Slayer of Sirens

by KorKor11

Isabella has been alive for centuries. As the first and only werewolf within the Volturi guard, she plans to spend the rest of her days serving her coven. Then she meets Leah Clearwater. Bella/Leah.

Isabella is twelve when she first meets Aro and Sulpicia.

It was a dreary day. Clouds covered the sun and it looked as though it would rain soon. She's running down the dusty road that led back to her home in Siren Alley when she sees them.

Or, rather, she sees the woman's gold necklace and the man's finely embroidered chiton. They both had their backs to her. A mistake on their part.

They shouldn't be in this part of Athens, but she was glad they were. Her stomach rumbled and she winced before she moved closer. She stepped carefully, not wanting to alert them as she eyed the coin pouch tied to the man's waist.

It was easier to steal from men. Safer. They were less likely to alert the guard because their pride was so easily wounded. A grown man being duped by a child was humiliating. Where a woman could run to her husband for help. A man had no such luxury.

"Take what you need. Nothing more." Demetri's voice echoed in her mind, and she slipped her knife from beneath her long-sleeved tunic. She moved swiftly, striking forward and slicing the pouch open with her knife.

Drachmas spilled out and she caught a handful before taking off. She was fast, she had to be if she were to survive in Athens.

But to her surprise, there was no cry of outrage, no hurried footsteps, and no curses spewed at her as she ran off.

Isabella knew better than to look back. It would only slow her down. It would make her clumsy. Her breathing was shallow by the time she made it to her home. Her heart was beating erratically, just as it always did when she pickpocketed. If she were caught she'd lose a hand. Or worse.

She stopped just before she entered her dilapidated home, checking to make sure she wasn't followed before pushing the door open.

"Bella!" A blonde blur crashed into her, nearly knocking her off her feet.

A breathless laugh escaped her. "Jane, you have to be careful. You nearly crushed my ribs."

Her sister beamed up at her, blue eyes gleaming with mirth. "A man tried to enter our home." Isabella's blood ran cold and Jane continued, "But I made him scream and cry and Alec hit him with a broom!"

Their brother made his presence known. He held the broom up triumphantly and smiled. Isabella sighed, moving forward and wiping the blood off his cheek and grimacing at the crimson-stained broom handle.

"Where is he now?" Isabella asked, taking the broom from her brother and setting it aside.

Alec smiled blithely at her, "We don't know. He ran out...he was screaming awfully loud." He put his hands behind his back. "There was a lot of blood."

"A lot of blood." Jane agreed, her smile mirroring their brother's. "But he deserved it, right?"

She wondered if she should be worried about her siblings. They liked using their gifts to hurt people. But only people who deserve it. Why should she worry? They never hurt each other. They never hurt her.

Isabella nodded slowly. "Yes. But next time be careful." She chided, "Next time go find Demetri-'' she stopped, deflating slightly when she remembered that their guardian had disappeared.

He was an older man, and he taught her everything he knew about surviving. Whether it be tracking or hunting rabbits or pickpocketing, Demetri had taught her everything she knew.

Her siblings looked at her and she forced herself to smile. "I'm glad you took care of each other. We just have to be…" what was the word Demetri always used? "Cautious. We don't want anyone attacking us for your power."

Had the twins not looked so much like their father, Isabella would have believed them to be children of Phobos. Jane caused people pain and Alec made people lose their senses. They had the powers of demigods. But instead of being worshipped, they were feared. If they weren't more discreet, Isabella feared they would be killed.

But how can I tell them not to defend themselves? She was hoping that the man would be too embarrassed to admit he was bested by five year olds.

"You two were very strong. You did a good job protecting each other." She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Her father had instructed her to protect her siblings while he was away. "You must be their shield until I return. Can you do that for me, agapité mou?"

"I can, pater."

But neither her father nor Demetri have returned.

What if father and Demetri never come home?

Isabella pushed her worry from her mind and held up her fistful of drachmas, "I'll be able to get us good food today."

Two sets of blue eyes widened, "Whoa!" Alec breathed, brushing his intrusive brown locks from his eyes so he could get a better look. "We'll get fat!"

Isabella laughed while Jane looked at him incredulously, "Ladies don't get fat, Alec! We get plump!"

"And where did you hear that from?" The thief snorted.

"Althea told me that!"

"Althea's a drunk."

"A what?"

"A drunk. You can't listen to what they say. Anyone can get fat." Demetri said drunks were sad people, and drinking made them feel better, but it also made them foolish. "Come now, both of you. We'll go to the market." She didn't want to leave them alone.

Jane grinned and clapped her hands together excitedly. "We can come?"

"Only if you don't hurt anyone."

Alec nodded, a small smile gracing his features. "We only hurt them if they hurt us." He took Isabella's hand in his. "We'll be good." She smiled at him before shoving the drachmas in her pocket and taking Jane's hand in her free one. "Let's be quick."

Walking to the market always left her on edge. Her siblings had a bit of a reputation. They were feared. Bad things happened to people that so much as looked at them funny. There were whispers of witches and evil, and with that came killings. They had to be especially careful.

The three arrived at the rundown market. Cheaper than the one in the inner city of Athens, but the quality was poor.

"Where did you get the drachmas?" Althea asked suspiciously as they came up to her stand. She was an older woman with greying blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Even though she was a drunk, Isabella liked her well enough.

The woman took a basket and began placing the wrapped fish and bread inside it, but not before taking the money and sliding it into her pocket.

"Are you going to answer me, girl? Where'd you get these?"

"From people who didn't need it."

This made the older woman sigh, "Isabella." But she didn't reprimand her. How could she? There was no work to be found in Siren Alley.

"I'll be careful."

Althea nodded, but she didn't look convinced. Instead, she turned to her siblings. "How are you two? Staying out of trouble, unlike your sister?"

Alec grinned, "We beat a man bloody!"

His twin added, "But it's alright. He deserved it."

The older woman regarded them warily and Isabella was quick to intervene. "Their imagination is...fun." She tilted her chin upward and squared her shoulders as she flashed an amused smile. "Just yesterday they were playing as Athenian soldiers, and they made me the Spartan."

"You're not a very good Spartan." Jane complained, "You smile too much. Spartans don't smile."

"Well, Athenians don't giggle." She countered, and Alec frowned up at her.

"You made us laugh!"

Isabella grinned and poked his cheek. "Because I'm a funny Spartan." She turned back to the older woman. "They like to pretend to be guards or soldiers. Just like our pater."

The tension in Althea's body dissipated. Relief filled brown eyes as she observed the three. "Oh, that's nice. Maybe you two will get to join the guard one day." She told the twins.

Alec looked excited by the thought. "I'll have a sword and kill the Spartans!"

Isabella laughed and ruffled his brown hair. "You'll be very ferocious."

Jane, instead, looked at Althea curiously. "What you said about women not getting fat...I don't know if I can believe you."

"Oh," Althea placed her hands on her hips. "And why is that?"

Her sister frowned up at her. "You're a drunk." Althea's eyebrows shot upwards and Isabella's cheeks burned.

"Jane. You can't call people that."

Her sister frowned up at her, "But you did-" she was cut off by Althea's uproarious laugh.

"You street urchins are lucky you're not my children! Or I'd have whipped your hides and taught you some manners!"

She handed Isabella the basket just as another merchant yelled, "You are a drunk! Don't scold the children for telling you the truth!"

"Fuck you, Cyril. You're a worse drunk than I am!"

Isabella laughed, "Yeah! Fuck you!" Jane and Alec echoed her, and the siblings erupted into a fit of giggles as the old man hollered back at them playfully.

Althea gave them a disapproving look. "No manners! Don't you know you shouldn't curse at people?"

Isabella grinned. "But you just did."

"I'm an adult! Children shouldn't curse."

"Demetri lets us, and he lots of manners," Alec argued and Althea rolled her eyes.

"He's a no-good thief. What does he know about manners?"

Isabella smiled but didn't know what to say in response. She missed Demetri, and she didn't like being at the house without him. "Goodbye, Althea. I'll be back when I get more drachma!"

"Be careful, Isabella. Can't have you losing a hand." She spoke lowly, eyeing the guard warily as they marched through the market. "Things have been more tense with the Spartans on our borders."

Isabella shrugged, misunderstanding her concern. "What do Spartans want with street urchins?"

Althea winced and looked away from her. "Nothing. They want nothing from you, and that's the problem." She sent them off with a wave. "Go eat. You're all skin and bones." She didn't know why Althea looked so sad, or why she looked so scared, but she knew better than to ask.

On their way home, she handed Jane the basket. "Aw, I wanted to hold it this time!" Alec complained, making his older sister roll her eyes.

"You held it last time!" Jane argued back.

They bickered for a bit, but never for long. Isabella insisted they walked quicker as the sun began to set, and her siblings stumbled along, trying to keep up on their shorter legs.

"I'm tired!" Alec whined. Normally she'd offer to carry him. But it was getting dark, and she couldn't afford to take her hand off the hilt of her knife.

"Just a bit further. You can do that, can't you?" She glanced at him. "If you want to be a soldier, you'll have to be tough."

Alec balled his tiny hands into fists. "I can be tough."

"Good-"

The sound of a blade unsheathing made her freeze. Her hands grabbed each of her sibling's arms and she yanked them to a stop as two men ambled to the middle of the road. One held a sword, and the other had his arms crossed over his chest with his blade still sheathed.

"The bastards of Hecate and their mother hen." The one with his sword in hand had dark brown hair and dark eyes. He was taller than the other man, and he only wore a thin tunic and loose pants.

The shorter man had greying orange-colored hair and dull blue eyes. He wore no armor, and his unkempt beard went to his chest. His belly was round and his arms were strong; very different compared to the younger man who was as thin as a blade.

She recognized the older man, Dryas. She didn't know much about him besides his name and that he had three sons.

But he looks like trouble and so does the man at his side.

Isabella stood in front of her siblings. "If it's our food you want, then take it-"

"This isn't about the food." The younger man snorted. "Your witch twins harmed Claes! And we can't let that stand!"

"They're children." Isabella growled, "And Claes came into our home. They were protecting themselves." She hesitated before stepping forward. I must be their shield. "Punish me instead."

The older man shook his head. "You are undeserving of being punished, mother hen." He gestured at Jane and Alec. "Those two have terrorized Siren Alley since they were babies."

"Dryas." She warned, knowing exactly where he was going.

Dryas gave her a pitying look. "They are cursed. Their first life to claim was your own mater's, Isabella. Imagine what they'll do when they're older-"

"Enough!" She snarled. Tears were creeping into her eyes but her anguish was ignored.

"I am no Oracle, Isabella. But I don't need to be to know that you burden those shoulders with Hecate's bastards. When they are old enough they'll stab you in the back in an instant." He sighed and shook his head. "You are not Atlas. You do not carry the world, but you carry a heavy curse. Please, allow me and my son to relieve you of your burden."

"Fools talk," Demetri had told her. Dryas is a fool. Alec and Jane would never betray me. They're not cursed, they're different.

Isabella gritted her teeth, putting her arm out to push her siblings further behind her. "I'm not Atlas. But I am Aegis, and I will not let you touch them!"

Dryas's eyes widened and the younger man snorted. "She's bewitched, pater."

"You both must be bewitched if you think it right to harm children!"

Dryas sneered at her. "I admire your courage, mother hen. But those two should have been put down years ago, and everyone was too cowardly." He squared his shoulders. "They harmed my son, their mater, and countless others. And we're here to put a stop to it."

"You don't speak of our mater, malaka! You understand nothing!" Her throat tightened and she had a white knuckle grip on the hilt of her blade. "Alec and Jane were defending themselves from Claes-"

"My son didn't enter your home. Why would he? He went out for a walk and he came home bloodied." His father said. "Your wretched siblings attacked him, unprovoked."

"Liar!" Jane shouted. "You're a stupid liar! We don't leave the house without Isabella!" Alec moved back even further, staying silent as he watched the men fearfully.

"Shut up, witch!" The young man snapped.

"You shut up!" Jane snarled back.

Isabella managed to keep the fear out of her voice despite the rising tension. "You won't touch them. Ever." She clenched her jaw, "Punish me instead. Just let them go."

"Enough talk!" The younger man snarled, "If you won't move, I'll cut you down too!" He raced forward with his sword raised. Isabella flashed her knife, awaiting his attack on trembling legs as he came closer.

Jane screeched in rage, throwing the basket aside and stomping her feet. "Stop it! Stop it! Leave us alone!"

The brunette screamed, dropping to his knees and releasing his blade. He clutched his head as his body withered in agony, and his father gave a shout before rushing towards them.

The older man drew his own sword, "You'll thank me for this!" Before Isabella could move she was met with a backhand.

Her vision became blurred and searing pain erupted on the right side of her face. Isabella toppled over, mouth filling with the metallic taste of blood and a pained grunt escaped her. Her head was swimming, and a ragged cough escaped her as she hit the ground. Her palms stung from the impact and her knife clattered out of her hand.

Get up! Get up! A pained grunt escaped her as she rolled onto her back. Get up!

The world was spinning but the sounds of muffled screams drove her to stumble to her feet. The younger man had passed out due to the pain, but the older one had his sword raised and ready to strike.

"Damn you!" She roared. Something in her mind snapped. "Stop!" Just as the sword came down it shattered, and the man stumbled backward in surprise, as though he struck something.

The man whirled around to her, eyes wide in surprise. "You...you're another bastard of Hecate!" He was about to rush towards her when his eyes clouded over. He cried out in panic and waved his arms. "Damn you! Damn you all to Tartarus! I can't see, I can't hear! What have you done to me?"

Isabella clambered to her feet, head still foggy as she picked up the younger man's sword. It was heavy. She had to hold it with both hands. "Alec, Jane, come." She gestured for them to come closer, keeping the sword pointed at the now deaf and blind man.

Her siblings scurried behind her, both looking at her with wide eyes. "You have power?" Jane was staring up at her in awe while Alec looked her over warily.

"Bella, are you okay? Your cheek is red and blood is coming out of your mouth." He fretted, and she gave them both a wry smile.

"Fine." She looked them over before sighing in relief. "And you both are too." She turned back to the older man. "I...I have to…" she had never killed before, and she didn't want to do it in front of her siblings.

But what if they tell on us? What if they come back to hurt us again?

Isabella closed her eyes and lunged forward with a scream, piercing the older man's chest with the sword. The blade sunk easily into flesh and she felt her stomach lurch. Alec's power got rid of all feeling, so the man merely flinched at the force behind the blow.

Hot crimson splattered her cheeks and she released the sword, stumbling back and watching as the man fell to his knees. Her eyes filled with tears as ragged breaths escaped him.

"I-I'm sorry." She choked out. "I couldn't...you were going to hurt them." Blood pooled from his lips, dribbling down his chin and his eyes were no longer clouded over.

A gruff grunt escaped him and a shaky hand reached up to touch his wound. "Mother hen…" his chuckle was raspy and hoarse. "Damn us both." Murderous eyes bore into her own before they glazed over and he slumped to the ground.

Trembling fingers wiped her tears and the blood from her cheeks before she turned to Jane and Alec. Both were staring at her with wide eyes and she had to look away. Do they fear me? She didn't say a word as she walked over to their food basket and picked it up.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, holding out the basket to Jane. "I didn't want to kill him." She was certain if she had food in her stomach it would be spilling from her lips. Her stomach was still churning and her face was still in intense pain from the slap. She felt terrible, inside and out.

Jane stared at the basket for a moment, a strange look on her face, before she accepted it. "But he deserved it. He hurt you."

Alec looked at her tearfully. "Are you okay, Bella?" The right side of her face was throbbing and the blood was still fresh in her mouth. But she would be fine. She nodded and he took her hand in his. "You stopped his sword...you're like us."

Isabella gave him a weary smile, blinking back her tears as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm your shield, just like pater said I'd be." We're the witch children of Hecate. "Let's go home." She was exhausted as she bent down and picked up her knife, as useless as it was.

Jane brightened up instantly. "Bella is our shield. And it's like that old man said, we're all bastards of Hecate."

"Don't be foolish," Isabella tutted, tucking the knife back into her waistband. "I was there when our mater birthed the two of you. She was certainly not Hecate."

"How do you know? Have you seen Hecate?" Jane challenged and Isabella laughed, gently placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Gods don't…" they don't die giving birth. "I haven't seen Hecate. You're right."

