A/N: Here we are, longer than I thought it would be. You'll have to wait until the end for Bella & the Kings, though ;) Enjoy.


Chapter 8

The drive to the medical centre was tense. The Volturi Masters were so close to their mate, and yet they could not just walk into her room and expect to be welcomed.

"Why don't we just go in to see her anyway, and eat anyone who tries to remove us?" Caius groused. Seth's wolf sat up and growled at this, but Seth tamped him down. He was fairly certain Caius wasn't serious.

"Caius!" Marcus snapped, "Do not antagonize Seth, or this Jake, who is with her also. We do not want to anger the shifters. Remember their purpose, and that these wolves protected our Bella. Besides, her father will be one who stands in our way, and I do not believe we would endear ourselves to our mate, were we to make him a meal."

"Could you speak with Jake on our behalf, Seth?" Aro put in. "Perhaps he will be agreeable to at least meeting us and together we could think on how to approach her father. We must see our mate this very afternoon; there will be no more waiting."

"I can try that I suppose. I have to talk to him about Jane anyway, and that could be a good lead in to, 'Oh, by the way, Jake, I also have six other human-drinking vampires with me, and three are Bella's soul-mates. Be a pal and let them see her, would you?'" He seemed to be the only one amused, so he went on it a subdued tone, "Jake's a good guy; I'll talk to him."

They get to the hospital and the others stayed in the car as Seth walked in. He was informed that Bella was in the ICU, and visitors needed to be checked in.

"I actually wanted to talk to someone who is here with her, if you don't mind," he smiled at the woman behind the counter. "His name is Jacob Black. Is there a way for you to call him and let him know I need to see him? I'm Seth."

"I'll just call up to the nurse's station. You can wait there," she said, pointing to a row of plastic chairs behind Seth. He looked at them askance, and found a bare spot of wall to lean against, facing the elevators. A few minutes later, the doors opened, and Jake nearly sprinted out of the car. His face lit with a grin when he saw Seth, and he pulled him into a hug, only to draw back a moment later with a scowl.

"Seth, man! What the hell? What happened to you? You've been gone for nearly three days. If you were OK, couldn't you have called someone to let them know? The pack is worried sick, your parents are frantic, Leah won't come out of her room or talk to anyone, and half the pack wants to string me up for letting that leech take you. And here you are, looking entirely healed, and absolutely reeking of bloodsuckers!" He punctuated his rant with arms thrown up, shaking lightly. "I am glad to see you, though," he added.

"I'm glad to see you, too. I talked to Billy. He told me you were here, but I asked him not to say anything to anyone. I needed to talk to you first, Jake. Before Sam or anyone else. I'll call my family after."

Jake looked at the younger boy. Seth looked entirely serious, which was unlike him. Normally, Seth was cheerful, even a bit on the naive side. He was, Jake supposed, a little like Jake himself. But now he looked almost as though he was backed into a corner.

"Let's go outside, Seth, and you can tell me. I promise I'll listen, no matter how bad you think it is." He led Seth to a small green space near the hospital, where they sat against one of the trees. "Start from what happened after that bloodsucker with the dreads took you."

"I thought I was going to die, Jake. When I woke up the smell of leech was so strong that I puked. But my head was pounding too badly to phase. And then. . . well, and then I just didn't want to phase, even when I felt better." He took a breath. "I was in Italy Jake, and I imprinted on a vampire."

"Italy?" Jake queried, after a pause. He needed time to think about a vampire as an imprint.

"Yeah, I woke up there yesterday. Laurent had banged me up pretty good. He took me to the Volturi, but he made a big mistake. Which is the next thing I have to tell you," he stopped as Jake interrupted firmly.

"The Volturi? You mean the leaders of the vampire world?" At Seth's wary nod, he continued, "Did you meet the Kings?

Seth gaped at Jake, and then muttered, "There are times when I feel like I will never understand anything." Louder, he added, "You know about them? That makes this easier, I guess. They want to talk to you. The vampire I imprinted on is one of their guards. Her name is Jane. They are waiting in the car, do you want to meet them there?

Jake sighed, assuming that they would want privacy for the conversation he suspected was about to take place. And yet, the prospect of being in a confined space with leech-stink did not appeal to him. Still, he nodded at Seth's question, and followed his wolf-brother to the long limousine.

He didn't expect to be met with the red-eyed gazes of seven vampires when he opened the door. Nevertheless, he maintained his composure, knowing that the female was Seth's imprint. If Seth's wolf had not made an appearance in front of these others, then he knew that this Jane considered this group family. He would not physically or emotionally harm an imprint.

