Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Not for the first time that evening, Isabella Swan wondered why the fuck she left the comfort of her home in the first place. Teenage hormones, of course, but God, why? Why would she, voluntarily, put herself in this position?

Life sucks, and that was the hard truth. She knew that, and she wasn't exactly unhappy, but she was not exactly happy either. Years and years of being the bigger person, of taking Renee's shit, of taking care of herself and her mother while the world moved on and her friends lived their lives.

Her life, that was all she wanted. Years of watching teenagers having fun, making plans, worrying only about themselves and their own lives have pushed her to her limit and she snapped. That was comprehensible, wasn't it? She was just a fifteen year old girl who was just fucking tired so she ran. Away from her mother, from the unpaid bills, the responsability. Away from her mother's new solid boyfriend, her mother's new shot at a life that she, Isabella, never had. And from home.

The plan was simple: gather a few essential things, the money from her part time jobs, and just hit the road. See the world, meet new people, and just generally have some fresh experiences while she was still young and passionate and just generally angry. Worst case scenario she would just come back home, broke and with a lifetime grounding (as if Renee was home enough time to check on that).

It started well, she made all the way out of Arizona and into Nevada (where she spent quite a bit of time and quite a bit of money), and then onto Oregon. She didn't knew why, she just followed the roads and there she was.

With the wind growing colder and the air growing thicker, she started to feel more comfortable with her pale skin and somewhat cold personality. Being from Phoenix you would expect a maybe more tanned complexion, but being inndors all day to be sure that the house wouldn't catch on fire doesn't allow for too much of sun time.

Isabella made her way to a modest inn, just to spend the night. It wasn't grand, but she didn't need much: a bed and a clerk that didn't ask too many questions was enough, her fake ID wasn't flawless after all.

And that's where things started to get strange.

Getting into the room, she eyed the bed tiredly before making her way to the small bathroom on the left. It was a tiny room, with an old tv on the far side, a bed, a small mounted table, and a bathroom.

Upon entering the bathroom with her bag, Isabella started on setting the remaining of her clean clothes on the sink as she turned on the shower, just thinking about getting a nice, hot bath and then getting into bed for the remaining of the night.

After checking to see if there was a decent towel at her disposal, she got into the shower and just thought about her trip so far. A small smile came into her face as she remembered spending the night in a shitty hotel in Las Vegas, assisting two girls who thought they had lost they car keys, just to find them 30 minutes later dangling on the tires of said car.

After doing her business, Isabella got out and wrapped the towel around herself. She stepped into the sink, having a mind of taming the wild frame of her auburn hair before ticking in for the evening.

She tried to look at herself in the mirror, but the fog was too much. Isabella huffed in tired annoyance, looking at the mirror as if just waiting for it to clear itself. That's when she noticed it.

Fading and slightly oily, she saw some lined formation in the glass. Twisted and precise, she observed something that resembled...words? The fog was dissipating, and the glass was getting more wet than fogged, so she breathed into the mirror, her curiosity being spiked by whatever was written in there by the previous occupant of the room.

So she breathed and breathed, wanting to know what that was all about, until she coul see. Backpaddling into the opposite wall, she reads the words and wonders just what the hell does it mean. She looks up, and to her side, traces the green tiles as she tries to think. That didn't look good, didn't look as a friendly note to fellow travellers or whatever. That looked like someone asking for help. And damn it all, she was a good person. If there was someone out there who needed help, she would get to the bottom of this. What if it was a girl like her? Lost and alone? What if it was a runaway wife, trying to run from her abuser? She just had to help.

With that in mind, Isabella dressed herself as quickly as she could, all tiredness forgotten, and formed a primary plan. She would talk to the that easy going clerk, ask about her predecessor, and figure the rest out. Stealing one last look at the mirror, she grabbed the room keys and got out into the chilly night. She didn't know why, or even how, but she would get to the bottom of this, else she new those words in the mirror would forever haunt her.

-They're comming. Do not follow my scent. 4606

Isabella approached the reception with a smile that she hope would be charming. The same overly happy clerk was there, and she was satisfied to see the dimples on his face as he saw her. Hopefully this would be the easy part.

"Hello miss!" he said, smiling happily "Is there something wrong with your room? Can I help you with anything?"

Isabella tried to smile a little wilder and, reading his name tag discreetly, approached the counter.

"Oh, not at all! Gregory, isn't it?" she dismissed his worries with a wave of her hand. "I'm just a little restless, being on the road for so long..."

"Ooh are you a traveller, Miss Swansom?" He smiled happily once more, like he was just happy to have someone to talk to, but then, he became sheepish. "I would love to travel the world. But father says I gotta keep the family business, you know? He owns the keep, so I gotta keep the keep!" He laughed joyfully, and Isabella couldn't help but smile a little in return. She watched him for the first time, a young, friendly face, maybe in his 16's. Blond hair with freckles all over his tanned baby face.

"Speaking of travellers, do you know who was in my room before me?" At his suspicious look, she felt the need to elaborate. "It's just that I think I've found something from them in the room, and there is a game amongst travellers to leave clues for each other behind" She says the last bit excitedly, watching Greg change from innocent suspicion to wary excitement. "That's how we meet each other! So I really need to know." She finished with a loving smile, hoping to coerce the boy to spill the beans.

But Gregory just looked ate her soberly, his hands twisting in anxiety "I don't think you want to meet that woman, Miss Swansom. Father said she was bad business, and bad business she is indeed". He looked at the side of the small room, as if expecting to be jumped "Just between us, Miss Swansom? I think she wasn't well in the head. Always lurking around, making other guests restless. One day she just closed her tab and disappeared, not a single hair left behind."

Isabella listened to everything with rapt attention, making mental notes of his body language and words. There was just some things she had to know, but she tried to play it cool.

Chuckling a little, Isabella looked at Gregory like he was overreacting a little. "Okay, that's pretty strange. But, like, did she get visits? And how long was she here anyway?" In something that she hoped was a casual move, she set herself in one of the chairs laying around.

Gregory was still serious, but with some mirth in his eyes. "Ah, she was here for maybe a week? Maybe less" He shook his head as if thinking to himself "No visitors tho. Though there was a man after she was gone..." He mused to himself, taking a seat on the desk in front of her.

Curiosity already in overdrive, Isabella looked at him with a guarded expression "A man? Was it her husband?"

He looked at her a little somberly "I don't think so. He looked a little like her, all skittish and so. Just asked about her and went on his way. Something about a road... "Gregory looked he was lost in a dreamlike state as he thought about it.

Isabella just looked at him, deciding to make a guess "Did it had anything to do with the number 4606?"

Gregory looked like a light bulb lighted itself on his head "Ah, yes! He asked about that old road. It leads to the national forest or something? I wouldn't know. But please do not try to meet those people, Miss Swansom?" He looked at her with pleading, inocent eyes "I swear to all that is holly, something is not right with them. Best to just stay away."

Isabella looked at him with a fond look. That is a really nice boy, and she hopes he'll stay safe and happy "I'll be alright, Greg. Catch you tomorrow." She begins to leave her seat and the boy shuffles back to the counter "Oh, and you can call me Bella, ok?" she says over her shoulder, and whatches the boy give her his happy smile, before sneaking into the parking lot with the mind to steal his father's car.

Speeding the Toyota down the road, Isabella couldn't help but think where she was getting herself into. Greg wasn't precise, he didn't give any dates, but deep down she knew she was speeding towards an aftermath. Best case, she would find an empty path of forest, worst case she would report the corpses. She knew that, and still she felt a bizarre urgency to get to where she was supposed to go.

Reaching the 4606 end of the road, she slowed down. Looking for any sign of something being wrong, she paused, frowning at the sight of a wrecked sedan laying at the side of the road just before the end of the marking.

Suspicious, Isabella parked beside the seemingly crashed car. Eying her surroundings, she got out of the car, looking at the green wall the opposed them both. She approached the car, eyes and ears trained on everything, and found something very unusual.

The car was pristine, except for the left front bump, wich had a sharp dent in it, and the driver's door. Besides the fact that the car has hit seemingly nothing, the driver was stunned and dragged somewhere. The woods, maybe?

Isabella eyed an almost fresh path of grass into the wood, thinking about what to do. She looked at the downcast, early morning sky and she already knew. She had to know. She just had.

Following that path, Isabella kept her ears trained for anything suspicious, while doing her best to keep to the path of grass she was barely seeing.

Sometime after 2 miles of a long and tense walk, Isabella begun to hear a distinct sound. A heartbreaking sound, a sound that makes you pause.

Someone was crying.

It was a male, from the sounds of it. Isabella approached carefully, hiding herself in the morning shadows and tall trees. She sneaked until she saw something that gave her pause, crouched in the bushes.

There was a man. Pale skin, with a good length of dark hair tied into a ponytail. He wore a dark robe, like someone from a cult, and he was benting over something- no - someone. There was a girl laying down at his side. Similar complexion, except her face was littered in cracks, like broken marble, and her body was...

Isabella gasped, and the sound resonated through all the trees surrounding them. She froze, waiting for the man to look for her, but instead he just kept crying.

That's when she saw. Two people approaching from the weeping man's back, looking similar to him. Pale skin, dark hair, red eyes. Except they were surveying the man as if they wanted to harm him, they were lurking in the shadows and waiting for something. Something was very wrong.

Isabella doesn't know what came to her, or why she felt the need to do it, she just got out of the bush she was in, stepped in the forest floor pointing at the man in the shadows and screamed "They will kill you! Watch out!"

She watched, mesmerized, as the weeping man became an avenging angel. He swirled around and just pounced on his fist attacker, swinging his arm to stun the second and then pounced once more.

Isabella noted, with a distressed feeling, that the first shadow man didn't have his head.

By the time she came to terms with what she was seeing, the second shadow man was already dead. The long haired man stood tall, as if breathing for the first time in a long time, and regarded his surroundings, eyes pausing on the cracked girl.

Isabella twitched, and his eyes were on her. Red and unforgiving, broken and angry, feral and soft. He crouched, looking at her with what was meant to be a soft look.

"Come, little one. I won't hurt you, you have my word." He said, and Isabella took one step forward, being entranced by the change in his eyes

He looked once more at the cracked girl. Then looked at her and smiled sadly "I would be the same, if not for you. Thank you, little one" He breathed the last part, seemingly too overwhelmed. Just then Isabella noted that a good part of the girls body was burnt, almost to ashes.

He got up, and looked at her once again, but this time, red eyes held confidence and gratefulness. "My name is Aro Volturi. You and I have a lot to talk about, little one."

Chapter Text

As Aro continue to stare at her, some of the confidence he held started to shift into curiosity. The girl was still on the ground, looking at him and the bodies with wide doe eyes and becoming paler by the minute. Was it shock? The poor thing had witnessed quite a lot, of course, but it wouldn't do to have her dropping dead in the middle of the forest. He had a lot he wanted to ask, and her scent...

Not for the first time in five days, Aro wished he had his old friend Eleazar with him to help sorting out this mess.

Cautiously, he took half a step towards the girl, trying to appear harmless. That was it for the girl, apparently, for she shot out from the floor and went screaming and running in an unflattering manner, with her arms shaking about.

Looking blankly at the mess he caused, Aro waited to see if she would stop, or at least stop falling. Should he just kill the girl? She sure as hell wasn't making things easier for him.

"Help! They're all dead! Someone, please!" Aro smiled a little at the desperation in her voice, remembering a time when human fear was amusing to him. When their panic was a laughing matter and simply an entertainment before each meal. When he, himself, couldn't remember what fear and panic and desperation felt like.

Blurring to the girl's front, he held his hand up in a surrender manner. His sudden appearance made the girl fall yet again, looking at him and shaking in fear "I will not hurt you, you have my word. Please calm down." He tried, in the softest voice he could.

The girl gaped at him for a moment, her fear seemingly turning into rage "What the fuck are you, you freak?" She shouted in a very young voice. She couldn't be more than... Sixteen years old, maybe?

"Well there's no need for that..." he muttered and huffed to himself, a little offended. He hadn't been called a freak in centuries. "Yes, I know. I mean to tell you, but you will have to promise me that you wont scream anymore. I have a lot of questions, and a lot of answers, so we can maybe help each other?" He didn't mean to ask, but the girl was odd. He smelled no fear, and he was dying to get a look into her mind. He extended his hand, smiling a little at her "What is your name, little one?"

The girl eyed his hand, then sighed and took it with her own, using it as support to get out of the ground "Bella. Isabella Swan."

Aro just stared at her, still holding her hand, head cocked to the side. He was probably holding it for too long, for the girl started to appear uncomfortable, so he drops her hand and smiles at her "A pleasure, my dear. Now, would you care to explain what are you doing in the middle of this forest?" He asked, watching as the girl frowned like debating something with herself. He decided to give her a little space to think, walking to a large boulder and sitting on it.

He didn't know what to think. The girl didn't seem like a threat, standing there and thinking to herself. She was also very much human, despite the odd scent, and yet... Aro couldn't get a read on her. Just silence met his mind as he took the girl's hand, and he didn't know what to do whit that.

Bella got out of her head, appearing more at ease, and with a strange determination in her eyes. She walked to where he was, sitting beside him and looking into the trees. She sighed, fidgeting with her hands "Who was the girl, on the floor? What happened to her?"

Aro deliberated a little on what to say "The girl still is. She is alive." He nodded at Bella's wide eyed and stunned expression "She is someone very important to me, held some important information. She's not dead yet, but she will be soon. Someone is taunting me." He looked at the body direction angrily, trying to compose himself.

Bella made a mental not of his reaction, determined once more to understand what was happening. "Is it because of what you are? That she's still alive, I mean. Those other guys looked hard as fuck." She chuckled a little, trying to get him out of his funk.

Aro smiled at her, nodding again "That is correct. So, will you answer my questions, little one?"

Looking at her hands, Bella nodded too. "There was a message at my hotel room. I followed the clues until I found the car by the side of the road."

Aro perked up, looking at the road's general direction before getting up "Yes, I have to get rid of that. Will you stay here, little one? I promise to answer all of your questions when I get back. It won't take long " He smiled at her, waiting on her answer.

"Uh... Yeah, sure man. It's not like I have a clue of where I am or where to go. And I want some answers too."

He inclined his head, then disappeared. Bella blinked in confusion, starting to think that she got into an accident and was in a really fucked up coma trip. So far she only knew that this man, Aro, was not human. Or a super human. And that she was in some deep shit.

She was feeling a little embarrassed by her initial reaction, but come on, who wouldn't react that way after seeing two beheaded... Rocky things? She didn't know, but that was fucking traumatic.

One thing was clear in her mind: she had to know what was happening. Aro didn't seem inclined on beheading her as well, so that was a good start. The man was intriguing, and was offering answers, so she would stay. Not much of a choice tho, if she was being honest. She didn't knew how to get out of that damned forest.

By the time Aro came back, the first traces of morning were beginning to break through the tall trees. As he seated beside her once again, she thought about asking what he did to the car, but decided on a more important matter. Just as she opened her mouth tho, Aro held his hand with a serious expression.

"There is something you need to know before we start, young one. Humans aren't supposed to know of our existence, and by my own laws I'm supposed to kill you just for having witnessed my little predicament back there." Seeing that Bella only frowned at that, he continued. "But you saved my life, young one, and before my law I have my honor. So you can rest easy for the time being."

Bella nodded absently, once again lost in her mind, before looking up at him and clearing her throat "So, are you a super human or something? Like, government experiments and shit?"

At that, Aro released an unexpected bark of laughter the shook the boulder whit it's strident tone, scaring off some birds and the poor unsuspecting human "No! No, I'm sorry young one, that was really surprising. Oh dear." he shook his head, still shaking a little with amusement and dismissed it with his hand "I'm not much of a human anymore, I'm afraid. I am a vampire." he said the last part seriously, looking at Bella for her reaction.

But she just stood there, suddenly eying him like he would snap and kill her whit a chainsaw "...sure."

He smiled at her, a little patronizingly "I have no reason to lie, Bella. You already saw too much."

This time, he watched, intrigued, as the girl frowned and looked down at her lap, her hand and fingers doing little twitchy movements as if to count something. He guessed she was searching her mind, her memories for signs and observations that would maybe credit his claims or help dismissing it. That brought a small smile to his face. That was a smart and logical girl, and his curiosity was maybe beginning to transform in genuine interest.

Something seemed to click for her, and her eyes snapped back at him a little too quickly for a human, making her neck pop. She grimaced, while Aro tried to contain his mirth for the girl's benefit.

"So you... Uh..." Bella cursed quietly, rubbing the back of her neck "So you're like, a blood drinking creature of the night? Like, with fangs and, and afraid of crosses and garlic and uh..." She was talking fast now, pausing suddenly to look up at the sky and then at him with narrowed eyes "How are you out in the daylight?"

Aro chuckled, a little overwhelmed at her outburst, before trying to school his face "Not everything is correct, dear. I'm afraid Hollywood made us look a little childish. Yes, we feed on blood, but crosses and garlic are just fine. Garlic smells really bad, if I'm being honest, but that's that. And we do not catch on fire in the sun, though direct sunlight will make us stand out, so we tend to avoid it. Remember the law I told you about."

Bella absorbed all that with childlike interest, trying to burn everything into her mind, but then she remembered something "Wait, you said 'my laws', as in, you've created them?" she looked at him as if seeing him for the first time, now fully believing in what he was saying.

Aro smiled almost fatherly to her, making her a little confused "Smart girl. Yes, my family, The Volturi, is kind of like a vampire royalty. We reside in Italy, and make sure the law is enforced and respected. Humans simply cannot be made aware of our existence, for our own protection."

Bella frowned, and Aro started to recognize it as her thinking frown "That makes sense. So you're like a vampire king? Wait, what are you doing in the states? Shouldn't you be in Italy ruling?"

Aro darkened a little at that, deliberating something before looking at her "I suspect treason. Some of my trusted guards were attacked in our home, the man who did it... Well, he didn't have good things to tell me. He mistakingly gave some useful information, information the brought me here and to her," He nodded to where she think the girl was still laying, half dead. "She's useless now, of course, and I will have to go back before arousing suspicion from my brothers. I suspect one of them might want me gone, and now I have nothing else to follow." Aro looked down, enraged and a little embarrassed. What was with this girl that just made him spill everything to a complete, human stranger? He looked at her again, sudden curiosity in mind "Are you not afraid that I might snap and kill you for your blood, Bella?"

Bella looked stunned, and she stared at him for a good minute before clearing her throat "That crossed my mind, yes. But you uh, gave your word, right?" She asked hopefully, relief crossing her face as he chuckled.

"Yes, I did. And I will not. You have a strange quality, Bella, something on your scent. I can smell your blood, but is doesn't call to me like on other humans. It feels kind of... Comforting, actually. That with the fact that I can't read your mind, makes me think you are going to make an extremely intriguing vampire" he mused to himself, but then Bella shot out of her sitting position, holding her hands up.

"Whoa there king man, what are you on about? Read my mind? Vampire?" her voice pitched higher by the end, confusion and a little fear lighting up her brown eyes.

Aro blinked at her, looking around himself and then to her "I must change you, Isabella. You already know of our existence, and I gave you my word that I would not kill you. But you can't remain human." he said as if to a child that missed some very obvious lesson.

Bella pitched the bridge of her nose and heaved a heavy sigh, choosing a different approach "And the mind reading part? Is that why you held my damn hand for so long?"

Aro lit up "Yes, very observant of you, young one. Some vampires have gifts, you see, something that makes them even more especial. I can read every thought a mind has ever had just by touching it's owners hand. For example, there is one vampire, a boy really, and he can read what one is currently thinking just by standing near them! Can you imagine the potential a gift like that could have in my guard?" He tsked, shaking his head "Ah, but he is a tormented soul, that one. A pity. Anyway, yes, gifts and mind reading. Oh but I can only imagine what gifts you will develop, young one, being able to shield your mind as a human!" he shook his head once more in disbelief, looking at Bella.

Bella was once more trying to absorb the insane amount of information thrown at her, while also trying to stay focused "Ok but, what about your treason problem? Someone has to look into that, right? Get info? Someone your vamp friends wouldn't suspect?"

Aro frowned "Why, yes, but how would you even..." he trailed off, deep in thought.

She seated beside him once more, looking at him right in his red eyes "It could work! Think about it, no one would think a king as yourself would break the law and allow a human to walk away unchanged. I could snoop around, I'm good at that. I just need some money and a way to contact you, and they would never suspect me. Also I have my super awesome scent, right? So no one would kill me."

He still looked deep in thought, but nodding along with what she was saying. "Yes, I could stay in Volterra playing my part... You would need a guard with you, someone I trust, but... Yes, that would work." He looked at her, his smile genuine, but then he deflated "Why tho, young one? Don't you have a life, a family that would miss you? You are a child..." he looked genuinely concerned, and Bella heaved a sigh before answering him.

"I don't think anyone will miss me, man. My father didn't want me, my mother has her own life, and I'm sick of being tied to her. I want to know the world, to do something for me for a change. And after everything is solved, after I live a little human adventure, you can change me. Maybe I'll even join your guard or whatever." She bumped her shoulders with him, instantly regretting the decision "Ouch..."

He chuckled a little, some of the concern from before leaving his eyes "Careful there. I will call Demetri and make preparations, after I bring you back to your hotel. Are you sure you want this, young one?"

Bella got up, followed shortly by him, and stretched herself a little "Yes Aro, I'm sure. And thank you for the ride, my car isn't exactly... Mine" she smiled a little, while Aro rolled his eyes "Do you have a car parked somewhere or something?"

Aro grinned darkly, making her take a step back "Well... Do you have a problem with speed, young one?"

Chapter Text

After a long and nauseating trip on the back of a vampire, Bella found herself back at the hotel room. Gregory had smiled at her upon her return, complaining about some punks that stole his father's car and how much the whole ordeal with the police bored him to death. After quickly introducing Aro as her distant uncle who just happened to be in town by some bizarre coincidence, she exchange numbers with the boy, promising to stay in touch even after she left the hotel. He had smiled his dimpled smile and said that it would be "awesome", his excitment so high up that the boy didn't even thought twice about the fact that someone who looked just like Aro came by, looking for Bella's predecessor.

Aro left some time after, claiming that he had to take care of the bodies in the forest, and also make some arrangements for their new plan. He also assured her that he would be back soon, telling her that she should eat something and rest.

So here she was. Having ordered food and eaten more then she thought she would, Bella watched the small tv while she processed everything that happened that day so far. Did she really volunteered to be a vampire king's human spy?

She smiled a little, remembering their awkward exchange. Aro was a weird fellow, and he sounded as a very old man, but that made sense. Bella wasn't sure, but she felt that the vampire was at least a few hundred years old. You can't rule a entire race while being a teenager.

But you could, apparently, associate with one. She didn't knew what compelled Aro to agree with her insane plan, but she was glad he did. Bella needed a purpose, and Aro needed help. Besides, the old man was starting to grow on her a little, probably resembling a grandfather that she never had.

Bella only hoped that trusted guard of his would be as easy to get along with as the king was. She didn't know how she felt about being in the presence of another vampire, but if what Aro had said about her scent was true, she would be fine. And anyway, she had thrown herself at the situation in the first place, and even with Aro being a strange sort, she had no choice but to trust him to care for her wellbeing.

Bella was startled out of her thoughts by a gentle knock on the room's door. She stretched, checking her phone to confirm that, once more, she had wasted a little over two hours inside her own mind.

She got up from the bed and made for the door, opening it immediately to see Aro's patronizing smile "You shouldn't just open your door without knowing who's on the other side, dear." He then looked at her patiently, as if expecting something, and she remembered about early in the afternoon.

"Oh shit, of course. You can come in." she said as she stepped to the side, suspiciously eying the mirth in his eyes "What is it?"

He just shook his head and motioned for her to close the door as he stepped further into the small room. "Everything has been cared for. Demetri should be here by the morning whit a car to take you both to whatever you may need to go. Also, here," He produced a large brown envelope and handed it to her, waiting for her to check the contents before proceeding "These are all documents you may need, Demetri already has his. You're now Isabella Williams, 22 years old psychology student, currently taking a sabbatical year with your older brother." At her stunned expression, he smiled genially and tapped his temple "We couldn't have a teenager traveling across the country, now could we? I also instructed Demetri to keep you undergoing lessons of the human part, and yes I do mean school."

Bella groaned and seated herself on the bed, checking her documents without looking at him "Dude, why? I'm already advanced on most of my classes, that's ridiculous! I'm supposed to be out there pursuing clues and shit" Aro just smiled, shaking his head at her antics

"Then you should be fine. I have faith in your intelligence and this part is not negotiable." he added the last bit as she started to protest again, and she just nodded sullenly.

Aro leaned on the wall, pointing at the envelope "There's also my personal credit cart. Use it for any necessities and do not worry about the limit, but please refrain from buying cars or houses or anything that would draw attention to you."

She took the small black card and stared at it, and then at him "Oh, okay... That's really kind of you, Aro. Thanks."

Aro made a dismissive gesture with his hand "My only hope lies with both of you. And it wont be without risks, Bella, so please stay alert and listen to Demetri if things get... ugly. He will protect you both."

Bella packed everything with the rest of her things, and then looked him over, running a hand through her hair "So what is he like? That Demetri dude? You said you trust him, how can you be sure?"

Aro chuckled, holding his hands up and approaching the bed before sitting in front of her "Calm down, young one. Demetri is an old ally, and an even older friend. He was the first to know of my suspicions, and has helped me sort it out ever since. He's very gifted, and quite old, so you don't have to worry about his control. You'll be safe with him. Also" he smiled mischievously at her "He's been dying to meet you since I told him about you. I'd wager he is very curious about our whole ordeal in the woods."

Bella relaxed a little, sensing truth in his words. She pushed herself against the headboard, settling for the talk. "Okay, guess I'm gonna have to trust you, old man." she returned his idle smile with one of her own "So, tell me a little about you, vampire king? When where you born? How large is your family?"

Aro assumed a serious expression, opting to look at the small window. "That is... A bit hard to talk about, young one. Family, I mean. I made so much mistakes, caused so much heartbreak... Sometimes I think that maybe I deserve to be dead." He sent her a sad smile, watching as Bella seemingly struggled with something to say "But I know you need information, and I know I have to be honest with you for this to work. Just let me collect my thoughts for a moment."

Bella, still at a lost, remained silent and waiting. That was the first time seeing the king looking so defeated and tired, so she just waited.

After what seemed like hours of observing the king deep in thought, he shifted in her general direction, still not looking at her, and heaved a deep sigh. "I was born a very long time ago, Bella. My human memories are almost a blank spot, but I do remember some bits of my early life. There wasn't too much to achieve by that time, so I don't think it's important. One night, I was out to do something. I can't clearly remember what exactly, but I was out there and I was alone. I remember hearing a faint cry in the night, almost like a whisper, and as I got closer to investigate... I remember this strong feeling. Almost like a hand in my chest, pushing me back, telling me to ignore the cries and run back home to my family."

He smiled a little, his eyes distant and clouded "I believe you and I share this same sense. This burning curiosity, this need to get to the end of whatever mystery we find. So I kept going, wholeheartedly ignoring that feeling in my chest, my guts, my very soul. I saw him at the end of a small construction. Leaning over his prey, drinking desperately and frenzied. It just needed one sound, one tiny gasp from me and he was pouncing, tackling me to the ground and clawing and biting. Eventually the girl whimpered, struggling to get up, and his attention switched. He took her into the woods and left me there, mangled, waiting to die. I was maybe in my late 20's, maybe less, but death was a persistent part of life back there, so I just waited."

He frowned at his memories, looking at Bella just to find her as transfixed as he was in his little trip to the far past "Except it didn't came. I remember the pain, and the way my heart was beating almost out of my chest, and all of my bones and muscles and nerves were on fire and, sure thing, I thought that was it. That was my end, but... Then I woke up." he looked at the ceiling, as if witnessed a miracle "I was awake, and strong, and different. So much to see, to touch, to hear, to smell... Ah, but there is always a catch, right? I felt my throat burning, my head feeling fuzzy, and a scent... So sweet and warm and full of promise, so I chased it."

Aro got up, walking to the window and watching the road outside "I killed a whole family that night. I remember now... The innkeeper, with his wife and two daughters. All gone in a matter of minutes. I ran away, of course, knowing I could never be near my family again. I've spent a couple of years in the forest bordering my home land, some times wandering some desert beach. I was born in Greece, you see. Eventually I wondered outside the country, and when my loneliness was starting to bother me, I met a young man. He was just like me, and just as lost. He was very wary of me, as I was of him, but I decided to take a risk and approach him. There was quite a fight, mind you." Aro smiled and shook his head, red eyes shiny and nostalgic. "He was just a little younger then me, but older in that new life, so my newborn senses quickly overpowered him. That was also when I noticed my gift. Marcus was there, seriously beaten and waiting for me to lend the killing strike, but I just offered my hand, to help him out of the floor. Oh, he looked positively confused! But he took my hand nonetheless, and I had my very first voyage trough another mind. I saw everything; his family, his fears and ambitions, rage and confusion, and he just looked at me, resigned. Like he was expecting it, like he was waiting to be exposed before my eyes..." He looked at Bella, before directing his gaze back to the window. "Marcus would tell me later that he could sense that he and I would become close, to be friends, but he had to be sure. And I always respected his patience. To paint a picture in you mind, Marcus looks a lot like me. Except for his broad shoulders and kind face, that is. I never seemed kind. I wonder why..."

He was silent for another two minutes, obviously debating how to continue "Some time passed, Marcus and I met other people like us. Caius was amongst them. You see, Marcus and I had already formed a little coven, with two other gifted vampires; Demetri, your royal guard, and Chelsea. Demetri is... A tracker. If he smells you right now, he will be able to follow that same scent whenever he wishes." Aro chuckled at Bella's expression, seeing the confusion. "Yes, I'm sure he can explain it a lot better than I did. Chelsea was... Is... A sneak, to be honest. She can manipulate emotions, and not just that, but she could manipulate the tentative friendship we have right know and make me hate you."

Bella paled a little, shifting positions to be more seated on the bed, but remained silent.

"Well, there was Caius. He was older then us, talking big about kings and power and control and I liked it" Aro smiled a little deranged at the window, oblivious to Bella's frown "I liked it a lot. He told me about his time with the Romanian coven, and how weak they were. He told about my gift, and how powerful it could be. He talked about Marcus gift as well, with the same passion."

"At some point, I ran back home. Our little coven was growing, and I have met my mate. Caius told us we had a chance at rulling the vampire world, but that we needed more vampires like us. Gifted vampires. So I came home, and I took my little sister into the wood and just bit her. I could read every mind just from touching someone, imagine what Didyme would be able to do? So I bit her and waited and trained her, but in the end... Nothing useful." He looked at Bella, hands fidgeting a little "She had a gift, alright. But it wasn't useful for our fight, nor was it an aggressive gift, but I was happy. I had my mate, I had my sister, and when Marcus found a mate in her? Lord, I was in heaven! Untill, Marcus and my sister begun conspiring to leave us..."

Aro leaned away from the window, going to the further corner in the room with eyes downcast "I have no excuse, no reason for what I have done other then my desire for power. Marcus's gift was too valuable for our fight, we couldn't lose him. So... Amidst a fight with some opposing coven, I took the life of my own sister."

Bella gasped, holding the comforters of the bed for some kind of grounding, still determined to let him finish. Aro was still avoiding her eyes "I didn't have a choice! He would give up on such power and for-" he stopped, grabbing his hair in a raw display of distress "I would do it again. My sister was a weakness, and a king can't have that, but damn it all, Marcus was practically catatonic after that. He wouldn't speak, look at us or even feed. So Caius and I had Chelsea to change some things. In the end, he still feels his mate's absence, but his loyalty lies with us."

Bella looked him thoughtfully, decided to speak for the first time "I..." her voice breaking, she cleared her throat before speaking again "I'm guessing Marcus doesn't know about what happened to his mate?" She didn't know what a mate was, but they sounded important. Aro seemed happier then ever talking about his own.

"Yes. Caius and I kept it a secret, especially after our ascension to the throne. Marcus is a shell of a man nowadays, and I have no reason to suspect that he might know something about it."

Bella noted, for the first time, that the king was apparently holding back tears of sorrow. Or regret. Anyway, she got up and approached him cautiously "Hey... It's fine. I don't hate you or anything." she didn't knew if that was true, but seeing such an ancient being breaking apart was unnerving to say the least, and Aro's display of emotion tugged at some place in her heart.

"It's fine, young one. That was a long time ago, and I have no regrets." He tried to smile convincingly, but Bella just nodded her head, yawning for the first time in several hours "You should get some sleep, Bella. Demetri will be here shortly, and then I must return to Italy."
He said while coaching her into the bed and lifting the comforter. "We will speak again in the morning. I'll introduce both of you before going on my way.

Bella just nodded, struggling to keep her eyes open briefly before giving up and closing them. "Okay... I'll be back in a minute, m'kay? Stay there vamp king" she mumbled before drifting off, causing one of Aros fatherly smiles. The girl was so odd.

He took position beside the window, not wanting to stare at the girl in her sleep like a creep. Aro felt lighter then ever, having talked about his sister for the first time in many centuries. He eyed the sleeping form of Isabella Swan briefly before smiling to himself. That girl was probably trouble. Probably more trouble than solving this treason was worth, and certainly a insistent figure in his near future.

She could be all that, alright. But more importantly, she was hope. So Aro just leaned against the window, prepared to wait for the girl to wake and for his friend's arrival.

Chapter Text

Bella woke up with a start, heart hammering hard in her chest as she scanned the room. Her eyes stayed on the tall figure leaning against the window while she struggled to separate dreams from reality.

She didn't remember much, only flashes really, but she could still smell the blood. She closed her eyes for a moment, shaking her head in an attempt to dismiss the clipped images. Aro holding a mangled arm, eyes blacker then the night. Wolves growling and spitting, trying to snap at the king and at herself. Golden eyes filled with hatred and revenge.

Aro arched a eyebrow, wisely deciding to keep his distance "Good morning, my dear. Bad dream?" Bella just shook her head again, moving to plug her dead phone on the charger.

"Forget about it, old man. What time is it anyway? I feel like I slept for days" said Bella, getting up from the bed and heading towards the bathroom. She smiled a little at the message still staining the mirror.

"It's a little before noon," Aro went to the bed, sitting on it to give Bella a little space for her morning routine "I decided to let you sleep in, you've had quite a morning." He smoothed his own clothes while Bella finished her business "I also asked Demetri to bring some food for you, although I haven't a clue what type of food he will bring"

Bella laughed a little, changing her clothes and returning to the room to repack her bag "Oh yeah, you guys don't eat food. I'm sure it'll be fine tho." She looked at Aro, deciding to ask something that's been on her mind since waking up from that nightmare. "Why do your eyes get black some times?"

Aro inclined his head, eyes a little distant "It happens when we are under some strong emotion. Usually anger or any kind of lust, though they also tend to get darker as our thirst becomes stronger." He smiled at her, pointing at his own eyes "Not usually a good thing for a human, so watch out for that."

Bella nodded, tucking away the useful information "Those guys who attacked you in the woods... I noticed that their eyes where a darker shade of red then yours. Is that because they had lighter eyes when they were human?"

Aro shook his head, shifting to fully face her "No, that was because they were probably newborns. They're a little stronger than the usual vampire, and that is because their own human blood still runs through their bodies. That's also why their eyes have that intense shade of red." Bella nodded, a little fascinated by the biological aspect of a vampire transformation "My eyes are like that because, being a king, there's not much to do, really. So we usually just stay seated at the throne, waiting for someone to break the law and instructing the guard. There's no need for pretense, so we usually go months or even years without blinking or moving for anything other than feed." Aro shrugged carelessly "So our eyes and body start to change, to morf into the statues that I'm sure we resemble."

Bella nodded again, but then she smirked, swatting his leg (lightly, she learned her lesson yesterday) "So this must be a hell of a ride for you, old man. I'm surprised you didn't had a heart attack or something."

Aro just smiled, shaking his head "Ah, children and their outstanding arrogance towards older people..."

Just as Bella was opening her mouth to deliver another old people joke, there was a strong knock on the door, followed by two more. Aro got up from the bed, motioning to the door "That's him, and just in time." Seeing that she only stood there looking at him, he urged her out of the bed "Well? Go on, my dear. Let the poor man in."

Bella shot up from the bed, smacking her own forehead as she walked to the door "Ah shit, I keep forgetting about your vampire bullcrap!" Bella wasted no time in unlocking and opening her door, but then she stopped.

Standing there was a huge fellow, with jet black hair and red eyes, though his eyes were darker than Aro's. He wore casual clothes and a serious expression as he looked at her, then at the room behind her. She also noticed that he was carrying some type of paper bag.

Seemingly impatient, as Bella just stood there looking a little stunned with her neck craned to look at his face, he just pushed past her and into the room, depositing the paper bag on the bed and nodding to Aro in greeting.

Demetri's motion seemed to snap Bella back to reality, and she closed the door and turned to him, confusion and annoyance coloring her tone "Dude, how the hell did you do that?! I didn't said you could come in!"

His serious expression was quickly replaced by stunned confusion, and his stiff shoulders slacked a little as he looked between Bella and Aro, who seemed ready to explode. And he did.

His high pitched laughter filled the entire room, and Bella scowled at him while Demetri tensed as Aro almost doubled over, still laughing.

"Oh, Gods! That was even better than I imagined!" He still shook with laughter, leaning against the wall to catch his dumb, fake breath, while Bella seemed ready to kick his damn face. Demetri just looked like he accidentally entered the wrong room, shuffling about with a distressed expression.

"Oh I'm sorry dear, but you have to admit that was spetacular. I can't believe you really thought you had to let us in!" Aro said, grinning like a maniac once he managed to calm down.

"Well! You're the damn vampire, how the fuck was I supposed to know?" Bella snapped at him before going to the bed and opening the paper bag to peek at it's contents "Oh, fastfood! Nice choice, thanks dude."

Demetri looked a little at loss, eying Bella and Aro like they had lost their minds. Aro cleared his throat and straightened himself, addressing Demetri as he motioned to Bella. "This is the human I told you about, Isabella Swan. Bella, this is Demetri, my most trusted guard and friend. He will stay with you until we get to the bottom of this mess, and is to be your protector and your only way to contact me."

Demetri bowed slightly, small smile on his face "A pleasure, Isabella."

Bella returned his smile, her correction automatic "Just Bella."

He nodded his acceptance, turning to Aro "You were right, my king. I can't pick up any mental thread from her, and if she was to vanish today I wouldn't be able to track her."

Aro clapped his hands with childlike glee, smiling widely "Oh remarkable, truly! You are indeed very special, young one." he directed the last part to Bella, who paused mid bite to offer a uncomfortable grimace. Taking the hint, Aro turned back to Demetri "And what of her scent?"

Demetri nodded, turning his back to the human to face Aro "Just as expected. If it weren't for her heartbeat, I would've thought you were alone in the room with a scented candle. This will work well, my king."

Aro addressed both of them then, still smiling. "Excellent. I shall return to Volterra later today. I trust that you two will behave and remain focused on the task at hand."

At this point, Bella had already finished her meal, pausing in her cleaning to stare at Aro. "What, you're leaving already? But I still have so many questions! And where are we supposed to even go? We still don't know who that chick was."

Aro held his hand up in a placating manner, nodding to her concerns. "Demetri here have some news, as well as answers to most of you questions. I must return to avoid my brother's suspicion. I already spent too much time away. I already gave them an alibi for Demetri's absence, claiming he is pursuing a possible mate in the states." He grinned at his guard's discomfort, then chuckled at Bellas grossed out expression.

"Ew, dude. Aren't we supposed to be brother and sister in the fake papers? That's fucked up." Demetri nodded slightly as if to agree, but Aro dismissed the notion.

"Regardless, he is not to be bothered while on his false pursuit. We respect the prospect of mates, and Demetri is a respected member of the guard on bis own. They will leave him be for the time being. Now," he gestured to Demetri, who turned to Bella.

"I picked up an unknown scent at the fight scene, and it stretched through most of the Forest border. I managed to follow it all the way to San Francisco, so I guess that's where we might find our next lead." He looked at Bella, expecting her opinion. When she stayed silent, frowning in thought, he said "What do you think, Bella? Aro said you have good instincts, should we head there or stay here a little longer?" It sounded like a test, but Bella payed it no mind.

"We should go. I don't know how much more time we have before my mother starts to worry, and I already stole a car in here. I don't want to drawn any more attention to us."

Demetri nodded approvingly, while Aro pushed himself from the wall, smoothing his clothes. "Very well then, I wish you both the best of luck. And please, be careful. I have very little allies, and I'm putting all my hopes on you. Do not disappoint me, Bella, and stay alert. I would hate to burn the body of my first human friend." He winked at Bella, who rolled her eyes.

"Be careful old man, Demetri here might start to suspect that you actually have a soul." Demetri smiled a little, and Aro chuckled as he made for the door, pausing before opening it.

"I expect to hear from you soon. Until then, be well." He waved at them, before opening the door and vanishing in the night. Bella and Demetri exchanged a look before he went to close the door. He then turned at her, serious expression returning to his face "We should leave immediately, its a long drive to San Francisco. I'm sure Aro already check you out." as Bella got up to gather the rest of her things, his expression shifted to a smirk "We'll have plenty of time for you to explain exactly how you managed to bewitch my king. Long drive indeed."

He opened the door, offering to carry Bella's bag as she stepped closer. She warily handed it to him, starting to feel uncomfortable before sighing in relief as he winked at her, smirk still in place.

After getting into the large, nondescript car, Bella couldn't help but wonder, once again, what the hell had she gotten herself into. Those vampires were weird as fuck.

San Francisco - Four months later

Bella paced trough the large room, biting her lip nervously as she waited. Demetri shouldn't be taking so long, but then again, the sun wasn't supposed to come out that afternoon, so he was probably just hiding somewhere. Still, she couldn't help but worry.

Four months in San Francisco and all they had was that same unknown smell, mingling about some shady areas of the town, and now two dead bodies that, according to Demetri, "looked suspicious". Bella also managed to get a description of someone, listening to a bartender complain about "some strange guy, pale as fuck asking too much questions". But they couldn't know if that man related to anything, or even if he was a vampire, so they continued searching.

To make things even worse, Bella's father have been calling her non-stop, demanding to know where she is, who she's with, and pleading for her to come back home immediately. Bella at first though about ignoring him, but decided to keep tabs of the situation, else he would report her missing. Demetri looked quite proud at that.

Her relationship with the guard quickly evolved from tentative companionship to an almost fraternal bond. Bella admired him, looking for his insight in every situation, and Demetri respected her as if she was a fellow member of the Volturi guard. It was clear that he cared for her, but he also kept her on her toes, always pushing her to think harder, to protect herself and to stay up to date with her lessons.

Bella discovered that the man was quite the chatter once he became comfortable enough, often spending hours and hours telling her tales about his adventures with the guard and information about the vampire world, barely remembering to make Bella eat something or catch some sleep. He told her that it was because he often forgot that she was human, what with her odd scent, and that he was already attuned enough to her heartbeat to wright it off as white noise most of the time.

Bella said that it could also be that he enjoyed talking to her, to wich he rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair, but said nothing.

All in all, they cared for each other, wich was why Bella was so fucking worried. Demetri hardly left her alone for more than a couple of hours, and she was getting restless.

The thing is, she didn't liked his plan from the beginning. After hearing about the suspicious deaths of two homeless men downtown, Demetri insisted that he had to infiltrated into the morgue to take a look (and a sniff) at the bodies. He said he should do it during the day, when it was mostly busy, to avoid possibly alerting the unknown vampire that would, most likely, be hiding away while the sun was still out. It all made sense, but still Bella worried. She had a nagging feeling at the back of her mind, something Demetri once called her "human sense". She called it intuition.

As the sun begun his descent from the sky, Bella was borderline hysterical. Demetri wasn't picking up his phone, and that nagging feeling mutated into an insistent hammering of "something is wrong". Just as she was about to gather her things and go out to look for him, she saw a familiar figure climbing trough the apartment window, but something was definitely wrong.

As Bella stomped her way to give the vampire a piece of her mind, she froze, noticing for the first time the cracks littering his face and down his neck.

Demetri held his hands up, smiling reassuringly at her "Everything is fine. I just took a little beating but guess what?" he grinned at her "I found our guy."

But Bella only scowled. She looked at her side angrily, picking up the first thing she saw (wich happened to be a desk lamp) and throwing it at his head "Do you have any idea of how much you worried me, you fucking idiot? You were supposed to call me as soon as you left the morgue! What the fuck happened?"

Demetri looked sheepish at that, clearing his throat before pulling the angered teenager in a hug, even if she struggled a little "I'm really sorry, girl. As soon as I got his scent nearby, I dashed after him. I couldn't loose the chance to confront that moron." Releasing her, he scratched one of the largest cracks in his neck "I followed him into an abandoned warehouse, and we fought. He managed to scape, but I've got his mental thread. I know how to find him." He grinned again, and this time she smiled while rolling her eyes. At least he was okay.

Bella walked to the kitchen, opening the fridge to get a can of soda. "So, do you know who that guy is? And if he's involved in the whole treason thing?" she opted to seat at one of the stools as Demetri seated himself in one of the chairs, nursing his crack with a hand.

"Definitely involved. He didn't seem to know who I was, and only started to really struggle once I told him that I was a Volturi. I demanded to know his business in town, claiming that he was starting to attract human attention. He said that he was just passing by, but the whole interaction seemed odd."

Bella incline her head, a trait she most likely picked from her vampire friends, eying his thoughtful expression with interest. "How so?"

Demetri leaned in the chair, licking his lips "Well, he didn't seem worried while I was following him. Almost like he was distracted, but what kind of fucking vampire just ignores their surroundings while being in public?" He definitely picked up the swearing habit from her. "When I confronted him, he looked almost bored, as if he couldn't care less or didn't though I was much of a threat. He answered my questions mechanically, almost automatically, and only after hearing my name he seemed to react. Still, he only looked slightly worried, checking me out as if waiting for some kind of reaction on my part. Well, whatever it was that he was waiting, it didn't happen, and after some time he simply attacked me. Now, I'm sure that guy was a newborn, but his movements were extremely sloppy, almost like how a newborn fights when he's frenzied by blood." Demetri shook his head, sounding a little disturbed "Then he just ran. He froze during the fight, and I took the opportunity to get a hold of his neck, but then he managed to struggle out of my grasp with incredible speed and dash out of the warehouse the same way. So fast that even with the sun out, he didn't produced a single shiny spec, and I stood there because I just knew that I wouldn't be able to match his speed, or even to get out of the warehouse without drawing attention."

Bella was silent for a solid minute, just processing all the information, before narrowing her eyes at him "And why didn't you call?"

He grinned sheepishly, patting his pocket "He crushed my phone."

Bella rolled her eyes, moving to seat on the chair directly in front of him. She tapped the table with a finger, frowning as she thought about Demetri's interaction with the strange vampire.

After several minutes, her expression shifted, and Demetri arched a brow. "Okay, I know that face. What are you thinking? Give me them theories, girl."

Bella looked at him as if she forgot that he was there, then smiled. "Well... Is it possible that my scent might be mingling with yours? That would explain why he didn't seem to care that you were following him. Maybe he just didn't knew because he couldn't smell you."

Demetri inclined his head, but twisted his mouth "That could be a factor, and it's definitely possible. But he also seemed distracted, you know? He walked like he was a shell in auto pilot, just waiting."

Bella nodded, taking it into consideration. She couldn't think of anything that would lead someone to act that way. And the confrontation... She got up, distractedly heading to the fridge to fetch a emergency blood bag, handing it to Demetri with vacant eyes. "Do you think he had a gift that didn't work on you? That may be why he wasn't defensive when you confronted him."

Demetri shook his head, placing his arms on the table. "That would make sense, but why the hell wouldn't it work on me? I'm not imune to any of the guard's gifts, why would I be to his?"

Bella rolled her eyes "I don't know, man. Maybe you're getting defective or something." She always became grumpy when she couldn't figure something out.

"You have a way with words..." Demetri crossed his arms, feeling grumpy himself. "Give me you phone, I have to report to Aro. He's supposed to be out hunting today, remember?"

Bella handed her phone, proceeding to lay her head on the table while he dialed the number.

Aro picked up at the second tone, sounding annoyed "Yes?"

Demetri assumed his royal guard tone "It's me, my king. I have news."

There was shuffling, then "Thank the Gods. Is everything okay? How is dear Bella?"

Demetri rolled his eyes, saying that she was fine, and proceeding to fill Aro in the day's events. Bella listened halfheartedly, still trying possibilities and theories in her mind. Something was missing, and she couldn't figure out what.

After the call was ended, they stood in silence, both of them deep in thought. Demetri occupied himself by lightly squeezing the blood bag on his hand, and Bella couldn't help but marvel, once more, at his stellar control. Demetri had always been able to control his blood lust, true, but she also noticed that the more time he spent with her, the less he seemed to feel the urge to hunt. Like he became so attuned with her personality that he almost forgot he was a vampire sometimes, almost like her personality overpowered his nature. Almost like...

Bella then looked up, frown still in place. "Is it possible for there to be a vampire capable of controlling one's mind? Even if just briefly?

Demetri looked at her, his own frown deep and troubled. He took her phone once more, lifting his other hand as she begun to protest "I need to make a call."

Chapter Text

Two years later - Portland, Oregon

Bella looked at herself in the mirror, before splashing some water in her face. She looked again, tracing her cheekbones, her jawline. She paused on the small scar in her chin, frowning slightly. That would be a hard one to explain to Charlie. At least the others were easily hidden by clothes.

She got out of the bathroom, checking the windows for any suspicious movement. Satisfied, she went to the small desk by the far end of the room and opened her notebook, checking her email for a reply about her placement exam. Finding nothing, she tsked, and her eyes wandered about the room. Returning to school after all that time was sure to be a huge pain in her ass, but she had little choice. After two years on the road with her brother, her time was up, and she couldn't be happier.

She was also worried. Even with the progress made, the treason threat was still very much real, and she feared for Aro's life. What started with a teenage desire to have a adventure was starting to become her lifelong purpose. Bella learned as much about herself in those two year as she learned about her vampire friends.

Demetri was a godsend, lingering at the centre of her happiness and doing his best to protect her young mind from the ugly aspects of their mission. More often then not, Bella found herself nursing cracks, reattaching limbs or just generally preparing a blood bag for his return. Things just got uglier since San Francisco, and she feared that her brother was risking himself too much in a vain attempt to keep her from being harmed. Bella knew the risks, but still he worried and threw himself at harms way.

Her hand absently went to her necklace, bringing a small smile to her face. She lifted it to her eyes, staring at the simple ring with greek inscriptions. A gift for her 16th birthday, and a reminder to get out of her head, according to Demetri. Bella sighed, eyes wandering once more as she ignored the ring's meaning to think about what brought them there. She wasn't much older, but couldn't help but analise her own memories as if they weren't her own.

There was a situation, and she took a guess. That guess leaded to Demetri contacting his old friend, Amun. He was the leader of the egyptian coven, notorious among the royalty for discovering new and promising vampires seemingly out of luck. Demetri explained the situation as best as he was allowed, claiming it was a personal matter, and described the vampire he had confronted in San Francisco. When Amun didn't seem to recognize him, Demetri proceeded to ask about any powerful vampires that he might have heard of, to wich Amun became hesitant. After a long talk, and an even longer convincing on Demetri's part, he assumed to be keeping tabs on some rumors regarding the creation of a coven that would be powerful enough to challenge the current kings. Although he didn't knew who exactly was behind it, he had some clues, so Bella and her brother went investigating every single one, tracing almost the whole extension of the continent's coast in search of answers.

Things often got messy, and Bella was captured in more then one occasion. She managed to survive each one, Demetri coming to her rescue shortly, but the fact remained that there was a fucking coven being created, with the help of one of the kings, and they were starting to get bold. Fighting back, threatening Bella's life and taunting the royal guard. Fortunately, he was always able to dismiss the threats, as a way to keep Bella under the radar.

Unfortunately, Bella's father have had, apparently, enough. By the end of the second year, he contacted Bella, demanding for her to go back to school and at least finish everything, else he would get his whole police department and chase her down, saying that "he would put a bullet in whatever hippie she was involved with and drag her home". Demetri and Aro were nothing short of mortified by the prospect, and insisted for her to accept his terms.

But luck was on their side, it seemed, and the last clue leaded them to Seattle, a town that had its criminality spiked suddenly. So when Charlie made it clear that Bella was to stay with him, in Forks, the plan was set in motion.

Demetri was acting out, tho. All gloomy frowns and and muttered conversations with his king on the phone. Bella was amused, sensing his broodiness but giving him space. He would tell her eventually. He always did.

As if on cue, she heard a key unlocking the apartment door and spined on her chair to see the man entering and closing the door, scowl in his face. He walked straight to the couch and threw himself on in, face first. He muttered something, and Bella cocked her head.

"Can't hear you, bud." Demetri turned his face, looking at her in that same gloomy manner.

"We were right. Seattle is absolutely drenched in strange scents. I counted at least four of them before coming back."

Bella's eyebrows shot up, and she eyed him carefully "That's good, right? It means that we're close." she said slowly, slightly confused.

Demetri seated upright, dragging a hand through his face "You're not getting it. That means I'll have to stay here, in Portland, further away from you. I can't risk staying in Seattle, your magic scent is sure to dissipate eventually and-"

Bella interrupted his rambling, shooting out of the chair "What the fuck are you talking about? You're not coming? You can't just dump me in the middle of fucking nowhere!"

He sighed, twisting his mouth and patting the seat next to him on the couch. As Bella settled beside him, he sighed again, eyes downcast. "There's a coven residing in Forks. Powerful and gifted people, the leader actually stayed with the Volturi for some time." He nodded at her confused expression "The point is, they know me. They know who I am, and we don't know if they can be trusted. A Volturi guard arriving in that small town with the sheriff's missing daughter will certainly raise some red flags."

Bella's shoulders slumped as she understood his reasoning. So she would be alone in a strange town with a coven of unknown vampires as her neighbours. Fucking fantastic.

After giving her some time to process everything, Demetri continued. "You need to stay on your guard and carry on with the investigation. I'll do the same. Keep an eye on the Cullens, if there's vampire activity nearby, they are most certainly keeping tabs on the situation. If you discover that they are harmless for our mission, I'll go there and stay with you. Maybe we can use that mate bullshit." He smiled and bumped his shoulder with her's, grinning when she produced a small smile. Remembering something, he frowned "How are your dreams lately? Something new?"

Bella blinked, confused by the change of subject. Her dreams had been much the same, the only thing that changed from the first one was the addition of Demetri to them, looking at peace in the woods with strange, amber eyes. She shook her head, finally looking at him "No, same thing. Aro, the wolves, golden eyes. Ugly boy in the woods..." she smirked as he rolled his eyes "Why?"

Demetri shifted uncomfortably, "About the golden eyes... The Cullens are different. They don't drink human blood." her only reaction was a lifted eyebrow, so he continued "They drink from animals, and pose as a family, mingling with the humans, getting jobs and going to school." Bella crinkled her nose, finding the notion to be absurd. Those guys had forever, and they were using it to go to school? He nodded, as if hearing her thoughts "I know. Like I said, they're different. They all seem to believe that they can separate themselves from their nature, to find some humanity in resisting their instincts. A noble fight, but not one I think someone can win, if you ask me." he twisted his mouth, returning to the matter at hand "Anyway, their diet produces some physical changes, the most noticeable being their eyes. They're not red, they're gold." he eyed her for a moment, watching her thoughtful expression "That makes me assume that the Cullens might be important for our mission, because of your dreams."

Bella frowned, shaking her head "They're just dreams, bud. Humans dream all the time, it's not always related to something."

He shrugged, getting up from the couch "I wouldn't be so sure, Pain. Anyway, you should finish packing, Charlie will be waiting for you early in the morning." Bella crossed her arms, huffing, and Demetri smiled "Come on. I promise that we will talk on the phone everyday, and when we think that it's safe for me to go, I'll go."

Bella sighed and uncrossed her arms, using his extended hand as support to get up. As they walked to her room, he threw his arm on her shoulder and she smiled, mentally preparing for the new path that her life was taking.

The next day - Port Angeles

Bella was already fed up with the whole situation. Charlie was late, and it's been raining non-stop since she got there, almost two hours ago. She already cursed him, cursed Demetri, cursed herself. She just wanted to get on the damn car e go to where she was supposed to be, as she still had to do her placement exam later that day. She wanted to at least be wearing dry clothes when she got to the school.

Just as she was about to turn around and catch a damn bus or something, she spotted Charlie's cruiser approaching her. As soon as he parked, Charlie hurried out of the car, holding an umbrella and running to her, almost falling as he slipped on a small puddle "Oh God, I'm so sorry! Some idiot at the station lost his-" seeing her arched eyebrow and her drenched state, he stopped himself "It's no excuse. I should be here. Why don't you get into the car? I can take care of your bag and turn on the heater..."

Charlie was still as she remembered, plus a few additional gray hairs. Awkward, tense, and comforting. At least he still had his glorious mustache, without a spec of gray in it.

Bella smiled a little, shaking her head and handing him her bag "It's fine, Charlie. How are you?" she asked as she walked to the car with him, holding the umbrella above their heads as he opened the trunk.

Charlie grunted, securing the bag and closing the trunk. Just after they were both seated in the car did he answered "Everything's okay, the same really. I am beyond pissed with your mother tho. If I knew..." he trailed off, and Bella shook her head, turning in her seat to face him.

"I know you think that I was in some insane road trip, doing all kinds of shitty things, but that's not the case. I've been taking care of myself, and keeping up with school, I just... Needed to get away. From everything."

Charlie cleared his throat, turning on the engine and going towards the main road. "I'm glad to hear that, kiddo. You've always been responsible, just... Get your diploma, and then you can figure out what you wanna do. I know I wasn't always there, but I'm still your father, you know?"

Bella smiled, patting his arm "I know Charlie. We have now."

He smiled for the first time, and they remained comfortably silent for most of the way to Forks.

As they passed the "Welcome" sign, Charlie spoke again. "I told the school that you were being homeschooled so they're all set for your placement exam. I also changed your room a little, but feel free to move things as you see fit. Maybe paint the walls a different color or something. Ah, and..." Charlie shifted in his seat, eyes on the road "I've got you a welcome gift."

Bella grimaced, holding a hand up "Charlie I told you not to spend too much money on me."

Charlie nodded, "I know, but it wasn't much, really. I think you'll like it."

Bella huffed, and just then they parked outside an old, modest house. It looked much the same from her childhood memories, except from the peeling in the light paint. And the behemoth of a truck parked in the driveway, looking as old as her vampire friends (okay, maybe not that old). The rain had stopped, wich she considered to be a small blessing, and she followed Charlie out of the of the car and into the driveway. He stopped next to the truck, grinning at her, then it clicked.

"You got me a car?!" she squealed and hugged him, releasing him just to circle around the truck - her truck - with a wild smile on her face.

Charlie blushed, rubbing the back of his neck "Uh.. Yeah, kid, it's yours. I figured you would want some liberty to move around town without being inside a police cruiser. You, uh... You like it?" Charlie shuffled closer, hands in his pockets.

Bella was already opening the truck door, and she grinned at him before getting in "I love it! Where did you get it anyway? This thing is old." she said as she poked around the inside of the cab.

Charlie looked proud "Remember Billy Black? His son is some kind of mechanical genius. He fixed it for me for a very nice price. They'll be here later actually, is that okay?"

Bella paused, searching her memories for anything that would put a face in the name. She perked up "Oh, he's your bestie right? Sure, they can come. It's your house, dad."

Charlie looked a little stunned for a second, but then he frowned "It's your house too, kid. For as long as you need." he told her seriously, and she smiled, getting out of the truck.

"I know. Let's head inside, I'm kind of starving and in need of a nice bath".

After settling in her old room and taking a long bath, Bella found herself driving her new truck on her way to the only school in Forks. Charlie suggested that she left early and used the spare time to get around town and get a feeling of where everything was, and she made a mental note to return to the grocery store after her exam. How did that man survived? There was absolutely nothing on the fridge except for a couple of beers.

Bella reached the parking lot and noted, with muted annoyance, that it was starting to rain again. She got out of the truck and struggled her way to the main office, trying her best to keep her balance. As she reached her destination, she proceeded to get the damn exam over with so she could go back in time for the Black's visit. Luckily, the kind lady at the front desk was already expecting her, and Bella seated herself to get it done.

Most things were simple enough, and some of them were even boring. The kind lady eyed her suspiciously as she handed her the exam back not even half an hour later, and Bella rolled her eyes inwardly. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, waiting for the woman to grade her.

The main doors opened, and Bella stiffened. A boy came in, and really, Bella should have expected.

The boy had red hair curved atop his head. Pale skin, stiff posture, golden eyes. He looked directly at her, and then frowned. Bella couldn't help but sneer a very Demetri like sneer, and the boy stepped back. He looked at her, then at the desk lady who didn't seem to have noticed that he entered in the first place, and then backed away to the door. And just like that, he was gone.

Bella's nerves stayed alert, and she released a breath she didn't knew she was holding. That was just one of them, and she already didn't like the way he frowned at her. That must be the mind reader, according to Demetri's description, and that made sense. He looked at her as if she was the only toy in his room that was missing some important component.

Bella was startled out if her thoughts by the desk lady who, with a skeptical voice, told her that she was to be a junior, with a few advanced subjects. Bella already knew that, so she absently signed the required paper work and tried to determine her situation.

Yes, Forks was going to be good.

Chapter Text

Bella pulled up to her driveway, checking her surroundings. She stood there for a few minutes, looking into the darkness, trying to force her human eyes to detect any sign of trouble in the woods surrounding the house. That same nagging feeling was pressuring the back of her head since her encounter with the Cullen boy, and she was reluctant to even call Demetri, knowing very well that a vampire lurking in the trees would be able to hear every single word.

A small voice in the depths of her mind told her that she was probably overreacting, allowing panic to get a hold of her, but she knew that nagging feeling. It wasn't good.

It was never good.

Bella got out of the car, pausing only to adjust her grip in the grocery bag, and headed straight into the house, locking the front door behind her even as she knew it would do nothing to hold a vampire. Charlie was on the phone, apparently ordering pizza and he nodded at her as she entered. Bella nodded back, going to the kitchen. After he ended the call, he relieved her from the bags and opened the fridge "How was it, kiddo? Still a genius?"

Bella rolled her eyes, leaning against the kitchen counter "Yup. I'm a junior, starting tomorrow. The lady said I shouldn't have any problems even if it's the middle of the semester." He smiled proudly at her his eyes warm, and she smiled back before deciding on something "There was a boy there, kinda weird. The lady in the front desk called him a Cullen." She hated lying, but she needed information about their human image.

Charlie nodded, putting some products away "Yeah, he must be one of Doctor Cullen's children. They moved here a year ago, I think, but the kids keep to themselves."

Bella frowned, forgetting herself for a moment "He's a doctor? Are you kidding me?"

Charlie frowned too, eying his daughter "You sound like Billy, kid. I don't know what the problem is, but Carlisle is an excellent doctor and we are very lucky to have him." Bella nodded, mentally scolding her unfiltered brain.

"I'm sure he's great, it's just that uh, the office lady said that he is kind of young."

Charlie rolled his eyes, muttering a quiet "people in this town, I swear to God..." as he opened the fridge to get a beer. Just then, there was a car horn outside, and Bella jumped a little, her mind still on high alert.

Charlie went to the door, and Bella leaned away from the counter to stand in the living room. She watched as Charlie wheeled a man into the room, followed by a large teenage boy. Both of the newcomers had tanned skin and long hair, but the man on the wheelchair was wearing a hat.

Her father closed the door, addressing Bella "Bella, this is Billy and Jacob Black."

Bella waved, smiling a little "Nice to see you, boys."

Billy smiled, his eyes crinkling a little "You look well, Bella. I'm glad Charlie managed to get you out of Phoenix, his sad rambling was starting to get on my nerves." Charlie blushed and frowned, taking his friend to the tv.

"Yeah, okay. You're really funny and all that but lets leave the kids alone. I ordered some pizza, it should arrive at any moment." Charlie said as he went to the kitchen. Billy just continued to laugh.

Bella looked at the quiet boy, gesturing to the kitchen counter as he smirked "You don't remember me, do you?"

Bella stopped, cocking her head as she looked at him. There was, actually, something disturbingly familiar about him, and she frowned as she searched her memories.

Jacob chuckled, pointing at her face "I can't believe you still do that. I'm not offended or anything, just so you know, so take your time." he smiled once more and went to the kitchen, sitting in one of the chairs.

Bella was even more confused, the boy clearly knew her. But that couldn't be right. She only came to Forks on a few occasions as a kid and she didn't remember meeting any kids from the town. The only place where she would see some kids was when Charlie dragged her to the-

"Oh shit! You're one of the kids from the Rez right? We used to play with your sisters all the time when I was there." she moved to sit in front of him, smiling broadly.

Jacob laughed, nodding his head "That's right! I knew you could do it Bells, well done."

Bella eyed him suspiciously, detecting a small sarcasm in his tone. Then it downed on her "Wait, so you're the one who fixed my truck? That's so cool!" she said genuinely, laughing with him as he nodded.

"There it is! Not that I didn't appreciate our time as kids, Bells, but that truck was a pain in the ass and Charlie only gave me a thumbs up." he rolled his eyes

Bella narrowed her eyes in mocked hostility "I'm gonna pretend you didn't just talk shit about the Monster, for the sake of our past friendship."

His eyebrows bounced "And future, hopefully?" she laughed, nodding, and he relaxed on the chair "And I think that I kind of earned that right, I'm it's doctor after all."

After some pizza, Bella and Jacob talked a little more about their lives since last seeing each other. Bella, of course, changed some details about the past two years, making a mental note to thank Charlie for not telling them about her little time out. It's not that she didn't want people to find out, she just didn't want to explain what she had been doing.

