all-american bitch | volturi kings

2 | PHONE CALLS

Aro shared a look with Marcus, having seen plenty of her spitfire attitude in Edward's mind, and he just shook his head, giving up.

No way was this going to end well, and it would likely drive a frustrating wedge between Jack and Caius since they had yet to meet.

☽︎

All the vampires heard the annoyed huff that left Jack's mouth as she let herself into the Cullen home, having to go there to find her sister. Because Charlie was working late, she was yet again breaking the rules of her grounding to be with Edward, not that her sister cared.

"Bella!" Jackie called while heading up to the living room. Her guards opted to stay outside because they couldn't stand the Cullens. "And maybe Alice and Rose!"

All three girls were waiting in the living room with expectant looks, and Rosalie raised an eyebrow when she saw the clear dry cleaning back that contained Jackie's familiar cheerleading uniform.

"What's up?" Bella asked, who was leaning on Edward's shoulder. The mind reader was already laughing, seeing into her annoyed thoughts.

"I can't sew," she said, holding the hanger with the uniform out. "I need you to help me make my skirt shorter. Jane sent a picture of my uniform, and the mean one said it was too short to wear in public, so fuck that guy."

"Disgusting," Rosalie said with a grimace. Emmett would never try and dictate what she wore. Alice however? All the time.

"Right! Like, you have no say on what I put on my body — mate or not. So, wanna help?"

"Absolutely," Alice squealed, already flitting off to get her sewing machine.

"It's already really short, babe," Bella noted, looking more amused than judgemental. "And they're so ancient they probably expect more modesty. You'll give him a heart attack."

She just shrugged and went to sit by Rose. "Well, then I'd be free from a third of the mate bond."

Edward frowned and shook his head. "I wouldn't call it free," he spoke up. "When you lose a true mate, even if one is human, the aftereffects never fade. You'll always feel... an aching emptiness inside of you. You'll never be happy again. It's recorded that some humans have even died from the heartbreak."

Jackie looked at him with wide eyes, unable to believe the guard hadn't mentioned that when she asked. "Well, shit," she muttered. "Glad I didn't decide to fight it or anything."

"We would've helped you if you had chosen to reject them, though," Rosalie said, wanting her to always know she had a choice.

"How short are we thinking?" Alice asked as she returned to the room. "Just half an inch, or are we talking cheeks poking out?"

"Alice," Edward sighed, shaking his head. "She will get dress-coded."

"She gets dress-coded all the time," she said, rolling her eyes. Then she grabbed the uniform and smiled devilishly at it. "Pants off, Jackie. I've got work to do."

From outside, Demetri and Felix listened in nervously, knowing Caius was going to be furious — Aro might be as well once he saw the changes and realized she really was going out in it. Alec didn't care all that much, and Jane didn't even bother to hide her grin, her opinion of the future queen improving greatly as she stood up for herself.

☽︎

"Perfect," Jackie beamed while staring at herself in the mirror in Rosalie's room.

Rosalie snickered while cleaning up the stray pieces of thread on the floor. "They're gonna see your whole ass before they see your face."

"Aro's seen her," Bella pointed out, a frown on her face. "Not the others though."