Chapter 3

The fireplace blazing in their bedroom emanated a soothing warmth over Zach and Allie as they lay in each other's arms in bed. He caressed her back and she played with his curly hair as they gazed out the window at the view of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The moon and stars lit up the night sky, adding to the splendor of the island.

"Sometimes I feel like I am dreaming when I feel this happy. I can't believe we are actually here. When I thought about my first year as a vampire, I never thought it would be like this," confessed Allie. He kissed her tenderly.

"That is because it wasn't supposed to be. You never cease to amaze me. I prepared for the worst, but you always find a way to give me the best."

"This is perfect. Well, almost perfect, I know you are worried about Josh and I am too."

"I have never seen him like this. When he phased for the first time, he was irritable, but this is different. He is acting like I have betrayed him by falling in love with you. I just don't understand what has changed. He was fine earlier."

"Maybe he is jealous. What you and I have is so special and I think he wants that with someone. He just needs some time." Zach sat up and slowly nodded.

"You are right. He does want what we have and it must be hard not having it. He was always the one that wanted to find his mate first. I was willing to wait, but Josh has always wanted that. I think he is taking out his frustrations on us and it doesn't help that he has to see us so in love all the time. Maybe we should tone it down a bit," he suggested.

"Tone it down, what is that supposed to mean?" He put his hands up in defense.

"Whoa, please don't give me that look. I just mean that when he is around, we should try to give him more attention."

"I am the one that invited him to go for a run with us when I was first turned even though I would have preferred to just be with you. I have tried to reach out to him, but he brushes me off, just like he brushes you off. Why should we have to suffer because he is acting like a petulant child," she shouted.

"We aren't suffering. I have never been this happy before. I just don't want to rub our happiness in his face."

"I am not going to hold back from loving my mate because his best friend is jealous. That isn't fair, Zach. It isn't fair to me or you."

"I know, but I am just trying to figure out a way to help him deal with his insecurities."

"He isn't the only one with insecurities. Did you ever think that maybe I don't like being treated like some villain by him because I apparently came into your life and broke up this epic duo?" Zach sighed and pulled her back into his arms. She relaxed under his touch as he stroked her hair.

"That isn't true. You aren't a villain."

"Are you sure Josh doesn't see me as one? He barely said a word to me the entire flight."

"He is upset and I should go find him so we can talk. He is probably eating dinner with his family right now. Is it okay if we go see him?"

"Go ahead. I need to go for a walk. I don't know if it is the possessive mate thing or a newborn thing, but either way I am a bit wound up and should go clear my head." She got out of bed and walked into the closet to grab an outfit to wear.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me? We can go for a hunt on the mainland afterward." She walked out of the closet dressed in jeans and a black top as she shook her head.

"No, go spend time with your friend. Maybe you can talk some sense into him. I will see you in a bit," she informed before kissing him. He groaned when she darted from the room, leaving him in bed alone. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about Josh, but knew he needed to act soon before the tension between the three of them got out of hand.

Allie decided to explore the island on her own while her mate spent time with his best friend. A part of her was annoyed by Josh's sudden attitude, but she understood where his jealousy stemmed from. She walked into the Volturi Mansion and was greeted with bows by other vampires as they passed her. She wandered down a hallway, but halted when she heard footsteps behind her. She spun around and sighed in relief when she saw Alexander.

"Are you okay," asked Alexander and she gulped.

"Yes, sorry, I just became awkwardly aware of the fact that I am lurking around a huge castle that I may or may not be allowed in." He chuckled.

"Allie, you are always welcomed here. We meant what we said. Treat this place as a home away from home. I must admit I am surprised to see you without your mate. Where is Zach?"

"Probably listening to Josh whine about not getting enough of his attention lately," she grumbled.

"Aw, I see. Having a lovers' spat already?"

"No, more like a lover's best friend ought to chill spat."

"That sounds quite complicated. He is lucky you aren't a typical newborn. You are handling your anger much better than expected. How about you let some of it out in a training session? I was about to meet up with Kate, Garrett, and my mate. You should join us. Fight training can be great for relieving stress," he offered.

"I don't want to impose. Besides, I have no clue how to fight."

"All the more reason to join us, you belong to an impressive coven, but their power makes them targets from time to time. Every member should know how to fight. It will be fun and educational. I promise." She nodded and followed him down a flight of stairs. She could hear Garrett's laugh as they drew closer and her eyes widened when they entered a vast room. Garrett watched his mate closely as she sparred with Lena. The two women were in an intense match.

