CHAPTER THREE

DEMETRI

In Port Angeles, the Bella Italia is nestled on First Street, surrounded by the curtains of shopping malls and homes in its backyard. Somewhere old Demetri wouldn't have given two fucks about while tracking a certain vampire here, but well, he figures it shouldn't have been much of a surprise in the first place.

"Anything for you, honey?" The waitress' name-tag reads Amber as she gives him a flirtatious smile.

He puts on his best polite smile, motioning outward with his hand. "No, thank you."

The waitress nods in understanding but not before shooting a wink toward his companion on the other chair across from him.

Demetri slides his hands over his warm mug of cocoa — a necessary he doesn't need, but to help blend in with the other six patrons in the restaurant. He pretends that it can warm his bones as he listens to the story being told.

He takes a sip as he watches as the woman's fingers trace over a mark on her right wrist. A bite mark lined with silver tracing part-way to her veins before they disappear from sight. A familiar sight he knows all too well on his own.

"He was a tracker named James," she continues, offering him an explanation with a slight sad smile — though she has no need to. "He was always with this other man named Laurent and Victoria —"

"Sutherland," he finishes. "Red hair, yes?"

Isabella meets his eyes curiously and nods.

"I knew of her. One of her coven members, Heidi, is a part of our Guard. A sister of a sort." Demetri's heart sinks at the thought of Heidi. She had been wondering what had happened to her former coven mate for centuries. He doesn't know if he'll be able to tell her this time when he returns home.

If.

If you decide to return home.

He doesn't tell Isabella of the other thing — the one where he followed the witch-twins and Felix to Seattle towards Victoria's hideout and instructed her and her newborn "mate" to eradicate the Olympic Coven under Jane's orders. He took no shame in that.

"I didn't know she had a sister," Isabella says quietly. Or a last name, the words revealing themselves to Demetri. She carefully picks at a stray thread on her flannel sleeve and looks down at the table again. He knows she must be trying to figure out the reason why he is here and Demetri can see her hazy thoughts behind her shield.

I need to call Edward —

Get Renesmee to safety —

Why is he here? We haven't done anything wrong —

Demetri fights the urge to scoff. Of course, the young vampire thinks her family hasn't. (No one ever thinks they've done any wrong.)

"There are a lot of things you don't know, Mrs. Cullen," he tells her. Demetri takes a short dramatic pause and reaches out and settles a hand on Edward's mate, smirking at the thought of a furious Edward ranting about the fact that Demetri had touched his precious Isabella.

"You have no need to fear, Isabella. This is only a routine check up."

Having learned about the events that occurred in Alice's vision, that Edward Cullen is the reason for his demise, he loves the simple thought of riling up the younger boy. Edward Cullen, a simple mind reader, barely a hundred years old, takes him, the great Dimitrios Koteas down?

Impossible.

Another reason why Demetri despises Edward Cullen. The boy had told a human about the existence of vampires and suffered no consequences for it. And Jasper Hale, the back of his mind reminds him. He's dangerous, also. Responsible for the countless slaughter of humans in Mexico with his sire, Maria.

It's quiet, save for the humans' chatter in the restaurant and Demetri lets their conversations tune into his mind as Isabella withdraws her hand from his before she decides to drop a particular bomb.

"I have nothing to do with them anymore. The Cullens."

Demetri raises an eyebrow. "Oh?" He figures they were inseparable at the hip and her thoughts and body language provide the truth.

"We're taking a break," she tells him, her shoulders slumping, her thoughts racing. "This life … it's not what I thought it was. Me and Edward … we don't know each other like I thought. So … we're taking some time apart."

He knows a stall when he sees it. But he lets her finish before he says with a hint of melodrama, "I apologize. And the child? Renesmee? How is she faring with all of this?"

Renesmee. A ridiculous name, really and he almost feels sorry for the poor child who has to be saddled with it. He had laughed the first Aro said it and thought the name had been a joke. Apparently, it wasn't.

There! Her shield falters at the mention of her daughter and he sees the information he needs.

Can you feel me? he thinks.

