It's our last few moments in Court 6, and Dad hugs me hard, swallowing me up like he'll never see me again. It brings tears to my eyes, but I push them back because I have questions. Questions that need honest answers.

Confused, uncertain, and frustrated. That's how I feel as I wait for my dad's response to the question I've been thinking about all week: "How do you have a supply of Pepperline if it takes a doctor to activate it?"

He pauses, panicked, before questioning, "where did you hear that?"

"A…" I start but trail off. Why does it feel awkward to call Edward a friend? I push down the butterflies and say it anyway. "A friend."

"Dr. Hammody did it for us," Dad says. His eyes are everywhere but on me.

"But you guys never see Dr. Hammody. How's that possible?" Mom walks with Alice to the train car, hugging her hard. I need to hurry before we're out of time.

"You sure are full of questions, Sugar." He laughs it off because he's nervous.

Nervous.

My dad hasn't been nervous a day in his life.

"I'm just… curious," I tell him with a shrug.

"Didn't you hear what happens to those who are curious?" he teases.

I roll my eyes. "Curiosity never killed anyone—" I start but quickly retract. Maybe that's not the complete truth. Maybe—

"Trust the process," he whispers into my hair, hugging me tight one last time. "Next time we'll see you is on your twenty-first birthday when you get that letter. I'll miss you every day. Be good, okay? Prosper, do great things, make us proud."

What he's really saying is blend in, don't question anything, don't get yourself hurt.

I let it go for now and hug him so tight it blinds me. My dad has always been kind, supportive, and honest.

Edward told me it wasn't him lying, but I don't think it's my dad either. There's an uncomfortable knot in my stomach as he passes me off to my mom.

"I love you so much," she cries, rocking us back and forth. "Write to us, okay Sugar? We can't always afford to write back, but we love to hear your stories."

I nod in understanding and promise with everything I'm made of that I'll write all the time.

"Soon you'll be married," she whispers, hand in my hair, smile on her lips. "I can't wait to see what treasures await you."

In the train car, Alice pulls me close. I don't cry, not really anyway, but Alice comforts me in any way she knows how. I appreciate and love her for it.

~!~

I never knew a blonde, slimy-tongued, heavy-panting, four-legged little beast would be my favorite thing in the world. Alice's parents, Carlisle and Esme as they insisted I call them, picked us up an hour ago, and we're enjoying brunch on their veranda. Claire wags her tail, her head on my leg as I secretly feed her small bites of my croissant.

"How lovely was Court 6?" Esme asks with a smile.

"Court 6 was… interesting," Alice says, fanning herself.

It's much warmer in Court 4 than I've grown accustomed to in Court 5, but it's dry, just as Edward said previously. We haven't made it much further than the veranda as Alice claimed she was absolutely starved.

"And that's where you come from, Belle?" Carlisle asks, lifting a platter and offering me another sandwich.

I shake my head at the sandwich. "Yes, that's where I grew up. On graduation day, I found out I'd be attending U5."

"She gets to choose where she wants to live after we graduate," Alice says.

Her dad looks confused, so I clarify. "The Royals sent a letter stating I'm able to choose the Court in which I'd like to reside as they are allowing me to teach third-grade literature."

Both her parents share a curious glance before turning back and smiling gently. "You have quite a difficult decision on your hands then. If you'd like, while you're here, we can show you around so you can get the full perspective." Her dad smiles over at me as I nod.

"I'd actually really like that," I say.

Carlisle looks too young to have nineteen-year-old twins. His baby face looks as if he's never been through a hardship in his life. He's got soft brown eyes like Alice, but his wild ruddy-colored hair is all Edward. He's nearly a spitting image of his dad, and it's honestly creepy. The only thing he gets from his mom are his eyes. Green, deep, and wise with long, dark lashes.

But Alice… she gets everything from her mom. A small, petite frame that moves soft and graceful like a cloud. A feminine face that boasts high cheekbones and a dainty button nose. Short dark hair cut to her shoulders shines even in the shade. This family is striking.

Claire nudges my palm with her wet nose, and I slip her another tiny piece of bread. She kisses my palm before lying at my feet.

After we're done, Carlisle and Esme take our suitcases into their home while Alice shows me around the grounds.

The home is nestled back off a main road, separated from its only neighbor by tall trees. There's a wrought-iron gate before a long, winding driveway meets a grand entrance. Four tall pillars line the front porch where two extremely large doors welcome its guests. Alice and I walk past the front porch, the brick driveway smooth against my sandals as we move in silence. Trimmed bushes shaped into cones adorn the steps leading to the front porch.

"Down that way," Alice says, pointing behind her from the opposite way we're walking, "is a garden where Mom grows vegetables and flowers. There are some benches I'm sure you'll want to check out. That's where Mom likes to read; it's her paradise."

We walk to the left and onto large tile squares of the side porch before descending a grand, winding staircase made of white marble. As we walk down, nothing short of beauty comes into view.

"This is my paradise," Alice says happily, relieved like she's missed it more than anything else.

The enormous backyard is made for entertaining. Large cement slabs create a clever design as vibrant grass grows in the narrow rows between them. It breaks up the monotony of cement and adds color to the backyard.

