A/N- And here we go! This is likely another filler chapter but it was necessary to setup the plot for the final battle. I hope you all enjoy!
I let out a deep sigh as my eyes took in the familiar green forestry landscape once more. I breathed in the deep and rich forestry smells as I launched myself up onto a mountain face, my fingers digging deep into the proud stoneface as I pushed forward with as much speed as I could muster, the others following slightly behind. I could feel my eyes harden with each step I took, knowing that soon, very soon, the battle to end all battles was going to occur before me. There had never been more at stake than there was currently. Failure simply was not an option, for if we failed, it would be the end of the world.
The moment that my phone call with Jake had ended, I, along with Anita, Gunnar, Chelsea and the Cullens who came to my aid had broken off into a dead sprint, knowing that every second of every minute was crucial if we were going to get an upper hand to the situation. We had a handful of hours to prepare and strategize, not knowing all that we were up against. Nero had made mention of how many newborns were part of his army, which would have been room of concern as is. However, also knowing that there were more beings than just newborns in the army raised more questions.
If those beings were truly Sam, Brady, Collin and Paul, we had a lot to worry about, but I couldn't understand why they would have joined in this vampire army. It wouldn't have made sense; we were their natural enemy. While it was true that Jake and the others had forged a treaty with the Volturi, it was only because of my connection with Jake that made it a possibility. That alliance itself was an extreme anomaly, and I knew that it was that very association which caused Jake to fight Sam for the place for alpha. If Sam had sought an alliance of his own with a competing coven of vampires, there must be some sort hidden ulterior motive that founded his reasoning. The only question is what that could be.
As I reached the top of the mountain I began running once more, easily dodging between tall and strong evergreen trees left and right, my eyes focused dead set in front of me. I couldn't help but savor the scent of the area, breathing it in as if I never would be able to do so again, causing an unpleasant ache to settle in the depths of my chest knowing that this was a very strong possibility due to how much danger had presented itself during the recent change of events.
I found it terribly and utterly ironic how my journey into the world of vampires started in Forks and the battle to remain part of that world as I knew it, would be taking place in the very same town. I wish I knew what it was about Forks that drew in so many supernatural beings. There must have been a reason why Forks was selected as the desired ground for this rogue army to establish their new coven. The answer to that I was sure laid completely with the leader of this army, and I would not know the reasons as to why this all was occurring until she and I spoke.
I felt a deep rumble vibrate up my throat as I thought about my verbal exchange with Nero in reference as to who the leader of the newborns was. He had made mention that the leader was female and quite charismatic. The leader also clearly had some sort of experience with training newborns and an army as a whole. I had not been able to connect the pieces of who this vampire was at the time but during the absolute silent journey from Bear Island back to Forks, I had been able to come up with a rather solid guess, I just hoped that I was wrong.
The only logical explanation would be Maria. She was the only vampire alive to date that had successfully commanded an army of newborns, and been able to not only defend her own territory in Mexico but expanded her scope. It was well known that these wars still raged on, although the vampires had become very good at keeping it from the attention of the humans, which otherwise, would have forced the hand of the Volturi. However, if this was true, what had caused her to leave Mexico and decide to follow this course of action? And if it was indeed Maria, I knew that the army was indeed trained to perfection and would easily be on par with any of the Cullens or the Volturi members, even with all the training that they had successfully undergone.
My lips automatically lifted into a snarl as I thought back to what Jasper and I had discussed that night on the roof of my old house as he told me about his experience with Maria. She had stolen his humanity and stopped him from making the impact and change on the world that he had desired to do, causing his fire to be extinguished without his knowledge. By turning him, Maria had manipulated him and taken away his concept of freewill, effectively turning him into a slave himself, a slave to her distasteful and horrific desires.
The very thought that she would be within just a few feet from him at any given moment made me see red. He had left her after being informed by Peter about a new way that he could carry out his existence by switching to an alternative diet, something that came as quite the shock to his system. He had not realized that there was an alternative from feeding on humans. He had admitted that he had initially thought about a way to end Maria before she ended him but had decided to take the higher ground and had left without a word, letting her live. Perhaps, he was the better person between him and I. I had not been able to let Nero live the way that he had allowed Maria to. It was not that I worried that he secretly pined over her. No, my fears were much more logical than that.
I knew that if he was forced to see her again, if it was indeed her that was leading the army, the situation would present a unique challenge and would force him to fight against the ghost of his past, something that I knew would kill him on the inside. He had left, desperate to create a new life for himself, a fresh start. It would be hard to gauge how he would react once he stood face to face with his demented sire once more. The concern that it would cause regression in his personal journey of healing and cause him to experience the pain that was associated simply due to her very existence was something that I desired to protect him from, even knowing that it was impossible. I had already tried to protect him from this mission and it had almost led to my greatest downfall. I knew that we could never be separated like that again, not if we desired victory.
My thoughts came to a still as the harsh smell of wet dog met my nose and my eyes took in the outlaying huts that we all had resided in what felt like just a few days ago and came to an abrupt stop, skidding to a stop as I dug my feet into the ground. I felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head and I swore every muscle in my body began to shake like a leaf.
