AN: 2021 is upon us and I felt like surprising you all with a little update. I've spent quite a bit of time this holiday doing some research and building the rest of the storyline for My Headstrong Beta and its companion books My Sun and My Pack Protector (which will start posting once My Headstrong Beta comes to a close). As I've told you earlier, this book will end on a cliffhanger (we are still a few chapters away, don't worry). My Pack Protector will fill inn a few of the blanks leading up to book 3 of my little series.

I have another chapter of My Headstrong Beta ready to post and a new chapter in My Sun. However, because I'm participating in FAGE this year, a lot of my time has gone (and will g) to a brand new story I'm writing that will be posted in its COMPLETE state (not as WIP) in mid-February. I am very excited about it, but unfortunately I am sworn to secrecy until I'm allowed to post.

Anyways, as always

Enjoy!


My Trip to the Vault

Flickering my eyes to Jake's, I see that he's carefully considering every aspect of my decision. Deep inside, I feel my wolf rise yet again to her full height, showing her authority as she fixes her blue eyes on my cousin and his inner wolf. This time she isn't aggressive, but simply joins me in waiting for his response. It's clear that although he's made his submission to my wolf clear, he still holds the position as Pack Beta, and as such he deserves our every respect.

"We'll wait for Jared and Embry to return. We're not entering witch territory without sufficient protection."

His brown eyes boldly hold mine, proving his authority as he addresses me. Both my wolf and I nod, agreeing to his terms, successfully cementing a newly formed partnership. Realizing that there's more I need to share with him, I send Seraphina a silent request for some privacy. She immediately reacts.

"Kids, let's go and explore the backyard, shall we? Bella needs her own Circle of Elements so that she can practice her magic from home."

Sending her a grateful smile, I watch as they walk away, disappearing behind the corner of the house. Exhaling, I place my hands deeply into the back pockets of my jeans before revealing my suspicion.

"Edward Sr. and Elizabeth were here the day my mother's things arrived," I pause, watching him carefully as his expression turns grave.

"Jake, that man really hates me and he despised my mother."

My cousin's jaw tightens visibly and his eyes flare with something dangerous at my revelation.

"What are you saying, Bella?"

His voice is lethal, but for some reason it doesn't scare me. In fact, it only makes me feel stronger.

"What I'm saying, Jake, is that we need to consider that someone inside of the Pack could have been behind this. There are a lot of wolf-shifters that still don't respect me as Edward's mate."

My cousin releases a heavy sigh, but it's clear that he agrees with me.

"I'll put out some feelers and see if I can get some info. Unfortunately, since we're currently keeping this from Carlisle, there really isn't much we can do."

I nod my head, agreeing with his assumption.

"I know. I just wanted to give you all the details."

Jake places a warm hand on my shoulder, squeezing it affectionately.

"Always."

A small smile plays across my lips at his undeniable and never-ending support.

"Thank you," I whisper, slipping my arms around his waist for a short hug.

Just as I'm about to pull away from him, he tightens his hold to stop me.

"I know this is probably the last thing you want to do, but do you want to check out the damage one last time? Not for clues or anything, but just as a chance to say goodbye?"

Carefully considering his words, I take a moment to think it through before finally nodding in agreement. Together we walk over to the garage, Jake's strong arm wrapped around my shoulders, physical proof of his unyielding support. Although it's clear that Nessie and Alice have been hard at work trying to get it all cleaned up, the sight is still quite shocking.

"Bella!"

Nessie rushes over to me, the expression on her face revealing her concern for me. She doesn't reach out to hug me, even though I can see that the thought crosses her mind. Instead she practically freezes directly in front of me, sending me a shy and nervous smile. Meeting her gaze, I make sure to send her a small smile to reassure her that I'm okay. Her smile immediately widens before her large doe-like eyes flicker in Jake's direction, narrowing ever so slightly with a flash of anger, before they fly to the ground.

Interesting.

Shooting a glance at the man in question, I'm disappointed to find that his face is perfectly neutral and annoyingly expressionless.

Huh.

Distracted, I almost don't notice Alice walking out from behind Nessie, dragging a heavy garbage bag behind her.

"There's nothing salvageable in there, unfortunately," she reveals, regret clear in her tone.

She wipes her brow and motions to the many garbage bags scattered around the destroyed room.

"Edward's extra tires are even slashed, which is just-," her voice trails off, anger and frustration rolling off her in waves.

None of us say anything for the longest time.

"I know the boys did a thorough check before they took off, but we did a quick inspection as well, just to make sure."

Alice shakes her head, sighing heavily and I see Nessie's shoulders drop dejectedly as well.

"It's like they just appeared, destroyed everything and then vanished into thin air!"

I nod, unable to find a fitting response.

