Bella

Demetri was gone again. I could feel him getting farther away from me. I wondered what job he was off on, but since he didn't offer the information I didn't ask. I only hoped he would be home to me soon. I looked at my ring. It was stunning. I would plan the wedding while he was away to distract myself.

We had agreed to use one of the gardens. I preferred the east gardens. He preferred the west. As we were getting married at sunset I would agree with him on using the west gardens.

First I had to see Aro. I waited till morning, right before I was supposed to be in the training room, and went to the throne room instead.

"Master Aro," I asked as I walked into the throne room. Their thrones had been replaced with newer models.

"Yes, young Isabella,"

"I would like to ask if you would preside over Demetri and my wedding."

"I would be honored young one," Aro responded.

"I see you are using the time Demetri is away to plan for your wedding," Marcus said, sounding less disinterested than usual.

"Yes, Master Marcus,"

"I think young Jane has wedding plans for you to see to today as well," Caius said.

"I'll check with her in the training room in a moment, Master Caius,"

"Dismissed young Isabella."

"Thank you, Masters."

I made it to the training room just two minutes late. Everyone was there. Felix was in charge of training.

We sparred and it was a good distraction from my missing Fiance' but I was distracted. It was harder to keep my focus.

I got taken down more than normal. By the end of the day, I was frustrated.

Jane came to take my hand, "We have an appointment today," she almost sang.

"Who with?" I asked.

"Come with me," she led me to my rooms and then went to fetch someone.

"This is Julia," Jane introduced the small vampire woman. "Since you have such specific wants with your wedding dress I had a designer come to design your dream dress for you."

I hugged Jane tightly and we started to work as Jane went to fetch Alexis, Chelsea, and Reneta.

We worked for hours. Getting a design for the bridesmaids and finalizing my design for the perfect wedding dress.

"You want pearls under the bust line," Julia confirmed.

"Yes please." I agreed.

"Ok, I think that's all I need to get started on the dresses. I have all of your measurements and we have months to get them fitted yet."

"Thank you so much for all your help. You're such an artist. They are going to be beautiful."

Julia stood. We all stood with her. She gathered her sketchbook and shook all of our hands, "It's going to be a pleasure to work with all of you.

Julia left and we all went to the recreation room. I was ready for relaxing and maybe a glass or two of wine.

We spent the rest of the night watching romantic comedies. Eventually, even Felix left us to our girl time. It was fun, and it helped so much with the jitters in my stomach that told me my Demetri was probably in danger.

Demetri

I arrived in Alaska and traveled to the tribe border waiting on one of the shape-shifters to smell me and come investigate. It didn't take long. A large white bear approached me and I bared my throat in time-honored tradition when coming to negotiate with the shape-shifters.

"I have an appointment with Johnny H, my name is Demetri," I told the large bear.

Soon there was a naked man standing before me. "I am Hulan, I will take you to him."

"Thank you, you have my word no harm will come to you or yours from me."

I stepped on tribal grounds for the first time in my over two thousand years. I approached a small house where an unassuming man stood stoically outside.

"I am Johnny H, the leader of all the shape-shifter tribes. You come to seek an audience with me to issue invites to a wedding?" He asked with disbelief.

"I am Demetri, tracker for the Volturi, and I have come to seek your permission to travel to the Quileute tribe in Forks, Washington. I wish to invite the entire pack to my wedding."

"Why would a vampire wish to invite the wolves to Volterra?"

"Your Quileute shifters saved my mate's life. I have received permission from my leaders to not only inform the tribe she is safe and well but to invite them to my wedding to my mate, Bella Swan, which will be taking place in a few month's time. I give you my word and the word of my Masters that no harm will befall them and that they will be honored guests at the festivities."

"Young Bella Swan was a challenge to protect. She was surrounded by vampires on all sides. It is sad that she has become one of you."

"She is very happy, safe, and well. I will protect her with my own life for all of eternity."

"Will you tell me how all of this came about?"

"I am afraid it is a long story, do you have time to hear it."

"I do."

I told him the entire story, leaving out no detail. I included the good and bad, not glossing overall we had to do to get her where she was today. "...and she has no idea that I am here."

"She was a challenge to protect, but I will grant permission on one condition."

"I will grant your condition if I can."

"I want to be with them to protect them." Johnny H said.

"I would be honored with your attendance, " I said seriously. "and their safety, as well as yours, is guaranteed."

"Very well, Billy Black is the tribal elder you need to speak with, you have permission to enter tribal lands with an escort to speak with him, I will not allow the entire pack to go but they may send up to five representatives. I can't leave the tribe unguarded."

"Thank you, Johnny." I held out my hand for him to shake. He took it firmly. Our gazes met and held. "I'll take my leave now."

"I'll have Hulan see you back to the border."

"Thank you for your courtesy."

I headed back to the airplane and headed for Forks Washington.

Once I landed again I took a deep breath. This tribe had many problems with vampires. They weren't used to negotiating with us. I thought that they would be more hostile to me than their leader.