"I don't think I can do any of that," whispered Allie as Kate sidestepped Lena before she could be taken down.

"The hardest part is tapping into your vampiric instincts and trusting them. We all had to learn at some point," explained Alexander. Lena and Kate stopped their match and walked over to greet Allie, along with Garrett.

"Alexander is right. It isn't hard to learn how to defend yourself against an attack," said Kate.

"We will teach you the basics. I am surprised Zach has not already done that. Where is he," asked Lena.

"Coddling Josh," replied Allie and Alexander chuckled.

"Touchy subject, Lena, how about you and Kate teach her some moves," suggested Alexander. Garrett rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"About time we get to see what type of newborn you are, Allie," teased Garrett.

"Don't get your hopes up. I was never into fighting," said Allie. Kate eyed her suspiciously.

"We'll see about that. Eleazar says you are a quick learner. How about you and I spar a bit to see how quick you are," suggested Kate.

"No thanks, aren't you like a trained assassin or something?"

"In another life," said Kate with a nod and Allie shook her head.

"I think I'll pass."

"Aw, come on, Allie, it will be fun. Alexander and I will be in your corner. Kate would never hurt you," assured Garrett.

"It is completely up to you, but it is how we train our guards. It is easier to jump into it and let your vampiric instincts take over," advised Lena. Allie glanced over at Kate.

"Fine, but remember that I don't know what I am doing. I don't have a power like you either," reminded Allie and Kate laughed.

"Don't dismiss yourself so easily. You are a newborn. You are stronger and faster than me, so let's see what you got," said Kate.

"Um, am I just supposed to swing at you? What are the rules," asked Allie.

"No biting or using your teeth. The goal is to take your opponent down. The match can end whenever you want and don't worry. I will hold back. Go ahead and take a swing at me," said Kate as the others stood back and Allie's eyes widened.

"You want me to hit you?"

"You can try," taunted Kate and Allie halfheartedly threw a punch. Garrett laughed.

"Come on, Allie, you are the daughter of an alpha. You can do better than that," called Garrett as Kate began to circle her.

"I didn't know I was the daughter of an alpha until a few months ago," reminded Allie and they all smiled at her nervousness. Kate lunged forward and Allie instinctively flipped out of the way.

"Whoa," she whispered in awe of her ability and Kate winked at her.

"Harness that feeling. You are wired to defend yourself. You have it within you. Attack me like you would your prey."

"But you aren't an unsuspecting animal, you are a trained assassin. Key words there are trained assassin," exclaimed Allie.

"Don't be intimidated," advised Alexander.

"Says the Volturi guard," grumbled Allie. Kate squared up and swung at Allie, who dodged it.

"See, your senses are heightened now," assured Kate. Allie's confidence started to grow as she and Kate circled each other. Kate attacked again and Allie dodged a punch. Kate swept her legs and Allie growled in frustration as she fell onto her backside. She flipped to her feet and gritted her teeth.

"Again," declared Allie and Lena smiled at her mate.

"There's some of that newborn temper," whispered Lena. Allie focused on Kate's movements and began to mimic them. She noticed a pattern and when Kate swung, she was able to grab her arm. Kate was surprised when Allie slung her to the ground and Allie smiled as Kate stood back up.

"That wasn't too hard," said Allie and Kate smirked at her.

"I am holding back, remember?"

"What if you didn't," suggested Garrett as he walked over to them and Allie frowned in confusion.

"Are you trying to get me killed," asked Allie.

"Of course not, just testing a theory. Kate, go at her like you would anyone else," suggested Garrett.

"No way," said Kate, but Garrett whispered in her ear. Allie eyed them curiously as Kate slowly nodded. Garrett smiled at Allie.

"Alright Allie, focus, use your abilities," advised Garrett as Kate circled Allie again. Alexander and Lena watched intently as Allie took in a deep breath to calm her nerves. She turned to face Kate and mimicked her movements again. Kate lunged forward, but Allie sidestepped her. She jumped back when Kate tried to sweep her legs.

"She is a quick learner," said Kate and Lena watched Allie's eyes.

"Is she tracking her movements," whispered Lena and Alexander nodded.

"I think so," he whispered back. Kate was surprised when Allie switched from a defensive stance to an offensive one and moved forward. In a flurry of movement, the two began to spar as the others watched in utter amazement at Allie's maneuvers.

