PREVIOUSLY:

Eleazor kept glancing between Bella and the Cullens, a pensive look on his face. "Aro, I think I know how to figure out who has the gift we are looking for."

"I think with a combination of Alec, Isabella, and myself, we should be able to figure out who is creating this bond and how they are hiding it. Isabella, would you walk with me among the Cullen Coven?" Eleazor requested.

I waited until the wolves had left before I set Renesmee down and crouched in front of her. "Are you alright staying with Demetri, darling?" she nodded vigorously. I stood, grasping her hand, and leading her back to him. When I slipped her hand into his he gave her a small smile, and it made my heart glad. He pulled me close, kissing and nuzzling into my neck.

"Be careful Agape. Someone clearly wanted to keep you close, and I do not want to lose you now that I know who you are to me." He whispered before releasing me.

I kissed him on the cheek and turned back to Eleazor. We walked around the Cullen Coven, Eleazor glancing over each person again. "OK Bella, I need you to wrap both shields around each person 1 at a time. I think if they are blocked completely, I may be able to get a glimpse of any latent gifts that are being hidden before Alec's gift wears off."

We started with Esme. Eleazor stood behind her, hoping to get a scan of her before she noticed him there. He nodded to me, and I quickly wrapped her tightly in both my physical and mental shield. His eyes went distant and he shook his head no as she came to. Aro requested she move forward, and he grabbed her hand to read her. "She is unaware of what is happening here." Esme looked confused but obediently moved to the side with Marcus and Caius, as Eleazor and I moved on to Carlisle. We got the same result, and he was able to move over with his mate, asking quiet questions of the 2 kings while we moved on to Rosalie and Emmett.

As soon as I wrapped my shields around Emmett, Eleazor exclaimed in surprise. "2 gifts! How unlikely, and how sneaky he has been with them!" Aro instructed Alec to lift his gift completely before ghosting to our side. He grabbed Emmett's hand as I lifted the mental shield from him, holding him in place with the physical. He started narrating as he read his thoughts.

"Ah, so much deception, for such shallow means! Emmett lost a family when he was turned, including a young wife and child. He decided, as Rosalie had been the one to request he be turned, that she would replace his wife Elaine. He has built himself a personality based on childlike wonder to deal with the loss. It appears that at first, he was not aware of his gift, he simply decided Rosalie was his mate when he was told of Carlisle and Esme's mating, and thus it came to be. Emmett realized, however, that over time he could control it, strengthening his bond with Rosalie and creating bonds among others. He had practiced on humans at the schools you have attended, most recently on Ms. Angela Weber and Mr. Ben Cheney. He was concerned when he realized he was manually creating bonds that he would be caught, especially by Eleazor."

Eleazor spoke up then, "He seems to be unaware that he has a very mild personal shield, keeping his gift hidden from me."

Aro continued, "Yes, thank you. That I am unable to see since he doesn't know himself. It seems the shield has served a dual purpose, hiding his gift and shielding him from the pain of losing his previous life. He decided several years ago that he was tired of Edward's moping, and decided he would find a mate for him so it would lighten the atmosphere of the Cullen home. He realized when Edward couldn't read young Bella's mind that she would be the perfect addition, thus creating a weak bond between the two. Isabella's shield seemed to keep the bond from strengthening, allowing Edward to leave for those few months and creating so much unnecessary drama. The bond between Renesmee and the wolf was to keep them safe from the wolf pack, and Garrett and Kate were bonded simply to keep Garrett close to the family, as he found him to be fun." At this, Kate and Garrett stepped away from each other, both seeming confused and angry.

Marcus nodded to Chelsea, who broke both bonds before appearing to faint. A tall male ran to her side, catching her and pulling her back into the line of Volturi. "Master Aro, she has hit her limit for today. I will need to hand feed her before we leave for Italy."

Aro nodded. "Of course, Afton. I'm sorry we have needed to ask so much of your mate today."

Rosalie backed up, looking shattered. "How could you do this to me Emmett? How could you take away my choices, knowing what was done to me?"

Emmett shook his head. "I didn't know at first Rosie…"

"My name is Rosalie. Only people I trust my call me by a nickname."

"Rosalie. I truly thought you were my mate at first, or I hoped you were, and then it seemed like you were! By the time I figured it out, I was afraid it would hurt you more to tell you."

She shook her head, furious. "you hiding it has hurt more than anything. I would have understood. Instead you trapped me for the last 75 years!"

Aro, walked back to his brothers, holding his hands out to both. After several minutes, he turned back to face us. "Emmett McCarty Cullen, for misuse of your gift and knowingly or unknowingly keeping mates apart, you are hereby sentenced to the final death."

Three of the Volturi soldiers leaped forward, and Emmett was completely obscured by their gray cloaks. In the same instant, a horrible metallic screeching ripped through the clearing. Caius slithered into the center of the gray melee, and the shocking squealing sound exploded into a startling upward shower of sparks and tongues of flame. The soldiers leaped back from the sudden inferno, immediately retaking their places in the guard's perfectly straight line.

Caius stood alone beside the blazing remains of Emmett, the metal object in his hand still throwing a thick jet of flame into the pyre. With a small clicking sound, the fire shooting from Caius's hand disappeared. (Excerpt from Breaking Dawn, page 796)

As the guard backed up, the Kings looked over the field.

"It appears we have done what is needed here, and now is the time to take our leave. We hope we will leave you with more good done than harm." Marcus spoke up, making Aro shoot a look at him.

Carlisle and Esme walked back over to Rosalie, consoling her, and hoping to provide comfort. Irina was allowed to return to her sisters, which she was very grateful to the Volturi for.

Unexpectedly Benjamin and Tia stepped forward. "Master Aro, we tire of the suffocating influence of our coven. We wish to join the Volturi for a time, to learn to expand my gift and learn more of our race." Amun looked on, incensed.

Aro clapped excitedly, "yes of course you may join us! Come young ones, let us return to our jet and head back toward home."

MEANWHILE, IN LA PUSH:

The pack walked at a steady pace, pushing their way into the council hall. Sam had Leah still under his arm, while Jacob, Paul and Quil seemed to hold themselves taller than any had seen them in months.

Old Quil leapt to his feet. "What is the meaning of this? We are in the middle of a meeting! Sam Uley, why are you holding Leah Clearwater and not your imprint Emily?"

"Because what was done has been undone, you conniving old man. Why did you do this? Why tie us to people we did not know, did not love? Why destroy our happiness?"

At this, Sue spoke up, "My Harry thought that our daughter deserved better than you! If we had known she would grow so angry and phase, maybe we would have made different choices. I did not want her to end up like your mother, abandoned and alone when you inevitably follow in your father's footsteps Samuel."

Leah gasped. "How dare you! How dare you assume and make decisions for me, about me! You have ruined the last 2 years for your selfish choices! You are no parents of mine." She collapsed into Sam's arms, sobbing.

Quil spoke up, "and me Grandfather? What have I done to deserve an imprint to a baby, to someone not even close to our family?"

Old Quil Scowled. "You needed to grow up, to take responsibility. And our tribe is dwindling. We need diversity. That's why we tied you females from Makah, to help our tribe grow."

"And me?" Paul questioned, clear anger emblazoned on his face.

Billy spoke up, strong but quiet. "I wanted my daughter home. This was the only way I could think of, and you were the only one available at the time."

Embry spoke up from behind him. "Why not me?"

Billy looked away.

"Because I could not imprint her on her brother."