Alec looked troubled. "Those things Dryas said...about our mater-"

"Filthy lies," Isabella growled. "Our mater was sick before she gave birth to you two." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore. He's dead."

He's dead. I killed him.

A low grunt made her stiffen, and her eyes widened as the younger man slowly rose to his feet. He wobbled slightly, clutching his head and squinting his eyes at the sight of his dead father.

"P-Pater?" His eyes widened and Isabella felt her stomach lurch once again. He didn't look so scary anymore. Instead, he looked sad.

Isabella held her knife tightly and watched him. She didn't know what to say, and she feared if she spoke at all he would attack them again.

All too soon his confusion and sadness gave way to anger. "Bastards of Hecate! You witches! You murdered him!" He wailed. "I'll kill you all! I'll make you pay!"

A woman appeared behind the raving man, seemingly out of nowhere, and Isabella's eyes widened when she wrapped a pale hand around his throat. There was a sickening crack and a yelp that made Isabella flinch.

Alec whimpered in fear while Jane watched silently in shock. The newcomer released the younger man's neck and he dropped to the ground like a stone.

The first thing Isabella noticed about the woman was that her eyes were a bright red. She was beautiful with straight dark brown hair and bright red eyes.

A man appeared next to her, smiling slightly as he took the woman's hand in his. His skin was abnormally pale, very unlike the tanner skin that most Athenians bore. He wasn't as tall as Demitri, but that didn't make him any less imposing.

His eyes were blood red and his hair was as black as pitch, falling down to the center of his back and framing his face perfectly.

And that's when she noticed the man's chiton and recognized the woman's jewelry. Isabella's heart hammered in her chest and her mind was no longer foggy. The cold feeling of dread jolted her to attention.

"Y-You." She stammered, taking a cautious step back. "I...if this is about your drachmas...I spent them. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you two, I promise." She had to be brave for Alec and Jane. She moved protectively in front of her siblings, standing taller as she spoke. "Just don't hurt them."

The woman gave her a gentle smile, "We don't care about the drachmas, sweet girl. We mean you and your siblings no harm." She said, disarming Isabella for a moment.

Her voice. She was speaking Greek, but her accent was strange and new and different. It's so pretty. They're both so pretty.

"You're very strong and...your eyes." Isabella fell to her knees. "I-I'm sorry. Had I known you two were gods I wouldn't have taken anything." She peeked at her siblings, silently encouraging them to bow, and was relieved when they followed suit.

"Gods?" The man sounded amused. Delighted, even.

Isabella kept her gaze lowered. "What else could you be?"

The woman laughed, light and airy, and she got to her knees before them. "I'm Sulpicia, and this is my husband, Aro." She took Isabella's hands in hers and the girl flinched at how cold her skin was. "We're different. Much like you and your siblings."

The younger girl gaped up at them. "Different? You have power?" She glanced in-between the two before looking back at Sulpicia, "Are you a demigod? A daughter of Zeus? Herakles has the strength of a hundred men, just as you do."

Aro smiled. "Oh, my sweet Sulpicia is far greater than any Herakles."

Her eyes widened. "Truly?"

"Greater than Herakles?" Jane looked at her skeptically.

The woman laughed while Isabella shot her younger sister a glare. "Do not disrespect the daughter of Zeus, Jane! She saved us!" She looked back at the woman before bowing once again. "You saved us. We're in your debt, Lady Sulpicia."

Sulpicia raised her head, and Isabella forced herself not to flinch away from her cold hands. "Brave girl, you saved your siblings. You were just like Aegis, the perfect shield." Her eyes softened, and despite their red hue, Isabella felt herself relax. "But you had the courage of Lady Artemis."

"Yes!" Jane enthused, jumping to her feet. "Bella is just like Artemis!"

Alec nodded. "She kills men, just like Bella!"

Isabella grimaced, but Sulpicia was quick to assure her. "Lady Artemis only kills the wicked, does she not?" She nodded slowly. "And that man there, Dryas, he struck you. He and his son meant to kill you and your siblings. They were wicked and cruel and foolish. And now they are dead, just as all the wicked should be."

Aro stepped forward. "She's right, child. Do not shed tears over the damned. Hades and Minos shall see them in Tartarus. Of that, I have no doubt."

Isabella swallowed thickly before a soft sigh escaped her. "I didn't want to-"

"They made you." Aro reached out his hand to her and Sulpicia moved away. "Stand, girl." Isabella hesitated before taking his hand and letting him help her to her feet. However, he didn't release her hand, and instead, he stared at her intently.

"Uh-"

"Nothing." He breathed, releasing her and smiling widely. "I see nothing!" He clapped his hands together in delight. "Remarkable! Humans are so foolish, so absurd! You three are powerful in a way I've never seen." He tapped his chin, "To see such gifts in humans is extremely rare. You three are perfect, not cursed, not bastards of Hecate. Perfect!" His smile broadened. "And you, Isabella, you are more than even Demetri knew!"

Her eyes widened at that. "You know Demetri?"

The man nodded, looking at her earnestly, "Yes! He's a dear friend of ours. He said we'd find you here." Aro looked around, "A dreadful place to live." He then shook his head, "But don't worry, you won't live in this squalor for much longer."

Isabella at him. "I don't know what squalor means." She frowned, "Where's Demetri? Is he alright? Will he be coming back?"

"You'll see him, in time." He promised, and she eyed him warily. He moved forward before she could react and took Jane's hand in his.

Jane growled at him and snatched her hand away. "Stop that! I don't like that!" Isabella grimaced. Her sister didn't like being touched by outsiders. Isabella and Alec were exceptions, but others knew better than to lay a finger on her.

Aro winced and nodded quickly, "Yes, of course, I apologize. I'm just excitable." He rubbed his temple, "I must ask you to stop that. I've already seen a demonstration of your gift."

She wrinkled her nose, "Gift? Its power from the gods!" However, from Aro's relaxed shoulders, it appeared she stopped.

"Your gift could very well be from the gods." Aro conceded before he looked at Alec and held out his hand, "Dear boy, I hope I don't frighten you. Just touch my hand and I can see into your mind."

Alec gasped, "You can see my mind!" He eagerly took Aro's hand.

Aro chuckled. "Yes! It's fascinating, isn't it?" He was quiet for a moment before releasing her brother's hand. "Your gift is a powerful one, slow-acting, but very powerful."

"Mine's fast." Jane boasted, and Aro smiled.

"It is. Fast, but you're only able to use it on one person at a time." He mused. "Both of you are marvelous, as is your older sister."

Isabella frowned and turned to Sulpicia. "He can see their minds but he can't see mine?"

The woman smiled at her. "Just as you created Lady Athena's Aegis with your mind, you have one in your own as well. Your sister attacks, your brother obscures, and you protect."

Alec was babbling excitedly to Aro, who seemed enraptured with the boy's tales, while Jane watched Aro warily but was speaking with him as well.

Isabella looked away from Sulpicia. "My pater told me to be their shield while he was away…" she blinked back tears and lowered her voice. "It's been a year, Lady Sulpicia, and he has not yet returned...but he won't, will he?"

Sulpicia took her hands in hers and Isabella looked up at her in surprise. "I don't think so, no." She paused before saying, "I'm sorry, Isabella, I truly am. But Demetri sent us to you and Alec and Jane. He wants us to protect you, he wants us to help take care of you."

Her eyes burned, "Then where is he? Why did he send you two when we were fine, just the four of us!" Sulpicia was quiet for a moment, and Isabella's outburst drew the attention of her siblings and Aro.

The red-eyed woman gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "Give it time, Isabella. Not all can be revealed yet. But in time it will be. Let Aro and I take you all away from Siren Alley." Isabella looked at her warily. It sounds too good to be true.

"Demetri said to always be cautious."

"You're smart to listen to him. But you have to trust we mean you no harm." Sulpicia smiled, "I've always wanted children of my own and...I swear to the Styx our intentions are pure. We won't harm any of you. We only wish to help."

Isabella narrowed her eyes. "You know what happens if you break that promise."

"I do."

She steeled herself and nodded before clearing her throat. "I...I don't mean to offend, Lady Sulpicia, Lord Aro," she made herself stand up straighter, "But if anything happens to Jane or Alec because of you two...I will be the one to fulfill the punishment that comes to oathbreakers."

Aro smiled knowingly at her. "Funny. Demetri told us the same thing."

She didn't so much as crack a smile. "And like Demetri, I mean it."

---

Isabella is thirteen when she learns she can't use her shield to protect herself.

Aro and Sulpicia had moved her and her siblings to the heart of Athens. No longer did they reside in the slums, but in a nice villa with a roof that wasn't made of straw.

Jane and Alec were safe here. Their area was heavily patrolled by guards and the twins had done a much better job at staying out of trouble.

Now they were in their small courtyard. The clouds blocked out the sun and Aro was helping Isabella improve on the use of her power.

"You're not trying, Isabella." Aro was becoming just as frustrated as she was.

Her grip on her dagger tightened. "I am!" He swung the sword at her again, and she jumped back with a curse as she tried and failed to manifest her shield.

"You can do it, Bella!" Jane cheered, and Alec yelled his encouragement as well.

Sulpicia was watching her intently. Jane was perched in her lap, watching her older sister with wide eyes filled with admiration. Alec was leaning against Sulpicia's side, looking sleepy but still engaged in her training.

"What do you think is holding you back?" The woman asked.

Isabella shrugged hopelessly. "I don't know! It just won't work!"

"Hm." There was concern in her eyes but her voice was firm. "Again."

Aro attacked her again. And just as all her previous attempts, she failed to create her shield. She nearly screamed in frustration, putting up her hand to stop him as she caught her breath. Sweat beaded down her forehead and soaked her tunic. She felt disgusting.

The dark-haired man frowned. "A pity. I thought you were improving." He launched his sword at Jane's face and Isabella straightened instantly. Jane didn't so much as blink as the blade smacked into an invisible barrier and bounced off.

"Good job!" Alec enthused, and Sulpicia nodded in approval, a smile adorning her lips as she clapped for the eldest.

"You have a good reaction time." Isabella perked up at her praise, straightening slightly and basking in her approval.

Aro seemed pleased with her quick reaction but sighed. "Now if only you could protect yourself. However, I suppose I can keep throwing sharp objects at your siblings if you find it motivating-" any pride she felt withered away, and anger took its place.

"Stop it, Aro!" She snarled. "They're not part of my training!"

"You're so quick to protect them." He mused, "Maybe the element of surprise will-" he stopped abruptly and she saw the dagger too late. He brought it down in a wide arc and the blade pierced the top of her eyebrow and finished its path down the bottom of her cheek.

His dagger had just missed her eye. Hot blood spilled down the left side of her face, her body began to shake violently from the pain, and she felt as though she was about to pass out. Isabella's face felt as though it had been set on fire. The searing pain made her vision darken and she felt herself begin to sway unsteadily on her feet.

"Aro!" Sulpicia's roar was drowned out by Jane's screech.

"I'll kill you!" She tried to squirm out of Sulpicia's embrace but to no avail. "Let me go!"

The man flinched, gritting his teeth and putting a hand to his head. "I didn't mean-" Alec jumped to his feet, yelling angrily as he tried to pick up the sword that laid on the ground.

"S-Stop," Isabella muttered, but no one listened. There was a lot of yelling, and the rancorous tones were all beginning to mesh together as her eyes began to close.

The last thing she saw was Aro's concerned red eyes gazing at her. Cold hands gripped her arms before the world went black.

She had strange dreams. Dreams of large beasts with wolf heads and men made of stone.

They were fighting, tearing each other apart. They were howling and hissing and baring sharp canines and exposing wicked claws.

A white-furred beast noticed her amidst the chaos. Its piercing green eyes stared intensely at Isabella as it slowly crept closer. It walked on two legs and its feet were large wolf paws. It had a broad, furry chest and its fur looked soft to the touch.

The beast's large arms were corded with muscle, and in some ways, it resembled a person. Its hands had thick black claws and looked to be a little larger than her head.

Isabella stood before the beast, watching its pointed ears flick in her direction and its tail begin to wag slowly, as though unsure about her. Now that the beast was closer, she could better see its face. It was a large wolf head that was proportional to its massive body, and that was when Isabella recognized the creature.

"You're...are you a werewolf?" She asked, and the beast tilted its head. "That's what you look like. A child of Lycaon."

Of course, it didn't respond.

Isabella looked around the battlefield, watching curiously as the men and women made of stone hissed and threw themselves at the werewolves. Both creatures would bite each other and she was hesitant in her next guess.

"And the stone people, are those empousas?" She frowned. "I thought empousas were only women. Winged women at that. But there is much of the mystical world I don't understand."

A huff escaped the beast and it moved closer. Instead of the lumbering movements she expected, it moved fluidly. The grace it presented almost rivaled that of the empousas.

Green eyes never left her blue ones, and the beast presented her with a furry outstretched hand.

"Children of Lycaon eat humans...are you hungry?"

The beast revealed elongated canines in what appeared to be a grin. It nodded and she looked at the clawed hand again.

"You would have killed me by now if you really wanted to." She murmured, hesitating a moment before taking its clawed hand.

"It is done." The voice that whispered in her mind was a woman's, and the world faded to black.

"Isabella?" She frowned, keeping her eyes closed as she tried to remember where she was. "Isabella, I know you're awake." Aro. Her face burned and her eyes fluttered open.

"Gods, my face." She croaked. Her vision slowly returned to her and she tried to sit up. "Where are Jane and Alec-"

"With Sulpicia." Aro pushed her shoulder, and she laid back down without complaint. Her head was spinning and she knew she'd topple over the moment she got to her feet. "I sincerely apologize, Isabella." He murmured, bringing a cup to her lips. "I thought you'd be able to manifest the shield this time. Truly, I did."

She drank the water greedily before pushing his hand away. "I told you I couldn't," Isabella grumbled before closing her eyes. She wasn't angry with Aro. Not really. He was only trying to help.

Aro was quiet for a moment before saying. "It was foolish of me to believe a shield could defend itself. But I thought since you could shield your mind…"

"I don't know how that works. I don't know how any of it works." She sighed, "How does my face look?"

"It will scar. However, so long as you clean it thoroughly and often it won't get infected."A new voice spoke and her eyes popped open.

A man with short blonde hair was now standing next to Aro. He was inhumanly beautiful with the same crimson colored eyes as Aro and Sulpicia. He was a young man that looked to be around Aro's age, and his bright blonde hair gave his pale skin a faint glow to it.

He looked like the sun and her eyes widened at the sight of him. "Lord Apollo?"

The man chuckled, "Not quite, though I am a physician. My name is Carlisle."

Isabella stared up at him. "You're different, just as Aro and Sulpicia are." She sat up, cursing as the room around her began to spin.

"Isabella, I recommend you lay back down. You're dehydrated and suffering from-"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm fine, Lord Carlisle, but I appreciate your concern."

There was a smile in his voice. "I'm no Lord. You may just call me Carlisle."

Isabella peeked an eye open. "Carlisle...whatever pleases my Lord." She reached up to touch her wound when his cold hand caught her wrist.

"Don't touch. Your scar is deep. I had to cauterize the inner tissues in order to keep your wound from becoming infected."

She stared at him blankly. "I don't know what that means." He smiled and she turned to Aro. "I want to see Jane and Alec. Are they alright?"

His brow furrowed. "You have a long scar running down your face, yet it's your uninjured siblings that worry you?"

"They were upset. They need to see that I am well."

Aro watched her silently for a moment. "Isabella, I often think of when Dryas compared you to Atlas." She frowned at him. "I believed him, for a time. I thought Jane and Alec were a burden you felt forced to carry. But he was wrong, and so was I." He rested a hand on her shoulder. "You are like Leto, the great titaness that sheltered her twins from Hera's wrath. Artemis and Apollo would have been helpless without her, just as Jane and Alec would be helpless without you."

Carlisle looked bothered by this comparison. "She's a child."

"One that loves and protects her siblings so fiercely she was able to manifest a physical and mental shield." Aro countered. "She is much more than a child, brother."

He frowned. "I worry that your ambition will burden her with a weight that not even Atlas carries."

"My ambition will lead us to rule our kind. Something you will lose sight of if you're not careful." Rule his kind? Minor gods? Demigods? She thought of her dream. Empousa? She decided not to ask any questions. Sulpicia had assured her that all would be explained in due time. So until then, she could wait.

Should I tell Aro about the werewolf? She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Does he even care about the children of Lycaon? The stone men had red eyes just as Aro did. Before she could think more about it her head began to throb.

