A/N: The next time I choose to use a song title and the lyrics as chapter titles, remind me not to! I love this song, but it needs more lines, I'm running out of chapter titles. Oh well. Live and learn!

I'm sorry it's late! I have no excuse. I was editing chapters and time got away from me. Bright side, there are now five extra chapters in this story!

– Jasper's POV –

What a fuckin' nightmare this has turned out to be! And I don't mean the coming battle, Victoria, or the newborns. That was gonna be the simplest part of this fuckin' shit storm! At this rate, we were gonna destroy each other before Victoria arrived!

As soon as Eleazar's confession was out there, the lines were drawn.

Tanya, Carmen, and Irina were all ready to defend Eleazar for what he'd done.

Charlie was fuming.

Rose and Emmett were ready to cut ties with the Denali Coven. That was understandable. They'd been lied to and manipulated their whole vampire lives.

Esme was heartbroken and furious. She'd been made to believe Carlisle was her mate. Carmen—who's been Esme's closest friend and sister for a century—knew about Eleazar and Carlisle's mating and said nothing! Esme made it clear that relationship was now over. And as soon as Victoria was taken care of, she never wanted to see or hear from Carmen again. Esme had been used almost as much as Bella! Thank God she didn't have a gift or they'd probably make plans to sacrifice her, too!

Tanya and Irina were still insisting they had no idea about any of this and were innocent.

I believed Tanya! Her emotions were stable. Everything she was sayin' was the truth. She had no clue any of this was happenin', which makes it worse! It's her Coven. She's supposed to be their leader and she has no idea this shit is going on right under her nose! How could she be so blind?

As fer Irina, I don't believe anythin' that comes outta her mouth!

That bitch has it out for our mate!

If she didn't try to kill Bella before they left, I'd be fuckin' shocked! That woman has got a vendetta against my mate the size of Texas! And she can't lie for shit. She knew about Eleazar's plans and lies and did nothin' to stop him or warn Tanya!

As everyone was arguin; amongst themselves, my focus was on Bella. The pain and betrayal she felt almost brought me to my knees. But then, in a flash, it was gone. Her emotions completely disappeared!

"Uh-oh," Peter whispered as Bella closed her eyes. Her body relaxed and a moment later, she reopened them. When she did, they were pitch black.

Hmm. This ought to be fun. I'm gonna want to meet her in person, Whitlock!

There was no outward change. This was somethin' deeper. An internal change. I recognized it well. This was not Bella Swan as we all knew her. This was an entirely different side of her!

Nobody else had noticed the change in her, so when she gave a loud whistle, everyone turned to face her, not realizin' there was any difference.

"Every day the enemy gets closer," she growled, to the surprise of everyone around her. "We do not have time for your bickering. Split up. Spar in groups of two or three. Jasper and Peter will come around to critique your progress. We have nine days. I suggest you get a move on."

Of course, Irina couldn't keep her trap shut. "Who made you our leader?" She hissed.

Bella shrugged, totally indifferent. "Train. Don't train. That's up to you, Irina. Frankly, I don't care if Victoria rips you all to shreds and feeds ya to the dogs. Me?" She smirked. "I'd rather not become puppy chow like Laurent!"

Irina screeched at the top of her lungs and lunged for Bella. I moved to defend my mate as her shield expanded to surround her in a glistening orb-like bubble. And Tanya finally acted like a Coven leader! She darted forward to grab Irina, swinging her around so that Tanya's back was to me as she stopped her sister mid-attack.

"Stop!" Tanya snarled, with all the power and authority of a Coven leader. Irina was instantly still. "This ends now! Do you realize you almost attacked The Major's mate? What do you think would've happened if you'd been successful?"

"Like I care! She killed Laurent!" Irina yelled.

"Laurent was not your mate!" Tanya growled. "He was never going to become a member of my Coven. The only one who liked him was you, Irina! Our sister left us because he continuously made insinuations and tried to seduce her into his bed! And when she told you, you believed a man you'd known months instead of your sister! I'm sorry he died, but it was not Bella's fault. He was the one attacking her and unless you've forgotten, she was human at the time! What do you expect her to have done when he had his teeth buried in her throat!"

