heartbeat ⇢ demetri volturi

𝒔𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏

"𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘"

"It wasn't your fault."

"I didn't mean to hurt him."

"I know kid."

"He was going to kill you."

Kate approached them, her lips adorned with a dancing smile that seemed out of place given the circumstances they found themselves in. "At least if we die today I'm happy to have passed my legacy on to you."

Eleanor's eyes fixated on her, and then she shifted her gaze to her trembling hands. A wave of revulsion surged through her, making her feel an overwhelming urge to claw her own skin off. How could she have been so irresponsible? What if, instead of Demetri, she had accidentally touched someone else? Renesmee had been holding her hand all the time. What if she had hurt her?

The mere thought of such a possibility tightened in her chest. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself for something like that.

"What are they thinking?" Bella asked in a whisper to Edward.

Edward's jaw clenched and unclenched. "Looking for accusations, naturally," he shook his head. "The alliance with the wolves isn't enough. They know they're not like the Children of the Moon." Pausing for a brief moment, his eyes widened as a chilling realization swept over him. "Irina," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "They'll call upon Irina."

"I want to talk to the informant," Caius announced, just as Edward had said. Irina timidly approached him, her gaze fixed on the ground. "So you appear to have been quite mistaken in your allegations."

"I'm sorry," Irina whispered. "I should have made sure of what I was seeing. But I had no idea..."

Caius cut her. "We all know you made a mistake," he said brusquely. "I meant to speak of your motivations." 

Irina's brows furrowed in confusion as she met his piercing gaze. "My motivations?"

"You were clearly unhappy with the Cullens, otherwise you wouldn't have come to spy on them in the first place. Why were you unhappy with them?"

Her voice quivered as she confessed, "I was unhappy with them because the wolves killed my friend... And the Cullens wouldn't let me avenge him."

A faint smile played upon Caius's lips, almost as though he had anticipated this very response. His satisfaction was evident as he leaned forward, speaking with calculated precision,"If you'd like to make a formal complaint against the shape-shifters—and the Cullens for supporting their actions—now would be the time."

Everything fell silent for a moment. Eleanor held her breath until Irina spoke again.

"No. I have no complaint against the wolves, or the Cullens," she said, her jaw set with determination. "You came here today to destroy an immortal child. No immortal child exists. The Cullens, the child and the other child too... They are all innocent. This was my mistake, and I take full responsibility for it," her gaze shifted to them, her face contorted with anguish. "I'm sorry," she implored, her apology hanging heavy in the air.

It was safe to say that Eleanor didn't know Irina at all. If there was any knowledge of her in her mind, it was solely rooted in the fact that Irina's false accusations had brought about the circumstances that led them all to be gathered there on that fateful day. And yet, she coulnd't help but feel a unexpected surge of emotions gripping to her chest as she saw the remorseful face of the Denali vampire standing there, alone, surrounded by the intimidating black cloaks.

What would happen to her now? Would the Volturi forgive her? Would she return to her coven with some sort of warning?

All those questions piled up in her mind. But nothing prepared her for what her eyes witnessed.