Chapter 2

To say that Amun was on edge the entire time Benjamin was around Carlisle while they waited for the Volturi to come for Renesmee was an understatement. He knew his creation was willing to stay and face the Volturi in order to do what he felt was right, but Amun was not accustomed to Benjamin being around so many other vampires. Amun spent Benjamin's entire existence being paranoid and wary of anyone that tried to come in contact with him. After Aro sent Chelsea to lure Demitri out of Amun's grasp, he vowed to never trust anyone with his creations again. He even eyed Kebi, his own mate, even though he knew she was forever devoted to him. The Egyptian vampires lived like gods and as a human, she was his slave and her beauty called to him so much that he changed her. In her vampire life she was just as submissive to her master, but that did not stop Amun from watching her closely. It did not matter that she was always faithful. Amun's paranoia was at an all-time high when he was around Carlisle and the covens out of fear of Benjamin being stolen away from him because of his amazing ability, but what he did not realize was that the true threat to his dominance over Benjamin was the realization Benjamin came to while around other vampires. Not only was Carlisle's coven the example of a family within the vampire world, but also an example of true mates.

Benjamin watched the way the Cullens interacted, more like family members than vampires being controlled by the leader of their coven. It made him curious about the bond he had with Amun and Kebi. Benjamin never saw Kebi as a mother figure and while he tried to view Amun in a fatherly way, he did not feel that connection to him either. No matter how many times Amun called Benjamin his son, it did not resonate within him like it seemed to with the Cullens. It was clear to Benjamin that Amun was obsessed with his power, not him. What troubled Benjamin the most was not his realization that Amun did not regard him as he should. It was the way the mates interacted, even the mates outside of the Cullen coven. He knew he loved Tia. It was a given after so many years together, but he did not feel the passionate, instinctive desire that he witnessed from the other mates. He did not see that between Amun and Kebi either. He began to question how much their relationships were out of convenience instead of love and the moment he saw Tanya, he knew his world was about to be turned upside down.

Vampires did not change much during their existence, but the moment he saw Tanya speaking with Carlisle and Esme, a great shift occurred deep within him. It scared him so much that he quickly pulled Tia closer and while no one else around them seemed to notice the sudden change in him at that moment, Amun did. Amun always had his eye on Benjamin and the paranoid thoughts inside his mind began to race. He waited until he could get Benjamin alone that night to address the issue. The moment Amun pulled Benjamin into the forest close to the Cullen House, Benjamin knew his creator saw the change in him. He spoke so low that Benjamin could barely hear his words.

"Beware of her power Benjamin. It is strong and she is doing Carlisle's bidding for him, much like Chelsea did Aro's." Benjamin gulped and shook his head.

"Amun, I don't know what you are…."

"You cannot fool me. I saw the way you looked at her, but I am not mad at you. Her power is meant to lure you in, to tempt you. You must be strong and know that once this is over we can go back to our lives. Until then, stay close to Tia. Your bond with your mate will help to repel her power," explained Amun and Benjamin obeyed his master. He stayed beside Tia and did his best to not look at Tanya. Her beauty seemed to call to him and every once in a while he could feel her gaze on him as well. It made him feel guilty that he was tempted and he hated Tanya for trying to lure him from his coven, even though he never showed it. He was always civil to her and focused on the task at hand, saving Renesmee from the Volturi.

It wasn't until he saw Tanya during the battle that he realized there had to be more to her than just a seductress doing Carlisle's work. Once the Volturi left, Tanya crumbled and grieved the death of Irina. Benjamin watched as Kate tried to console her.

"I can't stay here any longer," whispered Tanya as the shock of Irina's death sunk in and Kate nodded as she grabbed Garrett's hand.

"We should go home and mourn in peace," agreed Kate, but Tanya shook her head.

"I want to be alone. I need to be alone," she whispered again before disappearing into the forest. Kate took a step in Tanya's direction but Garrett stopped her.

"She needs time to clear her head," advised Garrett.

"We will wait for her at home," added Carmen and Eleazar slowly nodded.