Isabella doesn't seem to notice and he takes that as confirmation that it is. Good. He slithers past her thoughts and returns back to his own as her shield strengthens and tightens.

Finally, she says, "She's Elizabeth now. Says she wants to blend in in high school. Jake still calls her Nessie though. And she's doing everything a typical teenage girl could want."

Demetri remembers the small girl with curly hair to her waist, seemingly tethered to Isabella's side. He had been ready to attack if necessary. But then Aro had decided she was no threat. Would the halfbreed be clinging to her imprint now if he'd visited the rest of her family now?

"And you?" Demetri asks genuinely before taking another sip of his cocoa.

"Figured why not try college this time? Might try for an English degree. Be a teacher like I've always wanted in my human life."

The two share a smile and for a while, they are two normal strangers having a conversation, not enemies. Then, Demetri sees yellow threatening to burn through the brown contacts in Isabella's eyes and remembers his mission.

"If I may, where might I find the rest of your family? Just so I can finish my report and return home as soon as possible to put Aro's mind at ease. Are they at home?"

The tracker already knows where they are but anything to put dear Isabella's mind at rest. Make yourself trustworthy.

Demetri can see Isabella's mind wheeling and knows she considers lying before she thinks the best of it. Lying has never been one of her best traits even in her human life, he can tell. Fear splits through her eyes before it vanishes.

Oh, Isabella. Isabella. Isabella. How long did you think you were going to keep this from me?

The brunette sighs. "La Push Road. Billy Black's place. For the rehearsal wedding."

Demetri downs the rest of his mug, runs his tongue over his teeth and smiles, clearly amused. "Of course they are."

LEAH

It's official, Leah thinks. Everyone has lost their damn minds.

There is absolutely no way she is going to let this bloodsucker from Italy ruin her mom's rehearsal dinner. She's heard of him. He's the tracker. The one Wardo hates.

Interesting company you keep.

The leech has never shown up for a routine check up unlike the others before. Why now? The tracker is up to something, she can feel it.

Sue's given her one of Rachel's old dresses to wear tonight. It's a soft forest green, a little larger than they both expected but with a little help from Claire, the dress manages to fit perfectly on Leah's body.

It's something she won't really miss if she decides to fursplode everywhere. Which she hopes she won't have to, if that damn leech behaves.

"Leah," Sue warns as she gives her a steel stare as she fixes Leah's hair up in a messy bun. Their eyes meet in the mirror. "Carlisle said he's on orders here. He trusts him —"

"Of course he does," Leah snorts. "He's Carlisle. He's been with his kind for years. And suddenly out of the blue, he decides to show up? Why not send the Shining Twins or the Hulk?"

"I don't know," Sue says quietly. "I'm worried about him, too. And I want you to listen to me —" Sue places her hands on Leah's shoulder as she spins her around. "I need you to be on your best behavior. He can track us anywhere in the world. I don't want you pissing this vampire off no matter how much your brain is telling you to. If he decides to get angry —"

"I know, Mom. But I can take care of myself."

Sue sighs. "I know, baby. But he's older than Carlisle, older than the Cullens. Just … at least try, okay?"

"Okay," she whispers, a lie so fluently rolling off her tongue.

Sue smiles and places a kiss on her forehead. "How does she look, Seth?"

Seth steps from his place from the doorway and pretends to ponder deeply. "Ugly," he teases and Leah rolls her eyes.

When she sees the vampire leading the way onto the beach with Bella on his arm, Leah's surprised at how young he looks. Then again, she hadn't really paid him much attention on the day of the trial.

She'd been expecting someone older, more battle-hardened. This … boy is the most feared of the Volturi besides the Shining Twins? But she knows appearances can be deceiving. The vampire gives Bella away from him as she moves to greet the rest of her family who have gathered together.

"Carlisle,"the vampire greets kindly. Oh, god. He's got a British accent and already the humans within his earshot are swooning.

Get a damn life! she wants to shout.

"Demetri," Carlisle replies.

Oh, goodie. The Evil British Vampire has a name.

"I still assume Aro's offer is still declined?" His voice is deeper than she expects it to be.

