Warning: Sex and adult themes will be present. Strong Language.

Please be advised that for an adult scene that you would like to move past look for the Skip Here

A/N: Happy Early Update!

Enjoy!

When You Love Someone

Chapter 32: Whatever It Takes

Alec

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Jane muttered as I held in my sigh. Jacob for his part gave a snort as Jane turned sharply to him. "It's a simple question" She snarked.

"Shh," I instructed as I kept watch of the backs of Jasper and Demetri. The fact that Demetri and Jasper agreed at all was a miracle. It seemed that our performance in the meeting was what was needed to be successful and Demetri changed his mind. Jasper came along to make sure we would keep up our successes.

"We entered the Romanian borders two days ago. According to the map, Edward made this was the way Felix came through. He mentioned he traveled the river for about a day and a half before he reached land and that journey took an additional four days. Once Demetri reaches a scent it shouldn't be too long yet." I whispered as Jane scowled and kept running.

"Felix gave specific details, once we hear the water, we make a turn to look for a torn tree. He tore off the bark for a scenario such as this." Edward whispered from beside me and I nodded.

"Good, that was always a strength of Felix was his forethought," I mumbled and kept pace with Demetri and Jasper.

As much as I resented the major's vote in the meeting, I could understand his logic. I didn't agree with it, but I was glad to have his tactical mindset. His idea, after all, was that he and Demetri lead the charge. He and Edward were both changed after the fall of the Romanians so most likely they wouldn't know of them but Demetri they would be familiar with. With them leading they wouldn't know to look for any of us and thanks to the potion they wouldn't know we would be there until it was too late.

Jacob would be another advantage as well. His species has long been kept a closely guarded secret and as he said, they were built to kill our kind. He was both an asset and a liability. His leadership and steadfast attitude in getting Bella are welcomed to our shared goal but it's our handling of what we would do that could pose a liability.

Jacob himself is steadfast in his loyalty and distrust. I was happy that he stood by me in the meeting, in front of the council he's proven his loyalty to my cause but his distrust of me is rightly earned. Despite his stronghold in the meeting, his lines were drawn. His only priority was Bella, anyone who helped him with that goal was an ally but that didn't mean they were a friend.

He made it clear in the conversation we had once the meeting concluded. He will fight with me; he will join my cause with or without the council however that didn't mean I could count on his friendship for anything later. That was a bond that had to be built, much less repaired.

I knew Janie didn't appreciate Jacob's harsh tone or demeanor in his confrontation, but his points were valid, as much as I hated that he was right. I failed. I failed Bella and by extension, I failed him. He is her kin, even they aren't bonded by blood they are bonded nonetheless.

Just as I was bonded to Janie, Jacob was bonded to Bella. If it was Janie in Bella's place…. I didn't want to think about it, and I caused that for him. Getting Bella back was as much for me as for him. I had too much to atone too and I hoped I would get the chance.

By having the element of surprise in case something went wrong, we would have the advantage. The forest area was dense enough that we could hide if need be, but it seemed they took great care of hiding their location as well.

"Demetri, anything yet?" I asked into the earpiece and heard his negative. Jacob scoffed as he ran beside us, and I raised my eyebrow at the brown dog.

"Care to help fluffy?" Janie asked as he shot her a growl and ran ahead sniffing along the way as I grimaced.

It was clear the bond Jacob and my sister had was a unique one. They weren't hostile toward each other, but Janie wasn't as careful as I when it came to his temperament. Then again Janie wasn't trying to get him to approve of her, on the contrary, she has made it her mission to toy with him. Regardless I was glad they were here, although I was determined to come alone, their company proved not only valued but welcomed. If I was being honest with myself I was more than happy for their support, I needed it. I never thought Carlisle would be a man to go back on his word...or Marcus to have to be strong-armed into a mission like this. Bella has changed all of us...I was just sorry that Carlisle and Marcus couldn't see that.

