copy cat || paul lahote

leah sat on the damp forest floor, her arms wrapped around herself, eyes still wide with confusion. she had stopped trembling, but the lingering shock of what had just happened still clung to her like a second skin.

nora sat beside her, legs stretched out in front of her, hands resting on the cool earth. she wasn't sure how much comfort she could offer, but she also knew she couldn't leave leah alone. not now.

"how did you know it was me?" leah finally asked, her voice hoarse from exhaustion.

nora exhaled slowly, shaking her head. "i don't know. i just... did." and that was the truth. when she saw the light gray wolf curled up at the edge of the forest, something in her gut told her it was leah.

leah scoffed, but there wasn't much force behind it. "sam wants me back at his place."

"are you going?"

nora knew of their complicated breakup, and knew that was the reason why the girl was so closed-off these days.

leah frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. "i don't want to. but seth's there now, too. he shifted."

nora's eyes widened in surprise. "seth? already?"

leah nodded. "yeah. he's with sam."

nora bit back a sigh, frustration bubbling under her skin. if sam knew leah had shifted, why hadn't he come to help her? why was she left out here alone? she pushed the thought aside, focusing on what mattered now.

"you should go," nora said. "i mean, for answers, at least. i wish i could tell you everything, but i barely understand this stuff myself."

leah's expression hardened, but she didn't argue. maybe she wanted answers as much as nora wanted her to get them.

nora stood up first, offering leah a hand. after a beat, leah took it, letting nora help her to her feet.

they walked back toward sam's house in silence, the only sound was the occasional rustling of leaves beneath their feet. when they finally reached the small house, sam was already waiting for them at the door, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

leah hesitated, but after she stepped inside, nora spoke up.

"i have a question."

sam's eyes flicked to her, his gaze sharp. "what is it?"

nora swallowed, keeping her expression neutral. "i thought you guys only shifted when vampires were nearby. victoria is gone for now, isn't she?"

sam studied her, his dark eyes narrowing. a tense moment passed before he finally nodded.

"she is."

nora felt her stomach twist. that could only mean one thing.

the cullens were back.

but right now, that wasn't the biggest concern. leah and seth were new to this, and their father had just passed. the pack had more than enough on their plate without adding the cullens into the mix.

still, nora couldn't shake the unease that settled over her. because if the cullens were back, things were only going to get more complicated.

but only if she knew what was really going on in her house.

the explanation from sam was tense, his voice steady but weighted with the responsibility he now carried. seth sat nearby, listening as best he could, but his attention wavered under the weight of everything being thrown at him. leah, however, was in her own world. her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her jaw clenched. she wasn't really hearing the words sam was saying—she was too consumed by the anger burning inside her, the bitterness twisting through every muscle in her body. anger at herself, at sam, at everything. and the constant noise in her head—everyone's thoughts crashing into her own—was only making it worse.