She found out that Jacob's sisters weren't at the Reservation anymore, but the other boys were still hanging out together, and he invited her to go to the Rez some time soon after adapting to the new school. She was happy with the whole interaction, but couldn't help but think that there was still some odd familiarity to Jacob that she couldn't quite figure out. She supposed it was okay, since her instincts seemed just fine as she sat there with the boy.

Later that evening, all four of them exchanged their goodbyes, Bella promising to visit soon, and as Charlie took his seat in front of the tv, Bella said that she should go to her room to finish unpacking and to settle for the night.

After a quick goodnight to Charlie, she climbed the stairs and wasted no time in getting into the room, closing the door behind her. As soon as she settled on the bed, she pulled out her phone and dialed Demetri's number, hoping that there was at least some supernatural privacy around her house.

Demetri picked up almost instantly, and Bella automatic smiled at the sound of his voice.

"Pain! I was just thinking about you, are you okay? How are things so far? Does your dad suck as much as your mother?"

Bella stifled a laugh, speaking quietly "Everything is fine, Charlie is fine, and why the hell were you thinking about me? What were you doing?"

Demetri chuckled "I called Aro a little earlier. He's cranky as fuck about not being able to talk to you. You would think the old man has other things to worry about, like, I don't know, the possibility of his head on a spike?" Bella held a hand to her mouth, trying very hard to keep from laughing loudly "Anyway, I'm supposed to report. So, I snooped around a little in Port Angeles, and there's something that you could help me with."

Bella straightened up, and he proceeded "There's a missing boy, Riley Biers. It could be nothing, but the circumstances of his disappearance seem a little odd. He was a nice boy apparently, good family and no shady connections. There's also no body, and he has been missing for almost a year. The point is, I need you to ask you father about it. He's the sheriff, and Port Angeles is very near, so he should know some details that the media here doesn't."

Bella thought about it for a moment, before replying "Sure, I can do that tomorrow. He might not be too eager to talk about it, but I'll figure it out." she relaxed once more, shifting her phone "Oh, guess what? I saw one of them." she rolled her eyes and Demetri sighed

"Wich one? And please try to not antagonize them. I have some serious reservations about that mind reader."

Bella grinned "Yup, that one exactly. What's the matter bud, afraid that he might steal my heart from you, soul mate?"

She could practically hear his eyes rolling "I seriously doubt that would ever happen. I just don't like smart assess, you're the only exception." Bella snorted, and he continued "How was it anyway? Was he just standing in a corner, looking constipated?"

This time, Bella laughed a little louder, and then went to the door to double check that Charlie was still watching tv.

"Dude, chill. I've met him at school, and he looked utterly pissed, then a little wary when he saw that I wouldn't take any bullshit. I guess my mental shield works on him as well, because he frowned at me like I was defective or something." she scowled, remembering his expression.

Demetri laughed hard at that "I mean, you are, but that's just priceless. I would literally kill to see the look on his face. I wonder how Alice's gift will work on you..."

Bella looked at her phone to check what time it was, and sighed "Yes well, you would literally kill for anything. Besides, we'll find out soon enough. I have school tomorrow, so I should probably go. Please take care of yourself, okay? I'm not there to patch you up anymore."

Demetri sighed as well "You know, that was more for your benefit then mine, Pain. I'm a vampire, I'll be fine. Take care okay? Stay on your guard and call me as soon as you're able tomorrow. I miss my human Pain in The Ass."

Bella smiled, and after hanging up, she got up to finish unpacking. Tomorrow was going to be long day.

The next day, Bella woke up to a knock on her door. Still sleepy, she lifted her head, voice slurred "What? Who's that? Go away."

Charlie sounded too loud for the early hour "Get up, Bells! You shouldn't be late on your first day!" he finished by loudly smacking the door, and Bella grimaced, groaning and praying that he would accept that as an answer.

After finishing her morning routine and changing, Bella went downstairs to pour herself some coffee. Charlie was seated at the table, already in his uniform and reading a paper as he sipped from a mug "Morning, Bells" he said without looking at her.

Bella sat across from him, nursing her own mug and taking a sip before answering "Morning, dad. You look awfully energetic."

Charlie eyed her sleepy expression, then shook his head "You'll get used to it. Sure you don't need anything?" he asked as he got up to wash his mug on the sink.

"Nah, I'm fine. I just need to get there a little earlier to figure out where my classes are. You know I don't do well with maps."

Charlie snorted, heading to the front door and grabbing his keys "Well, good luck. I still don't have a phone, so if you need to talk to me you're gonna have to call the station." she crinkled her nose, and he waved his hand "I know. I'll get one today, so don't worry. See you later Bells!" he went through the door, before pausing and turning back to her "And dinner's on me!"

Bella smiled, finishing her coffee and cleaning after herself. She checked her belongings briefly and went to her truck, remembering to lock the door. At least it gave her some peace of mind.

As Bella entered the school parking lot, she begun to feel something that she haven't felt in more than two years.

She was nervous.

The parking lot was packed with cars and students lingering about. Her truck wasn't exactly quiet or discreet, so almost every head turned towards her upon her arrival. As Bella parked, she steeled herself, telling her that she could do it. She survived several encounters with hostile vampires, school was nothing compared to that.

Right?

She got out of the truck, holding her backpack tightly on her shoulder. Some students were still looking, and she cursed quietly, wishing that her brother was there to intimidate everyone and keep them from staring. As she paused, looking at the buildings and trying to match them with her map, a boy approached her.

He had black eyes, black hair, and a far too excited expression on his face. His skin looked as though it had suffered from some serious teenage hormones, and he smiled widely at her, offering his hand "Hi there, you're Isabella Swan, right? I'm Eric Yorkie."

She shook his hand, slightly frowning. "Just Bella. Uh, nice to meet you" she didn't mean for it to sound as a question, but she was slightly confused, wondering how in the hell that boy knew her name.

He chuckled nervously, taking a step back. "Sorry, you're just big news, you know? We don't get a lot of new students around here, so everybody knew about your arrival..."

Bella crinkled her nose, eyes wandering to the still staring students. "That makes sense. Still..." it's a little creepy, she finished in her mind.

Eric nodded apologetically "Do you need some help? I'm guessing you don't know where to go for your classes. May I see your schedule?"

Bella sighed tiredly, but nodded as well, handing him the paper. She didn't had a clue of where to go.

After her initial discomfort, Eric tried his best to treat her as if she was any other student, and she was grateful. In the end, the boy proved to be very useful and friendly, promising to see her on her next class (the only one they shared) and inviting her to sit with him and his friends at lunch. She supposed there wasn't any harm in that, so she agreed.

The first two classes were fine, although Bella had to stop Eric from trying to talk to her and get her in trouble on the second one. Still, Bella felt tense, knowing that there were strange vampires in the same building. She knew that it was inevitable, but she dreaded her encounter with them.

On her third class, Bella had to keep herself from cursing loudly. There was a boy, a Cullen, seated in one of the desks. He had blonde hair, a serious expression and a stiff posture that reminded her of her first meeting with Demetri. He looked at her briefly, and if Bella hadn't been on the company of her vampire brother for the past two years, she would've missed the faint scars in his face.

He didn't stared at her like his coven mate did, but frowned slightly at the chalkboard for the remaining of the class. That one must be the empath.

He was one of the Cullens that Demetri seemed to respect, and Bella took it into consideration. Apparently, the guy had fought a bunch of newborns, and was the Cullen's newbie to their strange lifestyle, so she didn't knew if his frown was born from his inability to get a read on her emotions, or from the lack of a urge to sink his teeth on her.

Bella hoped it would be the latter, knowing full well that if there were two members of the coven who couldn't work their abilities on her, they would most likely start to get restless.

As Bella exited the class, she was met by Eric, who offered to show her the way to the cafeteria. He kept rambling about his friends and how excited they were to meet her, and Bella just let herself get lost in his voice as she tried to keep from worrying too much.

Reaching the cafeteria, Eric directed her to a table that was already almost full. He introduced everyone, and each of them nodded or waved and urged her to sit get some food and come back. Most of them already had full trays, so Bella went to the line with Eric and a shy looking girl called Angela.

"So, do you hate the rain already?" Angela asked, stepping forward as the line moved. Bella smiled.

"Absolutely. The rain would be fine, actually, if it wasn't for this damned cold" Angela and Eric chuckled, and she felt herself getting comfortable around them. She wasn't sure about the rest tho.

There was Mike Newton, certified jock with a baby face and blue eyes that stayed on her a little too much for her taste. He was the only boy at the table who didn't seem to respect her silent request for space, and touched her arm two times in four seconds when being introduced.

Next there was Tyler, another jock (sigh) and he carried himself as if he was the king of the school. Bella had met a true king, so she found the display to be a little comic.

Lastly, there was Jessica and Lauren. Jessica appeared nice enough, but she was a little too straight forward with information. As soon as Bella sat at the table, she proceeded to tell Bella about every teacher, sharing personal details and how to be on their good side. Bella made a mental note to be as muted as she could about her life while in her presence.

Lauren just seemed like your classic, bitchy cheerleader. She didn't talk much, only throwing one or two snarky comments as Jessica kept on rambling.

Bella was discussing a book for literature class with Angela when something felt wrong. Her head jerked up, her eyes searching the table occupants when the pockets of muttered conversations started to down in her "What?"

They looked at each other, but is was Lauren who answered, sniffing "Edward Cullen look like he's ready to eat your face."

Tyler snorted, and the rest of the table laughed as Bella followed Lauren's nod. So that was it.

They were all seated together, trying to discreetly look at her. Except for the mind reader, that is, who was outright glaring at her. One of the small females shifted, and he proceeded to pretend as well.

Jessica caught her looking at them, and she giggled. "I was wondering when you would notice the Cullens. And don't worry, everybody stares at them."

Slightly shaken by the open display of hostility on the boy's part, Bella only blinked dumbly at her, and Jessica mistook it for astonishment. "Those are Doctor Carlisle's adopted children. They moved here a year ago, and kept to themselves ever since, so don't even try to talk to them. They'll just shoot you down, as they did with everyone who tried." Bella frowned, and Jessica nodded knowingly "I know, it sucks. The one who was trying to kill you with his eyes is Edward. He's one of the younger ones, and it's dating the big guy with black hair, Emmet." Bella's eyebrows shot up at that, and Jessica giggled "Yup! I mean its not my problem if he's gay, I just didn't knew he was a jerk. Like, he doesn't have any reason to glare at you like that, right? Well, they're all adopted, so... Anyway, the blonde guy that looks in pain is Jasper. He's a senior, and he is dating the smaller girl with the spiked hair, Alice. She's always smiling, and seems really nice, but just like the rest she avoids contact with anyone outside of her family." Bella blinked at her rambling, trying to process everything. That girl could give Demetri a run for his money.

Jessica looked back at her, after staring at Alice for a while "Anyway, the tall blond is Rosalie. Jasper and her are twins, and she's extremely bitchy. Like, seriously, Tyler tried to ask her out one time and she glared at him so hard that we thought he would never recover."

Tyler scowled, crossing his arms as the rest of the table snickered "That was almost a year ago. Let it go already." Tyler said, and it only made them laugh harder. Bella chuckled a little, shaking her head as she looked once more at the Cullen table.

She met a strange set of amber eyes. The girl, Rosalie, was looking directly at her, and Bella noted for the first time just how beautiful the vampire was. She was used to vampiric perfection, but Rosalie was something else, and Bella was pretty sure that she had been just as lovely as a human. Rosalie's stare shifted into a glare, and Bella couldn't help but smile, still trapped in amber eyes. Even her glare was beautiful, and it looked so in place...

The whole cafeteria jumped as Rosalie, with a sneer directed at Bella's table, got up from the chair so fast that it fell down, and stomped her way out of the room, leaving her coven mates looking mortified, worried, and angry (guess who).

Bella turned back to her table, looking as stunned as the rest of her companions. Lauren was the first to recover, and she chuckled nervously "Damn, new girl. How the hell did you managed to piss off the ice queen just sitting there?"

Bella looked at each of them, then back at the Cullen table, stopping on her own hands as she shakily exclaimed "Holy shit."

Chapter Text

Bella's day only got weirder and crappier after lunch period, and she was starting to get nervous. She didn't know what was happening to her, and she was trying really hard to write it off as anger or annoyance, but she knew, deep down, that something was absolutely wrong.

She felt restless, her hands were shaking, sweating madly and her breath felt rushed. She thought about going home to call Demetri, to ask if he knew what was wrong with her, but stubbornly refused to hand that one to the Cullens. They would not chase her out of the school on her first day, but something was really, really wrong.

Things only seemed to get worse on second period, and the first class after lunch had yet another damned Cullen. And this one? The absolutely worst possible. Bella took a deep breath when Mr Molina directed her to the only seat available, wich was exactly next to the mind reader.

Bella felt her whole body tensing as she sat down, absolutely refusing to look at him. She heard him shift in his seat, knowing damn well that he could adjust himself without producing any sound. She felt holes being burned on the side of her head, and sighed irritably as he cleared his throat.

"I'm Edward Cullen. You must be Isabella." he said in a smooth voice, and smiled charmingly, although it was lost on Bella, who still refused to look at him.

She gritted her teeth, nodding in his general direction with a clipped "Bella."

There was a moment of stunned silence on his part, then his voice shifted to fake curiosity "That's a pretty necklace."

Bella tried not to freeze, feeling all of her muscles and nerves tensing as she tried to slowly look at him, noting for the first time his arrogant eyes that were almost black. How could she have forgot about the necklace?

She swallowed, trying to smile convincingly "Thank you. I got it in a yard sale."

Edward's eyes narrowed very slightly, and his voice sounded interested "Is that so? What does it say?"

At this point, the teacher had closed the door and started to give the class instructions about some kind of experiment that would happen later that week. Edward directed his attention at him, and Bella allowed herself to relax for a moment. Did he knew about Demetri's origins? There's no reason for him to inquire about the ring in the first place. And what about Rosalie's reaction? She looked absolutely livid, and Bella had no ideia of what could have possibly cause that. The blonde vampire didn't have any gift as far as she knew, so it couldn't be annoyance for it being blocked by Bella.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Edward once more turned to her, the teacher had apparently given permission for the class to talk amongst themselves about the project. He tapped a finger on the table "So?"

Bella inhaled deeply, turning back to him. "I have no idea. I don't even know what language is that, I just thought it looked cool." she said, looking in his eyes and trying to appear as sincere as possible.

Immediately he seemed to relax, smiling crookedly "It seems like greek, actually. My sister had an unhealthy obsession with greek mythology awhile ago." he grimaced and Bella found herself smiling.

"Alice, right?" she somehow knew that it couldn't be Rosalie.

Edward nodded "That's right. I could ask her what it says, if you want. Just let me take a picture."

Bella shifted uncomfortably, her eyes wandering "Eh, not be rude, but why? I don't even know you guys, I wouldn't want to bother anyone."

Edward shrugged, pulling his phone out of his pocket "We're supposed to be partners for the rest of the year, we should at least try to get along, yes?" Bella narrowed her eyes at him, and he smiled once more "And if I'm being honest, I'm very curious about those inscriptions. Aren't you?"

Bella twisted her mouth, deliberating about his request. She supposed it would be harmless, and if that made them less suspicious of her, then that was all the better. She already knew what the ring said, and figured it would only make them confused. So she nodded, taking off her necklace and handing to him.

He took it with a smile, and then proceeded to inspect the ring closely, his frown deep and, yup, that was confusion, alright. Bella had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

After a whole minute, she cleared her throat, startling the boy out of his thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

Edward just shook his head, pointing his phone at the ring and taking a picture "Forgive me, I just spaced out for a moment. I do that sometimes." he had a small smile as he handed her the necklace back, waiting for her to put it back before saying "I'll talk to Alice tonight, and tomorrow we solve this mystery."

Bella smiled in thanks and started to gather her things, making small talk with Edward. He didn't seem that bad, but she knew it was only because he was after information about her. He seemed genuinely comfortable around her tho.

After that, it was time for gym, and Bella gratefully accepted the coach's offer for her to just sit down and watch, since it was her first day. She took her backpack and went to sit on the benches, pulling her phone out to send a quick text to Jacob, who inquired about her first day.

Her eyes wandered to the students talking to each other or doing warm ups, noticing that there were two other Cullens in that class; Alice and Emmett.

They were talking and laughing with each other, and Bella noted for the first time just how fucking huge Emmett was, his muscles intimidating and big. He was even bigger then Jacob, but his face was just as kind, all dimpled smiles and mischief in his eyes.

Alice was talking animatedly about something, gesturing widely as her brother nodded along. Emmett was the first to notice that she was looking at them, and he smiled broadly at Bella, waving his huge hand at the same time. Alice was more discreet, but she waved as well with a knowing smile. Bella waved back confusedly, slight frown on her face, muttering a quiet "what the hell?"

Emmett laugh was extremely loud, and Alice shushed him, probably reminding him that they weren't supposed to hear that, and they both went about their business. Bella just shook her head, utterly confused by their oddness.

Finally free from her first day of school, Bella hurriedly walked to the parking lot, eager to get into her truck and go home. She noticed that her truck was parked a few cars alway from a shiny, silver Volvo, and that the Cullens (minus Rosalie) were in front of it having some sort of argument.

Edward looked angry, pointing a finger at Alice, who only seemed unamused. Jasper had a protective hand on Alice's shoulder, shaking his head at Edward and frowning darkly. All three of them were speaking too quietly and fast, so Bella wasn't able to hear anything.

The only one excluded from the discussion was Emmett, who was leaning against the car, next to Edward, and rolling his eyes occasionally. He noticed her stare once more, and winked at her with a small smile, as if to assure her that everything was fine. Bella just shrugged at him, entering her truck with haste and speeding out of the parking lot. She already had a lot to think about, and as friendly as Emmett seemed, he was still a possible suspect along the rest of his coven.

Dinner with Charlie was a quick affair. They talked about her first day, Charlie protectively asking if anyone gave her trouble. Bella answered everything with a smile on her face, her affection for the man already growing. He was a nice man, and Bella idly wondered how things could have been if she had stayed with him instead of Reneé.

After dinner, Bella remained seated as Charlie got up to wash the dishes. She bit her lip, pondering about how to better ask him what she needed to.

"Hey dad? I'm just curious... Some guys in school were talking about a missing boy from around here? Riley Something?" she said with what she hoped would appear light curiosity, holding her breath as she waited for his answer.

Charlie grunted, looking at her briefly "That's the Bier's boy. Good kid, good parents... Case got cold unfortunately, and I have to say, I don't know what to think of it."

Bella frowned, inclining on her chair "How so? Was it messy?"

Charlie grabbed himself of beer, pausing before grabbing a soda for Bella and depositing it in front of her. He sat down heavily and took a deep breath "The opposite, actually. He was in some kind of bar, and a few witnesses reported that he left, but he never got to his apartment. Police checked every corner of that street, every alley, and they found absolutely nothing. That was near the docks, and they had a dock worker telling them some weird stuff, but... Well, he was pretty drunk, so I guess they didn't make much of it." Charlie took a sip of his beer, shrugging "He told them that he heard a loud scream, and it sounded very close. He said that it was like someone being crashed by a car, but the police found no traces of any accident or anything at all, really." he sighed, looking at her "I like to think that he just ran away or something, like you did, but..." he trailed off, twisting his mouth

"But your gut tells you otherwise." Bella finished, smiling sadly at him.

Charlie chuckled a little "Like father, like daughter, I suppose. But yes, it has been a year, and the only clue to surface in the last few months were a few prank calls from Seattle. People claiming to have seen him, lurking in the dark, or on some alley covered in blood. Fucking disrespectful with his parents if you ask me." he got up, ruffling her hair before going to his favorite chair in the living room "Don't forget your homework, Bells."

Bella got up after him, finishing her soda and climbing the stairs with a muttered "thanks dad." Just like the night before, she was eager to call Demetri, and just as she was about to unlock her phone, that nagging feeling returned.

Bella's head jerked up, and as she searched her room for anything out of place, she heard a quiet thud coming directly from her opened window.

Bella bristled, marching to her window and leaning her body outside. She saw one of the branches from the large tree in front of her room swinging back and forth, as if disturbed by the wind.

Except, there was no wind. Bella felt her rage boiling inside her, and she closed her window so hard that the glass almost cracked. This was getting out of hand. She couldn't believe that one of those fuckers were breaching her privacy like that.

She had to think about what to do next. Sitting on her bed and grabbing her phone once more, she noticed that her hands were shaking. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and dialed Demetri's number.

Just as before, he picked up instantly, and she sighed in relief as she heard his familiar voice "Good evening, Pain! How was your talk with..." he trailed off, sensing that something was wrong "What happened? Are you okay?"

Bella sighed, but stayed quiet for a moment. Demetri waited patiently, then "They were spying on me, Dem. One of them was here, in my room."

She heard Demetri hissing, and then shuffling "Are you sure?" he was moving fast, she could hear the wind whistling

"Yes, I'm sure. What the hell are supposed to do now? They're gonna find out about you and the whole mission will be-"

"Fuck the mission, Bella! Listen to me, I need you to tell them the truth. Not the whole truth, but tell them that you know about vampires, tell them that you know what they are and demand a meeting with Carlisle." he cursed to himself, and Bella heard the sound of a zipper. "We're gonna have to take a risk, Pain. Tell Carlisle everything, ask for his help, and tell him that I'm coming. There's a complication, and I can't enter Fork's territory just yet, but," the sound of a car door, and then the car turning up "I'll be nearby. Call me as soon as he gives you permission to invite me. He will do. And tell him" he sounded strained, gritting his teeth "that I do not like the fact that one of them was spying on my little sister. Do that tomorrow, I'll give your school some alibi. And Bella?"

Bella blinked, not knowing what to do with Demetri's current state "Uh, yes?"

Demetri sighed, and she heard his phone shifting "Please be careful" he said before hanging up.

Bella spent a whole minute just looking at her phone. So they were going to do it. They were going to bring the Cullens onboard, not being sure if they could be trusted. Well... if they could, it would be absolutely fantastic. The Cullens were a respected and gifted coven, and Carlisle had a lot of connections trough the vampire world. It would surely help their investigation, and give them the opportunity to breathe a little easier, knowing that they were among allies. And if they were involved in the whole treason plot...

Bella and Demetri would be trapped, surrounded by the ones they were supposed to hunt down.

Bella nodded to herself, that was it. They were going to do it. Getting up from the bed, she decided on a different approach. She wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, so there was no point in waiting until the morning. She dressed herself, preparing for the incoming rain, and waited for Charlie to go to sleep, truck keys held tight in her hands.

Some time after ten, she could hear Charlie's loud snores, slight muffled by the strong rain hammering the ceiling. Bella looked at the window, nodding once more to herself as she opened her door. "Here goes nothing."

Chapter Text

Bella slowed down, making a sharp turn to access the characteristic path, directly cutting through the thick forest. Figuring out where exactly the Cullens lived was easy enough, Bella only had to stop by a convenience store to ask for directions and, also, get herself some kind of possible last meal.

(It was an energy drink)

Really, for secretive and reclusive vampires, these guys sucked. Hard. The poor guy at the store knew absolutely everything about their public habits and routine. He was more then happy to point the direction of their house to Bella, who would've find his mood hilarious if it wasn't for the task at hand.

Bella was still pissed, going a little faster then she probably should, making her truck shake violently as she traveled trough the mudded path.

She was just angry. Angry about the Cullens spying on her, angry about risking her brother's life, angry about choosing this damned mission to begin with. So when she caught sight of a big, glassy and pompous house, she hit the breaks so hard that her truck skidded a few meters.

She got out of the truck, not caring about the rain drenching her hoodie, and planted her feet directly in front of the seemingly quiet house.

"I know you're there, Cullens! The game is fucking over, so come out and face me, you damned cowards!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, not caring about their supernatural hearing.

After two minutes, her rage only got worse, and she walked to the front door, banging her fists in the dark wood "Come out and face me, fucking leeches! I know what you are!"

Almost instantly, the door cracked open, and Bella met the kindest set of golden eyes that she had ever seen. She was a nice looking woman, her face perfected by vampirism, but her eyes seemed genuinely caring. Bella recovered quickly tho, remembering why she was there. "I need to speak to your coven leader." she said, trying to sound as serious as she could be while completely drenched by the rain.

The woman looked concerned, frowning slightly at the word "coven", before opening the door wider "Of course, dear. Come on in, I'll take you to him"

Bella followed her, going trough a dark living room and up the stairs. Bella's teeth shattered, and she didn't knew if it was from the cold or her nerves. Finally, Bella was led to a large corridor, and the woman smiled at her before pointing to one of the doors. Bella nodded her thanks, wasting no time in opening said door and walking in. She closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath before turning around.

The first thing she noticed was the tall, dark wooded bookshelf on her right. It was neatly packed with all sorts of books, and it reached from floor to ceiling.

Next, she looked at the wide glass wall on the far end of the room. She could see the woods that surrounded their house, rain lightly brushing her reflection.

Finally, she looked at the sole occupant of the room. The man looked young, probably in his early 20's like Aro, with pale skin, blonde hair neatly brushed back on his head, and a kind smile as he gestured to the chair in front of his desk. Bella's eyes wandered around the room briefly before she seated in front of him, her right leg bouncing.

Carlisle leaned in his chair, avoiding her eyes for some reason. "So, Isabella. What brings you to our home?" he said, eyes downcast but smile still in place.

Bella bristled, fisting her hands atop the desk "Enough games, Cullen. I know what you are, and I know that one of you fuckers has been spying on me and my dad. Why?"

Carlisle shifted uncomfortably for a moment, looking at her necklace. "Right, no games. How do you know about us?"

But Bella was starting to loose her patience, getting up from her chair and pacing around the room "Do you have any idea of what is going on? No, actually," Bella stopped in front of him "Are you the one ordering your coven mates to spy on me?" at Carlisle refusal to answer, Bella snapped "Look at me!"

He lifted his eyes to hers, immediately relaxing in his chair. "No, that wasn't me. That wasn't us, we-" he stopped himself, shaking his head before looking at her again "I am deeply sorry about my son's behavior, Miss Swan. Edward fancies himself a savior of the family, and often steps out of the line in his pursuit of protection. Allow me to apologize on his behalf." Carlisle sounded sincere, so Bella kneeled in front of him, forcing his eyes to stay on her.

She took his hands, ignoring his stunned expression "What have you done, Carlisle? Why would you risk your family like that?"

Carlisle's responde was immediate. He got up from his chair, lightly pushing her "W...What are talking about, Isabella? My family hasn't done anything. I swear." he looked slightly breathless, and Bella considered his stare before grabbing a scissor in his desk as the door exploded.

Bella pressed the blade to her arm, her comfortable instance disappearing "One step closer and I'll cut myself open, pretty boy. My father knows were I am, and he's the fucking sheriff!" she bluffed while looking at Edward's black eyes. The other Cullens followed soon, Emmett trying to drag his mate back.

Carlisle lifted his hand, addressing his children. "Go hunt, everyone. I am fine. Just let us speak." Every single Cullen looked uncomfortable, but they all begun to step away from the door slowly. Bella met Rosalie's eyes for a moment, as she was the last one to follow her leader's orders.

Finally alone, Bella sat on the desk, crossing her arms "Do you want me to spill the tea or do you have any questions?"

Carlisle, apparently recomposed, crossed his hands behind his back but chose to remain on his spot by the large window "You can say what you need."

Bella took a deep breath, holding her hands down her lap "I'm sorry about making you uncomfortable, but I had to know. You used to be with the Volturi, right?" he just nodded, so she continued "Two years ago, I met him. Aro. I didn't knew what vampires were at the time, but I needed to know about what was happening. Long story short, there is someone plotting to kill our king, Carlisle. And I am the one who is going to prevent that from happening."

Carlisle looked at lost, gaping at Bella with clouded eyes. "I understand. Of course, you can confirm that with Aro soon, but," Bella paused, taking off her necklace and tossing it to him "not before my brother gets here. He's already on his way, and if I may offer a piece of advice, Carlisle?" he nodded dumbly, making her smirk "Get Edward out of here. My brother has a short temper, and has been bored for far too long." at Carlisle confused face, her smirk got wider "The Tracker? Does it ring any bells?"

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up, and he nodded eagerly at her "Demetri, yes, I know him. Uh, how about that?" he smiled kindly once more "You have his contact, yes? Tell him to come here. We need to have a coven meeting, and if you don't mind being alone in the house, I'll go out there and prepare my family. I'm deeply sorry about Edward's behavior, and I assure you that it wont happen again." he finished, taking her hands on his cold ones in a honest gesture.

Bella nodded, then sighed tiredly "I'll call him. He said something about a situation that was keeping him from coming here, but I'm sure he'll sort it out." Carlisle nodded, heading towards the broken door when Bella looked at him "You better not be a traitor, Carlisle."

He looked slightly mortified, but nodded and headed out of the door and then, the house. Bella waited a few minutes before pulling out her phone and calling Demetri. He took a while to pick up this time. "What is it, sis? Can't sleep?"

Bella adjusted herself in the chair "It's done. Carlisle says you can come to Forks, and he didn't seem like he knew anything about the treason." she yawned, feeling more tired then she should be.

Demtri sounded worried. "What the hell did you do? Please tell me that your not in their house!" at Bella's affirmative grunt, he chuckled "What the fuck is wrong with you, Pain? Okay, I'll be there shortly. I don't care about those damned mutts, just stay put and wait for me, okay?"

Bella barely manged a muttered "Okay" before dropping her phone on the ground. She felt so tired, barely able to keep her eyes open. She adjusted herself on the chair, eying the room's tall bookshelves and dark window. Yes, this was a good place to rest.

Bella woke up in the same room, immediately getting up from the chair that she found herself in. How many hours did she sleep?

She got out of the room, following the sound of rushed voices coming from the living room, and stopped atop the stairs. Six sets of golden eyes, one amber, and one black, were firmly fixed on her. Rosalie was the first to look away, and she was seated next to Alice, who seemed ready to explode with some emotion.

Emmett was leaning against the window and next to Edward, who looked gloomy, while his mate looked pissed.

In the center of the room, were Jasper, Esme, Carlisle and Demetri, apparently discussing something. At her arrival, Demetri took a step forward, his black eyes slowly returning to their usual light red. There was a moment of hesitation on Bella's part, before she shot down the stairs and into his waiting arms. He hugged her tightly and spun her around, producing a delighted laughter from the only human in the room.

As he released her, Bella noted that he was smiling, and thankfully looked unharmed "Nice to see you, sleepy head. We were waiting for you."

Bella rolled her eyes, looking at the other occupants of the room who looked extremely disturbed, except for Rosalie, who looked annoyed.

"Uh..." she looked back at her brother, choosing to ignore the rest of them "How long was I out? When did you get here?"

Demetri looked at Carlisle, who cleared his throat "We found you asleep in my office as soon as we returned. Demetri arrived shortly after, and he refused to let anyone move you to one of the guest rooms..." Bella smiled, and Demetri ruffled her hair, looking down at her.

"She doesn't like being manhandled. Now, we have a lot to discuss, and we need to fill her in on the situation with the wolves."

Edward scoffed, looking incredulously at her brother "You can't be serious. Why would a human need to know anything about any of this?!"

Demetri's eyes instantly got darker, and he looked at Edward in an almost bored manner, his voice low and dark "You better watch your mouth, boy. You're starting to look like you have too many limbs attached in my eyes."

Edward frowned, but resumed his broody instance when Emmett nudged him.

Demetri looked at the rest of them "Like I said, Bella and I have been working together for the past two years. If you're really wiling to help, Carlisle, then it'll have to be on our terms. No more spying, no more suspicion. We will be completely honest with you, and we expect the same." Bella nodded, pausing to quickly glare at the mind reader at the mention of spying.

Carlisle nodded, motioning for them to sit down on the chairs next to the fireplace "I'm ashamed about how some of my children chose to handle the situation. Bella has been a mystery since her arrival to Fork's, but that is no excuse. She messed with their gifts." Demetri grinned, and Carlisle continued "I'm also deeply disturbed about the attempt on Aro's life. I know he can sometimes be viewed as cruel or sadistic, but treason?" Carlisle shook his head, the gesture mirrored by Esme "And you said that it could be one of his brothers?"

Bella nodded at that "Someone has been breaking the law, creating vampires carelessly in hopes to find useful gifts, and there has been no word of that in Volterra. One of the kings must be covering for them."

Carlisle seemed troubled, and Jasper stepped in "We've been keeping tabs on the Seattle situation. There has to be at least five of them by know, but they are extremely elusive. Their scents take less time to dissipate, and we usually can't find any useful trail. I figure it must be some kind of cloaking gift."

Demetri frowned, looking at Jasper and then at Alice "What of the seer?"

Alice shook her head "I see glimpses and shapes, nothing that I can't sort out. It's like there are multiple people making decisions, but these decisions are executed by one single mind. It's catchy, to say the least." Alice smiled at the strange brothers "Kind of like you two."

Demetri and Bella exchanged a look, before Demetri leaned in his chair "You can't see us?"

A tinkling laugh "Oh no, I can see you two alright. I can see your decisions, and the outcome, but only seconds before it happens. I only knew you were coming to Fork's 3 seconds before you arrived. I don't have any explanation for that, nor to why it applies to Demetri as well."

Edward cleared his throat "I also can't hear their thoughts."

Demetri grinned at Bella, and Carlisle hummed "That's impressive. I knew she was a shield, but for that shield already be protecting others while she's human?" he eyed Bella, who shifted a little "I wonder what Eleazar would see in her."

Demetri waved his fingers at him, getting his attention "The Denalis don't like me too much."

There was a snort, and Bella turned to see Rosalie's eyes fixated on a spot above the fireplace "No shit. You killed their mommy."

Bella's eyebrows shot up, and Rosalie smirked. She turned back to Demetri, who had a sheepish expression, and she rubbed his arm "I'm sure you had a good reason, buddy." Emmett chuckled at the display, and even Jasper had a small smile.

Demetri cleared his throat, and Bella knew that he would be blushing if he wasn't a vampire. "Well, now, about the wolves..."

Carlisle nodded "Yes, I already talked to their alpha, and although he wasn't happy about it, he agreed to leave you alone as long as you don't harm any humans in Forks."

Bella frowned, looking between Carlisle and Demetri "Wait, so there's actual werewolves here? And they don't want to let him hunt humans? That's a bit hypocritical if you ask me."

Carlisle gaped at her, and Demetri chuckled "They're not real werewolves, more like wolf shifters or something. Protectors of the land. They have a treaty with the Cullens, and they stay at the Reservation." Bella was surprised once more, and Jasper spoke again.

"We need to discuss a way to keep a better eye on Seattle. Things could get ugly very quickly, and we need to be prepared. You should also inform Aro about our addition to the investigation, he might have some useful insight."

Demetri nodded and got up, followed by Carlisle "I'll call him. We can discuss our plan of action later, during school time." he smiled at Bella before following Carlisle to his office. Immediately after they were gone, Alice took Demetri's place while Edward left the living room. Alice smiled a little maniacally at her and Bella eyed her suspiciously.

"So, were you really out there fighting vampires for the past two years?"

Bella chuckled "To be honest, Demetri did the fighting part, I was just the unintentional bait."

As Rosalie growled, receiving a confused look from Bella, Emmett laughed and came closer "I knew you were weird as fuck girl, but damn. I never thought I would see the day when a Volturi guard would be reduced to a insecure puddle by a teenager."

Esme got up, looking at Emmett and then at Bella "Language, dear. Bella, are you hungry? I can make you something quickly."

"Uh... Sure, just, let me help? And thank you, Esme. Sorry about my early behaviour." she got up to follow Esme to the kitchen, rolling her eyes at Rosalie's scoff. She looked at Alice, who was walking beside her "What's barbie's problem?"

Alice laughed, latching herself onto Bella's arm "Don't worry about Rosalie. She acts like a teenage boy sometimes."

After a quick snack, and helping Esme to clean up the kitchen, the sun was almost up. Bella called Charlie, letting him know that she left early for school because she wanted to finish some project at the library. Charlie seemed convinced, and bid her a good day.

She was staring into the window, looking at the tall trees outside slowly being bathed by the early morning light when Demetri approached her, bumping their shoulders together. "The Cullens offered for me to stay here until everything is sorted. So you better expect to see me all the time, Pain."

Bella smiled, still looking at the window. "I should go home and get ready to school. Can you do something for me?"

"Sure, what is it?" he looked at her, draping his arm on her shoulder.

Bella leaned into him, sighing "Can you go to my house later, to fill me in on the plan? I, uh... Need to talk to you about something."

Demetri frowned, "Okay, yeah. Leave your window unlocked" he pinched her nose, and she swatted at his hand with a small smile. Bella went to the front door with her brother, oblivious to amber eyes following her every move.

Chapter Text

School was uneventful enough, although Bella had a hard time concentrating due to her exhausted state. Plus, her mind kept wandering to the meeting that was taking place, and the talk she would have later that day with her brother. As such, she wasted no time going to her truck as soon as she was released, giving some lame and vague answer to her human friends as the day passed.

She felt antsy for some reason, and the only thing keeping her from having a nervous meltdown at the moment was the possibility of crashing her beloved Monster. As she slowed down upon entering her street, she noted a huge Jeep parked in her driveway, two pale figures leaning against it.

As she got out from the truck, she frowned at Emmett and Demetri, who sported similar grins on their faces. "Is everything okay?"

Demetri leaned away from the Jeep, stepping closer to her to mess with her hair "Everything is fine. Emmett here just wanted to talk to us." He gestured at the huge man, who looked at them with a frown before cleaning his throat.

"I... Just wanted to apologize. On Edward's behalf." Brother and sister exchanged a look, and Emmett proceeded "I knew he was planning something, but I had no ideia of what exactly. You guys need to know that I would never agree to that shit. I love that man with all my heart, but sometimes he can be a real, uh..."

"Jerk?" Bella finished as Demetri fisted a hand in his mouth, eyes alight with mirth.

Emmett dropped his hands to his side "Yeah. I just wanted you to know that I won't let him pull something simillar anytime soon. You know I've always respected you, Demetri, and Bella here seems cool as fuck. I hope you two still consider giving the rest of us shot."

Bella stepped forward, but it was Demetri who spoke "You shouldn't need to apologize for your mate, man, but... Don't worry. We're cool. I was really mad, but Bella is unharmed, and we're supposed to be allies now. We shouldn't fight each other. So you're cool with me." He smiled sincerely at Emmett, who then looked at Bella.

"Uh, yeah, we're cool. It's not like you guys are the same package or something."

Emmett and Demetri chuckled, and Emmett unlocked his Jeep "Oh, we are. I'm just the cooler half." He smiled and flexed his muscles before getting in his car. "I should leave you guys to it. Don't be a stranger, Bella." He waved as he backed away from his spot, speeding down the street.

Bella turned back to her brother, who snatched the keys from her hand and opened the door for her, ignoring her scowl "You know, I always thought that Emmett was a bit too childish for my taste, but after spending two years with you I'm starting to think that maybe I was a bit unfair."

Bella's eyes rolled almost to the back of her head, and she paused to glare at him "I thought you would still be at the meeting. Didn't you tell me to unlock my window?"

Demetri shrugged, dropping ungracefully on the couch "Emmett wanted to tolk to us, and your father isn't here yet, so," He patted the spot next to him "What troubles you, Pain?"

Bella sighed, her shoulders slumping. She didn't knew where to begin, didn't even knew if there was something to talk about in the first place.

She took a seat next to him, mouth twisted in thought for a moment "I've been feeling... Weird, since yesterday. I don't know how to explain, it's just..." she groaned, feeling a little frustrated, and Demetri frowned.

"Do you know if something happened to trigger it?" he asked afeter a full minute of silence.

Bella shook her head "I'm not sure. It happened twice now, last time was during our first meeting with the Cullens. It's like this... Hand, pressuring my chest, you know? Like, tugging me in some direction. Not that different from my intuition, now that I think about it, but is so much more insistent. It's like my brain is trying to tell me something, telling me to pay attention to something." she looked at Demetri, who just shrugged.

"I don't know, pain. Honestly, your mind is pretty much a mystery to me. But if there's something that I've learned from the past years is to always trust your guts, Bella. If you think that there's something going on, you should pay attention. Try to sort it out, you're good at it." He smiled at her, but frowned after a tought. "Do you think it might be something bad?"

Bella looked at her hands, shrugging "I don't think so. It feels... Kinda euphoric? That can't be bad, right?"

Demetri eyed her strangely, before completly changing the subject. "What do you think about the Cullens? I already know most of them well enough. Well, except for Rosalie that is. How do you feel about them?"

Bella cleared her throat, shifting a little and deciding to ignore his strange behavior. "They seem genuine. I have my opinions about Edward, but the rest seem trustworthy. I guess we could even form some kind of friendship with them." She concluded, nodding a little to herself, but Demetri chuckled.

"What, even with Rosalie? No offense, but she looks like she's about to behead both of us most of the time. That girl sure can glare at things."

Bella frowned at him, getting somewhat defensive. "Well, maybe she just doesn't trust people that easily, you know? We just barged into their lives and shoved them in the middle of a war. I would be pissed too."

Demetri's smile didn't make sense. "Would you, now?"

"What? What's that face?" Demetri's grin was so big it was almost scary.

He shook his head, chuckling "Nevermind that. Anyway, about the meeting.'' He got serious again, and Bella almost passed out from the backlash. ''We decided to stay away from Seattle for some time, make them think that we're not interested anymore. Alice will keep an eye out for anything that might interest us, and Jasper will contact some old friends that are apparently at Oregon right now. What do you think?"

Bella nodded, deciding to ignore his early weirdness "Sounds smart. What about Aro?"

Demetri sighed, turning the tv on "He's happy about the Cullens, he seemed very excited to talk to Carlisle. He said he trust us to take care of things here. Oh, guess what?" He wiggled his eyebrows "The weird twins aro also on our side. So maybe you should work on that bizarre crush you have on Jane."

Bella was already halfway to the kitchen, but paused to slowly turn to him, face slightly flushed. "I do not have a crush on her! You're the one who kept gushing about her 'amazing fighting skills' and 'extremely useful gift'. I was just curious about how her gift would work on me".

Demetri just observed her rant with a amused expression "Oh? Is she replaced already?" He tsked, turning back to the tv "I'm sensing a pattern here, Pain. Blonde bitches with a superior complex and good looks."

Bella blushed profusely, and Demetri exploded with laughter before getting up. "Anyway, I should go. I have to go all the way to Port Angeles to hunt thanks to the dogs."

But Bella wasn't listening "You better not breathe a word about any of this to the Cullens. None of them." She pointed to the door waiting for him to walk to it before all but shoving him, but he just looked at her innocently.

"About Jane, or about Ro-" Bella shushed him, keeping his mouth closed with her hand. Demetri's eyes were still smiling.

"Shut up. Stop talking, do not talk again for at least two days. I absolutely don't know what you're talking about. Scram."

Demetri pretended to zip his lips, opening the door and pausing before stepping outside "Do you want me to come back later?"

Bella rolled her eyes, trying to hide her smile. "Yes, your enormous idiot. My window will be open." He just grinned at her and took off, leaving the girl to shake her head with a fond smile.

By the end of the week, things seemed to get weirder. Demetri would visit her at night, and often insisted for her to go to the Cullens with him after school for some dumb reason. He kept teasing her about her non-existent crush (because there was absolutely no crush at all), and him, Emmett and Alice formed some kind of unholy trinity to throw quips at her whenever they could.

It was all a bit ridiculous, and Bella didn't let herself get affected by it. After all, they were wrong. Bella barely knew Rosalie, and the blonde seemed like she couldn't care less about her existence. Which sucked. But whatever.

On friday, after school, Rosalie talked to her for the first time. Bella's heart almost seized in her chest at the sound of her voice, and the other vampires that were present did their best to not react in any humiliating way. Not that Bella would've pay any attention, too busy trying not to fall while stepping away from the red BMW after the blonde said "Don't touch my car, Swan."

Bella just gave her a thumbs up, slowly making her way to hide behind Emmett, who was crackling silently.

That same evening, Bella entered the Cullens living room with Demetri at her side and an extremely good mood. Although she immediately regretted, she offered a happy "Good evening, Hale" upon seeing Rosalie reading a magazine in one of the chairs.

To the surprise of absolutely everyone in the house, Rosalie answered with a satisfied "Good evening, Swan." before offering a tight smile and heading towards the garage, to do God knows why. Bella was so stunned that she took a whole minute to realize that every vampire in the room were staring at her, each with a different expression. Alice seemed beyond herself with excitement, while Emmett grinned widely at her. Demetri's eyebrows were attempting to disappear in his hair line, and Bella cleared her throat, deeply uncomfortable. To make things worse, her heart was still beating too fucking fast to be ignored and she was still blushing.

Alice moved suddenly, addressing Emmett "Well,"

"Yes." Emmett nodded, pointing at his huge tv "Wanna play some games, Bells?"

Bella nodded gratefully, rushing to the tv to sit in front of it. Fortunately, no one said anything about her strange interaction with Rosalie for the rest of the evening.

Almost two hours later, Bella still felt the aftereffects of it. Hands shaking, breath shallow, and that insistent feeling in her chest more noticeable than ever. And as Bella smiled at her brother while he pretended to not know how to play some game with Emmett, she became absolutely sure about something.

She was fucked.

Chapter Text

"I'm just asking you to be careful, Pain. I don't know why you're so upset." Demetri rolled his eyes from his place in Bella's bed.

Bella, who still stood beside the bed, crossed her arms with narrowed eyes "Because you know me! I can handle myself with a bunch of shifters, man. You guys are so dramatic. Alice's been looking at me like I'm about to ride into the sunset after this trip or something. I'm just going to visit Jake!"

"I don't know them! What the hell am I supposed to do? Stop worrying? You're my sister and we don't know how those mutt's will react to your presence." It was clear from his darkened eyes that Demetri was fighting some vampiric instinct, so Bella sighed and sat beside him on the bed.

"I know, buddy. But it's only for a few hours and it's only Jake. He's not even one of them."

"You don't know that. That's the first time he texted you in over two weeks. Don't you think that's a bit strange?" He said, grabbing one of Bella's books.

"Well, not really. I mean, we only saw each other when I first arrived, and he has a job, you know."

Demetri snorted while turning a page "Maybe you should get a job. Maybe that way you would stop getting in trouble with every god damned supernatural creature in existence."

Bella patted his arm, getting up to change for the trip "But that is my job, bro. Stop being so gloomy, I'll be back before you notice."

Demetri glanced at her before getting back to the book "We can't help you there if anything goes wrong. If you need anything, call me. And if it's an emergency, run south."

Bella rolled her eyes at hos ominous message, grabbing her keys from her backpack "Sure thing. Just go to the Cullens and find something to do. You know, to keep yourself from thinking too much. I'll pass by when I leave La Push."

Demetri got up, following her to the front door "Fine. But if anything bad happens I'll skin one of them and make me a coat."

He disappeared into the woods before Bella could answer, and she shook her head a little with a smile. That man could be as endearing as he was annoying when he's in those protective moods.

The trip to the Reservation was peaceful and beautiful. Bella really missed the Forks wilderness from her childhood. She became more comfortable in the past two weeks, enjoying the cold weather and her long strolls with her vampire friends in the woods.

But she started to get restless as the weeks flew by and Jacob became distant, something telling her to keep trying. And then yesterday, he finally answered, and said that it was okay for her to visit the Rez that saturday. So there she was.

As she parked her truck in front of the old familiar house, she immediately saw Jacob's hulking form leaning against a weathered yard table, but something was off.

"What happened to your hair?" she said as she got out and walked to him, eying his casual clothes that were far too thin for the current freezing breeze, and his chopped dark hair.

He rolled his eyes, moving to give her a hug with one of his easy going smiles "Nice to see you too, Bells." After releasing her, he crinkled his nose "You smell kinda weird."

Extremely confused and a little self-consciously, Bella sniffed her own clothes "No I don't. Why were you sniffing me like a weirdo? And why are you so fucking warm? Are you-" Her mouth shut with a click and she took a step back, for the first time noticing his tattooed right arm.

Jacob's expression darkened, and he frowned while looking at his feet. "So you do know, huh? Is everything else true?"

Bella also frowned "Yes, I know. So you're one of them now? And what are you talking about?"

Jacob crossed his arms, still looking down. "It's not like I have a choice. Not ever since your leech came to town. So, is it true?'' He finally looked at her "He's your mate or something?"

Bella blinked, confusion affecting her tone "Uhm, Demetri? No. Who the fuck told you that? Actually, forget that. How much do you know?"

Jacob's arms were trembling lightly, but his expression seemed calm "They say you've been traveling with a vampire, that you and him are working with the Cullens on a leech infestation in Seattle. I just can't understand how you can be so cool with what he is. I can understand the Cullens but he's killing people, Bella. How can you accept that?" His trembling became worse as he spoke, eyes getting clouded with hatred and something else that she couldn't identify. She took another step back, trying her best to remain calm. What a great fucking idea, locking herself in the wrong side of the border with a teenage pup.

"Jake, I know that there are some things that seem impossible to understand, but look at me." She tried hard to relax her body, looking at his young face and troubled eyes "I'm still me. And I'm sorry that you are in this position right now, but you're a good man. I'm not your enemy, and neither are my friends. You have my word."

Jacob seemed calmer, his expression softening slightly, before he frowned once more and forcefully shoved Bella to stay at his back. Just then, she noticed that they were not alone.

Three other man stood in front of Jacob, similar in build and sporting the same tattoo on their right arm. One of them seemed slightly older than the rest, and his face looked hard. The shorter of them looked familiar, and also intrigued about her presence there. He looked young like Jake, and was by far the most relaxed of them.

One huge boy that was practically in Jacob's face reminded her of a frenzied vampire. His whole body was shaking with barely contained rage, and his voice sounded restrained. Jacob wasn't looking any better. "You couldn't bow your fucking head to a simple rule, could you? What the fuck is she doing here?"

"Paul, calm down." The oldest said with a calm voice, and Bella concluded that he was the alpha. Sam Uley.

But his order was obscured by Jacob's own restrained voice "You can't order me to do shit, Paul. I didn't asked for any of this and you're a fucking nobody, just like me. You have no power over us."

"Jacob, enough." Sam moved to insert himself between the two other shifters, the other one looking at them with annoyed eyes.

But Paul didn't budge "We told you to stay away from that leech lover. How can you stand even looking at her? Do you know what her fucking leech does to people? It's bad enough that Sam allowed him to stay here, and now you what? Want to share his play thing?" He glance at Bella, who was also shaking with her own rage, before turning back to Jacob "You're just as weak as your fucking grandfather. It's his fault that we are in the mess to begin with. We should simply tear off her fucking head right here before going to the other side of the border to do the same with those fucking lee-"

Before anyone could do much of anything, Bella's fist connected with the side of Paul's face, and time seemed to stop. At once, Bella became aware of three things;

Firstly, she noticed the annoying pain that seemed to engulf the whole extension of her right hand and arm. It didn't felt broken, but the pain was there nonetheless.

Secondly, she noticed a more urgent and searing pain coming from her left leg, just above her knee, and it was only getting worse with all the shaking.

Finally, she noticed a huge, fuzzy mass running wildly bellow her, just in time to fist her hands (with some difficulty) on the creature's pelt. She couldn't see it's head, and only felt something that resembled a neck by her legs. Still, she held as firmly as she could, trying her best to see something behind them much like she used to do whenever Demetri carried her away from danger.

Just as she felt her grip slacking, the creature came to a sudden stop, and she felt herself flying backwards only to land on a pair of hard and cold arms. Bella opened her eyes to see Demetri's black ones, staring straight ahead of him.

Following his eyes, Bella saw a huge russet wolf by the end of the trees, fur mated with blood, looking at her with worried eyes before turning it's neck to look behind him. There was no sound in the woods, but Bella knew that it was waiting for something.

Turning her own head to look around, Bella noticed that all of the Cullens were also there, most of them trying to restrain Rosalie, who seemed more than ready to shred the wolf to pieces. Carlisle, Esme, and Jasper were looking at the wolf. All of them seemed extremely pissed.

Demetri carefully and slowly let Bella down, offering his arm for support when she winced in pain from her left leg. "Alice caught a flash of a wolf carrying you trough the woods. We only had to wait for about 5 seconds." He looked at her leg, then back at her face "It's not so bad. Just try not to force it untill we handle this situation."

Bella nodded, looking confusedly at the wolf as it shook its head and snarled to apparently nothing. She almost jumped out of her skin when Alice appeared by her side, gently grabbing her hand and keeping it between her cold ones. "The wolves can communicate through a mental link. He must be answering to his pack mates." Bella blinked, her mind finally understanding what was happening. So that one was probably Jacob. Beautiful, caring Jacob, who went against his own pack to protect her. Alice continued "I usually can't see the wolves, and I couldn't see you as well. I just managed to get that glimpse when Demetri really started to freak out." She grinned despite their situation, and Bella rolled her eyes with a small smile.

Three more wolves broke trough the tree line, skidding to a stop in front of Jacob, who had twisted his body to face them. The grey one was growling fiercely at him, while the brown one kept himself between them. The black one, after a quick glance at the Cullens, turned back to the trees before coming back in human form, his face hard and severe.

It was Esme who spoke first. "Attacking humans now, Samuel? I don't care what you think of my family, but this is unacceptable. What is your excuse, if you even have one?"

Sam took a deep breath, nodding at her "There is none. Paul should have better control of himself, especially in the presence of humans." He looked sharply at the grey wolf, who lowered himself to the ground under his alpha's glare. "We are protectors, and harming humans should be against all of our basic instincts. I'm ashame of what happened today." He looked back at the Cullens before settling his eyes on Bella and Demetri. "You have my deepest apologies, both of you. I don't know what came to Paul today, and I understand if you feel like we deserve any kind of retaliation." He directed the last part to Demetri, who nodded sharply but didn't move from Bella's side. Sam looked at Carlisle and Esme "We can have a meeting later today, after everyone's nerves are settled. I don't think much of anything can be sorted right now." He looked pointedly at Rosalie, who snarled at him and struggled slightly against Emmett's arms. Carlisle looked at Esme before nodding.

"Yes, I should tend to Bella's injuries. We'll contact you soon." He watched as Sam nodded before disappearing in the woods, followed by the other two wolves instantly. The russet wolf still stood there, looking at Bella with low ears. He smiled at the shifter. "You're welcome to this side of the border, Jacob. But I think that right now you should follow them and give us time to settle things. You can come back later, before the meeting." The wolf seemed worried, but nodded his massive head before turning around and running after his alpha.

As soon as the wolf's form was out of sight, every vampire in the clearing turned to look at Bella, who shifted uncomfortably and cleared her throat. "Uh, he started it?"

Emmett's booming laughter seemed to break the building tension, and all the vampires seemed to relax at once. Rosalie shook of her brother's arms irritably while Demetri lightly smacked the back of Bella's head, making her scowl at him. "What did I say? By the God's, you really are a pain in the ass."

Before Bella could answer, Carlisle approached her with a small smile "We can discuss all of that later. Right now we should go back to the house and take care of that leg." He frowned, checking her temperature "You seem awfully warm, we shouldn't waste any more time." He nodded at Demetri, who immediately scooped Bella into his arms and started running, ignoring her protests.

Once in the house, he went straight to Carlisle's office, carefully settling Bella on one of the chairs while Carlisle started to gather materials to clean her wound. Bella looked at her brother, grinning a little. "At least now we know for sure that my blood is vampire's bane or something."

Demetri chuckled, giving space for Carlisle to work "You didn't need to put that theory to test so soon, Pain. What the hell happened?"

Bella huffed, wincing a little as she felt the sting of a needle "I was talking to Jake, working through our differences when the Macho Parade showed up. That Paul dude started to talk shit about you and the Cullens, so I punched him in the face." She shrugged while Demetri openly laughed, but Carlisle frowned at her.

"How's you hand? They are not as hard as us, but still hard enough to injure a human. Do you feel any pain?" Bella shook her head, carefully flexing her right hand.

"I remember to feel it hurting like a bitch before Jake got me there, but now is only a little sore." She shrugged at him, watching as he wrapped her leg firmly. He hummed, getting up to clean his hands.

"Your leg should be fine in a couple of days, so I guess we should consider you lucky." as Bella and Demetri chuckled, he walked to the door, making a face at Demetri before looking at Bella "Now, if you excuse us, Rosalie wants to have a word."

Bella coughed, her heart immediately jumping into overdrive as she straightened herself in the chair. "Uh, about what?"

"Hell if I know!" Demetri grinned at her before following Carlisle to the door "See you later, Pain!" He gave a small wave with his infuriating smirk in place before getting out of the room.

He slammed the door behind him, and Bella found herself as confused and worried as she was when being carried backwards by a huge teenage wolf.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door, and Bella watched as Rosalie gracefully slid herself into the room before closing the door behind her. Her beautiful features were neutral and guarded, and she huffed as her eyes found Bella's bandaged leg. She chose to sit on the desk, voice as neutral as her face. "So... You punched a shifter?"

Bella relaxed a little, blinking before smiling at her "Are you jealous, barbie?"

Rosalie snorted, inspecting her nails "Yes, actually. I've been waiting to do that myself ever since we came back to Forks."

Bella chuckled, shaking her head a little "I can only imagine. What did you want to talk to me about?"

Rosalie glanced at her, face briefly obscured by her hair "I was... You should be more careful, Isabella. It's been only a few weeks, but my family really cares about you." She got up from the desk, pausing in front of the door to finally look at Bella with conflicted amber eyes. "I... hope you know that despite my sometimes difficult behavior, I care about you just as much as the rest of them. So please, be careful." She opened the door with that, pausing once more when Bella, seemingly stunned, called her name behind her.

Bella cleared her throat, somewhat avoinding her eyes. "You, uh... You can call me Bella."

Although Bella couldn't see, Rosalie left the room with a smile that would be able to knock the human out far more effectively than any angry shifter would.

Chapter Text

Rosalie was trying her best to keep her eyes on Carlisle and Sam while they discussed new terms and compromises. She couldn't believe that they were allowed in her territory so soon after what they did to Bella.

Bella, who was still animatedly talking with the dog who saved her. Completely ignoring the fact that he could be just as dangerous as his pack mate when out of control. The dog who still had his arm resting on Bella's shoulders like they were a couple of old friends and not destined to be enemies in the near future. Rosalie resisted the urge to hiss, dragging her eyes back to the discussion between Carlisle and Sam. There she was, yet again, staring at Bella like a creep.

Since the girl came to Forks, Rosalie's emotions were on overdrive. She tried with all her might to keep a neutral faced, always leaning on her acid personality in order to keep herself from being spotted by her family. She tried her best to ignore the fact that her soul was split in half, that her body felt weak and restrained, all because of a single human girl.

She felt more than saw Demetri approaching her left side, his eyes also trained on her coven leader. She turned her face slightly to him, keeping her eyes on the same spot. Still, she was able to see his subtle smirk.

"I'm not trying to annoy you or anything, but maybe try being a little less obvious? I could feel your jealousy from across the woods. You must make Jasper crazy." He said in his deep voice, his playful tone once againg challenging everything she thought she knew about the royal guard.

As if on cue, Jasper directed a small grimace at their direction, and Demetri chuckled while Rosalie glared at a particular point above Jasper's shoulder.

"It's not as easy as it seems. Do you think I like being this way?" Her words were almost loud enough to be a whisper, and she tried to shove her emotions down and keep calm.

Demetri nodded at her side "I can only imagine how confusing all of this must be to you, and I understand that you may need time to accept all of it, but if I may offer a piece of advice?" Rosalie remained quiet, so he proceeded "Bella hates lies. She hates when anyone hides anything from her, especially something important. You're off to a bad start if she figures this out on her on, and she will soon enough." Rosalie glanced at him, noticing his fond smile "She's a genious, you know. She knows our nature. I believe that the only thing keeping her from finding out is the fact that she doesn't know you. But she will. That's inevitable."

Rosalie's lip's curled in a subtle sneer at the last word. She hated this. She hated just being shoved at some teenage human with no possibility of choice because of, what? Nature? Fate? She almost scoffed at the last word, her eyes finding Bella once more. She was subtly trying to glance at Rosalie and her brother, slight frown on her face. Rosalie almost smiled. She was smart.

She decided on something, ignoring Alice's stare as she turned to Demetri a little more "Does she... That is, did she say something?"

Demetri eyed her strangely, crossing his arms as he turned to Bella and the shifter "I can't tell you that." Rosalie sighed, and he smiled a little. "But you know that these things are never one sided, Rosalie."

Rosalie considered that, searching her memories for any sign that Bella may not be affected by the bond. Sure, the girl was never annoyed or tired of the blonde's cold personality or cutting tongue, but Bella seemed unaffected by most things. She was even starting to form a tentative companionship with Edward, despite his stupid behavior in the beginning. That's just who she is, apparently.

Of course, there was Bella's heart, always trying to escape the girls chest everytime Rosalie walked into the room, but that didn't mean anything. Rosalie was beautiful, after all, and that was a common reaction.

Her musings were interrupted by Bella herself, who sauntered to where Rosalie and Demetri were standing, grinning at her brother. "How long before they finish?"

Demetri inclined his head, smile on his face "Not long, although I have to say that I'm dreading tonight's hunting trip"

Bella rolled her eyes, and Rosalie lifted a eyebrow as Bella said "It sucks that you have to change your diet. But it's only while we sort this mess out buddy, you'll survive."

As Demetri sighed, Rosalie hummed to get Bella's attention "Are you really okay with the fact that he hunts humans?"

Bella seemed confused. "Of course. I mean, he's been doing that since before I was even born. It would be kinda pointless to get upset about it."

Rosalie looked at Demetri, who shrugged with a smile before messing with Bella's hair "She's defective. I blame her smart ass."

Bella slapped her brother's hand, pausing to glare at him before turning to Rosalie. "So, wanna do something tonight?" At Rosalie's lifted eyebrow, Bella's heart started to jump so fast that some of the other Cullens glanced at her. "I mean, everybody's going to hunt tonight and Emmett said that you hunted yesterday so I thought... Well, if you're going to work on a car maybe I could watch and try to learn something? " She scratched the back of her neck, glanced at Demetri who had suspiciously moved his face to another direction "You know what? Never mind, I'll just watch a movie or something."

Rosalie lifted her hand, trying to hide a smirk as she stopped Bella's rambling "Can I take a look at you truck?"

Instantly, Bella's nervousness was replaced by suspicion, and she slightly narrowed her eyes at Rosalie "What for?"

Rosalie took a moment to recover, blinking tiredly at the girl. "Something sounds like it's about to fall apart inside it. It hurts my ears."

Bella snorted, flipping off Demetri when he nodded his agreement to Rosalie's statement "Fine, but then I'm definitely watching. Monster is my baby." Bella said, and Rosalie almost rolled her eyes at the flicker of jealousy she almost felt because of a truck.

"Your baby is old enough to be your granny, Bella dear." Demetri said, and when Bella was about to retort, Carlisle clapped his hands once to gather everyone's attention.

"So, everything is settled. The wolves have accepted Demetri's offer to feed on animals while in Forks, and Paul, the shifter who injured Bella, will be out of any activity that concerns our little Seattle problem. In case of any emergencies regarding that same problem, we will allow the wolves to hunt down vampires in our territory, and they will allow the same." Sam nodded along, as well as the other two shifters that were present. Jasper spoke next.

"We also agreed to keep the other one informed on anything new regarding this situation, and to meet each other weekly to discuss any news." he gestured to Sam "The alpha here expressed some concerns about his pack's ability to defeat vampires, so Demetri and I will also be using those meetings to train anyone who needs it."

Sam nodded somberly, quickly exchanging a look with Jacob "There are two boys at the Rez who are already showing signs of the change. We will need to make them prepared for anything if this threat comes to our door." He looked at his pack mates, receiving two nods before turning back to the vampires "We should go now, it's about time to relieve Paul from patrol duty. We'll meet again in a week" He waved at Carlisle and Jasper before jogging into the woods, followed by the other boys.

Rosalie huffed, vaguely looking at her family members who spent the meeting closer to the wolves "It's a good thing that you're going hunting right now. It stinks in here."

Jasper and Carlisle chuckled, while the rest nodded in agreement, and Rosalie walked to the house to change her designer clothes into the casual ones that she usually used while working on cars. Even with the overalls, something would always get smudged by grease, and she couldn't risk. With that out of the way, she returned to the Cullens front porch and walked to the car bay to get some things ready. She heard Bella hastily wishing Demetri a good hunt before hearing the girl's clumsy footsteps behind her. She turned slightly to her.

"Uh, do you want me to get the truck or do you want to park her yourself?" Bella said, face a little flushed for some reason.

Rosalie tsked, extending her hand. "Give me the keys and wait right there." She gestured to one of the stools inside and waited while Bella only stared at her. Rosalie could be a lot of things, but she was not patient, so she shook her hand in front of the girls eyes to get her attention and said "Well?"

Bella blinked, refocusing on Rosalie's face and handing her truck keys "Sorry, really. I just never seen you in anything so... Casual, I guess."

Rosalie didn't think that she could give any answer without making a fool of herself, so she simply took the keys and slowly walked to the truck, trying to clear her thoughts. It was getting harder to keep her feelings under control, and it would only get worst the more time she spend with her mate.

She sighed. Mate. She could finally at least think about the word. When Edward and Emmett rambled about their connection, about how seen and loved they feel with each other, Rosalie had scoffed. True love didn't just fall from the sky, it didn't just shove two strangers into each other's face and forced them to understand and oblige, leaving no room for choice or preferences.

Yet here she was, about to spend the evening with a human girl who made a joke of her self control with little effort. A soul that she recognized as soon as their eyes met in the lunch room, throwing anything and everything that Rosalie had ever experienced away with the simple promise of more. And Rosalie was as delighted as she was afraid.

