Chapter Twenty Six

The Council

When I awoke it was to my name being called softly. It was nearly dusk and Nahuel was smiling down at me. "The meeting is about to begin." He said and I nodded we walked together back to camp and I saw that a gigantic fire had been lit in the center of camp, people were gathered around it. I sat next to the pack, their losses had been heavy, the two packs might have to become one once more. Sam had lost some of the boys that I had never known, I remembered them introducing themselves and could not believe that it was only a few days ago. I tried to remember the names of the missing ones, Fredric the one I had teased had joked with was gone and Aden was also missing. Jared who had been a part of the pack was gone now as was Paul, who had a temper but you would have never known it when he looked into Rachel's eyes. None of them had come out of the battle unscathed and Sam was lying down, his body slowly healing from so many wounds that it was a wonder that he had not joined Jacob in death.

Jacob, I felt a sob escape looking at the torn up packs looking so lost. I needed to see my children to make sure that in so much death that they were alright, I entered the tent and at once I was surrounded by small bodies. "Where's Papa?" A little girl asked. "When are they coming for us." I could not tell the children and yet at the same time I knew I had to, that we now had a third of the beings we had when going into battle.

My little daughter looked so frightened. Daddy?

"Your daddy is fine, but Jacob..." I sobbed trying not to think about his body and failing.

Its gonna be alright Mama, I'll make it alright." She said my little girl I loved her so much. I hugged her tightly to me for a moment before letting her go.

"I'm not going to lie to you, some of your parents may be dead." The children started to wail around me and I hugged them to me. I knew how futile the words everything will be fine are and I wasn't going to use them, for so many children the world would never be the same again. "Why don't we go out in the camp and find your families?" I was glad that they had cleaned up the camp and I think that the children would help their parents or relatives spirits. I took the hand of my daughter and picked up Alex, he had grown a little while we were at the camp and looked a little under eight months old now. The children fallowed me out running to their parents with cries of Mama and Papa, but the older ones I had befriended stayed behind most likely not yet willing to face what had happened yet, as was I. I felt my heart tighten at the twenty who looked around searching for their parents and didn't find either of them. I sat down and they huddled close to me for comfort sobbing, I knew what I would feel if I lost my mother or father and I was relieved that none of my coven had been hurt. They were talking with the Volturi, as none of the others wanted to deal with vampires at the moment.

Slowly some adults came over to the little group and I was glad that the children would at least have someone. Zachery was on my lap I had seen his father and his mother in the forest, this little boy was now a orphan like the rest of the children around me. I saw how many children had lost one parent and were so happy to have the other. It was so wrong that these children with me would grow up without their parents but I knew that they would be cared for by others in their comunity. Sammy was in her dog form again not old enough to know what was going on around her she was pouncing on Alex who smiled and started to play as well, it eased some of the pain watching them play together, my son and Sam's daughter. Emily was also smiling watching them play with me.

"They are so beautiful." She said and I nodded it was then that I felt it for the first time, something stirring within me, I put a hand to my stomach although I could not yet feel it through my hand. I wondered if I was going to have a boy or a girl but it didn't matter then, nothing mattered but breathing one breath at a time. I heard someone blow a horn and went over to the fire, the children fallowing behind me looking so lost.

"So we have agreed to a treaty however, we shall make it and you sign it. If you object the fighting begins again and I am sure that the half vampires would be more then willing to help." I smiled as Marcus shuddered before nodding.

"That sounds fair." He replied and the mage who had spoken smiled.

"I thought you would say that and that is why my people and I have made a contract, if you sign and break it you and your people shall die horrible deaths by the elements. The treaty reads as fallows, the Volturi are no longer the rulers of everything magical, instead there will be a council comprised of the leaders of each of the magical races, this council will decide upon important matters and none of them will take it into their own hands to do something before speaking with another group. The Volturi will still rule over the vampires but even should they fail the contract will still be kept with the new rulers, the same goes for future generations of the now leaders. In return for this none will attack a vampire unless their terrortory or lives are threatened." I nodded and signed the back as it went around after everyone had signed the Volturi left and everyone started cheering. We had lost people but we were still alive where it could have been much worse.

I snuggled into Nahuel as he wrapped an arm around me, Amelia was curled in Embry's lap and he was gently stroking her hair as she slept. I saw the tent flap move and the teenagers come out together standing proudly and walking out with the power they would soon possess. Mariah however was stopped in the tent flap staring at Seth who was looking into the fire oblivious. I stood up slowly careful not to wake Alex and went over to her. I saw the love and utter devotion in her face and knew that she had imprinted, I gently took her hand and led her to Seth, he seemed so lost without Jacob, and I knew that Jacob considered him to be like a younger brother. I gently tapped him on his shoulder and he turned to face me, however he stopped half way, his breath hitching and he let out a little gasp as he saw Mariah standing with me, I gently steered him next to her and she sat down. He put an arm around her and she tenderly touched his face. Her father came over a ghost of a smile on his face and sat next to Seth.

"Take care of her." He said and Seth nodded. I went back to Nahuel and allowed him to lull me into sleep, I felt for the first time in days safe in his arms.