****
I sprinted towards the rez with a smile on my face. The wind blew my twisted hair and seemed to caress my face as I made my way back to the pack. I breathed heavily as I smiled before I finally reached Emily's house, where they all sat on the porch, all antsy.
I smiled as I see them, Paul standing up from the porch once he notices me, followed by the others.
"Audre!" Paul says as I skid to a stop, hugging him tightly with him of course hugging me back just as tight. I chuckle as we separate.
"I'm alive," I said making jazz hands.
"We didn't have any doubt that you'd make it," Sam says as he pats my shoulder, squeezing it tightly, before he also brings me into a hug, kissing my forehead gently.
"Oh please, Sam was worried fucking sick, he had to stay outside all day yesterday because he was scared he was gonna blow," Jared says as he pulls me away, and held my forearms. I laugh at his words before even he pulls me into a hug.
"We missed you," Quil said, him and Embry pulling me into a hug making me chuckle to myself before they let me go.
"I missed you guys too, it's no fun being away from you guys," I said as I put my hands on my hips.
Hearing loud footsteps, I quirk an eyebrow and turn my head towards the forest. Taking a small sniff I smell Jacob getting near before dropping my mental shield and instantly being bombarded by thoughts.
'I can't believe this is happening' Jacob grunted.
'Oh, Christ' Paul groans.
'Here we go again' Quil laughed.
'Don't tell me we are still on this' I said with a sigh.
'Not much has changed in 2 days really' Embry says
'You'd think after Bella flew halfway across the world to save her boyfriend from fucking suicide, Jake would learn to let this go' Adrea spoke up to the boys.
'Thought wrong' Sam said, sighing in irritation.
Jacob was now in our line of sight, basically stomping over here, his body trembling in anger making me sigh before I took a step towards him.
"Jake," I said, him instantly looking up at me with a glare.
"Did you know?" he snapped making me glare at him a bit before I shook my head.
"About what Jake?" I said folding my arms.
"About Bella wanting to change," he snapped again, making the pack turn to me with shocked expressions.
"You know that if any of them bit a human, the treaty is over!" Jake yelled at me.
"I'm surprised that Jasper is still alive considering he bit you," he shot again.
Anger swirls inside me making a small growl come from my mouth.
"That's because I'm a part of this pack which makes Jaz my imprint, so by law, no one can touch him!" I yelled back, my eyes glowing green anger as my teeth began to enlarge at the mere thought of someone hurting, let alone killing Jasper.
"That still doesn't change the fact that you know what the treaty is, and it seems like you're on board with the whole Bella being a leech thing," Jacob yelled.
"It's either she changes or she dies!" I finally yelled making him going silent.
"Wha-" he tried but I cut him off again.
"Bella is human, which means she can't know about things like vampires, she was going to die had Alice not shown the Volturi Bella's future, which was her, as an immortal," I seethed, Jacob flinching back a bit.
"The Cullens together have spent hundreds of years on this planet, I'm sure they'll find a way around the bite thing because I don't know if you noticed this, but the bite isn't what makes a vampire, it's the venom, they could use a fucking syringe if they wanted to," I yelled raising my hands in frustration as I took more steps towards Jacob, his angry demeanor dropping little by little.
I looked into his eyes, my body halting making me growl as I looked away from him before taking in a breath and turning back to face him.
"Jake, honey, Bella, and Edward are mated, so regardless of how you feel for her, it was going to happen," I told him, wrapping my arm around his back as I pulled him into a side hug.
"Come on, I'm gonna tell you guys everything," I said with a smile on my face towards him. He smiled back and there he was, the same Jake I used to make mudpies with. He sighed a bit, letting me bring him towards the porch.
"The Volturi is the most powerful covens of all time, they're old, ancient, and their coven is filled with very powerful vampires. The 3 Kings, Aro, Caius, and Marcus, brothers, rule them. Aro has the ability to read every thought someone has ever had, with a single touch, Marcus, can sense the strength of relationships between people, and Caius has no known power, but he is the most strict," I began.
"They're my Uncles, they trained me during the summers with my old pack, and their guard became like a second family to me, and they still kind of are. I think. Now the only coven that truly poses a threat to them is the Olympic Coven, the Cullens. Covens are not normally that big, so they're wary of them. Not only that but since Edward can read minds without touch, Alice being a clairvoyant, Tywin being able to sense auras, and Jasper being an empath, their powers are some that they want," I told them.
"Actually they want all of them, vampires naturally have this enhanced beauty effect, but Rosalie's is more prominent, Dr.Cullen is very neutral around human blood, as if doesn't bother him, Emmett, who is much stronger than your average vampire, and Esme shares her husbands' self-control effect," I explained.
