I half expected Edward to burst out laughing but his expression remained completely serious, his eyes fixated on mine. It was silent for a few minutes before I realised he was waiting for me to respond. "What… what does that mean exactly?" I choke out.

"I never thought it would happen to me." His expression was one of awe. "It means you were born to be with me and I to be with you. Our souls are destined to love one another, if you believe that we have souls. Humans who stay together for years and years can be described as soul-mates but in vampires that love can absolutely remain eternal. We have one love, forever." His eyes were molten gold.

I swallow reflexively. "And you believe such a concept exists? Are soul-mates not just a human invention for people who remain together for a very long time?"

"I've seen it time and time again Bella." He says, very softly. "Vampires finding their mates. Carlisle and Esme, Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett; they are all mated. They will stay together for eternity. And now, I've found you." His expression was one of pure unadulterated joy.

I couldn't help but smile back at him. "For eternity?" I whisper.

"Forever."

Our eyes connected and held for what seemed like several minutes before he took a deep breath. "This is probably not the best time but we should be returning back to the house. We've been gone for several hours and I hate to worry Esme."

I smile at him. "I understand. Let us go back then."

/

Me and Edward raced each other back to the house. Now my fury had faded he was faster than me, even with my newborn strength. Like the gentleman he was Edward skidded to a halt a few yards away from his house and waited for me to catch up so we could walk the rest of the way together.

Edward's warm hand grasped my own and it felt so natural my breath quickened. My head however, had different ideas to my heart. "Edward," I murmur, "your family. Soul-mates or not, will they not think this has happened too quickly?"

He stops suddenly, forcing me to stop with him, turning his golden eyes on me. "Bella, Rosalie got Carlisle to change Emmett after he was mauled by a bear. She hadn't known him beforehand. She simply saw him as he lay dying, in the last throes of his life and knew there was something about him that drew him to her. Carlisle also changed Esme on a fleeting look. Guaranteed, he had met her as a teenager but after one look at her when she was dying, he couldn't just let her die. Just like I can't leave you alone." He finishes quietly.

I voice my last fear. "What… what if your family don't accept me?"

Edward relaxes, laughing softly. "They will." He says assuredly. "Trust me on that." He winks as he pushes open the front door.

As soon as Edward enters the mammoth hallway a pale figure immediately jumps on him, surprisingly him, but he manages to keep hold of my hand. I scowl as I spot the strawberry blonde hair and realise it's no one other than Tanya who is hugging Edward.

Then I freeze.

That was a bad thing.

"I was so worried about you Edward!" Tanya cries. "You were gone so long."

"We got… caught up." Edward says sheepishly, gently extracting himself from Tanya.

She smiles brightly at him, completely ignoring my presence. "Well you're back now. That's all that matters. I wanted to tell you that maybe I came on a bit strong earlier and we can start again and maybe work our way up to that in the future if you want…" Tanya's voice breaks off in a strangled choke as her gaze falls to our linked hands.

I grimace, unable to stop the feeling of guilt. Edward looks equally as guilty. "What?" Tanya chokes.

Edward grimaces and I can only guess Tanya's thoughts aren't pleasant. "I'm… I'm seeing how things go with Bella." He murmurs.

Tanya fixes furious golden eyes on me. "With her? You said you didn't want a relationship." She growls.

Edward shifts slightly closer to me, not taking his eyes off Tanya. "And I didn't lie to you." He says softly. "This wasn't planned. It just…happened."

"I don't believe you." She turns hurt golden eyes to Edward. "I bet you've liked her all along!"

"Tanya. She's my mate." Edward says softly.

Tanya gasps and some of the hurt disappears from her expression. "Are you sure?" She asks breathlessly.

"Completely certain." Edward nods. "And you know what that means."

Tanya looks miserable. "That it's out of your control." She takes a deep breath. "I… I wanted to try and see how things went between us."

"I know." Edward says apologetically. "I'm sorry, Tanya."

She turns carefully guarded eyes to me. "I won't begrudge Edward's wishes of being with you but you should count yourself a very lucky person." She scowls. I nod sincerely at her and she bites her full bottom lip. "It doesn't mean I have to like it!" She mutters before stomping out the room. She slams the dining hall door behind her with enough force that it falls off its hinges.

"Tanya? What's happened?" Kate asks, suddenly appearing in the room. Then she realises Tanya's gone. "Tanya, get back here right now!" She yells.

Tanya blurs back into the room, her expression furious. Esme blurs downstairs, followed by Carlisle and Irina.

"Are you sure you're okay dear?" Esme asks worriedly, looking at Tanya's scowling face.

"I'm fine." Tanya says, her voice strangled.

Edward kicks the front door behind us shut and sighs. "Here we go." He mutters so quietly I'm sure I'm the only one who can hear him.

"No you're not." Kate presses. "What's happened?"

Tanya shakes her head and doesn't reply. Kate turns to me and Edward, a puzzled expression on her face. "Edward? Can you tell me what's happened to… whoa." She exclaims, spotting our linked hands.

"Kate?" Carlisle asks suddenly, frowning.

A brown blur flits into the room before anyone can say anything. Alice slides smoothly down the banister landing in front of the ensemble of vampires. "This is painful!" She exclaims. "Like pulling teeth! Let me put this delicately… Edward and Bella are together, as in an item. Please, get over it already." She ignores the shocked faces of everyone present as she turns to us. "Well, you took your time!" She gushes. "I've been waiting ages for you two to get together!"