"I loved him!" Irina yelled.

"Maybe," Tanya sighed, "or maybe you were infatuated. Obsessed, even. I don't know. Frankly, dear sister, I no longer care. Move past it, help us defeat this enemy, or leave."

Irina huffed. "Fine. But I'm not helping her!"

Tanya was angry, but for whatever reason, she released Irina seemin' satisfied with this answer.

Well, I ain't!

Tanya might not be able to feel Irina's emotions, she might believe she's settled or sufficiently chastised but I felt her hatred toward Bella rise. I felt her intent. Her desire for revenge.

This ain't over! That succubus is out for revenge!

With a roll of her eyes, Bella dropped her shield and turned her back on us. She scooped up Edward's head and looked down at him. "Time for us to have a chat, Eddie." She smiled, tossin' his head up into the air and catchin' it like you would a football.

Without lookin' back, she walked off into the surrounding forest happily whistling a tune as she swung Edward's head back and forth.

It was a little . . . sinister . . .

Sexy! Maybe you should let me take the lead for a while . . .

"Uh, Major," Peter shifted nervously.

"I know, Pete." I sighed. "That ain't my Bella."

"What do you mean, that isn't Bella?" Charlie frowned, lookin' worried. "If it's not Bella, who is it?"

"You think she's lost control and allowed her inner monster to come to the surface," Tanya frowned.

"But why?" Carmen whispered, lookin' concerned.

"Well, fuck, let's see, maybe it has somethin' to do with findin' out her friends, whom she's trusted for the last FIFTY YEARS! Are more than willing to sacrifice her life!" I snarled.

God damn sons of bitches! Why the fuck are these vampires so fuckin' stupid?

I don't know, Major. I wish I did!

I can't blame Bella for wanting a break from this shit. First, the Cullens abandoned her. Then she was killed by a vampire she was told she could trust! Carlisle likely knew she was alive all this time! Hell, it's a possibility he knew she was in transition when she was buried alive! Now she finds out the Denalis are happy to throw her to the Volturi to save Carlisle for what his Coven did to HER! She's been betrayed and hurt by almost everyone she's ever trusted. She probably feels like she can't trust anyone!

Then you need to make her see that she's wrong. She can trust us!

"Add in Edward's continuous glamourin' while she was human," I growled. "Laurent's attack, and being turned while she was detoxin' from Edward's glamour and scent, her mind fractured. Frankly, I ain't surprised!"

"So, it's like a Bella and the beast scenario," Emmett grinned.

As humorous as that was, the fact is, he wasn't wrong. That's exactly what it was. And right now, the beast was fully in control and my mate had taken a sabbatical from this shit storm!

"How do we get the good Bella back?" Charlie asked.

The good Bella?

The goodBella?

Is he fuckin' serious?

Alice placed her hand on my arm before I could respond to that! "I've got it, Major." She said, taking Charlie's arm. "C'mon honey, let's go work on your shield and I'll explain it to you."

I sent Alice a silent thank you. I didn't have the time or patience to explain to Charlie his daughter isn't evil or broken, her mind just works differently than others.

When this battle is over, we're takin' her away! Far, far away. If we never return or see these fuckers again, it'll be too damn soon!

I agree. She needs to be with people she can trust. Right now, if that's just us, so be it.

You think she knows she can still trust us? We're her mate! Our only concern is her. Everything else is secondary to her!

"Go find yer mate, Major," Peter said, slappin' me on the back. "Char and I will take care of this bunch."

"Thank you, brother," I said, taking off.

I found Isabella about a mile into the forest. She had Edward's head perched on a tree stump and she was talkin' to him. Either that or she was talkin' to Bella in her head, I wasn't sure.

I didn't want her to think I was eavesdroppin' on her conversation, so I stepped forward. Her eyes shifted towards me and a beautiful smile lit her face. "Took you long enough. You aren't scared of little old me, are you?"