"I'm afraid so."

Demetri nods. "He won't be pleased to hear that when I return. And the rest of your family?" His eyes wander over Alice and Jasper and Emmett before his eyes flick toward Renes — Elizabeth (at least it's better than the other name, thank God) — chatting with Claire in the sidelines. "Aro wishes to know if any of you are still satisfied with your lives."

It's the same old conversations she's heard before from Jacob's memories and she lets herself tune out before the conversation ends and she spots him talking to Charlie and Sue. Heart thudding in her chest, she starts toward him before she remembers her promise to her mother.

Leah tries to let herself mingle with the humans, but she can't stop letting herself be drawn to Demetri over and over, waiting for the moment when he reveals his true colors and attacks her friends and family. Right now, he's leaving the buffet table, holding a filled plate in his hands in an attempt to blend in and sets it down. Seeing her watching the leech, a familiar blonde-haired vampire makes her way to Leah, perfectly manicured like always, not a strand of curled hair out of place.

"Leah," Rosalie acknowledges curtly.

"Blondie," Leah replies.

Over the past few days since Leah has come back, she and Rosalie have somehow grown to a mutual respect. Leah's not sure what to call it. They're not really friends, but they're also not really acquaintances either, especially since the other hates each other's kind and vice versa. But the two have some common interests and really, Leah almost doesn't mind hanging out with Emmett and Rosalie, if it wasn't for the god-awful sickly sweet smell all vampires seem to have and the fact that those two were part of her mortal enemies she was supposed to kill and destroy.

"Emmett wonders what you think about the '69," Rosalie says casually.

For a second, Leah is confused. The two of them have been mending a Volkswagen '69 Beetle together with Emmett for the past two days but why bring that up now? Rosalie's yellow eyes never stray from the tracker's and Leah thinks the blonde vampire is worried. Rosalie turns her eyes to meet Leah's, a familiar expression etched briefly on her face as she tilts her head before snapping back expertly to a raised eyebrow and half-smile. Then she gets it. Oh.

Leah forces herself to keep her voice light and casual. "The Beetle?" She lets her eyes dart toward the vampire called Demetri, then back to Rosalie's to make sure he's who she means. She hopes to God he's not listening to them right now.

"Obviously."

"What do you know about it?" Leah asks. What do you know about him? Because she knows nothing about this leech except for the fact he's a tracker.

"I don't know much," Rosalie admits. "Just that it's older than you and it traveled all over the globe before landing here. It's been through more wars than Jasper and Carlisle combined. Emmett and I have noticed it has a faulty problem with it's left tire. We think from an old accident."

A weakness in his left arm or hand. That's something she can use against him. Another familiar expression crosses over Rosalie's stone face before she can say any more and she sighs in annoyance.

Jacob grabs her arm before she can do anything and wheels her aside from Rosalie with Seth right behind him, his voice angry but low enough for them to hear without the leech eavesdropping. "What the hell do you think you're doing? If you think plotting to take down one of them is a good idea, you're nuts. It's suicide. We have no idea what he's capable of."

"It's one thing to let the Cullens over here over the treaty line and now you got an Evil British Prep making a routine check up? That doesn't raise any red flags?" Leah hisses. "Look, I'm not having some Scarf Boy from Italy ruin my mom's rehearsal dinner. Either you get him out or I will."

"Um, Leah?" Seth's voice cuts in.

Then she smells him. He smells of well, Italy and human cologne lingering around his scent and copper. Too much copper and it burns through her nose. That leech — he's snuck up on them. She's getting sloppy. Leah pushes Seth behind her, holding her arm out, ignoring his soft cry of protest.

"Leah Clearwater."

He's said her name. What. The. Fuck.

"Back up, Scarf Boy," Leah says, pointing accusingly toward the bloodsucker. "How do you know my name? I don't know you and you don't know me."

"I know of you," Demetri tells her. "You're the She-Wolf."

She stares at him. There's something he wants, she can tell. He's looking at her like she's not dangerous, like she's — she's — well, she doesn't really know. But now that's only going to make her determined to figure it out his plan.