On the far end sits a patio set, bar, grill, and huge fireplace. Lounge chairs line the left side, resting in the heat of the sun. On the right are large pots of flowers, trees, and potted shrubs braided together into a tall, pointy tip. There's privacy back here secured by extremely tall, lush bushes, trees, and vines of flowers.

"Alice, this is…" I trail off, unable to even form words.

"I know, right?"

Alice grew up here, in the heat of the sun with the scent of nature. Compared to my background, where I come from, what I'm used to, it's jarring.

Alice links our arms and guides me to the edge of the pool. A large set of steps walk into the beautiful blue water, but she sits on the edge and dips her feet in.

"Come on," she says, patting the spot next to her. "It's so relaxing."

I'm in a soft gray cotton dress, so I tuck the edges under my upper thigh so as not to get it wet and dip my feet into the icy water. The chill from the pool as it laps against my legs contrasts with the extremely warm sun above us.

Emmett's house is big, but it's nowhere near this grand. He doesn't have a pool, lush gardens, or even this much land. This, where Alice comes from, is a magnificence I've never seen.

~!~

Inside is no different. There's a grand living room with all white furniture, tall ceilings, and an oil painting of their family. Claire sits at the entrance, whining for my attention. She clearly knows not to enter this room.

"We never sit in here," Alice says with a shrug. The formal living room leads into a large dining room with a table that sits way more people than I know. "We have holidays here, but that's about it," she explains. And then there's a pristine, marble kitchen. A large island that seats at least six sits in the middle of the room. It's stark white but inviting.

Esme and Carlisle work together, marinating meat for tonight's dinner. Their smiles warm my homesick heart. Carlisle has gray rimmed glasses on now, and he looks extremely—

"I'll show you upstairs," Alice says, interrupting my gawking.

Another grand staircase. A hallway with family pictures. Too many rooms to count.

"Here's mine," she says pointing to one on the left. "And here's yours," she gestures to a room a few doors down on the right. "There's an attached bathroom and a small balcony."

She walks inside and sits on the bed while I soak it all in.

"Small balcony, Alice?" I balk, opening the French doors to a balcony bigger than my bedroom in Court 6.

Alice giggles at my reaction and shrugs. "Do you like it?"

"Uh, yeah, are you kidding me?" I exclaim.

Alice lets me settle in while she excuses herself to call Jasper. I unpack some clothes, look at the dresses in the suitcase, take a spoonful of the Woodrose, then find myself on a lounge chair on the balcony.

It's warm, but not overbearing. The saturated blue sky explodes in color just before dinner. It starts slowly as I sit on the lounge chair, waiting. My silent mind calms me. Edward hasn't said anything, but that's okay. The stillness and quiet consume me, and this time it's welcomed.

For an hour, I watch the sun crest over the horizon, turning the sky a purple-pink with speckles of gold floating throughout. The temperature doesn't drop with the setting sun, which is unusual, but I kind of like the heat of this Court against my skin. The cap sleeves of the dress I'm wearing tickle my arms lightly.

"Beautiful, huh?" Esme says quietly from the balcony door.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you," I tell her, scurrying to stand.

"No worries," she smiles. "Dinner's ready whenever you are, Sweetie."

~!~

Esme and Carlisle make a spread. Like they actually make it. Chicken, grilled vegetables, pasta, and a myriad of desserts litter the serving island outside.

"Do we have to eat all this?" I whisper to Alice, who puts a little of everything on her plate.

"Royals, no," she laughs. "I don't know why they go through all this trouble."

"Our daughter and her friend have come to stay with us, and you think your mother wouldn't go above and beyond?" Carlisle jokes. He sounds like Alice, and the smile they share tells me their bond is close.

I take a bite of the chicken and nearly moan in pleasure.

"Mom, you've been taking too many community cooking classes at the plaza downtown," Alice says sarcastically.

"If they're teaching you this," I say, pointing to the food on my plate, "keep going. I've never had anything like this."

Esme hmphs in delight and smiles over at me. "So, Belle," she starts. Alice must have told her that's my actual name. "How do you feel about getting to pick the Court you'll reside in?"

"The Royals have both blessed and cursed me," I admit freely. "It's a very tough decision—"

"Obviously, Court 4," Alice says with a laugh, interrupting.

"Let her speak," Carlisle says, scolding his daughter.

It's hard to hide the giggle, especially when Alice gawks at her dad in disgust.

"I don't know what resides in Court 8. Court 7 is out after what we went through. I hate to say it, but I think I've outgrown Court 6. Court 5 is… nice. There's so much beauty in Court 4 that, so far, this is my first choice. But…" I start, trailing off, "I haven't been privy to what lies ahead in Court 3. Some have said it's absolutely stunning, but maybe the education system will be lacking."

"Some," Alice says quietly, teasing.

Their parents look from me to her back to me.

If they catch on, they don't divulge.

Her dad asks, "outgrown Court 6? In what ways?"

