It was official; war was fast approaching. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. What had happened nearly four decades ago was something she had wished to be forgotten and remain buried and hidden for the rest of eternity, for everyone, and herself, to forget about what had happened and leave the past where it belonged.

Whispers lined the corridors and tunnels of the castle, her name among them. It didn't take a genius to know why her name was amongst such putrid words. Her red eyes narrowed as she barrelled past some of the younger guard members, ignoring the knowing looks they had on their faces as she walked away.

Alec had kept her occupied for the most part, always having someone else with her when he wasn't. It usually involved training, either with Felix and Demetri or with himself. He was clever at it, she would give him that, but it hadn't taken long for her to realise what he was doing, and while she loved him for doing so, and was grateful, it was becoming increasingly infuriating when she couldn't have a mere second out of the over eighty thousand that were in a single day.

Blonde hair pulled up into a bun, she headed for her chambers, intent on being alone. Funnily enough, fate just didn't see that happening.

A slight twinge of an all too familiar pain made her stop in her tracks, limbs tensing as she fought off the pain. The very least person of all she wanted to see stood at the other end of the corridor, watching her with veiled malice as she turned around. The pain vanished, leaving Olivia gasping.

Jane tipped her chin up as she walked forward. "Alec is searching for you." She stated, her voice a monotone. Olivia squared her jaw as she thought of the man behind her ire. "You mean he wishes to make me occupied once more so I don't have a meltdown and embarrass everyone in front of the guests we have here?" She fired back.

Amusement sparked in the decorated red eyes as she watched the dark haired blonde begin to walk away, stopping with a barely concealed groan as the fire returned to her limbs, this time somewhat diluted. Olivia turned. "I wish to be alone, is that too much for him to grasp?" She spat. "And you?"

The blonde twin gave a rolling titter under her breath. "I was quite pleased to be torturing the prisoner when he came and interrupted," she stated coolly, her voice one of ill-amusement. "Against my better judgement, he loves you, Olivia," she spat the word as though it were a curse. "And I am beginning to see that this infatuation he has with you is here to remain, unfortunately. I would do well not to allow him to tear apart the castle searching for you."

Heavy footsteps sounded from around the corridor behind the twin, the giant of a guard and his usual companion making her groan. No Alec though. Olivia scowled at the smaller, leaner of the two men. "You're a dirty cheat," she hissed and the man flashed her a smirk. "He came to me, Olivia. He only cares."

"He suffocates! I am fine! If I wasn't, I would have exploded by now! I am fine, perfectly fine, and I hate being suffocated." She argued and Felix hummed, a wide grin on his face. "You look fine, with the veins running down your neck and arms which appear when you most certainly aren't." He mocked, Olivia letting out a sigh. "I don't want to talk about it, I don't want to be overcoddled and I certainly don't want to be having this conversation. If Alec wants me, he knows where he can find me." She spat, a few strands of her blonde hair turning black with her anger before she whirled around and went into her room, the door slamming quietly behind her.

It hadn't been an hour before Alec came into her room, closing the door behind him. Olivia glanced over from the chaise she was lying down on, and she gave a small smile, although a tight-lipped one. "I know what you're doing," she whispered before refocussing her eyes on the ceiling above.

He came over and sat in front of her, his red eyes firmly on her before he too lounged back. "It was to make sure you didn't harm yourself," he stated and she turned her head towards him. "I won't be locked up in a brick tower like a pretty little maiden because I'm not one, Alec. I fought for myself and myself only during my human years. I did so during my years in my old coven. I won't go against my whole being because it makes you feel better." She reminded.

Alec made a noise. "I knew that when I expressed my interest in you, Olivia," he answered. "I love you because of your desire to stand up for yourself, for your ability to protect yourself, amongst other things. If I wanted someone as you described, I wouldn't have chosen you to be my mate. I would have chosen someone weak willed and meek who didn't have a single bone in their back." He bit out.

She shrugged. "We aren't even truly mated, Alec," she whispered softly, his head snapping over to her as she spoke. Her eyes were glassed over with unshed, embarrassed and emotional tears that would never fall. "I can't even do the one thing that's needed to seal our bond because I'm scarred and terrified of doing such a thing."

He was in front of her before the last word left her lips, his hand cupping her cheek. "You know I would never force you into doing anything like that." He murmured and she nodded weakly. "I know. I worry. When we go into battle with the Russian cove, they'll be able to sense that. What if everything goes wrong? They were able to block our powers somehow the first time, yours and mine, what if they can do it this time but on a larger scale?" She took in a deep, shuddering breath and began to tremble. Her eyes met his timidly. "I don't think I could go on if something happened to you," she whispered.

His ruby red eyes softened somewhat as she spoke, his thumb ghosting across her bottom lip. "And I you. It won't come to that, Olivia, we both know it. No one has ever defeated the Volturi before, and it isn't about to happen now with some over arrogant new coven." He soothed.

She swallowed quickly and he gave a small smile. "Come on," he murmured. "Your eyes are black. We'll go gather permission from master to hunt in Florence."

Ignoring her murmurs of protest, he pulled her from the room, and she knew they would be going. Aro rarely refused his favourite boy after all.