A/N: dear lord this chapter wouldn't end lmao. It decided, almost 7000 words later, it was done on a cliffhanger. Sorry not sorry.

Blood Bound
Chapter IV :: The Change

Everything is as it should be – at least for the time being. Victoria is still at large, and Alec knows her presence worries his mate, but he does his best to reassure him everything will be okay and that nothing will ever separate them again. However, he can't help but notice Bella and Jacob look at him with such an intense gaze it throws him for a loop, so he decides to get to the bottom of it.

"Okay, mind telling me why you're looking at me like your best friend died?" he questions Bella one afternoon as they're sitting across from one another. Bella chews the inside of her cheek, a nervous expression on her face, and Alec sighs. "C'mon, it can't be that bad, can it?"

"It can and is," Bella whispers. "I don't think you want to hear it."

Alec narrows his eyes, a bit annoyed. "I'm pretty sure everyone's noticed and wondering about it, so it's best to get it out. Right?"

The human girl sighs, locking their eyes together. Alec can see the storm brewing within them and his irritation levels out to concern. He reaches over, taking her hand, squeezing it in reassurance. Bella looks like she's steeling herself before she calls, "Can you all come over here for a minute?"

The Cullens race over to her. Edward rests his hands on Bella's shoulders, while Carlisle sits beside Alec on the couch, pulling him close. Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice surround them, and Bella swallows hard, seeming to try and find words to whatever she wants to say.

"This is one time I wish you could read my mind," she mumbles. "I don't know how I'm going to say this."

"Then let me."

Everyone looks over, seeing Jacob stand there with a grim expression. Bella looks confused as to why he's there, and the werewolf scoffs. "Your Dad sent me. Said it was about time the Cullens knew what they did to Alec."

"What they did to me?" Alec blinks in confusion. "I mean, yeah, I was in a coma, but it's not like I died."

"Actually," Jacob gives a tight smile, "You did."

A sharp inhale from beside him makes Alec grasp onto Carlisle's hand, not missing the way his mate starts to tremble. "I'm pretty sure Alice would have seen if I died," he remarks.

"I can't see past Jacob and his pack," Alice whispers. "So if you died while you were with them, I wouldn't have seen it."

Alec tightens his grip on his beloved's hand, leaning against him to offer whatever support he can. It pains him whenever Carlisle lets out a ragged breath, burying his face in Alec's shoulder. Bella grasps onto Edward's hand, pain etching through every part of her frame, and Alec can't help but ask, "How am I alive, then?"

"It–" Bella's voice cracks. "It was Sam. He came here, found a scarf Carlisle left behind, and got it to you. If we didn't have that–..."

"You would have died," Jacob finishes for her. "So, now you know."

Alec weaves his hand behind him to tangle his fingers within his mate's hair, hating the way he's shaking and the pained whine which escapes seconds later. He maneuvers them so he's facing Carlisle, placing his hands upon his cheeks, loathing the tortured expression lingering in his most precious one's eyes.

"Shh, shh, I'm here," he whispers, leaning their foreheads together. "I'm here. I'm with you. And I'm never leaving you. So shh, it's okay."

"Alec." The whisper of his name is broken, like Carlisle believes this is some kind of cruel, twisted dream and his mate has truly left him. Alec shushes him, kissing his forehead, his cheeks, and then his lips, not missing the way Carlisle clings to him desperately. "I lost you," he breathes against his lips, burying his face within his shoulder again. "I lost you."

Alec lets out a breath, tightening his arms around his mate, trying to reassure him he's here and that'll never happen again. He hears Bella let out a sob and looks over long enough to see Edward tug her close and whisper words to her to try and comfort her. Jacob just stands there, eyes hard, and Alec can't imagine how hard it is for him to be here, let alone tell them such a thing.

"Jacob," he utters, and the werewolf looks up, eyes like stone. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me."

"It wasn't me," Jacob bites out. "It was Sam."

"You kept him alive until Sam got there," Bella whispers, and Jacob looks at her, clenching his fist. "If you didn't do what you did, Alec would have died long before Sam got the scarf. So you deserve to be thanked."

"Yeah, I guess," the werewolf mutters. "That's all I came for."

A soft voice stops Jacob before he leaves. "Thank you for keeping him alive."

