AN: Thank you for all the reads and support so far, 01.04.2024 and we are on 200 favs and almost 300 follows (288), forgive me for keeping these stats here, this is a long story that I love to go back over and see how far I've come - who knows where it will be when it is finally over? - I have been re-reading the story and taking notes on what I would like to edit and change when I am done writing this first version. We are over 37,000 words with this chapter included (exc. ANs too) so this is officially the longest story I have ever written too! I have noted a couple of minor plot errors I made so far, if you notice something, let me know as I have no Beta 3
Enjoy and please review to let me know your thoughts xx
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My new life was never meant to start out peacefully. I had chosen to be changed so I could fight for those I loved, and that change involved my death on many levels. I sat still, taking in the conversation around me. Carlisle and Alice were discussing the timeline for my official death. I was currently off school, officially due to a chest infection that necessitated strong antibiotics and plenty of rest. From then, my condition was to worsen, necessitating hospitalization, leading to my subsequent death and funeral. The anguish I would soon be causing Renée felt as if my heart was being ripped out of my chest. It was not unlike those final crucial minutes of my change, and I could almost feel its unforgiving beats echoing deep within me, the way I had heard people who had lost a physical part of themselves could still feel it, their mind feeling the suffering of its missing part as if it was indeed still there.
Jasper had come near me while I sat there. I had felt him approaching, and it still took my whole willpower to sit still as my instincts screamed at me that he was danger incarnate in vampire form.
"May I help?" he asked kindly, smiling as we made eye contact.
I smiled back a little forcefully, trying my best to let my reasonable side win over the instincts that were whispering to me to defend myself. "Please." I took a deep breath, focusing on the pattern Marcus had taught me to ground myself. I nodded at Jasper.
'Alright, darlin', I'll just help you with a little bit of calm, nothing too strong - try to allow it in," he warned.
I chuckled slightly at the irony of seeing the big bad vampire so wary of little old me and breathed out as I felt a sense of calm sip into me softly, pushing away the distress that had been overtaking me.
Taking Jasper's hand, I squeezed it briefly, silently thanking him for his help. His presence was reassuring, a constant source of support in the midst of my swirling emotions.
"It's okay, Bella," Jasper murmured, his voice a soothing presence in the chaos of my thoughts. "You're doing great. Just focus on your breathing, and you''ll get there eventually."
I nodded, grateful for his words of encouragement. But just as the tension began to ease, the relative peace of the last fifty-two hours was shattered as we heard and felt a threat approaching from the treeline. Had I still been human, I would probably have felt the hair raise over my whole body, but as it was, I felt an icy, oppressing feeling around me, and I heard Jasper swear under his breath as I must have reflected his gift back at him once more in my rush to protect and defend myself.
My instincts went into overdrive, my senses sharpening as I scanned the surrounding forest for any sign of danger. And then, emerging from the shadows of the trees, I caught sight of the russet wolf that I knew to be Jacob, followed closely by two gray wolves that I thought to be Leah and Embry. Or maybe one of them was Seth. I somehow remembered that the siblings were slightly smaller wolves.
"Jacob," I breathed, my instincts flaring, fighting against the love I remembered feeling towards him. His presence radiated a mixture of conflicting emotions within me and I instinctively drew closer to Jasper.
Behind me, I felt the rest of the Cullens appear, closely followed by Marcus and Felix. My mate came to stand on my side, his hand briefly squeezing my own in a tender and reassuring touch.
Jasper's gaze shifted towards the approaching wolves, his expression tense as he assessed the situation. "Their emotions are mixed. It's hard to discern their intentions," he observed.
I clenched my fists, torn between the instinct to protect myself and the desire to trust in Jasper's assessment. "Are they here peacefully?" I asked, my voice betraying the underlying tension that coiled within me.
Jasper nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the advancing wolves. "For now," he replied, his tone cautious. "But we should remain vigilant. We can't afford to let our guard down."
I took a deep breath, willing myself to stay calm in the face of uncertainty. The presence of the wolves stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within me, each one vying for control as I struggled to make sense of the conflicting signals.
As the russet wolf drew closer, followed by the two other wolves, I could feel the tension in the air reaching a fever pitch. But despite the underlying sense of unease, there was also a glimmer of hope, a flicker of possibility that perhaps peace could be achieved.
I turned to Marcus, my gaze seeking reassurance in the midst of the chaos that surrounded us. "What do we do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
His expression softened slightly as he met my eyes, his gaze steady and unwavering. "We talk," he said, his voice calm and resolute. "We talk, and we learn of each other's intentions."
I nodded, a sense of determination settling over me as I prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead. With Marcus and my new vampire family by my side, I knew that together, we would weather any storm life threw at us.
As the russet wolf emerged further from the treeline, blurry memories of my past friendship with Jacob surged to the forefront of my mind, conflicting with the instinctive fear that now gripped me. I could feel the turmoil within me, the struggle between the love I once felt and the danger I now perceived.
