(Saturday June 9th Volterra)
Jane watched as Masters Aro and Caius took turns reveling in the pain they inflicted on Edward. She loved to watch executions and trials and witness the pain she or her coven leaders inflicted. But something deep inside of her was off. A minute part of her humanity long stifled by her many years as a vampire began to protest. She knew the kings were capable of inflicting great pain but she couldn't have imagined this.
She still enjoyed it, but it was odd. It wasn't pity for Edward but pity for whoever decided to hurt her princess. If this is what the kings are capable of when she is wounded in the heart and body, then she didn't want to know what would happen to whoever took her life. If Cullen was punished this badly then Victoria stood no chance.
(Saturday June 9th morning in Forks)
"Are you sure about this?" Jacob asked again.
"Yes." Bella replied. (She wasn't 100% sure but it was close enough)
"How bad do you think they will take it?" Bella asked.
"I'd say as good as the H-bomb." Jake replied.
"I figured." Bella said as she blew out a breath.
Bella and Jake took another moment on her bed to let their minds settle. She knew telling Sam wasn't going to be easy. Especially once the pack chimed in.
"Ready?" Jake asked.
"Nope, but that's never stopped me before." Bella gave a humorless chuckle.
They left the room hand in hand and walked to the backyard. Jake was going to take her on his wolfs back to the res and tell Sam they needed to talk.
(Sam's house)
"Are you sure about this Bella?" Sam asked with his arms crossed. He hated this.
"Yes." Bella said.
(Scuffling noises outside sams house)
"I'm not happy about this but it is your decision to make." Sam said knowing full well he couldn't talk her out of it. (Screaming outside) But he knew who would try to stop her.
"What's going on?" Bella asked when she noticed their expressions.
"The pack is outside arguing with each other." Jake said as he rubbed her shoulders. The only reason they were outside was because Sam alpha ordered them to stay there until they were called in. Paul and Seth were pissed off right now.
"Oh no." Bella said as she hid her face. Here it comes. "Let them in."
"No, let's take it outside. I want my house in one piece." Sam said.
The three of them stood and walked outside where most of the pack had assembled. Bella could feel the anger radiating off of her new family. Especially from Paul and Seth who could not stop shaking.
"You can't be serious Bella." Paul all but growled.
"He will change you." Seth said shaking uncontrollably.
"Seth calm down." Sam said.
"No!" Seth yelled. He was clearly out of control.
Jake hid Bella behind him ready to pounce on the pup.
"He won't be satisfied until she's like him!" Seth yelled. "I won't lose someone else." Seth's body shook beyond recognition and in a second his body contorted into his wolf. He was snarling to no one in particular.
The pack immediately all shifted to calm their brother down. Jake stood guard in front of the house Bella was now hiding inside of. She knew they wouldn't take it well but she didn't think it would be this bad. Her heart was racing as fear and pain pumped through her. She didn't want to cause Seth any more anguish. He has suffered enough.
The pack made half a circle surrounding the house just in case the pup got any ideas.
"Shift back Seth." Sam said trying to bring the pup back without having to alpha order him.
"How could you let her do this?" Seth said. "She won't be safe with them."
"It's her choice Seth." Jake said to his brother.
(The pack tried to calm Seth down. It was working until Brady showed them in the pack mind Marcus standing close to the treaty line demanding to see Bella.)
Seth lost it and took off into the woods towards the vampire and his guard.
"Seth!" Sam yelled but it was no use the pup was gone and tuning them out. He was going to get the leech. He wouldn't lose Bella.
"Bring Bella it's our only chance." Sam said to Jake. The rest were already giving chase.
Jake changed back and ran buck naked into Sam's house scaring a crying Bella.
"We have to go now. Seth is going after Marcus." Was all Jake said he dragged a frazzled Bella outside. She was barely processing his words and state of undress.
Jake shifted and lowered himself to allow Bella to climb on.
When he felt she was holding on tightly he hauled ass to save his pack brother.
Marcus instantly knew something was wrong with Bella. He could feel it through their bond. He had nurtured it from the day it solidified. Now he could feel her fear as clearly as is she was in front of him.
"Bella." He spoke her name and ran out of the house without a word to the guard who followed him on high alert. Alec was next to him in a second.
"What's wrong with the Princess Master?" Alec asked while searching the area.
"We have to get to her." Marcus growled out. Something was scaring her.
"But the treaty line . . ." Was all he could say before he was cut off.
"Screw the treaty line." Marcus said focusing on Bella's location.
Once he was approaching the boundary he sensed a wolf and stopped.
"I want to see Bella now!" Marcus yelled frantically.
The guards stood behind him in formation ready to take on the entire pack.
Bella was clutching to Jacob with all her might not caring if it hurt him. She couldn't fathom why Marcus would be at the line knowing the consequences if he tried to cross.
(Realization hit her)
Their bond! He told her he could sense her whereabouts and feelings. His gift allowed him to know those things. He told her one night during one of their long conversations. Bella yelled the information to Jake knowing he would communicate it to the pack.
Once they neared the treaty line they could see Paul and Jared holding down a distressed naked Seth. Jacob walked up to the treaty line with her so Marcus could see her.
"Bella. Are you okay child?" Marcus asked relaxing at seeing her unharmed.