Jacob looks at Carlisle, a bitter smirk on his face, before shifting and running through the forest. Alec sighs, knowing this isn't what they needed right now, but it's better to know how severe the consequences were of their separation. He looks into eyes which are onyx instead of topaz, and, not knowing what else to do, slides his lips against Carlisle's to try and say I'm here, I'm here, and I'm never leaving you again.

The human doesn't miss the tight grasp on his shoulders, the sorrow and despair in the kiss, and once they pull apart, Alec rests his forehead against Carlisle's shoulder, letting his mate's scent wash over and ground him like it always does.

"I'm so sorry I didn't say anything sooner," Bella murmurs. Alec doesn't look at her, just keeps his face tucked against his beloved, and he feels familiar, frigid arms weaving around him and holding him there. "I just-... didn't know how to say it."

"I can't imagine how hard this must have been on you," Carlisle tells her. "So it's alright. I'm just… glad it's finally out there so I know to never let this little rascal convince me of such things."

Alec snorts softly against Carlisle's shoulder. "It was hard as fuck to let you go and think of you finding your forever with someone else. You're mine, and only mine," he growls possessively, and Carlisle chuckles, kissing Alec's hair.

"And you're mine," he snarls. "No one else can have you but me."

Alec nods. "Good."

Silence passes through the humans and vampires for a few moments before Bella speaks. "Are you gonna be at my graduation?" she asks Alec, who finally looks at her with a grin.

"Wouldn't miss it."

The rest of the day passes without further instance and Edward takes Bella home after a couple of hours due to her being grounded after everything that happened. The rest of the Cullens do their own thing, but ensure to give Carlisle and Alec their space, knowing they have a lot to talk about.

They're intertwined on the couch, Alec curled against his mate while Carlisle tucks him close to him. Cold lips press against his forehead and Alec lets out a sigh. "So…"

"Hm?"

"I died."

A pained hiss. "Yes, you did."

"I thought I would be okay after you left. I figured you'd never want to see me again after I locked the door and threw away the key," Alec whispers. Those arms tighten around him, but not to the point of pain. "I figured you'd realize I'm bad for you and find some cute vampire to spend your forever with."

"Alec, my darling, there's no one I want to spend forever with besides you," Carlisle whispers against his hair, nuzzling his nose against blond tresses. "You're everything. Everything."

Alec lets out a shaken sigh. "And there's no one I want to be with more than you. You… you taught me how to love someone. The right way," he adds on at Carlisle's confused noise. "I've only ever loved one person besides you, and it wasn't healthy. We were too dependent on each other. But you? You let me be me, even if that person is a little bastard sometimes."

A warm, breathy chuckle settles against his ear. "Yes, I will admit you can be that at times. But the person you are is who I fell in love with. Even without the mating call, I would never want you to change."

Alec laughs, turning in his mate's arms and pressing him against the arm of the couch. He kisses him, grinning against Carlisle's lips as he grips onto his hips and takes control of the liplock. A low groan drips from Alec and Carlisle swallows each and every noise with his mouth, breaking apart after a minute with a tap to Alec's cheek.

"No opening that door yet, my little rascal," he teases, and Alec huffs, nuzzling Carlisle's shoulder with an exasperated sigh. "Soon."

"How soon?"

"Whenever you're changed."

Alec blows out an amused sigh. "Fine, fine. Last week blew my damn mind, so I can't imagine how great it'll be when you're inside me."

A low hiss leaves Carlisle at those words and he shoves Alec against the arm of the couch, eyes dark. "Watch it, darling."

The human grins, pulling Carlisle on top of him; not meant to start anything, but to just feel his body against his. They're roughly the same height, but Alec's much smaller than his mate in his build, and he knows Carlisle's inner beast roars at him to protect him due to that. Carlisle hums, pressing his forehead against Alec's shoulder, and they stay connected in such a way for a good while before Alec's stomach grumbles.

"Ugh, human needs," he mutters, and Carlisle laughs, moving off Alec and pulling him up. "Be nice when I don't need that either."

Once food's been eaten and clean-up is done, night's fallen and Alec yawns, feeling exhausted. Hearing you almost died really does a number on a person, especially when you can feel your lover's pain as well. So they find themselves in bed, Alec tucked against Carlisle, and he nuzzles his face against his shoulder.

