Chapter 12: Mirrors - Justin Timberlake
The sound of yet another thing loudly crashing to the floor in the kitchen mutilated my ears for God knows what time and I grinding my teeth. I smacked my book shut with a frustrated sigh – I couldn't concentrate on rereading Brave New World when Ann was making so much noise. I was currently sitting sideways in one of her and Paul's armchairs in their living room. It had been a week since the encounter with Louis and if it hadn't been for the fact, that I could hide out in the shape shifters territory, I wouldn't have felt safe enough to not run as far away from here as possible as I did in the past when Louis managed to find me.
I pushed all thoughts of my little 'blast from the past' and dropped my head backwards in tired frustration before speaking up.
"Why are you attempting to ruin your kitchen, again?" I asked, my annoyance getting the better of me. How could a freaking vampire with heightened reflexes be so excruciatingly clumsy?!
"Beth, I already told you: I am hosting dinner tonight so Emily won't have to be the one to always make meals for the pack" came the answer a little strained and I couldn't help but wonder what she was doing out there. Well, at least it smelled like human-food, so that was always something.
"Maybe you could give me a hand?" she asked timidly not even 10 seconds later when yet another thing banged to the floor out there.
"Not happening. You put yourself in that situation" I sighed, opening my book once more. I barely read a line when the sound of someone approaching the house - in what sounded like a rather expensive car - reached my ears. There was no heartbeat to be heard, which meant it was our own kind, but I had no idea who. It couldn't be Louis, right? I made sure he wouldn't be able to trail my scent back here, but I could always have missed something. It's not easy disguising one's scent, even when you have a pack of literally stinking shape shifters to hide amongst.
Ann came into the living room with flour on her left cheek and a rag cloth in her hands looking confusedly at me. I shrugged, but couldn't relax as the car parked by the house. The engine cut off and the car doors opened and closed almost synchronized before voices drifted towards us. I knew those voices! It couldn't possibly be…
I instantly ran to the door and all but threw it open in anticipation.
"Beth!" a very smiley-faced ginger squealed at me before enveloping me in a hug, which I wasn't slow to return whole-heartedly. God, it was good to see her again! Her timing was impeccable, but then again, she always seemed to appear when I needed her the most – even when I wasn't aware myself that I needed her.
"Why, isn't it my favorite strawberry-head and my least favorite Volturi-member? What are you doing here, Noel? And why did you bring the tool?" I asked happily, as I pulled away. I could hear Ann had come out to look who had arrived.
"Noel, Alec, what a lovely surprise!" she greeted warmly and came down the porch-steps to hug my best friend and shake Alec's hand.
"As if I would let her cross an ocean without me" Alec answered my earlier question without hesitation. Noel took his hand and gave him a loving smile, which he wasn't late to mirror.
"That is nauseating" I deadpanned.
"How's Tom and Jane doing? I hope my brother hasn't caused any trouble?" Ann conversed good-naturedly.
"Of course not. He wanted to come visit you, but had business to attend to with my sister dearest" Alec answered with a small smile and I rolled my eyes. Yeah, yeah, that's all good and merry, but back to my questions!
"Now tell me" I demanded with a smirk as soon as we came back inside.
"Well… I haven't heard from you in quite some time now, and I was getting worried. Besides, I wanted to meet your mate and see you again. Alec – like he said - wouldn't allow me to make the trip on my own so he accompanied me" Noel beamed at me. It was good to see her again. I hadn't realized how much I missed her slightly dopey smiles and naïve, constant happiness.
"Swell" I drawled sarcastically. Why couldn't Evil Twin No. 2 just stay in Italy? I knew he was Noel's mate and all, but I just couldn't take that guy.
"Well, you'll have to excuse me. We are hosting dinner for the pack and I still have a lot to do" Ann said apologetically and made her way back to the kitchen.
"Oh, do you need any help?" Noel hurried after her like the goody two shoes she had a habit of being, which left Alec and I alone. Yay.
"I am not making conversation with you" I stated and went back to the chair where my book waited impatiently for me.
"Likewise"
.:-:.
