"Where to?" Marcus asked.
I paused for a moment, watching the bustle. "We should go find Bella, and I want to say hello to Angela. Aro, Caius, you can go hang in my room for a little while if you'd like, just make sure no one sees you go in."
"I'd rather stick with you," Caius said, and when it was evident that Aro felt the same and the two weren't going anywhere, I simply shrugged.
"Alright. Just follow my lead, then, but try not to act like stalkers." We went up the stairs, where I found Bella chatting with Angela and Jessica.
"Oh my gosh, Rowan! I thought you'd never get here, I've already been here for like ten minutes!" Jessica gushed, not-so-subtly eyeing up Marcus. "Hi, I'm Jessica!"
"I'm Marcus," he said politely, and didn't extend a hand.
"Hey, guys! This is Marcus, my boyfriend," I said with a smile, hugging all three girls. "Marcus, this is Angela and Jessica. You already know Bella, of course."
He dipped his head. "It's a pleasure."
"Changed already?" I asked Bella in amusement.
She laughed, a slightly uncomfortably sound. "You know me and dresses don't agree."
"Yeah, okay," I told her, bumping against her hip. "I'm just saying a good dress is one way to get your boyfriend's attention."
"And you're leading by example?" she asked, a teasing smile on her face.
I smacked her. "Shut up."
"Bella, what did you think of my speech? Too easy-breezy, too self-helpful, you hated it?" Jessica asked her.
Bella stared. "No, you pretty much nailed it."
Along with Angela's encouragement, that was clearly all the prompting Jessica needed. "It's like I was born to lead, right?"
I snorted softly as Angela waved and dragged Jessica away to dance. "See you later, Rowan!"
"Later, Angela!" I waved and tucked myself into Marcus's side. I glanced at Bella. "Can you believe her?"
She laughed. "I know, right? But she means well."
"If you say so. Where's Edward?"
"I don't know, to be honest. Downstairs, maybe?" Bella's eyes widened as she was distracted by something behind her. "Um, Caius-"
I glanced back. "Ah, shit. Caius, you need to go put in new contacts, your eyes are red."
"Not now, I smell wolf," he said with a scowl.
"Caius, please-" I started. Aro growled, cutting me off as his eyes focused on the staircase. I turned, meeting the eyes of Jacob Black. "Oh, son of a bitch."
"Good to see you too, Rowan," Jacob drawled, lifting a lip at the three vampires. "Didn't know you were housing more bloodsuckers."
"He has red eyes," Embry hissed, glaring at Caius with unadulterated hatred.
"Remember which side of the treaty line you're on, Embry Call," I warned, narrowing my eyes. Marcus stood in front of me, shielding me from the wolves. I stepped away from him.
"Okay, that's enough. You were preparing to leave anyway, weren't you, Rowan?" Bella asked hastily.
I offered Jacob a sneer. "I won't be driven out of my own house by mutts."
"Watch your tongue," Jacob spat. This time, all three of my mates growled at him.
"Whatever you're thinking, Jacob Black, it is a very bad idea," I said, pushing aside my anger and fixing him with a cool, steely gaze. "Now let us pass."
He scowled and motioned for Quill and Embry to step aside. Bella visibly relaxed as I headed towards the stairs, glancing back to make sure that the three kings were following. Unsurprisingly, Caius was the only one who stayed in place.
"Caius," I said firmly. His eyes softened when they met mine. "Let's go, please."
He stayed put for a moment longer before reluctantly following me upstairs, fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles looked even paler than normal. I lead them straight to my room where I flopped down on to the bed and let out a puff of air. "That went about as well as I expected it to."
"You're in danger-" Caius hissed, red eyes glittering as he paced agitatedly back and forth.
"Completely unsafe," Aro cut in, looking entirely displeased.
"Children, they can't control themselves at all," Marcus said, poking his head out the door. I assumed he was checking to ensure we hadn't been followed.
I was mated to the three most overprotective vampires in existence and honestly, I don't know what I expected.
"Sorry," I apologized needlessly and all three paused in their steps to stare at me.
Unsurprisingly, Caius was the most blunt of the three. "For what?"
"Mia cara, you have nothing to apologize for," Aro said.
"It's those wolves that should be sorry," Marcus snarled in a surprising show of hostility.
I cleared my throat. "I think we all just need to calm down."
"They are a threat!" Caius growled. Clearly, I was fantastic at defusing conflict.
"Okay, I am going to change. I need you three to chill for like, five minutes. Deep breathing," I said unhelpfully as I grabbed a change of clothes and stepped into the bathroom to change.
"The fact still stands: there are wolves allowed in the house," Aro said through the door as I stripped out of the dress and tugged on jeans.
I let out a deep sigh. "Only because the Cullens gave them permission. The treaty works two ways."
