»—— act three. eclipse
☽⋅── FOUR ──leah clearwater ─⋅☾

As Eleanor and Eve arrived at Sam and Emily's home, they were anxious to share the news. But before they could get into a lengthy conversation, they quickly told the pack about the development.

The pack acted swiftly, their concern and determination evident. Sam swiftly announced that the rest of them would go on a hunt for the vampire that might cross their territory, entrusting the safety of Eve, Eleanor, and Emily to the newest members - Leah, Seth, and Quil.

Quil and Seth were content staying behind, while Leah was vehemently against it, eager to take on a vampire. However, she relished the idea of not being near Sam for the time being.

Inside the home, Eve found herself feeling restless. She stepped outside, seeking some fresh air, her thoughts filled with worry and anxiety about the Cullens and the pack. Her heart ached for their success, hoping they would capture Victoria soon.

As Eve sat on the front steps of the porch, she was surprised by the sudden sound of a voice. She turned to see Leah, leaning casually against the porch railing. Her words carried a hint of disbelief as she asked, "You know they are vampires, yet you are comfortable living with them?"

Eve shifted in her seat on the staircase at the entrance, contemplating the unexpected conversation. With a measured tone, Eve responded, "Yes, I do know they are vampires. But the Cullens are different, they don't hunt humans."

Leah raised an eyebrow at Eve's calm response, her expression a mix of disbelief and curiosity. She leaned against the porch railing, crossing her arms.

"Different, huh?" she said, her voice tinged with scepticism. "They may not hunt humans, but they're still vampires, aren't they? How can you trust them?"

Eve felt a pang of defensiveness rising within her at Leah's question. She looked up at the shapeshifter, her voice steady yet firm, "Just because they're vampires doesn't mean they're inherently evil," she retorted. "The Cullens have shown time and time again that they respect life, and they have never given me any reason to doubt their integrity."

Leah chuckled dryly, her expression still sceptical. "Ah, yes, the holier-than-thou Cullens," she sneered. "They may have their little vegetarian diet, but that doesn't change the fact that they're still bloodthirsty monsters. You're playing with fire, you know."

Despite feeling a hint of anger, Eve sensed a deeper underlying resentment in Leah's words. Feeling a mixture of compassion and curiosity, she responded calmly, "I suppose, but for me, I'm okay with it."

Leah's eyes narrowed as she looked at Eve, her tone almost bitter. "Why?" she echoed, her voice laced with both annoyance and intrigue, "You're either incredibly foolish or the bravest woman I've ever met," she retorted. "Or perhaps just desperate?"

Eve let out a small sigh, sensing the complex emotions behind Leah's words. She looked up at the shapeshifter, her eyes searching.

"Maybe a bit of all," she admitted, her voice soft but firm. "But there's more to them than meets the eye." As Eve stood up and moved to lean against the porch next to Leah, she shared her confession.

"I've lived a long life, spanning hundreds of years," she said, her voice tinged with a sense of weary wisdom.

Leah's eyes widened in surprise, her caution evident in her question, "Should you be telling me this?"

Eve chuckled softly, her gaze fixated on the sky above. "There's no harm in you knowing," she responded. "My many years of living have just made me more open-minded, willing to believe in the existence of things we may not fully understand."

Leah's expression softened, a mixture of disbelief and awe in her eyes. She studied Eve's calm demeanour, her scepticism gradually replaced with a hint of intrigue, "Hundreds of years..." she murmured, her voice tinged with awe and disbelief. "How is that even possible?"

Eve shifted her gaze from the sky to Leah, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. She chuckled softly, a hint of bittersweetness in her voice, "It's a long story," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. "One filled with many adventures, but also a lot of pain."

Leah's curiosity was piqued, her gaze still fixed on Eve. She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice laced with a hint of caution, "Is it...safe to tell me?" she asked cautiously.