An impatient huff escaped her and she got to her feet. "You two can talk all you want. I want to see Jane and Alec."

"Of course." Aro walked her to the door before stopping and looking at her closely. "Isabella, do you know what you are?"

She frowned. "A shield."

"Yes...and that may explain why you can't use your gift on yourself." She urged for him to continue and he did. "A shield protects those that wield it, but it's impossible for it to protect itself." Before she could say anything he spoke up again. "Fear not. We will teach you to defend yourself, and Carlisle will teach you in the ways of medicine."

Isabella smile. "Thank you." She left and when she was out of earshot Carlisle turned to Aro with a growl.

"You've gone too far this time. You're taking advantage of these children, grooming them for war against the Romanians. Does Caius know? What about Marcus? Didyme? Athenadora?"

Aro rolled his eyes. "Providing and caring for orphans is considered taking advantage of them?"

"I'm not so easily manipulated, brother," Carlisle warned. "And that scar on her face tells me everything I need to know about this arrangement."

"Do spare us the theatrics, Carlisle." Sulpicia appeared at her husband's side, looking annoyed. "Believe me when I say my husband will pay for what he did to my sweet girl."

Aro winced. "It truly wasn't on purpose-"

"You're a vampire that struggles with impulsivity. That doesn't make it an accident." She growled, and he nodded slowly before taking her hand in his.

"I'll make it up to you, my dear. You and the children." The children were giggling in the other room, unaware of the vampires' meeting as they gushed over Isabella's new scar.

"Yes. You will." Sulpicia then turned her attention back to Carlisle. "I would be careful riding on that high horse of yours, Carlisle. The fall might wound your pride."

The physician glared at her. "What you're doing is wrong."

"Was it wrong when you brought us Renata?" He hissed and she continued. "A young woman presented a talent and you leaped on the opportunity to change her." She chuckled. "Then there was Demetri."

"He was dying!"

"As were these children." She replied easily. "Their mother died giving birth and their father was killed by some terrible creature of the night." She smiled blithely at him. "I've always wanted children, and now I have them." Red eyes darkened. "They are mine. Do you understand me?"

Carlisle clenched his jaw. "I understand that you're taking care of them. But to make them be one of us-"

"Make them?" Aro laughed. "Gods, we wouldn't force them to change. We'd give them a choice, of course."

"One they wouldn't refuse because you're indoctrinating them."

Aro looked aggravated. "These children are remarkable, Carlisle! Powerful! They deserve more than to be wasting their lives as feeble humans." He poked his chest, "Caius suggested we take the fight to the Romanians and you told us we needed to build up our army with gifted vampires. I find gifted humans and you rebuke me? Do you want to win, brother, or do you want to continue to slink in the shadows of those Romanian halfwits!"

Carlisle sighed before smoothing his hands over his bloodstained tunic. "This just...doesn't feel right."

Sulpicia hummed before stepping forward. "You crave a family, don't you?" He stiffened when she gave his cheek a dotting pat. "Well, adjust to your nieces and nephew then." His eyes widened and she smiled knowingly at him. "You'll be visiting them often."

---

Isabella is fourteen when she meets Theia for the first time.

It's the same dream she has every few months. It always is. The people made of stone fight the wolf-headed beasts. The only difference is how the child of Lycaon reacts to her.

Tonight it walks to her on all fours, managing to look more intimidating than it did on two legs. The muscles beneath its shoulder blades rippled and tensed, as though it were going to pounce at any moment. Green eyes watched her carefully, as though she were the true threat.

"I thought of a name for you," Isabella said. "Theia. Your fur is blinding white, and you look like a star. Lady Theia is the Titaness of light...I figured you wouldn't like the name Apollo." The voice in her last dream had been a woman's. Isabella could only assume at this point.

This made the werewolf pause before it continued its approach. It no longer looked menacing, but it was still moving slowly.

"You visit me a lot, Theia. Why?" She gestured at the people made of stone. "I know now what those are. Vampires." Theia growled at that and sat next to her. "Why do werewolves and vampires fight?" Theia huffed and Isabella sighed.

They watched the fighting happen in silence for a moment longer before her curiosity got the better of her. "That first time we met...you spoke to me. Will you speak to me again?" Theia said nothing and Isabella groaned before flopping onto her back.

"Fine! I don't want to talk to you anyway!" However, her vow of silence only lasted for a few seconds. "Your voice sounded like a girl. Are you a girl?" She sat up to see Theia nodding. "Oh. Huh." Theia's form shuttered, bones snapping and breaking down before Isabella's very eyes.

"Theia!" She reached out to her but stopped when her body began to shrink. Taking the werewolf's place was a normal white wolf. She was still large and fearsome, but her face looked friendlier in this form.

"Whoa." Isabella breathed, reaching out and stroking her back. Theia watched her closely before laying her head on her paws, and she let Isabella pet her until she woke up.

"Isabella." The gentle voice of Carlisle roused her from her sleep, and the groggy fourteen year's eyes fluttered open.

"Uncle Carlisle?" She looked around her room with a frown. "Did mater leave?" She mumbled, rubbing her eyes and yawning. The warm arms around her neck tightened and she nearly gagged as she extracted herself from Jane's grip.

It took a bit of wiggling for her to slide out from beneath Alec, who had taken residence on her chest, but lucky for her the twins were heavy sleepers.

She stumbled to her feet and stretched. Before her uncle could answer she slipped her arms around him and gave him a gentle hug, using the opportunity to lean against him and close her eyes once again.

A quiet chuckle escaped him and he placed a hand atop her head. "I thought you were being sweet, but you're really trying to sleep for longer."

"You and pater get me up too early. I like mater better, she lets me sleep in." She grunted, clinging to him for a moment before letting him go. "Where did they go? Are they with Demetri?" She then frowned. "When will Demetri visit us?"

Carlisle gave her a patient smile. "He was only turned a few years ago. His control isn't strong enough to be around you and your siblings."

"He wouldn't hurt us." She muttered but decided to drop it. Her shield couldn't stop a vampire, not completely, and she wasn't keen on testing it should Demetri be out of control.

"I need you to collect the purple orchis for me this morning." Carlisle instructed, "Then-"

"I know. I'll go hunting." She groused, peeking out her window and cursing when she saw the sun hadn't even made an appearance yet. "Gods, Carlisle, why can't I train at night and be allowed to sleep for longer!"

Her uncle smiled. "Happy hunting."

"Bastard." Isabella huffed.

"What was that?" She winced and he laughed. "I'll be sure to let Aro know what you think of me."

Isabella blanched. "I didn't mean it! The children didn't hear me. And I'm a young woman now. Who cares what I say?"

His smile was teasing. "Your pater."

Mater doesn't care. She never gets mad at me.

She scowled at him. "Malaka! It's too early for this! You know I love you!" She snatched her bow and quiver from her dresser before leaving the house.

"Orchis and hunting. Absurd." She went to the stables and saddled her horse. "Damn the mornings." She rubbed the sleep from her eyes before mounting her horse. He was a massive red Arravani, a gift from her uncle, the very one who refused to let her awake after the sun.

"Can you believe this, Deimos? Hunting despite having plenty of food." She rolled her eyes as she trotted through the cobblestone streets of Athens. "You must stay sharp, Isabella." She mocked her father's voice. "It will make you a better vampire." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ridiculous."

There were a few people up as well. Laborers were hastily rebuilding the stone walls, the very ones that kept the Spartans at bay, and quite a few merchants were preparing for the markets to open.

"Isabella!" She perked at the sound of that voice and stopped her horse.

"Kassandra!" The misthios was riding her horse as well, and slung over its backside was a man. At first, Isabella believed him to be dead.

"Unconscious," Kassandra assured her, and sure enough, the man's back rose and fell steadily.

Isabella shrugged. "It's okay if he's dead. I've seen dead men before."

The older woman grimaced at that. "Doesn't mean you should have to see more."

This made her frown. "But I will see more. I'm going to become a misthios, just like you." She grinned, "I'll travel all over. Attica, Lesbos, maybe even Lakonia!"

Kassandra was a legend in Athens. Friend to Perikles, conqueror of the Spartan commander Nikolas, the savior of Anthousa. She was popular for a mercenary. Many mithios were detested for their morals or lack thereof, but not Kassandra.

She was admired. She had the greatest adventures and the greatest stories. She even has an eagle.

The misthios sighed. "Do not aim to be like me, Bella. Nothing good comes from being a misthios." She then gave her a sly smile. "Well, besides the coin. And the women."

Isabella's brow furrowed. "Women come when you're a misthios?"

Kassandra grinned. "Yes! But don't tell your mater I said that. She'd have my head." She crossed her scarred arms over her chest. "Where are you running off to so early?"

The girl deflated. "Herb gathering and hunting."

The misthios chuckled. "I'll leave you to it. Don't forget to pray to Lady Artemis for a good hunt."

Isabella nodded before asking, "Will you visit us tonight before you leave for Delos?"

"Of course. I must say goodbye to my favorite troublemakers." Kassandra gave her a reassuring smile. "I won't be gone long. My Aspasia will miss me terribly."

Isabella smiled and bid her farewell before continuing on her way. She prayed quickly to Artemis as she exited Athens and ventured to the woodlands.

Finding the orchis was the easy part. Carlisle wanted to test her on making a brew to cure stomach pains. "Orchis to make salep, to ease the troubled stomach." She muttered, plucking a couple of purple flowers from its roots and stuffing them into her saddlebag.

Giving her head a vigorous shake she took her bow and ventured deeper into the forest. She kept close to the ground, eyes narrowed as she stepped lightly.

It was dawn and the sun was just about to rise. The air was brisk, the deer would be out, and she debated if it was even worth catching one. Plenty of meat but a hassle to skin.

Aro would reprimand her for her laziness, but she would argue and say her decision was based more on practicality.

Isabella settled for rabbits instead. She loosened three arrows and caught three rabbits, skinning them with ease and rolling up their pelts. She often felt bad about killing animals, especially tiny and unsuspecting ones like rabbits, but at least they never went to waste.

She heard a rustling in the undergrowth and she tensed, standing to her feet and drawing her bow. Isabella knew better than to speak. That would give away her position, and hopefully, it was only a woodland creature passing by.

But the sound came closer. She listened carefully to the steps. The unknown creature stepped with care, and either there was more than one person or it was a beast with four legs.

A soft yip made her jump, and she watched with wide eyes as a large white wolf crept out from the undergrowth. Piercing, familiar green eyes stared up at her, and against her better judgment, she lowered her weapon.

"Theia?" Isabella prayed she was right. If I'm wrong I'm going to die out here. The wolf's tail wagged as it moved closer to her. Isabella grinned, dropping her bow and holding her hand out. "You found me in my dreams, and now you find me while I'm awake." Theia nuzzled into her hand and she stroked her head gently. "Why are you here?"

No answer. Theia only sits in front of her and allows her head to be pet. Her ears flick in her direction but she doesn't acknowledge the question.

"I caught some rabbits. Would you like one?" The wolf wrinkled her nose and Isabella laughed. "I forget, you don't eat animals." She was quiet for a moment before asking, "Can I see you as a werewolf?" Theia heaved out a loud sigh and rolled her eyes. "Is that a no? Then, can I see you as a human?"

Another eye roll. "Fine. I don't want to see your human form anyway!" Isabella retorted petulantly. "I bet you're all hairy and gross." The wolf snorted before leaning against Isabella's leg. She grunted at the weight, smiling slightly as she scratched behind Theia's ears. "Did I hurt your feelings?" Theia didn't acknowledge her, and instead remained still as Isabella petted her.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, until Isabella noticed the sun rising high in the sky. She moved away from the wolf. "I have to go. Will I see you again?" Theia stood to her paws, giving her a nod before she vanished back into the woods.

Isabella squinted after her, and when she saw no sign of the wolf she returned to her horse. "Demios, I met Theia with my eyes open." Her horse whinnied nervously at her, no doubt smelling the lingering scent of the wolf on her hands. "It's alright. She's nice." Once her horse settled she clipped the skinned rabbits to his saddle and clambered on.

The ride back home felt shorter, and her thoughts were consumed with white fur and green eyes. Why is she here? Why does she appear in my dreams? Isabella wished she could see what her human form looked like.

When she returned her siblings were still asleep, and the sun was still climbing the sky. She greeted Carlisle, handing him the skins and rabbit meat before she got to work on the salep.

Isabella worked diligently but was distracted time and time again by the thought of Theia. What does she want from me?

"Bella?" She jolted out of her musings and looked up to see her uncle standing over her. "You seem distracted. Is everything alright?" His brow furrowed in worry. "I apologize, I thought you had gotten a better night's sleep. I would have let you sleep longer if I knew-"

She shook her head. "It's not that, uncle." She assured him, "I'm...I have a question." He looked at her curiously and she continued. "Do you know what it means when you dream of wolves?"

"Wolves?"

Isabella nodded. "Wolves. The same black wolf with green eyes." She decided not to tell him that Theia was a werewolf. She feared for her companion's life if her family were to ever find out.

Carlisle, however, still looked troubled. "This dream is recurring?"

"Yes. The she-wolf is always there whenever I have the dream."

Red eyes narrowed. "Do you notice anything else strange about the dream?"

"No." She lied with ease. "Just that a nice wolf sits by my side."

Her uncle seemed intrigued, but still, there was suspicion. "I'm no Oracle, my dear, but perhaps Lady Artemis is calling to you." Lady Artemis has influence over wolves, not werewolves.

She wondered if it was Lycaon that called to her instead, and the thought troubled her. Has the traitor of the gods taken an interest with me?

"Perhaps." She muttered, turning her attention back to the salep. "But what would a goddess want with me?"

"She could be calling you to become a huntress."

Isabella shrugged. "I suppose." But she spoke no more after that. And as the dreams continued, so did the visits of Theia.

---

Isabella is fifteen when she becomes a mercenary and she's sixteen when she falls in love for the first time.

Her contract sent her to Attica, a two-week's journey from Athens. She didn't have to find work. Her parents always assured her that she and her siblings would be cared for. She wanted to find work.

Being a misthios paid the best and she had the most fun doing it. She was smaller than most of the other mercenaries. She was lean and wiry. She didn't wield a sword, instead, she used her daggers and bow. Many underestimated her, and that worked to her advantage.

Blue eyes darted around the fields. She was alert, partially slouched in her saddle, and she rested her notched bow in her lap as her horse continued trotting down the path.

"This contract asked for me specifically." She murmured to her horse, "It worries me." Deimos nickered and she rolled her eyes. "I'm not being paranoid. I just find it odd that someone in Attica knows of me." She was well known in certain parts of Athens. Seedy taverns and groups of less reputable people, but she certainly wasn't famous.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Isabella muttered, eyes widening as the large villa came into view. No one this rich had ever contacted her for a contract.

"So much drachma, and only to kill some common thief." She grimaced at the bag that was tied to her saddle. "And to cut off his hand as proof." A weary sigh escaped her. "What would pater think of me now, Deimos?" Her horse snorted and she cursed at him, "You're always so judgemental."

The moment she arrived a servant came racing out. "You must be the misthios. A pleasure." He said quickly, holding out his hand to her.

Isabella regarded him suspiciously before taking his hand and allowing him to help her dismount. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd prefer to skip the pleasantries." She grumbled. She was here for the coin, then she'd return to the twins as soon as possible.

She had never traveled this far before, and the ride had been a lonely one. She missed Jane and Alec dearly.

"Ah, my apologies. I know you're very busy. I'll put your horse in the stables. Head inside. Mistress Calista has been eagerly awaiting your arrival." Isabella nodded before slinging her bow onto her shoulder and putting her arrow back into her quiver.

She untied the bag from her saddle, nose wrinkling at the smell. "Be sure to take good care of Deimos."

"Of course, misthios."

When she stepped inside she looked around, not taking in the elegant decor, but ensuring that she wasn't walking into any trap. She kept close to the front door, never allowing it to close, and ready to bolt at any moment in case things went awry.

Deft footsteps made her tense, but all caution was thrown out the window when the woman appeared. She was beautiful. Gorgeous.

Her eyes were a verdant green and her hair was a stark white. Her skin was tan and light freckles dotted her cheeks. She wore an elegant black dress, one embroidered with a gold wolf on the skirts, and her amused smile made Isabella's heart stutter in her chest.