Control, something that she always valued above anything else, slipped through her fingers the moment she acknowledged that Isabella Swan, a girl who walked amongst vampire kings as a kid and walked away with a mission, was her one and only mate. Forever.

Rosalie took deep breath, opening the truck's door and hastily getting inside. She almost groaned, resisting the urge to inhale deeply while resting her head on the seat. The inside of the truck was absolutely drenched with Bella's sweet and comforting scent, and Rosalie found herself involuntary relaxing. She hummed to herself, absently scanning the girls scattered belongings across the cab, thinking about how to better approach the subject with her.

Because she had to.

There was no point in denying. Rosalie would be stupid to do so, and it would be so much easier to just give herself to her instincts and pursue the girl. Yes, she could do it. Bella no doubt would feel the same way, and Demetri's warning? He was right, of course. Bella is so smart, she knows so much about vampires. She will figure it out soon enough, and Rosalie wants to be the one to deliver the news. She could do that.

Feeling a little drunk, Rosalie pressed herself a little more to the truck's seat, making it release a powerful cloud of Bella's scent, and she giggled to herself. Yes, there was really no escaping this. She was Bella's, and Bella was her's.

At that moment, Rosalie felt something euphoric expanding in her chest, like a hot tether that extended itself in the direction of the house, no doubt searching for its home currently residing at the car bay. Rosalie giggled once more, feeling extremely light at her admission of the bond. She turned on the truck, shaking her head at the atrocious noise before slipping her indifferent mask back on and proceeding to the garage.

If Isabella Swan was meant to be hers, Rosalie would try her best to win her heart completely, and she wouldn't hold anything back. And Rosalie's sure that Bella will be able to keep up with her.

After all, the girl is a genius.

Chapter Text

Bella looked at her own reflection in the mirror, checking her chestnut hair one last time before descending the stairs to wait for Alice. Charlie was at the kitchen table, reading his newspaper and nursing a steaming mug of coffee. He looked up and frowned upon seeing Bella enter the room. He checked his watch before returning to his paper "You're up awfully early for a saturday, kid. Everything alright?"

Bella picked up a mug for herself, yawning before sitting in front of him "I have that shopping trip with Alice today, you know that dad."

Charlie shrugged, getting up to clean after himself. "Well, yeah. I know it's a long way to Seattle but it's 9 in the morning."

Bella rested her head on the table and sighed "I don't think you understand how much of a nightmare she turns into when it comes to shopping. I just said I needed a new jacket, now look at me."

Her father snorted "Well, good luck. I'm heading out to the Reservation, but call me if you need anything." he paused on his way upstairs, turning to look at her "And please don't stay out there after it gets dark. That city is too damn dangerous." seeing Bella's nod, he turned again and continued on his way.

Bella stifled a yawn, checking her phone before getting up to get more coffee. Actually, she had a least two hours to spare before Alice came to pick her up, but Demetri said that Aro wanted to talk to her in the morning, so she had to wait. Still, she felt awfully tired, and cursed herself (and a couple of shifters) for staying up late last night. She was starting to think that maybe there were too many sleepless supernatural creatures in her human life.

Charlie kissed her forehead before grabbing his keys and getting through the door, remind her once more to be careful in the city. Bella rolled her eyes and smiled a little sadly after him, something that she usually did whenever he behaved like this. She had to constantly remind herself that he wasn't like Reneé, that his kindness didn't came with a price, and it always made her a little annoyed at her mother. Bella should've have stayed with Charlie from the beginning.

Strident ringing almost made her jump from her chair, and Bella briefly checked the unknown number before answering "Hello?"

"Hello, young one! My, it's good to hear your voice after months. Makes a old man feel alive again." Aro's casual voice spoke through the phone, and Bella couldn't contain her smile.

"You're in a good mood, my king. How are things in vampiric paradise? Is your head still attached to your shoulders?" said Bella, getting up to check the living room windows.

Aro's unsettling giggle reached her ears, and she rolled her eyes "Oh, I do miss your spirit, my dear. Now, before I give you a answer, what's that I've heard about a disgusting mutt maiming my protegee?" His voice had a dark quality that made Bella grimace. before clearing her throat.

"It's not like that. It was mostly my fault, and Paul barely nicked me. He really regrets the whole thing and is, If I'm being honest, starting to annoy me with all the apologies. But everything is sorted out, and he's a good guy. So, yeah." she trailed off with a shrug, hoping that Aro would just forget about it.

After several seconds, he spoke again "Well that's good to hear, Isabella. I would hate to fly all the way to the States to decimate an entire tribe because of a welp. You know I'm better than this." He sounded amused, so Bella chuckled and shook her head. "About my situation here, I am a bit worried, to be honest."

Bella frowned, pacing around the living room. "What is it?"

Aro sighed "Caius approached me yesterday, asking me to give Demetri's exact location. I said he was still at San Francisco, and my dear brother expressed his concerns about some aggravating situation in Seattle, and presented the possibility that Demetri and he's mysterious mate being involved. I couldn't outright deny the possibility without arising suspicion, so now I am to contact him and the Cullens and ask them to investigate the vampire activity in the city." he paused for a moment, and Bella could hear the wind on his side "Honestly, I don't know what to make of it, young one. It has been months since the disappearances started in Seattle, and neither him or Marcus seemed to even acknowledge a exposing threat. Why do it now?"

Bella was still pacing around, biting her nails "Why are they trying to pin it down on Demetri? He hasn't been in Seattle for days now, I don't even know if one of them saw him there. And the Cullens? That doesn't make sense." She was frowning deeply, trying to understand the implications of what Aro said. Why would the other kings want to get a coven as big as the Cullens involved on rebellion matters? That was highly unusual for the Volturi, for it could be viewed as weakness by other covens.

Bella could practically hear Aro nodding his head "Yes, exactly. That's why I wanted to talk to you before contacting the Cullens. Caius will no doubt be present, and I want to be as prepared as I can for this call.

Bella rubbed her eyes, sighing. "That makes sense. But everything else? Fucking hell, dude..." she looked up, already feeling a migraine on it's way "I think it's that they want us to turn our attention back to Seattle, but why? That's where they are operating, why would they want us interfering in that?"

Aro hummed to himself "Very strange, indeed. Is it possible that this is a distraction? To cover for something bigger and more important?"

Bella shook her head, heaving frustrated sight "That's the other thing, we don't know anything about those vampires, not even their exact numbers. Jasper said that it can't be more than eight but that was some time ago. And no, there isn't suspicious activity anywhere other then Seattle. We've been keeping tabs on crime statistics across the country, everything looks normal."

Aro also sounded frustrated "Fantastic. I don't like this, Isabella. If there's only one group, and my brothers feel comfortable enough to send the Cullens looking for them, that means they are confident enough to risk them against a extreme powerful and gifted coven, and that means..."

Bella's head jerked up, a shiver running down her spine "They want to get rid of the Cullens and think they have the means to do it. Holy shit, Aro, just who are these vampires? If Caius think they can take on the Cullens..."

Aro sighed "I'll contact the Cullens later this evening. Would you be a dear and inform them of our suspicions, young one? They must be prepared for everything."

"Yes, don't worry. Just try not to get yourself killed up there, okay? Don't let them win." Bella checked the hour, looking out the window once more.

"I still have the twins, my dear. Just focus on getting more information about those vampires abilities. Be well, young one. We'll talk soon"

"Bye, old man. Take care." Bella finished the call with a twisting sensation in her chest, that same invisible hand tugging her in the direction of the Cullen's home. She forced herself to relax, tho. Alice should be arriving soon anyway.

It has been a month since the first meeting with the wolves, and Bella still felt distressed when she thought about that evening with Rosalie. Something happened, changed, and she was having a hard time getting her own thoughts and emotions sorted out.

The Cullens were acting strange, avoiding her eyes and sometimes even her presence. That is, except for Rosalie and Alice, who sought her out to spend time with whenever they could. But even that felt strange, and Bella constantly found herself at the other side of the border to escape everyone's weirdness when Demetri was out hunting.

To her surprise, she found that she quite liked the shifters, and was starting to form a awkward friendship with all of them, even her attacker, Paul Lahote. Bella discovered that he was a troubled boy with a rough domestic life, something that immediately made her want to get closer to him. Paul confided eventually that her presence made him feel calmer, so Bella decided to aid the boy in whatever he needed to cope with his fucked up family. Also, he was a surprisingly easy going fella once he got over the whole vampire thing, and she suspected that Demetri's change in diet helped in that aspect immensely.

The other boy, Jared, was a joker. He was the same age as Jake, and was the third to shift when the Cullens returned. Unlike the other boys, Jared had a supportive family, and his father was a proud member of the Quileute's council, so Jared couldn't be happier about being a shifter, and constantly gushed about being a protector of the land while striking heroic poses to make Bella laugh.

Jared also constantly pestered Demetri with everything he could, seemingly not at all affected by the fact that he was a human drinking vampire older than his name. Demetri didn't seem to mind, and actually looked like he was enjoying the shifters attention, often opting to train with him on their weekly meetings. Bella found the whole thing to be hilarious, and when she asked Jared about his insistence on friendship with her brother, he simply said "If he can stand you, he can stand me.", and that was it.

Sam was still a mystery to her, and she wasn't seeing much of Jacob lately. Paul revealed that Jacob was supposed to be the alpha of the pack, so Sam decided to train him on alpha duties so no matter what happened, the pack would always have a prepared leader to guide it. Also, one of Jacob's closest friends, Embry, was showing strong signs of shifting at any moment, so the pack was preparing to deal with it while also trying to keep up with their training. All in all, the boys were very busy this weekend, wich is why Bella decided to spend it with the Cullens.

Demetri would be out on a hunting trip with Edward, Emmett, and Jasper. He seemed to be adapting well with the animal blood, although he liked to complain often. His eyes were now a freakish mesh of faded red and pale gold, and Bella enjoyed making a point of indicating her unease with the collor. He would merely smile, like he's been doing for a month, shooting her annoying, knowing looks that only served to piss her off a little bit more. Bella knew that face, it meant that he knew something that she didn't. Something about her. So, yeah, she tried to avoid the vampires until she's able to figure it out.

Alice, along with (surprisingly) Edward, were two godsends in the whole situation. Bella wasn't naive, she knew that whatever secret the others were trying to keep, Alice and her brother certainly knew as well, but at least they weren't freaking her out about everything. Alice was, in all honesty, a ray of fucking sunshine, constantly pushing Bella around sleep overs, movie nights, fashion advices and everything else. The girl could talk for hours, really, and Bella enjoyed the instant happiness and excitement that came with her presence. It often occurred to Bella that Alice was the only Cullen that actually behaved like a teenager, and so the two of them became fast friends.

Edward was the extreme opposite of his sister. He was a quiet man, opting to spend his time with Bella in calm conversations or simply listening to music. He was the most socially inept of all the Cullens, and liked to ask Bella questions about human interaction and social cues. He, not unlike Paul, liked to apologize about his behavior in the past, and Bella was happy to notice that he understood the problem with his actions and was determined to change Bella's first impression of him. Honestly, Bella thought it was adorable, so she often found herself in his room listening to his music recommendations or watching him and Emmett joking with each other. She was even taking piano lessons now.

Then, there was Rosalie. Honestly, Bella didn't know what to make of the girl, specially with the blonde's recently change in behavior towards her. It wasn't unwelcomed, but it still made Bella confused as hell.

Again, Bella wasn't naive, so she knew that she was... Infatuated with the vampire. She didn't know what to make of the strange feeling she's been experiencing since that night in the car bay, but something happened, and when Rosalie returned she had looked...Happy. Satisfied, even. And then she proceeded to explain what was wrong with Bella's truck, showing how a human would identify it, and how Bella could easily fix it on her own should she need it. And all the while she kept asking for Bella's assistance with this and that, asking for tools or inputs about the truck and just generally looking fucking beautiful and approachable. Bella left the Cullens that night with that same euphoric feeling, heart hammering in her chest and shaky hands and ragged breath, but when she asked Demetri about those feelings, he just bluntly asked if she was stupid. When she only stared at him, stunned, he shrugged and said "You know I haven't been there. I don't know why you're asking me.", And it only made Bella more irritated, feeling like she was missing something obvious.

Bella huffed, her talk with Aro all but forgotten in favour of her personal trouble. Everyone's acting like she's about to make some big discovery and yeah, okay, Bella knew that something was going on. But how could she sort anything out with Rosalie constantly smiling at her? Always asking about her years on the road with genuine interest, always making private jokes about her family in school and making so damn much physical contact everywhere, more often than not brushing a stray strand of hair from Bella's face or laying her head on Bella's shoulder when they sat together at the cafeteria. Hell, even Bella's human friends were acting like she was stupid, grinning like maniacs from their table or rolling their eyes impatiently (only Lauren, to be fair). So Bella was getting restless and annoyed, and swore to herself that she would get to the bottom of this. She was genius, after all.

Right?

There was a possibility, but... No, that couldn't be it. Just because someone was being nice to you, it didn't mean that they were interested in you, right? Bella didn't want to be that kind of person, and it was already bad enough the her ridiculous crush wouldn't go away. She liked Rosalie's company, and she doesn't want to ruin everything because of her dumb, human brain. At least Rosalie still had the decency to ignore Bella's raging heart whenever the blonde entered the room, but how long would she stand it?

Bella shook her head to herself, automatically grabbing her things and going out of the door. Five seconds after she locked the front door, a red BMW parked in front of her driveway, it's occupants frowning at her.

Bella walked to the driver's side and Rosalie lifted a eyebrow "How the hell did you knew we were coming?"

Bella stared dumbly at her for a second, before looking at Alice on the passenger seat "We need to have a family meeting. Aro called."

Rosalie grinned and Alice groaned while Bella got into the backseat "Oh, come on! I just wanted to get some god damn shoes."

Rosalie was already making a U turn on Bella's street. She looked at Bella trough the mirror "Is he okay? Is he safe?"

Bella smiled a little "Yeah, I don't know. I'll say everything at the meeting, but... I'm worried."

Rosalie glanced at Alice, who was still pouting with her arms crossed, and rolled her eyes before saying "I'm sure he'll be fine, Bella. He's a ancient vampire king. Besides, he has the twins, right?"

Bella chuckled "Oh, yeah. I doubt anyone will mess with him if with Jane at his side. That girl is something else."

Rosalie scowled, and Alice smirked, turning on her seat to look at Bella "Oh? I don't think I've ever heard anyone talk about Jane with anything other than animosity. Then again, I've never heard anyone call Aro 'old man' and get a job out of it "

Bella briefly glanced at Rosalie before turning her smile at Alice "People like to hate what they don't understand. I haven't met Jane directly but, come on! The girl can make any vampire fall to his knees with only a look! It's amazing!"

Alice smiled knowingly "Why, Bella, I didn't knew you liked glaring woman. It explains a lot, actually."

Rosalie's grip in the steering wheel made the rubber in it squeak along with Bella "The fuck you talking about? You sound like my brother! It's not like that, okay? I'm just curious about her powers, that's all."

Alice giggled "Ah, yes. I remember being curious about Jasper's power as well-"

Rosalie's black eyes turned to Alice, and she spoke through gritted teeth "Alice, could you shut up?"

Alice pouted once more, and Bella smirked before rubbing Rosalie's stony shoulder "Thanks, Rose."

Bella tried not to frown. Rosalie seemed to melt in her seat, immediately relaxing her grip while Alice rolled her eyes with a smile. But before Bella could open her mouth to voice her question, they pulled over the Cullen's driveway, and Rosalie immediately got out after parking the car. Alice looked at Bella with a odd expression, and got out as well before opening Bella's door.

Inside, all of the Cullen's, plus Demetri, were casually scattered around the living room, and only Demetri approached her upon her arrival. "What happened, pain?"

Bella took his hand, knowing that only physical contact could keep his anxiety at bay, and opted to sit with him at couch. His eyes were already getting lighter, so she looked at the Cullen's.

"Aro is going to contact Carlisle later today about the vampire activity in Seattle. It seems that the other kings decided to address the problem, and they want you guys to solve it for them."

Everything was silent for a minute, and then Carlisle spoke "Why? I mean, why us? And why now? That's..." he looked at his family, seemingly at a loss, and Bella nodded.

"I know. They also asked about my brother, and ordered him to come here and aid your coven with the problem." Demetri looked at her and she tightened her grip on his hand "Aro said he was still in San Francisco. But Caius is trying to poison him, saying that Demetri might be behind the increasing activity."

Demetri rubbed his face, heaving a tired sigh "That fucking snake. He has to be at least suspicious that I'm investigating his coons, then. Fucking hell." Bella hugged his arm, turning to look at Carlisle.

"Carlisle, we think that the traitors are starting to move the rebellion forward. We think they want to get rid of your coven, because of your gifts." Bella swallowed, looking around the distressed Cullens, before continuing "Caius also mentioned me."

"What?" Rosalie and Demetri shouted at the same time, and Rosalie moved to sit on Bella's other side. Bella grimaced, lifting her hands.

"Not me, exactly. He mentioned Demetri's mate, said she or he could be behind everything as well." Demetri and Rosalie exchanged dark looks, before simultaneously turning to look at Carlisle and Esme.

Carlisle seemed even paler then he already was, and Esme addressed them "We need to assert the situation in Seattle. Their numbers, possible gifts, everything we can. Jasper, do you think they will attack?"

Jasper was frowning deeply, Alice in his lap rubbing comforting circles in his arm "If Caius is confident enough about their odds against us, that is a strong possibility, Esme. We need to starting working immediately."

Edward spoke next "We should go there and try to dig out whatever we can. If I may suggest, mother, father," He looked at Demetri, who nodded at him "I should go there with Demetri first. I can read any stray though, and he might be able to track them and prevent anyone from following us back here."

Carlisle and Esme frowned, but it was Jasper who voiced his concerns "Why not me? I'm experienced against newborns, and you wont be able to read Demetri's mind should anything call for it."

At that, Edward smirked and Demetri rolled his eyes. Bella only looked confused. Edward said "I can hear his thoughts again." Everyone's eyebrows shot up at that, and Edward chuckled despite the situation, winking at Bella "I guess that mean I'm officially a member of Bella's club."

Bella openly laughed, and Carlisle looked like Christmas arrived early "Truly, son? My, but this is fascinating! I have noticed a change in yours and Alice's scent, but I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt."

Edward nodded "Yes, this is why we should go. Her scent will keep us from getting detected, and it will make things easier to do."

Carlisle and Esme seemed to have a silent conversation, before Carlisle nodded. "Very well. You should go at once, while the vampires think that we are still not involved."

Demetri gave Bella's hand one last squeeze before getting up. He smiled broadly at her concerned expression "I'll be fine, pain. You're not getting rid of me so easily." He winked and they both turned to Edward and Emmett, who were having a similar exchange. Bella smiled, and turned in time to see Demetri and Rosalie having their own silent conversation, before Demetri walked with Edward through the door.

Carlisle took a seat in front of Bella, looking at her with shiny eyes "They will be okay, Bella. I have faith in my son, and your brother." He looked at Alice "Now, Alice, how are your visions regarding Bella?"

Alice smirked "Drat, I thought I would be able to keep it a secret a little longer. Well, I can see Bella now as well as any other human. Except for when she's with the wolves, that is."

Rosalie and Bella looked at Alice like she committed a crime "Why the hell would you hide that from me, you bitch?!" Bella looked particularly scandalized, and Alice laughed.

"Sorry bestie, I wanted to see how long I could get away with it. But yeah, ever since we became closer, my gift started responding as usual to you. That's why Jasper couldn't go," she paused to smile at her mate "He hasn't been infected by you."

Bella looked even more offended, but Carlisle seemed beyond himself with excitement "It appears that, your gift, whatever it may be, it's always subconsciously adapting itself to merge with people who are closer to you. I wonder if it could become something consciously agresive when you change into a vampire." he was tapping his lips, eyes fixated on the wall "The possibilities are..."

Bella merely arched a eyebrow. She would cross the bridge of her vampiric powers when she got there, and she wasn't even convinced that she had any besides being a shield or something. Still, Carlisle and Alice continued to exchange information about their experiences with her, and eventually Bella tuned them out and got up to the large balcony on Demetri's room. She often found herself heading there when she was anxious or worried.

She was looking at the sky, tracing the dancing grey clouds of noon when she felt a presence beside her. A second later, she could smell Rosalie's strong lilac scent. "How are you feeling?"

Bella absently noticed that Rosalie was also looking at the sky "I'm worried, I guess. I don't have a good feeling about this, any of this. I knew that they would eventually become agresive, but..."

Rosalie nodded, leaning against the rail "You didn't expect it to be so soon."

Bella sighed "I know the risks, I always knew. I'm not afraid... But I don't want anyone to get hurt. Does that make sense?" she looked at Rosalie, who's amber eyes were still at the sky.

"I'm sure Aro feels the same thing. Maybe that's why you two got along so well. Maybe your minds work in the same way."

Bella frowned "Is that a bad thing?"

Rosalie finally looked at her, and Bella's heart did a weird twist "I don't think so. I don't believe in fixated morality, Bella. I don't believe in good or bad."

Bella leaned beside her "That sounds strange coming from a vampire who never tasted human blood."

And Rosalie smiled, looking out at the trees "I never wanted to." Bella looked dubiously at her, and Rosalie chuckled "Not like that, mind you. I had the temptations, I still do sometimes. I just never wanted to. Me, not, you know, me."

Bella nodded, smiling a little nervously "I don't think anyone's worthy to be your victim anyway."

Rosalie's eyes snapped back at her, her voice was soft and low "Why's that?"

Bella just smiled and shrugged, trying her best to keep her heart from jumping out of ribcage. It was not an easy task.

Bella almost jumped when she felt Rosalie's fingers tracing lines at the back of her hand, and she started dumbly at them. "You're not stupid, Bella."

Bella's head snapped up, looking confusedly at Rosalie's small smile "W...What?"

Rosalie just retreated her hand and smiled more widely "I'll be at the car bay."

Bella watched her leave, turning back to the trees after she got out of the room. Her breath was shallow and ragged, her heart wild. Something moving bellow her caught her attention, and she saw, gaping, that all the Cullen's, minus Rosalie, were lazily walking towards the woods. Alice was the last one, and she winked at Bella before following her family.

Bella took a step back, heart making a unsettling jump inside her. She wasn't stupid.

She wasn't stupid, indeed.

Chapter Text

It was a thursday, shortly after school and the skies were raging with relentless storms. Bella ran across her room, gathering items and courage for the task at hand. Her phone chimed, and Bella stumbled across the floor, struggling to sit on the floor in order to answer her phone. "What?" she snapped, finally getting up from the floor with a wince of pain.

Her caller laughed "Chill the fuck out, it's just a little rain!" An amused pause, then "Did you just fell on your ass?"

Bella huffed, closing up her backpack and moving her phone from one ear to the other "I'm not in the mood, Paul. I fucking hate storms." Bella somberly looked out her window, gritting her teeth at the loud noises and occasional flashings. Demetri was going to kill her.

Paul snorted "Good thing your super awesome shifter friend is on his way to pick you up, then."

Bella looked up, startled. She tried not to fall on her way downstairs. "How? Did you get your father's car? Wont he be upset?"

She heard Paul growling softly and the sound of the wind. "Hell if I care. And this is all about getting over our fears, Bella. Remember, we don't like being scared."

Bella nodded absently "Yeah, okay. I'm just really nervous about this whole thing, dude."

The plan was simple; going out at the Rez on a thunderstorm with Paul to talk about their feelings and problems on troublesome circumstances. Bella was the one who suggested it, and Paul seemed so excited about the whole thing that there wasn't much choice on the matter.

Honestly, Bella didn't knew what else to do. She couldn't think, and with everyone else acting like she was missing something, she was afraid. For the first time in two years, Bella was afraid of disappointing someone. Everyone. So she felt inclined to take up on extreme solutions for her extreme problem.

She felt ashamed about dragging Paul into this, but, really, maybe it would help both of them. Jacob seemed fine with his supernatural situation now, what with Sam and the Elders dotting him about being the true alpha and all that. Jake continued to be his comprehensive, kind self, but Bella rarely saw him these days. And she needed someone who knows the background enough to understand her and wasn't her brother, or any other vampire for that matter.

Bella spotted the headlights of a huge truck on her driveway, and ran out of her house to get into said truck as quickly as possible. The cabin felt warm, no doubt affected by the large, grinning teenage boy on the driver seat. "So, you sure you wanna do this?"

He was already backing out of her street, speeding down the road that led to the Reservation "Yup, I'm in. I just hope I won't get sick or something." she eyed the rain with a venomous expression, and Paul chuckled.

"It isn't raining this much at the Rez. You should be fine. Sure your brother won't get my head for this?" he glanced at her with slightly apprehensive eyes.

Bella shrugged "He doesn't know about this, and Alice can't see me when I'm with you guys." she shared a grin with Paul, and they remained silent for the rest of the trip.

Soon enough, Paul parked beside a small cliff, and as he said, the rain was a little less wild then it has been in Forks. As Bella got out of the truck, Paul tossed her on his shoulders, ignoring her cries, and jogged to the edge of the cliff, pausing to set her into the ground.

Bella could feel the rain soaking her clothes and hair, but she didn't felt cold. She looked out to the ocean, Paul doing the same, and they shared a comfortable silence for a while.

Just as she started to get lost inside her own head, there was shifting, and Bella turned her head to see Paul plopping ungracefully in the wet ground. Both of them seemed okay with the stiff breeze that followed the rain, and she followed suit, unconsciously leaning her body against his, but also not caring about it. Bella liked being around Paul, it felt nice to share her turmoils and her inability to solve them. They were just kids, after all.

"Paul?" his eyes were downcast, and his shoulders seemed tense. But he wasn't shaking, he wasn't showing the telltale signs of a shifter about to lose himself to his own emotions. He was just a teenage boy, upset and tired about carrying a massive weight in his shoulders.

He sighed heavily, looking at the waves crashing against the cliff's edge, agitated by the early storm. "I'm not afraid of dying."

Bella's eyes snapped to his tanned face, her jaw working without sound, and he shrugged. "Sam drilled us about the possibility of a war. I understand the risks, I understand the very real possibility of losing my life to a frenzied leech. Sorry." he winced at Bella's sharp look. She hated that word. "I'm not concerned about any of this. I know who I am, what I am. I'm supposed to protect the land, protect my people." Bella smile a little, like she always did when those...kids, sounded so proud about the heavy burden their ancestors threw at them. Paul winked at her, but his face remained pained.

"It's just... Without me, there's no physical or emotional barrier between my mother and that... Monster." Paul clenched his jaw, rain drops sliding from his face as his arms shook slightly. "Even if I die protecting my people, I'll fail to protect the only one that matters to me. And the council can't force my father to leave the damn Reservation, but they can force me to fight for them." His voice was rough, no doubt tainted by the wolf inside him, clawing it's way up. Bella scooted closer still, hugging his arm like Alice did with her. Paul inhaled deeply, the week trembling that ran through his arms ceasing. Bella dropped her head on his shoulder, and he dropped his own on hers. "I guess I'm just afraid that, in the end, I won't be able to protect her. Even when I turn into a huge fucking wolf, I don't feel powerful. I feel small, helpless. Again and again, just a frail kid, not strong enough to stop their father's hand."

Bella pushed herself slightly to look at his face "None of this is your fault, Paul. You know how I feel about it, you should talk to Sam. He has the power to overthrown the council's decision. You don't have to go through all of this alone."

Paul looked reluctant "I...I don't doubt that anymore. But it's not easy, you know? Sam is one of my best friends since ever, but... You're the only one who knows about this. The only one I trusted enough. I wonder what that says about me." He took a shaky breath, nodding a little. "It will take time, but I think I can manage standing up against him. I know I can."

Bella rested a comforting hand in his shoulder. "You can. And we can go with you. I'll always be here, bud." she was almost yelling. The rain had become strong again, and Bella had a difficult time hearing her own voice.

For a moment, Paul looked at her with so much gratitude that her heart clenched in her chest, but soon enough he rolled his eyes, his voice terribly loud and clear as he yelled at her. "You don't have to scream, you know? I have supernatural hearing!"

His voice was loud and insistent, like a magician bragging about his best trick, and Bella laughed freely, feeling strangely at peace with the cold rain hammering against her skin. She heard Paul laughing too, a rare and genuine laugh, and the two of them wrested weakly untill a soft breezy settled the rain once more.

Bella eyed his relaxed face before sighing. "I'm afraid, Paul."

His eyes snapped at her, and she hesitantly met them with their own, afraid of finding judgement or doubt inside it's dark depths. Instead, she found only curiosity and a strange brand of concern. He was waiting for her to proceed.

Bella cleared her throat. "I don't regret anything. I don't resent my king. I know what is to come after all this, and I'm okay with it. Being a vampire. It's just... The more time I spend as human, the more afraid I am about how things will go... After." She glances at him, and her eyes get caught in Paul's soft expression.

"We're here for you, Bella. And I speak for all of us, even Sam. He and the blonde Cullen might shake hands and seal deals with your brother, but you're the one who bounded us together. There's no way to win a war without alliances, and there's no alliance without you." Bella frowned, and Paul tsked. "You don't look like the type to doubt yourself, Bells. You have a vampire king at your right hand, what has brought all this up? You always trusted your abilities, even with me." He still looked a little sheepish, and Bella rolled her eyes before releasing a shaky sigh.

"There's something happening to me, Paul. And I can't figure out what it is. Everytime I feel like I'm close to sort everything out, something happens and I'm back to square one. My heart feel like it's about to jump from my mouth everytime I'm near... Someone. And there's just no way for me to think of any other possibility other than maybe I'm right? I doesn't make sense." Bella grips her wet hair, and Paul's eyes widen a little before he leans forward to take both of her hands in his own. "Oh, Bells, I'm sorry you feel that way about me. You know you're my best friend, right? But the thing is..." he paused to sigh dramatically, Bella's eyes twitching as he looked straight into her eyes. "... You're too white. We can't be together."

Bella only stares blankly at him, watching as Paul doubles over himself in laughter. "Are you quite finished?"

Paul rubs his face, still shaking with mirth, and looks at her apologetically. "Yeah. Sorry, Bells. It's been miserable week."

Bella just rolls her eyes, smiling "Fucking moron."

Paul heaves a satisfied sigh. "So, you're confused about the Ice Queen?"

Bella chocked on the rain, looking at Paul as if he had two heads "What the fuck are you talking about?" at Paul bemused expression, she sputtered "I didn't even tell you who it was!"

Paul chuckled, noting Bella's beet red expression. "You're not as subtle as you think. Remember that day on the fourth meeting?" His eyes went up to the sky, not affected by the rain. "Man, she was wearing that white sundress. I thought your heart was going to seize."

He thought it was impossible, but Bella became even redder, her eyes darting around the cliff's edge "She's beautiful, okay? And I'm gay. Don't tell me you weren't staring as well!" she blurted defensively, throat clenching with even the thought of her new friend looking at Rosalie like that.

Paul grimaced "Nah. Bitches are your thing, Bells. Not mine. And I saw that look. So," He shifted to face her more fully "Are we still playing the denial game, or are we mature enough to identify our feelings?"

Bella groans an falls against the drenched forest floor. "Fine. I feel attracted to her." at Paul's snort, she opens one eyes to glare at him "Not like that, you idiot. It's like a powerful force, constantly guiding me to her. And when I'm with her, I feel at peace, like that feel you get right before you fall asleep, you know?" Paul frowned a little, but remained silent "And everyone's acting like I'm missing something really important. Even my own brother is acting strange, and I don't know why. Like, I know a have a crush, but... It shouldn't affect them. Is it THAT obvious?"

Paul inclines his head in a way that aways reminds Bella of his animal counterpart. "Don't vampires imprint as well?"

Bella frowned "It's not like that. Not like imprinting, that is. They have mates, but the bond is just as strong as of a imprint. The moment they meet someone, something minimal shifts. They automatically know, and they chase that feeling with the promise of forever beside their other half." Bella concluded, and looked at Paul, who seemed to be studying her.

Paul scratches at his thin beard "You say the blond leech is your friend, right? When did you became aware of her?"

Bella bristled "Don't call her that. And to answer your question, I've always been aware of her since the first moment that I-" Bella stopped abruptly, her hand flying to her mouth as she stared at Paul wide eyed.

Paul just kept looking at her. "Are you stupid or something? Because it seems to me that-" he also stopped abruptly, his nostrils flaring. His face snapped to their right just as his body begun to shake, heat rolling out of him in powerfull waves. Bella followed his eyesight, and felt her blood freeze in her veins.

Standing precariously above a boulder in the ocean was a man with skin so pale and smirk so cruel that it almost distracted Bella from recognizing him. Absently, Bella noticed Paul shift into his huge and dusk colored wolf. The vampire was far enough to keep himself from being detected by the rest of the pack, and as soon as Paul shifted, he smiled at Bella and dived into the waves, disappearing before her shifter friend could howl in warning to the other boys. He turned to look at her, whining quietly as he took in her startled expression.

She released a breath that she didn't knew she were holding, and absently petted Paul's snout as they waited for the rest of the pack to arrive. Bella could only think about the vampires face. A familiar face.

That was Riley Biers. And that meant that the rebels were moving.

Chapter Text

Hours later, Bella found herself staring at the Cullen's front door alongside a bare chested Paul. The rain had thankfully subside, and their orders were to, in Sam's word's, "Explain to the vampires what the hell you were doing in the cliff and everything that happened after". Bella herself felt sheepish about the whole thing, but Paul had a shit-eating grin on his face. The rest of the wolves were running the perimeter, hoping to catch the intruder's scent to figure out a trail to him.

Esme was the one who came out of the house, and her expression was the epitome of motherly irritation. She had her hands on her waist, and she tsked to them. "Why in the world are the two of you soaking wet? Don't tell me you were out in the storm!"

Paul had the decency to look ashamed, but he stepped aside and thrust his hands on the pockets of his shorts. He traded a glance with Bella, who looked kind of mortified, and urged her to speak for them.

Esme's foot tapped the wet ground. "Well? One of you is going to tell me. Paul? Did you put her up to it?"

Paul looked extremely offended "Fuck no!" At Esme's raised eyebrow, he cleared his throat "I mean, uh... Of course not, Mrs. Cullen. But I agreed to do it nonetheless."

Esme sighed the kind of sigh that only a mother of five could, and her arms fell to her sides as she looked at Bella. "What were you thinking, Bella? Are you forgetting that you are still very much human? You're smarter than that! We're in the middle of a war, for God's sake, and you go around gallivanting into the woods in the middle of a storm with a shifter? You know very well that Alice can't see them!" Bella nodded apologetically, and although Paul had a small smile on his face, it quickly fell away when Esme's glare found him. "Don't you smile yet, young man. You two were extremely irresponsible."

A minute passed, and when Paul noticed that Bella was still staring at her feet, he shifted his weight to get the vampire's attention. "There's more. I think we should go inside to talk about it, uh, that is, if you would be so kind, Mrs. Cullen." He finished, blushing profusely, and Bella snorted while Esme rolled her eyes in amusement.

"Oh but you are endearing, child. Yes, come inside you two, Bella must be freezing." she beckoned the pair towards the house, Paul side hugging Bella to keep her from being cold.

The first thing they noticed upon entering the living room was Edward's troubled expression. He seemed to be already sorting everything through Paul's thoughts, and he barely spared them a nod before resuming his task. Emmet was beside him on the couch, but got up to bump his fist with Paul and Bella, his boyish face sporting his trademark grin. "You guys look like shit. Were you swimming?"

"Language, dear." Esme scolded almost tiredly, her phone in her hands as she texted her husband. "Carlisle's already coming home, the rest shouldn't take long."

Bella frowned, noticing for the first time how empty the living room looked. "Where is everyone? I thought only Demetri went hunting today."

Edward smiled crookedly at her, moving to properly greet her with a quick hug. "They decided to tag along, everyone's a bit worried about being alone for too long."

Bella and Paul sported similar guilty expressions, and Edward laughed before motioning towards the stairs. "You should take a shower, Bella. Although Paul here doesn't smell so bad anymore, the two of you are starting to smell a little like wet dog."

Paul discreetly gave him his middle finger, and Bella rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Don't start without me."

After her shower, Bella was sorting through Demetri's clothes for something comfortable that wasn't overly large. She sure as hell would have to end up spending the night at the Cullen's now, fearing what Charlie might think if he saw his daughter with damp hair and men's clothes. Luckily, she managed to find one of her pants amongst the rest of her brother's clothes, and was in the process of analysing some shirts when she felt someone tug at her towel.

Bella shrieked as she spun around, instantly glaring at her brother's grinning face. She huffed, annoyed as he laughed at her expense. Demetri was just as tall and handsome as always, even with his hair damp from the early rain. In fact, Bella begrudgingly though that he looked even more beautiful with his deep, newly golden eyes. He also seemed more relaxed around the Cullens, and that only brought a sense of ease to his sharp features.

Bella threw her towel at his face, quickly putting the selected clothes on while he laughed. "You behave like a teenage moron sometimes, I swear to God."

Demetri waited for her to yank the fabric off his face, grinning all the while. "There's a dumbass undressed in my room. What's a boy supposed to do?"

Bella rolled her eyes, sitting beside him on the bed while drying her hair. "Did you get a vampire concussion and forgot that you're a grandpa?"

"Excuse me, but I'm forever eighteen." he got up to change his own clothes, all the while mumbling complaints about Bella's messy behavior. "So, are you still moping too much to talk to your brother, or do you miss me already?"

Bella huffed once more, glaring at her brother's back "You were being a smart ass."

Demetri chuckled "Now you know how the rest of us feel around you. And why are you so upset by the towel thing, by the way? It's not like I haven't seen everything already."

Bella snorted, bumping her shoulder with her brother as he sat beside her again. "Sorry about ignoring you. You were annoying me and I was feeling stupid."

"No problem, Pain. You know I'm always here " he smiled at her, but then something seemed to click in his mind. "So you...?"

Bella blushed profusely, avoiding his eyes "Yeah, I think so. Paul helped me, in fact, this whole outing was about-" she paused mid sentence when Demetri crushed her in a hug, beaming down at her.

"About fucking time! I can't believe it took you so long. Aren't you supposed to be super smart or something? But damn, the secrecy was killing me! Tell me everything. How do you feel? What are you going to do now?"

Bella just looked at him wide eyed before trying her best to hug him back. "I don't know, dude. I guess I'll just see how this goes? You know, do things naturally and all." He nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation "Still, I can't believe. Of all people..."

Demetri lightly slapped her arm "Don't sell yourself so short, Pain. You're beautiful, and you have two powerful beings of an apex race wrapped around your fingers." he seemed to consider something "In fact, I'm starting to think that she's not a match to you. You're practically a vampire princess after all."

Bella chuckled "Hold on, buddy. I can't be a vampire princess if I'm human, and you know my concerns about Aro..."

Her brother glared at a wall darkly, his expression somber and his previous energetic behavior forgotten momentarily "The same ones that I have." he inclined his head slightly "The others are here, and the pack is close by. We should join them." He got up, offering his hand to Bella with a smile. "You can always talk to me, Pain. We're in this together."

Bella smiled at him gratefully, taking his hand and following him out of his room and into the living room. As her brother said, all of the Cullens were there, and she paused to greet each of the newcomers. When her eyes found Rosalie, Bella blushed slightly, but proceeded to hug the tall blond nonetheless. She was desperately trying to find her confidence within herself, and fortunately there were more urgent problems at hand.

There was a loud ruckus at the front door, and Bella smiled, knowing that it meant that the pack arrived. The boys were much more comfortable around the vampires these days, enough to be their loud selves and to joke around. Paul opened the door for them, and Bella took a moment to move further away from Rosalie, already expecting what was coming.

Sure enough, Jared ignored everyone and slammed himself into Bella, something that the shifter considered a hug. He laughed and greeted her, ruffling her hair before turning to greet the Cullen's. Jacob was next, and he glanced at Rosalie before offering Bella a smirk, lifting the human in his shoulders and dragging her to the "shifter's side" of the meeting. Jasper, Alice and Emmett seemed particularly amused by her predicament, and most of the Cullen's chuckled at her protests. Once everyone was comfortable enough, Sam, with a quick smile at Bella, pointed his finger at Paul, and the shifter gulped visibly before stepping forward, prompting everyone else to be quiet.

"I was at the cliff today. With Bella... In the storm." He grimaced at the low growls he received, before looking at Bella.

Bella, who was trying to disappear under the glare of four distinct vampires. Rosalie's and Demetri's were the hardest to ignore, and the girl shifted uncomfortably before catching Paul's pleading eyes. Bella sighed, moving to position herself beside her friend. "It was my idea, really... We just wanted to talk about some things that are important to us." she paused, noting the small nods from the pack members.

Carlisle had his professional smile on, and he motioned to Bella "And? Surely we are not here to hear about your heart to heart with Paul." Paul kicked at the floor, mumbling something about how everyone has worries, and Bella took a breath.

"There was a vampire." She ignored all the hisses and growls from her vampire friends "He appeared out of nowhere, but seemed hesitant about Paul's presence. My guess is that he couldn't smell Paul because of me, so he thought I was alone." She glanced at Paul, minding the minor trembles traveling around his arms. "Paul immediately shifted, and he ran away. I don't know what to make of this, but... I recognized him. We both did."

The pack nodded somberly, and Sam spoke up "It was Riley Biers. The missing boy." He looked at the vampires, trying to gauge their reactions "We managed to get his scent, but unfortunately it disappeared at the ocean. We also caught it near Bella's house."

Bella turned to Sam, her face paler than usual "What the hell? Is my father okay?"

Sam smiled at her "Charlie's fine. We wouldn't be here all nice and happy if that wasn't the case. But these is troublesome news."

Bella felt the shifters around her stiffen slightly, and she immediately knew that Rosalie was at her side. Bella automatically sought physical contact, absently resting her fingers at Rosalie's fisted hand. "We need to move, and fast. They are getting bolder, and now they know about the shifters. We have to do something." She turned at Jasper, and he immediately straightened up "Jazz, what do you think?"

Jasper quickly glanced at Alice "Now that the wolves caught his scent, we can find him in Seattle. We need to determine exactly how many they are, what are the possible gifts, and act accordingly. I'm confident about ours and the pack's abilities at the moment, but we may need allies." He looked at Demetri, who groaned loudly. "We could reach out to the Denalis."

Bella grimaced at her brother, still holding Rosalie's arm "It might come to it, bro. But I need to inform Aro first. You guys should go on your spy mission as soon as possible." She turned to Sam "How many can you spare? How's Embry doing?"

Sam seemed to consider "Jake should go. I need Paul and Jared to watch over the Rez while I keep an eye on Embry. He will shift any moment now." Jacob instantly nodded and grinned on his way to Emmett and Edward. He paused to wink at Bella "We've got this, Bells."

Bella sighed "Okay, so we should send Demetri, Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Jake. Alice, can you keep tabs on Riley's decisions? At least now we know who's involved in all this."

Alice nodded, uncharacteristically quiet "Yes, I think I can. If anything disappears, I'll assume that its because our team is involved, and we'll act accordingly."

Bella looked once more at the boys. "Okay. I'll call Aro and inform him of everything that's happened today. Hopefully we'll have more information by the time you guys get back." Sam and Carlisle nodded at her, and Bella was already going upstairs to look for her phone when a cold hand halted her movements.

"What about me?" Rosalie's voice was as strong as it was hesitant, and Bella couldn't bring herself to look at her.

"Just stay with me, please." Bella ignored the Cullen's amused looks and proceeded to drag the blond through the living room before pausing to look at the selected boys. "I will personally drag each and every one of you from hell if you die out there." All of them chuckled, and Demetri winked at her before she continued to his room.

Upon entering, she released Rosalie's arm, and searched for her phone while the blonde closed the door. Bella noted that she was shaking, her mind desperately trying to quench the worry growing within her body. She felt her legs giving in, so she seated on her brother's bed in order to get a hold of her panic. This is bad. They could very well die out there and there was nothing that Bella could do. Stupid human with stupid connections, risking everyone around her and for what? The wellbeing of the first man who ever came close to being a father for her?

Her panic only grew, and Bella was trying her best to get her breathing under control when she felt the bed dipping, followed by hesitant fingers rubbing loose circles around her back. Bella sighed, inhaling Rosalie's lilac scent as she allowed her body to relax.

"Are you okay, Isabella?" Rosalie asked, and Bella couldn't help but stare at the vampire with a sense of awe. She looked so genuinely worried, yet so relaxed as she stared at Bella, that the human couldn't help but smile reassuringly.

"I'm fine, Rose. I'm just worried about everything. Thank you for being here, by the way." Bella was trying to sound casual, avoiding the blonde's gaze to search her phone for Aro's number.

"Anytime." Rosalie replied, and Bella paused. That didn't sound casual at all, and she wondered if Rosalie was still trying to convey her real intentions in order to help Bella figure things out. Bella knew that she needed to talk to her, tell her that she feel the same way, but there was just too much going on. She had to focus. Still...

"I... I'm sorry about avoiding you. I just had too much to think about, but it's all good now. Paul helped me understand some things and I think it's all pretty much clear at the moment." She talked fast, way faster than a relaxed person would, and still avoided looking at Rosalie's eyes. She reckoned that she sounded half an idiot, but when a full minute passed by without any form of answer from the vampire, she jerked her head to look at Rosalie's black eyes, noticing that she was desperately trying to hide a smirk.

"You needed Paul's help?" Rosalie asked, and Bella's eye twitched. She grabbed hold of her phone and clumsily punched Aro's number, ignoring how Rosalie's body shook with contained laugh.

Bella waited on the line for a while before hanging up, knowing that Aro woul return the call as soon as possible, and turned back to Rosalie. "Do you think the Denali should be involved?"

Rosalie lifted an eyebrow, but mercifully chose to indulge her. "I don't think the sister's will like that. You should maybe consider contacting only Eleazar and his mate. He's a friend of the king after all." Bella's eyes narrowed a little at the way she said "king", and Rosalie rolled her own. "Oh, don't look at me like that. Aro might be all fun and caring around you, but you know very well that he give me the creeps. Do you..." She shifted closer to Bella, looking at her own lap. "Do you trust him?"

"As much as I dare." Bella blinked at her proximity, nearly jumping on the blonde's lap when her phone started ringing. She picked it up, sharing a worried glance with Rosalie before answering the call. "Yes?"

"Isabella. I trust this is important, yes? I was on my way to the throne room, my dear brothers would no doubt suspect of something if they caught me receiving a call from the US." He sounded worried, and the two girls frowned at each other before Bella answered.

"Yes, it's important. One of the Seattle rebels attacked today, and I believe I was the main target." Bella took a deep breath, not wanting for his reply "The shifters have his scent, he was a local boy, and one of them is now with Demetri and some of the Cullens heading to Seattle to try and track him down. I only need to know how you feel about getting the Denali coven involved if the need arises." She finished, biting her lip as she waited.

"Well, to ne honest, I think it would be best to keep the Denalis away from our little group. They hate me. Well, the sisters hate me, actually, and I'm not sure that they can be trusted. You may contact Eleazar, but that's that. If you eventually need more support, after being sure of what we are facing, I'll just send the twins." he finished casually, and Rosalie scowled at the phone. Bella chuckled before replying.

"Okay then, old man. I'll keep you posted, try not to give yourself a heart attack." She was already lowering her phone when Aro spoke again.

"One more thing, young one. If their numbers are too grate, or their gifts too powerfull as to make us act in a more indirect and strategic approach, we might need to consider changing you before the year is up." Bella frowned, her heart rate raising instantly "I'm sure you'll prove to be a valuable asset to our cause, and frankly dear, I'm not too keen on the idea of losing you to those filthy rebels. You're just too vulnerable while still human, so please keep that in mind. I'm sure Demetri would be beyond himself to have the honor." He finished the call after that, leaving the two of them frowning as deeply as they were in the beginning.

"Do you think it'll come to this?" Bella asked, looking at Rosalie's worried face.

"I honestly don't know. But I do agree that if the risks are too high, it's the best thing to do. Specially if you're going to run around the woods by yourself during every rainstorm that falls in this godforsaken town." Rosalie deadpanned the last part, getting up from the bed and waiting for Bella to do the same.

Bella still looked a little bewildered "I'm... It was just a one time thing! I swear!" she got up, eying Rosalie suspiciously. "Where are we going?"

Rosalie shrugged "All we can do now is wait for the boys. We might as well have a little talk, and I'm not doing it in your brother's room." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and walked through the door, not even looking to check if Bella was following.

Bella still felt a little off, and a little worried about the boys, but absolutely nervous about everything that is Rosalie Hale. So she gathered her things, making haste in order to follow the blonde downstairs and nearly bumping into Esme, who looked at her curiously. "Are you okay, dear?"

Bella just shook her head, pausing at the stairs to look at the older vampire "There's too many people in my life, Esme."

Chapter Text

Golden eyes scanned every millimeter of the dirty road below, nose slightly twitching with every faint smell. Humans, grease, motor oil, filth. They were close now, closer enough to feel, but not enough to smell. It was raining, yet again, and it wasn't helping at all. He was feeling restless about the whole situation. He wanted to get closer, to put his gift to use, to stop hiding like he was the one on the wrong side. Because he wasn't. Bella would never be on the wrong side.

He brushed his dark and damp hair away from his face, trying to keep his instincts sharp as he thought about the teenage girl that changed his after life. Demetri was always a serious and responsible fellow, stoic in his human life and loyal to his king in the next one. Being in the royal guard gave him purpose, made him useful, and there was a time where Demetri would crush and burn anyone who threatened that balance. He was always treated like a treasure, after all. The most reliable hunter in the vampire world, Aro would say, and although he learned how to keep his emotions away from the rest of the guard, his still heart always swelled with pride at his king's praise. And that was always enough for him. More than enough, really.

Until that dreadful day. The day that his king was almost killed, and everything seemed to be falling apart. Demetri didn't know who to trust, who to rely on, and when Aro told him about the mysterious human girl who intercepted an ancient king in the middle of the forest? Demetri scoffed. Aro was really old, surely he was going mad. His instincts were failing him. How could a vampire as old as the very concept of civilization feel comfortable enough to confide on a human teenager? How could he not smell a human blood, hear a human heart, until the very human was close enough to touch?

That was the very first time that Demetri doubted his old friend. And later, upon meeting the girl, the very first time that Demetri doubted himself. There was something uncanny about her, and although Demetri felt his own instincts slowly giving way to forced relaxation, a small part of him couldn't help but wonder if Aro had been right all along.

Her presence was intruding and agressive, but somehow comforting and alluring, and Demetri found himself more and more open to the idea of having the girl in his life. Despite his initial reserves, his relationship with her grew more and more as the years passed by, and now all that he thought he knew about himself and his vampiric life seemed hazy and suspicious.

Of course, Demetri always knew about how the Volturi operated, and was well aware of their cruelty, but after telling Bella about all that, and seeing her reaction?

Bella, at the time, didn't seem outraged, or sad, or even disgusted, as many humans would be upon hearing about the Volturi's deeds. No, she seemed worried, suspicious, and curious. She looked at Demetri with not a  hint of judgement, and only asked what were his thoughts on those actions.

That shifted his perspective, and he found himself questioning things that he never did in the previous centuries. Would he be discarded some day, just like many others? Would he still be important after the rebellion? More so, would he be considered so important among the vampire royalty if there was peace in the vampire world?

And all the while, that amazing human girl kept surprising him. Planning, thinking, tearing every bit of information apart and not hesitating in throwing herself at danger for a cause that's wasn't even her's.

Was Bella like him? Was she just blindly jumping at the first meaningful thing that passed her way in a long time? Did it even mattered?

Demetri chuckled to himself, ignoring the queer looks from his companions. That girl could possibly be the death of everyone there, and no one cared. He would die for her, alright, and would bring with him as many fuckers as he could, just so his princess could live her happily ever after.

Demetri always felt like he was missing something, and always thought that perhaps that something was a mate. But after meeting Bella, after seeing how Rosalie looked at her, he thought that maybe what he missed was something a little different in meaning, but not different in intensity.

He missed connection, and having someone as devoted to him as he was to them. And he had it now, with that little bundle of annoyance, no doubt biting her nails in worry back at Forks. And that's why he would tear apart anyone who wanted to hurt her.

He looked at his little group, all of them trying their best to look intimidating while the mind reader reached out to the rebel group with his gift. Two species, destined to be enemies, brought together by one extraordinary girl. He looked at the shifter, and did his best to hide a smile. He very much liked Jacob, and appreciated his disposition to protect Bella against everything; even his own brothers.

Minus the intellectual aspect, Jacob also really resembled Bella, what with his easy going personality and strong sense of responsibility and leadership. Demetri was pretty sure that the boy would be very important amongst their little group, and as such, he respected the shifter and considered his opinions often. Plus, he seemed to be important for Bella, which made him important to Demetri as well.

He was pulled out of his own musings when Emmett bumped his shoulder whit him. "Why are you staring at the rain all dreamy and stuff?" Edward had also turned to lift his eyebrow at him, and Demetri shrugged, ignoring the mind reader.

"No reason. Did you catch anything, Eddie?" He asked while he walked to the end of the roof they were standing at.

Edward scowled at the nickname "Yes, actually, but it's a bit strange." He looked at the group "I don't know how to explain, but I can only read three minds, although I can sense at least thirty other mind threads." He looked at Jacob, who was staring at him wide eyed "Are you sure he's here?"

Jacob seemed to find himself "Yes, no doubt. I can't lose that stench, he's among those other fuckers. But, uh, did you say thirty?" All the vampires looked at his pockets once his phone started to vibrate. Jacob picked it up, his brows furrowing deeply. "It's Sam. Something is happening." At their alarmed expressions, he held out a hand. "Pack business. It's fine, just..."

"I'll go with you." Emmett offered at once, and kissed Edward's cheek before going downstairs with the shifter. Demetri tracked them with his eyes before turning back to the two left "What do you think, Major? We need to get closer. Now that there's no heartbeat to hide..."

Jasper nodded, but before he could speak, Edward stepped in "We have to take the risk. They wont be able to track Bella's scent if they detect us."

Jasper nodded halfway to his brother, but then shook his head "We've been in the rain for a long time. Even if they can't track us down, that won't stop then from following us. These are mostly newborns, they are way faster than us."

Just as Demetri was opening his mouth to reply, a piercing scream filled the air, and the three vampires leaned against the edge of the roof to watch a filthy looking man being stabbed in the gut by a tall fellow dressed in black, who proceeded to run away from the scene. The wounds were deadly, and the poor man couldn't even cry for help.

Demetri and Jasper turned to look at Edward, who frowned at them before understanding downed to him. "Oh, no. No, no."

"He's dying anyway!" Demetri leaned away, gesticulating to the rebels general direction "He's our scape route, just keep him alive and wait for our signal."

Edward seemed troubled, but Jasper nodded along. "It will distract them enough for us to run away. It's our best shot, Edward."

Edward sighed deeply, and he nodded slightly. "Alright. I'll be nearby. You guys better make the most of it."

Demetri and Jasper grinned at each other before leaping out of the roof and onto the next one. They kept going, leaping through buildings and using the area's darkness to hide themselves. They only paused briefly to sniff each other before getting too close, to make sure that Bella's strange gift was still working on them.

They plunged into rebel territory, and the change was immediate. The stench of death and blood hung heavily in the air, and Demetri looked at Jasper, worrying that he might snap. He looked fine, tho, eyes only minimally darkened, and they proceeded to a large section of road and abandoned buildings. They opted to hide behind a small warehouse, and upon catching a glimpse of the main patio, Demetri's eyes bulged.

There were piles of corpses, half burnt, half decaying, all seemingly drug addicts and general society pariahs. Some ill looking vampires were sucking lazily at the rotten limbs, with blank expressions and void eyes, and for the first time since becoming a vampire, Demetri fought the urge to throw up - if that was even possible.

There was at least thirty eight of them, most of whom seemed to be in the same strange haze as the others. Three of them were at the end of the group, seemingly talking to each other.

Demetri's senses were in overdrive, his whole body trying to make sense of all of the particular smells and mind threads at his disposal. Jasper nudged him, and he turned his black eyes to the three vampires that Jasper indicated.

One of them was the boy, Riley Biers. He was grinning, looking at the newborns with sadistic joy while the other one, a woman with fiery red hair, rubbed his shoulders with fake appreciation. The other one was looking at the pair with a sick smile on his face, red eyes glinting in the faint street lights.

Demetri's lips curled, his eyes black and dangerous as he scanned the third vampire. He knew that fucker. He wanted to get into the Volturi guard as a tracker years ago, what was his name? Jason or something? James? That seemed right.

Just then, the lesser tracker, James, shifted his legs, and Demetri caught sight of yet another vampire, sitting against the wall and far from the main group. It was a girl, a child really, and she seemed to be in a deep trance, her pupils notably shifting behind her closed eyelids.

Jasper seemed to see her as well, and they exchanged a nod. They moved a little closer, dangerously closer, until they were but a few meters away from the conscious vampires. They were able to catch a sweet, husky female voice.

"You did well, love. Look at them, look at our little army. The king will be very satisfied." The red haired woman moved to embrace the boy, and he smiled.

James cleared his throat. "Our priority is to take care of our precious Bree, don't forget." He motioned towards the tranced girl "As long as we have her, we have a chance. And we must take care of the human."

The red haired woman nodded, a smooth smirk on her face "Oh, we will. Riley here already has a plan. Why would a human girl be amongst them anyway? For this long?" She laughed "And the king says they call themselves humanitarians. Playing with their food like this."

Riley finally looked at them "Anyway, if we can get a hold of her, they will be forced to engage. And we'll be prepared." He grinned once more, but it quickly became a frown. "What's that?"

His head shifted around, looking for the source of the low growl that Demetri released against his will. The other vampires were getting to attention, no doubt looking for the same thing, and Demetri backed aways as quickly as he could, Jasper close by.

Suddenly, a commotion raised amongst the ill looking vampires, when a bleeding body dropped from a nearby building straight to the center of the road. Demetri and Jasper wasted no time, turning around and running as fast as they could, meeting Edward along the way and pushing through the dark streets back to the forest leading to Forks.

Upon entering Fork's territory, they slowed down once they were sure that nobody was following them. They fully stopped at a clearing, looking at each other and chuckling beside the situation. That was some crazy shit.

Just then, a urgent howl reached them, and the boys shared troubled looks before running in the direction of the sound, running at full speed once more.

Demetri rolled his eyes internally. What now?

Chapter Text

The woods surrounding the Cullen's home were damp and wet from the previous rain, and shining with the pale glow of the moonlight. A beautiful sight, no doubt, but also some pretty messed up terrain for a human to travel on, especially in the faint light.

Bella counted that she had tripped on something, like a root or small rock, at least twelve times since getting out of the Cullen home. Still, Rosalie was quiet, and barely spared her a calm glance everytime she tripped. She didn't offer to help her, or to carry her trough the woods, something that her vampire friends often did whenever they lost their patience with her slow pace.

Bella never took Rosalie to be a patient individual, yet there she was, casually waiting for Bella to find her footing and continue to follow her trough the woods, without not even a silver of annoyance on her beautiful face. And, honestly, Bella was fucking grateful.

It's not that she didn't enjoyed being carried around by her friends, especially Emmett and Alice, who always made a big ruckus about the whole thing, but Bella wasn't feeling all that powerful already, what with her brother and close friends risking their lives in Seattle, so the last thing she needed at the moment was being manhandled by the goddess in front of her. And Rosalie seemed to understand that.

Finally, Rosalie seemed satisfied once they entered a small clearing in the woods, surrounded by big and fat trees, and hosting a large and suspiciously flat boulder in its center. Rosalie settled atop said boulder, and Bella approached slowly, noticing something that looked like fist impressions all over the rock. She lifted her eyebrows, looking at Rosalie, who chuckled quietly.

"I always come here when I need to think. Obviously I don't need to sit down and rest, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to make the place more comfortable."

Bella chuckled and shook her head, sitting beside the vampire, and the two of them spent some time just scanning the surrounding trees and clear sky. "It's beautiful, I can understand why you like it."

Rosalie nodded absently, her eyes amber eyes fixed at the moon. Bella tried her best to avoid staring at her companion, but Rosalie looked absolutely stunning in the moonlight. It wasn't fair, really, and Bella once more felt that strange, euphoric feeling that took over her whenever the blonde was close enough. "Why did you hide this from me?"

Rosalie took a deep, unnecessary breath, eyed still fixed on the moon. "It's a lot to tell anyone. I never wanted to make you feel like you don't have a choice."

"And do I?" Bella asked, shifting a little "Do you?"

Rosalie dismissed her questions casually "It's not about choice, really. Still, I know how it feels like to have your choices snatched from you. I just wanted to do this on your terms, your pace. And to be honest, I struggled with my own objections for a while."

Bella grimaced, shifting her eyes to a nearby tree. "Sorry it took so long. I'm not very good at... Any of this, to be honest." She chuckled dryly "Also, it's a little difficult to think about anything when I'm with you." Bella blushed profusely, hating how her human condition exposed her feelings to the stoic vampire.

Rosalie finally turned to her, her smile small and shy. "I know how you feel. I'm sorry about keeping you in the dark, Bella. Are you mad at me?"

Bella rolled her eyes, still not looking at Rosalie. "I can't stay mad when you're all cute and stuff. Just don't hide anything else from me, okay?"

"I promise." Rosalie said at once, and shifted closer to Bella while trying to hide a smirk "So, you think I'm cute?"

Bella blushed even more, briefly eying their closeness before clearing her throat. "Well, yeah. I'm not blind, you know?"

She felt Rosalie shifting even closer, and their arms brushed, spreading goosebumps all over Bella's body "Oh? And what else have your decidedly not blind eyes observed?" Rosalie's voice was teasing and relaxed, and sounded extremely close to Bella's ear.

Bella took a shaky breath, trying really hard to keep her cool. Obviously, her relationship with Rosalie was always a bit different from the others. They always talked with each other, a lot actually, but every question sounded important, like they were always trying to rush trough stages of friendship for something deeper, more meaningful. Bella never understood why, and not for the first time, she resisted the urge to bash her own head into a rock for how blind she was.

At the same time, she immediately felt herself becoming more and more comfortable. This is Rosalie, after all. And Bella knew her, knew how subtle, yet direct Rosalie could be about everything she wanted. She knew that everything the blonde chose to say, had some kind of meaning to her. So yes, Rosalie sounded teasing, and playful, but Bella knew that this was important. So she smiled. Rosalie wanted to know what else Bella had observed?

"Everything. You're a lot to take in, Rose, but I guess my mind is quick enough to catch up." Bella turned to look at her mate, smiling at the muted appreciation on her face.

She felt Rosalie's fingers tracing casual and light lines on the back of her hand, and instinctively turned her hand to allow their fingers to intertwine, sighing at the instant feel of contentment and excitement. Is that what she had been missing on?

"I can't believe you needed Paul's help." She heard Rosalie mumble, and chuckled a little despite herself. She felt Rosalie's head resting on her shoulder, her heart leaping at her throat. She tried to take a deep breath, but Rosalie's lilac scent overloaded her mind and she cursed inwardly. "Are you okay, Bella? Your heart sounds delightful."

Bella cleared her throat, urging her body to relax. "I'm fine. I'm always more than fine whenever you're close like this." Bella frowned. She didn't mean to say that, for fucks sake.

But Rosalie only chuckled, somehow finding a way to curl herself against Bella's body, despite their difference in height. "It's nice to know that I have the same effect in you as you have in me."

Bella's mind was reeling, the feeling of Rosalie's body against her own making it difficult for the teenager to think properly. She felt herself melting against the vampire, all rational thought forgotten. "I always want to be close to you. I'm always here."

They shifted at the same time, both of them turning to look at each others eyes while the rest of the world faded to the background. Bella felt bewitched by Rosalie's presence, some distant part of her marveling at how she managed to maintain her composure while this close to the vampire.

Rosalie's eyes were black, and she looked at Bella with so much devotion and trust that the girl felt herself instinctively reaching a hand to the blonde's face, lightly brushing away her soft hair, and resting on her cheek. Rosalie seemed to be struggling with some instinct, and inhaled deeply at the action, closing her eyes and rubbing her face against Bella's hand.

Bella inched closer, a minimal space dividing their faces, and she could feel Rosalie's rushed breaths fanning her face, her scent sweet and intoxicating. Bella's eyes were lidded, her mind in some delicate haze, and she didn't flinch when Rosalie's eyes snapped open, black and dark, hungry and longing, and the girl silently thanked every God available for being already seated, as she felt her legs giving in.

Rosalie stared intensely at her, before rushing trough the small distance, and Bella felt her eyes closing, somehow prepared for what was to come.

But Rosalie seemed to catch herself at the last moment, resting her forehead against Bella's with ragged breath. Bella opened her eyes once more, and somehow understood the vampire's conflict. She used her hand to slowly caress Rosalie's face, her eyes determined and her voice serious. "You don't need to hide from me, Rose. You don't need to stop yourself." Bella paused to nuzzle Rosalie's face, feeling a pleasing rush of adrenaline at the vampire's strangled and low growl. "It's okay Rose..." she traced the vampire's cold skin some more, boldly brushing her lips against Rosalie's jawline, before retracting to look into black eyes. "I want you too."

That seemed to do the trick, Bella thought, as she instantly felt cold hands wrapping around her neck and holding her face, and she didn't had the time to doubt her actions as she felt impossibly soft and cold lips against her own, pressing down against her own, insistent and hard, and she couldn't do anything but reply in kind, her hands finding Rosalie's smooth waist as they kissed each other with all of the urgency of the past months of doubting and insecurity.

Bella felt one of Rosalie's hands tugging lightly ar her hair with restrained urgency, and sighed as she abandoned
Rosalie's lips in order to catch her breath, wasting no time in trailing her own lips trough the blonde's jawline and neck, feeling a powerful surge of desire when Rosalie clutched her closer and released her name in a breathless whisper.

