LPOV

"Demitri is here."

I looked over at Tom, puzzled. He and Edward both looked as confused as each other. No one could look me in the eye. I don't know which hurt me more; the fact that Tom had been lying to me, or the fact that everyone else knew and I didn't.

"Demitri is here" Tom repeated the words, though this time not stating fact, but with sadness entering his voice as he acknowledged the truth.

"Who's Demitri?" I asked, looking at Pip and Jo. I had no idea who this person was. I could feel the tension that this person's name had produced; everyone was so serious.

Except Emmett, of course.

"Hey, that's fine, we let him go before, so why don't we get him this time?!" If he could have jumped up and down on the spot, he would. The excitement was even in his voice.

"Who. Is. Demitri?" I demanded, this time looking at Edward. I could practically hear the cogs whirring. Tom let out a sigh, as he walked over to sit on a fallen tree behind Pip and Jo. They watched him carefully.

"I think you and Lena need to discuss this in private Tom." Edward spoke low, his arms around Bella.

"Edward? What's going on?" Bella looked as confused as I'm sure I did. She pushed him back slightly, though her hands never left his. He pulled her away a little, telling her he would explain later.

The others left quickly, but only after a stern look from Edward. Pip and Jo grabbed Charli, even though she had become quite attatched to me. As they left, one by one, they all smiled apologetically, making the realisation of being the last to know reappear.

I turned to Tom, hands on my hips.

"So, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on, or do I have to go and face this 'Demitri' myself?" I was angry. Not at Tom, I already understood that if he had wanted me to know about this in the first place, he would have told me before now.

Silver met red-flecked topaz as he looked up at me.

"I'd rather die than let you go to him Lena." Tom stood now, shaking with fury. Even an idiot could see that he meant every word.

"Then tell me what's going on." I tried not to sound so impatient with him, but it was hard. After nearly 23 years of knowing him, it suddenly felt like I didn't know him at all.

Tom sighed, looking down at the floor again. This was going to be hard for him, I could tell.

"Please Tom, we haven't had any secrets from each other before, so why now?"

"I've kept this from you your whole life, and yet now I feel like I should have told you right from the start. It's the only secret I've kept from you though. But please understand it was to protect you. Nothing more."

I sat down beside him, my legs shaking uncontrollably. My entire body felt numb, even though it was quite hot, even in Forks. I took his hand in mine, waiting for him to begin. I knew from his tone that he was trying to supress tears, even some emotion.

"Lena, when I... left you before." He looked up at me, his eyes not meeting mine. That time was painful for both of us, even after nearly 10 years. "I didn't want to exist anymore, knowing I'd hurt you so much. So, I went to the Volturi."

I looked at him confused. What had the Volturi got to do with anything?

"Okay... ?"

"I wanted you to be able to live without me permanently Lena. But, they declined to terminate me." I gasped as it sunk in that he asked them to kill him.

"Instead, they asked me to join them."