"I'm alive," he whispers, and a soft noise is all he gets as a reply. "Don't think about the what if's. I survived. And I won't ever leave you."

"I should have-..." a choked sound, "I should have known you were gone, even if it was only for a brief second."

"Carlisle." Alec leans up, pressing their foreheads together. "The wolves intercept your gifts. If I wasn't with Jacob, you would have. Don't beat yourself up over not knowing."

The only thing Alec gets as a reply is being pushed against the bed and lips finding his in a desperate kiss. He wraps his arms around Carlisle's shoulders, trying to convey that none of this is his fault, it's both of theirs, and neither of them will let it come to such a thing ever again.

It lasts until Alec's breathless and he's forced to break the contact for air. He dusts his knuckles over his beloved's forehead, then his cheeks, giving him the best smile he can muster. "It won't happen again," he murmurs against Carlisle's lips, pulling him down so his body covers his. "So please, don't feel guilt. I don't want you to feel that way."

"Alec." A ragged breath, a soft sigh, and a hesitant nod. "I'll try. That's all I can offer you."

"That's all I ask, my love," Alec murmurs. His eyes flutter, but before he lets sleep claim him, he kisses his mate once more. "I love you. Don't ever think that I don't."

"I know, my dove. And I love you too."

Alec smiles, letting sleep wash over him like a warm duvet.

He promised Alec he would try. But the ice that went through every part of his body and soul when Jacob told them Alec died will remain there for the rest of Carlisle's immortal life. In a split second, the thought of seeing Alec dead in the hospital, rather than barely clinging to life, made Carlisle want to end his own existence.

He can't live without his beloved, precious Alec. The thought makes him sick.

A soft mumble reaches his ears as Alec moves closer to him, tucking his head against Carlisle's neck and shoulder. However, he suddenly feels as if they're being watched, and his head snaps up, a snarl ripping through his teeth as he notices a pair of red eyes before they dart away.

Carlisle doesn't know who it was, but what he does know is it was a vampire. One left over from back then? His thoughts race as he runs various possibilities through his mind – none of them good. Alec cuddles closer to him, and he wraps his arms around his beloved mate, deciding to let it go for now. They didn't attack, so for now, they aren't a threat.

If anyone tried to lay a finger on Alec, they would be met with war.

Nuzzling his nose against his mate's soft blond tresses, Carlisle sighs, closing his eyes. He'll mention the vampire to his family in the morning. For now, he's content to keep his little rascal in his arms, where no one can hurt him.

Alec can't help but feel like someone's watching him, but he doesn't feel threatened by the presence – he feels comforted, like it's one of his oldest friends keeping tabs on him. The feeling reminds him of how he felt when Raven was nearby, but he bashes the thought away as soon as it comes. Raven is dead, along with every other person from Alec's old life.

Everything changes with the threat of the newborn army. Alec doesn't need powers to know it's likely Victoria getting revenge for the killing of her mate, but keeps those thoughts tucked away in the background so even Edward can't read them. He's learned that trick over the years – Edward can only hear his foreground thoughts, not ones he keeps lingering in the back.

It helps when he doesn't want anyone to know what he's thinking.

Alec's life is flipped upside down when he notices a pair of red eyes looking at him. Even though they're red instead of green, Alec knows who those eyes belong to. He gasps, trembling. It can't be. Raven is dead. Dead.

But Alec wouldn't mistake those eyes for anyone else's. Raven was his first love, the person he trusted more than anyone else in his old life. So, as his mate and the others are discussing what to do about the army, Alec sneaks out, knowing this is the stupidest thing he could be doing.

But it's Raven. Raven would never hurt him.

Those eyes become clearer as Alec walks towards him. The vampire steps out of the shadows, and Alec can't help but sob as he realizes he was right.

It's him.

"Raven!" he exclaims, slamming into him and hugging him for dear life. Raven breathes in his scent and holds him to the point of pain, but Alec doesn't register it. It's Raven. Raven. The first man he ever loved, his dearest friend in the entire world.

"Hey there, starshine," Raven whispers against his ear, pulling away with a smile on his face. "God, it's good to see you."

"I can't– I can't believe it. You're alive. How?"