She had never had time for romance. It all seemed so trivial to her. All that mattered was taking care of Jane and Alec until they were all old enough to be turned. Aro had wanted to turn her at sixteen, but her mother insisted that they waited until they were eighteen.

Isabella had been around beautiful women, but none more beautiful than her mother, and now she was certain that Calista was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. So beautiful and so familiar.

She felt ridiculous standing there in her scratched-up breastplate and muddied sandals. She knew her wild brown hair had only been more frayed by the wind and the humidity. And her ruddy cheeks were even pinker due to the sun's harsh rays.

Isabella stood up straighter under Calista's scrutinizing gaze. And when green eyes stopped examining her she smiled. "Misthios. I didn't expect you to be so...cute." Her voice...have I heard it before?

She wondered if this is what love was. Her heart was beating fast, her face was warm, and she was certain she wanted to kiss Calista. But what do I know about kissing? What do I know about wooing?

She swallowed, shifting awkwardly as Calista continued to stare at her. "You're very beautiful." Her face burned as the woman laughed.

"Cute and sweet." She moved forward until she was standing face to face with Isabella. "You finished the job? I would have asked for his head but," she smiled, "I'm not barbaric."

Isabella held out the bag to her. "No, not barbaric in the slightest." She said dryly. "You only wanted me to murder a petty thief and bring you his hand. You can check it. The emerald ring is still intact, just as you asked."

The woman took it, opening the bag to check before she hummed. "You call it murder, I call it justice."

"Call it whatever you want. I don't care so long as I'm paid what I'm owed."

Calista smirked. "I'm glad we have an understanding." She turned her head to the side. "Brisa." A servant appeared with a large sack of coin, taking the hand away and exchanging it for the drachmas before quickly leaving them again.

The woman held out the coin. "For a job well done." Isabella went to take the money but Calista moved her hand, keeping the bag just out of reach. "I have a question."

Isabella frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "And me answering that question isn't in the contract."

Her eyes lit up with interest, "So, the vampires taught you how to show your teeth?" Isabella froze, eyes narrowing and shoulders squaring as Calista's lips quirked upward.

"Vampires?" Her hand rested casually on the hilt of her dagger. "The wine must be particularly strong this morning." Their existence was to be kept secret. But do I have to slit her throat to keep her quiet?

Calista's eyes darted to her dagger. "Cute and sweet and murderous. But I must warn you, your dagger will have very little effect on me." She reached out, placing her hand atop Isabella's. Her thumb brushed over her knuckles, and Isabella felt her pulse quicken. "Did your parasites tell you of other species? Superior ones?"

Isabella's eyes widened in realization, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away. "You're-" Calista placed a hand over her mouth and Isabella's grip on her blade tightened.

"Speak cautiously." She warned. "The walls have eyes and ears."

She frowned and Calista removed her hand from her mouth. "Do you worry about spies?"

A knowing smile appeared on her lips. "I worry about parasites." She took Isabella's hand in hers and led her away, making the girl's heart flutter in her chest. Calista opened a door that led to a stairwell. It was dimly lit with torches and Isabella struggled to see.

"Are you-"

"Hush." Calista murmured, "Eyes and ears." Isabella remained silent as Calista guided her through the dark. When they reached the bottom Calista released her hand. She lit candles, better illuminating the room.

There were no windows and the room was lined with various pelts. The floor was made of stone, a bear pelt laid in front of the hearth, and there was a desk and a bookcase at the far end of the room. Isabella noticed a wooden panel, a doorway, that stuck out of the floor, and unease crept into her stomach as Calista turned to face her.

"The eyes can no longer see, but the ears are still sharp." She murmured, "Keep your voice low and we can speak plainly with one another."

Isabella nodded, looking around warily before asking, "Parasite? We're being watched by a vampire?"

"One you're very familiar with." Calista hummed. "I've smelt her on you before…" before?

"My mater?" She felt betrayed by this information. Her parents and uncle claimed they wouldn't interfere with her work. That meant no stalking and no hovering. Yet my mater insists on babying me. She'd have to talk with her when she returned home.

"Mater? That parasite?" Calista laughed when Isabella glared at her. "You must be useful to her if she's keeping you alive."

"I don't care for her reasons." She muttered. "She's kept me and my family alive. She loves us. That's all that matters."

Calista's next laugh was a mocking one. "Loves you? Parasites can't love-"

"Vampires can and she does!" Isabella snapped. "Stop calling her a parasite. All she's ever done is give."

"Until she needs to take." The mercenary clenched her jaw and the woman gave her a pitying look. "Your loyalty is admirable, but I thought you'd be smarter." She reached out and patted her cheek. "You're usually so intuitive." Usually?

Her suspicions were confirmed and her eyes widened, "You...I know you." White hair. Green eyes. Her voice. "Theia?"

"Theia?" Calista's eyes twinkled with mirth. "How can you be sure?"

Isabella scowled at her. "You said we'd speak plainly down here."

"I did." She conceded. "I am Theia." To think a beautiful woman hid beneath all that fur.

She cleared her throat, inwardly cursing herself for the warmth she felt bloom on her cheeks. "What do you want with me? How could you enter my dreams?"

Calista looked at her and said nothing. Green eyes were searching her, looking for something, but Isabella didn't know what she hoped to find. The misthios shifted awkwardly beneath her scrutinizing gaze. What do you want?

Finally, Calista spoke, "Some werewolves have abilities as well, though it's rarer for us than for vampires." Her head tilted, mimicking her wolf form, and doing the trick of making Isabella hopelessly endeared to her. "I'm a dream seer. I come and go in dreams as I please. I found you by accident, and was intrigued."

Isabella eyed her warily. "Lycaon didn't send you?"

This made Calista laugh. "No. He didn't." She reached out, taking Isabella's hand in hers again and smiling prettily at her. "You've met both my wolf forms, I thought you'd like to see me as a human." She then chuckled. "Well, as human as I can be."

"It's...it's nice to meet you." The girl muttered. "Why didn't you just visit me like this?"

"And risk your vampires finding out? They'd kill me." Calista said it so casually and, even though Isabella suspected this, it still surprised her.

"Why-"

"Too many questions, not enough time." Calista hummed, leading her towards the stairwell. "We'll speak later."

"But-"

"Hush now. You must have patience." They climbed the stairs.

However, Isabella couldn't stop herself from asking, "What question did you have for me?"

Calista gave her a small smile. "A question you're unprepared to answer."

The mercenary traveled home in a daze. All she could think about was Calista.

"I didn't even know I liked women." She confessed to Deimos, who snorted and she groaned. "I hadn't noticed before. But Calista is...if you saw her you'd understand." She gnawed on her lip, praying to every god she could think of to see more of Calista's human form in her dreams.

---

Isabella is eighteen when she's changed.

Her parents were preparing to turn her. The twins are eleven now, growing taller and more mature in some ways but remaining childish in many others.

Jane still throws her tantrums and Alec is still petulant about utter nonsense. Sulpicia and Carlisle were working towards curbing such attitudes but it was difficult, especially when they only really listened to Isabella.

Sulpicia had tried not to be frustrated by this. She was their mother, yet Jane and Alec only truly took her words to heart if Isabella did. They followed her without question. The oldest could rein in Jane and Alec in a way she and Aro never could.

"She's not leaving us!" Jane snarled, and while her tantrum was aggravating to witness, Sulpicia tried to take it all in stride. The twins have been dependent on Isabella for years. Their reactions are normal.

"Another year," Isabella pleaded, "Maybe two? I can't leave them." Her bloodlust would drive her to drain everyone in sight, her siblings included.

Sulpicia knew that being away from the twins worried her daughter. She would have to be away from them for so long, seven years in fact, until the twins were old enough to be turned. Isabella wouldn't be able to protect them and that thought unsettled her.

Carlisle looked uneasy about the ordeal but remained quiet.

Aro frowned. "We agreed to turn you at eighteen."

Sulpicia, however, looked at her thoughtfully. "What's one more year?" Aro looked at his wife incredulously. "The twins will be distraught without her. Who knows what trouble they'd get into?"

She wasn't good at denying Isabella anything. Though the girl hadn't come from her womb she was the gentlest of the three. She was her firstborn.

It had taken a little while for Alec and Jane to warm up to her, but not her Isabella. She was relieved when the two entered their lives, clinging to Sulpicia almost immediately.

It was a risk, but one she was willing to take. It would gain her more favor with her children as well as allow Isabella to help temper her siblings' worst impulses.

Even now Jane and Alec frightened those around them, and only Isabella was able to calm them completely and keep them from harming others.

They had been hurt before, all three of them, and it made their gifts manifest in different ways.

Isabella was thrust into the role of a protector at a young age, learning that she had to put Jane and Alec first because that was the job of the eldest. That's what her birth father instructed her to do.

She was their protector, their shield. Any pain she endured didn't matter, not as long as Jane and Alec were safe.

Jane was angry at the world. Their mother died giving birth to her and her father disappeared five years later. She and her brother were tormented constantly because of a power that was out of their control, and it had weighed on her.

Her gift manifested out of her desire to hurt others the way she had been hurt. If she deemed people worthy of suffering, then she would inflict it.

She was temperamental and at times chaotic. She had always been too small to properly protect Alec and Isabella the way she had always wanted to.

Jane wanted justice, and she took it whenever she pleased, no matter the situation.

Alec could be fiery, just as his sisters, but he was the quieter one. He only wanted for his family to be left alone, ignored, and forgotten so they could live in peace.

However, Sulpicia had noticed that the boy had grown to enjoy using his gift. The panic others felt when they lost their senses was one he delighted in. It made him feel strong. It made him feel as though he were useful.

Jane looked up at Sulpicia, blue eyes bright with gratitude before she turned to Aro. "Yes, Alec and I would be very upset if she left."

"Very upset." Alec echoed. No one missed the veiled threat that lingered in their words, and for a moment Sulpicia wondered if she was in over her head.

"You and your sister will need to learn how to grow up." Aro began to pace. "You three are the last pieces of the puzzle."

Sulpicia stopped her husband with a hand on his arm. "We wouldn't start the siege against the Romanians without Jane and Alec." She reminded him. "I don't see why we can't give them one more year. The twins have seven before we can turn them, why the rush with Isabella?"

Her mate looked as though he wanted to argue but he stopped himself. He straightened his posture and smoothed over his facial expression before responding. "You're right." He looked at Isabella. "One year, and not a moment longer."

She nodded vigorously. "Thank you, pater." She embraced him before hugging her mother and uncle. Next Jane jumped into her arms and Alex clung to her waist.

"You can't go away. Not ever." Alec grumbled, and Jane nodded in agreement.

Isabella sighed, holding her siblings close. "It won't be for long...and we shouldn't dwell on that now. We have another year together." It took some time to console them, and when night fell Isabella left their villa.

---

The girl didn't bother mounting her horse as she raced through the streets of Athens. Calista promised to visit her in their usual spot when she turned eighteen.

"I have a gift for you."

Isabella's heart was thundering in her chest when she arrived at the beach. Waves lapped the shore and a crescent moon glowed brightly in the star-covered sky. Her hands were shaking in anticipation and she forced herself to sit and wait for Calista.

Her family knew of Calista, but they didn't know what she was. She had given them a brief description of her and told them that she was her friend. Of course, her mother knew better, and her father seemed to care very little about her meetings with the woman.

"Isabella." She perked up at the sound of her voice and smiled widely at the sight of Calista. The woman's green eyes pierced through the darkness, and a small smile played on her lips as Isabella approached her.

"Calista." She felt breathless, stopping just short of the werewolf.

Calista greeted her with a chaste kiss. "My misthios." It startled the younger girl and she thought her heart would burst from her chest. "You're eighteen and still human." She sounded pleased and Isabella nodded.

"You were right. They gave me more time because of Jane and Alec." She had been truthful with her parents when it came to remaining with her siblings. Calista had been the one to convince her to prolong her time as a human.

She was gifted with another kiss. This one was longer, it made her heart stutter and her breathing become shallow when Calista pulled away.

"Why...why are you kissing me?" Isabella breathed, feeling heat creep up her neck when Calista slipped her arms around her waist.

"Would you like me to stop?"

Isabella hastily shook her head. "No! I...this is nice."

"It is." She kissed her again, slipping her hand beneath Isabella's jaw and gently grabbing it. Isabella eagerly gripped her hips, heart thundering in her chest as the woman sighed happily into her mouth. Calista had always been flirtatious by nature, but she could have never imagined that the werewolf wanted her romantically.

This was everything she wanted. It was perfect. Calista wanted her. Jane and Alec were safe. And she was allowed to stay human for a little while longer.

The werewolf pulled away, smiling softly at her before she tensed. Green eyes widened. "Bella, get behind me. Now." A low growl was heard, and dark green eyes glowed in the shadows.

A large, black werewolf crept forward, teeth bared and a snarl in its throat. Isabella stumbled backward, but she was too slow. The werewolf was fast, its speed rivaling a vampire's, and Isabella's world went black as sharp claws raked across her chest.

---

Calista caught the girl as she fell back, gritting her teeth as blood gushed from her. "Gamóto! I told you to be careful!" She snarled at the werewolf. The beast's body shifted, bones cracking as her form shrunk into that of a human.

Damara stood bare before her, looking annoyed as she brushed her dark hair from her eyes. "It has to look real, little sister or your precious Isabella would never believe you. Now, hurry and change her. I can hear the parasites approaching." She shifted into her wolf, slinking off the beach and waiting nearby.

Calista looked at the girl. She had fainted, a combination of blood loss and fear, that much was certain. Her face was sickly pale, sweat beaded down her forehead, and the long gashes had cut so deep that Calista could see bone. Her pulse fluttered weakly, and crimson continued to seep from her wounds and bloody her clothes.

"Oh, lýkos mou." She breathed, brushing stray hairs from her face. "I hope you can forgive me." Calista opened her mouth wide. Her canines grew longer, sharper, and she sank her teeth into Isabella's throat just as the vampires arrived.

"No!" It was a female vampire. Red eyes watched Calista with such an intense hatred the werewolf had half a mind to feel fearful.

When she was certain her venom was coursing through Isabella's bloodstream she pulled away, licking the blood from her lips and staring at the two vampires that stood before her.

"Aro and Sulpicia. A pleasure." She gave them a slight bow of her head. "I'm sorry we had to meet under such circumstances. A werewolf attacked her, as you can see. I chased it off and-"

"I don't need to read you to know that that is a blatant lie," Aro growled, eyes black with fury and hands curled into fists. "Give me one reason I shouldn't tear you apart!"

Calista held Isabella tighter to her chest, ignoring the girl's whimper. Her skin was burning, and in seconds she was drenched with sweat. Her wound was slowly beginning to close up and the werewolf couldn't help but grin before looking up at the parasites.

"Does it bother you knowing your venom will no longer affect her?" She asked quietly, feeling unbelievably smug as Isabella curled into her. The girl reached out, fisting her chiton and burying her face into her neck. The wolfling began shaking. The change would take a day. Only a day. I have to prepare.

"Put her down," Sulpicia growled. "Put her down now, you mongrel!"

Calista stared at her for a moment before smiling. "She loves me."

Aro's eyes widened. "Liar-" he stopped abruptly when Calista held out her hand to him.

"Read me, then. See the truth for yourself."

He reached out to her but his mate stopped him. "Don't bother." She watched Calista with narrowed eyes. "I know my daughter better than anyone. The werewolf speaks true."

This made Calista laugh. "Daughter? She can't hear you, you know, you don't have to maintain this ridiculous charade."

Sulpicia smiled, but there was no warmth in her black eyes as she took a step forward. "I have raised this girl since she was twelve. I cleaned her wounds. Gave her food. Dried her tears. Bathed her when she couldn't do so herself. Stayed at her bedside when she took ill. Taught her how to read. And I love her more than you could possibly imagine." She was looking at Bella now with a warmth Calista had never seen in vampires. "That is my daughter, and I will kill you for what you've done to her."

The werewolf shook her head, holding Isabella closer to her chest and taking a step back. "You won't. I'm her creator, you two don't know how to raise a newly turned werewolf." Sulpicia clenched her jaw and Aro's eyes narrowed. "Bella and I are bonded. It's no maker bond, but it's strong enough to make her resent you should you ever lay a hand on me. You need me."

"You have terms. Speak quickly and stop wasting our time."

Calista let herself relax but only slightly. "I know of the uprising against the Romanians. Isabella was very proud of her role to play in the fight against them." Aro's hands curled into fists. "You will leave my sister and me alive and give werewolves a place to call our own. Do what you wish with the werewolves that don't comply, but whatever territory you give to us is one we will reside and rule."

