#volturi imagines

she couldn’t help but watch as the pretty receptionist, andrea, smiled at another one of the guests that made their way into the castle. her painted red lips were spread into a smile, blue eyes twinkling as she pointed a manicured finger in the direction that the visiting vampire had inquired about. 

the receptionist made it look so easy, spitting out directions to different places in the castle so easily. the new queen of the volturi had been in the castle for months now and still struggled with getting around. 

andrea always looked so well put together, too. her hair was always well done, not a single strand out of place. the makeup she wore was always flawless, showing off her already clear skin perfectly. it was hard to not compare herself to her - she was younger but it seemed like she had everything in her life so well put together. from their conversations, it seemed like she also afforded a well-managed apartment in the center of the city. 

before the mate of the three volturi kings had been brought back to the castle from her normal life, she had struggled to make her bill payments on time every month. she lived paycheck to paycheck at a job that couldn’t care about her any less with a boss that pointed out every single thing that she did wrong.

and she knew that she should be grateful - she was now named queen, albeit in a world she knew hardly anything about. but it was hard to be grateful when all she could think about was how she wasn’t worthy of any of it. 

her mates - caius, marcus, and aro - were perfect. and she wasn’t just saying that because of her love towards them, but because they genuinely were. they were quick thinkers, always organized and ready to adapt to any change or peril that this life could bring to them. 

she had never been any good at change and, despite being fairly well educated by human standards, she couldn’t help that she still stumbled over her thoughts and words. 

andrea didn’t seem to have that problem - in fact, the more that the new queen spent time with andrea, she wondered how she was qualified to be the kings’ mate at all. they deserved someone worthy of the title, someone who was actually useful standing by their sides while they held the vampire society to good standards. 

“hey!” andrea’s bright voice broke her from her thoughts and she brought her scattered attention back to her friend. “are you okay?”

“oh yeah.” she mumbled, squeezing her hands together anxiously. she could feel that familiar feeling of self-doubt curling in her gut and a lump in the back of her throat when she swallowed. “i actually think i’m going to head back up, i have some things to work on.”

andrea’s smile faltered. “oh, okay. i’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

“definitely.” she nodded before turning away, trying not to walk away too fast but also desperate to get away from her friend and the insecure feelings that always seem to wreck her head. 

she managed to hold in the tears until she got to the chambers she shared with her three mates. after shutting the door quietly behind her, she collapsed on the bed, silent tears making their way down her reddened cheeks. she wished she didn’t feel this way - the kings had made it very clear how they felt about her, but their words were never enough to quell the quiet insecurity she always felt. 

she didn’t know how long she laid there for, feeling sorry for herself. it must have been long enough for her to fall asleep, because she startled awake and jumped up when she heard the large door to their room open behind her. 

“oh, i’m sorry.” she sniffled, wiping her eyes quickly, trying futilely to hide the fact that she’d been crying. there was no use in that, the kings likely already knew before they’d entered the room. a large hand cupped her chin and gently turned her head towards them. caius was kneeled in front of her, his ruby red eyes filled with concern. 

“why are you apologizing for crying?” he asked, his voice that same quiet tone that he used every time he spoke to her. it made her feel even worse - he spoke to her like she was something simple, something that would break easily if it wasn’t handled properly. “what’s wrong?”

she stumbled over her words, trying to find a quick excuse that would satisfy the three of them. when it was clear that she was trying to make excuses, aro reached forward, softly grasping her hand in his. she flinched at his touch, turning her head to hide her face from her mates. 

“oh, my dear.” aro sighed heavily, his voice filled with sorrow. “i wish i could take these feelings from you.”

“and i wish i didn’t burden you with them.” the queen sighed back, feeling another wave of tears wash over her. she swallowed against the lump in her throat, willing her voice to be steady. “i hate that i feel this way. i know how each of you feel.”

marcus moved to sit beside her on the bed. “you are perfect to us, my love. in no way, do we think badly of you. you are not worth less than anyone to us.”

“you’re worth more.” caius followed marcus’ thoughts. “you are the most precious thing in the world, dearest. no matter your thoughts on your self or your perceived shortcomings. everything that you are is enough for us.”

“we just wish you could see it from our point of view.” aro nodded. “i hate how you think of yourself.”

“i’m sorry.” she whispered again, feeling a strange array of feelings. despite the loving words from each of her three mates, a part of her just couldn’t believe them. another tear fell from her eyes and marcus reached forward to swipe her cheek with his thumb. 

“we’re going to start telling you this every hour of every day if that’s what it takes, love.” marcus grinned down at her softly now, his voice light with teasing. “you’re never going to know a moment of peace until you learn to accept how we feel.”

the queen of the volturi couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped her now. “i’m not sure i could complain too much.”

she sighed again, reaching forward to squeeze caius’ hand, drawing her comfort from him. “i’m sorry that i have these insecurities. i’m trying not to be so hard on myself all the time. the three of you make it easier, but it’s something that i’ve struggled with for a long time.”

