Chapter 21: A time of reckoning
Didyme held the phone to her ear as Chester gave her clear orders.
It was time.
She had a debt to pay and a past to reconcile.
"I have a letter in my office, can you give it to Bella?" she questioned.
"of course. I will close down your office and redirect your other clients. All we need you to do is show yourself to Eleazar, that should give them enough shock. And then flash Bella's face in your mind, but obviously in the opposite direction. Think of Australia or Africa or something."
Didyme closed her eyes and sighed.
"I always knew this day would come. I just didn't think it would happen so soon."
"at least you get to see your husband," Chester told her.
"at what cost Chester?"
"at the cost of the mistake you made years ago."
"I thought we were over that Chester. I served my time.."
"Only because I asked for your sentence to be shortened. Listen just…please do this for Bella."
" you know I will."
And then the line went dead.
Didyme was quick to crush the phone, leaving all her important documents on her kitchen counter, and walking out her front door.
Chester would take care of the rest.
…
Denali Alaska.
Eleazar had just stepped through his front door when he heard a yelling match in the living room.
He didn't even have to hear to know what it was about. It was the same person it always was.
Edward.
He was driving everyone insane. Eleazar didn't know how long they could keep this up. his family had gotten the frantic call in the middle of the night. Edward's new bride had disappeared. They had been searching for her for weeks but they had burnt all their bridges in forks. Edward in a somewhat state of madness, had broken the treaty their cousins had with the shapeshifters and crossed onto their lands almost harming a woman. The shapeshifters chased Edward off their land and attacked their cousins at their home. They eventually came to a stalemate. The treaty was void and the Cullens were never to return to forks.
So here they were months later, living with them for the time being. Not as if they couldn't run to any of their other houses around the world but there was safety in numbers, especially with an unstable Edward. And of course, Tanya, being the leader of the Denali family welcomed them with open arms, just ready to take Edward into her bed the minute he was ready.
Eleazar on the other hand, kept his distance and kept quiet. Observing everything. nothing slipped past him. not the subtle hints of anger, Esme would throw toward Edward and Carlisle. Or how the Cullen family seemed divided. Rosalie, Emmett, and Esme tended to stick together, while Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, and Edward gathered together. It was as if the family had been divided. Eleazar knew that Bella was the reason, but he didn't know the whole story. All he knew for now was that Bella was safe.
But trouble was making its way towards him.
" you cannot expect me to continue to sit here and do nothing! Why are we here in the first place Carlisle? We need to go back to forks! Those dogs are hiding her! And if we can't go back to forks then we can at least go to one of our other homes! We need to have a plan! What if Aro finally gets it in his mind to check on us! we cannot sit here forever!" Edward screamed.
Eleazar sighed in frustration and made his way into the living room.
As he thought, the Cullen clan was divided, while his family sat across from them.
"Eleazar.." Carmen, his mate greeted him softly.
He took her in his arms, kissing her deeply.
It was unbearable to be away from her, even if it was just for a few moments. However, he had to sneak away to get an update from his sources.
At the moment, Bella was being released from the hospital, and her records were being erased. They didn't want any trace of her to be found.
It made sense. It was very smart.
However, Eleazar hid his thoughts from Edward not wanting him to catch a hint of anything.
He needed to play his cards right.
"Carlisle maybe Edward is right, maybe we all could use some time away from here?" he questioned as he glanced at Tanya.
"I mean, we have a few houses around the country as well. What do you think Tanya? We've been here for a while, haven't we?"
Tanya leaned against Irina as she hummed.
" I supposed you're right Eleazar, we have been here for a few years. We could get out of the now for a while, Irina, Kate what do you think?"
Kate purred as she leaned against garret.
"I don't mind, a change of scenery sounds fun."
"I agree," Irina said.
Tany and Eleazar turned to their cousins.
"Carlisle? What do you think?"
"We wouldn't mind the extra space… what about New York?"
"I think that would be great! Let's pack, we should be able to leave in three days." Tanya agreed happily.
"New York! No Carlisle that's too far. We can't be far from Bella!" Edward lamented
Jasper was quick to tackle him, as he tried to dash for the door.
Carlisle stood over him and talked in hushed tones.
"its just temporoary, son. We go to regroup and figure out what to do. We will find her."
Edward let out a mournful sound.
Eleazar rolled his eyes.
The boy was so dramatic. Especially for someone who wasn't his mate and not to mention that Bella had sent divorce papers to Edward months ago. This was a fruitless game.
Edward growled in his direction.
