Disclaimer: The Twilight Series and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Any other characters, settings etc. are property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.


Chapter 4 E'sPOV:

It was almost time to see Bella again.

I paced across the room for the thousandth time wishing time could somehow be manipulated.

After Bella left the bar's parking lot I came home and asked Alice to "see" if Bella was safe. Knowing that she was —willingly— in the company of an unpredictable werewolf was driving me crazy. I felt even worse when Alice said Bella's future had simply disappeared.

"What do you mean, she disappeared?" I'd asked her.

"I saw her talking to you in the parking lot, and then she left, and simply fell off my radar."

I felt dread and fury combined in one. I was on my way out to kill some werewolf when Alice's words stopped me.

"Something is not right. I saw Bella when we encountered her in the University's parking lot, and I saw her working at the bar. So she is not blocking me —completely. But I never saw her when I looked for vampires in the area when we were planning on moving here. And she was here. It's confusing!"

"Have you tried to look for the werewolf?" Carlisle had asked.

"Yes, I have. And I always find nothing —not even I glimpse."

"Interesting," Carlisle said. "I think that the reason you see Bella and then her destiny disappears is because of the werewolf. It might be that they have some kind of natural cloaking against us; we never knew they were still around when we lived in Forks. And Bella, when she is in their company, seems to be covered by that mystical power as well."

"That makes sense!" Alice said relieved. She was happy to know that her powers were not deteriorating.

"That doesn't help at all. I still don't know if Bella is safe or not," I'd told them.

"We'll just have to wait until she leaves the wolf, and then I'll be able to see her again," Alice had said.

Two hours later, Bella had "appeared" in Alice's radar again, and even though I didn't need air, I was able to breathe again.

Now, I just needed to wait a few more minutes and I would see her again.

I went downstairs and my family looked at me with amused expressions.

Finally, my son found his true mate. He won't be alone anymore Esme's thoughts were full of love. I smiled at her.

I have to meet this Bella, who has Edward's panties all in a bunch! Emmett laughed when I glared at him.

Could she be more beautiful than I? Edward did choose her after all, when he had refused Tanya…and me. When Rosalie realized I heard the last part of her thought she glared at me. Don't you dare making a comment about that!

I ignored her. "Let's go," I told them and headed out the door.

I few miles from the small lake, I could smell Bella's exquisite scent. I stopped and breathed it in. I wanted to absorb it —all of it.

Emmett and Alice passed by me in a flash, eager to meet her. I thought their eagerness might scare her, so I hurried my pace and left them behind. We needed to approach her carefully. Besides, no one was more excited to see her than I.

As I plowed into the clearing, the sight of Bella made me gasp in awe. She slowly straightened from a crouch and stood proudly, looking at me with wariness.

One by one, the members of my family entered the clearing.

"Hello, Bella. I love your Doors T-shirt. I think Jim Morrison was amazing!" Alice said.

I looked at her outfit. She was wearing jeans, combat boots and a black T-shirt with the image of Jim Morrison on it. The thin cotton outlined her generous breasts. I was glad she didn't wear a sweater to cover that spectacular view.

Carlisle stepped forward and made the introductions while I took the time to ogle and drown in her beauty.

Jasper, who had been monitoring her reactions, got a peek of her awareness and her reaction to me. I suppressed a smile. She was not as insensitive as she liked me to believe.

"Let's be direct," she told Carlisle. "I've been living in this area for the last nine months. I think that gives me the right to be a bit territorial. I want you to leave."

Is she out of her mind, claiming territory as if we were in the seventeen hundreds? Rosalie thought.

Bella must've realized how unreasonable she sounded. She backpedaled. "I'm afraid that the fact of having eight vampires in the area might blow my cover. So I'm requesting you and your coven to please look for a different area to relocate."

Only if you come with us, I mentally answered.

"Bella, you have nothing to worry with our presence in the area. It's for our own benefit to be inconspicuous. You can be rest assured we will not…blow your cover," Carlisle said.

"Let me be frank, Carlisle. As you must know by now, in this same area there are some friends of mine who by nature won't get along with your…family. I think is in everyone's benefit if you reconsidered your decision to stay here," Bella said.

At the mention of the werewolf, or werewolves, I decided to take rein of the conversation. "How many of your "friends" are we talking about?"

She finally turned to look at me with those beautiful honeyed eyes. I wondered what color they were when she was human. They probably were a dark blue or dark brown. Something deep and vivid. "Two," she said.

I somehow felt relieved that it was a small pack. Still, two young unpredictable wolves were danger.

"We don't have any ill wishes against your friends, Bella," Carlisle said, breaking my connection with Bella. I glared at him. He ignored me. "I don't know if you are aware, but we made a treaty with young Black's grandfather. So if he, or they, are willing to honor Ephraim Black's word, we don't see any problems," Carlisle added.

"There is a big problem. The proximity between you and them could lead to a confrontation —a deadly confrontation." Bella said exasperated. She was worried about the well being of those beasts. Unacceptable!