Luckily I'm distracted by the soft sound of footsteps coming my way. A particularly colorful curse alerts me of who it is before I've had a chance to turn and face her.

"Hey Phina."

"Bloody hell, Bella," she says simply, stopping next to me as her eyes take in the destruction.

I'm about to give my aunt a response, when I suddenly notice a rather obvious change in Nessie. Her entire body has gone tense as she stares suspiciously at Seraphina, her wolf flashing in her eyes as though she's seconds away from attacking. Jake must recognize the change in her as well, because in one commanding movement he steps directly into her personal space, forcing her line of sight to his. Deciding to help by distracting the others, I take my aunt's hand and lead her further into the garage, curling my arm around Alice's on the way.

"I have an idea," I reveal, making sure that I have their complete attention as I watch Jake tug Nessie safely out of the garage.

"Everything in here needs to be thrown away right?" I ask, speaking directly to Alice who quickly nods, confusion spreading across her features.

"It all needs to get packed up and thrown away. We could take it to the junkyard, but burning it would probably be the most effective, but it's a few more hours of work until we get to that point."

Seraphina's eyes find mine and I can see that she's latched onto my little idea. Her lips twitch with humor and a hint of excitement sparks in her expressive eyes.

"Hell yes!"

Alice startles at my aunt's sudden reaction, the clueless and confused expression making me smile. Feeling Seraphina's excitement begin to rub off on me, I allow that smile to widen before I raise my voice and shout out to my young cousins.

"Jane! Alec! Can you come here, please?"

I hear their response immediately.

"There's a perfect spot just before you get to your backyard," Seraphina breaks in as we turn to walk out of the garage to set our plan into motion.

Alice follows us, looking flustered, clearly not used to being held outside of the loop.

Exiting the garage, I see the twins running to meet us. Surveying the area I'm surprised when I find Claire and Quil watching us from the porch. Although they aren't who I'm looking for, I'm pleased to see them. Suddenly, I spot the top of Jake's black hair behind one of the trucks and realize that he still must be speaking to Nessie. Feeling my brows tighten together with concern, I do my best to wipe the expression from my face, pushing it away for the time being. Later, I will have to make sure to get some answers.

"So… How do you guys feel about helping me make a big ol' bonfire?" I ask, giving my two young cousins my attention instead.

§§§

Connecting to the Earth, I quickly prep the area while Alec and Seraphina work together to move everything out of the garage. As the peaceful, tranquility of the land takes over each and every one of my senses, I feel the stress in my body slowly begin to seep away. When I eventually complete my task, I linger for a moment, thanking the gods for this incredible gift. Slowly opening my eyes, I realize that I feel rejuvenated and strong. Unable to keep the smile from my face, I look over to Seraphina and Alec who both radiate the same kind of joy as they too finish their assignment. Glancing over at Jane, I watch in awe as she closes her eyes and begins moving her hands in a circular motion. Within seconds her blue eyes pop wide open, her attention drawn to the fiery orb blazing between her two hands. Cradling it like a beloved child, she strokes it lovingly coaxing it to grow larger. Then when she appears to be satisfied with its size she throws it dramatically into the air, where her mother and brother assist her by distributing it all over my mother's destroyed things, setting them aflame. Feeling the fire's heat wash over me, I watch in fascination as the flames devour the belongings, turning them all into ash.

"Looks like we arrived just in time for the party! Where are the marshmallows?"

Everyone immediately turns in the direction of the newcomer's voice, however Seraphina quickly covers her children's gaze when two good-looking, but very naked men walk out from the trees. Jared sends me a sly and confident smile, his blue eyes dancing with humor at the witches' obvious discomfort. Embry's face is deadly serious, however when Claire suddenly flings herself into his arms, I see a small break in his severe expression. Quil appears, throwing clothes in their direction as the rest of my company slowly gathers together around the scorching fire.

"Did you find anything?" Jake asks, directing the question first and foremost to his brother.

Embry shakes his head, placing Claire onto the ground as he pulls on some clothes.

"I thought I caught onto something, but it turned out to be a dead end."

Jake nods. No one says anything for a while, each of us staring blindly into the mesmerizing yellow and orange flames. Clearing my throat, I pull my shoulders back and look at Jake.

"It's time."

My cousin's eyes lock onto mine for a pregnant pause before he quickly fills Jared and Embry in on our little plan. The next few minutes are a whirl of logistics and coordination as we all try to come up with some kind of a plan. Seraphina's intimate and profound knowledge about the building is a lot of help and the twins are obviously excited about simply being included. Alice and Jared decide to stay home with Claire, but when Jake all but orders Nessie to do the same, we're all shocked into silence when she actually refuses.

"I want to go."

Her usually weak and shy voice is surprisingly strong.