"it's the truth and you know it," Elazar said firmly. Edward ignored him.
Three days later, the Denali house was all packed and ready to go. They didn't need much since all their other houses were fully furnished. They simply had to pack certain things they didn't want to take with them and pack the things they did.
At the moment, they were all gathered outside, ready to leave when Alice stiffened.
"someone's coming! But.. I can't see who they are."
Immediately mates were pulled back and the men stood protectively ready for a fight.
However, laughter emitted in the air, as the stranger came closer.
"you do not need to fear me." the voice said.
Eleazar stiffened.
No way. it couldn't be.
Without thinking, he stepped forward and Carmen hissed.
"Eleazar no. what are you doing."
"stand down Eleazar, we don't know who this person is!" Tanya hissed.
Eleazar ignored them as their unknown guest came into view.
When Eleazar saw her, he sighed deeply and bowed before her.
"My Queen. I am ready to serve you."
…
Didyme couldn't help but laugh at Eleazar's formality. It had been years since they last saw each other
"Eleazar, stand up you silly goose. You are no longer my guard. No formalities are needed."
" I will always serve you, my lady." He told her.
Didyme waved him away as he bowed again.
"I'm sorry but who are you?" Tanya asked
Before didyme could answer, Carlisle beat her to it.
" it's Queen didyme. King Marcus's mate was once thought to be a dead mate. But I don't understand."
"There is nothing for you to understand. I was simply passing through on my way to Italy. I wanted to say hello to Eleazar before I moved on. I need to see my mate."
Didyme glanced over at Edward who looked anxious and angry.
She allowed an image of a crying Bella to flash through her mind before she turned her attention to Eleazar.
" Has anything changed?" Eleazar.
" other than their clothes. No. He misses You. The masters had to bind him to the family."
Didyme put her hand over her unbeaten heart and the thought of her mate overwhelmed her. Once again Bella crossed her mind. This time Edward caught on. He was in front of her immediately but he didn't get too close because Eleazar stopped him.
" she knows something about Bella! I saw it in her mind!" He yelled.
" it doesn't matter! You don't put your hands on the queen or any women for that matter! Carlisle controls him! Now!" Eleazar hissed.
Carlisle hissed back
" you know Edward is sensitive right now eleazar! The Mating pull is too much for him right now"
Didyme waved her hand in the air, stopping the two men.
"Young Edward is right I have met Bella. We met in India where she is residing."
Before anyone could say anything Edward was gone and most of the Cullen's Chased after him. Esme and Rosalie stayed where they were.
"Well, I think I need to move on. Time is of the essence."
" If there anything you need.." Eleazar began.
Didyme shook her head. Her job here was done.
" thank you, Eleazar. I can always count on you."
" good luck my queen."
With that said, didyme continued on her way.
As Eleazar watched her go, he couldn't help but think of three things.
One, part of him wanted to go with her. Two, he loathed to think what would happen when she got to that castle, and three, Edward was going to be mad when he found out Bella was not in India.
….
Chester sat in his living room in the dark as he listened to the sound of his home. Nine heartbeats steady and strong.
He had just gotten off the phone with didyme and everything was falling into place. Edward took the bait and was on his way to India. Giving him sufficient time to come up with backup plans for his backup plans.
Chester closed his eyes and tried to relax before he heard a creak.
It was the back door creaking open. From the scent, he knew it was Quil Junior.
He was a good kid in a kind of jacked-up situation. Both he and Bella are thrown into the depths of the unknown and with no clue how to handle things. Over Junior was pretty level-headed. Cheser listened to Quil's footsteps, thinking that the young man was coming in to say hello or get a drink of water. He didn't want to go home because it was too far from Bella and the pups, so he asked to sleep in the guest house.
Chester had no problem with it, so he allowed it. but what surprised him was the direction of Junior's footsteps.
They were going past the kitchen and past the living room where he sat, and straight towards Bella's room.
Chester lowered his heart rate to seem asleep so that Junior wouldn't know he was awake. But his head stopped when he heard the following conversation.
"Q?" was his niece's soft and tired voice.
"hey, baby it's me."
Baby? Chester thought. What kind of pet name was that for the mother of your children? Why was Quil sneaking into her room anyway?
"Everything ok?" Bella asked
"yeah, just couldn't sleep without you. I needed to make sure you were ok."
" I am doing better now that my awesome and sexy husband is here."
Chester froze.
Husband?! Husband! When did they get married? And why? From what he knew they were just friends.
Chester internally groaned.
This just opened a new can of worms.