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Mike's POV

Everything had changed now. I couldn't pretend that I didn't need to focus on fighting, my still recovering legs and arms made sure of that. I didn't retain full use of them but I had enough to fight. Enough to focus and fight harder and better than I'd ever done before. Fighting Xavier taught me a few key lessons... and humility was the largest, waking up to realize I'd been duct taped back together like Frankenstein's monster had taught me a lot... and some things I didn't want to learn. Such as Rosalie still cares about me. Why couldn't she just be a two dimensional selfish... woman who cares about no one but herself? It would make my life less complicated.

Sometimes life wasn't simple... I had very real feelings for Zuri, but in the back of my mind I knew part of myself might always belong to Rosalie, and a piece to Tanya. Is that wrong? Am I sick for having real feelings for them still? Does that make me a bad person?

No time to think about that... time to fight... The two last members of the Volturi Army... the two members who are part of the Volturi Guard. Ulrich and Ivan. Both of them were roughly of the same body type and size, but their personalities were extremely different, as were both their fighting styles. Ivan was a brawler depending almost completely on his size and strength to wrestle and overpower his opponents, whereas Ulrich was more of a striker who kept his distance and only grappled when completely necessary or an opening occurred.

I took a couple deep breaths clearing my mind. I couldn't think about anything besides these two... they were my last "official" test, but that wasn't enough for me. I wouldn't be content until I'd become Felix's equal... his better...

"Which one of you am I fighting first." I tried to say not sounding cocky. I heard a growl from Ivan.

"First? Who the hell do you think you are? You got your ass kicked by the last vampire you fought. I'll fight you, Ulrich won't even need to get ready."

I crouched and focused letting my body see and feel every movement. I just needed to catch Ivan, if this got to be a wrestling match I'd lose but I test of strength or speed I'd win easily. He leaped in to the air and I followed. I threw myself in to the air I jumped lower than him though, I caught him shoulder to stomach he clawed at my back but it made no difference His shoulders hit the ground then his head bounced off the ground.

I realized he was trying to put me in a headlock, and that meant game over. I pushed off the ground up to my feet but he wrapped his arms around my leg trying to put me in an ankle lock, his legs wrapped around my leg I kicked him nearly as hard as I could so he'd release me. His fingers as he groaned in pain grabbing his thigh where I kicked him. Ivan got up to his legs but he was heavily favoring his left leg where I kicked. His right leg was bearing all of his weight. I regretted hurting him but he was still smiling. He growled.

"Don't you dare take it easy on me, you're just proving to me now you've got what it takes. Come on! I'm not going to go easy on you and don't insult me by doing it to me." I nodded. He smiled.

"Come here now so I can mess you up boy." I obliged him. He hooked around with his left arm I ducked quickly under and launched an uppercut lifting his head in the air. His fingers interlocked and came down at my head. I slid left and kicked with my right at his left ribs. He fell down to one knee and growled at me.

"Quit fucking playing with me and hit me damn it!" he roared at me as he got back up to his feet. I exhaled then forced my foot forward in a straight front kick. His body rolled backwards somersaulting backwards head to stomach to back to head until his body slapped against the wall and his Head snapped back in to the wall putting a hole in it. I flew through the air after him and before he could recover I wrapped my fingers around his throat. He smiled at me.

"Much better... you actually hit me." I pulled him out of the wall he was grinning at me. His attention turned to Ulrich.

"You're up Ulrich, try not to get your ass kicked too badly." Ulrich stepped forward. I looked around at the few people who had gathered to watch, Zuri, Themba, Felix, Demetri, Embry and Adrian. Felix and Demetri had been at ever one of my fights. Watching... assessing... judging. I'll give them a show.

Ulrich rolled his shoulders back and took off his Volturi robe setting it down behind him. I looked over my shoulder at him regarding him as he started moving his weight from left to right and back in his fighting stance. I extended my arm then uncurled my fingers.