"It'd be one thing if Bella was Edward's blood singer, but no, she's his mate, so eventually she was going to have to turn, or else she'd die due to old age and that's only if the Volturi let her live that long. Once again, she's human, so she's not really allowed to know about these things, so if the Cullens didn't change her or kill her, the Volturi would, and they don't give second chances, so she'd be dead," I finished.
"I thought you said you could influence them since their family?" Jared asked.
"I can, to a point, but I can't count on that to keep Bella alive. I'm sorry if I betrayed any of your trusts by knowing this, but they are very powerful, winning a fight with the Volturi isn't something anyone has managed to do," I said rubbing my face tiredly.
"Actually you just increased it," Sam said, patting my shoulder, and giving it a small squeeze.
"I knew you couldn't-" Paul started but I cut him off.
"I know what you're gonna say. It wasn't that I couldn't tell you anything, I was just kinda scared because I know your whole thing was that vamps are a no-no, but I've been around them my whole life. I just didn't want to, disappoint you," I said as I brought my knees closer to me.
I'm suddenly punched in the side, hard.
"Ow, what the hell?" I said looking at Sam.
"You could never disappoint us, we're your family too Audre. You think if we can handle Jake whining about Bella we can't handle your multiple affiliations?" Sam said with a chuckle.
"Hey?!" Jake said as he looked up from the step he was sitting on making me laugh as I brought my hand up and ruffled his hair making him smile lightly at me.
"Now, now that your back, and not in trouble because we told Charlie you were here taking care of a sick Emily, let's go for a run," Sam said as he stood up.
"As a pack," Quil added as he placed his elbow on my shoulder making me smile to myself.
Yeah, as a pack.
****
Walking through the woods on my own I sigh in content. I wore sweats, a large shirt, both Jaspers, and Uncle Charlie's police windbreaker. My hair was done, it had grown quite a bit, it now reaching a bit below my shoulders. I'd went and got my passion twists re-done, and now they were in a half-up half-down style. I was on my way to the Cullens but I just wanted to take my time and take in the forest.
I sniffed the air, taking in the delightful smells, but I smelt something else, a wolf, or a soon-to-be wolf. I shoved my hands in my pockets and sighed, throwing my head back in irritation knowing I was going to have to deal with this.
'It gets really hard simply being a good person' Adrea sighs.
'Yeah, it is' I said.
I sighed before turning and making my way through the woods, ducking under a couple of trees before I sniff again, smelling something very similar.
"Leah?" I called seeing her sitting up against a tree, knees pulled to her chest as her chin rested on her knees.
She gasped, before looking up at me with watery eyes, as she hastily tried to wipe her tears. I sighed as I walked towards her and sat next to her with a sigh. I didn't say anything, I just sat next to her and rubbed her back in light circles. After a while of just sitting there, I stood up and held my hand out to her.
"I know we don't know each other too well, but I'm Audre," I told her as she walked next to me on the way to her home.
"I know who you are, you're one of Sam's friends," she said, kind of grimly. I sighed as I remembered the story, of what happened before he met Emily, his imprint.
"Ah, yea. Sam told me about you. It's nice to finally meet you," I told her with a small smile.
"I know you're just being nice to me because of what happened to my dad-" she tried but I cut her off.
"You're right, I was being nice to you because of that. Everyone needs a friend to lean on when things go south, and Harry was a great man. Plus, you were crying in the middle of the woods so yeah, I'm being nice to you," I told her. She chuckled a bit making me laugh along with her.
She stumbled a bit, and my senses spiked a bit making me catch her arm as I stopped her from falling. Touching her arm, I feel her temperature beginning to rise so I quickly steady her and let her go.
"Hey, you good?" I asked her and she simply nodded as she settled herself, and I could finally let go of her.
"I'll walk you home, okay," I said and she shrugged before she shook her head at me.
"No you're good, actually, it's fine," she said as she stepped away from me.
"I can't do that, your mom actually asked me to look out for you and your brother," I told her with a small laugh.
"No, she didn't. Ugh that's so embarrassing," she said as she shook her head and crossing her arms, but I could see the small smile on her face.
"It's really no problem," I told her.
She didn't argue with me for the remainder of the walk, and eventually, we come across her house, her mother, Sue, and her little brother, Seth on the porch. As we stepped on the porch I nod at her mother with a smile, and she nodded back at me.
"Hey Seth, I'm-" I tried but, he interrupted me.
"You're Audre, you hang out with Sam and them," he said with a kind of excited smile as rapidly shook my hand. I quirked an eyebrow before I chuckled.
