volturi wolf

VERDICT Part 1

"Aro will be so pleased to see you again," Alec said. 

"Let's not keep him waiting," Jane suggested. Edward nodded once. Alec and Jane walked to the room where the masters are, and I followed well I was trying to get in between them, and they let me but as soon as the doors open, I ran to Master Aro and I sat by his feet. 

" Hello Lady" Aro said, and he patted my head. 

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" Aro cried in joyed. He moved forward to Bella but then he moved towards Jane and kiss her check.

"Yes, Master." Jane smiled; she looked like the angel she always is. " I brought him back alive, just as you wished."

" Ah, Jane" Aro smiled, too. " You are such a comfort to me." Then he looked at the veggie Vampire group and gave them a bright smile. 

" And Alice and Bella, too!" Aro rejoiced, clapping his hands together. " This is a happy surprise! Wonderful."  

"Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."

" You see, Edward? What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?" Aro said.

" Yes, Aro, I am" Edward said.

"I love a happy ending." Aro sighed, I couldn't tell if he was happy or not, but I think not. "They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice?" Aro turned his gaze to Alice. "Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake."

"Oh, I'm far from infallible." Alice flashed a dazzling smile. Alice looked perfectly at ease, except that her hands were balled into tight little fists, and I could smell her fear and angry. "As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them."

"You're too modest," Aro chided. "I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!" Alice looked at Edward and Aro and me didn't miss it to be blunt I don't think one missed it. 

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not." Aro shook his head, and everyone could tell by his tone was envious. I mean their power are both very powerful, but I think Aro's is stronger than Edward. 

"And also, exponentially more powerful," Edward added dryly. I growled a little at his tone, and Jane patted my head to tell me to stop which I did.  He looked at Alice as he swiftly explained. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had." I nodded my head at his statement. Alice raised her delicate eyebrows, and Edward inclined his head. Nobody misses that either, you know you would think that she would better at that. 

"But to be able to hear from a distance" Aro sighed, gesturing toward the two of them, and the exchange that had just taken place. "That would be so convenient." That is true. Aro looked over our shoulders and everyone looks to the direction he looked. My tail started to wag Felix was back, and behind him floated two more black-robed men. Both looked very much like Aro, one even had the same flowing black hair. The other had a shock of snow-white hair the same shade as his face that brushed against his shoulders. Their faces had identical, paper-thin skin. I ran to Marcus, and he patted my head. 

"Marcus, Caius, look!" Aro crooned to them. "Bella is alive after all, and Alice is here with her! Isn't that wonderful?" But neither of them looked as if happy would be their first choice of words to explain what they think. The Marcus was utterly bored, and he was gently patting my head, like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's enthusiasm which he had, and Caius was being as sour as always. But like always the lack of interest did not curb Aro's enjoyment. "Let us have the story," Aro almost sang in his feathery voice. The Caius drifted away, gliding toward one of the wooden thrones. And I followed Marcus walk to Aro, and he reached his hand out and Aro just took a quick look. Aro raised one black brow. What's going on? Edward snorted very quietly, and Alice looked at him, curious. What is it with her and her looks. Marcus didn't look interested. He glided away from Aro to joining Caius, seated against the wall. Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind him bodyguards, but I am better. I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to stand beside Caius in the same manner. Aro was shaking his head. "Amazing,"' he said. "Absolutely amazing." Alice's expression turned into a frustrated and I showed her my teeth. Edward turned to her, and his human explained again in a swift, low voice, but it's not like we all can't hear him.

 "Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of ours." Edward said. Aro smiled. 

"So convenient," he repeated to himself. Then he spoke to us. "It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus; I can assure you." I turned my head in question. "It's just so difficult to understand, even now," Aro mused, staring at Edward's arm wrapped around me. It was hard for me to follow Aro's chaotic train of thought. I struggled to keep up. "How can you stand so close to her like that?"

"It's not without effort," Edward answered calmly. Then why do you do it then. 

"Butstillla tua cantante! What a waste!" (But still your singer) Aro said, and I nodded my head. Edward chuckled once without humor. 

"I look at it more as a price." Edward said. Aro was skeptical. 

"A very high price." Aro said

"Opportunity cost." Edward said. Aro laughed again. 

"Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of him only he was not so angry." Aro said.

"Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well." Edward said. 

"I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self-control of all things, but you put him to shame." Aro said.

"Hardly." Edward sounded impatient. As if he were tired of the preliminaries. It made me angrier.  

"I am gratified by his success," Aro mused. "Your memories of him are quite a gift for me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it pleases me, his success in this unorthodox path he's chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. I'd scoffed at his plan to find others who would share his peculiar vision. Yet, somehow, I'm happy to be wrong." Edward didn't reply. "But your restraint!" Aro sighed. "I did not know such strength was possible. To inure yourself against such a siren call, not just once but again and again if I had not felt it myself, I would not have believed." Edward gazed back at Aro's admiration with no expression. "Just remembering how she appeals to you" Aro chuckled. "It makes me thirsty." Edward tensed. "Don't be disturbed," Aro reassured him. "I mean her no harm. But I am so curious, about one thing in particular." He eyed me with bright interest. "May I?" he asked eagerly, lifting one hand.