"Why are there more vampires in the reservation?" Sam asked before he even had time to get inside the house and Emily wacked him on the chest disapprovingly. His judgmental eyes had already sought me out and I, a bit too forcefully, put my book down on the coffee table.
"Why are you looking at me? I didn't ask for them to come – especially not dickhead over there" I grumbled at the alpha.
"Oh, I didn't think of asking for permission! Goodness, I'm so sorry. I hope we're not too much trouble" Noel – of course – felt bad and that was enough for me to want to hit Sam. She and Ann had been quick to join us in the living room to see what the commotion was about. The rest of the pack and imprints (with the exception of Claire) had arrived – and Embry came to stand by my side. They were all on high alert and expectedly tense - considering Alec's presence. I knew they had met him before under the worse circumstances. Embry had told me all about the incident with the Cullen clan a few years prior.
"Sweetheart, do not apologize to that mutt. It is beneath you" Alec whispered not so quietly, which caused every single wolf in the room to growl at him.
"Alec! That's so rude!" she gasped in outrage and instantly started apologizing to Sam on her mate's behalf. I rolled my eyes and swiftly cut in.
"Put a sock in it, Noel, I'm not the only one in the I-hate-Alec-club" I smirked at the Volturi-member in question while my best friend sighed tiredly.
"Not this again. Beth, please be nice. You too, Alec. I did not come here to continue listen to you too bicker"
"He started it" I proclaimed at the same time he grumbled the same accusation towards me.
"Enough! Why. Are. They. Here?" Sam demanded, which instantly made Noel jump forward with yet another stream of apologies.
"You must be Sam. I really am terribly sorry for the inconvenience. I promise we won't cause any trouble. We are here to…"
"You. You are here" Alec reminded her. Yes, I'm sure no one doubted he was not here with his own good will.
"Right. I am here to visit Beth. She is my best friend, you see, and I wanted to see how she was doing and…" she was starting to ramble – a habit she had when she got nervous.
"You're Beth's best friend?" Quil raised a disbelieving eyebrow and I glared at him. I knew what he and probably the rest of them were thinking. No one ever believed Noel and my friendship to be genuine, but it was. The redhead was nodding innocently, before quickly introducing herself and Alec to everyone – clearly not sensing the tension in the room. Suddenly her eyes landed on Embry by my side and her big, golden orbs widened in realization. About time. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but feel rather proud when she went to take his hand.
"Oh, how could I forget? You must be the Embry I heard so much about. Beth tells me you…" I could feel another stream of unnecessary words on their way and quickly covered her mouth.
"Yes, this is Embry. Embry as you probably gathered, this is Noel" I let go of my friend. Hopefully, she got the message not to spill every mushy thing I told her about my mate.
Embry chuckled and took her outstretched hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Noel. Beth has told me a lot about you too" he sent me a teasing smile, which earned him a half-serious glare, but he didn't let it faze him. A loud ping suddenly sounded from the kitchen and Ann rushed away with a panicked 'eep'. The tension eased up somewhat, but Alec still stood at the far end of the living room with clear superiority, and the pack made no effort to hide their discomfort towards him.
"I better go make sure she doesn't destroy the kitchen beyond repair" Paul stated and went after his imprint with a short "good to see you again, Noel".
.:-:.
"How did the two of you even become friends?" Quil asked and I rolled my eyes. The pack and their imprints – minus Claire as she was with her parents - had finished eating, and we were all gathered at the table after Ann, Noel, Kim and Emily had cleared it and done the dishes. I was currently sitting on Embry's lab while Noel sat beside us with Alec on the other side of her.
"We went to boarding school together" Noel practically beamed and it was difficult to not let her good mood rub of. It always had been. I guess it was no wonder she was gifted with the ability to make people like her and do her biding when she became an immortal, though I knew she would never actually use it - a waste really.
"Boarding school?! That harpy would actually go to school willingly!?" Leah almost screeched. Embry squished me tighter and I glared venomously at the she-wolf, while Noel just blinked rapidly with shock and confusion, probably as a result to Leah's animosity.
"It was a pass-time" I snapped.
"Leah you promised" Seth sighed and his sister leaned demonstrative back on her chair with her arms crossed and looked to the side.
"I bet Beth was a terrible student" Jared chuckled.
