"Hello?"
"Hello, Little Cousin."
"Lexie! To what do I owe this call?"
"Well, a muscle bound bird told me your stalker is trying to convince you to go to Jacksonville this weekend."
"No way, you're talking to Emmett again?!"
"I am not! He just came over to Ambrus and me to let me know what was going on."
"And what's going on?"
"According to Emmett, Alice had a vision today that Victoria was going to be in the area this weekend and Edward is trying to get you to leave town so you won't be in danger."
"He did mention that the airline tickets that Carlisle and Esme got me were going to expire soon." Bella tells her cousin.
"Well then you can't let a good birthday present go to waste now can you?"
"Yeah, but if I'm here I could help with Victoria" Bella offers.
"No you really couldn't, you'll only be in the way, tell you what I'll use the companion ticket and Ambrus will buy one and we'll both come down to Florida." Alexis suggests.
"Really that would be awesome."
"And that will drive your stalker up the wall, I bet he was hoping you would ask him to go with you."
Bella and Alexis both laugh, "Yeah right." They say in unison.
"How's that going, by the way?" Alexis asks.
"He follows me around like a lost puppy, but he's not stalking me at night anymore. I can't believe I used to like that, what was wrong with me?" But he hasn't said anything about me hanging out with Jacob and the pack so that's a good thing, he isn't calling me, he's stopped staring at me during class. I think he's becoming less obsessed."
"That's good."
"Yeah it is, maybe we can actually become friends for once." Bella tells her cousin.
"Do you want to be friends with him?"
"Yeah it would be nice for a change. What about you and Emmett?"
"There's nothing going on."
Bella hesitated for a second, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, look, Bella, I may still love Emmett and he may essentially be my mate, but that's not enough. He betrayed me, he chose his brother over his mate, he destroyed my trust. And to a Lycan trust between mates is vital, without trust everything else means nothing."
"Could he earn your trust back?" Bella asks.
"I don't know, probably not, why do you ask?"
"Because you deserve to be happy and I know that Emmett makes you happy."
"Yeah, he did, once." Alexis says with a sigh.
"And now?"
"He just causes me pain and confusion and loneliness. I hate to admit it, but I miss him, but I don't trust him and it kills me."
"I'm sorry this is happening to you, Lexie." Bella says in a sad voice.
"Thank you, Bella, me too. But enough talk about that, Ambrus and I will meet you Thursday afternoon after class. I'm sure my mom and Uncle Charlie won't mind you missing Friday and Monday. Ambrus and I don't have class on Friday or Monday morning so this will work out fine."
"Okay then, I'll start packing for the weekend right now." Bella says.
"Alright so, then we'll see you soon, bye."
With that, the cousins hang up.
On Thursday at 2am, Ambrus and Alexis met Bella at the airport, Charlie dropped her off and asked the two Lycans to take very good care of her. He had been informed about what was going on and was going to spend the entire weekend with Liz and Billy in La Push.
"You don't have to worry, Uncle Charlie, Bella is in good hands." Alexis tells her Uncle.
"Yes, we will watch over her with our lives," Ambrus adds.
"So, Billy tells me the plan is that while you're in Florida, the Cullens and the pack will hunt down this Victoria person, right?"
"Yes."
"And Billy says that she's the one responsible for Harry Clearwater's death, is that right?"
"From what Bella told me, yes." Alexis confirms.
"Well I hope they catch her and tear her apart." Charlie says bitterly.
Ambrus and Alexis look at each other, Charlie notices the looks."
"From the look on your faces you don't seem very confident they'll catch her."
Ambrus clears his throat, "No I am not, she has a talent for escaping and the shapeshifter and Cullens are enemies, well aside from Rosalie and Jacob. They will not coordinate, I think she will easily slip between them."
"How can you be so sure, Ambrus?" Charlie asks.
"I am 700 years old, I have fought many Vampires, I know their tricks. It also seems that this Victoria is fast and neither the shapeshifters nor the Cullens are fast enough, with maybe the exception of Edward, but he is no fighter. Hopefully they will catch her, but I doubt it."
Alexis notices the time and informs the others that it's time to board their flight. Ambrus, Bella, and Alexis get on the plane to Jacksonville. It took 6 hours and 45 minutes to arrive, when they did they're greeted by Renee and Phil by the luggage carousel.
Renee couldn't have been more thrilled to have her daughter and niece stay with her the weekend, though she was surprised when she got the call telling her that there would be a young man joining them. Renee assumed it would be Edward, but by the description that her daughter had given her this was definitely not him.
Setting aside the sight of the tall blonde man that was with her girls, Renee rushed over and enveloped Bella in a bear hug.
"Oh my baby, it's so good to see you again! Oh let me look at you."
Renee held Bella at arms length and stared at her, then she smiled.