"They're setting a precedent!" Caius exclaimed.
I buttoned up my plaid shirt, rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. "You're overreacting."
"We're being realistic!" Marcus said.
I opened the door and walked out, unsurprised to see that none of them had sat down (or taken deep breaths per my completely useless suggestion). "Look, I leave for Volterra with you in like, two days. We'll be together the whole time. Could you please stop freaking out?"
"We're just worried," Marcus said, his eyes softening.
"Trust me, I get it. But we're supposed to be equals. And I don't feel equal when you treat me like a child who needs an adult supervision twenty-four seven."
"Of course we see you as our equal. But you're humans, and humans are... fragile," Caius said, wrapping me in a hug from behind. He settled as he breathed in my scent. "You are our everything. If anything would happen-"
"We would fall," Aro finished.
"I'll be careful. Let's get out of here, yeah?" I asked, squeezing Caius's forearm. He released me from his embrace, allowing me to open one of the windows in my room. "You up for sneaking out?"
"Why hiking?" Marcus asked when we arrived at the trail.
"I like it. Besides, I want to enjoy the last few days I'll be spending in Forks," I responded, thankful that the rain chances for the night were fairly low. The ground was muddy enough as it was without more rain adding to it.
"What, where it rains all the time? Don't you miss the sun?" Caius asked, lending me a hand as my foot slipped in the slick mud.
"Thanks. And this is my home. I miss the sun sometimes, but I'm pretty used to it. I've spent the past four years in places that don't get much sun. That being said, Emmett and Rose did take me on my first trip to the beach over the summer when I was sixteen, which was beautiful. I'd love to go back."
"You didn't see the beach until you were sixteen?" Caius questioned, disbelieving.
I raised my eyebrows at him, something I knew he would see even in the dark. "I lived in Colorado with an abusive father and you're surprised?"
"She has a point," Aro said, which earned him an unamused look from Caius and a slight smile from Marcus. "We'll arrange a trip to the beach over the summer. We own a few islands-"
"You own islands?" I asked, wiping away the water from my face that dripped down from the trees.
"A few. One of them is yours, of course," Aro said with a beaming smile.
My jaw dropped, but I wasn't sure why I was surprised. I was mated to three very rich, very old vampire rulers. "You've given me an island?" I repeated faintly.
"You spoiled the surprise," Marcus complained.
I grinned. "I'll pretend not to know."
"We appreciate that, bellissima," Caius said, smiling.
"Could you teach me Italian?" I asked them, somewhat out of the blue. "I mean, you guys live in Italy, where I'll eventually live, so it only makes sense that-"
"We'd love to," Aro interrupted the beginning of my ramble, lifting me smoothly over a fallen log that he had easily jumped himself. "That may be a task easier once you've changed, however."
I shook my head. "No, I want to learn now. I know it'll be more difficult, but that's part of what makes it so rewarding once I accomplish it."
"We can start as soon as we get to Volterra. I'm sure the guard will be happy to help you," Marcus said.
"By speaking in nothing but Italian, no doubt," I joked.
"Hmm, most likely," Aro mused.
"Wait, really?"
"Of course not," Marcus answered, just as Caius said, "Probably."
I sighed, and not for the first time in my life, wondered if I was ready for all the future held.
My final two days spent in Forks went by in the blink of an eye. It was a whirlwind of packing, goodbyes, and Alice repeatedly trying to sneak lingerie into my suitcases until Jasper made her stop. On the morning of our departure, Felix drove up the driveway in a black SUV whose doors were promptly opened by Demetri, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
"Don't forget to let us know when you get there," Rosalie fretted, squeezing me in a tight hug. "And don't forget to call!"
"I won't, don't worry. I'll only be gone a couple months. It'll pass before you know it."
"Have fun, squirt," Emmett said, ruffling my hair and picking me up in a bear hug. "Don't forget about us peasants, huh?"
"Oh, shut up," I laughed, jumping up to smack him on the back of the head.
Emmett grinned. "I'll miss having you around, Jasper's not nearly so easy to beat in Mario Kart."
"Rude," Jasper said, smiling.
I said goodbye to Edward last. "Try to stay out of trouble, huh? And avoid any dramatics."
"I'll try," he said, giving me a wry smile. "But only if you do the same."
"I'll try," I retorted, and his ironic smile morphed into a real one. "Tell Bella that I'm trusting her to keep you in line during my absence."
"I'm sure she's more than up to the task. Now get out of here, the jet is waiting," Edward said, nudging me towards the car. "And call me if you need anything at all."
"Of course." I ruffled his hair, much like Emmett did with me, and gave my final farewell to him silently. And Ed? You do the same.
He gave me a small smile and an even smaller nod. Then I was seated in the back of the SUV, Felix pulled away, and we began my long-awaited journey back to Volterra.
Edited 4/16/2021