“we know.” aro told her, his face soft with understanding and acceptance. “and we know that it won’t be fixed overnight, but we’ll be there with you every day. and every time you have a bad thought, just come to one of us. we’ll help talk you out of it.”

she smiled at him, leaning forward on her knees to kiss him softly. “thank you.”

“thank you, tesoro.” he reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “no matter what you think of yourself, you are our heaven. nothing will ever compare to you or be better than you again.”

he seemed so sure of his statement and with the way that marcus and caius agreed so earnestly, she couldn’t help but believe it a little bit. and hopefully, she’d believe many more of their statements in the future.

“Okay, we will go hiking in the woods. Do we want to go tomorrow, on Saturday?” I ask

“That sounds good to me. We can get up early, dress warm, pick up some snacks, and hot chocolate before we go.”

“I’d like that; we should get to bed so we can get up early,” I state, plugging my phone in.

“Thank you, y/n/n, goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Bella,” I say as she exits my room, shutting my door on her way out.

I start to put my homework away when my phone buzzes with a text from Felix. ‘I wanted to say goodnight before I start my duties. Can I call you?’ I think it’s sweet that Felix still asks permission to call me. With a smile, I unplug my phone and press the call button on his contact. After a few seconds, I hear the deep voice of my mate.

“Well, hello, gorgeous, how was your day today?” he asks, his voice coming out a bit static through the line. He must be in his chambers still.

“School was alright today; classes are putting me through the wringer. I hate my American Government and Global Issues teacher; he is a transfer from another school, and he is tough. I finally finished my homework just ten minutes ago.” I state, “How is your morning going?” I then ask

“I don’t like how much homework they give you. I can hear that you are burnt out, my love. Are you taking care of yourself? And my morning is going well.”

“Yes, love, I have been taking care of myself. Bella and I are actually going hiking tomorrow, just the two of us, before she gets married. The next eight months are going to be long, but then I will be out there with you, where I should be.” I smile thinking of the day I won’t have to separate from my mate again.

“Bella and hiking? I never thought I would hear those words in the same sentence .” Felix laughs out.

“I know, right?” I giggle into the phone.

“Felix, come on, it’s time for duties.” I hear Demetri briefly on the phone.

“Aww Boo!” I respond, “Be safe, Fe, you too, Demetri.”

“I love you, Dove. Call me tomorrow when you make it home, okay, my love.”

“I will, Felix, I promise,” I say, flushed. I still haven’t worked up the courage to tell him I love him back.

“I’m holding you to it, Goodnight Babygirl.” He says before hanging up the phone.

“I love you,” I whisper out loud after I hear the phone click.

I plugged my phone back in and placed it on my nightstand before tucking in to bed wearing Felix’s hoodie that no longer smells like him. I still feel safe in it because it feels like his hug is around my body. I lay my head onto my pillow and close my eyes, lulling into a deep slumber.

Felix’s Pov

“I’m holding you to it, Goodnight Babygirl,” I say before hanging up my phone, placing it in the back pocket of my jeans under my cloak.

“Goodnight, Babygirl.” Demetri mimics me with a smirk.

“Shut up.” I point my finger at him, “At least I have a woman to call Babygirl.” I jab at my best friend.

“Hey, low blow, my person is still out there somewhere; they are just the reigning hide-and-seek champions. I will find them one day. " Demetri says determined.

“What about Heidi?” I ask as I thought they had a thing.

“Heidi is nice, but she is not the one for me; we are too different. We are better as friends. I did try to sleep with her once, but we both agreed that it was too weird.” Dem says as we are walking towards the throne room to see what is in store for us today.

“A bit tmi but good for you,” I state before walking into the throne room.

y/n pov

I get up with Bella the next morning at about six, and we are out the door by seven. We leave a note for Charlie on our way out. We decided to take Bella’s truck as it handles the mountain terrain better. The ride up to the mountain is filled with small conversations, laughter, singing, gossip from school, and comfortable silence. It is good to hang out with Bella like this; it reminds me of how we were before she met Edward and he started to pull her away from me.

“Did you know Jessica and Mike broke up?’ Bella asked as she pulled off the road just to the side of the trail.

“That honestly doesn’t surprise me,” I state as we get out of the truck. I look up and see the snow coming down hard. “Bella, I don’t think we should be hiking in this.”

“Oh come on, y/n, we came all this way; we can do this.” She says, passing me one of the two thermoses of hot cocoa.