"Eleazar was right. It isn't just about her intelligence. It is about how she can tap into it," informed Garrett. Suddenly, Kate was on the ground and stunned at her predicament. Allie beamed with pride and held her hand out to Kate.

"Match," she asked and Kate gulped as she nodded.

"Yea, match," said Kate as Allie helped her back to her feet. Garrett clapped and whistled for Allie.

"Now that was impressive! I have never seen anything like it in my existence and that is saying something," exclaimed Garrett.

"Nor have I," muttered Kate. Alexander glanced at his mate and she gave a curt nod.

"My turn," said Lena.

"Good luck," called Kate as Allie turned her attention to Lena.

"What exactly did Eleazar say about Allie's ability," questioned Alexander as the three of them watched Lena and Allie size each other up.

"He called it some type of analytics. She can analyze a situation in ways that not even other vampires can. It gives her an edge," explained Kate. After a minute of attacking and retreating, Lena was on her back and even Allie was stunned by her dominance. She helped Lena up and gulped as the others gawked at her in shock.

"Beginner's luck," she tried, but Lena smirked.

"That would be believable if I didn't just give you my best shot. That can't be the newborn in you. I have defeated many newborns. What was going through your mind when we fought?" Allie thought for a moment.

"Did you know that you favor your left side? You stand as if you are going to strike from the right, but 68% of the time you strike with your left. I found your pattern and countered it. That's what I was thinking about. I did the same with Kate. You were harder to figure out because you rely on hand-to-hand combat more often. Kate can use her power to electrocute people, so she doesn't have to fight as much. I used that to my advantage even though I know it wouldn't work if we were in an actual battle. I wouldn't be able to stop her from electrocuting me," explained Allie and Lena was stunned into silence.

"Definitely a quick learner," said Alexander and Allie smiled sheepishly.

"That's a good thing, right," asked Allie and Garrett guffawed.

"Are you kidding? You just took down two of the best fighters I have ever seen. That is amazing! Alexander, why don't you try," said Garrett. Alexander put his hands up.

"I'll sit this one out," replied Alexander.

"I didn't even know I could do that. Thanks for inviting me, Alexander. You are right. I feel a bit better. I might not be able to change what is going on with Zach and Josh, but it was nice to get out some aggression," said Allie.

"Glad we could help. If you will excuse us, we should check in with the other guards," said Lena before leaving with Alexander and Allie winced.

"Did I offend her? She is an amazing fighter. Even if I figured out her pattern, it is obvious that most vampires cannot," said Allie and Kate wrapped an arm around her.

"Don't worry. You hurt her ego more than anything else. Lena is a force to be reckoned with. She isn't used to being defeated. Garrett, will you give us a minute," asked Kate and Garrett kissed his mate.

"I am going to go tell Eleazar," said Garrett before darting from the room and Allie groaned.

"I really don't want this to be a big deal. Like I said, fighting isn't really my thing."

"You have an amazing talent, you should harness it. Fighting may just be the beginning. My ability didn't start off as controlled as it is now. We grow into our powers the more that we tap into them."

"It is kind of nice to know there is something special about me."

"There are plenty of things special about you. So, I noticed on the plane that Zach and Josh are having some issues," said Kate and Allie smirked.

"Yes, Josh resents me for taking his best friend away and Zach feels sorry for him. He even suggested that we tone it down. I don't even know what that means or how to do that. Zach and I finally have everything we have wanted and Josh is trying to make us feel guilty for that. I don't understand why Zach is letting him."

"I think Zach feels conflicted. You are his mate and that will never change, but he doesn't want Josh to feel like he abandoned him. I can relate to that. When I saw Garrett, I knew he was my mate, but there were a lot of family issues going on. Losing my sister, Irina, was hard on me and Tanya. The three of us were inseparable for so much of our existence and when she died, I felt like I was being pulled in different directions. I wanted comfort from Garrett and to hide away with him until I felt better, but I also knew I needed to be there for Tanya."

"I am sure it was hard for Tanya, especially with the complications at the beginning of her relationship with Benjamin."

"Yes, it was a difficult time for our family and I had to try to balance being a mate and a sister. There were times when I felt torn. I was happy with Garrett, but felt guilty about feeling so blissful when Tanya was suffering. I understand where Zach is coming from and I had far more life experience by the time I found Garrett than Zach does. Be patient with him and know that no matter what, you are his mate. Nothing will ever change that." Allie let the words sink in as she thought about her mate and a small smile crept onto her lips.