The others followed my suit and I felt the weight of their confused glances, not understanding why I had frozen in spot. I was not able to force my lips to move, unable to find the words that I needed to say to justify my sudden demeanor shift. How could I explain what I did not understand myself? Naturally, Alice walked over first, gently placing a comforting hand on my upper bicep as her concerned eyes flashed up to mine, an action that I only saw out of my peripheral as my eyes were still looking straight ahead, completely fixated on the hut that he and I had shared, the very one that he was currently residing in.
"Bella, what is it?" She asked, her tone laced heavily with concern but I was not able to answer her.
Through the thick and heavy scent of the shifters, I clearly made out the scent of the one person I was needing to see the most but now that I knew that the moment was upon us, I couldn't help but freeze.
I couldn't feel any of my senses, just the simple cold grasp around my dead heart of fear of the unknown, not knowing how our interaction would go. The entire world around me seemed to fade away as tunnel vision took over. I desperately searched inside for a piece of strength needed to force my body to move forward. I knew that meeting with him after my action of betrayal was going to be difficult to stomach but I had not realized that it would be this difficult. The distance, as minor as it was currently, still was simply unbearable, and it felt as if hundreds of miles separated me from my soulmate, even if he was merely a few feet away. I knew that this was all because of me and yet, even selfishly so, I willed him to be the one to help close the distance between him and I once more.
I breathed in deep and quick breaths, completely overloading my senses in his unique scent of cardamom and bergamot as it got stronger with each second. I felt my eyes blink quickly as my mate exited the hut and walked out, his eyes slowly lifting from the forest ground to peer into my own.
I knew that I had to stop running from this bond. My time spent away from my sole reason for existing had forced me to realize that I was nothing without him. There was a lot that I did not need after becoming a vampire. I did not need to breathe, to eat food per se, to drink water. I could get by without seemingly anything. But the one thing that I needed desperately was him, and the sense of hope that he gave me. That very sense of hope was the one force that compelled me to start again, providing the courage to continue on, no matter how the storm raged on around me.
His love was the one thing that rescued me even when I didn't know I needed to be saved. His strong embrace made me feel warm even when the bitter winds of unmerciful fate raged around me. It was amazing how much he meant to me when in fact, he did not have to do anything to provide this sense of grounding, this sense of peace, it came naturally by just being the being that he was. And I was already in far too deep to ever think about turning back and going back to how I had lived without him.
He had since removed his facial hair that had been put on back during the brief mission with Dante but he still looked as handsome as ever. I could feel his stare burning deep into my soul, or what was left of it. So many things I wanted to say, needed to convey. I felt my fingertips of my left hand tremble slightly with anxiety as I took in his tense state. Chelsea had said that our mate bond was still in tact but I knew that he was less than happy with the way that the scenario had unfolded. Even if the mate bond did indeed still exist, he likely was still upset and possibly quite angry with me. And if that was the case, he would be completely justified in those feelings. I had done something terrible in betraying his trust when I had sedated him and then my acts after only made it that much worse. I had almost died, which would have forced him to live out an existence without his mate, something that I am sure he knew all about.
I breathed out a shaky breath and steeled whatever was left of my nerves that were not currently shot to hell. There was only one way that I would know the truth of his emotions, and that would mean that I would need to touch him. But what if he rejected the advance? What on earth would I do? I knew I deserved nothing less but I hoped that somehow, someway, he could at least see the reasons why I had done what I had. I had done so out of a fear of his safety, not knowing how else to deal with the connection and bond that had been created after making love. Still, I felt as if by doing all that I had done, I had created something new to bloom between him and I. There was something lingering in the air that seemed to still between him and I that I just couldn't explain. It was a force stronger than I had ever known, one that I was powerless to even try and contain. Somehow, I knew that in this very moment, I was right where I belonged, where I needed to be.
"It's going to be alright; I promise. Go on." Alice finally breathed as she moved her hand to my lower back and applied gentle pressure, urging me to take a step forward.
Taking in one last breath, I began to move forward, my feet barely responding to my will. I sucked my bottom lip in between my teeth as I came to a still, a few feet away from him, where he had remained motionless, unblinking even. I swallowed harshly before I extended my left hand out, palm facing upwards.
"Jazz…" I breathed out and watched as a flicker of light danced across his crimson orbs. I blinked and suddenly he was standing in front of me, his hands gripping at my waist with such force that it caused me to gasp in surprise. Before I could even begin the task of trying to gauge and understand his hurricane of emotions, he brought his lips down to my own harshly, apparently frantic to breathe and taste as much of me as he possibly could.
My eyes fluttered shut as I returned the gesture in favor. I had wanted to try and keep our interactions in front of the family as chaste as possible but I was beyond powerless to stop this. I only could reach up and cup his face with my hands as he held me tighter to the point where I was sure that I was going to merge into his entire being. I felt his emotions crashing into my own and was positive that at this point, our consciousnesses were merging together as one as well.
"Never. Do. Anything. Like. That. Again." He panted out in between kisses and I only could nod, unable to form any words in between his frantic expressions of passion.