“Okay then, let’s do this,” I state nervously. I have a really bad feeling about this, but I follow Bella through the snow-covered trail. We hike for about an hour, and I realize that we are lost; everything looks the same, covered in a thick layer of snow, and our clothes are starting to soak through.

I’m cold and starting to get angry with Bella as I asked her to turn around 30 minutes ago. “Bella, we are cold and lost. We need to figure out how to get back to your truck.”

“OH MY GOD, FOR THE LAST TIME, Y/N, I TOLD YOU WE WEREN’T LOST NOW DAMNIT LISTEN TO ME I KNOW WHERE WE ARE!” Bella yells at me.

“Bella, don’t yell; you could cause an avalanche out here, and that wouldn’t be good for anyone.” I start to hear branches snap, and I see snow starting to come our way. “Fuck Bella, run!” I state pushing her in front of me as we take off running…. Only I don’t make it far before the snow sweeps me in the opposite direction, and Bella doesn’t notice as she keeps running without looking back.

Cold, that’s all my body is feeling, and it's not the comforting cooling sensation that rolls off my mate's body. This is a bone-chilling, toe-numbing cold, a temperature so cold that your body feels like it is on fire. Is my body on fire? No, but my skin is red and angry from my current atmosphere.  How long have I been in the snow like this? An hour? A day? I can’t remember.

The last thing I remember is going hiking with Bella. I told her she was crazy for wanting to hike the mountain when there was a snowstorm, but she didn’t listen and dragged me here anyway. Bella, is she okay? Did she leave me behind? Is she sending help? God, I sure hope so. If I am up here in the snow like this, I won’t survive. I try to move my legs only to regret it; my joints hurt from not being used for God knows how long. I move my shivering hands across the snowy ground, looking for anything, food or my phone, either of which would be useful to me during this time.

After feeling around, I feel a rectangular shape, and I slowly bring it over my face, pushing through the pain. I see that it is my now very cracked phone; please don’t be dead. I think to myself as I push the power button, and to my surprise, it turns on. I go into my contacts to try to call Alice. She’d be able to get to me quickest without Charlie getting law enforcement involved.

The phone rings as I bring it to my ear, once I hear the line click over, I quickly say before the person can talk, “A-Alice, help, I can’t move.” I chatter out.

“Mi amor, where are you?!?!” I hear the panicked voice of my mate on the other line.

“Fe? Why do yo-” I feel myself start to pass out as the phone falls to the ground.

“Y/n! Y/N! SHIT I’M ON MY WAY!” I hear the muffled voice of my mate before my eyes fall shut.

Bella’s Pov

“Alice, have you found her? If Felix finds out she’s missing, we are all in trouble.” Esme states worriedly.

“Esme, we have the boys out looking for her. We are going to find her.” Rose tries to reassure her mother.

“It’s all my fault; I forced her to go on that stupid hike with me. I just wanted to have some bonding time with her, but I had to yell at her, causing an avalanche,” I state, running my hands through my hair when I notice Alice’s eyes start to glaze over.

“Bella, it’s not your fault,” Edward reassures me by pulling me into a hug.

“Alice, what do you see?” I ask her once she's come to

“He knows, and he is not happy. They will be here in less than 12 hours," Alice informs us, glancing around the room.

“What does that mean for us?” I ask, not really wanting to know the answer.

“Well, Bella, that means we have 12 hours to find y/n alive; if we don’t, we all die.” Alice pauses before continuing, “Bella, you'd better hope she’s alive; you’re the one who left her behind.” I am in shock at the venomous tone that Alice has only used with me once before.

I am about to defend myself when Alice and Jasper just walk away. I look at Edward with hurt in my eyes, “She’s just worried about her best friend; she knows it’s not your fault, Bella.”

I just shake my head and let a few tears slip, “She is right, it is my fault. I wanted to go on that stupid hike, and now we are all in danger with the Volturi. I should have listened to y/n when she asked to turn around to go back to the car. We wouldn’t be in this predicament now.”

Felix Pov

I storm into the throne room on a mission- well, it is soon to be a rescue mission- “Masters, I am sorry to interrupt, but I have an Emergency back in Forks.” I blurt out as Aro looks worried and confused.

He walks over to me while holding out his hand to get a greater understanding as to what is brewing in my mind. It’s been all over the place since the phone call from my mate. I feel Aro shuffling through my more recent thoughts until he lets go of my hand and takes a step back. “Felix, you must leave at once.” Aro says, before side glancing Marcus and Caius, “And take Demetri and Jane with you,” he says with the wave of his hand.

“Thank you, masters,” I say while running out of the throne room to grab my already packed bag. I go to the common area to find Dem and Jane both reading. “You two grab your go bags; we have a rescue mission.”