Zach entered the mansion in search of his best friend and found Caleb, Sofi, and Dana instead. The three of them were conversing about the wedding and laughing as he approached. Sofi hugged him with a bright smile.

"We were hoping to see you today. Where is Allie," asked Sofi.

"She is clearing her head. I am looking for Josh. Jake and Leah said he hasn't come back from shopping yet and was supposed to meet them for dinner. Have you seen him?"

"Sorry, but no, Zach, you remember my mom, Dana," said Caleb and Zach gently shook her hand.

"It is a pleasure to see you again," said Zach as he grinned dimply at Dana, causing her to blush. While she knew he was young, his good looks were not lost on her.

"It is nice to see you again too, Zach," she replied.

"We were about to head to Porto Rotondo for dinner. If we see him, we will tell him you are looking for him," informed Sofi.

"Thanks, enjoy your dinner and I will see you later," said Zach as the group waved goodbye to him. He continued his trek through the mansion and heard Marcus in the library. He knocked on the opened double doors and Marcus motioned for him to come in as he spoke on the phone.

"Keep Alexander and Lena updated. Alert me if necessary, but Didyme is requesting my attention for the next few days, so no interruptions unless it is imperative."

"Of course sire, I will not let you down."

"You never do, Joaquin, arrivederci." Marcus ended the call and smiled when he saw Zach gazing up at the sword above the fireplace. The intricate artwork on the hilt and blade caught his eye.

"Magnificent isn't it," asked Marcus as he joined him.

"Yes. It must be important to you if it is in a case. Where is it from?"

"I received it centuries ago in Japan. It was given to me by a great warrior before going into battle against werewolves. The hope was that it would bring me luck and it did."

"You couldn't use it against them though, could you? It would easily break."

"The sword was more of a symbol than weapon. It is quite sharp though, the sharpest sword on earth. It is made from a rare type of obsidian. I brought it into battle with me against the Children of the Moon and we won."

"You exterminated them, well most of them, why?"

"I was weak-minded back then and Caius would not have it any other way. After his near death experience with the creatures, he became obsessed with ending them. Vampires rarely face death and it changed Caius. I didn't want to go into battle, but I followed nonetheless. I was not a strong man or leader back then."

"Well, you have done more than enough to redeem yourself."

"Thank you, ever since I was blessed with Didyme again I vowed to make amends for my past mistakes. I am a better man and stronger leader because of her."

"What is it like to rule an entire world? Is it ever scary?"

"It was scarier when Aro and Caius were around. The task is daunting now, but ruling the way they preferred was far worse. Vampires feared them, but also hated them. Aro had no choice but to be paranoid. He knew vampires were waiting for their moment to seize his power and seek revenge for all the evil he did. I do not have that fear. Didyme has a way of making people love her. Having her by my side is the best part of my existence. She makes ruling far less stressful. We lean on each other and even when it seems our work is never done, we have each other. Having your mate is important. Josh will understand that when he finds his." Zach smiled sheepishly at him.

"Is it that obvious what is bothering me?"

"I could sense all of the tension when the three of you arrived."

"I don't know what to do. I am trying to give Josh his space, but I don't know what the right thing to do is. I suggested to Allie that maybe we should refrain from showing too much affection in front of him, but that doesn't seem fair to us either."

"One of the things I have learned from being ruler is that sometimes you have to make hard decisions. You have to do what is right, even if it is not easy. You have to do what is best for the majority of people involved, even if it means some people are upset for a while. Do what is necessary, even when it is inconvenient. Also, make a decision and stand by it."

"I am not sure that helps me at all," confessed Zach and Marcus laughed.

"It might not now, but it is good advice in the grand scheme of things. At least it has been for me. One day, a tiff between your mate and your best friend will seem like a minuscule problem. The longer you exist, the less the small things affect you. You are wise beyond your years, but still young. The three of you will work it out," assured Marcus. Alexander and Lena entered the library with smiles on their faces.

"Zach, you missed quite an astonishing scene. It seems there is far more to your mate than we thought. Marcus, I believe you will want to witness this as well," informed Alexander and Zach frowned in confusion as he and Marcus followed them to the training room. Alice, Jasper, Edward, Bella, Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme were in the room when they arrived. Garrett also brought along the rest of the Denalis. Zach kissed his mate.