"Leah, he's just here for a check-up. He means us no harm."

The vampire doesn't even look away when she meets his eyes and she struggles not to be the one who blinks first. Damn leeches and their ability to stare for all eternity. "He's a Volturi, Jacob. You think he's here to —"

"I know that. But if you attack him right now, the others will come after us. Stand down."

Those two words are laced with power and Leah thinks Jacob doesn't even realize he's used it. He had sworn not to use it on them, on Seth or her. Anger spills through her as she struggles to resist his order, closing her eyes to shut the pain. But she can't, she can't and her body trembles before she wills herself still again.

"Fuck you," Leah directs to Jacob. She sees the apologetic look on his face and it takes her a while before she's able to speak again. Leah slips on a brave face when she remembers the leech is still watching. "Don't do that again."

She grabs her brother's arm and tugs him along with her before she stops in front of Demetri to give her message because she will kill him if he decides to try anything. Her eyes glare into his. Demetri blinks dramatically.

She's so tired and done with all this shit.

"Stay away from my family and I won't kill you."

Before she can pass him, a cold hand wraps around her arm, stopping her in place.

"You know," Demetri smiles wickedly and his dark eyes turn into what she thinks is amusement. "That was a nice conversation you had with Mrs. Hale back there. I'm not one to mince about my own demise, but by all means … I'd love to see you try."

She's trembling and it's the reminder of Seth's hand in hers that throws her back in reality. He's baiting her — that fucker. She won't fall for it. Leah wrenches her arm away, throws him another deadly glare and storms off without another word, dragging Seth along with her.

The vampire stands in the back of the crowd perfectly straight with his arms tucked behind his back like the perfect gentleman, hair spiked up, shoulders moving to keep up the appearance he's breathing for the humans.

Old Human Leah would surely have been sucked right in his act. With that damn accent and all.

Polite and charming, Leah notices as she continues to watch the Italian bloodsucker. Not much of a talker, either. A deadly combination.

Leah knows the signs of a scout when she sees one. How many more are with him, hiding in the distance, buried in the woods? With the revolting vampire stench around her, she has no way of telling.

Leah can practically feel the burning of his eyes on her skin again when she leaves the table to get another drink. The shapeshifter turns, ignoring Sue's warning from earlier and gives her best smug smile and quickly raises her middle finger toward him. Hopefully, it's enough to get this bloodsucker to get the final message to leave her home.

He only raises his eyebrows slightly.

The fuck?

A challenge then. She can do that.

Her eyes can't help but hone onto the battle scars peeking out from under his sleeves. Thousands of bite marks, more than Jasper Cullen himself. Just like Blondie said.

Jesus, how old is this leech?

Under the moonlight, she can almost pretend he's human — if it isn't for the smell and the tale-tell red eyes underneath those dark contacts. The order from Jacob still rings threateningly in her head.

Stand down.

Well, then. If Leah can't resist Jacob's orders, she'll just have to make do, won't she?

DEMETRI

There she is.

The young woman from the thoughts he's acquired over the years. One of shapeshifters Aro finds so fascinating and part of the tribe Caius wants to dispose of. The one currently conspiring his death with the blonde Cullen, Rosalie. He's been around long enough to know a false conversation when he sees it.

Aro never wields the hammer unless he has to, but the Cullens have made a mockery of their Coven and so Demetri figures it might as well be their death sentence in the first place. Marcus' cryptic words whispers in the back of his mind.

Leah Clearwater. Her name suits her.

Demetri's only knows her from what he's seen through everyone's else's eyes and thoughts. And from what he's seen, he knows she can take care of herself. She's proven herself time and time again but the others don't see it that way.

They think of her a bitch, all just for being female and being blessed with the shapeshifter gene for the first time in centuries.

He doesn't know her. But even Demetri can see the strong will and the potential she has and for that, he finds her fascinating.

The rest of the rehearsal goes smoothly — or as smoothly as one can with the unspoken tension in the air. The shapeshifters and vampires turn to glance in his direction occasionally while the soon-to-be bride and groom pay no mind as they continue a Quileute toast to everyone and Demetri knows with one look, without a doubt, that the former Chief knows about the existence of vampires.

