going, it would have been more about their love or lack of it, depending on where I decided to go. (Neither option was very appealing; if they ended up together, it would have only been a slightly less bland version of everyone else in the books, and if they went separate ways, it would have been too cruel to Leah.)
This story was hard to write in-character at all, to be honest. I don't agree with Stephenie Meyer's views on pretty much anything, and the two things I've hated the most were the way she dealt with imprinting and the way she treated Leah's character. In Breaking Dawn in particular, Leah goes from hating vampires and talking about how much she hated being a member of Sam's pack to wanting babies and rueing that she couldn't have any. And I obviously tried to improve both elements in the story, mostly because I've always seen Leah as a feminist by necessity; she's a woman in an almost entirely man's world, and it isn't at all kind to her.
Angela, on the other hand, was pretty much as bland a character as could be written into existence; she was created to support Bella and give her something to do that didn't involve the Cullens, and that was it. And since SMeyer more than filled her quota of jealous human shrews, she decided to throw in a saint (that is paired up with a guy because every character must have a heterosexual life mate). After the wedding, she disappears from Breaking Dawn completely. I've been wondering for a while what she was really like, and what she would do if she was introduced to the world that goes on without her knowledge.
And as far as imprinting goes, I wanted to see if I could make it not creepy and not a terrible fate (not that it was supposed to be either in the book series, but that's how I saw it). I don't think I really figured it out. I might try to tackle the subject from a creepier perspective later, but this is it for now.