"Well gone is the clumsy insecure little girl I sent to Forks, he stand a beautiful confident young woman. I guess Forks was good for you after all."
Renee says and embraces Bella one more time. She suddenly grabs Alexis and pulls her into a hug.
"And you look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you, I guess college is agreeing with you."
Alexis smiles and hugs her back, "Yes it is Renee, things are going very well."
"Would that blonde hunk have anything to do about it?" Renee asks.
Alexis rolls her eyes, "No Renee he's just a friend."
With that Alexis walks over to Ambrus and leads him over to Renee and Phil.
"Ambrus, this is my aunt Renee and her husband Phil, Renee this is Ambrus Kóbor one of my best friends."
Ambrus smiles as he shakes Renee and Phil's hands, "It's a pleasure to meet both of you."
"The pleasure is ours, Ambrus, are you sure that you and Lexie aren't dating?
"Aunt Renee!"
What, just want to make sure you two don't want to share a room." Renee says with a cheeky grin.
"The sofa will be just fine, ma'am. Alexis and I are only friends, good friends.
"Why don't Lexie and I share a room and Ambrus can have the spare." Bella points out.
"Yeah it will just like when we were younger." Alexis says.
With the arrangements made the three young people grab their luggage and follow Renee and Phil out into the hot Florida sun.
They arrive at Renee and Phil's modest home that is situated and each head to their room to change into light summer clothes. Alexis changes into a light summer dress and sandals while Ambrus changes into tan linen pants and a white linen shirt. The two Lycans are ready to go exploring but Bella it turns out is too tired from the trip and wants to take a quick nap. So the the Lycans decide to take the opportunity and walk along the beach, they let Renee know what their plans are she said that she'll have lunch ready by the time they get back.
Ambrus thought that this might be the perfect opportunity to talk to Alexis about Emmett. He had been paying very close attention to Emmett since he had come back and Ambrus had come to the conclusion that yes he was very repentant for what he had done and yes, he may actually deserve a second chance. Not really for Emmett's sake, but for Alexis.
Ambrus knows that Alexis needs her mate and whether she will admit it or not she wants Emmett back. He has seen the longing in her eyes whenever she gets a glimpse of Emmett, but it quickly replaced with self loathing for being weak. Ambrus has to convince her that Emmett is worthy of at least an attempt at starting a friendship with him again.
Ambrus and Alexis leave Renee's house and walk along the beach, they remove their shoes and walk along the shoreline watching the surfers ride the waves and enjoying the cool salty breeze. Neither of them say anything, they just enjoy each others company. As they walk Alexis takes Ambrus by the arm and leans into him.
She sighs, "This is so perfect, Ambrus, why couldn't you be my mate?"
"Believe me, Pup, I have asked myself the same thing, but it was not meant to be. Besides you have your mate."
"No, I don't, Ambrus and you know that."
"Yes, you do, Pup, you have a mate that loves you very much and would do anything to be with you again, if you would only give him a chance."
Alexis stops and looks at Ambrus, "I can't, Ambrus, I just can't."
"Why?"
"I can't risk giving my heart and trust to Emmett and having him rip them apart again, if it hadn't have been for you I wouldn't have survived his betrayal, Ambrus."
"He will not do it again, Alexis."
"How do you know?"
"Because, He knows what it is that he has lost and he is not willing to give it up again. When you transformed this last time, Emmett told me he felt your love for him. He knows you love him, but he know you do not trust him either. That is why he is willing to do anything to regain your trust, why do you think he told us about Alice's vision and Edward's plans, he wants you to trust him. Give him the opportunity, Pup, with what he has done for Bella I think he has earned it."
Alexis and Ambrus continued to walk on in silence, she thought over everything that Ambrus had told her. Could she give Emmett a second chance? She did miss him terribly, maybe they could be friends and work their way from there. It was worth a shot, with her decision made she turns to Ambrus.
"Alright, I'll give him a chance to be my friend, but if he breaks my heart again…"
"I will personally rip him apart and burn the pieces, Pup." Ambrus assures her.
"Thank you, Ambrus."
Ambrus hugs Alexis and kisses her forehead, "Anytime, Pup, now let us return for lunch, yes?"
Alexis nods, "Yes."
When they arrive Renee is giving Bella a quilt made out of their old trip t-shirts, so she will have something to remember her by when she goes to Alaska for college.
"Oh my thank you, but I'm not going to Alaska anymore, Edward and I are through." Bella explains.
"You are, since when?" Renee asks.
"Since he left me in the woods…"
Bella goes on to explain that Edward told her he didn't want her and left her alone in the wood and that she fell into a deep depression, but that she got help and now she sees that their relationship was all wrong from the beginning.
"We were to obsessed with each other mom, and I can't have something so self destructive in my life anymore. So next year I'm going to either UW like Lexie or somewhere back East, I haven't decided."
