CH 20 Catt pov

Ok, maybe this wasn't such a great idea. We are fine. Are we? I asked as my whole body tensed, I looked up from where I leaned against Lauren's jeep and watch Bella's feet stick to the ground. I sent her what I hope was a reassuring smile. Not even close. Shut up. Even the girl, Lauren looks uneasy child, I wonder what happened. Maybe she's just worried were about to lose it. then let us show her we are better than him. She knows were better than him! …do you?

I stopped short, not only at her words but because they were now walking towards us. And then I was distracted as some woman threw them selves into my arms that wasn't my mate. I met my mates narrowed eyes before bringing them down to the strawberry blonde hair. "Tanya."

"Fucking hell Catt it's really you." I had to chuckle at the rare cuss word from her as she pulled away. "it is." She was going to reply when not only Bella and Lauren walked up but a few of her coven as well. "do I want to know how you two know each other?" I sent my mate a smirk at her jealous tone. "don't." was all she said at the look on my face. She rose a brow waiting for my explanation as she slowly made her way between us, leaning into my front as she glared the shocked vampire down. Wrapping my arms around her waist from behind, "Tanya is an old friend of mine." Her only reply was to push farther into me, "can we leave before he gets out here please."

"mmm, Tanya we will catch up later."

"we better." I send her a smirk as Bella ushers me into the jeep. We pulled out of the lot just as I saw the little prick leave the building looking around frantically. The ride was silent as I sat behind them in the back seat. We pulled into her driveway and she hopped out opening my door wordlessly. I could see her internally fighting something as she stormed up the stairs to her room. I looked to Lauren who sat down at the table pulling out her homework, "I think you're supposed to follow her."

"…are you sure? The look on her face said to run the opposite direction."

"Ha, true, but you still need to go up there." I let out a sigh before taking the stairs as slow as I could. I made it to her room as she practically tore into her closet. "uhh, babe?"

"I need to go shopping." Well that wasn't what I was expecting, "um ok, we can go whenever you want." She nodded her head still staring into it. I was about to walk up behind her when she spun around to face me, hands on her hips. "So, Tanya?"

"Uhh, yes?"

"how do you know her?"

"I told you, she was-"

"an old friend yah I heard that part. How did you meet her?" I believe our little mate is quite jealous Catt. It took everything in me not to smile at the thought. She was quite attractive when mad and jealous, I was having trouble controlling myself as it was. "Hmmm, She was newly turned when we met, her aunt had turned her. Did I ever tell you about the time I ran into shifters attacking a village?"

"…no Catt, I don't know anything about your past." I shook the memory off at the dejected tone of her voice. "do you want to hear about it?" I murmured low willing her to meet my eyes. "yes."

"… I believe it is the story I told Jacob. I had been traveling through the forest at the time, Tanya doing the same."

"of course."

"Shush you. We were in the forest outside of a village circling each other believe it or not, she was still young, still filled with newborn instincts, we heard the screams before the stench of blood filled the air. A pack of wolf shifters were, well tearing into this village. Men, women, children, anything and everything they could get their jaws around. The sight was enough to horrify even a blood thirsty vampire." I paused to take a deep breath as she looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "did you kill them?"

"every single one. I saved the Alpha for last." I looked down into her face waiting for the judgment. But none came, just complete understanding. "You saved their lives."

"no, I didn't, everyone was already dead, not a single person lived. We simply avenged them."

"I'm sorry."

"don't be."

"is that-is that how you got the scars on your back?"

"No, no it isn't. Here, let's sit down." I led her over to the bed so we could sit down trying to buy some time. She will understand Catt. Let's hope your right. "Before I explain, I should warn you Bella, there was a time in my past where-where I was no better than these wolves. Some would say I was worse." She looked confused before shaking her head, "I find that hard to believe Catt."

"That doesn't make it any less true. Even after I met Tanya, there were periods of my life where I was, very different then what you know."

"How?"

"first to answer your question about my scars, my mother gave them to me." my attention was split between the gasp at the door from Lauren and Bella's outburst "What! Why!?"

"come sit Lauren." She did as I said and curled into Bella's side. "My mother is full Were, my father not, he is where I got the flame from. My mother-my mother was not a kind woman."

"what did she did to you?"

"Hmm what didn't she do to me. I was beaten, tortured, raped, sold, broken, and then caged like an animal. And I had hated the world when I got out of that cage, we hated the world, and everyone in it. I had turned into just as much as a terror as those wolves. I had turned into every single other Were, feeding on blood like it was running out. Taking what I wanted as I pleased with no concern for others. I turned into just what she wanted me to be."

"you were hurt-"

"I was a monster Bella. I've killed more people than I can count. I took my pain, my anger out on the world, on innocent people."