"At your ready." I called. He charged and I didn't move, my arm still out as a taunt. He led with a straight kick I bent at my hip backwards letting his leg sail just over it before he followed it with a punch I leaned my head back away from. I caught the arm and followed the momentum through until I pulled it back down flipping him on to the ground. He spun on the ground trying to sweep my but I jumped clear over his legs letting myself fall to the ground but not before hitting him with a round kick to the face. His head bounced on the ground and he kicked at me with both his legs. I pushed my hands against the ground and pushed down throwing myself in to the air just over his feet. His arm came around and he was trying to get a hold of my legs. I pulled my knees to my chest and launched myself forward and up to my feet, I over shot as I had hoped and landed bent over Ulrich. I grabbed his his shirt and threw him behind me then gave chase passing him sailing through the air fast enough to turn and connect with a closelining palm strike to his face. I climbed over him grabbing him by the throat pulling my arm in to a ready position before looking up at Felix and Demetri. Felix showed no emotion but Demetri was snickering and started clapping.

"Good show." Demetri said.

"Whose next."

"Why, it's Alec, your last fight... if you beat him you'll wear Volturi red." Demetri explained smiling. I shook my head.

"No... I won't take my 'Volturi red' until I've beaten him." I said pointing at Felix. Demetri grinned at me.

"Did I tell you I like this one?" Demetri asked Felix laughing.

Embry's POV

The truth was I had no clue what I did last time, but regardless Felix wanted me to do it again. I don't even remember clearly what happened after I changed. I remember getting really angry... Then nothing... I remember waking up and they told me I'd been asleep for days...

When I strained myself I could remember colors, blurs of movement... but nothing more. I couldn't even remember who I hurt or why. Mike was amazed by it. He said I was putting out more energy than anything he'd ever felt, tenfold. Maybe that's why I was so exhausted. Felix thought I could do it again... believe me I'd tried. I couldn't ever push myself over the edge, not without shifting. Felix was pacing back and forth in front of me. He stopped putting his finger to his lips accessing me.

"So you can't get yourself angry enough to do it again can you?" I shook my head.

"I see... That's unfortunate... yet another thing you're too weak to do." He said sharply. What the hell? That doesn't seem like Felix.

"I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that you've failed yet again, after all you could have saved Mr. Iverson the hassle of being here if you could have just beaten me in that duel we had... but you let him down... just like you let all your friends and family down, I suppose you're lucky that by some miracle Mike was there to bail your ass out. I don't understand why people didn't expect you to fail, after all you've been failing for years haven't you?" I growled under my breath. I could feel my breath getting hot. I clenched my fists. You can't possibly beat Felix, he knows it and you do it... he's taunting you.

"It wasn't news to me... I'd read the reports, you had an all out brawl with some bears. You won and you were still hospitalized... but it was all worth it wasn't it? It was for your precise Leah... How did it feel to wake up and realize she was gone?"

"Stop Felix... you don't want to push me." I said feeling anger rising in me.

"Why? We both know you're inadequate... you're just angry someone else has figured it out." I felt blood pumping through my veins, felt it... most times it's just as natural as tasting air, but not now, I could feel it moving through me.

"So you probably thought that Leah just was hurt after what happened to Sam, I mean that's logical right? Until you move and see her draped off another mans arm... if you could even call him that. You'd been struggling every single day just to get over the pain of the breakup wondering if your life would ever be right... and here she is hanging off some pansy ass wusses arm."

"Stop... Now... Felix..." I said gritting my teeth.

"I mean I don't see it either... You were the alpha, you're the strongest wolf there is, fastest too. You truly are the alpha male, and yet Leah went for someone else... did you call her a bitch? Did you tell her to put her big girl panties on? Did you do anything like that?"

"No... I... didn't... stop this Felix... I... Don't... want... to... hurt... you!" I growled at him. He smiled at me cockily.

"Hurt me? Like you did last time? I don't think you even left a mark... speaking of marks, I wonder what kind of marks that Patrick guy has left in Leah... it must burn you up to know she has his baby, and who knows? Maybe she's having some more..." I was shaking but I forced myself not to phase... I didn't need to... at least I was that in control.

"What? No response? Oh I guess it still doesn't anger you how Leah just tossed you to the side like a used tissue..."

