Story Title: Midsummer Night's Requiem

Chapter: [Chapter 3: Treason]

Rating: M (lemons)

Other Stuff: OOC. AU. I only take characters that you have a clear image of in your mind and then... I manipulate them. Much like a toddler plays with play-dough.

Mutts have their way of imprinting. Vampires have a similar way, called mating... only the bond between vampires is much more potent and volatile than werewolves'. It's both a curse and a blessing... depending on the two that the moon chooses to pair. For Edward and I... well, we don't exactly... get along.


Author's Note(s)

Listening to: Flowers for a Ghost by Thriving Ivory.
Mood: Rushed & Relieved.

[1.] Hello everyone! Quick update, eh? This is my last day of Winter Break. Tomorrow I return to school... and tonight I face the rigorous amount of work that I neglected until last minute. Sigh.

[2.] **SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT (kind of...?): Sam is a lot younger than his movie version in this story. The entire pack is in Forks High. Grade wise, Sam is a senior (12th grade). For the rest of the pack, Seth is a sophmore (10th grade), and Embry, Paul & Bella are juniors (11th grade).

Enjoy, loves.


[Chapter Three.]
[
Trea·son : the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery]

There was something about his eyes that made me unable to look away.

It was as if in that moment, he felt everything that I felt; as if we shared the same hunger. He looked starved and absolutely irritated with me. If looks could kill, I immediately thought. Edward's gaze grew more pointed before his lips curled back in snarl. It was a universal sign known to all vampires, and the message was very clear: keep away.

"Hey, Bella!" I heard from behind me.

My eyes widened and I looked away from Edward to the voice that said my name. The guys at the table grew tense as I watched Alice walk up to me. I honestly wanted nothing to do with any of the vampires. This day was bad enough without anymore vampire interaction. I didn't reply as she stopped in front of me and linked her hands together behind her. Her brow furrowed before she looked over me and towards Edward.

My head swiveled around to Edward's table in time to see Mike and Eric create a gap between their space, allowing me to see through. Edward's seat was empty. My eyes scanned the room. Where did he go off to so quickly?

"I... wanted to apologize on behalf of my brother, Bella."

I looked back at Alice, and her gaze was sincere. "It's fine," I replied tersely.

"No... it's not," Alice shook her head. "And I'm sorry if he hurt your feelings... he... isn't well. Not all of us are like him, I promise. I feel if you come and talk to us you'll feel a little better about us. Emmett has been dying to meet you... he's the big lug who's staring over at us right now."

I leaned to the right to see Emmett, the massively-muscled vampire who seemed one of the most friendly out of all the new vampires. He was smiling over at me and then when he saw me looking back, he waved. I felt a small smile tug at the corner of my lips and I looked back up at her.

"I know you have questions," she hinted. "We'll answer them for you. I promise. Just have lunch with us today? It's exciting to meet another... you know... like us."

I mulled over the idea in my head. I did want answers, and maybe if I spoke with them today I would get my answers and then be able to leave them all alone. I would like it that way. Alice smiled a knowing smile at me before clapping her hands together once.

"Then it's settled!" She reached down and grabbed my hand before pulling me up and out of my seat. She reminded me of a pixie with the grace she had in her movements.

A growl ripped from beside me, and Jake stood by my side. "She's not going anywhere with you. She doesn't want to." He grabbed my hand and took it from Alice's grip.

"Yes. She does," Alice hissed. "Don't make her decisions for her, mutt."

"You filthy-" Jacob began.

"Jake!" Sam spoke up. "Settle down. You're making a scene."

My eyes scanned the cafeteria. Many people were standing around talking and some were still even on the lunch line. There wasn't much of a scene Jake was making by standing up; he was perfectly camouflaged by the cafeteria's noise level and the humans' natural affinity to talk while they stand. Sam was talking about a scene in front of his pack... Jake was setting a bad example by embarrassing the pack. Jake seemed unaffected by Sam's comment as looked to me and then to the vampire next to me. Alice looked absolutely harmless; I only wanted answers and I could handle myself. I looked over Alice's shoulder to the rest of the Cullens. They didn't make a move to rise, but they were watching us carefully. I looked back at Jake's posture; he was going to lose it. Jake...

