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Focused Madness	By : fusedtwilight Category: Twilight Series > General Views: 3772 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
Focused Madness
Chapter 24

Fusedtwilight: Thanks to my beta animegirlkiki for betaing.
Last chapter was a really pulled on the heart strings. Leah continues to sense what has happened and the Cullen's and wolves prepare to form an alliance they never thought they would.

Leah P.O.V
Mom drove me and Seth home.
The pain was gone but the feeling...this horrible heart wrenching feeling. I don't know why I was feeling this; all I knew was that something bad had happened to Matthew.
I don't know how I knew, or what made me know. Maybe it was some motherly instinct, maybe it was a she-wolf thing. Maybe it had something to do with being an alpha wolf, knowing instinctively when your pack was in trouble.
As soon as we got home I called Fred.
I dialed the Cullen's number and Jasper answered after four rings. “Hello?”
“Jasper, is Fred there?”
“Yes. Is something wrong, Leah?” he asked.
You could tell from my voice something was wrong, you didn't have to be an empath to tell that.
“Just get me Fred please,” I begged.
He did not answer. I heard the phone move around and shift. “Hello?” Fred's voice answered.
“Fred?”
“Leah? What’s wrong?”
“Fred...it's Matthew, something has happened to him,” I whispered.
“What? Did he contact you again?” he asked.
“No, it's just...this feeling.” I explained to him what happened at the meeting with the elders.
“Leah, how can you be sure?” he asked.
“I just am Fred. Something deep inside is telling me we have lost him.”
My eye began to get blurry with tears.
“Leah, don't say that!” Fred yelled. I was shocked, I have never heard Fred yell in the time I have known him. “We have not lost him do you hear me! He is fine, we are going to get him back!”
“Fred...I'm scared,” I whispered.
“Don't be, we will get him back, I swear,” Fred said.
“Okay,” I said.
Mom took the phone from me. “Seth take her upstairs would you?”
Seth helped me up and led me to my room. I let him lead me like a meek little puppy, so much for being an alpha wolf. I could hear mom talking to Fred but they seemed far away.
Seth opened the door to my room and closed it; he sat me on my bed and sat next to me. I felt so numb, was I in shock? Why was I in shock? Why was I acting like this?
“Leah? Leah?” Seth was shaking me now. “Come on Leah, snap out of it, you’re freaking me out.”
“Seth, something has happened to him, I just know it.”
“Stop saying that, you can't know for sure!”
“But I do, somehow I know. I just know.”
Seth hugged me and I cried into his shoulder.
Seth laid me on the bed and covered me with a blanket. He laid down next to me and held me close to his chest. I used to do this for him when he was a kid.
When he was scared of the dark, or when he thought he heard a strange noise or when there was a bad thunderstorm he would come into my room and sleep with me.
He never did it with mom and dad. He was too embarrassed. Said he didn't want to be a mommy's boy or make dad think he was a sissy, but he had no problem sleeping with big sis when he got scared.
Now here we are years later and the roles were reversed. It felt nice to have someone holding me, not in a romantic way, but just for love and comfort. The way a loved one holds you to comfort you and protect you.
When I was little and I got scared I would wake mom and dad up and sleep with them. I would lie between them and they would both wrap their arms around me and I would feel so safe and protected.
I grabbed my pillow and used it to cuddle. It was a poor substitute for Matthew, but I needed something to help keep my hands from shaking. Needed something to bite into, to keep myself from screaming.
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I was a wolf now and I was running through the woods. It was bright and sunny and beautiful and beams of lights shined from the sky. I could hear the familiar sounds of waves crashing against rocks, could smell the distant ocean.
I ran out of the forest and found myself at one of the many cliffs. Someone was at the edge of the cliff, he had his hands clasped behind his back and he was humming a tune, I recognized it being a Quileute song.
His hair was black and his skin was tan, he was a kid. But I knew from that voice and the way his skin glowed softly in the sunlight who it was.
“Matthew?”
I was no longer a wolf, I was a human and I wore a white dress. The wind was blowing sending the skirt bellowing all over the place.
“Matthew!” I called.
He ignored me, he continued to look out at the ocean and but I knew he had to hear me. I walked towards him and put my hand on his shoulder.
“Matthew,” I said shaking him gently.
He continued to ignore me and finally I made him look at me.
And I screamed.
