They Made Me Their Queen || Volturi Kings {1}

TWELVE

Warning this is a super sad chapter, but it talks a lot about Althea's back story.

"Mommy! daddy! Please wake up!" I cried shaking them.

"No!"

I forgot it the second I had shot up in bed, sweat clinging to my body, my entire figure shaking. I knew what the nightmare had been. But it seemed to slip from mind the second I opened my eyes. Darkness covered me giving me the feeling I was sinking. Quickly I reached to turn the bedside lamp on, looking around for my mates, I came up empty.

Where the hell are they? Slipping from the bed I steadied myself on my feet. Still a little hazy from the dream and sleep. My soft t-shirt clung to my body, my shorts doing the same. I felt so gross. Plucking a dressing gown that touched the floor from my wardrobe, I slipped on the deep blue material and left the room. The two guards that were outside my room, looked at me surprised.

"My Queen, we thought you were asleep, is everything okay?" The man asked while the woman looked concerned at my panicked appearance. I needed my mates, but they weren't here.

"The Kings. W-Where are my Kings?" I stuttered out, emotions building up. I felt the tears beginning to start, I needed one of them, any of them I didn't care. I just needed to be in one of their holds.

"Master Aro's office. Would you like me to escort you My Queen?" The woman asked, I nodded sniffling. She looked taken back at that but regained her composure and began walking with me.

"I won't be interrupting them will I?" I asked trying desperately to blink away the tears.

"No My Queen. Master Aro received a call from Jane and they did not wish to wake you with their talking so they left the room. They've been gone just over an hour now." She replied.

"Thankyou...?" I waited for her name.

"Katrina."

"Thankyou for informing me Katrina." I sniffled. Again she looked confused and taken back.

"Is everything okay My Queen?" She frowned.

"Bad memories cause bad dreams." I sighed trying to push the thoughts away. Her face changed into one of sympathy and understanding, like she knew what I meant. Like she'd experienced it too.

"Indeed. Whenever I remember mine, I push myself to remember the good memories." We rounded the corner to Aro's office.

"I guess that only works if you have good memories to remember." My voice sounded so sad that I winced after I spoke.

"I'm so sorry My Queen." She stopped walking at the end of the hall. I placed my hand on her arm and gave her the best soft smile I could muster up. Although with my watery eyes I most likely looked like a sad little girl. I guess surrounded by all these old vampires, I was one.

I walked away from her and rushed to open the door to the office, bumping straight into someone, they turned to reveal Caius. He looked at me shocked and confused, but I ignored it pushing my face into his chest and letting it all out. I cried so hard for so long my head hurt afterwards and I felt as though I had the flu.

Caius didn't say anything, instead he just stroked my head, rocking us gently. Once I had calmed the slightest bit, still shaking and the tears still falling but not the loud mess I was a few minutes ago, he passed me to someone. They picked me up and place me on their lap. I snuggled into their neck, loving the feeling of coldness against my blazing cheeks. Whimpers still fell from me interrupting my hiccuping breath.

"Tesoro, what's the matter?" I grip tighter onto Marcus, wanting to be closer. He ran his cool hand up and down my spine. I felt myself relaxing ever so slightly. Felt the stress pouring away with each stroke. My body felt drained now, and my eyes were so heavy. Sleep was beginning to creep back in when a voice right by my ear began to talk.

"Bellissima? May I?" I turned my head on Marcus' shoulder and looked at Aro who seemed to have the wind knocked out of him when he looked at me. I nodded holding out my hand for him. He grabbed it hungrily searching for answers, I turned my head back, not wanting to see the sad sympathetic face I knew he would wear when he was done.

"Oh Thea." He sounded as sad as I did earlier.

"Brother?" Caius made himself known, sitting the other side of Marcus.

"I had a nightmare." I whimpered out beating Aro to the explanation as to why I was so upset. Marcus seemed to grip me tighter at my words. I pulled away, looking him in the eyes, then Caius, then Aro, then I found Marcus' waist coat buttons very interesting. Circling one of them with my finger, tugging on it slightly. I took a deep breath.

"I remember everything from that night. The panic I felt when I heard the front door burst open, the sound of my mother screaming, the sound of my father begging. I hid as best as I could. I didn't know what they wanted but I knew it wasn't good. Mom and Dad always said no one in this world had good intentions. This,"

Another deep breath, "seeing my parents' dead bodies, the permanent look of shock on my dad's face, the scared one on my mom's. I'll never forget them."

Another deep breath, "It felt like forever but the police said I stayed with them for three days before they found me. I had slept next to them, covered in their blood. I remember it so vividly, waiting, praying to hear them breath again."

My hand reached up to cover my mouth, muffling the sob that erupted from me. Aro and Caius had both put a hand on my body, rubbing gently to try and sooth me.

"Carissima you don't have to—"

"I need to get this out." I said my voice shaky. "I want you to know who I am."

I swallowed hard, Marcus' hand came up to cup my cheek wiping away the tears. I let my eyes flutter close at the touch. Sighing in a relieved way that I was finally able to get that off my chest. I had kept all this to myself, never let a single soul know. But it felt good to share.

"About less than a day after they found me, they put me into the foster system. The woman who owned the home I stayed in, she said she didn't have time for 'cry baby's'" I mimicked her words, earning growls in return, I cracked a small smile at that.

"She said that what I went through would help me build character and face today's problems. I never got to grieve my parents properly. I just had to push everything way down and try not to break. I pushed it all down, every bad word, every adult that never understood, every stupid bully who teased me for having no parents." My voice broke, bully's are merciless.

"I finally turned eighteen got out of that hell hole and took off on my own with the money I'd earned from jobs here and there. I didn't realise how scared I'd actually be to live alone. And I was, terrified. I'd watch the door every night, kept all the lights on, had a baseball bat in bed next to me for the first year. The second or third didn't get that much better. I was able to sleep with some of the lights off but I'm still terrified."

I looked up at the Kings, they looked so solemn gazing at me with such empathy. A little overwhelming but nice nonetheless. Marcus went to speak but I pressed my hand to his lips knowing what he'd say.

"Please, don't apologise. I don't want to hear that. Just, just hold me for a while?" He nodded pulling me in closer back to the position I was in before. My face in his neck as he stroked my back lulling me back to sleep.