"She doesn't want to go!" He contested. "She'd rather stay with us- where she belongs."

"Why don't you let her speak?" Alice said wisely, folding her arms. "She's perfectly capable of forming her own words."

Jacob turned back to me, "Bella?"

I guess I'm just kind of jealous. Jake had said. I... I think now that you have more of... you know, your own kind here... that you'll hang out with them more than the wolves.

"I..." I felt trapped, but I wasn't going to say that. I know I promised Jake that I wouldn't cross enemy lines, but I wanted answers that no one else could give. "I want to go with Alice for a little while, Jake. I want some answers-"

Jake's look changed from confident to incredulous. He dropped my hand and took a step back. His face contorted with betrayal.

"Jake, dude-" Seth beckoned. "Calm down!"

"Yes, Jake," I continued. "Calm down. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

"I told you," Paul whistled. "We stick with our pack and they stick with their cults. We shouldn't have even let her be one of us in the first place... when someone better comes around she leaves. She's a just another filthy bloodsucker like the rest of them."

"Paul!" Embry growled. "How could you even say that-"

I felt horrible and misunderstood; his words cut so deeply that I wasn't prepared for the pain. We shouldn't have even let her be one of us in the first place... he said. Each and every word of his declaration made the feelings of never being accepted resurface. Wounds I thought were healed had ripped open and I was broken and bleeding all over the place.

Did you actually think you had friends in them? my subconscious snickered. You have always been alone.

I felt darkness creep up around me, and the feeling was all-too familiar. I wanted to flee. I was upset and angry and I wanted... more than anything... to disappear.

"Bella!" Alice's voice cut through my subconscious. I felt her small hand grip my wrist. "Bella... you need to calm down!" Her voice was urgent and whispered, "You don't want to disappear right now. Not in this lunchroom filled with students. You need to stay in the here and now. Bella? Listen to me, Bella... here and now."

Here and now.

Here and now.

Qui e ora.

Human, Bella. Act human.

... how did she know about my power? Another question I added to my arsenal. I felt a strange wave of calmness flood over me after her words. I looked directly at Alice's golden eyes in confusion.

"You want answers," Alice said softly. "And I can give them to you."

I nodded and allowed her to lead me towards her table. I spared one more glance at the table of wolves that I was leaving. Jacob's eyes followed my every move. He looked defeated and betrayed and angry. He was really being irrational about this; both him and Paul. I knew it was because the two of them are the most protective of me, but they had to know that I was a big girl. I could do this on my own; I was my own person... a vampire, nonetheless. I was more than capable. Regardless, Jake eyes were spitting angry, and only one word could portray his feelings towards me in this very moment.

Traditore.

Traitor.

-::-

"Welcome to Team Vampire!" Emmett laughed as a welcome. "I thought Jake was never going to let you go. Talk about-"

"No, Emmett. Stop." Alice spoke over him, leading me to sit next to her. She smiled at me apologetically. "All in due time. I don't want to overwhelm you or anything. So... um... I'll start with proper introductions. This is Jasper, he is the most awesome vampire in the ENTIRE world because he is my mate and I love him with all my heart-"

"Easy there, Alice. Keep your clothes on," the blonde one across from me cut in.

"You're one to talk, Rose," Alice snickered.

Rose rolled her eyes and then looked at me. "My name is Rosalie. It's nice to finally meet you."

Finally?

"I'm Emmett!" Emmett smiled widely. "But you know that already because I introduced myself this morning while Edward was being an asshole in the parking lot. I love hunting bears and fighting and most of all, I love my Rosie," he pulled Rosalie close to him with a muscled arm. She laughed softly.

"Emmett, people are starting to stare," Jasper criticized.

Emmett looked around before turning back to me. "... And you are my newest little sister!"

Another question.