Eventually, he seemed to have reached his fill and sucked hard on my lower lip, ending the kiss but still kept close as he rested his forehead against my own, our unneeded breaths coming out in pants and mixing as one in the air that hung between our lips.
" I am so sorry." I finally breathed out, my fingers subconsciously gripping at the fabric of his dark gray sweater tightly.
"You have no idea how I felt the moment I came to and found myself waking up to the eyes of Chelsea and Alice, only to discover that you had fled the castle and had gone after information about Nero on your own. So many thoughts clashed together in my head, I swear that I was going to go positively insane. The tugging sensation in my chest pulling me to get closer to you was unbearable. I am certain that it is as close as to a heart attack that a being can have when their hearts don't actually function." He sighed out as he leaned down and ran his nose throughout my hair.
"It was never my intention for things to have unraveled the way that they had. I simply needed information to better understand the whole situation. At Volterra, I only had half of the information and I needed to see the other part to see the whole picture to better formulate a plan. I didn't want any of you getting involved. I thought it was too dangerous and I just couldn't stand to risk any of your well being because of me. However, I learned that I was being foolish. I never should have gone off alone. I realized that I need you, all of you, just like a human heart needs a beat." I tried to explain, realizing just how selfish and Edward like I sounded.
"I suppose that I should be upset with you, especially after the absolute hell you put me through but I am far too relieved to know that you are simply alive and in my arms once more to be able to summon up those feelings." He whispered as he shook in my hold and I realized that if he could be crying, he would be.
The phantom beats of my heart had long disappeared after being changed and not been an occurrence in nearly half a century but I was sure that my heart gave a painful thud at his words and the way sheer relief flooded throughout his being and into me.
After what felt like a lifetime, we both eventually found the strength to pull apart. As much as I wanted to relish in our closeness once more, I knew that there were more pressing matters at hand. We had a battle to strategize and I had to have a discussion with Jake away from the rest of the family. If it was true that Sam and the others were going to be fighting against us all, I needed to give him warning and that required that a certain amount of privacy was provided in order for him to take to the news well. I didn't want to overwhelm him, lest it cause him to phase and be beyond the ability to reason.
"Given all that has happened, it doesn't make much sense to toy with the notions about what could have happened. It is what it is. And there are some positives that came from your journey to Nero, isn't there?" He finally asked and I nodded.
If I had not done what I had, a whole series of other events could have easily taken place. If I had done another course of action, I may not have found Emmett and Rosalie and saved them from the influence and curse of Nero's ability of mind control. He would have eventually disposed of them, resulting in what we all believed to be true to become an actual reality. I also likely would never have been granted access to the temple and even though the experience had proven to be incredibly taxing on my mind and entire soul, it had made me face the realities and hidden fears that I had internalized. Only by realizing that those barriers still existed was I able to finally allow my walls to fall away, allowing the love that was just waiting to come rushing in.
"I suppose you are correct." I affirmed before looking over at Alice, Edward and Esme who were looking on with curiosity.
"Did you tell them the reason why your mental shield had been lowered to such an extreme?" he asked and I shook my head.
"No, admittingly enough, I couldn't come up with a way to break the news to them all. Nothing that I came up seemed grand enough, I guess." I shrugged.
"What's going on?" Edward asked and I grinned.
"I discovered something when I was with Nero, something that I haven't shared and likely nothing that Alice would have been able to have seen." I confessed after a few moments.
"Which was?" Esme pressed with furrowed eyebrows and I stole a glance at Jasper, who only moved a hand to my lower waist and squeezed gently.
"There were two vampires with him who were under his control. He had used them to gain knowledge about me as a human, so that he could plan his movements out to call to me and force me to react the way that I had. He had studied me to a perfection for years before launching his plan because he desired a moment with me to try and sway my stance and alliance with the Volturi. He wanted me to join forces with him, and knew that the only way he could even fathom reaching me was by first planting a seed of doubt in my mind. That is why everything played out the way that it had, leading up to that very moment that I stood before him." I explained and Chelsea nodded her head.
"Of course. Who wouldn't want you on their side? You are an incredible force to be reckoned with and your alliance with the Volturi has always run so deep. He wouldn't have stood a chance at trying to influence you unless he somehow cracked your resolve, which is why he did all that he did." She finally sighed and I nodded, my eyes moving to meet her own.
"Chelsea, I understand now. He was using you without your knowledge. The reason why you were not able to comprehend your actions back in Denali was because they were not your own. He was still nearby and got into your head to influence your actions, knowing that it would place a wedge in between you and I, and what better way was there to cause discord than to damage the bond between you and I?" I inquired and watched the way her eyes widened before they darkened out of anger.
"That bastard! How dare he even think about using me as a way to hurt you!" She exclaimed and I stole a glance at Jasper, who nodded before releasing his hold so I could walk back to Chelsea, who responded by throwing her arms around my neck, causing my arms to encircle her waist. I knew that we wouldn't be able to continue with what I needed to say until this issue was addressed.
"It's alright." I breathed into her hairline as my eyes closed involuntarily as she only held me closer.
"No, it's not. You have no idea how much I raged war with myself trying to figure out how I had been capable of betraying you to such an extent. I hurt you in ways that I couldn't even begin to comprehend. I am so sorry that he was able to use me in that type of way." She spoke into my neck, causing me to move a hand from her waist to rub gentle and small circles against her lower back.
