Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the creator of these intriguing characters. She and the filmmakers have made a fascinating and beautiful trilogy. I wish to borrow her background and add a plot twist of my own.

Chapter 11 – Secrets and Desperation

Caius's POV

Again I saw her loyalty shine through, first for the boy, then her parents and now this tribe. She may be human but she was different than many I had known in my very long immortal years. I could use the loyal mate especially after my discussion with Athenodora. Having her and Athenodora behind me, let alone with the awakening powers that Isabella seemed to have could help protect my position as Volturi king.

I looked at her and said "I admire your loyalty to your friends and considering they are no threat to us I give my word that they will not be harmed but I do wish to know who Jacob is."

She looked at me in disbelief afraid to trust anything I said so I added "Listen Isabella, I think you understand that living with the Volturi is like living in a snake pit. I have no gifts but my fearsome personality which attracted Aro to me. It is that and only that, that keeps me alive. My wife will step down for you, I have spoken to her about the situation and she will remain dedicated to me and in turn, to you. Loyalty is important in this place and the loyalty of my mate is invaluable to me. So I dare not lie to you."

"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" she asked her voice full of suspicion.

"I wasn't sure which direction my future would go" I answered dismissively.

"Why are you telling me now?" I had to admit she was tenacious.

"We are bonded, you can no longer leave me just as I can no longer leave you" I said my voice hinting of the irritation I was beginning to feel.

"What is to stop me from killing myself; after all you know this was never my choice" she flippantly said.

Now I was furious and took shoulders in my hands shaking her to the very core of her being "Don't you even think that. It would not serve your purpose; as soon as you do that, all those you love will be destroyed after I have them tortured. Of that I promise!"

I saw her body shake and knew that I had hit a nerve.

"Now, for the last time, who is Jacob?" I roared

She looked at me and said "His name is Jacob Black he is a member of the Quileute tribe"

"And?" I asked

She quietly answered "I have known him since I was a child. When Edward left me I fell apart; not only my body but also my mind. Jacob had feelings for me and when Edward was gone he came into my life and we became more than friends. He was a balm for my hurting soul and helped me slowly heal. He and his pack also protected me from Victoria and Laurent".

I then asked "Who is Laurent?"

"He was a friend of Victoria and her mate James"

"How were his pack able to help?" I asked my curiosity getting the better of me as I added "What do they turn into?"

At first she hesitated but when I gave her an angry and agitated stare she said "Huge wolves but they only change when around aggressive vampires".

This shook me, here was a human calmly talking about her deadly encounters with vampires and shape shifting wolves.

This human was becoming even more of a mystery to me and I asked "Isabella you are difficult to understand. You seem to be friends with vampires and shape shifters; do you have a death wish?"

She shyly smiled for just a second and said "It was never my intention, I just fell in love with Edward and all the things that happened after that were beyond my control".

Fearing she would try to avoid giving me further information I decided to continue my interrogation.

"From what I understand this Jacob has replaced Edward on your side?" I prodded

"I'm not really sure" she answered her mind trying to understand her own emotions. "I began to get feelings for Jacob and if Alice hadn't called I think things might have gone further" she added.

"Why then did you come to the Volturi in the first place?" I asked her quite perplexed by her way of thinking.

"Alice told me that Edward thought I had committed suicide and blamed himself for it. I didn't want him to kill himself for me! I couldn't have that on my conscience." She simply answered.

I began to get a tiny bit of respect for her even if it was for her love and loyalty to her friends and family. Being a human, it was a first for me. I would tuck all this information in the back of my mind and chew on it later. I then looked from her face down to her body the lust slowly coming back as I saw the splits of her dress move up.

I then looked and saw a glimpse of misgiving in her eyes as she slowly pulled away from me. I would have none of that so I pulled her back close to my chest and wrapped my arms around her saying "Fate has decided that we be bonded. I have given up my fight and now you must too".

She turned her head to look at me "I can't, there are so many things that I find impossible to accept"

I felt my eyes change color as I looked down at her "you have no choice but to accept".

Carlisle's POV

Going back to Forks without Bella was excruciating, I felt I had failed everyone miserably but knew I had no choice; now that she had bonded it would only cause her physical and mental pain to leave Caius's side.

Aro had informed my family of my arrival and I knew they would all be there curious as to the outcome of my visit.

Standing behind a pillar I looked at my family. Alice was searching the crowd in hopes of finding Bella with Jasper at her side trying to calm her down. I then I heard rather than saw Edward. He shouted and when I looked his way I saw him falter and I knew he had seen the images that I had sent; Esme and Jasper both grabbed an arm and tried to calm him down. I could no longer avoid the confrontation so I walked towards them and hugging Alice I found some consolation in her embrace.

Alice went to sit in the back seat of the car and Jasper steered Edward next to her seating himself on the other side of Edward. I could feel the relaxing vibrations that Jasper was sending to Edward and Alice as we slowly made our way home.

When we arrived Edward knowing my news went to his room as I with the family to the living room so I could tell them what I had shown Edward. After I told them everything the room was silent.

"So, it's definite" Alice sobbed "We can't get her back?"

"No" I said, "Now that she has physically bonded with Caius it is impossible for her to leave him. It would cause her physical and mental pain"

"The only thing we can do is help her and Edward to accept their situation" Esme whispered.

"If Bella is truly Caius's intended mate she will be happy, maybe not now or in the same way she was with Edward but happiness will be part of her future" I said hoping that I was right.

"That means that Edward has to be taken care of" Alice uttered.

"He has to want it otherwise nothing we do will ever help. Last year was an example of that" Esme explained.

Suddenly Alice looked up, her face watchful "Edward is gone; he's going after Victoria!"

"Damn it" I said as I heard a car tear out of the garage; His mind had seen that we had been alerted by Alice so he didn't slow down at all.

We watched as Edward's car raced passed the house on its way to the open road.

Edward's POV

I understand my family but for me, an immortal life filled with pain, is no option. If I survive my confrontation with Victoria I might accept this fate but until then I was going to make up for my stupidity. Bella was lost for me but I wanted to do something for her. I would destroy the threat that Victoria posed to her family. I knew that Demitri would be coming over a week so I didn't have much time.

If Demitri were to come to Forks it was possible that he would find out about the Quileute tribe. Finding out about the tribe might mean the end of their existence and they were the ones who had helped my Bella when I had left her at the mercy of Victoria. I would never forget that. The word 'sorry' is so easily said but the only way to show it was to protect those she loved.

When Jacob came to get me, telling me that they had been able to capture one of Victoria's helpers I was more than happy to go visiting with him. He doesn't know what happened to Bella and never will, as far as I'm concerned. It is my personal torture knowing that I had placed Bella in the hands of the cruelest of the Volturi kings; I didn't want Jacob to know. I hope that Carlisle is right and that Bella would come to peace with her future.

I was taken out of my thoughts by Jacob who was giving directions.

"Heh leach, are you even listening?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm just having some difficulty concentrating"

A leach with concentration problems he sneered, I somehow doubt that! "Anyway take the next road left, the pack is waiting in the fields".