EPOV
"Welcome my brother, welcome!" Aro welcomed Bella and I, "Aah! I'm so glad to see the newlyweds! Don't you make an amazing couple! I wish you all the marital bliss!"
"Thanks, Aro," I said curtly.
"I saw the wedding pictures Carlisle sent," he said, "If I could cry, I'd have shed tears seeing you both with your daughter. Such a wonderful family you make!"
I couldn't help rolling my eyes at his drama.
"You know, at times like this, I feel so proud of myself that I could make the best use of power and come up with laws that would unite the families! I feel so, so happy!"
"Just state the fact as it is. You wanted Tanya, and you wanted me out of the way," I said.
I could feel Bella's face flinching at hearing this.
"Is that what you think, my friend?" Aro smiled.
"You're the law creator. You can make and abolish them as you feel," I said, "You're capable of making everyone act as you want."
Tanya was a free spirit. It was impossible to make her do anything against her wish and that's the only reason Aro could never claim her.
Well, that was also the same reason I could also never force her to be with me forever!
But I knew, she was mine!
"I could just laugh at your assumptions, nothing else!" He smiled, "I deeply care for our people. I want nothing, but happiness for our small community."
I wasn't going to buy his bullshit.
"I hope you stay away from my family," I said.
"Of course!" He smiled again, "Why would I bother you?"
"So what you're saying is, he created this law so you can't marry Tanya?" Bella asked me when we were on our way back, "That's insane!"
"Welcome to our world!" I said, "Things like this happen all the time!"
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" She asked.
"You didn't ask," I replied.
She didn't say anything for some time and then asked, "So they're not going to come after Carlie now, right?"
"Carlie was never his target," he said, "He was only interested in getting me out of the way."
"So then why did we even marry?" She asked, "I'm sure there must have been other ways to keep her safe."
"We can't go against the law. The Volturi have all the power," I said, "There was nothing we could do. And I would never risk Carlie's life."
She nodded her head.
"But if he has such power, why can't he make Tanya to be with him?"
"That's Tanya!" I said, "Nobody could force her to do anything. Aro is really enamored with her. He wants her, but he wants her to be with him with her own consent. He wants her to want him as she wants her."
"And Tanya wants you," she said.
Well, I wished I could say that confidently.
Was there actually any difference between Aro and I?
We both wanted Tanya, and maybe she didn't want either of us!
But I mean, we were supposed to be mates, so there was certainly a difference!
But did she really want me?
Umm... Maybe!
"Yeah," I replied.
