Bella's POV
My name is Isabella Cullen, and I have been married to Edward Cullen for 500 years. Shortly after our wedding, we had our daughter Renesmee, who is now mated to Jacob Black and has been for 400 years. It wasn't long after we married that Edward began cheating on me. I tried to ignore the signs and play it off as normal. Who wants to be with the same person for all eternity? I on the other hand had never looked at anyone but Edward, and I was faithful beyond compare.
That was until I met Demetri. At first when I met him as a human, I didn't see the connection, but as a vampire it's different. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Demetri is my mate and my true mate at that. Edward hasn't touched me in over 430 years. Any affection was for show only, occasional handholding, a peck on the cheek, and maybe a hug. Demetri told me the last time he saw me he would claim me one day.
My only problem is I could never cheat on Edward. I had to find a way to get him to leave me and not destroy everything I had. It wasn't until Jane summoned us that I saw Demetri again and everything changed. Edward and I currently resided in Cecina, Italy it was just under an hour away from Volterra. Of course, the rest of the Cullens resided with us. We all chose to reside here because it was a place no one knew who we were. It was a rather large city, and it bordered the ocean. Hunting was easy, and no one suspected anything when dead animals turned up. We had only been here 10 years, and Jane showed up out of the blue and the knock on the door shocked all of us.
"I will get it," Carlisle said and stood to open the door.
"What can I do for you, Jane?" I heard Carlisle ask.
"You have all been summoned by the masters. Renesmee as well." She spoke.
"I am not sure I understand why!" he said.
"The information will be divulged once you arrive at Volterra and come before the masters," Jane said.
I smelled him before I saw him, it was the most amazing thing that I had ever smelled. His scent sent me to cloud nine and I had to refrain from pouncing. I wanted to jump his bones right on the spot. I can't remember the last time I was touched by a man and Demetri was just what I needed since he was my mate. Edward gave me a look and let out a growl. I knew that he would be happy that Demetri was my true mate. Renesmee and Jacob shared a look that said they would help me when they looked at me. Demetri walked in with a pissed-off look on his face.
"It seems that Edward has kept my mate from me, and I am not happy about that." Demetri practically growled out.
"Well now Demetri, you went and ruined all my fun," Jane complained.
"I did not ruin anything. Bella knows that I am her mate." Demetri said, smirking at me.
"Yes, but I was going to make the Cullen wait until we got back to the masters," Jane said with a pout.
"Now Jane we aren't here to play." Her brother Alec said, appearing next to her.
"Fine. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, doesn't matter to me." Jane said.
"Do we all need to come with you?" Carlisle asked.
"The master's only want to see Edward, Bella, and their daughter Renesmee," Jane replied.
"Then I guess that all of us will be joining in this trip if it's allowed," Carlisle stated.
"Yes, but you are not to interfere with any decisions that the master makes. Is that clear?" Demetri asked.
"Decisions, what do you mean?" Esme questioned.
"It is clear that Isabella is my true mate and Edward has been keeping her to himself," Demetri said.
"I have always known that Bella wasn't my mate," Edward said.
"You have known, yet you forbid me from cheating on you while you sleep around." I seethed.
"I didn't forbid you, I simply asked that you stay away from Volterra and Demetri," Edward said.
"What possible reason could you have for keeping me from Demetri? I want no one but him." I demanded.
"Demetri may not remember, but about 10 years after I was created, I had a true mate, her name was Avera. She was Greek and she was stunning. Bella, you are nothing compared to her." Edward said and earned a menacing growl from Demetri, but he continued.
"The Volturi saw her as a threat and had Demetri execute her. I never forgave him or them for what they did. I swore that I would keep Demetri's mate from him." Edward said calmly and I heard Demetri let out another loud growl.
"So why bother to turn me and have a daughter with? Why even bother talking to me at all?" I asked.
"Yes, please explain," Jane said in an exasperated tone.
"Eventually Demetri would come to Forks to check up on us or the wolves. He would have caught Bell's scent, changed her and mated with her. I had to keep that from happening. Each time you encountered her, I had Esme use her newfound gift to cloak Isabella's scent from you! Though the last time you saw her you knew who she was, and it was too late, she was married to me." Edward said with a manic laugh.
"I will rip you apart, you son of a bitch." Demetri growled.
"Calm down Demetri, he needs to stand trial for his crimes," Alec said.
"I hope I get the honor of destroying you and Esme." Demetri seethed.
"Wait Esme is to go to trial as well?" Carlisle asked.
"Yes, because she helped Edward hide Isabella from her true mate. The rules about mates are absolute and not to be interfered with unless one of them is a danger. Regardless of Demetri Kill Edward's mate. She created vampire children and that was forbidden, their thirst could not be contained and was an exposure risk that Edward covered up. He is lucky to be alive." Jane said and I knew that she would use pain on him if he resisted in any way.
"Avera was a Greek goddess and those children never exposed our kind. You didn't have to kill my precious mate. Now I will kill yours." Edward snarled but was intricately linked
by Demetri before he could make it two steps.
"You must be out of your mind if you think I will let you hurt Bella," Demetri growled almost severing his head from the impact alone.
"Now do you think that all of you could come quietly, or do we need to deliver you in pieces?" Jane asked in a bored tone.
"We will come quietly, just don't harm my family," Carlisle said.
"No one will be harmed. It is not our job to pass judgment, only to deliver it?" Alec remarked with a sadistic smile.