Unacceptable, a nasty voice in the back of his mind says. He ignores Edward Cullen's stare as he watches the couple from the back, remaining silent.

Sue Clearwater continues one of her toasts in Quileute (thankfully translated by the pompous Edward) and Demetri can't help but think of the long lost what-could've-beens.

(Αν έμεινα. Aν έμεινα. Αν έμεινα.)

(If I'd stayed. If I'd stayed. If I'd stayed.)

Demetri smiles wistfully when the couple kiss, his smile disappearing as quick as it has come, as he knows he will never have those things. He's dedicated to his job and he knows nothing else but blood and death and only the heartbreak he will bring along with him.

He deserves none of those things.

He hasn't earned it.

La Push is not a place for the rich. But it's home for the people who live here and that's all they know, the past passed down from generation to generation, Demetri can tell that much. He listens to the chanting and the drums and hear the crackling of the bonfire the young Quileutes are dancing around; a celebration for Sue and Charlie.

Past the flickering flames and rising embers disappearing into the blackening night sky, he can see Leah Clearwater. Her cautious eyes have not strayed from his wandering form all night, like the rest of the two tribes and the Cullens while the humans remain blissfully unaware. She's wary and rightfully so. Honestly, he can't blame her. He's on her territory and her home.

Demetri politely declines a dance with one of Isabella's old friends as a soft vibration comes from his coat pocket. Short bursts, twice. With one smooth motion, he places the phone against his ear and leaves the place of her sanctuary and makes his way into the woods.

"Demetri, my love."

"Heidi."

He follows no particular trail. Around him, the nature of the forest quiets as prey flee from him. Only the wind gently sways the branches around him from side to side and a small clearing appears. Behind him, he can hear the almost-silent footsteps of one particular wolf.

If it hadn't been for the unusual wetness of her blood and that harsh moist musky — well, he's not really sure what to call it — wolf smell that usually lingered around her kind and her loud thoughts announcing her presence, Demetri is almost positive he'd never know she was there.

"How is your report coming along?"

"Both the mind-reader and the procognitive still refuse Aro's offer," he pauses briefly, as he unwraps his scarf from his neck, "Not a surprise there."

"I see. And the child?"

"She has grown considerably. Less than a year, I presume, until she's fully grown. And … there's been a drastic change to the child's name. She's now called Elizabeth Carlie Cullen. C-A-R-L-I-E. Named after Edward Cullen's mother, Saint Carlisle and Charlie Swan."

"At least it isn't worse than that other abomination of a name," Heidi comments. Behind him, he can imagine the shapeshifter rolling her eyes in agreement and biting back a laugh. At last, they have something in common. "I'll let Aro know of your progress … and this new information about the child. And the shapeshifters?"

"They've grown in numbers. At least, six more I've seen," Demetri tells her. He falls quiet, remembering how young they are. How lively they had been at the dinner. How that innocence would be ripped away if the Volturi decided to arrive in Forks again. "They are only children, Heidi. Some not older than the witch-twins. And the brother and sister pair, the Clearwaters … their mother is marrying Charlie Swan."

"What an interesting development. I'll be sure to pass this along to Aro that Carlisle did not seem to inform us of these matters. Does the father know?"

Demetri hesitates. He's never had a reason to lie to Heidi before. But with Marcus' strange words he'd spoken before he left, he can't help but feel like he should. "No."

Her thoughts make their way toward him and he can feel the confusion and suspicious in her words. That's a lie. Why did you lie?

"Excellent."

Demetri chuckles. "I'll give you the rest of my report when I'm finished. There's something else I still need to do."

"Of course," Heidi says. Then: "I miss you."

Blegh. Are these two mates?

"And I you. Addio, amore."

"Addio."

He clicks the cellphone shut, slipping it back into his pocket. Is he doing the right thing? If he went back, Caius would rain the fires of hell on him and spit eternal damnation on the very silver of a soul he has left.

Traitor, they'd call him.