Jane and Dem share looks of confusion before jumping up and running to their respective rooms. They met me by the entrance of the hall. “What’s this about Felix?” Demetri asks

“Y/n,” I say while walking out of the castle.

I can hear them both gasp before they run to the car waiting out front. We all sit in the back while the driver heads towards our airway, where the jet would be waiting. “Felix, what happened?” Jane asked.

“I’m not sure yet, but I got a call from y/n; she sounded hurt. She thought she had called Alice and asked for help.” I pause, “When I tried to get more information, the line went dead before she could respond.” I feel my eyes fill with venom at the thought that my mate could be hurt.

“We will find her, Felix,” Demetri says reassuringly. “I'll be able to start tracking her tenor as soon as we get on that plane.”

“The Cullens obviously can’t keep her safe; she’ll be coming home with us; she can finish her schooling in Volterra.“ I say bitterly.

“Felix, think about this. What about her father? He’s not just going to let her leave Forks; she’s still in school.” Jane softly tries to reason.

“Fine, she can stay in Forks, but I can’t trust the Cullens. If she isn’t alive when I get there, nothing will save the Cullens from me; they will no longer exist.” I say while bitterly looking out the window.

Alice’s POV

I am in the woods with Emmet and Jasper, and we are trying to track down y/n. Bella and her sister had gone hiking when Bella decided to yell, and it caused an avalanche; Bella then left without her sister. If my best friend doesn’t make it through this, I will never forgive Bella. I hear a faint heartbeat in the distance, “Emmet! Jas! This way!” I exclaim before taking off in the direction.

I see it first, my best friend unconscious in the snow. “Y/n/n!” I exclaim, sprinting towards my best friend. When I get to her, I can see that her fingers and lips are blue. I feel around her neck for a pulse and feel a very faint one. “Don’t worry Y/n/n, I’m going to get you to Carlisle,” I say and pick her up into my arms before sprinting off towards the house.

“Carlise! Get the blankets!” Jasper yells, opening the door for me to get y/n into our house.

I take her to the living room and put her on the couch gently covering her with the blanket.

Carlise comes into the room. “Alice, bring her into this room.”  I gently pick my best friend up and follow Carlisle to one of the spare rooms in our house.

I put her down on the bed that has a heating blanket. “Alice, you change her into some of the spare clothes Bella brought; she needs to be changed out of her wet clothes.”

I start to dress my best friend in warm clothes when Carlisle leaves the room. I then tuck her into bed, and I put the heated blanket on low as to not shock her body.  “Okay, Carlisle, she's ready,” I state and open the door to let him back in.

He comes in with an IV bag of fluid on its carrier. “She needs fluid and fast.” He sits down next to her bed and takes her left arm. After sterilizing everything, I watch him put the IV into her arm.

“Carlise, is she going to be okay?” I ask as I watch him attach the patches that will measure her vitals.

He looks at the monitor, “Her vitals are low, but I think you found her in time, Alice. She just needs to rest, and her foot is broken. I will have to set it and cast it.” He says, looking at her right foot

*24 hours later*

I have stayed in her room all night, watching her, making sure she is okay. Her vitals have started to go back to normal, but she still hasn’t woken up yet. Carlise has also taught me how to change her IV bag to make sure she continues to get the right amount of fluid she needs. Her internal temperature has also been rising. I hope that it will go back to normal by the end of today.

I decided not to let Bella see her yet, as it was her fault that she was there in the first place. Not only Felix but Demetri and Jane will be here in a little under six hours. I told Edward to keep Bella away from the house because he is beyond livid and rightfully so, in my opinion.

It is best that Bella and Edward are as far away from the house as possible, because when Felix finds out the truth, there is no saving them from his fury. I decide to get the room ready for Felix to stay with her. I know he will not want to leave her side until she is safe and woken up. I would not be surprised if he tries to take her back to Volterra with him. I will miss her, but I know he would keep her safe from all harm.

*Time skip*

There is an aggressive knock on the door, and dread fills my body as I know who is on the other side. I can most definitely assume that he is not happy. I quickly glide down the stairs and take an unneeded breath before I open the door to see the three Volturi guards' unamused faces.  “Hello, Felix, I hope your flight was well,” I state nervously, trying to test the waters.

“Cut the shit, Alice! Where is my Mate?” Felix growls out

“She’s upstairs in stable condition.” I nervously say

“Send her down, NOW.” He demands

“I wish I could, Felix, but unfortunately she has not woken up yet.”

“IS SHE TRANSITIONING ALICE?! TELL ME THE TRUTH!” he raises his booming voice.

“Felix, I can assure you she is still human; we just don’t know when she will wake up.”

“Take me to her now, please.” He says defeated but still angry. “I expect a full explanation of what happened too.”

