Author's note: UURRGGGHHH! Real life is such a pain! It gets in the way of my writing and me and means my updates are taking forever! I'm sorry for the long wait, but I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it. xxxx

Chapter forty four

Every single vampire in the room froze to the spot. The only one capable of using their voice was the ever-dependable Carlisle. I guess it demonstrated why, although never laying claim to the title, he was the recognised leader of the coven.

"When?" he asked. His tone remained calm, yet hinted at the urgency behind the question.

Alice didn't answer right away, spending a moment gazing into the distance, I assumed, to revisit the vision she had just had. "I…I'm not sure," she replied, going blank for a moment longer, before continuing. "I'm trying to recall their surroundings, see if anything gives away a particular location or time frame."

I imagined the furious rhythm my heart would have beaten against my chest, had it still retained a purpose within my chest. The Volturi? Here? What would they do? Were they coming for us or did their suspicions about the Ripper's identity match Rosalie's? I may have become a vampire, but would the others still be punished for making me aware of them before I was changed? And what about those wolves? God, it was all so confusing and my mind was thumping with innumerable questions. I wanted to pull Carlisle into a quiet room and just offload everything onto him, but knew that it wouldn't be even remotely possible until a plan of action had been figured out.

"I think we have a little time," Alice declared, her voice sounding distant. She was clearly still sifting through her memory of the vision as she spoke. "There's snow on the ground. Yes, lots of snow. Jasper, find a weather channel."

He did so immediately, with Rosalie and Emmett's focus also turning to the television. The rest of us remained focused on Alice, hoping she might discover more clues.

"Can you spot anything at all that might reveal their rough location in Forks?" Carlisle gently queried, seeming to know not to push too hard, as his voice was very soft and slow.

"Not really," she answered, before beginning to chew on her bottom lip. "I see trees, which could be anywhere in Forks and they're walking, so it might not even be where we confront them…" Another pause, accompanied by a frown. "If we confront them."

Emmett's voice temporarily changed the subject. "No snow expected for a couple of weeks. That gives us some time."

Time for what? I really hoped they weren't seriously considering confronting the Volturi. I may not have met or known very much about them, but I'd heard enough to know only an idiot would try standing against them. That, or a vampire possessing a very large army, perhaps.

"I must speak with Sam immediately," Carlisle said, once again focusing on his phone.

Sam? I delved into the dark recesses of my mind to see if I knew the Sam he spoke of. It took some time, but, eventually, a spark of memory ignited. Sam Uley! But…why was he telling Sam about it? What the Hell could he do about the Volturi? If other vampires, whose strength and speed far surpassed many other creatures, were afraid of them, I failed to see what good humans would do, even if they were extremely tall Native Americans. Something tickled the back of my mind with fingers of familiarity then, but it was just a little too far out of reach for me to grasp.

Carlisle, who had moved further towards the dining area, returned, placing the phone into the back pocket of his trousers as he walked. He stopped beside me and his left hand curled around my right, his thumb gently stroking my knuckles.

"I have arranged a meeting with Sam in a few hours," he said. "If any of you wish to accompany me that is fine, although I cannot take more than a couple of you. A truce may have recently been agreed, but they are still wary of us."

Jasper and Esme offered their services and, for some reason, I felt an urge to go too. I wasn't sure why, but figured it probably had something to do with the sense of familiarity that kept brushing against my memories each time I thought of Sam. Did he know the wolves? I began to wonder if the term was merely a nickname or if Carlisle literally meant the four legged relations of domesticated dogs. I was ready to dismiss such a bizarre concept (vampires talking to animals?), but realised that, not so long ago, I would've thought the same about ever socialising with immortal beings. I was thoroughly intrigued and the urge to want to accompany Carlisle to the meeting with Sam intensified.

I stood patiently, waiting for a chance to pull Carlisle to one side, or even to a different room, and gain clarification about everything, but there were still a few things left to discuss. It soon became apparent that Alice wasn't going to extract any further information from her vision and, after checking several different weather reports, it was confirmed that the snow would indeed not hit for at least a fortnight.

"So," said Emmett, his warm, rumbling voice rolling across the room. "I guess it's now a case of waiting for what the wolves say and coming up with a plan."

I heard an irreverent snort and there was no prize for guessing who it came from. "Yes, because werewolves are known for their towering intellect," Rosalie muttered, before settling back down on the sofa.

"Werewolves?" The question had left my mouth before I even realised it'd formed in my head.