In the time that Bella has stayed with us, she taught me so much. Taught all of us so much. I admit I was a bit of a loner but now… although I didn't crave company as she, I can learn to expect it and even miss the company of others. Especially of unlikely members like Jacob and even my own blood like my sister.

It was one of the many things I missed about her. I missed her.

"Alec, pay attention!" Jane hissed as I snapped back to the task at hand and nodded. Right, no distractions. I couldn't let my musings distract me from my objective. I knew she was alive; I can't wallow in self-pity over her false death.

"Are you alright?" Jane whispered as she ran closer to me and I nodded, staring straight ahead and saw Jacob quickly sniffing the ground as Demetri and the others ran ahead.

"It's not like you to be distracted, especially now." Jane pushed as I tensed my jaw.

"I'm fine Janie, just need to focus." I gripped out

"I know you're thinking about her Alec," She said quietly as I looked away and continued to run. "You're a good liar to anyone that isn't me. I know you've been missing her. I know you miss her now but that's why we're here." She urged as I sighed, and she ran just ahead forcing me to look at her back as she talked over her shoulder. "We're going to find her Alec. I know we may have our differences from everyone here, but we all have one thing in common. Let our mutual goal give you that drive to be sharp!" She hissed before she ran ahead and bumped shoulders with the dog who growled.

"Hmm" I hummed as I ran faster. As always Janie was right, despite our differences, despite our feelings against each other …. we all care, in our own special way, about the girl that was taken from us far too soon. We will find her and when we do, I'll spend forever making up my cowardice to her. I'll spend my eternity with her.

I just had to find her.

Bella

"You're doing great Bella; you're getting stronger every day," Diana whispered as I gulped down the cup of blood, she brought me, and I smiled.

I licked what I could off my hands and even if it wasn't much, it was enough to survive. It was enough for me to think. It was enough. For now.

"Thanks to you. This may be the most ingenious plan yet, disgusting but ingenious." I shrugged and handed her the cup back as I stood and breathed in. No dizziness, no stiffness, and my full capability of smell were back. Once again, I tried to concentrate on my shield, mentally first as Diana tried to make me feel happy, and soon, I felt the twinge of unnatural unhappiness come over me and I imagined the thin film around my body that Jasper taught me so long ago.

"Good! I feel you resisting. It's working Bella!" Diana whispered as I grinned before the loud banging on the top alerted us that they were coming again. Five bangs meant they were coming for me. I was just dropped down, why would they want me again?

I heard the grinding of the metal and Diana's firm grip on my hand, her silent way of communicating that she was here with me. I wasn't alone.

"What do you want? Why are soldiers here?" Diana asked firmly as I felt her move in front of me and one of the guards chuckled.

"Settle down, we're not here for your friend. We're here for you." The guard's voice claimed, and I recognized Maria before I felt Diana be ripped from my hand and I yelled as Diana screamed.

"No, let her go! What do want with her!" I screamed as I reached for her hand and grabbed it as I felt someone wrap their hands around my waist, trying to pull me away.

"That's our business!" I heard Maria snarl before she gave a lurch, and my hand was ripped away as I heard Diana's screams become faint. Maria tossed me to the wall, and I hit it with a hard crash as I crumpled to the ground and felt a swift kick to my stomach.

"You should learn your place now bitch." She said menacingly as her foot pressed down on the cut on my side and I screamed in pain. "You're quickly becoming more of a nuisance than we care to have. No one is coming for you, no one will be able to find you if they do. In the meantime, you and I are going to have some fun." She snarled as she lifted me and threw me to the side and I groaned.

"What do you want!?" I screamed as I felt her hands grab my throat.

"For now, I want you to shut up and listen." She said softly as I felt the wall behind me and heard the rattling of chains before the stinging pain of the venom-coated metal wrap around my wrists and legs and I bit my lip to keep my screams to myself.

