Charlotte's peculiar nature often keeps others at bay, resulting in few friendships. Orphaned at a young age, she was taken in by her grandmother, her late mother's mother, who raised her with love and care. As Charlotte entered high school, her emo...
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After ensuring that the Volturi had truly departed, I carefully dispelled the cloaking spells, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on me as the magic dissipated. Taking a few deep, heavy breaths, I felt the tension begin to release from my body, though my hand still clung tightly to Emmett's forearm.
"Charlotte?" Emmett's voice echoed in my ears, but my gaze remained fixed on the burning pile. Anger surged within me, gripping my heart tightly. The Volturi's actions fuelled my rage. They killed without hesitation, murdering innocent people and countless witches in their quest for absolute power.
In that moment, the flames of the fire surged, leaping beyond their usual boundaries with an almost palpable intensity, as if fuelled by an unseen force. My emotions churned within me, a turbulent mix of turmoil and resilience. Life had dealt me a hand filled with hardship and sorrow, and while some might label me as overly emotional, how could I not be, given all that I had endured? If I allowed myself to succumb to the darkness of my pain and past, I feared it would consume me entirely. Instead, I wanted to be a beacon of light in this dark world, one that would bring hope to everyone who touched it.
"Breath, Charlotte," Emmett's voice broke through the chaos, pulling me back into the present, as he stepped into my line of sight, crouching slightly to meet my gaze at eye level. As I locked onto his golden orbs, the flames behind him seemed to falter, the connection severed by his presence. Then, I started to breathe again, realizing I had unknowingly stopped. Inhaling slowly, I let the air fill my lungs, before exhaling softly. Tears welled in my eyes, threatening to spill over, but Emmett swiftly enveloped me in his embrace. I held onto him tightly, wrapping my arms around his muscular frame for comfort. They weren't tears of sadness, but of anger and rage. It was the only outlet I had to release the intense emotions swirling within me, without causing harm to anyone else.
"Take me home," I whispered into his chest, burying my face against it. Yet beneath the surface, there was a dull ache pulsing through my bones and coursing through my veins, as if the strain of using magic was finally catching up with me.
We slowly broke the hug, but Emmett stayed close, keeping his arm wrapped around me. I glanced over at Bella and offered her a brief smile, which she returned with a look of understanding. As we moved a bit further away from the Cullens, Emmett effortlessly scooped me up into his strong arms. Without hesitation, we sped through the forest, the world around us blurring into a whirlwind of greens and browns as he raced me home.
Along the way, I buried my head into his chest, my eyes fixated on the black top he wore. Tears silently slipped down my rosy cheeks, unbidden, as I tried in vain to hold them back. I had no sense of how long I was in his arms, but eventually, we came to a stop.
"What happened?" My grandmother's voice echoed in my ears. I refused to lift my head from his chest, finding comfort and safety in his embrace.
"I think she's exhausted," Emmett explained to her. She knew about the battle and had faith in my abilities and my willingness to help.
