Chapter 12
Jasper and Alice were waiting at the treaty line along with Embry. The rest of the pack came to a stop in a circle around me and Jake. Jake lowered himself to the ground so I could get off. As soon as I was on the ground he phased back and pulled his shorts on. The rest of the wolves stayed phased, the Cullen's maybe somewhat allies to the pack but that doesn't mean that the wolves trust them.
Jasper quickly got to work explaining everything he knew about the Volturi. This fight would be nothing like the fight with the newborns; it was quite possible that we would all be slaughter. The fact that Alice can see her family safe after the fight does little to assure the wolves that we will survive. The rest of the Cullen's arrived some hours later and the real training began. Carlisle knew more about the Volturi than any of his children did considering the fact he lived among them for some time, but he never practiced their ways.
We spent the next days at the Cullen house preparing for the upcoming battle. Esme, Rosalie, and Alice all pampered me silly. Jasper had also called in some reinforcements from his old friend Peter and his mate. The Denali clan joined us as well. I was surprised that these vampires would fight to protect not only me but a pack of wolves as well, especially the same wolves that had destroyed Laurent who was the mate of one of the Denali clan.
Alice told me they aren't necessarily there to fight for me or the wolves, the fact that the Cullen's are fighting for us is the reason they are there. They will protect the Cullen's because they are considered extended family. That made more sense to me. I was still worried though that even with the reinforcements, it wouldn't be enough. I just knew we were going to lose people if not be completely wiped out. I was so worried about this that I pulled Carlisle aside to have a whispered conversation with him even though we were far enough away that the pack and other vamps shouldn't be able to hear us I still whispered.
"What's the matter Bella?" Carlisle asked his voice as kind as always.
"I need you to make a promise to me."
"Alright what do you need me to promise?" he asked slightly amused.
"If something should happen to me, I need you to make sure my baby lives. Do whatever you have to do to get the baby out and get it breathing. If Jake doesn't make it either, take the baby to Charlie and Billy. I need to know that our child will survive even if we don't." I said tears falling down my face.
Carlisle pulled me into a hug, "You're not going to die Bella, we won't let anything happen to you or the wolves, but I swear if for some reason we lose you, I will do whatever I can to save your baby. I promise your baby will live."
"Thank you Carlisle." I whispered before pulling away and wiping my eyes.
"You don't need to thank me Bella; you are and always will be a part of this family. We will do anything to protect you and your family." Carlisle whispered before we returned to the rest of the vamps and the wolves. Jake looking at me like he knew what I had asked Carlisle.
The day of the what we hoped wouldn't turn into a bloodbath arrived. Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett, Jacob, Sam, and Paul all stood in the front. The rest of the Cullen's and their allies stood behind and to the right of them, the wolves behind and to the left. And me I was dead center between the three lead vamps and wolves. I had my hand in Jake's fur to try and keep calm. Jasper was sending waves of calm at me and it still wasn't helping. Emmett had one of his big meaty arms around my shoulder anchoring me. I was surrounded by family and friends that were willing to die to protect me and those I love. I just hoped it would be enough.
It was like every horror movie there is when the Volturi arrived on the scene. A mist just seemed to magically appear. I had the vague thought pop into my head that perhaps one of their vamp powers was to create spooky atmospheres to make their prey, enemies, or whatever nervous.
I could see Aro, Marcus, and Caius as they appeared flanked by the sadistic Jane and her twin Alec to the right of the trio. Felix and Demetri were to the left. Behind them were six others. They were outnumbered by our group but it still would be a close match considering the powers that some of them had.
Carlisle stepped forward and greeted them like he was greeting old friends. I knew what he was doing he was trying to prevent a fight from ever starting.
"My friends welcome to our home." Carlisle said cheerfully.
"Carlisle my dear friend how nice it is of you to gather the ones we are here for." Aro said pleasantly.
"But why are you here for them my old friend?" Carlisle asked.
"Bella has not fulfilled her promise. She has not become one of us." Aro replied.
"Yes but the bases of that promise was because she knew about vampires. But you see young Bella was always destined to be the mate of one of the wolves. She would have found out about the existence of the vampires even then. Your reasoning for her being turned is invalid." Carlisle argued.
"But what of the wolves themselves. You know we do not allow werewolves to exist. Yet here you stand allied with them." Aro countered.
"Do these wolves look like children of the moon? Look around the moon is not out, it's the middle of the day yet they are in wolf form. They are not true werewolves; they are shape shifters that take the form of wolves. They are not controlled by the phases of the moon. They control when they phase and have complete control of their actions in this form." Carlisle countered.
"How interesting. Edward what do you think." Aro said moving to reveal the one responsible for them being here in the first place.
"I do not know Aro, something strange is going on." Edward replied holding his hand out for Aro so he could read his thoughts.
"How intriguing. And you were able to read them before?" Aro asked the rest of us confused as to what he meant.
"Yes, Jacob in particular has a very loud mind." Edward replied.
The three leaders then huddled together and began speaking amongst themselves too low for my human ears but the way the others either hissed or growled set my nerves on edge. Then Aro told Alec now. I knew he was the one that could render everybody helpless at the same time.
I looked around and saw the panicked looks on the vampires' faces but the wolves just growled as some of the guard came forward to deal with us while we were supposed to be helpless. They were in for a surprise when the wolves attacked. The first one they went for was Alec so the vamps could fight with us. Esme and Rosalie surrounded me protecting me. Everything was happening so fast I wasn't sure who had taken Alec's head but then Jane focused her gaze on Jake and nothing happened. I saw her eyes widen in shock just before Jake took her head. Their two biggest weapons were gone. The fighting was intense, but none of the vamp powers seemed to work on the wolves. I couldn't understand it at all, how were they immune to them?
The fighting stopped when the only vamps standing beside our allies were the three leaders and Edward. I could hear all of them muttering that they didn't understand how their powers had been useless on the wolves. The shield power I had was not a common gift.
"Would you care to hear my theory?" Carlisle asked suddenly.
Everybody turned to look at him. Carlisle held his hand out to me; I took it my eyebrows knitting in confusion. He moved my hair showing the mark Jake had given me after we had married. "Do you see this mark? It is the mark of Bella's mate, the alpha of the pack. His mind, body, and soul are linked to Bella through this mark, which means he is linked into her shielding power. When the wolves are in wolf form they share a mind link. I believe that as Alpha Jake shares Bella's shield with his pack."
"They are even more dangerous than we thought brothers we must destroy them." I heard Caius seethe.
The wolves all growled and my vampire friends and family hissed. "That really would not be wise. We are outnumbered greatly. Even with the rest of our guard we would be at a disadvantage, they just destroyed the most powerful out of us. I'm afraid there is nothing we can do. We will leave the wolves and young Isabella in peace." Aro told his brothers.
Edward screamed, "No! She is not that filthy mutt's mate. She is mine! And I aim to have her."
He moved so fast I never saw him coming, one minute he was standing next to the trio and then he was inches away from me. A scream of terror tore from my throat. I was about to die and I knew it.