Bella's POV
As we were basking in the afterglow of our love making, the door suddenly flew open and in came Leah and Alice. Of course things could never be easy... It did not only annoy me, because they were seriously invading a very private moment, but also surprised me that they were able to stand each others company, without me being the peacekeeper in between. And I was also a little pissed, because if they found us here, that meant that they had still been wandering around. Which made the private time I had with Jake, less private now!
"Bella, The Volturi are coming!" Alice was yelling frantically at us not even noticing that we were naked under the covers and me blushing like crazy and Jacob glaring furiously at them.
Jacob sat up a little, which resulted in the blankets moving a bit and revealing that we were both very naked under them… "Jesus Christ, do you mind!" Jacob yelled at them while moving the blankets to cover us again.
"Oh my poor eyes! I'm traumatized! It smells like sex in here! Goddammit Jacob. You're paying for my therapist after this!" Leah was yelling rather dramatically.
"Well than don't barge into rooms with naked people in them! Thank God you didn't walk in half an hour sooner! Or you would have had quite the show!" Jacob yelled back.
"Why do you think we waited until now to come in?! You do realize that from the moment I shift, the whole pack will know about this right? You might be strong enough to block everyone out, but I'm not." Leah answered amused.
"I don't smell sex, I smell wet dog! Not even sex can get rid of that horrid smell…" Alice threw into the conversation crunching up her nose and rolling her eyes.
I couldn't take it anymore with the back and forth between the three of them. This was supposed to be a private and loving moment between Jake and me and this was seriously ruining my post-sex vibe!
"Oh my God! Shut up and get out!" I yelled at Alice and Leah. Jake fell back onto the bed with his arm slung over his eyes, groaning in frustration.
"But Bella, the Volturi…" Alice started, but I interrupted her "No Alice, No. Not right now. This is a special moment between Jake and me and we can worry about the rest later, okay. We will call everyone from the Pack and from your family and we will discuss how to handle that situation, but not right now. So please, both of you leave and I will call you later and Jake will contact the Pack, and we will come together and come up with a plan. LATER!" I emphasized clearly. Reluctantly Alice and Leah walked back out the door.
Now that we were alone again, Jake turned back towards me, smiling and said "Ready for round two?" while moving his hands over my body and I could feel him hardening again against the side of my leg. "God yes!" I answered enthusiastically.
"Oh my God!" We could hear Leah and Alice yelling in unison somewhere outside.
"I so didn't need to hear that!" Alice yelled. "My poor ears! Therapist, Jacob, therapist!" Leah was yelling.
Jake and me couldn't be bothered by it and started enjoying each other all over again.
After a few more hours of loving, we finally emerged from the cabin and made our way to the Cullen house. I called Alice on my way there, because normally she would be able to see, but when Jake was with me she couldn't so hence the phone call. Jake shifted to let the Pack know that they should come to the Cullen house. They also found out about the imprint after that shift, so they had no choice but to come.
When everyone arrived the first thing that happened where a lot of catcalls and whistles made towards Jake and me, but we just laughed it away, with a little blush on our faces. I was really gonna have to get used to the fact that the Pack was gonna be let in on my sex life... After the few minutes of fun it was time for more serious things, so we all gathered in the Cullen's living room and started discussing a plan to handle the Volturi. Edward told everyone what had happened in Italy and the promise they had to make to the Volturi. The Pack was outraged that the Volturi had the nerve to demand something like that, when they know that Bella lives on Quileute territory.
When everyone was discussing the options, I could see something strange was going on between Edward and Leah, but before anyone else could notice, I heard Sam exclaiming that the decision was made.
Against Carlisle's will, the pack and the rest of the Cullen's had decided that the best approach was to stand and fight, otherwise we would never be rid of them. Carlisle hadn't said anything else, but he didn't seem to have much faith in the plan either.
When everyone left I noticed Leah didn't shift into wolf form and just started walking home, which was strange to say the least. Looking around I could see that Edward was nowhere to be found. Thinking that we had bigger things to worry about right now, I decided to let the strange little interaction slide for now and focus on the upcoming fight.
They had about a week before the arrival of the Volturi, according to Alice' vision, so just like with the newborns, the Pack and the Cullen's started training together again. Minus Carlisle, no one seemed to know where he went and Alice couldn't see him, which could only mean that he was at the reserve or somewhere near other wolves or potential wolves, as all the known shape-shifters were here training.
The rest of the week, Carlisle was there for training, but refused to tell anyone where he went that first day and was very evasive when people asked about it. I think that he didn't even tell Esmee.
Edward had made it his business to stay as far away from Jacob as possible. Probably because if he read his mind, Jake would show him some very hot things that Edward really didn't wanna see, about the steamy encounters between Jake and me. Laughing about something silly like that did light the mood a little from all the seriousness over the upcoming battle. It made things a bit lighter between the Pack and the Cullens.
I also saw Leah and Jacob talking quietly, away from the rest of the group and this lasted a long while. I had also noticed that Leah still had not shifted again after that day at the Cullen house and the strange exchange with Edward. I was wondering what was going on with that. But because of the more pressing matter, I decided to just move past it for now. I would be asking about it later… Fortunately for Leah, her not shifting had gone unnoticed by the rest of the Pack as they were to involved in the training. Seeing as there was more trust between the wolves and the Cullen's this time, they didn't feel the need to stay in wolf-form the entire time.