"What is going on? Are you okay," he asked as he looked her over and she nodded with a giggle.

"I am fine. I guess your family thinks what I can do is a big deal."

"Because it is, Alexander, are you sure you don't want to try," asked Garrett and Alexander smirked.

"I'm not going to be the guinea pig. Why don't you, Garrett," challenged Alexander and Garrett gulped.

"I would. I totally would. I just don't want to make Zach upset by defeating his mate," said Garrett.

"Sure," chuckled Alexander and Lena rolled her eyes.

"Since you two big, strapping men are afraid, I will go again. Come on, Allie, let me have another shot," said Lena and Allie nodded with a smile. Edward honed in on Allie's thoughts as the two women circled each other.

"Eleazar, you are right. Analytics is the best way to describe this function of her power. She watches the movements and discovers the meaningful patterns to create counters. I can read my opponent's move before they are about to do it, but she figures out their style, their pattern of movement, and can discover what their moves will be. That is remarkable," said Edward as Allie took Lena down again. Lena cursed and shook her head in amazement.

"That was quicker than last time," grumbled Lena.

"That is because she can use the knowledge she gained from your last fight," informed Edward and Zach guffawed. He picked up his mate and twirled her around.

"Nayeli, that is amazing! I never knew you could fight!"

"I didn't either," she giggled and Jasper smiled mischievously at her.

"Alright, my turn," said Jasper.

"Good luck," called Lena as she joined her mate on the sideline.

"I have taken on newborns before," said Jasper and Lena smirked.

"That's what I said," she informed. Alice giggled.

"Careful, Jazzy, she's….." Before Alice could finish her warning to her mate, Jasper was flat on his back and his eyes were wide in shock and astonishment.

"Compiled enough information on fighting styles similar to yours to know your maneuvers," finished Alice and Jasper gulped as he flipped to his feet. Allie smiled sheepishly at him.

"It was the stance that gave you away. But don't worry I know if you used your power against me, I wouldn't be able to think as rationally. Plus, my newborn strength and speed works to my advantage," assured Allie and Jasper shook his head in amusement.

"Thanks for trying to soften the blow to my ego," chuckled Jasper as he bowed to Allie. Zach pumped his fist and hugged his mate.

"You are so amazing. I wish Josh was here to see this," said Zach.

"Where is Josh," asked Allie.

"He should have been back by now, but I haven't seen him. Aunt Alice, where is he," asked Zach and Edward glanced over at Alice. He was curious about her response. Alice shrugged nonchalantly.

"He just got caught up in all the shopping," she covered and Zach shrugged. He hugged his mate again and they walked back to their villa as she explained how she figured out the best way to counter the moves. Edward gave Alice a look, but she ignored him to go console her mate after his defeat.

Josh gasped when he looked down at his watch and realized what time it was. The crowds in the shops had dispersed, making it easier to walk hand in hand down the streets with Callista as they conversed.

"Wow, I didn't know it was getting so late."

"Is there somewhere you have to be? I was hoping we would have more time to talk," said Callista and he smiled at her.

"Me too, I just need to check in with my family. Can we meet back here at midnight?"

"I would love to. I am sorry for taking up so much of your time. At least we found the perfect tie for you." He chuckled as he looked down at the box in his hands.

"Yes, I am sure Alice would approve….Alice. Crap, I have to get back, but I will see you later okay," he asked as he turned to leave, but she stopped him.

"Wait, before you go," she whispered before kissing him passionately. He melted into her embrace and deepened the kiss. His head was swimming with lust as she pulled away.

"In case you can't get away from your family, here is my number," she said as she tucked a piece of paper into his hand.

"Oh trust me, I will get away. See you at midnight." He kissed her one more time before running back toward the dock.

Josh groaned when he pulled up to Isola Marcime in the yacht he borrowed and Alice was waiting on the dock for him. He hopped out and jogged over to her.

"Alice, please don't tell anyone about….."

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. I told your family you were shopping, which technically was not a lie because you were. I just didn't say you were with someone," she assured and he frowned in confusion.

"Really, you did?"

"Don't look so surprised. I am great at keeping secrets even though people around here seem to think otherwise. Anyways, I will keep your little rendezvous a secret, but you have to be careful, Josh. You don't really know this woman."