I looked at the others and realized that they were terrified. Edward was now being held by two guards I didn't recognize or know were there. They must have just arrived; Esme was being restrained by two other guards and I knew the others would come quietly. This was not how I wanted things to turn out, but Edward did just try to kill me. I looked at Demetri and he held his hand out to me. I was shocked, yes, I knew he was my mate, but was I ready to move forward with him?
"Come mate, let's go home." He spoke.
I hesitated, I barely knew him and yet here he was offering me his hand and calling me mate. I indeed felt the connection we shared and knew that he wouldn't rush anything. I still felt doubt because Edward had hurt me beyond compare. Centuries of cheating on me and then I learned the real reason why he married me, and it was just to keep me from Demetri and kill me. Demetri protected me from Edward for no other reason than to keep me safe.
"Mio Caro do not fear me. I will never hurt you and I won't force you into anything." He said gently, still holding out his hand.
"I need time to get to know you, and my diet will not change," I said.
"I would never dream of changing anything about you, mio caro." He spoke.
"I just ask that you spare my daughter and the rest of my family. I doubt what Edward and Esme were planning." I requested.
"I cannot deny you anything, my Tesoro," Demetri said.
I hesitated, but only for a moment before taking his hand. Electricity shot through my body and filled me with heat, something I never felt with Edward. So, this was what it was like to touch your true mate. I could get used to a feeling like this. I want to take time to get to know Demetri and I want him to get to know me as well. I saw the heat in his eyes and knew that he had felt what I felt. I wished that he could read my thoughts so that he would know that he was the only man to ever make me feel this way, but somehow, I got the feeling that he already knew.
"Preziosa, we have all of eternity to get to know each other." He said and kissed my hand.
I knew what he was saying when he spoke in Italian. I had finished learning after being a vampire for over 50 years. I rather enjoyed the names that he was giving me. I wanted him to keep using the nicknames and hopefully, he would come up with more. I needed to make a name or two up for him. I smiled at him as he led me out the door, the others were long gone at this point. It would only take a moment to get to Volterra and there I would join my new family.
We fleeted from my old home in Italy, and to the one that was my destiny. For so long Edward had hidden me from my true mate, and now here I was heading to what I would be calling my home, soon. Within a matter of minutes, we had arrived and the Cullen's stood before the masters, as did Demetri and me. The only ones who would receive punishment are Esme and Edward. Aro spoke when we arrived, and no one was prepared for what he said.
"Carlisle members of your family have been very naughty," Aro said and clicked his tongue.
"I wasn't aware of their actions, and I was not aware that Esme had developed powers. I beg that you forgive my family." Carlisle pleaded. "Well, it wasn't just Edward and Esme, now was it my dear Alice?" Aro asked looking at Alice, I was shocked and betrayed. She was my sister, my best friend.
"I did it to protect the family. Edward would have gone on a rampage had Demetri found Bella and exposed us. I know the penalty for exposure, and I had to protect our family." Alice pleaded and my undead heart broke for her. She just wanted to protect the ones that she loved.
"That is no reason to help hide Isabell from Demetri. We never hide mates from each other. It is simply not done and unheard-of till now. It's the law." Aro said.
"You could have simply killed Edward and been done with this whole mess." Demetri snarled and his anger was back.
"I couldn't let my son suffer because of the Volturi so I learned to use my powers and helped him hide Isabella," Esme said.
I could understand why Alice and Esme did what they did, but I could not forgive them. I never wanted to see them again, Edward used me and hurt me. I honestly hope they kill him for his crimes. All this time I could have been with Demetri and been genuinely happy and it was stolen from me, I can never forgive that. How could they look at me every day, knowing who my true mate was, and pretend like everything was, okay? He forbade me from going anywhere near Demetri but always slept with whoever he wanted, it just was not right, and I wanted revenge for the pain I had suffered.
"Your punishment is as follows; you will join the Volturi guard without question. Edward and Esme both will be sent to work with the Romanian coven. Alice, you will remain here. It is either join us or die. The gifts you possess are too great to let go to waste, so I am going to give you a chance to make up for your crimes." Aro said but was not finished.
"Carlisle can go with you if he wishes. Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie stay here." Aro said leaving no room for argument.
"And what of Bella?" Edward asked, earning a growl from Demetri.
"Isabella, Demetri said emphasizing my name, "Stays here with me." He growled out.
"I figured that, but what of her status of being married to me? Can't exactly get a divorce." Edward asked with a smirk.
"I could kill you now and take care of the problem," Demetri said with a grin on his face.
"Now, now Demetri I need you to play nice. The only reason that Edward lives is because his gift is useful. The day that he becomes obsolete you may kill him." Aro said.
"I can't wait for that day to come." Demetri sneered.
"That will never happen. There will never be anyone like me, I am just that great." Edward said in a cocky voice.
"You better watch yourself, boy. There is nothing I would love more than to tear you to pieces." Demetri said in a threatening voice.
"Like you scare me," Edward said with a huff.
"I'm head of the Volturi guard you had the best watch yourself. I don't have a lot of patience and you are grinding away at it." Demetri snarled.
"Edward even one slip up on your part means your death at the hands of Demetri. Now begone, the Romanians will be expecting you." Aro said.
"Edward let's take our leave," Esme said, and I watched them leave.
"Demetri take your mate and give her a tour and take the time to get to know her," Aro said with a small smile.
"Yes, master," Demetri said and bowed his head.
"As for the rest of you, you are dismissed." He said and they were gone.
"Come, my mate, we have much to discuss," Demetri said holding out his hand and I wasted no time taking it.
Preziosa - Precious
Tesoro - Treasure
Mio Caro - My Dear