A/N: Hi everyone, and late Merry Christmas! I'm sorry I'm late for posting, but real life's hard on me. After a week of uncertainty and praying, my grandfather passed away, he had Covid. So it's kinda hard to write these days. But though I'll take my time, I'll continue writing, I need it. And I want to share this story with you all.

Many, many thanks for the wonderful reviews of my awesome serial reviewers: CoppertopJ, That'sMzPeachesTYVM, BridieM, traceybuie, Myketje, prayincc7, fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night, NoWayWithWords and ChaoticH! I loved your feedback, guys! And I take it you like me bringing Alistair into the mix ;) Well, it's only the beginning! And we'll know more about him and why he has come in the next chapter. I give you an unusual point of view today, but next time Bella takes the reins back ;)

Enjoy, and please review!

Chapter 7

Tanya

Well, that was just the cherry on the goddamn three-layered cake. Alistair and me, a mating against all odds and logic. Just what was missing from this batshit-crazy situation. As if it weren't enough that Alice had called us in a frenzy, telling us that Edward and Bella were having a huge problem all the while being targeted by a raving mad Caius. Not to mention the fact that the Quileutes were phasing again and had been attacked, that the Volturi were involved, and that Bella's father had been kidnapped.

And now, when I could be lounging on my back deck with a hot human date from the Seward silver salmon derby taking care of me, I had to be in rainy Forks instead, readying myself for battle and catching a glimpse of the rudest, most misogynistic and standoffish prick that was meant to be my mate right before he took off in fury.

What in heaven's name did I ever do to deserve this?!

Maybe it was karma biting me in the ass, after all those years pursuing Edward against his will. I had always admired him, his gentlemanly behaviour and gorgeous looks, wishing against all odds that he was my mate. But he wasn't, and was never meant to be. He was Bella's from the very start, and the two of them were well-matched. Nobody in their right mind, after seeing them together for only a handful of seconds, would even dream of keeping them apart.

But me, with Alistair? Could it be like that? Would he want it? Hell, would I want it?

"Tanya?" Kate shook me out of my musings, a hand on my shoulder and a concerned look on her face. "What's happening, sister?"

"I can't believe I'm going to say this," I groaned, rubbing my face and wishing that it was only a joke. "But it seems like Alistair is my mate."

"It's true, then," she exhaled, eyeing me with concern. "I thought that you were joking. What are you going to do?"

"No idea," I answered truthfully with another sigh. But it wasn't that simple. Even though I had only seen Alistair for all of twenty seconds before he bailed out, our eyes had met, and I was already missing him. A vampire I didn't know from Adam, and I was missing him! I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, so I think I did a little bit of both before going crashing on the nearest couch.

I could see that all the vampires around me were stunned, even Edward, and that nobody knew what to say. I thought about the very brief encounter with my new mate – I was going to have a hard time wrapping my head around such a foreign concept, after all these years of loneliness – and realized something. "Hey, Alice didn't look surprised at all. Hasn't she told you about Alistair and me?"

The Cullens all shook their heads, and Bella spoke, growling. "No, she hasn't. She's been keeping a lot of things from us lately, actually. With reasons, apparently. But I still don't like it."

I watched with interest as Edward rubbed her shoulders from behind her, making her relax after a few seconds. It was pleasant to watch, those loving and intimate reactions, and I surprised myself by wanting it. Would Alistair give me such support? Would he love me?

I looked at Edward, knowing that he could hear my thoughts, but he just shrugged helplessly. We didn't know a lot about Alistair, and maybe he was going to run away from me, refusing our mating. What would happen to me then, I wondered. I had never heard of vampires refusing their mating. "Me neither," Edward said, answering me. "But Alistair was in shock. I don't think he'll run away, Tanya. Don't worry."

"He won't run away," Rosalie added with a grim chuckle. "Alice was on his heels. She'll drag him back here quickly enough. Nobody says no to the evil pixie. She won't allow him to go back to England for now."

"Then what?" I asked no one in particular, thinking out loud. "Even if he accepts to be my mate, and it's a long stretch I wouldn't bet on, what will happen then? He'll never accept to settle in Alaska with us. And I have no desire to go to England. I can't be separated from my family."

I simply couldn't be away from my sister. Kate was all I had left, after our mother's death so many centuries ago, then Irina's seventeen years ago. I had forgiven the wolf that had killed her, but it would tear me apart to be away from my remaining family. Eleazar and Carmen were as good as my parents now, and I had grown to love goofy Garrett. I couldn't bear to live away from them.

"Maybe you'll be able to reach a compromise," Carmen said, coming to sit next to me and putting an arm around my shoulder. "But first, you need to meet him properly, and talk to him. Maybe he's just awfully shy."

I snorted. I was a faithful member of Edward's blog, and I knew that Alistair wasn't the least bit shy. Rude, yes, but definitely not shy.