I looked around the table. Their eyes were following me carefully. Emmett was beaming; I don't think anyone has ever been so happy to meet me in my entire life. Jasper was holding Alice's hand and offered a comforting smile when I looked towards him. Rosalie was sitting faithfully beside Emmett in total ease. She looked even more beautiful up close.

"Well... um..." I said nervously. "My name is Bella Volturi. It's nice to meet you all."

Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie's eyes widened exponentially. I looked to Alice who smiled happily and then laughed at her sibling's expressions.

"Okay. So I left out one teensy tiny detail?" she said, turning to face them.

"VOLTURI?" Emmett shouted. "DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY? MY HEARING MUST BE GOING-"

Rosalie hit him over the head and hissed at him to lower his voice before leaning across the table. "Volturi. As in affiliation with Aro Volturi?"

"Um... yes. Aro Volturi is my father."

More silence and surprised glances.

"That is incredible," Jasper said, looking my way.

"INCREDIBLE DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO-" Emmett started up again.

Rosalie wacked him over the head and he whined. Alice laughed and looked to me. "So, to answer the question that has to be in the forefront of your mind, I have the ability to see the future. I saw that you lived in the town we were moving to, and I told everyone that your name was Bella... but I didn't tell them that your last name links you to the greatest vampire lineage of all time."

"Ohhhh..." Emmett laughed low. "Edward messed with Aro Volturi's daughter! I can't wait until the Volturi guard gets all up on his ass..."

"Emmett," Rosalie said threateningly.

Emmett ducked.

"You can see the future..." I said, amazed. "That's... incredible!"

"You can become invisible," Alice responded. "I'd much rather be able to do that!"

Friends, I heard the voice in my head whisper.

"Umm... thank you..." I said nervously. "But I haven't exactly polished it's system yet though. It's not the kind of thing that lives with me. It's something that I have to live with."

"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" Alice teased.

"I'm eighteen. I was changed twenty-six years ago."

"You're still a baby!" Rosalie said. "A newborn. You have much to learn yet, so don't get so down about not being able to fully control your gift."

I smiled at her kindness. "Thank you. Do you have a gift like Alice's too?"

"Me?" she laughed. "I don't. Neither does my man, here." She patted Emmett on his back a couple times. "But Jasper does."

My head turned to Jasper and I raised a brow.

"I can manipulate emotions," Jasper explained. "I can control what everyone is feeling along while being able to feel what people around me are feeling. I am but a novice at my skill as well. Much to learn."

"You can feel what I'm feeling right now?" I asked, amazed.

"Yes." Jasper closed his eyes for a moment. "You feel welcome and accepted. You are also confused and hurt, however."

On. The. Dot.

"Pretty spot on," I laughed nervously.

Alice smiled, "I can never get mad at him."

Jasper laughed, "Love you, darlin."

These vampires were amazing. And they wanted to be friends with me. Well... except for...

"So... I'm sure you've noticed Edward and his awful behavior towards you?" Alice asked.

I nodded nervously.

"His behavior... has changed. He was as excited to meet you as the rest of us, but when he saw you... I don't exactly know what came over him. He never acts that outright rude to someone he doesn't know. I know that he has certain level of cockiness and pride but he doesn't just act disrespectful to someone for no reason."

"Yes." Jasper agreed. "He actually... left the house five minutes earlier than the rest of us... to meet you. He... can read minds, so he always looked into Alice's to see her visions of you. I'm not sure what happened on his car ride over to the school, or what went through his mind when he saw you... he just... he is not acting like himself. Bella, he never flirts with humans. Never. He's been alone and content for one hundred years and he doesn't want a mate. Why he is even wasting time and making a fool of himself is beyond me."

I was overwhelmed with information. Edward came to school early to see me? Why would he do that? He can read minds?! I felt as if my privacy had been invaded.

Ciao, brutta! His voice echoed in the recesses of my mind.

... And why does he refuse to be mated? How does he think he can even control an unstoppable force if the powers that be decide him ready to be mated? I already knew that my father had picked someone out for me back in Volterra, I knew I was pre-destined to mate with Felix. My father had told me when I was in Volterra. I wasn't going to try to stop it... the consequences of refusing it are... extreme.