Bella's lips climbed upwards once more, the two of them pausing again to look at each other. Rosalie's face looked distressed, her eyes black and hungry, and Bella herself felt hot and flushed and excited. They kissed again and again, Rosalie's body trembling as she felt Bella's tongue against her own for the first time, and the heated kisses and tentative explorations grew more and more in intensity until Bella felt comfortable enough to slip her hand under Rosalie's light grey shirt. She had to bite her lip to keep a undoubtedly embarrassing sound from crossing her lips at the feel of Rosalie's bare skin under her hand, and the vampire wasn't doing any better, one of her hands closing in a fist against the boulder they were still resting on, her supernatural strength turning the rocky surface beneath her hand into powder as she struggled against the urge to throw herself at her mate.

Some distant part of Bella tried to say that they were still close to the Cullen's house, that this was too fast, that they were in the middle of the forest, but honestly, that part felt so insignificant against the feeling of Rosalie's lips and the smell of Rosalie's skin, and the whole sensation of Rosalie's presence that Bella could've laughed at the insistent rational part of her. As it was, Bella felt lost to her own feelings, and kept worshipping her goddess with hands and lips and everything she could.

She felt her breath hitching as she felt Rosalie's hands taking hold of her own, slowly sliding them upwards beneath her shirt in a clear indication of what she wanted, but just then, of course, something had to go wrong.

Rosalie was the first one to freeze, Bella only a second behind, as they both heard the extremely loud howl disturbing the rushed atmosphere of the clearing. They paused, looking at each other with worried and slightly annoyed eyes, and Rosalie spoke first. "That sounded like Jacob."

Bella nodded at her, her breath short and ragged. She rested her head against the vampire's shoulder and felt Rosalie shaking with a chuckled. She snapped her eyes at the blonde, eyes narrowed playfully. "Shut up. Like you're any better than me."

The blonde scoffed, getting up from the boulder and giving Bella a side glance ad she fixed her shirt. "Yes, whatever. Not a word about this to your dog friends, got it?" she offered Bella a hand, smirk playing on her face "I'll give you a ride, and we're going to solve whatever this is, and after that... You're mine."

Bella didn't have the mind to tease the vampire about what happened, so she only took her hand and got up, automatically climbing on Rosalie's back and not carrying at all about the vampiric run. She just held the blonde's neck, melting against her as Rosalie secured her legs at her waist before taking off at full speed. Bella only closed her eyes, smile playing endlessly in her face. "I already am."

Chapter Text

Jacob stood restlessly at the edge of the same cliff where Bella and Paul had their little talk, and Bella immediately felt her panic rising upon seeing his distressed face. She slid down Rosalie's back, tugging the blonde with her through their joined hands, and stopping a few meters aways from Jacob.

Bella paused, looking at Rosalie, somewhat worried that the shifters presence would trigger negative instincts, but to her surprise, the blonde only looked slightly miffed and worried. Bella turned to Jacob, who was eying them with a strange expression. "Jake, what's wrong?"

Jacob twisted his nose, his tall figure shifting somewhat uncomfortably. "Nothing. I didn't mean to scare you girls, I understand that you probably thought that I was with the rest of the guys." Rosalie and Bella nodded. "I got a call from Sam, and came back with Emmett like an hour ago. You probably just missed him, I told him to go home and warn the others."

"Warn the others about what?" Rosalie asked, getting closer to the shifter.

Jacob sighed. "Embry shifted for the first time, Sam's with him. We were already expecting it, so it's fine and all." He turned his hand at their bemused reaction. "There's more, tho. Quill Ateara in on the verge of shifting, and the Clearwaters are already in deep fever."

Bella frowned, glancing at Rosalie before turning back to Jacob. "How so? Seth's only thirteen, and Leah is a girl."

"It's exactly how I said." Jacob retorted, somehow hotly, running his hand trough his short hair. "I was there with Sam, they already smell like one of us. It's only a matter of time, and I don't think it'll take too long." He paused just in time to turn to Demetri, Edward, and Jasper, the three of them halting at the edge of the woods surrounding the cliff. Bella waved warmly at Demetri, who smiled broadly at her.

"You guys smell different, sis." He remarked, his smile shifting to a smirk as Edward chuckled quietly. Even Jasper had a small smile.

Bella felt a mighty blush taking over her face, and briefly glanced at Rosalie, who looked incredibly smug, inspecting her nails. She gaped at her brother for a moment, before turning back to Jacob, who had a large hand suspiciously covering his mouth. "Uh, what do you suppose it means, Jake?" He raised his eyebrows. "The problem at the Rez, dude." she clarified, glaring at Edward when he released a particularly loud chuckle.

"Uhm... Right. Actually, I was hoping that the three of you could explain what exactly is happening in Seattle first." Jacob spoke seriously after recovering, motioning at the newcomers.

Edward and Jasper nodded at Demetri, who took a deep and unnecessary breath. "There are at least Forty vampires assembled at the city, but only four of them seem to be commanding the situation. One of them is Riley Biers, but I don't think he's the one in command." He waited a second, considering something. "I know the other one, a nomad named James. He tried to join the Volturi guard some time ago, but Aro refused him. Caius seemed pretty fond of his cruelty, tho. I think he's the one in charge, along with a red headed woman that I've never seen before. But there's more." He looked at Edward, who was frowning deeply. "Tell them, Eddie."

The mind reader gave him a tired glare before speaking. "I couldn't read the minds of any other vampires except those four. But it wasn't like Bella, it was like a knew that they were there, and I could feel their minds working, but I couldn't read them. Like the way you can feel that there's a TV turned on in the house, but it's muted and you can't listen to it." He finished with a sour expression, looking at the floor.

Jacob seemed extremely distressed by that. "What does that fucking mean?" He ran a hand through his hair, turning to look at Jasper. "What about your gift, Major?"

Jasper nodded "I couldn't feel anything beside the four of them. The newborns weren't feeling anything, not even instincts."

Bella herself felt beyond bewildered. "How is that possible? Actually, you said four vampires, brother, but only mentioned three of them." she turned at Demetri with a raised eyebrow.

Demetri smiled a little. "That's my girl. Yes, there was a child with them, another newborn, but that one we could feel. I believe that she's the key to everything that's happened with the other ones." He paced to the edge of the cliff, the others following with their eyes. "She seemed to be in some kind of haze or trance, not like the others. She was barely functioning, and wasn't moving at all. The thing is, that James guy mentioned that she was important, and he also mentioned a king. And..."

He paused for a full minute, and Jacob threw his hands in the air. "And what, man? For the love of the Goddess, spit it out already."

Demetri cleared his throat. "I could smell all of them, and I can track each one of them separately right now if you want me too. But they also smelled like the girl, all of them. Strongly, actually, so much that I almost wasn't able to get their treads."

Everyone was quiet after that, either processing what Demetri said or simply trying to believe. Jacob sighed deeply and sat at the damp forest floor, hands on each side of his face.

Bella turned back to Edward, arms crossed and expression troubled. "What was she thinking about, Edward?"

Edward seemed deep in thought. "About her childhood, I believe. It wasn't a easy one, and she kept thinking about small bits of it during all of the time that we were there."

More silence. Jacob got back to his feet, body already trembling. "I have to go and tell Sam about this. I'll get Paul and meet you guys at the house. We shouldn't stay here." He looked at Bella. "Also, fuck the treaty. Forty newborns won't give a shit about invisible lines. If anything happens, you guys run to us, okay? And we'll do the same. I'll sort it out with Sam." He yanked his shirt from his overheated body, and only paused to look between Rosalie and Bella with a strange smile on his face. "You two look cute together." He exploded into his russet wolf and ran towards the Reservation, Bella gaping at the place were he vanished.

"Bye, Fido." Rosalie said sweetly at the same spot, before turning to Bella and offering her hand. "He's right, tho. We should go back."

Demetri hummed in agreement while Bella got to the blonde's back, and he exchanged a knowing look with Edward before they both smirked. "Oh, yes. There's a lot to talk about, right sis?" He took off after that, the rest following closely. Bella closed her eyes and buried her face at the back of Rosalie's neck to avoid the fucking dizziness that always came vampiric speed. She wondered if it would pass when she became one, or if she was going to be the first vampire in the world to throw up after a quick run.

Eventually, she felt Rosalie slow to a walking pace, and opened her eyes to see the Cullen's home approaching, Alice, Esme and Emmett at the front porch with anxious expressions.

Alice immediately threw herself at Jasper upon seeing him, and Edward was lifted by Emmett in a hug while the rest of them watched on with smiles. Esme then turned to Rosalie and Bella, her face stern. "I was worried, you know? It's been two hours since you girls left to talk."

"Ooohh- Ow! What the fuck?" Demetri's taunt broke into a grunt as Rosalie elbowed his ribs, and Bella smirked at him.

"Careful, brother. The forest is a dangerous place." She slid down from Rosalie's back and walked to Esme with a apologetic smile. "Sorry, Esme. We run into Jacob and the boys. Actually, Jake and Paul will be here shortly, if that's okay."

Esme nodded, her stern expression turning into delight. "Oh, of course! You know the boys are always welcome here. Emmett explained that they're having trouble, yes?"

Demetri shot a glare at his sister before turning to Esme. "Yes, we'll explain everything once everyone is here. What about Carlisle?"

Esme squeezed Bella's arm affectionately before motioning for the rest to go inside. "He's on his way, I called him when Emmett arrived. He should be here shortly."

Esme assumed her position on one of the comfortable chairs directly in front of the fireplace, while the others took various seat's in the living room. She noticed how Bella seemed to be gravitating around her eldest daughter, and bit her lip to keep herself from smiling as the teenager leaned against Rosalie in the couch. She glanced at Alice, who shook with barely restrained excitement at the scene, and cleared her throat before turning to Bella. "Honey, your father called the house some time ago. I told him that you were with the girls and was going to spend the night, is that okay?"

"Yup, it's fine. Thank you Esme." Bella smiled before rubbing her eyes, a tired but pleased expression on her face. Rosalie seemed to be concentrating on something, a distressed expression on her face, but it shifted instantly to tentative glee when Bella hugged her arm. Everyone seemed to be avoiding the subject, but Esme was a mother after all, and was prepared to ask some questions when a loud shout came from outside of the house.

"Bellsie!" They all recognized Paul's voice, and Bella seemed to have a silent conversation with Rosalie before the vampire rolled her eyes and motioned for the girl to go. Bella smiled broadly at the blonde before shooting out of her seat to slam at Paul just as the shifter crossed the front door. She somehow managed to pull Jacob into the hug, and the three of them did little, weird jumps before separating, laughing all along. Esme smiled, but turned at her daughter to gauge her reaction.

To everyone else, Rosalie seemed as annoyed and bored as she did everytime that the shifters were around, but to her pleased surprise, Esme noticed a soft edge to her glare, the blonde's lips tugging microscopically upwards, and Esme immediately relaxed. The shifters paused to greet everyone in the room, and Bella sauntered back to Rosalie's side, smiling all along.

"Damn Bells, what happened to our agreement? You practically ran to the vampire side today." Jacob said teasingly, taking a seat with Paul near Emmett and Edward.

Alice giggled. "Oh, yeah. Bella seems awfully close to the vampire side today."

Rosalie turned her glare at her sister, then at Jasper, when he suddenly coughed, his eyes filled with mirth. "Watch it. I'm sure the pack would love to hear about your cosplayed escapades."

The shifters let out a chorus of "uuuuh", while Alice and Jasper glared at Rosalie before shifting in their seats, both of them directing broody eyes at the nearest window. Esme sighed loudly.

Jacob and Paul laughed hard at that, but Paul recovered first. "Damn blondie, you can fry an army with that glare!" Rosalie looked at him with a bemused expression while Bella crackled silently. "You can get anything with that! Like a puppeteer or something, but glares instead of strings, you know?" Paul was still laughing, and even Rosalie chuckled a little, but Bella froze. Her eyes dark and set on Paul, who frowned at her when he recovered.

The laugh slowly died, all of the occupants of the room somewhat feeling the change in atmosphere. Bella was still staring at Paul, and he shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "What's wrong, Bellsie?"

But Bella wasn't exactly looking at him. Her eyes were vacant, her expression blank. "Puppeteer..."

Demetri, who had distanced himself from the conversation at some point, leaned away from the window and walked slowly towards Bella, instantly recognizing her expression. "What? What is it?" He sat beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder and gesturing for Rosalie to do the same. The blonde frowned, but did it nonetheless, and instantly, Bella's eyes seemed to regain focus once more, both of them wide and moving between Rosalie and Demetri.

"Mind control." She said, and it was so low that even the vampires in the room had a hard time hearing it. Demetri looked at Rosalie, their expressions startled and worried. "My God..."

Chapter Text

Emmett hung lazily against the tree branch, staying directly at the front of Bella's bedroom window. As much as the prospect of fighting newborn vampires made him excited, he was beginning to think that all this standing around in guard duty would bore the metaphorical life out of him. He sighed, smacking his lips together as his eyes wandered around the same boring, quiet forest. He decided to peek through the window, chuckling quietly as he watched Bella's sprawled form, fast asleep on the bed. For some reason, everything about that particular human seemed extremely amusing to him, and that night he often had to put some distance between himself and the house, else Bella's father would hear his loud guffaws everytime that Bella bumped or tripped on something, and boy, that girl surely could use some reflex training or something.

The large vampire frowned, his boyish face unnaturally twisted with worry. The teenager on the bed had started to toss and turn, her face drawn with anger and sadness. He sighed once more, his mind wandering to his best friend, and whatever the hell she was up to that night. Rosalie should be the one to take the first watch, he thought not for the first time. But he could understand why she hadn't.

After Bella's little mind control revelation, his family and the shifters went on full blown panic. They were clearly upset and worried, talking back and forth about the absurdity of the existence of such gift, and things only seemed to calm down once Carlisle arrive. By then, the leaders (that is, Carlisle, Jacob, and Bella) begun to discuss what could possibly be done to prepare for the imminent newborn attack, and just when things started to calm down around the group, Demetri stepped forward and revealed the newborns main target: Bella.

He would've find it amusing, if it wasn't for the situation. Emmett had never seen Rosalie so out of control, so lost to her own instincts. It took a whole hour, and a lot o Bella-y charm to calm the blonde down.

After that, everyone really started to discuss things, and after a few arguments, mainly born out of Bella's statement that Aro didn't want to involve the Denali coven, the big guys gave Bella two options: Allow Aro to send the twins, which made most of the Cullen's extremely uncomfortable, or disobey his orders and contact the Denalis anyway. Bella and Demetri had looked extremely outraged by the second option, and Emmett had expected Bella to give her decision right there. Surprisingly, Bella seemed to have a silent conversation with her brother, and then said that she would come to a decision before the next meeting with the shifters. The shifters themselves seemed not to care one way or the other, but both of them stressed that the pack trusted her and would agree to whatever she decided. That had surprised Emmett even more.

At the end, everyone agreed to always have at least one supernatural being watching the Swan residence, and to Emmett's shock, Rosalie appeared to want to put some space between Bella and herself. The blonde instead went to meet with Sam, alongside the rest of the Cullens, and personaly asked Emmett to stay vigilant at Bella's house. And that's were he's been since then.

Emmett tensed immediately, hearing light footsteps approaching his location, but relaxed when Rosalie's familiar scent reached him. He turned his head, watching as the blonde easily climbed the tree and sat herself beside him. She spared him a small, thankful smile, before snapping her eyes to the girl inside, sleeping peacefully once more.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Emmett turned to her, keeping his voice low enough for only her to hear. "Why did you sent me? I'm pretty sure that whatever happened at the meeting with Sam, it wasn't that important."

Rosalie's face was blank, her usual cold mask in place. "You're right. We just went to him to officially set the new treaty, but he also explained to everyone about the early transitions within his people. It seems like it will be a busy week for them."

Emmett nodded at that, but refused to let the subject slide. "Yeah, okay, but why did you put me here? She's your mate, Rose, I assumed that you'd want to be close to her, even more so now. And I thought that you guys had, you know..."

Rosalie shook her head. "We talked a little bit, but that's that." The blonde sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Honestly, we're in some kind of grey area right now and I absolutely refuse to put any futher pressure on her. She already has a lot to think about."

Emmett frowned, but didn't say anything. He knew that Rosalie has never been forthcoming with emotions in general, but that girl was her mate. He could still remember the emptiness he felt at the beginning, when Edward rejected the bond and refused to acknowledge his feelings. He only wanted to be close to the man, even as a friend, and it tore him up to be cast aside. Why would Rosalie voluntarily do that to Bella?

After a long silence, Rosalie spoke, her voice strained. "I can feel her inside me. It's so strange... The moment I accepted the bond, I started to feel her somehow. And right now I feel that she needs time." The blonde sighed, her shoulders droping. "She'll come to me when she's ready. And I'll be waiting. We have time."

The large vampire considered that, his eyes returning to Bella's sleeping form. "What do you think she'll decide?"

Rosalie watched Bella with him, the steady sound of her breathing gradually relaxing her. "The right thing, I'm sure. I just worry that maybe that's too much pressure on a teenager."

Emmett grinned at that, turning back to his best friend. "She can handle it."

Rosalie had to smile at that. Yes, she does.

Three days later, Bella was stumbling her way to a familiar clearing, alternating between focusing on the patch and glaring at Paul whenever he chuckled at her clumsiness. The shifter looked light and relaxed, his goofy nature making it hard for Bella to stay mad at him for more than 5 seconds. He also seemed genuinely excited.

"Dude, Quil and Embry are dying to see you. Ever since we told them that you were aware of us, and somehow involved in everything, they've been pestering me anytime I shift to join them on patrol." He glowered playfully and Bella chuckled.

"Come on, is it really that bad to have two eager puppies following you around?" She said as she dodged a particularly mean looking tree root.

Paul groaned, rubbing his neck. "They talk so fucking much! Everytime I'm training or patrolling with them, I can barely hear my own thoughts! How's a man supposed to get any job done like that?"

"Oh buddy, I'm sure the excitement will wear off eventually." Bella patted his arm with affection, coming to a stop at the edge of the clearing. She faced the opposite treeline, shifting somewhat nervously.

A huge hand came down on her shoulder, making her stumble. "Don't worry Bells! They are going to love you. Leah's just being her usual annoying self. Everything will be fine."

Just then, Bella saw the familiar figures of Sam and Jacob breaking through the tree line, followed by two other boys, each of them sporting similar looking grins.

Bella took a time to greet Jake and Sam, before turning to the two new shifters, Quill and Embry. She already knew them from her childhood visits, but they looked at lot differently. Both of them were as huge as the other boys, and sported similar looking tattoos and haircut. She yelped as Quill scooped her up and twirled her around, the other shifters laughing.

While she talked a little with the two of them, a familiar and very human howl caught her attention, and she turned just in time to open her arms as Jared slammed against her, all of them, except Sam, talking animatedly about the new additions to the pack.

Sam cleared his throat, stepping closer to ruffle Bella's hair, his eyes warm. "Well, the other ones weren't comfortable enough to meet you on their human forms. Is that okay, Bella?"

Bella nodded eagerly from her position beside Jacob. "Yeah, sure. Whatever makes them more at ease."

Sam nodded, seeming pleased. He whistled sharply, turning his head back at the treeline. Soon enough, two huge wolves emerged from it, one slightly smaller and with a light grey color, very similar to Paul, and the other with a color that reminded her very much of damp sand. They stopped at the edge of the clearing, eying Bella with unreadable expressions.

Sam beamed at them and turned back to Bella, nodding to the grey wolf. "Bella, this is Leah Clearwater, the very first female to shift in all of the tribe's history." Bella waved at her, and the wolf huffed, her instance already relaxing. Sam then nodded to the other wolf. "And that's Seth Clearwater, her brother and the youngest member of the pack." The sand colored wolf barked playfully, jumping about his position in poorly masked excitement. Bella waved at him as well, her smile growing. Sam was also smiling, his eyes on the wolves. "We are very happy and proud to have them with us. So, Leah, Seth, does that satisfy your concerns? Bella is practically part of the pack herself, you guys should at least talk to her."

Bella spent the rest of the afternoon talking to the Clearwater siblings, and both of them were so different from the other that Bella couldn't help but think about her own relationship with Demetri. Seth was like a ray of sunshine, so young and excited about everything. He was eager to meet the vampires later that day, and although the older boys would often chastise him about one thing or another, Bella could see that the boy had a big influence on the pack. They all seemed happy and optimistic around him, and Bella was instantly taken with the boy.

His sister was physically similar to him, but was more reserved and somehow broody then the young wolf. She seemed to be constantly deep in thought, always analysing everything that happened around her, and Bella couldn't help but think that she resembled Edward. In any way, the female shifter seemed to be open to the idea of meeting the Cullens, and had no more suspicions about Bella.

Bella sat on the ground, watching as the shifters begun to halt huge logs to the center of the clearing, setting up their beloved bonfire while they waited for the vampires. The "tactical" meetings, as Jasper called them, were already starting to feel more like a family reunion then anything. Bella really couldn't understand how the shifters were so suspicious about the vampires in the first place, seeing as they all acted like good friends right now.

Bella looked at the sky, taking a deep breath of the clear air as she thought about tonight's meeting. She knew what she had to do, and even if that felt like bleeding her own soul, she would do what felt right. She absently eyed her left and right sides, huffing at the emptiness. Bella knew that she had distanced herself from everyone in the past days, and being alone was never a big deal to her. But right now, seeing how the pack moved and interacted, she felt lonely. They too, she knew, were giving her space to think about what she needed, even if some of them didn't want to. She would always catch some longing gaze, usually from Paul or Jacob.

The teenager sighed, her fingers subconsciously gripping the ring resting on her chest. She still feared her brother's reaction to her decision, even after talking to him about it. Granted, the man only offered her the same reassurance as Sam, but were there limits to their connection? Would he eventually come to resent her, if everything went wrong?

Bella stirred as Emmett's large figure appeared at the center os the shifter's circular formation, triggering four transformations by himself. Bella blinked, suddenly apprehensive as four wolves bared their teeth at the vampire, who only seemed extremely amused. Sam was also laughing, and he stood up to guide the shifters and explain who Emmett was. Bella's eyes wandered, eventually resting upon Edward, who looked absolutely mortified at his mate's actions, but Bella couldn't miss the fondness in his eyes as he looked at her.

He offered her his crooked smile, and walked to her position at a human pace after making sure that Emmett haven't caused any trouble with the shifters. He dropped himself unceremoniously beside her, grunting like a human would, and Bella grinned at him as he tipped his head. "Nice to see you, Lady Swan."

Bella barely refrained from laughing. "Nice to see you too, Lord Cullen." They remained quiet for a while, both watching as the shifters talked happily with Emmett.

Bella frowned, deep in thought once more, before startling as she felt Edward's cold fingers against her forehead. "Ah-ah, nothing like that now. The days of thinking are over. Now you just wear your decision and enjoy the meeting." He sounded stern, like he always did when admonishing her. It would annoy her deeply some time ago, but now Bella only felt grateful.

So she smiled sheepishly, scooting closer to him. "Where are the others?"

Edward sighed, still looking at his mate. "The children went to a abrupt hunting trip, your brother among them. Esme and Carlisle are on their way, I can already hear them."

Bella bit her lip, fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie. "Is, uh... Is Rosalie among the 'children'?"

Edward smirked, looking at her as Carlisle and Esme stepped into the clearing to greet the shifters. "Yes, she's with Demetri, actually. They'll be here soon."

Bella wanted to ask about it, but she saw the Cullen leaders approaching her and stood up to greet them. Both of them gave her unnervingly warm hugs, like she was a kid coming home from college, and she allowed herself to relax. Between them, Emmett's goofy nature with the shifters, and Edward's calming presence, she felt her nerves melting gradually.

Esme and Carlisle came with large thermal bags of food, and the shifters wasted no time in tearing said food apart, all of them joking around and introducing the vampires to the new pack members while they ate. Bella herself didn't feel like eating, even with her newfound calmness, and remained beside the mind reader until the others arrived.

Alice and Jasper were the firsts to walk in, hand in hand, both in seemingly good spirits. Alice was her usual self, skipping around and eager to meet the "pups", as she called them. Jasper was more reserved, and content to merely watch as his mate introduced everyone to him. He turned for a moment to offer Bella a sincere smile and a wave, turning once more to watch Alice.

Finally, Demetri strode into the small gathering, his eyes a shiny gold, face blank and guarded, his eyes immediately seeking his sister's. He smiled happily at her, his pace relaxed as he walked to her. He answered Edward's nod with his own, and sat himself on Bella's other side. "I hate when you're on those 'I'll ignore everyone' moods, pain, but I'm glad your back."

Bella took a deep breath, and felt a weight coming off her shoulders at her brother's playful greet. She smile at him, and he bumped their shoulders before her attention was drawn to the last vampire to arrive at the meeting.

Rosalie, as usual, walked in like she owned the damn place. Her face was set in her usual cold annoyance, and she traded light snarks with the pack before walking to the vampire side of the clearing. Bella's eye's were following her all along, so she noticed when the blonde spared her a side glance a small smile, before taking position beside Carlisle.

Eventually tho, as the pack continued to eat and talk with most of the Cullens, Rosalie came closer to her, chosing to lean against a tree. Bella smiled, a heavy sensation on her chest begining to disappear. Rosalie also seemed lighter, and she crossed her arms before speaking, her voice cold and yet amused somehow. "Swan."

"Hale." Bella bit her lip to keep from smiling too much. "I have to say, I didn't think you were the patient type. But thank you for giving me space to think."

Rosalie's voice was softer when she answered. "Anytime. But do not mistake my absence for anything else. We absolutely still need to talk about... That."

The blonde sounded insecure at the end, and Bella couldn't keep the beaming smile out of her face. Because "That" wasn't something bad at all, and although Bella had other things to think about in the past three days, she had also thought about "That". And really, it was fuckin endearing to know that Rosalie Hale was walking on eggshells because of her.

Carlisle cleared his throat, drawing the attention of vampires and shifters alike. "Thank you for coming once more, Quileute pack. Me and my family would like to offer our official welcome and our word that no harm will ever be directed to you or yours." He stared directly at the new wolves, prompting some embarrassed grumbling, to which he smiled. "Now, I trust that everyone here is well aware about the threat that we are facing?" Sam nodded seriously along some of the shifters, and Carlisle nodded as well. "Very well. Bella?" He turned to the teenager, and Demetri immediately appeared at her side, taking one of her hands into his own and nodding reassuringly at her. She looked ar Carlisle, who proceeded. "As you all know, we might face something unprecedented. Bella and her brother here are our most trustworthy source of knowledge when it comes to that particular fight, so I asked them to make a decision." Carlisle's eyes were calm and light as usual. He looked at both of them, the rest of the group quiet. "Well?"

Bella looked at all of the people gathered there, all of the faces void of judgement or anger, even the new wolves. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, and turned to look at Demetri's steady eyes when he squeezed her hand. She also felt the scent of endless lilacs, and glanced at Rosalie's soft face before turning back to the main group.

Bella strode to the bonfire, watching the flames. "I'm... Really fascinated about my life." Some of the shifters laughed softly, and she smiled. "I mean, come on. My closest friends are ancient warriors of the land, sworn fighters bound to protect their people in the form of a huge fucking wolf!"

The whole pack grinned and chuckled at that, some of them proud and some of them amused. All of them were smiling, and Bella shook her head with a smile before turning to the Cullens.

"My unofficial family is composed of the most powerful beings to ever grace this earth. And they are supposed to literally be my predators." The Cullen's offered her warm smiles, Rosalie smirking at the "predators" part. Bella turned to Demetri, who was already smiling softly at her.

"The closest person to me... Is an ancient being with powers not matched by anyone. That person, and his friend, were the ones who saw something in me that I never did. Who trusted me in a way that I never trusted myself."

Demetri's face was serious now, the whole group intensely listening to her as she look at her brother. Bella dropped his gaze and walked around the group, her fingers playing with the raging flames of the bonfire.

"Some years ago, I've met the most powerful creature in our mortal world. I was just a kid, but he refused to see me as one. He put so much on my shoulders... And I never complained. Because he knows me as much as I know him." Bella lifted her head to stare at the group once more. "I would never harm him, never betray him."

Most of the vampires were looking apprehensive or intrigued by now, the shifters only patiently listening to her. Bella took a deep breath. "He trusted me enough to decide on these matters. He trusted his safety on me. And that's why I say, with all my heart, fuck what he thinks."

The Cullens now looked confused, and Jasper looked particularly distressed. His eyes found her, asking for further explanation, and Bella sighed.

"What I'm saying is... We make our own rules from now on. Aro isn't here." She shook her head to herself before looking directly at Carlisle. "Call the Denalis. All of them. I'll deal with them if we need... But we will not be unprepared for the newborns." Bella finished, pausing only to give Demetri a small smile at his appreciative nod.

Carlisle appeared to be very pleased with the outcome. He stood up and clapped his hands together once. "Excellent, Bella. I'll call them at once. The rest of you, please, enjoy the rest of the evening."

Bella released a heavy sigh, returning to her place at the edge of the clearing. Rosalie dropped beside her, making the teenager turn to look at her. Rosalie offered a smile. "That wasn't so bad..."

Bella rested her head on the blonde's shoulder, wearily eying the group. "Let's just hope it stays that way."

Chapter Text

Charlie jolted from his chair at the living room, turning mid sip with a beer in his hand as Bella closed the front door. "Oh, hey kid. I thought you would be at the Cullens the whole weekend." He got up, lightly dusting himself. "How was the bonfire?"

Bella smiled at her father, moving to the kitchen. "It was fine. I just have some things I need to do for school before the weekend is up. What are you up to?" He eyed the containers of food that Bella was in the process of storing in the fridge. "Oh, Esme sent these."

Charlie shrugged a little too casually. "Give her my thanks would you?" When Bella nodded, he thought about her question. "I'm just catching up with the game, I'm actually spending the weekend at the Reservation. Billy and Harry are always insisting that I go there for some strange reason." He rolled his eyes, turning back to the living room to grab his beer.

Bella just hummed, knowing full well the reason behind the Elders insistence. Sam told her that they would try to always keep Charlie somehow closer to the shifter's territory in order to keep an eye out for his safety. Bella just wished that she could be honest with the man.

Charlie walked back to the kitchen, his voice a little too careless. "So, will your boyfriend be stopping by today?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Dad, Demetri is not my boyfriend." She thought about something, deciding to be as honest as she could with him. "He's more like an older brother to me, and honestly... I'm not interested in boys. At all." She turned to face him, bracing herself for whatever reaction he may have. Surprisingly, Charlie only had his eyebrows up as he stared at her.

"Well, okay then. Maybe your older brother should come around for dinner or something, so I can officially meet him." He continued to casually sip his beer, and Bella smiled at him.

"Sure, I'll talk to him. And dad..." He looked at her expectantly, frowning at her nervous air. "I'm sorry about never being around. I'm not avoiding you or anything, it's just..."

Charlie sighed, sitting at the edge of the table and closer to her. "I never expected you to be coped up in this old house, kid. You were always your own person, and it would be unfair to expect anything other then that. Besides, I'm used to being alone. Just know that I'm always here if you need me, okay?"

Bella took a deep breath, feeling a very unfamiliar urge to cry before moving to hug her father. They stood like that for a while, and Bella wondered once again how different things would've been if she stayed with him instead of Reneé.

Charlie release her with a grunt, turning his face away from her to hide his shiny eyes. "I'll, uh, go upstairs to change before going to the Reservation. Do you need anything, kid?"

Bella beamed at him. "No dad, I'm good. Tell Billy and Harry that I said hi."

As soon as he was gone, Bella hastily made her way upstairs, cursing as she tripped on the last step. She could already hear a mocking chuckle coming from the other side of her bedroom door. She entered the room, glaring around the place until she found Demetri with his hands up. "Put that gun down, Pain. I swear you're picking up on Rosalie's death glare."

Bella just glared harder, and Demetri raised his hands a little higher. She rolled her eyes, walking past him to grab fresh clothes. "You're a sassy fucker sometimes, you know that?" She turned and went to the bathroom, not waiting for him. He chuckled once more, following her and hoisting himself to the counter as Bella got into the shower.

"Why are you in such a hurry anyway? We still have at least two hours before we have to go to the Cullen's." He picked up her phone and scrolled through her playlists for a while, rolling his eyes at the ones that Edward recommended to her.

Bella sniffed from the shower. "I don't like staying in this house without Charlie. It doesn't feel like it's mine."

Demetri settled her phone down after chosing something. "That sucks, really. But it's understandable, you haven't been here in a long time after all."

Demetri frowned when Bella hesitated a full minute before speaking again. "Are we really not going to talk about my decision to call the Denalis?"

The vampire frowned even deeply. "What's there to talk about? You're not just some kid that is dear to me, Pain. I trust your judgement, and we already talked about it."

Bella sighed. "I know that. I just worry that you'll eventually come to resent the way I'm taking charge of things on my own."

Demetri scoffed, glaring at Bella's silhouette. "Where's this coming from? Bella you know that I see you as my equal, right? You were never one to be insecure about our relationship, Pain. I don't understand."

Bella yanked a nearby towel, wrapping herself up before stepping out of the shower with a exasperated sigh. "I know! I'm sorry brother, really. I don't know what's going on in my head anymore! I'm just so on edge and worried about everything all the time." She leaned against the counter, her head dropping to his shoulder.

Demetri worried his bottom lip for a time, thinking about Bella's state. "It's fine, really, but... Have you considered that maybe all of this is because of the bond?" When Bella turned to look at him blankly, he proceeded. "I really don't know how it works at all, especially with humans, but I do know that mated vampires tend to go restless if they're separated from their mates for too long. And you haven't talked to Rosalie at all since Seattle, Pain."

His sister groaned, her fingers rubbing her face before she leaned away to start putting her clothes on. "I know... I just couldn't deal with any of that, really. And she's such a kind and understanding soul, I swear to God! I expected her to come barreling at me at school for some kind of explanation after the first day, but she's just patiently waiting for me and I feel awful." Bella paused after getting dressed to look at her brother. "I just don't know how to act around her. Have you seen her? She looks like a fucking goddess and she's stuck with this teenage ball of insecurity and complications."

Demetri snorted in agreement, earning another glare. "Have you considered maybe, I don't know, talking to her?" Bella rolled her eyes, and he tsked. "I'm just saying, Pain, maybe you're overthinking this whole deal. We're not talking about some highschool crush here, she's your mate. She's literally build to understand you. Give her a chance to show you that."

Bella bit her lip, looking at the ground as she considered her brother's words. Of course, she had every intention to talk to Rosalie about their bond, but everything seemed chaotic at the moment, and Bella feared that maybe she was using that as a excuse to be a coward. She lifted her head to look at Demetri's kind face, and spared him a small smile. "You can be useful when you want to, you know?" When he rolled his eyes, Bella smiled fully before throwing her arms around him, trying her best to squeeze him in a hug. "Thank you, brother."

He only chuckled before hugging her back, somehow relieved to be physically close to her again. Even if they weren't mates, Demetri still felt slightly out of himself whenever Bella needed her "thinking space". He could only imagine how Rosalie felt.

Their peace was disturbed when Edward, without a hint of grafe, opened the bathroom door to look at them, a cocky expression on his face. "Are you guys done? We need to get going, Carlisle has some news and sent me to get the two of you." He announced with a proud posture, and Bella rolled her eyes while Demetri growled.

"Have you no manners, boy? Did anyone teach you anything about privacy at Spanish Influenza-Ville?" He pushed past Edward to get downstairs to the front door, and Edward frowned in confusion before turning back to Bella. "What did I do? You guys were done talking!"

Bella just shook her head with a small smile, following her brother to the front door. "Ask Esme later, I'm sure she'll explain everything to you."

After a uneventful drive to the Cullen's home, Bella was called to Carlisle's study, Demetri following her. They greeted the coven leader, politely sitting in front of him after his permission. Carlisle's face didn't give anything away, and looked just as pleased and kind as always. "Thank you for joining us, Bella, Demetri." He nodded at each of them. "I'm sorry about sending Edward to your house, but his siblings are busy securing our territory. Now, about our little meeting... I contacted the Denalis, as you requested, and they agreed to come here and help us with the newborn situation, and are willing to overlook Demetri's presence." Bella and Demetri looked at each other, and Carlisle waved his hand to get their attention. "There's one condition, and that's why I needed to talk with you, Bella, before giving them the green light. They want to talk with you personally, without him, before fully committing to our cause."

Carlisle paused, leaning back against his chair as Bella and Demetri looked at each other. His curious side was, once more, spiked as he watched the supposed siblings having a silent conversation, one full of objections and arguments but without either of them uttering a single word. Finally, Bella sighed dejectedly, her brother looking rather smug, although a little worried. The teenager turned back to Carlisle. "Sure, tell them I'm game. I'll talk to them, if that's what it takes."

Carlisle nodded seriously before clasping his hands together. "Excellent. And thank you. I know that you don't trust our cousins, but I'm sure you'll both eventually see that they are a kind and fair bunch, and most important, trustworthy." He offered the pair a kind smile before getting up, smoothing his coat. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go back to the hospital." He nodded at them before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

Bella and Demetri were staring at nothing in particular for a long time, both of them thinking about the Denalis. Bella stirred first, glancing at her brother. "I don't know if I can trust people who don't trust you."

Demetri shrugged distractedly. "I did some pretty fucked up things before meeting you, Bella. And the Cullens didn't trust me as well in the beginning."

Bella sighed, turning to fully look at him. "Will you be okay? I'm not too happy about sending you away, even just for a day."

Dsmetri rolled his eyes, tilting his head slightly before looking at her. "I'll be fine, I'm sure the puppies will keep me entertained at the Rez." He suddenly got up, smoothing his casual clothes as Bella eyed him confusedly. "Now, if I were you, which fortunately, I am not, I would go to the car bay to kill some time. You know, just out of boredom, for no real reason at all. Bye." He abruptly turned and left, leaving Bella dumbfounded in the room.

Bella slowly made her way towards the car bay, pausing to wave confusedly at Emmett's beaming face, before the large vampire disappeared through one of the large windows. Bella just shrugged and moved forward, freezing at the door when she spotted Rosalie's distracted form, elbow deep inside Emmett's car with some loud song blasting through her headphones. Bella inwardly cursed her brother, closing the door after stepping in. The fucker could've warned her!

Bella shifted uncomfortably, just moments before Rosalie's back went rigid and the blonde turned to stare at her, one hand reaching for her headphones, her expression distressed for a moment. It didn't last long tho, and Rosalie smirked at her with her usual cold air, but Bella couldn't help but notice how distressed the vampire looked.

Her hair was standing out at odd directions, face even paler then usual. The dark spots bellow her eyes were even more pronounced, and her skin looked frail. Bella frowned as she stared at Rosalie's unusually black eyes. "Weren't you hunting yesterday?"

Rosalie scoffed, gathering her tools. "Well hello to you as well, Isabella. I've been fine and all that."

Bella winced, taking a step towards the blonde. "Sorry, you just seem... Ill. Are you okay?"

Rosalie smiled a little, putting her tools away before giving Bella her full attention. "I'm fine. Are you okay, Bella?" The vampire asked before leaning against Emmett's jeep.

Bella looked sheepish. "I'm okay. Thank you for giving me space, by the way."

Rosalie smiled her newfound patient smile. "It's okay, Bella. I could feel that you needed some time. I'm just glad that you're okay."

Bella slowly approached her, paying attention to the erratic movement of Rosalie's black eyes, until she got close enough to lean beside her. "Rose, I'm really sorry about keeping you away from me."

Rosalie closed her eyes, her throat strained. "You don't need to apologize. You didn't chose to be bound to me, Bella, and I understand if you need to take some time from this mess."

Bella frowned, moving to boldly take one of Rosalie's hand. "It's not like that, Rose. I just needed to focus on some really difficult things."

Rosalie glanced at her, her other hand playing with a strand of blonde hair. "I understand, really. It's just..." she trailed off, her eyes wandering around the garage.

Bella got close enough to touch the vampire with her shoulders. "You never told me what the mate bond meant to you as a vampire. I don't mean to be a jerk, but you don't look okay, Rose."

The vampire sighed, her proud shoulders sagging in a way that made Bella's heart clench. "It's a physical and psychological need. I'm always aware of you, and I'm aways aware of your needs. It's not always this strong but-" Rosalie took a sharp breath, her obsidian eyes shifting to Bella. "I'm not that old. And you're still human. I'm always so worried about you!" She chuckled dryly, leaning away from the jeep to pace around the garage, her elegant fingers pressing against her face. "It's just so hard to deal with it. I've been unhappy with this cursed existence since the moment I opened my eyes, and now..." She looked at Bella once more, her black eyes filled with more adoration than anguish. "Even when you're away, I feel complete. I feel lighter than I've ever been, like all of my pain could be soothed from your mere presence. But I need you here." Rosalie's shoulder sagged again, her eyes downcast while Bella looked on attentively. "I understand that you may need time before opening up to me, and I don't want to push you, but could you maybe just..." The vampire gesticulated helplessly. "I don't know, just think while you're here? I wont bother you, I wont even talk to you if you don't want me to."

Bella stood at her spot by the jeep, honestly feeling a little distressed by Rosalie's onslaught. She was used to the vampire's cryptic, cold behaviour, and something inside her felt deeply restless at the blonde's raw display of emotion. It seemed vulnerable, and a little unnatural, similar to something she sometimes felt around other vampires whenever they were too forthcoming with her.

Bella worked to keep her breathing in check, suddenly remembering one of the things that Rosalie brought up. The blonde's past, of course, was well known to her. Something that she regretfully knew before even meeting her, something that Demetri said in one of his "briefings" before Forks.

Something so different at that time. Something that deeply disturbed them both while he said it, but still felt detached, distant. Like when you hear about how a childhood neighbor died in a horrible way, some distant kind of empathy.

Now, looking at Rosalie's unguarded face, she realized just how much of a asshole she's been since that faithful night. Here, in front of her, was a powerful being, who suffered so much throughout her life (and afterlife) and was now bound to worry about a teenage idiot. Forever.

Rosalie's black eyes glanced at Bella with the slightest bit of despair, her chest heaving with anxiety for a moment before the vampire's back connected to the nearest wall, somehow distressed by the weight of Bella's gaze. She already looked physically better, the dark circles under her eyes getting lighter.

Bella sighed heavily, once more feeling that familiar heavy sensation pressing against her chest, a comfortable fog clouding her mind in a way that she always felt whenever she was near to the blonde vampire. But this time, looking Rosalie's troubled expression, something seemed to shift inside the girl. Instead of fighting against it, like she usually would, Bella chose to embrace it, to give herself entirely to it. And it felt so fucking good.

The effect was immediate. As soon as Bella felt that minimal change within herself, Rosalie's head shot up, her amber eyes still wild with instinct, tracing Bella's face as the teenager gripped the hood of the Jeep to keep herself standing. Rosalie looked absolutely beautiful with arms around her own knees, looking at Bella from the place that she took on the floor. Of course, Bella always felt attracted to the stoic vampire, and often admired her beauty, but this felt different. Rosalie looked like the source of everything that's good and beautiful, bathing Bella in her rays and easing her burdens, lessening her worry's. Making her peaceful and warm, like the sun.

A tiny smile tugged at the vampire's lips just a moment before she buried her face between her knees and chuckled lightly. Bella herself produced a delighted, albeit confused smile, her head twisting as she watched Rosalie's shoulder shaking lightly. "What is it?"

Rosalie lightly bumped her head against the wall, her expression amused and bewildered. "I can't believe that you only acknowledged the bond know." She outright laughed, shaking her head and making Bella's heart skip. "You're such an idiot."

Bella only smiled dazedly. "Yeah..." When Rosalie raised a brow at her, the girl blinked, frowning slightly at herself. "I mean, it's harder than you think, okay? Uh, thinking about anything with you around, I mean."

Rosalie looked at the floor, biting her lip before pulling herself out of her sitting position to walk towards the dazed teenager, one hand coming up to cup Bella's face, the vampire's chest twisting with happiness at the imediate quickening of Bella's heart. Bella only looked up into Rosalie's darkened eyes, all of her worries disappearing at the feeling of Rosalie's lips against her own.

The kiss was soft and chaste, both of them just needing to ground themselves after days of restlessness, and they sighed simultaneously at feeling of a weight being lifted from their shoulders. Bella's hand went up to grip Rosalie's neck, and it was all it took to make the vampire growl and move her hands to the girl's hip, tugging her closer and deepening the kiss. Soon, the need for air made Bella break the kiss, and the girl rested her forehead against Rosalie's, both of them humming with contentment.

"I promise I'll stay here, Rose." When the vampire beamed at her, Bella cleaned her throat nervously. "Do you, uh... Do you want to go to our spot in the woods? I'd like to keep talking to you."

Rosalie smirked, seeming to consider her offer, but suddenly scowled at nothing in particular. "We can't. Our dear cousins will be here at any moment."

Bella looked taken aback at that, one of her hands scratching the back of her neck. "Exactly how soon does 'at any moment' means?"

Rosalie looked at her with a small smile and pated her arm sympathetically before moving away from her to remove her overalls, revealing her usual pristine clothes underneath. "I can already hear their footsteps."

Bella looked at her blankly, taking a moment before fully registering what she said. She dropped her head at the door of Emmett's jeep, a loud groan coming out of her, making Rosalie laugh. "Fucking hell."

Chapter Text

Three similar looking women emerged from the tree line, their grace unnatural and their eyes golden and unblinking. Bella just stared blankly from her spot at the Cullen's front porch, finding very little to be impressed with. Of course, they carried the unmistakable air of predators, their unnatural beauty already trying to unconsciously lure Bella in, but the girl was used to being around vampires. And even if they were extremely beautiful, they were nothing compared to the scowling goddess currently standing next to her.

As it turns out, Carlisle had set everything for Bella and Rosalie to be the only ones at the house upon his cousin's arrival. Rosalie had confided that she insisted on being there with the human for the meeting, and Bella was surprised to see that she only felt a slight contentment, instead of the brutal annoyance she had expected from the blonde's protective nature.

They were closer now, deliberately walking at a human peace towards the pair. The one in the center, the leader apparently, was the tallest of them. Her graceful strides and relaxed complexion reminding her a lot of how Aro carried himself. She had strawberry blonde hair that reached past her shoulders, her expression hinting at absolutely nothing.

The one on her right had wavy, sandy hair. She carried herself much like the leader, but her expression had the same childlike amusement as Emmett's, something in her eyes glinting with mischief.

The last one walked slightly behind the other two, her expression sour and suspicious, and she was already rubbing Bella the wrong way. She had short, pale blonde hair, and somehow seemed younger than her companions.

They settled at the front yard, close enough to be heard by the human, but still far enough as to not cause any animosity. The leader smiled at them before speaking, her voice clear and pleasant. "Hello Isabella. My name is Tanya, and these are my sisters, Kate and Irina." She pointed first at the one on her right, who waved her fingers at her with a smile. The other one just nodded at Bella, her face hard. Tanya then turned at Rosalie, her smile faltering slightly. "Nice to see you, Rosalie. Although Carlisle implied that only the girl would be present at this meeting..." She trailed off, her eyes shifting between Bella and Rosalie.

Bella needed to suppress her smirk, the chilly air emanating from Rosalie reminding her of how the vampire acted around her when they first met. Bella glanced at her, but the blonde's golden eyes were fixated on the Denalis, her expression blank and her body casually leaning against one of the walls. "I'm staying."

Her voice left no room for argument, and so Tanya nodded and looked back at Bella. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Isabella. Carlisle said a lot of good things about you, but I hope you understand why my coven would be cautious about this supposed war."

Bella nodded, looking at all three of them before focusing on the leader. "Yes, I do understand, and that's why I'm here to answer any question you may have. I hope you understand how much it pained me to send my brother away for our encounter, and that you take it for the show of fully commitment that it is."

Bella watched with keen eyes as the sisters twitched at the word "brother". Tanya kept her pleasant smile tho. "Yes, we are most curious about your affiliation with the Volturi. Especially your... Brother, as you said."

"Of course. I also wish to use this inquiring to assert how much forthcoming I can be with my answers, so I hope you'll forgive my initial hesitation." Bella said, already feeling the urge to stare into Tanya's eyes.

The relaxed one, Kate, frowned slightly at Bella's formal intonation. "How old are you?"

Tanya's eye twitched. Rosalie turned her head to give Bella a look that seemed to say "I can't believe those idiots.", and it seemed to irk the younger Denali. A displeased growl came from Irina, and Tanya took a step forward to prevent any negative reaction. "I understand that you are somewhat close with Aro, yes? And that he's using you to form some kind of resistance against a greater enemy."

Bella had a feeling that the word "using" was a provocation, so she only smiled tightly. "That's correct."

"We have some... Strong objections about working alongside the one you call your brother, Isabella. He's done some ill things to my coven, things that are hard to be pushed aside." Tanya said in a pained tone, her eyes searching for Bella's.

Bella allowed her eyes to follow suit. "I'm aware. And I'm sorry about your loss, but I hope that a reasonable individual like you will understand that Demetri was following orders at that time, and it wasn't Aro's orders.

Immediately, Tanya's shoulders relaxed minimally, but Irina looked sharply at her. "What about the innocent humans that he continues to kill?" Her voice was as beautiful as the leader's, but the veiled anger in it made it sound like sandpaper against Bella's ears.

Bella twisted her lips. "I'm afraid you wont find my answer to be satisfying to this. I just don't care." She shrugged carelessly, Irina's eyes darkening. "I'm sure your coven has taken it's fare share of human life, as well. For what is worth, Demetri hadn't taken a human life since he got to Forks."

The sisters looked at one another, some silent conversation taking place. Bella waited patiently, her hand absently moving to take Rosalie's. Kate raised a brow at that. Bella met her gaze directly, and the vampire smirked before turning back to her sisters.

After some time, Tanya turned back at the pair, a light frown on her face. "Carlisle said that it was your decision to call us. And that in doing so you have somewhat disobeyed Aro's orders. Why?"

Bella sighed, her hand tightening around Rosalie's. "We came to understand that calling upon your coven would be in the best interest of all of the parties involved, and that it will ultimately serve our cause in a good way."

Tanya's eyes flashed. "When you say 'we'...?"

"Me and my brother, Demetri."

The sisters shared a glance, and Kate spoke next. "And if you came to the conclusion that following Aro's orders would be best?"

"We would've call the twins." Bella said in measured voice, her expression darkening as the sisters turned their bewildered eyes at Rosalie.

"And your coven would just follow her orders blindly, even if it puts you at Jane's mercy?" Tanya asked, the doubt clear in her face. Rosalie's expression became amused, much to the sisters surprise.

"Not just my coven. There's a nearby pack of shape shifters as well." Tanya actually gaped at her, and Rosalie shrugged. "She's not just any human."

Bella smirked at that, focusing her eyes on Kate and moving to slowly approach her. "You're the one with the electricity thingy, right?"

Kate stared at her with wide eyes before recovering, her amused smile slipping back to her face. "That's right. I'm the coolest of us."

Bella smiled a little. "We'll see about that." She offered her hand, the other sisters staring at her as if she was insane. Kate herself seemed extremely miffed, and Bella's smile grew as she heard Rosalie's uncomfortable sniff. "Come on, give me your worse."

Kate seemed stunned, looking at her with a dubious expression. She glanced at her sisters, frowning at their silence, before turning her eyes to Rosalie's scowl. The Cullen glared at her for a full minute before offering a tiny nod, and Kate gulped before turning back to Bella's smirk. She took Bella's offered hand, bracing herself before letting her gift shot through her arm in the lightest way possible.

The human just kept looking at her, her body relaxed and her expression slightly bored. Kate turned her gift up a little bit, frowning at the lack of reaction. Even a vampire would be neutralized by now.

Bella narrowed her eyes playfully, her face coming closer to Kate's as she whispered in a taunting voice. "Aren't you supposed to be doing something?"

Blind rage made Kate turn her power at its highest potency, and she smiled for a moment before Bella started laughing with delight, trying to shake her hand away from her grasp. "Stop it! It's tingling!"

Kate release Bella's hand with a start, Rosalie immediately appearing next to them. The sisters seemed speechless, and Rosalie growled at the look of wonder on Kate's face. Bella took the opportunity to look straight into Kate's eyes. "You want to help us, don't you, Kate?"

"Of course I do! I don't know why Irina and Tanya seem so neurotic about all this." The vampire blurted, a look of confusion coming upon her face a moment later.

"Kate!" Tanya looked startled while Irina's glare bordered on murderous. The leader turned back to Bella, her face hardened by exasperation. "I believe you tell the truth, Isabella, but you must understand that the relationship between Aro and my coven isn't a good one. We resent the Volturi, and Aro, for a lot of past deeds. I'm finding it hard to convince myself to work on his behalf."

Rosalie and Bella traded a look, and when Rosalie shrugged, Bella turned back to the leader. "Would you prefer Caius?"

Three sets of black eyes glared at her, and despite Rosalie's warning hiss, Bella smiled.

Paul's frown seemed shallow and distracted, like he was trying to act the way he was supposed to. It probably didn't help that Kate kept smirking at him, the others too focused on keeping everything under control to spare even a glance at their direction. All except for two. Jacob kept sending him amused glances, and Bella, after giving Rosalie a kiss on the cheek, approached him with amused eyes.

"Up." She requested, her arms held high in front of him and Paul rolled his eyes before crouching, waiting briefly for her to climb up his back before jogging deeper into the woods. Bella just kept giggling at his ear, making the boy smile unintentionally. He dropped her on the ground unceremoniously once he found a suitable, and far enough, spot. Bella huffed, glaring at him from the ground before standing up. "What was that for, Paulie?"

Paul snorted, his eyes soft despite his tensed posture. "Thanks for getting me out of there."

Bella bumped their shoulders, smiling. "Anytime, bud. Are you okay tho? Are the new vampires messing up with your instincts?"

Paul sighed in annoyance. "It's not that, It's just... We trust the Cullens, you know? And this war seems to be serious business. How are we supposed to just fight side by side with some leeches that we don't even know?" He trembled slightly, his eyes downcast. "Or at least, that's how I'm supposed to be feeling."

Bella frowned, looking at Paul's troubled face while her hand came up to rest on his shoulder. "What do you mean, Paul?"

"I feel like I'm betraying my very nature, Bells. How can I be so comfortable around them? The Cullens I understand, and Esme is a saint. I swear, I would attack my own brothers to defend that woman." Bella smiled a little, and Paul chuckled. "But the new ones? We know absolutely nothing about them, and still we're lounging with them, talking and making plans. Wasn't it supposed to be different? Weren't we supposed to hate their very existence?"

Bella looked down, her mind reeling. "But, like... You don't hate the Cullens, right? Not anymore, at least."

Paul groaned, his sharp features twisting in a grimace. "Of course we don't! And I speak for the whole pack, Bella. We almost consider them family now, but... Honestly, that's because of you."

At Bella's confused expression, Paul knelt to be on her eye level, his hands grasping both of hers. "Do you trust those new leeches, Bells? Be honest."

Bella just offered him a sad smile. "As much as I dare. I really don't know how to feel about them, but my guts tell me to trust them."

Paul sighed once more, somehow disappointed but willing to take her word for it. "We're with you, Bells. Don't forget it, okay?"

Bella nodded, a grateful smile on her lips as she squeezed his hands affectionately. She cleared her throat, trying to look at Paul playfully. "So, how are the puppies?"

Paul immediately smirked, sitting on the ground to tell his best friend about all of the fun he's been having with the younger members of the pack.

Upon arriving at the Cullens manor, Bella and Paul were greeted with Esme's beaming smile and Rosalie's trademark scowl. They grinned at each other, Bella immediately slipping from Paul's back to approach Rosalie. The blonde sniffed casually before groaning. "Ugh, I can't even say that you're stinking. Why in the fuck does that mutt smell like a beach?"

Paul immediately narrowed his eyes at her, taking one step toward her. "Got a problem with me, blondie?"

Bella was ready to intervene, but Rosalie just threw her hands up. "Not at all, dog. There's food over there." She vaguely pointed at the large table that was mounted at the Cullens front yard, Paul's eyes following her motion.

Esme looked at her daughter disapprovingly before turning to the shifter. "That's right, dear. I've been trying to keep your brothers from devouring all of the food before you arrived, so you better make haste."

Paul beamed at Esme, giving her a a quick side hug before sprinting to the table packed with overgrown teenagers. Esme just shook her head fondly before going back into the house. Bella looked at Rosalie, the vampire's face softening. "They want to talk to you about the Denalis extended visit. Everything was fine between them and the shifters, by the way."

Bella nodded, her eyes jumping around the gathering occupants. "Sure thing. It shouldn't be long, for the looks of it."

Rosalie fidgeted a little, immediately drawing Bella's attention. "I was thinking that perhaps we could take a walk after it?" She said in a voice so soft that Bella almost didn't hear.

"Of course, Rose. I really want to get away from this... Crowd." As if in cue, Seth hooted playfully, the other shifter laughing with the Cullens, and even the Denali sisters chuckling tentatively.

Rosalie smiled, taking Bella's hand to walk with her to the center of the reunion.

Bella caught Demetri's gaze through the table, and he offered her a reassuring nod. The conversation around the table slowly died when Bella sat with them, and the girl frowned, suddenly feeling a little nervous. It was short lived, and the teenager scanned the table until she found Jasper's friendly wink, Alice beaming beside him.

Tanya made a humming noise, drawing all eyes to her. "I'm happy to say that my sisters and I found your little group to be quite entertaining, Isabella."

Some of the shifters chuckled, and Bella allowed herself to relax a little. "Call me Bella. That's good to know. Will you be calling the rest of you coven now?"

"Hell yeah! Eleazar is dying to meet you, Bella." Kate blurted once more, her sisters sharing a tired look. Bella only chuckled.

"Carlisle briefed us through the most important parts, but I'm afraid we still don't understand why one of Aro's brothers would be seeking to dispose of him." Tanya said in a serious voice, everyone in the table coming closer to focus on the conversation.

Bella frowned. "I'm sure you're aware of Aro's history with Caius. I don't have any doubts that he is the type of person who would raise in rebellion against his brother, to be able to rule by himself if nothing else."

Tanya nodded, and Irina spoke next, her voice now void from any animosity, only tainted by genuine curiosity. "We understand why Caius would be a suspect, but why not only him? Why is Marcus also a suspect? His mate was Aro's sister, they share some kind of bond."

Everyone watched as Bella and Demetri looked at each other, their eyes communicating in some way. Demetri was the first to turn back to the sisters, his eyes black. Edward gasped. "Aro killed Didyme."

There was silence from the vampires, and even the pack seemed stunned. Carlisle was the first to recover, his curious eyes on Demetri. "Are you sure of this information?"

"I was there." Demetri said in a clipped voice. his eyes moving to Bella.

"Aro told me himself." Bella said, leaning closer to Rosalie.

"Well," Tanya said after some time. "We have a lot of work to do, don't we?" She got up from the table, her sister following. "I'll call Carmen and Eleazar immediately. We need them here and updated."

Carlisle, Sam, and Bella nodded at her, the alpha urging his pack to set up a bonfire. Bella smiled at that, glad to see Sam act like his own age for a change.

Jacob approached Bella once she got up, his eyes apologetic and directed to Rosalie. "It wont take long, I just wanted to check in. Are you guys okay?"

Rosalie frowned, Bella glancing at her before smiling at her first best friend. "We're fine Jake. We're just stepping aside for a moment, but we're not going far."

Jacob looked between them for a moment before taking a step back. "Oh! Sure thing, stinker. Let me know if you need anything." He turned to jog back at his pack members, who were dragging huge logs into the yard once more. "You still own us a sleepover, Bella!" He threw over his shoulder.

Bella laughed at him before turning to her vampire companion, her eyes playful and her hands high. "Up?"

Chapter Text

Bella eyed the familiar, unnaturally flat boulder with a smile on her face. Memories of that night came rushing through her mind, and she had to make a considerable effort to ground herself to the present.

Rosalie stopped near said boulder and Bella carefully slid out of her back. It amazed her how many times she needed to be carried around these days, and she was starting to feel a little guilty. Of course, her supernatural friends felt no discomfort from moving her up and down the forest, but still...

Rosalie sat at the boulder, her eyes scanning the trees. She tsked, making Bella jump a little. "You have that look in your eyes."

"What look?" Bella frowned, positioning herself beside the blonde.

"The look you get whenever you're blaming yourself from being born." Rosalie said casually, her eyes moving to her own nails.

Bella chuckled incredulously. "My God. You're still Rosalie Hale, aren't you?"

Rosalie smiled at her. "Of course. You wouldn't want to spend eternity with someone boring." Bella chuckled loudly, and Rosalie looked at the ground, something tugging at her mind. "Are you really okay with being a vampire?"

Bella frowned at the change of subject briefly before thinking about the question. "Yes. I mean, even before I met you, it seemed right."

"Because of Aro?" Rosalie asked, her voice soft.

Bella shook her head. "Not exactly. It felt good to have a purpose, don't get me wrong, but... I always felt like I didn't belong with the others, you know? I was always the outcast, the poor girl who couldn't live her own life because of her responsibility." Bella smiled to herself, her eyes distant. "To be honest, I've never felt so much at home as I do now. But I want to be a part of it. I want to be able to protect you, and our family. And the pack, of course."

Rosalie nodded, her eyes miles away. At least it wasn't the hard look that the vampire always used to get whenever the topic of Bella's transformation came to the table.

Bella bit her lip, her eyes cautious. "Would you like to do it?"

"Yes" The blonde answered automatically, some degree of shame coming to her face a second later.

Bella scooted closer to her, her hands cupping the vampire's face. "I'm sorry. I know this is a sensitive subject to you."

The blonde shook her head, eyes still downcast. "Not with you. It's your choice, Bella, and even without your background I would give it to you. I would give you the choice."

Bella smiled, the last of her doubts disappearing. She moved closely to press her lips against Rosalie's, her body shuddering at the feeling. The vampire immediately clenched Bella's shirt, deepening the kiss and tugging the human closer to her.

Bella's mind went blank at the first feel of Rosalie's sharp fangs against her bottom lip, the girl hastily moving to the blonde's lap, her hands sinking in Rosalie's soft hair.

Her hands fisted at Rosalie's hair, the vampire gasping in surprised before groaning lightly as Bella's mouth moved from her lips to her jawline, her teeth scraping at the skin there, then moving to her neck, the teenager's hands coming down to slip under Rosalie's white blouse.

Rosalie cupped the girl's face to bring their lips together again, her mind in overdrive as Bella's scent overwhelmed her, the feeling of Bella's lips awakening a strong instinct inside her. The vampire growled lowly, before dipping the girl towards the boulder, her body meeting Bella's fully, both of them gasping at the sensation before devouring each others mouth once more.

Rosalie struggled against her own strength as she pinned Bella's hands at the sides, her cold body trembling from the heat of her actions. She managed to keep herself in check, until her lips moved to Bella's collarbone, the girl producing a small moan, her hips convulsing.

The vampire growled once more, her hands letting go of her human companion's to slip under Bella's shirt, the coldness of them making the girl squirm. Rosalie's hands moved upwards, her lips still kissing the soft skin of Bella's collarbone. The girl squirmed once more, Rosalie's name on her lips, her hands grounded on Rosalie's shoulders. Her cold hands hiked higher, bringing along Bella's shirt, exposing her skin to the chilly breeze.

Bella, it seemed, had grown impatient, and grabbed Rosalie's hands, her eyes never leaving the vampire's, tugging them even higher and leaving them at the soft swell of her breasts, her brown eyes getting darker at the action. Rosalie's lips parted, her hands unconsciously pressing down, her fingers rolling through Bella's hardened nipples.

A specific scent overpowered the vampire then, in tune with Bella's raspy moan at Rosalie's touch. A scent that the vampire had smelled countless times before, but never this powerful. It came directly from Bella, and it sang to the vampire in a way that even a singer couldn't.

Rosalie climbed back to Bella's lips, her mind slipping away from her, her mouth hungry and demanding. She felt Bella's hands scratching at her sides, her legs and lips coming up to meet her body. Her breathing erratic, her heart beating fast in her chest. Rosalie's lips slid down to the girl's throat, her own breath ragged. Her fangs were sharp once more, her eyes as black as the night as the vampire scrapped her sharpened teeth along the humans skin.

They froze, Bella's hand's going limp before clutching at the vampire's blouse. Rosalie leaned away enough to look at the girls face, her eyes black and scared. Bella only stared at her, her hand trying to tug Rosalie closer. The vampire swallowed dryly, her breathing still ragged, but her eyes were now curious.

Bella met her gaze, her body adjusting beneath the blonde's before she spoke, her voice loving and resolute. "Do it."

Chapter Text

Demetri clenched his hand, a shaky breath puffing out of him as he stared at the Swan's door. He was not looking forward to this.

He heard feet scrapping the pavement and turned to see Jacob's concerned face. "You okay, man?"

Jacob's eyes were clouded and dark, his face hard and worried. He looked nothing like the cheery boy that Bella described on her first week at this godforsaken town, and despite Demetri's hesitation with the shifters, his dead heart twisted a little for this kid.

He sighed, shaking his head a little to clear his mind. "I'm not, actually. Are you okay?"

Jacob grimaced. "Not really. Charlie always scared the shit outta me when he got pissed. Must be a Swan thing."

They chuckled dryly, both of them simultaneously eying the door with hesitation. Jacob approached the vampire cautiously before putting a large hand on his shoulder. "You know her better than I do, man. I'll let you decide what we should tell him."

Demetri nodded in appreciation, his mind going back to the Cullen's home. What a fucking mess.

When Rosalie and Bella left the group, everyone silently agreed to give them privacy. The shifters were entertaining enough, and for some time, the vampires were able to laugh and share stories, even when Demetri himself started to grow restless. It wasn't a bad feeling or anything like that, just some excited trepidation, like the one you have before a great fall on a rollercoaster, and he immediately knew that something was up.

Then, three things happened simultaneously. Alice stiffened, her eyes vacant. Edward growled, his eyes black. Leah rushed into the front yard, her body almost convulsing, her voice urgent as she explained that she smelled blood.

