Victoria had returned to find her first creation, Riley, and three other bulky males had disappeared. None of the remaining wild newborns knew where they had gone. They could only think of getting blood when questioned.

She screamed in anger.

She had never stayed with those she had bitten. She wouldn't allow herself to care for any of them. To her, they were tools to meet the end. She would disappear for days to another part of the city where she would mourn her lost mate in peace. In his memory, she would keep kidnapped humans. She tortured them for weeks and bled them dry slowly and painfully until their end.

Some were turned to join her wild ones, others simply died.

She had put in much effort to prepare Riley to lead the damned ones to their death; either by the yellow-eyed vampire's hands or the Volturi when they wreak havoc in the area after she releases them. She had planned to lead them towards the small town and pass through to the South. She wouldn't join in the fight. Her broken heart was much too heavy.

She only wanted solitude to nurse her pain.

She knew that if any of the golden-eyed ones survived, they would exist watching over their shoulders for eternity; wondering when she would return to finish the job. She didn't think she would be able to though. She was broken without her James. She felt weak.

Without Riley and the three, she stayed with the wild ones a few days. She wouldn't change her plans. She turned a few more humans who would certainly die soon as they opened their eyes to the new world in the fight. She refused to care; even for the smallest girl in her group whom she couldn't torture or kill when she had kidnaped her. The girl, Bree, had facial features that reminded her of her James.

She cussed. She shouldn't have cared to know her name.

-0-0

Renee had sent Bella a text message two nights before graduation day. Phil had broken his leg and couldn't travel; therefore the two wouldn't attend her graduation at Forks high. She had stared at the message on her phone for the longest time, undecided how to feel about it. She was disappointed in her parents, a little sad and angry too. It seemed Renee's distaste for the rainy town wouldn't allow her to recognize the importance of the event in Bella's life.

Bella took a deep breath and snuggled into Edward's side. He had read the message over her shoulder and knew it upset her. His mate had been concerned about leaving her with good memories of her last days as a human, Alice had delayed her change to wait for her friend – it seemed her parents didn't care enough about the same to him. He decided to talk Bella into telling them about their engagement soon. They needed to wake up. She would no longer belong to them in a few months. She would be his.

While his anger at Bella's parents simmered below the surface, he was alerted by Alice's dreams in the early hours of the morning. They suddenly changed from the usual pictures of herself and Bella as vampires, their wedding and lives. Just as Edward was shocked to see the two friends running through the forest at vampire speed with a small child – who could run as fast – Victoria invaded the dream. This time she was in a different place, exiting from the waters with her followers.

"Don't wake her Jasper!"

Edward barked as he rushed to the room opposite theirs on the top floor. Kate and Irina followed inside Jasper and Alice's room to stare at the sleeping human. It was clear she was uncomfortable and Jasper hated their intrusion. His eyes were locked on Edward's – waiting for him to finish reading her thoughts so he may comfort her.

"The red head has changed plans. She will come from the waters onto land in the dark. She still has others with her. The wolves will attack but the numbers of the vampires are too many for them. They are unpractised. Not one can fight a single opponent alone. Many will get past them to the territory. They seem crazed and thirsty thirst but they do not feed. The red-head will lead them here. She disappears…"

Edward was over-analysing the dream and Jasper knew it.

"When Edward? Find the time, Alice is strained."

He pushed, snapping Edward's focus back in place to search for any markers instead of focusing on the actions of the people in the dream.

"We are dressed differently. There is nothing unusual here."

Emmett cussed. All the vampires had gathered in Jasper's room. Esme worried for Alice. She itched to comfort her but understood it was important to let her dream continue.

"Wait; there is heavy smoke in the air at the reservation from a dead fire – it was a very large fire. There are logs and stones around it. There is a collection of dirt bags near it. Dogs are gathered near the bags, picking at the bones piled to the side."

Edward's eyes snapped up to Carlisle.

"We will go to warn the Quileute. Unless they share large meals like that on a daily basis, I'd say we have some sense of time."

He touched Eleazar's arm and the two left; followed out by others. Alice was calmer. Jasper kept her asleep wrapped in a bubble of love and comfort. Her dreams had turned to shopping for clothing.

'What is it brother?'

Jasper asked Edward silently after sensing his unsettled emotions. Instead of an answer, Edward grabbed Aice's drawing pad and started to draw quickly. Jasper was stunned at what he saw.

'Is it vampire?'

Edward nodded.

'This is against the rules Edward. It will not be allowed.'

Edward nodded again in agreement.

'You couldn't see which of our mates it belongs to?'

Edward shook his head 'no'.

He agreed with Jasper completely. Even if the child vampire was not made by any in their coven, they would be punished for allowing it to exist and associating with it. He and Jasper would have to be firm with their human mates and refuse them this one thing. He had not heard any such thoughts from Alice before and Bella seemed to keep things in until they reached boiling point before speaking her mind. His assumption was that it was his Bella who desired a child. She had always cared for her parents and her friend. He sighed in sadness. This weighed heavy on his heart.

'Brother, listen to Rosalie and the other females too. They also have reason to want it and the means to make it.'

Jasper thought to him as he walked towards his room. He also let Edward know that he will not have Alice associate with it or anyone whom it belonged to He would take her away from the Cullen family if he had to.

Edward was relieved that Jasper did not assume to place the child with his Bella. It was true that the other females in the house could be responsible. They had lived long enough with this one desire all vampire females were denied. He found Bella awake, sitting up on their bed when he returned.

He filed all thoughts about Alice's vampire child dream away and updated his mate on the morning's events. They comforted each other and talked until Carlisle and Eleazar returned.

"We are needed in the living room."

Edward wrapped her in a night gown and carried her to join the family meeting. He already knew all that Carlisle and Eleazar had learnt.