Finally the day arrived that the Volturi would be standing in front of us. We went to the clearing, where I had first laid eyes on Jake in his wolf form, to stay as far away from the town as possible, so no one would get hurt in the process. Jake had initially asked me to stay on the reserve, but deep down he already knew I wouldn't do that, so he let me ride him, in a non-sexual way (he was in wolf-form and I'm so not into bestiality...), to the clearing and I stayed on his back during the wait. He made me stay there to keep me close and safe. Edward and Alice were on one side and Leah and Seth on the other side, Seth was in wolf form, but again, Leah was not. This time that did not go unnoticed by the rest of the Pack, but because of everything that was happening right now, no one was commenting on it. The rest of the Pack and the Cullen's were spread around behind us. Everyone except Carlisle. He was a no show again. This was definitely not like him. He would never leave his family to fight alone. But before any of us could really worry about it, the Volturi was arriving at the clearing. I got off of Jacob's back and started moving further behind everyone. It wasn't just the Volturi itself, with their family of five, but also bodyguards surrounding them.
"Well, well, the wolves have gathered for back-up I see." I heard Aro's sickening voice ring through the clearing.
"This is not their fight." Marcus said.
"This shouldn't be a fight at all." I heard Edward yell back, while stepping further towards them, Jacob right by his side. Who knew those two could actually work together, I mused to myself.
"You're absolutely right, Edward, this shouldn't be a fight. We made an agreement in Italy after all. And that agreement is in the best interest of our world being kept secret, is it not? We are simply here to enforce the terms of that agreement or see that it has been done. We are only here for the girl. She either dies now or she will be turned. That was the deal that both our families agreed on."
"And what makes you think that you have any say about this on our territory, vampire?!" We could hear another voice calling from the back of the group.
The group parted to let through Billy Black and Carlisle Cullen as they made their way to the front looking Aro defiantly in the eyes.
Billy and Carlisle went to stand right in front of Aro, Caius and Marcus, while the Pack had made their way to the front to gather around Billy and Carlisle. The rest of the Cullen's stayed a little further behind them, still ready to step in if needed, but sensing that this was Pack business and decided to stay back.
"Do you not remember that you have no authority here? This is Quileute territory. That was also an agreement that was made centuries ago with your kind and seeing as you are breaking it, we are in our right to attack and protect our lands. This is tribe land. Was that not the deal that was made with our ancestors?" Billy continued looking at Aro, with challenge hidden in his words. "Even if that deal was not made with you directly, it was still your kind. And you have been known to make agreements with shape-shifters before."
Aro looked at him a little intrigued, but said nothing. The others stayed quiet as well, not really knowing how to respond I guess.
Billy went on with his speech looking Aro straight in the face.
"One of our wolves has imprinted on Bella, which means that she is now off limits to your world. She has no place in it anymore and is now part of our tribe and our Pack. She has fallen under the protection of the Pack as is standard for an imprint. Which means that the deal you made concerning the secret of your world is also void now and you no longer have any business being here. Also, as long as this is Quileute territory, the burden of protecting the secret of both our worlds, in this town, falls on to us and not you. And we will decide who we choose to tell about it or not.
Our pack has grown over the years because of the presence of vampires in this region over the past decades. Which was also already your side breaking the agreement. We have gotten stronger by the day. May I remind you that in collaboration with the Cullen's we defeated a Newborn army easily. We will fight you if we have to and don't underestimate us, vampire, we will fight to the death and we will have casualties, but we will come out victorious. We won't stop until we do. And seeing as the Cullen's reside on our territory, they fall under our protection as well. They have proven to be great allies. They live by the rules of these lands and Bella has great affection for all of them so they are therefore considered part of our family as well.
So what will it be, vampire? Will you honor the agreement that was made between our worlds centuries ago, or will you start an unnecessary war here today that will probably lead to deaths on both sides? And also keep in mind, that if you attack us on our territory today, we will not hesitate to do the same to you, on yours."
Aro kept his chin high and back straight as he looked back defiantly at Billy, but in the end we could all see his resistance faltering. Even he understood that a war at this point would be unnecessary and he was unwilling to risk his family for something as silly as me knowing about their worlds. The deal made in Italy became void the second Jacob imprinted on me and I became part of the Pack.
"Very well, William Black Jr., we will leave your territory and not return. But make no mistake Chief, as vampires, the Cullen's will always continue to fall under our jurisdiction, so the moment they don't reside on your grounds anymore, your deal of protection becomes void as well." Aro looked at Billy expectantly. "Deal." Billy answered.
Aro turned around to face the rest of the Volturi and said: "Their will be no fight today or in the future, not on these grounds. Not with these families."
He once again turned to Billy "We shall honor the agreement made with your ancestors and we will stay away. Peace between our worlds has been proven to be more productive in the past than being at war with each other."
Smiling he turned to Carlisle "Goodbye old friend. I hope to see you again some day. Under more pleasant circumstances of course."
"Perhaps. Goodbye Aro." Carlisle answered. The Volturi and their entourage started running into the woods one by one, until the last one had left the clearing.
Smiles and cheers had started to erupt from everyone at being rid of the Volturi and having their word that they would not be returning. Aro might be a lot of vile things, but he was also a man of his word. He would not go back on the agreement made here with Billy today, so the Quileute lands and the town would be safe from them from now on. And no fighting or bloodshed had to happen for it to end this way.
Billy showing up when he did, also explained where Carlisle was that first day of training. He risked a lot stepping onto tribe lands, but Billy knows well enough when one comes as an enemy and when one comes as an ally.
Peace had returned to Forks for now. But there was still the mystery of Leah and Edward. What the hell was that all about...