Eve's smile widened, a sense of trust and understanding filling her heart. She took a deep breath, feeling the cool evening air fill her lungs, "Yes, it's safe to tell you," she assured Leah, her voice gentle yet confident. "I trust you."

Leah furrowed her brows and retorted, "You just met me, you don't even know me."

Eve chuckled softly and leaned her palm against her hand, her gaze fixed on Leah. She responded gently, "One of the things I possess is a strong instinct, one that hasn't failed me yet. And at this moment, my instinct is telling me that you are someone I can trust."

Leah raised an eyebrow, her cautious nature evident in her voice. She inquired, "What would you even gain from telling me?"

In response, Eve chuckled softly. With a warm smile, she replied, "I don't need to gain anything from this. I suppose I just really want us to be friends."

Leah's guard remained up as she scrutinized Eve's response, but a hint of reluctant curiosity flickered in her eyes. She leaned against the pillar, her voice tinged with scepticism.

"You want us to be friends," she stated a note of disbelief in her tone. "Why?"

Eve met Leah's sceptical gaze with a soft smile, her own eyes filled with understanding. She leaned her back against the railing and responded with a gentle shrug, "Why does anyone want to be friends?" she replied, her voice sincere yet laced with a hint of playful sass.

Leah rolled her eyes at Eve's response, scoffing slightly, but a small smile graced her lips. She crossed her arms, her tone still laced with scepticism, "Fair point," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement. "But why me? You don't even know me."

Eve chuckled softly at Leah's response, amused by her mix of stubbornness and playfulness. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the railing, her eyes fixed on Leah.

"Perhaps it's the mystery," she replied, her voice steady and genuine. "You're an enigma, and I find that intriguing. There's something about you that makes me want to get to know you better."

Leah's eyes flickered with surprise, her guard slipping for a moment. She hadn't expected that answer, and it caught her off guard. But her scepticism quickly returned, her arms still crossed tightly across her chest.

"You must be pretty bored if a mystery is what attracts you," she said with a hint of sarcasm.

Eve chuckled softly, her eyes dancing with mirth. She leaned back again, resting her chin on her palm, her tone playful, "Perhaps I am," she agreed, a hint of amusement in her voice. "But boredom can lead to unexpected and intriguing encounters. And something about you tells me that you're not just any ordinary mystery."

Leah's expression softened, a hint of vulnerability peeking through her sceptical facade. She leaned against the pillar, her arms relaxing slightly as she spoke.

"I'm not sure anyone's ever found me intriguing before," she admitted, her voice laced with a hint of self-doubt.

Eve noticed the change in Leah's demeanour, her guard lowering just a touch. She smiled warmly at the shapeshifter, her gaze gentle and understanding, "Well, I do," she said softly, her voice carrying a hint of honesty. "And I believe that there's more to you than you realize."

Leah chuckled slightly, her scepticism still present, but a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She rolled her eyes, her arms still crossed in a half-hearted attempt to maintain her guard, "You've known me for a few minutes," she repeated, her voice still laced with a tinge of disbelief.

In response, Eve smiled, a soft but genuine grin spreading across her face. She leaned closer to Leah, her eyes filled with a warm and earnest gaze, "And those few minutes have been enough for me to want to know you more."

Leah's expression softened as she took in Eve's words, her guard lowering further. She looked at Eve, her scepticism still there, but her eyes held a hint of curiosity and vulnerability, "And what if what you get to know isn't as intriguing as you think?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of insecurity.

Eve looked at Leah intently, her smile never faltering. She could sense the underlying insecurity and vulnerability in Leah's question, and her heart softened.

"Then I'll know you even more," she replied, her voice gentle yet sincere. "Regardless of what I find out, the intrigue is in the journey of getting to know you."

After a brief moment of contemplation, Leah reluctantly conceded. "Fine, I am interested in being friends," she admitted with a defeated sigh.