"There is nothing to forgive, Chelsea. You did nothing worth apologizing for. The person responsible has been taken care of." I soothed until she finally pulled herself together and I pulled away slightly, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of her light brown hair behind her ear.
"Jasper was right, things had to work out the exact way that they had in order for us to be standing here with these new developments, resulting in something that is incredibly significant." I smiled before looking back at the Cullens.
"What happened to those two vampires? There was no one with you and Nero when we arrived. Did you dispose of them?" Alice asked with a tilt of her head and I smiled as I shook my head.
"I learned that I could break them free from Nero's hold but that meant I had to gift them more of my mental shield than I ever had before. I could shield you all easily because he had not already successfully infiltrated into your mind. However, getting someone out of his hold after it took affect was a completely different story. But it was something that I had to do because if I wouldn't have, he would have disposed of them since they had served their purpose by getting me to meet with him. I freed them and ordered them to return to Volterra. I believe that they were intercepted before they could reach their end goal and have since returned here." I said as I smelt the air deeply and noticed their scents nearby. The others likely could not pick up on the scent because the scent of the shifters still offended them greatly, something that I had grown to at least be able to tolerate over the years.
"Can we meet them? They likely are feeling a tad out of sorts and I would like to see if I can help." Esme asked and I smiled before looking at Jasper who nodded and walked over to the hut he had been in and went inside. Of course, Esme was the one who wanted to try and help a couple of lost vampires. Such was the blessing of her gift of enhanced ability to love.
I stepped to the side as the door opened, and Emmett and Rosalie both emerged, hands linked together, looking slightly overwhelmed as their eyes moved in sync to look at Esme, Alice and Edward, who only gaped with wide eyes.
Suddenly, Alice let out a happy cry and ran forward and launched herself forward into the arms of Rosalie, who easily caught her and held her close as Edward walked over and took Emmett's hand into his own and shook it, his eyes misty with unshed tears. Esme took the longest to respond and did not react until both Alice and Edward had stepped back, causing Rosalie and Emmett to rush forward and embrace her. The three of them sank to the ground, Esme saying their names over and over again like a prayer.
"Oh, my darlings." She breathed out as she only held them closer, her eyes clearly not able to believe what they were seeing.
"You, you saved them?" She finally asked as she looked over at me and I nodded.
" The day that Alice went out on her own to hunt, Nero had sent newborns to collect her to bring her back. He knew that Alice and I shared an extremely close bond and wanted access to her knowledge on me. However, Rosalie and Emmett interfered with that. When Alice had been able to get away, the newborns had to settle with capturing Emmett and Rosalie and brought them before Nero, who immediately put them under his control. This is why they were not able to return to you all or make contact. It is also why Alice was likely never able to receive a vision of them. Their actions were not their own so she would have never been able to see a decision made." I supplied watching as Alice looked over at me.
"You sacrificed your mental shield for them when they weren't yours to save." She stated and I shrugged.
"My directives from Aro were pretty clear. I was to protect you all, no matter the cost. While it was true that we did not know of Rosalie and Emmett's existence at the time, I knew that I had to extend those orders to them as well." I explained and watched the way the sheer gratitude shimmered off of their eyes, and knew that I had indeed made the right decision. It had of course come with a significant cost but had been so worth it.
"How did you have time to expand your shield?" Gunnar asked and I knew it was a good question.
"Nero and I began to fight once I declined his offer to join his ranks. I had the upper hand and I was confident that I was going to be able to end the battle and dispose of him with moderate ease. But then he ordered Emmett and Rosalie to fight me and I knew that I couldn't bring myself to do it and I wouldn't have been able to get to Nero while they were still under his control. So, before they had a chance to actually engage with me, I not only expanded my shield to them but actually filled them with it to the point where I had all but lost it myself. After they came to reason, I told them as much as I could with limited time and thankfully, Rosalie was able to see reason and got Emmett to leave with her to return to you all. Once they were out of danger, I could focus on the threat at hand but did not have a chance to rebuild my shield before he invaded my mind." I explained further and watched the way that Rosalie looked down at the ground almost in shame.
"I spent far too long fighting her on her orders though. If I had been less defensive and on edge about the whole situation, she may have had time to focus on rebuilding the shield. She was preoccupied with holding Nero down, who had chosen to try and come at Emmett and I. If she had been free from doing that, she could have focused on getting her shield rebuilt. I am sorry for that, Bella." She said in a tone that was quite unlike her, catching me off guard for a moment or two before I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.
"You had no reason to believe me. I know just how disorienting it is once you are free from his mind control and you were under it a whole lot longer than I was. You didn't know about your family's alliance with the Volturi. In your mind, I was a threat and I know you needed some sort of reassurance. Ultimately, no permanent damage took place so you don't need to apologize. I would have been surprised if you had acted any differently than you had." I stated and she nodded her head before Emmett grinned.
"The only thing I regret honestly is that I wasn't able to see how Bella Bear fights. I mean, come on. She's the captain of the guard with the Volturi! How badass is that?" He chuckled and I rolled my eyes. Some things would never change.