"Yeah, I wouldn't put money on that fact," Emmett snickered, seemingly unfazed by my torment. I knew he wasn't unsensitive, but he simply took everything in stride. How I envied him right now! He and Garrett were much alike.

I let out a small groan as the pain that had started to manifest in my stomach grew, and I wrapped my arms around me tightly to try to contain it. Bella and Edward, focused on each other not a second before, suddenly locked eyes with me. The sympathy and understanding on their faces was astounding, and I felt somehow comforted. But I didn't know what to do.

"Follow your instincts," Edward suggested as Bella snuggled deeper into his chest, eyeing me with concern. "What do you want to do right now?"

"Run after him and hug him," I said without thinking, voicing my desire. I wanted that, the relation that they had, the love and comfort and safety. Alistair couldn't be a complete jerk, could he?

"Then go after him," Rosalie encouraged me with a smile. "He'll see reason, or rather he'll listen to what his heart tells him."

"You're meant to be," Marcus told me kindly, his hand linked to Heidi's. "I see it. He won't run away from you, my dear."

"Go," Carmen urged me, shaking my arm. Eleazar, Kate and Garrett all nodded with encouraging smiles. So I rose to my feet, feeling very self-conscious as I rubbed my palms on my jean-clad thighs, and went to the door. I barely had time to exit the house and make it as far as the river before I heard vampires running towards me. My dead heart lurched in my chest as I felt my mate – how weird – run among them. I waited, my whole body already attuned to his presence, my senses learning everything I could about him.

And when he emerged from under the trees, my breathing stopped as he screeched to a halt. Our eyes locked, and I lost myself into his maroon ones. I knew that he was trying to feed on animals, but he wasn't always successful in his attempts to resist human blood. I would help him.

I hardly paid attention when Alice patted my shoulder as she, Jasper and Carlisle passed me on their way back to the house, leaving me alone with my new mate. "He's ready now," Alice said confidently with a smile. "We'll leave you two alone."

Then they were gone, and I was still lost in Alistair's gaze. My eyes finally left his, and I took in all of him. He had dark hair that was unruly and slightly curled, not too short, which I liked a lot. He had a goatee and the wisp of a beard on his cheeks, again a bonus point for him. He was rather tall, about the same height as Edward, but more burly. I loved it. However, his clothes were appalling. I recognized the 1850's fashion, and hardly stifled a sigh. One thing at a time. Time would be my ally for trivial things like clothes.

I went back to his angular face as I noticed that his eyes were roaming over me. He wasn't too expressive, but he looked rather pleased with what he was seeing. I was still feeling self-conscious, but I knew that I had assets. I wondered all of a sudden if he was still a virgin. The ultimate bachelor mated with the succubus. Fate had a wicked sense of humour indeed.

Then I inhaled deeply, letting his wonderful scent permeate all my senses, soothing me to my core. He had a musky scent, like sandalwood, with cinnamon and wild grass. It was appealing to me, as strange as it sounded. His clothes, however, smelled something like sawdust – maybe he was a carpenter? –, and leather and vellum – from reading old books, I guessed. He took a deep breath too, then a faint smile played on his lips. "So, you're Tanya, is it?"

His deep barytone voice, slightly husky, made me melt completely. "Alistair," I exhaled, and his eyes brightened a little. He seemed pleased to hear my voice, and his name on my lips.

But then, as I was ready to run into his arms, he had to ruin the moment. "Okay, Alice convinced me not to run back to England right now. But I need time, Tanya. I wasn't expecting anything like this."

His apologetic tone made me bristle. Here I was, ready to forgive his jerky attitude from the moment we met and give myself to him, in spite of his awful comments on Edward's blog, and he was telling me that he needed time? All the graciousness left me as an instinctual growl rose from my chest. "Time?" I rumbled angrily as he started, looking baffled. "You need time?"

"Well... yes," he said uncertainly, eyeing me warily. "Tanya, you have to understand that I..."

Even though the sound of my name uttered with his delicious voice made me shiver with want, I felt my anger rising fast. He would leave me before we'd even been together, I knew it. I would die from it. So I cut his explanation, too angry to hear him out. "What do you want me to understand, Alistair? That you're not ready to be mated? Neither am I, if you're even interested to know! I came here to help old friends, not to fall in love at first sight! So what? You'll run back to England right now?!"

"I don't know!" he said, his voice rising as his eyes narrowed and his hands tightened into fists. "I want to, but I somehow know that I can't! It'll hurt me, and I assume it'll hurt you too! I don't know you yet, but I already know that I don't want you hurt!"

"Then why do you need time?" I demanded, flabbergasted by his behaviour. "We're meant to be together!"