Raven's lip curls to a tight smile. "I managed to get away after securing your escape. I guess you could call it luck," his best friend says with a laugh. "But they managed to find me and turn me. Been watching you ever since."

"They?" Alec asks, touching Raven's face. He's real. Real. Not dead. Or, at least, not dead in Alec's standards.

"The bastards who attacked us. They wanted to turn you, so I told 'em to take me instead," Raven murmurs, placing his lips against Alec's forehead in a soft kiss. "Couldn't let them hurt my man, could I?"

"Raven," Alec blushes. "I'm not–"

"I know. You found your forever. Doesn't mean I can't make sure he's treating you right," Raven says with a smirk. "Which he is, so I don't have to tear him a new one."

Alec sighs, a bemused smile on his face. "He's pretty strong. You wouldn't be able to easily."

"Yeah? Well, I'm stronger," Raven replies, lifting Alec in his arms and spinning him. "Fuck, I missed you, starshine. I'm glad you're protected now."

Alec laughs, burying his face in Raven's chest. "You're staying, right? I can't–... I need you, Ray."

"If you can convince your mate not to kill me as soon as I walk through the door, I could be convinced." Raven tousles Alec's blond hair with a grin. "I don't think I'll be high on his favorite people list."

"Why's that?"

"Best friend, first love, yadda yadda."

Alec bursts out laughing. "You haven't changed at all, Raven."

"Nope," Raven replies, kissing Alec's cheek. Alec opens his mouth to say something, but someone appears in front of him, snarling and throwing him behind them. "Whoops, I made him mad."

Alec doesn't register who it is at first, but when he does, he throws himself against Carlisle's back. "It's okay, he's a friend, he's not dangerous."

The only answer he gets is another snarl and a sound he only heard when James was threatening him. Raven raises his hands, trying to placate Carlisle by saying, "I'm not trying to steal him. Starshine and I have history, that's all."

"Starshine? You have a pet name for what's mine?!"

"Carlisle!" Alec grips his arm. "Shh, don't. Please."

An angry hiss drips from his mate before he turns, faster than Alec's eyes can register. But he's soon shoved against a tree and his lips devoured by his mate's. It's not soft or gentle, it's a brutal reminder – you're mine. He gasps into the kiss and for the first time, he shoves Carlisle away, rubbing his lips.

"You have to trust me. He's not a threat to me or our relationship," Alec says, narrowing his eyes. "You do trust me, right?"

"I trust you, not him," Carlisle growls. He keeps Alec behind him, possessive snarls slipping from his throat. "His eyes say everything. He still loves you."

Alec blinks, looking at Raven. "You do?"

Raven gives a bitter smile. "Cat's outta the bag. But I know you belong with him; mates are made for each other, and I'm not going to impose on it." The smile settles to a grin. "So you can stop snarling at me any minute now."

"Carlisle," Alec whispers, pressing his forehead against his love's back. "I know him. He respects me and my love for you enough to not make a move. So please. Stop."

Another hiss leaves his mate before he stops, turning and capturing his lips once again. This time it's the soft and gentleness he's used to from Carlisle, so he kisses him back, gripping onto his shirt. Alec notices Raven looks away, likely to give them privacy, and he's thankful his best friend hasn't changed in that way.

"You guys done?" Raven jests, and Carlisle snarls again. "Guess not. I'll… be around."

"Wait!" Alec runs over and grips Raven's forearm. "You need to stay. I can't lose you again, Ray."

An odd noise leaves his mate at those words, but Alec doesn't let it deter him. Raven looks over his shoulder, turning to face Alec and tousling his hair. "I don't think I'm welcome in your home. I'll be nearby if you wanna chat, but I think it's best for me to stay away so your mate doesn't tear my head off."

Alec nods, letting out a relieved sigh. "Good."

"Better get back to him; he looks pretty pissed at me."

Looking at Carlisle, he can see he does look rather annoyed, an expression he's not used to seeing on his face. He walks over to him, kissing him again, before smiling at Raven. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, later, starshine." A snarl. "I'm not gonna stop calling him that just because it pisses you off, blondie."

A roar of fury leaves Carlisle at those words, and Alec throws himself between them. "If you hurt him, you hurt me," he tells his mate, blue locking with onyx.