"Yes. Please don't cross the boundary." Bella said as she jumped down from Jake and landing on her hands and knees hurting herself.
Jake grabbed her shirt with his snout when he saw her going to cross.
"Jake I will be fine go calm Seth down." Bella implored until Jake let go.
Bella ran past the treaty line into Marcus waiting arms. He scooped her up and hugged her close to him. She was safe. He didn't want to let go. But he needed to know why she was afraid and why did the young wolf try to start a fight.
"Bella are you alright?" Marcus asked.
"Yes I promise, nothing happened. It was an overreaction." Bella said with tears in her eyes. Things could have ended so badly.
"No it wasn't. I felt it, you were terrified." Marcus said. His words cut the young wolf.
"It's okay now." Bella said separating herself from him a little. She wanted him to look her in the eyes and see that she wasn't lying.
"Then why did he try to attack me." Marcus said while glaring at the young wolf.
"Seth?" Bella asked as she looked at her hurt 'baby brother'.
"You can't do this. I won't lose you." Seth said while being restrained and shielded by his brothers.
"What is he talking about?" Marcus asked not liking the boys' words.
Bella twitched nervously. This wasn't how she wanted to tell him. "I told them that I chose to get to know you and the rest of the Volturi and that if you can't stay here then I will go with you to Volterra." Bella said nervously.
Marcus was ecstatic and he proudly showed it. The guard smiled brilliantly at the prospect of taking their princess home with them. To guard her would be a privilege.
"Truly?" Marcus asked thinking that this was too good to be true.
"Yes." Bella said with a smile. "I won't stay forever of course I still have my family and Jake here but I will travel back and forth to see you." Bella added when she heard Jakes wolf whine. He didn't like the idea of her leaving at all let alone to go stay in some castle with human drinking vampires.
"Of course my dear I wouldn't want to take you from them." Marcus replied. He would happily agree to any terms she may have as long as she would come home to visit him. That's when the young wolfs reaction made sense.
"I take it that is what drove your 'brother' to come after me?" Marcus asked but it wasn't a question. One look to the pack and he knew it.
"Yeah." Bella replied turning around to face her family. "I should have told them better. Please don't hold it against him." Bella asked Marcus. She didn't want him to Seth even though deep down she knew he wouldn't let her family come to harm.
"Of course not my dear." Marcus said kissing her forehead. "I understand why he did it. His bonds make it clear to me. I'm just happy that you are so loved." Marcus said.
"Thank you for understanding." Bella said.
The pack walked back into the woods and retuned wearing shorts. Jacob looked at Bella wanting to take her back. He didn't want to be separated from her right now.
"Are you okay now Seth?" Bella asked a bit afraid. She didn't want him to hate her because of her decision.
"Yes, I'm sorry I over reacted bells. I just couldn't stand the thought of losing you to them." Seth said with tears in his eyes. Bella had become a central part of him life. She helped him deal with his father's death and losing her now that he accepted her as a sister would be impossible. He still needed her as selfish as that sounds.
"I understand Seth. But next time use your words not paws." Bella said with a nervous chuckle. She was acutely aware of the situation.
"Can we talk about this later? I need to go back and finish talking about this with them." Bella said as she turned to look at Marcus.
Marcus cupped her cheek and wiped the remnants of her tears away. He would give her all the time she needed. She chose to be with him and that's all that mattered. "Of course my dear. Call me as soon as you can." He said as he kissed her forehead once more.
"Thank you." Bella said as she tentatively grabbed his face and pulled him towards her and kissed his cheek. She wasn't going to push him away.
Marcus could swear he felt his heart leap and dance inside his chest. "Good bye for now my dear." He said as he let her go. He would never wash that kiss away.
The guard bowed deeply to her and followed their master. They were gone as quickly as they had arrived.
When Bella turned around she was met with so many different faces. Disgust, anger, revulsion and fear. She simply pushed past that and walked back to her family.
"Are we going to be able to talk now?" She asked them all.
Everyone looked to Paul and Seth. "Yes." They both said.
Bella smiled and walked into Jakes arms who growled a little when he smelled leech all over his girlfriend. It would take him a while to get used to that.
(Saturday afternoon)
The pack went back and forth over and over again not being able to decide. Bella had already made up her mind and told them that she wouldn't give Marcus up. It would be impossible anyways since there were bonded now. The only person who seemed to be on her side was Jake and even she knew that it was only because he loved her and would rather compromise for Marcus to stay than for her to leave.
Bella had enough of the pointless circle they were going in so she left around 1 to prepare food for Charlie and the rest of the station. She needed to be moving and being near this much hatred was getting to her.
Jake reluctantly let her go since she asked to be left alone for a while.
"We cannot allow those leeches on our land." Paul said again.
"It's better than having Bella go across the world. They might brainwash her into changing and then we will all lose her." Jake spat out hating this stupid cycle.
"We won't let her leave then." Paul yelled getting desperate.
"Are you even hearing yourself now?" Jake yelled back.
"Enough." Sam said loudly to everyone. "Bella made her choice and now we have to make ours."
Sorry for the wait but my birthday and mother's day party just passed so I had a lot of things to do.
Let me know what you thought about the chapter in the reviews. Here are a few things I didn't mention.
Collin brought the guys shorts in his mouth. Very few wolves are okay with showing their twig and berries to everyone.