Chapter 25 – Working Together
The hoard continued to pound down on us. This was the first time I was truly seeing the Cullens as fighters. Emmett and Jasper were the strongest in their family. To my surprise, Helena and I fought side by side. She moved in a blur, as she pushed through the line of massive beasts.
"Bella!" Helena called me. I leapt over many fighters. Demetri protected me as I ran out to the terrace. More wolves were coming towards us. I pushed my shield over them, passing it through Helena's mind. She strengthened her power through my shield and the animals collapsed.
My mind shuddered away from the burning. It was almost unbearable when Helena increased it. The pain felt like it was eating away at my brain. The air ripped with howls and yelps of pain from the wolves. Some cringed and shied away, but they didn't escape my shield. Some stronger ones tried to endure the pain and continued to attack. Helena increased her power and they fell. Her power was taking a toll on me, but I withstood it.
The Guard, along with the Cullens stood on the banister of the terrace, looking down at the pathetic animals. Caius stepped forward, "Destroy them all." Aro held up one hand, "One moment, Brother." Aro scanned the animals, "Which one, Edward?"
Edward's eyes looked over the beasts and pointed one out, "She's the leader." "Bring her to me," Aro ordered. Demetri, Felix, Alec and Afton went after the largest wolf. The others destroyed the wolves. I stepped off the banister, looking away from the dismemberment. Esme and Carlisle waited inside as the others fought. Esme held my shoulders as the sounds of the fight continued. Aro, Caius and Marcus waited across from us as one by one, the others leapt back onto the balcony. My heart should be slamming in my chest from worry. Felix was down there. But this was an easy win. He'll come back disappointed.
A woman's rough voice was heard. Profanities flowed out from her as she came into view. Demetri had her flung over his shoulder as he stood. She struggled to get out of his hold, but she was unsuccessful.
Placing on her feet, she faced us. Her eyes popped as she looked me. Her teeth were bare as she tried to run towards me, but Alec caught her by her throat. "It was her! She lured him here. Where is my brother?" Demetri and Alec held her arms and followed after the trio.
Felix, Emmett, Helena, Edward, Jasper and the others came inside. My eyes closed in relief as I saw Felix. He wasn't harmed. Relief colored his face as he saw me. Felix took me up in his massive arms, crushing me to his chest, lifting my feet off the floor. My face was tucked in his neck and my arms were under his.
Lifting my face, I looked over his shoulder to see Edward was looking at me. He nodded and walked away. In that moment, he knew. I was staying here. He knew that I made my choice and it wasn't him. Part of me wanted it to be Edward, but I couldn't. I love Felix more than anything.
In the main antechamber, everyone stood to the sides as Felix and Demetri held the leader of the wolves down. Alec stood behind her, using his ability over her. She was blind and deaf, until Aro and his brothers decided what to do with her. "Give me her hand," Aro ordered. Demetri raised her arm, extending her hand out to Aro. The reluctance was in Aro's eyes as he took her hand.
His head bowed as he took in all the information from her mind. The silence continued for a few more seconds as Aro raised his head and looked around the room. His hands were clasped together and his eyes were calculating.
With the slightest of movements, he nodded to Jane and she readied herself, as Alec released her. The woman shook her head in confusion and her body tightened from the cool hands that held her down.
The muscles in her arms tightened as she tried to get free, but it was useless. "I'll kill all of you! Blood-sucking demons!" She sniffed at the air and her head turned, "You two!" She was looking at me and Heidi. Heidi's body tightened from the accusations, "It was him who followed us here. Didn't you teach him anything?" Heat rolled off the woman, as the sound of snapping came from her. Ripping and snarling filled the chamber as an enormous wolf stood in the center of the room. My eyes widened, seeing the huge wolf. She stood taller than Demetri.
The silver wolf charged me and Heidi. Heat emanated from her as she stalked toward us. Heidi leapt out of the way. My body moved without thinking about it. The wolf pounced on Chelsea, but was quickly thrown across the room. A streak of silver flew until the wolf landed on its back, but it was very close to me.
Helena moved to stand next to me. She and I looked at each other, then to the massive wolf. Its silver eyes darted between the two of us. The wolf couldn't tell the difference between us.
Its eyes zeroed in on me and snarled. Without thinking, my hands pushed Helena away as the wolf pushed against me. Her huge paws slammed down on my shoulders, hitting my head against the floor. It didn't hurt, but it didn't help in the fight. The animal held me down. The heat from its body was all around me. My hands held the corner of her massive jaw as she snapped viciously at me.