"There is not much we can say to her right now. You know Tanya feels responsible for all of us, but especially you and Irina. As the leader of our coven, she feels like she failed and she needs time to come to terms with that. She is experiencing this loss on so many levels and I am sure when she is ready to come home, she will," assured Eleazar. Kate gave a curt nod and followed them as they ran for Denali. Benjamin's gaze could not stray from the direction Tanya disappeared. He could not understand it, but he wanted to go to her, to comfort her in her time of need. Tia's hand on his shoulder broke his trance and he turned to see her staring at him curiously.

"Benjamin, we should go. Amun and Kebi will expect us back soon. They were hesitant to leave without us in the first place, but they needed to hunt and so do we. We cannot do that in this territory." He slowly nodded and glanced back at the forest. Tia stepped in front of him and crossed her arms.

"The sooner we leave, the sooner her spell on you will be broken," she informed and his eyes widened.

"How did you…."

"I noticed that something was different with you and Amun explained it to me. I am not mad at you. I just want to go."

"He said Tanya was part of Carlisle's coven, but it seems that is not true. Irina was a part of Tanya's coven. Tanya is the leader and…."

"Why does that matter? We will never see these people again so let's go Benjamin, please," she urged and he could see the desperation in her eyes. He slipped his hand into hers and she smiled as she pulled him away.

As soon as they began to run in the opposite direction, a sense of uneasiness filled him like never before. A dull ache washed over him and he glanced back toward the direction Tanya departed in. Tia noticed and moved closer to him.

"We can hunt in Seattle before we head home. That is where Amun and Kebi were headed," she explained and he gave a curt nod as he focused his attention on Seattle.

It was not until they reached the city that he became conscious of another change shifting inside of him. He suddenly felt guilt when he thought about feeding on a human. Seeing how Tanya and her coven had gold eyes along with Carlisle's made him question the way that he hunted. Before, it was deemed necessary. There was no other way to be satisfied, but now he wondered how true that was. Tia stopped on the outskirts of the city when she noticed how hesitant he was.

"Come on, what are you waiting for," she asked and he slowly shook his head.

"You should go feed. I am not feeling well, but that shouldn't stop you from quenching your thirst."

"Benjamin, you need to hunt."

"I need to clear my mind. So much has happened and I just need to run for a bit."

"Benjamin….."

"I will be back by daybreak," he announced before sprinting away and she gulped as her throat burned. She knew she needed to hunt, but she was also very concerned about her mate.

Benjamin ran as fast as he possibly could. He was not certain where he was going, but his body was being tugged forward as if it had a mind of its own. The world blurred around him and all that mattered was running. By the time he felt compelled to stop, he was deep in Alaska. He could sense a vampire in the vicinity and scanned the area to find it. His eyes widened when he saw Tanya sobbing as she sat at the edge of a frozen lake. Her legs were crumpled under her as if she did not have the strength to stand and he ran over to her in a panic.

"Tanya, are you alright," he asked and she gasped as she looked up at him. Her eyes searched his as she stood up and he gulped at the way she gazed into his eyes.

"What are you doing here," she questioned and he stared at the particles in the frozen lake to break her spell over him.

"I don't know," he confessed.

"Well this is a long way from home."

"You didn't answer me. Are you alright? Why are you sad?"

"I just lost my sister, what do you expect?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"You Cullens are very emotional creatures. Did Irina not betray your coven? She paid the price for that." She hissed at him and he took a step back.

"You have no clue what you are talking about. I am not a Cullen. I have my own coven and Irina was my sister. She didn't want to betray us." He scoffed.

"How can you manage your own coven? You are a woman."

"So is Siobhan but she is the leader of her coven and as far as Irina goes, well she remembered what it was like to have an immortal child destroy our family and that is why she went to the Volturi."

"Family?"

"Yes, family, our mother was killed for creating an immortal child. That is how I came to be the leader. How would you feel if Amun or Kebi were killed?"

"I….I do not know. I cannot imagine harm coming to my creator, but I do not have the strong feelings about it that you do with your….your sister. So how does it work then, you being in control of this part of the coven? How can Carlisle keep track of all of you?"