What about Edward? Renee asks.
"He's still there, trying to earn his way back into my heart. To be honest, I'd like to go back with him if he wasn't so obsessive and controlling and until he can prove that he has changed I won't give him the time of day."
"Good for you Bella." Renee tells her.
After that they go inside and have lunch, later that night they head on down to the theatre to watch a movie and the next day the were going to go exploring.
**Meanwhile In Forks:**
The Cullens are spread out in the forest trying to cover as much area as they can, waiting for Victoria to show up.
"You sure this is where you saw her?" Jasper asks.
"She's almost here," Alice confirms
Alice spins and looks at Emmett, "On your left!"
Emmett explodes to his left, Rosalie right behind him. Jasper and Carlisle go wide, looking to cut Victoria off, Esme and Alice following up the rear. Victoria racing through the trees, tense but not afraid. Escaping is what she's good at. She reaches a ravine, she doesn't break stride, just leaps across it. Carlisle pulls up short, yells to Emmett and Rosalie.
Wait. She's in their territory. Carlisle informs them.
"She'll get away," Rosalie yells.
"No she won't," Jasper tells her.
On the other side of the ravine, three giant wolves leap onto the scene and take up the chase after Victoria. Sam in the lead in his enormous black wolf form. A parallel chase ensues, the wolves and the Cullens keeping to their sides of the ravine, which she realize is the line that demarcates the territories, Victoria leaps back over.
"All ours now, " Emmett says as he races off after her.
Emmett grabs hold of her shoulders and hair. They roll head over heel, Victoria uses the momentum to her advantage and flings Emmett off and over her into a tree.
"Emmett don't!" Esme yells
But Emmett seeing red flies over the ravine. The second his feet hit the other side, Paul in his wolf form tackles Emmett hitting him in the chest and sending him flying into the water. Emmett gets up and growls at Paul who is also growling and foaming at the mouth.
At the same time in Florida Bella Ambrus and Alexis are just coming out of the theatre. They are laughing and having a good time when suddenly Alexis gasps and reaches for her heart. She grabs Ambrus arm with her other hand as her leg give out. Quickly, Ambrus supports Alexis' weight and leads her to a park bench across the street in order to sit, Bella following behind with a worried look on her face.
Alexis is gasping for air, as she clutches at her heart, Ambrus looks on worried, he can not understand what is going on, he wipes the sweat from Alexis' brow.
"Pup, what's the matter, what has happened?"
"Emmett," Alexis says through gritted teeth.
Understanding dawns on Ambrus. Emmett must be in danger and Alexis is feeling it. Their mate bond has grown even without them being together.
"Let me call Rosalie, Pup, she will know if he is well."
By this time the Cullens have gone back home defeated, Emmett has gone upstairs to shower and change. Rosalie is downstairs when her phone rings, she is surprised to see the name on her caller ID.
"Ambrus?"
"Rosalie, how are you?"
"Good, is something the matter you sound agitated."
"Yes there is, it's the Pup."
"What's wrong with Lexie?"
At hearing her name, Emmett leaps out of the shower, he dries and dresses in record time and is downstairs sitting next to Rosalie in no time flat.
"What, what, what's going on with Lexie?" He asks desperately.
Rosalie tells him to shut up so Ambrus can talk.
"Was Emmett hurt in any way this evening." Ambrus asks.
"No, well he did get into an altercation with one of the wolves, Paul I think it was. He was shoved off the ravine and landed in the river, but he wasn't hurt, pissed but not hurt."
Ambrus muffles the phone, "He's alright, Pup, just an altercation with a shapeshifter, nothing to worry about."
Of course Rosalie and Emmett heard the whole thing, Emmett eyes widen, Alexis was worried about him, she felt him in danger. That could only mean one thing, the mate bond was getting stronger. She was finally able to feel him now.
There was a quiet shuffle on the phone, then Rosalie heard Alexis' voice.
"Rose, is he really okay," She asked weakly.
"He's fine, Lexie, do you want to talk to him?"
There was a long pause, "Okay."
Rosalie hands Emmett the phone, he so excited he nearly drops its.
"Lexie?"
"You're okay?" She asks.
"Perfectly fine, that mutt can't do anything to me." Emmett says but he's worried about the mild tone that Lexie is using.
There's a long pregnant pause.
"Hello, Lexie are you there?"
"I'm glad you're okay."
And with that she hung up.
Emmett stared at the phone for a while then a smile crossed his face, he suddenly jumped up and pumped his fists.
"YES!"
"What, son." Carlisle asks.
"The mate bond is back and stronger than ever, she can feel me now, which means…"
"Which means, she's giving you another chance," Rosalie finished.
She stands up and hugs her brother.
"Thank you, Ambrus!" Emmett yells.