Chapter 9
A/N: I don't own anything Twilight Stephanie Meyer does. I only own my own characters.
RosePOV:
I'm sitting in Esme's kitchen with the rest of the wolf-girls feeling absolutely useless. "I don't know how you can stand this. If I weren't knocked up right now I would be training with the rest of them. I just can't sit back while my babies go off to fight and I'm not there to protect them." I rant while I help Emily and Esme prepare dinner for the pack, Sienna, Nessie and Carlos.
"I'm still stunned that Jared, Paul, Sam, Embry, Leah, Quil and Seth are phasing again. That brings us a total of how many wolves again?" Kim says. "I think there are about 18 if I'm correct."Gloria says. Seth definitely has his hands full with this one. She's a saucy latina from Buffalo, NY. Seth imprinted on her while they both attended Canisius College there. I swear if she had supernatural powers she would be the one the Volturi would have to watch out for. She can hide a razor blade in her mouth for crying out loud.
"This is a lot worse than the last time they came. Then we only had to worry about our husbands but now we all have kids involved which makes it 10 times worse." Emily says. Suddenly I hear a small whimper behind me. It's Claire trying to hold back her tears. "Oh sweetie what's wrong." I say wrapping my arms around the tiny brunette. She clings to me and burst out in tears. "Quil finally asked me to marry him but what if something happens. I'll be a widow before walking down the isle."She says in between sobs. I hold her tighter not sure what to say because all of us face a chance at becoming a widow.
Just then Alice dances her way in the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. I can only wonder what the evil pixie is up too. "You know Claire I've planned many weddings. The Volturi won't be here for at least a month and a half. I could have your wedding done it three weeks."She says bouncing up and down with excitement. "She's right Claire wedding planning is her calling." I say with a smile. "You would really do this for me."Claire says while wiping her tears away. Alice nods her head furiously. "Of course we're practically family."She shrieks. "Ok." Claire says smiling widely. "Yay!!! Let's go upstairs there are a ton of things I can show you right now and I have to get your measurements for your dress too. Oh god we have so much work to do." Alice says and grabs Claire and races upstairs. "Claire has definitely made Alice's decade now." I say with a laugh.
"Well at least we have something good to look forward to." Gloria says with a shrug. "So mom what has dad told you about this Nathifa." I ask trying to change the subject. She stops chopping the onions and turns to look at me. "Well he hasn't said much just that they met when he first visited Voltorrea a few centuries ago." Esme says. "I don't know mom. I see the way she looks at him. It just doesn't sit right with me." I say. I caught her looking at him several times with what looked like love and regret in her eyes. "Don't give me that look Rose. If there was anything for him to tell he would have told me already. You know Carlisle had a life before I was born. If she's part of his past then there is not much I can do about that." She says in her motherly tone letting me know to drop this topic.
I shake my head and still not ok with this. I know Carlisle loves Esme but he is still a man. Men can be tempted especially when things were left unfinished. I make a silent vow to get to the bottom of this. Someone needs to protect Esme. Just then the back door is flung open and the pack and the rest of the family come in. I'm quick to notice that Carlisle and Nathifa are no where to be seen.
I get up and stomp my way towards the back door. "Hold up Mrs. Black were do you think your going."Jacob asks me. "I'm looking for my father. Do you know where he is?" I ask. "He's with Nathifa at the clearing. They're going over some strategies for the confrontation. Why?" He says giving me the I know your up to something look. "No reason, just maybe he needs to come home and spend so time with his beautiful wife!! I mean she spent all day cooking for his family. He may not be able to eat it but he should at least show some appreciation!!" I seethe. Oh yeah my hormones are all over the place now. "Ok blondie you need to relax. Think about the baby. Don't get so worked up over nothing. I know Carlisle and Esme is his world." He says soothingly placing his large hand on my little bump.
He pulls me into a bear hug and instantly I relax. I hate that he can always make me forget about why I was angry in the first place. He kisses me softly and pushes my hair behind my ear. "You know blondie I know a fool proof way of relieving some stress." He says with a sexy smirk. "Oh really." I say "How bout I take you upstairs and show you." I bite my lip and nod my head and give him my best Fuck me look. He lets out a small growl and tosses me over his shoulder and runs upstairs to my old room. We can hear our children groan "Eww, gross."