I growled deep. Sharp images were slowly becoming blurry. I didn't even try to argue with Felix anymore. It was just a matter of time now.

"And don't even get me started on Destiny... wow... that was quite something... You fought off a vampire, stopped a coven for her... and she still chose Fate over you... Wow... That has to suck, but you should have seen it coming right you're inadequate."

"STOP NOW!" I screamed. I could no longer make out his face, but he seemed to be amused.

"If that wasn't pathetic enough she comes back needing your help, apparently you didn't kill Xavier hard enough and she begs for your protection... you take a vampire bite for her... nearly kills you, you fight a war for her, and come here to protect her from us for a year... all this... for her. And she still goes back to Fate. Wow, I mean I understand you're a failure but that's kind of harsh even for her."

"DIE!" I screamed as rage finally overcame me.

Felix's POV

"DIE!" he screamed He dropped his head for a moment before letting a bloodcurdling scream his eyes weren't human anymore, they were something else completely. I'd barely noticed he was growing... his chest, his arms, his hands, his stomach his legs... everything. Holy hell he's even bigger than before. He had to be at least eight feet tall, maybe even nine now. He howled again primally and his focus turned to me.

Immediately I had second thoughts about this plan. He's an uncontrolled beast right now I'll be more than enough to handle him. He charged at me coming down with a hammering fist braced and blocked it weight me left but he had much more power than I had guessed and my legs buckled for a moment. I saw his other arm coming at me but I couldn't move fast enough and caught an upper cut throwing me across the room in to the wall. So that's what it feels like to feel powerless. I thought for a moment before blocking his hammering blow with both his hands with both mine. I took a step away from the wall just in time to get kicked back in to it with a thud. I heard a wall hanging on the other side of the wall hit the ground. He wrapped his right hand around my body thumb right in between my ribs. He used my body as a ram against the wall until I was through it. He didn't let me go though he pulled me through and grabbed me with both arms and smashed me through the rest of the wall. I tried to fight back but his arms were longer than my arms and legs and he seemed next to impervious of my attacks to his arms. He growled at me and palmed my skull. I threw my body at him kicking his chest. I couldn't see anything because his palm covered my eyes but I felt a giant hand on my leg then a cracking then I knew my leg was broken. I screamed not because of the pain but in the hope that someone would help.

I could hear vampires moving. Embry released me. I saw Jane. Embry grabbed his head as if trying to block Jane's mental assault. She was soon joined by Alec. Embry flailed backhanded both of them straight in to a wall stopping their attack. I leaped after Embry but was rewarded with a stiff kick planting me back against yet another wall. I watched as he grabbed Alec and Jane easily with each hand and smashed them repeatedly in to the ground. Demetri came around the corner with Kale and Santiago.

Embry knocked Kale and Santiago away but Demetri hit him full on with a jump spin kick. Embry turned his head a little then made a sound that sounded like a laugh before kicking Demetri down the hall.

Alec and Jane got up quickly and started blasting Embry with their powers. He went to his knees then to his stomach as they held him down, he started shrinking back to his normal size then he started screaming in pain.
"Stop it, right now!"

"No... he deserves it after what he did to us." Alec smiled.

"That is petty, and more over you don't want to piss him or his friend off." I said as a blur flew down the hall In a blur of a kick Jane was kicked up against a wall and Alec had a sword to his throat.

"Iverson... stop." Embry stopped screaming and relaxed a bit but he couldn't stand up he was too exhausted. He glared at Alec. Jane stood up but was greeted by Iverson's open hand and a small ball of energy.

"Next week... you're both mine."

"We'll make you look like a little bitch again." Alec taunted. Iverson growled.

"No... Payback will be mine." he said before making his way over to Embry and picking him up.

Evelyn's POV

"Wow Felix, you haven't gotten beaten this bad in a long time." I said smiling.

"Why are you so happy about it, do you enjoy playing nurse that much?" He asked. He looked like he was hurt but we both knew he wasn't.

"It keeps you humble... and besides I thought you liked me running my fingers over your skin." I said smirking.

