My back hit the wall, and Rosalie's mouth was on mine; a snarl was passed through our lips as my urge to kill suddenly changed its focus into another intense but safer need.

The edges of my eyes were still dark when I spun the two of us around and slammed my hands next to Rosalie's head. I could feel my fingers making indents in the wall.

Our rough kiss didn't stop until I could think clearly again. Slowly pulling back from my Rose, I realized what had happened. "Rose?" I whispered as she moved my hair from my face.

Her eyes moved over my shaking form as her mouth pressed in a straight line, I couldn't tell what she was feeling, but I knew whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Alice, your sunglasses" was the only thing Rosalie said as she took the dark shades and placed them over my face. I guess the contacts had dissolved during my frenzy.

Amber's panicked face appeared out of the crowd. "What happened?" she questioned as a guilty-looking Alice and Rosalie stood by my side, each holding an arm as they ushered me outside.

Getting another whiff of blood, I felt myself vibrate as I let out another growl once again. Alice covered my nose as we ran towards the car. "Drive!" Amber pleaded as Rosalie jumped in.

The ride home was faster than the ride there, and I guess that had something to do with me being a lot less calm this time around.

My mind buzzed with thoughts of chasing the scent back to the mall where I could still track the woman to, then a flash of guilt hit as I thought about my first kiss with Rosalie.

It was supposed to be romantic, something I would recount for years to come. A sonnet of my own love for my soulmate, but instead, it was the product of a different kind of lust.

Alice and Amber were repeating calming things as we drove, but it was the panic and dread on my soulmate's face that kept me in my blood rage. I did that to her, and it was unforgivable.

I knew she was probably thinking of the repercussions of my actions and what would happen if the Volturi ever found out that I was unstable in the presence of humans.

Skidding to a stop, Rosalie didn't even manage to get the car in the garage before I bounded from the car. My heckles raised as I calculated any threats in my vicinity.

Letting out a loud growl, I was met with not just one but three of my new brothers all standing side by side, almost waiting to see if I would fight or cool off.

Edward was the first to try and talk me down, but with a roar, I lept. Having already read my mind, met me halfway as he and Emmett grabbed my arms.

Jasper calmly stood before me as he tried to bring me back to lucidity; my undead heart gave a slight and unusual pang when met with the thought of hurting the empath.

"What happened?" Esme gasped when she came from the house with Carlisle in tow, the blond's eyes roaming over each of us and holding Esme back when she tried to step forward.

Alice glanced at us with glossy eyes. "I didn't see it. I'm so sorry,

Geneviève," she cried as Amber circled her arms around the petite vampire.

Edward and Emmett fought against me as Jasper soothed me with calmness. The three of them worked in tandem as they struggled to get me back under control, but my feelings were blind to my rage.

That's why I acted before I thought.

Elbowing Emmett off me, I clicked my fingers as fire exploded from my palm and covered my hand. Turning around swiftly, I stopped abruptly, seeing Rosalie in front of me.

Her hands reached for my cheeks as she cradled my face in her hands with a pleading expression. "Come back to me," she begged softly as she sniffed back her venom tears.

The fire slowly dwindled until it receded. How could she so carelessly throw herself in front of danger? Had she already forgotten the pain of our last calamity?

Carlisle stepped forward, took my arm in his hand, and gently walked us into the house. He was using a human technique of breathing in and out. He said it was good for panic attacks.

Which was strange because I had no need to breathe and hadn't done it for the last 70 years, but he said it was more for the mindfulness than the actual breathing.

The rest slowly filtered into the room, standing around almost as if waiting for something to happen. Rosalie had told everyone what happened during our day, how an accident had nearly turned deadly.

"I saw the outcomes and did everything I could to plan for them," Alice explained as she sat next to her mate, "but that woman getting hurt was an anomaly. I didn't see it".

Jasper comforted his partner as she seemingly took the blame and guilt for the situation.

"It wasn't your fault," I told her with a shaky smile, trying to help my new sister feel better. "I should have known better than to go out while still feeding on human blood."

"It's no one's fault," Esme chimed in sternly like a mother chiding her children "this was just an accident, and we're lucky that nothing came of it."

The small waves of calm were starting to build up, and I was beginning to feel better about it. "I'll mix you a drink, Geneviève. I think you'll need it after this setback".

I nodded at the patriarch's words and watched as he and Esme walked into the kitchen.

Turning to my brothers, I gave them all a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry for fighting you and almost trying to set you guys on fire" Emmett was the first to grin, returning to his usual joking self as he excitedly raved about how strong I was.

He had said that we needed to have a fight in the yard sometime. I don't think he knew what he was getting into. Edward laughed, patting me on the shoulder as he left the room to go upstairs.

Rosalie gracefully dropped down on the couch next to me as the girls began bringing in the bags, with Emmett and Jasper roped into helping. Edward had made a lucky escape with the needing to hunt excuse.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Rose. Did I hurt you?" I sniffled; this was my worst nightmare. I had promised I would never hurt my mate again, and I fear that might have been broken today.

Rosalie smiled at me, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You didn't hurt me. I was just scared," my face dropped as a venom tear rolled down my cheek, "not of you, never of you, my love. I was afraid of what would happen to you if we couldn't keep you away from the humans".

I knew what would happen; it was the one thing that terrified Henry so much that he kept me away from people.

The Volturi would learn about my existence and take me away from my family to be a part of their guard. Pyrokentics was a very strong power, and Aro was a vampire on a power trip.

I wouldn't be safe if he found me.

Rosalie would never be safe, and if there's something I've learned since gaining a soulmate, it's that I can love something wholeheartedly even if I didn't love myself.

That's why I will protect her until the end.

"I know," I mumbled, creating a small flame that shaped into a heart that broke into two pieces. "I'll try harder next time because no person on this earth, vampire, human, or wolf, will be able to take me away from you."

My soulmate let out a wail as she wrapped her arms around me. I understood why the thought of losing her was almost too much to bare. I don't know how anyone could go on after losing their soul.

"It's me and you all the way, remember?" Rose whispered in my ear as I nodded into her chest and let the comfort of being enveloped in her arms soothe my dying rage.

Letting myself sink into her embrace, I watched as Jasper pulled a book from the bookshelf and sat silently in the corner of the room, but the tides of calm washed over me like the palpitating pulse of the sea, both steady and peaceful.

"I remember."