A/N: This is a Bella/Leah imprint story that came about because Leah's character always fascinated me and I hated that she always got the short end of the stick. It's also a pairing that you almost never see so I thought I could do it some justice.

(plus Twilight needs more of that gay shit lmao)

Takes place during Eclipse.

Please forgive any spelling errors, I didn't have a Beta reader

Disclaimer: All characters and references to the original Twilight series belong to Stephenie Meyer. Any cultural references written here in no way shape or form indicate the real life culture of the Quileute Tribe. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter One

Imprint

"Think fast!"

Paul's annoying voice boomed across First Beach, and almost immediately a football whizzed by Leah's head at almost hyper-speed, missing her by a couple inches. Seth laughed behind her and easily leaped and snatched the football from the air with easy grace.

One, two, three…Leah struggled to contain her rising temper, the stack of hotdog buns in her hands vibrating as she sent a scorching glare in Paul's direction.

"Whoops," His grin was decidedly punchable as he jogged across the sand, lifting an arm as Seth wound to toss it back. "Didn't see ya there, Leah."

Asshole.

Leah bit her tongue and growled low under her breath, knowing he would hear, but he and Seth paid her no mind as they continued their game further down the beach.

She dumped the buns on the fold-up table and sighed. The sun had recently set, painting the heavy clouds above in streaks of gold and pink. Everyone had gathered, sans Jacob. Her mother was busying herself with the food, unwrapping packages of hotdogs, paper plates, and condiments. Seth had joined the rest of the guys as they played a makeshift game of football. Billy and the other elders were gathered around the firepit, Sam joining them as he dumped an armful of twigs onto the pile for kindling.

A lump formed in her throat as she watched him. He was relaxed… content, and why wouldn't he be? He had his pack and the elders, ever the glowing Alpha preening under their praise.

And of course, his imprint.

Emily sat by Jared's imprint Kim. The two huddled together, giggling and talking as they watched the guys antics. They looked like friends, best friends even. She couldn't help but think of when her and Emily would sit just like that on the beach, laughing at inside jokes and sharing stories with the local kids around a fire during the weekends when Emily came to visit. It seemed like a lifetime ago. A dream.

Now she was wide awake and in the real world where monsters were real. Hell, she herself had joined the ranks of monsters.

A feeling like nausea tightened in her gut. Leah shoved her trembling hands into the pockets of her jean jacket and turned to stomp in the opposite direction down the beach, ignoring the curious gaze of Sam as he lifted his head to watch her.

She wanted to phase. With everyone at the beach, it would be so easy to escape into her wolf and relish in the silence of pack mind. She'd pour her resentment into her stride until she was too bone-tired to feel her anger anymore.

But she knew she couldn't leave. Tonight, the elders would tell the stories of their origins.

She knew the stories of course. Everyone did. But it would be different now that she knew they were real. It gave her the chills and simultaneously sparked her annoyance. Of course, the stories never factored her in, history's first ever female werewolf.

Leah huffed and settled onto a piece of driftwood, letting the sounds and smells of First Beach wash over her, chasing away the resentment that wound around her like a snake.

She could smell the bonfire now, smoky and salty as Sam managed to get it started. The others were still tossing the football around but it was clear they were winding down, joking with each other as they drifted towards the food. She knew she should head over before the greedy assholes snatched up their giant portions.

Leah stood, brushed the sand off her pants, and drifted towards the fire. Her brother grinned at her, cheeks still flushed from the game.

"Hey Lee, I saved you some 'dogs!"

She pushed most of her animosity down and managed to give him a small smile. "Thanks, kid."

No matter how angry she was, she couldn't take it out on Seth. Throughout everything that's happened to them, to their family, Seth had held onto his optimism. It was annoying at times, but comforting. She didn't know how he did it. It was so easy for her to drown but he'd always managed to keep above water.

"I'm not a kid anymore…" He muttered, puffing out his hardened chest and lifting his chin. Quil and Paul laughed and thumped him on the back.

"Sure, pup!" Quil ruffled his hair. "Ready to take on those evil bloodsuckers huh?"

Paul smirked as he loaded a paper plate with food. "Try not to trip over your tail when you run away."

Seth went to tackled him but Paul sidestepped deftly, lifting the plate as not to jostle it.

"Boys." Leah's mother watched them, a smile tugging at her usually serious expression. "Careful around the food."

The light mood was a nice change of pace. The past few weeks were a blur of patrols, training, and anxiety. Mostly from Jacob dumping all his mopey ass feelings about Bella into pack mind.

Leah couldn't stand it. They often got into it, her and Jacob. The way she saw it, she was the only one brave enough to tell him exactly what she thought about seeing him grovel after a girl who didn't even want him. Quil and Embry sure as hell wouldn't do it, Jared didn't care, Paul was all-too-happy to tease him endlessly, and of course Sam pitied him.

And Seth… he was always the peacemaker. Sometimes it was Seth who got her to back down, only so she wouldn't snap at him by accident and make him upset.

Leah had just gathered her plate when a familiar engine rumbled into the beach's sandy lot. She recognized Jacob's large form as he exited his vintage VW and made his way over, Bella in tow.

Leah tried not to scowl. Of course, he would bring the leech-lover. How it didn't breach the unspoken rules that outsiders weren't privy to pack history, she didn't know. Leah knew Bella was close with the Blacks, and she wasn't exactly out of the loop when it came to vampire stuff. Just the opposite; All Leah had ever seen or heard about the bloodsuckers from the others always seemed to involve Bella. The eye of the storm.

Her eyes almost rolled out of her head as she watched Bella trip over a log, grabbing Jacob's arm at the last second. Much to his delight.

