Weeks had passed since Leslie first shifted. She hadn't seen Bella or Jacob during this time. Leslie faced a few incidents related to shifting, sometimes triggered by Paul and Jared pushing her buttons. However, most of the challenges stemmed from Sam's influence. Due to him, she couldn't see Leah or anyone else, and reaching out to them was impossible.
Leslie's phone was inundated with missed calls and texts from Bella, Jacob, and Leah. She couldn't confide in anyone and felt trapped in Sam's house. The only time Leslie could leave was for patrol. After much complaining and pleading, Sam reluctantly allowed her to visit Billy's house again. However, the condition was that she wouldn't tell Jacob anything and would avoid him at all costs. Leslie agreed, accepting this compromise for a bit more freedom.
----Time Skip----
Leslie sat on her bed, preparing for patrol with the boys. The sound of a truck pulling up caught her attention, and she opened her curtain to see Bella hopping out of the truck with a tarp-covered object in the back. As the front door opened and closed, Leslie observed Jacob walking towards Bella, who greeted him with excitement.
Unable to hear their conversation, Leslie watched as Bella uncovered two dilapidated motorcycles from under the tarp. Deciding to join them, Leslie walked out of her room toward the front door. Opening and then closing it behind her, she heard Bella say, "Hey, El." Knowing that Sam was watching, Leslie ignored Bella, walking right past her and Jacob. Bella frowned, puzzled by Leslie's cold reception and unsure of what she had done wrong.
"Hey, don't mind her. Leslie's been gone for a few weeks, and now that she's here, she's been avoiding me. And when she talks, not much comes out of her. Dad says the reason she was gone was that she was sick, something called mono. And that she was gone to keep me safe." Jacob explains to Bella, who frowns in response. As Leslie passed the tree line, they stopped looking at her.
Leslie approached Sam, Paul, and Jared, who were standing next to each other. When Sam turned around, the others followed his lead. The four slinked soundlessly into the darkness of the woods.
--
Bella drove along the La Push cliffs, with Jacob in the passenger seat. He was inspecting this grimy motorcycle crankshaft and was like, "We got so lucky at the dump. You know how much a new crankshaft goes for?" "Yeah, I totally spend all my free time on crankshaft-dot-com," Bella says sarcastically.
"I think that's an adult site. These bikes will be on the move soon. Where do you wanna go first? Jacob's wondering. "Somewhere sunny," Bella says. "Yeah right, like there's any sunny place close by," Jacob scoffs.
"I know this spot above the clouds," Bella paused, remembering a moment with Edward in the grass.
"Where is it?" Jacob asks, but Bella's face falls. "Actually, it's ... too hard to get to," she replies, her memories vivid. Trying to lift the mood, Jacob brought his easy smile and optimism to the rescue, "So we'll find our sunny spot, right?" Bella smiles, grateful for his positive outlook.
As she gazed out of the window at the cliffs, Bella noticed five people standing on the rocky ledge. Four of them wore nothing but cut-off shorts, and the fifth person was a girl in a tank top with cut-off shorts. They pushed each other around, roughhousing, while the girl simply observed. "Isn't that... Sam Uley and Leslie?" Bella asks, focusing on the girl.
"Yeah, and his cult," Jacob responded bitterly.
Suddenly, two of the guys threw a struggling Jared over the cliff! Bella slammed on the brakes, and jumped out of the truck, and Jacob followed. "Oh my God! Stop them!" Bella screamed as she ran towards them. However, Jacob's laughter slowed her down. "They're not really fighting, Bella. They're cliff diving," Jacob calmly explains. "What, on purpose?" Bella asks, confused. "Scary as hell, but a total rush," Jacob says.
A diver took a running start and flung himself into the air, twisting and cartwheeling. Intrigued, Bella saw the potential for adrenaline - for Edward. "Most of us jump from lower down," Jacob tells her. "Think I could?" Bella asks Jacob.
"Man, first motorcycles, now cliff diving?" Jacob responded. "You said it was a rush," Bella reminds him. "Maybe on a warmer day. And not from the top. We'll leave the showing off to Sam and his disciples," Jacob adds with a bitter edge.
Bella looked at him. "You don't like them," she stated the obvious.
"They think they run this place. Acting all badass, calling themselves 'protectors,'" Jacob explains. "What are they protecting?" Bella inquired. "The tribe, the land, their right to be jerks. Embry and Leslie used to call them hall monitors on steroids. Now look at them," Jacob spits out, clearly frustrated with his friend and cousin.
Bella examined the fourth guy more closely and realized it was Embry, his hair now shorn and his thin frame filled out, his laid-back expression gone. Jacob seemed pained to see him. "That's Embry? I didn't recognize him. What happened to him?" Bella asks.