Aro looked baffled. "You want a kingdom of your own?"

"No. Werewolves don't have alphas or kings." She scoffed. "But many of us are tired of fighting with your kind. We wish to live out our days in solitude." Aro was silent, as was Sulpicia. "Do think carefully. Your eldest is a monster, just as I am. What would you want for her-"

"Our daughter will not be going away with the likes of you." Aro snapped. "She is a member of our coven."

"She is a werewolf." Calista snarled. "Don't delude yourselves." She then paused and gave Aro a sly smile. "Oh. She's still of use to you. That's the only reason you haven't killed both of us, isn't it?" Sulpicia had spoken with true conviction. Her love for Isabella was more evident, and it was seen in the way her lips curled back into a sneer.

"She's his daughter as much as she's mine!" Yet Aro didn't look as convinced.

Calista was a manipulator, she always had been, and Aro was too. She could see it in his eyes. They weren't soft for Isabella's as Sulpicia's were, but they were detached and calculating. He was discovering what he could do with what he was given.

A shield-bearing werewolf would still give him the power he desires.

Calista tilted her head. "You love what she can give you. You love the idea of having a pet."

"She won't be a pet." He growled, yet he didn't correct her. He cares for her. But not as much as he cares for her power.

Sulpicia looked at him incredulously. "That is our daughter, Aro! Does that mean nothing to you?" He winced when she hissed at him. "Enough of this." She turned to the werewolf. "We agree to your terms."

Her mate's eyes widened. "Sulp-"

"Silence!" She roared, rounding on him and baring her teeth. "That is my daughter. That is my firstborn! I'll be damned if she is taken from us, no matter what curse she's inflicted with." Red eyes bore into green ones. "Will her siblings be safe to visit her?"

Calista felt herself relax and she nodded slowly. "Isabella's temper will be a bit...overwhelming, but manageable if I'm with her. You and your mate will have to stay away from her for a few days. Her instincts will make her combative and she'll be more difficult to control. I don't think you should both visit at the same time-"

"I'll visit her," Sulpicia replied instantly, not bothering to cast a look at her crestfallen mate. "Her uncle and I will be the ones to check in on her." The werewolf grunted in agreement but the vampire wasn't finished. "If you bite my other children then the deal will be off. And then...well," she gave her a terse smile. "They'll never be able to find what's left of you."

Her voice unsettled her but she didn't let it show. "You have my word, no harm will come to your other children."

"Your word." Sulpicia snorted. "Your word means nothing to me, but it's all I have, isn't it?"

"It is."

They were both silent when Aro asked, "How did you come to find out about us and Isabella?"

She pondered whether or not it would be wise to answer truthfully. "Vladimir and I were friends when we were humans and I owed him a few favors." She held Isabella a little closer to her chest. "I blend in better than any vampire ever could, and that's when I found Isabella. She's a mental shield but her guard is down when she sleeps..at least, it is to dreams." A small smile found its way onto her lips. "She spoke of Jane and Alec and...I was going to report this to Vladimir when I realized who the victors would be."

Aro gazed at her approvingly. "So you know we'll win."

"I do." She began to walk backward. "If you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for her change. When Isabella wakes up she'll need me. I advise staying away. She'll attack you on sight and well," she shot Sulpicia a sardonic smile. "I know how dearly you love your firstborn. I don't know if it would be a fight you could win."

Sulpicia clenched her jaw, watching as Calista walked away with Isabella in her arms. "I'll hurt you for this. There will come a day when you feel safe and happy, and I will take everything from you."

"Take everything from me." Calista didn't even bother looking in Sulpicia's direction as a taunting laugh escaped her. "As if Isabella would let you."

---

Isabella loses track of her age by the time she's sent to Forks. Time loses meaning when you're alive for so long.

"It's been quite a while since father sent us on a mission."

"It has."

The blonde leaned back in her seat, red eyes watching her closely. "I'm surprised he allowed you to come."

"I'm usually sent to help with eradication missions."

"Yes, but this won't take long."

Isabella glanced at her. "Father doesn't like risks, no matter how small." She said, contemplating her next words carefully. "And mother insisted."

"She worries too much, so does father." She could sense the anger radiating off the younger girl but she paid it no mind.

"Given the circumstances, don't you believe they have a right to?"

Isabella didn't so much as blink when the vampire ripped off the armrest of her chair. "This isn't Athens! I'm no longer a child!" She snarled, throwing the armrest to the ground and glaring at her murderously. "I'm over five hundred years old-"

"That's enough, Jane," Isabella said, keeping her voice firm as the smaller vampire bared her teeth. "Mother and father may put up with your tantrums, but I will not." Jane clenched her jaw but no longer looked on the verge of attacking her, relaxing back into her seat and crossing her arms over her chest with a scowl.

"I'm not having a tantrum." She grumbled, further relaxing when Isabella gently gripped the back of her ice-cold neck. The firm but painless grip was a way to tether her, to bring her down from her fits of rage.

"Whatever you're doing is childlike in nature," Isabella murmured, running her thumb up and down the nape of her neck. "I won't tolerate it, do you understand me?" Jane nodded, still appearing agitated. "You and Alec rely too much on your gifts, and that's why father sent me." Her voice softened when she noticed Jane's anger fizzle out. "I'm the eldest. Protecting you is my top priority, it always has been. That won't change no matter how powerful you are."

Her sister released a deep breath before looking up at her. "I don't know whether I find you endearing or insulting."

Isabella pulled away, placing a kiss on her temple before giving her a small smile. "Both."

Jane pondered this for a moment before nodding. "Yes. Both." She then shook her head. "I'm not angry that you're with us. Quite the contrary. I only want Sulpicia and Aro to stop suffocating me."

"You used their names. You must be furious with them."

"I'm not joking."

"Neither am I." She imagined it was difficult to be immortalized in a fourteen year old body. But it does add to her intimidation.

Her sister sighed. "You rarely do, despite your penchant for sarcasm." She frowned. "I just believe it's unsafe to send you away whenever there's trouble. Mother is depriving everyone of being properly protected."

"They have Renata to protect them until I return. It's the very reason he keeps two shields." Isabella felt herself relax now that the tension had cleared between them. She didn't like reprimanding her sister, but she was one of the few that could keep her impulses in check.

"You're a physical and mental shield. I wonder when they'll deem Renata to be obsolete." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "She only repels physical attacks while you can make a barrier and shield minds."

This conversation. Again.

"Renata is an essential part of the guard. I'm sent with our eradication teams while she stays and protects our family." She said, frowning as the blonde rolled her eyes. "You can't murder her because she protects herself."

Red eyes narrowed. "She repels me before I can even speak to her."

"Because she knows you'll torture her." Isabella drawled, leaning back in her seat and smiling slightly at her sister's anger.

"I wouldn't have to if she didn't aggravate me." She growled, eyes darkening for a moment before they reverted to their bright crimson. "Oh well, she will be dealt with later."

Isabella chuckled at her petulance. "Leave her be."

"You would deny me, your darling sister, to defend the woman you sleep with? You don't even like her."

"I like sleeping with her." She heard Demetri's distinct chuckle from the cockpit and she nearly smiled at the sound.

"I'll ignore your unnecessary commentary," Jane's nose wrinkled in disgust. "You don't like her romantically."

"No, but I consider her a friend."

"I have no clue as to why." She scoffed before shaking her head. "Enough about Renata. I'm tired of talking about her." She waved her hand. "We'll be in Forks soon. Are you excited?"

Isabella shrugged, resting her chin on her fist and staring out the window of their plane. "It's a job. How I feel doesn't matter."

Her sister smiled, it would appear sinister to those unfamiliar with it. "I'm excited."

"You're a sadist, Jane," Isabella drawled. "Of course you're excited."

Jane chuckled. "I suppose I am, yes. Though, I believed you would be excited to fight the newborn army."

"There's nothing exciting about fighting children." She said, "However, I suppose it will be nice to see our uncle again."

"Why? So he can beat us over the head with his philosophy on animal drinking?" A deep laugh sounded from behind them, and Felix soon followed, sitting across from the sisters and crossing his large arms over his chest. "Personally I'm far more excited to see Edward. He's so touchy, so serious."

Alec joined them, sitting next to Felix and looking as bored as Isabella felt. "I don't know why our father wants him so badly. Alice is of far greater use to us."

"Is she?" Demetri mused from the cockpit. "Her visions are never certain."

"She would provide us with probabilities and ways to see differing outcomes. I'd say she's quite useful."

"Your crush is almost cute." Isabella hummed, smiling slightly at her brother's scowl.

Jane snorted. "As is your infatuation with Renata." She hated when her sister acted like this. She was too possessive for her own good, and Alec could be the same way.

Jane was used to Isabella focusing all her attention on her and Alec. The younger girl was accepting of more paternal figures coming into their lives and tolerant of the occasional acquaintances they met. However, she was always wary when it came to any friendships that were made, especially friendships that could grow to be something more.

"Infatuation?" Isabella stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "Much less of an infatuation and more of a...shared history." Jane and Alec shared a look, one she was unfortunately familiar with.

The blonde raised a brow. "Is that what you call it?" She didn't appreciate what her sister was insinuating.

Isabella believed, no, she knew, their possessive streak was part of the reason both Alec and Jane disliked Renata. The wolf was close to her fellow shield, she enjoyed her company, and often the two would run or hunt together. Whenever she needed a break from Jane's petulance or Alec's neediness she would run to Renata or disappear to write back to Carlisle.

Of course, her siblings took notice. The world was against all three of us once, green eyes bore into red ones. I'm not surprised that they planned for the worst-case scenario. But she was hurt that they even considered the idea of her leaving them behind, much less that they anticipated it to the point of hating those that garnered her attention.

"Yes." She said. "She's my friend, a foreign concept to you, I know." Jane glared at her but she ignored it.

The only reason her siblings hadn't scared off more of the guard was because, despite their closed-off demeanor, they had found friends within the Volturi. So long as all three of us are friends with our fellow guard, and so long as I show less interest in them than in my siblings, then Alec and Jane are at ease. It was ridiculous, and so was their paranoia that she refused to entertain.

Felix sighed in annoyance. "I thought you said you were tired of talking about Renata." He looked at Jane pointedly before leaning back in his seat. "It's been so long since we've gotten sent to do anything fun." He perked up. "I wonder if I can provoke Emmett enough to fight me." Red eyes glinted with mirth. "It's adorable that he thinks himself so strong. Perhaps flirting with Rosalie will get me the fight I desire."

Alec gave Felix a disapproving look. "Do try to behave yourself. We're here to rid ourselves of a problem, not worsen our relations with the Cullens."

The larger vampire rolled his eyes. "I know, you little twerp. Rosalie is beautiful, sure, but she's far too serious for my taste."

Isabella stared out of the window, watching in mild disinterest as the wing of their private jet cut through the clouds. "Alec is right, we're here to kill the newborns and their leader, not to exacerbate things." She looked at her friend. "Besides, we all know Emmett is exactly your type."

Felix sighed wistfully. "If only he realized it." He then smirked. "Maybe I can provoke Rosalie into fighting me, then."

"Felix." She wondered if he ever grew exhausted from flirting with everything that moved.

"I'm kidding, Bella." He chuckled. "Goodness, I forget how serious and grouchy our dear Artemis gets before a job."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Enough, Felix. Bella is right. We have a job to do, and we don't need you making it more difficult than it has to be."

Alec nodded. "I'd like to finish this as soon as possible."

The burly vampire lifted his brow. "Who'd have thought the psycho twins would know anything about diplomacy." Isabella's eyes narrowed and Felix realized his mistake too late.

A soft sigh was heard. "You've done it now," Demetri murmured, flipping a few dials as he prepared them for landing.

Felix abruptly cursed, body convulsing and strong hands crushing the armrests as he held back his scream. Jane wore a content smile as she watched him thrash in his seat, and Alec stared into Felix's panicked eyes with the same look of satisfaction.

Isabella, however, gave him a once-over before looking back out the window. She wasn't squeamish by any means, but torture had never intrigued her as it had her younger siblings.

"I don't like that word," Jane told him sweetly, eyes alight with glee as he let out a whimper, "None of us like that word, isn't that right?" She looked at Isabella and Alec for confirmation. Her twin nodded while Isabella stared at her friend. He knew better but he said it anyway.

"S-Sorry!" He grunted, face scrunched in agony.

"Jane," Isabella spoke softly.

"I know, I know." Jane's smile broadened. "I'm glad you've seen the error of your ways." She allowed him to rest, and he breathed raggedly while leaning against his seat.

"Fuck, Jane. I really didn't mean anything by it-"

"It would be better if you stopped talking," Alec warned. Felix glanced at Isabella and she shook her head. He winced and closed his mouth, remaining silent until they landed.

The vampires put on their sunglasses and adjusted their clothes. Isabella nearly laughed at the sight of her siblings in casual wear. They were both stiff and awkward in their matching t-shirts and jeans.

They had to blend in since they were still unsure of the threat they were about to face. That meant Jane and Alec couldn't wear their stupid, outdated robes, and the rest of them couldn't wear their Volturi shirts.

Isabella had picked her siblings' outfits out for them. Bright red shirts with 'Twin 1' written in white on Jane's and 'Twin 2' written on Alec's. She didn't understand the reference, but it had done the job of making Felix laugh and Jane scowl.

Demetri met them as they got off the plane, a small smile in place and a bounce in his step. Felix matched his stride and the two took the lead, speaking excitedly with one another about fighting the newborns.

Isabella trailed behind, letting her siblings walk in front of her, uncaring about their strategizing as she looked around. While she loved them dearly, there was no denying that their twin bond was untouchable.

It was something she'd never understand, something she didn't care for. She was the eldest, and that suited her just fine.

Green eyes glanced around the airport, ignoring the stares and listening closely for anything suspicious. Some murmured about Felix, others swooned over Demetri, a few inquired about why they wore sunglasses inside.

"Aw," a man gushed, "Twin 1 and Twin 2. That's so cute, I bet our kids would love it if we got that for them."

Isabella suppressed her smirk when Jane shot her a glare. Alec, however, seemed pleased by the attention.

"These shirts do look very nice on us, sister." He told his twin emphatically. "They go well with our eyes."

Jane gave him a side-eye. "This will not be happening again." She all but growled, walking a bit ahead of him to end the conversation.

Isabella placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "It's good that you and Jane's shirts have numbers on them. People would get you two confused otherwise."

The sarcasm flew right over his head. "Jane and I look a lot alike, but she is obviously female and I'm obviously male." He frowned at Demetri, who snickered at his expense, before looking up at Isabella. "You were toying with me, weren't you."

She only ruffled his hair before pulling away. He sighed but didn't bother smoothing it back down as he leaned slightly into her.

"Her eyes are so green." A teenager commented, making her ear twitch. She didn't like being watched, but spending centuries amongst vampires made it so she was used to curious or hateful or even lustful gazes.

"What do you think happened to her cheek?" His companion mused.

The girl with them snorted. "Who cares? I want her to like, step on me." An odd request.

"Jesus Christ, Jessica. Get a grip."

Felix fell in step with Isabella, nudging her with his elbow and smirking, "Did you hear that? You've got an admirer." He jutted his thumb over to the girl, and Isabella glanced at her.

Blue eyes widened when the wolf looked her way and she blushed. She smelled like honey, good enough to eat, and she offered Isabella a shy wave. She blinked, giving her a brisk nod in return before looking away.

She hummed. "She wants me to step on her. I'm not sure why she would want me to do something like that, but judging from her blush and increased heart rate I'm inclined to agree with you. She was admiring me."

Felix sighed. "When we go home we're convincing Aro to let you spend more time outside the castle. You're behind on the lingo."

"I eat humans, I don't converse with them." She said, and Jane muttered her agreement.

They stepped out of the airport, greeted with the gloomy Washington sky that put the vampires at ease. Isabella, however, was aggravated by the lack of sunshine.

She liked the warmth against her skin, against her fur. At least in the dreary castle, she was allowed to roam the grounds or go to the forest and be in the sunshine. In Forks it was a constant blanket of grey clouds, one she couldn't escape unless she left altogether or was lucky enough to get sun on the radar.

"She was pretty enough though, right?" Felix continued, "Sleep with her, and then you'll have a meal afterward."