Even so, Jake was unsure of this new development. Sam and Jared were the only other imprinted wolves, and they definitely had a mating bond. It seemed to lend credence to Sam theory of genetic compatibility, but this imprint of Seth's blew that idea out of the water. He decided to wait until he was phased with Seth to view it through the mind link. He knew that the Elders, Sam and the rest of the pack would be very unhappy about this, and he suspected that his time as Alpha was fast approaching. He mildly regretted taking on so much responsibility so soon, but was sure it would be best for the tribe. Good leaders could not afford to be so blindly prejudice. It would prevent them from recognizing real dangers.

Steeling himself for the upcoming conversation, Jake entered the limo. He looked at Seth, "I think this conversation is best held in private, Seth. Maybe Jane can take a walk with you? I'm sure they can contact her when we're done here, and then I'll take you back to La Push, and we can deal with the fallout together."

Aro nodded, "Jane, dear, go with young Seth. I'll call you when we are done here."

Jane exited the vehicle with a glare at everyone except Seth - him she ignored completely. Everyone could hear her muttering as she began walking in a random direction. "Oh sure, just like men. Stick together, no matter what. 'The link to the boy is intriguing, Jane. There is no denying it, Jane. Go for a walk with him, Jane.' Didn't I say I needed him to leave me alone? I'm pretty sure I heard myself say that," she stopped, and turned back to the young wolf, who was standing with his shoulders hunched dejectedly.

"Well," she snapped, "are we going for a walk, or not? I am fairly certain I am walking, and you are just standing there." With that, she stalked away once more. Seth swallowed his delighted grin and followed quickly.

Jake cocked his head as he contemplated them. Yes, definitely a strange imprint. Pushing that issue to the back of his mind, he shut the door and regarded the others still in the vehicle. His wolf was on edge; he was outnumbered, and couldn't phase in such a small space anyway. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, reminding himself that they were probably not his enemy, no matter their nature.

Aro broke the silence. "You are Jake, rightful Alpha of the Wolf-Shifters?" It sounded like a question, but was obviously not. Jake nodded. "Is this private enough for you, or should I send away the guard?"

Jake shook his head, "If this is private enough for you, then I'm good. I just didn't want Seth in here. Anything he thinks about while he's a wolf will be known to the pack before the thought is barely complete. I can keep my mind private, but I am the Alpha, as you said. Seth doesn't have any practice controlling or blocking his thoughts. Bella is already uncomfortable with Sam and a couple others; I refuse to betray her trust by allowing the pack mind into her intimate affairs."

"You are indeed a most worthy friend, Jake." Marcus said, "Loyalty is a rare and treasured gift that you give our mate. I am Marcus, of the Volturi, and these are my soul-brothers, Aro and Caius."

"So, she is your mate, then," Jake confirmed, "We had just figured that out a few minutes before she was attacked. Although she seemed to think that one of you had already been mated."

"What!" Caius cried angrily, "Who would feed her that lie?"

"She learned everything she knows about your world from the Cullens," Jake said. "She told me Carlisle had a painting of you, and when she asked he warned her about you. He said he had been told your mate had died, Marcus. He also said that you were all cruel, ruthless, and dangerous, with a complete disdain for human life."

Caius chuckled, appeased, "Well, Marcus has never had a mate other than Bella, dead or otherwise, but we can be cruel, ruthless, and dangerous when necessary."

"But we most certainly do not disdain human life," Aro put in, "Humans offer so much more than their blood, although I admit that sometimes that is the best part." His red eyes gleamed appreciatively and Jake snarled lightly.

Marcus frowned at Aro, "First Caius, then you. Please do not provoke the shifters. Discussions about our dietary habits can certainly wait until after we have been assured of our mate's wellbeing."

Abashed, Aro agreed, "Forgive me, Jake. I did not mean to anger you. We will be forever grateful to you, Seth, and Leah, for protecting our Bella. I do not know if Seth mentioned my gift to you, but I am able to see a person's every thought with a single touch. I warn you, though, it will be every thought and experience you have ever had, awake or asleep, from the beginning of your consciousness. If you allow me to touch you, I will know all you know, or have thought, about Bella. May I?"

Jake regarded Aro's outstretched hand cautiously. He appreciated the explicit warning, and respected the vampire for being so honest about the entirety of his gift.

"I will give you my hand," he finally said, "but you probably won't like everything you see in my mind about your mate. Please understand that, while I know she is not my mate, I have loved her since we were children. I know she is not mine," he repeated, "and you are what her soul needs. But neither she nor I were aware of that until a few days ago. You might envy me for the years I knew her and you didn't, but try not to lose your temper when you see my thoughts about her. I don't think I'd survive an attack in here."

Caius scowled when he imagined what thoughts this virile young wolf would entertain about their mate, but Aro nodded his head gravely. "I will not bias my conclusion based solely on your past thoughts, Jake. I must also consider your current mind, and your actions. While not normally so personally affected, I have sat in judgement of the vampire world for over a thousand years. I would like to believe that, over time, I have learned to moderate fairly.