"I know enough. Thanks for keeping this quiet," said Josh as he hugged her and Alice shook her head. He ran toward Zach and Allie's villa and knocked on the door. Zach answered with a bright smile and sigh of relief.

"Dude, where have you been? You were supposed to eat dinner with your parents an hour ago."

"I know, but something amazing has happened to me," said Josh as he walked inside.

"It has," asked Allie as she walked into the living room and Josh sighed.

"Allie, do you think I could steal Zach away for a minute? I need to talk with him alone. It is guy stuff," said Josh and Allie rolled her eyes.

"Hello to you too. Zach, I will be in the shower if you need me."

"In the shower," asked Zach with a mischievous smile and she winked at him.

"I guess I could wait for you. Just don't be too long, okay?" Zach happily nodded and Josh rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Z. I'll make sure to get you back to the ball and chain before curfew," he grumbled and Allie smirked at the comment as Zach followed Josh outside.

"Ball and chain, really, J," asked Zach and Josh shrugged.

"It is just a saying. Anyways, back to me for a minute, please. I finally met my mate. She is so beautiful and is from Greece. You are going to love her!"

"J, that's great! Where is she? Did you invite her to the wedding? Did you imprint on her in one of the shops?"

"Whoa, who said anything about imprinting? We met in town and just connected. I want to invite her to the wedding, but I don't think it will be a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Well, the Volturi aren't exactly fond of her at the moment. She is in a bit of trouble, so showing up at the wedding probably wouldn't help, but it will all work out. She is my mate, so….."

"How is she your mate if you didn't imprint?"

"The same way my parents are mates. Wolves don't always imprint. It doesn't make the love they share any less. Besides, my dad imprinted on Renesmee and they aren't mates."

"Okay, but what if you pull a Drew and actually do imprint after thinking you found your mate? It isn't like you can really control it."

"Why can't you just be happy for me?"

"I am happy for you and I want to meet her. I just am confused how this could happen so fast if you didn't actually imprint."

"Look, I don't know, but it did. Things are already complicated enough without all these questions."

"You mean questions you should probably think about before deciding someone is your mate?"

"You and Allie knew you were mates and I supported that even when she was with Drew!"

"It works differently for vampires and you know that. Why are you acting like you don't know how this works all of a sudden?"

"Why are you so quick to dismiss my love for her before even meeting her? If you are going to act like this, then maybe you shouldn't meet her at all. All you are going to do is judge her anyways. She isn't like Allie, okay? She is a vampire that has experienced a lot and survived the best way she knows how. All you would do is judge her."

"What is there to judge? You know that I would never judge someone before getting to know them unless….." He trailed off and Josh crossed his arms.

"Unless they didn't adhere to your strict diet, right?" Zach gritted his teeth.

"Josh, have you lost your mind? She kills humans?"

"So what if she does? It is natural and before Marcus and Didyme took over, that was the only way most vampires knew how to hunt. It isn't fair to judge her because she lives like most of your kind do. Besides, humans kill each other all the time for no reason. At least she does it for nourishment."

"I can't believe what I am hearing right now. So let me get this straight. You are in love with a woman that you did not imprint on, but somehow know she is the one for you after a few hours of knowing her. She also just so happens to kill humans, which means she would have no problem killing people you actually know!"

"I knew you wouldn't understand. I wanted to tell you because you are my best bro. It doesn't matter though. I need you to do me a favor. You have to cover for me so I can go see her again."

"Um, let me think about that, no!"

"Look, all you have to do is not blab to everyone about this and if my parents ask, say I am over at your villa tonight. Alice already agreed to keep it to herself. All I need is for you to cover for me if anyone asks. It isn't that hard and doesn't even affect the little bubble you and Allie are in so it is a win-win. I get to go see my girl and you can spend time alone with yours."

"Why would I help you do this," asked Zach and Josh crossed his arms.

"Because I always supported you and Allie being together, the least you can do is support me now. I didn't care that she was the alpha's daughter or in a relationship with someone else. I had your back. Now it is time for you to have mine." Zach groaned, but nodded.

"Fine, but I don't have a good feeling about this woman. You need to be careful."

"I always am," said Josh before jogging away and Zach rolled his eyes.

"No you're not," growled Zach in frustration as he watched Josh head toward his villa. Josh entered his villa and hugged both of his parents when he saw them in the living room. They eyed him suspiciously.