A long, drawn out sigh spills from his mate before he pulls Alec towards him, kissing his neck. "I'm sorry, my darling. I just–..."

"I told you I'd never leave you, remember? That includes falling into another man's arms."

Carlisle nods. "I trust you."

"Good." A stolen kiss. "But try not to antagonize him, okay?" Those words are said to Raven, who laughs.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Catch you later."

Raven disappears in the trees, and Alec punches Carlisle's shoulder. "I really thought you were gonna tear his head off."

"I was, before you stopped me," Carlisle admits, and Alec blinks a few times. "You're mine, Alec. And I won't let anyone take you from me."

"And I'm yours, you idiotic vampire," Alec whispers, claiming his lips. Breaking the contact, he dusts his knuckles over his mate's forehead. "So don't think you're going to lose me to anyone, because I belong to you and only you."

A pleased hum leaves Carlisle at those words, and for a moment, all is quiet between them until his mate mutters, "Do you know how stupid it was of you to sneak out? What if it wasn't your friend?"

Alec laughs nervously. "I wouldn't mistake his eyes for anyone else's. Besides, I know you'd rescue me," he throws on with a cheeky grin.

"Rascal," Carlisle utters with a sigh, nuzzling his nose against Alec's hair. "You may be the first person to give a vampire a heart attack."

Alec laughs, smiling at the happy purrs his mate emits. It tells him Carlisle is truly content, and that's how he likes it. "Sorry about that. I'll be more careful next time."

"Good," is the hushed murmur he gets as a response.

"Should we head back in?" Alec questions.

"I suppose we should," Carlisle replies, lifting Alec in his arms. Alec tucks himself close to his mate and lets out a happy sigh. "But promise me something."

"What?"

"Don't let him kiss you, for my peace of mind if nothing else."

Alec chuckles. "I'll try, but good luck trying to get Raven to do anything. If he wants to do it, he will; he doesn't really care about the consequences. He's kind of an idiot that way."

A low snarl drips from Carlisle as he tightens his grip on Alec. "No one can kiss you but me. It would be wise for him to learn that quickly."

Raven's laughter echoes throughout the forest, and Alec calls out, "You better listen to him, Ray! I can only do so much to stop him from tearing your head off."

"Yeah, yeah!" Raven's voice echoes, but Alec doesn't know where it's coming from, but all he knows is his best friend is nearby, and that's good enough for him.

Carlisle immediately decides he does not like Raven. He trusts Alec more than anyone or anything in the world, so he tries to believe his mate when he says Raven won't try to steal him away. But he sees those red eyes follow Alec's every move like a hawk, and well, it doesn't sit well with him.

The terror he felt when Alec wasn't in the house, and then feeling the presence of an unfamiliar vampire, is a feeling Carlisle would rather forget. But perhaps the most gut-wrenching emotion was when he saw Raven kiss Alec's cheek, and Alec's face lit up with happiness.

He knows Alec loves him. But Raven was his first love, his first in many things, and his oldest, most cherished friend. Even your average man, without the mating call, would be jealous, but the beast in Carlisle screams at him to eradicate this newest threat, to prove to Raven and anyone who thought to steal Alec from him that he was his.

But Carlisle holds it back. He knows how much Raven means to his mate, and how it would kill him if something ever happened to the black haired man. So he lets Alec leave the house to hang out with his friend, even though it kills Carlisle each time Alec waves and saunters out the door.

Alec told him he thought he would find someone better for him one day. But now Carlisle finds himself fearing that Alec will realize Raven is a better match for him and go skipping into the sunset with him. And thinking such a thing makes the beast within let out a pained whine. He can't live without Alec – he just can't.

They've already proven they can't live without each other, but fear makes a man think stupid things. Every time Alec walks back through the door with a goofy smile on his face, Carlisle tries to remember he belongs to him, and the opposite holds true as well. Even though the bond won't be fully there on Alec's part until he's changed, Carlisle knows it's there to a lesser degree.

As Alec promised, he was there during Bella's graduation, sitting beside his mate and clutching onto his hand, leaning against his shoulder. It's an obvious show of this is mine and it makes Carlisle's beast roar with happiness and settle, at least a little. Alec knows. He knows they belong together, and no amount of love from an old flame will change it.

