*

Betrayal

Jane

When the brat showed up, I was sure Aro would have Felix and Demetri take care of her immediately.

I should have known better.

Aro had always liked this Bella. Just thinking of her made me want to spit venom in her face. Hadn't she been instrumental in our humiliating defeat in the effort to acquire the one with the visions?

I growled as Aro spoke with her, embraced her, even. How could he trust this strange girl with her amber eyes? Her head was silent to him. Immune to Alec and myself. Even Demetri had been unable to track her. She could be deceiving him with every word.

"Alice has seen an attack." Bella told him. I stomped my foot, cracking the stone beneath. She ignored me. "She sees the guard killing all of the Cullens and their allies."

"And yourself, Mrs. Cullen?"

"That was what she saw before I decided not to fight against you. I realized my immortality means too much to me. I am hoping that my family will see reason and want to join you as well, though I am prepared to kill them if it will result in keeping my own life."

I am sure no one in the room could hide their shock. Even Marcus looked mildly appalled – a serious stretch for him. Marcus had once told us that the Cullens had tighter bonds than any coven he had ever seen. Chelsea, with her similar gift, had noted that trying to change their bonds would be impossible. For Bella Cullen to break from that bond was astounding.

My suspicion grew.

"Yes, dear, I can understand valuing your immortality. It is a most precious thing." Aro sounded amused at Bella's announced betrayal. Entertained, maybe. Hopefully, Aro was thinking what I was: that if Bella could betray her mate, she could just as easily betray the Volturi.

"It is not just my immortality I have come to speak with you about," Bella said. "I have the greatest of shames to admit to you about my own daughter."

"Oh, yes, Renesmee. Delightful creature, how is she?"

"She is quite fine. Since you last met her she has taken a mate." She pondered her next words for several seconds. "First, I must explain. We thought it impossible for her to bear children. She was half-vampire and as you know, they cannot have children. Much less with the type of husband she has chosen."

Bella paused. The entire guard was listening with rapt attention. I must admit that even I have wondered about the possibilities that the half-vampire child had.

Aro asked the question we were all thinking, "She had a child?"

The brat jutted out her chin. "Yes. A boy. His father is one of the shape-shifters."

I snarled at the obvious disgrace and vulgarity of such a relationship. A vampire – half or not had mated with a nasty wolf creature?

"Fascinating, positively fascinating!" Aro cried out joyously. "Such things we have never seen! Never imagined! Does the boy shape-shift as well?"

"No, we are not sure if he will. Most of the shape-shifters did not transform until they were much older than him. He grows twice as fast a human child, and is three years old, but the size of a six year-old. It will be many more years before we would know if he could transform." Bella informed him.

My suspicion wavered for a moment. She was giving us the perfect excuse to attack the Cullens. Perhaps she truly did not care what happened to her coven.

"I see, I see…" Aro was thoughtful. "The shape-shifters are wild, unpredictable. One with vampire and human blood would be…dangerous."

Bella nodded, "I thought exactly the same thing. I held back my thoughts to my family on the matter. They were all so overjoyed, but I always thought there was something wrong with him. Unnatural."

"Yes, yes…We must strengthen ourselves and ready ourselves to attack them."

"The father of the child would call the last of the shape-shifters to his side should you attack. There are only a few of them left that still keep their wolf form, but he would ask for their aid."

"That is…good information." Caius murmured. I realized at that moment that he had already given the odd girl his approval. She had given him what we all wanted: a reason to destroy the Cullens.

"Still, you did not have to come to us, Mrs. Cullen –" Bella held up her hand to stop him.

When she spoke it was sharp and agitated. "Please don't call me that. I can hardly think of myself as a Cullen at this point. Call me Bella."

"Bella, I still do not understand why, after all your previous inclinations, you choose to come to us now."

"Oh, I suppose I haven't gotten to that part yet." She flashed him a smile and I felt another growl in my chest. I had always been Aro's favorite. I did not appreciate her trying to win him over.

"Do go on, dear," Aro encouraged.

"I have come to offer my services as a shield, to you and your guard. In return for protection. Alice will have seen my betrayal of their trust. I fear they may want to…" The daring brat searched for a word. "Punish me."

"Hmm." Aro stroked his chin, pensive. "I see your dilemma."

The guard stirred with interest. We had only brought in a few new members of the guard over the past half a century and they were all mates for more important members of the guard. They only added to our total number. Bella would be a gifted addition.

I scowled and hissed in aggravation. I did not want to think of this brat, who dared to defy my gift, as a fellow member of the guard. She did not deserve the honor.

"Let my brothers and I confer, it should not take long," Aro reassured her.

Bella gave him another smile. "I'll be waiting."

Felix and Demetri escorted her to the waiting area. They shouldn't have, because the Volturi were in agreement before they had hardly shut the door behind them.

Bella Cullen was now an official member of the Volturi guard.

*

"A celebration is in order, my children," Aro announced, "To recognize our newest friend, Bella."

I pouted. It was more like a disaster for me than a celebration. I didn't care what good she would do us. Invincibility meant nothing to me if I had to work with her. Thankfully, my wonderful brother, Alec, was in agreement. She was as frustrating to him as to me. He put a comforting arm around me.

"Heidi brings us a grand feast tonight."

All right, I decided, maybe I could find some positives out of the situation. It had been far too long since we'd last fed.

"Bella, I will be most disappointed if you do not join in." Aro told her.

"I have never tasted human blood before. I have no plans to do so now." Bella replied stiffly. I smirked. The perfect brat wasn't so perfect after all.

"Oh, come now, Bella. Live a little, so to speak. This is what we are made for. Your coven is no longer your coven; you do not follow their fanatical morals."