"We caught wind of a search party that wondered into our borders. Rogue vampires that knew of our prison. It happened they had some information that was useful to us, but the question left to us though; was how exactly did they get it?" She whispered as she pulled the chains tighter and I yelped.

"Don't bother with the silence. I know the pain this causes you. I don't know which one annoys me more: you're screaming or the ugly expressions you make when you don't" She grumbled as she kicked me again in my injured side and I sucked in a breath and screamed.

"Yeah, I found what annoys me more. Keep screaming, trust me it will make this better for you." She said bitterly as I clenched my teeth.

"I don't know of any party" I mumbled honestly as I heard her tsk.

"Yeah, they all say that just like we believe you. So, I'll ask bluntly this time" She said calmly as I felt the burning hot knife of venom steel into the same injury Stefan inflicted on me and I screamed. "Where did the vampires get the info from? How did they get so close!" She ground out as I screamed.

"Shut up!" She snarled the chains were pulled ever tighter and I kept screaming. "My gods you are annoying. If you don't prove your usefulness, I'll take joy in taking your head. Don't make me kill you for entertainment." She mumbled quietly as I breathed hard.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I whimpered and she snarled before she kicked me once more before she sighed heavily.

"You really don't, do you?" She mumbled as I felt a swift punch to my cheek, and I groaned as my head snapped to the side.

"Well, I'll give you this Isabella Swan, you are far more resilient than I originally thought." She whispered and I heard her soft footsteps before I heard her kneel and her hand grasped my chin.

"Tell you what, you may not know where that info came from but no matter. I have theories of my own that would suffice. In the meantime, I was sent down here to collect information and I intend to collect it. I have another question for you – how did you find Didyme's book? It was cursed." She whispered as I scrunched my eyebrows together.

"How do you know about that?" I asked before I heard her soft chuckle, and she gripped my chin tighter.

"That's not what I asked." She mumbled before the hot steel made contact and I screamed. "How did you find the book in its cursed state. I know you found it in the library, so how did you see it?" She mumbled as I gasped.

Stefan had been asking for weeks how I even knew of the book, much less where I found it. He would ask every day and I always said no. I thought Maria was supposed to be his right hand and yet… she knew all along. Why didn't she say anything to him? I knew Stefan didn't know; the anger was far too genuine for him to know. So, how did she?

"How did you know it was cursed? I didn't know it was." I gritted out and she hummed.

"You learn many things when your silent and still." She said as she sighed, and I heard her click her tongue. "I'm not a woman to ask things three times Bella Swan. Luckily for you, I'm not the kind of monster the Romanians think I am." She whispered as she pushed me back and I heard a cork pop before I felt a bottle broken over my head and I groaned at the force. At once my vision cleared but everything was still fuzzy. Like a picture that wasn't focused.

"I'll do you a favor – I'm sure you've heard of the game twenty questions. You were born in the modern era after all." She mumbled as I slowly shook my head and suddenly, I smelled the sweet, tangy scent of blood. I gasped and I squirmed against the chains as I heard a chuckle. "I'll change the rules and play twenty facts instead. I'll give you one fact and in return, you give me one." She whispered as my vision cleared and Maria's face was right in front of mine.

I gasped as I never really looked at her before. She was beautiful, with almond hooded eyes, high cheekbones, and a rounded face with long, black wavy hair. She slowly smiled as she held a small bottle half full of a hazy blue liquid and she pocketed in her uniform before she stood and walked to the other side of the hole which, I realized, was much bigger than I had originally thought.

It was wide with very high walls. Thousands of feet off the ground and I now knew why the fall always felt so long and the landing so painful. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the small, growing sprigs of lemon balm.

"Now isn't that better than being blind? You can finally see your prison… and you're forever if you don't corporate with me." She said as I looked back at her and she smiled as she looked toward the small makeshift garden and she laughed at my panicked expression.

