The Secret Beneath the Roses
Chapter 24: The Flowers Prevail
A/N: This chapter was nowhere nearly supposed to take this long to come out but time got away with me, as did my motivation to write for this series. But finally, here's the official last chapter.
"Jacob?" Bella gasped out as she opened the door for her hurt friend. He was panting hard, face sweaty, and blood staining his ripped clothes. He had been leaning heavily on the doorway only to fall down into Bella's strong arms upon her opening the door. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern bleeding into her voice.
"What's going on here," Edward popped into the hallway, having smelt the mutt.
"Clear the couch," Bella ordered as she tugged Jake into the room. "And get him some water."
Edward zoomed to it, laying out blankets for Jake on the couch and fetching him a glass of water. The shapeshifter took the glass with shaking hands and gulped it all down, spilling some on his chin from how rapidly he was drinking. Bella peeked up his shirt to check if the blood was fresh but it wasn't. Whatever wounds he had had, had already been repaired by his natural healing factor.
"Jake, what happened? What's going on? Who did this to you?" Bella crouched next to him, knowing she had to give him some time to relax but needing to know right away what had occured.
Jake handed the empty glass back to Edward who went to refill it. Jake drank this one more slowly, sitting up with a grunt. "It's her. That vampire bitch," he said, his hands shaking on the glass less strongly now. "She took over the whole group."
"What do you mean?" Edward questioned, body going still.
"We were looking out for her, keeping an eye out in case she tried to come after you guys, or after the people in town. But what we didn't know is that we should have been worried for ourselves. I don't know what that bitch did, but suddenly all our bonds are out of wack."
Bella and Edward felt cold dread settle onto their shoulders. They knew about Sulpicia's powers to contort vampire bonds to her own wills. But wolf bonds? She could control those too?
"Just what exactly do you mean by that?" Bella whispered, her voice a hoarse little thing.
"We can communicate with each other nonverbally. Thoughts, images, its what makes us work so idiosyncratically. And I thought it was only a thing we could tap into. But she got to Sam somehow, and because he's the leader of the pack, she was able to use him to get into our network." Jake let out a groan as the glass dropped from his hand and shattered onto the floor, the two vampires too stunned to use their fast speeds to catch it. He squeezed his eyes shut, bending in on himself.
Bella put a hand on his shoulder, comforting him. Edward gave her a look, pondering what they should do next.
"You need to hurry," Jake gasped out, clenching and unclenching his shaking fists. "I managed to get away from her control but my escape is not absolute. The closer she is, the more control she has over us. And she can see everything I can. She knows where you are now. But I'm sorry, I had to come here and warn you."
Bella stood up at this, eyes burning in fury. How dare that vampire bitch hurt her friend like this, try to hurt her whole coven. "Edward, we need to gather everyone else." He nodded his head before zipping away, intent on finding Carlisle and Esme first.
"Is she here for Alice and Rosalie?" Bella asked, needing to know more information.
"Yes. And for the rest of you too. She wants revenge for her coup failing." Jake suddenly got up at this, staggering around, hand over his head. "I'm sorry. I can't stay here. I need to leave. She's going to control me if I stay and fight for you."
"I understand. Thank you for telling us," Bella placed a gentle hand on his back.
He smiled painfully at her. "Hurry. She's not far." And then he exploded into wolf form and ran off.
Alice and Rosalie were out ice skating. The lake formed a natural ice rink in it's frozen state and the two of them made the most of the opportunity, smiling to themselves as they skated hand in hand. The chill air whipped around them and would have been unbearable on human flesh but they barely felt the cold. All they could focus on was each other and how nice this felt. Nice to be together. Nice to finally not shy away from their feelings and be able to hang out properly.
"Watch this," Alice said and letting go of Rosalie's hand briefly, did a twirl in the air, spinning around three times before landing daintily on the ice. Professional ice skaters would be jealous if they could see the grace and ease with which Alice moved on the ice. Because of her vampiric speeds she could do more than three spins in the air, which was the usual human limit. Maybe Alice would think of becoming an ice skater? Just for a couple of years so she could break records and leave benchmarks that no one else could best.
