Bella stood out on the balcony that overlooked the city of Seattle, staring up more at the crescent moon than the city lights below. It was crowded in the designer condominium that belonged to the Cullens and after two weeks straight of endless parties and meeting hundreds of important figures in the city, Bella was beyond exhausted. She pressed her newly manicured hand to her temple, which had been throbbing to the point she thought her head would explode. Edward had told her to make the best impression she could among his constant guests and Bella was not recognizing herself in the polished form she stood in. Her hair had been put up in an exquisite bun, showing off the yellow diamonds Edward had given her months ago as well as the matching rocks on her ears. The sea green gown she wore in satin flowed all the way down to her feet, the shoes custom made and ordered from none other than Alice who had each of her dresses one-of-a-kind and fit to her size.

"You're missing half the party."

Bella looked to see Edward staring down at her with a smile in his eyes, he had joined her side without her even noticing. She had gotten used to that.

"I'm sorry I'm just not used to all of this. I'm trying though, I really am." She assured him, nodding before awkwardly looking back out onto the city.

"I know you are and I'm impressed with you. It must be hard to listen to our business discussions and personal jokes without having a clue as to what they're about." He nodded, looking out with her as he continued. "Tomorrow night we'll be going somewhere that is a Cullen secret, Bella. This past week will seem like nothing compared to tomorrow, but I think you will have more fun. It's a bit more exciting." Smirking, he looked to her.

"Why? Where are we going?" She asked with her brow tightly furrowed, searching his perfect face for an answer. She knew this was the coveted secret of the Cullen's, for she had only learned of Carlisle's art collections and trades, Alice's business in the fashion industry and the stock market. Each Cullen seemed to have their own niche in their fortune, yet she had not figured out Edward's place in their finances.

"It's a little unorthodox, but it's what we pride our family on." He smiled, taking her hand in his and turned her to him. "I promise after tomorrow we will relax a bit. I would just like to ask one more thing of you tonight." Now his smile went from ear to ear as he went down on one knee. Bella felt her heart would collapse under it's own racing.

"Isabella Swan, I promise to love you every moment of forever..."

Bella looked to her left to see everyone watching from the sliding glass door, their smiles matching Edward's. She was sure her own face looked horrified and she felt dizzy from the stress.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, his smile fading as he looked up at her with all seriousness. The purple box he presented was now opened up into a three-stoned princess cut diamond ring that caught the light of the moon and reflected it to give stars in her eyes.

Bella closed her eyes to try and keep the world form spinning around her. "Will you make me one of you when I do so?" She asked, her eyes opening and knowing she finally had something to bargain with.

Seeing something dark flash over Edward's eyes, she felt a pang of fear spread through her, but instantly calmed as he replied.

"Yes."

She smiled in relief. "Then, yes. I will marry you."

With that, Edward scooped her up and hugged her, while everyone flooded the balcony to congratulate them. Alice, of course, was there instantly to tell her she was planning the whole thing and Bella willingly put everything on her hands. The rest of the night was a blur, but the next night would pass in the blink of an eye.

Alice had really went out of her way with this gown.

The smooth dark purple fabric cascaded down in a whimsical flow to her feet, the sleeveless dress snug at her breasts with a flattering belt at the abdomen that separated the tightness of the dress with the flowing part. In this world of theirs, it was always a dressy event. This one must have been the most important, for the craft that went into this dress from Alice's private designers must have been costly.

Bella looked at herself in the gown in the antique mirror in the guest bedroom she stayed in, her dark chocolate hair framing her face in loose curls that fell to just below her bust line.

"You look absolutely divine."

Edward said as he was at her back, running his hands up and down her sides as he adored her in the mirror.

She gasped, shocked at the cold touch through the fabric. "You gotta stop sneaking up on me like that." She laughed as she stood uncomfortably. "You know I'm not a fan of wearing dresses either. Can't wait to get back to wearing converses and jeans."

