Part 4

"Stop that!"

Bella pouted as Alice slapped at her leg.

Alice shook her head and turned away from the vampire and vowed to ignore the wide eyed innocent look she was receiving and try and pretend to be paying attention to their teacher.

Bella watched the girl scribble into her notebook and wondered why she bothered. Alice was part of a world so much bigger than the human children around her could ever hope to imagine. She was better than this, better than being forced to endure hours and hours of so-called 'education' when Bella could show Alice the world.

Literally.

Instead, she was being subjected to books that 'retold' America's history. Bella would have scoffed at the mere thought of that given just how biased it was sounding so far. The written word rarely provided the reader with a true account of any event, there was always bias. Always one side that was shaped and moulded to the victor's truth, painting all actions as just and honourable, with the opposing side the dark foes, inflicting horror and oppression wherever they went.

Bella smiled to herself as she knew that was likely how the Cullen's would describe the Volturi to the girl.

Was Bella the villain?

And did she care if she was?

She eyed the dark haired girl, more interested in her than in the lesson being taught by the teacher out front. She wondered if she should attempt to court the girl. Had the Cullen's explained a mate bond to her? Had Alice been promised immortality by one of the coven members already?

Would Carlisle take that honour himself?

Bella felt her beast rage at the thought.

It displeased her that her mate had the scent of several vampires on her as it was, the idea that one would lay fangs on the girl? Drain her of life and inject their own venom into Alice?

Bella would kill every member of the Cullen coven before she allowed that to happen.

She shifted closer to the girl, brushing shoulders with her. Alice paused in her note taking and gave her a quick glance but otherwise did nothing.

Bella nodded to herself, glad that her mate hadn't tried to create a distance between them.

She would go to the Cullen house tonight and meet with Carlisle.

After she took care of her Father's gift.

Bella scowled, begrudging the time it would take her away from spending with her mate.

Not only did she have to contend with school and the human's need to sleep half the day away, she had the Cullen's to negate. She was positive that Edward was already forming more reasons to leave Forks behind and her attempts to amuse herself playing with Alice's power probably weren't going to help keep the Cullen's around.

She sighed, then nudged Alice's shoulder again gently, careful not to hurt her mate.

Alice flicked her eyes up in question.

"Sorry." Bella muttered although she had difficultly pulling off a truly repentant look. "All done."

Alice went back to her notes, frowning at the sudden change. Bella had been in her last two classes and so far she had seen seven different versions of turning up at school tomorrow, each flash of the future a variation of the same thing, death of students and teachers from school.

Alice looked to make sure the teacher was busy then turned to Bella. "You have to decide on it for me to see…you would just do that? Kill all of them?"

Bella shrugged fighting a grin. "Sure, other than you, I'm finding all of this rather…unnecessary. I'm not sure how your coven can do this again and again."

It was a more honest reply than Alice had been expecting.

"It's my first time really." She admitted softly putting her head back down.

Bella grinned. "Rest assured you will have far more exciting firsts to experience."

The look Bella gave Alice when she lifted her head made the girl blush although she didn't really understand why.

Confused, Alice was grateful when the bell rang out ending the class and giving her time to collect herself. As she packed up her bag, Bree stood waiting beside her and she followed Jasper's mate towards the door as Bella followed close behind.

Bree shot the other vampire cautious looks as she guided Alice towards their final class of the day. She wasn't sure what Isabella had been doing to give Alice so many visions into the future but there was no way it could be a good thing, Alice rarely had happy visions.

"You okay?" Bree whispered as the navigated along the crowed hallway.

Alice nodded to Bree but suddenly she was grabbed and pulled, she blinked and found herself outside near the back car park.

Bella growled angrily as she yanked Edwards shoulder back as he released Alice. He flew past her as she moved to get between the livid Cullen and her mate. Soon the rest of the Cullen's surrounded them and Bella decided she should just end the vampire's life here and now before he could harm Alice more.

Alice gasped and reached out for Bella. "Please don't." She begged having seen Bella attack Edward and leave him as ash on the ground.

Bella snarled at Edward as he crouched at the ready in front of her, but all movement to kill the boy had been halted at the first touch of Alice's hand on her arm.

She didn't like the idea of backing down from the boy, especially after he had dared to manhandle her mate out of the school.

"Please!"

Bella huffed but stepped back, forcing Alice backwards as well, as she continued to watch Edward closely. "Never touch her again." She threatened, teeth bared.

"You're a monster!" Edward spat, not caring if he was overheard by any of the humans. "I saw what you did, what you're planning to do, we should kill you now!" He said looking to his family for support.