Everybody looked at me, then at Rosalie. She took in the chorus of disgruntled looks thrown her way, but they didn't seem to faze her, as she rebuffed them easily, crossing her arms and reclining in the seat.

"What, you mean she didn't know?" Again, she was speaking to them as if they were absolute morons and it was such a contrast to the caring patience I had experienced with the others. I started to wonder how she had ever managed to join a coven full of vampires whose attitudes differed so much to hers.

"It wasn't exactly information we were at liberty to reveal," explained Esme.

"But revealing to a human that you're vampires is fine," Rosalie countered, the words dripping with sarcasm.

"I keep telling you that wasn't our fault," said Alice.

"Oh, I don't blame you. After all, maintaining a cover requires tact, which has never been this coven's strong point."

"You couldn't expect us not to act when Bella's in tr-"

"Oh my God, does it matter?" Rosalie exclaimed. "She's a vampire now; she was going to learn about the wolves eventually, so let's just get this big reveal out of the way so we can move onto the next!"

I would have found the whole thing funny, was I not currently overwhelmed. Rosalie could come across as a little brash and abrasive at times, but her straightforwardness was also quite refreshing, although it also meant she would be my absolute last choice if I ever needed comforting.

The sparring between the statuesque blonde and diminutive brunette continued. I could feel Carlisle's weariness at the whole situation through the squeeze of his hand and, when I looked up at him, he gave a small nod towards the stairs. We slipped off and I was tempted to take bets on how long it would be before the others either intervened or left the squabbling pair to it. Alice and Rosalie may not have been sisters, but they certainly knew how to act like it.

We made our way up to Carlisle's bedroom and he opened the door, before motioning for me to enter. I complied and walked to the centre of the room, before stopping. The large bed was on my left, but, despite how invitingly comfortable it looked, I still couldn't summon the desire to sit down. Was this another symptom of vampirism, one the movies had always neglected to mention? Carlisle, however, did decide to sit down, although he took my hand back in his and pulled me closer to the bed before doing so. He didn't force me to sit, but apparently wanted me closer and I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it.

For a long while, he did little more than gaze down at my hands, as each one rested within his own and his thumbs traced the shapes of my pale knuckles. Was he alright? I wanted to kneel down and get a better view of his face, but he seemed so engrossed in his task that I was hesitant to interrupt him. He must have felt my concern, as his head leaned back and his eyes met mine.

"It has been a long time since I actually felt exhaustion," he eventually said and a humourless chuckle escaped his lips. "Then again, it has been a long time since anything like this has happened."

I searched his features and, although they hadn't changed and I knew he couldn't age, he seemed to have suddenly gained countless years. I was learning that vampires weren't immune to the effects of stress and wished I knew how to alleviate even a little of it. The best I could come up with was to move even closer, pull my hands from his and use them to cup his face. His hands then came to rest on my hips, as I placed a long, gentle kiss against his temple, before letting his forehead rest on my sternum. As I started running my fingers through his hair, I knew my actions wouldn't solve any of the problems we were facing, but I hoped I could, at the very least, remind him that he was with people who loved him.

Carlisle let out a long sigh, before speaking. "Thank God for you," he whispered and it almost sounded like a prayer.

The motions of my fingers halted, as I placed another quick kiss on top of his head, before continuing to massage his scalp. "Likewise," I replied.

We remained that way for a while, blocking out everything and everyone else. A lot seemed to have happened since the last time we had been able to do so, even though only a day had passed. In that time, I had become a vampire, met two more coven members, possibly begun to uncover Edward's terrible plan and discovered that the Volturi were on their way. That was more than enough drama for several lifetimes, let alone a few hours. Carlisle had been with me throughout all that and more; no wonder he was feeling weary.

I placed a couple more quick kisses on his head, before leaning my cheek against his soft hair and closing my eyes for a moment. Another memory returned. Well, less of a memory and more a feeling I had once felt, back when I was human. I remembered fretting about never being able to repay him and his coven members for all they had done for me. Hell, we were way past that point now. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my entire immortal existence would never be long enough for me to match up to the kindness and general incredibility that was Carlisle Cullen. In that moment I felt, more than ever, that he truly and irrevocably loved me. No person would do what he'd done for anything less and I involuntarily held him a little tighter at the thought.

Eventually, I felt Carlisle's head stir and I straightened, allowing a small amount of space between us. The silence lingered, as he spent a long moment gazing into my eyes. I couldn't help the small quirk of my lips, as they stretched into a slight smile. He mirrored the expression and, before long, we were both smiling widely at one another. I had no idea what caused the joyful emotion inside and, from his eyes, I was pretty sure he was as clueless as me, but it didn't matter. Smiles and laughter had been lamentably few and far between recently and I had a feeling it would remain that way for quite some time.

Carlisle let out a long sigh, before shifting position and pulling me down to finally sit beside him on the bed. He kept my right hand nestled between both of his and spoke in a soft, quiet voice.

"So," he began. "Which question would you like me to answer first?"

I gave myself a minute to consider, but already knew what it would be. "Who are the werewolves?" I asked.

The look on Carlisle's face betrayed no surprise at my choice of question. "You already know who they are, Bella," he replied, his eyes fixed on my wrist, which his thumb had begun to run up and down. "I could not tell you before, as the treaty forbade us to reveal their secret, but…" A moment's hesitation, as his eyes quickly scanned the room and his mind figured out the best way to explain. "You are the same species as us, now and a part of this coven-"

"I am?" I hadn't meant to interrupt, but his comment caught me by surprise. It wasn't something I had ever really thought about before, which was understandable given everything going on, but, to hear it coming from his lips was enough to send shivers through me. Good shivers, I might add.

Our eyes met and I saw the uncertainty in his golden irises. Oh God, was he doubting my desire to stay with him? "Do you want to be?" he asked.

"Of course I do," I assured quickly. "I'm sorry, I just…I dunno…" I trailed off, unsure of how to actually finish my sentence. How could I explain it? I twiddled my fingers and briefly thought of how odd it was for people to think that action might aid their mental processes. "It's just, hearing you say it…it's…weird." I saw Carlisle's expression and immediately clarified. "A good weird!" Another small smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. "I've never been part of a coven before. I guess I was expecting to have to earn it or something."

Carlisle chuckled, but this time humour was involved. "Good weird is better than bad weird, I suppose and you have more than earned a place with us, just by being your wonderful self. If it helps, perhaps you could try looking at us as more of a family."

The second "family" entered my head, I immediately wanted to erase it. Family made me think of Charlie and Renée and the heartbreaking thought of never seeing them again. Carlisle saw my abrupt change in mood and circled an arm around my shoulders.

"Bella," he whispered. "We will do all we can to work this out, I promise."

I couldn't begin to describe how much I appreciated the use of the word "we". It meant he was including me, rather than trying to hide me and keep me in the dark. Sure he had an overprotective streak, but he also respected me enough to keep me in the loop. He also wasn't offering the empty promise that everything would be okay, because there was no guarantee that it would be. He was, however, promising to try and I knew he would have no difficulty upholding that vow. As much as I wanted to dwell, I knew I would have to push the thoughts of my human family further back in my mind, as there was no way I would be seeing either Charlie or Renée anytime soon and there were more dangerous matters to attend to.

I took an unnecessary breath. "So," I began, changing the subject, before unshedable tears threatened to surface. "You were saying about the wolves?"

Carlisle squeezed my hand, before speaking. "As I said, you already know them and, if you put your mind to it, I doubt it would take you long to work out who they are."

He was right, I did know, but had been too preoccupied with so many other things running through my brain that I hadn't allowed myself chance to acknowledge it. I knew exactly who the wolves were, but it still didn't stop me almost barking out a laugh of surprise. That sense of familiarity I had felt before came rushing back and hit me with tremendous force. It was Jacob. Multiple images of him passed my eyes, starting from when we first met as kids, through to seeing him again after my absence from Forks, right up to the moment he flipped out after our argument. I remembered the look in his eyes and the way his facial muscles had started contorting. I had been absolutely terrified back then, but Rosalie's voice echoed in my head again, repeating the word "werewolf" over and over again.

I started laughing and could tell I'd caught the blonde beside me off guard. I couldn't help myself, though. It all seemed so preposterous. There I was, a newborn vampire, sitting in a house full of other vampires, discussing the fact that my childhood friend was, in fact, a fucking werewolf. Would Officer Burt turn out to be the Tooth Fairy? Or, perhaps Angela would reveal her secret identity as the Easter Bunny. I knew I'd have to start explaining myself to Carlisle soon, otherwise he'd be questioning my mental health. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been the first newborn to go mad.

"I'm sorry," I said, stifling the giggles. "I'm sorry. I just…oh, God, I don't know if I can't take all this in!"

"I know it's confusing," he soothed, starting to rub circles on my back and when I lifted my head out of my hands, I saw mirth colouring his features as well. How could we be laughing at such a time? That only made me want to laugh even more, but I used all my strength to refrain from doing so. We needed to focus.

"So, the Quileute tribe is actually a pack of werewolves?"

"Well, I would call them more shape shifters than werewolves," Carlisle elucidated. "They can change form at will, whereas werewolves are governed by the phases of the moon."

"Oh," was all I could say in reply. You learn something new every day, apparently.

"And their true identities are kept as secret as ours," he continued. "Which is why we could not say anything about Jacob after your argument with him."

Jacob was a wolf. That sentence kept repeating in my ears. Jacob was a wolf. Jacob was a wolf. I was a vampire and Jacob was a wolf. How the Hell did this all happen?

"And," I spoke hesitantly, not liking the direction this conversation was going to take. "From what I've seen and heard, vampires and wer-sorry-shape shifters don't get along."

"Unfortunately not," Carlisle affirmed. "The thing is, as vampires it is in our very nature to feed from humans and that need often drives vampires down destructive and terrible paths. For many of our kind, it is impossible to simply take one sip and walk away. More often than not, the human will die and it has not been unknown for a vampire to slaughter an entire village simply to quench his or her thirst. That is where the wolves come in. They were designated as the protectors of humans, to stop bloodthirsty vampires from killing them and that is exactly what the Quileute tribe wishes to stop happening here. I do not blame them for their mistrust and dislike of us, but I always hope that one day they will see how different we are to other vampires. The treaty was forged with that hope in mind."

So, I finally understood the reason for Jacob's immense dislike of the Cullens. With that understanding came the realisation that any chance of reconciliation between us was gone forever. I had, in his mind at least, already chosen my side when I was a human, but I think we'd both always secretly harboured a hope for resolution-at least, I had. Well, that was over now. I was no longer siding with the enemy, I'd become the enemy.

Another wave of sadness crept up on me, but I forcibly pushed it away. It was done, it was over and there was nothing either of us could do about it.

"What does the treaty cover?" I asked.

"Well, each side has their own territory in Forks and neither can cross into the other's without permission. We are forbidden to feed from or change any human and, in turn, they will leave us alone, with nobody being made aware of what we-or they-are."

I nodded and took a moment to absorb the information. "But what about Edward? Is he still considered part of the coven?"

Carlisle's features turned dark and he looked away from me, to fix his eyes straight ahead. "Not anymore," he replied, quietly, with the murmur of a growl in his words. "It has already been discussed with the tribe and they acknowledge that he acted on his own. Even if I wanted him to rejoin us, the tribe would not allow it for as long as we live here."

A period of silence descended upon us then and I let Carlisle wallow in his own moment of sadness. Edward's fate and actions had disturbed him greatly, I knew and, with everything he'd done and gone through, it was only fair that he have his fair share of time to mourn. Obviously, the few minutes of silence in his room were nowhere near long enough, but it was better than nothing. I sat patiently beside him, as he gathered himself and turned to me once again.

"I'm sor-"

I pressed my hand to his lips and shook my head. My apologising ban was going to be extended to him now. "You're allowed to be upset too," I said, before sealing my words with a quick chaste kiss. He responded by wrapping an arm around my waist and taking my hand in his again.

"So, I'd say I've been brought fairly up to speed," I remarked. "And you're meeting with the tribe soon?"

Carlisle nodded.

"Can I go with you?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he studied my face intently and I could see the battle he had with his decision. I know he didn't want to exclude me from anything, but my request had also sent his protective instincts into overdrive.

"I understand why you don't want me to," I offered, hoping that my display of rationality might persuade him to grant my wish. "And if you really think I won't be able to handle it, I'll trust your judgement, but I just want you to know that, if I can, I'd like to go."

He continued to watch me for a few minutes longer, before answering with a question of his own. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and he squeezed my hand. "Would you be willing to discuss it with Jasper also? I am not questioning your own judgement, but I feel we should consult him, as his expertise with newborns is far superior to anyone else's."

"Sure." I wasn't going to argue with any experts, because, although I wanted to go, I wasn't going to be pigheaded enough to risk endangering others purely for my own desires. I knew that, no matter how relatively calm and collected I currently felt, I was far from stable. All it would take was a stray human to walk by and I'd probably be a monstrous mess.

