By the time I made it back to the clearing where I had left my clothes, I had more or less managed to shove the screams into some dark corner of my mind. They were still there, echoing faintly, but quieter now, like a distant storm instead of thunder in my ears.
Leah was exactly where I had left her.
She sat on a tree stump near the edge of the clearing, my clothes folded neatly in her lap, her back straight and her posture alert despite how still she looked. She had been waiting for me to return.
That alone made the weight in my chest ease, just a little.
I slowed and shifted back, the familiar rush of heat and pressure rolling through me as fur receded and bones snapped back into place. The forest sharpened, then softened again as my human senses returned.
"I'm back," I said quietly.
Leah looked up at me immediately.
One glance at my face and her expression changed. She stood and crossed the short distance between us in two steps.
"You okay?" she asked, eyes searching mine.
"Yeah," I said automatically. Then I hesitated. "I mean… I'm fine. It's just…"
I trailed off, staring past her shoulder for a second, seeing things I did not want to see again.
She did not rush me.
"The vampire," I said finally. "He was young. Fifteen, maybe. It didn't feel good killing him. Even knowing he'd already killed people."
My hands clenched at my sides.
"It doesn't feel right," I continued, my voice dropping. "They're turning anyone they find. Kids. They don't care about the lives they're ending at all, to them they're just weapons for a stupid war they themselves started."
The last words came out rough, almost a growl. Anger burned hot beneath the guilt, sharp and furious.
Leah stepped closer and handed me my clothes. She helped me pull them on, her movements steady and familiar, grounding me. When I was dressed, she lifted her hands and cupped my face, forcing me to look at her.
"You did the right thing," she said firmly.
I swallowed.
"By ending his life," she went on, "you saved every human he would have needed to feed on. You stopped something worse from happening."
Her thumbs brushed lightly along my jaw. "You don't have to feel good about it. But you don't get to punish yourself for doing what had to be done."
The tension in my shoulders finally broke.
I lowered my head until our foreheads touched, breathing her in, forest and warmth and something solid and real.
"You're right," I murmured. "Like always."
She snorted softly. "Damn right I am."
Then she leaned back, wrinkling her nose. "Now let's go inside so you can brush your teeth. Your mouth stinks of leech."
I let out a short laugh, surprised by it. "No welcome back kiss?"
She started walking toward the house, tossing a glance over her shoulder. "Not until you stop smelling like death."
I followed her through the trees, the lights of the Clearwater house glowing ahead of us.
For the first time since Port Angeles, the screams stayed behind.
…
As Leah and I opened the front door, the smell of fried fish hit me full in the face, hot oil and seasoning mixing into something so good it almost hurt. My stomach, traitorous and apparently done with trauma for the night, chose that exact moment to betray me by growling loudly.
The sound echoed just enough to draw attention.
Jacob looked up from the game controller, eyebrows lifting. "Was that a lion?" he asked seriously.
Seth snorted, still mashing buttons. "Nah, sounded bigger."
I groaned and rubbed the back of my neck, heat creeping into my face.
Sue leaned out from the kitchen, spatula in hand, smiling knowingly. "Looks like someone's hungry," she said warmly. "Don't worry, dear, food's almost ready."
"Thanks, Sue," I said, a little sheepish. "I'm just gonna change real quick before we eat."
"Go on," she said. "You've earned it."
I headed for the stairs, the sounds of oil popping and the low hum of conversation filling the house behind me. Halfway up, something caught my eye and made me pause.
Bella was sitting on the couch next to Jacob, knees pulled up slightly, watching the game. She laughed quietly when Seth shouted something dramatic at the screen, her eyes bright, her posture relaxed in a way I had not seen in a long time.
She looked… normal.
Safe.
Alive.
Something in my chest loosened at the sight, a tension I had not even realized I was still carrying finally easing. I looked at her for a second longer than necessary, making sure she really was there, that nothing was wrong.
Bella glanced up and noticed me watching. She gave me a small smile.
I nodded back once, then continued up the stairs, the weight of the night settling a little lighter on my shoulders as the sounds of laughter and sizzling food followed me upward.
…
After a quick shower and an almost aggressive scrubbing of my teeth and tongue, I headed back downstairs just in time to see Sue and Emily carrying plates to the table. Steam rose from the food, the scent rich and comforting, wrapping around the room like a promise that for once, things were normal.
"You're just in time," Leah said as she walked up to me.
She rose on her toes and gave me a quick peck on the lips, casual and affectionate. The knot in my chest loosened another notch.
"Perfect timing," I murmured back.
Everyone began settling in, chairs scraping softly against the floor. The table filled quickly, though not quickly enough. With this many people, there were always a few casualties when it came to seating.
Jacob, Seth, and Bella claimed spots on the couches, pulling the coffee table closer and balancing plates and napkins like it was second nature. Seth immediately started talking with his mouth half full until Leah shot him a look sharp enough to cut glass.
"There is sauce on your chin," she said flatly.
Seth wiped his face with the back of his hand. "Adds flavor."
Jacob laughed, shaking his head, while Bella tried and failed to hide her smile behind her glass.
There was still an empty chair at the main table. Bella could have taken it, but she stayed right where she was, leaning slightly toward Jacob as he pointed at something on Seth's plate and made a comment that made her laugh again.
I noticed how close they seemed.
A part of me wanted to say something. A harmless comment, a bit of teasing, just enough to make Jacob fluster and Bella roll her eyes. The thought amused me.
But I chose to keep my mouth shut, for now.
Dinner settled into an easy rhythm. Plates clinked softly, forks scraped, oil popped faintly in the kitchen as Sue finished up the last batch of fish. Conversation drifted from fishing stories to Seth exaggerating the size of his catch again, to Jacob complaining about losing at a game earlier and blaming Seth for cheating.
Bella listened more than she spoke, but when she did, her voice was lighter than it had been in weeks. She looked comfortable, relaxed, like she belonged exactly where she was.
I leaned back in my chair, letting the warmth of the room soak into me. The steady hum of voices, the occasional burst of laughter, the simple act of eating together all worked to push the darker thoughts to the edges of my mind.
Just for tonight.
I knew the problems were still there, waiting. Victoria, Riley, the vampire army growing somewhere not far from here.
But for now, surrounded by the people I cared about, with good food and familiar voices filling the house, I allowed myself to breathe.
Peace, even temporary, was something worth holding onto.
…