"Oh well, nice to meet you too. Um, I'll see you all later," I said with a wave before I turned around.
"Wait, isn't it dangerous to be in the woods this late?" Seth asked making me stop in my tracks and turned back around.
"Well Seth, frankly I'm a little more dangerous," I told him before turning once more and leaving. When I was finally deeper into the woods, I broke out into a sprint, making my way to the Cullen's house, jumping the treaty, and in a few minutes, I was in front of the Cullen household.
Before I could knock on the door, it opened, revealing Rosalie and Alice making me quirk an eyebrow.
"Uh, hey?" I said kind of confused.
"We're so glad you're here," they say before they pulled me in with a grunt. They quickly led me to the kitchen where everyone else was making me confused because everyone was here, except Jasper.
"Jaz invited me over, but I'm beginning to think he didn't since I don't even smell him within a mile radius of here," I said as I put my hand on my hip.
"That's because we invited you wolfy," said Emmett with his normal smile, though it faltered, just a bit.
"We weren't sure if you'd come if we invited you, deary," Esme said as she leaned a bit into Carlise, clasping her hands together in front of her chest.
"Oh okay, what is it, is Bella in danger?" I asked sarcastically as I walked over and sat on a stool. They stayed silent making me a bit uneasy.
"I'm just kidding, when is she not?" I said shaking my head as I rubbed the back of my neck, a small laugh escaping my mouth. Rosalie cracked a smile before she strode over and took a seat next to me, sadly placing her hand in mine.
"When we left, we used Alice to periodically check up on you, but Alice can't see you as much anymore since you're always with your pack," Carlise said taking a step forward.
"The last we heard when we left is that you were taking care of Bella, but we didn't know who was taking care of you," Rose said as she moved her eyes from her hand on mine to my eyes.
"We know that you'll probably never forgive us for leaving because honestly, I can't remember how many times we called you family, because you are," Alice said next.
"Honestly I think you and Jasper being mated just makes it easier to be close to you, because for some reason you fit in perfectly," Tywin said with a small laugh. The oven beeped suddenly, and Esme kind of squeaked as she ran to the oven, and pulling out a pan of lasagna.
"We know that not only did Jasper hurt you, but we also did too," Rose said.
"So we wanted to start over," Alice said as she sat on the other side of me making me turn to her from Rose.
"But, we know you hate us, and we wouldn't be upset if you did," Emmett said, his bright smile already gone.
Nobody said anything for a second or two before I chuckled a bit.
"You know for a while I was really mad, and I wasn't sure what'd I do if or when you guys came back. I have a lot of people that I call family, my pack back home, Uncle Charlie and Bella, the Quileute's, man even the Volturi, even if they're a little..." I said making a little hand movement next to my head.
"You guys were no different. I mean in such little time we were acting like a little family," I said shaking my head a bit.
"Adrea has always liked you guys, and even if we were mad, she still likes you guys, and well she kind of is me, so that speaks for itself. I never hated you guys, I don't hate anyone," I said with a shrug and a small laugh.
"Now, you guys can stop being so sad. We're family, so please Esme, some lasagna please?" I said.
Smiles grew all around, followed by laughter as Alice hugs me tightly.
"Does this mean we can start going shopping together again, you were the only person who could handle my trips," Alice says making me chuckle.
"Sure pixie, anytime, anytime,"
****
I sat down on Jasper's couch with a small sigh, after a long and fun hangout with the Cullen family, feeling a lot better than I'd felt in the weeks before Jasper came back. Their return fulfilled something in me, their very being filling the niche they made in me when I first met the Cullens. In fact, I felt overflowed with such happiness, there were so many people around me. So many people to help me forget about everything bad that had ever happened to me, my father and his family, the hunters, everybody who probably wanted us dead.
'I hate that we're so nice' Adrea says with a small laugh.
'Yeah' I said with a small smile on my face.
'But, you know Adre, now we're never gonna run out of family' I said with a small chuckle.
'I sense something new in the air though, I don't think the Cullen's are leaving again, at least not without us' Adrea said.
'Right, leaving' I said with a sigh.
'Hey, it'll be okay Audre. When the time comes, we'll figure something' Adrea reminded me.
"Just like we always do," I mumbled.
I take my shoes off, laid back on the couch hearing paper crumble as I did so, confusing me. I reach into my pocket and retrieve a note, my eyebrows raising as I looked at the green envelope.
My name on it was written in perfect cursive making me smile a bit. I then decide to open it, opening up the paper and beginning to read it.