Isabella raised a bemused brow. "Any particular reason you're pushing me to socialize?"

He gave her an innocent smile. "Of course not. I just thought you'd be a bit peckish after our flight. And what better way to curb your appetite than to seduce and feast?" Another one of his foolish attempts to get me to loosen up.

She narrowed her eyes. "I ate before we came." Carlisle had warned them against hunting in Forks. "And I think you forget that the way I eat is considered to be quite barbaric."

Demetri smiled back at them. "Caius?"

"Who else would lecture me about something so trivial." She remarked dryly, though they all heard the slight fondness in her voice. "If anything, my dietary habits look far less conspicuous. At the very least it looks as though they've been eaten by a bear instead of strangely drained of all blood."

"Not if you know how to hide a body." Alec hummed.

"If you ate as a true predator does, then you wouldn't have to concern yourself with such things."

Jane wrinkled her nose. "Barbaric indeed."

"At least I don't torture my food before I eat it," Isabella said, approaching the black car that awaited them. "My prey dies quickly."

"Mine dies cleanly," her sister muttered.

The werewolf slid into the car next to Alec and shut the door behind her. She didn't speak. She had nothing to say, and she was too lost in thought to contribute to any conversation that was being had.

This would be her first time meeting the entirety of the Cullen coven.

Isabella knew of Cullens because of her uncle's letters and her father's ramblings. She knew of Edward and Alice, partly because of her father's profuse gushing. He spoke of Jasper as well, but only once. They had enough vampires that could manipulate emotions, so the empath wasn't as coveted.

Emmett was Rosalie's mate. He was strong, abnormally strong, but not nearly as strong as Felix. No vampire could best Felix in strength.

Esme was Carlisle's mate. She was sweet and compassionate, not a mean bone in her body. Isabella supposed Esme differed from Sulpicia in that way. While her mother was loving, there was a cruelty to her as well, but one she never directed towards her children.

Edward was tortured and brooding, hating his existence and his mind-reading ability. Carlisle wrote positively about him. Insisting that Edward was intelligent and caring despite his self-loathing.

But her uncle had always seen the best in others, even when they didn't deserve it. So she wasn't sure how well she could take his words to heart.

Jasper was contained and alert, and his knowledge and influence over emotions made him very understanding. He was an excellent fighter, the best in their family due to his years spent fighting in a vampire army.

He apparently left months before the Volturi had dispatched the guard, slaughtering all those that had taken part in fighting for or creating vampires for the sake of bolstering their army.

Isabella had aided in their destruction, and it had been exciting. Some of the vampires were very skilled and proved to be worthy opponents, which is why her expectations for this newborn army were so low.

Then there was Alice, the ever coveted seer. Carlisle said she had a healthy fear of the Volturi due to her wariness of being manipulated into joining them, just as many of their members had been.

Isabella would have been surprised by her father's restraint, had Alice not belonged to Carlisle's coven. He had too much respect for his brother to unjustly break their family apart.

"You're quiet," Alec commented, resting his head on her shoulder.

Isabella laid her cheek atop his head. "Have you known me to be extremely talkative?" His cold skin seeped through his clothes, clashing almost uncomfortably with her own hot skin.

It had taken a few years to get used to the chilling touch of the vampires, especially when her instincts told her to kill the most dangerous threat to her species.

"When we were children you talked often." Jane pointed out. "Before uncle Caius 'trained' you." She grumbled darkly.

"It was necessary. I was wild and emotional." She responded dutifully. Truthfully, without Caius and Didyme, she wouldn't have meshed so well with the Volturi guard.

Demetri smiled at her in the rearview mirror. "Ah, yes, you're exceptionally quiet, especially when you want to make a point or scold someone or show off your dry sense of humor." Felix snickered and Jane gave her a knowing smirk.

The werewolf grunted. "I wasn't talking to you."

"You aren't normally so quiet around us." Alec amended, red eyes searching her green ones.

"I'm thinking."

"About?"

"The Cullens and what to expect when we arrive."

Felix smirked. "Let me help you out. The Cullens are weaker vampires that rely on weak shifters to help them kill newborns."

She raised a brow. "Weaker, yes, but smart to enlist the help of the shifters."

"An even weaker species." Felix pointed out, though not unkindly. "What's a shifter to a vampire? What's a shifter to a werewolf?"

"Nothing." She answered. "However, the shifters are fighting newborns. And if they're useless, well, at the very least they'll provide a nice distraction."

Jane nodded. "They'll be cannon fodder."

Alec voiced his agreement. "It's what's to be expected from a lesser species."

"Who knows, maybe they'll surprise us." Felix all but taunted, chuckling and shaking his head. "I doubt they even know about werewolves."

Demetri laughed quietly. "I'm sure our wolf will give them a fright."

"They'll want to meet with us," Isabella said. "They have a truce with the Cullens, one we'll need to abide by if we're to keep the peace. That means no feeding in Forks and no hurting the whelps."

Felix sighed. "Yes, mother, we're well aware."

"Apparently not." Jane sniped, "What with you trying to convince her to eat that girl at the airport." Felix smirked at Jane before winking at Isabella, making her crack the smallest smile.

Demetri turned onto a gravel road and Alec sighed. "Almost there," he nestled closer to Isabella and she kissed the top of his head before resting her head on his once again.

"Almost there."

The Cullens had visited Volterra a few years ago but Isabella had been absent. She and a few of the guard had been sent to track down and handle a small vampire uprising that had taken place in Romania.

While Carlisle would visit her, she was dissuaded from being able to visit his coven in return. Her father was adamant that she stayed in Volterra where she belonged, unless he had a task for her. He didn't like the idea of her traveling without any of the guard.

Save for her yearly trip to Attica, she was to remain in Volterra.

Aro claims to care for my safety, but I know better. He feared she would leave, but he should have known better. She owed her life to Aro and Sulpicia, she owed her siblings' lives to them. And leaving Jane and Alec is out of the question.

Even if she could leave, even if she wanted to, where would she possibly go? Living in Attica was out of the question. She had nowhere else and no one else, aside from Carlisle, but her father wouldn't like that.

Isabella couldn't leave and she wouldn't leave.

I'm a shield. My job is to protect. I am Aegis.

It was her uncles Caius and Marcus who had tamed her, so to speak. They had smoothed out her rough edges and made her acceptable within "polite vampire society."

"I detest your species," Caius had told her. "But I suppose when you have a pet for long enough it's only natural to become attached."

Isabella had smiled at him then, more amused than anything. "And I suppose it's only natural for the host of a parasite to become complacent." She was surprised when he smiled back, eyes gleaming with interest and approval.

"Is that what I am? A parasite?"

"That's what the entire leadership of this coven is. A group of parasites that feed off the strength of others to remain in power, and then disposing of them when they have nothing left to give." She told him. "But so long as my siblings are well cared for and happy, then I'll remain as complacent as you need me to be, uncle."

He had liked her answer. "A complacent wolf is also a well cared for wolf. It seems I may have use for you yet, niece." And he did. Despite his ruthless nature and his initial fear of werewolves, the two had grown close.

The Volturi accepted me first and foremost because I was useful. Isabella wondered if the Cullens would treat her the same.

When they arrived the coven was standing outside their home waiting for them. By now she was used to the sweet smell of vampires. When she had first been changed it had been overwhelming. Vampires didn't smell bad, they had their individual scents, but it was a lot to take in.

The vampires that stood before her were openly staring, and she could detect the faint smells of nervousness. The only smiles she saw belonged to Carlisle and a woman she presumed to be Esme, both of whom ignored the quiet questions of their family members.

Carlisle hadn't known she'd be coming. When her father agreed to lend them some support he hadn't mentioned who he was sending, insisting with an impish smile that he wanted to surprise his brother.

Isabella allowed a small smile to take shape at the sight of Carlisle, and she was the first one out of the car to greet him.

"Uncle." His smile was wide, loving, even, in a way that Aro's would never be. When she had last seen her uncle he had looked content, a feeling, he confessed to her, that he rarely felt within the Volturi.

Now he looked happy, genuinely happy, and she doubted it was just because of her and her siblings' arrival. His coven was a large one and, including himself, there were seven in total. After leaving the Volturi he had found his mate and started a family of his own.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing he could not find such happiness within his old family, but Isabella tried not to dwell on it.

"Uncle?" One of them grumbled, a vampire with disheveled bronze hair and a furrowed brow. He was staring at her intensely, and she felt a prod against her mental shield.

This must be Edward.

"Bella." Very few called her by her nickname, and while Carlisle was an exception, she didn't want his family to think otherwise. "Isabella," he corrected himself, moving forward and embracing her tightly. "It's been far too long."

"The white wolf." Another Cullen murmured, but she ignored him.

Isabella pulled away from her uncle. "You're looking well."

The doctor pressed a kiss to her forehead. "As are you," he then chuckled. "I'm surprised Aro didn't insist upon you wearing the robes. He used to adore them."

"They're impractical and unnecessary." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I was a misthios, Carlisle. I never dressed to strike fear, I dressed to live another day."

"What's a misthios?" The largest Cullen asked.

"It's Greek for mercenary," Carlisle informed him

"Oh, that's why she has that accent." He mused. "Then why don't Jane and Alec have it?"

"Emmett," another vampire grumbled.

"What! I was only asking a question!"

Bella always took her yearly trip to Attica whereas Jane and Alec had no desire to return to their country. They had little fond memories there, and their accent was more difficult to detect because of it.

Carlisle acted as though Emmett said nothing and turned back to the Volturi. "I'm glad you're all here." He hugged both Jane and Alec tightly, who made the Cullens eyes widen in surprise when they reciprocated the hug. "I like the Dr. Seus." He said once he pulled away, eyeing their shirts with a fond smile.

Jane frowned. "Dr. Seus? I'm sorry, uncle, I don't think I'm familiar with his work."

Alec and Isabella looked at Carlisle curiously as a quiet laugh escaped him. "I'll be sure to show you his work another time. I'm just...it's been too long since we've all been together."

Alec smiled. "We're sorry we've missed your many birthday parties. I keep every invitation while my sisters throw them away."

His twin glared at him. "You know I don't like clutter."

Isabella cracked a smile before turning to her uncle. "I kept the last one."

"That's one. I have over one hundred." Alec boasted, grumbling under his breath when his eldest sister ignored his jab.

"I'm sure I'll eventually attend one of your birthday parties," Isabella said, crossing her arms over her chest. "You should be grateful that I send gifts each time."

Carlisle laughed. "Sulpicia and Athenadora send gifts, you only write your name on a card."

Isabella sighed. "You insult Didyme with your baseless insinuations. She writes the cards and knows my signature by heart."

Demetri rolled his eyes playfully at her. "Don't you ever get tired of being an ass?"

"Not particularly. No."

Carlisle smiled at them before he greeted Demetri just as amicably, hugging him tight and speaking happily with him. Felix was polite when addressing Carlisle, and while they weren't as close, he respected the older vampire nonetheless.

When he finished greeting them, the eldest vampire gestured at the rest of the Cullens. "Despite the circumstances that have brought you here, I'm glad you can finally meet the rest of my family, Isabella."

Alec sighed, looking over the vampires tiredly. "Ah, yes, our delightful cousins."

She looked out at the vampires, all of whom were either looking anxious, defensive, or curious.

Isabella glanced at her uncle. "They seem thrilled to meet me." Felix chuckled, earning him an elbow in the ribs from Demetri.

A blonde girl looked at her with gold eyes narrowed. "It's not often we converse with...your species. I apologize for our mediocre welcoming. Next time we'll be sure to get some balloons and streamers."

"Rosalie." Esme reprimanded.

Isabella gave Rosalie a disinterested once over. "Green."

"What?"

"I like green." She said. "Next time I'm here I would like the streamers to be green. Feel free to be creative with what types of balloons you get. I'm not too picky."

Rosalie clenched her jaw while the largest Cullen laughed. "Oh! She's funny." Isabella hummed in response but said nothing.

Carlisle smiled politely. He looked somewhat stressed. "It's not often we're graced with the Volturi's presence."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Do try to relax, uncle. We're here to help, not harm." Rosalie looked up at her suspiciously but kept her mouth shut.

Carlisle nodded before gesturing to the long haired brunette. "This is my mate, Esme." She was a beautiful woman with gentle gold eyes. She had a heart shaped face and soft facial features, adding to the kindness she radiated. And, despite having seemed hesitant before, she approached Isabella with a warm smile.

"Isabella, I've heard so much about you. It's so nice to meet you." She embraced her, making the wolf stiffen in surprise before she awkwardly hugged her back. When she pulled away Esme greeted her siblings and friends in kind, though she refrained from hugging them.

Carlisle continued introducing them.

Edward was his eldest, the bronze haired vampire that could read minds. He was pretty, angelic in the same way Rosalie was with his angular features and well-defined jawline. He was taller than her by an inch and as thin as a blade. He didn't bother introducing himself. Instead, he continued to stare at her curiously.

Rosalie was the second oldest. She was tall and statuesque, model-like in appearance. She was a few inches shorter than Isabella, and the werewolf wondered if it bothered her that she had to look up to address her.

Her golden hair went to her shoulders. Her face was slender, her posture exhibited her indifference, but her eyes gave away her dislike of the werewolf. Isabella was certain she was one of the most beautiful vampires she had ever seen. As beautiful as Renata.

But, of course, she would never give Rosalie the satisfaction of knowing that. So when Isabella looked away from her disinterestedly and got a low growl in return, it took everything in her not to smile.

Emmett was the tallest Cullen, an inch or two shorter than Felix, and was almost as muscular as her friend. He had dark curly hair and his smile revealed his dimples. He waved when he was introduced, but didn't come any closer, which was fine by her.

Jasper was riddled with vampire scars on his arms and neck. Isabella had quite a few herself, and she found she had an inkling of respect for his ability to survive. His hair was the color of honey, and he was nearly as tall as Emmett.

Jasper watched her distrustfully, just as Rosalie did, standing slightly in front of his mate as though she were going to snap at any moment.

Alice, however, would cast nervous glances at the twins, yet would look at Isabella with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. She was small, a little shorter than Esme, and petite. She looked like a dancer. She had spiky brown hair and large gold eyes, almost making her look like a doll.

After Carlisle introduced them he gestured to Isabella. "This is Isabella, my niece." He then turned to the twins. "And you all met my other niece and nephew when we visited Volterra."

"We sure did," Emmett grumbled as the Cullens eyed them warily. Jane gave them a sardonic smile and Alec looked just as pleased with their recognition.

Their uncle continued. "And you all remember Demetri and Felix." The two nodded at them while reluctant greetings were given.

Edward was staring at Isabella. "I didn't know children of the moon could manifest gifts." He sounded cautious as he spoke but appeared to be more curious than anything.

The wolf looked at him. "It's uncommon but not unheard of. My gift was present when I was human and further manifested when I was changed." She then addressed her uncle. "As nice as it is to exchange pleasantries, we need to know the details surrounding this newborn army. Who is this vampire? Why have they targeted your family? How many newborns are we dealing with?"

The ex-soldier stepped forward. "A year ago the vampire's mate, James, was hunting my wife. To protect her we had to kill him, and his mate wants revenge."

Isabella glanced at Alice, examining her for a moment and making her shift nervously as she did so. "James was a hunter, a tracker perhaps?" The wolf mused. "Too ambitious for his own good. Your visions make you elusive, I'm guessing that excited him enough to try to take on your entire coven. Maybe he had a death wish, maybe his ego got the better of him," she tilted her head at the look that Alice wore. "Ah, that wasn't the first time he's hunted you. You managed to escape him before, wounding his pride I'm sure."

Jasper looked aggravated while Alice appeared to be uncomfortable. "He knew me when I was a human but that was so many years ago. I don't have any memories of my human life, so I only know what he's told me." He got her alone, her eyes fell to the bite on her wrist, hurt her. She escaped him as a human, it must have driven him mad.

Demetri moved so he stood by the werewolf's side. "How many newborns are we dealing with? I could find their location easily and-"

"At the very least, thirty," Carlisle said, making Demetri sigh.

The tracker pursed his lips and Isabella turned towards Felix. "What would you suggest?"

His eyes were alight with excitement but he kept his tone of voice neutral. "We can't attack them on their territory, it's too risky, even with your shield and Alec's gift."

Her brother nodded. "I can't incapacitate more than six at a time, and my gift is slow acting, leaving me too unguarded."

Jane frowned. "We could take them out little by little. We could do so discreetly."