I smirked and had her in my arms a moment later. "Never," I purred, meetin' her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. "I am curious though, Darlin''," I said as we parted.

"Oh?"

"What do we call you?"

"Isa," she answered. "It means strong-willed. Seemed appropriate."

Isa. My Isa. It's perfect.

"My beautiful Isa." I leaned forward to kiss her again, enjoying the way her body molded with mine.

Keepin' her in my arms, I looked over at Edward's head. "I believe I interrupted your conversation with Edward."

"Mm," she sighed, lookin' back at him. "He has a lot to answer for."

Pressing a kiss to her temple, I wondered. "What are you thinkin', Darlin'?"

"I'm thinking Carlisle's obsession with him and the bond they supposedly share was devised by Edward as a way to get whatever he wants," she told me.

I can see that. Our girls smart!

"It wouldn't have been hard," I agreed. "He likely saw Carlisle's sexual preferences in his mind and his struggle to accept the truth and used that as leverage," I nodded in agreement.

"I think Edward knew he couldn't lead a Coven. He isn't an Alpha. He's certainly not dominant enough to command an entire Coven. But Carlisle could. At least partially," she explained. "Carlisle sired four out of the six members of his Coven. That always gives him the majority. Keeping his progeny isolated and ignorant of our world helped immensely. From what I can tell, they don't know the difference between a Coven leader and a Sire."

I could see where she was coming from.

It was subtle, but there was a difference between a Coven leader, a Sire, and an Alpha. In our world, true Alphas are rare. You don't have to be an Alpha to be a Coven leader. Nor do you have to be an Alpha to be a Sire.

Tanya isn't an Alpha. Yes, she's powerful and old, but she's not an Alpha. If she were, she wouldn't have let Laurent anywhere near her Coven. She wouldn't have allowed him to run Kate off. And she certainly wouldn't have backed off while dealin' with Irina's anger toward another Alpha's mate! Tanya is a Coven leader. Nothing more.

The only Alphas here are me and Bella.

And I am the only Alpha, Sire, and Coven leader.

Carlisle and Alice are the only other Sires. They each hold power over their progeny.

A Sire is essentially a parental figure, a mentor. They teach their progeny, guide them, and help them integrate into the dangerous world they were reborn into it. The bond between Sire and progeny is strong. Especially durin' the newborn years. Unless the progeny is released, the Sire will forever hold power over his or her progeny. He or she can Sire Order their progeny. Most, like Alice and I, never utilize this tactic after the newborn years. Like glamouring, it's seen as a vile practice that enslaves vampires and takes away their free will.

Carlisle, however, masquerading as an Alpha, exploits this power whenever he can! That's how he got Emmett and Esme to leave Forks. He Sire Ordered them and they were unable to say no. Their free will was taken away.

I nodded in agreement. "He wasn't actin' as their Coven leader or an Alpha but usin' their Sire Bond to command them."

Isa nodded. "It does make you wonder though . . ."

"Wonder what?"

"Was it Carlisle's decision to change Esme, or Edwards?" She asked.

I frowned. "I don't understand, Darlin' . . ."

"I've been thinking about it," she sighed, "Carlisle's priority has always been, and will always be, Edward. This isn't a recent development. Even back when Bella was human, Edward was Carlisle's only concern."

"That's correct." I nodded, following so far.

"I think Edward and Carlisle's bond began to form while Edward was still human. Carlisle was his doctor. He cared for the boy. Spent time with him. Talked to him. Got to know him. Maybe he even began having feelings for him. On top of that, Edward's mother asked Carlisle to save her son, essentially giving him her blessing. It wasn't until she died and Edward took a turn for the worst, that Carlisle acted."

"I get it, he was lonely. He wanted companionship. Someone to love him. Edward did all of those things. And from the way Eleazar explained it, Edward is everything to Carlisle. He neither needs nor wants anyone else. So why did he change Esme? And then Rosalie."

I frowned.

She has a point. Why was it necessary to turn Esme? Carlisle's been using her for one hundred and sixty-nine years. Rosalie as well.

I get why Emmett was turned. Rose begged Carlisle to save her mate.