"He missed some school - then, out of nowhere, he's following Sam around. The same thing happened with Paul, Jared, and Leslie. Only Sam and Leslie were friends; the rest weren't. Now Sam owns them. Sam keeps giving me this look like he's waiting for me or something; it's kind of freaking me out," Jacob explains to Bella.
"Maybe you should just avoid them," Bella suggests. "I try, but..." Jacob looked unnerved, and instinctively, Bella hugged him reassuringly. "Hey, if it gets worse, we'll go to my dad. Or you can stay with us," Bella offered. "Thanks. If this is how you're going to react, I'll freak out more often," Jacob jokes while still holding Bella.
Bella realized she had crossed a line and covered it by playfully shoving him. As they headed to the truck, Bella looked back, and now Sam was looking directly at her, while Leslie had already jumped off the cliff. Then Sam turned and dived over the edge, cutting a clean line into the water.
--
It had been a few days since Jacob had shifted, and Bella was calling every day. However, due to the Alpha order from Sam, he couldn't call or text her. Meanwhile, Leslie was with her pack, heading towards a rogue vampire on Forks' grounds. The Cullens had left, and the pack needed to expand their territory.
As they neared the meadow, Leslie detected the scent of the vampire but also heard the heartbeat of a human. Past the last trees, they saw Bella being threatened by the vampire. It seemed like the vampire was about to bite Bella when his expression changed, and he turned to look at the approaching pack.
"I... don't believe it," the vampire uttered. He stepped back, and Bella followed his gaze, turning to see Sam's enormous wolf emerging from the darkness of the woods. A low, disturbing growl emanated from Sam's throat as he stalked towards them, sharp teeth gleaming.
Approaching Bella, Sam's wolf was joined by five more wolves emerging from the trees, all the size of small horses, each of a different hue—dark silver, chocolate, dark grey, ash, and russet-brown. Hackles raised, lips curled, bodies crouched, ready to spring.
Bella's body froze with fear. Jacob's wolf, the closest, locked eyes with her. The vampire retreated, and almost simultaneously, the vampire bolted across the meadow. The wolves sprinted after him, surrounding him before he reached the treeline. Thunderous snarls and snaps shook Bella as the pack closed in on the vampire.
The vampire swung at Paul's wolf form, smacking him halfway across the meadow. Leslie's wolf form lunged at the vampire, but he kicked her, sending her sailing into a tree, splintering it. The two wolves recovered, returning to the pack, which closed in on the vampire. The outcome of the confrontation remained uncertain.
Leslie and Jacob returned to Billy's house, their friendship bond and trust fully restored after dealing with the vampire threatening Bella. Exhausted, they entered the house, each going to their respective rooms to get some much-needed sleep.
Unaware of their return, neither Jacob nor Leslie heard the truck pulling up or the knocking on the door. Billy answered the door to find Bella standing there. "Hi, Billy. I know Jacob's sick, and I know Leslie doesn't want to see me, but-" Bella began, interrupted by Billy.
"They're both out with friends," he informed her.
"Oh," Bella responded, taken aback. "I'll let them know you came by." As Billy started to close the door, Bella stopped him. "Wait— he's got mono, right? That's what you told my dad," she said, irritated.
"You should go on home, Bella," Billy advised with compassion, closing the door.
Bella climbed into the truck, slamming the door in frustration. She started the truck, then turned it off. After a moment of decision, she tossed the keys aside and sank into her seat, deciding to wait.
Rain pours down, creating a somber atmosphere. Inside, Billy pulls the curtain back, looking out at Bella with sympathy before closing it. Bella gazes out the passenger window at Billy, lost in her thoughts. Suddenly, a knock at the driver's window startles her. She spins around to find Leslie and Jacob standing there, their faces devoid of the usual friendly smiles and warmth. Instead, there's a hard, brooding resentment.
Taken aback, Bella climbs out of the truck, finding Sam Uley, Jared, Paul, and Embry standing behind Jacob and Leslie. Oblivious to the rain, they wear minimal clothes. Leslie starts walking towards Sam, while Jacob lingers a little longer. "You cut your hair," Bella remarks.
"Go away," Jacob snaps, turning away to join the pack on the porch. Sam leads the group towards the house, with Jacob following. Bella notes his sure-footed strides, his awkward growth spurt seemingly disappeared overnight. She grabs his arm.
He stops and turns back. Leslie and the others wait on the porch, ensuring Jacob is not left alone with Bella. Bella says something to Jacob, who shakes his head. As she continues, Jacob starts shaking, almost convulsing with anger. He glances at Sam, who gives him a look. Jacob takes a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. In a sudden move, he runs back to the house, joining the gang as they all disappear inside, leaving Bella standing alone in the rain.