"Emmett, language!" Esme chided and I rolled my eyes before turning my head in the direction of Jake who had strolled up with Seth by his side.
I grinned as I watched the way Seth's eyes locked onto Alice, who offered him a tentative smile and a small wave before looking at the ground almost bashfully. This was a new side to Alice that I had not seen before but I could understand her reaction. She likely felt some sort of pull to Seth but without her visions to guide her, she had no idea what any of it meant.
"I am sorry to interrupt this homecoming but I need to talk to Bella alone." Jake said as he crossed his arms against his chest and I nodded.
"I think it would be good for you all to spend some time together. It is been long since you all have been together and I think it would be beneficial to you all. I won't be far. I promise." I spoke as I looked at Jasper who eventually nodded and I watched as he led the Cullens along with Gunnar, Anita and Chelsea to his cabin, where I knew that Carlisle was waiting patiently for his mate.
"Alice, I would like to talk with you as well. Can we take a quick walk?" Seth asked, stopping her movements as she looked over at him with curiosity.
"Go on, dear. We will be at the cabin." Esme smiled and she nodded before quite literally skipping over to Seth who looked at me briefly, causing me to nod before the two of them took off in the opposite direction of Jake and I. I had no idea how Jake was going to react once I told him of my hypothesis but knew he needed to know. I could only hope that he would be receptive, for once.
"So, a horde of newborns are coming to Forks." He stated bluntly as we walked throughout the woods, far enough from the village that no one would be able to hear our conversation but not far enough that I could not still reach them all with my shield.
"That is correct. According to my intel, there will be around thirty or so, depending if they can manage to make it here without killing one another and if they decide not to split, some coming here and some to Volterra." I nodded and watched the way he huffed in annoyance.
" We will need to find a way to intercept them before they get too close to the town." He replied and I nodded.
"I was thinking we could lure them to us at the old baseball field that the Cullens used in the past. It is a relative open field and will provide good coverage if need be. It's far enough from the town that no one should be able to take notice of anything." I said as I shoved my hands deep into the front pockets of my pants.
"What has you so on edge? I understand that the numbers are a tad daunting but there is something else that has gotten your panties in a twist." He asked and I looked up at the sky, thinking of the best way to broach this subject.
"Nero told me that there were other beings that were part of the army, ones that had been strategically planted to put holes into Alice's visions, which would prevent her from seeing any decisions made." I began and watched the way that Jake came to a still before he looked at me with hard eyes.
"And, just to confirm, Alice cannot see visions of beings besides humans and vampires because she was never anything but, so she can't see visions when she is around let's say, one of my kind." He said slowly and I nodded as we came to a still.
"That is correct, Jake. She wouldn't be able to see any visions if a shifter or even a true werewolf like the children of the moon were involved." I said slowly and watched the way his hands automatically clenched into fists to the point that he shook.
"Bella, are you saying what I think you are?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged.
"It's hard to know for sure but everything to date has connected us back to Forks. Logically speaking, I would say that there is a possibility that some of your old pack members may be part of the army. I do not know of any other shifters except for the ones of Quileute origin." I answered and he looked away sharply before sending his fist into a tree with such force that it creaked and eventually fell with a large thud.
"Of course! How could I have not seen this sooner?" He growled out and I cocked my head to the side at his reaction.
"You're going to have to give me more to work with than that." I said eventually as I watched his trembling muscles still once more.
"As you know, Sam did not want to create an alliance with you. In fact, he saw you as a huge threat and wanted to attack the moment you came back to Forks to check on your dad. I wouldn't allow it. I never wanted the responsibility that came with being the alpha. I didn't even want to be a shifter myself. However, I couldn't stand there and allow any harm to come to you. So, I challenged him for the spot for the alpha, which was truthfully my birthright. I am the grandson of Ephraim Black after all. In the end, I overthrew Sam and he told me that I would live to regret what I had done before he left the area along with Brady, Collin, and Paul. I never thought he would sink this low though. To think he would be putting Forks in peril just to settle the score over a grudge. I know he is prideful to a point of extreme but this is taking it to a whole new level!" He exclaimed as he looked back over at me.
"I wanted to discuss this with you one on one because of course, we can only speculate but I know that it is a lot to swallow and it can be hard to keep your cool around those who are looking up to you for guidance. That being said, I wanted to give you the chance to absorb this information without having to worry too much about keeping your emotions in check." I replied and he gave me a thankful nod.
"Hopefully you are wrong but I have a feeling in my gut you aren't." He replied as he began walking back to the village.
"Will you and your pack be able to stand against your brothers again? It is one thing to fight against them for a placement in the pack but it's another to fight to kill." I thought aloud and he only shook his head in disgust.
"If it comes down to it, I will not be fighting them because of my alliance to you but because I am trying to save Forks. If these newborns were to win, chaos would ensue, I am sure. That simply cannot happen. I will take down any threat to this town, no matter if it is coming from a vampire, human or shifter." He affirmed and I smiled at him before glancing in his direction.
"Thank you, Jake. This means everything to me. You have no idea how grateful I am to have you in my corner. Will you tell the others?" I asked and he nodded.