Rosalie gasped. "Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"You can't threaten a member of the Volturi, Edward." Jasper warned wondering how his family would get out of this if Bella elected to share this conversation with Aro.

Bella's eyes narrowed at Edward, while it was clear the rest of his coven disagreed with him, she doubted this would be the end of the matter.

She looked around finally noticing that there was a lack of human children around for which she was actually grateful for. When it was clear to her that Edward wasn't willing to risk himself by attacking her, now that the rest of his family had protested the idea, Bella felt it safe enough to turn her attention to her mate.

"Are you okay?" She asked, looking the human over for any injury. She'd wanted to rip Edward from her when he had grabbed her but that would have risked Alice.

Alice nodded but rubbed at her arm.

Frowning Bella stepped closer and lifted the material away from the girl's skin to get a closer look. She growled as she saw red marks on the pale flesh. A hand print.

"It's okay."

"It's really not." Bella refuted but allowed Alice to cover her arm once more. Feeling angry enough to kill Edward and any of the Cullen's that tried to get in her way wasn't a good thing but the knowledge that her mate had been harmed while she'd been unable to act infuriated Bella.

"You!" She spat at Edward. "Go find Carlisle and inform him that I demand a meeting at his home tonight where he can attempt to convince me not to rip your head off for touching my mate!" She growled at him, stepping closer and closer as she spoke until she was face to face with the vampire.

Edward frowned, eyeing his family for some direction, but they were all telling him to do as Bella said. Emmett thought he should be grateful for the chance to walk away after threatening a member of the Volturi.

Disgruntled at his family's thoughts Edward blew out a breath and stayed where he was, holding his head high in defiance. Who was this vampire to be telling him what to do?

At the end of her patience with the boy Bella's hand shot out and took a firm grip on the Cullen boy's neck, tightening her hold as she brought his face an inch from her own.

"That wasn't a request." She told him, smiling as cracks started to appear as she continued to add pressure. She waited but the rest of the Cullen's remained watching and she was satisfied that Edward's actions were solely his own. But she continued until his eyes widened to their fullest and he started to reek of fear before tossing him aside with a flick of her wrist. "Now go do as you're told, boy."

Edward felt around his neck carefully, feeling the cracks start to heal as he realised just how close to death he had just come. Jumping to his feet he raced off towards the hospital.

Emmett watched his brother take off and chuckled as he eyed the vampire who had gone back to looking over Alice as Bree stood beside the pair nervous and unsure as she shifted her weight from foot to foot.

"That was pretty cool." He muttered to Rosalie.

Rosalie gave him a look to tell him to be quiet.

"What now?" Rosalie asked as she watches Bella and Alice share a look as they stood with their faces inches apart.

Nervous of how close Bella was to Alice given she'd watched the vampire almost kill Edward right there in front of them, Bree swallowed and placed her hand on the small of Alice's back.

"We should get to class." She said, hoping to separate her human sister from the vampire in front of her.

Bella's eyes shifted from Alice and she half stepped towards Bree with a growl ripping from her throat as her eyes hardened.

Then the newborn was out of her sight as her mate, the curly haired blonde, snatched her up into his arms and raced her over to where Emmett and Rosalie stood.

Bella's nostrils flared as she tried to control her anger. She was at her limit for interference between her and her mate. And it was dangerous to be around Alice feeling as she did. She had no wish to make the human fear her any more than she may already.

Bella ignored the other vampires and lifted her hand to gently trail the tips of her fingers down Alice's cheek. She was charmed as the human reacted by blushing and ducking her gaze.

That simple act of submission stirred the flame of desire in Bella, but as much as she wanted to continue with taking the first steps of teaching the human what it meant to be a vampire's mate she had things to attend to before meeting with Carlisle.

Bella sighed and retreated from Alice while she still could.

"Go to class." She said, finally answering Rosalie's question.

The human studied her before going to her coven and following them into the building.

"Aren't you coming?" Alice asked turning back as she realised Bella hadn't moved to join them.

Bella's hand clenched at her side as she struggled to leave. "I will see you in a few hours." She assured the girl, pleased that she wanted her with her in class and hadn't been frightened of her by her actions in the last few moments.

Alice paused then gave the vampire a nod, "Okay." And disappeared into the building.

Bella lingered a few moments more. "Make sure no harm comes to her." She said when she was sure that only the Cullen's would hear her and not Alice.

And with that, Bella left as there was a wolf to tie a bow around and send on its way to Marcus.