"So besides Irina being mated to Laurent previously, what else aren't you telling me?"
All heads except Bella's whip to Edward, who dares to look unapologetic. He kept his eyes on Irina, definitely enjoying the look of pain on Irina's face.
The moment Bella said his name, a force sank down on her and she released her hand off Bella's. A feeling of betrayal strikes her. She glares at Edward, having a silent conversation with him.
How dare you! That was a conversation meant between me and her. You had no right.
"Does she not have the right to know?" Edward questioned her.
Bella's eyes never stray from Irina, waiting to see her answer. Irina wishes the Earth could swallow her whole. She knew this question would come, Bella had asked of it in the hospital. Not matter how much she tries to phrase it, the answer could never not hurt her Isabella.
"Were you ever going to tell me about him?" Bella asked in a soft whisper, her eyes casted down in sadness.
Automatically Irina reaches forward once again and gently holds Bella's face in her hands, pained golden eyes looking into broken brown ones, "One day, yes, Isabella. I didn't want it to be out too soon. I wanted our bond to be stronger first. But Edward had taken that chance away from me."
Irina nods slightly at Kate and her sister proceeded to shock the prick at his head and she laughed histerically at the suffering Edward. Tanya had warned her to control her anger while they are having the discussion. Kate promises nothing. And so she agreed to behave but upon Irina's request, she will gladly torture the rightous vampire. Seeing as Tanya merely raises her eyebrow instead of chastising her, Kate smirks knowing she has gotten their leader's approval for this. But of course Carlisle steps in and requests they do not harm his son until everything is resolved.
Wow she thought. She realises her cousin Rosalie wasn't being her melodramatic self when she said her parents often turn a blind eye over Edward's wrongdoings.
A tear falls down Bella's eye and Irina quickly wipes it away. She sniffs and pushes the lump out of her throat. "So Edward was right about one thing then? That your claim on me as your mate was false. That I am yet another virgin conquest of the Denali."
Irina, Kate and Tanya growled at Edward. Esme gasps in shock and turns to her son, "Edward! Why did you spew such lies? I'm very disappointed in you!"
Wide-eyed, Edward feels the disappointment coarsing through him and he realises it's Jasper's doing and he almost buckled at the weight of it. He shakes it off and looks back at them, "Vampires only have one true mate. Irina and Laurent had claimed one another. Look at the bite mark at the tip of her shoulder!"
Wordlessly Rosalie flitted to her brother and steals a punch at his face. The cracks appear on his left side of the face and it stings, the force was strong and being held down by two of the strongest vampires here made it worse.
Bella has her eyes closed. Her nightmare is coming alive. But the need to know kills her and she asks Irina to show it to her, right now. Crestfallen Irina looks like a trapped prey. "Isabella, please... It does not change how I feel about you, how I know you are my mate."
"Show me," she stopped crying but demanded nonetheless. The coldness in her voice gives Irina shivers, the worst kind. Even in his death, Laurent was still breaking her heart, Irina thought. Abiding to her mate's wish, she pulls down the shirt and shows it to Bella.
Knowing about it is one thing but to see it with her own eyes, Bella's heart breaks further. It looks similar to one that she has from James' attack. Unconsciously Bella rubs the still obvious scar on her wrist left by her hunter, James.
"Why do you do this? Give me hope and then break my heart? I'm not even sure which is the worst part - you lying about our mating bond or the fact that the Denalis in a way aided Victoria through Laurent."
Tanya winced at what Bella insinuated. Suddenly her adoration for the young Cullen dries out. Rage fills her. But no matter how hard she wants to blame him, the Denalis are equally to blame. It was not their best decision yet. She had empthised with her youngest sister then because she knew how cruel fate had been to them. They lived over a thousand years mate-less and then to have someone like Laurent join them, a vampire whom Irina loved, taken away by mutts. So she blindedly sided with her sister, disregarding the human's life at stake. It doesn't matter if they didn't know Bella back then. They opted this diet to stop taking lives. Walking away from the Cullen's cry for help was almost similar to killing Bella. She had regretted it so much especially after getting to know the human. It made her feel like they're somewhat the same as the Volturi, with no regards to life.
But she needs to correct this matter fast.
"Bella, Irina's not lying about you being her mate. Jasper?" She turned to him for help. Emmett quickly takes his place next to Edward and Jasper approaches and kneels down in front of Bella.
Before tonight, she had worked on some strategies on how best to approach this subject matter. Tanya enrolled the help of the seer and the empath.
"If you allow us to, Jasper will projects onto you Irina's feelings. One was what she felt for Laurent and the other is what she feels for you. Jasper had been present for both times and therefore able to capture them. Will you let him?"
Bella hesitates, thinking it would only crush her further to know that Laurent was her real mate instead of her. But one pleading look from Rosalie from across the room and she agrees.