Bella cocked her head to the side, considering his words, I guessed. "True. I suppose I could try it this once."

I was beginning to hate how much she had successfully surprised me tonight.

Later, when dinner arrived with Heidi. I watched as Bella calculatingly studied her prey, while I was already in the middle of drinking my own. She chose a young one, snapping her neck as she did so. Maybe trying to make it less painful for her, I chuckled to myself.

It was at that moment I knew her betrayal to her family was complete. I witnessed her amber eyes change to a vivid red when her headed lift from the girl in front of her. She wore no expression on her face. It was entirely blank.

Either because I was morbidly curious or feeling sadistic as always, I found myself sidling up to her. It bothered her I believe, because her nose wrinkled.

"Enjoy your first meal?" I asked, trying to come off pleasant - a difficult task for me when it comes to this shield girl.

"It was…enlightening." She shrugged.

"Don't feel bad for enjoying it," Felix laughed. "It's who we are."

Bella didn't reply.

Felix and I left her to enjoy what was left of dinner.

*

Faith

William Edward

It's been two days since Gran left and Gramps hasn't moved from his spot in the woods. It smelled like Gran had been there once, when I visited him. Mom says that's why he won't leave. Dad says Gramps has finally lost it. Whatever that means.

"When's Gran coming back?" I finally asked. Everyone had been speaking so fast and quiet in front of me, that I was struggling to understand. It wasn't the quiet that was hard for me, it was the speed.

I took in their expressions cautiously. Mom looked sad. Dad, Uncle Jasper, and Uncle Emmett just looked pained. Grandma Esme's face furrowed oddly. Grandpa Carlisle looked more like Mom. Auntie Rose looked angry, but I didn't know why. Auntie Alice hid her face in Uncle Jasper's chest.

"When?" I repeated.

In a sharp tone, Aunt Rose answered me. "The Gran you know is gone forever," I felt my bottom lip quivering and bit down on it to keep from crying.

"Forever?" I asked.

"Rose," Aunt Alice hissed.

"He needs to know the truth." Aunt Rose countered. "You want to wait until Bella shows up with the Volturi? You want to wait until he watches her give the final blow that destroys us all? I certainly don't."

I tried to wrap my head around it. "Gran wants to….kills us?" It sounded silly.

"Not exactly." Mom cut in, glaring at Aunt Rose. "She just…found a way to save herself. Maybe…we should be happy one of us will live at all." Mom's face was blotchy and covered in big red tears.

Snarls erupted from Aunt Rose and Uncle Jasper. I cowered into my father's legs, who was closest to me and also farthest from the two snarling vampires.

"Don't scare him," Dad growled.

"I'm not scared," I muttered, lying.

"I would die before betraying my family." Aunt Rose hissed. The rest of them nodded along in agreement, except Mom, Dad, Grandma Esme, and Grandpa Carlisle. I don't think this was because they didn't agree, but because they didn't want to me mean to Gran.

"Maybe she's just tricking us, Dad," I whispered to him.

"Bella's not a very good actress." Aunt Alice sniffed as she said this.

"She's gotten better over the years," Grandma Esme said softly.

"You'll see," I said loudly, standing up to defend my Gran. I remembered her cool hugs, all the presents she showered me with. She told me she loved me all the time. She loved everyone. "She's going to come back, laughing that none of you had enough faith to believe the truth."

I stomped off, out the door to see Gramps in the woods again. He must be getting lonely.

Gramps was as still as a statue when I finally saw him.

"Gramps?" I thought, trying not to startle him.

"Will." He whispered, turning his head. "Come here, son." Gramps said, patting the spot beside him. I trotted over and sat down cross-legged.

"Do you think Gran's really gone bad?" I asked, not wanting to wait any longer to hear what he thought.

He was quiet a long time. "It's hard not to think so, Will."

"What do you mean?" I pressed.

"Will, your Gran has done things I never thought she would do. I don't think she's the same Bella I love anymore…" He drifted off. I looked up into his eyes. They were so sad I had to look away.

"What's she done? It can't be so awful," I wondered. Sometimes adults thought things were a lot worse than they actually were. Like when Mom threw a fit that time I called Uncle Jasper a bloodsucker – I was joking! Geeze, Mom…Plus, that's what DAD calls everybody when he thinks no one's listening.

His voice was strange when he spoke. It was like every happy feeling he'd ever had had disappeared. Adults are so silly sometimes. "She betrayed us utterly and completely."

I rolled my eyes, "How so?"

"She joined with our enemies. Told them our most precious secrets. Our greatest weaknesses. Drank the blood of a human." Gramps gritted his teeth painfully loud as he said this.

"Maybe she's trying to be a spy." It made perfect sense to me.

"You watch too many movies." Gramps muttered.

I was disappointed. I was hoping Gramps would be on my side. He loved Gran so much. You could see it when he looked at her, talked about her, it was just like how my parents talked about me, yet…different. I didn't really understand it yet, I guess. One of those things you figure out "when you're older".

I glanced into his eyes again. The life I'd seen in them two nights ago at the surprise anniversary party was gone. Scared, I looked away again.

"You're not going to understand this, Will, but I do love her still. Because underneath I hope my Bella is still there. I pray the monster she's becoming is only temporary. More terrifying than that, I worry that I will see this new Bella and think she's the one I love. I want to protect you, Will…and the rest of the family…but what if I can't because of your Gran?" He sighed. "I thought I was finally discerning the funny ways her mind worked…then she goes and surprises me in the worst way possible."

Despite what Gramps thought, I did understand.

*

Author's Note: The final installment will be posted soon! Review, please! Thanks for reading!