Chapter 13

Bella:

"Edward and James did, indeed, have a very brutal fight. It was not, however, just Edward letting off steam. I'm assuming you know about his change of diet? After Edward left you, he did have a few wild months. And then, he decided he wanted to do better. The humans he hunted… Using his gift, he found, what he felt, were the worst members in society. The rapists, murders…they were his victims," Aro starts.

I reach across and grab Maggie's hand, my head feeling like it's spinning. The Cullen's have told me all about the Edward they knew. How can all of this have happened to him? What happened to set him down this path?

"Anyway, a few years into this lifestyle, he met James. James was hunting humans, and not the awful ones Edward took. This enraged Edward. He didn't think about consequences, he said, he just went into action. For nearly a week, Edward followed this vampire around. He only ever saw him alone, so he assumed he was a nomad. Then, Edward attacked him. Edward may not have been a fighter, but his gift is truly extraordinary, and his current diet of human blood strengthened him. He easily overpower and ended James," Aro continues.

"We already know all this. Sure, the why is different, but it doesn't change what happened," Alice points out.

"Sadly, it does," Aro answers. "As James was burning, another vampire came running. Edward hid, watching as this female vampire realised her mate was dead. Edward had no idea that James had a mate."

Aro takes a pause, looking at all the Cullen's. They all looked shocked and confused.

"After that, Edward travelled to Italy. He burst in and confessed everything he had done. All the humans he'd killed and, lastly, about James, and how he'd taken away someone's mate. He begged me to kill him," Aro says.

"Why didn't you?" Carlisle croaks out.

Esme lost the battle with her tears, which our now streaming down her face. Emmett has his large, beefy arm wrapped around her. All of the Cullen's look…broken.

"I told him that, in one months' time, if he still wanted to be ended I would do it. But before I would, I would make him say goodbye to you," Aro answers. "In that month, Edward returned to his diet of animals. I gave him jobs, such as patrolling with the other members of the guard. He became friendly with Felix and Demetri, he seemed to want to live again. At the end of the month, Edward confessed that he didn't want to die. But he didn't want to leave, either. He didn't trust himself, not yet."

"So, why did he leave? And where?" Alice pushes. I notice she's gripping onto Jasper's hand like her life depends on it.

"He left when he felt he was ready. He realised he didn't want to stay here forever, so I let him leave. Though he was much better than when he arrived, he still felt a tremendous amount of guilt. The guilt he felt was too strong to allow him to go back to his family, but… Finding his mate? That was genius, Mary Alice. For her, he might just return," Aro says, turning his attention to me.

"That would be true if we knew where to find him," Alice says, staring down Aro.

"I do not know for certain where he currently is. I know he was avoiding America, to avoid Victoria and anyone else who might have known James. I believe he was staying in Europe, but I cannot, I'm afraid, be any more specific than that," Aro supplies.

All the Cullen's look to one another. Carlisle soon thanks Aro for everything he has told us and we all file out. Maggie and I remain at the back, silent, as the Cullen's prepare their plans.

I don't want to voice my thoughts, but it sounds an awful lot like Edward doesn't want to be found. And surely, pushing myself onto him… That doesn't sound like a good idea.

I just don't know how to tell the Cullen's.

A/N: Thoughts on Edward's past?

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