"Before we begin, prepare yourself Bella. Vampire's emotions are multiplied by those experienced by humans. So if it gets too strong, just squeeze my hand," Jasper warned. "The first one is her feelings for Laurent."
Bella places her hand onto Jasper's and he carefully projects it onto her. Wary, desperation, loneliness, one-sided love; she feels all that. She nods to inform Jasper that she's unhurt.
"This is what she feels for you now," Jasper reached Irina's hand with his other hand so Bella knows the projection comes directly from the source.
It feels like a storm, heavy. It also feels like the ocean, deep and mysterious. It feels like flying, untouchable. It feels like a peaceful day after a storm. And that it multiplies and Bella whimpers in pain and Jasper quickly stops while Irina brings Bella to her chest.
"Fuck."
Irina chuckles, "Fuck indeed. That's how strong it is, Isabella."
Tanya sits down on the couch and leans into Bella, "The Cullens are not aware of this but it is possible for vampires to have more than one mate at one time. Rare but possible. We had met quite a few pairs."
The Cullens are all shocked while Rosalie is frozen as a statue.
"Bella, even humans sometimes practice polygamy. Why would it only be limited to vampires?" Kate interjected, which gave Bella all the more wrong impression.
"So if Laurent was still alive, that's how it would have been between us? To split Irina between him and I?"
Tanya rolls her eyes at Kate. This is why she told Kate to shut it mostly during meetings. Her lack of words often lead to misunderstandings which often leads to vampire battles.
"Isabella. Eventhough he and I were mated, it hadn't felt that way. I promise you, if he were alive today, I would choose you and only you. Because I feel so strongly that you are my true mate. And I'm so grateful I found you."
They're at a crossroad now. This is when Bella has choose. Her eyes flicked to Irina and Rosalie. But of course the moment is interrupted when Edward interrupted them.
"It still didn't change the fact that it was your coven that had put Bella in harm's way! You told Victoria's former coven mate about our gifts and even supplied him the knowledge of the pact we have with the shifters. You turned away when we pleaded for your help with Victoria's newborn army. You even demanded to have the shifters killed!"
Bella recoils at this reminder and scoots further away from Irina. She whimpers at the loss of contact.
"I may not be good for her but at least I always try to keep Bella safe. My family and I protected her when your coven puts her in harm's way, twice at least."
"Is that what you're trying to do now, Edward? And all of this heartache you're putting everyone through is because you want to protect her?" Kate barked, having enough of his poisonous words. If it were up to her, she would beheaded him the very first chance she gets. Because every fucking time he opens his mouth, either Bella or Irina gets hurt.
"Yes! I'll protect her soul from you succubus!"
"Really? Or did you just want her all to yourself so you can finally sink your teeth into your singer's neck and bleed her dry?"
To prove her point, Kate shows him images of Bella drenched in her own blood, her neck exposed. The reminder of the night when James bit her floods onto his memory. He flashes back to when he had a taste of Bella's blood.
It was wonderful.
She tasted sweet.
He had lost control and almost sucked further if it wasn't for Carlisle's intervention. His eyes turn black once again and all he sees is red. Everyone else seems blurry in his sight except for one; Bella.
Blood.
He wants it, her blood.
The instinct of a vampire takes ahold of him and he jumps and forcefully knocks Emmett's unready head with his, effectively releasing him from his brother's hold. But Kate is a very experienced warrior and she had anticipated this so she quickly jumps onto his back and locks his head with her strong arms. She would have gone for the kill if Tanya had let her but she's very much in control and respects her leader's order. Instead of ripping off his head and be done with it, she turns her power full blast and shocks him until he grows limp and drops to the floor.
Jasper immediately jumps on top of Edward to pin him down and Emmett stomps on his right leg and rips it apart so he couldn't move. Kate lets him go, feeling disgusted to be near the asshole and allows the boys to take over.
Meanwhile, Irina has taken Bella into her arms and speeds outside the house, with Rosalie on their tail with a thick blanket.
"What was that!"
"Proof that it was only a matter of time until his true intention showed itself," Rosalie sighed and draped the warm blanket around the human in Irina's arms.
"It's okay. You're safe, Isabella," Irina whispered after hearing Bella's frantic heartbeats.
There's more commotion inside and she hears some noise before Carlisle and Tanya approach them. Sensing two other vampires, Irina snarled at them. They both put their hands up and slowly bring Irina out of her protectiveness.
"Irina, calm down. It's just Carlisle and Tanya. They mean you and Bella no harm," Rosalie assured the black-eyed vampire.
It's about ten minutes later when Kate shows up, "In my one thousand year lifetime, I never thought I'd hear she snarl at you, Tanya! How our baby sister has grown?" By this time Irina's head has cleared but her protective instinct is still on so Bella is still wrapped in her arms. "Irina, the human doesn't share our tolerance for the cold weather. Do you want her to get sick again?"