"Why does he think that? Why doesn't he want a mate?" I asked.

Jasper shook his head, "He's the mind reader. Not me. I don't know all the details... only the broad concept... but I feel that if you want to know, you should confront him..."

"No," Rosalie retorted, cutting of Jasper. "He's put her through enough bullshit that we should reciprocate in any way that we can. As Alice said, she has questions and we have answers. Receive this as an informal apology, Bella. From us, on behalf of our brother's rude behavior."

She settled herself in her seat, an unnecessary but convincing human action, and folded her hands on the table.

"Your question was why Edward doesn't want a mate," Rosalie said. "The answer is because he believes that he doesn't deserve one."

Alice nodded. "His past isn't exactly... a clean slate, if you will. He had a rough childhood and... a painful transformation... which was followed by an unbridled, newborn-crazed bloodlust. He regrets a lot of things that he did when he was a newborn... and things he did before his death; his scars still haunt him today."

Rosalie looked to me, "He doesn't want to share his burden with anyone."

My eyes drifted to Emmett, who had been silent for awhile, and I saw that he had dissected his burger on the lunch tray. Everything was in neat piles- the tomato slices, the lettuce pieces, the slice of cheese, the buns, and the meat. He looked up to me and smiled.

That's when I decided that I didn't want to push it. I was lucky that they had even shared any answers with me at all. The remaining question that I had was why they refused human blood as I did, but I didn't want to be intrusive. I would ask another day.

"I accept your apology," I addressed all of them. "And I thank you for answering my questions and offering information. I already consider all of you my friends... regardless of Edward's... behavior. I'll just stay away from him; this day has been strange enough."

"Strange?" Alice piqued.

I nodded. "I fed just last night but when I walked into the cafeteria, I was so very close to losing control..."

"I noticed," Jasper said, his eyes locking with mine. "Your eyes are different from what they were this morning."

"Edward left school a little while ago because of the same reason," Alice said, putting a finger under her chin in a contemplative pose. "He fed just the other night, though..."

"Are you... going to stay in school?" Rosalie asked. "I know I have a lot of questions for you too, if you'd be willing to answer them. I find it incredibly remarkable that you're Aro Volturi's daughter. How is that even possible, I mean vampires can't-"

"The bell is going to ring," Alice said, standing up and picking up her books off the table.

A second later the bell rang, and the cafeteria bustled with students entering and exiting it. Rosalie sighed and I looked to her.

"What class do you have next?" she asked.

"Um..." I recalled this morning when I looked at my schedule. "English. AP Language."

Rosalie smiled, "Me too! And so does Emmett! Want to walk to class together? We can talk some more there."

I felt normal; I felt like I was fitting in with my own kind. I loved it.

"Sure," I replied.

The group of us started to walk out of the cafeteria when Alice tapped me on the shoulder, "You have History after your English class. I have history the same period you do. I'll meet up with you there with Jasper! Is that alright?"

I laughed, "It's fine. Just different getting used to your future-sighting abilities. It's a little intimidating."

"Oh, Bella!" She laughed. "We'll talk more later. C'mon Jazzy." She linked her hand in his and turned to walk down the hallway outside of the cafeteria.

"Ours is this way," Rosalie said, leading Emmett and I down the opposite hall.

"So, Bella!" Emmett said, keeping in pace with me. "Since we're all asking each other so many questions, I bet you have a whole list of things to ask me."

He was teasing and trying to make conversation. I looked up at him and his huge, innocent smile. His smile was extremely contagious; I smiled back and thought of a question to ask.

"Hmmm..." I said under my breath. "I have a bunch!"

"Fire!" He laughed.

I ended up finding out that he loved arm wrestling with other vampires; that it was imperative that I verse him one day. I also learned that his room is filled with stuffed bears because not only are they his favorite food but because he adores them. At a point in that conversation, Rosalie added that their room looks like a ten-year-old girl's room, but she knows how much he loves bears so she lets him keep them all. Emmett was a sweetheart for his huge size. At first he's very intimidating... but it turns out that he's quite the... well, teddy bear.