Edward turned her as he put a black mink coat on her shoulders. "Tomorrow you can go back to dressing like that, much to Alice's dismay." He chuckled as he took her hand that held the large rocks on her left hand and lead her out into the limo that awaited them.

It was like nothing she had ever seen before. There were so many people from all over the world, all rich beyond imagination that gathered into this building. It passed for an art museum during the day, owned by non other than Carlisle, but secret corridors lead them to a different area entirely.

"There are buildings like this all over the city and even the world. It hides what we do completely from the public eye." He said almost smugly as he lead her into the underground arena. A dirt ring stood in the middle of the coliseum inspired set up, the seats were red and immaculate like the kind you would find in a fancy opera house. Servers presented hours d'oeurves and sparkling beverages as they made their way around the crowds.

"Edward, what is this?" She asked, a smile on her face as her eyes excitedly explored the space.

He didn't answer, just simply smiled and enjoyed watching her take it in. Instead, he brought them to their reserved seating which was guarded by security. Assisting her in taking off her coat, Edward handed his and hers to one of the workers. The rest of the family was already seated except for Carlisle and Esme who stood off to the side of the row.

Before Bella could ask, Edward explained, "They never can sit during a match. Carlisle invests a lot into his fighter so the nerves can't keep him still."

"Fighter?" She said with concern, never really being a fan of boxing or any sport where someone gets their face bashed in.

He sighed and refused to make eye contact as he spoke. "It's all in good fun, Bella. They are animals, not people. They are born to do this and live or die for the fight."

Bella watched the people around them. There were several vampires, along with humans that interacted with no oddness in behavior. She found that interesting, wondering how the vampires had the strength to interact with so many humans. A man came around to them with what looked like a tiny laptop. Edward waved him over and told him, "Forty Grand on The Monster."

He looked to Bella and winked. "Ignore the names, Bella. It's just a stage name that helps promote the dog."

She looked back at him with pain in her eyes. "I don't think I can do this, Edward. I'm not a fan of dog fights or hurting animals in any way."

Edward stared back at her as he lowered his voice and responded with a hint of danger, "You didn't say that about the poor cow who had to die for your steak last night, or the forty minks it took to make the fur coat you wore tonight." Dismissing it all, he turned his attentions back to the arena while Bella sat there in dumbstruck silence and seething in anger.

She didn't know when it happened, but she felt like she had no control over anything. It scared her, because she knew she'd be stuck with Edward at least till the end of the summer. There was something in him too that frightened her, an obsession he held for her that told Bella she would never really be free from the vampire.

With that the lights dimmed it initiated everyone to be seated. It was there in the turmoil of Bella's thoughts that she felt eyes bearing into her. She looked to her right to see Jasper staring at her, obviously feeling everything that she was. Turning even redder from embarrassment, she ignored him, yet his ocher eyes still bore into her profile threateningly.

It was easy to forget Jasper when the two opposing gates opened in the arena and the largest wolves Bella had ever seen entered the ring. These weren't dogs, they were wolves! And huge ones! Wranglers from behind the gates helped guide them in with what looked like, a small remote control which gave the beasts punishing electrical shocks.

The russet wolf caught her attention, for he was much larger than the silver wolf and held a certain aura about him called for her sympathy. She couldn't explain it, but she felt an intense need to protect the wolf. The overhead monitors labeled him as "The Monster", the one Edward's family owned. She sighed in relief, yet she still didn't want to see his opposed "Quick Silver" get hurt. The silver wolf was much tinier than The Monster and everyone knew it was going to be a quick fight.

Gulping down as the animals circled each other, Bella was at the edge of her seat with wide eyes, unaware of how all of the Cullen siblings were now watching her and not the match.