"Oh don't be so naïve to think I didn't know about Didyme's tricks. All you need to know is that I'm the only one who knows that's down here." She smiled as I looked back at her and she smiled bigger. "And that I won't say anything either. I know more than I care to admit and all you need to know is that, for right now, consider me an ally in getting what you want." She whispered as I eyed her.

"Which is what exactly?" I asked hoarsely as she continued to smile.

"Two things: For one" She blinked as she took out a jar filled to the brim with blood and my mouth watered and I squirmed, even more, to get to the delicious red liquid. "You need blood. You want it, yes, but blood is our lifeline. It's one of many things we share with human beings; we both depend on its usage to keep us alive. As much as I hate to admit it, we share many things in common with those disgusting humans." She grimaced as her eyes filled with hate.

"Yet, I'm not going to be so cruel as to play mind games like Stefan and Vladimir. I won't ask some ridiculous question that I know you'll say no to. Instead, I'll play that game I mentioned." She grinned as she set the jarred blood just out of reach and I squirmed even more.

"You can have this blood, it's enough to give you your strength back. It's enough blood to temporality, give you enough strength to have your mental and physical shield again." She smiled as I locked my jaw. She knew. She knew all along what I was capable of and she never breathed a word of it to the Romanians. What exactly was her motive? What was her role here?

"How did you know my gift?" I asked as she rolled her eyes.

"It's called knowing your enemy. I'm not the monster the Romanians think I am" She repeated as she came closer until she kneeled in front of me again and grasped my face as she came in close. "I'm much worse." She whispered as I shuddered.

There was a glint in her eye that was much different than Stefan's. She wasn't mad, unlike Stefan when Maria stood in front of me and I looked into her eyes I knew right then and there she was a different kind of enemy. She was calculating, she was cunning, and most importantly…. She meant what she said. She was worse.

"I know you, Isabella. I know your gift, I know your mated to Alec but are unclaimed, I know that you are desperate to get back to him and I know you are the prodigy that the world needed after Didyme disappeared." She said softly before she gave me a soft smile. "And that I know you are more than you appear. So… here's your first fact… Bella." She whispered as I kept her eye.

"I'll give you that blood if you can answer how you found that book." She asked as I sighed and bit my lip. It really wasn't that bad of a question. In all honestly compared to the promise of blood, even if it was a trick, it was worth it to cooperate now and worry about it later. Maria, I knew was worse of an enemy. The look in her eye you don't get unless you truly have evil in your being, and you liked it.

Although I may not know much about Maria and she has proved she knew enough about me to be a danger the thought of blood was too good of a deal. I had to take it and then I'll worry about the consequences later.

"I don't know how I found it. I was in the library, just trying to distract myself and the title caught my attention." I said quietly as I eyed the blood and tried to ignore Maria's pleased smile.

"Interesting. Very interesting but I appreciate your honesty." She said as she reached back and before she set the container down, I snatched it away and closed my eyes as the red, hot liquid soothed the burn that became my constant companion since this hell began.

"Now let me ask you this" She smiled as I slurped noisily and forgot that this was even an interrogation. "You found this book and you knew that if you kept prying and asking about the mysterious and elusive Didyme it wouldn't be good…. So why continue anyways?" She asked as I finished the blood and the burn in my throat was barely soothed.

"I felt that I had to. That it was the right thing to do, that if I didn't, I wouldn't be the woman my parents could be proud of." I mumbled as Maria smiled.

"You felt you had an obligation towards a human parent? Why risk your life for a notion of a pleased human?" Maria asked with a grimace as her genuine curiosity made me pause.

"Because they were my parents. Because I wouldn't be half the woman I am right now without their guidance and that you always do what's right." I said firmly as I eyed her, and Maria kept her small smile.

"So, you just found the book? And from this book, you just happened to find the most sought-after spell in the entire world?" She asked easily as I stiffened and glared at the floor.

"You know I'm not answering that question," I said stiffly as she gave a low chuckle.

