First Blood | Ed. Cullen & B. Swan

Chapter 29

Silence swept through the lands, the haunting wails of grief dragging people to their knees. Jacob was the first to fall, Leah and Paul's own screams echoing Simon's as they realized what triggered such a heartbroken cry of despair. The latter two moved through the crowd, their screams of grief and rage pushing them to go faster and harder. Leah made it into the house first, going to the delivery room as Paul searched wildly for the children. Leah's breath tore from her chest as she reached the doorway. Simon sat heaving on the floor. He clutched Bella's limp hand in a white-knuckled grip. Her blood coated his marble skin, the metallic scent strong enough for Leah to gag. A clear puddle pooled around Simon. Leah's lungs started to burn as she breathed it in, overwhelmed by the potency of the brunet's venom.

She wanted to rush over to Simon, but she instead stumbled back over to the door as the fumes the venom released began to make her feel light-headed. Edward's name barely escaped from her lips before the vampire appeared in the doorway. She could see the agony form in his black eyes as he took in the horrific scene in front of him. She took a step back when he moved to Simon, leaving them with each other as she left to find her pack brother.

Edward was overcome with a wave of nausea as he took in his wife's lifeless body, her hand hanging limply off the side of the bed, next to Simon. Simon's sobs reached his ears and he sank to his knees by his husband's side, pulling the brunet's body close to his chest. He rested their heads together, enclosing both of Simon's hands in his own. His shoulders started to shake with quiet sobs as he listened to Simon's words.

"I wasn't quick enough," Simon sobbed over and over again as he cried into Edward's shoulder.

***

Yells brought Leah back outside in her search for Paul. She found him within seconds, face to face with Sam. Sam was currently the one yelling, undeterred by Jacob's glare directed over Paul's shoulder. Both packs were fully present, but surprisingly, no one was phased. They all stood back from the verbal altercation, watching it from afar as to not be involved.

"What's going on?" She asked as she stepped up next to them, angling herself slightly in front of Paul. She may only be a Beta, but she had grown to view Paul as her younger brother. She'd stand for him, just like she'd stand for Seth.

"I imprinted." Paul answered her, turning his gaze back to Sam. "That means both Renesmee and Beaufort are protected by Pack Law. That's the way we run things around here."

"You imprinted on Renesmee?" Leah asked, her brows furrowing in thought. Something about this whole thing just didn't seem like Paul.

"Beaufort," Jacob was quick to correct her, "Which is what Sammy over here is having such a hard time accepting."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Leah roared, ramming into Sam's torso to get him away from Paul. "I knew you were a fucking douchbag, but now you're worried about Paul having a male imprint? Bella just fucking died, alright? My best friend just lost his wife; his children lost their mother, and that's what's going through your thick fucking skull?! You never should have become an alpha, all our ancestors be damned. I should have known you'd be worse than Joshua the moment Allison warned me!"

Sam's face flushed red as he snarled in rage, though he stepped back as several of the wolves slowly moved to stand by Leah's side, a few even going as far as to put their hands on Paul's shoulders in solidarity. Jacob stepped back, giving Leah all the space she needed to do what they both wanted done. Leah snarled as she slowly stalked toward Sam, all of the wolves listening as her voice commanded attention.

"Samuel Uley, on behalf of the Rightful Alpha Jacob Black, I, Leah Clearwater, Beta to Alpha Black, have the absolute pleasure of stripping you of your Alpha title, and disowning you from the pack.—"