The Monster side-swiped the silver wolf with just the bridge of his nose, causing the tinier wolf to crack into the concrete siding of the ring. Everyone gasped and started to cheer around Bella, who didn't even notice that a single tear had fallen from her watering eyes. Much to everyone's surprise Quick Silver had faked being knocked out and when The Monster had its back turned, the silver wolf jumped on The Monster's back and to the tender side of its neck. Everyone now stood, including the Cullens as they watched the reputed killer fail miserably at shaking the locked jaws of Quick Silver.

"Edward, make it stop!" Bella yelled as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face, the others around her yelling in disbelief and drowning her out with their intentions fully on the ring.

The Monster obviously was finding it hard to breathe as it struggled to shake off the smaller attacker, using the walls around the arena in attempt to get those clenching jaws away from his collapsing jugular. After several minutes, The Monster slowed and staggered, falling to his state of surrender as the screams from the arena grew louder.

In a complete panic and desperate state, Bella threw off her shoes and rushed passed the Cullens and awed security guards, who all seemed stunned by the odd victor in the fight. Bella ran to a door that lead to where The Monster was released, the area that waited behind the release gate. One of the wranglers who held the odd electrocution devices, turned to her and was prepared to yell at her to go back before Bella offered, "I will give you this, for that thing in your hand!" She held her engagement diamonds in one hand and pointed to the device with the other. "If anyone asks, I stole it from you and made you lock that door I just came in and the one across the way." She pleaded seeing the unwariness in the hispanic man's eyes. Reluctantly he made the trade and looked to see if anyone had seen the transaction, he ran off with the ring into the corridors behind him. Quickly, she inspected the security device till she found the proper button that emitted the sparks.

Without further thought Bella ran into the ring through the opened holding gates and sent several shocks to the silver wolf causing the animal to flee back down the side where it came and out of sight. Staring at the seemingly lifeless and large form several feet in front of her, Bella was ready to run to the animal's aid before she was tackled to the ground by several guards and they began to cuff her.

She screamed as her only weapon got thrown and all fell silent in the arena as the new scene took spotlight. In a matter of moments the several guards started to fly off of her in a way that brought back a memory from her past, where her attackers had been ripped off of her from an unseen force. Hearing the growls and feeling upturned dust on her face, she was able to lift herself up to witness the brown wolf coming to her defense. The unarmed guards were tossed and some ripped apart in a split second under the powerful animal's jaws, yet the animal's neck was covered in its own blood and the life source had gotten all over the ring wherever it went. The purple gown Bella wore was now covered in dirt and the animal's blood, but she could care less. Instead, she stared up at the scene in awe.

After the wolf had killed the security that was holding Bella down, it turned to her and slowly approached. The human girl prepared for the worst, closing her eyes as it got within a foot of her and waited for it to turn on her. When several moments passed and she was still alive, she looked at the warm eyes of the wolf who had simply been watching her. It then lowered to the ground and looked up at her with fading life.

She reached her hand out to touch it, but Edward was there to grab it and pull her back roughly. The Monster tried to rise up, but couldn't and had no power against the drug Carlisle was now administering where he quickly passed out.

"No!" Bella screamed as Edward dragged her off with Alice down the corridor and into an office of sorts. She was thrown onto a chair and when she tried to rise to her feet to argue with Edward, he had back handed her back down into her seat. The impact had split her cheek along the cheekbone and she had felt his rage as she held onto the bleeding wound. Bringing herself to look up at him through the tears and messed hair, his eyes were wide and crazed as he towered over her. His every muscle was tight under the perfect skin and Alice stood in the background seeming just as pissed and not affected by what Edward had just done.

"I had to, Edward. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." She pleaded, afraid about what they were going to do to her. In the back of her mind she wondered what was happening to the brown wolf and if they would kill him, that is, if he managed to survive his injury.

A/N Sorry for the wait all! I gave you a long chapter this time to make up for it, just remember that reviews keep me writing! This is how I know I'm not wasting my time posting on here. BIG thank you to all of you who are reviewing! :)