"What part of this do you not understand? My coven is the Denali Coven, my coven, not Carlisle's. We will always stand with him in his time of need because we understand him and his family, but that does not mean he has any authority over my coven. I have done just fine as the leader of my coven for hundreds of years….until now," she whispered as a broken sob escaped her body. He suddenly was overcome with guilt and took a step toward her.

"I am sorry. Please do not cry. I am just confused. I have never been around other covens before. This is all new to me."

"Irina and Kate have been with me since the beginning. I don't know how I will survive without Irina with us. Kate has Garrett now. Carmen and Eleazar have always been together. It is just me now. I am alone," she whimpered as realization dawned on her. A great shift occurred in her coven. Not only was Irina gone, but Kate found her mate and their connections would be altered forever.

"You aren't alone. You have a family."

"I thought you didn't believe in family," she challenged and he winced.

"I am sorry for belittling your connections with your family. I guess Amun has been wrong about a lot of things, including how covens can work."

"How is it possible that you have never come across other covens? You aren't a newborn. How long have you existed?"

"Since the 1850s, but Amun keeps me hidden as much as possible."

"That is no way to live. I couldn't imagine hiding for eternity."

"I have never known another way. What is it like?"

"Being able to roam as I please is amazing, but not having a mate to share it with makes all of it meaningless. At least I had my sisters before, but now it is just me. I envy her you know?"

"Who?"

"Your mate," she whispered and his eyes widened at her confession.

"So you will acknowledge that I have a mate, but still disrespect her?" She frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do not play games with me Tanya. I know of your power, but not how it works. Do you seduce all the men you come into contact with or can you control who you tempt?" She slowly shook her head as she stepped closer to him.

"Benjamin, I don't have a power. Kate is the talented one in my coven."

"You don't have to pretend with me. Amun told me all about it. I know that you have been tempting me," he accused and she could not contain her laughter. He crossed his arms in a pout as she continued to laugh at him. Her laughter subsided when she realized what he was saying and she eyed him cautiously.

"So just how tempted are you by me?" He diverted his eyes.

"I want you to stop it. It isn't right. Tia is my mate."

"I am not doing anything to you Benjamin. I don't have a power, but I will admit I have felt it too, this connection to you. I felt it the moment I saw you. It is such a new feeling though. New doesn't happen to me very often."

"I need to know the truth Tanya."

"I am telling you the truth," she insisted and he groaned.

"I wish Maggie were here so I could know for sure," he mumbled. The conflict was evident in his eyes and she wanted to console him. She slipped her hand into his and they both gasped at the intensity of the connection as they touched. He immediately jumped back from her and she gulped.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that would happen. I was just trying to console you. I feel like I am supposed to always….." She stopped midsentence and he stepped closer to her again.

"Supposed to what," he questioned as he held his hand out to her and she refused to breathe as their hands connected again. The feeling was unfamiliar to her and yet she never wanted it to go away. Her mind roamed with possibilities of the two of them together, but reality crashed down on her as she remembered who was standing right beside him the moment she saw him. His mate.

"You should go. I am sure Tia is waiting for you," she whispered as she pulled away from him. It was physically painful for her to do so, but she refused to do something she could regret later. Benjamin had a mate and she knew the repercussions that came with messing with someone else's mate. Benjamin winced as he took a step back from her and nodded.

"You are right. I should go." He turned to leave, but suddenly stopped when the sense of uneasiness returned. He glanced back at her and gave her a sad smile.

"I am sorry about your sister." With that, he disappeared. Tanya waited until she could no longer hear him again before she crumbled back onto the ground. She was overcome with grief and a pain she never knew could exist.

Zach gawked at Tanya and Benjamin as he realized they did not get together that night in Alaska. Alice giggled at his conclusions about it and Zach crossed his arms.

"Wait, Ben, you just left? Why didn't you stay and console her," asked Zach and Benjamin looked down.

"I was a coward and scared of everything that was happening," admitted Benjamin.

"Well what happened after you left?" Tanya slipped her hand into Benjamin's.

