Calm the Storm- Chapter 2

'….ke…..Jacob….Jake! Come on man! Dude, please answer! It's Leah! We….we don't think she has much time!'

Shaking his large, russet head, Jacob tried to clear the red fog from his mind. Leah…..Who's that? Hmmm…

Rubbing his aching head against the ground, Jacob tried his hardest to take a control of his wolf.

'Jacob! Jake! Please Jake! Please come save Leah!,' Seth screamed into Jacob's mind. He tried to force the images of the last few hours into Jacob's head:

Leah passing out.

Sue coming to her aid after Sam sent Paul to get her.

"It's the imprint. Her body can't take it anymore. She's dieing," Sue had sobbed.

'JAKE! PLEASE COME SAVE LEAH! I'M BEGGING YOU!' Seth cried one last time.

Leah…..Leah…..that name….it sounds important…I think…..I think I'm starting to remember…..

And then…..the floodgates opened. And it all came rushing back.

He had run. He had run after she chose the leech over him. He had given her EVERYTHING and she fucking left. And he ran. He ran and ran and ran. He didn't think, he just ran, listening to the sounds of his massive paws smacking the ground. The pack had pleaded and pleaded, but he kept running, his animal mind slowly taking over. He had let it, hoping to have some relief from this pain he had felt. And he forgot. He forgot EVERYTHING. Who he was, where he was from, who he had once cared about.

Leah. OH MY GOD. LEAH.

The imprint! The fucking imprint! Leah had fucking imprinted on HIM! And he had just ignored all of her begging and pleading, all the clues and hints the pack had passed his way to try and get him to come back. She was dieing…and it was all his fault.

'Seth. It's me bud…..Fuck…I'm sorry. Give me a couple hours. I'm coming home.'

'JAKE! Oh my god Jake! Thank God. Thank you thank you thank you,' Seth cried in relief. 'Hurry. Please hurry. I've already lost Dad…..I can't….I can't lose Leah too..'

'I'm coming man. Where is she?' Seth sent him images of The Den, and directions of the approximate location. 'It's where we all live now, Jake. Together, like a real pack should…..We've been just missing you.'

'I'm…..look, I don't think sorry is really going to cut it, but I really am. I'm on my way. I'll see you all soon. Tell Leah to hold on.'

It took Jacob about three hours to reach The Den. Shifting on the fly, he threw on a pair of pants he saw resting on the front porch railing….They were a little tight; he had grown over the time he was away, and despite rarely eating, he had gained many pounds of addition muscle.

Pushing the front door open, he stopped for a moment, taking in the scene before him. The pack sat on an area rug in the room, all touching slightly with whomever was next to them, most with their heads in their hands, some holding their imprints. Seth had his arms wrapped around his mother's shoulders from behind as she kneeled, sobbing, holding her daughter's limp, lifeless hand.

And then his eyes shifted to Leah.

She was so pale, not moving. He noticed….she wasn't breathing.

He slowly stalked forward, in disbelief, before he kneeled by her side, after Seth pulled Sue back.

With his right hand, he grabbed her right, and cupped her cheek with his left hand. He sat there for a moment, as tears collected in his eyes, he became angry.

"God dammit Leah!" He rasped, his voice hoarse with emotion and so many months of disuse. "Why didn't you tell me! I would've come back! I would've!"

"Are you sure about that Jake?" Sam said, voice soft and slightly accusing.

Jacob's eyes shift to a deep gold color as he slowly turned to a man he once called Alpha. He spoke, voice now deep and gruff, "Yes. For her, for the woman who has imprinted on me, yes. I would move heaven and earth for My Mate."

"And us?" Quil asked from his position on the carpet.

He turned his head slowly towards him, eyes still gold, as he looked him directly in the eyes. "Yes. For My Pack, I would." His eyes slowly shift to their normal color, his expression becoming sad and unsure. "Guys…I'm sorry….I just…I couldn't handle any of this…..I lost control of myself…..and now…." He looked back at Leah.

"It's all my damn fault," he sobbed.

He leaned his head down next to Leah's ear, squeezing her hand one last time.

"Leah…I'm so sorry…..I'm so fucking sorry," he sobbed. "I never knew! I never should've left! You deserved better, and I did this to you! My Mate…I'm so sorry."

And then….She took a breath.