Athena (L. Clearwater)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Are you sure about this?"

It is post-battle and Carlisle is going to mend Jacob's broken ribs.

"Leah wants to meet you and the Elders say you can come with me to the Black residence," Carlisle says. "Come on."
******

Leah stops pacing and ranting as soon as she smells marjoram, mint, thyme, palm oil, and oregano oil. She looks over as Carlisle and Athena show up and she freezes. Paul smirks smugly at Leah's reaction to Athena.

"I'm gonna go right in," Carlisle says. "Sam?"

"I'm coming," Sam says. He squeezes Billy's shoulder comfortingly before he leads Carlisle into the red shack.

"Leah!" Paul boasts. "Quit being a wimp. She's here."

"Shut up, Paul," Leah snaps and she slowly approaches Athena. "Hi..."

Athena smiles a little and Leah's stomach does a backflip. "Hi," she greets. She runs a finger over Leah's cheek and the girl gets a body full of goosebumps. "Τόσο όμορφο," she murmurs and Leah doesn't know what she says, but she blushes.

"What did you say?" Leah asks softly.

Athena smirks. "So beautiful," she translates and Leah's blush deepens. "I only imagined what this form looked like, but to see you in person is a... It's better than anything I could imagine."

"Your eyes..." Leah sees them, they're green. "Did you change them before coming?"

"I did," Athena replies. She glances at Billy and sees him looking at her. "Hello again, Mr. Black."

Billy smiles a little. "Hello, Athena," he greets.

Everyone, even Athena, wince when Jacob's scream fills the air as soon as Carlisle gets started. Leah, on instinct, grabs onto Athena's arm. Athena doesn't react, she doesn't want to scare Leah off. She knows how shapeshifters feel about vampires.
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Bella's comes speeding up as Leah keeps an anxious grip on Athena's arm. Bella jumps out of the truck hurriedly. She freezes and clinches harshly when Jadon screams out. She glances around. Billy is barely holding it together. He has Emily's hand on his shoulder, but at Jacob's scream, she wraps her arm around him. She looks at Leah and Athena, Athena has just placed a cold hand over Leah's hot one. She glances at the ramp where the other shifters are.

"It's been found on for a while," Quill says to her.

"Doc's rebreakimg his bones," Embry says.

"Why did he have to butt in?" Leah asks in anger as she keeps a grip on Athena for stability. "I could've taken him..."

"Oh, give it a rest, Leah," Paul snaps and he winces when he receives a very fiercely protective glare from Athena.

That's when the door opens and Carlisle exits the house with Sam.

Carlisle stops before Billy. "The worst is over," he says. "He'll be alright."

Billy exhales heavily, tears threatening to spill. Sam places a hand on his shoulder.

"S-s-so..." Leah turns to her imprint. "Can we... um, can we exchange numbers?"

Athena smiles and Leah finds herself relaxing as their eyes meet, brown vs. green. "Yeah!"

They trade phones while Carlisle walks over to his car and waits for Athena once Bella goes inside since Jacob is asking to see her.

"I have a wedding I'm being forced to help plan for," Athena says softly once they return the phones. "I hope you'll show up as my date, but..." she smiles, "you don't have to. I'll see you, I hope." She goes over to Carlisle's car.

Leah watches her until she disappears.

"You can go to the wedding if you want," Billy mutters, softly do Jake doesn't hear, "if you want to make things work with your imprint. I've got nothing against Athena."

Leah flushes and she looks down, making Sam smirk a little.