𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 || 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟐 | 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑

THIRD POV

"Since I was born. I've been dead since the day I took my first breath"

Althea leaned back onto her seat as Alec gave her leg a squeeze. He'd known everything, he knew it hurt her to finally let her sister know about it all. It was the one thing that was weighing down on her. It wasn't fair.

The way Bella was reacting wasn't fair either. How could you possibly be mad at something your sister did, when you're doing the same thing back? He couldn't understand that. He would defend Althea till the end of time if he needed to. But he knew she was strong all on her own too.

"My mother didn't know she could give birth. I mean, who would? She spent her whole pregnancy researching all about her own kind. Which by the way, was not much to go off of. As far as we know, we're the only ones. But she was smart. She found out a lot and researched until her dying breath. Like I said, we can't die. But she wanted to, she tried to figure out a way to rest since the beginning. And she did", Althea continued.

"So, that story you told me. It was true", asked Edward. Althea nodded, "Yes. She figured out a way nightwalkers could die. But I won't disclose that"  Althea wasn't willing to let word get out of how she could die. She trusted the Cullens quite a lot, the Volturi? Not so much. Even if they were mates, she didn't know where they stood. Their image was tainted in her mind from countless stories of the kind of things they did.

"Nonetheless, she's had countless partners over the years and fertility was out of the window. Turns out us nightwalkers could have children. It was a big shock. Along with the fact that I also developed powers." She looked over at Bella, "It's why I had to go. I was only a child with more responsibilities than I should've had. I struggled with bloodlust as a child, it's why I was quiet Bella. I distanced myself as much as I could while having you in my life still. I had to go and control my powers. The last thing my mother and I wanted, was for me to lose control and possibly lose you and dad. You must understand", Bella frowned as she nodded.

She was angry and upset and sad all at once. Her little sister hid this big secret from her and was willing to let her die without letting her know. And despite also doing the same thing to her, she wasn't accepting of it. But she understood. She's trying to keep Charlie safe too, Althea too before all this. She just had to have time to wrap her mind around it. Her sister being mated to the three kings wasn't what she'd hoped for either. To say Bella was happy was a complete lie.

"Now, I've been studying each and every one of you since I've arrived. I wanted to reveal the fact that I knew but I didn't know the kind of people you were. I wanted to figure out how all of this happened, why my own sister is dead. All before I could reveal myself. I wasn't going to hide it any longer than needed to."

"We understand Althea. You did the right thing", Carlisle smiled warmly. He understood everything. But he was also fascinated by her. At heart, he will always remain a doctor and researching about different species was his favorite.

"Do any of you have any questions?", nobody said anything. She'd gone in deep detail about her life for the past hour. Not leaving any details out. "Good. Because I have some for you"

She faced Bella as she clenched her fists, "How did you die?" Bella's eyes widened. Along with everyone else's.

The story was long. And the Volturi kings who'd sat quiet as they listened to their mate tell their story suddenly stiffened. All of a sudden realizing the implications of the situation. They'd have to tell their mate just how much they'd wanted to kill her sister and niece. And they weren't sure how she'd take it.