Discover Twilight

chapter lii

Before Jake and I Phased to join the Cullens and their witnesses, I tackled Embry and my brother as the two Packs lingered in the treeline on the outskirts of the clearing, "Thank you guys, for coming here. It's a lot to ask of you."

Embry rolled his eyes overdramatically at my thanks, ruffling my hair, "We've never been afraid of Bloodsucking leeches before and if it means we're protecting our family, I'm down for any battle."

"Come on, Blondie. It's time to have a face-off with some blood thirsty Italians," Jake chuckled, pushing me out of view so we could Phase.

Jake and I trot out of the treeline, meeting the two dozen vampires in the middle of the snow covered clearing. Our two large canine counterparts stop beside Garrett, Emmett, Bella and Renesmee, waiting for the Volturi to meet our group of witnesses about Renesmee's existence. Garrett left my side, leaning against Kate's shoulder, "If we live through this, I'll follow you anywhere, woman."

Kate rolled her eyes, hearing the vampiric government emerge from the forest, "Now you tell me."

"The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming!"

Upon hearing Garrett's joke, I clear my mind with a chuckle. Turning to Jake, smiling like a goofy puppy as the Volturi and their army come out of the forest on the opposite end of the clearing I muse, "IT'S OFFICIAL, I LOVE THIS MAN." 

"What did you just say, Kota?"  Edward silently asks me, his golden eyes glistening with shock. He and I share a confused look, realizing that he heard my thoughts for the first time. He snaps his head back in the direction of Aro and his army, seeing that they easily outnumber our group four to one. He watches Aro's eyes scan our small group, "Aro's looking for Alice."

As Aro and his army get closer to us, the wolf packs slowly trickle out of the woods to join us. Out of habit or protective nature, Jacob and I slink away from Emmett and Rosalie over to stand beside Bella, Renesmee and Edward. Bella softly exhaled, running her fingers through my fur as Aro and his army stand in a line facing us.

Carlisle steps forward, speaking out to an old friend and colleague, "Aro, Iet us discuss things as we used to. In a civilized manner."

Aro, a dark haired immortal draped in a black and red floor length cape, upturns his mouth in Carlisle's direction, "Fair words, Carlisle. But a little out of place, given the battalion you've assembled against us."

"I can promise you, that was never my intent. No laws have been broken."

Caius, a shorter leader of the Volturi with shoulder length bleach blonde hair, sneered at the Cullen patriarch's claim, pointing at the nearing five foot tall child of three months of age, "We see the child. Do not treat us as fools."

Carlisle turns, looking between Aro's army and his own group of witnesses, raising his voice to address them both, "She is not an Immortal! These witnesses can attest to that. Or you can look. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks."

"Artifice!" Caius loudly objects, rolling his eyes at the light pink rose of the child's cheeks.

Aro turns to his brother, calmly countering his companion's objections, "I will collect every facet of the truth. But from someone more central to the story. Edward, as the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved."