The clearing was lightly dusted with the small drips of rain that dropped from the sky, the aftermath of the intense battle with the newborn vampires leaving the ground stained with traces of their fierce confrontation. The smell of burning vampire flesh turned Kiara and the rest of the pack's noses up, causing an uneasy feeling in their stomach as the Cullen family began to prepare themselves for the impending arrival of the Volturi.
'Kiara,' Sam's gruff voice spoke through their mindlink as Bella continued to search across the field for the large russet wolf that definitely did not want to see her after her engagement revelation. 'Leah's left a spare set of clothes just past the jagged rock, if you want to phase back.'
Kiara thanked them both, slinking away from Rosalie and Bella as Edward explained where she was going. Bella didn't pay the girl much attention, still trying to pinpoint Jacob amongst the other wolves.
"Hey," Kiara breathed, having gotten changed and jogging back over to where Bella, Edward and Rosalie were still standing. Bella's attitude barely changed as the girl returned in her human form, her eyes faintly flickering to her as she and Rosalie shared a quick kiss.
Then, Bella finally spotted Jacob in the fray of wolves.
Leah had wandered a little too far from the group, lost in her own thoughts as she had continued to help with moving pieces of newborn vampires, when she suddenly found herself cornered by a vampire - feral and relentless.
"LEAH, DON'T!" Edward yelled, startling Kiara as she spun around and watched as the vampire took off towards where the grey wolf was now struggling against the arms of one of the newborn vampires that had managed to slip away from the battle.
Just as the vampire lunged towards the Clearwater girl, ready to crush her, Jacob, without hesitation, leaped in front of her, protecting her with his own body. The vampire's strength was overwhelming, and Jacob's ribs took the brunt of the attack.
Kiara's scream pierced through the air, the urgency and despair so heartbreaking that everyone in the clearing was sure that they would remember it for the rest of their lives. She didn't even register that Paul and Jared had lunged for the rogue vampire, ripping it into shreds as the rest of the pack phased back and pulled their shorts back on.
"Jacob!" Kiara screamed, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She rushed to his side, feeling a surge of panic and concern. The sight of her twin brother writhing in pain was gut-wrenching.
"I've got you, Jake, it's okay, I'm here," Kiara whispered, trying to be the pillar of strength her brother had often been for her. She gently cradled his head in her lap as he thrashed in pain, the feeling of his ribs being crushed against his organs having caused him to instantly shift back into his human form. Kiara's hands trembling as she assessed his injuries, her hands shaking so much as .
Meanwhile, Rosalie was by her side in an instant, her cold, marble-like hands hovering over Kiara's body as she gently pulled her back, holding her tightly so that Carlisle could get closer to Jacob and look at his injuries with his professional eye.
"Kie, he needs help. You have to let Carlisle look," she soothed the wolf-girl, her voice unwavering despite the distress that she could almost feel seeping from Kiara. Kiara seemed to relax a little at Rosalie's voice, but she was still leaning against her arms as she tried to reach out to Jacob.
"The bones on the right half of his body are shattered," Carlisle announced, his cold hands doing little to numb the fire of Jacob's pain. "I need to set the bones before his accelerated healing kicks in. It's already starting."
The pack members, now in human form, gathered around Jacob, their eyes filled with worry and remorse as they watched their pack brother scream and roll on the ground in extreme pain. Leah, who had recovered from the shock of the attack, felt a wave of gratitude and guilt wash over her. She knew that Jacob had saved her life, and she couldn't bear to see him suffer - and she couldn't help but let her anger at him being the one in pain fall from her lips instead.
"Jacob, you idiot! I had it!" Leah yelled, Sam instantly snapping at her as he knew the last thing they needed was to rile Kiara up and cause a fight between her and Leah too.
Edward ignored the squabble, looking at Carlisle as the man considered re-setting Jacob's ribs there and then. He was trying to block out the thoughts of all of the pack, especially Kiara, who it seemed was almost feeling Jacob's pain as if it was her own.
"We need to get him out of here. We're not gonna win a fight with the Volturi," Edward quipped to Carlisle, his eyes locking with Rosalie who shared a look of agreement. With the twins both out of action, there was no way that the wolves would be able to focus in a fight with some of history's most powerful vampires.
