Hello!

Sorry this is so late... but at least it is a long one, right?

Anyways... it seems to always be the boring school subjects that I finish a chapter of this story in. Today, it's religion… not for the first time, either.

See you down the bottom - enjoy this chapter!

"I do not care what you say," I said stubbornly, my head burrowed into Bella's neck as I pulled her back flush against me. "I'm not leaving my mate whilst she's changing… and certainly not for those mutts. If they really want to speak to me, they can stay in their wolf form down there and I will read their mind from up here. Then, I will relay onto you what I say in return. Just as I am not leaving my mate, I am not going to have them in this room with us. Young, hostile wolves near my fragile mate? I don't think so."

I looked between the two of them, trying to get them to see that I wouldn't change my mind. Bella was the most important person in my life – she was my mate, my everything – and I would not leave her in this state. She would not go through one single second of her transformation without me there with her.

Carlisle looked at Alice, who was staring blankly, unseeingly towards me. She shook out of her vision, shaking her head as she sighed. "He won't budge, Carlisle," Alice murmured as our adoptive father paced. "Nothing any of us say will change his mind; his path is set."

Carlisle sighed. He stopped pacing and looked at Bella and I, his eyes flickering between the both of us as he tried to come up with the best solution. Realising that me staying with my love would be for the best anyway, he nodded. "Alright, you stay up here. But I would like for you to at least concentrate enough on us to be able to tell me what they are thinking."

I nodded. "Of course… and tell them everything, Carlisle; we have nothing to hide and it is not as if we can hide it anyway."

Carlisle paused and looked at me. He cocked a brow, pointedly looking at my sweet Bella. I laughed, understanding what he meant but he had no reason to worry. I told him so but revealed nothing more. He walked out of the room and downstairs, frightfully unconfident.

Before long, the thoughts of the mongrels slowly started to seep into my radar and I growled as I read them.

Wonder what the bloodsucker's done to Bella now…

Probably won't even let us see her…

Bet they're holding her against her will. Fuckers; we'll show 'em...

I have to make sure Edward doesn't kick my ass in front of Bella again. It won't help me win her over and get her away from that leech.

I smiled as I read that lost thought of Jacob's. The last time Jacob had tried to win my sweet over he had failed miserably… and embarrassed himself quite thoroughly in the process. Let us just say that a fight ensued and Jacob was one sore loser.

I scanned the thoughts of my family, blocking out those of the werewolves. I had heard enough to know exactly what they were here for and what they were going to do. I also knew that if they even tried to get their wish by force, my wrath would wipe them from this earth.

I would spare no one.

I watched through the eyes of Carlisle as they arrived, entering from the woods close to the river. Sam appeared, and then Jacob and so on. I smiled as my eyes rested on the uncomfortable Seth. He was truly like a brother to me and as Carlisle's eyes rested on his form briefly, I knew that he was surveying them for me. I whispered a "thank you", to which he mentally responded "you're welcome".

The sight of Seth did, however, interest me and I quickly shifted to his thoughts. I smiled, relaxing slightly as I heard that he did not agree with what the pack was trying to do. In fact, he was debating whether or not he could really side with us and help us.

But then he registered as Carlisle began to speak and I relinquished listening to his thoughts, instead deciding to listen with my enhanced hearing.

"Sam," he said, directing his focus to their leader. He disregarded the others but I knew he was concerned by how angry they all seemed to be. "Is there something the matter? There was no warning of your visit but for Alice's visions' usual response."

The midnight coloured wolf bared his teeth in a smirking gesture, making Alice hiss. Her Jasper held her back, monitoring her feelings to stop her from acting out. She calmed against her mate's physique.

Edward? Carlisle asked me mentally. What is Sam thinking?

I concentrated on his thoughts, snorting. "He is merely smug that he has caused Alice annoyance… but he does not believe that we have no idea of why they are here."

He relayed his thanks before he turned back to the volatile creatures in front of him. "My son, Edward, is speaking your thoughts to me. That is how we will communicate, if that is alright?" I immediately picked up that Sam was resigned but agreeable. I also picked up that he was wondering – quite smugly, once again – why I was not down there with them. To him, it just proved that we were hiding something. Then, as Carlisle spoke, he listened thoroughly. "Good. And you are right. We do have an idea as to why you are here. It is about Bella – Edward's mate – is that correct?"

Carlisle normally would not have referred to her as such, but he felt the need to prove a point. By speaking of my claim over her and our connection, he was hoping to get the point across that it really was not of their concern. And, also, by referring to her as her nickname that only those close to her were allowed to call her, he was articulating in a casual way that she was part of our family.

Every wolf but Seth, of course, growled at his statement. Sam was the only one who was able to remain calm in his thoughts.

However, before he could respond, Jacob finally burst. He screamed in his thoughts at me, making me hear him. I know you're listening, bloodsucker. What's wrong with her? What have you done you fucking parasite?

I growled at his sentiment and tightened my arms around Bella protectively. She shifted, burrowing into me on instinct.

"Shut your mouth dog, before I clamp it shut for you," I growled ferociously, loud enough for him to hear me and make no mistake about what I had said.

Carlisle warned me in my thoughts, telling me to be mindful of my love's fragile state. I calmed instantly, loosening my hold on her just slightly, to which she let out a low, pained whimper. I retaliated with one of my own and fastened my arms around her once again. She sighed, and I smiled before concentrating on Carlisle's response as he finally spoke.

"That's something I would rather discuss with Edward first, actually. They are mates, after all." His words sparked fear within me; he knew what my sweet had, and was not telling me. In fact, as I tried to focus on his thoughts to pick the answer from there, I realised that the analytical part of his brain, the part that was always filled with his medical thoughts was blocked as he recited complicated passages of Old English.

Mentally, he called to me, I am sorry, Edward. But I would rather tell you once they have left.

I huffed, but nodded, telling him quietly that I was expecting to be told as soon as the mongrels left. He assured me that that would happen and continued his talk with the wolves. They were unhappy that they would not be notified beforehand, but were also – fortunately for us and unfortunately for them – aware that they were not capable of taking us down. We were seven and they were six, most of the wolves untrained and volatile… not strong enough or sure enough to take a course of action.

It was then, however, that I picked up an interesting thought from Seth. Don't worry, Edward. I'll help you guys. You aren't bad people… I'll just have to try and break away from the pack… if that's possible.

I was astounded by the lengths that he had just revealed he would go to, and was unable to answer him. Soon enough the wolves, grumbling angrily, left and I remembered that Carlisle was about to reveal what was wrong with my sweet love.

He walked up the stairs, now completely blocking his mind. I sat up from my laying position upon his entering the room, watching as he sighed. He looked at me… he just simply looked at me.

"What is wrong with her?" I begged, looking down at the reason for my existence.

He sighed again, wringing his hands without reason. "Just know that you could not have known, Edward."

I growled. "What is it, Carlisle?"

He looked into my eyes, weary gold meeting fierce black. He looked away again, down to the floor before glancing at my Isabella.

"She has… she has Spanish influenza."

And my being… it broke.

Yeah… so, um… yeah.

Just so you know, the way around the treaty will be featured next chapter. He'll explain it once Bella is awake and everything…

Also, about that… next chapter is the last for this sweet little tale.

I won't tell you when the next update should be… I think I'll just surprise you because if I don't tell you, I'll probably update faster than if I did.