Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter. Happy reading!

This chapter is written by Charlotte.

Chapter 25

Bella

"Shh, it's going to be okay, my love," Demetri said softly, holding me close and stroking my hair as I sobbed. The anguished screams of my dad and brother were tearing my heart apart.

"Why them?" I choked out, "They don't deserve this."

"Come on," Demetri said, pulling me down the hall and away from the room where my dad and my brother were dying, only to be reborn in less than twenty-four hours as vampires against their will. This had been going on for almost two days now, and every tortured shout and sob was a direct "all your fault, Bella," in my mind.

We had all been in the house when Demetri had received a call from Jacob, my cousin informing him that the pack had found a very fresh trail of vampire scent in La Push. Heidi had stayed in the house with us and Seth Clearwater, one of Jacob's pack brothers, had showed up in wolf form within minutes to guard the perimeter of the house. Demetri, Alec, and Felix had disappeared in a rush of air after Demetri had finished giving Heidi orders.

Less than a half hour later, Felix had came to the house with rumpled clothes and hair and smelling like ash, but otherwise was unscathed. "You all pack right now. We're leaving for Italy." When we had tried to ask questions, Felix's expression had shut us down almost immediately. "Pack only the essentials. That means to leave your shoe collection, Chala," he said, giving us a strained and non-reassuring smile.

The ride to Italy was the strangest, scariest twelve hours of my life. Alec flew the jet, Felix in the co-pilot seat. Chala, Hannah, and I were the only ones aboard. When I inquired after Demetri and Heidi, Felix told me that they were flying another jet to transport "everyone" else. Chala, Hannah, and I had finally crowded the cockpit to demand that we be told what was going on. Felix had sighed, sharing a worried look with Alec, and had come out into the cabin to talk to us. He had to catch me as my legs gave out underneath me as he spoke. My dad and Emmett had been bitten by vampires and were aboard the jet tailing us to Italy. Their only choice now was to become vampires. I screamed so loud Chala and Hannah had jumped away from me in shock.

Mike Newton had been killed. Aro had contacted a vampire ally in the Washington area and had asked him to fabricate a crime scene to explain Mike's death. We couldn't risk the trail if we took his body with us. I thought about how Mike had flirted with Chala on our first day at Forks High and his wide grin. He may have been an asshole, but he didn't deserve to be dead.

Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Tyler had been bit and were aboard the other jet as well, changing. Jacob was on a chartered flight to Florence and had apparently defied Sam's orders to stay in La Push, telling his chief that he had to be where his family was. According to Felix, Jacob was the rightful chief of the Quileute tribe and had passed the title onto Sam because he didn't want it, but had now used his power as Alpha wolf to defy Sam. I knew he was concerned about Charlie, Emmett, and I, but wondered if perhaps he was following another certain girl across the world.

Two Romanian vampires brothers named Vladimir and Stefan had been behind the newborn army and all the mayhem in Washington. Felix and Demetri had pinned them down with the wolves surrounding them lest they break free, and Alec had threatened to destroy them if they didn't admit everything. The Romanian vampires, ancient enemies of the Volturi, had been trying to provoke the Volturi with their attack on the humans at the bonfire. They wanted to destroy the Volturi guard members who were in Washington, provoking the rest of the Volturi to war with them and their newborns, and had hoped they had enough force to accomplish it at the bonfire. They had been wrong, and were now being held in the dungeon below the castle for Aro, Caius, and Marcus's final judgement.

I spent the remainder of the flight curled into a ball by the window, mostly crying and sleeping. Felix tried to get me to eat and drink, but I couldn't bear the thought of food. Hannah and Chala tried to comfort me, but I could tell they were pretty shaken up as well. I heard Chala say Emmett's name as she slept on Alec's lap when Felix had taken over flying. I was too distraught to wonder how Alec felt about it. Felix sat with Hannah for a few hours when Alec took back over flying. I don't think I heard her say a word the whole flight. You could tell she was most upset when she didn't speak at all.

When Felix let us know we were about to land on the landing pad outside the castle, I finally stirred from my ball and slowly went to the bathroom to relieve myself.

We unboarded, and the other jet was preparing to land. Alec handed us all earplugs and he and Felix started to heard us towards the elevator that would take us into the castle. The screams and sobs of the dying humans aboard the other jet reached my ears anyhow.