"Am I overthinking it?" Isa asked.

"I'm not sure, Darlin'," I told her honestly. "I don't understand any of this. All Eleazar had to do was say somethin'! From what I've been told, Esme spent her newborn year in Alaska with the Denali Coven, that's when her friendship with Carmen began. The two of them were close, like sisters. So why didn't Carmen tell Esme about Carlisle and Eleazar's matin'? Why didn't Eleazar put a stop to this? He must've known Carlisle's plan to use Esme and turn her into his . . ."

"Beard," Isa smiled.

I nodded. "So, why didn't they stop this? They allowed Carlisle to use and manipulate her for a century and a half! Knowin' the whole time what Carlisle was filling her head with was fuckin' bullshit!"

God damn it! Why didn't I see any of this? I've been with them since nineteen fifty and I didn't see any of this! How is it possible I've been so fuckin' blind?

Maybe you didn't want to see it. We'd both been through hell and joinin' this Coven was our salvation from war and constant battles.

After Maria, I buried myself deep inside yer mind, takin' a siesta from life. And you did yer best to blend in with a Coven ya thought was normal. Ya buried yer head, ignorin' any problems that might've risen. Ya wanted peace. Freedom. Ain't nothin' wrong with that. It wasn't yer job to fix this bogus Coven! They were a mess before you and Ali arrived!

How were you to know what they presented as normal weren't? Fer fuck sake, ten years before Ali found us, we were livin' in a fuckin' barn goin' to war every damn week! That was our normal. Compared to where we'd been, livin' with the Cullen's was luxury!

"This wasn't your fault, Jasper," Isa said softly, resting her chin on my chest.

"I know," I sighed. "But I should've seen it!"

Her lips brushed across my throat. "We all have our blind spots. This family is yours. But you aren't the only one. It was happening to Esme and she had no idea! Rosalie and Emmett didn't see it and they were part of the Coven long before you. Alice didn't see it, or Charlie and he's a trained detective! Did Peter and Charlotte see or know the extent of what was going on?"

"I don't think so."

"Nobody knew." She sighed. "Edward, Carlisle, Eleazar, even Carmen, they're great manipulators and liars! Nobody suspected. Even those of you with gifts didn't see or feel anything nefarious! And you," she grabbed hold of my chin, tilting my face down so that our eyes met, "you'd just been through a lifetime of hell! You were learning what it meant to be part of a civilized Coven while detoxing from human blood, and changing your diet! You had enough on your plate. It was not then, nor is it now, your job to fix their mess! Understand?"

Fuck me, that was hot!

I smirked. "Yes, Miss. Swan."

She laughed softly and patted my cheek. "Good boy."

Fuck! If I got any harder, I was gonna explode!

"My guess is, Edward is the instigator in all of this." Isa continued, shaking her head. "It's terrifying what that boy is capable of!"

I nodded in agreement. "Carlisle's so devoted to Edward, he'd follow blindly."

"Which is likely how Esme became Carlisle's wife and Edward's mother figure." She looked up at me. "I think, it wasn't Carlisle's dream to build the perfect family, it was Edward's."

"Carlisle should've known better!" I growled. "Allowin' a newborn to dictate his life! To control him!"

She nodded. "He probably did know better, but he's weak. And submissive. My guess is, Edward saw Carlisle's sexual preferences in his mind, saw that Carlisle was attracted to him, and used that against him. It wouldn't surprise me if their relationship eventually became sexual. I doubt either of them would ever admit to that, though."

The man is repressed. It's gonna take a lot for him to change his ways, and that's only if he can!

"You think Edward raped Carlisle?" I worried.

"No," she shook her head. "Well," she paused and then sighed. "I don't know. The Edward Bella knew back in Forks wouldn't have been able to do that. But, was that the real Edward? I can see him teasing Carlisle. Getting him all hot and bothered and then leaving, he did that to Bella all the time! But, who's to say the Edward she knew in Forks is the real Edward? Maybe it was all an act and he's far more diabolical than we know!"