"Where have you been," asked Leah and he grinned as he showed her the tie he bought.

"Perfect, right," he asked.

"So you missed dinner with us and only came back with that," questioned Jacob.

"Sorry about skipping out on you guys. I am sure you had a nice dinner."

"Actually, we decided to wait for you. Why didn't you call us," asked Leah.

"I lost track of time. I was excited. Italy is awesome and I love it here. Can you blame me for getting caught up in all there is to see?"

"I guess not," conceded Leah and Josh kissed her cheek.

"Great, so what do you want to eat for dinner," asked Josh.

"We were going to head to the mainland to go to a restaurant, but it is pretty late. There is food in the refrigerator. Let's grab some things and have a nice meal on the beach under the stars as a family," suggested Leah.

"Cool, after that I am heading to Z's. We are going to catch up on some video games." Leah sighed in relief.

"Good, you two need to spend some time together. He is trying to reach out to you, Josh. This is an adjustment for him too," said Leah.

"Right, well just let me put this tie in my room and I will be ready to go," informed Josh and Jacob watched his son carefully as Josh disappeared into his room.

"He is hiding something," whispered Jacob and Leah nodded in agreement.

"What should we do?"

"Let's just keep an eye on him. Whatever it is will come out in time. It must not be bad if Alice hasn't mentioned anything," suggested Jacob. They headed for the kitchen to decide on what to eat for dinner while they waited on their son. His behavior was suspicious to them, but they decided to give him some space.

Josh tried his best to not seem too anxious to finish dinner with his parents, but his stomach was in butterflies the entire meal. Jacob and Leah could tell he wanted to leave and excused him after thirty minutes of watching him shovel food into his mouth. The couple stayed on the beach and enjoyed the rest of their dinner together, while their son hurried back into the villa. He took a quick shower and dressed in a new pair of jeans, buttoned up dress shirt, and his favorite leather jacket. He sprayed on some cologne and fixed his hair in the mirror one more time before jogging out of the room.

"Pretty dressed up for video games," called Rosalie as she strolled into the villa and Josh gulped.

"Hey, what are you doing back so soon? I thought you were going for a hunt tonight."

"Em and I are, but I wanted to check on you before we left. Are you okay? I know you are having trouble dealing with Allie and Zach."

"I am fine. Actually, I am better than fine. Things have a way of working out when you need them to, you know?"

"Yes, I do. I just want you to know that Zach needs you in his life. You two are great friends and you are part of our family. You are like a son to me, so when you feel left out just remember that you are always with family, okay?" Josh hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Rose, you have always been like a second mom to me. I love you."

"I love you too. Are you wearing cologne," she questioned and he chuckled nervously.

"Yea, what can I say, I like to smell good. Goodnight," he called over his shoulder as he ran out of the house and she quirked an eyebrow. Emmett frowned in confusion as he entered the villa.

"Where's he running off to? That is definitely not video game attire," said Emmett.

"Agreed, which means he is lying about playing video games and our baby boy lied about Josh spending the night. I knew it was odd. Zach and Allie are enjoying their time alone together. Josh already feels left out and he obviously hasn't worked things out with Zach and Allie yet. He wouldn't want to be around Zach unless Allie isn't there."

"So where is he going?"

"I don't know, but Alice would have alerted us if it was important. We should tell Leah and Jake before we leave though, just to be safe."

"We already know," said Leah as she and Jacob walked in.

"Where is he going," asked Rosalie.

"We don't know that, but we do know he is acting weird," said Jacob.

"The kid is wearing cologne. He has to be meeting up with a girl," informed Emmett and Leah groaned.

"So it begins again, I hope he isn't trying to force himself to imprint. Jake and I both tried that and it never works."

"Wait, you tried that, when," asked Rosalie and Leah sighed as she sat down on the couch.

"After I joined the pack and realized how imprinting worked, I tried to imprint on guys around the rez. Of course it didn't work and was an embarrassing waste of time. Trying to gaze into the eyes of boys as they passed by didn't really work," confessed Leah.

"With the track record in your family, you know there is a chance that if he does imprint, it will be on someone that is at least half vampire, right? Jake and Seth both did. Are you going to be okay with that," asked Rosalie and Leah shrugged.

"At this point, I just want him to be happy. He is miserable right now. Allie makes Zach happy and that is all I want for Josh," replied Leah.

"It would be easier if it was a vampire," admitted Jacob and Emmett nodded in agreement.

