Chapter 15 - Changing Sides

We moved swiftly through the woods in formation, only breaking ranks when a tree got in our way. As we approached the Cullens' home, I tried not to focus on the fear and dread I was feeling. What if this did not work the way we had planned it? Would we be forced to fight against the guard? What if all of our efforts failed? Was I ready to lose my life for the Cullens? I knew the answer to that one without a doubt. Even though I had spent the last ten years with the Volturi and had only been with the Cullens for a matter of months, I knew which ones I truly loved. Even if Edward were not a factor, I would have chosen the Cullens over the vampire royalty. As we approached the house, I saw the door silently open and the members of the Cullen family move out to take their places. Each of them had a set look of determination on their faces, except for Edward. His face was completely dead. He looked like a living machine, doing what he needed to do to protect his family. I had never seen such an expression on his face in the months that I had known him. Whatever the girl had done to him had left Edward a shell of what he once was. We paused right inside the tree line and solidified our formation before stepping out into the clearing around the house.

Once the guard stopped, they all dropped their hoods and looked at the Cullens, matching them up to the photos and descriptions we had been given. With a twitch of my hand, the members of the guard realigned themselves in front of the family member they were assigned to. The Cullens knew what was coming but they still gave off a look of surprise at the apparent lack of command. They had not seen my slight movement and were shocked by how we moved as a unit. We all stared, sizing each other up. The only one who seemed completely complacent about the whole thing was Alice. Her facial expression mimicked the ones of her family, however I knew it was a ruse the second she winked at me. I fought back a giggle and thought to myself stupid little devil future-seeing pixie. Before anything started, I threw up my shield to surround the Cullens and the twins. I had learned a long time ago how to split my shield into separate sections. Edward could not hear Jane or Alec's thoughts even though I was still protecting them. It was like two twin soap bubbles, connected but separate. I nodded almost imperceptibly to Jane and Alec to let them know that my shield was up and we were ready to start the proceedings.

Jane spoke up first with, "Carlisle, you and your family have been accused of crimes against the vampire world. We are here to read these charges and to dole out your sentence. You will be given a chance to defend yourself once the accusations have been read."

Carlisle nodded at Jane gravely. He knew we had to go through the steps of holding a council. We had instructed him about how to follow all the procedures so that none of the guard would find excuse to attack prematurely. Alec pulled out an ancient looking scroll and began to read off the accusations against the Cullen family. As he read, suddenly a wet dog smell assaulted my nose and I saw a pack of Quileute wolves descend on us. Alec continued to read, not fazed by the fact that the wolves had joined us. The rest of the guard however acted defensively. They had never seen children of the moon act this way. I again had to stifle a giggle as I saw their expressions from underneath my hood. They were thoroughly confused by the pack organization of these wolves and why they would refrain from attacking the vampires around them. This was the opening we were going to need if we were going to stop Aro's horrid plan for my family.

Once Alec finished, Jane piped up with, "Carlisle, do you have any response to the accusations?"

After a split second pause, Carlisle nodded curtly at Jane, and began speaking, "My family and I are not guilty of the accusations brought against us. These are not children of the moon. For one thing, it is daylight. Children of the moon are stuck to nights with a full moon. Another thing is that until true werewolves, these creatures can control themselves and their transformations. Jacob?"

Carlisle paused for a moment as a russet colored wolf separated himself from the pack and phased right in front of us. In place of the wolf stood Jacob Black with a bush carefully hiding his lack of clothing. After a moment, Jacob sniffed, shifted back and walked to rejoin his pack. Carlisle was about to continue but Jane held up her hand to silence him. Now it was my turn to act.

I took in a deep breath and stepped towards the Cullen family. When I was only a few feet in front of Carlisle, I turned my back on him and faced the guard.

