CHAPTER 2
The Quileute pack didn't seem particularly excited to be called to the Cullen homestead but as they approached, the obvious screams made it clear that whatever they were being called for was serious. Edward had asked his daughter to wait inside but stay downstairs until he or Bella told her otherwise. Resnesmee did as she was told, hugged her Jacob and hurried into the house.
The wolves, since becoming more accustomed to being welcome around the Cullens, had decided to stay in human form for the meeting. Jacob stood at the point of the make shift arrow head the pack had formed. Before Jacob could open his mouth, Edward motioned for them to follow him and Carlisle. While the wolves were a little confused by it they followed along as the vampires led the way running a few miles out. When the two were convinced they were far enough out not to be heard by any members of their family still back at the house they stopped and turned to the wolf pack.
"We have a situation as I'm sure you could hear," Carlisle began. "A human associate of our family has been attacked by an unknown vampire. She's currently undergoing the change and as you are aware newborns can be potentially destructive. This is something I want to discuss with you further, but there is something a bit more pressing that we hope you can help with."
Jacob, as the pack leader, spoke for the group, "If there is a remote possibility that her change can cause the deaths of any around here she can't stay. There is no discussing that."
Carlisle acknowledged Jacob's statement with a nod, but continued on with the more immediate issue. "That is something we will talk about further, but we have a few days to figure it out. There is an issue that is much more time senstive. Her three year old son has gone missing. He was gone before I was able to reach her. We believe he was taken after she was bitten. We're hoping you might be able to help find him."
The pack all agreed, "Of course. We can start on that as soon as possible, just tell us where we're going."
"She owns a cabin in a small town outside of Olympia. Alice and Jasper are on their way there now. When I found her she was in her son's room and there were two scents in the room with her. One I didn't recognize," Carlisle paused eyeing the boys in front of him, "The other I didn't expect."
"Okay?" Jacob stood impatiently waiting for the point of the vague comment.
"The other scent was Leah's," Carlisle revealed.
This stirred the small group of Jacob, Quil, Embry and Seth. "How would she know anything about one of your friends?" Seth asked.
"We were hoping you could tell us," Edward added.
"Well, who is she?" Jacob enquired.
"A close friend of Emmett's. Her name's Jennifer Goodwin. Does that name sound familiar?"
Jacob quickly recalled a conversation he had with Bella about a human girl that lived in Washington who used to be close to the Cullens. "Wait, is this the girl that can toss a vamp across a room without ever touching them?" That conversation always stuck out to him because in those days the thought of any gift that could take down a vampire was placed high on his wish list. That story had brought him a lot of amusement, but he promised Bella he wouldn't tell anyone and he never did.
"Yes," Carlisle confirmed, "But our family has had limited communication with her for a few years."
"I remember Bella saying there was some kinda falling out, but I never told anyone about her." The pack nodded in agreement.
Edward pointed out, "But the pack could have seen her in your thoughts."
"I still don't know why Leah would know her or even care." Jacob paused, realization hitting him, "Do you think she has something do with the kid missing?"
Carlisle nodded, "Her scent was the only one on his bed."
Jacob was now very confused, but also worried for his 2nd in command. Why would she be anywhere near a strange vampire? He needed to find out what was going on, "Just tell us where to start.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Leah lied sprawled out on the musty full sized matress in the Motel 6 just outside of Seattle. There was no way she was going anywhere near La Push or Forks, not after what she did. Jenn was her friend, a friend she chose to reach out to after Jacob let it slip that Bella wasn't the only human they had contact with. When Leah found there was someone on the outside of her mystical world that could relate to her hatred for the Cullens she didn't waste any time seeking her out. She was blind enough to be tricked by a bloodsucker and now her friend was quickly becoming one of them. She rolled over on the bed to stare at Jenn's only son Joey as he slept soundly next to her on the dingy covers. It wasn't the greatest accommodations, but it would do until she figured out what to do next.
Thinking over the earlier events, how could she be so stupid? This guy comes into her life a month ago and sweet talks her for weeks. She thought he really liked her so when he talked her into introducing him to her friend she had outside of the area she was excited to share the new guy in her life with someone. Then he turns out to be a tick. Why didn't she see it? Why didn't she smell it all over him? What guy could actually be interested in her, anyway?
He had to be a cross breed like Jacob's imprint. It couldn't be anything else. She knows a leech when she smells one and there was nothing about him that remotely set off the warning bells. Or maybe she just didn't want to see them. How she longed for a guy outside of the rez to show some interest in her. Now, here she was, self proclaimed caretaker to a small child because she turned his mother into a life sucking monster. Hopefully Carlisle got there soon enough to help her through the pain, but she knew the stories. The pain was worse and much slower than theirs. She realized her wishful thinking was ridiculous the second she picked up her screaming friend's phone and scanned for the vamp doc's name in her contacts, but it was all she had to hang on to.
Before she could process the next step Joey was in her arms and out the door. She couldn't let the pack know where she was and there was no way she was phasing anytime soon. The pack would know what she did and why. It would be easy to resist the urge now since she made such an effort to control her thoughts around her pack and especially around Edward. She had told Jacob she slowly wanted to give up the pack life so she hadn't been phasing as much lately anyway. Sure they knew Jenn's name and had pictures of -who she thought was a possible love interest's face, but Leah had gotten good at not divulging too much to her pack about what she did and who she did it with outside of the confines of La Push.
Joey was hers now to keep safe if it was the only way to make up for her stupidity. She would disappear if she had to, but this boy was not going to be touched by anyone.
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