A way out, Marcus whispers. Take it.

LEAH

For a while, the leech says nothing.

The leech is still like the tree she is hiding behind and Leah's ready to turn, turn, turn, and run back to where she came from and tell her pack what she's heard.

But she can't bring herself to move. She can't wrap her head around the fact that this vampire, this leech, lied about Charlie knowing about the existence of vampires. Why? It makes absolutely no sense and she knows she'd seen it on his face when Charlie went up to the podium.

"I know you're out there."

Fuck.

"All right, Scarf Boy," Leah smiles, stepping out from her hiding place. "You caught me."

Her bare feet slide out from underneath her body when she steps into the open. She'd shucked her shoes earlier — a sight she will not miss. The shapeshifter raises her hands in mock surrender as she walks to him, careful to maintain her distance. "Had to make sure you weren't snacking on one of my mom's friends, right?"

Within an eyeblink, he's in front of her. "Of course, Miss Clearwater," he says in his British lilt slowly. They're six feet apart, his eyes roaming over her frame. "I understand the situation you're in very clearly."

"Don't do that," she says, frowning. "You don't know me. I don't know you. It's just as simple as that."

"My name is Demetri —"

"I don't care," Leah tells him. Her head shakes slightly in anger, the smell of human blood wafting to her. From him. He's fed recently, a while ago — an hour? six hundred years ago? she doesn't know — and anger boils. "You are trespassing on my home."

"And I apologize for that."

Leah almost falters at his tone because he seems to actually sound … sincere? The tracker takes a step forward. He's her enemy's enemy. What is she thinking?

Vampires always have tricks up their sleeves.

Demetri's head cocks slightly. For a heartbeat, there is nothing. He seems to be dissecting Leah, looking for any weaknesses he can probe from her. No, no, fuck that! I'm not falling for that!

"You think you can take me?" the tracker asks softly. There's another word at the end of his sentence but she doesn't know what it is. He sounds curious, almost. "Tell me, Miss Clearwater … that wolf of yours is calling out to you, isn't she? Telling you to attack me?"

Yes …

The shadows of the tree branches on his face disappear as he takes another step forward into the moonlight.

Dangerous. Lethal.

Crimson eyes bleed back into her own — a reminder of who he really is. His contacts have dissolved and she curls defensively.

"But do you really want to?"

What?

Her brows furrow together. Does she?

Yes! You hate the stupid leeches!

"Is it her … or you that wants to kill me, Miss Clearwater?" Demetri lowers his upper body in a mocking bow, his eyes never leaving hers.

She trembles. How much is the wolf and how much of this is her? She's never really thought about it before and she never cared. Every instinct of her body is screaming to her. How much of this is — Demetri's risen from his bow. He's looking at her leisurely before he disappears and reappears in front of her.

God, she can't stand the vampire smell. She's never gotten used to it the way Jake and Seth have. There's an expression on his face she can't identify. His hand is reaching out to touch her — cheek? arm? — she doesn't know and her hand wraps around his wrist hard before he can.

"I will tear you apart," she promises. She will go down fighting — wolf or not. At the least, if he kills her right here and then, she'll take him down with her.

Demetri stares. Something flashes through his eyes before it disappears. A breath between his lips as he leans in to her ear: "Try me. I give you that honor. But before you do —" Her lips curl dangerously and for a moment, the two lock eyes when he pulls his head back, raising his hands. "I need you to calm yourself, Miss Clearwater. I do not wish to harm you."

The smell of old and new blood suck their way into her lungs as she inhales a breath and the pain in her body rises tenfold. Her wolf urges her to phrase. "Liar," she hisses between her teeth. "Why are you here?"

"Because Caius wishes extinction on your kind like he's done for the Children many centuries ago. Aro thinks you may be of use as … guard dogs of a sort. I am here either way to report back whether or not you deserve salvation. That includes the Cullens, who've made a mockery on my Coven."

What. The. Actual. Hell.