I moved closer and had to stay my hand not to touch her. "I can't speak for the other werewolf," I said. "—but the one I saw didn't seem to have any problems getting close to you. And you are one of us." I still wanted to remove his limb for touching her.

"Jake knows me. And if you were paying attention while rummaging inside his head, you would've noticed he did have a problem with you."

And I have a bigger problem with him; I thought but didn't voice it. "Yes, I noticed. I also noticed that the dog seems to have developed certain attachment to you. He feels he needs to protect you —a vampire, from me —one of own your kind. Why is that, Bella?"

What did the dog know that I didn't?

"First of all, his name is Jacob, not dog. And my friendship with him is none of your business," she said defensively.

Bella seemed very protective of that mongrel. Maybe I could use that to unravel her past. "Well," I said. "If you don't want us to be a threat to your friends, you have to convince us they are not a threat to us. The way I see it, it seems there is some kind of danger looming towards you, otherwise the do—Jacob wouldn't have risked his life in order to protect you. And if you are in danger, potentially so are we."

"I'm not in danger. Jacob is, by nature, overprotective. That's all." That dog had no right to be overprotective of her. Couldn't she see that?

I pasted a false smile on my face. There was nothing funny about this. "It's good to hear. But there must be a reason why he…overreacts around you. So in order to understand his…protectiveness, I need to know the reason. Understanding will …lessen any danger from me toward him."

Bella glared at me, but I knew she would tell me anything to protect her pet. I hated to be at the receiving end of her contempt, but I didn't think there was other way to make her open up.

Soon I would always get her smiles. I promised.

"Fine! I will tell you. But after that, you better stay away from us," she said.

It worked! I wanted to jump in joy.

Be careful, Edward Jasper thought. Her temper is holding on by a thread.

Son, I think you are pushing her too much, Carlisle warned.

"I can't promise anything until I know all the circumstances," I said pretending indifference. "Then I'll decide if I stay away or not. "This would never happen. I simply had to convince her to want me around.

She turned to Carlisle. "Many decades ago, I was forced to become a vampire by the Volturi."

That information was a surprise. Bella didn't seem to belong in that vampire category. First of all, she fed on animal blood, while the Volturi mocked Carlisle for making that same choice. And second, the Volturi were violent, and Bella was tender —especially with vicious dogs.

"Aro himself changed me," she added.

"He must've recognized a great power in you, for him to do the task himself," Carlisle said.

I already knew she was extraordinary; to what grade? I still needed to find out.

"He couldn't read my mind when I was human; and that impressed him. Aro and the rest of the Volturi massacred all people around me. Until that moment I didn't know vampires existed. Later that night, Aro changed me."

The poor girl! Esme cried, and whimpered. No wonder she is so wary about us. She must be traumatized! She needs our support and our love. We have to help her!

Bella turned to look at her. And although I understood Esme reaction, it broke Bella's recount of her past. I wish she would just go back to her story.

"So you became part of the Volturi," I said trying to get things back on track again.

"I was never one of them!" she said offended.

I never meant to offend her, but at least we were back to the story.

"Why do you feel horrified by the idea?" Jasper said,

Another interruption! Could they just shut up and let her talk? I glared at Jasper. He ignored me and continued. "Being part of the Volturi is considered an honor by most vampires. Only the strongest, most powerful could join their elite group."

"They're vicious!" Bella said.

Mentally, I was throwing daggers at Jasper, but he still refused to look at me. "Jasper," I warned. The son of a gun ignored me.

He he, he, Emmett laughed our quiet Jasper is not done talking. Want me to forcibly gag him? I'll be happy to do it for you.

I ignored Emmett.

"They have to be vicious," Jasper said. "They have an important job controlling the creation of vampire armies. Newborns, without a higher arm to rein them in would cause chaos, death and destruction all over the world."

"If you think the Volturi are a godsend gift, you're wrong. The Volturi are a power-thirsty group that believes they can decide who lives and who dies. Who gave them that power? Huh?" Bella said getting madder by the minute.

Jasper, the one who warned me not to aggravate her was making her lose her temper. What was wrong with him?

"Newborns need control," Jasper said.

"Newborns should never be created!" Bella shouted and Jasper was hit by a wave of pure anger. He finally realized what he'd done.

Sorry, Edward, I got carried away, he apologized.

Idiot!

"Bella," Carlisle said. "Jasper's point of view is based on his life before he joined us, a life where vampire without scruples created armies just for power. The Volturi exterminated these radical groups, saving human lives in the process."

What was wrong with my family tonight? Hadn't they noticed that the Volturi was a sore topic for Bella? We could find out all the details later. Emmett's offer to physically gag them was sounding better and better.

"And that makes them the good guys?" Bella asked.

"No," Carlisle said, "But it makes their existence necessary."

