Cold Water | Jacob Black

fifty | no way forward

Never before did Freya think she would be protecting Bella from her own extended family. But here she was now with her eyes scanning the woods, knowing that the furred creatures were out there somewhere.

Currently, it was just the four of them: Freya, Jacob, Alison and Leah. Hazel, Rachel and Seth had decided to rest while they watch, where they would then take it in shifts throughout the night.

"I know they're out there somewhere," said Jacob from next to Freya with his arms folded across his chest. "But I can't hear them anymore. It's so quiet."

It was quiet for them, but for Freya, she still had the intruding thoughts of Aro.

"I stopped hearing them, too, the second I decided to leave," Leah announced as Freya watched her hand entwine with Alison's, where her lips perked upwards in a smile. "It's nice."

Jacob looked to Leah but didn't say anything. The four hadn't the chance to talk or come to terms with what had happened: Leah hadn't particularly liked Freya, and here they were now, working together. Alison exchanged a look with Freya, feeling hopeful despite everything seeming to fall apart.

"Do you think Embry will show up?" Freya asked, thinking of Hazel.

"If he hasn't by now, then he won't," Leah said. "The alpha order can be stronger than the imprint — if Hazel was in danger, then it would be different."

"Embry doesn't believe Bella or the Cullen's are a threat," explained Jacob. "Yet, at least."

"Then how did you break away?" Freya questioned Leah, curiously. "Alison isn't in danger here. Not from me nor the Cullen's."

"Freya, I never thought you would physically hurt Alison," Leah's eyes fell on Freya, where the stony expression made her seem more terrifying. "Not from you personally, at least. You were just a constant risk to Alison falling and in the end... well, you were Alison's trigger. But I don't believe Alison is in danger from you anymore now that you're home. I left for Alison because we need each other, but also for me, too. I left on my own free will."

"And I'm proud of you," Alison told her, pushing up on her tiptoes to kiss Leah's cheek.

Jacob turned away, expression becoming stormy.

While Freya felt her heart sting, she still smiled at the two, wondering if they had finally admitted that they were in love with each other. It seemed crazy to think that when the two first met, Leah wanted nothing to do with Alison, but Leah had been through a lot.

"You know," said Alison, grinning as if she had come up with something that she now tried to sneak in. "I'd feel even prouder, if the two of you agreed to being friends? My girlfriend and best friend can't not be friends."

Freya met Leah's gaze, almost afraid that Leah would still say no and see Freya as nothing but a problem. But Leah teasingly rolled her eyes, offering Freya a friendly smile that she tried not to gape at.