It is with this Irina's senses returned and she carries Bella at human speed inside the house to continue their conversation. Bella wanted to complaint and resist, but being so close to Irina calms her anxities. So she fully embraces the feeling instead of denying it.
Tanya approaches the couple, "We still need to finish our discussion."
Bella nods and they pick up where they left of. Carlisle, Esme, Jasper and Emmett left earlier to escort Edward back to their house. Only Alice and Rosalie remain as represenatives.
"Bella Swan, as the coven leader, I am most responsible for those decisions Edward talked about. We were mistaken to understimate Lauren's bonds with Victoria, we were naive to trust him and we were so terribly wrong for turning our backs on you and the Cullens. But we acknowledge that the past is the past, there's no changing it. So we'd like to offer you something in return, an amnesty."
Tanya looks at Irina and nods for her to continue.
Irina takes an unnecessary breath and kneels on the floor, right in front of her Isabella, her mate. She had discussed this over and over again with her sisters. There were yelling, there were fights and there were long distance calls with Eleazar and Carmen too. But they all had reached an agreement. She pushes the memory aside and let the bond wash over her, pulling her in and soothing her soul. What she feels for Bella couldn't even compare to what she and Laurent had. Laurent hadn't been dedicated to their short-lived relationship while Bella, the broken-hearted mate of hers gives so much to her without even realising it.
Her kindness, her tenderness - it's beginning to heal the pain scarred by Laurent. There's no doubt in her mind that when Bella is turned, she will not have much trouble with her bloodlust. Her compassion for others makes her so human, so beautiful and so pure. To her, Bella's like the summer sun in Alaska. She wonders how Bella would fare there, if she'd thrive there or hate it.
"One thing Edward did get right is I don't deserve you. Especially not after the unforgivable crimes we've committed against you and your loved ones," Irina began. The tears dried up. Her nose is still slightly red and her eyes remain glossy. "Isabella, I am forever yours, whether you accept it or not. Which means, from the day we met until whenever, I will keep you safe, wherever your road will take you."
"What do you mean?"
The words are almost stuck but she tries her hardest to get them out. This needs to be said. Bella needs to learn of this.
"You had told us you wanted to be turned. Is that still true?"
Bella bites her lips and the clear is answer to all of them. Irina knows this and has resigned to it for quite a while.
"You have three choices, Isabella. After all is said and done, you may choose to continue with your human life; grow old and die as a human, with whoever by your side. The second is we could leave or you could too. Wherever you want, away from here, away from vampires and supernatural beings. And lastly, you could accept the bond, marry me, get turned and move to Denali indefinitely."
She looks warily at the three sisters like they've grown a second head. The first two choices would put them in a difficult situation; with the Volturi and also with the mating bond hurting Irina.
"We want this for you, Isabell so please, for the first time in your life, make a choice that will make you the happiest. The time has come for you to look after yourself," she concluded.
"Even if it means death to your whole coven at the hands of the Volturi?"
Tanya nodded, "Even that. As a coven, our priority would be to protect your life."
"I wanted another sister but what Irina said is right. We all want you to be happy, Bella. It is your choice," Kate confirmed.
Her heart swelled at the choices she was provided with. No one had given it to her before. Edward was hesitant to turn her due to his reason of not wanting to ruin her soul. Rosalie has always expressed her want for Bella to remain human because the choice had been taken away from her. Alice kept insisting they'll be sisters forever, indicating her turn.
She has to admit, her hesitance about changing recently is due to her fear of not being Irina's mate. Even though it is yet to be decided, she still knows that if she were to be rejected as a vampire, she'd never live the day. All her life, every decision leads to consequences. She had always to select what is best for everyone.
She gave up Phoenix for her mother's happiness. She continues to be under Charlie's roof so he won't be that much lonely anymore. So these choices bring a foreign feeling, almost liberating-like. The Denalis are giving her the chance to be selfish, consequences be damned! Irina will always be nearby but she had implied that Bella doesn't necessarily have to choose her.
Not choose her? She thinks the blonde must be fucking crazy. It's the other way around isn't it?
"Why would you ever want me to be your mate? I'm a mess, I'm clumsy and I'm a burden. Wouldn't it be easier to be mated to a vampire?"
"Bella, no one can choose their mate," Rosalie interjected, which was the wrong thing to say as Irina threw her a dirty look.
She pulls Bella's hands away from her face, wipes her streams of tears and holds her lovingly. "There are vampires who had done that. We've seen them choose someone else over their mates. But Isabella, I still choose you. And I will keep choosing you. Human or vampire, all I want is you and everything that comes with; the good and the bad. I know it's too much to ask but I just want you to let me love you, even if it's from afar."
"Carlisle said being rejected by a mate could potentially kill a vampire."
"You just let us worry about that, Isabella. All I hope is that you make the right choice for yourself this time."