"Or at least some type of immortal, I don't think I can take the stress we went through with Allie. Everything fell into place, but there is no more serum. If he does find a human, he will have some big decisions to make," said Emmett.

"So you two are okay with him sneaking off," asked Rosalie.

"He is old enough to make his own decisions. I was running around without adult supervision and I was younger," said Jacob and Rosalie smirked.

"Not very comforting," sang Rosalie and Jacob stuck his tongue out at her.

"Very funny, well we are going to head to bed. See you in the morning," said Jacob. Rosalie and Emmett left the villa and headed toward the shore.

"Feel like a nice swim before we go hunt," asked Emmett as he pulled her into his arms.

"Sounds fun, I hope Josh is okay though."

"He will be. By the way, I caught how you snuck in that question about Josh's vampire mate." Rosalie winked at him.

"We both know that in the vision Asa showed us, his mate was a vampire. I just wanted to gauge Leah's feelings so we could be prepared when it happens."

"Yea, she went after Kaya when she found out Seth imprinted on her, but it seems she had a change of heart."

"Kids will do that to you. Come on, Em. Let's go enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

"I thought you would never ask," he said with a bright grin as he followed his mate into the water.

Josh could feel his heart pounding as he waited for Callista in the square. He had never been so nervous about a date before. He fixed his hair and straightened his jacket when he sensed a vampire drawing near. She smiled seductively at him and sauntered over to kiss him passionately.

"Well don't you look handsome? I have a surprise for you. Follow me," she said as she slipped her hand into his.

"Where are we going?"

"It isn't far from here, just up the hill overlooking the water," she informed. He kissed the top of her hand and she beamed with happiness as a hillside villa came into view. She pointed to it and kissed his cheek.

"For us," she announced and his jaw dropped. It was a luxurious house overlooking the sea and marina. The classic Italian architecture was etched with rich browns and golds. Callista handed him a key to the villa and he gulped when he unlocked the front door. She smiled as he looked around.

"So, what do you think? It has three bedrooms, but I only plan on us being in one. I already lit the fireplace and there is a hot tub if you want to…."

"How did you get this place? You didn't kill someone for it, did you," he questioned as he skeptically eyed her. His skepticism melted away when he saw the hurt flash in her eyes.

"Do you really think I would do that? I may not understand the need to not drink from humans, but I wouldn't bring you to a place where I killed one. The owner of this villa rents it out to tourists. I paid with my own money. Good to know that you think so little of me." He sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I am sorry. I just let my annoying goody-goody of a friend get in my head." She crossed her arms and averted her eyes from his, but melted into his touch when he wrapped his arms around her.

"Can you forgive me," he asked and she slowly nodded.

"I just don't want you to think of me like that. I am not perfect, but I wouldn't do that to you. Not to mention I am already in enough trouble as it is."

"You were pretty vague about what happened with the Volturi."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But we need to. Mates have to be honest with each other."

"Mates," she whispered and he nodded with a smile.

"Yea, you and me are mates, I feel it in my heart."

"And mates also protect each other," she reminded as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I will always protect you. I know the Volturi. They are compassionate people. Tell me what happened and I can help you."

"I was hunting in Tripoli. I always am careful to hunt at night in areas where only humans that are up to no good would be. The man I killed was the prime minister of Greece. I didn't mean to kill someone people would recognize. You have to believe me, Josh."

"But you still meant to kill him."

"Of course I did, I needed to hunt."

"But there are other ways now. It isn't just about doing the right thing. I understand that it is natural to you. Isn't it easier to hunt animals though? You wouldn't have to worry about killing someone that would be missed. You are in this predicament because you killed the wrong type of person and now the Volturi want answers. All I am asking is for you to try the animal lifestyle. Try for me and I promise I can make sure the Volturi give you another chance."

"What if I slip up," she asked as she looked down. He tilted her face back up to him and gazed into her eyes.

"All I need for you is to try."

"Okay," she agreed and he grinned from ear to ear.

"Really?"

"Yes, I will try. Now enough talk about such things. We have the place to ourselves, so what do you want to do," she asked with a seductive smile and he gulped.

"You mentioned a hot tub." She nodded as she took off his jacket.

"Yes, but how about we start in the bedroom," she suggested. His eyes widened when realization dawned on him and he happily nodded. He kissed her passionately and picked her up into his arms before carrying her to the bedroom.