Legends

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Chapter Twenty-Eight-Betrayal

Alice looked hunted. "Forget I said anything."

"I will not!" Bella snapped. She shrugged off Jacob's arms when he tried to embrace her in an attempt to calm her down. But she was too angry, she was practically shaking with fury. "Tell me what you meant!"

"Tell her right now, otherwise I'll rip your head off." Victoria hissed close to Alice's ear, making the little seer jump in alarm.

Everyone sat knee deep in silence. The air was so brittle it could snap, and if it didn't, Bella thought she might. No-one spoke, instead they all stared at Alice with a laser like focus, waiting for the petite vampire to explain herself. Bella could feel the fear in her chest waiting to take over. Perhaps it was her brain's way to protect herself, she wasn't in physical danger, but the panic sat there like an angry ball propelling her towards an anxiety she just couldn't cope with right now.

Alice gulped a few times as the atmosphere turned ominous. There wasn't one friendly gaze amongst the many hostile pairs of eyes. "You see – "She began nervously. She licked her lips a few times. "You see, Bella, its like this. There was a reason we returned to Forks when we did. I had seen you coming."

"Oh my god! This was all pre-planned." Bella said tautly. She felt nauseated. It was all making a sick kind of sense now. "You all really did use me from the beginning. Everything was a lie!"

"It wasn't quite like that." Alice replied defensively. "I did see us becoming friends. And Edward's feelings for you were genuine in the end. He loved y…. I mean he loves you."

"Cut the bullshit." Jacob growled. He could sense Bella's distress and it was tearing him apart inside. He laid his hands on her shoulders and gripped them tightly.

"I'm sorry." Alice whispered forlornly. Her gaze flitted to Bella and she had the grace to look ashamed. "When I told Carlisle about you and what I had seen you would be capable of, he immediately relocated the family. You were the last piece of the puzzle you see. Your shielding power would give us the ultimate protection against even the most powerful vampires. It's the reason why Edward could never read your mind, its why none of the Volturi could hurt you. Your mental shield is like a supernatural force-field that blocks any and all kinds of psychic powers that act on invading the mind, though not necessarily malevolent ones. It is one of the most powerful gifts known in vampire history due to its ability to withstand the strongest powers of the Volturi. As a human you were already showing a natural immunity to the mental powers of vampires. Carlisle believed once you were transformed into a vampire, your gift would develop into the ability to project a mental shield that protects not only yourself but others from the psychic powers of other vampires."

"But his plans hit a snag, didn't they?" Bella sneered miserably. "James biting me ruined everything. I bet it royally pissed Carlisle off when he found out I was immune to vampire venom!"

"He was displeased." Alice recalled with a shudder, which was putting it mildly. She remembered the mad look in his eyes as he completely lost it. It was rare for Carlisle to let his emotions get the better of him, but he had certainly lost it that night. He had taken it out on James' remains, destroying the ballet studio in a wall of flame in his fury. She remembered the grilling he had given her afterwards, demanding to know why she had not foreseen this turn of events. It was only when she presented him with several different possibilities that he had calmed down enough to listen to her rationally. All was not lost. Bella may not be able to be turned, but she still possessed a very unique gift, they just needed a way for her to learn to enhance it.

Jacob looked at the little psychic sharply. "Is that why the whole plan to get Bella in front of the Volturi was concocted?" His tone was biting. "As a test to see just how strong her shield was against the Volturi- even as a human?"

"Yes." Alice admitted, bowing her head. "And she passed with flying colours. Carlisle was ecstatic."

Victoria yanked her head up again by the roots of her hair, making Alice wince. "Look them all in the eye when you speak." She ordered.

Bella let out a slow controlled breath and attempted to loosen her muscles. She felt like a clockwork soldier who had been overwound. She gave her shoulders a wiggle and rolled her head in a circle, letting her body slacken to a more casual pose. It was a decent effort, enough to fool the casual observer, but for the onlooker with a keen eye she was a walking advert for tension. Her eyes moved with the alertness that comes from heavy stress and her hands remained clenched by subconscious demand. With each new revelation that Alice revealed, it just kept getting worse and worse.

"I don't know what to think anymore." She said aloud. "You used me-draining my blood to keep me compliant, using my low self-esteem against me, letting me believe I was part of your family, that you were my friend, that Edward loved me. All so you could use this so-called shielding power. Well, I failed in one thing, didn't I? I can't extend this power to protect others, only myself."

Alice gazed at her stricken, shaking her head slightly. "You didn't fail, Bella. It worked. You can use your power to protect others. You have been doing it this whole time, protecting Jacob and the other wolves. It was proven during the last training session-all of their minds were closed to Edward, Bella. Not just yours. You were protecting them all. You were protecting them all because you truly love them. That's what Carlisle failed to understand, it only works on those you really love with all of your heart."