“Of course,” I say while leading him up the stairs, while Demetri and Jane stay behind downstairs.

I open the door to her room and let Felix enter it before I do. I stand back and watch as he walks over to where my best friend lies unconscious. His shoulders slump in sadness as he falls to his knees by her bed. He grabs her hand in both of his and rests his forehead on top of them after placing a kiss on her hand softly. I turn my back to give Felix a minute with his mate.

“Alice?” he softly calls, to which I turn around to see him already looking at me,” Can you stay for a bit? I would like to know what happened to her.”

I close the door behind me and walk over to the other side of her bed, and move the chair to the side Felix was on. I place the chair down about six feet away from him and sit down before I start to talk. “Bella wanted to go hiking up in the mountains. They were at such a high elevation that there was snow and a decent amount of it. Y/n and Bella had apparently gotten into a verbal argument, which led Bella to yell in frustration. Her yell caused an avalanche, and the two were separated. Bella made it off the mountain with only a scratch and some bumps. We could not locate y/n for two days. I finally found her last night with Jasper and Emmett; she was passed out. When I got to her, she had hypothermia. When I brought her back here, Carlisle said if she would have been out there even two hours later, it would have been too late. We have her hooked up to an IV so she gets the fluid she needs, and we have heated blankets on her body so we can slowly bring her body back to temperature. She also has a broken right foot, Carlisle set and casted yesterday. She will need crutches”

“And you don’t know if she’ll wake up?” he asks sadly.

“It is not a matter of if Felix; it is only a matter of when.” I pause before getting up and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Carlisle said that she is most likely able to hear us. You should talk to her. I will leave to give you some time; if she will come back for anyone, it would be you.”

I see him nod softly, “Thank you, Alice, you’re a good friend who means a lot to my mate.”

I just smile at him in thanks before turning around to leave the room, allowing Felix to get some time with y/n.

y/n Pov

I wake up in a haze, confused. I realize that I am in my old bedroom. The bedroom from my real parents' house, it was the one we all lived in before they were murdered. I look down at my hands, and I see that my nails are done with the purple nail polish that my mother used to paint when I was five.

Thoroughly confused, I get out of my bed and slowly walk out of my room. I slowly pace myself to walk down the stairs, as I approach the end of the stairs, I hear clanking and hushed whispers coming from the direction of the kitchen.

“Hush, David, or you will wake up y/n/n; you know she had a long night studying again for her finals.”  I hear a woman say in a quiet tone.

“Oh, Astella, you know our daughter could sleep through a hurricane.” I hear a deep but comforting male voice say.

“Honey, I truly doubt that, but our y/n can be quite the heavy sleeper.

I walk into the kitchen with tears pooling in my eyes. “M-Mom? Dad?”

I see them both turn with smiles, “Oh my baby, what's wrong, are you alright?” My mother turns off the stove and walks over to me.

My parents appear much older than when I saw them last before they were taken from me, but right now it looks like they have never suffered any of the injuries that they were put through. When my mother stopped in front of me, I pulled her into a hug. When I feel my mother's warm embrace surround me, I could not stop myself from sobbing. “Shh, y/n/n, it is okay, I am right here. What is wrong?”

I hiccup a few times as I try to breathe so I can calm down enough to talk. “Here, love, let's get you sat down.” My mother gently led me to the all too familiar kitchen table, she pulled out my chair and gently pushed it back in once I sat down.

“I love you, Mom and Dad, so so much,” I reply as my tears have slowed down to a trickle.

“We love you too, kiddo. Is there something wrong?” My father asks me, putting down his morning paper.

I shake my head, “No, no, nothing's wrong. Everything is perfect.” I say sadly smiling at them both.

“I must say, Honey, Charlie has done a damn good job raising her,” my mother says sadly.

My heart breaks at my mother’s words, “T-that wasn’t just an intense fever dream.” I ask in agony.

“No, Sweetie, that really happened; this is the dream, unfortunately.”

“That’s what I was afraid of. How do you know about Charlie?” I ask

“Well, Kiddo, we are always with you. We have been here the whole time, watching over you.” My father says.

“I wish you guys were still alive.” I cry out

“We are alive, in here.” My mother points to her heart.

“Can’t I stay with you, please?” I ask in desperation

“Sweetie, you know you can’t leave him,” my mother says

“Leave who?” I ask

“Felix, you can’t leave your soulmate behind for eternity. He loves you, and he treats you well. Don’t leave him all alone; you both deserve to be happy,” my father replies.

I walk over to my parents and give them a hug; they both wrap their arms around me and kiss either side of my forehead. “We love you; you can open your eyes whenever you're ready, okay.”

“I love you both too. I won’t see you again, will I?” I say before I feel them fade away around me. “MOM, DAD!!”