Leah blinks incredulously and her body begins to still slowly, though she's still guarded. For the first time in her life since her awakening, she struggles to ignore the wolf inside of her. She hadn't been expecting for him to sprout off all of … that. "What?" she deadpans, even though she's already correctly heard him clearly the first time. His words pique her interest.

The leech raises an eyebrow. "I think you heard me very clearly, Miss Clearwater."

Leah pauses, carefully trying to gauge his expression but she can't. If what Blondie says is true, then he's got the upper hand with a thousand years worth of experience, while the other rational part of her brain is telling her to kill this leech once and for all. She has the chance. But she's a survivor and right now, she needs to play this smart. This is his game and she decides to allow herself a spot on his chessboard. If Demetri wants to play, let's play.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" asks Leah suspiciously. She crosses her arms over her chest.

"Because I fear they are going after the last of the Children in my absence."

"Children," Leah says slowly. "Okay, you've said that twice. Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

"We call them the Children of the Moon. You call them werewolves. Their blood is tied to the full moon unlike yours, where you can change at free will. Your kind are merely shapeshifters."

Taha Aki, she remembers. The story at the bonfire at the Council. The Angry Blonde Roman Dude yelling at the trial. Regardless, the Cullens have been consorting with werewolves, our natural enemies!

"Oh," is all Leah says. "And where are they?"

"The last of them reside in Canada."

"And you'd like me to be all Dances With Wolves," Leah realizes and lets out a little laugh. Ironic.

Demetri shifts on his feet. "I suppose. You would act as interpreter, of course. I have no way of telling if their leadership has changed hands since it's been centuries since I have been in contact with them. She — "

"She?"

Demetri pauses, his expression indecipherable. "Yes. She."

He'd reeled her in — hook, line, and sinker.

She.

Her fingers curl and unclench and Leah's lips move wordlessly, still processing that single word. That one word has now slithered its way into her soul and her eyes can't keep up with his unnerving, unblinking gaze and she glances to the trees beside him.

God, how long has it been since he's caught her following him? It feels like an eternity.

She.

Leah has a chance to get ahold of the answers she needs. All the questions she's always wanted to ask are all on her tongue and she can ask them and ask: why did she become what she is now?

She.

Now she has a chance and she'd be foolish not to take it while she can.

She —

Her eyes slowly wander to his. The deep burgundy color and the dark pupils stare back into hers — still as stone, waiting, patient. There are others out there like her and they shed their wolves out inside them every full moon and —

"You were never going to let me leave here," she asks carefully, after quickly sucking in a sharp breath to regain herself, "Were you?" She straightens herself, her body taut and head high, slipping on a stoic façade. He's seen a momentarily bout of weakness from her and that she can't forgive.

Scarf Boy's shoulders rise once. "I couldn't," he tells her and she wonders what that means. She only gives him a small frown and decides to say nothing. Her expression is one of skepticism and cautiousness and she knows no doubt that he already recognizes it. Here she is, about to make a deal with one of the Devils from Italy and now he owes her a dance.

"What do you say, Miss Clearwater?" Demetri smiles after a heartbeat, his perfect teeth glinting off in the moonlight. "Shall we run away together?"

His pale fingers rise towards her, outstretched.

(She tells herself this is the right thing: she's protecting her family, her tribe, her home. She's protecting Seth. No leech is going to step foot on Quileute land ever again.)

Her warm russet fingers interchange with the cool pale white of his.

"Fine." She hisses out that one single word like it's venom, which in her case, it might as well be.

She chides herself, annoyance gritting her teeth as they shake once and he lets go of her hand. She has made her own bed and now she'll have to lie in it. Leah sighs, trying to study the leech in front of her.

"But first things first, I'm not running all the goddamn way to Canada."

NEXT UP: Riley and Bree make their way further south; Leah struggles to find a way to say goodbye to her family.

It's finally here! I apologize for the long wait and life just gets in the way, you know? I really hope you enjoy this chapter and keep a look out for the next Sunday in three weeks (the 4th of next month!) I'm hoping to do weekly updates every three weeks! I'm really proud of this chapter because well, Demetri and Leah finally met! Feel free to give me criticism or kudos or just leave a short comment below if you liked this chapter. :)