"Alright," he finished and slowly got to his feet, a pensive expression on his face. What was he thinking? I may have loathed Edward, but I certainly wouldn't have said no to having his talent.

"If I get Jasper, will you wait in the study for us? This conversation will go much quicker without Rosalie's snark, I think. Once we've come to a definite decision, then we can inform the others."

I agreed and he held the bedroom door open for me. Although it could have easily come across as a snide remark, Carlisle wasn't being mean about Rosalie, he was simply telling the truth. For all her frankness, she did seem to have a knack for starting arguments and riling people up. I agreed that we could do without that for a little while. There would be plenty of opportunity for it later.

000

It was odd getting dressed on a December afternoon, knowing that I wouldn't need to wear a thousand layers of clothing to keep out the cold. In fact, the jacket currently covering my torso was merely for show, just in case people did come across us and wonder why none of us saw fit to wear anything more than trousers and t shirts in such cold weather.

Jasper had agreed to let me accompany them to meet the tribe and, in a moment of over enthusiasm, I had actually hugged him. I clearly needed to keep my emotions in check, as I don't think I ever would have done that human. His initial response had been shock (not that I could blame him. I was feeling the same afterwards, myself), before he eventually reciprocated. Despite knowing him as long as Carlisle and Alice and even longer than Esme, it was the first time Jasper and I had ever embraced. It was…odd I think could be the correct way to describe it at first, but became something quite comfortable in the end.

Jasper remained close to my side for the entire journey to the rendezvous point with the tribe and I felt far more confident with him there. He believed my presence at the meeting would be a good thing, as it would allow Sam and the others to see my fate with their own eyes. I felt bubbles of nervousness swim in my stomach, as we got closer. The tribe had been trying to stop me from becoming the very thing I now was and I wasn't sure how well they would take my arrival. I also wondered if Jacob would be there and what his reaction would be. He'd already been furious with me for being in a relationship with a vampire, so what would he do knowing that I was now one of them? Despite Rosalie's lack of faith in his mental prowess, surely Sam, who had been told to expect my presence at the meeting, wouldn't be foolish enough to let Jacob be there? Only time would tell, but, as we neared our destination, I started doubting the sense of my decision. I just kept reminding myself that Jasper would never have agreed to it if it had been that bad an idea.

The first thing to hit me was the smell. I had been warned, but warnings rarely lived up to the reality. It was…Christ, it was foul! It was like taking fifty dogs out for a walk in the rain, before sitting with them all in a cramped sauna. I didn't remember any of the tribe smelling like that when I was human. At worst, when visiting La Push, I may have caught the occasional scent of body odour that accompanies any group of active young men, but I'd never cringed at Jacob's scent before. He'd always smelt fine to me, so I wondered if it might be a symptom of their wolf form. And to think he'd once complained about the smell of vampires!

In the end, there was nothing for it but to bury my nose in the cuff of my jacket sleeve. How could the other three stand it? I only hoped the tolerance they'd obviously achieved would quickly see fit to bestow itself upon me, too.

Musings about smell soon became redundant when I saw the scene before me. We stopped at a clearing in the woods, surrounded by large rocks and I imagined my nonexistent pulse skyrocketing. There were several wolves, five in total, gathered in a semi circle on the highest rocks, with another three further down. In the centre stood a man, Sam Uley and I was amazed that gathering the information had taken no longer than a second.

Although it was broad daylight, I still was amazed at the clarity of my vision. I could make out every single physical detail of Sam, despite being several feet away. I could identify each individual pore on his coppery skin and each dark hair that had started to grow on his chin. On his bare torso, I spotted many faint scars, interspersed with cuts and bruises that only looked a few days old. He was the same Sam Uley I had met before, yet he looked so different through my new eyes. He seemed older, perhaps because I could now pinpoint each faint crease in his skin around the eyes and mouth, but I also found myself thinking how young he actually was. Maybe it was due to the amount of time I'd recently spent around decades old vampires.

I was the first one Sam's cocoa eyes connected with and it was difficult to read the emotions swimming within the guarded irises. I managed to unearth anger, wariness and possibly disappointment, but whether they were all directed towards me, or merely the situation I was now in was undetermined. He took one step forward, before letting his gaze travel over my three companions. Carlisle took his own step forwards and I felt a tremor of anxiety run up my spine. I suddenly felt vulnerable without him right next to me and it took all my effort not to reach out and pull him back, but someone must have noticed my discomfort, because I felt a hand envelop mine.