"I've been alone for seven centuries!" he roared, making wild gestures and looking panicked as he snapped. "I've never been in the presence of so many vampires since the Volturi's visit, and it stresses me out! And now I'm about to be mated with you, who is among one of the largest covens there is to find! I've never been with a woman, Tanya! Ever! I don't know any bloody thing about couples, or romance, or anything! I don't know how to be around you! And I'm afraid to be tied to you! I love you already, even though I don't know anything about you yet, but I'm so scared!"

"You're not bound to me," I said, calming down as a wave of sadness and hurt washed over me. He was a solitary guy, used to silence and aloofness. I was his complete opposite. How would we work this out? "How much time do you need?"

"Shit," he cursed lowly, running a hand on his beard as he took in my shaking frame, while I hugged myself to prevent me from falling apart. If he left, I would be in so much pain. I already was. I needed his touch. I needed his love. "Tanya, I... I don't know. It's just that... It just fell down on me, and... I'm overwhelmed."

"So am I," I whispered as my heart broke. "It's okay. I understand. I'll wait for you."

I turned around, needing to be in motion so I wouldn't crumple to the ground, and started to walk back to the Cullen house. Each step away from my mate was excruciating, and the feeling of rejection was so incapacitating that it was a wonder I was still upright. The sobs I was fighting were threatening to come out, but I had to hold on a little longer. I wanted home. I wanted him, even though he wasn't ready. I craved him already. But I'd have to wait.

I dimly heard another curse before he ran towards me, and I barely had time to turn around before he took me in his arms, making my pain vanish instantly. "I'm sorry, Tanya. Please forgive me," I heard as I burrowed my face into his large chest, wrapping my arms around him.

I was in my mate's arms at last! It was wonderful, and a deep sense of peace, rightness and bliss overcame my senses. I exhaled in relief. I was where I was meant to be. "I forgive you, Alistair," I murmured, kissing him over his clothes, then on the tiny speck of skin I could reach on his neck.

He shivered. "God, it feels so right," he said, stiff at first, then relaxing little by little as I didn't move further. I had to take things slow. He was like a wild foal, unsure and wary. I had to earn his trust and take baby steps. And I knew who to go to for advice. Edward was the exact person I needed for this. He had to take things very slow with Bella at first, since she was human. I would ask for his help.

After a few minutes of us not making a move, only reveling in each other's embrace, he very hesitantly dropped a timid kiss on my hair, and I couldn't help the small purr coming from deep inside of me. It was so right. "I love it," I said simply as I started to rub his muscled back over his stuffy clothes.

"It's so weird for me," he said softly, imitating me by rubbing my back after a few seconds. "Tanya, I'm a savage. I hadn't spoken to anyone in eighty years before Carlisle called me. I don't know how to interact with people, even less with you. I don't know what I'm doing."

"We'll take it slow," I promised, kissing his neck again. He groaned in pleasure, and it made me smile, my soul rejoicing in sheer happiness. "I'll teach you, one thing at a time."

We stayed silent for a few moments more. I guessed that he was a man of few words, and that talking would be a challenge for us. But I could teach him to talk with his body. Hand gestures, smiles, hugs would have to do. And I would be patient with him. He wasn't used to those either. He had to learn everything, and trust me. The road would be long and hard for us.

Eventually I felt him grow restless, and I pulled away, stifling my sigh. 'Take it slow' was my new mantra. I repeated it a few times in my head, then took a deep breath. "So, what now?" I asked him gently. We were still holding hands, to my intense relief.

"Now, I have to go back and talk to Bella and Edward," he sighed, looking appalled at the perspective. "I came for that, after all. That, and to repay a favor to Carlisle."

"What favor?" I inquired curiously.

"Well, I have a knack for tracking," he admitted grudgingly. "I'm no Demetri, or the Volturi wouldn't have let me be, but I have some talent. So Carlisle asked me to track Caius."

He looked frightened at the prospect, so I took him in my arms again, wanting to comfort him. He stiffened again, but relaxed faster than the last time. There was progress. 'Baby steps' would be my secondary mantra. "I know that Carlisle can't have asked you to fight Caius," I said reassuringly.

"No, he didn't," Alistair said more calmly, his arms around me again. I loved it. "I just have to track Caius and tell Carlisle of his whereabouts."

"Good. Then what?" I asked, dread filling me. Would he leave me behind?

"I don't know," he said, kissing my hair softly again. My lips were aching for his, but this was better than nothing. Take it slow. "I can't exactly go back to my bachelor life, can I?"

"It's up to you," I said, my voice wavering as I kissed the lapel of his horrible frack jacket.

"Would you follow me to England?" he ventured hesitantly. I pulled away again, and met his eyes. They weren't optimistic. Mine were probably filled with sorrow. I couldn't say a word; my throat felt dry. "That's what I thought," he sighed dejectedly, his left hand leaving my back to cup my cheek. I leaned into it, liking his touch so much, and he smiled a little wider, his eyes softening. He was breathtaking, and now it seemed that he was mine.