"Can you blame me? It is such a curious thing. You, practically a baby compared to the oldest of us have managed to just find the book that Aro had been searching for thousands of years for. That you managed to track down the recipe but the elusive ingredients and successfully make la flamma in only a year's time. You can see Bella, that from where I'm standing those are more than just simple feats." Maria smiled as I stayed silent and her hand drifted to my cheek and winced as she patted the cracks that she made.

"I do apologize for my lack of restraint. Do you understand we had an audience? I had to make it believable until they left us alone to talk, girl to girl."

"And you wanted my company so badly that you forcefully removed Diana?" I said bitterly as she chuckled, and her eyes held joyful mirth that unsettled me.

"Oh, I never removed a Diana. I never even put my hands on a Diana, but my friend did help remove yours. She'll be back shortly. I assure you she is being guarded…. properly. As much as I detest your ideology Bella Swan, I am a woman. I have been raped, my body used for a man's foolish and primitive pleasures such as yourself. Such as your friend." She whispered as I bit my lip and ignored the sudden spring of tears until Maria softly wiped them away and I looked at her carefully.

"I understand Bella. Just as you are a prisoner in this cell, I am a prisoner of the role I must play. You and I are so much alike Bella. We are both smart, driven, powerful women. We both know we have more to offer the world than just being a bodyguard to a tyrant…or a mate of a vampire that already has acclaim and power of his own. You could do more than him, you could do more than any of us here." She whispered as her eyes glowed and I found myself drawn into the red embers of her eyes.

"You could do so much Bella" She whispered as she got to eye level with me and crawled to me as she placed a soft hand on my shoulder and my fear of her touch was transformed into…something else.

"I can help you leave this place. I had to wait for the right time to do it but now maybe the chance. I understand you are plotting an escape plan. I'll tell you it won't work. My gift combined with my friends can be….overpowering for a young vampire such as yourself." She softly whispered as she licked her lips and I saw her slowly unbuttoning her uniform as she released one breast and my breathing picked up as my body slowly started to feel heavy.

"Can't think" I slurred as I saw her smile and she pressed her chest against mine and pushed back a lock of my hair as she slowly kissed my ear.

"You and I can achieve much, like you Bella I've known alchemy on my own. I never had a formal education; I never even had a teacher or a book. I had to learn the old fashion way." She murmured as she grasped my hand and placed it on her breast as she smiled and I looked back at her, her eyes glowing into a soft gold. "I know you want comfort; I know you want to learn. You want to experience love." She whispered as she peppered kisses down my neck and her lips suddenly felt so familiar…

Skip Here "I want love" I whispered groggily as I felt Maria smile against my neck as she slowly came up and started to languidly kiss me on the lips. Her tongue dancing on my lip as an invitation to be let in until she moved to my neck again. I squirmed at the sensations as my body reacted to her touch, but something wasn't right.

I wanted this

Did I?

Give in to her

Give into her how?

Let go, let her make you feel good

I groaned as I felt her finger enter me and I looked back into her golden eyes and her long black hair was cropped shorter…her lush lips were squarer and her soft jaw was locked. Through the dizziness she kind of looked like… "Alec?" I whispered slowly as I felt him chuckle.

"We waited for this for so long" He whispered as I smiled and let him dig another finger inside me.

"I wanted you, I never told you" I whispered as I saw him smile and he kissed me again. His arms wrapped around me, and I relaxed into his embrace.

"I missed you. I never told you either. I was so concerned about you. About Didyme, I never found out what happened to her." He mumbled against my neck as he nipped me, and I groaned.

"Yes, you did," I said confused as he pumped his fingers, and my mind was once again in shambles.

"I never got to see what she left behind." He whispered as I opened my eyes and saw my old room in Forks. My purple comforter was on the floor and Alec was getting his suit all wrinkled by being on top of me.

"How…" I asked before he gave me a searing kiss and I lost myself in his touch.

"You knew so much more than me….I never got a chance to ask how." He whispered as I gripped his shoulder and rode his fingers as I moaned.

