Hello! Another chapter for you today :)

Some of you have shared some thoughts and I promise I'll keep them in mind. Keep bringing them forward. I might use some of those!

Enjoy ;)

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE. THREAD CAREFULLY.

THE LOCKET.

Chapter 6.

Over the next few days, Bella got to work with Marcus and his collection of information. She had proposed the idea of digitalizing everything to create a database. He liked the idea but was more reluctant to have Bella go through Didyme's journals and digitalize them. He knew they would not be in the database; they would simply be stored in a computer in the cloud. Bella reminded him how fragile books were and appealed to his sentimental side, asking him how he would feel ten or twenty years from now if he didn't have anything from her because they got destroyed by time. It was a wonder they'd lasted so long in the state of abandonment she'd found them.

Marcus relented and promised to think about it. Bella accepted because, in the end, it was Marcus' decision what to do with his late mate's possessions. She couldn't imagine losing her mates and having only books and memories to remember them by. She felt grateful to whoever had dealt her fate cards for giving her three of the most powerful vampires in the castle (and possibly the world) as her mates.

They were wonderful, silly, crazy, and overbearing at times, but she wouldn't change a thing about them. Well, there was one thing she would change. The slow burn was killing her. Each hello and goodbye or every affectionate gesture was a hand grabbing, a kiss to the cheek, a kiss to the forehead, her temples, and a hug. Where was the action, men? Give her a real kiss!

Okay, she could play girl power too and take the initiative, but hey! A girl could dream too!

Her daydream of kissing her mates was interrupted by Renata, who came to fetch her to accompany her to the torture chambers, most commonly known as the salon, where she would shave every bit of undesired hair from her body.

Renata drove in silence, nothing uncommon for her, and Bella was too nervous and excited to start a conversation or follow one either way. However, she noticed her friend shooting side glances at her the entire ride.

"Do you have something to say?" She asked, amused after the tenth side glance.

"Do you want a distraction now or when you're about to be skinned alive?" Bella snorted at her choice of words.

"Tell me when the lady is about to skin me then. I get the feeling I'm going to need the distraction."

Renata nodded and, just for good measure, added. "Are you sure it's a lady? Could be a lord."

Bella gasped, horrified. Could a man be handling her private parts and ridding them of every last hint of hair? She would die of embarrassment. She couldn't even tell the guys about her sex thoughts in the serious list. She could not strip naked in front of a complete stranger and have their hands on her.

However, entirely mystified as to why she walked to the salon while all she wanted to do was run and buy cheap wax and do it herself, she let out a relieved sigh when she saw that all the employees at the salon were women.

They waited a few minutes until her name was called. Bella turned to Renata, wanting to hear the news that would serve as a distraction.

"Your mates asked Aro about his plans to change you." Bella raised an eyebrow. That was not surprising. She would have done the same. Knowing them and how protective they were, it was natural that they were curious. "They want to be the ones to change you." Now, that was different.

"Really?"

The lady waited patiently for the conversation to end. She could not hear anything, of course, because Renata and Bella were careful to have a whispered conversation. "I also volunteered to change you."

Bella's eyes widened. Why did she volunteer?

"You're my friend; I wanted to do something nice for you. Though killing you is not exactly something nice, you get the drift." Bella nodded. "Go before the lady gives your spot to the next person."

…

…

…

Renata's technique worked. Her mind was focused on the three pieces of information she gave her, so she barely felt the pain of being waxed. Her mates wanted to change her? Like all of them at the same time? So, she would not only be their mate but forever be marked by them? It was good news that the torture had ended when her mind entered this territory because she didn't want to explain to the lady between her legs with hot wax why she was aroused.

But beyond lusting after being marked by her three men, she felt wanted in a way she'd never felt. Edward had been a pro at rejecting many of her advances and keeping her at arm's length, which hurt her self-esteem more than she'd like to admit. Knowing they had gone to Aro to ask for more information was nice.

One of the first things she learned about her mates was that they loved strategizing and planning. They wanted to have all their ducks in a row before deciding anything. It wouldn't surprise her if, upon her arrival at the castle after today's shenanigans, they team tagged on her to convey everything they most likely discussed regarding her transformation. Contrary to what she would have thought, having them discuss anything related to her future before discussing it with her didn't make her feel out. It made sense. They were protective, demanding, and very powerful. It made sense that they wanted to be on the same page and have a united front before involving her.