Embry caught Leah's eye and smiled a bit. "Easy." He placated. "Be nice."

"I'm always nice." She grumbled. Mostly nice.

He laughed and went to join the others by the fire.

Leah grabbed her plate and settled into a spot next to Seth. She focused on busying herself with her hot dogs as the others greeted Bella and Jake with exuberance. She wishes they'd hurry and start the stories so she could go home.

It was just her luck that the happy couple had to settle right across the fire from her.

Jacob barely acknowledged her but Leah could hear him mention her as he spoke under his breath to Bella.

She kept her eyes trained on the burning logs as she felt Bella's eyes on her. She wondered what the leech-lover thought about her… and then wondered with surprise why she cared what Bella thought of her.

She'd only met Bella in passing. And that was before werewolves and vampires, when Leah was just a normal girl concerned about normal things like applying to colleges and prom and why her boyfriend disappeared and wouldn't call her back…

The wooden skewer Leah had been using to grill her hot dog snapped in her too-strong grip.

"You okay?" Seth whispered to her, though she didn't know why he bothered. Werewolf super senses and all.

"Fine." She clipped and let the remnants of the skewer fall to the sand.

She needed to calm down before she burst into her wolf in front of everyone. Leah closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, taking in the scents of burning campfire and stinging sea salt…

And something else woven in that made her heart stutter.

Something that reminded her of the freshness of the forest after the rain. Warmth and leaves and a sweetness that compelled Leah to fall into it like falling into world's coziest bed after a long, tiring day. It instantly melted the tension from her shoulders and she took another breath. God… what was that? Some sort of perfume? No… nothing this good could be bottled up like that. It was like… home.

Looking around the circle, she realized she seemed to be the only one reacting to the strange scent. Some sort of prank? Paul, resident prankster, wasn't even paying attention to her. Instead he was whining at Jacob over a hot dog. Not even Seth, who was closest to her, seemed to notice and he had the best nose of the pack.

Leah's eyes fluttered shut and drew in a deep breath. She had to stifle a groan of content. If this was a prank, she was going to skin Paul alive.

When she opened her eyes again, the fire had smoldered to embers and Billy Black's voice was weaving magic into the air. She listened to the tale of spirit wolves and heartbreak and third wives. Everyone was enraptured, even the ones who've heard the tales dozens of times before.

Even Bella. Leah stole a glance at girl across from her.

Bella was smaller than she expected. Or maybe she was just dwarfed by Jacob's hulking size. Bathed in the light of the dying fire, she didn't look so pale, but was considerable lighter than everyone else. Her skin was smooth and milky white, dotted by a freckle here and there. Her hair thick, flowing over her shoulders and framing her delicate features. Pillow soft pink lips... The soft curve of her nose that drew Leah's gaze up to soulful chestnut brown eyes that were intently focused on Old Quil…

Leah sucked in a breath and ripped her gaze away, staring into the embers again as Old Quil finished out the tale. She half listened, part of her was more focused on Bella's reactions. She watched her frowns from the corner of her eye when the story took a turn for the worst; Her gasp when it came to the part about the third wife's sacrifice.

Leah felt a pang of resentment. All women would ever be in stories of the past were as the sacrifices for men. It was the men who carried the burden. The men who were celebrated in glory and were passed down in stories around the fire.

A tear spilled over her cheek and Leah brushed it away angrily. Fuck that. It was time for new stories.

She opened her eyes as conversation picked up again, easy and light as the magic drifted out with the breeze.

Dusk had fallen and thick overcast blanketed the night sky. Every now and then, the crescent moon peeked down at them like a Cheshire smile.

Sam was pressing a kiss into Emily's hair, Seth was laughing at something Quil said, Embry and Paul shoved each other playfully, Jared was doting on Kim, Sue was talking quietly with the other elders, Jacob was smiling at Bella, and Bella…

Bella was looking directly at Leah.

Across the dying embers of the fire, it seemed like fate wasn't done playing with the hearts of the those that lived on a tiny beach on the coast.

Oh… Her breath left Leah like a punch as she locked eyes with Bella Swan, the leech-lover.

…

She had been adrift all her life, she realized, lost in the dark. But now… Now her soul had found purchase.

…

Everything clicked into place in an instant. The universe aligning itself so she could see this truth. Suddenly everything made sense. How could she not see it before? It was a bone-deep feeling. A gratification that settled her inner wolf immeasurably. The type of feeling she'd only ever experienced secondhand when Sam thought about Emily… when Jared thought about Kim…

Oh god… She thought, reeling back, her knuckles going white where she gripped the log she sat on as to not fall over. Parts of it shattered to dust in her hands and she felt the tiny pinpricks of wood pierce her palms- a welcome distraction from her whirlwind thoughts.

She was hyperventilating. She realized suddenly that Seth and the other wolves were staring at her, part confusion and part amusement. From the corner of her eye she could see Sam's disbelief. Jacob's brow knit together, dark eyes flashing back and forth between Bella and Leah.

"What…?" He began. She knew the moment he realized. It hit him like a train, and his jaw dropped.

"No…" Leah choked out.

Bella looked scared. Her eyes darted around the circle. By now the elders had caught on that something had happened and they too were silent.

"Jake, what's going on?" Bella whispered.

"Holy shit!" Paul crowed, making almost everyone except for the wolves jump. "Leah imprinted!"

It was like the bang of starter pistol at a racetrack. Leah scrambled to her feet, finally forcing her eyes away from Bella. She felt hot and cold all at once.

She turned tail and sprinted down the beach as all hell broke loose behind her.

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