"He's been using and manipulating Carlisle his whole vampire life," she went on. "He's made Carlisle believe they have this epic bond, maybe even that they're mated, it's not a big leap to assume their relationship was more sexual than we know."

She's right. And I doubt either of them would admit to anythin'. Carlisle is so repressed he might never accept he's mated with Eleazar, and there's no reason for Edward to tell the truth. He's got to know how much trouble he's in, he ain't stupid enough to admit to more crimes!

"Is rape illegal in the vampire world?" Isa asked, looking up at me. "Bella and I don't know much about our laws, just what Eleazar's taught us . . ."

What the fuck did he teach our mate? The Major growled.

". . . and who knows if that was the truth?" She sighed.

"Rape between a vampire and a human is not illegal," I explained. "Rape between two vampires or a vampire and another species is illegal. However, the Volturi rarely gets involved in such a matter. Usually, the crime either goes unpunished or if the victim is mated, part of a Coven, or has any training, the matter is dealt with personally."

She nodded.

"Do you think Edward knew about Eleazar and Carlisle's bond?"

"He's a telepath," she shrugged, "how could he not know? This isn't some well-kept secret. At least two, possibly three, members of the Denali Coven know. Kate and Garrett might also know. All it would take is one of them, or Carlisle himself, thinking about it in Edward's presence and he'd have all the ammunition he needed."

I nodded.

"He did the same thing to Bella," she went on. "My guess is, he knew she was nothing more than his Singer but because of her blood and silent mind, he wanted to possess her. To own her. Just like Eleazar said."

Edward was trying to talk, but without his tongue, all that came out was gargled nonsense.

Isa ignored him. "When this is over and we leave here, I think Edward should come with us."

Hell no! Absolutely not! No way in hell! If she wants a pet, I'll get her a pet, but not him!

"Why, Darlin'?" I wondered.

"One: we can't leave here and let him run off causing more havoc and mayhem! All of this shit is because of him, and I dunno about you, but I'm not eager to do this again! And two: Edward needs a strong dominant Alpha in his life. Someone who will set down rules and adequately punish him when he breaks those rules. He needs to learn how to be a vampire, how to be a man, and how to properly utilize his gift. Who better to train him than our Coven?"

No. No. No. Don't even consider it! It's not an option!

I was inclined to agree with The Major on this one. After everything he's done, I don't believe any amount of training is gonna turn Edward into a halfway decent vampire. And to be honest, I don't have the patience to teach him. Fuck, I don't want to teach him! I have no interest in havin' the little shit around more than is necessary!

Let us not forget all he's done and the laws he's broken.

He hasn't broken any laws, Major.

The shit he pulled with the Coven and Carlisle, might not be illegal, but what he did to our mate is! He spent eight months glamouring her. He abandoned a human—who he claimed to be his mate—with knowledge of our world! Both are punishable by death. And I ain't leavin' this town until Edward Cullen is ash at my feet!

"There might be a problem with yer plan, Darlin'."

"Oh? And what would that be?" She asked, nuzzling my throat.

She doesn't seem all that phased about this. And . . . oh, maybe we shouldn't interrupt what she's doin' . . . oh, damn, that feels good . . .

When I didn't answer right away, she lifted her head and looked up at me. "We could always give him a show if you'd like . . ." Her eyes shifted to Edward, who was staring at her with wide, glazed eyes. "You think we can make him blush, Major?" She purred.

No way in hell am I sharin' her lovely body with him!

With a growl, I turned her so that my back was to Edward and he could no longer see her. "That ain't happenin', Darlin'. I don't share. Ever."

Her smile never faded. "We could always gouge out his eyes . . ." Her hand slid down my chest, inchin' lower and lower until her fingers were playin' with my belt buckle.

I yanked her into me and swatted her behind. "Don't tempt me, little minx."

She pouted adorably and I kissed her.

"Fine," she sighed dramatically when I broke our kiss. "Why is there a problem with my plan, Major?" She asked, laying her head on my shoulder.