Yet this smidgen of peace lasts for a split second before Alice sees the newborn army coming to them. Alec's hand grips onto his with a terrified look in blue eyes, and Carlisle nuzzles him, trying to reassure him I won't let anything happen to you, I'll defend you to the death. It seems to work, as Alec's trembles cease, but then Jacob and the werewolves snarl.

"Vampire," Jacob growls.

Everyone looks over, and Alec smiles when he notices it's Raven. "It's okay, he's on our side," he reassures.

I truly don't like you.

Carlisle keeps the thought to himself as Raven walks in like he owns the place, and that, perhaps, pisses Carlisle off more than it should. This is his home, not this craven's, and he'd do well to remember that.

"You said Jasper has experience with fighting newborns? Well, I do too, and more training couldn't hurt anyone, right?" Raven asks with a smirk. "I haven't had a good fight in a while, so this should be interesting."

"Raven?" Alec's voice is small and Carlisle hates it. "You can't fight. It's bad enough that Carlisle has to," with those words, he tightens his grip on his mate's hand, "but I don't know what I'd do if I lost both of you."

"You gotta have more confidence in me, starshine," Raven says with a grin. Carlisle wants to punch it off his face. "I've fought plenty of our kind since we were separated fifteen years ago. I can handle myself perfectly fine, and I'm sure blondie can too."

Alec looks nervous, and to reassure him, Carlisle turns him in his arms and captures his lips. Alec clings to him, burying his face within his shoulder once they break the contact, and Carlisle whispers, "I'll be fine, my darling. Your safety is my utmost concern."

His mate nods, cuddling closer to him, and Raven leans against the wall with a smirk. "Werewolves and vampires working together, huh? You must be some kind of special, Bella."

Bella's cheeks burn under Raven's gaze. "I don't-... I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."

"Hate to break to ya, but you're not the only one they're after."

Carlisle's head snaps up at those words. "What are you talking about?"

"I went to check on the army, to see what they were doing. They were passing around something of Alec's as well; a black t-shirt," Raven remarks with a shrug. "So we gotta double our protective detail, for danger magnet and starshine."

"Danger magnet?" Bella looks flabbergasted at the nickname, but Raven just laughs.

"You've been attracting almost as much as my silly little Alec," the black haired vampire jests, and Carlisle snarls at the 'my' comment. "Never thought I'd meet someone as danger and accident prone, but hey, weirder things have happened."

"I'm not that danger and accident prone," Alec mutters, cheeks flushed.

"Keep telling yourself that, starshine," Raven utters. "Anyway, I can feel I overstayed my welcome, so I'll head out. I'll see you all at training."

With those words uttered, Raven jumps out the window, and Carlisle lets out a sigh. God, that man ticks him off.

Alec can tell his mate isn't fond of Raven, and he can't exactly blame him for it. Raven seems to know how to push every one of Carlisle's buttons and relishes in doing so. No matter how much Alec's tried to get him to stop, Raven just grins and ruffles his hair, the conversation ending there.

But the day of training to fight the newborns comes faster than the blond human expected it to. As always, Carlisle carried him to where they were practicing, and Raven was already there, smirking. Alec notices Carlisle's eyebrow twitch at Raven's presence, but that's something for another day. They have to focus.

Edward and Bella come a few minutes into the session, followed by the werewolves. After explaining how the newborns differ from regular vampires, and how to defeat them, the training starts and Alec can't help the nervousness bubbling in his chest at seeing them fight each other.

It'll be so much worse when the actual battle happens. Alec knows it.

As Edward and Carlisle fight one another, Raven comes over to Alec, placing his arm around his shoulders. "It'll be okay, starshine," he reassures, and Alec feels himself relaxing. "I'll protect him. I know how much he means to you, and even though it's fun as hell to pick at him, I know you know I wouldn't ever do anything to get in the way of your relationship."

"I know," Alec murmurs, leaning against Raven's side. His most cherished friend chuckles, watching the fight with a bemused expression in red eyes. "He's pretty good, isn't he?"

"Gotta say he knows his way around a fight," Raven comments. "Although I'm pretty sure he wishes he was training against me so he could pound me into the dirt."

"Haha," Alec chuckles. "I've already told him if he hurts you he hurts me, and that's one thing he refuses to do."