I took the rental car and parked it at the old Cullen mansion.

I ran to the boundary line and sat to wait so I would seem less of a threat.

It was only minutes before a big black wolf was right in front of me. "I have permission from Johnny H to enter tribal land with an escort to speak with Billy and Jacob Black and the pack. I will stay here while you call him to confirm if you like."

The wolf transformed into a naked man, who pulled shorts off of his ankle and put them on.

"My name is Same Uley. I am the pack alpha until Jacob black takes over. I have someone calling Johnny H, they will be with us soon."

I didn't move from my seated position. "I will wait until you are ready."

A russet brown wolf approached and transformed into a young man. "He has permission, with an escort to enter tribal lands to speak to the pack and my father. Call them all together."

"The man changed back into the russet wolf and I stood slowly."

He growled. I bared my neck. "I promise no harm will come to you or yours from me."

"Come on cold one," Sam Uley said. "It is not far."

We walked through the woods slowly and the village came into view. "We will meet here as humans," Sam told me outside of a red house whose paint was flaking in areas. "Billy is in a wheelchair and can't go out into the woods."

I sat down again and waited. Sam looked at me and sat cross-legged with me. "You are the first vampire to be granted permission from Johnny H to cross onto our lands."

"I expected your pack to be more hostile because of the trouble you've had with vampires."

"What do you know of our trouble."

"I will explain the full story to the gathering if it's alright with you. It is part of why I am here."

A man in a wheelchair rolled out onto the porch and stood staring at me. Then in ones and twos, the wolves began to arrive until they were all there.

"We will speak as men," Billy black ordered and one at a time they changed, except for a small grey wolf who took off into the trees and a woman came back in t-shirt and shorts."

"This is a long story but first I would like to offer you all my thanks for saving my mate's life. I have come to invite up to five of you, including Jacob Black to my wedding."

"Who is your mate cold one?"

"Bella Swan."

One of the wolfmen changed forms. Sam barked out "You will change back or you will remove yourself from this meeting."

The wolf ran off into the woods and Billy Black spoke again. "What do you know of Bella Swan's story,"

It was a long time before I finished telling the story. I started with the day Bella appeared in Volterra and went to the last moment I saw her.

"That is what I know of Bella Swan's story," I concluded. "You all are responsible for me finding my mate because you made sure Laurent couldn't kill her. I am in your debt. I can only have five of you come to my wedding, but I would be proud to have you all."

"That sounds like something Bella would do. She always did play the martyr and try to protect others from danger. I'm Jarrod," the young man said.

"Yup," the man who was the Russet wolf said, "That was my Bella. I'm Jacob Black."

"What do we tell Charlie," Jacob asked.

"You can't tell Charlie anything," Sam said, "or he would share Bella's fate, changed or dead."

"I only have permission to tell your elders and the pack," I said.

"So the Cullens are really gone?" One of the boys asked.

"Yes, the Cullens are really gone. Only Jasper Whitlock still lives." I informed them again. The Cullen really were hated by this group.

"You mean Jasper Hale?" Sam asked.

"Yes, that is the name he was known by here."

"And Victoria is dead too?"Jacob Black asked.

"Yes, she is dead."

"We would like to think about this and make our decision. Could you give us privacy to discuss?"

"I can either go to the Cullen house and wait for you or I can go back to Italy and wait for you to call me."

"Please leave your number with Sam. We will consider your offer and get back to you." Billy Black said.

"Thank you for your time."

"Thank you for bringing us word of the fate of Bella Swan"

I stood slowly and gave my card to Sam.

"I will escort you back to the border."

"You know Jacob was in love with Bella?"

"I could tell. She cares for him very deeply but she didn't share his...adoration. However his name was one of very few she wanted to remember when she changed."

"Out of curiosity what did she want to remember?"

"She wanted to remember Charlie, Renee, Jacob, the pack, and not to trust the Cullens." I recited.

"You love her very much," Sam said.

"I am hers for eternity. It's much like your imprinting if her stories of Jacob's impressions of it are accurate. From the time I tasted her blood, there will never be anyone else for me. If she dies, I follow."

"And what do you do for the Volturi?"

"I am a tracker."

"Like James?"

"From what I understand James relied on getting Bella to come to him. I can find anyone I've ever met, except Bella. I can't track her with her shield."

"Bella is one of a kind," Sam said.

"Yes, she is" I agreed with a smile.

"This is where we part. How long do you intend on staying in the area?"

"I leave as soon as I run back to my car. It is on the Cullen land. If you ever find yourself in need of my help, Sam, don't hesitate to call. You have a friend in Volterra."

"Thank you," Sam offered his hand and I shook it firmly.

I turned my back on Sam and ghosted through the woods back to the Cullen house to my car. While I was driving back to the airport I called to have the plane readied. I was going back home to my Bella.

Credit for Annie and Johnny H goes to airedalegirl1