"Most of the shit he's pulled ain't illegal in our world. Immoral, yes. But not illegal by Volturi standards. That bein' said, there are punishable offenses. Breaking into your home, trespassing on your territory . . ."

"All minor."

"Mm." I nodded. "But he verbally claimed ya as his mate, then abandoned a human with knowledge of our world, which is a death sentence. He spent eight months glamouring you. Another death sentence. And, if he knew Eleazar and Carlisle were mates, he's broken one of our most sacred laws. Another death sentence."

She nodded. "Okay, so how do we find out if he knew Carlisle and Eleazar are mated?" She asked. "It's not like he's going to admit to it."

"We'd need a telepath who can read him."

She shrugged. "Sorry, handsome, I'm fresh out of telepaths."

"There is another option," I said. "We contact the Volturi and ask for their help sortin' out this clusterfuck. Aro will be able to read Edward and find out what he's done and the laws he's broken. Then it'll be their decision what happens to him."

She frowned and, for the first time since Isa took control, I felt a brief spark of emotion from her, and it wasn't somethin' I liked or expected. Fear. A lot of fear!

What happened? Why the fuck is our mate so scared?

Her shield suddenly expanded to surround us as she shook her head and shifted closer to me, almost tryin' to burrow into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, holdin' her tight against me.

"No. No. We can't call the Volturi!"

"The Volturi ain't anythin' to fear, Darlin'. Unless ya have a reason to fear them," I told her. "They're essential. They have their place in our world. Just as police and government have their place in the human world. If it weren't for the Volturi, we'd have anarchy."

"When I left the south, they could've killed me, Pete, and Char," I told her. "But they saw that we were changing. We only wanted peace. As we knew no different and were taught only war by Maria, our lives were sparred."

"Hell, we've even done them a few favours now and then," Pete said, suddenly appearing with a smiling Char by his side.

As soon as she saw them, Pete and Char were encased in her shield, too.

Well, ain't that somethin'! She trusts them enough to protect 'em!

"The Volturi aren't all bad, Suga," Char assured Isa. "As Jasper said, they're necessary. But they're fair and, if you're honest with them, there ain't anythin' to worry about."

"Besides," Peter grinned, "you, little Suga Bean, haven't done anythin' wrong. Ya didn't break the laws. That was all Carlisle, Eddie, and the Cullens."

Isa hissed. "Which at the time included my mate and my father's mate!"

"True," I nodded. "But they ain't gonna kill us fer somethin' someone else unknowingly rectified. And, whatever punishment they come up with, I'll happily accept because I did leave ya, Darlin'. I may not have realized the extent of our bond back then, but I did know leavin' ya wasn't the right call and I still followed Carlisle's wishes. I wasn't Sire Ordered; I left of my own free will and it'll ferever be one of my biggest regrets! If the Volturi see fit to punish me fer that, I will gladly accept."

Pullin' away from me, she shook her head and began to pace. "I don't understand this. Eleazar said . . ." she mumbled. "But why? What was the point?" She rubbed her temples and sighed. "Of course! Because if we feared them, we'd stay far away from Italy! But it was Edward who first . . . Right." She nodded. "I forgot about that."

As she paced and talked with Bella her shield pulsed and shimmered. It seemed to be triggered by strong emotions. First anger, then fear.

We'll need to work on that. I want her trained, by us, before the coming battle!

"You and The Major do that, too," Pete smirked, watchin' my mate as she laughed at whatever Bella was saying in her head. "So, what are we callin' this side of Bella?"

"Isa," she answered, turning back to us as her shield dropped once again. "I am Isa." She smiled at Pete and Char and then looked back at me. "Bella thinks Edward, Carlisle, and the Denalis lied to her about the Volturi. She's heard nothing but horror stories about them for years, it's the reason we've stayed away from Italy."

Mm. I figured as much.

I nodded. "None of them have a great repour with the Volturi. And it would've been in Eleazar's best interest to make them seem as villainous as possible. To keep you away and make ya fear them."

She nodded. "So, if we contact them, will they take care of Edward?"

Peter smirked and whipped out his cell phone. "Only one way to find out, Suga Bean."