Chapter Eighty Three

Bella

The next day Charlie made a few phone calls and Billy came over to take on responsibility for Charlies things.

"What's the story going to be?"

"No idea, keep them guessing. I'll just disappear when the others do."

There was a knock at the door and Charlotte answered it, returning with Alice, Felix, and Jane.

"Charlie, I need to speak to you as a representative of the Volturi."

We looked her smelling trouble in the air,

"Sure Alice come in, sit down and your friends"

Felix and Jane chose to stand but Alice took a chair close to Dad,

"I'm sorry its come to this, I did try to speak to you but the others refused to let me. As a human who knows about our world I'm afraid you put us in danger therefore we have no choice but to take you to Volterra. Our law must be upheld."

What she really meant was that he had to die so I interrupted

"Just a minute Alice, Charlie is dying and he's agreed to be changed"

"Sorry Bella but it's too late. I'm sure you heard that the Volturi don't give second chances. The law will also be coming down on those who leaked our secret to Charlie."

She looked over at Emmett who stepped back,

"Hey I didn't, it was the wolves"

"You were the closest of our kind and I happen to know you showed yourself as a vampire to Charlie"

"We all did" Rose interrupted, "You going to wipe out the whole Cullen coven Alice? Esme too?"

"Oh I don't think we need to go that far, but I agree it would be wrong to pick out an individual so Jasper as the next closest to the event is also implicated, I understand he actually attacked Charlie in a rage"

"No Alice, no one attacked me and Emmett is right, the wolves told me what you really were not Emmett."

"I truly am sorry Charlie but my hands are tied."

I stepped forward to confront Alice,

"No way bitch. If you insist on taking us on then its you and yours against me and mine. Care to bet on the outcome?"

"Are you threatening me Bella? A member of the Volturi"

"Yes Alice I am. A member of the Volturi put there by me and I can tear you down just as quickly or have you forgotten? I'll protect my own and I can"

"If you take on the Volturi it means destroying the whole institution which keeps us safe. I hope you understand that"

"No Alice. I only need to destroy you. If you want something from me why not just ask me instead of using empty threats?"

"And you would?"

"You wont know unless you ask but I tell you now I don't respond kindly to threats."

Alice

Bella was going to be stubborn and I knew her threats weren't idle ones. Felix had already stepped back and while Jane would like nothing better than to take Bella on she also knew she couldn't win.

"Very well, I've seen dangerous times ahead. We need to keep our secret even more closely and the Volturi needs to be at its strongest to survive."

"What threats Alice?"

"Threats to our world"

"Specifics Alice"

"I have seen the other supernatural beings coming together to take us on and destroy us"

"Who?"

"The wolves, the Guardian Bears in Alaska, other such groups from around the globe. All those who stand against us."

"And killing the Cullens off and Charlie will prevent this how exactly?"

"I never said that would help but we can't afford to have any weakness and humans knowing of our existence is a weakness"

"No Alice, you want my shield and it seemed to you a good idea to threaten those I love in order to get it."

She smiled a little ruefully,

"Actually Bella, I'd much rather kill you but that's not an option so hurting you as much as I can is the next best thing and my brothers agree that your human father is a security risk we can't afford. Jasper makes them nervous so it wasn't difficult to persuade them he was a danger."

"You talk of an upcoming war, killing the best fighter our world has and alienating a powerful shield all in the same sentence. Alice you really have lost your grip this time."

Peter

"No she never had a grip. Alice was already a whacko when I first set eyes on her. She's just stopped trying to hide it now. Haven't you bitch?"

Alice turned, her face full of hate, to look at Peter who stood in the doorway with a huge grin in his face.

"Are you looking for a place on the pyre too Whitlock?"

"It's Captain Whitlock to you bitch. Felix what the hell are you doing here involved with this crazy woman?"

"Ask her" He pointed to Bella, "She gave Alice the reins of power"

"Yeah bad move Bella, I did mention that at the time. You might be interested in the little chat I've just had with Caius and Marcus"

"What?"

Alice was almost screaming now.

"Hey, screeching isn't ladylike bitch. You want to play dirty expect the opposition to do the same thing, that's how it works. I should know, I'm a master at it. The Brothers were really interested to hear you were threatening Bella and The Major although they were a little more undecided about Charlie until I pointed out you'd see it as a personal affront of they killed your Dad Bella"

I smile at him and nodded.

"So anyway, as I was saying they were very concerned that you were following your own agenda, what a fucking surprise! You've been a very naughty girl and the boys are seriously considering cutting you loose."

"They cant do that, I'm one if the Volturi leaders, I see the future, I map out our strategy"

"No, you warp everything to suit your own ends. When they told me you saw Charlie was threatening to expose them to the humans I had to wonder why? Why would he put his Daughter in danger like that?"

"She's not his Daughter, she's Aro's Daughter"

"Not as far as they are concerned, Charlie and Bella that is, and after all that's what matters. I think Marcus has been concerned about you from the start, he knew you still harboured feelings for The Major here"

"I do not, how dare you, I detest him"

"Me thinks the Lady doth protest too much. I've always wanted to use that line! You always treated us like shit but the lady quoted liked the idea of a bit of rough secretly, liked lording it over us. You were pissed off when he gave your security to me and then fell for Bella. All that shit, organising things for the wedding, it was cover for you. Who would believe the kind and thoughtful Alice Cullen who organised that so well really wanted The Major for herself and Bella Swan dead. Unfortunately you couldn't achieve either. The only hard on The Major has for you is to see you breathe your last and I'm right behind him in the queue."