(13) "What If I'm the Bad Guy?"

Silence.

That's all Odessa knew as she raced ahead of Alec. Well, that and anger. She was still upset with his outburst and refused to speak to him. She hated that he called her childish, that he had the audacity to yell at her and tell her she was nothing more than a petulant ten-year-old throwing a tantrum because her parents did not buy her the poofy dress she wanted. Or at least that is how Odessa interpreted it. Sure, she tended to act younger than she was, but she didn't view it as a terrible thing. It was just the way she was.

He ran a few meters behind her, never letting her see him but keeping her in his sight. It was tense no matter how much distance was put between them, and it put her on edge continuously feeling that tension wrap around her frame and squeeze her. The predator within her wanted to face him and snarl in his face before tearing it off and burning his body to ash. The human within her wanted to yell in his face before hugging him and apologizing for her actions. She leaned toward the latter rather than the former only because she knew what happened to a vampire after their mate died. She was too prideful to apologize for something she knew she wasn't wrong for. So she said something a bit out of left field - that didn't mean she was in the wrong.

The way the Cullens held themselves rubbed her the wrong way. Every time she was around them, they acted like they were above others. They acted like they were better than other vampires simply because they chose not to drink human blood. Drinking animal blood instead of human blood didn't make you a better person. Your personality didn't change just because you chose to eat vegetables instead of chocolate. Maybe Odessa was just being bitter, but the way everyone praised the Cullens for doing trivial things peeved her. The Cullens held so many flaws, yet everybody focused on the way they had stood up to the Volturi. The hopeful rumors circulating the vampire world that another uprising could occur due to the Cullens courageous acts were stupid. No one wanted to see the selfish acts that led up to it. Honestly, having sex with a human with the knowledge that you could potentially kill them was dumb. Not to mention the danger they could have put everyone in if the Volturi were as bloodthirsty as everyone made them out to be. It was laughable that everyone thought the Volturi would attack every single coven on earth to gain powerful gifts. Sure, they were hungry for gifts such as Alec's, Jane's, and hers, but they weren't so barbaric that they went out of their way to kill others for them. And can anyone honestly forget the elephant in the room that is Jasper's past? Odessa wouldn't have known if she hadn't seen the picture framed and set on the two-drawer stand in their upstairs hallway, proudly highlighting his time in the Confederate army. Odessa did not like the Cullens - save for Renesmee but who knew how long it would take before they started to affect the way Renesmee acted.

It took them less time than it had taken her and Nahuel to arrive in Chile, something Odessa was grateful for. They avoided bustling places and stuck to the shadows of the cities until they left the populous area and entered the dense foliage of the mountain. Odessa wasn't sure of Nahuel and Huilen's exact location, but she knew that she was close. Their distinct smell permeated weakly through the air, steadily getting stronger the farther she ran. She followed the scent until she came across a small and cozy house nestled in the forest. As she approached, Nahuel and Huilen stepped out of the house and greeted her kindly. Odessa greeted them back with a smile.

"How have you been?" Odessa asked them.

"We are doing good," Huilen answered. "Now that Joham is not around anymore, it is easy to relax."

"I am glad to hear that," Odessa said sincerely.

"You brought someone with you?" Nahuel asked as he gestured towards Alec, who stood off to the side to watch the small reunion. "He must be important to you."

She stiffened and grimaced and shrugged all in one motion. She was still upset with her mate and didn't know whether she wanted to formally introduce him to them. She decided it was the polite thing to do, so she put her differences aside and said, "This is Alec. He is my mate. He was tasked with following me whilst I make my visits."

"Your visits?" Nahuel asked.

"I visited Renesmee and the Cullens for a few hours."

"How is she doing?"

"She is developing as she should be. I am most worried for her state of mind, though. She is quite a curious and social child. She will need friends her own age to play with, yet the Cullens are adamant she does not leave the house," Odessa answered.

"Don't start again,' Alec warned. Odessa ignored him and acted like he didn't speak at all.

"He is of the Volturi," Huilen stated, eying Alec warily.