"They kill people. They lure them into their home like cattle. They don't care if these people are leaving orphans behind, or parents mourning the disappearance of their children. They're cold-hearted, arrogant monsters!"

Ah! That's what happened to her. I felt a wave of protectiveness wash over me. I wish she let me help her, comfort her. Esme was right; Bella needed our support.

Her expression was of horror when she realized she let us know too much. Then it changed to anger when she noticed the tender looks around her. She was a proud creature. And I was proud for her.

Carlisle, realizing she wouldn't want our sympathy, tried to reason with her about the life of a vampire. "Although I —we—don't agree with the vast majority of vampires feeding from humans, we understand that it is very difficult to overcome our instincts," Carlisle explained. "With our change, not only were our longevity, strength and senses enhanced, but also our basic instincts; we became more animal than human. We can't really blame a vampire for feeding from a human, as much as we can't blame a cheetah for killing a gazelle. It's simply natural."

"It's not the same," she argued. "Even after the change, we always retain a piece of humanity that stops us from acting without rationalization."

"I agree," Carlisle said. "But it's extremely hard to find that humanity left in us. Knowledge, guidance or certain circumstances allows us to make the choice to a different life-style. But it's a choice —an extremely difficult one."

Bella stayed quiet for a few moments and then a blank mask fell over her features. "Anyway... To conclude my point: Aro made me a vampire against my will. I never wanted to be a vampire, but it's something I can't change. I refused to feed the way they did, and as a result I've never taken the life of a human being. Jacob knows my story, he feels sorry that I have bear a fate I never wanted and thinks I need his protection. That's all."

This is what I was afraid of. She decided not to talk anymore. I grunted loudly and glared at Jasper and Carlisle.

Sorry they both apologized at the same time.

I turned to look at Bella. "How did you learn to feed on animals, when all the vampires around you fed…differently?" I tried to guide her back to her story.

She shrugged in response.

Great! I thought sarcastically.

Maybe I could still help, Carlisle told me. "It's really remarkable," Carlisle said. "To turn away and resist your instincts without guidance; you are very strong indeed."

Bella ignored his comment. " So. If you are not planning to relocate, please stay away from my friends and me. It will be better for all of us. Believe me."

Edward, do something! I am not losing my future best friend because of these two. She's deciding to banish us from her life Alice yelled at me.

I saw Alice's vision of us in the future without Bella. I was not going to let that happen. I turned to look at her. If the only way she would let me to be in her life was by forcing my way in, then so be it. "I'm sorry for the way you were brought to this new life. Having said that, you still haven't convinced us that your friends are not a threat to us so, you leave me no choice but to keep an eye on you."

"What do you mean?" she asked warily.

I really wish there was another way to make her accept my presence in her life. But nothing came to mind. "You are going to have to allow me to see for myself that you and your friends are not a threat to my family. And then I'll leave you alone." I hated to lie to her, but hard decisions were necessary.

"And how do you plan to accomplish this?"

She was so angry, and she looked absolutely gorgeous. I couldn't contain a smile. "Very simple; I will become your shadow. I will follow you everywhere to make sure you and your friends are not planning some kind of retribution to makes us pay for what the Volturi did to you."

"If we wanted to hurt you, we would've done it when you were in the bar —alone. We don't want to fight," she said. It ticked me that she referred to the wolf and her as a unit.

"Well, it could also mean that you didn't want the wrath of my family to descend upon you, if something happened to me. You knew the size of my family after all," I replied.

Bella grunted. She knew she was losing this battle of wills. "If that were the case, you still outnumber us. So be rest assured that we'll keep our distance. We just request the same from you."

"No," I said. "I will need to see for myself that you are not threatening. And then I'll leave you alone."

She seemed like she wanted to strangle me; instead she turned to Carlisle. "You are their leader. You can make a new treaty with me. Keep your distance and we'll keep ours."

I turned to look a Carlisle with a warning expression.

Don't worry son, I won't mess this up for you He told me. More than I already did he added. He smiled at Bella "I'm sorry Bella, but you're under a misconception. I am not their leader. We are a family with equal rights and we make decisions on our own. Edward feels…uneasy with the presence of the Wolves. He has the right to act accordingly. But you should not fear his nearness. Edward will never hurt you. Ever."

I knew when Bella accepted defeat. It didn't make me happy —at all; especially because she was thinking the worst of me. "Very well. You can survey my everyday life, but don't you think for a moment you can intervene in it. You can be an …outside observer if you will, for a limited time. And at the first sign of threatening my friends, the deal is off. I automatically will become your worst nightmare. That, I swear!"

She turned around and left, with a speed that matched mine.

"That went well," Emmett commented. I glared at him.

"She is traumatized," Esme said. "We must help her."

"What's the plan?" Alice asked.

I turned to Jasper. "You have some hacking to do," I told him. "Break into the University main frame and find out Bella's schedule."

I looked at them and smiled. "I'm about to change majors."


A/N: Many thanks to Marijee