I turned to my left, ready to let my eyes thank Esme for me, when my jaw fell open in astonishment. It wasn't Esme holding my hand, it was Jasper. He didn't meet my gaze, but a soft murmur left his lips.

"We're here," he assured me and I felt Esme's presence shift closer.

Although I was baffled by the contact, I tightened my grip on his hand and offered a thankful look to Esme, before all three of us returned our attention to the large pack of shape shifters ahead. I divided my focus between Sam and searching through the wolves to see which might be Jacob. I didn't have much luck, as I had no idea what his wolf form looked like.

"Thank you for meeting with us again," Carlisle said, with a respectful nod of his head.

"You said you have important news for us," Sam replied, not bothering with pleasantries. His tone wasn't overly hostile, but he appeared to simply want this over and done with. There was no argument from me.

"I do," Carlisle confirmed. "But I would like to know if there have been any developments on your end, first."

I sensed a hint of impatience in Sam's expression, but he did as Carlisle asked.

"Nothing of significance so far," he answered. "We have been scouting the outskirts of Forks, as well as heading further afield, but there has been no sign of Edward or his accomplices. We don't know how he is managing to keep such a low profile, but I have to admit that I'm worried."

"As are we," Carlisle remarked. "But there is more. I know you have been following the spate of murders that began in Seattle and we are beginning to come to an unfortunate conclusion regarding them."

"You believe Edward is responsible." Sam finished for him. "The idea's nothing new to us. We've had him on our list of suspects for a while."

"Why did you not see fit to speak of this to us?" Carlisle queried and I could hear the confusion and displeasure in his tone, although he kept it to a minimum.

"Because we had no proof and being a vampire automatically made him a suspect, just like all of you. What's changed to bring you to this conclusion?"

"A fresh perspective," Carlisle replied. "We should have considered it earlier, I admit, but it was not always at the forefront of our minds and, to be honest, I never thought it to be in his character to do such a thing. We have no actual proof, but it is something we are keeping in mind. What we have yet to discover is his motive."

"Besides being a bloodsucker?"

"I thought you above such name calling," Carlisle retorted.

"Usually, but my patience is being worn very thin these days." Sam took a moment to compose himself, as hints of his distress were beginning to show in his posture and face. "I'm guessing you've got more to tell us, because you haven't really offered anything groundbreaking so far. Unless your main objective was to simply show off your latest addition." He pointed to me. "I see Bella survived the transition."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jasper's jaw tense in irritation. He didn't like the tone Sam was using and I was in full agreement. He may be pissed off with what was happening, but he surely could see that none of us were exactly dancing for joy either. Besides, Carlisle had more reason than anyone to be upset, yet he hadn't shown an iota of disrespect towards the tribe so far. I found myself starting to come round to Rosalie's way of thinking.

Carlisle didn't say anything straight away and I wondered if Sam's comments were finally starting to get to him, but when he answered, he didn't give any sign that he was affected. The tenseness of his shoulders told me a different story, however.

"Are you aware of the Volturi?" he asked, ignoring the comment about me.

"Vaguely."

"How much do you know?"

"Not enough for my liking. What about them?"

"We have reason to believe they are planning to come here."

Sam's eyes widened a little in alarm. "When?"

"Our best guess is that they will arrive in a fortnight's time, when the snow hits Forks."

"Do you know why they're coming?"

"We have a few ideas, but the best one would be that the Seattle Ripper has caught their attention, too. If we suspect it to be the work of a vampire, you can assume they do too and, as such, is bringing unnecessary attention to our kind. That is something the Volturi do not tolerate. If we are lucky, their task will simply be to come here, find the culprit and eliminate him, before leaving."

"And if we're unlucky?"

"I do not wish to think about that."

For a long while, Sam and Carlisle just stood and stared at one another, as though they had resorted to conversing through telepathy. Carlisle's last statement sounded so ominous and wasn't helping the trepidation I already felt, but it was, unfortunately, the truth. If things came to a fight, what would we do? Could vampires go against their own kind and would others view us as defectors of some sort?

"If it resorts to a fight," Sam began, asking his question slowly, as though fearful of the answer. "Are you requesting our assistance?"

"No," Carlisle replied. "If things do go that way, I doubt any of us would survive. They are far too powerful for us to defeat."

"Our numbers are not excessive, but we have many skilled fighters among us."