Isabella looked at her thoughtfully. "I like the idea but it'd be suspicious. If their maker discovers the Volturi is aiding the Cullens who knows what she'll do." Her brow furrowed. "If she's dumb enough to break the law, then she's dumb enough to make a stand against us. She'd know her death was certain, that could be a mess for us, one too large to clean up."

Felix nodded. "If she raises a newborn army for revenge, imagine what she'd do out of spite. She could set her newborns free, exposing us in the process."

Her sister looked up at her. "Then we draw them out. We remain here undercover and wait for the attack."

Isabella placed a hand on her shoulder. "An excellent idea." Jane was practically preening due to her praise, and she gave her shoulder a slight squeeze before pulling away.

Demetri voiced his agreement. "It is." He then gestured at Alec and Jane's robes. "That means you two won't get to instantly change back into your dresses." He teased, making Alec roll his eyes.

"Robes." He muttered. "It figures that the Romanian has no respect for Volturi tradition." His lips quirked upward, and Felix laughed quietly.

It was her uncle that reminded them that they weren't alone. "Would you need a place to stay?"

"You can't be serious," Edward argued, casting a wary look at the guard. "They're human drinkers," his gaze fell on Isabella. "Human eaters." He then looked back at his father. "And children of the moon are unpredictable."

Demetri shrugged. "We've already agreed not to hunt in Forks."

Jasper grimaced. "And the werewolf, what about her?" He asked. "I have to agree with Edward. What do we do when it's the full moon? No one is safe."

To her surprise, Alice vouched for her. "Isabella has been with the Volturi for centuries. I don't think we need to worry about her." She then gave her a small smile. "Plus, I've never met a werewolf before."

Jasper frowned at his mate. "Why do you think you haven't met one? Most of them were put down by the Volturi or banished to Attica. They're our greatest natural enemy. They're wild and strong and dangerous."

I've lived longer than you, boy, Isabella wants to say. I'll show you just how dangerous I am. She wants to say it but she doesn't. Athenadora and Caius had worked with her through her anger and brashness for a century.

It would be in everyone's best interest if she offered assurances. But a wolf doesn't expose their belly to those weaker than them.

Because at the core of her being, she was still Isabella. She was still the slayer of sirens. And she would be haunted by that knowledge until the day she died.

But she had excelled at many things over the years. Suppressing her emotions was one of them.

Carlisle's brow furrowed. "Jasper-"

Isabella hummed. "They're right, uncle. I'm a mad dog, just look at me. I'm practically foaming at the mouth." She said dryly, earning a smirk from Jane and an exasperated look from Carlisle.

The soldier glared at her before looking at her uncle. "This isn't a joke! How can we be sure the Volturi's dog won't-"

"Jasper!" Carlisle hardly lost his temper, and his family regarded him with wide eyes. He took a deep breath, calming himself before he continued. "I understand your worry, but to resort to name calling is unacceptable, do you understand?"

"But-"

"She is my niece and you will treat her with respect."

Jasper clenched his jaw. "I understand but-"

"Silence, you insignificant child!" Of course, her fiery little sister jumped to her defense. "Bella has been refined by the Volturi. She's not like those thoughtless beasts that can't control their temper."

Green eyes stared at Jane. "Have you ever considered a career in motivational speaking?" Emmett snickered and her sister glowered at her. "There's nothing more encouraging than being told you're better than the rest of your species because you've been properly housebroken."

Alec frowned. "It's hard to tell when you're being serious or not." Her brother had always struggled when it came to detecting her sarcasm, bless his heart.

"I'm always serious." She said before addressing Jasper and Edward's concerns. "My siblings will care for me on the full moon, just as they always have. But, if my being here makes you uncomfortable, we can always find different housing."

Edward relaxed at her statement though Jasper still seemed unsure. Leave it to the confederate to be hostile towards those who aren't like him. She thought about saying it aloud but refrained, knowing it would evoke an argument. And he had good reason to be wary. The vampire world spoke poorly of her species, and she didn't blame them.

Esme, who she was beginning to learn was too kind for her own good, hastily shook her head. "Don't be silly, we'd love to have you." She wonders if the woman would be as kind to her if she weren't Carlisle's niece.

Jasper, Rosalie, and Edward looked uncertain of the news but that didn't bother her in the slightest. I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to finish our job. They would be staying longer than anticipated, and she knew Aro would be displeased, but it had to be done.

Felix turned to Demetri. "Scout the area by the road, see if you pick up on anything." The tracker nodded and took off, and the vampire turned to her. "Isabella, why don't you scout the border...pay our shifter friends a visit. I want to know what we're working with."

Carlisle grimaced. "I thought we agreed that we would meet them in a few hours."

"I won't be meeting them like this." She told him. "They won't know what I am, or who I am." Her form shuttered, and white fur began to sprout on her skin. "Don't worry, uncle, I'll behave myself." Her body shrunk down, and in seconds a wolf took her place.

"Oh, you're much smaller than the shifters," Alice commented, creeping closer to her with Jasper close on her heels. Even then she went up a little past the seer's waist.

Alec shook his head. "This is one of her two forms. Her wolf is the size of an average one, but remarkably fast. Her werewolf, however, is massive."

Her senses were sharper in this form, and her nose wrinkled as she adjusted to all the differing vampire scents. With a huff she took off into the woods, quickly detecting the scent of the shifters and following it to the border.

The shifters didn't smell bad, but they didn't smell good either. They smelled of the pine needles mixed with the faint scent of dog. However, one smelled better than all the rest. It was fainter, indicating that the shifter hadn't been around recently.

It was a female shifter. She smelled like chamomile and rain and none of the dog scent mingled with hers. She smells nice. Comforting. It was odd.

Isabella passed the border, following the scents to a secluded house in the woods. Some of the boys were inside, while three were outside. They had plates of food and sat in the bed of a truck, chatting obnoxiously loud with the type of crude humor she'd expect from rowdy boys their age.

She approached them cautiously, gaining their attention almost immediately as she crept from beneath the undergrowth.

"Holy shit, it's a wolf!" One of the boys stood up. He was as large as Emmett with a sharp jawline, spiked black hair, and brown skin. He wore no shirt and ripped jean shorts that went to his knees.

With a grin, he hopped out of the truck with a piece of salami in hand. "Here, Killer. That's your name, alright? Killer." She stared at him and remained still as he approached her. This shifter is brash.

"Knock it off, Paul." Another boy said, standing up and getting out of the truck bed.

He was a bit smaller than him. His muscles weren't as large. But he still looked strong and had a more lean appearance. His black hair was somewhat shaggy, getting into his eyes, making him move his bangs aside constantly. He should cut it or tie it up.

"Relax, Embry." Paul snorted. "We're wolves too. We're practically kin. Right, Killer?"

"Killer?" The last boy snorted, joining the two out of the truck. "We should name him Ghost since he's all white."

"Shut up, Jared. Killer doesn't have any nuts, and Ghost is a stupid name."

"Because Killer is so much better?" Jared retorted before shaking his head. "Whatever. What do you think, Em?"

Her ear twitched at the fondness in Jared's voice. He spoke to Embry far more gently than he had to Paul. It was as though his entire being softened as soon as he directed his attention on Embry.

His imprint.

Embry looked at Isabella closely. "I wish wolves could speak. Then she could tell us her name." He was soft-spoken and thoughtful. His eyes were warm and honest, and he looked contemplative before he suggested a name. "You look like...Winter."

Winter?

She was a weapon of the Volturi. The White Wolf. The Mad Dog. The Slayer of Sirens. And various other titles she had earned over the bloody years.

But Winter. A season?

Isabella liked that name better than the other two, though Ghost was a close second. She approached Embry, ears perked and body crouched slightly.

"Winter? That's not...terrible." Paul conceded. He still tossed the salami her way, and it landed in front of her. While it smelled good, she had little interest in eating at the moment. She walked past it and stopped in front of Embry, peering at him closely.

Jared grinned. "I think she likes you." He then ran to the house. "Guys, Embry got a pet wolf!" In a matter of seconds the rest of the boys exited the house, prompting Embry to put his hands up to stop them.

"Please be quiet. I don't want you to spook her." He turned back to Isabella. "I know you're not mine." He held out his fist to her, and she gave it a sniff before gently tapping her nose against his knuckles. Embry smiled gently at her, reaching out to stroke her fur before pulling away. "Thank you, Winter."

Isabella decided she liked Embry and his gentle disposition. She was hesitant to let the other boys crowd her, baring her teeth when one threatened to leave her peripheral.

"Don't crowd her you jackasses." Paul snapped, sounding genuinely angry on her behalf. "She doesn't like it." The boys that had begun crowding her backed up, and she allowed Paul to kneel at her side and scratch at the base of her neck. "It's alright, Winter. They're just fucking dipshits." He spoke gently to her, all anger leaving his body as he pet her fur.

Thank you.

She was surprised when the boys started rotating. Taking turns to gently stroke her ears and murmur kind words to her.

A large man came out of the house with a woman in tow. The way he lumbered about made him resemble a bear. His steps were heavy but measured, he walked with purpose, and he held his head high. The alpha. He was a little larger than Paul, with light brown skin and cropped black hair.

Like the rest of his pack, he bore a tribal tattoo on his shoulder and wore tattered jean shorts. He was looking at Isabella in wonder as he approached the rest of his pack.

The woman had large scars that marred half her face. Isabella recognized the large, jagged claws of a shifter. Werewolves and shifters differed in many ways, but their short tempers were a trait they both shared.

She either has poor self-preservation skills and tried to confront an angry wolf. Or a shifter was too close when they shifted.

She was still beautiful with warm brown eyes and long black hair. She slipped her hand into the alpha's and gave the white wolf a small smile. The alpha's girlfriend? His imprint? She couldn't be sure, but she knew the two were close. Did he kill whoever scarred her?

"Be careful." The alpha warned the girl gently. The pack moved back so their alpha could approach her.

Isabella sat down, bowing her head and lowering her ears to show she was no threat.

This made the girl laugh quietly. "She won't hurt us, Sam."

"Wild animals are unpredictable, Emily. You can't be too careful." Sam argued, but let her pull away from him nonetheless.

Emily gave him a gentle smile before she crouched next to Isabella. "Have the boys named you?"

Embry spoke up. "She responded to the name Winter."

"Winter," Emily repeated, reaching out and gently stroking between her ears. "Where's your pack?"

Paul grinned. "We can be her pack." Sam hummed non-committedly but said nothing.

"Oh," Emily said quietly, finding the scar on her eyebrow that trailed down to the center of her cheek. "Who did this?" The boys moved closer to peer at her scar. It was difficult to see in her wolf form because of her fur, but it was still visible. "I have a scar too." She murmured, tracing the three that ran down the side of her face.

Isabella's tail wagged, though she felt ridiculous. The vulnerability Emily displayed made her want to be gentle. Kind, even. She noticed the way the alpha tensed at the mention of her scar. Guilt. Discomfort. Dark eyes looked at anything but Emily. He was the wolf that gave her those scars. Or he feels ashamed he didn't protect her.

"You're a sweet girl, aren't you? And oh so pretty." Isabella closed her eyes, huffing slightly as she leaned into the gentle nails that scratched her scalp.

Feels nice.

Vampires were terrible at petting her. They patted her head with their cold, hard hands. Aside from her family, and sometimes Renata, she didn't let them pet her.

It was no surprise that the shifters and the human knew all the proper places to scratch her head.

Maybe I should keep a pet human.

Emily stood to her feet, but not before giving her furry forehead a kiss. "I bet Leah would like you. I should call her-" a couple of the boys groaned, making Emily scowl at them.

Paul looked at her in exasperation. "She won't like her. She'll just sit in the corner and glare at you and Sam, just like she always does. Fuck that." More shifters?

Sam growled at him. "Watch it, Paul." The boy shut his mouth but didn't look happy about it. "This is new to everyone. Give her time." He then addressed his girlfriend. "You should invite her over. Tell her to bring Seth."

Embry smiled. "Seth would love to meet Winter. He's a good kid." He grew sullen. "Quil and Jake would like her too."

Sam gently gripped his shoulder. "They'll be with us soon enough. Then they'll understand why you had to leave." Two more shifters? Are Leah and Seth shifters as well?

Emily called Leah but she didn't pick up. She tried to bounce back with smiles and jokes as she cooked for the boys, but her eyes didn't light up and her smiles were strained.

She tried to feed Isabella some meat, but the wolf was disinterested. She had eaten before she came, and while she could eat human food, she found it unnecessary. The one human thing she did eat was chocolate. She had a bit of a sweet tooth.

Isabella stayed with them for an hour or two longer before she departed. The shifters let her go, calling out for her to visit them again as she disappeared into the forest.

When she returned to the Cullens and the Volturi, Demetri had already scouted the territory. She heard the clang of something in the garage and the too sweet smell of roses filled her nose. Rosalie works on cars.

Jane and Alec were sitting next to Felix and Demetri. All were conversing about their plans for the newborn army and hadn't noticed her arrival yet. Carlisle sat with them, not saying much but listening intently.

The smell of cookies filled her nose, and her tail wagged on its own accord. I hope they're chocolate chip. Esme was baking, probably for the shifters. Maybe for me? She felt little reason to be hopeful, but the thought of the vampire making her cookies was a nice one.

The soft sound of the piano filled the house and trailed from the window. Edward? The sweet scents were hard to tell apart, and he smelled extremely similar to Esme.

The gentle sound of a pencil sketching on paper came with the smell of mint. Alice writes? No. The strokes are too long and far apart to be words. She draws.

Emmett and Jasper were tossing a baseball around, and the soldier paused when she appeared from the treeline. He approached her, making her tense slightly in preparation.

However, before he could reach her, he fell to his knees with a snarl. Jane was staring at him intensely, and a content smile played on her lips.

Jasper withered in agony, fingers digging into the earth as a means of relief. Isabella looked at him for a moment, head cocking to the side as she watched him before she brushed past him. Emmett ran to his side, shouting at Jane to stop, who only did so when Carlisle gripped her shoulder.

"Apologies, uncle. Jasper has shown hostility towards my sister. I only wanted to protect her." Jane said though Isabella knew she wasn't being completely honest. Like Alec, Jane liked hurting people. Protecting Isabella from a potential threat was only an added bonus.

Jasper collapsed on the ground, shaking slightly as a ragged breath escaped him. Alice was outside in a flash, as was Edward and Esme and Rosalie, who looked at the twins disdainfully.

Gold eyes clashed with green, and Isabella silently bared her teeth at her in warning. Rosalie mimicked the gesture, making Esme reach out and touch her arm. The blonde relaxed but kept her glare fixed on Isabella.

Carlisle looked at his niece angrily. "If you're going to stay here you can't hurt my children."

"But they can hurt us?" Alec quipped, making the doctor visibly frustrated. "You helped raise us, uncle. So your obvious favoritism hurts our feelings." He gave him an impish smile, and Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

Felix rolled his eyes. "Enough, you two. His house, his rules."

Jane glared at him. "Fine. But if they hurt Bella then house rules be damned."

"No one wants to hurt your pet." Rosalie retorted, making the twins turn to her with bared teeth. When Isabella was younger that comment would have agitated her. But it was as Jane said, she was refined by the Volturi. She had heard worse. She had been treated worse.

"You act bold when you have Carlisle to hide behind," Alec growled.

"Not as bold as you do when you hide behind your powers."

Emmett moved so he stood by his mate's side. "Relax, Rose." He warned, earning him a scoff, but Rosalie did as he asked. Maybe this job will be more entertaining than I initially thought.

Isabella shifted out of her wolf form, still fully clothed, and approached the guard. "Demetri, what did you find?"

The tracker stood to his feet with a wide grin on his face. "It's Victoria."

"Victoria?" The werewolf nearly matched his grin with her own. "Well, I'm certain she'll be ecstatic to see us again." She ignored the Cullens questioning gazes and turned to Felix. "The shifters are nothing special. Scouting them was pointless."

Felix sighed. "As much as I enjoy your personal opinion, and believe me, I do, I would like to know about all of your findings."

She suppressed the annoyed huff that nearly bubbled to the surface. "They're all close, except one wolf is ostracized among them. Leah. She dislikes Sam and his girlfriend, Emily, for unknown reasons. Jared and Embry are imprinted to each other. Two more boys are close to shifting. Jake and Quil. They're all brash and thoughtless. Multiple fights broke out over trivial things. Their tempers rival werewolves and newborns, so we'll need to be mindful of that." She said, annoyed at having to rehash everything they already knew of shifters.