Eve's face lit up with a warm smile in response, her eyes sparkling with joy. She sensed the inner turmoil within Leah, the initial resistance slowly giving way to reluctant acceptance.

With a cheerful tone, Eve expressed her satisfaction, her voice brimming with genuine excitement. "Fantastic," she exclaimed, her voice filled with earnest anticipation. "I can't wait to get to know you better, Leah."

As the conversation between Leah and Eve continued, neither of them noticed Seth peeking out, checking on his sister. He observed his sister, recognizing the challenges she faced as the first female shapeshifter, being in a pack with her ex-fiance, and having her thoughts constantly shared with everyone in the pack.

Seth couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of gratitude. He had listened to a bit of the conversation between Leah and Eve, and his heart filled with happiness at the ease and comfort he sensed in his sister's demeanour.

...

After a few hours had passed, the pack returned from their hunt, their expressions solemn and marked by disappointment. They had failed to capture Victoria, who had evaded their pursuit.

As they entered the house, their defeat was palpable. Disappointment and frustration hung heavily in the air, their efforts seemingly in vain. Jacob who was the first to enter and spot an unexpected scene unfolding in the kitchen. He froze in place, causing the others to follow suit, all of them staring at the remarkable sight before them.

There, in the kitchen, were Leah, Eve, and even Emily, conversing and laughing together. What shocked them the most was witnessing Leah casually engaging in conversation with Emily, without a hint of tension or awkwardness between them.

Eleanor, who had been dozing on the couch, was woken up by the voices and she huffed seeing Quil's legs sprawled across hers. She playfully kicked them off and, rubbing her eyes, walked over to the guys. With a drowsy tone, she whispered, "Mom has that kind of effect on people, you know?"

She yawned slightly before continuing, "It's a shame you didn't get to meet her properly today."

While the guys stood there, stunned by the scene and Eleanor's comment, Embry let out a low whistle, "No kidding," he murmured, his voice filled with surprise. "I didn't think anyone could get through to Leah like that."

Eleanor couldn't help but smile and chime in with pride. "Well, that's my mom for you," she said, her gaze shifting towards Eve as the woman turned to notice their arrival.

With a wide grin, Eve then declared, "Hey, you guys must be hungry. We cooked up a feast." She glanced at Leah and Emily, acknowledging their contribution to the meal.

Jacob acknowledged with a mixture of defeat and determination, "Well, we could certainly use the feast, even though things didn't go as planned."

Eve's expression flickered with disappointment, her smile straining as she asked, "So, she managed to escape?"

"Yeah," Jacob responded, his voice laced with frustration. "We almost had her, but she managed to slip through our grasp, even past the lee... the Cullens." He quickly corrected himself, catching the meaningful look Eleanor gave him, silently reminding him not to call the vampires "leeches" in front of her mother.

Quil who was already awake walked over, ever the lighthearted one, and couldn't help but chime in, trying to lighten the mood. "Seems like she's pretty slippery."

Embry nodded in agreement. "We'll get her next time though." His voice held a mixture of disappointment and determination.

Paul's response was firm and resolute, expressing determination in his voice. "She's not getting away again."

Some of the others nodded in agreement, their expressions determined, but the sombre mood lingered as they reflected on Victoria's continued evasion.

Despite the late hour, the atmosphere remained invigorated as the group gathered to dine together. Even Seth, who had been asleep, emerged to join them.

Eve had received a message from Carlisle, and they had decided that she and Eleanor would spend the night. They agreed that Carlisle would pick them up at the border come morning.

Everyone was in relatively high spirits as they enjoyed their meal, engaging in light banter and chatter. The mood was far cheerier than it had been earlier, and the tension seemed to have dissipated somewhat.

Throughout the evening, Eve had managed to connect with the pack, but they agreed to arrange another day for a more substantial opportunity to talk and get to know each other better.

Even though Victoria had evaded capture, the mood amongst the group had become noticeably lighter, with the weight of disappointment somewhat lifted.