A strange sadness settles over me. It pulls at my heart like betrayal. Shaking my head, I say evenly, "I love Court 6, don't get me wrong. Court 6 raised me. I'm me because of where I grew up. But when I returned last week, it was just different. No, that's not true. It was the same—I was the different one."

"And that saddens you?" Carlisle asks, eyes wondering.

My eyes wander back. Squinted, curious. How did he…

"A little," I agree, nodding my head. And then I feel immense annoyance at the way Jake treated me. At everything he said. Sad that you're such a keeper but have never been kept. The words have played over and over in my mind since he said them. Looking up, Carlisle's eyes sear straight through me. What is he doing?

"And also annoys you?"

Now I giggle at him. "One boy in particular, yes."

Carlisle winks at me, and I smile back.

You despise empathy, yet that is your father's magic, I say to Edward, giggling.

"Can we use, like, actual words here? Some of us aren't mind feelers."

Carlisle smiles at Alice and rubs her back lovingly.

"And you, Esme? Do you have magic?" I ask timidly.

She smiles slyly before lifting her pointer finger, swirling it gently, and nodding her head behind me. When I turn, Esme has influenced the water within the pool to create a beautiful sculpture of three dolphins frozen in the air.

"Whoa," I whisper quietly, eyes wide. I've seen a lot of magic, but this is new.

I watch as Esme points her finger downward, slowly setting the water back into the pool. Not a drop was wasted, nor a splash spilled outside the pool.

"Alice, you never—"

She shrugs. "You never told me your mom could fly."

Okay, she has me there.

Alice finishes with dinner and takes a dip in the pool while I hang back and go for seconds on dessert. A white pie made of cheese with red stuff on top. Brown mousse. Round circles sweet enough to make my teeth hurt with chunky brown pieces. I have no idea what these are called, but with a furrowed brow, I dig in.

"That's strawberry cheesecake," Carlisle explains. "Not a savory cheese. It's made with a dessert cheese. The other is chocolate pudding. And these are chocolate chip cookies."

"This," I say, swallowing a bite of the cheesecake and pointing my fork at it, "is delicious."

"My wife is quite the chef," he says with a smile, grasping her hand over the table.

"How has Alice been?" Esme asks kindly. "She calls us every so often, but both she and her twin are very evasive. We miss them terribly."

I nod in understanding. "Alice had a hard transition, but she's come a long way. She's helped me a lot, and I'm so glad the Royals paired us to be roommates."

Esme nods. "They don't make mistakes." Her wink surprises me.

I nod in agreeance. "So, you believe everything's fated?" I ask.

"Absolutely. Our two children are exactly where they need to be. Has she Bonded with Jasper yet?"

We share a chuckle. "Not yet."

Esme and Carlisle steal a glance before turning and smiling. "And you, Sweetie? Have you Bonded?"

Ordinarily, this kind of talk so early on in knowing someone would make me comfortable, but I don't get that from this family. Their smiles are genuine, their love is real, and their family is safe.

"No," I tell them honestly. "Not yet."

"And you hope to be?" Carlisle asks.

Confused, I furrow my brow. "Of course?" It comes out more of a question than a response.

He chuckles and shakes his head. "I only ask as not everyone is keen on the arrangement the Royals instituted hundreds of years ago. Our son, Edward, being one of them."

"Oh," I tell them. I know this—of course, I know this—but I don't let them know I know. Just to be safe, I throw my block up. It works on keeping Edward out, and I hope it works the same on Carlisle. "I trust the Royals know what's best for me in the long run."

Carlisle smiles, and it's genuine but playful. He's… interesting.

"Come in," Alice calls after her parents head inside for the night. "The sun won't totally set for another hour. We've got time to kill."

Glancing up at the vibrancy of the sky, I can't believe this lasts for hours every night.

"I don't have a bathing suit—"

I shouldn't have even opened my mouth. Alice snaps her fingers so easily that I wish her magic would settle down. Maybe because we're in her Court, or perhaps because she's actually coming into it, but Alice's magic has really sharpened after all these weeks.

Unfortunately for me, Alice snaps me into a lavender two-piece that shows way more skin than I ever have before.

"Alice Cullen!" I yell quietly. "Put my clothes back on!"

Alice shrugs and giggles. "Better get in before someone sees you."

She dips under the water, zipping across the pool to the shallow end where I all but run to. I'm waist-deep in cold water; my nipples are practically weapons at this point. My teeth chatter from the frigid temperature and the irritation.

"Belle, what's wrong?" Alice has the nerve to ask.

"What's wrong?" I fume. "I don't know how to swim, I hate my body, and you put me in this. I don't—"

"What?" she asks, confused. "You hate your body?" She says it like she can't believe it's true. "Is that why… Belle, is that why you dress so frumpy?"

"I call it comfortable," I correct with a scoff.

Alice holds out her hand. "Show me," she says seriously, standing in the water next to me.

"Show you what?"

"Show me the memory you have that made you believe you are anything less than beautiful."

"Alice, I don't know what you—"

"There has to be a reason you think—"

But she stops, pauses, grips my hand, and breathes.

