Forbidden Dawn

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

To say Goodbye

"Time To Fly Away"

What you want-Birdy

I was waiting at the back door when I caught the first glimpse of the wolves they were running at full tilt toward the house. I also noticed Emmett and Jasper running on either side of them as well. I smiled releasing a long held breathe as once again we were all together and I could truly relax.

The first wolf to shift was Celina and in the next second she was in my arms. I could feel her shaking and her tears were wetting my shoulder as I held her tightly.

"It's ok sestra, it's ok now" I soothed as I ran a hand over her hair.

"Shh, come get cleaned up and rest" Lena said as she stepped forward and wrapped Celina in a tight hug.

We both led her inside and upstairs where we helped her get showered and changed.

"Celina I am so sorry" I gave her another hug as we sat on the bed in a guest room.

"It is not your fault sestra" she assured me with a small smile "Gabriel needs to be dealt with and dealt with swiftly" she growled.

I nodded "I know. We need him to leave the safety of the city... but honestly I don't think he will"

Celina glanced over at me with a dark look "Why should we wait for him to leave the city" she questioned.

Lena and I gave her a questioning look surely, she could not mean to say that we should storm Volterra and attack him there.

"We can gather our allies, attack the Volturi and be done once and for all. Get rid of Gabriel and do away with the entire Volturi as well." Celina spoke earnestly.

"Celina I- to do something of that magnitude" Lena stumbled over her words looking uncertain.

"Lena is right that would be a major undertaking and to ask our allies, our friends to risk themselves like that" I added.

"It is a risk" Celina agreed "but so is sitting around and waiting for the next attack. I say we at least bring the idea to our allies" Celina argued stubbornly as she stood and started downstairs.

"Perhaps" I sighed as we entered the living room. Celina leveled me with a look and a few seconds later she nodded.

"Where is Kaila" Celina asked softly as she lowered herself into the lap of her mate who immediately wrapped his arms around her. I noticed his hand cradled her stomach protectively as he looked around questioningly.

"I moved her into my medical clinic" Carlisle said then gestured toward the stairs that lead down.

"We need to prepare her" Als said and the rest of the pack murmured their agreement. I noticed the Cullens and the Denali's looked slightly confused.

"I can help you with most of the preparations" I spoke up and Celina and Als smiled thankfully.

"Thank you" Celina smiled then she turned to her pack "find a dress for Kaila, please".

Vana stood "I have something that she will look lovely in" then she headed upstairs.

"Within our culture" Celina started suddenly "we do not believe in the death of the soul, only in the death of the 'vessel' or the body". She looked around to see if everyone was following her so far then continued.

"For us no one ever truly dies, they move on to a different plane and run under the goddess's moon forever".

"The goddess's moon?" Alice spoke quietly

Als nodded "We believe that we were created and exist because of the moon. The moon is ruled by the goddess and when we die, we return to her. We call the transition from the physical to the spiritual the viața viitoare, or next life"

"I see" Alice nodded then smiled "do you need anything from us?"

"Has her body been cleansed?" Celina asked and all eyes shifted to Carlisle who nodded.

"Yes, I felt it would be best to remove all the blood" He said with a sad smile.

"Good" Celina sighed happily "That's one less thing to do, thank you Carlisle".

"Have you got the necessary herbs and materials" I asked, and Celina shook her head no.

"I will gather what we need" Simona spoke up and then she left a few minutes later with her sister, Sabina.

I headed downstairs with Celina, Mackenzie, Vana, and Zarine. We were going to dress and prepare Kaila's body.

Celina slipped the white dress Vana brought onto Kaila's body. It was a fitted dress that flared out under the bust seam, with eyelet detail under the neck and at the hem of the dress that fell mid-thigh. She looked beautiful, Mackenzie brushed her brown hair until it was smooth, and she arranged it around her neck to hide the jagged tears. With her hair resting around her neck it almost looked as if she had not been decapitated and she looked peaceful as if she were sleeping.

Alice came down a short while later to apply a little bit of makeup that warmed Kaila's pallor into a warmer hue. Once, we were done we all looked over our work with wistful looks. She truly was a beautiful girl, and it was a shame that she would never be able to finish living out the life she had been given in this physical world.

I was thankful the pack caught Elan because had they not I have no doubt he would have been back, and she would have only been the first casualty.

Sestra

*Is a Bulgarian word. Means 'Sister'