The longing instantly grows in my chest and I force myself to follow the corridors until I come to Demetri's room. I stop momentarily outside his door and he calls me inside instantly. He's seated on his bed, his head in his hands. I chuckle softly.

"Worried about me, brother?" I ask and he looks up, worry etched in his eyes.

"I'm sorry sis', none of us were expecting it." He apologizes as he gets up and pulls me into an embrace. I hug him back but don't feel completely content since it's not Marcus.

"Don't worry. Somehow I think I have always known Macus is my mate… I guess I just wasn't ready, like Marcus said."

"What did he say?" Dem asks and I grin at him.

"You know I can't talk about what happens between mates." I tease and he growls lightly at me but stops immediately and snaps his head towards the door. The door bursts open, to show a furius Marcus. In less than a second Demetri is gone from my embrace and pressed up by his throat against the wall.

"Did you just growl at my mate?" Marcus growls dangerously and Demetri hesitates, obviously intimidated.

"Marcus, please let him go. We were just teasing each other." I explain. Marcus instantly drops him and scoops me up in his arms. His hands roaming my body, making sure I'm unwounded. I just rest my head against his chest and relax into his arms as he calms himself down. After a few seconds, he caresses my hair gently and I know his back to normal again.

"I'm sorry, my mate. You know my instincts are stronger in the beginning, don't you?" He asks worriedly. I look up at him with a small smile.

"I know, but you never need to worry about my brother injuring me." I say. He buries his head in my hair, scenting me.

"I know and I apologize to the both of you. Are you mad at me, my mate?" He asks. I chuckle and hug him tighter.

"I'm not mad. I like that you are protective. Now you should get back to your meeting with Aro and Caius." I say and he visibly relaxes.

"I love you." He whispers and I scent him right before he disappears from my embrace. As I open my eyes I see Demetri still sitting on the floor, but Marcus is gone.

"You ok?" I ask and he jumps up on his feet.

"I'm fine, but remind me not to growl at you anytime soon?" He says. I chuckle and nod as I throw myself on his bed.

"I will and to answer your previous question he wants to court me and win my heart. And we'll wait with everything else until marriage." I explain and he exhales relieved as he sits down on the couch.

"Well that's a relief. It will be difficult for me to beat him up if he's treating you badly since he is more powerful than me." He sighs frustrated and I laugh.

"Don't worry I will take care of him if he behaves badly. Besides, it's good he is more powerful, then he can protect me from everyone." I say and he smiles at me.

"Yeah, yeah. I know."

"Where's Felix and the others?" I ask and he chuckles as the door opens, revealing Felix, Jane and Alec. I grin at them and pat beside me on the bed. Instantly Jane and Alec are lying beside me and Felix get seated beside Demetri.

"So little one, what have you been up to for the last five years?" Felix asks amused and I sigh deeply.

"It began when I moved to Forks with Charlie…" I tell them everything that happened with the Cullens and how they left me.

"So how's mom?" Demetri asks and I sigh.

"After you 'died' she broke down and then she found Phil. He put her back together, but I could see how tortured she was by seeing me everyday so I decided to move to Forks." I explain and he nods solemnly.

"I thought so." He sighs and I smile sadly at him.

"How's your five years as a vampire been? You don't seem so 'newborn.'" I say and he grins.

"I kind of skipped the newborn phase and it's been good. I'm getting back into the military routine, you know." He says and I nod.

"You did always like the military… at least until you died." I say and he smiles a little.

"Yeah… thanks for coming looking after me by the way." He says and I nod, closing my eyes as I remember. It was five years ago when the military knocked on our door and told me Demi had vanished in Volterra, Italy. I didn't even think and Renee was gone for the month so I booked the first flight to Volterrra. As I hurried into the city someone grabbed me by my arm, pulling me into an alley… it was Felix. He explained about vampires, about the Volturi and that Demetri had been changed by a nomad vampire crossing by. I lived with them for the rest of the month but never met Demetri for safety's sake… then I flew back to the states and pretended that I had never been to Italy. Alec erased all the traces and it was while school was on break so it became our little secret but now I'm finally back.

"Bella?" Alec shakes me gently and I look around confused.

"Hey, where did you disappear?" Demetri asks and I chuckle.

"Memories, nothing special." I say and he smiles relieved. I get up from the bed and stretch. "Let's walk around a little, I need to move before I fall asleep." I say and they roll their eyes but follow me as I walk out into the corridor. "My room is still the same or?" I ask and Felix grins widely.

"Nope." He says, too pleased. I raise an eyebrow at him. "You have a mate now, you know?" He says and I nod slowly. "Your room is next to his until you move together." He reminds me.

"Right, I forgot that. That's good." I say and then my stomach growls. "Let's go hunting for the human." I mumble and they laugh.

"No way, we're going into the kitchen. Your food smells disgusting sis'." Demetri teases and ruffles my hair. Before I have time to give any response they are all gone.

"Mature!" I yell and hear Felix's booming laugh coming pretty much out of nowhere. I walk towards the kitchen, past a couple of guards here and there but as I roud the last corner there is a big vampire standing in the way. I hold to the right and hope he will move but he stands still, staring down at me in a way that makes my hair rise.

"Excuse me, sir, may I get past?" I ask politely and he growls. I look questioning at him and see that his eyes are locked at my crest. "Sir?" I ask. He growls again and takes a step towards me, grabbing my wrist violently.

"MARCUS!" I yell and in less than a second he is between me and the other vampire, who is now thrown to the end of the corridor. Marcus growls something too quickly for me to hear and then he lifts me up so I'm clinging to his chest. He runs swiftly back to his bedchamber and sits down with me in his lap.

"My mate, look at what he's done." He mumbles as his hand cools my bruised wrist gently and the other is checking me almost desperately after other injuries. "Did he do something else? Do you need something? Renata is bringing some food for you, I assume you were going to get some food? Do you need a doctor? I'm going to kill him, touching my mate?" He rambles quickly, growling the most of it. I finally shut him up by pressing a finger against his lips.

"I'll be fine. I'm just hungry and want you close. Do what you want with him, I don't care. Now please calm down?" I rub my cheek against his, marking him with my scent. I'm telling him I'm unwounded and just his, no one else's. He breathes in my scent deeply and relaxes as his hands come to rest on my waist, one of them still holding my wrist gently.

"Oh my mate." He breathes and nuzzles my neck. "I'm happy you called for me, love." I nod a little and he licks his mark on my neck again. "Would you mind laying down on the bed for a while with me? I need to calm down, I need your touch." He asks softly and I cling tighter to him as I shake my head.

"Please." I beg and he carries me to the bed and lays down beside me underneath the cover, holding me protectively.

"I love you." He whispers. I nod and kiss his throat before I relax my head against his chest.

"I love you too."

"Did he do anything except growl and grab your wrist?" He asks quietly and I shake my head. "Good." He exhales relieved and holds me even tighter. "You feel tired, why don't you sleep and I'll wake you up when it's time for dinner?" He suggests and I nod.

"Sounds good, my mate." I whisper tiredly and he kisses my forehead as I fall asleep.