His face was gone. There was no mouth, no eyes, no mouth, no lips, no nothing. It was like someone took an eraser and scribbled his face away.
I fell on my back in horror, he stared at me, though he had no eyes, but I could feel him looking at me. Then the ocean burst into fire, the sky turned black and ash and the smell of burning flesh and bone filled the air. From the fiery ocean she rose, like a angel from hell.
Seraphina, wreathed in fire rose from the fire that was now the ocean. Her eyes like blue fire, her hair black as night.
“You did this to him Leah, you turned him into that!”
She laughed and it was beautiful and harsh. She fell back into the fire and it caressed her like a lover, never once burning her. I looked at what was left of Matthew, he was still staring at me with that blank face. Slowly he began to back up to the edge of the cliff, realizing what was about to happen I shot forward just in time.
He fell from the cliff but I was able to grab his arm in time.
“I got you!” I shouted.
He looked at me and I tried to hold on, but I was slowly losing my grip. Before I knew it he slipped and I screamed as he plummeted to the fire below. Unlike his sister, the fire burned him.
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I woke up screaming.
“Leah!” Seth shouted.
“Seth?”
“It's me Leah, what’s wrong?” he asked.
I said nothing. I hugged Seth hard, hugged him nice and tight. Because I had to know this was real, not the dream. I had to know that the fire was just a dream, a result of stress and fear.
It was the only thing keeping me sane.
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Jake P.O.V
I had just contacted Carlisle and informed him my pack was coming with him, he was surprised and told me I didn't have to come.
“Matthew is part of my family. Leah despite no longer being in my pack is still my sister, he is her son, he is family, we protect our own,” I said.
“Well then could you ask Billy if he could help Charlie keep an eye on Nessie? We contacted Tanya and the others and they wish to help us as well.”
“But what about their history with the Volturi?” I asked remembering their mother and sister who were killed by the Volturi.
“As much as Tanya and Kate would love to see them burn they realize Joham is the greater evil and they want to help keep Matthew safe.”
“I'll ask dad, I know he won't mind, he likes how she loves to listen to all his stories. He likes seeing the images she has of the heroes and characters from the stories.”
“Thank you Jacob, but I must remind you, this is very risky.”
“I know. But we don't want a vampire war any more then you.”
Dad was still at the meeting, he was talking to Sam, he had tried to convince me to stay. But he saw the determination in my eyes and he wanted Leah to be safe as well.
I walked over to him and Sam. “Dad, could you help Charlie look after Nessie while we are gone?”
“Sure, it's nice to have a kid around who appreciates a good story,” he said with a smile.
“We'll keep an eye on her too,” Sam said. “I am sorry I can't help you Jake, but someone needs to protect the tribe and-”
“It's okay Sam, I understand,” I said. “Someone needs to stay behind and carry on in case this goes bad.”
“Jake, I don't think Leah should go. After tonight, you have to see she is to close to this to think right.”
“What am I going to do Sam? Order her to stay?”
“Jake, what if they have wiped his mind and he has forgotten Leah? What will happen if she has to face him in battle and she can't strike him but he can fight her because he does not remember her?”
“I have thought of that, I will keep a close eye on her, we all will. I agree she is too attached to this, but there is nothing we can do to stop her. If we just leave her behind she will find her own way there. She has proven capable of living on the run before.”
“Jake, Sam has a point. Even if you kill Joham what if the boy has lost his memory again? Plus the Volturi will be gunning for him now. They will turn on you after Joham is gone, the exact second. Men like Aro who crave power will do anything, no matter how vile or heinous to obtain it. And Matthew is exactly the kind of power a man like Aro would want.”
“I know. I have considered all of this. If Matthew tries to fight us Bella can keep us protected from his power and I am sure with Fred we can hide him even from Aro.”
“But for how long Jake?”
“As long as necessary,” I said.
After that I called the Clearwater house to see how Leah was doing. Sue answered. “Jake?”
“Sue? Is Leah okay?”
“No, she is convinced something bad has happened to him, she called Fred up but she was starting to get hysterical so I had Seth take her upstairs to get some sleep.”
“She's that bad?”
“Jake she's a nervous wreck, she can't go to Volterra not like this and- Leah?! Where are you going?”
“Sue?”
“Leah! Where are you going?” I heard Sue ask.
“Out, I'll be back soon,” I heard Leah say.