The weight from the wolf was suddenly lifted off me. My body stood up to see Felix standing off with the wolf. He pulled the wolf off me and was ready to kill it. The wolf clawed at Felix's chest, but he caught the arm of the animal and flipped it over his massive shoulders.
The tumult continued and I watched, holding my breath. My hand clutched at my throat as I watched the wolf pin Felix against the wall with its two front paws. My limbs itched to cross the room, but Edward stood in my way, trying to hold me back, but he was too slow as I darted across the room and knocked the wolf off its feet. My arms were around it as it rolled across the floor. Gaining my footing, I throw its body crashed into the opposite wall.
Turning my back on it, I checked to see if Felix was all right. He looked at me as I reached for him. His crimson eyes looked into mine, seeing if I was hurt. His eyes were frantic with worry, watching me take on a werewolf. His hands held my arms, then his head snapped up and pushed me behind himself.
The wolf was coming towards us. My eyes met with Helena and I nodded. Pushing my shield into Helena's mind, feeling her increase her ability and it moved with my shield into the monster's mind.
The wolf tumbled onto its side as the searing, piercing noise filled its mind. Helena increased her power even more making the wolf howl in pain. The pained noise filled the room. Snapping of bones came from the wolf's body as she changed back into a woman. I took my shield from her mind, as the woman laid on the floor unconscious. Aro looked at the limp body of our enemy, "Felix, take her to the cells below. We will question her when she wakes up."
With a sneer, Felix lifted the limp body of the woman and flung her over his shoulder. No one moved except for him. I went with Felix below to the stone walls of the dungeon-like rooms. There were bars on the window that were as thicker than my arm.
He placed her on the ground and threw a cold blanket over her body. Her heartbeat was calm in her unconscious state. Felix stepped out of the room and shut the metal door. He turned to look at me, "Are you all right?" The sound of his voice sent a wave of calm through me.
Electricity charged between us as we looked at each other. His eyes smoldered into mine. Relief was all I could feel in this moment. Felix was alive and safe. He was here with me. Emotions overwhelmed me as my arms wound around his neck and I pressed my lips to his.
Felix's fingers combed through my hair, holding me to him. A tearless sob came from my lips. This night was horrific worrying that I would lose him. I was never as scared as I watched Felix fight those monstrous animals and see him protect me from one.
"I love you, Felix," I said in a heavy voice. His finger brushed my face, "I love you, Bella, so much." He pulled me back into his chest and my body melted into his. Felix held my lips again, then kissed my hair, "I wouldn't have let her near you." I kissed him again, "I know. I couldn't let her hurt you. I can't live without you."
He kissed me again and again, "I know what you mean. I promise I'll never let anything hurt you." There was one more promise I need from him. One that was vital to my life. "Promise me. Promise you won't leave me, no matter what. I need you. Please say you'll never leave me?" His arms wound around me, "I promise. You'll never lose me." His hand brushed back my hair to kiss me again. Charges surged through our lips as they were locked on one another.
Felix kept me close into his side as we went back upstairs. His hand held mine as we walked back into the antechamber. I smiled to myself, "What a way to celebrate our anniversary?" Felix looked at me, "It's one we'll never forget." Ion the main chamber, Helena stood in front of Aro. She looked back as Felix and I came in. Remorse was etched on her face. Aro looked up from Helena's hand to me, "Bella, Felix, there is something Helena wants to share with you." My body locked down, preparing for anything. All I wanted to hear was that she was leaving. I had a small amount of new found respect for her, but it wasn't enough for me to actually like her.
She turned towards us, with a faint smile. She cleared her throat and bit her lip. She looked exactly like me when she did that, "I was wrong for attacking Bella the day I arrived and I apologize. Working with her today was a way of apologizing. Bella," she breathed my name, "I was angry seeing you with Felix. But you're my granddaughter. I shouldn't have hurt you."
My eyes widened and she smiled weakly. We were related! I was Helena's descendent, "Since I was changed, I have kept track of my human family, down to you. I'm your eleventh great grandmother." My body went numb from this news. "We're related?" She smiled, "You're descendent from my son, Alexander. I knew the whole time. It's funny, if Felix and I were married, he would be your….."
I held up one hand, "Please don't finish that sentence." Felix held me against his side as I tried to hold myself together. Helena was my great grandmother. Why doesn't that surprise me? We look exactly alike and practically sound the same. It was no wonder that the wolf couldn't tell the difference between us. She and I were fighting over a man and she knew we were family. How much does family mean to her if she willingly hurt me?