Nahuel was sitting next to me, legs crossed, when I opened my eyes. My distraction had served its purpose; he was still furious, but his anger was focused. I could almost see his thoughts. I shifted position, and he looked down at where I still lay.

"My Leah. Good morning." He smiled his perfect smile at me.
"Ah, where are Jacob and Embry?" I needed to clear my head enough to hold a proper conversation.

"Hunting. Jacob mentioned something about making Emmett jealous?" He raised an eyebrow. I shrugged. Must have been something between them. I moved my hand to touch Nahuel.

"How are you?" I asked quietly, worried I might upset his focus.

"Better. I have come to the conclusion that I am wasting my time with Joham. I am going to go straight to my sisters, warn them what is coming, and tell them to leave. Whatever Joham does is on his own shoulders." It was then I realized he was picking something apart.

"What's that?" I raised an eyebrow. It couldn't be what it looked like, surely.

"Bread." Huh. He had normal food! He passed me some, which I happily accepted. I was expecting to eat nothing I hadn't hunted while we were here.

"Where did you get this from? And why are you eating it?" I asked between bites. A small smile pulled up the corners of his mouth.

"I can eat it when I have to, remember; I didn't want to leave you to hunt. I got it from Huilen. She is disappointed with me, but she knows you are not like us. She thought it might come in handy." That seemed to me like a step in the right direction.

"What happens today?"

"I speak to my sisters today." Nahuel responded sadly. "Although I can imagine how they will react. Also, we have very little time. The Volturi could arrive at any moment." He looked thoughtful. "Maybe distraction would serve my purposes better." I couls see what he was thinking, if he could keep them away, without having to say anything... I wanted to say yes, yes to anything that made all this just that little it easier for him, but I knew it wasn't the way to go.

"They need to know, Nahuel." He nodded. He knew as well as I did that he couldn't make the choice for them, he could only try to convince them. He sighed.

"You are right, my love. It's just hard." I lay my head in his lap, and we stayed like that for a while.

"We should get this done." I said. I would have been much happier to stay where I was though.

"We? You will come with me, Leah?" I was a bit hurt that he was surprised by that, but I nodded as I stood. "Together, remember?"

"Of course. Together." He grabbed my hand, and lifted it to his mouth. Turning it over, he pressed a very soft kiss into my palm. "My wife." I shivered at the words. The most perfect words, from this, the most perfect man. I sighed happily.

"Blegh, break it up, would you?" Embry. More annoying than Seth and Jacob combined. "When's the real action?"

"You're a mess." I threw back. He was covered in dirt and leaves.

"Yeah, the hunting's a bit more energetic here." He laughed. I huffed in return. How childish.

"We should make a move." Jacob said. "We're wasting time. The faster we sort this out, the faster I'll be home to Nessie." I understood, but Embry just laughed again.

"I'm sure your little Nessie-poo will survive without you. In fact, I would think she'd be better off." He ducked from the punch Jacob aimed at him.

"C'mon children, time to go." I'd had enough.

* * * * *

"Ailin, this is not a fight you have a chance of winning. Would you drag Lican and Suyai into that?" Nahuel was beginning to sound defeated. He had been trying to talk sense into his sister for some time, but things were not going as hoped.

"I will fulfill my destiny, whatever the out come, Nahuel, I am a loyal daughter." She sneered at him. Then she turned her back, walking away to stand with Joham.

"It is not too late, my son." He hissed. "You can live up to what I expect of a son of mine. We can wipe away how disappointing you have proven so far. Stand and fight with us."

"No."

"On your shoulders be it." Joham shrugged and turned to leave, then stopped, listening. "It seems now is our chance. I hear them approaching." He grinned. "Ailin, do me proud." She nodded and stalked into the trees. Nahuel looked sickened.

"So now you offer her up as a sacrifice?"

"For her, dying in battle is not a sacrifice, son, it is an honor."

I wanted to scream at this insane man. How could he have created the wonderful man at my side? It didn't seem possible.

"Suyai. Please leave. Please." Nahuel turned to stare at his favorite sister, pleading with her to make the right decision. "Please, Suyai."

She looked from her father to Nahuel and back again. Her face fell.

"Nahuel, I..."

"She will stand with us, Nahuel, as she should. As you should. And your wife, if she was worth anything." I bristled. If it wasn't for the more serious issues, I would have phased and taken a swipe. He'd look much better with my paws ripping through him. I settled for a grimace.

"No, father, I will not." Relief flooded Nahuels face.

"Thank you, sister. Thank you."

Joham hissed again. "You are no daughter of mine." He turned his back to Suyai. "That just leaves you, Lican."

Joham and Nahuel both turned to face her, and her eyes darted between them.

"They will be here, shortly." Ailin had returned to the clearing we were standing in. Joham nodded at her. "Suyai has betrayed us." AIlin growled at her sister. "Another disappointment. Next time you will have to choose a better host for your creations." I was shocked. Even for all the painful and uncalled for things that had been said...that seemed to me to be too much.

"Yes, sister. Less like yours." Again I was surprised. Nahuel. I could hear a gentle whispering sound closing in. The Volturi.

"Lican!" Nahuel was sounding desperate now. "Think about this."

"Yes, Lican, think." Joham hissed. "We fight, your sister and I. My son stands against us. Who are you with?"

Her eyes darted back and forward again. "I..." her voice was surprisingly soft, weak almost. "I...

Joham and Ailin turned towards the sound. "We fight, Lican." Ailin threw back to her sister, and then they disappeared into the trees.

Lican's eyes followed them, confused and concerned.

Lican..." Nahuel said gently, but without much hope, his hand stretched out toward her. "Stay." She shook her head, as if clearing something out.

"I fight Nahuel." She whispered. She turned to the trees, taking a few steps, then spun back around, running to where we stood. "I love you brother. Goodbye." She kissed him quickly on the cheek, and then darted after her father.

"Lican." Nahuel sobbed. We all knew to follow meant death. I clasped his hand, but he pulled it free. "No!" and raced off into the trees after her. I was momentarily frozen. What was he thinking! He couldn't go - the Volturi! I phased. Or I tried to phase, but nothing happened. I tried again. Nothing.

"JACOB!" He loped out of the trees on the farther side of the clearing, Embry right behind him. "I can't phase!" I yelped desperately. "I have to go after him, though!" I could see the horror in Jacobs's eyes, I was sure he would be arguing if he could. I didn't care, I only needed one thing. "Back me up, Jake. You're my Alpha. I need you!" I didn't wait for a response. I ran straight into the trees after Nahuel.