"I didn't see him again for sixteen years."

"Sixteen years," exclaimed Zach and everyone else laughed at his exasperation. Tanya winked at him.

"I know it seems forever for you, Zach, but we have lived so long that years go by extremely fast. When you live forever, time loses its value," explained Tanya and Rosalie stroked her son's curly hair.

"You know how days go by so quickly for you," asked Rosalie and Zach nodded.

"Well, as you get older, weeks start to, and then months, and then years, and after a while it all starts to blend together because you have eternity," she explained and Zach nodded his understanding.

"Okay, so sixteen years blurred by without any contact? Didn't that bother you? I mean mom and dad can't be away from each other for a day or they start to get irritable." Rosalie playfully glared at her son and Emmett huffed as the others laughed at them.

"I know no one in this room with a mate is trying to tease us, especially you Garrett. You are such a cry baby when you are without Kate for too long," taunted Emmett and Garrett rolled his eyes but said nothing. Esme winked at his grandson.

"It is the mate bond that your parents feel for one another. Mates are not supposed to be apart. It is too painful, which is why I am surprised that you two could manage for that long Benjamin and Tanya. Sixteen years is nothing in our world, but sixteen years without your mate is unbearable I would think," said Esme as she scooted closer to Carlisle. Benjamin nodded in agreement.

"I couldn't acknowledge her as my mate in my mind because I had no clue what that meant anymore, but it did become unbearable. It wore me down and Amun grew suspicious of my behavior. He watched me like a hawk, but he didn't need to. I became a recluse more than ever before and when asked about it I would lie and say that I feared the Volturi coming for me. The excuse appeased Amun, but not Tia. I hate to think about how cold I was to her back then. I felt guilty for more reasons than just my thoughts always being about Tanya. Each time I quenched my thirst with human blood, my guilt intensified. I thought of Tanya's golden eyes compared to my blood red ones and it disgusted me. I was becoming obsessed with her and didn't know why, but Tia knew I was different."

Sixteen years passed and with each, Tia saw the change in Benjamin. She was tired of watching him sit as still as a statue while the rest of the world continued on. Leaving Egypt to go help the Cullens had a great effect on her as well and she grew tired of the complacency of her existence. The two of them were walking back to the temple at a slow pace after she finished hunting and she looked up at the stars in the night sky. She glanced over at Benjamin who was deep in thought as usual.

"Benjamin what is wrong? Why didn't you hunt with me?" He shrugged and tried to smile, but it did not reach his eyes like it used to.

"Nothing, I simply was not thirsty."

"Your eyes tell a different story and you never want to do anything anymore, not even touch me." His eyes widened as she turned to face him.

"What is happening to us Benjamin? I know you feel it too. Something is different. There is a change."

"I don't know," he mumbled.

"Well I can't stay inside any longer, only leaving the temple to hunt. Maggie has invited us to Ireland, just you and me. I received the letter yesterday and wanted to speak to you alone about it. I want to go."

"Then you should. I am not in the mood, but that doesn't mean you should have to stay behind. I know I haven't been much fun lately and I am going to figure out why that is. Maybe by the time you get back I will have a better grasp on my thoughts," he suggested.

"And you are sure you don't want to go?"

"I am sure."

"Okay, I better go pack," she informed and as she smiled, he could see the excitement in her eyes again. It made him want to smile too, but then he thought of Tanya and his smile faded. He followed Tia back home and she immediately went to pack as Amun rushed over to him.

"You cannot allow her to leave," whispered Amun.

"Amun, she is friends with Maggie. There is no reason for her not to see her friend. Plus, she has always wanted to explore more of the world. Ireland will be a good place for that."

"She tells me that you are not going."

"I am not in the mood."

"Well that is good. At least Demitri cannot track you that way, but he could track her and follow her back here when she returns." Benjamin firmly placed a hand on Amun's shoulder.

"Amun, she is going and if I want to go I will too." Amun crossed his arms, but said nothing as Tia ran over to them.