"Paul has the worst temper. Sam is their alpha. Embry is the most well-adjusted. But I know little of Seth and Leah, the two possible shifters who weren't present when I was there."

Felix smiled and clasped her shoulder. "See, that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"No. But it was a waste of time."

"Not necessarily." Demetri chimed in. "It's good for us to know whatever information we can in regards to these shifters."

Isabella stared at him blankly, wanting him to feel the full force of her condescension before she spoke. "We could have just asked the mind reader what he knows. It's not like the shifters read me their diary entries upon arrival, so I don't have any juicy secrets to share with you."

The vampire narrowed his eyes at her. "When did you become such a smartass? You used to be such a nice kid."

"Why are you asking me questions you already know the answer to?"

Carlisle stood to his feet, smiling slightly at their interaction before he forced himself to become serious. "Well, it's time to meet with them." He gave Jane and Alec a stern look. "Behave yourselves." He then glanced at Isabella. "And please, keep your comments to yourself. As you said, they're easily angered."

Isabella gave him the barest hint of a smile. "Uncle, you've practically raised me. You know I'm an absolute angel."

---

"So we're meeting with a bunch of human drinkers and expecting them to not feed in Forks?" Leah laughed in disbelief. "Jesus, Sam. Did you actually allow this?"

The alpha brushed past her, not offering an answer as he began trekking into the woods. "I'll remain human, as will Embry. You can do as you wish."

The shifter followed him, hands balled into fists as she jogged to catch up. "Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"No." He said. "We're inexperienced and outnumbered. These vampires have abilities, they'll even the playing field, and I'll have a better chance of keeping my pack alive." Leah growled under her breath but had no response to that.

Of course you put us above your pride.

"I would like it if you controlled yourself when we meet them." He told her, keeping his voice light, as though he feared raising it would send her fleeing. "They're our allies. For now. They said they wouldn't feed in Forks-"

"So we're letting them feed somewhere else?"

Sam clenched his jaw. "We protect Forks."

"We protect humans!"

"I'm not having this conversation with you. Not now." They were almost to the meeting site.

Leah sneered at him. "If not now, then when?" He didn't answer, and she snarled but had nothing else to say. I hate you. I hate you so much.

She remembered a different Sam. A better one. One who looked at her like she was his world. One who gave her gentle touches and kisses and hugs and–stop that. He's Emily's now.

Before the imprint, she and Emily had been as close as sisters. When Sam left her, only to be with her cousin a few days later, the intensity of her anger and pain had triggered her shift.

The bastard had proposed to her, dumped her, and caused her to become a giant dog.

If she could she would leave Forks. She would leave Sam and Emily in the dust. She would leave the stupid pack of boys who hounded her for her feelings. It's not like I asked for the fucking pack link. It's not like I asked for the love of my life to leave me.

Her only companions in the pack were Seth and Embry. Were it not for them, her mother, and her father, she would have left long ago and never come back. But the universe hates me. And she lived every tortuous day within Sam's pack.

To add insult to injury, Leah could feel his love for Emily. It made her chest ache. It made her feel hollow.

"You alright?"

Leah bristled at his concern. "Don't act like you give a shit, Sam."

He looked at her sadly before shrugging his broad shoulders. "I do, you know. I'm sorry-"

"Stop. Apologizing." She growled. "It doesn't make anything any better."

But at the same time, she knew he couldn't help what he felt for Emily.

They continued their walk in a tense silence until they arrived at the clearing. The pack was already present. All of them were wolves except Leah, Sam, and Embry, who were looking at the red-eyed vampires cautiously.

Paul's silver wolf was snarling and snapping his teeth at the slightest movement. Jared's brown wolf was pacing the border. Collin and Brady mimicked Paul's aggressive behavior, but only so their own shaking was less noticeable.

And Seth's wolf sat back on his haunches. Her brother didn't have a mean bone in his body. He only watched the vampires curiously, with a slightly guarded look in his eyes.

Carlisle had accompanied the human drinkers and was eyeing the snarling wolves warily. A brunette was talking to him, her back was facing the shifters so Leah couldn't get a good look at her.

The first vampire she noticed was a young girl. Her pale blonde hair was pulled into a bun. She was small, thin, and her skin was as pale as most of the bloodsuckers Leah had seen. The shifter was uncomfortable with how childlike the girl looked. She couldn't be older than fifteen.

The boy next to her looked to be her twin. Both had angular facial features and thin lips. His hair was a light brown, going a little past his ears. He's a head taller than the girl, and just as angelically beautiful as she is.

Both of them looked bored. Red eyes would spare glances at the wolves before they'd trail off to other things, as though the sight of the shifters was a common one.

Their 'Twin 1' and 'Twin 2' shirts were begrudgingly adorable.

The next vampire was a massive one. Well over six feet tall, the man was a hulking figure of muscle and the epitome of strength. His hair was dark brown and his eyes were bright red. He recently fed. He looked at the shifters in amusement but kept his lips pursed and his hands behind his back.

The last vampire was also tall, but not as massive as the brown haired one. His hair was dark blonde and he was lean. He looked fast, nimble in the way his companion didn't. His demeanor exhibited that he was the only one that took them seriously. He eyed each of them with caution, but not fear.

"What is this? Why have you brought a human with you?" Sam demanded, making Leah's eyes widened in surprise. She could hear the heartbeat of the brunette, and she indeed smelled human.

Despite the scent of vampire clinging to her, Leah could smell the underlying scent of pine. She smells good. Leah blinked, rubbing awkwardly at her chest and trying to suppress the growl that sat in her throat.

She shouldn't be near them. Why is she here at all?

The largest vampire grinned. "She's our snack for later." Leah took a threatening step forward, only to be stopped by Sam's arm. The large vampire smiled at her anger before shaking his head.

A joke. That's all it was. But she couldn't relax. Not while she was over there with them. What's my problem?

The brunette ignored them. "Our next visit will be in Volterra, uncle. Washington is too dreary." She had a thick accent, one that was unfamiliar to Leah. Her voice was monotone, almost emotionless save for the slight fondness it emitted when speaking to Carlisle.

Leah frowned. "Uncle?"

The younger looking, blonde haired vampire gave Sam an aggravated look. "Why does her being here concern you? Isabella's not human, she's a member of the Volturi."

Finally, the brunette turned around. "Can we start this meeting?" She asked, though she didn't sound impatient.

Leah finally got a look at her and froze. Isabella was a few inches taller than she was. She had tan skin and streaks of white colored her dark hair. She was lean with strong shoulders and scarred forearms.

There were a myriad of vampire bites and what looked to be animal bites and claw marks. She even had a few vampire bites on her throat. While the vampire bites were difficult to see, the claw marks were not. And the large fang marks of an animal were clear as day on her neck.

A large, single scar ran from her eyebrow to the center of her cheek. It was deep and darker than the rest of her skin tone. Isabella's face was slim and narrow. She had sharp facial features usually only seen in vampires.

She's beautiful.

When Leah looked into her eyes it was over. They were a piercing green, the color of pine needles. Isabella's eyes widened when they met her gaze and Leah felt her heart rate speed up. The world around them grew dark and a soft sigh escaped her as warmth flooded her chest.

Isabella.

She was the only thing that mattered.

"Mine."

Isabella inhaled sharply, blinking rapidly as she tore her gaze from Leah's. "Well, this isn't ideal." Amusement tinged her voice, and she turned to the blonde girl. "I have good news, Jane. You won't have to worry about Renata anymore."

Leah blinked, taking a hasty step backward. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." This isn't happening. This can't be happening.

Sam looked at her with wide eyes. "Did you just-"

"On her!" The girl, Jane, growled. "Surely this is a mistake!"

I don't even like women. This has to be a mistake.

A loud laugh escaped the largest vampire. "There is never a dull moment with you, Isabella!"

The boy looked at Leah apprehensively. "Father won't be happy to hear about this."

Isabella hummed in agreement. "It's our dear mother I'm worried about. Remember the last girl I brought home?" Green eyes didn't leave brown ones. Whatever I'm feeling, she feels the same.

The blonde man gave her a small smile. "The last girl you brought home was a werewolf-"

"Calista. And she was nearly slaughtered." Isabella crossed her arms over her chest. "Apparently my mother wasn't thrilled about her daughter turning into a giant beast of the night."

Sam still looked stunned. "Wait, you're a werewolf? So you're like us?" Leah wanted to run away, to try to make sense of this in her head, but her wolf wouldn't let her. It demanded she go to her imprint's side and never leave.

Paul shifted out of his wolf form, uncaring of his naked body being exposed. Jane wrinkled her nose in disgust and quickly looked away. That would have made Leah laugh under different circumstances.

"You're a werewolf and you're with the fucking vampires?" He snarled. "Are you a prisoner or a traitor!"

Isabella stayed quiet and observed Leah with a mask of indifference. But her eyes were gentle and her hand was curled into a fist. It was clear she was fighting her own instincts as well.

Jane spoke for her. "Wrong. She's not a shifter, which is what you and your ilk are. She's a werewolf." She then narrowed her eyes at Paul. "She's no traitor. Werewolves have no allegiance to shifters. She was raised by the Volturi, you uncouth idiot."

Paul began trembling. "Better to be an idiot than a leech!" Jared snarled his agreement, hackles raised and claws digging into the earth as though he were about to launch himself forward.

Isabella glanced at the girl. "A shame the insults never improve. Originality is hard to come by these days."

Jane rolled her eyes. "What else would you expect from such a rudimentary species?"

"Don't know."

"Save the heckling for a later date," Felix warned.

Sam turned and chastised Paul. "That's enough, Paul. I asked you to remain as a wolf for a reason." His beta bared his teeth but did as requested, exploding into his wolf form and snarling quietly to himself.

Carlisle gave them a terse smile. "Our apologies for the confusion. I should have figured you would be unfamiliar with werewolves."

Sam eyed Isabella warily before gesturing for Carlisle to continue. "Werewolves have three forms, whereas shifters have two. There's Isabella's human form...if you could call it that. Then she has her wolf and werewolf form. Werewolves have a decent amount in common with vampires." He explained. "They eat humans and they're near indestructible."

This alarmed the alpha. "She eats humans?" He narrowed his eyes. "I trust she knows that she can't feed here."

Isabella stared at him blankly. "I'm unsure if Isabella is aware of those rules. I'll be sure to inform her." She said dryly, earning a smirk from the other blonde man and a glare from Sam. "I'm sorry, we kept referring to me in the third person. I didn't want to break the trend."

Unbeknownst to Leah, she had cracked a small smile at that. Isabella met her gaze, giving her a frown. Realizing she was staring Leah scowled at Isabella before quickly looking away.

I'm not happy about this arrangement either, bitch.

Panic filled her. It made her heart race and her palms begin to sweat. I'm just accepting this? No. This is all a big misunderstanding. She can't be my imprint. I'm straight. She eats humans. She works for the vampires.

Embry was staring intently at Isabella, a flicker of recognition appeared in his eyes and Leah felt herself bristle at his stare. Relax, Clearwater, he imprinted on Jared. She rubbed at her chest, uncomfortable with her imprint being so far away and being unable to close the distance between them.

Stop that. This is all wrong.

"Bella." The brown haired boy spoke quietly. Leah noticed how the werewolf softened instantly when her attention was directed towards the boy or Jane. They're related? Or at least close. "Did you actually…" he trailed off as though he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"We'll speak later, Alec." She murmured, placing a hand atop his head for a moment before pulling away. It was an odd gesture but a fitting one.

The rest of the meeting went rather seamlessly. Felix, who seemed to be their leader, spoke with Sam about boundaries and territories and swore not to hunt in Forks. Alec and Jane kept casting glares at Leah, who would glare back before her eyes would eventually drift back to Isabella.

The werewolf stayed at Demetri and Carlisle's side. She stared straight ahead, not looking at anyone, but through the wolf pack. When the meeting came to a close, the vampires left, and Isabella and Jane remained.

The shifters left as well, all but Sam, Leah, and Seth. "Do you need-" Sam started, and Leah clenched her jaw.

"Just go back to Emily." She growled, turning away from him as he gave her a pained look. He shifted and disappeared with the rest of the pack.

Only Seth remained. He gave her a gentle nudge with his head and she couldn't help but give him a smile. "I'll catch up, alright?" She scratched beneath his chin and he gave her a wolfish smile before taking off after Sam.

Jane took Isabella's hand. "Bella."

The werewolf gave the girl a reassuring smile. "I should speak with the shifter. I won't be long." Jane looked furious by the news, but her anger died the moment Isabella pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Haven't I always come back?"

Who is Jane to you?

"...yes." Jane murmured, sighing and embracing her tightly before pulling away. She gave Leah one more glare before darting off into the woods.

Isabella watched her leave before turning to Leah. They both were silent, and green eyes roved over Leah's form, making a blush creep onto her neck. Isabella walked up to the border, stopping just short of crossing, and waited for Leah to do the same.

Mine. She moved forward on her own accord, stopping at the border, and her pulse increased when she got closer. They were within an arm's length of each other, and Isabella's scent was much clearer now that the bloodsuckers were gone.

Isabella opened her mouth but Leah spoke before she could get a word out. "This is a mistake." She growled. "I don't like women. And I don't like Volturi lap dogs."

The werewolf looked unfazed by her insult. "Well, I love women." Green eyes sparkled with mischief. "I always have." Where her eyes were expressive, her face was emotionless. It was strange. "Of course, my mate would make this difficult for me. On top of that, you're a shifter."

There was so much to unpack but she couldn't focus on all of it at once. "You think I wanted to be like this?" Her hands balled into fists. "At least I don't eat people, you freak."

She shrugged, so infuriatingly unmoved by Leah's insult that the shifter could scream. "You're taking this personally when I'm looking at this objectively. Your species is weak compared to vampires and werewolves. It will be difficult protecting you from my family." She said plainly, making Leah's eyes widen in alarm. "But I'm a shield. I'll protect you."

A shield?

"I don't need your protection!" Leah snapped. "I won't meet your family! I want nothing to do with you, do you understand?"

Isabella blinked, unperturbed by her outburst. "I'm not happy with this arrangement either, but I learned long ago that there's no fighting fate." She took a step forward, getting in Leah's space and tilting her head. Leah felt her traitorous heartbeat increase and her breath caught in her throat. "Fighting it will do you no good...but neither will forcing it." She took a step back. "I will not be the Apollo to your Daphne. I will give you as much space as you need."

Apollo to Daphne? Greek? Is that what she is? She knew nothing about Greek mythology, so that analogy was lost on her.

Leah swallowed thickly. "And if I choose to reject you completely?"

"No shifter has rejected their imprint, just as no werewolf or vampire has rejected their mate." Isabella pointed out. "But as I said, I won't force anything." She was about to leave before she stopped and raised a brow. "Am I correct in assuming that you're Leah?"

"How did you know that?" She demanded. Has she been spying on us?

The werewolf said nothing and instead faced forward. "When the distance becomes too much for you, meet me here." She sounded so uncaring and Leah wondered if that was truly the case. "We can sit. We don't have to speak. And for a time that should put you at ease."

Leah glared at her and balled her hands into fists. "I'd rather die."

Isabella hummed at that and began to walk away. "That's a very dramatic reaction to have. But I suppose not everyone is comfortable with their sexuality." Leah's jaw dropped. "Goodbye, Leah. I do hope you'll consider seeing me as opposed to dying."

"That's not...I didn't...UGH!" She screamed, picking up a rock and throwing it in her direction. But of course, she couldn't hit her, and of course, Isabella didn't react to the loud thunk of the rock hitting the tree. "I'm not gay and I'm not seeing you! Ever!"

Isabella didn't offer her a response as she vanished into the dense forest. Leaving Leah alone, unsure if she wanted to kiss or strangle that infuriating asshole.

AN: 28k don't fucking touch me. Happy pride month, AGAIN you fuckers.

Poorly edited pls leave me alone. I TRIED. All of my heart and soul went into that Victella fic.

YES, Witcher and Assassins Creed Odyssey references. NO, I will not apologize. I'm in love with Geralt and Kassandra. Team Yennefer and if you say otherwise you're obviously stupid and homophobic :D

Yes, you only get a taste of Bella/Leah because I'm tired and a sadist.

I got all of my mythology from Percy Jackson and I will NOT apologize.

I love youuuuuu, all homooooooooooo.