"Vanessa-," Jake begins, but Nessie is quick to shut him down.

Turning her back to him, she surprises absolutely everyone by locking her fiercely determined eyes onto mine, addressing me instead of him.

"I know a lot about Pack history and I've studied every single war and treaty between the witches and the wolves. I know I can be of help, Bella."

She rushes through her statement, almost as though she's simply waiting for her newly found confidence to deflate like a balloon.

"My parents homeschooled me, but every week I had lessons with… uhm-," her voice breaks nervously and I can actually see the tension rise in her as her eyes flicker to Quil and Embry before rushing past Jake as they return to mine.

"Reverend Paul."

If I was shocked by Nessie's inexplicable change, it's nothing compared to the rage I see radiating out from each of the Swan brothers. I feel my jaw drop. However, with a wave of his hand and a strong look to each of his brothers, Jake skillfully diffuses the situation before it has a chance to escalate. A reaction that only makes my interest soar.

"No, not after what almost happened today."

My easygoing and sweet cousin has clearly been replaced by a stone-cold and commanding Beta. Even I can feel the dominant authority in his tone, however yet again, Nessie surprises me. Instead of immediately submitting to his will as any dutiful member of the Pack should, she reacts by doing the complete opposite. It's almost as though his assertive tone and command actually renews her rapidly abating confidence.

"My wolf won't be an issue, I swear."

The ardent promise in her tone does something to me and before I have time to really consider it, I'm nodding my head in agreement. Jake looks as though he's about to crack his teeth by how tightly his jaws are clenched. Glancing in his direction, I lift my shoulders in a quick "why-the-hell-not" shrug. My cousin's eyes burn angrily into mine, and although I can see that he clearly disagrees, he doesn't fight my decision.

§§§

We end up taking two separate vehicles. Quil hitches a ride with Seraphina and the twins, while Jake, Nessie, Embry and I take up the rear in Jake's enormous truck. The drive is silent and uncomfortably tense. Sensing that neither of the members in the car are open to talking about what's bothering them, I remain silent, swearing to investigate the matter further when I have time to speak to each of them in private. Thankfully, the ride over to the Coven library is relatively short.

Stepping out, I notice a strange surge of power. The air around me has an electric feel to it and there's a strange buzzing in my ear, reminding me of the very first time I met Aro and sensed his power. Moving my eyes over the massive, European and gothic style building in front of me, I realize that it's almost as though it is calling out to me, urging me to come in. Jane steps up beside me and sends me a knowing smile.

"Pretty incredible, huh?"

I bob my head in agreement, but find myself unable to speak. The pulsing, high pitch vibration and my desperate need for answers has my mind completely overwhelmed.

"Alright, so we'll all go in through the side entrance, but remember to stay out of sight until I've had a chance to explain. Caius scares quite easily and we need him to cooperate with us if we are going to have a chance at getting some answers," Seraphina reminds us, leading the way to the door in question.

She pulls a key-card out from her purse and punches in a code before the door clicks open. Alec takes the handle and holds the door open, his mother and sister the first ones to enter. Shooting Jake and the others a quick look, I take a shaky breath before I follow suit. The musky smell of old books fills my nose as I see rows upon rows with books lining the walls of this enormous room. Waiting for everyone to come in, my aunt quickly touches a finger to her lips, reminding us all of the plan we agreed upon. Motioning in a few different directions, she indicates where Quil, Jake, Embry and Nessie should go, making sure to keep them hidden in the shadows until we've had a chance to sweet talk Caius. Alec and Jane begin walking down the main hallway, creating a distraction. Sending Jake a confirming nod, I lock my shoulders back and make sure to keep my head held high as I step out of the shadows and join my aunt as we walk through the Coven library and slowly make our way to the Vault.

The soft clicks of my aunt's heels echo through the enormous building as we walk deeper into the far end of the library. Ahead of us, I can hear Alec and Jane talking, their bright and teasing conversation characteristically loud, alerting any- or everyone of our presence. Turning into a narrow passageway, I immediately notice a stark difference in the area we've just entered. The walls are curved, creating the feeling that the walls are curling around us and the lighting is much darker, due to the lack of windows and ceiling lamps. Even the books look older, several of them encased behind glass screens. Stunned, I see that in addition to books, the room is also filled by several historical artifacts, reminding me very much of an exhibit at a museum.

"Alec? Jane? What are you doing here at this hour?"

Hearing the unfamiliar, clearly British, male voice, I pause, stretching my neck to catch my first glimpse of the man we're here to see. I don't see much other than a head of gray hair and stereotypical tweed suit as he crouches down to meet the twins. Seraphina steps in front of me, hiding me from view as she greets him warmly.

"Caius, dear, how are you? Working late again, I see."

"Phina."

I can hear the open affection and obvious respect in his tone.