It was nice to fantasize sometimes.
Rosalie clapped at Alice's performance. "Another ten points for you." Rosalie too was wonderful on the ice, all smooth motions and killer sharp turns and even flips. But, she enjoyed watching Alice skate more, simply because of the pure joy on the vampire's face as she got to do it.
"Thank you, thank you," Alice pretended she was waving to a crowd and did several mock bows when her back stiffened. She slowly straightened up, eyes narrowed and hackles raised. Something wasn't right. There was an overpowering smell of wolf coming from over the hill above the lake. Rosalie turned and looked there too immediately posturing in front of Alice protectively. A second later they saw it, a pack of wolves coming towards them. And not just any type, it was the wolves from the Reservation.
"Why are they here?" Alice asked, eyeing the fur standing up on their shoulders and the hungry look in their eyes.
"For no good reason," Rosalie spat because another familiar scent flooded her nostrils. She was too well acquainted with this one. It belonged to the vampire she hated the most.
Sulpicia.
The aforementioned woman parted the wave of wolves and came to a rest at the crest of the hill, the wolves stalling behind her, tails wagging, ears flicking, awaiting her commands. Jane and Alec were not too far behind her, standing dutifully behind her shoulders. She stood on top of the hill, taking in a deep inhale and closing her eyes as to enjoy the smell of the wilderness around her.
"What a nice place this is," she commented airily, dark eyes roving over the landscape and paying no attention to Alice and Rosalie. The two Cullen's were panicking, their good day and mood ruined by the sudden appearance of their adversaries. How had Sulpicia found them? Had the wolves betrayed them? So this was why Alice couldn't sight Sulpicia these past weeks. It was because the woman's presence had been hidden by the wolves.
"Sam, you betrayed us?" Rosalie growled out only for the wolf leader to growl back at her.
"Heel, Sam," Sulpicia reprimanded. "It is not time to fight yet. You shall have your fill of vampire slaying just like I promised." The wolf licked his chomps but settled back down. She then turned her cool gaze to the two vampires below her. "He didn't want to betray you- these mutts were strangely loyal to you. But it's nothing that my powers cannot handle."
"She rewrote their bonds?" Alice gasped out. "How can she do that?"
"I don't know, but that's the least of our concerns right now. We need to be worried about getting away," Rosalie said, inching towards Alice and grasping onto her hand for strength. She hadn't come so far, fought so hard, only to lose Alice once more. No, she was going to keep Alice safe by all means even if that included turning tail and running like a coward. Alice too felt the same way. She would tear apart hell and heaven if it meant keeping Rosalie safe and out of this mess that Alice had dragged them into. But for now, it seemed like tearing up ground in their escape would be best.
"You won't be getting away this time," Sulpicia promised with a sickening grin. It dropped a second later when she scented something on the breeze. Alice did too and she wanted to almost sob in relief. They turned around and right behind, racing fast towards them, were the Cullen's and the Denali's. They slowed down once they reached the two women, standing with back's tall, fangs bared. They looked pissed and itching for a fight. Emmett was poundeing one hand into the other, Edward's jaw was clenched tightly, Bella's eyes were dark. Esme was visibly bristling, Jasper's lips were curled back, Tanya had her teeth bared and hands clawed to injure, Irene and Kate were standing in battle positions. Carlisle was the only one who looked relaxed but it was not to be mistaken that he wasn't pissed off, because he was. He was just better at hiding it. "We meet again, Sulpicia."
"I wasn't looking for you, but your daughters. We have some unfinished business," she cut in coldly. "So, if you value your lives, leave now." No one moved on her word.
"I happen to value my daughter's lives, so I think I'll have to pass on the offer," Carlisle said calmly.
"Shame, that such a bright mind as you will be extinguished," she gave a lazy one shouldered shrug.
"You don't have to do this," he tried to reason with her.
"Oh, but I do," she spat viciously, her tone darkening. "My plan was ruined! I was going to rule the Volturi and now thanks to your meddling, I rule nothing!"
"War does not need to be the way you assuage the wrong done to you. Let our friends free and we can reach a compromise by way of speech," he offered.