And so Jake gave Aro his hand. The ancient vampire's facial expressions changed many times over short period of time he sat reading Jake's life, but he did not say a thing until he sat back.

"A most worthy friend, indeed," was the first thing he said, "and so mature in your thoughts. I agree with you regarding shifters and vampires, and would like to speak of it in greater detail, at another time. Brothers, words will never be enough to convey just how much we owe this young Alpha. He has been a source of comfort and light to our mate in this last year. Steadfast and true."

"What did you see of the Cullens?" Caius growled.

"Ah, our old friend Carlisle and his family may find their next visit to Volterra involuntary and unpleasant. Jake thinks they regarded her as a pet, treated her poorly, protected her badly, and abandoned her heartlessly.

"And brothers," he added, as his eyes blackened and his chest rumbled with a growl, "they allowed her to be bitten by Victoria's mate. On her left wrist. That is the scar and the pain we felt. Our mate was bitten by a strange male, and not permitted to change! This son of Carlisle's, Edward, sucked the venom out. And she was his singer!" he concluded with a roar.

Marcus and Caius snarled, and in that moment Jake was glad he was not a Cullen. He was relieved when the subject quickly moved to Charlie, and getting him to allow the Volturi in to see and stay with Bella. After some discussion, they decided there was nothing they could do but tell Charlie the whole truth. No amount of inventiveness would explain the three strange males appearing without prior acquaintance and refusing to leave Bella's side. Jake was sent to persuade Charlie to leave Bella's side for the time it would take to convince him to trust Bella's future to three vampire mates. Felix and Demetri were ordered to scout the area, to ensure that there were no other vampires waiting.

It took some time to get Charlie to agree to take a break from his bedside vigil. Bella had no other family to sit with her, except Charlie. Renee had been furious when Bella refused to leave Forks after the Cullens had left, and had not spoken to either Bella or Charlie in months. Every form of communication went unanswered, and Charlie was disgusted by her pettiness. He had been grateful when Jake had insisted on staying also, assuring Charlie that the school would understand and Jake wouldn't fall behind.

Charlie balked when Jake led him to the limousine. "You didn't say anything about leaving the hospital, Jake. What do you want that we can't talk about here? Bella has no one watching her."

"Bella has more protection than you know now, Charlie," Jake replied. "That's what I want to talk to you about. But you aren't going to believe me without proof, and for that we need somewhere without an audience. There's a park nearby with a lot of tree cover. It's only about five minutes. You listen on the way there, and you can yell at me on the way back, if you want."

Charlie huffed and got in the vehicle, glowering at the three men inside. "Who are you, and what do any of you have to do with my Bella? And what do you mean she has protection, Jake? From whom?"

"Just listen, Charlie, and we'll explain." Jake began with the Quileute legends, moved on to the Cullens and Bella, and concluded with Bella's dreams.

Charlie's expression got progressively darker, but he held his tongue until Jake was done. "You are telling me," he began in a low, measured tone, "that Bella was dating a vampire who treated her like a pet, and no one ever thought I should know? You're saying that everyone important in my life knew all of this, and not one of you thought I could be trusted? I have been best friends with Harry and Billy for more than thirty years!"

Jake and the Kings regarded Charlie with perplexed astonishment. "You don't need me to prove it to you, Charlie?" Jake asked.

"No," Charlie stated flatly. "You seem to forget my position in Forks, the career I have. I knew there was something odd about the Cullens. There were too many things that were strange, or didn't add up. But Carlisle was liked and respected, and everyone said he was a good doctor. Dedicated, hard-working, tireless. And his kids never got into any sort of trouble. Even if I couldn't stand seeing Bella with that Edward, I could come up with no good reason to make her stay away. I've also never seen growth spurts like you and the others in your pack went through before. It's just not normal."

"And you are not the kind of man who would pull me away from Bella, at a time like this, just to start spinning fairy tales. Or horror stories, or whatever," he turned to the three other men in the car. "Now that Jake has told me his part, I am going to ask again. Who are you and what do you have to do with my daughter?"

"Chief Swan," Marcus began, "I am Marcus, and this is Aro and Caius. We are the Volturi, and our coven maintains order within the vampire world." He explained his gift, and the bond the brothers share. He told Charlie everything, from the time they were little more than rapacious animals, to the way they were now regarded by some in the vampire world. He described the way he had first discovered their shared mating bond, and the work they did to ensure a safer world for their mate. Charlie goggled when Marcus mentioned their age and how long they had waited for their mate, and frowned deeply when the ancient King detailed the day she was born, and the searching they had done.