She shows me a memory she's kept all this time. A memory, through her eyes, of a random sunny day in Court 5. I'm sprawled under a tree, dressed in long shorts and a flowy shirt out of the sun. It looks… big. My hair, shiny under the shade of the branches, blows around in the wind. She calls my name, lying down next to me, and I see it. My side profile. My smile. My eyes.

A soft nose sloped into a feminine tip. My smile, while not picture-perfect, was white and contagious like hers. She giggles with me at something I said. My blue eyes so shocking it's like electricity. Darker than the sky but lighter than midnight. Not as green as the ocean, but deeper than this pool water.

"Who told you that you aren't beautiful?" Alice asks again softly.

It takes a moment to clear my head, to disengage with the memory she shares. To put myself back together. "I don't know," I answer honestly. "Myself."

Alice says nothing more as she wraps her delicate arms around my waist. She places a soft kiss on my cheek and pulls back.

"You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," she tells me quietly, honestly, humbly. "Besides myself, of course." Okay, maybe not so humble.

Alice holds my hand as she guides me around the pool. Walking against the resistance of water hurts. It's like it should be so easy to just run in a place that flows so easily, but it is not. She encourages me to dive in, plug my nose, and hold my breath, but it's too much, too fast. By the time the sun does set, the pool water is far too cold for my body to handle, so I excuse myself.

"Okay, I want to call Jasper anyway."

We walk in together, a large towel wrapped around our bodies, and wave goodnight to her parents. A surge of happiness for this family drives through me. Their honesty and kindness are delightful to be around, and the love their parents have for each other reminds me of my parents.

When I hug Alice goodnight and make my way to the guest room, I can't help but think Alice and Jasper have jaded me. For months I've been questioning the decisions of the Royals and wondering how fair things are… but then I see couples like my parents and Esme and Carlisle. Their love holds strong; it's firm and warm and solid.

The Royals won't Bond me with someone like Royce; I know it. My Soul Bond will be someone who adores me, worships me, and treats me like the Queen I am.

Still soaking wet, I rummage through my suitcase to find something to wear. Tank tops, little shorts, lace nighties… what in the Royals is all of this?

I push clothes aside to find my phone and dial the only person I know who has the answers.

It rings and rings and rings and rings.

No answer. No voicemail. Nothing.

Come to think of it, he never responded to the earlier message I sent to his mind. Shrugging it off and grabbing the warmest thing I can find, I head to the adjoining bathroom for a long soak in the tub to unwind before the craziness of fieldwork this week.

This tub overwhelms me. It's deep and wide, big enough for two, and there are little holes in the sides for… I don't even know what. It takes a while for the tub to fill, but the water stays warm the entire time. Okay, so far, Court 4 takes the cake.

I settle into the tub, water up to my neck, and close my eyes. Again, the stillness overwhelms me in a peaceful way. I hear nothing; I see nothing; I feel nothing.

Alice's memory comes back. Laying under the tree, my delicate facial features, the softness of my giggle. All these years and I never truly looked at myself. Not the way Alice showed me. Not the way she sees me.

I briefly wonder if she sees herself the way I see her. I roll my eyes and laugh at myself—Alice probably sees herself way better than I see her. Good for her, though. I admire her confidence and certainty. It's powerful to watch her love herself in a way no one else ever could.

I take a breath, and my breasts push out of the water. Small, rosy nipples peak before drowning in the warm water. My breasts, ample and perky, sometimes embarrass me. Alice is flat-chested, so the tops she wears don't garner her as much attention. Mine aren't huge, but they're prominent. Prominent enough to gain me attention I don't want.

Absentmindedly, I trail my hand down over my breasts to the softness of my belly. There's a curve at my waist and my hip. Jake used to tell me he loved my figure, but I never understood what he meant. I close my eyes and imagine it's his hand as I find the place between my legs. With no razors in Court 6, body hair isn't something we blinked an eye at. On rare occasions, we'd use a paste to rid the hair under our underarms and legs. When I met Alice, she about died.

Our first week as roommates, she taught me my legs and armpits should be smooth at all times. She even went as far as to say my center, too, but I stopped her there. One night when I was bored in the tub, I tried it. It took much longer than I ever thought, but I actually enjoyed it. No scratching and no hair getting caught in my underwear. I try to keep up, but sometimes I just don't want to. My legs are a much easier task, that's for sure. They're almost always smooth now. I've got a week or two of growth between my legs, and as I slip my fingers between my lips, the hair scratches against me.

I can count on one hand the number of times I've touched myself in this capacity, and none of them ever brought me great pleasure. Even now, imagining Jake's hand, the only hand I have as reference, feels like… nothing. There's a tingling, though. Like an itch I need to scratch.

So, I clear my mind totally. I don't think of Jake, myself, or anyone. I focus solely on the feeling of the touch between my legs. At the first swipe of pleasure, my chest fills with heat that explodes into my limbs. I find that place again and press harder, faster, giving myself more of what I need.

A rush of blood flows to my center, and there's a different wetness from the one I'm submerged in. A soft aching in my belly, a knot that tightens, the urge to make a noise. And when I do, it's guttural but gentle. The softest whimper that barely escapes. Like an octave above silence, but it's full of carnal pleasure.