I feel a cold, soft hand gently caressing my cheek. I still don’t open up my eyes yet because my parents told me that I didn’t have to until I was fully ready.  “Mi amor, I am so sorry this happened to you. I am sorry that I wasn’t here to protect or rescue you. Please don’t leave me behind; I need you. I need you here with me, where you belong. Our story isn’t supposed to end here; in fact, it is not supposed to end at all. We have so much to explore and experience together. I love you, and I will be waiting for you to come back to me; however long it takes, I will be right here by your side.”

My heart soars at the sound of the man's smooth voice. I walk around in the dark until I see a beautiful man sitting at a woman’s hospital bed. I get a bit closer, and I realize that the woman is me and the man is...Felix. My mind floods with all the memories of Felix, and I, all the sweet letters, all the FaceTime calls, my birthday. Everything comes at me all at once, and all of a sudden, I am running, no, sprinting, as fast as I can towards my hospital bed. When I get to my body, I take a breath before I touch my hand.

“BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.” I hear a constant rhythm of noise, which makes me squint my eyes tightly before I slowly open them with a groan. I tighten my hand, which is intertwined with Felix’s.

“Felix,” I whisper, my voice hoarse from not being used.

“Little Dove, you’re awake.” Felix laughs a bit before kissing my forehead. “I'll go get Alice and have her bring you some water.”

I watch Felix walk out of the door as I shiver. I carefully try to pull the heated blanket up higher around my body, but I don’t really succeed as my body feels very weak and my right foot aches really badly. I look down and see that it is casted up.

Over the course of the next few days, my body temperature continued to rise, and I started to feel stronger every day. Felix has been a big help, but he refuses to leave my side for more than a few minutes at a time.  The Cullens have been nice enough to allow me to stay during my healing time.  I am still a bit fuzzy about what exactly happened, but I knew that I was with Bella, and we had fought. Speaking of Bella, she hasn’t come around to check on me because Felix is down here, and he won’t let her. I know he blames her, but it was just as much my fault. I should have listened to my bad gut feeling. Charlie has been by to see me; he brought me my favorite snacks and some flowers for my room here after one of his shifts at the police station. He has been busier than usual; people are going missing left and right on the mountain. He was glad to see me alive and well. He hadn’t met Felix yet, as he was out with Carlisle to get some blood bags, I assume.

Felix only trusts Carlisle and Alice with my care when he has to step away. Jane and Demetri had to go back to Volterra yesterday, but Aro is letting him stay a bit longer until I am in the clear. I know he wants me to go back with him, but I still want to finish out my school year with my friends before I will never see any of them again.

“I’m really sorry, Dove, but I have to go out and attend to something for the Masters. I promise I will be back by tonight.” Felix states, coming over to my bedside, sitting on the corner of my bed as he strokes my hair a bit.

‘Ah Boo! But I understand, I think I will see if Alice wants to go do something, I kind of need to get out of this house a bit. I’m feeling a bit stir crazy.” I say, leaning into his touch.

“I think that is a great idea, Mia Amore. You girls, have fun and be safe.” He says before kissing my forehead and standing.

I pout a bit, “No kiss?” I ask a bit teasingly.

“My love, all you have to do is ask. I just haven’t wanted to hurt you accidentally or overstep.” He states nervously

“Fe, you can’t overstep with me. Can I please have a kiss?” I pout and sit up as much as my foot would let me with my cast. Carlise said that tomorrow we have to X-ray it to see how long I will need the cast; hopefully it’s not too bad, so I can switch to a boot instead of crutches.

He gently caresses my cheek and leans down to meet mine. I kiss him back, gently nipping at his bottom lip as we start to pull apart. I hear him groan a little bit, “Easy there, Babygirl, you are playing with fire.”

“Maybe I want to be burned,” I whisper against his lips before placing a kiss on his jaw.

“As much as I would love to stay here with you and continue on with this, but you are still injured, and I don’t want to accidentally hurt you. Plus, I really have to attend to this, unfortunately. I’m really sorry, my love.” He states, sincerely looking me in my eyes.

“Then let that be an incentive to come back to me,” I say, pulling him into another kiss. I pull away after some time. Finally, it felt like the right time. “I love you,” I whisper against his lips.

I feel him smile and pull away. “I love you too, my Dove; I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Don’t keep me waiting too long, Love,” I say as I watch him exit the room. I let out a breath after he leaves. I finally did it. I told Felix I loved him back, and it felt right.

Spoken in disbelief, cracking at the edges.

You turned sharply, and the breath caught in your throat.

Afton.

Your second-oldest friend, the one you had never thought to see again. His wide eyes locked onto yours, emotions warring in them, shock, confusion, and something painfully close to relief.