Was Sam offering to help? Well, that was one Hell of a turnaround.

"Numbers are irrelevant," Carlisle said. "All it would require is a handful of their members and they could take out an entire army of ours. Their ranks include many vampires possessing extraordinary talents that none of us can compete with. Fighting would be suicide. Our best hope is negotiation."

"That's not really something we can help you with."

"I know, which is why we do not ask for your help regarding the Volturi. We are only telling you about their arrival as a warning to you and your pack. What we really require your assistance with is Edward. We must find him and stop him, as well as his comrades, before any more innocent lives are lost."

Sam's lips parted, and I could sense he was about to say that they were doing fine on their own, but we all knew that wasn't the case. They could do with our help, as much as we could theirs. He seemed to come to the same conclusion.

"What do you suggest?" he asked.

"I want us to work together again, as we did when trying to locate Bella. We need to know what you have done so far and collaborate in order to stop him. If we can offer him to the Volturi, it would be added incentive for them to leave us be."

Sam considered the proposal for a few moments, his gaze leaving us, to sweep across the scenery ahead of him. It must have been pretty hard for him, I reasoned, seeing as we were basically asking him to work alongside the enemy, even if we weren't like those he loathed so much.

"I need a moment to speak with the others."

Carlisle agreed and we watched Sam and his wolves disappear into the brush. I wasn't sure how long the tribe would take, but I felt an overwhelming need to be with Carlisle. Was clinginess another symptom of vampirism? Jasper released my hand, as Carlisle and Esme turned to face us. Carlisle held his arm out to me and I stepped forward at vampire speed to be with him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, brushing my cheek with his fingers.

I nodded and he wrapped his free arm around my back, whilst I snaked both my arms around his waist.

"Carlisle," Jasper spoke and I looked over my shoulder at the Texan. "I have an idea regarding the Volturi."

A gentle frown puckered the brow of the vampire in whose arms I stood.

"You said none us would be able to compete with the talents they possess," Jasper continued. "But that's not entirely true."

The fingers that had been smoothing the skin of my cheek stopped moving. "What do you mean?"

"There is one member of our coven who has a rare and special gift, who may not even realise it or know how to use it yet, but it's definitely there." That was when Jasper's eyes connected with mine. "We have a shield."

Carlisle clicked straight away and his gaze followed Jasper's. "You want to use Bella against the entire Volturi?"

"No, but if we can strengthen her gift, it would aid us immeasurably."

Carlisle's disapproval was blindingly obvious for anyone to see and I was baffled. What the Hell was Jasper talking about? My thoughts must have been as clear on my face as my mate's, if Esme's next words were anything to go by.

"Bella, you know that some vampires have gifts, such as Alice's precognition, Jasper's pathokinesis or Edward's telepathy. Well, we believe you also have one. Do you remember Edward saying he was unable to hear your thoughts? We think you have the power to block the gifts of other vampires with your mind."

I blinked several times, with only one thought circling through my mind: "What?"

A shield? It sounded so…so…so epic! But, there was no way I could do what she was talking about…was there? What did being a shield involve exactly and what was Jasper suggesting? I sincerely hoped they weren't planning to rest all their hopes on me if the shit hit the fan. I'd bet on them being sorely disappointed if they were.

"I'm not asking us to send her into the front line," Jasper assured Carlisle. "But I think we should seriously consider developing her gift, if only to even the playing field a little. Just think how much more power we would have to negotiate if we did."

Carlisle was silent and I could tell he wasn't happy, but there was also a twinkle of intrigue in his eyes. He studied me for a long time, before asking for my opinion. Did I even have one yet?

"Uhhh…I don't even…I don't know." I looked at Jasper again. "I can try, I guess, but I don't want everyone getting their hopes up. This is me we're talking about."

"In that case," Esme chipped in. "I see no reason why we wouldn't succeed."

I couldn't help but smile at the vote of confidence she provided, even though it terrified me even more to think she was so willing to believe in me.

"We can discuss this further back at the mansion," Carlisle said, which could have also been his way of saying he wanted to drop the subject for the time being.

We all fell into silence after that and waited for the pack to return. When they did, their numbers were significantly smaller and I hoped that was a sign of trust. Carlisle released his hold of me, but kept my hand clasped in his, something Sam noticed, but didn't comment on.

"Collaboration would be beneficial to us both," began Sam. "And we are as eager to keep the Volturi's visit as short as you are. However, working together will require trust. We are going to need to know everything you do about Edward and the Volturi."