"Oh no, she is quite bright especially when it comes to English literature, but she didn't like to make an effort in class" Noel said hesitantly as if afraid she would offend me and I let out a short laugh.
"I hated the teachers. Always trying to tell me what to do and when to do it"
"You mean homework? That's kind of a part of the deal" Quil teased.
"That too. I just believe teachers are people who want power and grasp desperately to the little they got and exploit it" I stated.
"Anyways, Beth was already at the school when I transferred there with my older brother, Trevor, who actually warned me against befriending Beth because of all these ludicrous rumors going around" Noel turned the conversation back on track – unfortunately. I leaned back against Embry's chest and started playing absentmindedly with his hands. There was no stopping Noel anyway.
"What kind of rumors?" Kim leaned in intrigued and I sent her a look, which she just shrugged off with a small smile.
"Oh, I can't possibly say. Some of them were so… colorful" she trailed off embarrassedly with both hands on her cheeks. Leah snickered.
"Now you have to tell us" Quil urged.
"It's no secret that I never played well with others. Virtually all of those rumors weren't even remotely true. Some rumors stated that I… extorted my fellow students and a few teachers, which was partly true, and some rumors claimed I slept around, which were completely untrue, but most of the rumors originated from a deceitful whore named Darcy who was mad because I – assumedly – made her boy-toy dump her" I grumbled at the memory. It wasn't my fault that bitch's boyfriend had the hots for me. I even shot him down. Desperate, hormonal hipster wasn't exactly my type – especially when it was a human. Those I just devoured, and not in the sexual way.
"Darcy was so nice. Are you sure she was the one to start the rumors?" Noel immediately jumped in with a confused little frown on her face. I leaned forward and patted her cheek lightly.
"She was also the one to break into your room and tear up your photographs, because you were friends with me, and she broke your wide-angle lenses for your Nikon" I added the last with a challenging gleam in my eyes and an arched eyebrow. I knew how much she adored that camera. She was crazy when it came to that thing and always had it with her.
"Oh that… floozy! SHE did that!" she turned towards Alec with an outraged sound as if seeking his understanding in the matter and he smiled overbearingly at her, while putting a comforting hand on her arm.
"Alright, calm down, strawberry-head. It's, what, four-six years ago" I rolled my eyes. It hadn't been any coincidence that Darcy 'chose' to 'transfer' shortly after mutilating some of my best friend's dearest belongings - aka I killed the stupid cunt. I could take rumors and backtalk from the petty human, but she went after Noel and that was crossing a line. I obviously never told Noel this and had no plans to do so in the future either – even if she now knew of vampires and was in fact one himself.
"How come your brother and you went to boarding school? Bored by being immortal like Beth?" Seth asked with a smile.
"Oh. No, I'm still in my first year as an immortal. My brother is still human, but of course, neither he nor my mom knows anything about vampires" she smiled sadly and Alec discreetly took her hand under the table. Well, I guess he weren't pure evil all the time. I mean, there had to be some good in him for Noel to love him… probably. Noel saw the good in everyone even if there was nothing to see, but even if I would never admit it out loud, I knew Alec was good to her and made her incredibly happy. Urg, I just wished my best friend's mate wasn't such a tool.
"She's a newborn?!" Sam stood angrily, and Alec was quick to mirror his movement. The rest of the pack instantly stiffened, even Embry tensed.
"Relax, Sam, she obviously has great control" she told her husband who just grumbled annoyed as she pulled him back down in his seat.
"She has impeccable self-control, mu… Sir. If none of you have noticed, her eyes are golden, which – may I remind you – means that she not only has fed recently, but she has fed from an animal, not a human" Alec snapped angrily at Sam. It was funny how he clearly had a hard time not insulting Sam in the process of explaining things as if he was talking to a child, which – considering the age gap – he might as well have.
"Alec, please" Noel looked at her mate pleadingly until he sat back down too with a defeated sigh.
"Sam, you don't have to worry. Just like Bella, Noel has never had a single drop of human blood and Alec knows he can't hunt on your territory" Ann cut in.
"They are not staying long. There, happy?" I told Sam to put a lid on this discussion. I really didn't have patience for a pissing contest right now.