"He is. So am I," Odessa stated plainly. At the alarmed look in Huilen's eyes, Odessa quickly said, "I promise I am not here to check up on you or warn you of anything. I simply wanted to visit."

"I believe you," Nahuel said easily. Odessa thanked him and turned to address Alec for the first time since they got into an argument. He looked at her expectantly, though his demeanor didn't change in the slightest. He remained poise and indignant, firm in his stance.

"You may leave for a while," she told him. "I will only be a few hours."

"I think it's in my best interest to stay close for the moment," he responded.

"And why is that?" Odessa asked hastily.

"You must not have noticed due to the anger clouding your senses, but there are others present. Isn't that right, Nahuel?"

Odessa's eyes widened and she swiveled to meet Nahuel's teak eyes. She focused on the scents around her and gritted her teeth when three familiar scents wafted through her nose. She growled as she made eye contact with one of them peeking out of the window.

"The sisters, I presume," Odessa said with a screwed-up face.

"They wanted to visit," Nahuel reasoned. "They are lost without Joham, even if they refuse to acknowledge it."

Odessa remained quiet for a moment before she acquiesced and let down her guard. Maybe they were going to be less hostile than the first time they had met. It had been a few months since the whole ordeal. That should have been enough time to get over it, right?

"Why are you here?" Serena's voice carried through the air as she stepped through the threshold of the house and revealed herself. Maysun and Jennifer followed behind her, Maysun with a scowl and Jennifer with a frown. Odessa felt the disdain rolling off the trio and mirrored Maysun's expression. She was as happy to see them as they were to see her. Alec, sensing an argument or a fight about to ensue, placed himself next to Odessa and grabbed her shoulder in warning. She shrugged him off and waved him away. He remained still.

"I wanted to visit Nahuel. I did not know you would be here, as well," Odessa answered.

"You aren't welcome here," Serena said.

"That is up to Nahuel and Huilen. If they do not want me here, I will leave."

"Ever since you killed our father, we have been living with them," Maysun spoke. "This is our home now, too."

"Give me a break," Odessa muttered.

"Maybe if you hadn't acted impulsively, we wouldn't be in this predicament," Serena said smugly.

"You are welcome," Huilen said quickly while eyeing Alec. "Despite your current affiliations I trust you enough."

"Then it is settled," Odessa said.

"We should give her a chance," Jennifer said quietly. "What she did was wrong, but it wasn't the worst thing to happen."

"What are you saying, Jennifer?" Serena asked incredulously. "She murdered our father."

"I know," Jennifer said anxiously. "But, well, I-"

Maysun walked up to Jennifer and placed a hand on her shoulder, looked earnestly in her eyes, and asked, "What aren't you telling us? Did something happen?"

Jennifer pushed her away and scoffed. She turned her back on them and bit her lip from shouting out. Her tense shoulders showed her discomfort and the internal struggle she was dealing with. Odessa stepped towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. This time, Jennifer allowed the contact.

"He hurt you," Odessa said empathetically. A small whimper came from Jennifer's mouth, and she turned to envelope Odessa into a hug. Odessa embraced her back and rubbed small circles on her back.

"Is what she says true, Jennifer?" Maysun asked cautiously. "Did he hurt you?"

"It was while you and Serena were away to find Nahuel - when Huilen had tricked Nahuel into hiding away. I messed up, and - it was something so trivial I couldn't understand why but - he yelled at me," she paused to sniffle and let out a sob, " told me I wasn't strong enough to survive by myself, that I would never be as strong or useful as the two of you. He hit me in anger over and over and over again until he was no longer mad. He left me to lie on the floor - told me to move until he said so."

"We would have noticed," Serena protested.

"You were gone for days," Jennifer said with a shake of her head. "They were healed before you got back."

"He wouldn't -" Serena shook her head, "He wouldn't hurt us. You're lying!"

"Serena!" Maysun shouted in disbelief.

"She was just as upset as us when Joham died!"

"I didn't want to say anything in fear of your reaction!" Jennifer yelled emotionally.

