In Another Life: Book Two - Taming the Beast

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Monster You Made Me

"I am the monster you created, You ripped out all my parts."

- Mako & Sting (What Could Have Been)

Battleground - February 17th - 10:15 am

"This is a mess." Eliza quipped as the family stepped onto the battlefield. Leah and Michelle ran over, and stopped in front of their mates with curious looks on their faces.

"My wife." Michelle said softly, reaching up and touching Brianna's cheek as a warm smile spread across both of their faces.

"Wife? I guess we're missing something." Emmett asked as he paused his work gathering bodies together.

"What's it looking like?" Isabella asked, noting that many of the fallen were in pieces.

"Peter and Charlotte disappeared during the fight. Maggie and Siobhan are fine, so are Zafrina and Senna, although both covens lost a member, and I haven't seen Lauren, Mei or Kira. Athenodora sustained far too much damage to ever recover. Sulpicia and Jane are all on the mend, although they might need our blood to fully heal. Tia is in similar shape, she's awake, but parts of her upper and lower torso were scattered when she was ripped apart. The rest, well most of them weren't just beheaded, they were ground into dust. I could use Angela's help though. This isn't really my strong suit." Emmett sounded a bit like a mechanic dolling out news about a car that had too many miles.

"Do what you can." Isabella gave him a supportive look, and a small quick smile.

"Lauren will be fine." Brianna added, but didn't want to elaborate yet. Isabella gave her a quick glance in confusion, this wasn't something she had ever mentioned before.

"I'll be there in a minute. Esme and Rosalie are watching over the newborns for now." Angela sent across the link, startling the family.

"Huh, that's still active. Well, welcome to the family mindshare. Talia, are you still there too?" Eliza asked with equal parts surprise and a fair amount of joy. Angela and Talia had been a part of the link for sixteen years, and they were a part of the family utterly and completely.

"Yes, I'm coming back with Angela. I know Alice pulled us back, but I also know that my body continued in that world. I don't have any recollection after the time we left, but it feels like that place still exists." Talia replied, the worry in her mental voice was clear.

"I feel it too if I'm being honest." Eliza added, thinking actively about what Talia was talking about.

"That world will fade in time, and that feeling should go away." Alice was mostly guessing, but after what the goddess explained, it felt like the right answer.

"I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I haven't told any of them about what is going on, should we? I mean especially Rose and Emmett." Angela asked, after just leaving Rosalie who seemed so happy with her pregnancy, she didn't want to hurt her by letting her know about her other life.

"We'll talk about it, but for now let's keep it to ourselves. Last time didn't go well." Isabella glanced over at Alice who winced slightly and lowered her head in shame. She wasn't quite ready to forgive Alice for her actions. Creating an alternate timeline was reckless, and she couldn't even begin to work out the consequences.

"So has it always been like this for you guys?" Leah asked, her mental voice slightly softer than her outer voice.

"Lele...!" Eliza practically squealed out loud, hugging Leah tightly.

"I guess that answers the question about repercussions." Isabella sent across the link sending Leah a warm hug, and then frowned outwardly. "Let's get this wrapped up and that black sludge burned."