"You don't want to come to Alaska," I said as I covered his hand with mine. It wasn't a question.

He shrugged. "I have nothing against Alaska. To be honest, I had thought about going to live there a while ago, but never took the step. It would suit me quite well. Not many people to cross," he winked.

I smiled genuinely for the first time, happy to learn that he had a deeply buried sense of humour. Good to know. A dreamy look crossed his features as I smiled at him, but the corners of my mouth fell at my next question. "But...?" I insisted.

He sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't want to live with your coven. I'm... too used to my privacy to share it with... four other people, is that it?"

I nodded. "Yes, four. Kate is my sister, and Garrett's her mate. We think about Carmen and Eleazar as our parents. And I understand, sw... Alistair. We're not compelled to live with them. As long as we're not too far away from them, to allow me to visit often, then it's okay for me." The term of endearment had almost slipped, but I caught myself in time. Take it slow. I would call him 'sweetheart', but much later.

"Good," he acknowledged, looking very much relieved, his shoulders sagging as a huge breath escaped him. I understood that he had been stressing about this, and now that we had stricken a deal, he felt much better. "And in return, I'll come to Alaska with you. We'll work it out."

"Thank you," I told him sincerely, kissing his neck again, grateful that he was ready to try and work things out for us. He groaned a little, then very slowly leaned over me and kissed my forehead. The tender gesture was unbelievably sweet and caring, and it brought venom tears to my eyes. I felt loved, and better than I had ever felt.

I wasn't used to such small gestures. My human dates were usually passionate and eager to get to the good stuff, and so was I. The less kissing there was, the better. They couldn't think too much about my freezing cold body temperature if I kept them away from my face and they were busy with our lower body parts. So I didn't expect that a simple kiss on the forehead could be much better than the best orgasm I had ever had in my long life. But any gesture from my mate seemed to mean so much to me.

I cleared my throat, not wanting to spook him. Take it slow. "So, how old are you?" I asked, staying in his warm embrace and wanting to know everything about him.

"About seven centuries old, I don't know exactly," he answered easily, but with a guarded voice. I guessed that his human time was a tough subject, so I wouldn't dwell on it. And it was something we had in common. I wasn't ready to tell him about my mother, after all. "I was born in England, though, during the reign of Edward II. What about you?"

"I'm ten centuries old, something like that," I said, my voice tightening too. "I'm originally from Slovakia, like my sisters, though it's been a long time since we came to Alaska."

"Sisters, as in plural?" he wondered. "You have another sister?"

"I had another one," I confessed sadly, the bittersweet memory of Irina filling me. "Her name was Irina. She died seventeen years ago."

"I'm sorry," he said, his arms tightening around me as he dropped another kiss on my forehead. "You don't have to tell me about her yet."

"Soon," I promised him. "But not now."

We stayed silent again, but it was a more comfortable one. Even though we had barely scratched the surface of each other's lives, we had both acknowledged our mating. And that was a huge deal, to say the least. I had been so afraid that he would leave without giving us a chance! My arms tightened around him, and he kissed my forehead again, soothing me. "What's on your mind, honey?"

I sighed, all the while loving his term of endearment. "We don't know anything about each other, but I can't be apart from you, Alistair. It hurts to even think about it."

"I won't leave you, Tanya," he vowed, pulling a little away to look at me in the eye. "Even though I'm not ready for anything more between us for now, I'm perfectly happy to hold you in my arms like this, and I can't be apart from you either. We'll work things out, honey."

"Yes, we will," I confirmed with a smile. I would be patient for him, even if it was going to be a real challenge for me. I wasn't used to not having my way with men.

He smiled at me too, making me want to jump his bones. Take it slow. "Shall we go back, then?" I offered.

He sighed but nodded, and together, hand in hand, we ran back to the Cullen house. We hadn't been far, but it seemed that almost everybody had left the place. Only Bella and Edward were still there, on the back lawn, and talking to...

"Blimey!" Alistair shouted, stopping abruptly and shoving me forcefully behind me. "That's not human!"

"That," Bella said angrily as I ran a hand through my curls, sensing trouble, "is Seth, my stepbrother. He's a shape-shifter, turning into a wolf, like some members of his tribe, the Quileutes."

I wrapped my hands around my mate just as he started growling in warning, eyeing a bemused Seth. "It's okay, Alistair. Seth's a friend. We're friends with the Quileutes."

"What in heaven's name have I gotten myself into?" Alistair muttered, muscles taut and poised to run, in spite of my restraining him. He was freaking out.

I sighed. So much for trying. We were back to square one.

Tanya's going to have her hands full, don't you think ? XD

Please leave me some love!