"While it's a plus I prefer if it's not checking if I have any broken bones."

"Beggars can't be choosers." Felix didn't even smirk at that... his mind was elsewhere. Realistically it was at six different places but none of them were with me.

"What is it Felix."

"We've always known we couldn't control Call. We might be able to goad him in to staying, and probably could but..."

"But what?" I asked.

"Iverson is a wild card... He didn't pick up the nickname "Temper" on accident mind you. He's disturbingly powerful and only getting stronger, he's not showing any signs of slowing down and he shows outright contempt for members of the Volturi that have wronged him."

"Does this surprise you? It never surprised me, I told you all these things would happen, he's fast to forgive but you need to give him a reason to." Felix didn't seem to understand so I had to explain.

"He's not stupid, he knows you all want him. You all sure as hell want him to fix all your problems for you but you just want his abilities and quite honestly he's sick of being used... You have to at least convince him he's more than a weapon to you."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Felix asked. I laughed and shook my head.

"No... it's how you plan on doing that... you're the only Volturi member he even remotely likes right now. You'll have to fix this yourself."

Embry's POV

"Ugh..." I said trying to force myself to wake up. I groaned again as I rolled my body off the bed, not completely sure I'd be able to convince myself to wake up all together. My body fell flat on the ground, instinctively I put my chin to my chest to protect it. I landed hard and I heard someone open the door. I tried to get up but everything in me screamed in pain.

"Come on Embry, get up." Mike called.

"Ugh... what if I told you I don't know if I can... I'm so sore."

"You were at least a full foot bigger than you were the last time you did it... maybe your body wasn't ready for that kind of muscle expansion?"

"You might be right." I agreed as he helped me up to my feet. I could walk but it hurt. I'm going to have to get over the pain eventually. I thought. Mike heard something.

"Something is going on outside." I made my way out.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Only about eighteen hours this time so you're moving in the right direction." Mike laughed, but once we made it outside there was no laughter.

I didn't realize it at first but in the dead of night only lit by the full moon five members of the Volturi guard stood on the opposite side of the plaza.

Something seemed very wrong though, my vision wasn't that good but once my eyes adjusted to the darkness I saw it. They were all being held up by five posts, and five ropes holding them up... all of them beheaded. I didn't recognize them for their bodies but then a man with a large bag walked out in front of them and smiled. I couldn't see him for his hood he wore but he approached us and lowered his hood. It was Santiago's face. I looked at the bodies behind him. He pulled the first head out of the bag, Santiago's and tossed at the feet of Aro, then he shifted his image to Kale, next pulling his head out of the bag and tossing it at the feet of Felix. Next came Havier's head, same thing changed his face to match him before tossing it before us, then came Alexei's head, changing it as he did. And lastly he changed his face to Auto, and tossed it before us. He wore a sure smile.

"You are quite confident to do this in front of us when we can easily kill you." He shook his head.

"I think not... I hold your entire city hostage, your very lifestyle in danger." He said confidently.

"What's your name, cold one." Aro asked.

"Name? What's it matter? Right now I'm Auto, yesterday I was Philip, tomorrow who knows who I might be... I might be Ivan." he said staring at Ivan, then taking his shape. Ivan growled.

"If you need a name it doesn't matter, You may call me shifter."

"Okay Shifter... what purpose do you flaunt this in front of us?" his face turned to Carlisle.

"Simple... You sent these five to find out about us... whether you realize it or not you need to realize something."

"And what would that be?" Aro asked. He smiled then his body changed from Ivan to Mike, but his expression was one I'd never seen Mike wear, it was a sick smile and Mike tensed next to me.

"You can't possible best us."

Oh... Yeah I went there... So I hope you enjoyed it. So much going on... now we finally see the face (or faces) of the big baddie of this book. He already existed and is in one of my posters. He was the shapeshifter who nearly fooled Felix in to thinking Carlisle was mounting the assault on the Volturi. I'd like to thank Eli, Zu, and Alex for their very faithful reviews. Remember if you want me to write make sure to review. High fives, Rolls of twenties, Knucks, and comments. Thanks. Catch you on the flipside.