Bella's blood.

The chaos was inevitable. All of the Cullens and shifters dashed behind Leah, some of them exploding into a wolf as they went. The scent had got stronger by then, and even the ones who still stood at the front yard were able to smell it.

Demetri looked at Jasper warily, fearing his reaction to the smell, but relaxed at seeing that his eyes were golden and his attention was still solely upon his mate, who gasped when she returned from the vision. Her eyes fell on Demetri, and the man sighed tiredly.
"What has she done, Alice?"

Alice shook her head, her face apologetic. "Rosalie didn't... I-I don't think she-"

"No, not Rosalie." Demetri cut her off, a low growl coming from his chest when he looked at the direction the others went. He spared a quick glance at the Denalis, before turning back to the pair. "Shall we?"

The scene that greeted them was... Troublesome, to say the least. The first thing that Demetri noticed was his sister's limp body, dangling from one of Rosalie's arms, blood oozing from her neck. To his great relief, he also noticed that Bella's heart was still beating, but barely. Rosalie herself looked half crazed, her eyes black, her fangs down. She was crouching over Bella's body, her face blank as her eyes darted between everyone. Her mouth and chin were covered in blood.

Demetri's eye's widened slightly, his body frozen as he took the scene in. "Fuck."

A grunt made him drag his eyes from the pair, fixating on Emmett's pained face, his mate trying to nurse a huge gash on the large man's chest. He also noticed that one of the shifters was holding up a twisted paw, his face gloomy and upset, his grey fur tainted with blood. Paul, probably.

Carlisle was trying to get something through Rosalie, but without luck. Jacob and Sam were looking at Demetri, both of them still in their human form. Demetri sighed and lifted a hand towards Carlisle.

"For the love of God, leave them be." He hadn't meant to sound harsh, but now all eyes were on him. He continued to look at Carlisle. "Rosalie's just trying to protect her. She'll come back to her senses once the change is near its end."

"Change?" Jacob asked, his voice not unkind. "So Rosalie..."

"It's not that simple. I believe Bella triggered it somehow." He scanned the small clearing, his eyes falling upon Tanya. "I think Eleazar will be able to explain things better than I do."

Tanya nodded, but otherwise kept quiet. In fact, the sisters were absolutely silent, staring blankly at their crazed cousin.

Sam sighed, a hand dragging through his face. "We all knew this would happen eventually. I believe we'll be able to keep her away from humans whilst keeping the newborns at bay." He looked at Rosalie, frowning at the lack of recognition behind her obsidian eyes. "I don't think they should be here in the open, tho. Too many ways they can be attacked, even with us here."

At that, and for the tense surprise of everyone, Rosalie hissed at him, clutched Bella's body to herself, and sprinted in the direction of the house. All of them went after her, and all of them were able to hear her bedroom door slamming closed with so much force that the wall cracked.

"She's going to be very stressed and disappointed on herself. Eleazar better be here to explain what happened to her." He turned to Carlisle, who was gaping at the window to Rosalie's room. "We also need blood. Lot's of it."

Carlisle just stared at him for a moment before nodding hastily, his hand going to his pocket to grab his phone.

After that, the remaining Cullens and shifters started to discuss what should be done about her father, and after many hours, it was decided that Jacob and Demetri should handle it. They left the house just as the screams started.

Dsmetri grounded himself, raising a hand to knock at the Swan's front door. Except he knocked too hard, and a chunk of the dark wood fell to the floor. He stared at it.

"Holy shit man, move!" Jacob hissed to the vampire, shoving him from the front of the door just as it flew open, a red faced Charlie stood there with a rifle on his hand.

"What is the meaning of this?" He did a double take upon seeing Jacob. "Jake?! Why in the fuck are you breaking my goddamn door?"

"H-hey, Charlie! We just wanted to talk to you, sorry about the door. I'm a little nervous today." Jacob said in a cheery voice, his face and neck flushed.

Charlie snorted. "No shit, I could hear you two standing at my door like infatuated teenagers." He sniffed, his brown eyes narrowing at Demetri before he nodded stiffly towards the house. "Come inside."

The pair followed Charlie inside, settling themselves on the small dinner table on his kitchen. He sat as well, his eyes dark and his mustache twitching. "So, what have you done to my daughter?"

Demetri parted his lips, Jacob looking just as stunned. The vampire cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, we haven't met before. I'm Demetri, Bella is a dear friend of mine." He offered his hand, and Charlie eyed it suspiciously before grunting and shaking it.

He looked between the two of them, his expression contemplative, clouded with resigned suspicion. "You seem older, Jake."

Jacob just looked at him, his lips pressed tightly. His voice was raspy when he spoke. "I have a lot of responsibilities now."

It was cryptic enough, but Charlie only furrowed his browns in a painfully familiar frown. "Aren't you cold?"

For the first time, Demetri noticed Charlie's clothes. He wore a thick, navy blue jacket even inside the house, paired with warm looking pants. Demetri then looked at Jacob's bare chest and sighed inwardly.

"Charlie..."

"Save it for now." Charlie cut him of, his eyes turning to Demetri. "What happened to her? I swear I'll try and be understanding but you need to tell me what is going on. I know I wasn't always there for her, but I think I deserve this much."

Demetri and Jacob glanced at each other, before the vampire turned his attention back to Charlie. "You wont be seeing Bella for a while."

Charlie's mustache twisted again, his fingers drumming against the table. "Why?"

"Things are much more complicated than most people think, Chief Swan. I'm sure you can understand what I'm saying, as you've lived in this town your whole life." Demetri said, looking straight into his brown eyes. Oh, how he wished Bella was there for this conversation.

Charlie nodded, his lips twisting. "Like how I'm sure that you're not related to the Cullens, yet you still have their eyes?" He then turned to Jacob, his face hard. "Or how I noticed some of the kids on the Reservation are always running around with minimal clothes even when there's snow on the ground?"

Demetri looked at Jacob, who sighed before getting up. "Let's go to the Rez. My father will explain things to you."

The vampire stood up as well, but Charlie only looked between them before turning to Demetri. "Is she alright? Please, tell me at least that."

The first genuine smile came to his face at that, and Charlie relaxed slightly. "She'll be fine."

The atmosphere at the Cullen's was restless, to say the least. Jasper had excused himself, Alice dragging him far into the woods to put as much distance as possible between him and the painful transformation happening upstairs. Demetri was greeted by Paul's supernatural form, his prone body directly in front of the entrance. His ears were flat against his skull, one of his paws wrapped up in thick bandages.

Demetri approached him slowly, his shoulders slumped. He dropped himself beside the wolf, a long sigh coming from him. The wolf's ears perked up a little, but he didn't look at the vampire. Demetri frowned.

"What's wrong, Lassie?"

The wolf only huffed what was maybe supposed to be a dry chuckle. His eyes remained fixated at one of the windows.

"He's fighting against his own instincts. A human was bitten by a vampire, and even if he understands the situation, the years of instinct drilled into his wolf do not." Edward appeared, leaning against the entrance, also looking at Rosalie's window. "Some of they can't change back to their human forms for now. They're all around."

Demetri nodded absently, by now used to the mind reader antics. That reminded him. "What is Rosalie thinking?"

Edward shook his head. "I can't hear her. I'm a little offended actually, since Jasper didn't seem to have any trouble sensing their emotions." He smiled in a way that indicated that he was joking, and Demetri offered a small grin.

"Don't take it personally, Eddie. I'm sure she's just protecting what she thinks its more important."

Paul huffed again, his eyes closed. His tail swished around, the only indication that he wasn't sleeping.

Demetri turned back to Edward. "What is she feeling, then?"

Edward grimaced, another agonizing scream reaching them. "Bella's in pain, of course. Rosalie only feel protective. Worried. At least that's what I've gathered from Jasper before he left."

Paul whined quietly as another scream shook the walls, and Demetri found himself resting a hand on the wolf's shoulder. "It's okay, Lassie. It won't last for long. Can you hear how erratic her heart is now?" Paul finally turned his eyes to him, and nodded his huge head slowly. Demetri smiled. "That means that we're only half a day away from relief. It will grow faster, stronger, and when it stops.... Well, that's when the real transformation begins."

Paul didn't look exactly comforted by the information, but relaxed slightly at the sound of Demetri's voice. Edward suppressed a smile at the shifter's thoughts, grounding himself before turning to Demetri. "You don't seem too worried about all this."

Another scream. Demetri flinched, his eyes vacant. "It was bound to happen sooner rather than later."

"I can't think of anything that would compel Rosalie to do such a thing abruptly like this." Edward shook his head, his eyes wandering around the woods.

Paul snorted, and Demetri grinned. "Oh, I can think of something."

Before Edward could reply, three familiar figures emerged from the woods. Tanya looked apologetic, her eyes unexpectedly polite as she looked at Demetri. "Sorry to interrupt, but... Eleazar is right behind us. Carmen will arrive in a few days, she's wrapping up some things back in Alaska."

Demetri stood up, his smile tight. "Thank you, Tanya. We are really grateful for your help."

They stood awkwardly in the front yard, sometimes glancing at one another, while Paul looked on in confusion. Eventually, a tall, dark skinned man joined them, his face pulled in a grimace just as another scream came from Rosalie's room.

"My, you weren't kidding." He looked from Tanya to Demetri, offering his hand. "Nice to see you, Demetri, although I must say that your eyes are making me a bit uncomfortable."

Demetri chuckled, shaking his hand. "It comes with the territory. Literally." Eleazar laughed, and they turned to the other two, pausing before greeting Edward.

Paul was standing by now, his teeth exposed and his hackles raised at the new vampire. Eleazar looked puzzled, but Edward only shook his head and motioned for him to be still. After some time, the wolf huffed, going back to the entrance to assume his previous position.

Eleazar had his brows up. "Well. Seems like we have a lot to talk about."

Chapter Text

Another painful scream. The human's face contorted in agony, her hands blindly clutching at the bed sheets. Face flushed, skin damp with sweat. She barely seemed human now, actually. Her body was popping and snapping at odd angles, her eyes, barely opened, filled with fear and pain as something attacked her. Something inside her.

Rosalie watched on with muted amazement, her hands sometime grabbing at Bella's restless limbs, her voice sometimes muttering empty promises. Rosalie's very soul felt complete, and that fact utterly scared her.

She wasn't as out of herself as Demetri implied, but she felt grateful that he did. She wasn't sure about how she could explain her own actions to her family, much less if she needed to. Bella was her mate. She did what she had to.

More screaming. Bella's heart was almost jumping out of its ribcage by now, and Rosalie closed her eyes before taking one of her mate's hand, her lips brushing Bella's knuckles as the vampire whimpered quietly. Guilt or no guilt, she still felt terrible about her mate's pain.

So she just sat there. Hours passed, some agonizing fits went by, until Bella's heart neared it's limit. Rosalie stirred at that, her cold hand going to Bella's chest, her eyes on Bella's face. Bella's brown eyes were slightly opened, fixated on the vampire. There was some recognition on them, and Rosalie smiled at that, her hand brushing some of Bella's hair away from her damp face. "You'll be fine, love. It's almost over." It was a lie, and Bella knew it, for her lips went upwards minimally before her eyes closed once more.

Finally, Bella's heart sputtered, stuttered, and stoped. Everything was silent, the whole house went still. Some miles away, Rosalie heard a warning howl, and some part of her shattered at that. Her eyes flooded with tears that would never fall, and she released a shaky breath.

A small twitch from Bella's body got her attention, and at once Rosalie remembered the reason why she was there. Some of her instincts came back at full force, and Rosalie stared lovingly at Bella's face. Like one might look upon a carefully crafted piece of art, excited and yet apprehensive.

She smilled at her own smell coursing through Bella's body, her chest rumbling with satisfaction at her own success. She eyed Bella's face, more peaceful now than for the past 10 hours. Her skin was flushed, her hair damp with sweat, but there was no mistaking it. She was dead.

Rosalie took a deep breath, her head dropping against the headboard, her eyes at the ceiling. She could hear her family talking downstairs, could hear Eleazar's excited voice ringing through the walls. She could also sense someone just outside her door, and she checked her instincts before speaking to them.

"Come in, Esme."

Her mother opened the door and came in, a bundle of fresh clothes on her hands. She looked at Bella's limp body before turning to Rosalie with a smile. "I brought some clean clothes to both of you. I know this is special but you look like someone who fled a crime scene, sweetheart."

She pointed at Rosalie's chest, and the blonde dropped her chin to look at the large patch of blood etched on her neck and down to her blouse. She looked at Esme with her mouth half opened, trying to form some excuse to her state, even though she knew it would be ridiculous.

Esme chuckled, dismissing her muted concerns with a wave of her hand. "Oh it's quite alright. You should step aside and let me take care of her, though. I think you could use a bath."

Rosalie's body stiffened at the idea of leaving Bella behind, some part of her screaming in protest at the thought. She swallowed, walking stiffly to the door, but pausing just before her hand reached the handle. A moment passed before she angled her eyes towards her mother, who was already in the process of dabbing at Bella's face with a wet cloth. "Esme, I..."

"You don't own me an explanation, Rose. Go get yourself cleaned." Esme's voice was kind, her eyes set on her task. Rosalie just sighed and got out of the room.

Immediately upon exiting one of the guest rooms, Rosalie was stopped by her supposed twin. She lifted her lips in a surprised sneer, and Jasper lifted his hands, a grin on his face. Rosalie huffed, her amber eyes annoyed. "What is it?"

Jasper's grin went wider. "I just wanted to be the first of the family to congratulate you, sister. That's all." He smiled at her, and Rosalie spared him a small smile before grimacing.

"Where's Demetri?" She asked with some trepidation, before fully hissing at said vampire, who just appeared beside Jasper.

Demetri chuckled, his eyes black but his expression casual. "Chill out, girl. I'm a little anxious too, you know?"

Rosalie just stared at him, trying to gather her thoughts, only twitching when Jasper cleared his throat. "Well, I'll leave you two alone. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything." He directed that last part to both of them, walking down the corridor at a human pace before disappearing downstairs.

Demetri was the first to speak, his voice measured and kind. "Before anything else, I wanted to also offer my congratulations to you, Rosalie. Even the oldest vampire has some difficult stopping himself when taking human blood, but, ah..." He winked at her. "She's your mate, I bet you would starve yourself to death before draining her."

"Well..." Rosalie's voice broke, and she cleared her throat while straightening herself. "We don't have to worry about anyone draining her now."

"Thank God for that!" He laughed at that, his eyes full with joy, and Rosalie just stared at him, a little stunned. "I just hope you're not beating yourself up for doing it, Rosalie. I was bound to happen anyway, and I'm glad you're the one who did it."

"You're not..." Rosalie stared at the ground, shifting from one foot to another. "You're not upset."

"Rose, look at me." She did, and Demetri was smiling kindly at her. "Bella may not be my mate, but she's important to me. I know she's in good hands, and I know that she wanted this. The timing might be a little odd, but..." He smirked at this, his eyes on Rosalie's bedroom door. "Bella always get what she wants, when she wants it."

Rosalie smiled a little, and Demetri patted her shoulder. "You should hunt. Or just use one of Carlisle's blood bags. Your eyes are already getting red anyway." He left at that, and Rosalie frowned before searching for the nearest mirror, wich happened to be the one inside her room.

Esme was finished with her task of cleaning Bella, but Rosalie payed little attention to her. She stared at Bella for a while, that same instinct making her chest swell with pride, before remembering why she entered the room in the first place and walking to her vanity.

True to Demetri's word, her previous golden eyes were now tainted with large specs of red, which seemed to be getting bigger. Rosalie stared dumbfounded at her own reflection, not sure of how she felt about this change, even if it was temporary.

Esme approached her, chuckling quietly at Rosalie's expression. "Oh, yes. I remembered Carlisle telling me that this would happen. There wasn't much left on me or Emmett to cause that change on him, but Edward had the privilege of seeing Carlisle with red eyes."

Rosalie chuckled as well, her mind conjuring images of Carlisle's kind face sporting menacing looking eyes. Rosalie snorted. "That's fucking creepy." Esme tsked at her language, and Rosalie turned back to the mirror. "Do you know how long it'll take to go back to normal?"

Esme hummed. "I guess if you start hunting animals immediately, a few weeks, give or take. Maybe a month."

Rosalie's slightly shocked expression turned to Esme, and the older vampire shrugged. "Human blood it's stronger than animal blood Rose, we all know that. But it allow us to maintain our familial bonds and all that."

Now it was Rosalie's turn tho tsk. "The Denali sister lived together for years while still consuming human blood. I get the morality of it all, but you now my opinion about that social aspect, Esme."

Esme seemed to consider that, leaning against Rosalie's vanity. "That's true, but the Denali sister share a bond. Not as strong as the mating bond, but strong enough. I suspect it's the same kind of bond that Bella shares with her brother." Esme looked at Bella at that, and Rosalie followed her eyes, noticing some minimal changes on her mate's body. She considere Esme's words, thinking back on her recent encounter with the Volturi. "That would explain a lot."

"Anyway, we won't know anything for sure untill she wakes up." Esme patted Rosalie's arm, her smile still in place. Rosalie sighed, now completely in control of herself, and took a moment to appreciate the presence of this amazing woman, who chose to raise and support a whole bunch of problematic, powerful teenagers and did so with a heart full of love. Rosalie took one of Esme's hands, giving a reassuring squeeze before smiling at her. "I will. Thank you, mother."

Esme beamed at her, ushering her to the door before gently pushing her out. Rosalie smiled once more, her feet automatically carrying her to the front door as her mind wandered.

The sight of a grey wolf staying in the middle of the yard made Rosalie pause. The wolf was in a sitting position, his dark eyes stuck on her face, but the small patch of disturbed dirt indicated that the wolf was probably pacing in circles before her arrival. Rosalie sighed, one hand coming up to rub her temples, and the wolf twitched forward, as if expecting to be called by her. Rosalie suppressed a smile. "She's fine, Paul. I promise."

The wolf only tapped his paws on the ground, his huge body almost vibrating. Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Come on, lets go hunt. Race you." She took of immediately, almost instantly hearing the sound of heavy footsteps behind her. Rosalie grinned a little to her self, satisfied to be able to distract the wolf.

The hunt was smooth and quick, Paul chosing to be a silent companion untill Rosalie tracked a small elk to stalk. At that point, the wolf disappearing into the woods, only returning with a small rabbit just as Rosalie was about to sink her teeth in her elk.

He stopped at a respectful distance, his dark eyes curious as he observed how a vampire fed. The rabbit waggled away from his paws, darting away from his claws and the wolf huffed, Rosalie giggling at the scene. "So much for a apex predator."

The wolf growled, and Rosalie only laughed more fully, her red eyes glinting in the night. Paul relaxed once more, his wolf form dropping against the soft ground. Rosalie decided to finish her hunt while her spirits were high, quickly draining the elk while Paul only looked on, his furry face unreadable.

Rosalie wiped her mouth with a hand before looking at the boy, her eyes still as red as blood. "Are you uncomfortable with this?" She gestured at the dead animal, and Paul shook his huge head at her.

"Are you uncomfortable about my eyes?" Paul hesitated a little, but shook his head once more, his paws digging into the soft ground.

Rosalie scoffed, her red eyes rolling at the night sky. "This is ridiculous. You can't even answer me properly."

The blonde looked at the sky, her body ablaze with the sudden need to go back to Bella, her mind running wild with the implications of Bella's transformation. Suddenly, there was a soft brush against her leg, and Rosalie immediately jumped at the lack of fur behind the contact. She jerked her head around to stare at Paul's amused face staring back at her, his shoulders bumping her's. "Relax, Barbie. And thank you for inviting me, by the way. I guess I needed it."

Rosalie worked to get through her initial surprise, forcing her eyes to a nearby tree. "What is going on with you mutts anyway? Demetri said that some of you are stuck on your dog personas."

Paul barked a laugh, his hands coming behind back to support his weight. "That's true. I wasn't able to come back till like, two minutes ago. That reminds me, are you okay with some of the wolves being near the house?"

He looked at her expectantly, and Rosalie tried to resist the emotional backlash. Paul was a peculiar individual, not at all similar to the angered teenager that she met some time ago. She sniffed, her eyes still at the sky. "Your kind is already all around the property, I don't see the point."

Paul huffed in frustration. "Yes, but we want to be closer to her. And we don't want to impose, like, if Bella was my imprint, I wouldn't want anyone pissin on my territory, you know?"

Rosalie suppressed a smile. "I never imagined that a bunch of dogs would care so much about me. Of course you can stay close to her, just... Not in the room."

The wolf nodded once. "Roger that. Jake thinks that it'll help the pups, but, you know..." He shrugged. "We care about you, Rosalie. And the big guy, and the one with a bunch of scars. And the doctor. And Esme, Gods, that woman is a saint..."

"Okay, I get it!" Rosalie snapped, her lips tugging upwards at Paul's rambling. She noticed that the wolf was trembling excitedly, his face alight with joy. "Tell you what," He looked at her, his expression eager and expectant. "I want you to be there when Bella open her eyes. I'll call you when the time comes."

Paul smiled softly at her, bumping their shoulders once more. "I'd like that. Thank you, Rosalie.". They spent some time looking at the woods, both of them comfortable with each others presence. "You should apologize to the big one, though. Nastiest cut I ever seen in a leech, to be honest."

Rosalie sighed. "I know. It'll be three long days."

Chapter Text

At first, Bella thought that something was wrong. There was only silence, heavy and charged with apprehension. She couldn't hear any night birds or crickets, only... Some heavy thumping. A lot of them, actually. Still, she could tell that it was night time. She could smell it, along with a hundred other smells, and at that she shot from the bed and blinked her eyes repeatedly once she felt a wall. Something was falling on her... Drywall! That's what it is. She frowned at the cracked wall, then at the scowling face of Rosalie Hale. She wasn't scowling entirely, there was a subtle tug at the end of her lips, and Bella's eyes stuck.

Bella always thought that Rosalie was the most beautiful woman in existence, and it was only intensified when she accepted the bond. But right now? Bella felt like she would faint.

Rosalie's skin, once pale like the rest of her family, was now creamy white, a light dust of freckles on her cheeks that Bella had never noticed. She watched as the smile fully bloomed on the blonde's face the longer her eyes stood on her, and Bella smiled herself before looking into Rosalie's eyes, where she was struck dumb once more.

"Your eyes are red." Bella blurted a little accusingly, immediately frowning at the sound of her voice.

Rosalie lifted a eyebrow. "Right back at you, Swan."

Bella stared at her blankly, some piece of it missing on her head. She crossed her arms, like so many times before when she paused to think of something, when it dawned on her. She couldn't feel her own heartbeat.

"Holy shit..." she stared back at the cracked wall, a suspiciously human looking shape etched on it.

"Took you a while." Rosalie chuckled behind her. "Welcome back, Bella."

The blonde yelped when Bella pounced on her, arms squeezing with unforgiving newborn strength. "You sound so beautiful!"

Rosalie felt her ribs cracking, but only tried to squeeze Bella back as hard as she could, taking a deep breath of her mate's scent. "You're such an idiot."

Bella chuckled before lifting Rosalie's face and kissing her deeply. Every touch seemed different now, and Rosalie's lack of restraint sent a chill all over Bella's spine. Soon the blonde was straddling her on the bed, her teeth grazing the skin of Bella's neck, when they both heard a deep groan coming from downstairs.

"Oh Goddess, please, no..." That sounded like Jacob. There was some other people chuckling, and Rosalie glared at their direction before turning her confused eyes at Bella's deep and menacing growl.

Silence once more. And then, Carlisle's patronizing voice. "Son, it's not wise to antagonize Bella right now. She can and will most likely hurt you." Jacob grumbled something under his breath, and Carlisle proceeded, now directing his voice to the pair. "Rosalie, Bella should feed before uh... Anything, really."

Rosalie stared at Bella's blank face. "You're thirsty, right?"

Bella only shrugged, and Rosalie chuckled while shaking her head in disbelief. "Can't you be normal in any way? Gods." She stood from the bed, rolling her eyes at Bella's pout. "You can't hunt yet, it's your first hunt and your instincts might lead you to the town. I'll bring some blood bags, I feel like you'll behead someone if you go downstairs."

"Sure." Bella sat on the bed and crossed her arms, her face gloomy. "Then I suppose I'll have to show my charming self to the rest of the family before having some peace with my mate."

Rosalie smiled at the world. "Exactly." She left at that, leaving Bella with a pout to stare trough the window at the quiet night. Everything seemed so much, every sound so damn loud. She could hear the others talking amongst themselves downstairs, could smell every individual scent. The sound of large paws thumping on the ground made her frown, and she turned to look at a familiar wolf staring at her from outside. She smiled at him, and he barked once, so loudly that her smile immediately turned into a scowl. She heard Rosalie entering the room and approaching her. She paused to look at the wolf before handing Bella something. "Yes, your strays are eager to see you. So hurry up."

Bella eyed the bag on her hand dubiously, some annoying itch on her throat growing strong the longer she looked. She swallowed dryly. "Do I just... Rip it open?"

Rosalie looked astonished. "I'm surprised you didn't already. Can't you smell it?"

She could. It was sweet and inviting, if not a little stale. Her throat burned a little, but she ignored it. "Well, yeah. But, you know... It's your room, I don't want to make a mess."

Rosalie stared at her in awe before chuckling, moving to hug Bella's arm. "Just slice it with your fang. And hurry up, I want to show you off."

That got Bella's attention, and the newborn proceeded to bit into the bag and drain it's contents almost instantly. Her black eyes moved to Rosalie then, and the blond smirked before handing her another bag. After a few minutes, Bella took a deep breath, her eyes a bright red. Rosalie smiled at her. "Better?"

"Yes, actually." Bella replied honestly, the sounds around her suddenly bearable, the scents a lot less intrusive. "Is tastes amazing, but a little weird."

"Ah, I think that's because it's in a bag. The real thing is much better, although I only have your blood to compare." Rosalie took one of her hands and tugged her at a human pace to the door. "Just take it easy for now, you'll break the house."

But Bella was still grinning at Rosalie's statement. "Oooh, that's right! Do I taste good?"

"I'll let you know." Rosalie purred at her, tugging her downstairs and Bella was instantly grateful for the impossibility of blushing.

Immediately upon arriving to the living room, a hard fist punched Bella's arm so hard that the sound of a crack filled the air. Rosalie hissed, Bella snarled to the offender and all of the vampires stood up in alarm. Bella looked at Demetri's displeased face with murderous annoyance.

"What was the bright idea, Pain? Do you know how worried we all were? Four fucking days. I've been waiting in this damned house for four days. And if that wasn't enough, there's still the fucking newborn mess just outside our door-"

Demetri stopped abruptly when Bella punched him back, making him stagger a little with a grunt. Her face was hard and she spoke through clenched teeth. "What about my father?"

Demetri huffed, his hand rubbing his sore arm. "He's fine, at the Rez. Billy explained things to him, and he knows about the wolves. He doesn't know about us, I figured you would want to take care of it whenever you could." He grunted once more when Bella hugged him, and he chuckled while hugging her back.

"Thank you, brother. I will." She released him to look at the rest of the living room occupants. The Cullens were all smiling at her, the shifters were grinning, and the Denalis were just staring around the room. Carlisle was the first to approach her, and although she stiffened, Rosalie's hand on her shoulder kept her in place.

Carlisle's smile was as kind as ever. "Good to see you awake at last, Bella. Immortality suits you." He offered her hand, and Bella took it, relaxing with his familiar smell.

"Thanks Carlisle. What am I wearing, by the way?" She looked around the room and spotted Esme's beaming face.

She approached her husband, still maintaining some distance from Bella. "Those are Rosalie's. You needed clean clothes, and you two are roughly the same size." Her smile somehow grew when Bella pulled her to give a side hug.

"Can we please approach you? I wanna bear hug you!" Emmett whined from across the room, and Bella proceeded to greet all the other Cullens, only nodding politely at the Denalis. She felt somewhat uncomfortable around them at the moment, and although she couldn't understand why, she also couldn't particularly care. The next ones to approach her were Sam and Jacob, both of them still grinning.

Bella grimaced a little, remembering all the complaints from the vampires about the smell of her shifter friends in the beginning, and took a experimental whiff from the pair. She immediately smiled at them, jumping into Jacob's open arms and nearly sending him through another wall. He only smelled like he did before, only a little more pronounced. Sam smelled strangely like spring flowers, but Bella suspected that had something to do with his imprint.

"Now, can you please go outside so Jared and Paul can see that you're alive, err... Alive enough, so they can change back?" Jacob said, his voice sheepish at the end. Bella frowned, her face worried.

"What do you mean, change back?" She looked at the everyone's worried expression. "You're telling me that they're like that since I was bitten?"

"We're telling you exactly that." Sam told her seriously. "Not even my command was able to make them change back. I even instructed Jacob to try it, but with no luck. I guess they're just extremely worried."

Bella was already opening the front door by the end of the sentence, some inner part of her hesitating upon seeing the two wolves. Paul looked straight into her red eyes, and her body stiffened. Suddenly, he trotted in place a few times before sprinting in her direction, his speed blinding but his face so goofy that Bella almost didn't catch him.

Almost. Her arms went up on their own, encircling the wolf's body but barely squeezing. As if her new body already knew Paul's good heart. Maybe it did.

Jared joined them, and the trio roughhoused for a few minutes. Everything was so exciting to Bella, she almost felt like she was in a dream. They were holding back, she knew it, and yet it was so much more then it ever was. She knew that a particular paw on her back would have shattered her spine if she was still human. She also apologized profusely when she squeezes Jared's neck a little too hard and he almost passed out. They were all scolded by Esme's motherly voice, and while the boys went into the woods to try and change back, Esme tsked at Bella. Rosalie didn't gave her a chance to speak tho, bursting through the front door to gape at Bella.

"Look at you! Look at your clothes! I can't believe you're gonna be worst than Emmett!" The blood said, her voice perplexed as she pinched at Bella's ripped blouse. Bella looked at her sheepishly, her face turning into a grin as the boys ran past her to go into the house. Esme cleared her throat.

"Bella, there's another Denali waiting to meet you. Eleazar, remember? Demetri implied that he should be here to explain a few things once you were awake." Bella groaned, and Rosalie lightly smacked her arm. "Also, Sam would like to formally explain the treaty to you, as he did to your brother."

Bella sighed. "I can talk to Sam right now, but can't this whole thing with my awesome gift wait? I really need to be, like, not near everyone for a while."

Rosalie halfway nodded, and Esme smiled knowingly before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, dear. There are a few things that need to be explained to you, and I'm sure you have some questions. Eleazar is already on his way back."

As is turned out, there was a lot of fucking formalities involving newborn vampires. Bella would officially be a part of the Olympic Coven, with Rosalie as her sire and mate. No one had spoken to Aro yet, and that made Bella a little nervous. To the other kings, Bella was Demetri's supposed mate, but her brother outright refused to keep that up. Bella was honestly relieved.

Eleazar was a curious guy, extremely smart, if a little scatterbrained. He appeared to be intrigued by Bella, and she found herself eager to let the man get a reading on her. He looked beyond himself after holding her hands for a few minutes.

"I've... Never seen this before." He said after a moment, his expression clouded. "I believe Aro once found a boy like you, but that was before my time, and he was a transgressor."

Emmett inclined towards him with barely masked impatience, but it was Edward who voiced it. "And what is it?"

"I believe Aro called him a underminer. He could recreate authoritative bonds to undermine the real leaders." Eleazar chuckled. "Frankly, I'm glad she's on our side."

Jasper frowned. "What does that entails?"

"Well, with some training, I believe she can undermine the authority of a coven's leader and convince said coven to follow her instead." Jasper gaped at her, but Eleazar only shrugged. "As it is now, she only has some upper hand when it comes to dealing with authorities."

"That explains why she was so sassy with Carlisle." Multiple eyes went to Emmet, and the large vampire frowned. "What? She was!"

Demetri looked proud during that particular meeting, like he had something to do with her gift. Bella tried her best to focus on Carlisle's conversation, but it was proven difficult with Rosalie pressed against her side on the couch, her finger absently tracing patterns on Bella's arm and looking rather smug.

Bella was growling restless by the end, her eyes wandering around the room as they continued to discuss her gift. "What about her shield?" Edward asked, to which Eleazar replied: "Merely a side effect."

Carlisle smiled as he catched Bella's unfocused eyes. "Ah, we're boring the newborn. Don't worry, Bella, we've all been through that." He smiled kindly at her. "Feel free to roam around our territory, but please take someone with you."

Once more, Bella was by the front door before he even finished talking, dragging Rosalie behind her by the hand. "Okay, thanks Papa C." Carlisle laughed loudly at the nickname, and Bella grinned before going outside.

Rosalie paused at the front yard, her hand releasing Bella's, who looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What do you smell from here?"

Bella frowned, looking at the other side, taking a deep breath. "You. The forest...Salty water." she looked at Rosalie once more. "Why?"

"Nothing." Rosalie smirked at her. "Catch me." She took of at what was once a blinding speed, but now Bella was able to trace every single movement of Rosalie's body, and the newborn went after her, mind reeling at her own speed. She approached Rosalie quickly, and the blonde laughed before putting a burst of speed that rattled at Bella's instincts. They chased each other for what felt like hours, Bella's eyes zeroed on the blond, and suddenly the landscape changed.

Bella stopped to frown at the snowy ground beneath her feet, her head inclined as she muttered to herself. "Where the fuck are we?"

"Alaska." Rosalie was suddenly at her ear, and Bella jumped a little before chuckling in disbelief.

"Really? Damn!" Bella looked at her surroundings. "Why?"

Rosalie fisted her hand on Bella's shirt, bringing her closer. "No humans nearby." Her eyes were darkening by now, and her smell was starting to overpower Bella's senses.

"That's smart." Bella mumbled, her chest vibrating when Rosalie started to run her fingers through a particular patch of skin on her neck. Rosalie chuckled lightly.

"You're purring. It's a little unnerving... You never did that as a human." Rosalie said, her voice low and soft.

Bella hummed, her eyes closing at the sensation. "I also never drank blood when I was a human, it's funny where you chose to draw the line." She chuckled when Rosalie smacked her, her other hand still at her neck. "But seriously, what is this?" Bella asked, referring at the sensation on her neck.

"It's your bite mark." Rosalie absently said while looking at said mark. "Yours seem to be rather sensitive."

Bella frowned slightly. "What about yours?"

"Not really." Rosalie dragged her eyes away from Bella's scar to her face, her eyes back and her voice low. "Maybe you should give me a new one."

Chapter Text

Since the beginning of her teenage years, Bella had been fed with a lot of expectations when it came to being a vampire. She used to daydream about the strength, the ability to spend entire days thinking without the need to sleep. She used to think about how well she would be able to serve Aro's cause, a gifted human turned into a powerfull vampire. Her king's sword hand. Her brother's equal.

Of course, Bella was also familiar with the concept of love and desire. Not from her human part, and perhaps that was the reason behind her eagerness to be a vampire. Demetri's love and comprehension, paired with Aro's unwavering trust, made teenage Bella so full and happy that when it came down to chosing between human and vampire, she chose the latter.

The same with desire. She wasn't imune to the immortal charm, much as she pretended to be. She had crossed many beautiful vampires in her pursuit for justice, and most of them had tried to seduce the girl to their side. And some of them almost succeeded.

When Bella first met Rosalie, a new concept was presented to the girl; lust.
To want someone so badly that you can feel it in your bones, that their very presence floods your mind and consumes your will. Bella wasn't imune to a vampire's charm, no. But that seemed like something else.

She was familiar with the concept of mating. Demetri had gloated about it, his voice always a little envious. He talked about souls united by destiny, about a need so strong that even the most powerful vampire would crumble in its absence. About a love so pure and strong, that many chose not to live with its loss. A terrifying thing, no doubt, and also seemingly impossible in Bella's young mind.

But, honestly, right now, staring at Rosalie's obsidian eyes, feeling the tight grip of her hand on her shirt, the blonde's body slowly coming into contact with her own...She knew that no one could ever prepare her for that.

She could feel something different inside her, something demanding. She felt Rosalie's lips on her own, eager and searching, and it was like her entire being was grounded to that place. Like everything in the world would be right.

She kissed back with her whole heart, something inside her expanding at the feeling of Rosalie's hands sliding under her shirt, the sensation spreading through her skin like a wild fire, only to concentrate at full force on that same point of touch. She arched her back from the tree she was pushed in as Rosalie's lips travelled to her jaw, her neck, her collarbone. All the while her hand hiked up and up, revealing Bella's midsection with each agonizing touch.

It felt like a bliss, pure and unbridled, the way Rosalie kissed the tender skin of her scar, the way her fingers traced a burning patch on her chest. It was almost too much, and Bella took a deep breath to ground herself before reaching out and pulling the blonde closer to her, her mouth tasting Rosalie's skin for the second time, her newborn strength ripping the side of Rosalie's blouse in her eagerness to touch.

Bella gently, with great effort, took hold of Rosalie's hands, switching positions with her and pressing her against the tree. Rosalie didn't protest, her eyes filled with adoration and desire as she watched Bella taking her in. The newborn looked her up and down, her fingers playing with the edge of Rosalie's red blouse, untill the newborn got to her knees and looked at her, the question clear between them. At Rosalie's tiny nod of acceptance, Bella hiked her blouse up, immediately moving to kiss the exposed skin.

That, in fact, was total bliss. The sweet taste of Rosalie's skin, her lilac smell mixed with something new, something just as natural. The sound of Rosalie's voice at the contact, her ragged breath combined with the feeling of her hands gripping Bella's shoulders.

Bella worked hard on taking off Rosalie's blouse, and it payed off when it came down without any further damage, revealing a mouthwatering set of full breasts, no other barrier protecting them. Bella exhaled heavily at the sight, her eyes stuck at it, so much that she felt Rosalie's touch on her jaw, and blinked a few times before looking up.

Rosalie's face seemed almost shy. Almost. She seemed relaxed, a half smile on her face. "Bella..?"

The newborn shook herself from her stupor, moving her lips back to Rosalie's abdomen before sliding them up, up... She kissed every inch of exposed skin, taking Rosalie's panting as a good sign. When her face reached Rosalie's breasts, her hands came up, sliding through the blonde's sides as the newborn pressed her harder against the tree. Her right hand went even higher, Bella's index finger coming into contact with one of Rosalie's erect nipples.

The blonde trembled beneath Bella's hands, her whole body shivering as Rosalie moaned lowly. That only empowered Bella, who felt bold enough to wrap her lips around the other nipple, sucking at it lightly before using her tongue to freely lap at it. Rosalie was squirming by now, her body sliding down the tree, her hand fisted on Bella's hair.

Bella smiled on Rosalie's skin, one of her hands coming down to the blonde's tight, spreading her legs so she could fit between them. She continued to kiss on Rosalie's breasts, only pausing to go back to her mate's lips while her hand cupped the blond through her jeans.

Rosalie groaned, looking at her through her lashes, her hip coming up to grind against Bella's hand. They kissed once more, hard and desperate, Rosalie's hands coming down to unbutton her jeans, the other guiding Bella's hand to her core.

Both of them moaned at the sensation, their lips still locked. Bella shivered at the tactile feeling, the surprising warmth emanating from Rosalie. The slick wetness that welcomed her, combined with the languid thrusts of Rosalie's hips seemed to intoxicate Bella, and the newborn grabbed one of the blonde's breasts with her hand, while the other slowly teased Rosalie's hardened clit. Her mate threw her head back, her black eyes closed while she panted, her hands clutching Bella's hair.

Acting in pure instincts, Bella pressed Rosalie roughly against the bark of the tree, two of her fingers sliding inside the blonde while the newborn kissed her neck, and Rosalie moaned loudly before moving her hips against Bella's fingers, clutching the newborn even closer to her.

They both could feel it building, some unknown force pushing both of them against each other. Bella was sliding her fingers in and out of Rosalie, their movements falling into a rhythm until the newborn could feel a gentle pressure against her fingers. Rosalie continued to ride her hand, her eyes on Bella's until the very end, when suddenly the blonde gripped Bella's shoulders so hard that the newborn's skin cracked, Rosalie's moan guttural and relieved, her whole body trembling on Bella's hand. Bella gasped at the liberating feeling, her forehead resting against Rosalie's as her mate rode the rest of it.

There was a moment of total stillness, before Rosalie grabbed Bella's chin and kissed her with all the passion she felt, right before Bella's clothes met the same end as Rosalie's. The whole experience of Rosalie's lips in her skin, of her tongue exploring every inch of Bella's skin... Bella could feel her body grinding hard against the rocky ground, and yet, she wasn't uncomfortable. Every exploring touch of Rosalie's lips, every scratch of her fingernails, felt almost divine.

Nothing ever felt as fulfilling as Rosalie's desperation. Nothing ever felt as warm as Rosalie's love, seeping through her lips to land directly at Bella's midsection, her tongue making a painfully slow descent through Bella's body. And when it finally reached Bella's clit, the newborn cried in extasy, her whole body quivering in and on itself just at the feeling of Rosalie's tongue against her center. Bella could barely mind her own strength, her hands opting to clutch at the ground beneath her, turning the stones into ash in her pleasure as the blonde entered her with two fingers.

Rosalie looked directly at her during Bella's orgasm, her mouth unforgiving, her digits pumping, and her face filled with adoration. At the last moment, Bella mustered enough strength to pull Rosalie's face towards her own, her fangs entering the skin of Rosalie's neck, and both of them moaned loudly, simultaneously feeling the high of Bella's orgasm and simultaneously pausing to catch their uneeded breath from the strong emotions.

Bella panted for a while, her mind only now registering the sweet taste on her tongue, her eyes widening a little at Rosalie's frozen and naked body atop her own. The newborn stirred, worried about her mate. "Rose?" She shook the blonde's shoulders, frowning at the mumbled answer. "Are you okay?"

The blonde chuckled, her arms tightening around Bella. "Oh my God, Swan."

There was a pleasant pressure on Bella's chest now, something so new and euphoric that she could barely understand. So she just tightened her hold on Rosalie, prompting the blonde to giggle once more. They were quiet for some time, both of them just adjusting to this new feeling of fullness as they embraced. Rosalie angled her head towards Bella's face, her brows furrowing instantly. "There's... Blood on your mouth."

Bella had guessed that already, looking confused at the blonde. "Was that not supposed to happen?"

Rosalie shrugged. "I guess it's just another mating thing that my dear brothers never cared to share."

Bella chuckled, her hand caressing the blonde's shoulder. "Did it hurt?"

Her mate rested on her hands to fully look at Bella, her red eyes shining beautifully in the early morning light. "No. It felt right. I could feel you..."

"I felt the same." Bella said, her fingers tracing Rosalie's lips, making the blonde smile. "I guess I understand now why mated vampires are so suspiciously scarred around the neck."

Rosalie chuckled. "They're not so bad, not like changing marks.'' She lifted her hand, showing her left wrist to the newborn, a though, marred scar on it. "That's where Carlisle bit me. It's just like the one on your neck"

Bella hummed, grabbing her wrist and rotating it to inspect the mark. "Well, the one I gave you now looks a lot like this one."

"What? Really?" The blonde's hand shot to her neck, her fingers feeling the skin of the bite mark and her lips quirking upwards. "I guess I'm fine with that."

Bella sighed happily, her red eyes looking at the morning sky. "We don't have to go back right now, do we?"

She smiled as she felt her mate's lips sliding across her chest, the only response from the blonde being a muttered "Hell no."

Chapter Text

Rosalie's black eyes were tracking his movements with precision, her body tensed and ready to intervene as usual. She had half a mind to pay attention to Alice as well, but knew that she couldn't fight her own instincts and also be mindful of her sister. She bit back a growl when Jasper's fist punched a crack on Bella's tight, but couldn't stop her own mouth from snapping at the pair.

"Okay, enough! I'm sure you'll be at it again tomorrow, like the dead brains you are," There was laughing all around them, and the sparring pair tried to suppress a smile. "So why don't we all just take a break right now? Alice is about to explode."

The three of them looked at the small vampire and, sure enough, her eyes were pitch black, her body shaking with barely suppressed urge to interrupt their sparring and punch Bella's face in. Bella had the nerve to look sheepish, smiling apologetic at her friend. "Sorry, Ally."

Alice just continued to stare at her, until Jasper approached her and tugged her towards the house. She spared one tiny smile at Bella, who chuckled, before following her mate inside. Rosalie sighed, her eyes tracing the small patch of destruction left by their little session.

She somehow envied the privacy that her sibblings had with each other. Ever since that night in Alaska, there was absolutely no room in Bella's routine for anything other then training. And that had been a month ago.

Everybody seemed interested in providing their knowledge with one thing or another. Being a newborn, Bella had a lot to learn, even if she was a genius.

As it was, she usually spent her mornings with Esme, learning how to appear human. Something that was surprisingly difficult to the newborn, who often stood still for hours during meetings or whenever she locked herself inside her mind. Edward originally offered to be the one to teach her about that, but Bella insistent that he had zero social skills, and the boy sulked for two days as if to prove her point.

Carlisle was the one assisting her with her (almost nonexistent) bloodlust. Rosalie still remembers Bella's second feeding session, right after they returned from Alaska. Everybody stared in awe as the newborn sorted through all the blood bags available, apologizing profusely to Esme when she accidentally sliced one as she was inspecting it. Her eyes were black, her voice was strained, but the fact that she didn't threw herself at the blood and licked it from the floor was incredible. She was already moving to test her control with multiple humans at a distance, but was still not allowed into Quileute territory.

Jasper and Demetri were eager to begin Bella's combat training, and the newborn agreed with the same energy. Unfortunately, Demetri's bond with the girl seemed to make it difficult for him to give his best, and he often hesitated in important moments, allowing Bella to get an advantage on him with minimal efforts. Jasper and Bella were having none of it, so it was decided that Demetri would only watch their session and offer technical knowledge when he could.

The thing was, Jasper and Bella were maybe a little too agressive with each other. They knew how to work the other to a frenzy without any words, and their sessions were growing more violent by the day. Hell, they were even biting each other now. And it unfortunately seemed to be working.

Bella was a eager student, and wasn't afraid of hurting herself, or him. Her fast mind allowed her to keep up with whatever Jasper threw at her, and she came unscathed from most of her sparring with the other members of her family. She was loosing to the Denalis, tho. Especially to the sisters.

Rosalie sighed once more, feeling her body finally relaxing as Bella gave her a kiss on the cheek before rushing to the house to clean herself. The blonde, and Alice, were always on the verge of loosing it during these nights. The instinct to defend their mates from physical harm was very difficult to resist.

She eyed the gathered group of shifters sprawled across the yard, twisting her nose in false distaste when Paul smiled broadly at her. The wolves would often come and watch Bella's training sessions, sometimes even placing bets amongst themselves.

Demetri bumped their shoulders as a way of greeting, his eyes also on the shifters. "How are you in this lovely night, Hale?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes but smiled. "Still sour about being left aside for their training?"

"Nah." He rolled his shoulders, his expression serene. "I couldn't hurt that fucking pain in the ass if my life depended on it."

"I know how you feel." He nodded solemnly, his eyes still wandering. "About her being a pain in the ass." Rosalie clarified, and Demetri barked a laugh so suddenly that one of the younger Quileutes shifted right away. The others looked at him in confusion, which only made him laugh even more.

"Sorry, he's Bella's brother." Rosalie said as a way of explanation, and most of them nodded as if they understood. Demetri made an indignant noise at that, clearing his throat and turning to look at her.

"Aro is probably going to call later this evening." He said in a more serious voice, making Rosalie frown.

"Are you afraid of his reaction?" She asked, also turning to face him.

"I fear his motivation." He said in a low voice, making sure that only the two of them would hear it. "I've known that man for all of my life, Rosalie. I never questioned his actions, I always stood unaffected by his cruelty, but Bella..."

"I understand." Rosalie said in a equally low voice, not liking his frantic tone. "You're wondering the reason why he spared her in the first place."

"Don't get me wrong." He said, looking straight into her eyes. "Bella was exceptional as a human, now even more so. But I know my king. He saw something in her, something beyond her mind, beyond capabilities. And now shes a vampire. She's ten times the wonder she was in his eyes, unburned by mortality, loyal to his cause." He stopped and looked towards the shifters once more, his voice even quieter. "I'm not sure I can follow everything blindly anymore, Rosalie. I'm not sure I'm willing to put good people in danger for a cause that I don't fully understand."

Rosalie kept quiet, her mind spinning at his rambling. "I'm guessing you're not sure if Bella's on the same boat as you."

Demetri sighed. "She's a newborn. I'm worried about whatever bullshit he'll sprout on her young mind. But... I'll be with her, one way or another. I just hope she makes the right decisions."

They remained quiet for a while, staring at the animated group of teenagers talking and laughing amongst themselves. Paul and Jacob were the only ones to frown at the pair, exchanging a look before turning back to their group.

After sometime, Bella came back to the yard with fresh clothes and two of the Denali sister with her. Rosalie resisted the urge to scowl at Kate's proximity to her mate, only relaxing when Bella came to her side and rested one arm on the blonde's shoulders. She also didn't like Kate's reaction at that.

"What were you talking about with my mate, loser?" Bella said with fake animosity, her bright red eyes staring down her brother.

"We were making plans to steal a car and ride into the sunset when you're asleep." Demetri said with a nosey voice, his chin high. Bella punched him in the shoulder and the two of them started bickering and trading punches while Rosalie looked on with a content smile.

Tanya interrupted her with a gentle hand on her shoulder, smiling at her before looking at the ''siblings'' as well. "They have a way to grow on us, don't they?"

Rosalie's eyes widened a little. "Are you okay with Demetri's presence now?"

"We talked!" Demetri said before Tanya could respond, grunting when Bella jumped on her back and ordered him to take her to the 'shifters delegation'.

"He's not the same man." Tanya said after they left, her eyes tracking their movements. "I don't know what is it with Bella, but she managed to change one of the coldest killer's of my time into a goofy older brother."

"That's Bella, I guess." Rosalie shrugged, not sure of what to say or what the point was.

"What I am trying to say, is that we will fight for her, whatever the fight is about. Even if it's Aro's fight."

"Thank you, Tanya." Rosalie said, frowning as all the shifters sprinted to the woods and Bella came back with Demetri. "What's that about?"

Bella smiled. "Well, everyone wants to be here for Aro's call, so I figured they could as well make a bonfire and a proper meeting of the whole thing. I'm sure whatever he says, we'll have to discuss."

Rosalie tried to not appear too smitten as she lifted a hand to caress Bella's cheek. "Aren't you smart?"

Apparently she failed, for Tanya chuckled quietly. "Well, Irina's out hunting, so I'm going to find her in inform her of our plans. Demetri, would you like to come along?" She directed the last part at him, who was making a nauseated face at the pair.

"Uh, sure thing, Tanya. Lead the way." They both sprinted towards the woods, Bella's eyes narrowing at their retracting figures.

"What was that all about?" Bella asked, a suspicious expression on her face. Rosalie chuckled before sitting on one of the benches.

"Either they wanted to give us some space, or we're missing something." She said, laughing as Bella sat beside her with a incredulous face.

"I swear, it's like you're inside my mind some times!" The newborn said, instantly scowling at Rosalie's grimace.

"God, no. I don't think I can stand being in there, thank you very much." The blonde said, smiling when Bella gently slapped her shoulder before resting her head at the same spot. "How are you feeling?"

Bella sighed, rubbing her face on Rosalie's shoulder. "I don't know. I feel like I should be overwhelmed, you know? So many things are happening at the same time. It's like my brain isn't supposed to keep up with everything, and yet it does."

Rosalie nodded, weaving her fingers through her mate's hair. "It'll get easy with time. Your perception is still linked to your human body, so the lack of limit will be strange for a while. But," She smiled, placing a kiss on the newborns head, her still heart suddenly almost bursting with affection. "You're doing great. I'm really proud of you."

Bella, in one of her newborn strength spurs, squeezed Rosalie against her on the bench and kissed her with all the passion of the past month, turning the blonde against her and pulling her to her lap. Rosalie almost lost herself at the feeling of Bella's mouth on her neck, but stopped the newborn as she felt her hand inside her shirt. "Listen."

Bella's black eyes found her own, and rolled at the sound of teenage ruckus approaching them. Bella sighed, giving Rosalie one last kiss before getting up and adjusting her clothes. "I'll get you alone eventually, babe."

"I'm counting on that." Rosalie purred just as the shifters entered the front yard, Tanya, Irina and Demetri right behind them. The wolves were as excited as ever, and Bella spared Rosalie one last smile before going straight to her brother and pushing him towards the tree line. Rosalie smiled, really happy to not be in the man's skin.

Soon, the Cullens, and Kate, emerged from the house with all sorts of food for the shifters, as usual. The bonfire was starting to sparkle when Alice approached her, her tiny head resting in the same spot were Bella's was. "I'm sorry about wanting to rip your mate apart sometimes."

"I'm sorry as well, for the same reason." Rosalie said, and they both chuckled as they watched everyone bringing makeshift seats closer to the growing fire. They laughed as Carlisle said, once more, that he needed to buy some more outdoor furniture for their meetings, always being politely dismissed by the Quileutes.

Bella came back with Demetri shortly after, making Alice shot from Rosalie's side straight to the newborn, who accepted the hug and apologies with a broad smile. Soon she was back at Rosalie's side, shortly joined by Paul and Jacob, who were still somehow in awe by Bella's mere existence, much to Rosalie's muted annoyance. Rosalie rolled her eyes inwardly, her smile too eager to be contained. They were already like puppies when she was human, after all.

Everyone seemed to be comfortable by the time when a phone vibrated on Demetri's pocket, silencing all conversation instantly. Bella approached him immediately, her eyes serious as she extended her hand. The yard was eerily quiet as Demetri deposited the still vibrating phone on her hand, which Bella answered without hesitation.

There was silence, and the occasional shuffling noise. It seemed like Aro was alone, as usual, in the woods. "Isabella?" His voice didn't sound worried or wary, just curious at the lack of immediate greetings.

"Yeah, I'm here." Bella said, and there was more silence. She looked down, ignoring the staring eyes. "How are you, old man?"

Just silence, not even a breath from the line. Rosalie briefly glanced at Demetri before moving her eyes back to her mate.

A sigh. More shuffling. "When did it happened?"

"A month ago." Bella answered, again, without hesitation. "Rosalie did it. She's my mate."

"Did you agree to it?" Aro asked, his voice showing no emotion.

"I asked her to."

Silence again. "Why?"

Bella only chuckled. Why indeed. The yard occupants exchanged knowing looks, all of them still as quiet as they could.

"I assume that your sire's family is taking care of you and teaching you about our ways?" Aro said with a strange voice, like he was holding on the pretense of a caring leader.

"Their ways, yes. I'm fine. Any news on the Seattle spree?" Bella seemed oddly impatient, and Aro seemed to notice that.

"Now, there's no need to be nervous, my child. It's good to hear you voice, even if it is your new one. Still sounds like you." Aro sighed more happily this time. "Congratulations on your new life, and on the discovery of your mate. I only wish you would've told me sooner, yong one."

Bella sighed with relief, her face relaxing a little. "Thank you, old man. How are things on the other side?"

"Oh, the same, really. The urge to gut me it's growing stronger, if I'm being honest. It's a good thing that you didn't allowed me to send the twins away. They seem to keep most of the... Inquiring at bay. So, thank you again, young one. Will the Denali fight by your side?"

Bella exchanged a brief, strange look with Tanya for a moment. Sam joined Bella's side, giving her a pointed look as well. Bella seemed to hesitate at that, her eyes dragging to Carlisle's reassuring smile. She sighed, feeling the weight of Tanya's and Sam's hands on her shoulder. "Yes, they will fight. The shifters as well."

They all heard Aro's childlike giggle, his voice sounded excited. "That's great news! The shifters will be an amazing surprise factor, yes they will! Speaking of, is Eleazar there? Did he get a reading on your gift?"

"Yes, and yes." Bella's voice also sound excited, but something was wrong. Not as if she was faking it, but something misplaced. Odd.

"And? Don't keep an old man waiting, Bella." Aro chuckled, sounding completely relaxed now.

"Turns out... I'm a shield! Just like you though." Bella said in a casual voice. "I'm a really good fighter too, Jasper's almost retiring."

Aro chuckled, saying something about him being always right, but Rosalie was more focused on Bella's lie. All of them were, actually, and some of the wolves were beginning to grow restless about the prospect.

Bella talked to Aro for a little while, before he instructed her to head to Seattle with a scouting team as soon as she was able to. And if she wasn't able to go with them within 2 months, to send them anyway.

As Bella ended the call, she walked slowly towards Demetri, handing him the phone, before walking towards Rosalie and sitting beside her. Everyone was looking at her, of course, but Bella didn't seem to notice as she stared at her own hands. Rosalie instantly wrapped one arm around the newborn. "I guess you all have questions."

Rosalie looked at the assembled group, trying to assert their expressions. All of them seemed only confuse, except for Demetri, who seemed almost proud. When nobody spoke for a whole minute, Rosalie turned to her mate, taking note of her calm expression. "Why did you lie to him, love?"

Bella's lips quirked at the word, her eyes still on her hands. "I didn't think it was fair to give him everything."

"Why not?" Edward asked before Carlisle could, his expression only curious.

Bella looked at him, a strange glint in her eyes. "Because he's not giving us everything."

Paul and Jacob grinned at that, Jasper openly chuckled while Demetri approached the newborn to give her a side hug. Even the Denalis were smiling, and Tanya spoke next. "So, what are we supposed to do?"

Bella was still smiling as she sat down once more, her hand absently moving to take Rosalie's. "We need more information. We should mount groups of vampires with at least one shifter and send them around Port Angeles and Seattle."

They were all with their business face on, and Rosalie resisted the urge to chuckle. Sam stepped forward. "Jacob and Paul can assist you with it. I wish I could give more right now, but with Collin..." Sam sighed, and Carlisle nodded in agreement. "He's too young. I'll have the boys with me guarding the Rez, and Leah will be our direct channel." He then turned to the female shifter, a confused expression on her face. "You okay with that, Leah?"

"Uh... Sure, man. I've got you back." Leah directed the last part at Bella, who gave the girl a thumbs up.

"I know I'm not able to go away right now, so it's up to you, guys." Bella said, looking between the Cullens and Denalis. The vampires started to discuss amongst themselves and Bella leaned against Rosalie, heaving a heavy sigh. "I wish I could sleep."

Chapter Text

"How the fuck did that happened?!" Jacob growled as he applied pressure to Paul's major wound, his eyes dark with rage. "Just call Carlisle! We need to move him!"

Jasper shoved his phone on his pocket and approached the pair of shifters. "Already did. He doesn't look that bad, maybe he'll heal before we even get to the house." He said while examining Paul's injuries, his eyes pitch black. Jacob opened his mouth to reply, but both of them froze at the sound of Bella's cold voice.

"What. Happened." Both of them looked up to see the newborn perched on a tree, Jasper particularly uncomfortable with the fact that he wasn't able to sense her untill then. Paul just continued to grunt with pain, but his tremblings were now lighter. Jacob was the first to recover.

"Our group was compromised, so we decided to head back. Two of those weirdos were waiting for us at the city's limits," Bella's neutral mask twitched at that, and Jacob rushed to explain. "We took care of them, quickly enough to hear sounds of battle when we came closer to our territory. Edward and Emmett wanted to check on your dad, so we're taking care of Paul.

"Jazz, can you please take Paul back to the house?" Bella asked in the same detached voice, and the vampire nodded before hoisting the shifter on his shoulders and sprinting back, leaving only Bella and Jacob on the spot. "What about Tanya?"

Jacob sighed, a hand running through his cropped hair. "She's disposing of our attackers. Everything went to shit as soon as we arrived in Seattle. I'm guessing Paul's group wasn't that lucky either."

A cold, but familiar hand came down his shoulder, and Jacob took a deep breath before allowing some of the tension to leave him. At least, untill he lifted his head to stare at Bella's black, murderous eyes. "What about Rosalie's group?"

The shifter tried to swallow, his mouth suddenly dry. He gaped for a moment at the dangerous vibe coming off his old friend before finding his voice. "I'm assuming they're fine, still at Seattle." He attempted to smile, almost completely sure that it came out as a grimace. "She has the weird sisters, Bells. Don't worry so much."

But the newborn was looking at some point above his shoulder, her perfected face cracking minimally with the same kind of blinding worry that Jacob had seen on Sam's face whenever Emily's life was remotely threatened. So he swallowed his unwelcomed fear and decided to try another approach. "Besides, you know your girl can fight as the devil." He genuinely shuddered with a small grin. "She scares the shit out of me."

At that moment, it occured to him that it probably wasn't a good idea to bad mouth this unstable newborn's mate, but it seemed to do the trick. Bella's face broke into a small smirk. She chuckled a bit, and Jacob smiled, relieved at the sight of his best friend underneath the vampire. They surveyed the area together, pointedly ignoring the scent of Paul's blood. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you weren't supposed to come this close to town."

Bella twisted her nose. "I was restless. And I'm not sure I'm good at following orders anymore." She looked at Jacob's raised brow after a moment, offering only a tight smile. "You should track Paul's attackers, I wouldn't be able to follow their scent without being distracted anyway. I'll stay with Paul."

Jacob frowned, but nodded mutely and only watched as Bella sped through the trees, that same way that Jasper had. Immediately, he allowed his body to shake with a familiar trembling, and shortly after the shifter was sprinting through the woods in his animal form, his enhanced nose almost glued to the ground as he followed that overly sweet smell of aggressive vampires. 'Is anyone there?'

'Just me. The others are at Collin's house, explaining things to his family. I've already informed the Cullens.' Leah's familiar voice spoke in his mind, sounding bored before catching up with Jacob's thread. 'Wait. What the hell happened? Is Paul okay?'

Jacob growled outwardly, his trotting evolving to a sprint as he followed their tracks. 'He'll be fine, but maybe you should come with me. We need to know how they were able to cut directly into our territory without passing through the southern woods. I don't know what I'll find at the end of the trail.'

Leah was already gaining on his location by the end of his sentence, her amusement clear through their link. 'Do you remember when this wasn't our territory? When it was just theirs or ours? Cause I sure as hell don't.'

Jacob allowed himself to share his own amusement. 'Yeah, things are different. Never thought I could risk my life to protect a leech, and now here I am, completely fine to put my ass on the line to defend a whole bunch of them.'

They came to a abrupt stop at the edge of a familiar cliff, surrounded with the scents of Paul and human Bella. Jacob sniffed confusedly at the rocky edge, only now noticing the undertones of salty water mingling with the attacker's scent. Leah's wolf form stared at him, her mind weirdly silent. 'They came from the sea.'

Leah's wolf nodded it's big head, huffing a loud breath. 'I guess they're on the offensive now.'

'Jacob! What happened at Seattle?' Sam's authoritative voice came from the link, and both of the shifters flinched at it. Sam's remorse was thick through the link. 'Sorry, guys. Just explain it to me, yes?'

Jacob sighed, eying Seth's wolf form as it emerged from the nearby trees. 'As soon as we got there, the leeches were somehow alerted of our presence.' He paused, briefly glancing at Leah as she caught up to his memories. 'Not in the conventional way, as you can see.'

The three of them were submitted to Jacob's perspective of the evening. Arriving in Seattle with the other vampires, splitting up from Rosalie's group. Smelling the stench of death and old, bloodless bodies pilling up in the street. How they were able to know about their intrusion, but not able to pinpoint their location. How the boy, Riley, barked orders at some of them, making it seem that they were about to be chased.

'But that never happened.' Jacob said, his mind sounding tired. 'We ran back home, and suddenly there was this loud crack in the distance.'

They all watched as Jacob shifted for the first time that day, barely in time to intercept one attack aimed at Emmett. They were able to dispose of the vampires shortly after, Jacob's eyes setting on a cracked Edward, livid about not being able to hear their attackers.

Paul's painful howl, his link severed from Jacob, only now capable to sort his instincts from Paul's. The sprint, vampires and shifter pushing themselves to reach Paul as soon as they could. Paul's bloody form on the ground, one dead vampire beside him. Another trying to crawl away. Another scent in the clearing, but Paul's more important. Edward and Emmett running to Charlie's house, just to be sure. Bella's voice.

'They know where are, who we are.' Sam's voice was faint, but still clear enough for them to hear. 'They're coming for us. This is happening.'

Sam seemed to be at a loss, and so were the other shifters. They traded glances, now more sure than ever about their dark future.

Paul came to himself for what appeared to be the hundredth time in two hours, immediately groaning in pain after jerking from the soft bed he found himself in. A stony hand pressed his chest back to the bed, somehow warm but hard enough to not be human. "Lay down, dickhead. You're burning the meds faster than a vampire on a campfire."

Paul chuckled, immediately regretting the action as his ribs screamed in agony. "I feel like shit."

"You'll be fine." Bella said, sitting herself beside him on the bed. "You almost took down two vampires at the same time on your own. The one who lived had like, one arm attached to himself."

Paul smiled at Bella's grin, shaking his head a bit. "What kind of fucking leech are you? You're supposed to be on their side."

Bella shrugged, her eyes twinkling with amusement but her smile tight. "You'll be fine, that's what matters. And you can keep me company now."

"What's wrong?" Paul frowned, rearranging himself on the bed and trying to hide his grimace. He took note of Bella's disturbed expression, his eyes wandering through the room. "Where's Barbie?"

Bella sighed, tossing a phone on the bed. "Last I was informed, they had disposed of four vampires and were entering one of their warehouses to search for information." She closed her eyes, her strangely warm hand gripping his own. "They came from the sea, the ones who attacked you. They're on the move." Bella's grip would be a little too tight to be comfortable if Paul was a human, but he only squeezed it back. "We were too slow, Paul. I was too selfish, they know where we are and they will come to us."

Paul frowned deeply, his body reacting strongly as he made space for Bella on the bed. "You did what you had to do, Bella. There's no way we would be able to eliminate them a few months ago." Paul looked at her, trying to convey all of the trust he felt. "We have you now to fight with us. And you have the fucking vampire royalty at your disposal. We can do this."