For the first time since Marcus’s revelation, since the world as you knew it shattered, you felt something other than rage or betrayal.

You felt seen.

And in that moment, you weren’t sure whether to run to him, or break entirely.

Caius POV

The guard broke formation.

It was subtle, just a step out of place, a pause where there should have been none, but Caius noticed instantly. He always did. Discipline was the spine of the Volturi, and this one had just bent it.

Afton.

Caius recognized him immediately. An older guard. Reliable. Quiet. Not prone to sentiment.

Which made what happened next intolerable.

The vampire crossed the space between them without awaiting command and pulled her into his arms.

The bond flared violently, a sharp, instinctive burn beneath Caius’s ribs. His vision sharpened, the world narrowing to the sight of another male touching what fate had claimed as his. Not in threat. Not in challenge.

In familiarity.

Caius did not move.

He locked himself in stillness the way he had learned to do centuries ago, when rage meant execution and hesitation meant weakness. The guards shifted uneasily, sensing the pressure change, the air tightening as if the room itself held its breath.

The embrace was brief. Necessary, perhaps. But Caius did not miss the way she leaned into it, the way her posture eased for half a heartbeat. Recognition twisted something deep and unpleasant in his chest.

Not jealousy.

Assessment.

This was someone who knew her before this moment. Before the bond. Before him.

When she pulled back, Caius allowed himself to breathe again.

Aro, of course, noticed everything.

“How fascinating,” Aro murmured lightly, stepping forward with theatrical interest. “One rarely sees such… familiarity among the guard.”

Caius turned his gaze fully on Afton then.

“You will explain,” he said calmly.

Two words. A command.

The guard straightened immediately, discipline snapping back into place, though his eyes flicked once, only once, toward her.

“Later,” Caius added, tone sharpening. “For now, step back.”

Afton obeyed, retreating with rigid precision, but the damage was done. Caius had already cataloged the interaction, the implications spiraling outward like fractures in stone.

She had ties here. Not just through fate.

Caius turned to her.

The bond responded instantly, a low, steady pull that urged proximity, protection, control. He ignored it. Public softness was a liability.

“You will be escorted to your chambers,” he said evenly. “This environment is no longer suitable.”

Not a dismissal. A shield.

His eyes held hers, not possessive, not gentle, but absolute. “You are safe. That is not negotiable.”

Only then did he shift his attention back to the guard.

“Afton will remain.”

Aro’s smile widened, delighted. “Ah. A complication. I do so adore those.”

Caius did not dignify the comment.

“To your post,” he ordered the others. “And then prepare a full report.”

As the escort moved to guide her from the chamber, Caius felt the bond stretch, not painfully, but insistently, like a tether testing its limits. He did not reach for her. He would not weaken her trust with sudden closeness.

Only when the doors closed behind her did Caius finally step forward.

His gaze fixed on Afton.

“You have known her,” Caius said quietly. Not a question.

Afton inclined his head. “Yes, my lord.”

“How?”

The answer would determine whether this guard remained standing, or became a problem Caius would eliminate personally.

Caius did not repeat the question.

He did not need to.

Aro was already smiling.

“Ah, ah,” Aro said lightly, lifting a finger as though scolding a child. “Before we rely on memory, wouldn’t it be far more efficient to rely on truth?”

Caius’s jaw tightened. He knew that tone. It meant Aro had decided to be entertained.

“Afton has served us well,” Aro continued, circling lazily, crimson eyes gleaming. “But even the most loyal servants have… complicated pasts.”

He stopped beside Caius, lowering his voice just enough to make it intimate. “And I do so hate incomplete pictures.”

Caius said nothing. He did not object. He rarely did when Aro was already moving.

“Demetri,” Aro called pleasantly, not turning around. “Fetch Lyra, would you?”

The name landed wrong.

Caius’s gaze snapped to Aro. “This does not require, ”

“Oh, but it does,” Aro interrupted smoothly, smile never wavering. “You deserve to see.”

Moments later, footsteps approached, light, unhurried. The vampire who entered was unfamiliar, slender and composed, her dark hair pulled back severely, her eyes an unsettling silver-gray rather than crimson. She inclined her head toward the kings, expression unreadable.

“Lyra,” Aro said warmly. “How lovely of you to join us.”

She moved to his side without question, her presence subtly shifting the air in the chamber. Caius felt it immediately, like pressure building behind the eyes. Power, restrained and humming.

“My lord,” Lyra said softly.

Aro extended his hand toward her. “You remember how this works.”

Lyra took his hand.

The effect was immediate.

Caius felt it, not Aro’s gift, but its amplification. The room seemed to sharpen, reality itself drawing closer, clearer, as though a veil had been torn away. Aro turned then, his other hand reaching for Afton.

The guard stiffened but did not resist.