"I don't think I will need anything after all. I want to shop in Ireland and get some new clothes. It has been so long since I have shopped," she giggled and Benjamin kissed the top of her head. She looked down as she thought about how that was the only type of intimacy he initiated lately, a chaste kiss.

"Have fun," he urged and she kissed him sweetly on the lips before leaving. Amun went outside to scan the area as she left, making sure she was not being followed, and Benjamin shook his head at Amun's paranoia. It was nothing new, but it never ceased to amaze him. Suddenly, a sense of urgency filled Benjamin as he recognized the opportunity in front of him. The thought of seeing Tanya again sent a rush through him that made him close his eyes to regain composure. He could escape to Alaska and see her without anyone knowing. He just needed to see her one more time. At least that is what he told himself and soon he devised a plan.

"Amun, I am going to catch up with Tia. It would be nice to see a new land," he explained as Amun profusely shook his head.

"You should not leave the temple, let alone…."

"Amun, I am going. Besides, it will give you some time alone with Kebi. I am sure she would appreciate that." Amun glanced over at Kebi, who was washing some clothes, and he slowly nodded.

"Fine, when will you return?"

"I am not sure. Whenever Tia wants to, but I will call you to let you know."

"Benjamin….."

"I know, be careful, conceal my power, I remember Amun, vampire memory makes sure I never forget," he called as he raced out of the temple. The moment he began to sprint away from the temple, he felt free and a smile crept onto his lips when he realized he was running to Tanya.

Benjamin had never been allowed to roam around on his own and the feeling of running and swimming through the ocean as he pleased was exhilarating for him. Tracking Tanya's scent was easier than he imagined it would be. It was natural to him to go to her and he followed her scent all the way to the huge mansion on Mount McKinley, but automatically sensed she was not there. He could hear the couples inside, but not Tanya, and he immediately was able to pick up her scent again. He followed it deep into the mountains and smiled when he saw her staring up at the Aurora Borealis. He looked up at the Northern Lights in awe, never seeing such a thing in his existence. Suddenly her voice filled his ears and he gulped.

"You say I am the one doing the tempting and yet you keep coming to me. What are you doing here," she asked as she crossed her arms.

"I had to see you."

"Well I assure you no magic was used on my part. It is quite ironic by the way. You accuse me as if I can cast some sort of spell on you and yet you are the one that can influence the elements."

"I tracked your scent to your home. Why are you out here and not inside?" She smirked.

"Kate and Garrett can be quite loud. They rarely pull away from each other, usually only to hunt and say their pleasantries, and then go right back to their room. It must be nice to have that type of passion for someone, to not be able to get enough of them ever."

"I wouldn't know," he confessed and she looked at him curiously.

"Where is your….Tia," she questioned.

"Ireland."

"Well you are pretty far from there. Hard for me to believe you were just passing through."

"Tanya, I can't stop thinking about you. I just…..I needed to be close to you again." They stood in silence for a moment as the words resonated with them both. Being apart was difficult and she slowly held her hand out to him. He did not hesitate to grab it and they sighed in relief at the connection. She stared down at their hands and frowned as she wondered about the feelings she had for him. It was like nothing she ever knew in her long existence. She could not stop thinking about him. The thought of never seeing him again brought her physical pain. Suddenly, she gasped as she was able to fathom what was happening.

"Mates," she whispered in disbelief and his eyes widened.

"Mates," he stated more than questioned because he knew it was true. He did not want to admit it to himself before that moment, but he was not surprised when she said the word because he knew it the moment he saw her. Tanya took in a shaky breath as she thought about the past sixteen years.

"I thought it was Irina. I thought the pain of losing her was what made it unbearable. I did not feel this much pain when I lost my mother, but I simply figured my grief over Irina was different because of how close we were. It wasn't that though. It has been you."

"But what about Tia, I thought….well she and I….."

"You can have affection for someone that is not your mate. True mates cannot be forced. No matter how much you want the person to be your mate. I know that first hand with Edward." He stiffened and a low growl rumbled in his chest as he thought about Tanya with Edward.

"Edward Cullen," he asked as he tightened his hold on her hand. She smirked at his response.