"Of course. We will meet up at the baseball field once we all have our bearings straight and after you have a moment to discuss logistics with your crew. We'll finalize everything then." He affirmed as we made our way back to the village, coming to a still as I took note of the way Alice was sitting on the stairs leading up to my hut, her gaze automatically locking onto mine. She knew.
I walked over as the shifters ran past me as Jake called for them all to gather, and I noticed Seth's large grin on his face. I took that as a positive sign before walking over and motioned with my head for Alice to follow, to which she nodded and I led her a little way from the hut before jumping onto a fallen tree and patting next to me, indicating for her to follow. She jumped up and placed her hands in her lap before she looked over at me.
" How long have you known that Seth had imprinted on me?" She finally asked and I smiled as I looked down at the ground.
"Since we all first arrived back here after the Dante ordeal." I replied and she nodded.
"You couldn't give a girl a heads up?" She asked with a light chuckle and I shook my head.
"Your bond had just been severed with Jasper and I wasn't sure what your current headspace was like at the time. I was worried that it may have been too soon for him to tell you. I didn't want you to reject something that could potentially be the best thing that had happened to you in years out of fear or from being rushed and I certainly did not want to do anything that would influence your decision. I thought that if it was meant to be, it would happen naturally. Not all imprinting has to be romantic in nature." I replied.
"He told me because he said that it was important that he got it in the open in case it was our last chance to do so. I think he also wanted to give me a warning why he was going to be more protective than others when it came to the battle. I told him I could handle my own but I am not sure if that will be enough for him not to act like an overprotective fool, wanting to be everywhere at the same time." She replied and I nodded.
"The shifters are no better about acting in ways to protect their imprint than we are about protecting our mates. I agree that it was good that he told you though so that you could understand his movements better. Finding out in the middle of a battle about him being your imprint may have proven to be rather distracting. Truth be told, if he had not done what he did, I would have broken the news to you myself." I said as I looked over at her, trying to gauge her feelings on Seth.
"I never thought that something like this was possible. It's a rarity if a vampire can find a mate, you know. Many go through hundreds or even thousands of years before finding them. To know that I have found a mate not once but twice is not something that I truly expected, and with a shifter!" She exclaimed and I nodded.
"It is interesting. I have never heard of a shifter imprinting on a being other than another tribe member. We do not understand the phenomena of the imprinting process. We all assume that the process occurs to help ensure that the bloodline remains strong and that the future offspring will be able to carry out the will of the tribal history. However, that cannot be the case with you as you cannot carry a child. There must be some sort of reasoning behind it, but that is something that will only unfold in time, assuming that this bond is something that you have accepted." I replied and moved my head to peer into her eyes.
"Being with him is like finally being able to shut my eyes. You have the same affect, you know. You stop the visions from clashing behind my eyes. Being with him is like that too. It's like, everything goes away and my mind can finally relax. I wasn't sure how I would feel about not being able to receive visions around him but who knows, maybe in time, I'll become accustomed to being around him that I will learn how to have visions of not him necessarily, but of others. I can't deny the way that being around him makes me feel though, Bella. His demeanor is beyond well suited with my own. I feed off of his positive energy, and he compliments me in ways that I have never known. I told him that our bond was something that I at least was willing to test out." She replied and I grinned at her smile.
"I am so happy for you, Alice. You deserve happiness. I am glad you have a second chance at it." I replied as I jumped off of the log and she nodded before following suit as we headed back to the village.
"And you're okay with it?" She asked and I furrowed my eyebrows before looking over at her.
"What do you mean?" I asked and she shrugged.
"Well, I just wasn't sure what the Volturi's stance would be on something like this. I am sure there is some sort of rule somewhere that would forbid this type of bond, this blending of the species so to speak." She said slowly and I shook my head.
"Caius isn't exactly a fan of the shifters but as they are not the true children of the moon, there are no laws in place that would prevent you from being with him. You have my full blessing and even if there was a rule against it, I would overlook it." I said, causing her to shoot me a wide eyed glance.
"What?" I asked, suppressing a chuckle at her comical expression.
"You're such a stickler for the rules, I never thought I would hear something like that come out of your mouth is all, not when you view the world in black and white." She replied eventually and I thought on her words for a moment or two before responding.
"That is true but this mission has caused me to find a reason to change my perspectives. Nothing about this has a cookie cutter setup. It has forced me to alter my thought process and how I view things." I replied only stopping briefly as she leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on the side of my face.
"You are the absolute best!" She quipped and I laughed before we came to a stop where the rest of the Cullens, Anita, Gunnar and Chelsea emerged.
"So, what is the plan?" Edward asked and I sighed, averting my gaze in the direction of the baseball field.
"I have a plan but I am not sure how much you're going to like it." I finally admitted and took in a deep breath and began.
"No. No. No, and No. There is a better chance that pigs will learn how to fly than you have in getting me to agree to this plan. I won't have it." Chelsea argued as she shook her head defiantly.
"Listen, I know you're worried about me, but let's face it. I have more speed than anyone else does here. These newborns are coming for me after all. Someone needs to lead them straight to where everyone is waiting and I can easily handle it. I know the layout of the land better than anyone, including the Cullens." I replied as I tried to force her to see reason.
