Eva felt like she could faint. Why did her soulmate have to be so brazen, so stupid? The only reason he was still alive is because Aro was an inquisitive creature, Caius would have ripped Edward's head off if he was less controlled. Even then, she could hear her brother's fingers cracking and digging into the armrests of his throne.
"Excuse me?" Aro questioned, looking curious but rageful. He didn't like any sort of defiance.
Edward didn't know how to explain himself, not without risking his own life and potentially Eva's. He just couldn't help himself; he couldn't imagine never seeing her again. He knew he'd have to grovel for her forgiveness for the rest of their existence, beg her to forgive him for being so weak against his blood singer.
"I believe our little Eva has found her soulmate, Aro," Marcus informed the room calmly.
A vicious snarl left Caius as he suddenly leapt from his throne and began storming down from the dais, towards a stunned Edward. He didn't even get the chance to say a word in defense before cold fingers gripped around his throat and lifted his feet from the floor.
"Caius, don't!" Evadne begged desperately, stumbling down the steps after her brother. She reached him, trying to pull him away from Edward but he was too strong for her.
She couldn't let Edward get hurt, no matter what. He was her priority now.
"Please, let him go!" She screamed, trying not to choke on her tears.
"I won't let him take you, Evadne," Caius growled between clenched teeth, his grip tightening at the very thought of his little sister leaving him.
Edward barely struggled against the restraint, he knew he would stand no chance within the walls of Volterra, especially after having angered one of the kings so thoroughly. But maybe he should die here, he didn't deserve a second chance at happiness, he didn't deserve Eva.
"He won't take me, brother," she soothed, venom tears still slipping down her face. "My place is here, with you. You know that."
God, hearing those words from her completely crushed Edward's soul. Thinking he had lost Bella felt nothing like this. The universe was imploding around him, suffocating him and sending him numb. She didn't want him, not that he blamed her. If he survived this encounter, he would live out his forever alone, in solitude, if he couldn't have her.
"Let him go," Aro commanded, much to Caius's disgust. "He is to return to Isabella and his family."
Begrudgingly, Caius let Edward go, pushing him from his grip so hard that he stumbled a few feet backwards. Eva struggled not to go to his aid, fighting all of her instincts as his soulmate. She needed him gone, from Volterra, safe away from her brother and her coven.
"If I ever hear utter my sister's name again, I will destroy you and your pathetic little clan," Caius growled, snaking an arm around Evadne and ushering her back towards the other kings. She couldn't look at Edward, couldn't bare to see the heartbreak on his face. It was all for his own good, she kept telling herself.
Even if she couldn't be with him, he would be safe.
"Leave, find your sister and your little pet," Aro instructed. "Do not return here, but we will be keeping an eye on you."
Please leave, Eva's thoughts begged. Leave me behind, it's OK.
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What else could he do? Edward had to leave, he had to leave her behind. Her face would forever haunt him, he'd forever be daydreaming about the soulmate he would never have. Seems like fate had come and destroyed his life.
On the plane home with Bella and Alice, he tried desperately to read his sister's mind, hoping that she had seen Evadne in their future. He couldn't fathom never seeing her angelic face again. But the mysterious, delicate vampire seemed to evade every future Alice had managed to grasp on to.
Bella had attempted to curl into Edward's side again once they boarded the plane, but Alice had quickly switched seats with the girl. Edward could barely look at Bella without the overwhelming guilt flooding him again. Guilt for hurting his soulmate with his involvement with a human, and guilt for dragging Bella into his world and ruining any chance she had of a normal future. It seemed like everything he touched turned to ash.
"I'm sure it will all work out," Alice murmured, too low for human ears. "You will see her again."
She may not be able to see Eva in any of her visions, but her instincts told her that this wouldn't be the last that they would see of the Volturi princess.
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She cried silently, venom tears staining her pillow as she tried to muffle her sobs. Watching her soulmate walk away, walk to someone else, had crushed her heart beyond repair. She knew it was for the best, her brother was unpredictable and violent. He would have killed Edward if she had requested to follow him. She wouldn't have been surprised if he had killed her too, for being disloyal to him.
A sheltered princess she would remain, alone until the world ended. Caius was even colder than usual when he returned her to her room and locked the door behind her, barely sparing her an icy glance. She knew he would never let her leave the small confines of her room ever again.
The creaking of her door caught her attention sitting up from the pillows and attempting to wipe the evidence of her tears off of her face.
"Oh, little one," Marcus soothed, flitting over to her and sitting beside her on the bed. She flung herself into his arms, taking solace in the only coven member that seemed to genuinely care for her. Marcus had always made time for her, visiting her and bringing her gifts from the outside world.
"This isn't fair," she sobbed into his shoulder. Marcus ran a cold hand through her hair, doing the best he could to comfort her. He felt awful for disclosing her bond with the Cullen boy, but he knew it would work out in the end, he would make sure it would.
He would not be involved in keeping two soulmates from each other. After losing Didyme, he lost all of his will to live, only finding solace in the quiet princess that was kept from the world. He looked after her, kept her from losing her mind in the solitude, and she unknowingly did the same for him.
He would make sure that she found her way back to Edward, no matter the wrath he would incur from her brother. He didn't want her to end up like him.
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a/n: this story will now be updated more regularly. <3