Bella gave him a small smile, her eyes wandering. "Maybe we can. I just know Rosalie will come bearing bad news, and Alice's face isn't helping." She chuckled humorlessly, shaking her head. "I guess I'm just worried."

They spent some time in silent contemplation, untill Bella's eyes narrowed at Paul's ridiculously big grin. "What?"

"Nothing." Paul said, still grinning like a idiot. "It's just super cool that you feel like you can talk about your big girly feelings with me."

"You're a fucking idiot, you know that?" Bella jabbed him painfully on his right shoulder, and he looked at her indignantly. "Remind me to never again allow my brother and my mate to be on the same surveillance group."

"Hopefully it won't come to that anytime soon." Paul said, shifting on the bed and sighing in relief at the lack of unbearable pain. Just then, the pair heard light footsteps approaching the house, sharing a concerned glance.

"I guess we're about to find out." Bella said, hopping off the bed.

Chapter Text

Everything was chaos.

From the voices against her ear, some angry and some desperate, to the dry, empowered smell of the imposing shifters in the room. Her own mind was in disarray, her vampiric capabilities battling against her instincts, trying to make sense of this mess while a physical part of her still twisted and turned, worried about Rosalie's previous situation. And the looming threat against them.

Bella was, to put it crudely, way too fucking young for that. She took a mental breath, aware that a physical one would only make things worse for her, and tried to shield herself from the ongoing commotion in order to think about her options.

Mentally skipping her own scene at Rosalie's return, but somehow still relaxing just by the memory, Bella focused on what the blondes had told them. She closed her eyes, visualizing the scene from mere minutes ago.

Rosalie, and the Denali sisters, appeared in a rough state, but thankfully in one peace. After some amenities, they told the rest of the group about their little mission in Seattle, and how it got sour rather quickly.

"There's at least fifty of them now." Irina said, wincing as she rubbed a large crack on her shoulder. "And that's only the group we ran through. I do think that was the bulk of them, but you never know."

Carlisle was already staring at them with wide eyes, only recovering in time to ask. "How do you know that? That it was the main group, I mean."

"Because that fucking bastard James was with them!" Kate snapped, huffing at Tanya's disapproving look. "Look, we got there, and followed the stench of dead bodies to... Some kind of water treatment station? I don't know. And there were tons of those bastards, with James giving orders to everyone, except he wasn't talking to them. He was talking to the girl."

"James is the failed tracker, right? So the girl is controlling the babies, how the hell did you guys managed to get away from them?" Emmett asked, his usually carefree expression gone in favour of a more concerned one.

Kate shrugged. "That's the thing, I don't know. One moment there were twelve of those fuckers on our back, and then they just... Got sloppy, I guess? They became distracted, and by then we were halfway to Forks. We disposed of them and made our way to the house."

There was silence, and Jacob subtly glanced at Bella, who cleared her throat. "What about you, Tanya? Emmett says your attackers were... Different."

Tanya nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, most of them also became... Sloppy, as Katy said, some time through the fight. But one of them was particularly... Conscious, if you will. He was the only one who seemed worried when their numbers went down."

"That doesn't make sense." Carlisle said, looking at Bella. "If that girl is capable of controlling ones mind, why wouldn't she control all of them? Why leave some of them to their own minds, risking their entire goal?"

"Maybe there's limitations to her power." Said Demetri, who had been silent since their arrival, standing close to Bella. "As its always the case with vampire gifts. I mean, there has to be something, right?"

Bella nodded, frowning. She looked first at Rosalie's distracted face, then at Kate. "Did you notice anyone among your attackers who were behaving remotely different from the others? Anyone who seemed important, but also a newborn?"

Kate huffed once more, gesticulating about the room. "To be honest, no. I was so focused on getting out of there alive, and so damn pissed about being spotted-"

"I did."

Some of the shifters jumped at Rosalie's voice, and Bella looked at her, trying to catch her eyes. "Rose?"

Rosalie released a breath. "The boy, Riley. He's a newborn, but not like the others. James said that he is important, him and a Tyler guy. He called them a 'beacon'."

"How the fuck did you hear that? We were too far to hear anything, that's exactly why I don't know how they caught us." Kate said, her voice edgy until Irina laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know, okay? I just... I felt her. The kid." She looked at Bella, her eyes distraught. "One moment, I was there, trying to conceal myself with Kate and Irina. Next, it's like I'm right beside the girl, hearing every conversation around her while she's still in that... Weird, trance like state." Edward nodded along her words, no doubt confirming everything in her mind.

"Why would she do that? Was that even something that she wanted to do?" Alice asked, her usually messy hair standing even messier as she ran her hand through it.

"Okay, ignoring that very important question, beacons?" Esme asked, pointedly looking between Bella, Jacob and Paul.

Bella perked up, Paul a second later. "That would make sense, right? I know vampire gifts are somewhat rare, but among all those newborns, some of them had to have something, right?"

"That does makes sense." Jacob said, and Edward nodded along.

"Agreed."

Rosalie rolled her eyes, some resemblance of her usual self returning to her. "Hello?"

Paul chuckled, and Bella shifted on the couch, looking at Rosalie with wide, excited eyes. "If that girl's able to take another vampire's mind, and make it submissive enough so she can control it, there's gotta be a limitation, right? She can't control fifty newborns soaking in instincts, especially if she, as a newborn herself, is also struggling against her own instincts."

Rosalie nodded along, her expression turning more and more confused as Bella talked, and Bella groaned in frustration. "Don't you see? If she crosses a gifted vampire, she may not be able to overrule their gifted minds, but she can use it to other ends."

"Like using them to amplify her own ability." Demetri said in wonder, punching Bella's arm with a wide smile. "God dammit, Pain! I knew there was some kind of use to you in all of this."

As Bella scowled and as the rest of the group chuckled, Jasper got up from the couch, his eyes so black that the shifters tensed. "Limitations or not, that doesn't change the fact that they're three times our numbers. And that's just now!" He snapped, attracting the eyes of everyone present. "They know were we are, they're getting bolder. They will come here."

Bella sobered somewhat, looking at Demetri. "Did you pick something else from your position, brother?"

Demetri shook his head. "Nothing beside Kate's account of the events. They were there, concealed by your scent, then suddenly some newborns were giving chase. James seemed rather smug, tho, talking to that red-headed woman. I went after the girls, so I didn't catch anything else. I agree with Jasper, though. We're in some serious disadvantage."

Jasper still looked deeply troubled, his eyes still black. "We have to call them, Bella." He looked at Bella with worried eyes, his voice soft and cold. "We have to call the rest of the Volturi guard willing to help."

"Absolutely not!" Kate's objection came as soon as Jasper finished talking, kick-starting a chaotic discussion that had been going for the past 45 minutes. Everyone was in a screaming match, except for Rosalie, Demetri, the shifters and Bella herself. Jacob, Sam, Leah and Paul moved closer to Bella, Rosalie and Demetri, their expression confused but their bodies relaxed. Sam would occasionally glare at someone from the pack who tensed at the vampires outburst, but everyone in that little bubble kept somewhat quiet and waited for Bella's response.

Bella wasn't stupid, she knew the truth behind Jasper's words even before Demetri's confirmation. She knew what had to be done, but dread the outcomes of it. She turned to Sam and Jacob, her voice raising just enough to be heard by them. "One of you shoul go back to the Rez, guys. I don't think it's safe to leave the boys alone for too long right now."

That was effective on shutting everyone else in the room, and the vampires tried to calm themselves while Sam had a silent conversation with his beta, before nodding at Bella and getting out of the room with a already completely healed Paul. Bella then looked at the room, smiling a little at the feeling of Rosalie's hand on hers. "I also agree with Jasper."

Kate scoffed, and Tanya scowled while Jasper released a deep breath. Bella spoke before anyone else could, her eyes on Tanya. "I know. I value having your coven along to help us with this, Tanya, and I absolutely adore your sisters." Bella pointedly ignored Kate's murderous eyes. "But Jazz is right and you know it. There's too many of them, and ignoring Aro's cause, this is a problem that concerns all of us as a race." The newborns eyes were honest, lacking any trace of young age, and Tanya's scowl melted away slowly. "Whoever's doing this is a fucker who has no qualms in risking exposure to fulfill his goal, and cruel enough to wast human lives while doing this. And his right at our backyard, threatening all of us. Threatening the wolves." Kate was looking down now, Tanya and Irina still looking at Bella with unblinking eyes. "I know your history with them, Tanya, and I'm not a cruel person. But unless you know anyone who would be as effective in combat as them and ready to come here as soon as we call, I don't see any other option. We can't take them, Tanya. We can't."

The silence that followed Bella's speech was only filled with the strong, confident beat of the shifters hearts, alongside their stable breathing. Carlisle was looking at Bella with some king of subdued pride, and Rosalie was only leaning against the newborn, her eyes black and fixated on the sisters, who appeared to be deep in though. After what felt like hours, Tanya shifted on the couch, looking at Kate and Irina, and receiving two equally stiff nods. She turned back at Bella, her eyes sad and her expression blank. Her voice betrayed nothing. "Very well. Call them."

There was a collective sense of relief in the room, and the sisters excused themselves to their designated rooms soon after. Jacob went outside in order to shift and inform the rest of the pack about the evening's decision. Some minor conversation ensued among the rest of them while Bella dialed Aro's number on the balcony of Rosalie's room, Rosalie herself by her self, and also Demetri.

Aro answered the call almost instantly, the light sound of hooting and cricketing suggesting that he was, indeed, outside the castle walls. "Ah, hello, young one. Do you have anything to report, or did you just missed this old man?"

Bella almost smiled. "Yeah, hello, Aro. I do have something to report, and it's not pretty."

All three of them could feel the shift in Aro's mood even through the phone. "I can see that. You almost never call me by my name, young one. What happened?"

Bella then proceeded on conveying every bit of the last day's event to the elder vampire, still omitting everything about her real capabilities. By the end of it, Aro sounded deeply troubled and almost worried, his voice soft and low. "What are your plans, Bella? That sounds like a lot to deal with your numbers."

"Yeah, we think so too. Aro, this is as bad as it gets. It has to be." She glanced at her companions, who gave them identical nods. "We need the Twins here, if that's still at all possible. And as soon as they can, we don't know how long it'll take for them to track us down."

"Of course!" Aro said quickly, his voice excited once more. "Oh, but you'll love the Twins, I assure you. And they've been dying to get themselves inside the action. Yes, they can be there by, say... Tomorrow evening at the latest." Bella sighed in relief, but Aro proceeded, his voice suddenly cold and detached. "And Isabella?"

Bella traded glances with Rosalie and Demetri, swallowing before answering. "Yes, old man?"

Aro chuckled at the nickname before saying. "I want to be informed as soon as you figure out whoever it is who's behind all this. I want to be in your company on my reckoning, understand?"

Her companions seemed as confused as herself, so Bella said: "Yes, Aro. We'll get that fucker. I want to see the end of it."

Aro chuckled once more. "Immortality suits you, Isabella. We'll talk soon."

The Olympic Strike Force (a name created and used solely by Emmett, who had returned to his usual goofy self) decided to always hunt in groups no smaller than four individuals, in which one of them has to be a shifter. And so, Bella, Rosalie, Jacob, Edward and Emmett were speeding through the trees, their spirits reluctantly rising with each sarcastic jab traded between Rosalie and Edward. After selecting and taking down a herd of deer, and sharing theirs scores, Edward complimented Bella's unusual control while hunting, prompting the conversation to take a more serious turn when Emmett also pointed Rosalie's distracted state. Jacob set between them, not at all bothered by their feeding methods, and also looking at Rosalie with concern, something that Bella noted with a affectionate twist of her dead heart.

Rosalie still kept quiet though, and Bella approached her, prompting her to snap out of her thoughts. "What's on your mind, Barbie?"

Rosalie smiled at her, but it was tight and tense. "You can talk to us, Rose." Emmet said, his eyes genuine.

"Something else happened out there, right?" Edward said, his voice smooth and not at all intrusive. Bella felt like hugging him like a proud parent would.

Rosalie snorted. "You're telling me you don't know already?" She asked Edward, her eyes guarded and a little hostile. Edward only shrugged easily.

"I'm not prying. Bella helps it, but... I'm working on it. So, no, I don't know. I only listen to you when you openly choose to share your thoughts, as it should be." Edward said, smashing his messy hair with his hand with a sheepish expression. Bella, by now, felt like smooching his face between her hands.

Rosalie looked a little impressed, but soon she was taking a deep breath, sitting on the forest floor with Bella by her side. She looked directly at her mate, her eyes sad and tired. "I felt her, Bella. I felt her fears, I felt her worries, everything."

After some seconds of silence, Emmett asked. "Who? The girl?"

"Bree, yes." Rosalie said, her eyes still on Bella. "She's so scared, love. She's just a child, and that... Bastard, is doing something to keep her on that state." She then moved to grab Bella's hands, her eyes now desperate and pleading. "It's not her fault, Bella. It isn't fair."

Bella was at a loss, her chest stilled and her voice low. "What do you want me to do, Rose?"

Rosalie looked at all of the members of the circle, everyone now seated with the couple. She only encountered open expressions, even from the shifter, and so she turned back to Bella. "I don't want to hurt her." She squeezed Bella's hands. "Please."

Bella also looked around the circle, pausing on Jacob's wolf face. They looked at each other for a whole minute, before Jacob huffed and bobbed his big head up and down. Edward nodded as well, and Emmett only smiled with uncharacteristic patience. Bella turned back to Rosalie with a small smile, receiving a bright one in return. "We'll do our best."

Chapter Text

Bella watched idly as the first rays of morning spread around the ground, her unnecessary breaths synchronized with the light snores around her. Just to practice, she shifted on the floor, adjusting her position as she would on her previous life.

There was a loud huff, and Bella's red eyes moved to fixated on the large russet wolf, sleeping soundly on her left side. She smiled before turning towards the grey wolf on her right side, just as out as his friend, his head against her leg.

She did her best to keep quiet as she sent Rosalie an update about their position. Same old, nothing's happening, they're not here yet. Her finger paused on Jane's last text, a courtesy warning of the siblings impending arrival.

Bella sighed tiredly. She missed sleep. Everything felt too chaotic, the tension a little too high, and not for the first time she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She still though that calling the twins was the right decision, but things with the Denali's had been... Complicated. And while Kate and Tanya stated time and again that they both trusted Bella's judgement, Bella could still feel their hesitation. They weren't exactly all there, at least not like the Cullens and the Pack were.

Multiple discussions were raised, and after everything was said and done, Bella contacted Aro, informing him of the decision. The king himself sounded enthusiastic enough, and thus the plan was formed; Train as hard as they could, scout the area for any possible threat, and wait for the Twins.

Bella distractedly ran her fingers across the furry head on her right, making the russet's wolf ears twitch lightly. In any way, a deal was a deal, and she had already contacted the twins. The only positive in the situation was the pack's lack of animosity and general curiosity towards the newcomers.

Sounds of faint, rushed footsteps reached her ears, and Bella tensed, the wolf's a moment behind. They both stood, stretching and giving her annoyed glances before assuming their sitting positions beside her, urging her to stand up with their snouts while she chuckled.

Some seconds later, the wolves tensed as two pale figures with dark robes and hooded eyes stood before them. Bella placed a hand on each of her friends, scanning the vampires head to toe. The one on the left, Jane she assumed, had a small body, covered entirely by her robe, and a young face only tainted by the small, wicked smirk on her lips. The boy on the right stood slightly behind her, his body similar, but his face blank. Both of them drew their hoods back at the same time, revealing eyes that were similar in color but wildly different in content. Jane was the first to speak.

"A pleasure to meet you, Isabella. Aro said a great deal about you, and I must say, I'm not disappointed." Jane's voice was soft and juvenile, betraying her young changing age. "Honestly, I didn't expect you to bring such... Interesting body guards with you."

She looked at the wolves at that, and they in turn looked at Bella. Beyond chocked to find no fear or rage in their eyes, Bella offered a quick smile to them before looking back at the twins. Bella smiled a tight lipped smile. "I was sure that Aro would tell you about my roots. They're not my body guards. They're family."

As Jane opened her mouth, the boy stepped forward, lifting his hands when the wolves tensed once more. "My apologies, I mean no harm. It's truly a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Alec, as you may know, Isabella." Isabella nodded, smiling a little. "I've encountered others like your... Family, on my many travels." At that, the two wolves looked at him with curiosity, and he smiled a kind smile. "Yes. They were all very different, but they all shared a single similarity: Hatred for vampires."

Paul's wolf form huffed, coming closer to Bella. Alec's voice, just like his sister's, was very young and shrill, but at the same time, it held some kind of authority and curiosity that Bella had only heard in three others. Alec proceeded, looking at Jacobs curious eyes. "I'll be happy to answer your questions once you feel comfortable enough to be in you human form. We'll be working together, after all."

As Jacob's wolf form stood still, Bella looked back at Jane, her eyes sincere. "It's also a pleasure to meet you two. You may call me Bella, and they are Paul and Jacob." Bella motioned to the wolves, her eyes never leaving Jane. "I'll cut to the chase, we all know why you're here. You should know by now that the Denalis are also with us and that they're not entirely happy with the situation. So I must ask you both to keep from antagonizing them any further, is that clear?"

At that, Jane's smirk vanished, and she looked right back at Bella. "Yes, we understand. I have to admit, Aro and I were pretty impressed that you convinced them to let us in the battle. Only Alec here had faith in you abilities." Jane pointed at her brother, who shuffled a little.

"And why is that? He didn't knew me, right?" Bella asked, her eyebrow raised. Jane produced a disturbingly youth giggle, not unlike Aro sometimes did.

"Oh," She said, looking fondly at her brother. "This one is Demetri's confident. They're often exchanging texts."

Bella smiled, and Paul's wolf huffed. That seemed to lift the tension from the group, and while Jacob went deeper into the woods to shift, Bella texted Rosalie about their arrival. "The Cullen's and some of the pack will be here shortly." Bella said, putting her phone away. "Don't expect the Denalis though." Jane nodded somberly, her eyes downcast. "But you should know that everyone here is loyal to him. And we will fight to protect us."

Jane nodded once more, her eyes on Paul's wolf form. "As you should, Bella. Caius would never take their existence kindly." Her voice was barely above a whisper now. "Alec have always been fond of shifters. If Caius had Aro's gift, we probably wouldn't be here. Caius doesn't take kindly on secrets."

Bella frowned. "So Aro always knew of the existence of shifters? And he's been keeping that from the other kings for how long?"

Jane smiled sadly. "He's not that bad anymore, you know? And a long time, I reckon." Jane paused at the sight of the whole Cullen clan, plus half of the pack on their spot. The only one in human form was Jacob, clothed and on his way to talk to Alec with Demetri. The Cullen's all offered some kind of tight lipped welcome towards the twins, and only Carlisle seemed to greet them with genuine enthusiasm. Rosalie went to Bella's side almost instantly, offering only a nod to Jane, who smirked once more.

"Ah, yes, the newly mated couple. You're one lucky newborn, Bella." Jane smirk shifted into the territory of a smile. "Most of us don't get to meet our mates for several decades, sometimes even centuries." At Rosalie's scowls, the smirk returned. "And congratulations to you as well, Rosalie. Cherish her, keep her from the world. That's what I did with mine." At that, Jane moved to speak with Carlisle and Sam, leaving Rosalie blinking confusedly.

Bella laughed. "Oh man, she's mated already? And here I thought you guys were going to battle in the sunset for me." Bella laughed more, and Rosalie scowled at her before slapping her arm and side-hugging her.

"You know it's not my fault. I just can't stand you being away from me" Rosalie said, holding Bella tightly, only releasing her when she felt Bella's shoulder shaking. "What?" She snapped, making Bella laugh some more.

"It's just so funny to see you out of your league like this." Bella chuckled at Rosalie's glare. "It's just that, you're so perfect that I love to see you lost your shit for a while."

Rosalie chuckled, kissing Bella lightly and holding her once more. "Hm. I am perfect, that much is true."

"Oh for God's sake." They turned at Paul's voice, finding the boy walking towards them with only a cutt off jeans on. "That's nice and all, but can we move to the house to, you know, talk about the impending war that is looming above our heads?" The mated pair glared at him, and he smiled, taking off into the night and shifting before the vampires could get him.

In the house, only Carmen and Eleazar were there to represent the Denali coven. Jane and Alec didn't seem to mind it at all, and everyone set to discuss their course of action. Activity in Seattle seemed to be settled at the moment, but what did that meant? Were they moving to another location? We're they finished raising their ranks?

"We need to get the woman. Victoria." Jane said, cutting off all debate. "Once the battle starts, we need to get rid of her. She has a strong gift."

Jasper nodded to her. "We figured as much, and I agree with you. Our priority is to neutralize the girl and the woman, first and foremost." As everyone in room seemed to agree with him, minus Emmett, Edward, Rosalie, Paul and Jake, Bella raised from the couch to address Jasper.

"The girl is not to be harmed." She glanced at Jane, who strangely nodded her agreement, before turning back to Jasper, who gaped at her.

"Bella! She's the weak point of their whole strategy! We take her down, the newborns will be lost and vulnerable to our attack!" He said, getting up as well. Emmett went to Bella's side, followed by Paul.

"She's a child, Jasper. We're not better than that fucker if we just kill her on sight." Bella said, her eyes black but her voice measured. Jasper glanced at Alice, who nodded, before clenching his jaw and looking back at Bella.

"Fine. Yes, you're right. But it'll be much more difficult with her in action." He leaned against his mate, his handsome face drawn with worry. Bella chuckled, returning to her place beside Rosalie on the couch.

"We didn't said there will be no action. We just don't want anyone to kill her." She said, and although most were curios, everyone decided to trust her once more.

After the brief meeting, everyone scattered around the front yard to exchange information or just vent. Bella watched as Rosalie took in an wild eyed Collin into the house and offered him all kinds of food and videogames. She sighed sadly. That boy was too young to be wrapped up in this.

She managed to catch Sam's eyes while he talked with Jacob, Alec and Demetri, and saw that same sadness on his face.

"Seems like our brothers are deep in their own words." Jane's voice came from her right, and Bella smiled. She eyed the boys idly. "I'm glad Alec seems comfortable here. Most people find us to be... Uncanny."

"Not gonna lie, you are uncanny." Bella said with a smile. "And Alec... Is like Carlisle's speaking through Seth's voice. It's a little weird." Bella chuckled, and Jane smiled a little. But we're all friendly here. We're all our kind of monsters." Bella said, and Jane nodded. "We just want to make the world safer enough that we can all exist without fear."

Jane looked at her before discarding her robe to reveal a plain, grey button up. She placed her robe on the steps and walked back to Bella, her small frame not tensed at all. "I really think our odds have improved dramatically now that we're here, Bella. Alec and I will do our best to protect Aro and our freedom. This, I can promise you."

And Bella nodded, fully believing her as she watched wolves and vampires playing and sparring in the front yard.

Chapter Text

Something wasn't right.

She knew that like she knew her own name. She knew that like she knew that she had to go to the forest all those years ago. She knew that like she knew how to trust Aro and take his hand on that faithful night.

The day started like any other on these past few weeks. With Rosalie in her arms, their eyes directed at the pink and orange sunrise, talking about nothing. Making lighthearted plans.

Their plans were always lighthearted.

Rosalie tride her best, always the pillar supporting Bella's chaos, but still Bella would often glance at her to see wistful tears, that she knew her mate wouldn't allow to fall even if she was still human.

It would simutaniously warm and break Bella's heart to see Alice and Esme's concerned looks directed at the Pack. More often than not she would catch Esme's teary, concerned eyes, before she would look the other way and return whith her usual warmth, too fast for the shifters to see. Bella would often be perplexed. They were supposed to be mortal fucking ennemies, and Alice herself looked like her life would end if any of the shifters even gave her the cold shoulder.

They never did, of course. They all loved Alice.

The Pack itself wasn't doing all that great. With the impending shifting of some young boys and the looming threat of a massive race war on his head, Sam spent many a night inside Carlisle's study, choking around his own words in some kind of attempt to convey how strong he was trying to be for his pack, and how concerned he was about it's wellbeing. The rest of the vampires in the house pretended not to hear, which Sam appreciated, but sometimes he would call Bella and Japer to his ''sessions''.

Jacob was just short of losing his shit about the pack's situation, and about how much weight he would lift off of Sam's shoulder if he were to fullfil his whole as alpha. But he didn't feel ready, and ultimatedly the safety of his brothers and sister outweighted his own paranoia. He, amazingly, found a good friend and confidant in Jasper, who was trying his best to prepare the family and Pack, both physicaly and mentally.

'' I just feel like I should be doing more, you know? I want to protect them. All of them.'' Said Jake in one of their practice-turned-dinner.

''Than protect them. There is nothing on your current position keepin you from it. Do that, and if we all live, you can sort the rest later.'' Jasper answered in that matter-of-fact way that he always did, and that was the end of it.

Jane and Alec were like ghosts lurking around the corners of the house. While Alec had been helping the shifters to figure out their own nature, their ploblems were their own to solve, and so the boy spent his time glued at Demetri or Jasper's side, avoiding the cold glares of the Denalis and just generally being out of place, just like his sister.

Demitri, for his part, seemed like the personification of serious delliberation, and would be often at the shadows of the trees, whispering about his insights with Edward and a distracted looking Alice, who kept searching the future for any changes.

Paul and Emmet were just trying to be their usual goofy selves and cheer everyone up, although Emmet seemed far more optimistic than Paul.

By Sam's insistence, the Cullens and Bella had managed to convince Charlie to spend at least the weekends at the Cullen House. They could all see that he was getting tired of the lack of meaninful answers provided to him, but he trusted Bella as much as any of them, and went straigh to either the Cullen's or the Reservation after work everyday. But still, Bella could feel inside her head that something was wrong.

And Paul Was not helping it by pacing and shifting from paw to paw beside her. Bella was trying to read some lame fantasy book while Rosali and the Denalis were out hunting, trying to forget the odd feeling in her chest, while getting increasingly annoyed by the gigantic wolf beside her. She glanced at him and he huffed, resting on his hind legs and looking straight ahead whith the best ''I'll behave'' face that a wolf could muster. After five more minutes, he shifted, and than shifted again, his claws scrapping against the dirt floor and Bella rolled her eyes. One more small scrape and Bella slammed her book closed, looking up at the grey wolf from her position on the flor with annoyance written all over her face.

''Fine. What the fuck is the matter, Paul?'' Paul twisted his massive head at her, looking at her like a dog might while inquiring why he was being yelled at after tearing down a couch.

''I'm serious. I'm trying to keep my cool here but you're riding on my nerves with all of that scrapin around.'' She told him seriously, and the wolf rolled his eyes before assuming the familiar position that he often did before shifting back to his human form; His back to her, his head down and eyes closed. Bella waited patiently for the tremors to begin, and once they did, she sighed and slumped against the ground. At least she would be abble to talk to Paul e clear her mind a bit.

Excep a whine emerged from the wolf beside her, and Bella suddenly foccused her ears on the escalated beating of his heart, turning in vampire speed to look at him. The wolf looked confused and strained, another whine coming from his throat as he trembled and and pawed the floor. Bella frowned in concern

''Paul, whats wrong?'' she asked, moving to kneel by his side and run a hand through his back. Just as he looked at her, now violently trembling, Edward ran to their side as another whine issued from the shifter. The boy looked extremely disturbed.

''Something's wrong. He can't shift back to his human form.'' She looked at the vampire, panic starting to build in.

''What does it mean? Can you hear the rest os the pack?'' Just as Edward oppened his mouth to reply, Paul's wolf form seemed to twist in its own spine, and the shifter growled and pawed at the floor so ferociously that he soon teared the root of the tree they were just beside.

In a flash, Carlisle, Jasper and Emmete were there, and Pauls wolf growled and bared his teeth at them berofe, suddenly, headbutting the tree as hard as he could. Once, twince, his growls getting louder everytime he looked at Bella, and he kept trying to aparently tear the tree down. The vampires didn't know what to do. All of them didn't want to hurt Paul, bu it was clear that he was getting more and more violent and volatile by the minute.

Just as Bella made the decision to put her best friend to sleep, a sweep of black and purple smoke snuck between their legs and engulfed Paul's massive form. Bella panicked for just a second before the familiar scent of burnt wood reached her nose, and she watched as the wolf relaxed his body, his muscles buckling, all sense of self leaving him. Bella took a deep breath, looking at the other vampires before approaching Paul once more and resting a hand on his back. The wolf didn't as much as twitch.

''Sorry'' Alec said, his eyes concerned. ''Figured he could take a break. He appeared to be in a great deal of pain.'' At that Bella looked sharply at Edward and Jasper. Jasper grimaced under her stare. ''I tried to help him but I don't know whats wrong. I'm sorry, Bella.'' Bella gave him a small smile before turning to Edward, who seemed to be in some king of haze while Emmet rubbed his back. His expression was distunbingly similar to Alice's when she got caught on a vision.

Almost like he had read her thoughts, Jasper glanced at Bella, than at Paul, before speeding towards the house, no doubt to bring her back to the present. Bella glanced back at Edward and got caught in his manic stare, his eyes boring direclty at hers with pure hatred for a second before turning into sheer horror. He moved his mouth once, twice, before finally. ''They're here. She knows about the shifters. We have to go to the trheaty line.''

Before the ''go'' was out of his mouth, Bella was already on her way to the line, her newborn body being faster than any of the Cullens could. She ran and ran, guided by her sense of smell, putting a burst once she sensed that she was almost at the line-

Only to be stopped by a massive weight colliding with her side, her body lurching at the trees and skidding across the floor. She had only a moment before she felt a hard hand gripping her throat and slamming her against the tree, cracks forming on her back at the impact. She looked up to see eyes not unlike her own, except in content. Those eyes were utterly empty and vague and she had only a moment to gasp in shock when the hand squeezed her throat before the vampire was yanked from her by a feral looking Jasper.

''Pay Attention. Theres seven of them'' He spat while easily separating the vampire's head from his body. Did that meant there were six now? Or seven still, excluding the one who pinned her?

''Bella!'' A Voice called, shaking her from her stupor in time to see Rosalie barreling into the fight and taking a newborn with her. Bella sprung to action, running to her mate and helping her to dispatch the vampire. While they were moving to ambush another newborn, another cold body slammed at Rosalie's side, trackling her down and giving the enemy the advantage to pin her to the ground. Bella bared her teeth, yanking the newborn from Rosalie before screaming in pain from the set of sharp teeth that had sunk into her midsection, yanking her away and slamming her to the floor. Bella looked up, dazed from the pain, to see an unfamiliar black and white wolf whith its teeth bared at her. She tried to keep her wits. The wolf was small, smaller than any shifter from the pack.

The pack. She looked around, confusedly glancing at the various wolves around the battlefield who seemed to be on an entirely different war. Sam and most of the pack were twisting and growling and hitting themselves much like Paul did. The rest of the pack was snarling and tearing at the ground while simutanioulsy crawling towards Bella and the Cullens. All except Jacob, who had his russet wolf completely freeze, his panicked eyes jumping from his brothers to the vampires.

The Cullens fought hard, and the black and white wolf continued to bite and slam and almost tear apart every Cullen. They didn't knew what to do, everyone could see that the wolf was a part of the pack.

In one lucky move, Emmet managed to pin the wolf down and hold his jaw shut. The shifter wriggled and gorwled, but to no avail, and soon Bella and the Cullens had reduced the nerborns from seven (eight?) to one.

That one was sneering at them, backing away cautiously. ''You think you can win? We know your little secret now.'' He smirked, jerking his head at the wolves. They were all in different kinds of distress, some os them were bleeding from launching themselvs at trees and rocks in a desperate attempt to stop whatever was going on. The newborn kept going. ''Look at you, all week and frozen by the prospect of loosing those filthy mutts.'' he laughted hoarsly. Suddenly, his red eyes found Bella, and he sneered once more.

''He was right. Your family and whoever aids you do not deserve to share in our spirit-''

''Okay, I'm done with that bullshit.'' It was Emmet, who seized him by the neck. The somber expression so out of place in his youthful face. He started to squeeze, no even bothering to address the other vampire. Said vampire chocked and smirked.

''Better not bring kids to war, people. You never know when they could permanently turn on you.'' He looked at the black and white wolf at that, and Emmet glanced at his family before twisting the newborn's neck from his body.

Everything went still, the only sounds in the forest coming from the wolf now pinned by Edward. Bella looked at the pack, her eyes desperate, before calling out to Alec. He stepped out from behind a tree with Jane at his side, and it was only then that every vampire in the fight noticed that they were there during most of the battle. Jasper narrowed his eyes at them, but Jane only shrugged.

''There wasn't much I could've done without hurting the wolve. I've distracted most of the newborns while Alec tended to the shifters.'' She smirked a little. ''Didn't you think the fight was too easy?''

''He did'' Edward said while he held his hand atop a massive crack on Emmet's shoulder, rolling his eyes at Jasper's scowl.

By now, all of the wolves where in some kind of lazy state of haze, sans Jacob, who was still sitting in the middle of them like a lost puppy. Bella nodded at him before addressing Edward.

''Why is he like that? Can you hear him?''

''I can'' He said, looking at the russet wolf with distressed eyes. ''I think that, because of his lineage, his mind is not so easy to be affected by the girl's gift. It's just a theory, but...'' He looked at Carlisle at that, who seemed to ponder his words. ''In any case, he's not paying too much attention to us at the moment.'' Bella looked at her friend, but Jasper spoke next.

"I'm sorry, but where the fuck are the Denalis? Demetri?'' He asked while looking at Rosalie, running a hand through his hair.

''The sisters made fun of me for being paranoid and continued their hunting. I felt like something was wrong and came back, Demetri must still be with Charli at the Reservation.'' Rosalie said, texting away at her phone. ''I told him to keep guarding him until we figure out what the fuck is going on with the wolves.'' Bella squeezed her mates hand and offered a small smile in gratitude before turning back to Jacob. She took a deep breath before moving to address everyone.

''I'm going to try something and I need everyone's patience, okay?'' At receiving several reluctant nods, Bella walked towards the wolf at a human pace, making as much noise as possible in order to alert him about her proximity. Even then, the wolf only looked at her direction when she was about two paces away from him. She smiled a little, waiting for him to focus his eyes on her before  sitting beside him. She looked at him and sighed.

''Jake, I know that it shouldn't be like this, I know it's not your fault, but you have to fix this, okay?'' She said in a low voice. He directed his misty dark eyes straight at hers, a smal whine coming from him.

''He said he doesn't know how'' Edward said from behind her, and she nodded without taking her eyes off of her friend before resting a hand on his head. She lowered her voice to a tone that only the both of them could hear, even if Edward also could from the shifter's mind.

''I know, Jake. We're kids, we're not supposed to be as fucked up as this.'' Jake closed his eyes, a massive huff coming out of his nose and lifting the corners of Bella's mouth for a moment. ''Yeah, okay, I know you're not a kid. But you shouldn't be responsible for a whole tribe all the same.'' At that his eyes went serious and sad again, and Bella's heart broke a little. She could see a reflection of that same heartbreak on his eyes. Maybe that was the reason why Jacob always got so well with her. In the end, both of them would be thrusted into something they were not prepared to. She clreared her throat, looking at him again.

''I know all that. You shouldn't bare all of this weight. But you have to. You may think you're not able to protect their lives, but you are the only one who can protect their minds. Sam will understand. It has to be this way Jake. I'm sorry.''

They looked at each other for a long time, Bella could feel the vampires behind her staring at them (and at Edward, she imagined), but finally, she could see some resolve in Jacob's eyes. He huffed again, looking at her with eyes that almost said ''Do I really have to?''

Bella just chuckled a little and nodded, getting up from her position to return to the vampires. She briefly made eye contact with Edward, his face sporting a small frown, but an almost unperceptible nod made her smile a little at him in gratitude. He wouldn't say anything about her little chat with Jake, and for that she would be forever grateful to the boy. She took a deep, unnecessary breath upon reaching Rosalie, ignoring her curious eyes in favour of looking at Jacob once again.

''Okay, I don't know how it works, but I figure you will need Sam to be responsive for this, right?'' The wolf nodded his massive head. "Alright, then...'' She looked at Alec, receiving a nod, before turning back to Jacob. ''Are you ready Jake?''

The wolf closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and looking briefly at Alec. Almost at the same time, Sam's massive black wolf twisted his body towards Bella and bared his teeth, growling deeply in his throat. All of the vampires dropped onto deffensive positions, but it wasn't necessary, for as soon as the wolf lunged at them, Jake's russet wolf slammed at his side and pinned him to the ground, baring his teeth at his current alpha.

What insued after that was a long, bloody fight of teeths and calws and growls and whines until finally, bloodied and battared beyond anyone would have though, Sam's black wolf shoved his nose into the dirt in a sign of submission. At some point during the fight, Sam's primal instincts told him that Jacob was, indeed, challenging him for the control of the pack, and things just got messier after that. Jacob's wolf wasn't doing much better, scratched in all places and limping with a mangled hindleg.

But as soon as Sam signaled his defeat, Alec removed his gift from one wolf after another, and all of them where confused and dazed, like someone waking from a bad dream. Sam himself collapsed as soon as he yielded, and Carlisle rushed to his side while Esme and Alice went to aid Jacob, who had already shifted to his human form. Bella herself felt mentally exausted. The fight had been a difficult one to watch, all of them not wanting any of the wolves to get seriously harmed or even accidentally killed, but they all refrained from interfiering. It was Pack business after all, and that was as serious to them nowadays as it was to the wolves.

A loud, insistent whine made the newborn turn her head to where Paul's wolf laid resting, only to find a distressed mixture of wolf and man, right at the moment when Paul shifted back to his human form. The boy hastly pulled on some shorts before running to her side, his face full of anguish. He spared a glance at his pack before turning his frantic eyes back to her.

''Bella, I'm so sorry! I tried my best to fight against it but it was like fight against my own will. I really wanted to hurt you, but not me, you know? Like, it was me, my mind, and my body, but not me, not who I am. It scared the shit out of me and I just wanted to black out and maybe stop myself? But then-''

''Paul!'' Bella snapped, gaining the shifter's attention and offering him a smile. ''It's okay. I know you would never hurt me. In fact, you'r most strong instinct was to hurt yourself.'' Paul still looked like he was about to fall apart, and only seemed to calm himself when Rosalie caught his eyes and smilled a little.

Jasper approached them then, his brows knitted together. ''You said it was like fightin against yourself. I wonder if it was like that to everyone?'' He said, his eyes looking beyond the trees.

''Yup'' Jared breathed, not at all concerned about the fact that he was laying naked on the grass. ''Hurted like a bitch, too.'' He breathed before holding his head and groaning, a deep scratch from his forehead oozing blood onto his arm.

Jasper's eyes cut back to Paul, who nodded his agreement, before turning to Bella. ''We're running out of time.''

Bella was resting her head on her hand, her eyes closed, but she nodded at him. ''I know. I'm sick of this shit.'' She then looked at the others, all of them with simillar concerned and anxious expressions on their faces, except for Jane and Alec, who looked on high alert. She then looked at the battered wolves, at Sam and Jacob panting labored breaths from their injuries. She smiled a little when Jake offered a tired tumbs up at her, before her face setted back at rage.

''Let's get back, tend to the wolves and ourselves. I'll call Aro. We need to end this, one way or another.''

Chapter Text

Power, as a lone concept, is wholly superestimated.

Power itself means nothing. Say, if you meet someone on the street one day, and you both trade amenities, and that person proceeds to tell you all about the good things they did, their family, their job, their sheer happiness from all of those things.

Well, you would be impressed, would you not? You would feel inclined to share your own achievments! Not out of a wish to compete, no, but because that person, talking about those specific things, will make you so, so happy about the things you already have. It's a feeling of shared happiness, of similarity, one that says ''hey, I'm the same as you! I'm happy about my life as well.''

Now, if you where to meet that same person, on that same street, and you would ask about their life, and then they would say: ''Well, I'm powefull.'' Well, what the heck does that even mean? Powefull in what sense? Do you have money? Influence? What does it matter to me, that you're powerfull?

Now, I know that there are people out there who would also take a step forward to know that same person, to get close to them. Either out of kindness or out of greed, yes, I know that. I know all about that. I've known every single one of them.

Types of people, I mean, and quite literally, mind you. And I can tell you, with all of the sureness in the world, that the human kind is lost.

But also, not quite.

You see, in my many years (and I've had many, many years.) I've met the whole spectrum of humanity, from the good to the bad to the very bad and to the almost divine. Humans are tricky like that, you see. You can never tie them together and put them on the same labaled box. Their minds don't work like that, heavens, even our minds don't work like that!

And what else are we, but the sad, stationary stamp of humankind?

I've spent many a night pondering about my own existence, specially in the beggining. There wasn't much to see or do, except hunt and kill and think. In the present, I have almost no memory of my past life, for so long I have been in this strange kind os existence. I remember a kind, round face and deep, lovingly blue eyes. I remember some lessons, the human hunger - so paled in comparison to my current hunger, but somewhat more deep- and I remenber the caryingface of a girl. My Sister.

I have no recollection of my early days, no matter how many nights I spend unmoving at this god forsaken chair, how many hunting trips I spend hunting with my dear friends.

Those who knew me before that, but not before me.

I just remember pain. And I am not being dramatic, mind you. My mind may be flawless, the perfect recepient to store imaculate images and smells and feelings that will never fade... But I am old, and like any old man, when I look down at my past life, I can still surmise every event, every fight, every encounter with just one feeling: Hurt.

Fisrt it was my awakening, and I really think you ought to give me, what was it that she said? A break? Yes, you ough to give me a break. There is nothing like waking up from a hell of fire and pain, finding your whole body stiff and cold and hungry. Hell, I though I was a cursed man, fated to wake from the dead only to bring death to others because, the hunger? It was like no hunger I could ever imagine. It burned through my lungs into my nose and my throat, my limbs becoming stiffer by the hour and my mouth so, so dry. Thats when it dawned on me that it wanst hunger; It was thirst. A thirst so powerful that even an army of men could not keep me from quenching it.

People were slaughtered, small towns where savaged, and still I kept going. I had no sense of myself, so powerfull in body but, at the same time, so powerless in spirit, in mind. I could see my reflection in bodies of water or puddles of rain, my dark, long hair, my young face, and my red, red eyes. I had no control then. Which was frustratng, of course, because the world was supposed to be at my hands. I was fast, faster than any man or beast, and so strong. Stronger than a thousand man, stronger than a landslide.

Stronger than my father.

And yet, none of that mattered. I had no purpose, you see, and the days started to blend together. Hunt, kill, drink, wander, start again.

Until one day, one very faithful and happy day, I met another one like me. He was sitting at the edge of a cliff, his eyes on the horizon. From behind him, I could just see his dark brown hair cascading from his shoulders to his back, and he seemed to be a very big man. He moved his shoulder and chest up and down, like a human would while simply breathing, but he could not fool me. I could smell him, as well as I could smell the rocks and the grass and the salt water underneath him. And when he finally noticed me there, when he turned around to look at me, i could just feel that a purpose was not so out of reach anymore.

The days with him were everything that had been missing in the past few years. Yes, later I learned that I had been wandering in a savage rampant for almost two and a half decades. He was a lover of beauty, Marcus, and thus a lover of the world. We learned how to keep our thirst at bay enought to visit cities, learn how to dominate letters, speak other languages, only in the tiny span os two full years. He said we were conected, me and him. That he could see that somehow, someday,we would be meaningful to each other's existence.

I remember just staring at him, surely the man had lost his mind during whatever hell had fell upon us, but what other choice did I had? Insane or not, he was like me, and so we kept traveling together. But fate and time walk hand in hand, and in one cold night, while coming back from a hunt, I saw a face so oddly familiar that I simply had to know. With a sharp face, in a battared wood bench, there sat my younger sister, eyes as blue and deep as mine once were, looking wistfuly at the dying sun. Her visage had a strong effect on me, for I begun to ponder if I could even greet her in my new existence without placing her in danger. But, alas, a stronger reaction had taken a hold of my dear friend. He looked at my sister like the sun was not setting, but instead being born for the fisrt time, and all the man had ever experienced was darkness.

Now, I always considered myself a good man, up until the point where I had to kill and slaughter, and so on. But at that moment, I felt some kind of unexpected bitterness the likes of which I never felt before. I had just found someone! And now that someone was looking at another one as if his own life depended on her existence. Of course, that never left my head, and when I told him that she was my sister, he hugged my so tightly that...

I could see everything.

I saw him, and how he became what we was. I saw who made him what he was. I saw his past life, so miserable and poor. I saw myself, like a beacon of light, offering him my loyalty, my companionship, and I saw my sister. Didyme looked so devastatingly beautiful and kind and lovingly in his eyes. In that brief hug I saw everything; What he was, what had been, and what he could bee.

How was a man to deny this kind of happiness to his friend, no matter how bitter I felt by the prospect of being alone again?

So time passes, we found a way to make Didyme like us: a simple bite. Just a simple thing, yet it caused the poor thing almost 4 days of hell until she woke up to a new life and, by then, me and Marcus where already experienced enought to take care of her. And the funny thing is that, even when I got to touch her, I could never feel that same awe as I had when I saw her in his mind. It was something more organic, her feelings, like the way a wave repeatedly crashes into a rock until the rock is forever scarred. Soon he had her reciprocrating his feelings, and everything felt right again.

Those were the happiest days of my existence, with my sister and Marcus.

It was sometime after the third year of us three together that my sister met a peculiar young man in the woods. He looked just like one of us, but spoke a strange language. Didyme, the minx she was, convinced us to aid the poor creature - he  looked so exausted, clothes torn, hair filthy, looking worse than a regular slave if not for the heavy rings on his fingers -, and soon we where all learning his speech and trading knowledge.

Demetri was a fine young man, a warrior from afar, and he had some uncanny afinnity towards me. We would talk for hours and days and weeks while my sister and Marcus where enjoying each other. He became a strong pillar for my spirit, and I would certainly remmember his arrival with more happinness if not for the fact that he was the last happy addition to our little group. Marcus at some point told me that he could sense immense loyalty towards me from the boy, and the same thread he had seen connecting us both.

Almost 20 years later, between bouts of feeling happy for my comrades and feeling bitter about life itself, we all came upon another one of our kind. By then, we were already doing numbers in the folk lore, and tales about cold demons who lurked in the shadows, waiting to drain the blood out of a pray where already enough to make us cautious. Some poor man at the other side of the country had been burnt alive for his supposed saddistic killings, and none of us where eager to meet the fate that would fall in whatever transgressor of our kind. That fate came to meet us, however. With fiery red eyes and a sunken complexion, almos as if he was a starving human, and hair as fair as the snow.

Caius.

Caius already had two other poor souls with him, both of which he claimed to have ''rescued'' from the massacre of the city some leagues behind them. Everyone from my group was distrustful of him at the beggining, especially Didyme, but Caius...

He has a way with words.

The two enormous and burly fellows with him were called Felix and Santiago; The latter also spoke some strange language, and was dressed much like Demetri had been on his arrival. Like a slave. Caius greeted us with a sinister looking grin, calling us the ''Volturi'' coven - a name given to us by the current population being hunted and slaughtered by our kind. -.That earned him the muted anger of my sister, and while Marcus himself didn't had a hateful bone in his body, he would follow his mate's intuiton.

As it turned out, the man had quite the information on the our species. He was older than any of us, being in this existence for almost a century then. That earned my companions curiosity, and he told us all about our nature and way of living and, to our surprise, our rulers. He told us about two kings, far away, ruling above us all and killing us as they saw fit. He told us about other creatures, creatures that would hunt us, and how those kings were taking advantage of them to kill us. Children of the moon, he said, a human who took the form of a wolf by the moon's command, with teeth and claws so sharp that even our skin would crumble under it.

Those were all troublesome news for my companions and I. According to him, the man burned at the stake was offered by those kings to humans. Like some godforsaken offering to appease the fact that their coven needed to kill said townfolk in order to survive. They also had a small guard. He told us that some of us are reborn with special habilities, and upon hearing about mine, Demetri's and Marcus's habilities, he was estasic. He talked about how we would be able to protect ourselvs together; Apparently, the men with him - newborn, he called them -, had some kind of strenght and combat hability. And in the and, after much consideration and convincing on my part, we allowed them to travel with us.

Caius was a strange man, much too wise and sharp tongued, and some part of me never truly trusted him. But I was taken with his ambition, his adventurous spirit, how he talked about the possibility of taking the rulling of our kind to ourselves. The idea of having that much power in my hands, to rule and do as I please without the burning fire skulking at my back was both appealing and terryfing. Caius saw through all that.

We spent decades defying the Romanian coven, and said coven sent us many guard members. Almost all of them were killed rather quickly, but one of them - a woman - braved the fight with immensive strenght until she had poor Demetri at her mercy. That gave us all pause, as Demetri was a valued member of our little coven. And as it turned out, when I looked at Caius, I saw the same eyes that I had seen in Marcus many years ago, althougt on a wicked expression. The woman, Athenodora, was for him what my sister was for Marcus; his mate.

The addition of Athenodora on our coven set things in motion, and we were soon considering ourselves a permanent coven. An encounter with one of the children of the moon almost had half of us killed, and by then even my sister was abord the coup party. Unfurtunely, her gift was beautiful, but not of much use in a battle; as we've learnt later, Dydime had the hability to make us all happy. Alas, even then, Caius would not be moved by it, and today I am sure that if not for her prowes in combat and the useful hability her mate had, he would had her removed then and there, regardless of any lingering familial bond with me.

That one battle was swift and precise; The Romanian guard posed no threat, and some of them even offered to take our side. The coward kings pleaded for their lives, and on the account that none of them had any loyal followers or special habilities, we granted them their freedom on the condition that they never showed their faces near us again, and gave us intel on the Children of The Moon.

Soon we had the whole vampiric world at our feet.

We became greedy, Caius and I, and we searched the world for more and more additions to our own guard while Caius whiped the Children of this world. The man seemed to grow more resentful everytime his mate accidentaly showed her claw scar, right through the extension of her torso, and soon enough, theres was not even of trace of the Children of The Moon anywhere on this realm. I say ''soon'', but really, nearly two centuries passed in that same motion.

Humans evolved, in some way, and the necessity to hide ourselves became more and more urgent. There were still some parts of the world where we could set residence and hunt without too much attention, and soon we had a little underground project to hide ourselves under a small town. We all had pilled coins and goods at this point, and the town seemed more than happy with our little secret offerings, enough to ignore the strange happenings that would follow our coven anywhere.

One peculiar event stands out in my memory, however. It was somewhere on the west, Caius, me, and some of the guard were walking along the side of a river after investigating a case of over-exposition, when we all heard the soft cries and whimpers of a young woman. Upon further investigation, we found her bleeding out by that same river, a deep stab wound on her ribs, and we were about to end her misery when one of the guard members - Eleazar -, said that he had a feeling that the girl might have some kind of gift. Eleazar himself had a tremendous gift, and none of us doubted his assessment, but it was the first time that his hability detected something on a human.

Caius and I took the girl to a secluded place, where Caius took the liberty to bite the human and start her changing process. Chelsea, the girl, made us endure almost a week of her screaming and whimpering until finally she woke up with a terryfing hability: Manipulate intimate bonds.

When we returned to Volterra - a fitting name, if I may add - Caius stood by that newborn's side like a nurturing mother, and left all of our responsibilities as a rulling coven for me to deal with alone. Marcus was never violent, and although Athenodora was a vicious woman, Caius would never leaver her out of his sight. So there I was, again, investigating allegations of witchcraft.

I only took Demetri with me, as these types of allegations were almost certainly nothing troublesome, but imagine our surprise when we came upon two human, teenage twins, both tied to a stake while some hysterical man yelled about how they made a woman blind and, at that moment, the girl at the stake gave the man a glare so, so bitter that he simply... Folded.

Now, unfortunedly, Eleazar was not with us anymore - he had met his mate and I gave him a safe pass out of the guard - but something told me that those poor younglings were not meant to die at those ignorants hands. Demetri and I saw through rescuing the damned things, and althought they were young, both os us felt like it was the right thing to change each of them. The change was not unnusual, but when they woke up, they almost killed us both; The girl, apparently the most distrustful of them, immediatly stood up and, just with her eyes, made me experience a pain that, I dare say, was even worst than the fire of my change. Poor Demetri had lost all os his sense of self by the hands of the boy, and we spent almost a day like that untill finally they came to their senses and allowed us to feed them and explain things to them.

By the time we where reasonably confortable with each other, it had been almost two months, and we rushed back home with our two new additions by our side.

Things were... Uncanny, after our return, and Caius seemed increasingly more and more annoyed by how much - or rather, how little - Marcus took his duties as a ruler in consideration. It all seemed to get worse when, judging a vampire that apparently helped to hide someone who was making immortal children - a terrible crime in our species -, Marcus just declared the mand a simple informant and bode him safe travels. I had bever seen such bitterness in Caius's eyes, and from that point, everything started to collapse.

I would often fight with Marcus, my sister, and even Demetri. The rest of the guard whatched on with worried eyes, and while some part of me suspected that something - someone - may be manipulating my mind, at the moment, I could not act upon that suspicion. Chelsea answered to us, and there was nothing that would indicate her involvment on my situation. Five years later, I was officially fed up with just about every aspect of this new situation.

We had a guard with the strongest vampires out there, we had, honestly, simple rules for people to follow, and yet we were constantly failing in our attempt to keep ourselves from attention because Marcus and my sister were simply too good to properly punish trangressors. It came to a point where Caius and I were simply fed up with the couple's activity, always strolling around the castle and tending to damned flowers while both of us tried to maintain our whole species from collapsing.

The last drop of it all was when Marcus refused to use his gift to show us the easiest way to break a particular coven's hierachy.

Caius came up with a plan that, I'm ashamed to admit, sounded just too perfect. We had a problematic coven that had some strong individuals - nothing too problematic for us - that where ready to ambush us in an attempt to overtrown our rulling. Athenodora would be into the plan, which consisted in basically handing both her and Dydime to that coven's hands and then, forming a recue party to go after them both and whipe that coven from the face of earth. Of course, I had Demetri on my side. The boy was anger, I could tell, and gave me a piece of his mind, but was at my side nonetheless.

Having Marcus to stay behind was just so easy that my still heart almos broke. The man had no training in combat in the last century, and so he placed upon us his trust that we would be able to bring his mate back to him, safe and sound.

And because of that, I hesitated.

When all was said and done, when the whole coven laid burning on our feet, I couldn't strike my own sister. That is what makes my guilt even worse, for if I was, indeed, under the influence of someone elese's will, I would not hesitate on taking her life, would I?

Alas, Caius decided for me, and stroke her with a swift strike to her neck which immediatly separated the head from it. And I couldn't move, and I felt Demetri by my side when Felix brough forth his torch and touched my sister's body with it. I still couldn't move when the purple smoke rose, and by then we all knew the next step;

We would tell Marcus that the coven had killed Dydime, and Chelsea would use her hability to keep his loyalty to our coven.

And it worked, in some way.

What none of us expected was that Marcus would become a shell of his former self. He wouldn't speak, he wouldn't react, he would feed mechanically. All traces of the young man I found in the cliff were fading, and even when Sulpicia came to me, my own mate in all of existence, he merely offered her a smile before retuning to his own mind.

How I wish I could go back in time. How I wish I could've seen Caius for what he really is, for when I felt the true nature of my existence, it was too late. My sister was dead, and my brother, my friend and companion, was lost to his own pain in losing her.

And for what? His habilities? Yes, we had them now, without a word of protest from him. But also without a word at all.

When I had a suspicion that I would be the next in the gallow line, me and my allies started digging around. It was slow paced, of course, because Caius had turned out to be just as influent as I am without a gift to back him up, but we had our ways. Demetri and the Twins were loyal to a fault, and investigated every clue that would appear. But none of them was as commited or as loyal as my Sulpicia. Such a kind, strong soul. She saw my for all my mistakes and crimes and sins and still, she lingered.

On her very last week, she travelled far from our home, investigating a rumor of a newborn army being made. Usually, a Queen wouldn't go that far to investigate such simple affair, but we had a suspicion that something was odd about that, and so there she went. Without telling me where exactly she was going to, leaving me to follow damned clues in order to look for her. Clues that took me to witness her demise.

Clues that made a young human girl brave the deep woods in search of answears.

After my sister's killing, there were many a occasion where I whished I could talk to Marcus like we used to. To tell him what was on my mind, to ask him what I should do, but none of those times were as crucial as when I met a teenage girl in those woods.

Isabella simply terrified me.

Not like Chelsea or Caius did, but in a way that I could simply feel that this girl would be so, so important for my existence that I just couldn't deny her.

That little thing, so curious and brave and fearless and carrying. When I told her about my predictment, she just offered herself to help me.

Me.

And when Demetri met her, when I could see that he was just as taken with her, I could only think about my Sulpicia.

Against all logical thinking, I still believe that this was her final gift to me. And oh, she gave so much of herself to me.

The years pass by in a flash when you're a vampire, and more so when you're a vampire tracking a human's life. Isabella was already growing to be a vital part of mine and Demetri's existence, and regardless of the sword dangling above my neck, both of us had every intention to turn her whenever she desired. It was a fun thought to entertain; If I turned Isabella and raised her under my wisdom, she would be the very first and only Volturi princess. And the girl didn't even seem to understand the power she had.

Of course, there was some kind of gift at play, and I was mostly certain that it was nothing as foul and invasive as Chelsea's, but I was never naive. Isabella had something about her, some pulling force that made you just... Free.

My situation with Caius had always been troublesome, and I always had my own plots, but I never could act on any of that untill that witty teenager with curious eyes appeared.

And as the days passed by, and things start to get tricky, there isn't a part of me that would not die to protect her.

That's funny, isn't it? This whole thing started as a way for me to protect my position, but now...

I won't lie to you, I still don't like the Cullens. And don't get me started whith those damned mongrels... Althought, yes, I suppose it's not their fault. That man, Sam, seems like a good man with a good head.

Perhaps I'm just like Caius.

And just like him, I sit in my throne, watching blankly as two guard members, which I can never seem to remember their names, walk calmly into the throne room to stand before us. Caius seems excited, and Marcus seems.. Well, like he always do these days. Shallow.

''What news do you bring from the border?'' Caius asks with his raspy voice. One of the man, the shorter, bows his hooded head.

''My King, there is no evidence that the Cullens are participating in the Seattle situation, but we received information that they are working whith some kind of beast-''

''Now, what the hell do you mean? What kind of beast?'' Caius got up from his throne and walked to the men, and I can barely see Marcus sending a tired glance in my direction.

''Not like the Children, my King, but something very similar.'' The guard responds, his wide eyes looking at his feet. ''The Cullens are activetly trying to fight the Seattle menace, and these creatures are helping them.''

By now the men were almost trembling, and I felt the urge to speak.

''Come now, brother. They were supposed to ascert the situation in Seattle, nothing more. There's no need to punish them.'' I said in my most practiced level voice, and Caius turned to half sneer/half smile at me before settling back. He looked at the men once more, dismissing them, before turnign to me.

''You heard them. The Cullens are getting stronger, and assotiating themselves with some king of beast we don't know about.'' I smiled a little.

"Oh, but of course we know, dear brother. We've heard all about shifters and skinwakers, those two are just too young to remmember that.'' I laught a little.

''And I though the Seattle manace was one to be urgently dealt with.''

Both me and Caius tensed upon listening the voice of our quietest brother. We both turned, and he was looking at us, one after the other, before resuming his brooding posture and looking at absolutely nothing.

Caius sent me a near panicked look before cleanig his throat. ''Of course. And I'm glad the Cullens are showing their compromise with our rulling. I'll send them back to keep an eye on the situation.'' And with that, he got up once more and stalked off, some of the guard leaving with him before I turned my hand to dismiss the rest of them.

Soon there was only me and Marcus, and I sighed before relaxing against my throne. So they knew that Isabella had help from the wolves, but no one talked about her or Demetri yet. Not even the Denalis were mentioned, so we had a good advantage. Whatever his army knew, there were still blind spots, and that meant that maybe we had a chance.

''Who are they?''

Once again I tensed in my position, slowly turning to meet the concetrated face of my oldest friend. I just look at him, and he feels the need to elaborate.

''You know my gift, Aro. I'm sorry about Sulpicia...'' He trails off, and hang my head, because... It will never stop hurting. I give a small nod to show my gratitude. He nods back, and after a moment, he does something that suprise me just as much as him speaking, and scoots closer from his throne.

He looks at me, and it's like my old friend is back. ''Who are they? Who are you linked to?''

And I can just smile. He smiles as well, like he understands, and my guess is that he does. There's no other words between us, and we sit there hearing most of the castle being hauled into the middle section, untill my phone rings.

It's a little piece of hell, to answer it everytime, and although I'm an immortal being with power beyong comprehension... These things are too fragile. And difficult to use.

I look at Marcus - I have never answered a call from her in front of anyone before - and at seeing his assuring nod, I press the damn button and press the thing to my year.

The fisrt thing we both hear is a lot of howls and animal whines. There is some comotion nearby, and we can hear Carlisle's voice and the distinct sound of something catching on fire. I decide to just wait for a greeting.

''Aro?'' Isabella's voice said, and I smiled a little.

''Hello, little one. What is the matter?''I  ask, and Marcus looks curiously at me.

''Listen, evething went to shit. They know about the wolves, and the girl is trying to pry into their minds. I think we found a solution to it, but...'' She trailed of, a beautiful voice that I identify as Rosalie's telling her that they are going to get Demetri and Bella's father. ''It's time, Aro. We can't waste nothing more. They know about us, they know about you and your sister. It's time.''

And although I don't need to breath, I've been holding a breath since the phone started to ring. Hearing that, though, I just release that breath and meet Marcus's confused eyes. I try to convey all of my sorrow to him  before replying Isabella. ''Very Well. We Will be there.'' She whishes me good luck, but I barely hear it. I just hang up the phone, take my best friend's hand, and guide him to some place were I can confess all of my sins.

Chapter Text

Everything went to absolute shit after the end of Bella's phonecall with Aro.

The situation with the wolves being dealt with, they still had a house full of injured shifters and the looming threat of a newborn army hanging over their heads, with not a real clue as to where and when they would strike the Cullens again. Bella watched with black eyes as as her father approached the Cullen home, Demetri right behind him, and although she knew the man deserved some answers, she just hugged her knees to her chest from her position on the floor, shaking her head slightly at him. And Charlie, that beautiful, patient soul just nodded with a small smile before continuing towards the house. Bella didn't like the way his eyes tightened briefly with guilt before he turned away, but she decided that now was not the time to poke that wound.

She felt the familiar presence of her brother sitting next to her, urging that unfamiliar prickle on her skin to go away, before sighing tensely. She could never be afraid of Demetri, but she felt skittish in a way that even her first day as a vampire couldn't provoke.

''Bells, what's wrong?'' Demetri asked, his voice a soft and low whisper. ''Paul told me about the attack, but I know there's something else troubling your mind.''

Bella sighed once more, her black eyes fixated at a downed tree. That was the one Jake got himself smashed against at their third training session, and Alice had been so mortified at the sight of his russet wolf half buried into the trunk that she rushed to him and destroyed the whole tree to get him out. Jake was fine, of course, but Alice had tears in her eyes, and refused to train with the wolves for a whole week after that. It was only after Jake and Paul, taking advantage of her lack of sight regarding the pack, worked together to head-butt the tiny seer into one of the lakes around the Cullen property, that Alice allowed herself once more to let her worries away around the shifters. She allowed herself to laugh and roughhouse with the two of them on the spot, and it had brought a sense of warmth and happiness to everyone watching the trio, the sight of two playful wolf-shifters running around, happy and carefree, with their long sworn enemy. Of course, those two could never be entirely peaceful for too long, and teamed up again to topple the girl towards the lake once more. They're such little shits.

''Bella?'' She heard her brother asking again, his voice edging towards worry.

''The pack has a new alpha.'' Bella said, her eyes still glued at that same tree. ''Jacob had to take over in order to reign in the pack's collective mind. Once he did, the girl had no control over them.''

''That... Is something.'' Demetri concluded, his expression a little saddened. ''How's he holding up? Jake?'' At Bella's curious glance, he smiled sadly, and whispered in a way that only the two of them would hear. ''He's just a kid, Bells. No offense.'' He offered the last part at the tired amusement on Bella's eyes.

''About as well as he could, I think.'' She hugged her knees tighter. ''He's still a little beat up, he had to fight Sam in order to take up his role. There seems to be no grudges tho.'' She said, trying to be optimistic.

''A fight for power, just like old times'' Demetri chuckled lightly. ''It seems like that particular tradition is trending again, huh?'' He bumped his shoulder to his sister's, who also chuckled briefly before returning to her anxious expression. He looked at her with worry once more. ''What else happened, Pain? Paul said you called Aro.''

''I told him that we have no time left to waste. That we had no one left to waste.'' She said, her black eyes shining with tears that would never fall. ''We can't keep doing this, Demetri. I can't stand to see those boys bloody and battered again. I know we have to do this, and I know they are involved in this now and this much is my fault-'' She lifted a hand as her brother opened his mouth to protest. ''But if we are doing this, we're doing this to end it all. No more drills, no more scouting, no more training. We can't keep waiting for them to show up and kill us.'' They were quiet for a long time, listening to the voices and groans coming from the house. Most of the shifters were already starting to heal, and some of them only had minor injuries to begin with, so they were running around the house and helping the vampires tend to their wounded brothers.

Both of them looked towards the huge glass windows, and they smiled at the same time at the sight of Rosalie cradling a very young looking boy in her arms. He seemed confused and frightened, but slowly settling as Rosalie ran her fingers through his hair and whispered calmly to him. Rosalie caught their identical stare from across the window, and offered them her own warm smile, privately marveling at how much they acted alike, despite being born years apart each other. Bella offered the blonde one last smile before getting up, still a little distressed at the lack of feeling of aching joints and sore muscles after being in the same position for so long. She looked past the downed tree, and Demetri understood at once that she wanted to get away from the house and zipped in that direction, since the chances of another attack so soon were almost none. 