During English, Rosalie wanted to know all about how I was conceived. I told her things that I didn't tell the wolves- things that were just much easier to explain to other vampires. I briefly thought of Jake and wondered how he was. I remembered that Alice had said that we shared a history class period- Jake was in that class with me. I looked forward to seeing him.

When the bell rang and Emmett and Rosalie said goodbye, I made my way to the history wing of the school to meet up with Alice, Jasper, and... Jake. When I walked into the classroom a little while before the bell rang, I noticed that Adam was in this class. I waved to him and his eyes widened. Making my way to his row, I saw that he had dropped his pencil on the ground. I bent down to pick it up for him and put it neatly on his desk.

"You dropped your pencil," I said softly.

"T-Thanks." He replied before grabbing it.

"You know, why the heck are you so nervous around me? I-"

"Bella!" I heard Alice before I saw her. She grabbed my hand and led me to a seat by the window with Jasper quickly behind.

"We'll continue this conversation later, Adam!" I told him. He looked relieved. Curious human.

Alice raised a brow and I shook my head before we sat down. We passed notes all period while I teased Jasper and asked him to manipulate emotions in the classroom. I watched as our teacher, Mr. McCloud, got angry when someone in the front row dropped a paper. I watched as he got extremely giddy when he gave us our information sheets. The funniest was when he looked as if he was going to cry when he handed out the textbooks, though. He started to speak about the integrity of the textbook covers and how we should treat our pages with love.

I love Jasper's mind-fuck manipulation. He knew that. He told me that this was a one-time ordeal, though. I'll convince him otherwise eventually...

Although the two proved to be good distractions, the fact still remained: Jake never showed up. I walked to gym with Alice and Jasper; another class I shared with Jake. I looked around for him in the hallways as we walked. Seth and Embry passed me going the opposite way in the hallway; I dared to look over at them and they both offered a smile in my direction.

Maybe I wasn't completely ex-communicated after all.

When I got to gym I immediately started looking for Jake. I stood outside of the gym doors, waiting for him. I thought he'd show up. I was wrong. After five unsuccessful minutes, I went back into the girls locker room, crestfallen. Had he left school or was he just skipping somewhere? Was he that angry with me that he didn't want to show up to classes with me?

When gym ended, Alice insisted that she walked me to my locker. Emmett claimed that she was hogging me too much and that I had to visit their home soon. When I was done putting books away, Alice smiled.

"I had a lot of fun hanging out with you today."

I turned to walk towards the exist with her. "I had a lot of fun too. Well... except for this morning. And for Edward and Jacob's mysterious disappearance."

Alice nodded. "It is strange that they're both gone, isn't it? I can't see either of them."

I shrugged. At this point I was only concerned with Jacob and his over-protectiveness. I remembered Emmett's words at lunch, and I was refueled with questions.

"Welcome to Team Vampire! I thought Jake was never going to let you go. Talk about-"

"No, Emmett. Stop." Alice spoke over him. She smiled at me apologetically. "All in due time."

"Hey, Alice?"

"Yessssssss, Ms. Volturi?" came her bubbly reply.

I collected my thoughts as we stepped outside. I saw my car sitting in a space next to my usual space. The space where Edward had parked his car this morning was empty. I furrowed my eyebrows as we began our descent down the steps.

"At lunch today... you stopped Emmett from saying something about Jake, and then you said 'all in due time'... It's just been... bothering me a little. What did Emmett want to say?"

Alice didn't respond for a moment, but she linked her hands together behind her- something of a habit I was noticing, and then she looked straight ahead as we walked.

"That's not something for me to say," she began, somewhat nervously. "And don't go running to Emmett for answers either, because I threatened to tear all the stuffed bears in his room if he dared to tell you-"

I heard Emmett gasp from the parking lot.

"Alice, that's hardly fair-"

"It's very fair, sweetie, and I must be going now. Your cell phone is in your pocket, by the way. My number is in it. Call me if you need anything or if you want to hang out. For now, I must be going!"