Tuesday morning began the last twelve hours. Although Chala, Hannah, and I refused to see any of the dying people locked away on the medical wing, Demetri informed us that they didn't have long left. Already, they were physically changing. I agreed to go see my dad and Emmett in that last hour so I could be with them when their hearts beat for the last time. In the meantime, Aro called a meeting. Marcus and Caius wished to speak with us as well as their wives, Athenodora, Didyme, and Sulpicia.

Demetri, Felix, Alec, Chala, Hannah, Jacob and I were all present. Jacob had been asked to come by Demetri, and I later would find out why.

"Daughter," Aro began, addressing me. I looked at him expectantly from my place at his right hand.

"Your father and your brother will be like us soon. As you know, they will be at their most bloodthirsty and mindless in their first year or so of life. You will not be able to see them after they have completed the change, for your own safety," Aro explained. I felt tears stinging my eyes, but nodded.

"We've called this meeting to make sure all of you are prepared to become like us," Caius said where he was seated opposite Chala, his eyes mostly on her, his adopted daughter.

"The plan was to change you all after graduation, perhaps not this soon, but circumstances now demand it. Bella, you have been a wonderful daughter to me," Aro said to me, smiling. "Now that your father and brother are becoming vampires, although it is in unfortunate circumstances, I feel it will be much easier on you to have a portion of your family with you."

I nodded. "You're right, Father."

"It is your choice and I want you to do what's right for you, but I will be overjoyed if you join me forever," Demetri said to me, kissing my hair from where he stood next to my chair.

"We want you apart of our family forever too, Sis. And we want our brother to be happy," Alec and Felix said in their own ways.

"My turn to talk," Jacob said sharply, standing to his feet and looking at me with crossed arms. I looked at him, already knowing what he was going to say and now realizing why Demetri had invited him. Demetri was so fair and kind that it amazed me.

"I don't want you to die," he said. "These beings you have come to know are dead. Forever. Regardless of if they are my enemies or not, that's true. I already lost my uncle and one of my cousins. I don't want to lose you too. You will be my enemy, Bells." His voice had become sadder as he spoke.

"I will only be your enemy if that is what you choose," I replied after a moment of silence from all around. Jake shook his head, wiped at his eyes and looked at Hannah, but she was staring at the table.

Alec spoke after a few moments of awkward silence. "Regardless of the problems we've had in the past, you are mine and I am yours," he said to Chala with a smile. "I love you and I will no matter what you choose, but I want you forever." Chala smiled back and grabbed his hand.

Felix looked at Hannah until she looked up at him from where she had been staring at the table. Tension grew heavy in the air. They stared at each other for several long moments. Hannah's eyes were wet and her lower lip trembled a bit. I watched the two in shock. What was going on?

Finally, Felix broke the silence, his voice soft and low. "I love you. And I want you to be happy. No matter what."

Hannah opened her mouth to reply, closed it. Looked at the table, up at Felix. Looked over at Jacob, back at the table.

"Daughter?" Marcus whispered.

"She is my imprint," Jacob said suddenly.

We all shared confused looks.

"What the hell is that?" Felix said, rocketing to his feet.

Jacob ignored Felix, and stared at Hannah. Hannah covered her face with her hands, beginning to cry.

"Hannah? What's wrong?" I asked my friend, coming over to her and touching her shoulder. Chala came over as well.

"Imprinting happens between a wolf and his soulmate," Jake explained, still watching Hannah as she cried. Felix crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Jacob with so much heat I was surprised flames didn't burst out of his eyes. "When I first met her at World Competitions, I hadn't phased yet, but when her and Bella came to my house that first day… I saw her and it happened."

"I don't understand," I said to Jake.

"Ditto," Chala said.

Every vampire in the room nodded.

"We don't know how it happens, or why," Jake said, looking at the floor now. I was surprised at his show of uncertainty, of discomfort. "But it is the most powerful relationship in a wolf's existence. We will be whatever she needs, and love her more than any other. It's something I cannot help, but she's my mate. When I saw her that day, my whole universe narrowed down to her eyes."

"Hannah? What do you have to say about this?" Felix said as he looked at her, his voice taking on a softer tone, although his pain was apparent.

Hannah finally looked up, her face stained by tears. "I feel it. I can't help it. I'm sorry," she said, her eyes turning from Felix to Jacob. Jacob closed his eyes with a shaky, relieved sigh. Felix nodded once and disappeared from the room in a streak of color.

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