"It's only been a few days Alice." I say drily.

Alice giggles. "That's way too long."

"Maybe for those of us who can see the future." Edward adds. "But for the rest of us, it's rather quick."

Alice raises her eyebrows at him before turning to me. "So Bella, how was it then?"

"How was what?" I ask, honestly confused.

Edward drew in a shocked breath as Alice answers. "Kissing Edward, duh!" She giggles.

I stare at Alice incredulously and Edward chuckles loudly at my expression. "Alice." I say, scandalised. "I'm not going to tell you what kissing your brother was like." I growl and hear my growl mirrored by Tanya.

Edward laughs even harder when Alice's facial expression falls, ignoring the shocked silence in the room. "Why not?" She whines.

I elbow Edward sharply in the ribs as he doubles over laughing. He broke off with a gasp and I wince sympathetically. "Sorry." I mutter. "Still getting used to the strength."

"It's fine." He gasps before his voice returns to normal. "Give me a moment to check for bruises."

I roll my eyes at him. "Shut up Edward. Even I know vampires don't bruise."

He grins at me. "Just testing."

"You really are together." Carlisle's shocked voice sounds across the space.

"Yes." Edward says quietly.

Esme launches herself at us suddenly, yanking us both into a tight hug. "Oh I'm so happy!" She exclaims, before releasing us and looking at me. "Thank you so much Bella."

"I didn't do anything." I confess.

She smiles softly. "You've finally ended my son's loneliness. Of course you have."

Tanya snorts suddenly and I turn to look at her. Kate is glaring at Edward. "I thought you said you didn't want a relationship." She accuses, shifting into a crouch.

I immediately step in front of Edward without another thought. I would protect him. Edward smoothly pulls me back. "I wasn't looking for a relationship." He says calmly. "But some things are beyond my control."

"Bella is Edward's mate." Tanya says, her voice venomous.

Everyone turns and stares at her in shock. Carlisle is the first to recover. "Edward's mate." He repeats, his voice stunned.

He wasn't looking at Edward, but Edward answered. "It's true Carlisle. She's my soulmate." He says quietly.

"That explains a lot." Carlisle muses before hesitating. He closes his mouth with an audible snap, choosing not to voice his opinions out loud.

Completely forgetting about Edward's mind reading abilities in the process. Edward scowls at him. "Yes I'm aware of the dangers." He says shortly. "But I can control myself."

I nod firmly as Carlisle looks guilty. "I'm sorry for thinking such a thing Edward, but I want to protect everyone here and if this ends badly… I dread to think of the impact."

I must have had a confused expression on my face because Alice speaks, focusing solely on me, ignoring the other vampires in the room. "Do you honestly think that any of us want to look into Edward's eyes for the next century if he loses you?" She murmurs. "Particularly if it was his doing?"

Edward growls curtly and tightens his grip on my hand and I squeeze it reassuringly. "Alice. I think Edward can control himself. He's had plenty of opportunities to kill me already." I say fiercely and Edward relaxes slightly.

"Let us hope you are not wrong." Alice says stubbornly and I feel a flash of anger. I abruptly let go of Edward's hand and stalk over to Alice, ignoring the now worried murmurs in the room. "Will you just give it a rest? Do you even have any idea how hard this is for him? He's doing so incredibly well so far!" I yell and Alice jumps backwards, her expression upset.

Jasper suddenly materialises besides Alice, his expression furious. "Back off!" He growls at me.

Edward instantaneously grabs me and yanks me behind him. "No you back off Jasper! Bella has a right to say whatever she wants to Alice!" He growls back.

"Why the hell are you defending her Edward?" Jasper yells. "Did you hear the way she spoke to…" He breaks off suddenly with a gasp, his golden eyes fixating on mine. "What the hell have you done to my brother?"

I frown at him behind Edward, who still hadn't released me. "What do you mean? I'm stood right here. I haven't done anything." I say, perplexed.

"His emotions. I've never seen anything like them." Jasper breathes.

I look at Edward curiously but he is fixated on Jasper. "Think about it." He sighs.

Jasper is silent for a second and then his golden eyes widen. "You're in love with her!" He exclaims, staring at me.

"Oh I've had enough!" Tanya screams suddenly and Edward yanks me to his side. "It's one thing for all this to happen but you insist on rubbing it in my face!" With a strangled cry he rushes past Edward and through the front door, where I'd been only moments before.

The door had been closed and now it was a pile of rubble on the floor.

Esme sighs, pressing her hand to her head. "That's the second door today." She murmurs.

I grimace, guilt lancing my chest. "I'm sorry." I mutter.

She turns warm golden eyes on me. "Oh no dear. Don't be sorry for anything! It's not your fault!"

"Yes it really is." Kate mutters before she and Irina blur out of the broken front door after their sister.

"Don't worry." Edward murmurs to me. "They'll come round."

"Incoming!" Alice sings suddenly and sure enough Rosalie and Emmett appear at the top of the stairs grinning at each other and holding hands, looking rather dishevelled.

No prizes to guess what they'd been doing.

Rosalie's happy expression instantly vanishes as she spots the remains of the two broken doors. "What happened here?" She demands.