But then the stillness is gone. There's a presence now, almost like a ripple in the ocean from a single drop of water. It's so quick I can't see it, but I can feel it.

Suddenly, I sit up and look around. The bathroom's bright, and I know I locked the bedroom door. I double-check my block—it's up as far as it can go. My body responds in goosebumps, in hardened nipples, in a deliciously intense throbbing between my legs.

I must have imagined it. I must have felt it wrong. Leaning back in the tub, my fingers find myself again. My thighs part to allow my hand room to move. Separating my lips, I rub the same spot that just moments ago had my entire body kindling.

My fingers test this time, pressing harder, rubbing faster, and then suddenly, a louder gasp escapes my lips at the exact moment there's a pull deep in my belly. A mewling moan rips from my throat as heat spreads up by body. Just as it does, the ripple returns.

I sit up in the bath again and look around. I must be going crazy. Too annoyed to continue, I stand and wrap myself in a towel, dressing quickly in the most modest sleep attire I could find packed in the suitcase. A silky green, knee-length chemise with lacey triangles for breasts and a matching silk robe.

Once clothed, I reach for the phone to set my alarm and see a missed call from Edward.

Taking the phone outside, I sit on the chaise and call him back. The dark sky twinkles with stars so bright I can see the garden below.

"Good evening," he answers quietly.

"Hello," I greet. "I missed your call?"

"You did. And I missed yours."

"You did."

We're quiet, but it's not awkward. Somehow, it's never awkward with him. The silence just exists the same way we do.

"How are you?" I ask softly.

"Very busy. How are you, Belle?"

I can't say why, but his voice, his words, and his tone gives me butterflies. It's like one hundred tiny bees buzzing under my skin.

"I'm good."

"Wonderful."

He doesn't sound as though he wants to end the call, and I know he'd say so if he did, but he also doesn't entertain any questions either.

"Your parents are lovely," I tell him honestly.

"No," he says.

"No?"

"No, they are not lovely. They are kind, generous, and thoughtful. You, Belle, you are lovely."

There they go again. The butterflies. The bees. The whole freaking insect world.

"Why?" I ask softly.

"Why what, Belle?"

"Why am I lovely?"

He stops and sighs and breathes.

But he doesn't answer.

"I apologize for the… sleep choices. I took inspiration from what other girls wear, and that's just what was packed."

"So do you get to comb through and pick every piece of clothing, or do you just think dresses or nighties and they are automatically packed?"

"A little of both," he chuckles.

"And what did you specifically pick?"

"Of yours?"

"Yes."

"The green dress."

"Why?"

"It will look ravishing against your skin."

"Oh."

"Did you need anything else, Belle?"

"Uhm…" I trail off quietly, thinking of anything to keep him on the line and for what? I have no idea. "No."

He's silent a beat longer. It's like he's thinking the same thing. But why?

"Sweet dreams," he says softly.

"Goodnight."

~!~

I toss and turn, sigh and huff, kick the blanket off just to pull it back on again. The bed surrounds me like a pillow, so I know that's not it. Just before midnight, I grip my pillow and tiptoe down the hall to Alice's room.

It's unlocked as I turn the knob.

"Alice?" I whisper.

She doesn't answer, but her bed is big enough to fit me and then some, so I slide into place, my back to her front, and cuddle into the silk sheets.

Alice sighs contently and throws an arm around my chest, pulling me. Her tiny frame cuddles me from behind as I drift off to sleep.

~!~

The next morning, we hurry around the house getting ready for our first day of observations. Alice curls my hair in big waves, smudges a pale pink shadow over my lids, and helps me with the mascara. I dress in a burnt orange, knee-length dress with buttons down the middle, and fluttering sleeves. Alice helps me into the wedge heels before I bend to tighten the ankle straps of her heels.

We look like the best versions of ourselves.

We're at separate schools again, but the day goes by so incredibly fast I barely have time to miss her. The teacher I'm paired with, Jane, scares me. Her red eyes settle onto my dress, and I can see I'm a little out of place. Her tight pencil skirt and black leather heels capture my attention all day. Every time she bends to talk to a student, I can almost hear the seam of her skirt split, but it never does. Blonde hair wraps around itself in a bun so tightly on her head I know it hurts.

"Where are you from, Belle?" Jane asks.

I've kept to my nickname for anonymity purposes… you know… just in case.

I tell Jane the abridged version—I'm from Court 6, go to U5, waiting for graduation. Jane breaks a smile when I tell her I'm unbonded.

"As am I."

"How old are you?" I ask.

"Twenty-three."

"And… you… but I…" I trail off, utterly confused.

Jane smiles. It's not menacing, but she likes that I don't entirely get it. "I'm Royalty," she says, the word slipping out of her mouth like a bar of soap.

"You're related to the Royals?"

She nods.

"I thought Royals and their family reside in Court 1?" Something seems off, so I lower my block and whisper for Edward. Hopefully, he hears.

"Ordinarily. My family and I moved to Court 4 when I was ten. I'm on a bit of a mission if you will," she says with a smile. "Like you, I'm on a pilot track—"

"How did you—"

"Royalty, remember? As I was saying, I'm on a pilot track to work in every Court's school system and report back."