Darling,
I've hurt you in ways I'll never understand, and despite our bond, I'll never truly understand what you're going through. I would say I don't think I'll ever trust myself around you again, but I don't think I could ever bear to be away from you. Every time you smile I feel alive again, every time you laugh, my old skin warms, and every time you look at me, I realize I'm the luckiest person in the world.
Edward wants to leave Bella forever, and for a second I thought about it, leaving forever. My heart doesn't beat, but as soon as I came across the thought, it skipped for a second, it felt like my soul was being ripped away from my body. But, I know not only do I need a little time, I think you do too. I wanted to come to talk to you about this, but I couldn't face you.
I couldn't bear to step near your family, because I'd never forgiven myself if I hurt anybody else. Please don't be too upset with me, I promise I'll be back before you know it. I want to actually apologize for the next I see you, though for now, I want you to know that you are the reason I am the way I am. I've become so much better in the short time we've been together, but it seems longer than the century I've been alive.
I love you so much, if I was alive, you'd be the reason I breathe. And in my undead state, you make me forget about all the pain I went through to get to this point.
I will see you soon my love,
Jasper
A smile played on my lips as I stared at the note, re-reading it a couple of times before I place it gently on my chest. Suddenly my nose tingles, making me smirk before I close my eyes, and open them to see Jasper standing by the door.
"You know I should've known that wasn't your note, because this, this sounds a lot more like you," I said with a small laugh as I sat up and placed the note on the table in front of me.
Jasper sped over, sitting beside me, with me sitting back with a small sigh as I shoved my hands in my jacket pockets before I looked up at Jazz. I take one of my hands out of my pocket and he holds it in his as he takes his other arm and wraps it around my shoulders.
"My family really missed you, you know," Jasper spoke.
"Yeah, I missed them too," I said shifting into his hold more, exhaustion gently pulling at me like the waves do sand. I yawned, as I stretched my legs out a bit making Jasper chuckle.
"When was the last time you slept?" Jasper asked making me shrug.
"A bit before Bella jumped off that cliff?" I questioned. Jaspers body tensed a bit as he shifted his body, and pulling me to lay on his chest.
"That was over a week ago, my love," he said as he rubbed my back gently.
"Oh, okay," I said as a yawn came from my mouth. He warms, making me smile as I nuzzle into him, missing these sorts of interactions with him, just missing him.
"Get some rest dear, I'll be here," he said quietly.
jasper pov
I rubbed Audre's back as she laid contently on my chest. Her cheek was squished against my chest, and she slept with her mouth in a small pout, making me smile lightly at her. The twists in her hair fell over her face, making her nose scrunch a bit before I moved them back to where they were.
"Get some rest dear, I'll be here," I told her as she shifts a bit, happiness, and peace swirling around her. A small bit of fear arose in her, concerning me a bit as she raised her hand and held out her pinkie.
"Promise?" she asked with a kind of tired drawl in her voice. My chest ached at the simple word, before I took an unneeded breath, and held out my pinkie, wrapping it around hers.
"Promise," I said.
She smiled a bit, the small bit of fear dissipating before she brought her hand down. The fear from not even a second ago was soon replaced, by the pride, the same bright pride she had when we first met, of me. I smiled down at her with sad, but happy eyes, as I craned my neck and kissed her on the forehead.
"I love you so much, my dear,"
****
[4 years ago]
3rd pov
Audre breathed heavily as she looked around her. She stood in a forest, somewhere in Italy as she rolled her shoulder, burrowing her feet deeper into the dirt below her feet. She sniffed the air, only slightly, knowing they were around her, so she waited patiently for her first attacker.
The job was to get them down, not beat them completely.
Because that would be impossible, even for her.
A blur went across her eye making her eyes dart in that direction only briefly only to center herself again, still watching for whoever would be first in their attacking. Suddenly, she was hit with a wave of pain, like bees were stinging her all over, her body felt as though it was on fire, even her feet felt like they were stepping on burning hot coals with sprinkled nails.
Suddenly she was tackled, making her grunt, growling loudly before she contorted her body and slammed the person to the ground, who she saw to be Jane. Then darkness surrounded her making her gasp before she growled. Her senses seemed to turn off one by one, and there she stood blind, with no sense of smell, no sense of hearing, but she could still feel the ground below her.
She could still feel the wind around her body, and she used that.
Right as the wind shifted, she jumped and kicked with as much force as she could, and like a light switch, her senses turned back on.
She could now see Alec on the ground, who she kicked dirt at, the debris irritating his eyes, which she then used as a distraction to pick him and launch him across the woods, where she could hear the breaking of numerous trees coming from the direction she'd thrown him.