Odessa made soothing sounds and tucked Jennifer's head into the crook of her neck. She let her sister cry into her clothes and glared at Serena with contempt. The audacity to accuse a victim of lying was revolting. Odessa believed Jennifer because she knew of the vicious behavior Joham could conduct. She knew of his past horrors. Odessa had concluded that Joham had tried to hide that part of himself from the rest of her siblings in hopes of keeping them by his side - in hopes of not having a repeat of Odessa's rebellion. It was only a matter of time before he slipped up. Like Odessa said, you couldn't change your personality based on one decision. Hiding something doesn't mean it's not there.

"If I had known," Maysun trailed off. She walked up to Odessa and Jennifer and hugged the ginger in earnest. "I'm so sorry Jennifer."

"You're both being dramatic," Serena scoffed as she ran her hands through her hair, trying to make sense of what Jennifer said. "So he hit you one time! It doesn't mean he deserved to die! It's not like he did it again!"

Jennifer quieted and shivered as a memory hit her. Maysun stilled and quietly said, "It did, didn't it?"

"This is ridiculous!" Serena yelled.

"You're the only one being ridiculous," Odessa roared. "Can you not see the turmoil Jennifer is in."

"What turmoil could she possibly be in?"

"I refuse to continue talking to you," Odessa said with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Then leave! You don't get to come here and try to act like you're part of the family."

"What makes you think I want to be a part of this family if you're in it? Do you honestly think I like being related to you?" Odessa shook her head. "You act like Joham was your savior, like you owe him something just for raping your mother and helping create you."

"I owe him everything! We owe him everything!" Serena shouted. She closed her eyes and composed herself before saying, "He raised us and continued to help us even after we matured. He kept us fed and happy. He kept us from dying from random enemy attacks. He was the one who kept us alive all these years and you show up and kill him in a matter of minutes! I couldn't even help him in his time of need! He helped me with everything, and the one time he needed me, I couldn't move, I couldn't see, I couldn't hear! You and your Volturi dog should never show your faces around us!"

"Is pity what you are looking for? Tears?" Odessa asked sadistically. "I have those reserved for people who truly deserve them."

"Odessa, that is enough," Alec said sternly.

"Listen to your dog, Odessa," Serena said, emphasizing her name in a mocking fashion.

"Serena, stop," Maysun warned.

"Enough, both of you," Nahuel intervened. "I will not allow you to fight."

"And I will not either," Alec stated.

"I do not care what you will and will not do," Odessa addressed Alec. "I am sick of you intervening. You are not relevant to this conversation."

"Trouble in paradise? Figures you couldn't restrain yourself enough to understand the feelings and needs of other people, much less your mate. While you childishly get into arguments, he must stand by and make sure you don't hurt yourself. If I were him, I would leave you," Serena simpered.

"You stay out of my business!" Odessa shouted. "Our relationship has nothing to do with the likes of you!"

"Just like our relationship with our father had nothing to do with you!"

"It had everything to do with me!"

"You chose to input yourself in our lives when we didn't want you!" Serena yelled viciously.

"I cannot place myself somewhere I already am," Odessa sassed.

"I can't deal with her anymore!" Serena yelled and stomped away from Odessa. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Nahuel, make sure you take out the trash before I come back."

"Perhaps you should tear it apart and burn it, Nahuel. That way it can grovel in pain like its father before it dies," Odessa threw back.

"Be still!" Alec yelled as Serena launched herself at Odessa with a ferocious snarl. He pulled on her arm and created distance between the arguing sisters as Maysun held Serena back. Odessa struggled in his grasp, but Alec refused to let go this time. "If you do not stop trying to free yourself, I will have no choice but to paralyze you. Do you understand?"

"Do it and so help me Alec, I will make you regret it."

"You've given me no choice," he stated simply.

Odessa stared at him in anger and hurt that he would use his gift against her. He wasn't giving her a chance to defend herself and he wasn't being fair. He wasn't trying to restrain Serena or prohibit her from attacking. Why did she have to act like the bigger person and act civil? Serena had not only questioned Jennifer's validity but hers, too. Serena was the bad guy here, not her. So, why was she being treated as one?

"You've given me no choice either," she said emotionlessly. She took hold of his essence and forced him to let go of her and walk backwards two meters. He sneered at her with eyes frostier than any ice she had ever seen. "If you will not respect my choices and my actions, then we cannot ever be in a relationship together. It simply will not work."

