It was quite obvious to Jacob which one of the approaching vampires was Aro as the Volturi stopped about ten meters away from where they stood. He was wearing the same sickeningly serene smile that Piero had worn when Jacob had first met him. It was just as unnerving as it had been then. Probably even more so. It wasn't like Victoria's smile had been, wild and feral. And it wasn't like Riley's smile, bloodthirsty and eager to kill. Aro smiled like he was hosting a party rather than preparing to destroy Jacob and his family. He was calm and serene, and that unnerved Jacob.

He saw the way that Aro was looking up and down their line of defense. Jacob didn't want him to have the first word, but he also had no idea what to say to this vicious and power hungry vampire that wanted to enslave Jacob's pack. It was like he was suddenly paralyzed in fear. He gave a mental kick to his inner alpha, scrambling to find something for Edward to say out loud for him. Aro made the decision for him, though, when his blood-red eyes fell on Piero.

"Piero." Sam snarled as Aro practically purred the name, and Jacob started to wonder how much of who Piero used to be was actually Piero and how much of it was simply an imitation of Aro. "Thank you for gathering the wolves," Aro smiled. "Though I must admit my confusion to seeing so many of our brethren here as well." Jacob was not fooled. He knew that Aro was quite aware of Piero's newfound stance. Jacob may not like Aro but he knew that so much power could not have been gathered through anything other than cunning and shrewd attention to detail.

When Piero made no move to answer, Aro chuckled before his face smoothed into a more stern expression. Jacob felt his blood run cold.

'How is Bella's shield?' he asked Edward anxiously.

'She's struggling to expand it. I'm not sure why…'

"Your defection and desertion cannot be ignored, Piero," Aro continued. "Surely you must know that punishment is necessary."

Sam let out another warning snarl, but Jacob heard Piero's thoughts in the newly formed mind link.

'Punishment…'

Jacob's head snapped over to look at where Piero was standing on the other side of Edward. If Jacob didn't know any better, he would say that Piero sounded almost…longing? Jacob looked back at Aro in shock.

Sam's reply was anxious and loaded with fear. 'Piero, no. Listen to me. No. You don't need to be punished.'

If the smirk on Aro's face was any indication, he was well aware of the silent communication.

"Piero, come to me." That damned lilting tone again. Jacob felt violent anger rising but fought to suppress it. He needed to keep a level head, now more than ever.

Jacob watched in horror as Piero lurched forward, stumbling before righting himself. Piero looked to Aro with wide eyes. Jacob could practically smell the terror radiating off of him.

'Mind control.' Piero explained to the pack.

'Who is it?' Edward asked, eyes scanning the Guard.

'I'm not sure. Aro didn't have this when I was last with him.'

Jacob started to panic, and lifted his paw to discretely nudge at Bella's leg.

The movement was not lost on Aro, though. He grinned and Jacob's stomach felt like it was trying to turn itself inside out.

"Ah, you must be the famous Jacob, yes?" Aro's smile widened as he eyed the close proximity between Edward and Jacob. "Edward's mate." That sounded a lot like a threat. Jacob's posture went rigid, his alpha poised for attack. But Aro turned his attention back to Piero before Jacob could give a warning growl.

"I said, come, Piero."

Piero obliged, fighting every step of the way.

'Piero!' Sam lurched forward and snatched at the back of Piero's shirt with his jaws, holding him in place.

'Release me, Sam.' The Imprint's command was strong and Sam whined low in his throat as his body moved to obey. Piero turned to face him, eyes flitting over to Bella before they came back to look at Sam.

'Stay, Sam.'

'Piero, please. Please don't.'

Piero hesitated, and it looked as if he might have broken free from whichever member of the Guard had their hold on him. He took a small step back towards Sam.

"Piero!" Aro's growl sounded out loudly in the otherwise silent clearing. "Come!"

'Bella's shield is holding!' Edward exclaimed.

But it was too late. Despite the fact that everyone else was now enclosed in Bella's protection, Piero was too far out of range. He let out barely stifled gasps as he tripped over to where Aro stood.

'Jake I can't watch this.' Sam was losing it. 'Give me an alpha command! Maybe it can override Piero's order!'

But Jacob couldn't do that.

'I can't have someone else outside of Bella's shield, Sam. Especially not a wolf. I'm sorry.' Jacob's heart broke at the despairing sound that broke from Sam's throat.