Instinctively, I drew closer to Marcus, seeking comfort and protection in his steady presence. His reassuring touch grounded me, reminding me that I was not alone anymore. Jacob's wolf stood at the edge of the forest, the soft darkness of its shadow not managing to hide any details from my now sharp vision. He was a beautiful beast, exuding feral strength and nobility at the same time. His coat shone like embers to my improved eyes and I felt a sudden desire to glide my fingers through it to feel its warmth and comfort. Our eyes met and for a short, yet plentiful moment, I instinctively felt safe in his presence as we looked at each other's supernatural gazes. I couldn't help the soft smile that grazed my lips before the russet wolf disappeared back in between the trees, leaving the two gray wolves to stare at us in a clear, menacing way. My smile disappeared as fast as it had appeared as I took in the threat, focusing on my need to protect those I loved. A few seconds later, Jacob came out in his human form. His new appearance did nothing to lessen the unease within me, despite the comforting familiarity I had felt seconds before. In his human form, Jacob was as tall as Jasper and Emmet, his bulk close to Emmet's, and I knew that he might very well look bigger than my vampire brother soon enough as he was still so young.
"Can't say I'm a real fan of the new look, Bella," he commented, looking intensely at my eyes, no doubt feeling uncomfortable because of their deep, bright red color. I could hear growls of warning around me, those quickly answered by matching ones from the wolves.
"Can't say I care, what you think of me, Jake," I bit back, annoyed that he would pick on me for my appearance, as he knew full well the reasons that had led to it. The warmth and comfort I had instinctively felt while we looked at each other a moment before shattered as I felt anger rise within me. I took a deep breath, aiming to calm myself as Marcus had shown me but that breath was spoiled by the lingering wet dog smell coming from the three shifters in front of us. Instead, I tried focusing on the feeling of calm Jasper had shared with me earlier.
The lighter gray wolf on Jacob's right snarled viciously, but a dark glare from Jake shut him, or her, right up.
"You are of course, welcome to come in times of need, Jacob, but I cannot help but be surprised to see you now when we had agreed to wait until Bella had had time to acclimate better," came Carlisle's voice from behind me. How he could always sound so welcoming in even the most difficult situations was beyond me, especially now that I could better understand the overwhelming amount of things that he was aware of surrounding him.
"We came to check," he answered, looking angrier if that was even possible. "There has been more disappearance in the forest in the last week and we know how uncontrollable baby vamps are so…"
I snarled warningly at his words, taking a step forward.
"Peace, mia Bella," cautioned Marcus "You do not wish to harm your friend."
It took a second before I relented. Physically at least. "Fuck off, Jake. I may not remember perfectly, but I know you didn't want me changed. What do you want, an excuse to end my life for real?" He flinched at my words, his reaction so obvious that I felt a viscous satisfaction from putting him back in his place. He had been nothing but a pain in my backside since I had come back from Italy. Deep down, I felt a part of me agonizing at the harshness of my words and the betrayal I could see in Jake's eyes.
"We have not harmed anyone. Neither did any of our guests, nor did Bella. She actually shows an impressive amount of control over her thirst. We don't know anything about the missing hikers." said Carlisle, once more managing to sound perfectly calm and in control.
What sounded like a scoff came from the bigger wolf at Jacob's side. If anything, that made me want to punch his wolfy arrogant face even more.
As the conversation continued, tensions remained high, each side unwilling to back down from their accusations. But amidst the chaos, a sense of determination began to take hold, a shared goal of protecting our loved ones and ensuring our own survival.
It was then that Jake mentioned the "crazy red-haired bitch," and the pieces began to fall into place. Victoria. The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning, sending a chill down my spine. "Victoria... She's the one behind this, isn't she?"
"Friend of yours? She's been sniffing around Charlie's house while he's out on duty. We can't let her and her vampire friends roam free, especially not with you lot here too." Jake scoffed, testing my resolve to not punch him further. Only Marcus' hold on my hand kept me rooted in place.
"She is most definitely not a friend," Carlisle explained from where he now stood on my right. "We had not considered she would be back, however, it is not completely surprising." Carlisle exchanged a look with Jasper as he continued. "We destroyed one of her companions when he came after Bella last year. We may have underestimated their link to each other if she is now back and clearly looking for Bella."
I felt the minute shift in Marcus' stance next to me, only because we were so attuned to each other and our hands were currently intertwined. "Do you mean to say, Carlisle, that not one of you, not your mind-reading son, the empath, the seer, or even one of the six truly mated vampires in your coven could understand that you had destroyed what clearly seems to be one half of a mated pair?" His tone did not betray the rage I knew would be building within him. He didn't need to express his rage however, the six Cullens looked properly chastised, head bowed slightly in deference, eyes not meeting Marcus' ones. Even the wolves held themselves quiet, taking in the exchange before them.
It was Felix that broke the tension, bringing us back to the issue at hand. "Then we need to stop her, if she has lost her mate and has been lurking around our new Queen's family, she is no longer frozen in her pain, if she ever was. This Victoria must be looking for revenge and…" he turned to the wolves, "our kind is not known to temper their rage when we let it out. Losing one's mate is akin to losing half of yourself."
I heard the bigger wolf whimper at that statement and I briefly wondered if they were one of the imprinted wolves and could perfectly understand Felix's words.
"Together," Felix continued, looking at Jake, "we stand a better chance as she won't be expecting us to work together." He now turned his gaze towards us, looking for Marcus' approval.
My mate nodded. "I agree. We will need to work together if we want to stop her. We cannot let her take advantage of the Cullen-Quileute treaty in order to evade us. An alliance is the only viable solution."
As the gravity of the situation sank in, I knew that we could no longer afford to ignore the threat that Victoria posed. We had to act, and act swiftly, if we were to protect those we loved and ensure our own survival in the face of impending danger.