He paused half a mile away anyway, far enough so the Cullens and pack woundn't hear what they were saying, but still close enough so that they could hear if any fight broke loose. Bella appeared a second after that, and at once, her anxious body language shifted to almost despair. Demetri watched on with widened eyes, his own breath coming in short bursts as he waited for her to say something.

''Aro said he would come here.'' At that, her brother's eyes widened even more, and he looked almost comical. ''He said he would come here, and I believe him. I hate that I believe him because that means that something on his end is not right.'' She said with teary eyes, her face for once looking like her age. 

''You think he's in trouble? Did he gave you some kind of sign?'' Demetri asked, his own fear threatening to show before his experienced side spoke louder. ''I don't think he would even pick up the phone if he didn't felt completely safe.''

''He didn't say anything but, I don't know..'' Bella said, her eyes shifting around the trees. ''His voice, even when greeting me, sounded wrong. It sounded wrong.'' She wiped at her own eyes out of reflex, sniffling quietly. ''I don't know what to do, I don't know if I should count on his help when it comes to this. I don't know if I can bet their lives on his arrival, Demi.'' She chuckled, but there was no mirth to it. ''I know that I asked for this, and I know that I made my own decisions, but... Jake, Seth, Collin, Leah, even Sam and Paul...'' She choked on Paul's name a bit, and Demetri felt his own heart squeeze. ''They're all kids too, and they didn't ask for any of this, Demi. And now Jake, one of the purest boys I've ever known, has to take care of and be responsible for a bunch of other kids that also have nothing to do with any of this!''

Demetri knew that, had his sister still be human she would be crying by now. He felt his own despair rising, his black eyes full of sorrow and worry staring back at her before he took a deep breath to collect himself. First things first;

''Bells,'' He started, holding Bella's stare steadily. ''Aro can be a lot of things, but he is not a liar. If he said he will be here, he will be here.'' Bella frowned, but offered no response. ''As for the rest of it...'' He smiled sadly at her again, offering a comforting hand that she took instantly. ''We all chose this, Bella. This affects us all, even the shifters. If not now, in the near future... Caius would come after anyone that he deems dangerous to vampires. He would wipe the shifters and any other species from this world, until all that was left was docile vampires who kneeled at his will.'' She looked to be deep in thought, one her trademark Bella-moods, and he squeezed her hand to catch her attention once more. ''You may have brought us all together, but we all have something to fight for in this. You ought to talk to Sam, or Jake now, I guess, to hear the pack's general concern about this war. I think it would clear most of your guilt, if that's even possible.'' He chuckled a little. ''I see where you get that from, at least. Your father seemed ready to fall at you feet and beg for forgiveness.''

Bella let out a teary laugh after that, uselessly wiping her eyes once more. ''He's a smart man, he probably knows that I got involved in all of this after running away from Renee and blames himself for not making an effort to take me from her.''

''Do you blame him?'' Demetri asked, his voice neutral as he leaned against his sister.

''No'' She said at once, still holding his hand. ''A lot of things happened in my life, and Renee was a handful but...'' She smiled at him, the only smile offered today that had no hint of sadness or even worry. ''I'm exactly where I want to be. Whatever happens, I don't regret having all of you in my life. Specially you.''

Demetri smiled at her too, and they spent some minutes like that, holding each other's hand and watching the sun set through the trees. Not for the first time since meeting Bella. Demetri felt the girl chasing away the exhaustion of his many years on this land, and felt grateful for living enough just to be here.

''Where did she ran off to?'' Rosalie asked, too low for the young boy in her lap to hear as she watched Bella and Demetri run away from the house.

''Not far.'' Edward said in the same volume, smiling slightly as the boy slowly fell asleep. ''Bella has... Many things troubling her mind. I do my best to stay away from her private thoughts.''

''And I love you for it.'' Rosalie said, making Edward gawk at her. Even though their relationship improved greatly after Bella's transformation, she was never this open about her feelings. She offered him a bright smile. ''The fact that you are so surprised about my declaration makes me love you even more. It means you've been keeping away from my mind as well. I love Bella for many things, and amongst them is the fact that she had managed to take your enormous head out of your ass.'' Edward had to cover his mouth in order to keep his startled laugh from waking the young shifter, but he directed his smiling eyes at Rosalie, nodding at her statement.

He calmed himself fast enough, offering his sister a crooked smile. ''That she did. I'm grateful as well, not only for the ass thing,'' Rosalie grinned at him, and his smiled softened. ''but also because she showed us the beautiful soul that had been living with us all this time.''

The whole house could hear them, and the pair could hear Esme's happy sniffle, but none of them cared at the moment. Rosalie just looked at him in muted appreciation, and patted the spot next to her on the couch for him to sit down. Once he sat by her side, she sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, still combing her fingers through the boy's hair as they listened to the sounds of the shifters groaning in pain or joking around.  At some point, when the sky turned pink in the horizon, a commotion roused them from their almost meditative state; the Denalis had finished with their scouting around the woods and were waiting for their action plan.

Rosalie lifted the boy from her lap, telling Edward to put him in one of the spare beds on the second floor. Both of them were happy to note that there was no awkwardness hanging after their moment. They were at peace.

''So the king himself is taking his mighty presence to our humble country? My, aren't we the lucky ones.'' Irina said dryly before sneering at Jane on the corner of the kitchen.

''Yup. Last just hope those two don't decide to toss all of us into the fire after everything is said and done.'' Kate remarked, and for their credit, the twins only looked on with neutral expression on their faces.

Carlisle frowned. ''Now is not the time for-''

''We've been deeply affected by the Volturi, Carlisle.'' Tanya interrupted, her eyes also on the twins. ''We have every right to be distrustful of them.''

''We don't have time for this.'' Just as things started to get out of hand, and the sisters started to get really aggressive, Demetri's voice came from the window, an annoyed looking Bella behing him on the tree. They jumped to the kitchen floor, Bella offering Rosalie a familiar and reassuring smirk before taking position on her brother's right side. Demetri eyed the Denali tiredly.

''Your mother violated the law. She had decimated entire villages before the immortal child, and we had been looking for her since then.'' At Irina's enraged snarl, Rosalie and all of the shifters present tensed, even if most of the Cullens seemed reluctant to take a side. Demetri seemed unfazed. ''Her mind was not healthy, maybe since her own transition. It wasn't her fault, not really, but she tried to replace her pain with the three of you and, when even that didn't work, she went to the child.'' Demetri sighed, his shoulders sagging as he stared at the raging, sad eyes of the sisters, one after the other. ''I think I can speak for three of us when I say that the only thing I regret is my misguided cruelty against you all. For that, I am truly sorry, but that is all. She was a criminal, and she would have been a great danger to vampires and humans alike with her creations.''

The twins both nodded at the sisters, and before any of them could retort, Demetri turned to Carlisle and Jasper who had been watching silently.  ''Aro will be here in two days, if he left right after the call. We need to set up a plan to drawn the army deep into the woods where no human would be accidentally harmed.'' He said to them, and all of them started to discuss how they could do it without attracting unwanted attention.

After a few hours, the whole pack joined them in the large kitchen, only Sam still looked bad from the day's event; apparently, getting the alpha influence beat out of you left more lingering damages than having your mind controlled by a newborn vampire, but even then, the former alpha still kept his head high, and kept sending worried glances towards Jacob. Soon, a plan had been formed.

They would sent a group of their most experienced fighters to Seattle, rattle things up in there in order to provoke their enemies, and lead them back to the middle of the Olympic Park. There, they would set up the battle, keeping the wolves in the woods until some time after the fight starts. Jane and Alec had been in Seattle in the past few hours, and gathered that the army had at least 40 newborns now. Every shifter paled a little at the number, but they all had faith in each other, and that faith turned into hope when Demetri got a text - one of the members of the guard reached to him - saying that the Kings were on their way.

Everyone had been a little confused by that, but Jasper pointed out that the message could pass as a threat to a coven if the wrong person were to find it, and it made a great amount of sense. During the whole discussion, the Denalis kept to themselves, Kate offering her inputs here and there, but it was still quite clear that they were rattle by Demetri's confrontation, and Jasper kept a close eye on them.

After they had something resembling a plan, everyone fanned out in groups or pairs, all of them apparently wanting to be with their loved ones for the moment. Most os the pack ran back to the reservation, including Sam and Jacob, probably to inform the elders about the new pack dynamic and, in Sam's case, to be near his imprint. Paul stayed behind, having already spent the day with his mother at Bella's request. He looked at Bella and Rosalie with a anxious look, seemingly pondering something before offering them a smile and looking at Demetri with a grin. ''Come on, man. Lets bond outside.'' At Demetri's amused expression, his grin got larger. ''I don't want to die before discovering your soft side and all that. Let's talk about our feelings in the woods in a manly way.'' Demetri and Bella laughed at that, and Paul offered the newborn a grin before pulling Demetri towards the lawn and then the woods, and Bella felt so grateful towards that damn boy that her dead heart could explode from the sudden warmth.

The house was dead silent after that, everyone trying to seek solace everywhere except the mansion. Still, Bella pulled Rosalie by the hand to their shared room, laying on the large bed and positioning the blonde to lean her back against her. She held her mate tightly for what felt like hours, both of them just enjoying the peace of each other's presence. They didn't move, aside from the eventual nuzzling against Bella's chest or the soft movement of Bella's hand up and down Rosalie's back. ''Never in my many years have I thought I would be so at peace with someone. Nevermind someone I've just met, and under this circumstances.'' Rosalie mused, and Bella hummed in response, her hand playing with Rosalie's hair. The blonde let out a breath. ''I'm sorry.''

''What for?'' Bella whispered, settling her hand on Rosalie's waist.

''Asking you to spare that girl. I know you don't know why, and I don't understand why most of my family went with it but-''

Bella grunted, closing her eyes and pulling Rosalie closer to herself. ''None of that. You understand why, and that is enough for us. We love you.'' Rosalie froze, her breath shaky as she propped herself up to look at her newborn. Bella opened her eyes,  smiling lovingly at her. ''I love you. If you say we have to do this, we have to do this. I don't think you understand how much I trust you.''

Rosalie smiled as well, capturing the newborn's lips with her own, pressing herself against her mate. ''I love you too.''

Bella smirked cheeckly at her, making the blonde roll her eyes, still smiling, before the newborn let out a shaky breath. ''I'm sorry too. I don't know if we'll make it, I don't know what we're doing-'' Her response was cut short by Rosalie's lips once more, the blonde cradling her face in a way that made the newborn's head spin before she leaned back, still holding her face.

''I don't think you understand how much we trust you.''Rosalie said, and that's all Bella needed to hear to put her mind at ease, at least for the moment. They spent the night like that, showing their love for each other in any way they could, basking in their peace until the sun made it's appearance.

Chapter Text

I don't think I could ever forget how war feels.

And in my age, that is no overstatement. I've seen countless wars and battles, participated in a lot too.

And I remember the feeling.

The feeling of utter despair. The despairing courage that comes with it, the bravery, the lunacy... I could feel it all, watching the gory battles from above my trone. As a vampire, that is the easiest thing - detachment. Just watching hundreds upon hundreds of men fold against each other, never really caring about the outcome.

Because I would always win.

That certainty bred comfort, which bred arrogance. 

So many mistakes, so much hurt... And for what? As I run beside my only true friend, the regret burns ever more. That man might never forgive me, as much as he may offer me muted smiles or knowing looks -so much more than he's ever done in a hundred years- I know, in my heart, that whatever happens, I might be truly alone in this word.

Or dead.

As we embark a private plane, my thoughts turn to young Isabella. Will I feel despair, courage, or fear upon meeting her? Will I smell blood, obedience, and destruction?

Will I finally see the face of betrayal, reflected back at me?

I can't help but smile, turning my face away from Marcus. She would never betray me, and that is the only thing I know. Or, maybe, that's just the way of an old man to comfort himself.

I could always see it, always feel it. As we worked together, Demetri by her side, it became less and less about me and more about the world she envisioned.

The world in which beautiful and clever girls deserve to live in.

And maybe that's the only thing keeping Marcus by my side. Maybe that tiny spark of humanity, ignited in me years ago by curious brown eyes and a fierce personality... That might be my salvation.

''The Denalis will not be pleased to see us.'' Marcus says, and it's so quiet that even a regular vampire would have trouble hearing.

''Indeed.'' I hum back, my eyes still on the window - not quite ready to look him in the face again.  ''We will deal with it when we have to. I have faith in my child''

The tiniest smile. Marcus glances at me and then back at the pilot. ''You were never one to put your faith in a fool, so that is a relief.''

And I can't resist, the laugh comes out of me in a second and it's too late to hold back. He is right to joke, of course. My faith in the wrong person is what led us here. Still, seeing his smiling face, I can't resist.

''So, I'm a fool truster. What does that make you, my friend?'' I ask, and the mirth drains from my face as Marcus looks me in the eye for the first time in so many years.

''Your brother.'' He says, and I can already smell the American lands. He's still looking at me and all I can do is offer another apologetic smile as the pilot announces that we have arrived.

We land in Seattle, which is some ways away from Forks but not so far as to keep us from running. I keep replaying my last conversation with Isabella, and although it's been two days since then, the only thing she sent me was a ''text'' saying ''I'll be ready for you, my King.''

I could pratically smell the sarcasm from it, and smirked at my brother's reaction upon seeing said text. Alas, our spirits shrunk considerably as we approach Forks.

Everything had a strong musk of salt water, sea sand and firewood. Traces of most of the Cullens and The Denalis could also be detected, but it was the strong smell of mint, redwood and pine needles that gave me pause. A physical pause, making me skitter to a stop some miles away from Cullen territory, and take a deep breath.

So.. Weird. So familiar. I met the curious gaze of Marcus before a distinct scent hit my senses. Another familiar one.

''Jane.'' I said, offering a kind smile. ''Where is everyone?''

''I'll take you to them, my King.'' She offered a small, albeit warm, smile. It was clear that Jane was grateful to see us, or, as the case may be, the distraction that our arrival offered.

We ran together, with Marcus some ways away from the two of us, glancing at Jane all along. It was a short run; Despite my instincts, The Cullens were so much closer than I believed, as I could already see their house within five minutes of running.

The smell of wet dog and baking trash came as soon as it disappeared; I could see the reaction on Marcus's face, the brief show of disgust.

Instead, what replaced it was the rich smell of salt water and warm, baking sugar; something so comforting that I followed it to a very angry looking, red coated, enormous wolf. It bared its teeth at me before jumping towards the woods, and all the while Jane had been chuckling.

Marcus turned a confused glare from her to me, and I could only shrug at the display. Soon, the sound of contorted skin and raspy bones could be heard and, although it lasted less than a second, Jane could still detect my grimace at the sound.

''You'll get used to it.'' She said as a way of explanation, and then it downed on me. He must be one of the shifters.

Soon enough, a young man came out of the woods wearing only rusty red shorts that seemed to make his brown eyes shine brighter. As a vampire, I couldn't help but note the subtle notes of weariness and inexperience in his youthful face, but his bright eyes crinkled all the same as he offered something resembling a clumsy bow with his head. -''King Aro, King Marcus; My name is Jacob Black, I'm the alpha of the Quileute pack, and I was... Requested,-'' He trade a amused side glance with Jane at that -''to welcome you both into our territory.''- He finished with a small smile that mirrored my own, and we both turned to Marcus, who looked flabbergasted.

''Alpha?'' Marcus asked, his brow crumpling in confusion as he rubbed it with his fingers. ''I mean no disrespect, but you look far too young, my child.''

I knew lees then nothing about shifters, but their quick temper had been a recurring note on Alec's secret delegations and so I traded a panicked look with Jane that seemed misplaced, as young Jacob only dipped his head once more with a bashful smile. ''I am, yes. We all are, but we've had every reason to age ourselves.''

Marcus nodded in understanding, but made no move whatsoever to continue the conversation, instead adopting a thoughtful expression as he looked at the forest grounds. So, young Jacob, after a full minute of silence, extended his hand in the direction of the Cullen home in a silent request for us to follow. He chose to walk at a comfortable human pace, like one would stroll in a park, and so we followed him in the same way. By the distance in which the house was, I could guess that we were still beyond vampire hearing, so the shifter had to know that too.

''I have to say,'' I started, breaking the silence and gathering the attention of the young alpha. ''I never lend too much attention to Alec's research about your kind - and I hope that you take no offense in that -, but I am impressed to see one of you acting so... Calmly towards my kind. Specially in this scenario.'' Jacob, who already had a hand up to dismiss my concerns, chuckled in a way that betrayed his young age, shaking his head as he kept walking.

''If anyone told me four months ago that I would be not only leading a pack but also working with vampires, I would've had probably bashed their face in.'' He shook his head some more, and I couldn't help but smile too. Isabella sure knew how to pick them.

''What changed?'' Marcus asked, and I watched as that same small smile made its way into the young boy's expression.

''A lot of things, but uh...'' He glanced at me before looking ahead once more. ''Bella is something else. I'm sure you know.''

And I smiled, because yes, I knew.

We broke the treeline to the Cullen's backyard shortly after. I was, once more, impressed to see a dozen shifters in human form looking at us with only curiosity and a smidge of caution. Next, I saw Demetri, bowing his head with a smug face and leaning into a tree. Then, the Cullens;

Young Edward with is even younger mate, leaning into each other, both of them offering me smiles - far more welcoming than I would expect. Edward's face fell into one of respectful grief when his golden eyes landed on Marcus.

Alice had a happy and optimistic smile on her face, while her mate offered a respectful bow to me and my brother.

Carlisle was, by far, the most excited to see us, and I could see genuine happiness in his eyes. Lovely Esme stood by his side, her face almost mirroring his own, but her eyes would drift to the shifters in concern every so often.

All of that in a millisecond, young Jacob moved to be somehow beside Carlisle. Behind him, sitting on the porch, a shifter that was dressed in a similar way to his pack mates watched us with eyes that where far too curious. There was absolutely no animosity or even caution to his gaze, but he seemed to be leaning all the way into the pair of legs behind him. 

Sitting above the shifter, on the higher level of the porch, young Rosalie rested one of her hands on the shifter's shoulder, looking as beautiful as ever. For someone who had a beauty that was the object of envy to even the higher ranks of Volterra, I couldn't even imagine how she could improve, but there she was; Hair cascading down her shoulders, amber eyes glowing in the faint light, sharp feature enhanced by... Something more. Something better, that became even softer when she, in turn, leaned her shoulder onto the one beside her.

I could feel my eyes widening at the same time as my brother let out a quiet and happy chuckle. Isabella sat at her mate's side, in the tow above everyone else, and, I'm sure, without even thinking about such formation. Her bright red eyes glowing, making them seem rounder on her face which, in turn, made her face look older. Her hair also running free on her shoulders, her clothing all black like Jane's. Her smile so, so happy that, for the first time, I noticed that everyone present was somehow standing taut between me and her, as they only now seemed to relax.

Such unplanned display of power could not go unnoticed by a experienced vampire, and so I saw by the corner of my eye as Marcus took a step back at the same time that Isabella stood up and practically ran me over with a hug so tight that I felt my ancient bones crack. To which Isabella laughed.

''Such an old man!'' She said, and she traced my face with her hands, that splitting smile never living her mouth as she gazed upon me with her new eyes for the first time. ''One would never know, looking at your face, would they?'' She didn't wait for an answer, taking me by my hand and leading me further towards the assembled supernaturals. ''Everyone, this is King Aro, the man I found in the woods.''

The introduction seemed to be directed at the shifters, but I could see the Cullens eying me with a new perspective. A perspective that would've make me incinerate them in my young years, but now I could only feel the pride radiating from Isabella as she introduced me to each and every shifter curious enough to approach me.

I learned a lot in our introductions. I learned that young Jacob was a talented mechanic, and that he was the grandchild of the former alpha. I learned that he's second, Sam, had something like a mate, and that bond drove him into fighting for his freedom.

''Are you not going to introduce me to your mate?'' I asked Isabella, feeling somewhat misplaced.
''In due time.''

I learned that Seth, Collin, and Brady, the younger amongst the pack, were still struggling with school, and heard them joke about the urge of exploding out of their skin anytime an unknown vampire came around. 

I learned about how Paul, the shifter I saw in the porch, struggled with his past and self hatred until Isabella offered him comfort. Until she treated him like a person.

I learned all of their fears and dreams and hopes as the night progressed, all the while my vampire companions kept their distance. My dead heart felt heavy with their burden.

At some point, Esme came with a alarming quantity of food that she passed to each shifter, berating some of them for taking too much. The smile, the happiness, never left their faces. How long has it been since I experienced happiness like that?

Isabella was nowhere to be found and Demetri, instead, took a seat by my side near the shifter's table. ''My King'', he said, bowing his head. ''Feeling like shit yet?''

I could not hold back the snort that came out of me. -''I feel shittier by the minute-'' I would say more, but Demetri turned his face first to the shifters, and then to the house where, for the first time, I could hear two sets of hearts beating. I frowned at him, silently asking for an explanation, but my guard only nodded to the three line so we stood up and ran.

Once out of hearing range, I could feel myself breathing a little easier. That was, until I could her the faint sound of vampiric feet running around us. I felt myself tense, but Demetri held his hand up. -''That's just Alec, making sure we are safe.'' He said, and then he smirked when he noticed my confused frown. -''Don't worry, you'll get used to the jumbled smells in here soon enough. Don't be so hard on yourself, old man.''

''You sound like Isabella.'' I chose to mumble instead of berating him about the term. Demetri hadn't been just a guard in a long time, but... Old habits and all that.

''Maybe she is the one who sounds like me, since I'm older.'' He said, but I snorted once more, ignoring his petulant scoff at the notion.

''Yes, well, we all know who influences who around here.'' I said, taking a seat at a nearby boulder.

''Is that what got you bothered? Not being the big gun anymore?'' Demetri asks, and I just chuckle, looking at the ground. ''Fearing for your throne or something? Or perhaps you finally developed a heart after all these years, and you're feeling a tad uncomfortable about risking everyone's lives?

The mild hostility in his tone was enough to make me look sharply at him, and I balked at the muted ferocity in his gaze. ''I thought you knew me well enough to know that I don't care about that.'' 

''About which part? Because yes, I know you, Aro. And I'm sick and tired of throwing away innocent lives because of your bullshit.'' Demetri doubles down, stepping into my direction in a way that made me stand up too.

''My bullshit used to be yours too, dear friend. Or did you forget about everything we've done?'' I said, not backing down, the resentment in my heart making my words way more venomous than I intended on.

''I remember what I did, alright.'' Demetri says, backing away slightly and running a hand over his face. ''But I actually like what I am and who I am, for the first time since I was turned. So I am not about to risk everything if you're going to be the same king I got to know all those years ago.'' He paused, his eyes softening, making the unfamiliar gold in them stand out. ''I need you to be the friend you were before it all went sour with Marcus.''

And I can only sigh at the mention of my old friend turning my back to Demetri and sitting once more. ''I know you might resent our past. I do too. But I am trying, and that's about all I can say to you.''

Demetri's shoulders slumped after some time, tension leaving his body in a long, heavy waves. ''That's enough for me, Aro.'' He said, taking a seat by my side. ''I might not be enough for them, though. For her.''

''I understand.'' My eyes found the ground once more. "Who was it, inside the house?''

''Her actual father.'' Demetri says, making me look sharply at him. ''He does not know about us, but he knows about the shifters and he knows we are something similar, and also about our battle, according to Edward. The other one is a part of the shifter's council, and the mother of two of them. She knows everything.''

I sighed once more, already feeling emotionally drained. ''Caius made so that no law is absolute anymore. She could tell her father if she wished to.''

''Not our concern, I guess.'' Demetri says, leaning back on his hands and adopting a softer tone. ''How's Marcus?''

''I... Am not sure.'' I say, refusing to meet his eyes. -''He hasn't said much since my confession, even less on our way here. He seems sad, but not as sad as he was before.''

''Yes, I'm sure we could all see that.'' Demetri spared me a small smile, planting a solid hand on my shoulder like a reluctant parent would. ''So... What do you think about our girl?''

I tried to smile, but judging by Demetri's laught I'm guessing it came out like a grimace. ''She equally fills me with joy and worry.''

''That's kids for you, I guess.'' Demetri said around a chuckle, before clearing his throat. ''There are some other clans, friends of Carlisle, prepared to come to our aid. They just wanted confirmation of your arrival and of Marcus's involvement.''

I felt my back straightening as I frowned at him. ''Was Isabella's word not enough to them?''

Demetri looked somewhat uncomfortable. ''They hadn't spoken to her directly. And, to be fair, her relationship with us was a secret for a reason. It's natural to be skeptical, no?''

''Or a excuse to be disloyal.'' I grunted, I saw Demetri halfway bowing his head in acknowledgment. ''In any case, I am here, and so is Marcus. We must prepare.

''That we do.'' I heard Isabella's voice in the distance, along with the sound of heavy paws smashing the ground. A moment later, she appeared with the same dark clothes and a giant grey wolf by her side. She scratched the creature's head with a smile. ''Aro, this is Paul. He was the one fretting about hunting grounds earlier at the table, he's Jake's sorta kinda general.''

The wolf huffed in playful annoyance and bumped his head into Isabella before disappearing back towards the house. Isabella watched him go before turning back to us. -''You two were taking too long, so I came to fetch our ancient guests so we can start working on a way to ambush those fuckers.''

I tsked at her language before getting up to follow her back to the house. ''Where's Marcus?''

''He's been talking with Carlisle in the office since you sat down to meet the shifters.'' Isabella said, and I could finally smell Jane and Alec flanking us as we made our way back. Hopefully, my sense of smell would be fully back by the next morning, but my nose still burned fiercely with the smell of firewood and salt water when I tried anything more than a small sniff. 

Isabella, having noticed that, laughed heartily at my face. ''Jake's been alpha marking the whole area since he assumed the pack, or something like that. It gets too much even for the Cullens near the reservation.''

I tried to subtly rub my nose. ''Well, too bad he only assumed the pack after the last attack. I guarantee none of those newborns would be able to function around the boy's hormones. I bet the younger ones would even cower in revulsion.''

Isabella seemed to consider that. ''We could use that to our advantage, but we are too close to humans, we can't use these woods.''

''I'll happily sweat as much as you need, Bells.'' Young Jacob smiled at us, approaching us from the house. ''Dracula II is still inside with Carlisle, and Alice and Jasper went to fetch the Denalis. That should be fun.'' He directed the second part to Isabella, bumping his eyebrows playfully. Three other shifters approached us, Paul amongst them. And he threw an arm around Isabella's shoulders at the same time as Demetri approached her when she closed her eyes and sighed a long, tired sigh.

''I almost forgot about this fucking drama.'' She looked tiredly at Jacob, who shared with her a mildly annoyed expression. ''I think it would be best if only the shifters stood between them during the first interaction, so as to not instigate anything else between us vamps. We can interfere if they get too violent.''

Jacob pondered that for a second, then turned to nod at the two children behind him. 

''Jared, go fetch Leah and bring her here right now. I want you and her to flank the kings, me and Paul will stay between them and the sisters.''

The young boy, Jared, nodded and went away at once, and the young alpha turned to me this time. -''Aro, it would be best for you to go and get your brother right now. We don't need to surprise the already jumpy sisters, eh?''

''Look at you, acting all important.'' Isabella said when I went inside to search for Marcus. To be honest, the interactions between vampires and shifters felt completely alien to me. The shifters were not a bad bunch, but something about them still made me feel something akin to... Regret, or maybe sadness. Or both.

The door to Carlisle's office was already open by the time I got there at a human pace. I froze at said door at the sound and visage of Marcus laughing, his mirth mirrored in Carlisle's expression. -''Ah, brother, Carlisle here was just feeling me in with the recent developments in our little war. I'm also pleased to inform you that two other clans, plus 5 nomads, are coming to help us with our foil.''

''...Indeed, that is good news.'' I said after a long moment of staring at my brother. -''Um, which clans, may I ask?''

''The Irish coven the Amazon coven, though I doubt the Amazon will be able to get here in time.'' Carlisle say, perched on his desk. -''The egyptian coven is... Weary of the Volturi, as you may know. The other covens that I'm familiar with were unresponsive.''

I felt myself nod, my mind already miles away. I could not fault Aamun for keeping his distance, but these were troubled times. Things were about to change, one way or another.

''Carlisle, I need you to reach the covens again, but with a message from me, could you do that, old friend?'' I ask him, and he is already nodding before I even finish speaking, phone in hand.

''Of course, Aro. What would you have me say?''

''Tell them that any and all crimes made by whoever aids us in this will be pardoned.'' I glanced at Marcus, and received a small nod of approval. -''Tell them that the old laws, except for the one that keeps us from exposing ourselves, are no longer important.''

Carlisle stared at me with round eyes for a full minute before nodding once. -''As you wish. You, uh, you too should head out before Bella comes inside and drags all three of us to the yard.''

Marcus chuckled at that, shocking me once more, but I nodded nonetheless and gestured for him to follow me outside. No human pace this time, we appeared beside Isabella in a blink, making one of the shifters, a woman, jump slightly.

''Ah, Isabella, a pleasure to finally meet you!'' Marcus said, and seized Isabella by the shoulders with a big small. Tall as she was, his large frame seemed to engulf her when he yanked her into a hug like a drunk uncle on new year's eve.

''Uh, nice to meet you too, my king.'' Isabella said, shooting a panicked look that made me chuckle.

Marcus grunted. -''None of that, child. You saved my brother's life, and risked your own to try and save his mate's. Call me Marcus, or old man, or whatever it is the youth says nowadays.'' He let her go, smiling still. -''And I can't say how happy I am to meet you all.'' He directed that part at young Jacob and the shifters. -''I was always curious about Alec's rambling about your kind. I'm still getting used to the smell, though, no offense.''

Jacob chuckled with a shake of his head. -''None taken, I'm actually strangely proud of it.'' Marcus laughed at his boyish grin. We heard a sharp howl after that, and all the shifters, plus Isabella and Demetri, seemed to tense. -''Well, here we go.'' Jacob said, running to the woods with the present members of his pack, four big wolves taking their place some time later.

At the same time, Jane and Alec appeared behind us, still somewhat obscured by the trees. Isabella offered me and Marcus a shrug before moving to stand in front of the twins, also behind us. Rosalie walked at a human pace from inside the house to stand at Isabella's side, her expression beyond annoyed. Isabella's shoulder bumped into her's, and her expression cracked briefly before she assumed a bored expression.

Alice and Jasper appeared first, offering our group a wave each, and they both perched into a nearby wooden table to watch things unfold. A sand colored wolf followed them, lolling his tongue at Demetri, who stood directly by my side, before having a silent conversation with the auburn wolf of his alpha. Moments later, he took off towards God knows where.

The Denalis where old, their leader older then even most vampires of the Volturi guard. Tanya could very well hand me my demise, were we to fight one on one. The thought wasn't enough to make me afraid, but it did made me worry, and I couldn't help but notice that I wasn't the only one.

Alice and Jasper, as much as they seemed nonchalant at their position, were taut and perfectly positioned to get in front of us. Inside, I could see Emmett and Edward leaning against one of the tall glass windows, and even Esme looked on with sharpness in her eyes. Jane and Alec were out of my sight. I could almost smell their agitation. The only ones who seemed unaffected by the thick tension slowly spreading through the air were Rosalie and Isabella, for some odd reason.

A flash of strawberry blond hair, and Tanya Denali appeared directly in front of the shifters, eyes black, form petrified. The shifter's hackles raised, but they showed no hostility otherwise. She stared at me for what felt like half an hour, her black eyes full of hatred and contempt.

''Well, if it isn't the king of vampires. Forgive me for not bowing, but I'm afraid I would perform a miracle and become the first vampire in history to vomit.'' Tanya said, poison lacing every word.

I heard Isabella snort behind me, followed by a slap. Demetri shifted his foot at my side, and I cleared my throat, trying to sound as docile as possible.

''That's quite understandable. I was hoping to greet your lovely sisters as well.''

Tanya sneered, jerking her chin at somewhere behind her. -''They are in the woods with the rest of my coven. They're not as... Polite as I am, and I rather not escalating things, considering the circumstances.''

I allowed myself a small sigh of relief, nodding once. Marcus shifted his instance, fully getting out from behind me, and Tanya's eyes snapped at him and soften at once, albeit only slightly.

''It is nice to see you, Marcus. Although I wonder how can you stand to follow him here, and remain at his side, after learning about it all.'' Tanya said, and I closed my eyes. Everyone present, even the shifters, no doubt knew what she was hinting at. 

I opened my eyes to see Marcus extending a conciliatory hand in her direction, his smile as sad as it was hopeless. -''How could I not, Tanya?''

That seemed to pierce through her rage, and she frowned at him for a long time before shifting her gaze at Isabella. Following her gaze, I could see Isabella taking it head on, her face impassive. Rosalie's eyes were getting darker by the moment as she looked between them, but the remained rooted at her mate's side.

Tanya's throat bobbed painfully as she swallowed the excess venom in her mouth, but she looked away from Isabella and offered the tiniest nod at our general direction. -''Very well. I will delegate to my sisters, we should return shortly.''

She turned to move away from us, but was stopped by Rosalie's warning hiss, which made us all turn to her. But the hiss was not directed to any of us. Instead, she had Isabella, who had moved to stand in front of us, pinned in her obsidian gaze.

''No.'' Isabella said, her face set in stone. -''You do me a favor, Tanya, and you get your sisters out here.''

''Bella!'' Rosalie hissed once more in warning.

''Pain, what are you doing?'' Demetri asked, his eyes sharp and switching between Tanya's frozen form, her back still at us, and his sister.

By that time, Edward came out of the house, his hands up and is eyes full of worry, glancing at Alice's also frozen form. -''Bella, are you sure this is a good ide-''

''Tanya, please look at me.'' Isabella said, ignoring everyone else. To my amazement, Tanya's head slowly turned to look at the newborn, and Isabella sighed. -''I get it, I do.  I would behead him right here if I was in your shoes.'' She gestured at Jasper, her eyes never leaving Tanya's, and the general disappeared to where the Denali had come from. 

I could only stand there, as petrified as the Denali leader. I could not predict the outcome of Bella's action, and that managed to scare me. Rosalie took a step forward, and I did the same, but Isabella held up a hand to stop us, glancing at Rosalie once.

''We can't have this right now, Tanya. We can't fight we this between you all. It needs to be solved. Now.'' Isabella said, and another stared down passed between them when, suddenly, both of them moved to hold down a feral-looking Kate and Irina, both of them snapping their teeth at me. Jasper looked on from behind them, he's eyes as black as the night.

''Calm the fuck down.'' Isabella hissed in Kate's years, her shielded mind and her newborn straight making short work of containing the woman. Ten minutes passed before the younger Denalis managed to calm down somewhat, and by now they were looking at their captors with confusion and betrayal. Bella and Jasper traded a look, and we beckoned Alice closer to their group before they traded places with Tanya and Isabella ain holding the sisters back.

''Now, as I was saying, I understand.'' Bella continued, her eyes on Tanya once more. -''But I can't have you three psychos jumping at our Volturi friends throat's in the middle of the battle. We are already at a disadvantage in numbers.'' Isabella offered me a disturbing apologetic smile, turning back to the sisters with her hand held in my direction. -''So, go at him.''

Absolute silence. Rosalie staggered back, her face open with confusion. Demetri tensed instantly, and I could only look at Isabella in open shock.

''What? You're ancient, you won't die.'' Isabella said as a way of explanation, making me gape at her before she turned back at the sisters. -''Just so we're clear, you are not allowed to kill him. We will interfere if needed be, and I'm not above using the twins on you.''

Kate and Irina looked outright murderous, but balcked at the warning. Tanya still stood between us, her eyes still in Bella with the strangest look in them. A look that was prompting Rosalie to growl deeply in her chest. All of that would be very interesting, if not for the fact that the girl I consider my own child had just offered up my hide to one of my many enemies.

Isabella, for her part, avoided Tanya's eyes and rubbed the back of her throat, walking backwards back to her mate. -''Well, then. Go on, now.''

What followed were the most annoying hours of my life. Painful too, not surprisingly. It was clear that the sister had no intention of killing me, but they sure wanted to enjoy this chance of inflicting me pain. They bypassed Demetri and Marcus entirely, focusing their rage solely on me and taking turns at trading blows and kicks and bites. Poor Esme would have to renovate lovely yard afterwards, but after about three hours of this, Isabella finally stood from her mate's embrace and shoved herself between me and the sisters.

''Okay, that'll do it. Feeling better, yes?'' She asked the sisters, and responded Kate's grin with her own. -''You three should hunt, you need to heal.'' She looked at me, frowning as her finger traced a big crack on my forehead. -''You too, my king, but I have blood bags for you inside. I don't like the idea of sending you to hunt.''

-''Oh, so kind of you to worry about little old me, Isabella.'' I say while holding another big crack on me chest, my voice dripping with sarcasm. As I turned away from those retched women, I could not feel even a bit of resentment towards the girl. Perhaps I needed to be punished by my actions as much as the sisters needed to punish me. 

I couldn't help but notice Rosalie's powerful glare at the older Denali as I followed Bella inside, and that, in itself, made me want to laugh. Oh, to be a young, mated vampire again... I sure as hell wish all the patience in the world to young Rosalie.

I drained five entire bags, and Carlisle was kind enough to offer me clothes and a bath, which did wonders for my scrambled dignity. Marcus was yet to lose the amused, smug expression on his face, and Demetri looked somewhat grumpy. 

I had the privilege of observing, with no small amount of surprise and shock, and Jane and Alec aided Esme and the human Quileute (who kept shooting weary glances at my direction) to haul obscene amounts of food to the backyard, which, luckily, already had a new set of wide, wooden table sets.

For the dogs, Jane said, and explained to me that was costumery to do it any time they would gather to discuss strategy, train. or otherwise just unwind. A large bonfire was being set outside by that Paul boy, and it amazed me once more how trusting the vampires wereotherwise, around the shifters.

The Denalis were the last to arrive, looking as freshly fed and clean as myself. No animosity was shown towards me, and the sisters chose to instead mingle amongst the shifters and receive praise about their ''ass-kicking techniques''. 

As the night progressed, some of the nomads begun to arrive, and each of them shared the same ritual: Weariness at me and Marcus, affability against Isabella, and wonder at our relationship with the shifters.

At some point, I had my eyes close, finally letting my guard down enough to seat by the fire and enjoy its heat. I could hear movement by my side, and as soon as the scent of redwood and pine needles assaulted my nose, I opened my eyes to see the top of Isabella's head, as she leaned it on my shoulder.

''Are you mad at me, old man?'' She asked, and despite the continuous show of authority that I have seen since I arrived, I could detect a tremor in her voice that betrayed her young age.

So I chose a more light path, grunting in fake grumpiness. -''I sure as hell want to be, young one.'' I say, and I can practically feel her smile. -''I'm starting to see the reason behind Demetri's nickname to you. You really are a pain in the ass sometimes.''

Isabella laughed, looking up at me and rewarding me with the happy crinkle around her bright, red eyes. -''Well, America sure is rubbing on you. So crass!''

''Oh, do be quiet.'' I slap her lightly in the arm, catching Rosalie's warm gaze from the tree line where she stood chatting with Jane and Demetri. -''Everything okay in paradise?''

''Ugh,'' Isabella slumped dramatically on my side. -''Not my fault I'm so damn charming-''

''Do contain yourself, dear. As broad as your shoulders got, they are not nearly strong enough to carry that type of ego.'' I say, gently patting her knee, making her laugh again. I couldn't help but laugh as well, and as we settled down, my eyes were on the shifters, not quite eager to meet her eyes for this. -''Will you introduce me to your father, child?''

Isabella straightened, looking at me fully. ''Charlie knows nothing about my past with you, Aro. I can't sprout another lie in other to introduce you to him, as much as I want to. I'm not about breaking another law-''

''Isabella.'' I say, finally meeting her gaze. Despite the stiff posture and hardened expression, I could see vulnerability in her eyes. And that, as Isabella said earlier, was not something we could afford right now. -''This is my permission to break that law. Tell him whatever you want, even if is nothing at all.'' I smile at that, resting a hand on her shoulder. -''I am so proud and so grateful for your loyalty, child. Just... relief yourself from whatever burdens you. It's your choice.''

Isabella looked at me for a long moment before rewarding me with the most youthful and beautiful smile in the world, and my heart felt full with happiness and pride. She bowed deeply at me before standing up to walk towards the house, where a slow, sleepy heartbeat could be heard. 

''Isabella,'' I say, before she takes the third step away. She turns to look at me. -''Just because you were born to be a vampire, does not mean you're destined to be what vampires have been.'' She frowned confusedly at me, and I offered another smile. -''This is war, dear, and you're my spear. You can start your own traditions.''

Isabella pondered for a second, before nodding and resuming her way towards her father. Another nomad arrived, and another ritual was nearing its end. By morning, we should have enough to ambush Caius.

By morning, we would unite once more.

Chapter Text

Love Child

The smell of burning wood could be scented even by humans from at least ten miles away.

Our so called ''strategy'' for the blattle involved burning a good chunk of the woods near Port Angeles, in order to hold the fight there. Me, sweating high chunks of alpha pherormone around said area, with Paul, Sam and Jared by my side. It was already bad enough with the fire, I couldn't even begin to imagine how the smell of the ashes, combined with our scent, would affect the newborns.

As I though about the army, I was once again gripped by something that I never wanted to feel about vampires; pity. All of those innocent people, grabbed by evil beings and loped into fighting a war that was not theirs. I prayed to my ancestors that Bella would be able to break them away from the girl, and that, when that happens, most of them will surrender. 

-You really have a heart of gold, huh? I hear Sam's voice in my mind, his black wolf glancing at me while we run.

-Forget about it. I'm just worried. I answer, not wanting to have this conversation right now. After our ordeal with the newborns, Sam had been acting all soft and weird around me. I could see in his head that he feared I would resent him for not imediatedly handing me my place as aplha as soon as I turned. And I already said, time and again, that I never wanted to be in this position to begin with.

-I'm sorry. Sam says, answering my thoughts. -I guess I'm just worried. I don't feel like the oldest here, there is no confidence in my wolf anymore.

-That was the alpha in you, Sam. And you're the only one of us who imprinted. Is natural for you to feel both loss and fear. I say to him, slowing to a jog in order to rub my back into the bark of a dawned tree. -Besides, you might feel that way now, but you're still Sam Uley. You're bloodline is strong, don't forget that. I could feel the alpha stuff leakeing out of me, and soon after, see my pack cowering slightly.

-I... I know. Thank you, Jake. Sam says eventually, the first to recover from the little, ugh, submissive ride, I guess. Sam was never able to spread his scent like that, so all of the pack where still getting used to that.

-It's an hability that is exclusive to the alphas. Jared said, glancing at Sam. -My father said Billy could still smell his ancestors around the wood when he was a teenage. Said it felt conforting.

Images of all the times that I had to fecth my father from the woods beside our house flooded my mind, along with grief. I could not even remember how my mother looked like at this point, but the grief in my father had never wavered.

Some in the council theorized that, even if the shifter gene skipped a generation, it still left a trace of it behind those not affected. That Sarah, my mother, had been some kind of imprint human equivalent to my father. None of that mattered, though, as she was long gone.

And I missed her. As much as I missed my sisters. I could call them, of course, say that I was in trouble. That I needed them.

But why would I risk them like that, pulling them so close to the vampires when they are safe, far away from here?

Even worse, what if they came here, near all this vampires, and their genes tingle? What if they are forced to see the life that they fought so much for, crumbling into nothing as they exploded into a giant fucking wolf?

Seeing all of this in my mind, Paul sped to ride at my side, touching his shoulderblade to mine as we kept our pace. It still amazed my how much of a support Paul became to the pack after his friendship with Bella. 

The man was unbreakable, confortable in his nature as much as Bella was in hers. He felt strong, powerful, and with a purpose, in no hurry to meet his imprint or to balk from his duty. An eternity alive meant an eternity with Bella and Rosalie, after all.

Paul's wolf gave me some kind of face that was meant to be lewd, and I snorted. -You wish, big guy.

Now the grey wolf grimaced. -I really don't. She's literally like a sister to me. Yuck. Paul's woolf had his tongue lolling out as he shook his fur, and I could feel Sam and Jared echoing my laugh.

-You know, I though I had a crush on her for the longest time. I say to them, and they look at me weird. -I know, I know, but... I guess, in the end, I just missed Rach and Becks.

I can feel Sam's and Paul's echoing understandment, but Jared, being Jared, had to lift the mood.

-I mean, I can see the appeal... And then we all could see the fucking appeal in his fucking head, making us all turn to him in annoyance, holy shit. -But, see? That's the problem. Y'all too scary. And they are scary too, is not worth it.

We were laughting once more, and I marked my last spot as we got to it. The whole damaged clearing was drenching in my scent, and even my wolves had their snouts crinkled.

-Oh, so we are your wolves now? Should I call you daddy? Jared says, which earns him a solid paw in the head from Sam.

-Shut the fuck up, dude. I say, laughting as he and Sam - the first ones to shift - playfully wrestle on the forest floor, making the scent, I imagine, even more unberable.

Still mentally laughting, Paul's wolf tilts his head back and howls a little weirdly, like the laugh carryed onto the howl. Moments later, my second favorite leech appeared in the burnt clearing carrying a big pack on his back.

Demetri grimaced fiercely as he looked at us.

''Dear Lord, boy.'' He moaned, holding his nose and I couldn't help buck grin at his watering eyes. ''You really need to see a doctor. That shit ain't normal for a boy your age.''

I sneer palyfully at him, shifting in the spot and making him look at me in consternation. ''What? Though you would appreciate some male beauty.'' I taunt him as I pull up some beat up shorts.

Demetri grimaced again. ''You're young as fuck, I'd rather not.'' He throws his big pack at the ground, making some blood bags fall from it. ''Just help me position those and then we can get the fuck out of this pool of teenage hormone. Remmember, just hide them around the area you guys are going to circle around us. We don't wan't to make our own allies feral too.''

''And you're sure The Bloody Bunch is going to be fine with the smell, even at a distance?'' Paul asked, already clothed and picking up some bags. I couldn't help but grin proudly at him, grinning all the more at his triuphant smille. Paul's been able to shift almost as fast as me now.

''The nomads,'' Demetri says pointedly, looking at Paul. ''are going to be fine. Most of them are older and more used to human blood then the Cullens, if you wan't to worry about someone.'' By then, he had started to walk around the area, leaving blood bags were my scent was the strongest.

''Must suck that your sister is mated to one of them, you really don't like them leeches.'' Jared says around a chuckle, and Demetri scoffs.

''She's a Hale.- He huffs. ''But yes, it agravates me that she is linked to them forever, and me by extension. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all they are doing for us... I guess first impressions are hard to overcome.'' He shrugs, walking with us at a human pace. Most of the vamps would do that when interacting with us, but I couldn't know if it was a conscient decision or not.

It was appreciated nontheless, specially by the young ones.

''So, assuming that we're winning tomorrow,'' Sam says, stuffing some blood bags under some bushes. ''What are your plans? Gonna head back to Italy?'' He directs it to Demetri, who sighs with a small, tense smile.

''I don't think so, I think I might finally retire.'' Demetri says, to which we all chuckle a little.

''Well, you certainly have enough years of service to do that.'' Sam says, still smiling as we walk around the clearing. ''But is that possible? I thought you had to be dismissed by the king or something.''

''No, it's not like that with Aro... At least, it hasn't been for a long time.'' Demetri aswers, his eyes getting that glazed effect that they did whenever he though back to his past. He looked at the bloodbag on his hands, keeping up with our pace. ''Those of us who are still at Aro's side... It's our choice. At least, it used to be. Now there's some of us who are just latching to whatever is against Caius.''

''...He sounds like a really nasty motherfucker, if you excuse my french.'' Jared mumbles, shrugging at my annoyed glance.

''He is. Demetri says, climbing a tall tree that was marked with my scent to scatter some bags around the brenches. ''Make no mistake, kid, old vampires? We all did unspeakable things. He pauses, rolling his eyes with mild annoyance. ''Well, except from Carlisle and Rosalie, maybe Esme too. But, yes, unspeakable things.'' He says, staring off at the wood, still balancing himself unnaturaly on the brenches with his hands on his knees, crouched. ''But, most of us grew to resent the things we did, the monsters we were capable of being. Caius... He stuck to his cruelty, embraced it. I've met a lot of saddistic vampires in my life, but him... Not only he takes joy in it, he also takes pride.''

A charged silence fell upon our little group, most of us trying to comprehend what Demetri's speech meant. Most of us grew up thinking that all vampires were evil, saddistic creatures that only existed to spread sorrow and pain. To know that those same creatures were afraid of Caius... It put a lot of things into perspective.

A man like that, with so much experience in winning battles and causing so much pain for power... Did we even had a chance? Was our destiny to fall under his hand, just like so many others?

Looking at the floor, I could only see Demetri's boots once he dropped to the ground, then his knees as he crouched in front of me. ThenI could feel his hand, grabbing my shoulder, steady and gentle. ''Things are different now. The majority of our race resents him, and without any mental hold on his lackays... Our world is changing, kid. We have an entire generation that won't stand for his bullshit anymore.''

Raising my head slightly to look at him, I only now notice that I'm sitting at the floor. ''Is there even a point? Nothing will change if we loose.''

Demetri's grip on my shoulder becomes tighter. ''It will. And we wont.'' He gripps my chin with his other hand, forcing my head upwards and making me meet his eyes. For a moment our eyes meet, and I see nothing but pain, hope, and optimism. Soon he is standing up, his expression betraying his true age. ''Chin up, Jacob Black. Your tribe is counting on you to see to it's future.''

His words struck me to my core, and some vague part of me is starting to wonder if there's really no blood relation between him and Bella.

When we were finished, the sun had dipped low into the horizon. Demetri hunted on our way back, all the while complaining that ''we made too much goddamn noise''. It was fun to watch, at least.

As the rest of the pack made it back to Cullen territory, I made my way to the reservation. Before parting ways with Demetri, I gently grabbed his arms to halt his pace, to which he gave me a curious stare. I cleaned my throat. ''Thank you, Demetri. For our talk back there.''

Demetri seemed taken aback, the arm in my grasp relaxing slightly. ''You're welcome, Jake. I meant it, I have faith in us. All of us.''

''I know.'' Offering him a smile, I release his arm to shove my hands into my pockets. ''You've already done a lot for me and the pack, but can I ask you one more favour?'' At his almost instant nod, I took a deep breath. ''Tonight, could you... Tell some of your stories? For the pack, I mean.'' I clarify at his raised brow. ''They all seem to get chirper or inspired by the stuff you've done and seen, and no offense, but you've done and seen a lot-''

Demetri laughts at that, saving me from my sudden lack of social skills. ''Quit your rambling, Black. I'll see what I can do, okay?''
He flashed a smile that was all fangs, and I couldn't help but grin back at him, finally shoving him towards Cullen territory so I could check on Charlie.

On my way back to the reservation, I took some extra time to tame my thoughts and check up on Leah, Embry and Quill, instructing them to go to the Cullen home before the night was fully up. Soon enought, I was approaching my dad's beat up red house in all it's glory. The setting sun casting large orange beans around me. 

I could smell steak and potatos being made - Charlie's favorite - and had to guess that he wasn't doing so good. Sure enough, I found him at our backyard, but I could hear Sue and dad whispering about him inside. He was sitting at the steps on our back door, a six pack already empty laying at his feet while he nursed a half empty can of beer. He looked at me sharply in his heavy coat as I approached him, and I chose to ignore his puffy eyes. ''Jake. Uh, how you doin, kid?''

''Good as I can be, I suppose.'' I say as I sit on the ground near his empty cans. ''Just finished the last touches with Demetri and we are as ready as we can be.''

Charlie grunts, finishing the can on his hand. ''I guess I don't have to tell you to be careful, since, you know...'' He gestures at my naked chest with a scowl. ''You turn into a big freaking wolf and all that.''

''Is that what's bothering you? The secrecy?'' I ask him, not in the least offended. The man just found out his only child is a freaking vampire fighting a war, he can be as grumpy as he wants.

''No'' He says, and chokes a little. Again, I pretend not to notice, even when he tries to subly dry his eyes, instead picking a blade of grass from the ground. I wonder how much he remmembers about suppernatural hearing, though.

After a lenghty silence, Charlie tries again, his voice hoarse. ''I just feel like I failed her. She didn't say anything about her mother, but I know Renee.'' His eyes flashed, his fist clenching around his freshly open can of beer. ''Nobody gave me dates, but based on what Dracula said, Renee only called me months after she ran away. Months.''

''I don't know about failed her, Charlie. She seems happy, doesn't she?'' I ask, not about to ignite whatever old hatred Charlie felt about his ex wife. Definetly not my lint to pick at.

Charlie just stares at the blade of grass still on my hand for about five minutes, his eyes glazed. ''I guess... If not for Rosalie I would feel even shittier but, it has to mean something that her... Soulmate, or whatever, is a-a vampire too, right?'' I nodded, thinking exaclty the same. I was never one for that corny shit, but I had to admit that Bella's bond with Barbie made me question a bunch of things. Two people, born with so much time between each other, destined to be togheter? Mind blowing for a sceptic teenager, I tell you.

''And you!'' Charlie says, grinning like a fool for some reason. ''You look so different my boy. Older. Wiser. Your dad can't shut the fuck up about you.'' He laughts, and I can't keep my face from heating up.

''Yeah, okay.'' Rolling my eyes, hoping he can't catch the swell of emotions the idea of my father praising me brings. ''Sue is making your favorite, by the way.'' I throw in, hoping to distract him.

It works, and Charlie dumps the rest of the can on the ground; a good sign I think. He gets up to walk back inside, but something crosses my mind and I grab his wirst, halting his progress. The Swans are stubborn as fuck.

I look straight at his bemused eyes. ''I'm sure Bella is worried about you, man. But she's not going to reach out to you, she won't hover.'' I say, and can see understanding flashing on his eyes. ''You think you failed her? Well, here's the chance to not do it again. Talk to her.''

Charlie stares at me for a bit, before giving a jerky nod and walking back inside. I stay at our backyard for a bit longer, looking at the setting sun and the rising moon. Praying that She'll give me her blessing once again tomorrow. 

Pride Child

The feel of warm lips against my neck and arms holding my waist woke me up from my intensive investigation of Fork's grey sky. I smille, not about to give her the upper hand.

''I guess you're not unreasonably mad at me anymore?'' I ask, and instantly feel Rosalie's fingers running trhough my hair and clenching, yanking my head backwards.

''You where looking into her eyes for far too long and you know it.'' Rosalie says in that heated, yet cold way of hers, and I can't help but laught, which seems to irritate her even more.

She pushes me against the forest floor, straddling me and pinning my hands with a little too much force above my head.

''You think it's funny, don't you? You think I'm being unreasonable? Edward could hear her, Bella, there's nothing funny about me taking her arm out and shoving it down her throat.''

Eyes black, platinum hair tickling my face, I couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. Slowly, I slid one of my hands from under hers in order to trace a finger across her stunning face.

''I don't want to sound like a jerk, Rose, but what others think about me is not my responsability.''

Eyes slowly bleeding gold, she keeps looking at me, and I take one of her hands, placing it over my dead heart.

It works everytime. I watched as she closed her eyes, and caressed my chest. No doubt remembering a time when a wild drum would meet her touch, beating so hard and so fast that it eventualy seized, surrending to the love I feel for her. A love that transcends life and death.

''I fucking hate you.'' She mumbles, a small smile on her face as she finaly gives in and lay her head on my chest, her body above mine. Nothing in my young life had ever made me feel as alive and happy as being close to Rosalie. There was no war, no danger, no dozens of lives under my care as I felt her skin next to mine.

''How was the talk with Charlie?'' She asks, and reality almost comes crashing in.

''About as well as it could.'' I say after a sigh, closing my eyes at the feel of her fingers caressing my neck. ''He was understanding, ,quiet, and subdued. Which... Makes me feel like shit.''

''Because you know that he sees himself as a failure and therefore feels like he has no right in demanding anything.'' Rosalie hums, and I hug her tighly, venom burning my eyes. She was nowhere near us when the conversation happened, and yet she knew me and my father so much, she already knew what went down.

''I'm sorry, love.'' She says, simply laying with me on the ground. That kind of intimacy, born in such a short time, still made my head spin... But in a good way. So I just basked in the love and understanding radiating from the beutiful woman on top of me and let all my thought about Charlie, Aro and the war drift away untill the sky started to blend in a pretty orange.

The sound of big, heavy paws running past us towards the house woke both of us from our little medidation. We stirred, sitting up and dusting our clothes. Even though he hadn't announced himself, I could somehow feel Demetri's presence hovering nearby, and so I got up to meet him.

In a blink, he appeared in front of us, eyeing our wrinkled clothes with a brief smirk. At my raised eyebrow, he chuckled and shook his head, holding his hands behind his back like a nice little soldier. ''I'm please to report that me and the muts are all done with our battle ground, general Swan. I also made sure to memorize where the wolf scent is stronger so I can later draw a map in order to preserve sargeant Hale's stomach fluids.''

Rosalie scoffs and punches him in the arm, but I assume a similar position and mirror his tone. ''That is good to know, Lieutennant. You are dismissed for today.''

We give each other ridiculous salutes, which makes Rosalie rolls her eyes with a fond smile. She looks at Demetri. ''How old are you again?''

''Aw, you love me.'' Demetri winks, pulling us by the wirst towards the house. ''Come on, Sue is on the rez so we have to help Esme cook. The big dogs ran a shit ton today!''

With our speed, we arrived at the house soon enough, I stalled at the edge of the yard, holding Demetri's hand, and Rosalie offered me a knowing smile before continuing inside.

Demetri's curiosity quickly melted into delight when I hugged him tightly, earning some cracks on his back. He didn't complain, tough, Demetri never did. He just hugged me back as hard as he could, resting his chin at the top of my head. We both adjusted our positions to observe our crew, red and gold eyed vampires mingling aroud the growing pile of wood. 

''We're gonna be fine, Pain.'' He whispers in a way that only the two of us can hear. ''I don't know about that bunch, but I have faith in you... And that goddamn alpha dog.''

I release him, looking up to grin at him. ''He's the best, isn't he?'' He rolls his eyes to the sky. ''What about your faith in our King?''

The smile slowly slips from his handsome face, and he's eyes slowly move to where Aro is seated, in a heated conversation with Japer's nomad friends.

''You are on his side.'' Demetri says at lenght, in that same low whisper, and I look at him, feeling a little confused. I nod my confirmation.

''Then I am on his side.'' He concludes, and in an instant, he smiles once more, mess with my hair, and slowly make his way inside to help Esme. I just stand there, looking on as our pitiful excuse of an army gathers around. 

Jacob's scent hits me at least five seconds before his large frame does, his big arms wrapping me in a similar hug as Demetri's. Ever since I became a vampire, the shifers skin felt like a fucking furnace, but in a nice, comfortable way. Like standing very close to a fireplace after being all day out in the snow.

Our collision gathered the looks from most os the newcomers, since most of them where still on edge around the shifters. They couldn't seem to understand how me and the Cullens where so at easy while interacting with the wolves. Both of us chose to ignore them, though.

He shifted his hug to be a one-arm hug, sweeping his leg beneath my feet and forcing me to sit on the floor. He gave a sharp whistle and, soon enough, Paul came in barreling into us, claiming my free shoulder with his arm. I just laughed at their antics.

Paul's big, beefy hand smacked down at my forehead and I scowled at him. ''Cut the frowning, Swan. You're gonna be the first vampire in history to get expression marks and grey hair.''

''Well excuse me for getting worried about your sorry ass.'' I snap at him, and I can hear Jacob whispering ''burn''.

''Did you talk to Charlie? How is he?'' I ask Jacob this time, ignoring Paul's ridiculous pout.

Jake heaves a heavy sigh ''You know how he is, Bells. Trying to wrap his head around everything, I guess.'' He says, rubbing my shoulder when I looked down. ''Just to make it official, you can go to the rez to talk to him if you want to.'' I look sharply at him, and his brown eyes flash playfully. ''What, you want a blood pact?''

I just laugh watery and hug him once more, pulling Paul's arms to join us. Paul, being the little shit that he is, could not appreciate the quiet moment.

''Man, I don't know how blondie copes with our scent all over you. By the way, is her cousin alive?'' He asks, making me scowl and Jacob chuckle. As unfair as it was, Jacob's laught just pissed me off more, so I punched Paul's ribs.

''Cut that shit. And you guys don't smell like garbage to her anymore.'' At that, both of them look at me in curiosity, Paul still rubbing his rib.

''No way! How do I smell to her?'' Both of them ask almost at the same time, making smile fondly.

''Like Sunflowers and clothes drying in the sun.'' Rosalie's cool voice answers, her eyes finding first Jacob and then Paul. They grinn like fools at each other before scrambling off, arguing about which smell was the best.

Rosalie pulled me to my feet, nodding towards the house. ''Esme is done, but she wants you to help setting the food on the table for some reason. I swear to God, I could do it in a few-''

I can't help it, I pull my mate roughly towards me and kiss her with all the love and gratefullness I felt untill her arms were gripping my neck and the shifters were whistling. She looked a little breathless and confused when I released her, and I could only smile at her.

''Thank you.'' I say, nuzzling her neck and breathing her scent with my eyes closed. ''Thank you, Rose.''

And Rosalie lets out that girlish giggle that is just for me, making my heart swell with affection.

After the food was gone and the fire had weakened, our little group mingled around the yard with anxious faces and whispered conversations. Most of our allies were only able to show up today, so Jasper was about to relate our battle plan to them. Most of them had experience in killing seasoned vampires, let alone newborns, so we had that small blessing. The nomads where okay, all things considering, but the clans - The amazon and egypt - still appeared restless, and their leaders kept shooting me and Aro unease glances.

''Everyone, please.'' Jasper said in his calm voice, gathering everyones attention. He stood between the house and the tables, his posture as straigh as a rod. ''In order to bring our new friends here up to speed, is important that they know who we are dealing with.''

And then he proceeded to thel all about Caius, that psycho motherfucker James, and the rest of their little deranged group. He told them about how we have an advantage with the wolves, how Jacob and his pack became a strong threat in the span of a month, and how they could render a young vampire's senses basically useless at a large scale. He explained the girl's gift, and how we should all be protected from it because of me. That because of this, I was to be the one to approach the girl and sway her to our side. Many frustrated glares where spared when he made sure to inform that the girl was not to be harmed, but most of them begrundgily nodded when Jasper explained that the girl was only a young victim, not older then the younger shifters.

''And how do I know that, when all is said and done, Aro won't sway back into Caius's side and force the rest of my coven to join them?'' The leader of the egyptian coven, Amun, asked with a glare aimed at Aro. The latter looked at Demetri with a face that said ''can you believe this guy?''
He got up, walking calmly to where Jasper was standing. He traded another glance with Demetri, before extending his hands with a little pout, looking at Amun. ''Oh, friend. Do you really think I didn't knew about Benjamin?''

The reaction was immediate. The whole egyptian clan, plus some of the nomads, stood up and gathered near Amun, assuming defensive positions and, some of them, baring their fangs at Aro.

I was moving before my brain even registered the motion. Two other blurs at my side and, by the time I got into position in front of Aro, Jane and Alec where already flanking me. Demetri stood between us, the Cullens standing by our back, and Rosalie beside Demetri. Four wolves also exploded in that milisecond, half of them quite young, grownling at the vampires. The other two, Jacob and Paul, flanked each side of us.

The Denali and Amazon coven watched on with sharp, black eyes, bodies tensed for whatever was to come, along with the rest of the pack - frozen at Jacob's mental command.

Aro watched all of this unfolf with tired eyes that slid to mine when I turned my head to look at him. I felt my shoulders slumping for a moment at his gaze. This powerful man, tired beyond my years, looking at me with those exhausted eyes. He then turned to look at Marcus, who had the same expression. Behind them, Edward was trying to catch my eyes, his own expression tortured and just... Sad.

I took a look at Jasper once to confirm, his black, glassy eyes offering all the confirmation I needed. I took a deep, unnacessary and shaky breath before looking back at the opposing group.

And out of all the things I could say to them, what came out of my mouth had everyone present freezing at their tracks.

''I don't have the time for this shit. You wan't to leave? Leave. You wan't to join Caius? Then just go. I'm tired of this meaningless drama.'' And walked back towards my seat, Rosalie and Demetri following me after a pause to glare pontendly at the group.

Amun and the nomads stood there, statues with only their eyes going this and that way.

Eventually, some of them ran to the woods, making Jacob contain the younger wolves who wanted to charge and chase after them. After some time, most of our group went back to their seats to listen to Jasper, and only the Egyptian clan remained absent.

So be it, I thought, glancing at Aro as I did. If he want to give up, too, so be it. This is bigger then any petty dispute for a throne.

My sour mood got worse by the minute, and seeing Benjamin, from the fucking egyptian coven, walking towards us with cracks on his skin and eyes on the ground, absolutely did nothing to help it. And I was sure as hell hoping that the damage to him was not made by his own coven leader.

We all stared at him with different levels of concern, suspicion and anger. Too many sets of black eyes got the young shifters to tremble, and Jacob had to actually get up and shift again in order to set things right.

Benjamin just shrugred, briefly making eye contact with me and Aro while taking his seat. ''I'm an adult.'' He offered as a way of explanation. I just nodded, planning on talking to him after our little meeting.

With Benjamin in the mix, Jasper seemed much more chirper with his explanation. In no time at all, all of the supernatural beings where up to speed with how things should go tomorrow. Tuning them out, I could only think about Charlie and Aro. 

The two father figures of my life.