I carefully disguised my voice and said, "Now, you have seen that the accusations against this family are false. However, I can tell you that these accusations were only an excuse. If we were to contact the council now, they would find another reason for this attack. I intercepted a letter from Aro to Jane. He wants three of this clan for their unique abilities. The council now sees it fit to attack other covens and just take what they want for themselves. I will stand by silent no longer while they destroy other's lives. Most of you know the condition of my placement on the guard. This is to be my last mission. According to the council, I am to be released of my service; however, that is also not their intent. They intend to take my daughter from me and force me into continued service. I will not stand by and idly take this. My daughter will remain here, out of their grasp, and I will return to face their corruption of power. You have a choice to make. Do you fight with me against the council, or do you take the lives of innocents and give the Volturi free reign to take whatever they want, no matter the cost?"

I stared at their bewildered faces for a moment, all frozen in position. I knew they could not see my face, but understood my sincerity and conviction. Felix wordlessly pulled his phone from his pocket. He dialed a number and held the phone up.

Then he said into it, "Aro things are very different here than you assumed. The Quileutes are not traditional werewolves. They are merely shape shifters who maintain human-like control while shifted."

Felix then put the phone on speaker and the whole guard heard Aro's tinny voice through the device say, "Take them out anyway. The Cullens are too powerful to be allowed. I don't care if they are real wolves or not. I want Alice, Jasper and Edward for the guard. Do it. Now!" The faces around me were in various states of shock and disbelief. Apparently, this was a new level for Aro in all their eyes.

Felix calmly responded, "As you wish. Your orders regarding the girl still stand?"

Aro tersely responded, "Of course. If this is a problem I can send Chelsea to assist you."

Very formally, Felix said, "Her presence will not be necessary Aro. We will take care of it."

Felix hung up the phone and said, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I have never been away from Chelsea as much as I have been lately. I am finding her influence is greatly diminished. I find that I do not hold the council in the same regard as I had previously. I believe they are wrong." Then slowly Felix and Demetri walked to my side. At their movement, the rest of the guard came over in sets of ones and twos. As we had planned, Jane and Alec stood until the last on the other side. If the others had not gone with us, we needed them as secret weapons, ready to betray the council when they were unaware. Finally, when the whole guard was looking at them they smiled and walked towards me, throwing their arms around me. The impact of their twin hugs knocked me back slightly and my hood fell backwards. I gasped and quickly recovered my hood, but I heard a vampire behind me shaking in silent sobs.

I turned slowly and saw Edward on the ground, contorted in pain. His body was shuddering and shaking as he cried. His sisters moved to him quickly and wrapped their arms around him.

Alice looked at me and mouthed, "Do you see what has become of him? He still loves you. Just seeing someone with your hair made him collapse in pain."

Edward continued to sob on the ground, writhing in emotional pain and agony, oblivious for once, to Alice's words. I backed up into the midst of the guard and stared at him with disbelief. There was no way he was crying like this for me. I could not and would not believe it. Suddenly one small sentence came back to me from my human memories of the DVD he had sent me. He had said that he did not want me. Then, the moments from the meadow this week where I was certain he knew exactly who I was replayed in my mind. These tears were not for me, as much as Alice wanted me to believe that they were. I started to move away with the rest of the guard when Edward leapt off the ground, throwing his sisters away and ran towards me. Jane and Alec were instantly in front of him, shielding me from him.

Finally, he choked out, "What is your name?"

I shook as I stood there, part of me wanting to tell him the truth and the other part of me wanting to run away as quickly as I could.

Finally, I whispered out, "Marie."

With that, I turned my back and walked until I hit the tree line. Once I knew I was out of sight, I ran until the grief pulled me back under and I sobbed. The only thing that fazed me was when I felt Alec's arms circle me and pull me to him as I let the pain take me over.

After some time I felt the whole guard surround me. They waited patiently as I willed myself back into composure.

I looked at them all, and with every ounce of sincerity I had, I said, "Thank you, to you all. We now have a much harder task ahead of us. We have to face the council."

They all nodded at me grimly with a newfound determination as we headed back to the hotel to formulate a plan to face our masters one last time.