'You can't let this happen, Jake! Not again, not again, not again, not again…' Sam was working himself into a panic.

Jacob glanced over to Jasper, hoping to convey his request silently. Jasper nodded before directing his attention towards Sam.

'Not…again….n-not…again…' Despite his pleading words, Sam was slowly calming. Relieved to have some semblance of control back, Jacob looked towards where Piero was now kneeling before Aro with his head bowed in submission.

'Edward who is it?' Jacob asked.

'I'm not….There!' the image of what looked like twin vampires flickered through Edward's mind and Jacob immediately started scanning the Guard for the culprits. He spotted them standing behind Aro, flanking him. But soon they moved closer, one had her eyes focused on Piero, and the other was staring intently at Aro.

'They don't possess mind control powers, strictly,' Edward explained, face tense. 'Their Gift is some sort of mirroring effect. They can use another vampire's Gift against them. Damnit. That's probably why Bella was having issues with her shield.'

'What are they doing to him?' If Aro had that kind of power on his side he could regain control of Piero and force him to carry out his original mission.

'It seems they're trying to revert his loyalty back to Aro, but the Imprint is providing a kind of barrier. They—oh no…'

Jane was stepping forward, joining Aro and the twins where they stood. There was a disturbingly sadistic grin on her face.

'Jake do something!' Sam cried out. Jasper's powers weren't enough to hold back his despair anymore.

Jacob was at a loss. If he engaged in combat then it would surely be a bloodbath and the goal was to walk away with as many people alive as possible. And well…Piero had been a part of the Volturi. He had come here with the original intent to destroy the pack and enslave them. Jacob was somewhat ashamed to admit that if it had been any other person from their side, he probably would have already engaged. Especially if it had been one of the Cullens, Bella, or an Imprint…well, a real Imprint.

But now Jacob was frozen in place, unable to make a decision. He was riding completely on alpha instincts now and those instincts had no idea how to handle the situation.

'NO!' Sam's desperate cry made Jacob's heart break, and he watched in horror as Piero's body convulsed and spasmed on the ground, in agony under Jane's torturous gaze.

'They're trying to weaken him. To break down the Imprint's barrier more easily.' Edward continued to describe what he was hearing from the other side of the clearing. And while Jacob knew any information of the sort was invaluable, his own refusal to help Piero resulted in his feeling like the scene before him was playing out in a kind of macabre and disturbing narration. He couldn't imagine what Sam must be feeling right now. Well, he could. The unending distressed wails coming from the wolf's mind was indication enough.

'Jake,' Leah rang out as the voice of reason. 'If Aro does manage to restore Piero's loyalty to him, the pack will be in danger.' She was right. Every minute he spent uselessly watching in abject horror was a minute wasted. 'He's still Sam's Imprint, Jake. We can't let Sam go through this again.'

That settled it.

'Edward, order me again.'

'Jake?' Edward's tone was wary. Jacob turned to look at him.

'Order me again.'

Edward's expression sparked in realization but then he bit his lip, hesitating.

'If something happens to you—'

'Edward, order me again.'

There was clear pain in Edward's eyes, but he dutifully said the words.

'Jacob. I command you to never Imprint on someone else ever again, and never bend to the will of our enemies. You will come back to me, and you will come back to me alive.'

Jacob shivered as the intensity of the command fell over him. Confident in the protection it afforded him, he stepped forward and away from the protective enclosure of Bella's shield.

Immediately all eyes, including Jane's, were on him. He drew closer towards the enemy and the slumped over form of Sam's Imprint, knowing that if he wanted to communicate at all with Aro while maintaining any semblance of security as he approached, he would have to stay in wolf form. The only option was to let Aro touch him. Jacob went about setting up the mind blocks he had been practicing with Piero shortly before the Volturi's arrival. However, when he was about halfway across the clearing, Jacob heard a sudden disturbance behind him. He turned back towards their army, and his eyes widened in disbelief when he saw that Sam had broken free from Piero's order and was now charging full tilt toward his Imprint.

'Sam, no!'

Sam froze in place but the damage was already done. There were now two wolves outside of Bella's shield. And apparently that was all Aro needed.

"Now, Piero," he commanded quietly.

Piero whipped around to look at Sam. His glazed over eyes were wide and somewhat feral. His hand shot out in Sam's direction and immediately Sam's wolf fell to the ground, yelping in pain.