"Well, isn't this cozy?" Brady breathed and Collin choked down a laugh at the steely glare from Sam.
"What did you expect? Or don't any of you remember the trouble the Volturi caused us with the leeches' hybrid?" Leah grumbled under her breath. Alec instantly gave the she-wolf a steely glare.
"How where we to know, they hadn't created an immortal child? There are rules that need to be answered to, and they apply to every vampire. You have absolutely no inkling of the destruction the immortal children caused. They were despicable abominations" he said coolly, but Leah simply snorted.
"It was pretty bad" I agreed under my breath, but they paid me no mind.
"As if that was the real reason all of you came. Don't think we're ignorant just because we aren't ancient bloodsuckers. Your leader collects gifts and you Volturi don't care about the rules as long as everyone else follows them" Seth tried getting his sister to shut up, but she ignored him.
"I bet the only reason your little girlfriend there is in the Volturi, is because she has a gift too otherwise she would be dead, right? I mean, as you said, she doesn't murder innocent humans" Leah spat venomously. I seethed with anger, and the only thing keeping me from jumping Leah was the arms around my waist.
Alec stood abruptly, but instead of snapping at Leah, he turned towards Noel.
"My apologies, darling, but I will take my leave before I do something we will all regret. You can reach me by my cell, if anything arises" he told her and made for the door, while she followed halfway.
"I won't harm any humans, so rest assured, but if you hurt my mate in any way, I will make you all regret it dearly. I leave her in your care, Elizabeth" and with that, he was gone. I went to my best friend, who looked on the verge of tears, except she couldn't actually shed any. Her lower lip trembled slightly and that was enough to make me want to murder Leah.
"I think you should leave too, Leah. To cool off" Sam told the damned mutt, and she did so with an undignified huff and slamming the front door, which made Noel jump slightly before she turned towards the pack and their imprints with a completely devastated expression.
"I'm so sorry about all this, Sam. I thought Alec was overreacting when he said; it was a bad idea to come here. There's only me to blame for this. I hope you can forgive us. We didn't mean to be disrespectful of you" she said dejectedly her voice heavy with emotion, and I was about to tell her, how she shouldn't apologize for something that wasn't her fault – for the umpteenth time – but Sam beat me to it.
"Don't worry about it. I guess we could be more flexible. You are, after all, a friend of an imprint. We're just not on very good terms with vampires" I was almost impressed. I bet that had been hard to say.
"That's an understatement. They are our mortal enemies" Quil added jokingly to lighten the tension.
"I promise to call next time. Or maybe meet with Beth outside the reservation if that'll make you more comfortable" she looked back at the door and I knew she blamed herself for how awkward and tense everything went – to say the least. Emily stood and came to stand in front of her before taking Noel's hands in hers, making my best friend meet her eyes.
"You can come and visit whenever you like. Things have changed around here ever since Paul imprinted on Ann, and things are still changing so you have to bear with us. Old hatches aren't easily buried" she told her sincerely, and I was silently grateful for her in that moment.
"Yeah, but still call, if you bring your boyfriend again" Quil interjected with mirth and earned him a nervous laugh from several of the others.
Noel instantly brightened.
"Are you sure?" she asked with all her hopefulness and innocence shinning from those big, doe eyes. God, she had no idea how impossible it was to say no to that expression! I had been on the receiving end of it numerous times and I knew its power.
Emily laughed warmly.
"Of course. Now, Beth mentioned you love photography? I think Brady and Kim would love to hear more about that" she smiled at the two, who instantly caught on to the purpose of a change in topic and nodded.
"Oh, really?! Do you take pictures as well? What camera do you use? I mostly use my Nikon, but…" she started ranting again, as she went to sit back on her seat. I watched her pull Brady and Kim into a lively conversation about the technicalities of photography. Collin, Ann and Seth seemed to listen too, though not as genuinely interested as Brady and Kim. Sam, Paul and Jared started talking about something or other - I didn't pay them much attention. Emily went back to sit beside her husband, while Embry waved me back to the table and I complied with a small smile. Well, everything could've gone better, but no one was dead or mutilated, so I would call it a win right there.