"I think not," she refused.
They were going to fight again, Alice just knew it. She didn't need her powers to see this happening. Yet, she wished she did have them. With the wolves here she couldn't see the future outcome of this battle. She didn't want her family and the Denali's lives to be put on the line. She didn't even want the wolves to get hurt but there was no telling what would happen.
"Don't worry Alice, we will stop at nothing to protect you and Rosalie," Esme said softly to her daughter, rubbing her shoulder. "You did nothing wrong. She is just power hungry." Alice nodded her head but Rosalie swallowed guiltily. She felt that this was her fault. If only she hadn't gone to the Volturi to ask them to break her bonds, this never would have happened.
"Everyone, ready the battle positions we've talked about," Emmett instructed the other vampires who nodded their heads solemnly. They had all come together as quickly as possible and planned out some battle techniques to taking down Sulpicia and her makeshift army. Everything had been tight on time, so they only hoped they would be able to stem her barrage.
"Alice and Rosalie, you should-"
"I swear, if you tell us to stay behind, I will flay you," Rosalie threatened and with the way Edward snapped his mouth shut, he had been about to say it.
"Sulpicia is ours," Alice added, intent on finally ending that infuriating vampire once and for all.
"But it's dangerous," Bella started and Alice shook her head. She knew her friend was concerned for her but it was fine. She was a nearly ninety year old vampire, she could handle herself, especially if Rosalie was on her side. She knew she could face the most impossible of tasks if the blonde was there.
"Bella, we have to do this. It's the only way to truly end the mess between us and the Volturi remnants." Rosalie grasped Alice's hand tightly in reassurance.
Sulpicia gave a wordless command and the wolves were running down the hill, Alec and Jane closely behind them.
The battle had begun.
The battle could only be described as a frenzy as the two forces rushed at each other on the ice, slipping and sliding towards fangs and claws. Howls cut through the air following the sound of ripping skin and colliding of fists onto hard lean bodies. Each vampire had an intended target. The Denali's along with Jasper and Emmett were to hold off the wolf pack. Jasper with his hold over emotions, was to calm them down, try to break through to them so they could see reason. But whatever Sulpicia had done to them was strong for they evaded his efforts in returning back to their normal state of mind. So the two sides fought, the vampires trying not to harm the wolves whereas the wolves were all too glad to sink their teeth into hard flesh.
Edward and Bella were to take on Jane. With Bella's shield powers, Jane's powers couldn't work on them, which made them the perfect opponents to her. They knew they could defeat her easily. Bella was hoping to avoid having to kill the smaller vampire; she was after all young. But Edward had no such qualms. He believed her to be evil, and to enjoy tormenting people. Besides, her body may be young but her mind was old and corrupted by the Volturi's ways. There would be no point in keeping her alive because she would not repent nor change her actions.
Bella didn't like Edward's reasoning but she agreed to it, because he was older than her and he knew the ways of vampires better.
Carlisle had originally planned to take on Sulpicia himself but seeing as his daughters were doing it now, he relegated himself to taking on Alec with his wife.
"I worry for them, Carlisle," she spoke, ducking under Alec's swing. Carlisle grabbed the outstretched arm and snapped it at the elbow. Alec roared in pain and pulled back, needing distance so his arm could recover. The couple pressed forward, not giving him recovery time.
"I do too, but it seems to me this is something they must do in order to validate their mate bond," he commented while upper cutting Alec in the jaw as Esme kicked him in the gut. "And they've faced her before. They know her tricks. They know her ways, and they will not be so easily turned against each other."
"I hope so," Esme murmured softly, spinning around and elbowing Alec in the nose hard enough to shatter it. They were not letting up their attack on him, breaking him down to rubble and dust. All he could do was snarl in frustration and whimper in pain.
And up slightly away from the fight was Sulpicia gliding slowly on the ice. She eyed Alice and Rosalie as they approached her, her eyes giving away nothing. "You two have given me more trouble in such a short span of time than I've had in most of my lifetime."
"Thanks, we try," Alice cut in, smiling cheerily even though nerves thrummed through her body, making her feel on edge, ready to flee or pounce.