"The bond changed incrementally when she became aware of our world and we knew we would meet her soon. We felt the pain of the vampire bite she sustained," he paused at growls from Aro and Caius, and a shouted oath from Charlie, "although she was prevented from changing. And we felt her soul searching for ours, the bond flaring brightly when she realized who her mates are. She is destined for us, Chief, as we are destined for her. The bond has existed as long as we have, growing from within the very core of our beings. She is our essence, our spirit, our soul. Without her, we are nothing more than empty shells, existing through eternity without purpose. We will not be kept from her, but we do not want to make ourselves your enemy."

"Bella needs them just as much as they need her, Charlie," Jake put in when Charlie sat back and said nothing. "Those dreams she has been having are about them. All three of them. She has been trying desperately to reach them, as they have been trying desperately to reach her. Not sleeping, barely eating, retreating into herself? That's her soul crying with loneliness, feeling incomplete."

Charlie leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. His voice was heavy with regret as he spoke, "Your dad gave me too much credit, Jake. I may have noticed Bella was hurting, but after you started to visit her, I didn't do a thing. I should have tried to talk to her more."

"She wouldn't have told you anything, Charlie," Jake tried to soothe. "The Cullens told her that any human aware of vampires are either turned or killed. No exceptions. She was afraid for you. Besides, how do you tell your dad that you're meant to be with three men?"

Charlie's eyes snapped open and he glared at everyone. "I was trying not to think about that, thanks, Jake! But it sounds like, even if I could keep you three away from her, all I would be doing is hurting Bella. She's been hurt enough. Now let's head back to the hospital. I'll make sure you are allowed to see and stay with her. The doctor kept her unconscious for a couple days, but weaned her off the drugs this morning. She hasn't woken up yet, but she should sometime today." He rubbed his hand over his face. "God, I hope she wakes up.

"And Jake, you will tell me who else is protecting her and why she needs protection. How did these three find her, and what really happened? This wasn't an accident was it?"

"No Charlie," Jake responded, as Aro ordered Alec to drive them back to the hospital, "it wasn't. We need to pick up Seth and get to La Push. There is a lot of explaining to do, and I may just appreciate your support at the end of the day. Who knows?" he muttered, "Seth and I might need a place to live."


The Kings looked at their mate, anguish colouring every line of their bodies. The moment they had looked upon her, Marcus saw his bond and Caius's progress to equal Aro's once more. Bella looked so small, so vulnerable. Her head was swathed with bandages, she had a cast on one leg, and she was a mass of bruises and road rash. What undamaged skin they could see was as pale as theirs. She had IVs hooked up to the tender flesh on the back of her hand, and a cannula at her nostrils delivering oxygen. Bags and wires were everywhere, caring for her needs and monitoring every function of her body. Machines whirred and beeped, and the brothers had a hard time containing the rage within themselves.

Charlie and Jake stood in the doorway. They wanted to see Bella before they left for La Push, and witness the vampires' interaction with her. Charlie would not be entirely comfortable until he saw for himself that they cared for her.

Ever so lightly, as though he was reaching to touch a butterfly's wing, Aro brought the back of his fingers to Bella's cheek. He stroked once, and then abruptly stopped. His eyes flew to his brothers'. He looked panicked, his eyes lost, wild, and frightened.

"Her mind, brothers, it is not there! I cannot see her thoughts! What if she is damaged beyond repair?" he pulled his hand back and dropped his head, looking defeated. Marcus and Caius looked a hair's breadth away from despair.

Jake strode to the black-haired vampire and laid his hand upon Aro's shoulder. "Remember that Edward could not read her mind, either, Aro. You heard her say that in my mind. Didn't you take note of it?"

Aro's head snapped up and his eyes cleared. "You are right, of course. It was pushed to the back of my mind, but you are correct. Remarkable," he breathed. "She is remarkable in every way. It appears she is immune to gifts that affect the mind," he explained to his brothers.

Bella's head throbbed and her body ached everywhere. She recognized the light, floating feeling of morphine, but if she was feeling the pain then it was wearing off. She felt a cool, delicate brush against her cheek, and her spirits buoyed. The voice she heard was a balm to her soul, but the hopelessness within the tone made her heart ache. She wanted nothing more than to comfort and soothe. She warred in her mind, willing herself to open her eyes. The lids were heavy, and her eyes ached, but several moments later she was able to lift those lids a fraction.

Marcus detected the movement, and called his brothers to attention. They each laid a gentle hand upon their mate and spoke soothing words, full of love and devotion. Bella's eyes were unfocused; all she saw was three blurry shapes hovering over her with great care. But it was enough. Relief suffused her every pore, and she opened parched lips to whisper just three words, before her eyes fluttered shut again and she fell into peaceful repose.

"You found me."

Caius fell to his knees and laid his head upon the bed, breathing in his mate; Aro choked back the emotion threatening to overwhelm him; and Marcus saw the bond flare, the blossoms opening fully as the pieces of one soul united finally from four separate beings.


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