Sam looked between Rosalie, Edward and Carlisle before his eyes drifted back to the twins. He knew that Kiara wouldn't want to leave Jacob's side but he also knew that she would instinctively try to stop Jacob from being in anymore pain - which he was going to have to be put into in order for Carlisle to re break and reset his bones.
"We'll take him back to Billy's," Sam ordered, the pack instantly falling into place behind him as they picked up on his non-verbal cues. Carlisle nodded, his eyes flickering to where the rest of his family were gathering around the fire in the distance as they awaited the Volturi's arrival.
"I'll be there as soon as I can," Carlisle said, his eyes now looking between Edward, Bella and Rosalie as they assessed the situation. Sam turned his head, looking at Leah who stared at him for a moment before understanding what she needed to do.
Leah crouched down beside Kiara, trying not to make a snarky comment about Rosalie as she helped the Black twin to her feet. Rosalie allowed Leah to pry Kiara off her, her heart clenching a little as the girl leaned her entire body weight against her pack member as she refused to take her eyes off of her brother.
"He's going to be okay, Kiara. The pack won't let anything else happen," Carlisle said softly, his eyes flickering to where Leah was basically holding her from falling. He could see that Rosalie wanted to reach out and pull the girl back into her arms, but they all knew that if she did then she wouldn't be able to let go.
Jacob was going to be fine once they'd got their meeting with the Volturi over and done with, but she had to face them first before they could help Kiara's brother.
"I know," Kiara replied, her voice tinged with both fear and determination. "The Volturi..."
Kiara's voice trailed off as she realised that there was other matters at hand. She watched as Emmett's jeep swung into the clearing, the bull man hoping out and passing the keys to Paul without anything else said between them. Leah held on to her tightly as the boys all loaded Jacob into the backseat of the jeep, with Sam, Jared and Paul getting into the jeep with him.
Rosalie watched with a hard jaw as Kiara and Leah slowly walked out of the clearing, Kiara not even casting the vampire a second look as her mind was too focused on her brother to think about anything else.
Kiara felt like her whole world had just been crushed into dust right in front of her. She didn't know what she'd do without Jacob - he was her other half. She knew that he had been a bit of a dick ever since she imprinted on Rosalie, but she was a little bit annoyed in herself that it was taking him almost dying in front of her to realise that he was trying.
She just hoped she'd get the chance to talk to him again once this was all done.
____
The moon had began to rise high in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow upon the dense forest as Kiara and Leah made their way back to the reservation. The air was heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth, a stark contrast to the turmoil that churned within Leah's heart as she cast a glance at her friend. Kiara walked beside the girl, sensing the unease that clung to Leah like a second skin.
Seth, Quil and Embry had shifted back into their wolf forms, listening into Jared's updates as the boy sat outside of the Black residence. Kiara and Leah had opted not to shift as they slowly walked back to the reservation, both girls not wanting to listen or feel the pain that Jacob was in. Kiara was surprised that the boys had done it, but she wondered if a part of them just didn't want to have to speak to her and listen to her emotional damage either.
Despite the matter at hand, Kiara knew there was something else on Leah's mind. She hadn't noticed it in the moment, but as she replayed the scene in her head it was more and more obvious. In the aftermath of the fight, Kiara was sure that Leah's thoughts were consumed something else and she had a gut feeling that she knew what it was. The imprint between Kiara and Rosalie Hale was a source of conflict for the girl, and Leah found it hard to reconcile her feelings with the situation at hand.
As they trudged through the underbrush, Kiara broke the silence. "Leah, do you need to talk about... it."
Leah glanced at her friend, her expression guarded. "There's nothing to talk about, Kiara. You've made your choice, and I have to accept it."
"It's not a betrayal, Leah," Kiara insisted gently, knowing that the girl might not have said it but that she definitely felt like it. "Imprinting is something beyond our control. You know that. It's not like I wanted this to happen, but it did, and I can't change it."
"I know," Leah sighed, her voice laden with emotion.
"You were the one who told me to stop killing myself by trying to reject it," Kiara pointed out, not sure how her friend could be so hot and cold about the situation. Leah almost rolled her eyes, her voice firm as she tried to remind Kiara that not all of them were able to just over look the fact that the Cullens were vampires.