"I am willing to do so," said Carlisle. "But trust goes both ways."

Sam took in a deep breath. "Yes it does. We will provide you with any information you require."

"Thank you."

"Save the thanks for when this is all over." Sam signalled to the four wolves flanking him and they all readied themselves to depart. "We will be in touch very soon."

With that, they left and we four vampires were alone once again.

"Well, that could have gone worse, I suppose," I remarked and, despite the sarcasm, it was the truth.

"It's progress, at least," Esme offered.

"I'll reserve judgement for now," Jasper added.

"Let's get back and inform the others," Carlisle suggested. "We can hear Rosalie's thoughts on Bella's gift."

"Wouldn't wanna miss that, now, would we?" Jasper quipped, before racing off, with the remaining three of us following shortly after.

There was definitely a lot to think about and I couldn't work out if the meeting made me feel better or worse about our situation. They had agreed to help, sure, but there was also an incredible amount of mistrust and resentment hanging between our two kinds. Would it really work? They'd managed it before, so perhaps it would be possible to do so again, although it appeared that a lot more contact would be required the second time around. Given the temperaments of certain members of each group, it had potential to go very bad, very quickly. I just prayed that, by some miracle, maturity would win the day.

As we neared the house, I could feel the lingering scent of the tribe in my nostrils and wondered how long it would take the smell to go away. It had to be a subconscious thing, because there was no way their scent could carry as far as the distance between the mansion and the rendezvous point. I wanted to bury my nose in Carlisle neck and take a deep breath to cleanse my sense of smell and I was fully aware of how weird that sounded.

When we reached the driveway, the smell of dog was still there and I was willing to stuff mud up my nose just to get away from it, but then I saw that the other three had gone completely still and were facing me. I looked at each of them curiously, wondering why we weren't all heading for the door. Had I paid attention sooner, I would have noticed the figure that had emerged from the trees behind me. I was going to have to work on focusing my vampire senses. When my eyes finally did fall on the tall visitor, recognition sparked immediately and I could have sworn my heart was almost shocked back to life.

Jacob Black stood, arms held out in a surrendering stance and his features arranged in his best attempt to hide his emotions. He failed spectacularly, but there was so much going on with his emotions that they all became a blur, meaning it was hard to figure exactly what he was thinking or why he was there. Jasper was the first to crouch into a defensive stance, but Carlisle stepped in front of me and addressed Jacob.

"Does your alpha know you are here?" he asked, his tone neither hostile nor friendly.

"No," Jacob replied, his deep voice tight with restraint.

"Why are you here?"

"To talk."

"Go ahead," Carlisle urged calmly.

"Not with you," Jacob declared and then pointed at me. "With her."

"Not a chance," Jasper growled.

I wasn't asking for your permission, cowboy," Jacob spat.

"If you're in my territory, you are," Jasper countered. "Pup."

"Enough," demanded Carlisle, looking at Jasper and Jacob in turn, before offering his full attention to the shape shifter. "Why do you wish to speak with Bella?"

"That's between me and her."

"The last conversation you two shared did not end so well, so you will forgive my hesitance."

"I'm not here to make trouble," Jacob insisted. "I just need to talk."

Carlisle took in his words, before turning to me, his eyebrows raised in question. He was asking me if I wanted to speak to him. I had absolutely no idea! Did I want to speak with Jacob? I was willing to bet we'd end up fighting again, but, this time, it had the potential to wield disastrous results. Could I trust Jacob's word that he wasn't looking for trouble? Could I trust myself not to flip out at him? There were so many variables, so many ways for it to go wrong.

But I was stupid enough to say yes.

Jasper wasn't happy about it, neither was Esme, to be honest, but they went inside when Carlisle practically ordered them to. My mate lingered, before speaking quietly to me.

"I will be inside, but close by to keep an eye out for trouble," he reassured me.

I squeezed his hand to show my gratitude, before letting him walk away. I watched as his angelic form entered the building, before turning to face the person I had once called friend, but now had to consider an enemy.

A/N: Just a quick note: I'm not 100%, but I'm pretty sure I got the whole shapeshifter/werewolf thing right and that the werewolves in twilight are the ones who change during moon cycles. If I'm wrong, please let me know and I can change things accordingly :)

I hope you all enjoyed and feel free to leave any thoughts/questions/constructive criticisms in a review :)