A body collided with her who she instantly recognized as Joseph, her younger cousin, who she growled at before she slammed him to the ground. Narrowly missing a punch thrown by her other cousin, Lars. He threw another punch, Audre throwing her own, their fists meeting, a loud crack echoing throughout the forest, making Lars groan loudly as he cradled his fist.
Audre then evaded a kick from Damien, who growled when he missed. Knowing not to get cocky now, Audre cocked her elbow back before punching him hard in the stomach, not before grabbing by the nape of his neck kneeing him in the stomach again, before bringing him forward and kicking him once more in the stomach making him fly back and hit a tree, to which he let out a groan.
She sniffed the air, smelling him before he attacks, Lucas suddenly came full speed at her throwing a punch at her face, which she narrowly dodged. He kicked at her, but Audre grabbed his calf and thrusts her elbow downwards towards his calf, breaking his leg, to which he let out a loud grunt of pain.
Audre growled loudly as she took her place again, not paying attention to the 4 boys who she would've permanently crippled had they not shared similar genes.
She watched closely, then heard footsteps, turning to see her uncle Tomas and Felix coming towards her at their own full speeds. She planted herself firmly, waiting for them to come near her, her teeth enlarging and her eyes glowing as she stared at their incoming figures.
Felix got to her first. He moved fast, punching her hard in the gut making her fly back and hit a tree. Without thinking she dug her nails into the tree bark and repositioned herself, kicking off the tree and launching herself towards him.
He narrowly dodged her, but not before she'd twisted at the last second and grabbed ahold of his torso with her legs, letting out a fierce growl as she dug her long nails into his neck, cracks appearing, growling at him viciously, daring him to make a move, and he didn't, knowing that within seconds this little girl could tear his head off with ease.
She was grabbed from behind, by Uncle Tomas who'd watched in amusement for a bit before attacking. He held her sides tightly, in a position in which he could easily break every bone in her body, and she knew that.
Thinking quickly she'd elbowed him hard in the nose, making his grip falter just a bit, but that was all she needed to turn and kick him with full force in the knee, it bending backward, and him letting out a loud groan of pain.
Audre turned again, waiting for her 5 remaining attackers.
The 3 Kings came all at once, so Audre jumped high in the air, but Aro did too, grab her by the nape of the neck. He didn't get far before Audre had back kicked him hard in the stomach, flipping and placing her feet firmly on his torso, pushing him hard into the ground, and they landed with a smack.
Caius came at her, knocking her off her feet, right as Marcus grabbed her too. She struggled just a bit, knowing if she stayed in the position long enough the fight would be called over since in this position could easily be dead if this was real.
Determination filled her, and her eyes glowed, her body radiated with even more strength.
'Fight Audre, FIGHT!' Adrea yelled.
Audre pulled her feet out of Caius' hold, wrapping legs around him, making her drop, and her upper body shoots forward which she used to bend over and toss Marcus across the clearing, to which he hit a tree too. She then cocked her leg back and kicked Caius hard, and he went flying into Marcus.
Audre was now gleaming with sweat as she panted loudly, waiting for her last 2 attackers.
Uncle Hank was next, but he was in his wolf form. She ran at him, his wolf snarling at making him growl as she kicked off the ground and kicked him in the nose, hearing a crack before she raised her foot and kicked him in the side hard, hearing more cracks in his ribcage.
He laid on the ground growling before he limped over and sat next to Tomas.
Audre took another breath before she looked around again.
She was tackled and thrown into a tree but she managed to steady herself before she hit the ground before she came face to face with Aunt Lydia. Growling fiercely, she ran forward and threw a punch at her which she blocked.
She turned quickly, dropping to her knees before elbowed her in the side.
Audre stumbles a bit before she kicked off her back leg and launched a hard kick at her face, which she didn't manage to block, making her skid across the ground, and sigh before a small smile came to her face. She stood up and laughed a bit, looking at 15-year-old Audre with a proud smile.
"Congratulations Audre, you finally finished your training"
hello guys !!!
really hoped you liked it. i added the last part just to give you a taste of what she can do. i also want to make it clear that she isn't stronger than the Volturi, the goal of the training exercise was to get their opponent down, not to necessarily win.
i just wanted to show that she's really fucking cool, and that's why she can fight so well. aunt lydia is still training the boys which means, that eventually, they'll probably be like her soon when they're her age.
emphasis on the probably, audre is different, in a lot of ways that even she doesn't understand and we'll get to that, but that's for another chapter.
now, eat, drink some water, send some love to someone please, and please get some rest.
remember that rest is not wasting time, and we all need it
love you guys !!!
i