"Now I know we are mates. Possessive is a sign. Your anger and jealousy over the thought of me being with him is how I feel when I think about you with…..her. Of course you get off easy in the situation. You have seen Edward with his mate and know there is nothing between us. On the other hand, I had to watch you with her and still know you are with her." He pulled her into his arms and she melted into his embrace as he hugged her. He never imagined it would feel so right to hold her, but it was natural, as if they were meant for each other. He buried his nose in her hair, taking in her scent as she nuzzled his neck.

"I'm sorry. It kills me to even think of you with him. I can't imagine how you feel right now, but I am going to make it better."

"How," she whimpered and he gazed into her eyes.

"I am going to tell her the truth. I don't know how yet but I will. I promise Tanya." Her smile left him speechless and she ran a hand through his hair. She frowned when she noticed how black his eyes were.

"When was the last time you hunted?"

"The others still prefer a human diet, but it makes me feel guilty when I hunt them now. It has been two months since I last fed."

"Then we need to hunt. My way," she assured and he nodded as she led him deeper into the forest. They ran together down the mountain and bounded from tree to tree until their senses perked up. A scent caught Benjamin's nostrils and Tanya winked at him. She pointed at two caribou galloping through a clearing.

"Go on," she urged and he stealthily stalked toward the animals. By the time they sensed his presence, he was upon them and Tanya watched with a sense of pride as he made quick work of the animals. Benjamin sank his teeth into one of the caribou and sighed in relief as the ache in his throat began to dissipate. He handed Tanya the other as she approached and he watched in awe as she expertly finished off the prey before hiding the drained bodies. Benjamin lay back on the grass and peered up at the sky as the Northern Lights danced above him. Tanya lay beside him and he clasped their hands together with a smile.

"I prefer to hunt like this. With humans, there is always the fear of someone seeing you. You have to sneak away and cover your tracks much more than with caribou. I always wondered who is this human. Do they have a family? Who will search for them?" Tanya nodded her understanding.

"I wasn't always on this diet, but the guilt became too much. My reasons were not noble, but I wanted to be able to survive on something other than human blood."

"When I was a newborn, Amun kept me hidden even more and wouldn't allow me to go hunt. He would bring me a human to feed on and they were usually alive. I could see their pain and fear and it made me feel like a monster."

"Hunting animals has its advantages. We can immerse ourselves in the human world easier and our eyes are easier to conceal. As far as the guilt, well we are no different than humans when we feed on animals, so it allows us to be more in touch with our humanity than most vampires. That is why my coven can feel so connected to each other. We can be a family and when we lose part of the family…." The memory of Irina's execution consumed her for a moment and Benjamin stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb as her eyes fluttered open to look at him again.

"I hate to see you in pain," he whispered and she tried to give him a brave smile.

"I am used to it by now."

"You shouldn't be. Maybe that is why we found each other after all this time. So I can finally take away the pain," he suggested as their lips inched closer together. Suddenly, their senses perked up again and Benjamin jumped to his feet as he sensed vampires drawing closer. He crouched defensively in front of her, but Tanya placed a comforting hand on his chest as she stood up.

"It is just Kate and Garrett," she assured, but the look on her sister's face when she saw them together did anything but assure Benjamin that everything would be alright. Kate's jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed as she glowered at Benjamin. Garrett quirked an eyebrow at the two of them.

"Sorry to interrupt," said Garrett and Kate crossed her arms.

"I'm not. Benjamin what are you doing here and where is Tia, your mate," she interrogated as she stalked closer. Tanya took a protective stance in between Benjamin and her sister as Kate eyed her carefully.

"Kate, we will talk about this later."

"No, I want to talk about it now with him. Answer the question Benjamin," demanded Kate and Tanya hissed at her.

"Don't you dare talk to him that way," shouted Tanya and Kate was shocked at her tone. Garrett stepped in between them with his hands up.

"Alright, everyone stay calm. We can figure whatever….this is….out…I suppose. I mean what is….this….I mean Tia and…wait…."

"Garrett, shut up, you aren't helping," yelled Kate as she glared at Benjamin.

