"Bella, honey, you need to breathe," Rosalie says, squeezing my shoulder.
"How can I breathe!" I can feel myself on the brink of hyperventilating. We're waiting in some kind of makeshift tent just on the outskirts of Alynthia. Edward and Emmet just left along with the first round of soldiers. I've been forced to stay behind with Rosalie and Alice until they give the all clear. Esme had stayed home with Carlilse, although I didn't miss the extreme worry on their faces as we all left. I can't imagine being in their shoes right now, not that it was any better here. Rosalie was watching the cameras in the castle that they had managed to hack into. Seems that Edward was right about the increased security and part of that was surveillance on almost every part of the castle. I bet my father didn't think it would be used against him.
"Is it time?" I ask for the hundredth time. Rose doesn't even bother to answer me this time, she only raises a brow. "They need me. I know that place better than anyone."
"We need to wait. They'll be fine," Alice assures me.
I scowl. "Then why are you setting up all your medical supplies?"
"Just a precaution."
I made Edward run through the plan before he left, both to make sure he was confident in what they were doing and for my peace of mind.
Flashback:
"Tell me again," I demand. They were getting ready to leave and I had dragged Edward around to the back of the tent to try to get some semblance of privacy.
I'm sure he was tired of repeating the plan over and over but if he was, he didn't show any sign of it. He knew I was worried and still feeling guilty that my father is the one behind all of this and he was being incredibly patient, something I knew he wasn't always accustomed to being.
He grabs both sides of my face, his green eyes meeting mine instantly making me feel safe despite the looming situation. "Emmet and I will sneak in with our team first. Half of us will check the perimeter while the rest of us gather at the entry point. Once Rosalie gives us the all-clear for the entrance, we'll infiltrate and find your father and neutralize all other threats. Once everything is secure, we'll let you know and we can start to work on pacifying the citizens and negotiating treaties. Most of the neighboring kingdoms were unhappy with your father so it shouldn't take too long. You'll be escorted to the castle with a second team once we've secured the building."
"I should be going in there with you. It's my fight too," I point out, hoping this might finally be the time he agrees.
"No, Princess," Edward gently says. "I don't want him anywhere near you until I know he can't hurt you. Please," he says. "I need you to stay here until it's safe." There's a fear in his eyes every time he asks me to obey him that I'm not used to seeing on his face. I don't think he ever allows himself to outwardly show these kinds of emotions, having to be taken seriously by the others. But he does with me and that's not something I take for granted.
I sigh, dropping my forehead against his shoulder. Every time he leaves, there's always a part of me that's afraid he won't come back, and this time, that feeling has increased tenfold. "Fine." But if I see him in danger, I don't think there is anything that can stop me from running into that castle. Just the thought of him facing any kind of harm at the hands of my father has me trembling.
"Hey." Edward wraps an arm around my waist and uses his other hand to lift my chin to meet his eyes. "It's going to be alright."
"I just want it to be over."
"Soon, baby." He kisses the top of my head. "And then I can give you the life you deserve."
I blink back the tears threatening to form. "I just want you." I know it kills him when I cry so I try to hold back the tears but he's too good at reading me.
He's quiet for a moment. Then, his lips are on mine, and I'm completely engulfed in the flame that is Edward. His tongue traces my bottom lip and I open, moving my mouth against his. He's my everything, my solace. He saved me, from my family, from him, from myself. He's the reason I feel strong enough to fight my father and stand up for what's mine. Ours.
When he finally pulls away, I'm breathless. He traces a finger down my cheek. "My Princess. My Queen." He presses his lips under my jaw and I let out a light moan. I was a little sore when I woke up this morning, but it doesn't stop my growing need for him. In fact, remembering what we did last night an ache starts to grow between my legs. "My strong fighter. I need you to be strong for me, one more time. Can you do that?" I nod. I would be strong because this time, I was sure that I could be. "Good girl."
Someone calls out for Edward and I know that our time is coming to an end. I hug him tighter to me and he does the same.
"Do you trust me, Princess?" Edward suddenly asks.
"Of course I do."
"No matter what happens I love you, okay? Tell me you believe me." His voice is strained like there's something he hasn't quite told me but I don't have time to ask.
"I believe you," I say, because I know it's what he needs to hear.
"Edward!" Emmet pops his head around the corner. "Wrap it up, we have to go."
He rests his forehead against mine and I place my hand over the one he had cradling my cheek. "I'll see you soon, my love."
I shake my head in understanding because I don't think I can say anything right now without my voice breaking. And I need him to be focused if I expect him to come back to me in one piece.
I lean up on my toes, kissing him softly. "Come back to me."
...
Watching him walk away was harder than the first time because this time, I'm not prepared to let him go.
As I nervously pace around the tent, I can't help but fiddle with the ring on my finger. We hadn't told anyone and I considered taking it off until we did, but I couldn't. It was the only thing keeping me connected to him. I'm sure Rosalie expected something had happened, her eyes drifting to the band on my finger but she doesn't mention anything. I think she's too worried about Emmet to confront me the way I know she would otherwise.
"Shit," she says under her breath, almost too soft for me to catch. But all my senses are on high alert and I immediately move to her side.