Carlisle POV:
Everyone has left and it's just Nathifa and I in the clearing. It still amazes me that she can still make me feel like a nervous school boy. She takes my hand in her small one and lays us down in the grass. This reminds me of the first day we met. She stares up at the moon then turns her head to face me. "Remember the first night we spent together. How shy you were with me. Did I succeed in corrupting you Dr.?"She says with that same mischievous glint in her eyes I saw all those years ago. "If recollection serves me and recollection never does anything else I would believe so." I say staring back at her beautiful face.
We lay for awhile in silence both lost in memories of the past. "So will you ever tell me how this all began?" I ask. "Ahh so you have not forgotten my promise old friend. I guess this is as good a time as ever." She says with a sad wistful look on her face. She gets up and walks over to a tree and leans against it. I go and join her. I don't say anything. I just wait for her to collect her thoughts.
"Can you believe we are all here because of a selfish choice I made 5 thousand years ago? I will never forget that day. All my other human memories are lost but that one. I know I had been set to marry the new king but I couldn't bring myself to be happy about it. I always knew there was something else out there for me. I never wanted to be tied down as you well know."She says with a smile. I motion for her to continue. "I went and saw an old woman who was said to be able to see a person's future much like Alice does. I met with her desperate to know if marrying the king was what my future had in store for me. She took my hands in hers and closed her eyes. After a few moments she gave me a strange look. I will never forget how that look made my skin crawl.
"You fate does not lie with the king but something greater and dangerous. You will have a great love but you will have to spend an eternity waiting for him. A man with eyes the color of blue gems and copper colored skin. A man with an ability to change into a wild beast larger than anything I ever saw. But you should know if you choose this path there will be great consequences. Many innocents will be lost because of your choice." The old woman said.
I looked at her like she had lost her mind. "I have no choice. The king has his sights set on me." I told her. "Oh but you do child." The old woman said and wrote something on a scrape of papyrus. She folded it up and handed it to me. "Don't look at it. Take this to the temple of Anubis and give this to the priest there. He will know what to do. If this is truly what you want then do exactly as you are told."The old woman said with a serious look on her withered face. I did as she said. It was there at the temple of Anubis that I lost my mortal life and began this one."Nathifa said with unshed tears in her eyes.
I took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I think this is enough for one night. We can continue this tomorrow." I say seeing how upset she is. She nods her head letting the tears fall down her cheeks. We walk back to my home in silence at a human pace. I open the door for her and she is instantly sitting on the living room sofa. I leave her to her thoughts and go to the kitchen to see my lovely wife.
SPOV:
I'm surrounded by the pack trying desperately not to lose a finger trying to get some food. God these guys are pigs. I hear the back door open and in comes my cousin Rocco. He has spent the past few days with Grandpa Billy in settle at the hospital there so the rest of us can train. "Hey Rocco so how's papa doing?" I ask. "He's good they just wanted to run some routine test because of his diabetes. He should be able to come home tomorrow." He says snatching a potato from my plate. "Hey get your own food mutt!!" I say jokingly.
"Fine I see how you are cuz." He says and makes his way over to grandma Esme. He says she's his favorite vampire because she can cook and looks like an angel. He easily dwarfs her small form. He pulls her into a big hug and she gushes over him. She babies him way too much. He sits at the table and she places a large plate of food she saved just for him. She told me once that his big sapphire eyes reminded her of her son's. I think that's why she is so attached to Rocco.
We sit around the table laughing and eating. Just enjoying each others company. Rafe grabs my elbow and says "Look at Rocco." "What?" I ask confused and look across the table at my cousin. Oh no I've seen that look before. I've had that look before. I follow his line of sight and OH MY FUCKING GOD its Nathifa the mother herself. "Its You."She says barely a whisper. "FUCK!!" Paul says and drags Rocco out the back with a shocked Nathifa staring after him. Things just keep getting better and better, I think to myself.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this. Please review. Next up Nathifa explains everything and the pack and Carlisle's reaction to Rocco's imprinting.