'Piero! What are you doing?!' He got not response. Not even any passing thoughts or images. Oh no.

The twins had ripped Piero out of the mind link. That must have been what set Sam off.

'Jake...' Sam's thoughts sounded broken and muffled, but he fought valiantly to communicate. 'New…Imprint. H-happening again…'

Jacob prepared to attack. This is what they had come here to prevent, and Jacob would be damned if he let any of his pack mates Imprint on this heartless, cold monster before him.

'Edward, send over Kate, Emmett, and Luna.'

But before Jacob could even make a move, an unfamiliar scent drifted on the wind. It got closer and stronger with each passing second and then out of nowhere a wolf shot out in front of Sam's twitching form, snarling and viciously snapping its jaws at Aro and the Volturi. But this wasn't a wolf from Jacob's pack. It was absolutely enormous, easily twice the size of Sam's own wolf. The fur was stark white and flickered oddly in the early morning light.

'What the—'

"I'm afraid I will have to ask you to stop that," a strange voice said from Jacob's left. He turned to see a vampire approaching; at least…he thought it was a vampire. They had the same pale and shimmery complexion, the same beautiful yet slightly predatory features, and the same sickeningly sweet smell. But the vampire's eyes…they weren't red or even topaz like the Cullens'. They were green; bright, vibrant green. What the hell? Jacob didn't have much time to ponder it because suddenly those eyes turned to Jacob and he immediately tensed out of instinct.

"Would you please assist your pack mate back to your family?" The vampire asked, gesturing to Sam's now-still body.

Jacob had a snap decision to make. Here was a wolf—probable ally, but also a vampire—possible enemy. Why were they here? Was the wolf another shifter? And where the hell had they come from? But in the end he accepted the suggestion to help Sam back to the safety of Bella's shield. Despite the urgent nature of the situation, Jacob was incredibly curious as to the identity of these newcomers.

Once Jacob and Sam were safe in the protected enclosure, several more strange white wolves came out of the trees as well as a few more odd, green-eyed vampires.

He turned to look at Aro, and was pleased to note that he did not appear at all happy with this interruption to his plan.

"I shall also have to ask you to restore that man's Imprint, if you would," the vampire said, pointing to Piero. Jacob's eyes widened. How did they know about Imprints?

When neither Aro nor the twins made any move to comply, the wolves that had emerged from the trees started growling lowly. Aro hesitated for a moment before making a small gesture with his hand.

Jane's gaze directed towards the vampire, intense and purposeful. The vampire simply laughed.

"I'm afraid that won't work on me, Jane."

Jane's eyes widened in disbelief. Jacob didn't blame her. Just how much did this vampire know?

"I will be happy to listen to any and all questions you might have, but I cannot continue until this man's Imprint has been restored and he has been reunited with his wolf. I will not ask a third time, Aro." The vampire's expression darkened considerably, no longer laughing. They were talking to Aro like he was some errant child on the verge of being punished should he continue to disobey. Despite the serious and frankly bizarre nature of the situation, Jacob wanted to laugh at the stricken look on Aro's face.

Clearly not wanting to admit defeat so soon, yet recognizing his loss of control in the situation, Aro gave a jerky nod to the twins standing beside him.

The two stepped away from the group with Piero in tow, moving towards where the strange vampire was standing. The vampire turned towards where Sam was perched right on the edge of Bella's shield. Sam was staring intently at Piero's limp form being dragged by the twins. Once they were close enough, Sam stumbled forward without waiting for orders and moved to get a closer look at his Imprint.

"I wouldn't," one of the twins cautioned. Sam snarled at her but she wasn't intimidated. "He's still under Aro's control until we switch it back," she explained, eyes flicking over to the strange vampire who was watching closely.

"Fix it. Now," the vampire demanded, voice cold.

The twins set to work. One had her gaze fixed on Sam and the other on Piero. Jacob watched in fascination as Sam's muscles slowly relaxed, and soon little whispers of Piero's voice were echoing in Jacob's head.

'…Sam…where's Sam…Sam…' Glazed eyes gradually cleared and Piero looked up from where he was slumped on the ground.

'It's okay, Piero,' Sam said. 'I've got you.' He moved forward, nudging his large head under Piero's arm and encouraging him to lean against Sam for support. Almost immediately, Piero's arms wound tightly around Sam, as if afraid to let go.