"You told me to be careful" I gasped as he bent lower and sucked on my breast and I bucked my hips against him. "Alec, what are you doing here?" I asked although my question was slurred

"I missed you. I wanted you." That was all he said as he continued to bring me pleasure but as he went to suck on my other breast I gasped as he bit down, and I shuddered. End Here

"Alec….I missed you. I love you" I gasped as he smiled

"And I love you…. which is why I wanted to learn from you. I wanted to know what you learned from Didyme." He whispered as I opened my eyes once again and this time we were back at the castle, my bed against the wall as I looked over but didn't see the picture I had hung.

Alec drew me a picture….

"Where did it go?" I asked sleepily as he paused before he came back up and tried to kiss me before I moved back. "Where did it go, did you move it?" I asked concerned as he shifted his eyes and I groaned as the bed was becoming harder….like a rock.

Beds aren't rocks. That would be impossible. I almost chuckled at the thought of it until I gasped and looked down at Alec as he frowned at me, but the room was spinning and there was a slight shimmer on the edge of the door.

A shimmer I had seen before.

"You're not Alec!" I screamed as I kicked him off me and he looked on surprised as the illusion shattered and I opened my eyes to see I was still chained, and Maria groaned from the opposite side of the wall from where I kicked her as I looked around wildly.

I was still in prison. I was chained up. I had just done that with….with "Oh my god!" I screamed as tears came to my eyes and I glared fiercely as Maria shoved herself to her feet and buttoned up her uniform. "What did you fucking do to me! What have you done!" I screamed as she sighed and squared her shoulders as she marched back to me and her eyes glowed once more but I turned away and tried to kick her again but she caught my foot easily.

"I don't understand" She mumbled as I thrashed against the wall. "How could you have broken out?" I heard her whisper and I glimpsed the empty blood container from earlier and my eyes widened.

"The blood," I said softly as Maria sighed once more and stood.

"Yes, I gave you tainted blood, nothing but a simple elixir meant to increase dopamine and serotonin plus my own personal touch to it." She smirked as I looked down at the ground in horror as the hatred brewed in my stomach over this woman and that I was able to be fooled….again. Hatred for how she tricked me and hatred for me for much I...I liked it. I thought it was Alec. I snarled at the woman who proved that yes, somehow, she was worse than the Romanians.

"Oh, don't glare at me. I had fun…didn't you?" She smiled as I growled in response. "At least you don't have to worry about not pleasing Alec. You were so wet that you were positively dripping" She smiled as she slowly licked her fingers and I gasped.

"Thank you, Bella, you've told me everything I needed to know. Enjoy your nap." She said before she threw a familiar bottle at me and once again, my world was dark.

Alec

"Alec, do you copy?" Edward's voice rang in my ear as I beeped my earpiece.

"Copy" I mumbled as I kicked the dirt and signaled to Jane and Jacob to run again. Two days more of running before Dimitri picked up a scent. Per Jasper's instructions, we held back and cleared out a patch of forest as they ran ahead.

It took all of them (even a bit of physical handling by Jacob and Dimitri – not my proudest moment) for Jasper to convince me to hold back. As a tactical advantage, it made the most sense – Dimitri caught the scent as soon as we heard the river and the looming burnt down wreckage of a tower that must have been their prison when they held Bella. Any vampires that were stupid enough to stay back would be immediately petrified with my gift, all except our party of course. They would scan the area for any others while Jacob and Jane defended my position here. This spot in particular made the most sense as I could influence the wide perimeter of the area until it was cleared.

It didn't mean I had to like it.

"Area is secured, we couldn't find anyone here but Dimitri has caught the scent of both the Romanians, guards, and Bella. She was definitely here, Dimitri located her exact cell as well as Felix."

"Good, we're on our way," I said as we began our descent before I caught Edward's sigh. "What?" I snapped as the silence on the other end was making me edgy. "Cullen, what is it? Just spit it out!" I ground out before Edward blew out a breath before speaking.