"You childishly throw yourself around at others and I am supposed to allow you to do so?" Alec asked incredulously. "You're mad, weaker than I thought."

"I am not weak!" Odessa shouted. "It is I who has control over your actions. If I am weak then what does that make you?"

"Stupid for letting you make me think I could make this relationship work. I should have gone with the Masters' plans and locked you away like their wives. Maybe then we wouldn't be where we are now," Alec confessed. Odessa bit her lip and frowned deeply. She stood there for a second before she huffed and started walking away from him. She didn't need him or his foul words. He wasn't worth her time. She could live without him and his stupid clan. She didn't need the constant ridicule from Alec or the constant threat from Serena. And while she would miss the opportunity of reconciling with Maysun and Jennifer and catching up with Nahuel and Huilen, she could live without them, too.

As she walked away, Serena got loose from Maysun's grip and ran towards Odessa without her knowing. In an instant, Serena had a hold of Odessa's arm and yanked it away from her body. Odessa screamed in agony and horror as blood spilled from the wound and coated the ground around her. Tears welled in her eyes as she frantically felt around the wound with her other hand. She looked down at the ground and cried harder seeing her arm laying limp and dead. She dropped to her knees, grabbed the appendage, and tried connecting it back to her shoulder, but it was no use. No matter how hard she pushed it against her shoulder and no matter how much she wished it would stick again, it wouldn't. The shirt of her sleeve fell off the limb and fell to the floor. She wailed in realization, forgetting that Serena was standing next to her. Serena smiled with glee in satisfaction and reached for Odessa to inflict more pain. She stopped when a snarl broke through the air.

Distracted by the pain, Odessa had relinquished Alec's control over his body. He could only watch as Serena pulled Odessa's arm away from her body, but now that he was free, he could prevent any further pain to his mate. He ran towards Serena and grabbed her by the throat. He threw her against a tree and repeated the action. Jennifer screamed for him to stop while Maysun cautiously watched everything happen. Meanwhile, Nahuel and Huilen were trying to calm Odessa down and care for her wound.

Alec held Serena by the neck and pinned her to a tree, choking her and watching her gasp for breath. He grabbed hold of her arm tightly and pulled it the same way she had pulled his mate's arm. Alec loosened his grasp on her neck and allowed her to scream out in pain. She begged him to let her go, but he ignored her pleas and continued to glare in her face.

"How does it feel?" he asked monotonously.

"Please, let me go!" Serena screamed. She struggled in his grasp, and in response, Alec tightened his grip.

"Did you think you could hurt my mate without consequence?" he asked.

"No, no please!"

"I don't think you've had enough yet. You owe her your life."

"Don't hurt her!" Jennifer screamed. "Don't hurt Serena, please! She didn't mean to do it! I promise!"

"It matters not if she did it purposely or accidentally. The Volturi doesn't give second chances. Her first chance is used up, and now she has to pay the price for it," Alec said.

"Do not harm her!" Nahuel shouted as he approached Alec. He placed a hand on Alec's shoulder and tried reasoning with him, but it was all for naught. Alec placed a hand on either side of Serena's face and squeezed, watching tiny cracks form in her skin. When he was satisfied with how much pain she endured, he ripped her head from her body. Blood splattered onto his black uniform and pale skin and the sounds of Jennifer's screams permeated the air. Alec dropped her head onto the ground and stepped away from her body with a look of disgust on his face. He approached his mate as Huilen backed away from helping Odessa. He grabbed Odessa's lying appendage and pulled her into a standing position gently.

"Leave," Huilen said, her voice brimming with emotion. She looked at Nahuel who was gazing sadly down at Serena's body with tears gathered in his eyes before she glared at Odessa and Alec. "You have caused too much pain and grief. You leave and never come back, Odessa."

Odessa opened her mouth to say something, but Alec stopped her by shielding her from the others' eyes.

"Come," he said. "There is no need to speak with them anymore."

"But-"

"You have other things to worry about. You've caused a lot of trouble on this trip. The Masters will not be happy.