"Get out of our territory before I remove you myself," warned Kate and Tanya let out a warning growl at her sister.

"Tread lightly Katrina," hissed Tanya. Benjamin pulled Tanya into his arms and gave her a small smile.

"I should get going. I need to talk to Tia."

"Ben, you don't have to….."

"You know I want to stay, but I have to make sure she understands first. I promise I will be back. Do you trust me?" She nodded without hesitation.

"With my existence," she whispered as she leaned her forehead against his and he smiled even more.

"As do I," he agreed before pulling away from her. He gave a nod to Kate and Garrett before leaving. Garrett waved, but was immediately shocked by Kate.

"Damn it, woman that hurt," he pouted, but Kate ignored him as she yelled at Tanya.

"Have you lost your damn mind? You are trying to get yourself killed, is that it?"

"Kate, I know how this looks, but he is my mate."

"I thought his mate was Tia," questioned Garrett and Kate nodded.

"It is which is why all of this is so screwed up! Tanya, what were you thinking?"

"I felt a connection with him the moment I saw him when we all went to save Renesmee. Obviously he isn't Tia's true mate or he wouldn't keep coming to see me."

"Wait, he was here before," asked Kate and Tanya sighed but nodded.

"The night we left the Cullens and I said I wanted to be alone. He followed me and we talked."

"What if Tia would have followed and tried to kill you?"

"Kate, please don't make this any harder on me than it already is."

"Tanya…."

"Katrina that is enough! Look, Benjamin is going to be a part of my life and you are going to have to accept that. I know this isn't conventional but nothing in our lives has ever been. I need you to trust me like I trusted you with Garrett." Kate scoffed.

"That is so different and you know it. Being with Garrett didn't endanger my life!" Tanya gritted her teeth and Garrett stepped in between them again.

"Kate, let's give Tanya the benefit of the doubt. She knows how mates work and wouldn't risk her life if she didn't truly believe that Benjamin was her mate. You both are on the same side. You both want her to be happy, can we all at least agree about that," asked Garrett and Tanya gave a curt nod. Kate did as well.

"I hope are right about this Tanya because if you aren't, then Benjamin will have to deal with me."

"Don't threaten my mate Katrina," warned Tanya and Kate smirked.

"If he is truly your mate then there is nothing to worry about. If he isn't, then threats will be the least of his worries." Kate sprinted back toward their home and Garrett sighed dreamily as he watched her leave.

"She is one hell of a woman isn't she," he asked in awe and Tanya rolled her eyes before running home as well.

"Tough crowd," mumbled Garrett before following them home. He knew that the tension between the sisters was going to be an issue.

Zach threw his hands up in exasperation yet again as Garrett, Kate, and Tanya shook their heads at the memories of that night.

"Wait, Ben, you left her again," exclaimed Zach and Benjamin smiled sheepishly.

"I had to speak with Tia before I could be with Tanya. It was the right thing to do. Tia and I had been together for hundreds of years and I am the reason she is a vampire in the first place. I have always felt responsible for her and even though I knew even back then that my love for Tanya would always be my priority, I wanted to do things right." Zach smirked.

"You are so lucky Kate didn't kick your butt," he mumbled and Kate winked at him.

"He came very close," she giggled as Tanya rolled her eyes.

"Yes, definitely not some of our best moments as a family," said Tanya and Garrett huffed.

"Tell me about it. I was the newest member and yet I was the one trying to keep the peace. These two over here were Switzerland the entire time," grumbled Garrett as he pointed at Carmen and Eleazar.

"We were too close to the situation and choosing sides would have made it worse. We love Kate and Tanya too much to pick one over the other. Besides, we knew that Kate just wanted Tanya to be happy, so we held out hope that Benjamin could do that," explained Carmen.

"So Ben, after you told Tia, then were you finally with Tanya," asked Zach and Benjamin winced. His expression said it all and Zach threw his hands up again as everyone laughed. Benjamin winked at him.

"Let me explain. After all, you know this story has a happy ending," he assured and Zach nodded as he grinned at Benjamin and Tanya.