"Alec…. Just be prepared for what you'll see. The rumors of the Romanians are true. What they did to Felix… what they might have done to Bella…. just be prepared is all." He said quietly as I glared.

I didn't even have it in me to report back. Be prepared was an ominous warning, what exactly I would find when we reached the wreckage, I didn't know but I had good ideas and experience when it came to the Romanians cruelty. They liked to play with their prey. They enjoyed it. The mind games, the fear, the desperation of their victims…. they enjoyed it immensely. It was part of the reason why they had unchecked power and ruled so effortlessly for years. It was rumored that Stefan was gifted, was able to pinpoint their victim's greatest fear and exploit it. Whether it was true or not left to be debated but it was a known characteristic the Romanians were too good at exploiting one's fears.

"Alec…. Are you okay? Will you be able to, uh, I mean" Jane trailed off as I gave her. A quick glance at her worried expression.

"If you're asking if I'll be okay handling the proof of the, at the bare minimum, mistreatment of my mate… probably not" I admitted "But I will be more than okay in providing justice to the ones that wronged her," I said darkly as we continued to run ahead until the stench of ash and fire hit, and I scrunched my nose in distaste however what I smelled next almost stopped me in my tracks.

"Bella" I breathed as her familiar scent hit and I involuntarily smiled at the undeniable proof that she was, indeed, alive.

Being without it for so long, believing she was really gone…. I never thought I would ever smell her perfume again. I never thought, never dared really to believe that there was a possibility of her coming home but here it was. Right in front of me, beside me, all around me. You could smell it in the air.

Mixed with ash and death.

"What happened here?" I asked no one as I scanned the area and took note of the soot on the floor and crude mechanics of ripped-out machinery and blood-soaked walls. No doubt it was human blood that was spilled but the splash patterns meant it was not for feeding.

It was meant for torture.

"My guess was they knew we were coming, and they didn't want to leave any clues behind. All of it is burnt. The walls, the floors, not even the damn furniture was spared. Everything has been trashed and what couldn't be destroyed was left to rot here." Jasper explained as I looked around at more soot.

"The trail ends here. I'm sorry… I've never experienced anything like this before. It's the same with Aro. Once the scent ended… there was no direction to lead us." Dimitri said harshly as he kicked a piece of wood.

"So whatever trick Aro did to get us off his trail he didn't mind sharing with his friends," Jasper mumbled angrily.

"So, what are you saying… we came out here for nothing? You can't track her anymore!?" Jacob asked angrily as I balled my fists and tried to think.

"That's what I'm saying! There's nothing here! No trail, no thought, no nothing! Not even a vampire that was stupid enough to stay behind, I got nothing unless the mind reader can pick up something!" Dimitri growled as Edward slowly shook his head. "I rest my case!"

"Well, I'm not resting mine," Jacob swore before he shoved off his pants and gave a growl before the wolf was in front of us. He barked at Dimitri then again at me as he began to sniff around the area. He shook his head a few times, but no inch was left unchecked.

He circled once, then twice, and finally, on the third time his ears picked up and his head snapped up before he looked at me once, his eyes staring me down before he took off at a sprint as I quickly followed, not giving my comrades an explanation. Not that they needed one, I heard their footsteps right behind me as we raced through the dense woods.

Edward gasped from behind me as I turned and he excitably nodded his head. "There's a second base. Under a shield, it's a few miles away but Jacob picked up on Bella's scent. Her shield was up but Jacob caught it. It's amazing! His sense of smell is a hundred times more sensitive than ours. He picked up Bella's scent through her shield!" Edward said as I hid my excitement.

Well, that does explain why the trail went cold for both Bella and Aro. Maybe Jacob could be our key for hunting down more than friends… but enemies as well.