We reached the bottom of the stairs, and I watched as Alice skipped away to Jasper and Emmett and Rosalie. Rosalie waved a goodbye before they all got in their car.

I looked back at my Bugatti Veyron and thought about how life was just so much easier yesterday. I walked over to my car and got in, revving the engine a couple of times. My first priority was hunting. Afterwards I would go The Shop and work on some cars and then I'd be at ease again. I would confront Jake and we would sort out our differences. Life would be normal again.

At least, that's what I wanted to believe. Unfortunately, life is harder.

I parked my car at my home and dropped off my book bag in the process. I hunted for a half hour, and came up with two deer and one nicely sized fox. When I finally felt at ease again and the burning in my throat settled down a bit, I sped off towards The Shop. I shouldn't have been so nervous to get there, but I was.

Would Jake... be there? What should I say?

When I walked in, Embry was the first person I saw. The garage was strangely.. quiet.

"Stay away from Paul, he's totally crazy about the new vampires 'taking you away from us'" he whispered a warning as he walked by.

I nodded and thanked him. I didn't see Jake in the garage, so I went to ask Sam if he knew where Jake was. He sensed me coming and slid out from underneath a black Ford.

"Bella."

"Sam... is... Jake here?"

Sam cleaned his wrench with a dirty rag and shook his head. "I haven't seen him since he left school today. Sorry, Bella. If you want something to work on though, that blue Honda over there has a broken..."

Sam was talking, but I wasn't listening. This was becoming excessive. Jake's disappearance was becoming my own little mystery, and I was going to solve it. I showed up on Billy's doorstep at the house in back of the shop and I asked him if Jake was home. He told me sorry but he hadn't seen Jake since he left for school this morning.

I was beginning to worry.

Jake had left school early; probably so upset with me because he thought that I had betrayed the pack. With the years I spent with the guys, I had become one of them. I could understand their defensiveness, but the look in Jake's eyes when I went to speak to my own kind was more than just betrayal. I scorned the thought that Jake had left because he got so angry that he had to phase. I didn't want to be the cause of that. Maybe he was just ... running through the forests to blow off some steam.

And that's when everything clicked. My mind replayed today's events in voices and pictures within a vicious cycle, and I was already out the door of Billy's house before it could finish.

"Tu non mi fai paura," Edward's deadly voice mocked.

"Excuse you?" Jake retaliated. "You better watch yourself."

"Or what? The big bad wolf will come after me?"

"No! That's enough! Both of you!" I had tried to mediate.

The forest was whipping past me quickly now, as I looked for any sign of him. Traditore! my subconscious mocked. I remembered how I waited outside gym class for Jake to show up, but he never did. He hadn't skipped class, he had completely left the school.

And he wasn't the only person that left school.

My head swiveled around to Edward's table in time to see Mike and Eric create a gap between their space, allowing me to see through. Edward's seat was empty. My eyes scanned the room. Where did he go off to so quickly?

I could hear Alice's voice and what she said during the day.

"It is strange that they're both gone, isn't it? I can't see either of them."

I pushed my feet to run faster. What if Edward ran into Jacob when he was hunting? What if they had picked up where they left off this morning somewhere in the forest?

"Your cell phone is in your pocket, by the way. My number is in it. Call me if you need anything or if you want to hang out."

I took my cell phone out of my pocket and located Alice's number. She picked up on the first ring.

"Bella!" she chimed.

"Is Edward at home with you?"

"... N-No, he isn't, Bella. I haven't seen him since school. Why?"

I had been hoping for a yes. But I had already known the answer I kept denying.

"Bella? Is something wrong?"

"I hope not," I answered, clicking my phone off.

Something was very, very wrong. It lingered in the air and engulfed my senses. My phone was vibrating, and I had no doubt that it was Alice attempting to reach me. I didn't care. The fact remained that Jacob and Edward were somewhere in these woods.

"Unless Jake wants to continue this somewhere else?" Edward's threat from this morning replayed in my mind.

... And they weren't exactly having a tea party.

-

-

-

[to be continued...]