"What? What's wrong? Are they okay?" I ask.
Rosalie doesn't answer me and that's my first clue. My second is my father's image on one of the camera screens pacing back and forth in his office, barking orders at the head guard.
"Rosalie, what's going on?" I all but shout.
"Someone must have tipped him off!" She says, speaking into her phone, trying to reach Emmet to warn them.
The plan rested on them being able to sneak in undetected, at least in the beginning. If my father sent guards to meet them now, it would screw up the whole thing. Maybe if he had a distraction, though, it could still all go off without a hitch.
"I have to go!" I say, scrambling out of the tent before Rosalie or Alice could say anything. By the time they've processed what I've said and followed me outside to alert some of the soldiers, I've already passed them, weaving through the forest towards the castle. They might have studied the maps, but I spent my entire life exploring this area. I hear my name being called in the distance in the wrong direction. They'll have to stop soon if they don't want to blow the entire operation.
There was a tunnel that's hidden under some meticulously placed leaves and sticks inside of a bush that my father had made before Jasper and I were born. It was originally used in case we were attacked and went from his office to here. The only downside was that there were so many twists and turns it was almost impossible to navigate inside here unless you were an immediate royal family member. I had all but forgotten about it, not that it would have done Edward any good. They would have been completely lost without me to lead them through it and I knew there was no way he would let me. But now, I wasn't giving him a choice. Hopefully he would forgive me.
I easily weave through the tunnel, my body moving through the different paths like muscle memory. As I get closer and closer to the entrance to my father's office, I regret not having thought out all of this a little more. All I had on me was a dagger and I wasn't paying much attention to what my father had on him. Edward and Emmet had taught me some self defense, but I wasn't sure how well I'd be able to fight him off in the long run.
I can feel the phone Edward gave me buzzing in the pocket of my dress skirt but I ignore it, bracing myself in front of the ladder. I take a deep breath, gathering any ounce of courage I can. I grip the cold metal and climb until I come to the large door. Praying that my father is otherwise occupied, I lift the door just enough to see inside. He's on the opposite side of the room barking at the guard. At least, I'm assuming it's still the same guard. The opening of the door is partially hidden by the end of the desk. I carefully lift the door higher, trying not to make a sound. I climb out, keeping myself hidden behind the desk, and slowly lower the door back down.
"How did they get past the perimeter?" My father angrily shouts. "Useless! They're all useless! I'll make sure if any of them are left alive, they and their families will all pay."
"Sir, we believe they're coming in through the main entrance," the head guard says. "We have a man on the inside who just contacted us."
On the inside? Edward put so much trust in his small group of men. Who could have possibly ratted them out?
"They think they have the upper hand," my father says, his voice menacing. "Let's see how confident they are if we send a welcome committee. I've already sounded the alarms." I can hear the sounds in the castle growing as it turns to chaos. "I can call in more reinforcements."
This is it. I have to do something now if only to buy them a couple more minutes. Rosalie can see the cameras in here so I'm sure she'll alert Edward.
Before my father and the head guard can take a step toward the door, I stand, slamming my hands onto the desk to get his attention. "Stop!"
My father whips around, startled. "Isabella!" He quickly composes himself. "I thought you died." The head guard's eyes widen but he wouldn't dare leave my father not knowing if I was a real threat or not.
The way he looks at me with so much hatred almost makes me break down. Instead, I try to stay strong, like I told Edwards I would. My hands start to tremble and I hide them behind my back.
"Why?" I blurt before I can stop myself. I didn't realize how much I needed to understand why he did what he did until this moment.
My father just shakes his head. "You're too much like your mother. Going on and on about 'doing good,' 'being good'. This world isn't meant for good. It's every man for himself. All I'm doing is taking it for this family before someone else does. But you!" He takes a step closer to me and I step back, placing my hand on my knife over the top of my dress. A reassurance that it's still there. "You were a hopeless case. All I could do is pawn you off to at least help my cause. That son of mine, though. There's still hope for him."
"Did you ever even care about me?" I choke out. I don't think I remember ever hearing anything remotely close when I was a kid.
My father only shrugs, his eyes hardening. "You know, I never did find out how you escaped. Seems you were able to slip out undetected. Did that bastard boy toy of yours help you? Did you offer him your body so he would help you? I'm not sure if Jacob would be satisfied with a tainted wife but perhaps…"
"You'll never get the chance."
My words seem to surprise him. He studies me for a moment, and then he does something I wasn't expecting.
He laughs. "What? You think he wants you as a bride? Someone as weak and pathetic as you?" He closes the small space between us, towering over me. I start to inch my dress higher to try to get a hold of my dagger. I lean as far back as I can, my back hitting the edge of the desk. "He's using you to get to me. Because I made the mistake of letting you know anything about this place. I should have locked you up the day you were born."
My father's hand wraps around my throat and he squeezes. I try to will myself to do something but I'm frozen.
"The only reason he even tolerates you is because you have valuable information. And if, that's a small if, he makes it out of here in one piece, he'll have no use for you. He'll throw you out like the trash you are," he growls, his hand tightening. I know just a little longer and I won't be able to breathe anymore.
Come on, Bella! Do something!