After a few miles, Jacob quickly transformed back and shoved on a fresh pair of shorts. Edward for all intents and purposes had a backpack filled with pants and shorts for sudden transformations like these. I admit at the start of the mission I almost laughed at the obscurity, but I see I ate my words.

"Do you see it?" Jacob whispered as I peered at the sky and scrunched my eyes. "It's hidden, like Bella's shield. There's a slight glimmer in the air… like a shine that shouldn't be there. Bella taught me that's how you spot a physical shield." Jacob explained as I looked closer and when Jacob turned my head an angle, I could see a slight shimmer.

It was so slight that I might have missed it but Jacob was right, it's a shine, foreign to the dense landscapes and not something you should see on a starry night. Something was definitely there.

"Okay, from here onwards, coms in and we don't do anything erratic. This is officially a recon mission in uncharted territory. We don't do anything that wasn't planned, we stick together, and we don't do anything unnecessarily risky or stupid…. Alec, I'm talking to you on that one." Jasper said firmly as I clenched my jaw.

"I know you're more emotionally involved in this…. That can make judgment cloudy, but we need a clear head in this. All clear heads." Jasper reiterated as he looked at us. "Edward, can you hear anything in there?" Jasper asked as Edward had his eyes closed in concentration.

"It's very faint… like they're talking underwater. I can't get a good read on anyone in there." He explained as Jasper nodded.

"Can you tell us approximately how many are in there? What are the numbers?" I asked as Jasper gave me a grin.

"Eight? No… eleven. There were three more that entered the wave. For some reason, their thoughts go in and out. I think they are the shield users. They are around someone though, whenever they shift I get an errant thought of the third member. His thoughts are faintest but it's definitely someone different from who they are. He's important that much I can tell." Edward affirmed as Jasper scratched his chin.

"Then he's the only one who might live. Are they all inside?" Jasper asked as Edward nodded. "Good, then we can secure the perimeter. If we've come this far I guarantee this isn't a strong physical shield. In fact,… I bet they put so much energy in cloaking it from others they didn't bother to put a protectant on it." Jasper said as he stuck out his hand and it went through the air, his hand disappearing.

"Morons" Jasper smirked as he brought his hand back. "Okay here's what we can do. Alec, Edward, Jacob you're with me. Edward, once we're in you report to me all and every thought okay? Anything that might help us once we enter. Alec…. Aside from being a stubborn and crazy son of a bitch who would fight me if I said no…. I need your gift. You immobilize every person in this building. Jacob, well, your gonna kill some vampires today." Jasper smirked as Jacob grinned.

"Cool," He said as he cracked his neck and knuckles.

"Jane and Dimitri I need you on the outside. If anyone calls for backup or anyone new shows up or tries to escape, Jane I need you to make sure they don't. Dimitri, you have to get a read on every person that we bring back alive… if we keep them alive. I don't expect this to be drawn out. Most likely we go in, we hit them hard and fast. We can't have them getting the chance to regroup." Jasper instructed as I nodded.

"Jasper once we enter if any of the Romanians are in there….. you leave them alive and intact for me…. And Jacob." I said as Jasper looked up and after a beat nodded his head. Jacob to his credit looked surprised and finally, he rested on a pleased expression as he nodded his head and we stood and looked toward the shield.

"On my count" Jasper instructed as he held up three fingers and slowly counted down to two. He was on his last finger before he held it down and pointed forward as we rushed towards the shield.

No matter what happens, I was finding her today.

Whatever it takes

'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins

I do whatever it takes

'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains

Whatever it takes - Imagine Dragons

A/N: Man Bella can't catch a break huh? Hopefully, there will be some good news in the following chapters. Please don't hate me but starting next week I'll be taking a month-long break from this story to prepare for an upcoming job and to get another head start on chapters 34 - 45. Hopefully, by the end of the month, I'll have at least 10 chapters prewritten and edited so these long breaks will stop and I can just upload.

Don't forget to review and please tell me what you think! I love hearing from each and every one of you and I'll see you all back on May 31, 2021!