I could understand Aro's stance in this, as the man has lived a thousand lives already, and all of them filled with drama. I suspect he would have given up at the loss of his mate, but maybe the idea of leaving Marcus in the dark kept him from loosing his cool completly.

Charlie, though?

I never blamed him for leaving me with Renee. He should know that, I never even reached out to him after I ran away. Not out of spite or because I thought he didn't want me, but because I didn't want him to blame himself, as he undoubly was at the moment. I didn't want to put him in danger, or expose him to my future. To be totaly honest, I wouldn't even seek him out if they hand't sent me all the way to Forks.

Maybe I should have refused, should have insisted that we remained somewhere near the town and eventually meet the Cullens and the pack some other way. Maybe then I wouldn't have to remmeber how my father refused to meet my eyes after I told him the truth.

There's just a lot of guilt in this family, and now... He's making me feel guilty because he is feeling guilty. What a bunch of bullshit.

By the time that one of the shifters snapped me out of my petulant, internalized rant, Jasper was already done with the explanation, and some of the newcomers were looking at me funny. The amazonian women, in particular, with their tall frame and piercing eyes were starting to make my skin crawl, and so I squared my shoulders and felt my eyes darkening as I stared back. -What?

I knew they could understand english, and so I waited for an answer as to what the problem was with my face. The taller one, Zafrina, finally broke the staring match. -We are just wondering if your... Gift, is really going to protect us. She said, and she gestured at all the newcomers at that.

I grunted, standing up from my sitting position and trying to shake away my funk. -I don't see why it wouldn't. People who are near me seem to be taken under my gift. Maybe not glaring at me would help with that.

The small group had the decency to look bashful at that, making the Cullens and some of the pack chuckle. Benjamin offered me a knowing grin and a shrug. -It's just the way most of us stare after years away from humans. We don't remmember what freaks them out, and you're still somehow attuned to that part of you.

''Makes sense, I guess.'' I nodded, and then looked at the woods before looking back at him. He huffed a little, but stood up to head into that direction anyway. I held up a hand to stop Rosalie and Demetri from trying to follow us before addressing the rest of the group. ''But, yes, it should work. It would help for me to actually like you, but you already have my gratitude. Should be enough.''

They nodded, seemingly mulling it over, and I went after Benjamin at full speed. I didn't had to run too far, though; Benjamin had been briefed on perimeter.

I spotted him leaning against a tree, already looking somewhat on edge. -What the fuck happened man? Where's the rest of your clan?

''Look,'' He said, his hands going up. ''Before you loose it, just understand that I had been with them for a long time. Like, a very long, long time. ''

''What. Happened. '' I said through gritted teeth, eying a particular deep crack on his forehead.

Benjamin sighed, flopping unceremonesly in front of the tree. ''I didn't agree with them. They called you a snake, a pawn raised by Aro as his final play to get all the power.'' My face remained blank, but my eyes twitched a little. ''I know. So I said I didn't agree, and I stood my ground this time. Well, they turned against me, calling me ungrateful, and I had to beat them to a pulp in order to break away and come here. I have no regrets, by the way.'' 

After some time, I could only sigh and rub my eyes tiredly. -I'm very sorry you had to do it. If I could just talk to them some more...

''Hey, they won't give you a chance.'' Benjamin said, staring at me with his dark red eyes. ''Amun is consumed by fear, refusing to see throuh it. It used to afect me aswell, but not anymore. I'm tired of hiding.''

''As long as we're not tired of fighting, this should work, I guess.'' Benjamin smiled a little, and I felt my gloom slowly ebbing away. ''Do you think they will be a problem?''

''No, Amun is already on his way back to the sad crypt I used to call home, most likely.'' Benjamin said, and the lack of any negative emotion on his voice made me curious but... Now was not the time for that.

I walked towards him, offering him a hand. ''Come on, you need to hunt. I'll show you the border.''

Passion Child

It was still early in the evening, but the tension in the air got thicker by the minute. After Bella returned with Benjamin, nobody asked a thing, but everyone stood together around the fire, just kind of trying to stay together and, in the shifter's case, not to panic. Jacob seemed peaceful enough, but I would guess that his lineage would be good at keeping emotions inside.

Bella came to sit beside me, leaving Benjamin to mingle with the pack. She offered me a happy, small smile, and my heart gave a phantom beat. I couldn't help but clutch at her hand, staring at her bright red eyes and the delicate features of her face. The thought of being away from her tomorrow made my chest heave in a painfull way, and I coulf feel her hands grasping at my shoulders in a conforting way.

I let my eyes wander, taking deep breaths as I scanned the group around the bonfire. I met Paul's eyes and stuck, staring at him for a long time while Bella rested her head on my shoulder. 

A kind smile slowly bloomed on Paul's face, his eyes shining with a kindness and affection that, honestly, took me off guard. Sure, we became closer because of Bella, and because of his role in the pack, but I never thought I'd see the depth of understanding displayed in his eyes. He offered me a wink, turning to Demetri and slapping a massive head on his shoulder. ''Hey, remmember when that vamp got into my mind and made me head-butt a tree?''

Demetri and my family laughed at that, but the newcomers looked confused in a amused way. Bella snorted by my side. ''Well... No vamp made you head-butt the tree, man. That was all you.''

Paul made an indignant sound, and then went to tell the newcomers about our most faithfull encounter with the army, their only offensive. He told the story in a funny and youthful way, and by the end of it even the nomads where paying rapt attention with smilling eyes.

After that, every supernatural being had a battle story to tell, some sad, some funny, but it all went crazy once Emmet and Eddie parked the Jeep some ways beside the yard, both of them hauling large crates of some kind of alcoholic drink and putting them near the shifters. I arched my eyebrow. I could expect something like that from Emmet, but Edward?

My dear brother rolled his eyes. ''They burn fast, they won't even experience hangover.'' He smirked, looking sideways. 'It was actually Carlisle's idea.''

I felt my mouth drop while Leah reached for a bottle. -Shit, thank you papa vamp.- She said, the other shifters cheering and following her lead. Carlisle looked sheepsly at the ground, shruging after glancing at me.

After that, everything was a happy chaos. The shifters, as promised, burned through the drinks like the salty wood on the bonfire. Jacob made sure to send the younger ones home with Sam, who wanted to be near his imprint, and their energy was like a magnet, pulling everyone into their antics and jokes. 

Paul seemed to be invested in getting Demetri do tell some war tales, and the shifters seemed bewitched by his words. Some grateful exchange seemed to take place between Jacob and Demetri, which made e and Bella smile. Demetri, smartly, avoided anything involving vampiric coven disputes, and even some of the Denalis seemed to be interrested. Eventually, even Jane and Alec tossed their two cents into the conversation, which made the shifters all the more interested.

Soon enough, a large sense of companionship settled among us, and there where no stiff muscles or worried glances to be found. To my immense happiness, Bella remained by my side, even when Jacob and Paul worked together to pin her face down and drop some of the foul-smelling drink on her mouth. Carlisle actually had a pretty smug look on his face, and I had to hand it to him that the planned ''activity'' worked wonders in creating bonds between the newcomers and the shifters.

''Should they not be with their families?'' A hoarse voice sounded behind us, and we startled, turning to look at Marcus who had, silently, taken a sit at our table.

''Most of the families don't know, or choose to ignore.'' Bella said, the first to recover. ''The only families privy to the supernatural business are the ones in the council, and those are Jacob's dad, Sue, Quill I and Sam's mom.''

''Sam... That's the former alpha, yes?'' Marcus asked, his eyes glazed and distant.

''...That's him, yes. Jake is the rightful alpha, though.'' Bella confirmed, smiling a little at the shifters.

Marcus smilled as well, however, his eyes slid to the young alpha. ''Ah, yes... He has a strong spirit, and an even stronger bond to this land. I'm sure he'll bring pride to his lineage.''

''That's good to know.'' Bella mutters, still smiling at Jacob. I could see the same pure affection oh her eyes as I've seen in Paul's, and that's when it suddendly clicked to me. 

Those smelly, loud, reckless boys were my family, as much as my coven was. As much as Bella was.

At the realization, I braced myself internally for the onslought of worry that would come with it. More family, more people to loose, but instead... A warm feeling took me over, starting on my chest and slowly creeping over my body, and it was almost like I could feel every single one of those idiots hovering near me.

I closed my eyes, chosing to enjoy the feeling while conversation continued around me. At some point, I leaned against Bella, resting my head on her chest, feeling the vibrations of her voice as she discusses the different bonds with Marcus. Chosing to enjoy the peace.

Because tomorrow... We were going to war.

War Child

I woke up on the floor at my mother's kitchen.

As the mindreader promised, there was no hangover. I looked up and saw the window, sighing when I saw that the sun was still down. There was a gentle knock at the door, and I blinked at it, realizing that it was the reason I woke up.

I got up, whispering quietly that I would be a minute. The knock seized, and I walked into my mother's bedroom and smilled at her small frame resting under the covers.

Bending to kiss her forehead, I gripped her hand when she stirred from her sleep, smiling at her sleepy eyes. ''Are you going to school, Paulie?''

Kissing her knuckles, I moved some dark hair from her grey eyes. ''That's right. I should be back tonigh, I'm meeting Jake after school for a project.''

''He's a good boy.'' My mother says, eyes slipping shut once more.  ''Tell Billy I said hello''

''I will, mom. I left some roasted beef on the fridge for your lunch later.'' I say, still looking at her. ''I love you, okay?''

She kept silent, so I walked quietly to the door, barely cathing her ''Love you too, Paulie'' before quietly shutting the door and making sure everything was in order in the kitchen.

I ran to my room quickly, remmembering our plan in the worst case scenario, and grabbing my phone. By the time I met Jake on my porch, Jared was already there.

''How you doin', Paulie?'' Jared asked in a weird, raspy voice, and I did a double take to look at his face. His eyes were red and slightly swollen, pointed at Jacob's pocket.

''... I'm fine, mostly.'' I say, and look at Jacob. ''I'm not finished with my messages yet. I spent most of the night cooking.''

Jacob nodded quietly, yet to speak a word to either of us. Last night, Alice, the small Cullen, came up with the idea that we all should write something for our loved ones in case the worst happened. It was a somber idea, but a good one, and we could all see that it was born out of love.

Most of the shifters chose to type messages on their phones and set them to be delivered tomorrow. If everything went right, we could just recall them and delete them. Most of the vamps, including Bella, chose to write letters which would be hidden at the house with our phones, to be delivered by whoever survived.

The walk to the Cullens was a quiet and slow one. No one had shifted, instead we all walked towards them at a confortable, human pace. I was grateful for that too, since my thoughts kept slipping to the young shifters who were meant to guard the reservation while we were gone.

A year ago, because of the circumstances regarding my shifting, I could never imagine being the one responsible for teaching young shifters to defend themselves. Honestly? I couldn't be more happy with my responsability.

Most os the kids on the Rez had difficult childhoods, on account of our territory shrinking and the adversities of being a native american. Suprisingly, I could get into their heads with little to no effort, and our training went smoothly because of that.

Even then, I couldn't help but wonder if I had trained them enough. Will they be able to survive? Will Sam be able to control them?

The young shifters, plus Sam and Seth, would be staying behind to guard the Rez. We're not stupid, and Jacob was, suprisingly, a pretty good strategist. He figured that, doing things this way, we would be able to protect the younger ones, plus keep Sam closer to his imprint and still have two strong wolves who were resistent to the mind control thing protecting our families.

By the midlle of the border, Jake signilized for us to stop, and then started pulling bags out of the trees that were full of black clothing, contacts and makeup. A particulary large bag was filled to the brim with scent eliminator spray, and when every shifter was dressed with a variaty of dark pieces, Alice and Edward appeared from the woods with sheepish smiles, each grabing a make-up kit and starting to work fast on each of us.

The result was... Comical, to say the least. Each of us where wearing black, with bright red contacts and a skin not only white, but so fucking pale that we couldn't help but burst out laughting.

The vamps were laughing as well, and when we calmed down, Edawrd whiped a non-existent tear from his eye. ''Well, if we ignore the heartbeats, you guys literally look like vampires. Sorry?'' He finished in a grimace, and we laughed some more.

The make-up and disguise where Jasper's idea. Since we are going to be near the zones that are stashed with the blood bags, If we looked and behaved like vamps, the newborns would associate our heartbeat with the smell of fresh blood and mistake us from vampires. That would give us further advantage, as we could hold our ground agains a vamp in human form, and could save our wolf for the most extreme situations. By then, hopefully, most of the fight would be under control. I had to admit, it was a pretty fucking smart plan, but it conveyed entirely on the presumption that the leader will be away from the fight. We had no doubt that James and the other leech knew about us, but none of them had seen us in human form, so we should have the upper hand there.

When we arrived at the Cullen home, most of the vamps where outside, all in black, looking sullen and nervous. The first Cullen to come out of the house was Rosalie, and she did a double take, looking between me and Jacob. She offered a small smirk before beconing us towards the back of the house, me and Jacob following her, trying not to tear down my make-up that was so. fucking. itchy.

When we got some ways away from the house, Rosalie turned to us, looking somewhat nervous. Her body language was enough to make Jake nervous, but before he could voice his concern, Rosalie grabbed the front of my black button-up and hugged my shoulders fiercely. I couldn't help but freeze for a moment, before carefully returning the hug. I could feel Rosalie stiffening at first, but soon she realxed in my arms and pulled Jacob to join us. A myriad of emotions passed trough me, the most persistent one being affection, and I couldn't help but playfully squeeze my arms around them.

She squeezed back in return, and released us at Jake's yelp, her eyes full of mirth almost making me ignore the piercing pain on my spine.

''Ow, Barbie, what the fuck?'' Jake said, strethcing his back with a grimace. A chuckle could be heard from behind us, and we all turned to look at the smilling face of Bella Swan, also dressed in al black, dark hair tossed like she had been fighting... Or something else. Thank God the scent eliminator was still strong in our noses.

''Wow. You guys look absolutely ridiculous. Convincing, but ridiculous.'' Bella said, coming to stand beside her mate, who leaned against her side and closed her suddenly black eye. Yep. Not fighting.

Jake gave a weak cough, looking like he would be blushing beneath all the fucking makeup. ''Yes, well, not all of us can look fucking stunning all the time.''

Rosalie raised an eyebrow, her eyes still dark. ''Flattery will get you nowhere, puppy.'' She looked at me then and offered a small smile. ''Are Sam and the boys okay?''

Ever since learning about my role with the little ones, Rosalie's respect for me seemed to grow. She questioned Jake about his decision to delegate it to me, and listened in rapt attention to his reasoning. She expressed sympathy when he talked, with my permission, about my father. But she spared me no pity, which was something that ment a lot to me. Jake also seemed to get on her sweet side pretty easily, what with his constant fussing about the young boys in the pack.

It was crazy to think that there where no secrets between the pack and the Cullens anymore. At my first shift, the common sense was to hate any and all vampires, regardless of their diet or intentions. Between years of prejudice drilled into our DNA and our difficult temper, it was a miracle that we got here.

''Sam is worried, but that just how he is.'' I rolled my eyes with a fond smile. ''The boys are excited.'' I shrugged at her patronizing expression. ''Kids will be kids I guess.''

Rosalie tsked, but nodded nonetheless, once more leaning into Bella's side and smiling when she was embraced. Bella looked between me and Jake. ''We should be leaving in two hours, top. Are you guys done with the letters?''

Jake nodded, his face devoid of emotion as he handed her a small purse with all of our phones. ''I also passed along the safe's password to everyone. They should all be able to access it.''

Bella accepted the purse with the same expression, but it cracked when she looked at him. She gently grabbed his arm when he tried to retreat it, making him look at her. ''It won't come to it, Jake. This is just in case...''

''I know.'' Jake said, his shoulders slumped, and my heart ached for my alpha. Jake was too kind, too good of a soul to not feel worried about his pack. Maybe that's what made the Blacks such great leaders.

Jake rolled his shoulders, clearing his throat before addressing her again. ''I, uh... I talked to Charlie before fetching the pack.'' He glanced at me and Rosalie, but Bella made no objection to our presence. No secrets, after all.

''What? He shouldn't be awake.'' Bella said, assuming that uncanny stiff posture that she did ever since becoming a vamp when she got unconfortable.

Jake smile saddly. ''His daughter is about to fight a war, Bells. Of course he's awake.'' He sighed when she looked down. ''He wished us luck, said he has faith in you.''

''Well, we'll need copious amounts of that.'' Bella said dryly, making Rosalie raise a bemused eyebrow at her. She sighed at that, looking at her mate and having a silent conversation, before the blonde released her and patted her back. 

''Go talk, you two. Me and Paul will be waiting with the others.'' Rosalie said, and I just nodded at Bella before following her mate into a secluded part of the yard. She leaned against a tree, smilling at her mother, before slowly tearing out small pieces of the tree bark with her nails.

I watched her for some time, noticing how her movements grew more erratic and repetitive the longer it took for Bella to get back. I chose to not say anything, but the woman looked ready to burst from her skin. She glanced at me suddenly, her hands pausing on the tree. ''I think the makeup it's getting to you head.'' She said, and I leaned my head to the side, looking at ther curiously. ''You haven't moved in over 12 minutes.''

I moved my arms and shoulders, only now noticing the slight stiffness. ''Sorry, I didn't mean to stare.''

Rosalie smiled a little ''You're fine.'' She sighed heavly and let her head fall against the tree, looking at the sky. ''Are you afraid, Paul?''

''...Yeah, I am.'' I said eventualy, my eyes at the floor. ''I don't want to loose anyone but somehow feel it's going to happen anyway.'' I said in a quiet voice, not wanting the other vamps to hear it. 

''I know what you mean.'' She said just as quietly, her eyes still upwards. ''If one of you... Fall, while you're in your wolf form, would you all se it? Would you feel it?''

Her question gave me pause, and I took a minute to think about it before looking back at her. ''We can't see it. I think we would get crazy if we could see through everyone's eyes all the time.'' I shrugged at her silent question. ''Jake mostly acts like a buffer between all of us. We can hear and sense each other without him, but we can only think as one when he's shifted.''

I gave Rosalie some time to mul it over before continuing. ''To answer your question, we've been told that it would be like cutting a line. We just suddenly can't hear them anymore, but feel them in a different way. Like, their spirit lending their strenght to us, or something. That's for the pack, of course. It's different for the alpha.''

''Somehow I already know it's not a 'good' different.'' Rosalie said dryly, and I smiled just as dryly at her.

''Jake would instantly know, and feel everything. They say the grief is unbearable. That all of the alphas would mourn from the other side.''

Rosalie stared blankly at the trees. ''Sounds painful... But also somehow beautiful.'' She says, finally looking at me with dark eyes.

I just chuckle, shaking my head. ''That's our supernatural existence in a nutshell, blondie.'' She glares at the nickname, but her lips keep twitching upwards.

We stood in a confortable silence after that, Rosalie no longer agitated but instead looking like she is in deep thought. Bella and Jake approached us some minutes after, just as Jasper stood from his position in his mate's arms and nooded at Bella. She relesead a shaky breath, nodding back before being yanked by Rosalie into a fierce embrace. 

Jake rubbed his eyes, shaking his shoulders before assuming his alpha position, eyes hard and face sharp. He made for an intimidating figure, the red in his eyes giving him a haunty quality, and I could feel myself assuming a similar position. He nodded at me before walking towards the rest of the pack. He didn't said a word, but all of them got to their feet and, after a brief and meaningful glance to the Cullens, we were off, running at top speed in our human forms towards our position in the battle field.

Chapter Text

''We're close'' Tanya said, her usually golden eyes becoming darker due to the scent of decay and filth. 

The newborn ''headquarters'', which consisted of a former lumber factory, was almost filled to the brim with frail and sick-looking newborns. That bodes well for us, but I couldn't help but feel sick. I could recognize many faces from reading Chief Swan's thoughts, countless lives stolen from their loved ones to be used as cannon fodder.

With Tanya and Jasper by my side, I scouted the area and the thoughts ahead of us with the goal of finding the so-called leaders of this horror show. I knew the girl had to be nearby, as the newborns were behaving in a zombie-like state, faintly trembling, slowly pacing with their black, vacant eyes staring at their feet.

Eventually, I came upon a particularly interesting set of thoughts. I could see the edge of a tall building from their perspective, the poor creatures in the yard looking even more helpless from this perspective. There was a sadistic joy from the visage, and I could faintly hear the creak from Jasper's trembling hands as he fisted them.

I traded an uneasy look with my brother before closing my eyes and fully giving into that perspective. Only someone in the upper ranks would be able to stay that far away from the newborns.

Sick satisfaction. There wasn't an uncomfortable bone in this body. Looking at my side, I could see the girl, Bree, in that same deep state of meditation. Except, this time, she looked more like the newborn, her skin gray and frail, her dark hair broken and dead. Rage filled my mind, but it seemed to have no effect on this body, as I could hear an amused chuckle leaving it's lips. 

Turning fully around, I observed the distressed figure of the red-headed vampire, presumably this monster's mate. She didn't seem happy, and kept shooting wary glances to her right, which was, unfortunately, out of my line of sight, at least for now. She seemed on edge, her body giving jittery, sporadic spasms in the direction of the woods.

The voice coming out of me crooned, and his voice spoke thought my lips ''Can you please settle down, little bird? The King has assured us, time and again, that we are safe here.'' I - He said in a sick, overly sweet voice. His mate just glared at him, moving from her incessant pacing to stand uncomfortably around the girl. What an annoying little bitch she could be sometimes.

Finally turning to the left, I could see Caius himself in what appeared to be a silent conversation with none other than Heidi and Chelsea themselves. He seemed deeply amused, and after a few more moments of interaction, he stepped away from his soldiers to smirk directly at me. 

''My dear brother has fled Volterra and took that sad, dull rock of a man with him. This could be our chance to strike the Cullen's little house party.''

''What about their defenses?'' I could hear my own voice mingling with the body's, and my gift almost slipped through my fingers. ''They disposed of the last group we sent, and Adam was quite the individual.''

''What of the twins? Chances are they are with the Cullens as we speak.'' A feminine voice says, and my eyes are directed at the red-head vampire, who is trying to contain her glare as she addresses Caius.

The elder, for his part, just waves their concerns away. ''That brute was nothing more than a messenger, and he performed impressively well in his role. Not a nosy vampire on sight since then.'' He said, beckoning Chelsea closer. ''As for the twins, they are most likely far away from here. They never seemed all that fond of Aro, and according to Chelsea here, their loyalty is entirely pinned on each other.''

''The girl hasn't gone anywhere. I can still feel her a couple of miles away.'' I said, and there wasn't any particularly deep thought in my head. I seem to be a tracker of some sort, and could envision a thread between myself... and Bella. 

James, then.

Caius hummed in a way that seemed bored. ''Yes, settle your libido, friend. You can do whatever you want after all is said and done, but we do need to take advantage of our upper hand.''

''Well, these sad fuckers haven't fed in almost a week. We can head to town, get some blood bags, and split them among the army. They should be somewhat fitted for combat tomorrow.'' James voice said, but the woman, Victoria, took a distressed step ahead.

''How many? It won't matter how many newborns we have if they crumble like sand when the fight starts. We need at least fifty, and just to make them marginally strong.''

''It won't matter. There's not that many of them, and if the army distracts them, Chelsea can work her magic on the others.'' James said, his voice once more mingling with my own. ''By the time Aro gets here, we will be comfortable and ready for him. He is sure to surrender... Or die.''

Caius had a pensive look during the discussion, glancing briefly at the Bree. ''Remember that the girl is our priority, at least until most of them are seized. As for Aro...'' There was a sick smirk on his face at that. ''Depending on where he passes through, the other covens might just kill them for us.''

''Tonight' I say, coming out of that twisted mind, my hand clutching at my chest. ''Some of them will leave for supplies tonight. That's our chance.''

Jasper seemed to be in a similar distress, but Tanya nodded, waiting for us to get ourselves back together. ''I'll get my sisters. We'll camp nearby until you give the signal.''

The darkness of that man's feelings took some time to wear off, and I struggled to keep my senses sharp as we put some space between us and the newborn army. Not a single one of them seemed to be picking up on our presence, and I felt the urge to lay myself at Bella's feet to show my gratitude.

''I literally know how you feel.'' Jasper said, and I had to keep myself from bursting out laughthing. Our stress levels were already skyrocketing, and this was only the beginning.

Jasper actually chuckled, his eyes finding the direction of the army as his smile slowly slipped away. ''Those vampires... They look wrong, Ed. They look starved, like they shouldn't be alive anymore like they are just made of stone. They look...''

''Wrong.'' I finish, my chest still heaving. ''There are no thoughts to be captured, no memories, not even instinct. I didn't dare invading the girl's mind, but...''

Jasper sighed, reaching for my shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. ''You shouldn't. Nothing but pain there, I'm sure.''

The wind changed some minutes later, and we both could feel the distinctive scent of the Denali sisters. This is it.

As the night fell, I could feel something like panic rising on my chest, and turned to look at Jasper, trying to block his thoughts from myself. A pained expression briefly crossed his face, but he gave me a firm nod, gripping my shoulder with more strength. ''It's okay. You can stay here.'' He pointed a finger at his head, and I allowed his thoughts to become my own, releasing a breath in relief at the cold, tactical quality of his mind. Nothing but discipline and strategy flooded his thoughts, and I could feel myself focusing once more. I could do it. I could be strong like Emmett.

Silently approaching the army, I took a second to make sure most of the others were away. I could pick up on Victoria's, Riley's, Heidi's, and Felix's thoughts. James, Caius, and Chelsea seemed to be gone, and although those four posed a significant threat, we were even numbered.

Jasper nodded at me, and I ran at top speed to be closer to the Denali sisters. At my most ridiculous, I threw my head back and gave my best shot at replicating a wolf's howl, long and loud, directing my mouth towards the tall, ''command'' building.

I could see from Jasper's eyes that Felix, Heidi and Riley all turned to the sound, while Victoria seemed to be conflicted, coiled like a snake with her back turned to them. Some conversation issued, but Jasper couldn't hear it from his position. Suddenly, Felix and Riley took off in my direction, and I tapped out of his mind just in time to see him and Irina bulldozing toward the army at full speed, taking out at least a dozen newborns before my eyes returned to my own vision.

Rapidly approaching footsteps came in my direction, and I was able to swiftly dodge to my left as Felix's boulder-sized frame scrambled past my side to redirect his body in order to pin me down. I used my momentum to snake my arms around his waist and toss him into a nearby tree. He launched himself from said tree almost instantly, with a mind to use it as a propeller to gain on me, but I saw it in his head and dodged once more, this time circling his neck with my arms and attempting to slam my elbow at the junction. Sadly, Felix was much more stronger than myself and used his mighty weight to spin us around and crash us into the ground.

I could feel cracks forming in my jaw, and briefly looked up at Tanya to see that she already had one of Heidi's arms tossed at her side. I picked up on Felix's plan to slam his fists into my face just in time to roll away from the blow, blinking against the dirt and launching myself at his midsection. The move was abrupt, and with my advantage in agility, Felix lost his balance and tipped sideways. Sloppy.

I used his own weight as a counterpoint in gravity, waiting for his body to slam the ground before wrenching his head upwards, grating my teeth against the sound of grinding stones and yanking with all my strength, until everything stopped.

My body ached, and I could feel cracks and bruises littering my back, my chest, my neck and my midsection. At the unnatural silence, my head snapped up to look at Tanya's limping form as she simultaneously put her leg back in place and tossed a lighter at Heidi's body. My chest heaved, but I managed to drag Felix's headless body to join his comrade, kicking his head alongside as I did.

Tanya and I shared a brief moment of peace before the sound of hundreds of footsteps reached us. She gave me a nod, taking off in the direction of the clearing as I took a moment to collect myself. Soon enough, I was sprinting after her, Jasper's taunts greeting my ears.

Phase one was concluded. Now, onto phase two.

''You're staying behind.'' Isabella's voice said through gritted teeth, her face making no room for backtalk. ''Until Caius gets here, there's no need for you to be involved in the fighting. You know this.''

The russet wolf by her side huffed in agreement before resuming its endless pacing. From the last two hours, I was able to associate that action to the wolf's communicating to his pack. Apparently, the young alpha could open up a mental channel with his pack, even if they were in their human form. Something that seemed to be extremely fascinating to my brother, who kept his eyes on the wolf at all times.

An overbearing presence pulled my attention back to the matter at hand, and I look up to see Demetri's face inches away from mine. ''At the very least, you could pay attention. What the fuck is wrong with you, Aro?''

''Nothing is wrong, my friend,'' I say, meeting his gaze head-on. Demetri seemed so on edge, so worried and afraid... I could see everything in his honey-gold eyes. He seemed like an entirely different person from the red eyed warrior that I've seen winning so many battles. ''It stands to logic that handing myself would throw them off-''

Demetri scoffed, hollow and disappointed, his eyes narrowing. ''What, you suddenly acquired a heart? This was not part of the plan, Aro. We stick to the plan.''

Isabella, seemingly fed up, shoved both of us with eyes as dark as the approaching night. ''I don't care about what stands to logic, my king.'' She sneered, showing me her teeth for the first time. ''There's too much at stake here, we don't need your fucking ego to make it worse. I'm tired of this incessant squabble!''

I stood my ground, scowling at the only being I ever considered my family. ''And if we can divert most of the violence? You know me and Marcus could distract them long enough for us to have a chance. Caius is probably wondering where I am-''

''Oh my God!'' Isabella cut me off, her fangs at full display. ''When are you going to learn? This isn't about you!''

''They're coming!'' Alice's voice cried out, and the clearing was instantly engulfed in an impressive chorus of growls and snarls, the most pronounced one coming from the russet wolf among us.

I looked at my brother, who had a serene look on his face, his gaze fixated on the way that Isabella simultaneously clutched at her mate's hand and the alpha's fur. They both seemed to be leaning onto her, and that was my last thought before all hell broke loose.

Dozens upon dozens of newborns ran towards us, following a bettered Jasper and an even worse Irina. They ran erratically, stumbling upon themselves, not at all like vampires should, and when the bulk of then reached the middle of the clearing... All eyes went black.

The pack, diligently, circled the army, still in human form, stomping and bursting blood bags as they went, creating an immediate effect on the army who seemed to become instantly feral.

I tried to catch sight of Bella and her mate between the throngs of cracked skin and flailing limbs, but could only make our allies as they struck and yanked and finished, moving on to the next target and so on.

More and more newborns seemed to pour from the tree line, so Alec, Jane and Zafrina took the spearhead, dropping dozens of vampires as they went, counting on Benjamin and the nomads, Peter and Charlote, to dispose of them. Some commotion stirred me, and I looked at the edge of the fight to see a newborn embracing the hind side of a slim, grey-coated shifter, crushing its hind legs and hips. After that, all pretense from the pack went away, and I watched in awe as the boys exploded into wolves, all of them snarling mightily as they went for the kill. If the situation wasn't so dire, the look of utter surprise from every single newborn would be hilarious.

This seemed to also boost Benjamin into action, and before anyone could reach anyone, the boy slammed his fist into the ground, creating a large, growing crater between himself, the injured shifter, and the rest of the fight.

Jane, Alec and Zafrina were also at his side of the fight and began to move automatically, rounding the clearing and watching as the pack dealt with the newborns for any sign of needed intervention. As the numbers dimmed, more seemed to appear, and I couldn't be sure of how much more we would be able to resist.

''We need to flush them out!'' Jasper snarled, separating a newborns head from their body. ''I can sense multiple emotions coming from up ahead. They're keeping a close distance.''

''I can hear Caius and James, they seem to be hauling the girl along.'' Said a black-eyed Edward, his clothes, much like Jasper's, were drenched in blood from the bags, which were also coating the floor on the field. ''We need to reduce their numbers, they won't have a reason to charge at us otherwise.''

''I don't see any more of them coming from the compound,'' Demetri yelled from his position at the edge of the clearing, engaged in a vicious dispute with two newborns, his handsome face covered in cracks. ''Just focus on dealing with these fu-''

He was charged head-on by three other newborns, and before I could even take a step towards him, the glistening grey fur of Paul's wolf zipped past me, head-butting two of them towards the edge of the crack and charging at the third with impressive speed.

A sharp pain in my shoulder snaps me out of my worry, and I cry out while twisting my body to twist the neck of the newborn perched on my back. This went on for a while, with me, Jasper, Rosalie and Edward fending off newborns and dumping them at the deep crack crossing the field. Pain and rage filled my body and mind, and eventually the wind shifted to bring us a scent that made Demetri's spine stiffen.

At the far side of the clearing, standing on a somehow elevated patch, stood Caius, James... And the girl. I felt Rosalie's hand clutching my shoulder, and my eyes zeroed on them while I took a step forward, intended on charging them.

''Peter! Stop!'' Jasper's panicked yell pulled my eyes towards the nomad, who had Benjamin in a deadly headlock at the very edge of the crack, his mate struggling to rip them apart.

Peter had a vacant expression, not unlike the newborn's, but we couldn't know if it was the work of the girl, or Chelsea. Edward gave me a helpless look; he could investigate the problem, but doing so might lead him to enter the girl's mind, and that would practically render him physically useless. My eyes kept darting between him, Benjamin, and Caius, Rosalie's grip almost strong enough to crack my skin. I had to make a choice. Edward decided to beat me to it.

Dropping another newborn, his eyes begin to scan the battlefield, glazing over and coming back to focus repeatedly, his other senses giving way to his gift. A pair of vampires came towards him, and I felt Rosalie's hand leaving my shoulder in order to charge at them. 

I felt paralyzed, the scent of burning wood combined with the alluring call of the blood on the ground and the sickly sweet stench of burning newborns made my head spin and my body coil, rooting me to the ground as the incessant growls and ripping sounds grated at my ears. The piercing scream from Benjamin snapped me out of my panicked state, and I felt my legs pushing me towards the engaging pair, instantly wrapping my arms around Peter's neck and tossing him towards our group, hesitating to give my back to him in order to help Benjamin. He was dangling precariously on the edge of the cliff that he himself had created. The ground was starting to give in, the crack getting bigger and bigger, and only when I saw Charlote charging at her mate did I turn around and offer the man my hand.

The ground beneath my feet cracked and screeched, the heat from the melted rocks and lava at the bottom feeling like a might hand on my face and chest, and Benjamin looked up with panicked, yet resigned eyes. 

The feel of sharp fangs piercing my leg made me cry out and almost release his hand, and I turned my head to see Embry's spotted wolf dragging us toward safety, my eyes widening in horror at the sight of two newborns clinging to his body. I scrambled, clawing at the ground in my desperation to close our distance while also pulling Benjamin with me. Once he gained his footing, he pushed us towards the shifter with his feet... But it was too late.

The sharp, wet sound of crunching bones was followed by a weak whimper, and the whole clearing seemed to freeze. Embry's wolf clawed weakly at the newborns as we pulled them away from him, but otherwise made no other moves. His eyes glazed, finding my own before his head lolled to the side, his mighty body going limp with a soft thud.

Pain and sorrow engulfed my chest at Jacob's sharp, long and sorrowful howl, and even though the shifters continued to fight, their whimpers and cries were carried around the clearing in a symphony of sorrow that was so deep and loud that even some of the newborns seemed to hesitate.

My breath stuttered, my eyes on the lifeless body of one of Jacob's best friends, and I could feel my brother's presence close to me, fighting off the remaining newborns. I could also feel Rosalie at my side, offering silent support, and my sorrow soon turned into rage, and my eyes, once more, zeroed into Caius. He had sick delight plastered all around his face, although his eyes seemed somewhat agitated. It was only then that I focused my ears to notice that the battle sounds were lighter, and I made myself drag my eyes towards James. He was crouched in front of the girl, eyes black as he stood his ground against the surrounding shifters that were snapping their jaws incessantly at him.

My jaw clenched, my eyes once again finding the former king, and I sprung in his direction with a single-minded goal, ignoring the cries and pleas from my brother and mate. Putting on a burst of newborn speed myself, I knew there wasn't a single vampire on our side except for Edward who could stop me, and he was still concentrating in breaking Peter's bond.

Caius sneered a twisted smile as I gained on him, slightly crouching in order to intercept my charge. I resisted the urge to give a smile of my own when I suddenly changed my rout, instead hitting James's midsection with my shoulders and sending him barreling towards the pack. Five wolfs made for a short battle, and the hunter's cries gave me the strength to push forward as I swept the girl into my arms and ran around the clearing to ''our'' side of the fight.

Settling her down at a somewhat safe distance, it was a miracle that Caius wasn't on our toes, and I looked around to see that most of our allies were still outnumbered and terribly cracked or missing a limb. I turned to focus on the girl's blank face once more, her unresponsive eyes were glazed and half rolled into her skull. I shook her shoulders, slapped her face, yelled at her and still the girl didn't seem to come out of her trance. I hunched back on my knees, trying to think of something until I was trampled sideway by a massive body.

I sat up, prepared to fight, when I saw Paul's snarling wolf pinning the girl down, his growl so deep and loud that the ground around us seemed to be shaking. I could only see him from behind, but I could tell that his massive head was lowered towards the girl's face, his tail standing on end, and I felt fear choking the air out of me. 

''Paul! Stop it!'' I cried, a wet plop sounding from the wolf, and dread pooled in the pit of my stomach. 

Suddenly, there was a commotion of voices from behind me, and I stood up and around, watching as the remaining newborns either dropped into fearful submission or continued to engage in a desperate attempt at living. What was more important, however, was that none of their faces seemed vacant anymore. The newborns were awake.

Turning back around, I saw Paul's wolf as he gave me a faint growl before bounding back towards the fight, his snout covered in red. I took a deep breath before looking at the girl, only to release it in a rush of relief. 

The girl, Bree, looked feral, but still alive. Her mouth was pulling viciously at a blood bag that had been shoved almost all the way down her throat.

Demetri appeared by my side to dump a few more blood bags before going back to the field, offering me a brief thumbs-up as he did. His gesture did wonders to assure me, but before I could get comfortable, the girl dropped the last drained bag and made to spring toward the fight.

I caught her by her neck and midsection, wincing as she slashed at my arms with her thrashing. ''Bree, it's okay,'' I whispered near her ear, tightening my hold on her waist. ''You have to stop. We're not going to hurt you, I promise. Please, stop.'' My pleas seemed to be working, albeit slowly, and her growling tampered off to a whine. 

I could see that most of the fight was over by that point and that those of us who were still somewhat whole were rushing towards another direction, where I could her the faint sounds of a fight. I met Rosalie's anxious eyes, but shook my head, telling her to stay put for now. No use in rilling up the girl now that she was starting to calm down.

As the girl's arms fell limp to her sides, I let my arm loose around her neck. ''Bree? Are you still with me?''

''...How do you know my name?'' A small, delicate voice asked me, and I almost cried in relief, my eyes blurring with phantom tears. 

''I know a lot about you, you know? That's why I wanted to keep you safe.'' I say to her, making sure that my voice was low and soft. ''In fact, there is a lot of people who wanted to save you.''

The girl slowly turned her head to look at me with large, fearful eyes. Her skin already seemed a little less dead, but her body still felt coiled against me. ''Why?''

I took a breath, drifting my hand towards her face and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes fluttered, but she made no other signs of discomfort. ''You're special, Bree. You deserve a chance.''

The girl heaved, turning her head to look at the empty field (which I was avoiding) and then back at me, her eyes watering with regret and fear.

''None of this was your fault, Bree. I want you to know that we all know that.'' I say to her, meeting her fearful gaze straight on. ''We know you didn't want any of this.''

The girl cracked, her body going limp against me while she pulled an arm to hide her face with, crying without tears as her whole frame trembled. ''I din't know what to do!'' She said around a choke, briefly flinching when my hand touched her back. ''I couldn't think, I couldn't do anything, just what they told me to do...'' She cried once more, moving her arm from her face and gazing at the ground. ''They would hurt me, starve me... And when that didn't work, they would hurt and starve the others.''

I kept quiet, rubbing circles on her back and fighting the rage that threatened to surface within me. After a minute, I spoke in a low voice. ''How do you feel now, Bree? Are you still hungry?''

Bree sniffled, her head shaking a little. ''No, I'm just... There's a lot of smells.''

''Bree, can I trust you to not run away if I release you?'' I asked, and she gave me a weak nod. I released her waist, giving her room to move away. Instead, she leaned back against my chest, her large eyes glancing at me briefly.

Well, this is good. I gave her what was hopefully a reassuring smile, before resuming my movements on her back. It seemed to soothe her, and when she seemed relaxed again, I spoke once more. ''Bree, there is someone who wants to meet you.''

The girl tensed slightly, lifting her head to look at me. ''Are they like you?''

''She's better,'' I told her, a fond smile blossoming from my lips. ''Actually, she is the one who convinced all of us to save you, you know?''

Bree seemed to mull that over, her brows creasing in thought. Her body got more tense by the second, and I quickly reassured her. ''If you're not ready, Bree, we can wait.''

Bree looked at me with unreadable eyes. ''What is your name?''

''Isabella, but most people call me Bella.'' I smile at her, and she smiles shyly back. She seems to think some more, before meeting my eyes with impressive resolution. ''Okay, Bella. I want to meet her.''

A second later, Rose emerged from the trees, her eyes soft and loving despite the blood and grime on her clothes. Bree, once more, tensed against me, before her whole body went slack and she gaped at my mate. ''Hello, Bree. My name is Rosalie. It's a pleasure to meet you.''

Bree still had her mouth hanging from her jaw, her eyes tracking Rosalie as she kneeled beside us. She nodded at Rosalie's greeting but was yet to speak. I felt my lips lifting in amusement. ''You okay there, Bree?''

''You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen.'' Bree blurted, her eyes briefly panicked as she looked at me, but the panic instantly turned into a mild embarrassment at my chuckle.

''She is, isn't she?'' I say to her, but my eyes are meeting the grateful, enamored gaze of my mate. ''You know what's even more impressive?'' At Bree's weak nod, I continued. ''She already loves you.''

Bree turned her large eyes to Rosalie at that, who offered a hesitant hand. The girl grabbed her hand at once, now choosing to borrow her face below Rosalie's neck. ''I'm sorry.'' She whispered.

Rosalie rubbed her back, cradling her body on her lap. ''Shh, is okay. I'm going to take you home, okay?'' Bree looked afraid once more. ''It's not far. I'll carry you, and you'll be safe there. Nothing will hurt you there.'' The girl clutched at Rosalie's shoulder, and my mate looked at me with anguish in her eyes. ''You need to head north. I'll take her back to the house, Esme is already there.''

I nod at her, releasing a shuddering breath. Once they were gone, I risked a look at the field and was met with a pile of scattered remains and half-burnt limbs. I clutched at my still heart, forcing my legs towards the faint sound of fighting. Not even two miles away, the situation made me freeze.

Caius was still alive, as were the Cullens circling him. Three wolves, Jacob, Paul and Jared, were also at the scene. Aro stood to the side with a good chunk of his torso missing, and Caius had a deadly chokehold... On Demetri.

I wasn't thinking, tearing through the forest with my vision tainted red and barreling directly against Caius, sending Demetri away and out of his grasp. Taking advantage of the surprise, I bit and spat out a piece of his neck, rolling with him and toppling a few trees with our momentum. Caius was fast, though, and while he hissed at the pain, he sent his foot to catch himself, at the same time, yanking my head back and slamming me to the ground.

My dazed eyes and ringing ears looked up at his sneering face as I heard cracks lashing out at my neck. I vaguely wonder where Jane and Alec were.

Demetri cried out in rage, and I was able to look at his hopeless, desperate face when Caius hauled me from the floor and placed a clawed hand on my throat.

''So,'' Caius said, his voice like sandpaper rubbed against an iron bloc. ''This is the infamous Isabella Swan. The lamb who charmed the Lion King.'' He sneered, yanking my hair some more and straining my neck.

''It's over, Caius.'' Aro said, his voice a strained whisper. ''Your army is gone, your secret weapon is in our care. There's nothing for you to achieve, dear brother.''

''That's where you're wrong, dear brother.'' Caius sneered, his black eyes on Aro. ''I can still kill this pest. I bet it would cause you great pain.''

Demetri seemed panicked, but Aro's eyes steeled and he stood to his whole height. ''Like losing Chelsea caused you pain?'' The hand on my hair tightened slightly. ''And by the hands of beings not dissimilar from the ones you've hunted to extinction. My, how ironic faith can be.''

Caius snarled at Jacob's huge russet wolf, who in turn licked his blood-stained fangs. ''You disgust me, hiding yourself behind those filthy creatures,'' Caius said, his body trembling. ''You're not able to face me head-on, you were never a fighter.''

At that he swept his leg against my own, forcing me to kneel in front of him, his hand still tight against my neck. ''Instead, you've elected this girl,'' He spat the word, his face contorted in hatred. ''To be your spearhead. Well, will I really lose the battle if she kneels at my feet and dies at my hand?''

''It doesn't change a thing.'' Aro's raised voice stated, his red eyes hard. ''We'll still kill you in the end.''

Demetri tried to take a step towards us, but Caius pulled my hair, making more cracks blossom in my neck, making him freeze with black, feral eyes. Jared took advantage of his distraction and charged at us, but Caius was fast, and he backhanded the wolf in the snout with such force that my entire body vibrated before panic took over me. Jared's name flew from my mouth as his wolf slumped against the ground.

Jake and Paul snarled loudly, their bodies coiled and yet frozen to the ground. I tried to catch Jacob's eyes, shaking my head as well as I could to try and deter him from hurting himself. 

Aro approached us, his eyes tightening at the sigh of the unconscious shifter, his head bowed. ''My brother... If you still have any respect for me, you'll let her go. This is between us.''

Caius's lips lifted to expose his fangs. ''Your people killed all of my companions. This isn't about us anymore.''

Aro spared me a glance before looking back at Caius. ''You've been conspiring to kill me, and that lead to my mate's demise.'' Aro clenched his jaw, averting his eyes. ''I would say we're even, no?''

''Far from it.'' I tuned out their confrontation, instead letting myself relax. Caius didn't seem to notice, and so I took the time to look at the faces around us.

Jasper looked deranged, beyond feral as an almost unscattered Alice pinned him down. Edward had his hand on a missing chunk on Emmet's shoulder, his black eyes bouncing between me, Aro, Caius and Demetri. Carlisle stood to the side with Marcus, who was the perfect visage of sorrow. None of our allies were accounted for, and I couldn't help but feel guilty. I didn't know how many losses we had, nor how many we would still have. Caius was a force to be reckoned with, and Aro's pleas seemed to be falling on deaf ears.

The feel of Caius's nails breaking the skin of my neck brought me thoughts about the only woman I've ever loved. I felt so grateful that she wasn't here, experiencing this nightmare with the others. I thought about how she was probably showing Bree around the house, assisting her in a much-needed bath and offering her comfort. I thought about Embry, so young and spry, meeting his ancestors on the other side. I closed my eyes and could see it; Rosalie's warm smile, the smile that was only directed at me or Esme, now directed at Bree, too, as the girl reluctantly navigated around the Cullen home. I could see Embry, his fur gray with black spots, running freely alongside a black wolf in a gold field, surrounded by the ancestors of a tribe that was so reluctant to embrace him as their own.

Opening my eyes, I was met with the tearful gaze of Jacob's wolf, Paul mimicking the gaze by his side, and I could only smile at them. He held my gaze for some time, his dark eyes brimming with understanding, before looking back at his fallen pack mate.

All of that seemed to happen in a millisecond, and perhaps it did. When I looked once more at Caius, I could see the slowly approaching form of Marcus, taking measured steps in our direction. He paused closely, his dull eyes taking in both of us, before his hand moved with lighting speed towards Caius's arm. The arm that was holding me by the neck.

I stumbled away, disoriented by the sounds of the issuing fight between Marcus and Caius, and running towards Jacob and Paul. I turned around in time to see Caius, with one arm missing, pressing his foot down Marcus's throat while yanking his head with the remaining arm, the sound of severed vampire skin as loud as a railroad accident.

In an instant, he dropped a lit lighter into the remains of his brother, prompting a choked gasp out of Aro's mouth. The charging Cullen's, plus Demetri, all stopped at the sight of the reluctant king's burning remains. 

Caius stumbled back, away from the fire, his sneer as powerful as it was deranged and, in a sudden movement, charged against Aro's frozen form, his clawed hand aimed directly at his head.

In a desperate attempt at reaching Aro before his brother, I shoved Jacob to the side when he tried to block me and ran as fast as I could towards my king, to no avail. 

Caius reached him first, and a sound resembling a broken boulder cracked around the ravine. I looked up to see Caius, hand on Aro's almost detached head, grinning down at me. He nodded at his chest, where I could see a similar lighter as he used to dispose of Marcus poking from his vest pocket. ''You know, I've found a better way to cause pain.'' He smiled sweetly at his brother. ''You can thank your king for that. There really is no use in killing you, but... There's something beautiful about my death bringing our entire empire to the ground.''

''Demetri,'' Aro said in a strained voice, his dark eyes glancing at my brother and myself. ''Not everything was pain. Please...'' Demetri moved to his field of view, his eyes desperate with pain and helplessness. ''Don't resent me for too long, my friend,'' Aro said as his eyes moved from Demetri to my own. ''Don't make the same mistakes I did.''

In a sudden move, Aro's hand reached for Caius's pocket, crashing the lighter and igniting a flame that only grew when it came into contact with the cracks around Caius's body. I screamed, moving to stop the contact but was pinned down by Demetri, and watched as Caius's final move was to remove Aro's head before the flames grew to engulf the both of them.

There was no sound, no sign of suffering or terror, nothing but the crack of flames as they spread around the forest floor and the wind blowing against the trees.

I was still frozen in my position, pinned beneath Demetri's weight, choking as I felt his arms embracing me and his head pressed against the back of my neck. My mind felt like it was out of my body, but I could still feel the shivers raking down my spine. My brother made no movement above me, and I had the fleeting thought that I was experiencing the sensation of being pinned under a statue

At length, I absently pushed Demetri away from me so I could move. The man rolled to the side, sitting up and hiding his head on his knees as his hands faintly pulled at his hair. 

I dragged my confused gaze from him to the pile of ashes in front of me, reaching with my hand to grasp a handful of it. My chest felt hollow, my mind felt confused. ''Aro?''

There was nothing, no response. The wind started to blow against the pile, scattering it's content towards the south. I looked up at the Cullen's tearful eyes, but none of them was doing anything. So, I scrambled from my position, following the wind's path on all fours as I searched for him. 

Surely he was okay, right? The man had lived many centuries, many battles. There was no way that a little altercation with his brother would take him out.

I started to dig, furiously and viciously into the ash pile, searching for his face, his cinnic smile to emerge from it to tell me that it was finally over. That Caius was dead, that we wouldn't have to be afraid all of the time. That he was going to relinquish his title, and spend the rest of eternity finding himself, finding his common ground with me.

''Bella...'' Carlisle's voice sounded distant, but I only continued to dig, only pausing when my hands felt hard, hot metal, pulling it away from the pile to gaze at Aro's ancient Volturi crest. The necklace seemed pristine, as if it wasn't just shoved into a pile of smoldering ember and then, only then, it downed on me.

Aro was dead.

My hands trembled, almost making me release the necklace. Two pairs of warm hands held me tightly against even warmer bodies, and a pair of harder hands cradled my face against a familiar chest. The wail that came out of me didn't seem remotely human, and the only thought going around my head was the desperate wish for real tears. My body convulsed, my voice choked around my own throat, and Jacob's sweet words only seemed to fuel the fire behind my eyes.

Eventually, Jacob's warm body left my side, and I watched as he pulled up some shorts before going to talk with the Cullens. Demetri and Paul remained at my side, both of them rocking my body in a seamless rhythm while also seeming to be clinging to one another. My eyes had a way of wondering back to the pile of what was once my only anchor to this word, but their presence around me made my throat less tight.

When the sun was beginning to peak from the horizon, I felt well enough to sit on my own. Emmett came from the trees with a beautiful silver urn, his face solemn, his huge form crouching as he moved the ashes inside the urn with delicate hands.

His arrival stirred me inside, and I took note of my surroundings. We've been here for about four hours, and although Demetri was expected to be still for so much time, I was suddenly worried about Paul's continued presence. I turned to my back suddenly, which made Demetri look sharply at me. Paul was asleep, his long arm resting on my tight as his eyes fluttered and rolled behind his eyelids. He was still naked, which indicated that the boy has been there since the end of the battle.

I looked at Demetri, his eyes vacant as he stared at a point above Paul's head. ''I don't want to wake him up.'' He said in a whisper, his words sounding choked. ''Embry...''

Fresh tears welled up in my eyes, and I gently stroked the face of this beautiful, kind boy. ''I wish I could sleep too.'' Demetri's black eyes kept their stare at the ground, but he nodded in agreement. ''How many?''

''I don't know.'' His voice was barely a whisper, his eyes glancing at Emmett, who was carefully walking around the area and gathering ashes into the urn.

Emmett's solemn voice spoke up as he straightened to look at us. ''Irina is dead. So is Peter and Charlote.'' His voice was raspy and his eyes tightened. ''At least they're together now, I guess.''

Silence stretched around us, the only sound being the soft, sweeping sound of Emmett's task and Paul's soft snores. Once he was done, he crouched in front of me, his eyes full of sympathy as he offered me the now-closed urn. ''I'm so sorry, Bella.'' His voice, usually so boisterous and loud, sounded like a weak croak in the early morning. Once I accepted the urn with numb hands, Emmett offered a sad smile and walked away in silence. Demetri's finger traced the delicate patterns of the urn while I held it stiffly. Demetri, then, took a deep breath, getting up and dusting his bloody clothes. 

''We should head back. The others need us.'' He said, voice low and grave. ''I... I can carry him.'' He said, looking at Paul's frail form.

Despite being a giant of a man, curled into himself Paul kind of looks like a kid. His face, so serene but, at the same time, troubled beyond anyone's reach. I reached out, ignoring our height difference to pull Paul's naked form against my chest and standing up. The rest of my heart broke in half when the huge shifter shot his hand to hold my neck tightly before his eyes fluttered open and the boy blinked bleary at me. He looked around us, sniffling slightly before giving me a kiss in the cheek and standing up to his full height. He untied a piece of clothing from a string on his ankle, which turned out to be some black shorts, and pulled it up in one motion. 

He looked at us, his eyes pausing on my face, before he placed a warm hand on my shoulder and started walking, his bleary eyes focused on the ground.

The smell of blood, fire, and decay was still very much present in the air, and beneath Paul's warm embrace and Demetri's comforting presence, I reached into my pocket as I walked to rub my thumb against the Volturi crest. My body trembled once more, but I regained my poise at Paul's concerned gaze. My family needed me.

Our arrival at the Cullen's home was nothing short of depressing. The Denalis were nowhere to be found. They wanted to be close to their home, according to Carlisle.

The wolves were also scarce, and only Paul remained close by, albeit quiet and gloomy. Things were moving too fast, but at least Rosalie and Bree seemed to be in their own bubble. It felt good to be near them.

On the second day, most of our allies were either gone or dead. I was seated at one of the steps on the front porch when a powerful tug crashed my chest from within, making me gasp and startling Bree and making Rosalie stand up in alarm as they played cards in the front yard. My hand came up to reassure them, my eyes at the tree line as that same tug pulled me towards the border. Rosalie understood at once, and sat back to continue her game with Bree, reassuring the girl as I jogged erratically in La Push's direction. 

Letting my legs guide me, I was soon facing the edge of a cliff, the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below, seagulls voicing their complaint against my intrusion.

At the very edge of the cliff, the shirtless, hunched figure of Jacob Black sat in silent contemplation, beckoning me to walk slowly to his direction and sit calmly at his side. His eyes were dark thunderstorms of pain, and his breath sounded as ragged as the rocky bottom of the cliff.

He didn't flinch at my cold hands on his shoulders, as I pulled him into myself with all the care I could muster. Jacob didn't look at me, he only allowed himself to be pulled into my arms, and then he cried. He cried loudly, shamelessly, the way a boy his age should cry when experiencing grief for the second time. He yelled and choked and punched the ground beneath us, his body rocking with the weight of a life that shouldn't be his responsibility. He clutched at my waist, my shoulders, using me as an anchor as he allowed himself to face the storm head-on. I was glad I could at least give him that, that I could be his rock in his stream of grief.

After some time, Jacob's tremble receded, and he shifted to rest his head on my lap while his eyes gazed at the thundering clouds above the ocean. My hand was buried in his short hair, stroking his head and playing with his black strands. His face looked swollen and wet, and he didn't at all seem like a mighty leader. ''I'm gonna miss that idiot so much.'' He choked around the last word, closing his eyes tightly once more as his hands embraced my legs, his face finding comfort in my waist as he turned around. 

My grief was tremendous, but nothing could have prepared me for Jake's emotions. Once we got back, we all said our goodbyes to Irina, Peter and Charlote. Jasper was still a shell of a man, coming to terms with losing the only link he still had to his human life.

Jane and Alec were found in, fortunately, unburnt pieces. It took most of the day to place them back together, and when they did, Bella was the one to give them the news. They offered their stiff, respectful condolences, and took off after that, although Bella was sure that they were still nearby.

Once the Denalis went away, with a mind to give Irina a proper ceremony, everyone seemed to focus on the shifters. Two of them, Sam and Leah, were still temporary residents of Carlisle's office, both of them battered awfully. Turns out, some of the higher ranks found the border, following the Cullen's scent, but Sam, Seth, Collin and Brady fought bravely to defend their people. None of the younger shifters suffered a scratch, and Sam had already expressed his undying gratitude to a solemn-looking Paul at the way he trained the pups. Apparently, Sam would've been dead if it wasn't for Seth and Collin's quick thinking, and for that, according to Paul, he would ''forever be insufferable''.

Leah, on the other hand...

She got her spine and hind legs crushed, and although Carlisle was confident in her healing capacity, she wouldn't be able to walk for several weeks. The vampires have been showering her with gifts and food, irritating her to no end while also endearing her infinitely. Jared had a black eye, some missing teeth, and a permanent ''charm'' to his speech on account of the damage made by Caius's hand, but the boy seemed to be grateful to be alive in any case. And those were the good news.

The bad news were that Embry was dead. His death wasn't an easy one, and his life even more so. Sometimes Sam wouldn't even let anyone near his room except for Emily, and the rest of the pack seemed lost. Earlier yesterday Seth, Jared, and Quil came around to retrieve his body, carrying it with the utmost care and loading it into Emmet's jeep. The giant vampire, for his part, seemed also to be torn to pieces, giving his mate a long kiss before he entered his Jeep and headed to La Push.

''I had a vision... About Embry, right before Marcus...'' I said to Jake, and he shifted his head to peer at me. ''He was... He was in a field, running-''

''I had it too,'' Jake whispered, his lips lifting in a small, sad smile. ''It's kinda cool that you saw it too. I'm glad Levi Uley was with him.''

''He was the huge black wolf, right?'' Jacob nodded, his eyes vacant. ''I'm glad too.''

''Bells...'' Jake sat up, his kind eyes locked into my own. ''I'm so sorry, Bells. So, so sorry.''

I clenched my jaw, my vision blurry with tears that would never fall. Jake hugged me once more, but this time, he was the one cradling my face to his chest. I could only do so much as my own sorrow rocked my body, restraining myself in order to not snap his body in half. ''I don't know much about him, and I regret not reaching to him when I had the chance. But... I know he loved you, Bells.'' He tightened his embrace when a spasm made me tremble. ''Everyone could see it. If anything, he loved you.''

We stood there, at the edge of the cliff, unmoving even when the full wrath of Froks's dark skies fell into us. The feel of the rain was comforting, and I distracted myself at watching the rain drops turn to steam in contact with Jake's skin.

He took a deep breath, his voice tainted by the rain, but serene despite that. He took a deep breath, hand stroking my hair. ''We're gonna be okay, Bells.''

Embry's funeral was a difficult affair. Rosalie was at my side, and we were treated as any other guest, except when it came to the tribe elders. We figured out that it would be best for only the two of us to be there, despite Jacob's new decree to allow us on their land. We didn't want to overwhelm the tribe, especially in a time like this.

Jacob seemed much better, offering support to tribe members and Embry's relatives. He looked strong, and steady, but my heart still broke a little at how old he looked. 

The walk back to the Cullen home was a quiet one, Rosalie distracting me with snark remarks and flirty comments all along. It was a miracle that she was able to leave Bree's side, but she seemed to be more comfortable now that Jasper felt comfortable enough to start his training with the girl.

Bree was a breath of fresh air among the family, her personality revealing to be one close to Emmet's, but her past gave her a darker, gloomy side that made her connect with Rosalie instantly. I tried not to imagine the horrors of being in a newborn army, and while Jasper made great progress, the girl still refused to do anything that would connect her to her gift.

At our arrival, Bree's small frame collided with me in an energetic hug, making me laugh and Rosalie chuckle. ''Whoa there, happy. I was only gone for like, two hours.''

Bree beamed at me, her golden eyes crinkled with excitement. Although she held great affection for Jasper, Esme and Emmett, Rosalie and I were the ones she still felt the most comfortable with. ''I thought the wolves were coming with you. I want to meet them!''

Rosalie smiled, patting the girl's head before walking further inside the living room. ''The wolves will be here after the ceremony.''

Because the wolves wanted to be near us in this difficult time, and that in itself made my heart warm.

Sitting outside, leaning against a tree, my brother's brooding face could be seen, staring directly at the house. I approached him at a human pace. He didn't look at me, but still made room at his side as he adjusted himself against the tree. 

After I sat beside him, he kept quiet. but the faint trembles on his hands made me worry. Demetri was old, so old that most human emotions had a difficult time reaching him without a conscious effort on his part. So to see him in that state... It was disturbing.

''I've known him my whole life,'' Demetri said in a whispery voice, either unaware that the whole house could hear him or just not caring. ''Despite everything, I always admired how much of a leader he was. Even in the end, when he seemed so tired...''

Demetri wiped at his face, leaning his shoulder against me. ''Even at the end, when I lashed out at him because of my own mistakes... He never once resented me.''

''Do you feel guilty?'' I ask, my own emotions making it hard for me to speak. ''Do you regret your last days with him?''

''I regret a lot of things, pain.'' Demetri says, cracking a shallow smile. ''But not those last days. I regret nothing from it, and you shouldn't too.''

We still had much to talk about, still. The matter of where the red-headed vampire and Caius's mate ended up was still a mystery, but for now, everyone seemed comfortable with just being together and licking our wounds.

Sometime later, while every vampire was bustling around the house to get ready for the reunion, Carlisle approached us with kind, careful eyes. ''Bella, Demetri, could we talk in my office?''

Feeling very much like a teenager caught smoking in the girl's bathroom, I nodded and got up to follow him silently, Demetri dragging his feet behind me. Once inside his office, he closed the door, moving to retrieve something from one of his desk's drawers. ''I wanted to express my gratitude for you role in bringing Bree to us.'' He said, a genuine smile on his face. ''I can only imagine how hard it must have been to break her trance and save her from herself.''

''Paul saved her,'' I said with a small smile of my own. Her love for the shifter often threatened to burst her heart out, and his continuous affection for Bree seemed to be helping the both of them immensely. Bree often called him ''fluffy'', which always made him pretend to be annoyed.

''Yes, and he's going to be a very chubby wolf if he's not careful,'' Carlisle said with mirth in his eyes, to which I chuckled, and even Demetri cracked a smile. All mirth vanished though, once he pulled out a fine envelope and slid it to my direction. ''I kept this one in my personal belongings. I hope you don't mind.''

I stared at the paper, my mind running to catch up. The letters, of course. Earlier today, at the funeral, Jacob had handed me a small piece of paper, signed by Embry, that said only: Don't blame yourself, pale face! Love ya!

At my stunned silence, Carlisle walked towards the door, muttering something like ''I'll give you some time.''

At the click of the door, my eyes welled, turning to glance at Demetri's. He reached for my hand, giving it a light squeeze with a small smile.''Can you read it to me, Pain? I'm an old man.''I smiled, my hand rushing to get the letter and unfold the paper. Aro's elegant, timeless handwriting washed over me like a cool balm.

My Dear Children,

First of all, I know this letter will reach you. Because you are simply going to win.

There have been so many years since I felt hope for anything. Years of a dull existence, not a significant emotion inside of me... My death was barely another alternative for my life. But, of course, you know all that. Forgive an old man's rambling.

I would bet that you are suffering, my dear, and probably because of me. I've known for some time that this will be my final battle, and although you like to throw tantrums about that, you know it too. So I know you've been preparing for that, even though you might not know.

I know it will hurt terribly - yes, I'm quite the joy to know -, but I also know that you are going to be fine. There is so much on your shoulders, my child, and I'm truly sorry that it's got to be this way. You are tough. Isabella, in particular, your resilience reminds me of my Sulpicia, and sometimes, when the despair threatens to settle, I like to think that you've got it from her.

Just as I like to pretend that Demetri would be a younger version of myself, even though he's smart enough to never make half of my mistakes.

It always brings me back to that night, you know? When I lost her, and was ready to give myself up, only to find that stubborn girl with dark eyes and dark hair that looked so much like my beloved. It was impossible to curb my affection, my hopes, and I fear that I've put too much pressure on your shoulders. For that, my dear, I hope you can forgive me.

For Demetri, as it stands, I have many regrets. Too many to put in a letter, and I also hope you can make peace with our past, my dear boy.

Some piece of advice, though: Avoid that with your loved ones. Our expectations can only take us so far, but our very nature can be surprising and good. Don't keep yourselves from being surprised because of your expectations, loves. Look up at whoever you want, take advice from the wiser, but live only for yourself.

I hope that my departure is not something that weighs too heavily on you, Isabella, but if it does, remember that you are not alone. Find comfort in your mate, in young Paul and Jacob, and if you allow me a favor? Please take care of Demetri. I know he resents me now, but I also worry about his dependency on me. You know how he gets.

I loved you like a father, Isabella, so mourn me like a daughter; deeply, intensely, and eventually... Move on. The rest of your life is waiting for you.

Yours,

Aro.