"you have changed Catt. You're not that person anymore." I look up at Lauren's quiet admission to see her eyes are also filled with tears. Bella's streamed steadily down her face, I brought my hand up to wipe them away shocked when she didn't flinch away. We don't scare her. We should. He next words stopped me dead "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"your sorry? Bella I just told you I murdered countless people-"

"you were hurt and angry Catt. You lived through something no one should ever experience at the hands of someone who should have protected you. And it was a long time ago, your different now. You're not a monster."

"but I was-"

"in the past. You know it was wrong and you are trying to be different, I can see that, why can't you." My argument was interrupted by the knock at the front door, tilting my head I heard no heartbeats. "Vampire, come on, we will finish this later." I pulled Bella with my Lauren right behind her as headed for the door. Opening the door my brow rises as the two vampires "Tanya?"

"Sorry I know you said we would catch up later but I couldn't handle listening to Edward anymore."

"and how did you know I would be here?" she simply rose her own brow gesturing to my hand in Bella's. "right."

"It's just you and Rosalie?" Bella asked. "yes."

"then you can come in." They followed us into the living room before the other blonde vampire spoke "Bella are you ok."

"I'm fine. Why are you here?"

"a couple of reasons, Tanya wanted to see your-friend. And I wanted to know what you meant at lunch."

"And why exactly did you want to see my girlfriend." She made sure to emphasize the word as she once again glared the vampire down. Tanya sent her a small smile, "because it has been centuries since I had seen her last, and she is a very dear friend of mine. You have nothing to fear Bella, I am quite happy with my mate right here. Though I admit I am quite surprised."

"And why is that?"

"Edward-"

"She is MINE" I snarled out as my eyes changed. "babe relax." She placed a hand against my stomach my eyes shifting back almost immediately. Tanya simply observed before murmuring "I can see that."

"what are you?" I looked to the other vampire Rosalie, "pardon?"

"your eyes just changed."

"they did, and I believe you were here to talk to Bella about something." She stared me down looking ready to argue before turning to Bella as I took a seat on the couch. "you've been crying."

"yes I have. What did you want to talk about?" I leaned back as she pushed into my side, "…right, at lunch you said Edward lied."

"I did, because he did."

"you didn't break up with him?"

"Rosalie, you saw how wrapped up I was in your brother, could you have seen me back then braking up with him?" I give the girl credit she actually seemed to be thinking about it, "I admit I did not really give you much credit or thought back then, but no I suppose not. So what happened then?"

"…what happened is your brother showed me his true colors. But I assume you want details. Ok, he took me out to the forest to break up with me, to break me. He told me I was nothing more than a toy to occupy him and your family with. A pet. And then he left, he left me there in the dark with no idea how to get back home in the middle of the fucking forest." I squeezed her a little tighter as she tensed, the curse word a warning she needed to relax. I placed a kiss to the side of her head before pressing my lips to her ears "breath love." She took a couple of deep breathes as Rosalie also seemed to be trying to get herself under control, her eyes almost pitch black as Tanya wrapped her arms around her. "I'm sorry" she finally uttered. "for what? you didn't pretend I meant anything to you just for laughs. You never pretended not to hate me."

"No Bella I'm sorry. I didn't hate you. I didn't like you, but I never hated you. I didn't like that all he had to do was flash his smile and you would do anything for him. I didn't like that you let him walk all over you. For gods sake did he even ever take you out? He would spout bullshit about wanting you to have a normal life and then keep you from your friends. He treated you like some fragile doll on a shelf and you let him!" I tensed as her voice rose, relax I sense no danger to our mate. Hmph. "I know Rosalie." We all turned at her admission "what?"

"I know, I could see it in your eyes whenever I went over there. You would glare daggers at me, but most of the time it was aimed at him. I noticed."

"you did?"

"yes."

"…I'm sorry."

"don't be, I meant what I said, I feel no hatred or betrayal from you." She is starting to sound like us. I know isn't it awesome. Haha. "but you do for the others?"

"yes, they left, no goodbye, no explanation, no nothing."

"Alice fought to stay." Her head snapped up "what?"

"it was a vote. Alice didn't believe Edward when he said you were afraid of her. So we voted, the winners chose to leave."

"who voted what?"

"Alice, Esme and Emmett voted to stay."

"…Jasper?"

"…really believed he scared you and it was for the best."

"Carlisle?"

"denies his golden boy nothing."

"…you?"

"…wanted you as far away from him as possible. I know abusive relationships when I see them Bella, just because he never touched you didn't make it any less unhealthy."

"He'd be dead had he touched her." I grumbled out as she took my hand. "I don't doubt that."

"why are you telling me this?"

"I want to ask you to just not be so hard on Alice, she loves you, you were her best friend and sister."

"-I will consider it." she nodded her head before we turned to Tanya "and you?"