"Lucky me, I guess," Raven teases. "Seriously, though, it's obvious how much he loves you. Even without everything he is screaming at him that you're his, I'm pretty sure you two would have ended up together."

"You think?" Alec asks, eyebrow quirked in curiosity.

"Mmhmm," Raven remarks. "I'm pretty sure you two are a soul cluster."

"A what?"

"Souls always meant to find each other, no matter how long it takes," Raven explains. Alec hums. "Carlisle's been around for centuries and I can't imagine how lonely it must have been for him, not having someone beside him. But he has you, and I'd like to see anyone try to pry you away."

"You mean you haven't been?" Alec jests, and Raven laughs.

"Nah. I just antagonize him because I like getting under people's skin. I know how much it would hurt both of you if I actually pursued you." Raven's cold fingers tousle Alec's blond tresses. "I'm sure I'll find my mate someday. Till then, I have you, my best friend."

"You'll always have me," Alec promises. Raven smiles, placing his hand on the nape of his neck. He keeps it there for a few seconds before moving it away. "We were all we had growing up, and just because I have my mate doesn't mean you're not any less important to me."

Raven lets out a puff of laughter. "Don't let him hear you say that, then he'll really think I have ulterior motives."

"I already think you do."

Alec smiles as Carlisle approaches them, and he falls into his waiting arms, nuzzling him. "Hey," he murmurs, and Carlisle hums, burying his nose in his hair. "You gotta stop being so paranoid, babe."

"Hm," is all he gets as an answer, and Alec sighs, amused. "I might stop once he stops being so hands-on with you."

"Sorry, that ain't gonna happen, blondie," Raven replies with a grin. Alec rolls his eyes when his mate growls. "Anyway, I think it's my turn to teach you what I know."

Alec looks up, seeing a smirk on his mate's face. "Does that mean I can throw you into the ground?"

"I'd like to see you try." Raven smirks back. "But I'll give you two a minute."

Waving a hand, Raven walks away, and Alec laughs. "I know you're strong, so don't hurt him too much, okay?"

"As you wish, darling," Carlisle murmurs, tipping Alec's face up to kiss him. Alec lets out a pleased noise, returning the kiss with all the love he feels for him, and Carlisle breaks the contact after a minute, a soft smile on his face. "After all, I know if I hurt him too badly, you may not forgive me."

Alec hears the barest hints of hesitation in his mate's tone, and huffs, poking his chest. "I would after he stopped bitching at me." He grins, and Carlisle laughs. Alice calls him over, and Alec takes a moment to steal another kiss. "Knock 'em down, baby."

"I will," Carlisle replies, stealing yet another kiss.

Raven is strong, Carlisle admits that, but he still manages to defeat him in a fight, something which makes his beast roar. He's proven he's stronger. He's the more desirable one out of the two of them.

The day of the fight quickly approaches, and, as much as Carlisle hates it, he asks Raven to protect his mate, to which Raven smirks and tells him he didn't even need to ask. Alec's eyes are wide and terrified, an expression Carlisle detests on his most beloved Alec, so he kisses him each and every time those eyes look like this will be the last time they ever see each other.

"I will come back to you, my love," Carlisle would whisper against Alec's lips. Alec nods, clinging onto him, and his sleeps are restless. More than once he wakes himself up screaming, and hearing his mate scream in terror is one of the worst sounds Carlisle ever heard.

When he leaves to hunt before the battle, Raven takes Alec out to do god knows what, but the fact his beloved looks a little more relaxed once he returns is something Carlisle finds himself grateful for. As much as he hates Raven, he can't help but appreciate everything he does for Alec, and the fact he's staying away from the fight to protect him.

Then, it's time. Before they go to the field, Carlisle has a precious few minutes with Alec, who's shaking like a leaf.

"Shh, my darling," Carlisle whispers, holding Alec close. Alec's trembling hands grip onto his shirt, and sobs slip from between clenched teeth. "It'll be okay. I promise you."

"What if–... what if you don't come back?" Alec utters, sounding utterly broken, and Carlisle hates it. "I can't be without you."

"I will, because I have you to return to." A soft kiss against blond strands. "Go, my dove. Raven will keep you safe."