Every new bit she discovered about the guys made her like them more. Her feelings had escalated beyond a physical attraction. She really, really liked them. She enjoyed being in Felix's lap while they saw Demetri and Alec try to outdo each other in the boxing ring. Or sitting in Alec's lap and feeling his arms tense and relax while he played video games in his room.

She thoroughly enjoyed Demetri's possessive hugs and the unsurmountable joy she saw on his face when she woke up one morning in his bed after talking for hours the night before. To say Demetri had wanted her to sleep in his room after that was a euphemism. He almost had her things moved to his room. She stopped him before he went over and did it himself. She had compromised and agreed to sleep in his bed as long as her things remained in her room.

"I need a space that's my own. I can't let myself be consumed by the three of you and forget about me." She explained when he asked why she wanted to stay there but wanted her things in a separate room. It was a bit scary; the power they had to consume her entirely and how little she would care if that happened. But she needed her space, and she couldn't forget that she had allowed Edward to dictate everything in her life to the point of having him in every aspect. When he left, she was left with nothing; her friends didn't speak to her, her dad barely knew her, and her heart had been ripped into a dark void. It had taken her all her effort and a pack of wolves to heal completely.

Demetri understood and promised her he would do everything he could to keep them from consuming her. He would ensure the other two gave her space when needed.

She kissed his cheek, rested her head on the crook between his shoulder and neck, and fell asleep there until the next day.

"Are you coming out, or should I bring you food until your transformation day?" Renata's taunting brought her back to the present. Her friend was out of the car and standing next to her door. Bella shook her head and exited the car, wincing at the sticky feeling left on her thighs. The lady at the salon had given her wet wipes to get rid of the sticky residue of the wax, but she needed a bath urgently.

She said goodbye to Renata and hurried to her room. She had a thorough shower, allowing herself to get lost in her thoughts again without anyone expecting her to function normally. Her imagination was running wilder the longer she stayed in the shower, and even though it wouldn't be the first time she touched herself to the thought of her vampires, she wasn't in the right mindset to enjoy it.

…

…

…

With her protectors out of the castle for the day, she had few choices in how to entertain herself. She was too worked up to read.

She thought a stroll around the gardens would help. It was sunny outside, and the sky was a beautiful blue. However, a yelling man storming through the castle dampened her plans.

"Aro!" Bella frowned. She might be new to the castle, but one thing she knew: you do not demand to speak with Aro.

Many curious faces appeared. Bella sought refuge in the only place she knew no one would find her but Marcus.

She prayed that whatever miracle had kept her scent hidden for two weeks would also protect her now. She sank into a corner of Didyme's room and hugged her legs. She had flashbacks to James' snarl on the baseball field and his cat-and-mouse game throughout the country. Bella wouldn't be able to survive another crazy vampire coming after her if he thought she smelled like a snack. Aro was powerful, so hopefully, he would stop anyone from coming after her.

Several hours passed, and Bella was beginning to feel trapped and claustrophobic. She was scared shitless. She was a human in the middle of a power struggle between some crazy ass vampire and the ruler of the vampire world. If there was a bloodbath, she had no chance at all. She was beginning to think that escaping through the library window was her best choice when two knocks alerted her of Marcus.

She opened the secret door only an inch and peered through. Marcus was grinning, which made Bella relax. He wouldn't be smiling if his brother had just been killed. She exited her hiding place, still shaking like a leaf, and stepped into the library's warmth. She shuddered at the sudden temperature difference. She had forgotten how cold it was in Didyme's secret hideout.

Marcus' smile only widened as he offered her his cloak. Bella accepted it with a watery smile.

"Someone wants to speak with you, dear."

Bella's fear returned. "I didn't do anything. I swear!" Maybe Marcus would believe her and pledge on her behalf.

Marcus shook his head, amused. "You're not on trial. But it's better if we get moving. Aro is not very patient."

Bella sighed and walked by Marcus' side to the throne room.

"I want to speak to my daughter, Aro. Now." Bella frowned.

"Marcus is fetching her, my friend. Do pace yourself." Aro's intonation betrayed his impatience.

Marcus opened the doors without further pomp and stepped in, never abandoning Bella's side.

Bella scanned the room, relieved to find everyone in one piece and surprised to find her three vampires there, looking every bit the intimidating high-ranking guards they were. They looked like the situation had caught them by surprise. They rarely used their cloaks. And the ones they had now were black instead of grey. Felix had his hands fisted at his sides, Alec fixed his eyes on someone before him, and Demetri stood still as a statue.

"I told you she was in one piece." Marcus exclaimed, also impatient.