There is a certain level of tiredness that equates to insanity; for Bella it was when she felt like temporarily dislocating her spirit from her body, she wanted to escape, if even for just a short while, to let her exhausted soul go wherever souls go to be refreshed. She knew making any decisions while tired was basically asking for trouble. She badly needed sleep, to rest, let her troubled mind sort through the chaos that Alice's latest revelations had inflicted.

Although she was the weariest out of everyone attending the meeting, Kim was the catalyst for it breaking up early. Jared's imprint was getting more and more distressed as the hours wore on. She was practically inconsolable, seemingly deeply affected by all that had happened to Bella and how much she had been used by the Cullens. She cried in Jared's arms, sobbing so wretchedly until her eyes were red rimmed with soreness.

Even though Bella was grateful for Kim's compassionate display of grief on her behalf, she couldn't help but feel irritated by it. She could tell that many others felt the same. Jacob kept shooting Jared annoyed glances, warning him to calm his imprint down or leave and take her home. But Kim didn't want to leave. She protested through tear-filled eyes that she wanted to stay until the end to support Bella. And of course, Jared gave in. He would always do what his imprint wanted. How could he not?

"It is getting late." Jacob murmured to Bella. "And you're exhausted. Maybe Kim's emotional breakdown was perfect timing." He conceded grudgingly. "Victoria has promised to keep watch over Alice overnight until we can reconvene tomorrow."

Bella could already feel herself nodding off against Jacob's chest. Being in his arms was so warm and cosy. The next thing she remembered was waking up again in his bed. She blinked, confused because the campfire seemed to have disappeared. She stared into the unexpected darkness, trying to make sense of her surroundings. It took her a few minutes to realize she was no longer at the meeting.

"Jacob!" She cried in alarm.

"I'm right here, honey."

Bella raised herself up one elbow, peering through the gloom she saw him sitting slumped in the doorway, leaning against the wall just outside his room. "What are you doing out there?" She asked curiously.

"I didn't want to crowd you. You're so tired, Bells. I wanted you get some proper rest." Jacob answered quietly.

"Idiot!" Bella scolded him jokingly. "Get your sexy ass in this bed. There is room for both of us. You won't disturb me. In fact, I'll sleep better."

"You sure?" Jacob checked, his voice husky with tiredness.

"I'm sure." Bella scooted over in the bed to give him as much room as possible. He climbed in beside her, curling around her like a big spoon. Bella burrowed against him, enjoying the extra warmth and comfort he provided. As her eyes closed again, she decided that Alice had been right about her shield-it was a gift of protection, a symbol of love and courage to do what it took to keep those she loved safe - her family, the one who held her heart. The wolf pack were her family, Jacob was the one who held her heart. She would do everything in her power to protect all of them.

Kim's skin darkened as she lied to Jared that it was perfectly fine to leave her. "I'm better now." She reassured him with one of her Mona Lisa smiles.

Jared was still unsure. It was his turn to go on patrol, but he found it painful to leave his precious imprint. She had been so upset at the meeting on Bella's behalf. That's what he loved most about Kim-her empathy and compassion for others. "I'm sure I can persuade one of the others to swap shifts with me." He hedged.

"I am fine, Jared." Kim repeated again, an impatient edge to her voice that she rarely used with him.

Jared gazed at her in adoration, watching as her eyes dropped as if embarrassment at her biting tone. He could no longer sense any distress coming from her. In fact, she seemed remarkably calm now. She must be over the worst. "Okay." He finally agreed. "Sleep well, dearest." He leaned and gave her soft peck on the lips.

Kim watched him slip off into the night with her heart in her eyes. She loved him. She really did. He was her whole world. She couldn't bear it if anything happened to him. She'd had a crush on him since before he became a shape-shifter, though he didn't notice her then. She wrote his last name tacked on the end of hers all over her diary. When he imprinted on her, she was thrilled to have him as her boyfriend. He told her everything, the secret legends and his power as a shape-shifter, and imprinting. She took it all in stride and accepted his state very quickly. He was all she had ever wanted, and she wasn't prepared to risk the bliss she had found with him, she would protect him at any cost. He came first above everything. And with each new horrific detail she learned about the upcoming battle, the more anxious she became that he could get seriously hurt or even killed. That's why she'd had no choice when Carlisle Cullen contacted her out of the blue, angling for a deal. In exchange for information, he would make sure that Jared would come to no harm. She made the excuse to herself that she was doing what any girl in love would do to protect their soul mate.

Taking her cell out of her pocket, Kim placed a call to Carlisle Cullen…

A/N-thanks for reading!