"Report what back?"

She shrugs. "Anything I find."

"Like what?"

Jane begins to tsk and hmph repeatedly. "Anything at all. Like teachers, and curriculum, and… and… just anything."

I let it go the more she gets upset. Something tells me she doesn't have the full picture either.

"Well, what are you going to do?" I ask. "Why do all these pilot tracks?"

She's back to her smirk. "I heard they're preparing for a new wave."

"A new wave?"

She shrugs again. "That's all I know. Why are you so curious?"

Leave it, Edward warns suddenly.

I do as he recommends and switch to another topic. Jane and I review educational laws for Court 4 and the current curriculum, which is advanced for third grade. Jane teaches her students the way we're taught through our textbooks, but she also does something completely different—she involves her students in every decision she makes.

"Should we use orange or purple markers?" she asks after lunch.

"Do we want to learn about adjectives or nouns first?" she asks before reading.

"Fifteen minutes of independent reading or twenty minutes of vocabulary for homework tonight?" she asks before dismissal.

"What's with the choices?" I ask her when the students leave.

Jane goes into the behavioral background of choices and the way in which each student reaches reinforcement differently. It's a little over my head, so I ask her to show me where in the textbook it reviews this. I crease the page and mark it for deep reading tonight.

Back at Alice's, she drones on and on about her teacher and how awful she is while I listen with open ears. I help Esme 'shuck corn', as she calls it, and plop it into boiling water. I've never seen a food like this. It's long and solid, tiny yellow beads, corn as I've come to know, line the log in small, tight rows. Esme assures me the water softens the corn making it much easier to bite into.

Esme and I sweep up my mess on the floor; the fine hair of the corn got everywhere. When we're done, she asks about my day. I tell them all about Jane. Esme rolls her eyes, and Alice nearly chokes on her water.

"You know her?" I ask in surprise. Court 4 is significant in size, and there are a handful of different schools. The likelihood the Cullens would know this particular teacher is slim.

"Yes," Esme says strangely, her eyebrows lifted in slight amusement. "Our son dated her."

My eyes bulge at the revelation. "Really?" Of all the things I thought she'd say, that definitely wasn't one of them.

"Yes. She was set on Bonding with him, but he absolutely refused to kiss her. Jane's a few years older, and she wanted to settle down. She called into her Uncle, but he would do nothing about it. Her Uncle Aro believes wholeheartedly in the process of selection and fate. He thinks if you are true Soul Bonds, it will be proven by the first kiss. Edward refused Jane, and Aro backed him. It caused quite the commotion around here. Jane was none too happy, the little—"

"Mom," Alice giggles, stopping her from saying what I'd love to hear.

"That's… interesting."

Esme shrugs. "Aro was one of the only ones who supported Edward. The rest wanted Jane to be Bonded with someone of great power."

"She's past the age of—"

"They bend the rules for their own, Belle," Alice says bitterly.

Esme does not comment, but the look on her face tells me she agrees with her daughter on this one.

Just then, Carlisle walks in with a bouquet of wildflowers picked from their garden, and I push this topic to the back burner. Alice eyes me curiously.

Edward's more silent than he's ever been. I briefly wonder what he's up to, if there's any news on Royce, what the story is with Jane. I don't mind the silence, not really, anyway. It's nice to hear nothing, but I have so many questions.

Over dinner, I watch Carlisle as he spears the hunk of corn on either side with holders, brushes it across a stick of butter, and takes a bite. There's a crunch, juice drips off his chin, and then he chews before taking another bite.

"I just… eat the yellow bits?" I ask warily.

"Slather it in this," he says, passing me the butter. "Then take a big bite."

Alice smiles over at me in anticipation. The second my teeth hit kernels, juice pops out, and butter runs down my chin. I chew and swallow before taking the napkin from Alice and cleaning my chin. The yellow squares—corn—aren't as hard as they were before the boiling. Esme was right, and she winks over at me before digging into her dinner.

"Corn on the cob," Alice smiles, taking a bite.

"This isn't a food you'd eat on a first date, then?" I ask, picking the kernels from my teeth.

They all share in a chuckle. "Maybe only after you've Bonded," Esme jokes.

After dinner, I meet Alice in the pool again. This time, I force her into giving me a more modest swimsuit. The black, deep V, one-piece isn't exactly what I was hoping for, but it covers most of my midsection.

Tonight, I walk so far into the water that I have to paddle around with my hands. She instructs me to lift my feet, but I can't balance, and I begin to slip under.

"Swimming's hard," I complain, sitting with her on the steps as we look up into the sky. Tonight, the sun basks the sky in a deep orange, outlined in purple. Every night, it's something different, and I'm beginning to see the appeal of this Court. Maybe Alice was right. Maybe I will end up in Court 4.

"You'll get it," she tells me easily. "You know, I never really saw the beauty in this sky until I went to Court 5, where this doesn't exist." Alice and I both pause in wonder at the beauty. It truly is a sight.

"You never know what you've got until it's gone," I tell her.