Her three vampires visibly relaxed when they heard Marcus' words. Alec looked at her and offered her the hint of a smile. Felix and Demetri winked in unison. It would have been funny if she wasn't shaking underneath Marcus' cloak.

Bella gasped when her eyes finally landed on Carlisle.

"Carlisle?"

The leader of the Cullens abandoned his place and rushed to her side, tucking her softly in a tight embrace. Bella didn't understand anything. What was Carlisle doing here? Was she the daughter he was desperate to locate?

She couldn't help but look for Demetri in that big room. She could trust him to tell her the truth. His face was a mask, despite his previous show of playfulness. She looked at Felix, finding the same empty expression, and Alec wasn't much better.

Bella stepped back, still wrapped in an oversized Volturi cloak. "What's going on?"

Carlisle took Bella's face, successfully getting her undivided attention.

"I trust Aro has been a welcoming host." He started. Bella nodded, trapped in those eyes. "Are you ok?"

"I'm ok." She whispered, and she meant it. "I'm ok." Aro rolled his eyes. He detested such displays. He made a hand gesture, and everyone left the room.

Carlisle hugged Bella tightly again and stroked her hair. She wasn't sure what was going on.

"How are you?" He asked again, sitting on the steps that led to the thrones.

Bella sighed heavily. "It's an adjustment. I'm still finding my footing. But everyone has been accommodating enough." She smiled softly. They had been more than accommodating. Demetri's bed was a wet dream come true. Felix's nickname for her had her wanting to kiss him and never let go. And Alec looked at her like he wanted to devour her whole and like he knew she also wanted that.

Carlisle took her hand in his. "I know they can be a bit much sometimes, but you're safe here." She knew that. Marcus was a softy, Aro was Aro, Caius had ignored her, which didn't bother her, and her three vampires were self-explanatory. Besides, she had two girlfriends. True friends for the first time.

"I need to ask you a difficult question." Bella nodded, encouraging him to ask. "What happened with Edward?"

Bella retrieved her hand from Carlisle's and stood up. "He broke my heart, Carlisle. But it's not only that. If it were, I would have found a way to forgive him and get back to him. But he took my choices away. He didn't let me say goodbye to you. He was so concerned about my safety and his world that he decided to deceive me, take me into the woods, and break every promise he ever made. I can't go back to that Carlisle." And she wouldn't, even if she didn't have her mates here.

Aro might be a bit crazy, and Caius might be a dick, but they had been honest with her from the beginning, and they didn't sugarcoat anything just to spare her feelings.

Carlisle remained sitting.

"I changed in these six months. I spent a large part of the time not engaging with anyone, but once I was shocked out of my fumble, I had to swim to survive. No one is worth the effort I had to put in even to manage to stay afloat. No one willing to let you drown is worth it."

"Is that why you stayed here?"

"I love you all, Carlisle, but I couldn't get back. This is my way of surviving, as ironic as it may sound."

"I understand."

Bella smiled and walked back to her vacated spot.

"Whose ward are you?"

"Marcus." She answered immediately, wondering why it was that important.

"That's good."

"Why?"

Carlisle shook his head. "Aro and Caius are a bit ruthless sometimes. Marcus is more centered."

Bella shrugged; she didn't care about that right now. That was a bridge to cross when and if she had to.

"Have they decided when to change you?"

"It's happening in a week." Carlisle's shock surprised Bella.

"That's fast." He murmured to himself. "How do you feel about that?"

"Conflicted. A part of me thinks it's too fast, some other that it's too far away." She could be honest with Carlisle, right? Could she tell him about her mates? Would he be able to hide it from the rest? Probably, but she wouldn't risk it—everything in due time.

"Do you want me to speak to Aro on your behalf, delay your transformation?" He was already standing up, but Bella grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"No. I agreed to it. Please leave it be. It is my decision."

Carlisle conceded but didn't sit back. Everything he needed to know was already discussed. Bella had made up her mind. She had changed. She spoke more maturely than the girl he'd met half a year ago. It's like the softness had been sharpened.

"If it helps, I think something good will come out of this." She could share this much about her life here.

Carlisle chuckled. "That's exactly what Alice said."

Bella smiled, she hadn't spoken with Alice since they parted ways, but it was nice to know Alice was looking out for her family, even if that meant keeping tabs on her.

"Why did you come, Carlisle?" And why was he so adamant in demanding to speak with her?