As my aunt hugs him, I finally get a good look at him. He's tall and quite lean, his circular glasses, and pale complexion completing his scholarly and academic look. He looks to be a little older than my father, his dirty blond hair peppered with grey. The kind and welcoming smile on his face, however, gives me the distinct impression of a teacher or professor of some kind. Focusing my attention on him even further, I catch a glimpse of what must be his element. Like my aunt and young cousin, Caius appears to be an Air Witch.

"You know me, Phina, I lose all sense of time when I'm back here," he replies with a light laugh.

My aunt expertly holds his attention, touching his shoulder affectionately as she turns him ever so slightly to the side, making it possible for me to move a little closer without him even noticing.

"You're here all alone as usual?" she asks, pursing her lips as she playfully scolds him.

He bobs his head and chuckles as though he has been asked the same question on multiple occasions. Alec and Jane inch their way to either side of him, subtly blocking his exit. Because of his rather extreme fear of wolves, we had no way of knowing how he would react to me, even though I was part witch.

"Caius, I'm here to speak to you about the Grimoires I mentioned over the phone," Seraphina continues, her expression turning serious as she discreetly tightens her hold on him, curling her fingers just above his elbow.

He reacts just as she said he would.

"Phina, what's wrong?"

The obvious worry and concern in his tone, gives me hope that even though we're basically ambushing this poor man, in the end he just might be willing to help.

"Caius, I'd like to introduce you to my niece, Isabella," my aunt begins, alerting him of my presence by glancing over in my direction.

As his gray eyes flicker to mine, I hold my breath and study him carefully as his eyes expectantly widen with fear. His body jolts as he recognizes what I am, a terrified expression spreading across his face. Raising both of my palms in front of me, a universal sign of surrender, I take a small step forward as I try to lock onto my magic, making it stronger.

"I'm not here to hurt you, I swear. I just want to talk."

Caius has just noticed Alec and Jane's strategic positioning and I recognize the rise of anger and betrayal when he realizes that Seraphina is also involved. His eyes move to where her hand is touching his arm and I can see his thoughts whirling when he understands that her touch is actually to keep him in place. Worried that this discovery will push him into panic mode, I quickly do my best to calm him down.

"I've been told that you knew my mother. Renee Swan? You knew her as Renee Dwy-."

"Dwyer," he exhales, the fear in his expression diminishing ever so slightly.

I nod my head and give him a reassuring smile as I make sure to hold his gaze, keeping my hands raised in front of me.

"I'm half-witch, half-wolf, Sir. You have nothing to fear from me."

He doesn't look convinced.

Sending Seraphina a look, I silently ask her to release the hold she has on him and she quickly complies. Alec and Jane also take a step back, giving Caius some much needed space. I'm pleased when he actually stays in place.

"If you focus, you'll be able to sense my magic, hear it's tone. I'm an Earth witch, like my mother."

I take yet another step closer.

"I can sense your powers just fine," he bites out, anger simmering through his tone.

Freezing, I decide it best not to push my luck and make sure to keep the remaining distance between us. Lowering my hands, I don't say anything for a while, allowing him a moment to process the situation.

"We weren't sure how you would react to her, Caius," Seraphina begins, her voice apologetic.

The look he sends her way shows that it will take a little more for him to forgive her.

"The Grimoires were stolen from my mother's possessions earlier today," I blurt out, needing him to understand the reason behind this encounter.

His attention flies back to mine, his expression one of pure shock and horror.

"We need to know who could have taken them and why."

I can see the wheels of his mind ticking as he carefully considers what I've just told him and what his options are. After a brief moment of silence, he surprises me with an unexpected question.

"Are you here alone?"

Studying him carefully, I decide it better to be honest.

"No."

He doesn't appear surprised, however, I can clearly see both suspicion and apprehension rise as he waits for me to continue.

"Jake, Quil, Nessie and Embry, you can come out now," I say, raising my voice ever so slightly.

Keeping my eyes locked on his face, I watch his reaction as each of them slowly step out from the shadows.

"They're not here to hurt you," I assure him, but it's very clear that he doesn't really believe me.

Yet again, I see that he is carefully considering his options. Taking his glasses off, he pinches the bridge of his nose before releasing a tired sigh.

"I'll need a drink for this," he mumbles, most likely to himself, before he pushes his glasses decisively back onto his nose.

Seraphina does nothing to hide her satisfied grin.

"You all keep your distance and don't make any sudden movements," he wags a finger at each of the wolf-shifters in the room, myself included.

"And don't touch anything!" he adds, turning on his heel, leading us further into the room as he mumbles angrily to himself.

Flickering my eyes to each one of my accomplices, I slowly nod my head in confirmation before following behind the man who I hope will give me some much needed answers.