'For a minute I thought it was all over. I thought they had got me.' Piero's voice still sounded weak, but Jacob strongly suspected that was a result from Jane's torture and not from a faulty Imprint on the twins' end.

Said twins nodded curtly at Sam and then more cautiously at the strange vampire who was still staring them down.

"You may return to your master," the vampire said. The twins cowered under the vampire's gaze and quickly retreated to where Aro was waiting.

"You have what you wanted," Aro spoke up. "Now, answer me. What are you?"

The strange vampire turned to Jacob and gave a small smile and a wink before turning back to fully face Aro.

"We are the Custos, and we come from a colony far from here." The vampire answered.

"The Custos? What are the Custos? I've never heard of you before," Aro said, sounding wary.

"We have been on this Earth far longer than you have, Aro. Our colony is certainly large enough to overcome your little Volturi—" Aro visibly bristled, "—but we do not desire power or control. We simply wish to live our eternities in peace. We have allowed you to reign over the vampires of the world, but stealing wolves from their Imprints…this I simply will not tolerate. We are protectors of the Imprint, and what you have attempted is a grave offense that I simply cannot allow to go unpunished." Aro tensed at that, eyeing the large white wolves that were surrounding his Guard.

'Edward?' Jacob needed to know. 'What is he going to do?'

Edward's eyes were wide with disbelief. 'I…I don't know. I can't read him.'

Jacob's mind flashed back to the scene in Sam's kitchen when Piero first initiated the Imprint, how Edward hadn't been able to get a read on Piero then either.

'It's not like it was with Piero. It's like there's nothing there at all. Like with Bella…'

'What about the wolves then? The other vampires?'

'I can't read any of them, Jake.'

Well then.

Jacob got his answer about what exactly the strange vampire was planning to do when the vampire nodded to the wolf who had first leapt in to defend Sam. In a move so fast that even in his wolf form Jacob almost missed it, the white wolf darted forward towards the Guard. Before Aro could even twitch, twin shrieks of terror sounded out in the clearing and then were abruptly cut off. When the white wolf quickly retreated back to the strange vampire's side, they left behind the shredded remains of what looked like Jane and Alec.

"NO!" Aro cried out, dropping down to frantically run his fingers over the ripped flesh of his two favorite weapons. He whirled on the strange vampire, and Jacob could see the crippling fear in Aro's eyes.

'Shouldn't they burn them?' Jacob asked.

'It appears they don't need to,' Edward replied, eyeing the torn corpses warily.

"Run along, Aro," the strange vampire said, the command clear in their voice. "And should I get wind of another plot such as this, I will not hesitate to destroy your entire Guard."

It seemed that Aro's sense of self-preservation was stronger than that of revenge. Within moments he and the Guard were out of sight, retreating back to where they had come from.

The strange vampire turned to face Jacob, smiling warmly. "I think that went quite well," they said.

Jacob still wasn't quite sure what had just happened. The Volturi had actually run away.

"I have so many questions," Edward began, but the vampire held up a silencing hand.

"I would imagine so," they said. "However, we pride ourselves on keeping our identity and our location secret." The vampire looked to Jacob. "Since you are the alpha of this pack, I am willing to disclose some information to you, and your Imprint—" the vampire gestured to Edward, "—may join us. But I must ask that no one else listen into our conversation. We are a very private people."

Jacob turned towards the crowd around him. He was more than relieved that it hadn't come to blows, but now he felt rather silly keeping them all there.

"We can go to the cottage," Edward said, interrupting Jacob's train of thought. Jacob nodded.

'Leah, take the pack back to the Rez, I want everyone on border patrol. Just in case they decide to come back.'

'What about the other leeches?' she asked.

'They've always had the freedom to leave whenever they want. Let them go their own way.'

With that, Jacob turned back to Edward.

'This is weird,' he said, nodding to the strange vampire and the white wolf, both of whom were waiting patiently. Jacob guessed the vampire was most likely the wolf's Imprint.

'It'll be alright,' Edward smiled, reaching out and petting Jacob's muzzle. Jacob leaned into the touch, thankful to have survived the ordeal and thankful that Edward was still standing by his side. There's no telling what would have happened had the so-called Custos never arrived.

'All right. Let's go home.'