"I know it's not your fault, but it doesn't change the fact that it hurts, Kiara. It feels like I'm losing you to the enemy, to the very things that took my father away from me."
The silence was heavy for a moment as the weight of Leah's words pressed on Kiara's shoulders. She hadn't really ever stopped to consider that part of Leah's point of view. Kiara knew the Cullens were good people, but she hadn't really considered that it wasn't them that Leah was uncomfortable around - but rather the overall concept of the fact her imprint was the same species as the person that had caused the death of Harry Clearwater.
Kiara stopped and turned to face Leah, a gentleness in her voice that was often reserved for the girl, Emily or Rosalie. "Rosalie is different from the vampires who hurt your father. She's one of the Cullens, and they're not our enemies. They've chosen a different path than Victoria and the rest of those newborns, just like we have."
Leah took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. She didn't want to get upset in front of the boys, especially since she was aware her brother was likely listening in to every word that was spoken between the two girls.
"I love you Kie, but this situation... it's like I'm stuck between my friendship with you and my pain over what the bloodsuckers have taken from me, from us."
"You don't have to choose between me and your pain," Kiara said softly. "I'll always be here for you, Leah, no matter what. And I understand if it's hard for you to accept this right now. Just know that I love you as a friend, and I hope that you can find it in your heart to accept Rosalie as well, eventually."
"I'll try, Kiara."
With that, they resumed their journey back to the reservation, walking side by side in silence for a while. The forest around them seemed to echo the somber atmosphere that enveloped them, as if the trees understood the weight of Leah's struggle.
As they neared the boundary of the reservation, Leah spoke up again. "Do you think the others will ever accept your imprint?"
Kiara was surprised at the question. She wasn't sure what was more surprising: Leah actually asking her it, or the fact that she didn't have any idea of how to answer it. A piece of her wanted to say that yes, she had no doubts that her pack mates would eventually accept it, but another part of her told her that they never truly would.
She just guessed that only time knew the answer to such a question.
____
The night was tense as Beverly Hale and Carlisle Cullen approached the Black family's house. The distant howls of the Quileute pack echoed through the woods, a somber reminder of the events that had taken place that evening. They knew they had to act quickly; time was of the essence for their injured acquaintance.
Beverly was surprised that there was only three other members of the pack at the house when they arrived, noticing that her sister's lover was clearly absent. She wanted to question where Kiara and the others were, but Carlisle had been in such a rush to get inside that she didn't want to wait alone outside. She liked Kiara - but she would be lying if she said that she had a fondness for any of the other wolves.
As they entered the house, Beverly's eyes narrowed at the sight of Billy Black. She couldn't help but remember the heated words he had spilled out more than once about Kiara and her sister. Billy's unwillingness to embrace his own daughter's happiness infuriated her, and she was still not over the fact he was basically willing to let her die if it meant untangling her future from her sisters.
Jacob lay on the small bed in his room, his strong physique weakened and vulnerable and with his bones shattered by the ruthless vampire attack. His pain was palpable, his body twitching with each breath. Beverly couldn't stand seeing anyone like this, let alone Jacob, but she knew that what was to come next would be even worse. She hadn't previously thought that she had any tolerance for the boy, but his mannerisms were so much like his sisters that it was hard not to picture Kiara lying in his place.
"Beverly, Carlisle," Sam announced, attempting to offer a weak smile as he noticed the two arriving into the house. "Thanks for coming."
Ignoring Billy for the moment, Beverly moved closer to Jacob, almost laying her hand on his shoulder but pulling it back at the last moment.
"We'll get you through this," she said, her voice filled with determination. "Where's Kiara?"
"She and some of the others didn't want to see him like this," Sam replied, a mutual understanding in their tones as they all crammed into the small room. He didn't like that the vampires were on his side of the treaty line, but this was the only way that Jake would be okay.
Carlisle knelt beside Jacob, his face serious as he examined the extent of the damage. "Jacob, I'll need to reset your bones so they can heal properly," he explained gently. "I won't lie; it will be agonizing. But it's necessary."