"want to know everything. Where have you been? What have you been up to? And how did you meet? Everything." So we explained everything, with my skimming over what I had been up to before Bella.

"you guys make a cute couple."

"thank you Rosalie. Where does Edward think you are?"

"I don't know, I doubt he even noticed we were gone. He spends most of his time complaining to Carlisle and Esme, and even she is tired of it. I think she suspects he's not being completely honest, especially after your-friend Jacob went off on us."

"and the rest?"

"think we are hunting. Though my sisters know I'm here."

"Kate?" I looked to Bella at the tone of her voice "yes, she is one of my sisters. And as much as I would love to continue this, we should be getting back, but we have to catch up more soon Catt."

"and we will."

"Bella, it was nice officially meeting you, and a word of advice, don't let this one go."

"I have no intention to."

"good, Rose you ready"

"yah, Bella, more advice if you will have it, lock your windows." I let out a low growl as she chuckled a little "Oh I already have, but thanks."

"one more thing, Lauren?"

"is under my protection" I shot out. "I meant no offense, but there are rules to humans having-"

"I need not a lecture from a child on rules that I have written-"

"Catt"

"…sorry, sorry. but I know the rules, she will be turned."

With that they said their goodbyes and walked out the door. We sat there in silence before Lauren spoke up, "I have two questions. One: what rules was she talking about? And 2 what did you mean you wrote them?" Well shit. My thoughts echoed Saphira's. I pursed my lips choosing to start with the easier of the two, "there are rules for those not human, well mainly one rule, keep our existence a secret. Humans who find out about us are to be-dealt with."

"killed?"

"or turned."

"…but you were giving us a choice?"

"and I still am."

"be turned or be killed?"

"I would never kill you Lauren."

"then?"

"…you would live your human life just as you would had you never met me."

"had I never met you I would have died in the forest."

"…but you didn't, so let's not dwell on that."

"Fine, how about what you said about writing the rules?" I pursed my lips thinking of anything I could to get out of this conversation. You should know by now that's isn't an option with these two. Right… "…My age is rivaled by very few. My mother still lives and is obviously older. A few members of our council are older, but not many, there is me and my brother, and then there are the Volturi or vampire kings and a few of their guard, and Tanya and her sisters are quite old as well."

"wait you have a brother?"

"…yes. And the rules were designed to keep both our kinds, all kinds alive. I was one of those who signed off on them as were the Vampire Kings."

"where is your brother?" Really this is what they get stuck on? Your are their leader now, they wish to know everything Catt. They aren't even turned yet. But they will be, why wait? "Catt?"

Huh? "oh sorry, I was talking with Saphira."

"what's that like?"

"like I'm crazy, there's a fucking voice in my head." Catt! She growled. "sorry couldn't resist. But yah. It's basically a voice in my head. Until it's not and she's in charge."

"Can she be in charge when your human?"

"human? I am not human, but if you mean this…form? Then yes she can. Tis the main reason I am still alive after that vampire ran me off the road." Both set of eyes widened at the admission and Bella scooted closer into me. your worrying her. Do you want me to tell them everything or what? Make up your mind. Hmph. "Thank you Saphira." she murmured, my eyes shifted and she flashed our mate her fanged smirk. "But of course little mate."

"Jesus Saphira" my apologies. Bull. Her laugh echoed in my head. "Where is your brother?" shit.

"I don't know. Probably following my mom around like a good little kit."

"your mom, she's still alive?"

"yes."

"that's surprising." Lauren utter as a scowled started to form on her face. "why?"

"I just, I thought-…"

"that I would try to kill her?" she nodded her head before I replied "I did."

"You did!? What happened?" I took a deep breath as my arm around Bella tightened and I refused to look at either of them, "I got my ass handed to me."

"…is that how you got the scars? Or was that before?"

"no it was that night."

"Catt you don't have to if you-"

"it's fine. You'd find out eventually. Might as well be now. I snapped, I mean I snapped so many times before but this was different, I don't think she even saw it coming. You know I honestly don't remember much of that night I was so blinded even Saphira couldn't get through to me. But man do I remember her claws scraping down my back. But she didn't kill me, no she just wanted me to know she could, and she would." I was brought out of my head as another body slid into my other side and looked down to meet Lauren's tear-filled eyes as I continued "on the bright side I gave her her own nice little scar across her eye."

"Good" she murmured as she leaned her head onto my shoulder. We sat there for what felt like hours in silence until I heard the cruiser pull up. We were in the same position as he walked in and paused "hey girls"

"hey chief."

"hey dad."

"Chief Swan."

"what's going on?"

"Nothin, just chillin. How was work?"

"Chillin? Do you know how weird that sounds coming from you Catt?" for the first time today I let out a real laugh at the look on his face. "My apologies."

"uhuh, what's really going on."