"I'm not just sending my best friend and coven sister to the front lines, where all the danger could happen, without me or at least someone by your side. That's not right, and you can't convince me that it is. I know you're really strong, an almost invincible warrior, but you're still recovering from your mental attack from Nero and we don't know the degree of weakness that still exists. We don't know what type of abilities these newborns or their leader will possess either. It's not right for you to put this amount of pressure on yourself. I know you, Bella, better than anyone here and I know that you are setting yourself up to crack under pressure, trying like always to keep everyone safe while you play the role as the sacrificial pawn." She argued back as she began to pace around and I sighed.
"Chelsea, please try to understand. I'm not saying that you all should just leave me on my own to fight but we can't risk that the newborns won't catch a scent of a human in the town and give into their innate desire. Given my connection with everyone here, I think I have learned a way for Alice to still receive visions of me even with my shield up. That was something good that came about during my time away and with Nero. Given that, I won't really be alone. If something were to go awry, you all still could come running. We can make sure that the shifters are just out of range so that her visions aren't impacted but still close enough to be there in mere moments. You need to have more faith in me than this. You say that no one knows me better than you do but that's not true. I know myself better than you do. I know what I am capable of and this is what is best for the mission." I replied back as she huffed in annoyance.
" You have to agree with her points, Chelsea. We have to think about what is best for the mission at hand. Someone needs to lead the army to where we will be and there is really no other way. Newborns are faster than the average vampire and the only one who possesses enough speed to outrun them is Bella." Anita whispered, causing Chelsea to shoot her a glare.
"I agree with Bella and Anita, Chelsea. We need whatever advantage we have. If Bella were to appear to be there to fight on her own, it would be exactly what the Impavidia Inquisitore would do. They would not think it out of place for her to act in such a manner. She is fast enough to easily evade their advances and in doing so, she will ensure the safety of the entire town and control the variables." Edward finally spoke and I shot him a thankful smile.
"Jasper, help me out here!" She growled out in irritation, causing him to sigh before looking into my eyes briefly and then back to Chelsea.
"Chelsea, war is imminent. There is nothing that can be done to prevent this from happening. These newborns are coming for her and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. There are reasons why Bella placed me as second in command over the mission and it's not just because I'm her mate. I understand your reasoning but I believe that you're not thinking clearly. If Alice can still receive visions, then we will know everything that is happening before it has a chance to unravel. If Bella can offer any ounce of surprise then we need that opportunity to capitalize on, especially since the Volturi have decided that it would be best for them to stay within the castle in case the newborns split and need forces to protect not just the castle but the nearby town as well." He replied and I sighed outwardly in relief.
"Bella, please. I beg you, reconsider. You must have another reason for wanting to go down this path that goes deeper than what you are letting on. I know it. Please just say what it is." She finally sighed and I felt my dead heart tremble at her begging tone.
"Chelsea, I realize now that I am the only one who can bring about true peace back to our world. While in that temple, I had to face off against my dark half, the beast, if you will. I realized then that these newborns and perhaps the leader are just as lost as I have been more times than I would like to count, and every time you pulled me back from that ledge. I want one last chance to talk to the leader before actually beginning the battle to see if I can stop it from happening and I cannot do that if she feels threatened, which would be exactly what would happen if there was anyone with me." I finally admitted and watched the way Esme's eyes softened at my words and a sense of what I believe was pride shown across Carlisle's orbs.
"Remarkable, Bella. I know you are more capable of compassion than most vampires I have known but to know that you are still willing to try and stop this battle from occurring through reason far exceeds my expectations." Carlisle murmured and I nodded my head.
"Considering all that they have done and the lives that they have ended, I know that they don't deserve a chance. I know I am going against all the rules that my family have in place but I can't help but to want to try. These newborns are being repressed under the hateful rule of a merciless dictator. If I can't reason with the leader then perhaps, I can at least reach them. If I can't, then I know what must be done. We can't have them in this world, when they can't control their bloodlust. If they can't see reason then I will have to end them but I'd rather not have to do so." I sighed.
"I hope that it doesn't come to that. From what I can gather, these newborns are just children. They deserve better." Rosalie sighed and I nodded.
" If I can't find another way to resolve the threat of their existence then I will have no other choice, Rosalie. Trust me, it's not what I want to do. I could have easily fallen under the same category as them, if I had not had a loving and supportive family that helped me control my bloodlust. I think, that if I can talk to their creator, and reason with whoever that is, then maybe, I can get them to sway to our side. But, I don't know how well that will honestly go over. I have no idea just how deep those hooks have been sunk into them. However, my family, yours, and this world's wellbeing as a whole, must come before any of them. I hope you understand." My voice faltered lightly as I began to think about how I would feel when all was said and done. I had never particularly enjoyed killing other vampires. As it was, I only did so when it was absolutely necessary. I had always been able to shut off that part of my humanity but I was not sure how I would react when it came to disposing of children.
"We don't have much time, okay? It is necessary that we get into position as soon as possible. I need to be waiting for them all," I faltered in my strong words as I peered over in the direction to the nearby town, to where all of my beloved humans walked around as if nothing was wrong, " I can't, and will not, let this town fall to their fangs."