She nods at the cliché.

Later, after a shower, I catch sight of the Woodrose in my bag. Did I take it this morning? I can't recall fully, but I figure it might hurt more if I skip a day versus doubling up. So, I throw back a spoonful and pull on a cotton dress.

I take my textbook outside and study under the last few embers of the golden sun. And just as it sets, as the world turns from crisp orange and delicate purple to midnight darkness, my phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Haven't you studied enough?" he asks playfully.

"Jane gave me some good insight today. I want to make sure I have appropriate questions tomorrow."

Naturally, I think of this morning with Jane, the conversation with Esme, and Alice's remarks.

He's quiet for a small moment before saying, "it seems as though my sweet mother has filled you in already."

I can't help but snicker. "She definitely has."

Edward sighs. "Do you want the real story or her story?"

"Uhm… how real is the real story?"

"I can show you if you prefer." His tone teases.

"Something tells me I don't want to see that."

Edward chuckles. "Regardless of what my Mother told you, Jane and I never dated. I thought she and I had a mutual agreement of sorts. Neither of us wanted to be Bonded, but we wanted… other things. When the other things weren't enough for her, she got her Uncle involved, and it was an utter nightmare."

"Other things?" I ask although I'm pretty sure I can figure it out.

"Sex."

It's jarring but predictable.

"Oh."

"Don't fall for her tricks," he says cryptically.

"What does that mean?"

Before he can answer, there's a commotion on his end, someone calls his name, there's laughter, and then more commotion. I think maybe I hear a giggle, a soft feminine voice, his name in a female's mouth.

"Do you need to go?" I ask.

"No."

"Sounds like you're busy," I push.

He sighs before changing the subject. "Jasper has had almost no luck tracking Royce. He's busy with school, but he claims there have been no other sightings. You're in Court 4, where he's been sighted previously, so please… be careful, Belle."

Suddenly, the moment Edward brings it up, my skin turns flush, warm to the touch, and sensitive. My fingers trail down my arms causing a wave of goosebumps in their wake.

Not that I want them to, but my nipples harden to tight points, and the pull of my cotton dress against them makes me gasp. The knot in my belly tightens. The place between my thighs pulses.

"Belle," Edward says lowly. "What are you doing?"

"I'm," I start but can't finish. My heart races and my chest tightens and loosens before swelling. "Edward," I gasp, but it comes more like a moan, and I actually want to die. It's beyond my control, though. It's as though something has taken over my body, and I can't regain control.

He clears his throat. "Are you safe?" he asks.

"I—" my fingers touch my throat, my heart, then my legs. All three equally warm. All three equally tingling. "I feel weird."

"I know," he groans.

He feels what I feel, but at this moment, I don't even know what that is.

"Edward, what—"

"Did you take two doses today?" he asks assertively, but I know he knows the answer.

"I thought … I couldn't remember if I did this morning. I figured it wouldn't hurt. Is it bad?"

He chuckles lowly and sighs. "No, Belle. It'll be… you'll feel…" but he doesn't finish.

"Feel what?"

Edward clears his throat, his voice professional as he says, "you'll feel very aroused."

"Oh, for Royal's sake," I groan in debilitating mortification. "Okay, I'll, uhm, I'll talk to you—"

"Belle, don't be embarrassed—"

"Too late."

I hang up before he can say another word, and I make sure my block is all the way up before laying on my bed, head down, eyes squeezed closed to stop the heated tears from slipping through.

He doesn't try and talk to me, and for that, I'm relieved.

An hour passes, and then two.

During this time, it's more than arousal I feel. I'm utterly angry, embarrassed at myself, and, yes, incredibly aroused.

I make it to hour three before I'm under my covers, my dress pooled around my hips, and my fingers sliding through my folds. I try very hard to stop myself, to keep the urge at bay, to ignore the natural feeling of feeling myself. But, in the end, I fail. My body takes over, and it feels like I might implode if I don't touch myself somewhere. My stomach turns, rolls, and aches before I touch myself. And when I do, it's like a flower blooms, the aching subsides, and the pain dissolves.

It's different than last night, much more intense, and very stimulating. My fingers graze and rub and stroke. My toes curl, my mouth parts wide, and I try to quiet myself as much as possible. I don't need to think of Jake or our times together. I don't need to think of anyone at all. This Woodrose has my hips lifting off the bed, fingers barely touching myself, back arching painfully in a matter of minutes. I have absolutely, without a doubt, never experienced this kind of release before.

The second I come down, the only thing I can of is Carlisle and his magic.

I keep the block up until I reach over to turn the light off. I keep it up until I squeeze my eyes so tightly that I see static. I keep it up until I'm barely grazing sleep, too tired to fight gravity, too exhausted to hold it up any longer. Maybe he didn't feel me. Maybe my block works against everyone's magic. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

There's a burning embarrassment that tries to leak from my eyes, but they're squeezed so tightly that I won't allow it.

The moments between awake and asleep, softness blows against my mind. No words are spoken, no teasing or laughter, only a gentleness to remind me I'm not alone.

~!~

The next two days, I'm radio silent.

