BOREALIS ☽ Leah Clearwater ✔

Chapter 30... Sick

Josh and I panted, lying side-by-side on the floor of the cabin, sweat clinging to our exhausted bodies, our clothes strewn around the room.

I turned to look at him. "That was incredible," I sighed. And it had been. Every time was more amazing than the last. I could never get enough of him.

He looked back at me, a sleepy smile on his face "Wasn't it?" he said. "I wish we didn't have to meet like this, but I'm not complaining."

"Yeah," I agreed. It had been three weeks since Sam had started us on patrols, and this was only the fourth night we'd been able to align our schedules in that time. And even then, we'd only be able to squeeze in a few hours, most of which were spent feeding the hungry monster that still reared her head. "How much longer can Sam have us doing this?"

"I don't know." Josh shook his head. "We haven't really found anything. Just a faint scent, of something, but that could be traces of the vampires that had come to visit the Cullens." His voice sharpened unintentionally on the word.

He meant the ones who had joined the Cullens the previous winter as witnesses against the Volturi, but even that theory didn't make much sense. Sure, a few stragglers hadn't left until spring, but I still didn't understand how their scent would still be here after all that time, even if it was faint. But that's all we'd be able to find. No signs of the hikers, no signs of the sorts of animals who'd hurt a hiker, and just a faint, faded scent that smelled like it was months old. Even Alice was having trouble detecting anything.

Still, Sam insisted on the packs continuing the patrols while I was stuck at his place, babysitting the other imprints at Emily's house. He was obsessed. Maybe it was just pre-baby jitters. I just wished he'd realize that and get over it. Jacob, though, was just as bad...

"I told Jacob that we're wasting our time, but he won't hear it," I said. "He gets so defensive about anything that might threaten his precious Cullens."

"Let's not think about it," Josh said, rolling over to face me. "I don't want to think about Sam or Jacob or vampires right now. I only want to think about you." He smirked.

I couldn't help but smile back. As our eyes lingered on each other, a familiar heat began to spread through me as the monster woke up again. I chewed on my lip.

More, cried the monster. I want more.

She was going to get what she wanted. I reached for him and pushed him onto his back, crawling on top—

My phone rang out.

"Dammit!" I sighed, crawling off of Josh. I didn't want to, but Sam had us all tethered to our phones when we weren't on shift, in case he needed us. I'd get in big shit if I didn't answer even if I wasn't part of his pack—Jake would see to it.

I scrambled over to where my pants had ended up and dug out my phone from the pocket. Just as I suspected, the number for Sam and Emily's house was on the screen. I looked briefly back at Josh and held a finger to my lips before answering.

"Hello?"

"Leah," came Sam's gruff voice. "You need to come back to the house."

"What? Why? You said I could have the night off. Call Seth!"

"Seth's already on his way, but we need one more. Daniel's mom had a fall and he needs to take to the hospital, so we need you back." Daniel was one of the younger pack members.

I growled. "Fine. Fine. I'll be there in a second." I hung up without waiting for the okay. I didn't want to hear any more of his stupid voice.

Josh was sitting up when I turned around again. He raised his eyebrows in question.