Said vampire appears from the shadows, a grim expression on his face. "C'mon, Alec," he murmurs, voice soft. "We have to go."

Alec nods, but not before claiming another kiss. Carlisle can feel every bit of fear and desperation in it and he returns it, trying to convey it'll be okay, I'll come back to you.

Breaking the contact, Alec goes over to Raven, eyes pained. "You better come back or I swear to god."

Carlisle smiles. "I promise."

Raven takes Alec to the highest parts of the mountain, away from all the battles. Alec can't help but fidget and pace, hating that he doesn't know what's going on. But Raven tells him he can keep tabs on the fight with his keen eyesight, and for a minute, Alec wonders if that's the power he possesses as a vampire.

When he asks, Raven smirks, and says nothing else. Half an hour goes by until Edward and Bella come to them. Raven narrows his eyes, but all Edward says is, "We have to go, now."

Lifting Alec in his arms, Raven carries him down the mountain, and Alec sobs when he sees Carlisle is unharmed. He runs towards him and throws himself in his arms, to which Carlisle lets out a ragged breath and holds him close.

"I told you everything would be okay," Carlisle murmurs in his hair, and Alec nods, nuzzling close to his mate.

"They're here!" Alice's voice breaks the calm, and Alec blinks in confusion. They?

Carlisle keeps a tight grip on him, and although Alec doesn't understand why at first, he quickly picks up on it when the Volturi approach them. He's never met them before, but they're every bit as menacing as he thought they would be.

"Seems we missed an entertaining fight," one of them sneers.

"Yes," a blonde woman says. However, her eyes soon settle on Raven, and they widen just a little. "Raven. What a surprise to see you alive."

Alec's heart goes cold when Raven smirks. "Yeah, well, sometimes you do a shit job at what you're supposed to be doing."

"It would seem so." Her red eyes settle on Alec. "Ah… I never knew Carlisle's Alec was this one."

Carlisle growls, and Alec tucks himself closer to his mate.

"Yeah, well, all of us made sure he escaped," Raven draws the attention back to him. "And I wiped his memories of us, so he had no idea vampires existed until he met his mate and his family."

"Interesting," Jane murmurs. Her eyes settle on Alec. "What do you remember of that night, boy?"

Alec doesn't say anything for a minute until pain, red hot and searing, burns through his body. He screams in agony, falling to the earth as it feels all his bones are breaking at once, and Carlisle's beside him in seconds, leveling a glare at Jane.

"He'll tell you what you want to know," he snarls. "So stop."

All the pain disappears, and Alec coughs and gasps for air. "I just–... I remember bodies being torn apart, Raven yelling at me to run, and that's it."

"Hmm…" Jane looks at Raven. "You did well at making him forget. Otherwise, we just may have had to kill him."

A roar leaves Carlisle at those words, and Alec grips his forearm. "I-It's okay," he gasps. "I-I'm fine."

"Deal with the one left over, Felix," Jane commands. "I'd like to go home." She looks at Carlisle next. "And change him when you return home. We do not offer second chances."

Carlisle's eyes harden, and Alec rests his forehead against his shoulder. The last thing he hears is the young vampire scream.

Change him when you return home.

Carlisle knows if he goes against what the Volturi demand, Alec is as good as dead. So, once he's done with Jacob, he and Alec find themselves in their shared room, Alec pressed against him.

"It's okay, you know," Alec breaks the silence. "You can change me."

Carlisle sighs, resting their foreheads together. "I normally would prefer not to unless there was no other way. But," he murmurs, "I suppose there is no other possibility for you to live. I cannot go against what the Volturi commands."

Alec nods, pressing his mate against the bed and kissing him. "So, do it."

Swallowing, Carlisle nods, using his strength and speed to make it so Alec sits on his lap. His fangs find his throat, and he sinks them within Alec's soft flesh, the taste of his blood the most divine he's ever experienced in all his centuries.

It takes a great amount of willpower, but once he injects Alec's bloodstream with venom, Carlisle pulls away, watching as Alec's eyes roll back in his head and he falls unconscious.

That's a different reaction. Normally turning a human is wrought with pain and agony. But Alec looks like he's simply asleep, and well, Carlisle finds himself grateful this time the change won't be agonizing.

A day later the screams start.

TBC...