When Ends Meet (Marcus & Aro Volturi)

Chapter 11: Goodbye.

After Marcus' meeting, I waited around Aro's office. I feel incredibly bad for the state I was in when he saw me. I shouldn't feel any guilt nor embarrassment—Marcus is my mate, and it wouldn't be odd for us to...do those things, so why does it bother me that Aro had basically caught us right in the middle of it? More importantly, why did he interrupt us? I'm more than certain that he knew exactly what was happening, yet...he knocked on our door anyways. My mind is eating away at itself just with the mix of confusion and curiosity of it all, but even more than that, it is frustrating to not understand why. Minutes are beginning to accumulate, and my mind has now drifted deep into my inner thoughts. So deep, that I had not heard a voice calling my name until they had practically shaken me out of my daze.

"Anastasia." He says with a firm hand to my shoulder.

My eyes shoot up immediately to meet Aro's confused ones. "Oh...A-Aro. I'm sorry, I didn't—" I sigh, not bothering to explain my overwhelming daydreaming. "I came to talk. Would you spare me some time?"

Aro stares at me with uncertainty...almost as though he wishes to decline my request, but he just lightly nods, pushing open the doors to his office. "After you." He says with his usual smooth tone.

I have ever only been in Aro's office twice, this being my third now. I instinctively head towards the lounging sofas, where we usually sit, but Aro abruptly clears his throat. "I hope you do not mind, but I would like for us to talk at my desk." He says as he is already walking himself to the office chair behind his desk.

"Oh, of course." I say quietly and almost sheepishly. Aro takes his place behind his desk, as I sit across from him on a smaller but still expensive chair.

Resting his hands on the surface before him, he interlocks his fingers and stares impassively towards me. I shrink slightly, noticing the contrast of his behaviour. The usual Aro would sooner be leaning into me than sitting with anything between us. It lacked any familiarity...as though he were treating me like business rather than a friend. "What is it that you wish to discuss, Anastasia?" His feathery voice almost sounds condescending.

"I wanted..." I bow my head momentarily, feeling uncomfortable with his hardened gaze. "I wanted to apologize again for earlier." I glance up through my lashes. Aro remains unmoved. "I feel ashamed for the way that I acted...and the way that I was uhm..." I trail off, unsure if any of my words were reaching him.

"You do not need to feel any remorse for my neglect. I heard the...activities and still chose to intervene." I cringe with the sternness of his voice. "Now, if that is all..."

My head turns up at him. Looking him directly in the eyes. "That's all? You don't have anything else to say?"

Aro, again looks at me with little emotion before he scoffs. "What else is there to say? Is there something you expect of me?" He stands from his seat, his palms lay flat on his desk, and he leans forward with broaden shoulders. "What do you wish for me to say, dear Anastasia?"

"I..." I push myself deep into my seat.

"Hm? It appears that you have come to my office with certain expectations. So, tell me...what is it that you want from me? What services can I provide to you?" I stiffen at the harshness of his tone, and the unkind nature of his words.

"I don't..." Intimidated, I am unsure how to express the rest of my thoughts to him.

"What is it?" He barks, and it makes my cheeks hot with anger.

"I don't know!" I snap back. Aro stares at me with slight disbelief of my shortened temper. "I don't know." I repeat with a firmer voice. "I didn't like the way that you looked at me when you saw me scantily covered at the door. I shouldn't care so much about what you thought of it, but it bothers me...in a way it worries me too—and I have no idea as to why." I look to him with a hardened face, but my eyes glisten with unexplainable shame. "I wanted—no, I needed to talk to you...as if your opinions mattered in any way...but here you are treating me with such coldness." I continue to stay seated, my hands tightly gripping the arm rests of the chair. "Why are you treating me as though you no longer want anything to do with me? What happened to the man that danced with me the other night and assured me of his loyalty and understanding?"