"We trust you, Carlisle," Sam replied, his gaze unwavering. "Let's get it done."
As Carlisle began, Jacob clenched his fists, biting down on his lip to stifle his cries. The room filled with the sounds of bones snapping back into place, mingling with Jacob's stifled groans. Beverly couldn't bear to see him in such torment, but she knew that the only way to help him was to let Carlisle work.
When Jacob let out one of the most painful screams she had ever heard, she was suddenly glad that Kiara had taken the long route home.
_____
"I think Rebecca enjoys it," Kiara explained to Leah as they continued their journey back towards the house. They were well aware that the Volturi had probably been and gone by now, and Seth's low murmurs reassured them that Carlisle was with Jacob now. "Although I think she wishes she'd studied internationally instead."
Their conversation had turned into the older Black siblings university courses, and Leah had confessed to Kiara that she had once looked at attending WSU before everything had gotten so messed up.
"I mean, if it wasn't for the imprint, then I'd maybe-"
A rustle in the underbrush caught Kiara's attention and cut her words off immediately. She halted, signaling her friends to do the same. Their hearts thudded in unison, and a tense silence enveloped them. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting eerie shadows on the ground. The wolves circled back from where they had been walking in front of the girls, all five suddenly having an uneasy feeling as the hairs on the pack of their necks rose.
The smell hit them first. That sickly, sweet smell.
Then, without warning, a rogue vampire emerged from the darkness, fangs bared and eyes filled with malevolence. Kiara's heart sank as she recognized the vampire's intentions as it lunged towards Leah, his mouth bared open. She moved instinctively to protect her friends, her muscles tense and ready to spring into action.
The rogue vampire lunged at Leah with lightning speed, but Kiara managed to slam herself against the stone body before he could sink his teeth into her tan skin. Instead of Leah's shoulder, the vampire instead found himself sinking his venomous fangs deep into Kiara's arm. Within seconds, agony surged through her veins, and she let out a guttural cry. The venom, deadly as poison, coursed through her bloodstream, and instantly began to set her entire body on fire.
She was unaware as Quil and Embry chased the vampire through the trees, her knees crumpling underneath her as Seth howled into the air for help. Leah rushed to her side, shouting in disbelief and fear, but there was little she could do to help. Kiara's vision blurred as the venom took hold, and she felt her strength waning with every passing second.
Through the haze of pain, Kiara's thoughts turned to her brother. She couldn't bear the thought of leaving him behind, not after everything they had been through together. She clung to consciousness with all her might, determined to fight until the end.
"KIARA!" Leah yelled, her hands now coated in blood as she tried to press against the teeth mark wound on her upper arm that was almost pulsating with blood. She didn't know what to even do in this situation - she wanted the venom to bleed its way out but she didn't know how that would even work, or if it even could. "Seth, GO!"
The smaller wolf took off into the trees, the warning howl having already alerted Jared who had been relaying Jacob updates as he sat outside the Black residence in his wolf form. He instantly shifted back, scrambling upwards and into the house as Jacob's muffled cries continued to be heard from inside.
Beverly looked up from Jacob as the loud howl broke the air. Billy and Sam both furrowed their eyebrows, while Paul - who had appeared a few minutes after Beverly and Carlisle had arrived - prickled a little in confusion. There was no reason that any of them should have been howling, especially if Jared was doing his job of reassuring them all that Jacob was going to be fine.
"The pack are nervous," Sam explained to Carlisle and Beverly, noticing how they both seemed a little uneasy at the way the other three men had bristled at the noise. "I'm sure everything is fine."
"You don't sound so sure," Beverly quipped back, causing Paul to narrow his eyes at her tone. He knew that the blonde was Rosalie's sister, but it didn't mean that he had to be nice to her. In fact, he didn't even really need to be nice to Rosalie as long as he just didn't harm Kiara's imprint. Paul had no intentions of making friends with the Cullens, but he didn't want to make things harder for Kiara than they already were.
Jared came hurtling into the room, slamming into Paul who let out a large snarl at his behaviour. Emily was peering around the corner now, having been standing in the kitchen of the Black household when Jared had gone barrelling past her.
"Jared?"
"It's Kiara!"