"Very well. You all go ahead and meet up with the rest of the shifters at the baseball field. We will join you in a moment. I need to discuss something with Bella first." Jasper instructed and I moved my eyes to meet his gaze with a slight questioning glance but nodded in confirmation.
"What is it, Jazz? You're not having a change of heart on the plan, are you?" I asked once we were alone and he sighed as he shook his head.
"No, that's not it, Bella. I am not exactly happy with the plan but I understand the logistics behind it. I just wish it didn't have to be like this. I just got you back and I'm not quite ready for another goodbye." He admitted and I hung my head a tad as I registered the pain of his words.
"Bella, are you coming? We need to get a move on here, you can have all the time you need with him after we've won the battle." Jake called out rather sharply, causing Jasper to tense as he looked over with a slight snarl.
I shot a warning look at Jake causing his eyes to widen slightly. I knew what needed to be done but I wasn't going to have Jasper get any more upset than he was at this moment. I wanted him to be able to focus on the upcoming altercation without any added distractions. I let out a light huff, and couldn't help but feel as if Jake was being very inconsiderate at the moment.
"We'll be there in a moment, okay? Just head up. The others are there and will fill you in." I responded and he nodded before he took off with the other shifters following in tow.
"Anyway…" I began once we were alone once more, " Please just say what's on your mind. I want this off of your chest so that you can focus on the more pressing matters." I said and he nodded after a few moments.
"I wish more than anything that you could be with me but we know that it would be seen as a threat and besides, someone needs to overlook everything else while I'm away." I said softly and he nodded as I took him into my hold.
After a few moments, I finally felt him relax and sighed in relief. I moved my free hand to his waist. I swore my heart almost shattered at the concerned and pained expression in his eyes. It was going against all that I had felt was right to be away from him, but knew it must be done.
"I know. You just better come back to me," he finally murmured and I nodded, looking deep into his eyes. I leaned forward and rested my forehead against his, the very act done that had been done on multiple occurrences to help comfort and ground us both. "You just have to. I'm not strong enough to live without you in my life." he responded, his voice cracking as he closed his eyes, and leaned against my touch.
"I am going to come back to you, I promise." I responded, and nuzzled my face into his neck.
"Letting you go this time is the hardest thing I have had to do in my entire lifetime, even more so than fighting against the desire for human blood." He sighed and I pulled back slightly.
"Jazz, look at me." I instructed as he lifted his gaze into my own, "I must do this, to try and stop this war but also to lead them to you all if my words cannot reach them. I knew the risks that I was going to face the moment I accepted my place with the Volturi. I have developed my powers the way I have so that I can protect all that I love, a category that you fall into now. That is my duty, as fate has written out for me." I stated, my eyes slowly filling venom that I refused to shed.
"If this is the case… I now have something that I need to tell you, Bella." He smiled lightly, as he reached into his pocket.
"Go on." I encouraged, watching his movements carefully.
"They say you don't know what you really have, until it's gone, right? Well, Bella, I just had a taste of what that would be like. For the first time since the encounter with Dante, I was absolutely terrified, petrified that I could lose the one woman in this world who has the power to melt away the layers of my battle worn and jaded heart, and rescue me from my world of solitude. Now that you are here beside me, and now that I experienced what your love feels like, I will never let you go again." He said and I shook my head.
"Jazz, you have to, just momentarily." I said softly but he only grinned.
"No, that's not what I am getting at. Everything that you have said makes sense, so I can let you go on your own, and my heart, unbeating as it is, will go with you but I'm not sure if even that is enough to give you the motivation you need to continue to fight with all that you have. So, I'd like to provide further motivation, if I may." He paused to pull out a thin line of thread. "Do you know what this piece of thread is, Bella?" He asked, chuckling as I began to examine it closely.
"Of course. It's the special thread we use to sew armor. It's from the silk tree and then infused with venom, is it not? Almost unbreakable." I replied after a few moments, watching the way it shimmered slightly in the few rays of sunlight that broke through the overcast sky above.
"That is correct. I took a strand of it that had not been infused with venom and mixed my own into it. You see, I believed it to be perfect for this," He murmured as he tied the string onto my ring finger of my left hand, "This piece of thread resembles all the love I have ever had for you, all the trust I have in you and us as a couple, and my unbreakable promise to be by your side forevermore, even in death." He smiled as he slid a ring down the thread and onto my finger.
"Jazz." I gasped, my eyes shooting to his, and then quickly down to begin to examine the unique ring on my hand.
"I know that it is likely more extravagant than you are used to but our love in itself is so unique, I wanted a ring that would match this situation. I handcrafted the rose gold metal into the shape of leaves and melded it around the diamond crested white gold band, and selected the blue sapphire from the castle's reserves with Aro's blessing as it is your birthstone and represents the dedication to be honest and loyal to each other. I hope you like it." He smiled, looking anxiously at me for a response.
"Jazz." My eyes widened further as I looked at him.
"Isabella Marie Swan, I promise with all that I have to cherish you every moment from now until forever. Would you give me the tremendous privilege of becoming my wife?"