He calls, I ignore. He pushes against the block; I stand my ground.

After the other night, there's absolutely no way at all I can ever face Edward or his dad again. Which is why I have avoided them at all costs.

Yesterday, I claimed a severe headache. Alice brought me a sandwich and sat with me on my bed. She runs me a bath, helps me undress, and piles bubbles around my breasts to make me feel more modest as she sits on the floor next to the tub. We share laughter and memories as my phone rings. And rings. And rings.

We both know who it is, but neither of us mentions it.

Tonight, unfortunately, I can't avoid Carlisle again. But when he comes home, he brings us all flowers. Esme gets a large bouquet of roses. Alice gets simple zinnias, and I get white jasmine.

They're delicately pale, wild, and overflowing in his grasp. When he hands them to me, it's a simple smile that sets me at ease. If he felt anything the other night, he doesn't let on. It's at this moment I decide I love this family … each and every one of them. Esme for her acceptance, Carlisle for his humanity, Alice for her strength, Edward for his…

Edward.

Edward and love… two things I never thought I'd think. But I stop myself from overthinking because I'm not saying I love Edward… I'm saying I love things about him. Like his humor, and intelligence, and intensity, and…

And his compassion.

And I'm not saying I'm in love with him. It's platonic. Like his sister. I love Alice like my sister. I love Edward like… definitely not like a brother. Maybe like—

I stop myself immediately, needing a distraction. I turn to Alice and help her get three vases out of the cupboard.

"How can I help?" Carlisle asks his wife, holding her hips from behind, kissing the top of her head.

"Set the table," she smiles up at him.

There's a love so full, so robust, so heavy between these two that I can't help but accept it into my heart. A settlement sticks to the bottom of my belly, under the worry and humiliation of the last few days.

I accept and acknowledge and move on.

Not before I ask if Alice does it—touches herself intimately— to which she replies a very curious, "you don't?"

Her admission lifts my spirits. Maybe it's me. Perhaps I'm the prude from Court 6.

But after talking with Alice and realizing the fundamental beauty and extreme relaxation touching myself like that brought on, I vow to do it again … or at least not feel so guilty about having done it in the first place.

~!~

Carlisle talks most of dinner. He shares with me stories of Alice as a little girl being her confident, snarky self. He shares that she's always been assertive, and the Royals sending her to Court 5 was to humble her.

"Yeah, well, it worked," she snuffs, cutting into her salmon.

Instead of swimming tonight, Alice and I take a walk downtown for ice cream. She points around the town square to her old ballet studio, points out all the places she and Jasper have laid together, and turns her back on an old classmate.

"Don't you want to say hi?" I ask, confused.

"I hated her then, and I hate her now. Nothing has changed."

Alice turns me quickly, and we walk down the cobblestone road to a large alley away from her peer. It's then that I realize where we are. I move slightly and point up at the tall building. Sleek, metal, advanced for Court 4 made of charming roads, quaint shops, and picturesque landscaping. Somehow, it fits in. Somehow, the future and the past meld together to create the beauty of this Court.

"Your brother has an office in that building," I tell her casually.

She follows my finger and looks up. "And how do you know?"

"That's where he took me the day I went with him. We went to Court 7 to gather ingredients; then we came here to his office. I didn't really do a whole lot. He put the Pepperline together, and I watched the sunset."

When I glance back at Alice, she's staring at me. "You like him," she says quietly.

"No," I tell her, but it feels foreign.

Alice's face nearly crumbles as she listens to my tone and reads through my lie. "Why him?"

I can't do or say a whole lot, so I just shake my head. "Alice, I don't…"

But then she grabs my hand and shares memories.

His expression as he looked at me the first night we met. His firm grip on my ankle. His green eyes glued to my face when I turned to chat with Alice in the bathroom at the party. A memory of the night he delivered me back to Jasper's apartment, the dusty rose dress, and his smile as I greeted them at the door; his eyes on the back of my head, down my back, past my hips, to the backs of my thighs. I never realized, noticed, or felt his eyes on me the way Alice shows me so briefly right now. Alice forces me to watch anytime she's watched him as he watched me.

And then the flip side, a side I never knew existed either. A side I was even less prepared for then the previous.

She shows me every small, timid smile I've given to him. The blush on my cheeks when he looked at me. Feminine giggles, silky smiles, eye rolls out of the blue— all reactions from times Edward had been whispering silently in my head. My glassy blue eyes when he held onto my ankle—

"That doesn't count. I was in pain," I tell her of the night we first met.

"Why him, Belle?" Alice asks, but this time it's not really a question… for her at least. It doesn't sound disappointed. It sounds uncomfortable.

At this moment, Alice knows.

Alice always knows.

Softly, I sigh into the setting air of Court 4. And with my eyes on Edward's office window, I say, "I don't know."

a/n:

Uh-oh! I wonder what Alice ACTUALLY knows? What do you think about Jane? What's next with Edward and Bella?

Thank you so much to all who recommend and review this story! I say this every time, but it truly makes me happy (and not to mention all worth it!).

Inspo pics on instagram- eepwrites

See you guys next time :)