Part 1 - Chapter 9: Preparations
Both Risa and Alice were on constant lookout for the Volturi. But, of course, I was the one to give us some time frame. I was painting once more and the finished product was Aro and Caius flanked by Marcus and Diomedes. They were in the mountains of Forks with their army. But the distinct characteristic that gave us warning was the storm clouds in the sky and the leaves on the ground. Autumn was the time they would attack.
We prepared with training from everyone. We also strategized. At the moment, Aro was seeking out almost all of us. Everyone with powers. Especially Alice, Edward, and Bella. Carlisle theorized that they would crave me too, but wasn't exactly worried as long as I stayed away from Aro. But I was known to rebel. Bella was our most valuable assets. She would most likely not be fighting. She would likely be on the sidelines watching and protecting all of us with her shield. But that changed when my portrait was painted.
There were more in the Volturi than Carlisle had been prepared. While there were fifty of us along with however many werewolves, we were still close in number. They had thirty-four in their guard, but all of the witnesses prepared to fight added up to just a few shy of sixty. We all hoped it was enough. The burning in my veins never exactly went away, but was dull enough eventually for me to get back on in my life. School had started a few weeks before I remembered it once more. If my calculations were correct, the Volturi would be here a few days after Halloween. So I went to the school.
Pierre, Molly, Vincent, Lana, and Marina all followed suit, but took up different last names as if they were cousins. I was the only Cullen as Marina and Molly were named Roberts. Lana and Pierre became Monets as Vincent kept his human last name Young. Carlisle and Esme were unhappy with me, but Renesmee and Jacob joined also. Along with us was Benjamin, Tia, and Nahuel. I believe Tanya would have come, but she decided she wouldn't crowd the corridors.
School was simple for us. We were only doing it to keep our mind off of the Volturi. The week of Halloween, however, we were very careful. Time was going by quickly, so we joined the more mature vampires in preparing. We ended up with twenty-one werewolves. Pretty much every Quiluete boy between the ages of thirteen and twenty. But there was a single girl like this werewolf Leah Clearwater I heard of several times. This one's name was Annaleah after Sam's ex-girlfriend whom had been the only other female werewolf. Too complicated for me, really.
The day of Halloween came with a warning of thunderstorms as we we all sat in suspense. The burning in my veins increased so much that I pulled Alice aside and whispered, "I think they may come tonight." And they did. I was the only one who could smell them. Their scent was of paper, but there was a single smell that stuck out among the large crowd. It was of something...familiar. And that was when I retrieved my first memory.