Carlisle pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Alice couldn't see you anymore, and that extended to some people here. Aro has been avoiding me for the past three weeks, and I feared the worst." Bella was touched that he'd come all the way here to check on her.

"I promise you; everything is ok. I'm perfectly safe here, and it's not as bad as I first thought." Carlisle smiled.

"I know. But you'll always be my daughter." He kissed her forehead once more and helped her up. "I must leave now. Aro forgave my unexpected arrival with the condition I leave after I spoke with you." Bella giggled. Aro was crazy, but he clearly had a soft spot for Carlisle.

"Send my love to Esme and the rest. Despite my choice to stay here, I do miss you all." She hugged Carlisle and watched him leave.

Well, there goes the closure she should have gotten six months ago.

With a smile, she shed the cloak, feeling toasty warm again, left it in Marcus' seat, and proceeded to go to the gardens and enjoy the last bit of sun.

It didn't take her vampires long to catch up to her. They all examined her for wounds, and she let them.

"Fuck, princess, you'll be the death of me." Felix drew her into his chest and held her tightly. She giggled and hugged him back.

"What did he want?" Alec asked, feeling anxious if the movement of his hands was anything to go by. She broke away from her embrace with Felix, but instead of stepping away, she pressed her back to his chest and grabbed Alec's hands. Felix's hands landed on her hips, keeping her in place.

"To check on me. Alice can't see me now, and he said a few people here also disappeared with me. Carlisle and Alice panicked because Aro has been avoiding Carlisle's phone calls."

Demetri's sigh of relief was short-lived because an intrusive thought filtered through. "So, he didn't come to take you back?"

"He didn't say it out loud, but the offer was there."

Demetri frowned. Bella sighed. She had to remember that this was as new to them as it was for her. Bella freed one of Alec's hands to offer it to Demetri, who took it immediately. She pulled him towards her.

"I don't want to go back. I'm not going back." She looked at each of her vampires in the eyes, making sure they all got the message. Still, she could offer them a piece of her heart. "I'm happier now than I've ever been."

Demetri didn't let her continue; he leaned forward and captured her lips with his in a demanding kiss. Bella gasped, surprised but immediately used the hand she had tangled in his to draw him closer. It was one of those extracorporeal experiences. She could feel his body against her, pushing her closer to Felix, who felt hard everywhere. She could feel Alec's hand tightening around hers while Demetri devoured her mouth and pushed his tongue inside.

"Fuck, you taste amazing." He whispered roughly against her lips. She licked her lips, chasing the feeling of his cold lips. She smiled and opened her eyes. Well, one down, two to go.

She had barely recovered her breath and sense of self when Alec's black eyes met hers. When she told Alec that his gaze was intense, she wasn't lying. He not only looked at her like he wanted to devour her whole, but it was as if he could stare into her soul.

"Are you going to keep looking at me, or are you going to kiss me?" She dared him.

He growled playfully and crashed her lips against hers. She whimpered, excited. Felix groaned behind her. She didn't care that they could smell her arousal because she could feel Felix's pressing against her ass. She chased Alec's tongue like there was no tomorrow. While Demetri was demanding and in control, Alec kissed precisely how he looked at her. Passion that spoke to her soul. He was softer than Demetri but not less demanding. Alec took longer to kiss her as if confirming she wanted him and wasn't going anywhere without him.

"Mine." He growled when he let her go. Bella whimpered again at the possessive pronoun he used.

"Ours." Felix corrected from behind her, his lips on her neck. Bella threw her head to one side to give him better access. Felix's tongue traced the column of her neck while she took turns looking at Demetri and Alec. Alec's eyes were still black, but Demetri's remained red.

Suddenly, Felix turned her around and kissed her mouth. Bella groaned. Felix was not shy in letting her know how affected he was. His hands on her hips didn't move up or down, but they were possessive and kept her in place while his tongue explored her mouth.

She had been clearly wasting time kissing Edward. This is how it should be. Possessive without making you lose yourself, demanding yet caring, rough and soft. There was nothing wrong in letting the other know you enjoyed their mind as well as their bodies. There was nothing wrong with losing a little bit of control and succumbing to your instincts and your feelings. Nothing was wrong with wanting to feel cared for, desired, and protected.

There was nothing wrong in wanting to shred her clothes and theirs and explore every inch of their bond.

Felix broke the kiss, giving her time to breathe. She smiled broadly as she tried to recover. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair tousled, Felix's erection was still pressed against her lower belly, but she was in heaven.

"Finally!" She blurted out, making her three vampires chuckle.

Dreams do come true, after all.