Sulpicia gave a fake smile before it dropped. "But it all ends now. I will render your mate bond apart before I rip you apart, limb by limb!" she snarled and the fight began.
Alice expected the fight to take a while, to be one of those things that took maximum effort from the good guys to finish. She thought she would be fighting till she was black and blue, till she was a bloody beaten mess and had to have one of those hope speeches to inspire her and Rosalie to go on. But none of that happened; Alice had apparently watched one action movie too many.
What there was, was a lot of ducking and weaving and blows exchanged but nothing too damaging. Both Cullen vampires had their skates on and it gave them the advantage they needed. No matter how fast a vampire was, ice was still slippery without skates on. This was a fact the Cullen's and their vampire friends were struggling with, trying to draw the wolves onto more solid ground, and it was something Sulpicia didn't have the foresight to predict either.
What practiced moves she had were made clumsy or unsteady and when she tried to head back to solid ground, Rosalie and Alice cornered her in.
"Don't think you can get away from us, Sulpicia," Alice said as she raked her sharp nails down the other woman's face. Sulpicia retaliated with a kick but Alice ducked it and Sulpicia, unsteady on the ice, slipped backwards onto her back where she fell down hard. Rosalie was right behind her and in the perfect position to stomp down hard enough to cut a line across Sulpicia's next with her skate.
Sulpicia gurgled as she tried to pry herself free, hands clawing up to the skate but Rosalie didn't let up, only grinding down harder and harder, the skate's blade sinking in deeper and deeper until Sulpicia's thrashing stopped and she lay still, her head separated from her body. The cut was jagged, and it had been a painful and long way to be beheaded
She was finally gone...and in such a short span of time.
Alice was shocked. She had expected more. Had felt like all these months waiting for her had been a build up...and now, there was this disappointing finish. Alice shook her head. She should be happy it was this easy, should be happy they didn't have to suffer more injuries. It was...just she wanted to beat up Sulpicia more for all she had done with her vile powers. And now she couldn't.
"Are you okay?" Rosalie asked softly as sounds of battle around them began to drop. The wolves were no longer beholden to Sulpicia's powers and they were shaking their heads like they were waking up from a deep sleep. Alec had long been dispatched by Alice's parents and Bella and Edward were now chasing down Jane who had decided to flee battle into the woods.
"I'm fine," Alice leaned into Rosalie's delicate hold on her cheek. "Just surprised."
"Me too. Who knew ice skating is not only a professional sport, but a profession of killing too?" Rosalie said, her eyes alive with adrenaline and joy and something else. Relief. That's what it was. Alice was sure her own face mirrored those exact same sentiments. They were finally free of the cloud that hung over their heads. The biggest concern and threat on their lives was over. They wouldn't have to live in doubt and worry any longer.
"Now what do we do?" Alice asked as she watched Carlisle approach Sam and try to talk to him about what to do.
"Now we take it easy," Rosalie said, and holding her mate's hand, they went to help any injured person's.
It takes a little bit of time for things to return back to normal. The wolves apologize for what transpired and Carlisle assures them there is no harm done for they were forced into working for Sulpicia. The pack then returns back home to lick their wounds and keep Fork's safe. Jane is defeated as well, wiping out a vital Volturi power that can never be used for bad measures again. The Cullen's are going to stay up in Alaska a while longer, going to figure out what do with their lives next. They need a new home, for they do not want to impose on the Denali's kindness forever, and they also need new jobs and identities.
But Alice already knows what she wants to do with her life next, and it is to spend it with Rosalie. She wants to see the world with her, wants to spend time cuddling together, wants to simply be around her. She grabs onto Rosalie's hand, lacing their fingers together as the rest of the Cullen's argue around the dinner table on what to do. "Ready?" Alice asks and Rosalie needs no more clarification. She knows that this means are they ready to take a step further in their relationship, that it means are they ready for whatever comes next. And they are. If they survived such a tumultuous start to their relationship than they can get through anything.
"Ready," Rosalie says and smiles as they lean into a kiss.
Because this might be the end of one chapter of their life, but plenty more await them.
Fin