A mistake, Caius noted coldly. Resistance would have been pointless.

Aro’s fingers brushed Afton’s temple.

And Caius saw.

Not images, but truths, unfolding with brutal clarity.

Afton meeting her decades ago, young by vampire standards, guarded but curious. Assignment turned watch turned protection. Her laughter, rare and unguarded. Her anger, righteous and sharp. The Cullens. Edward. The engagement. Their wedding. The quiet ways Afton had stayed close without overstepping, a shadow at the edges of her life.

Never touching. Never claiming.

Always watching.

Always loyal.

The visions deepened, strengthened by Lyra’s gift, pulling Caius through layers of context he would not have otherwise accessed, emotion, intent, restraint. Afton had not loved her romantically.

He had guarded her.

Because someone had ordered him to.

Caius’s gaze snapped back to Aro.

“Who,” Caius said slowly, dangerously, “gave that order.”

Aro released Afton at last, sighing contentedly as Lyra let go of his hand. “Ah,” he said. “Now that is the interesting part.”

Afton dropped to one knee immediately. “I was instructed to observe and intervene only if necessary,” he said evenly. “The directive came from you, my lord.”

Aro beamed. “Did it?”

“Yes,” Afton replied without hesitation. “Nearly a century ago. You said she would be… important.”

Caius felt something cold settle into his bones.

Aro clasped his hands together. “I do so hate being right.”

Silence stretched, thick and suffocating.

“So,” Aro continued cheerfully, turning to Caius, “you see? No betrayal. No rivalry. Merely foresight.”

Caius did not respond.

Inside him, something recalibrated.

This was not coincidence. Not fate alone. This had been managed. Watched. Allowed to unfold. And now she was bound to him, pulled into the center of a web spun long before either of them had a choice.

“You planned this,” Caius said quietly, angry.

Aro tilted his head. “I anticipated,” he corrected. “There’s a difference.”

Caius’s hands clenched at his sides.

“Enough,” Caius said. “She will not be a piece on your board.”

Aro’s smile softened, almost fond. “Oh, Caius. She already is.”

Lyra stepped back into silence, her role complete.

Afton remained kneeling.

Caius looked down at him.

“You will continue to serve,” Caius said. “But your loyalty now answers to me.”

Afton bowed his head. “Yes, my lord.”

Only when the chamber finally emptied did Caius allow himself to exhale.

And only then did the bond pull again, stronger now, impatient.

She was waiting.

And Caius was done allowing others to decide his fate.

Caius did not return to the council chamber.

He did not summon Aro. He did not argue. He did not explode.

Those were all reactions Aro would expect.

Instead, Caius turned sharply and left.

The halls parted for him without question. Guards bowed, doors opened, servants froze themselves into silence as he passed. He felt none of it. His mind was a blade pulled too tight, every thought honed around a single truth that refused to dull.

Aro had known.

Not suspected. Not guessed. Known enough to assign a guard. Known enough to watch. Known enough to wait.

A century of observation. A century of restraint. A century of deciding when Caius was allowed to meet the other half of himself.

The bond thrummed under his skin, furious now, no longer patient. It pulled him forward with undeniable insistence, less like desire and more like reclamation.

Mine.

The thought startled him with its force.

The doors to her chambers opened before he reached them.

She was standing when he entered.

Of course she was.

She felt it too ,  the shift, the disturbance, the sudden gravity of his approach. The bond tightened, snapping into alignment like a weapon locking into place.

Caius stopped just inside the threshold.

He did not touch her.

If he did, he wasn’t sure what restraint would survive.

“You were watched,” he said quietly.

Not an accusation. A fact.

“Aro knew you long before today.” His eyes searched her face, not for guilt ,  for truth. “Before Edward. Before the Cullens decided your life was theirs to arrange.”

The room felt smaller with him in it, power rolling off him in controlled waves. Not directed at her. Never at her.

“I did not consent to this,” Caius continued, voice low and edged. “To be measured. To be prepared. To be completed on someone else’s schedule.”

The bond flared painfully at the word.

Completed.

Caius inhaled slowly, forcing the rage back down where it belonged. When he looked at her again, there was something raw beneath the control ,  something old and rarely exposed.

“I would not have chosen this,” he admitted.

Honesty. Brutal. Rare.

“Not a soulmate. Not fate. Not a vulnerability that can be used against me.”

A pause.

“But you are not the betrayal.”

He stepped closer then, just enough for the bond to hum instead of burn.

“You are the consequence of one.”

His gaze softened ,  not gentle, but intent, unwavering.

“And no one,” he said, voice absolute, “decides when I am allowed to know what is mine.”

Silence stretched between them, heavy but unbroken.

For the first time since the bond snapped into place, Caius did not feel trapped.