“Seth go after her, she is in no state to be alone now!”
“Okay!”
“Sue what is going on?” I asked.
“Leah just left the house!”
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Leah P.O.V
I ran through the woods and Seth followed me. I was glad I could not hear his thoughts because I am sure he would be asking me questions right now.
But I had to get out of the house, I had to see someone. Someone I haven't visited in a long time.
Seth didn't try to stop me, he just let me run.
Ten minutes later I stopped running. I looked down the small hill, my heart was beating fast. Seth realized where we were; he walked up to me and whined. I licked his face and I phased back to human and put my clothes on.
Seth did the same. “Leah, what are you doing?” he asked.
“I need to talk to him,” I said.
We walked down the hill. Our feet were soon wet from the dew covering the grass. It was easy enough to jump over the metal fence, they just used it to keep out the fox's and rabbits so they wouldn't eat the flowers.
We passed many stones. Each open written with a name, each written with a day of birth and death. Many of our ancestors were buried here; when I and Seth died we would be buried here as well.
I had not been able to attend the funeral, at that moment I was stuck as a freaked out giant wolf. But I did visit once I had learned to turn human. But I had not been here in years, it was too much.
Graveyards are always portrayed as creepy or scary. Well ours isn't, it's rather lovely, as macabre as it sounds. The grass is green and flowers grew along the fence. I took the time to pick a couple.
As we passed older graves, who were so old the names were starting to fade, I laid a single flower on them. Dad used to do it when we came to visit lost friends or family. I asked why he did it when he didn't know these people, he said because no one should be forgotten, not even the dead.
He said even though these people are long dead we must remember once they were alive, that even in death they were still Quileute and deserved to be remembered.
The last flower I saved for dad himself.
“Seth, can you give me some privacy with dad?” I asked.
“Sure, I'll just....take a stroll,” he said.
He walked off leaving me and dad alone. I sat down and placed the flower on top of his stone. I kissed it too; the cold rock was cold against my lips.
“Hey dad,” I said.
Of course there was no response.
“Sorry it has been a while, I was living in Canada the last two years. Some things have happened; bad things and worse things are going to happen. I feel a lot of guilt right now. See, two years ago Charlie found this wild hybrid called Matthew and brought him to Carlisle to look after. Now this kid is nutty as a fruit cake. I mean first time he sees Seth he tries to eat him, then the little shit has a power that allows him to turn us into humans and he sees me naked and he tells me I should go see a doctor about not having a thing between my legs, can you believe that?
“Then he latches on to me and starts acting like I am his new friend and I try my best to avoid him but somehow I found myself spending more and more time with him. I don't know why, maybe I was just using him to escape my problems or maybe it was his power reacting to his attraction to me, or maybe it was a part of me that desired a child and was drawn to his pain. I don't know, either way before I knew it my fate and his was intertwined.
“Things were going good, then he accidentally bit me when we tried to get his memories back, he flipped out..” I showed dad the scars on my arm. “Hurt like hell, thought I was going to see you soon, but Nahuel saved me...yeah, about Nahuel, I know you wouldn't approve of him because of the vampire factor. But he is a good guy. And I was so alone, I needed some kind of contact, I couldn't ask any of the others, and I couldn't go to a human. I needed to be someone who I didn't have to lie to, someone I didn't have to worry about their being complications with. Don't worry I am not dating him...but then there is Fred.
“That is really complicated. See Matthew as it turns out is drawn to Emily's blood, we were having a friendly game of ball and Emily wanted to be close with me again so she convinced Sam to let her go, I kind of blame myself, maybe if I had been more friendly with her maybe she wouldn't have done this. But in any case she was there and he caught her scent he tried to kill her...you know how it goes, hell have no fury like a wolf who's imprint has been scorned.
“Sam tried to kill Matthew, he had every right I know. But he was just a kid, he couldn't help being a vampire, he was still recovering from drinking human blood, Emily should not have been there. It just seemed wrong to kill him you know. So me and Sam fought and Matthew made Sam turn human to protect me and I wound up hurting him bad.
“We went into hiding, I took it upon myself to protect him, I didn't even tell the Cullen's where I was going, I didn't want them to get in trouble for being associated you know. They helped with money and the getaway car but I did it. It was tough, I missed mom and Seth a lot and they tried to convince me to come back, but I couldn't. I almost killed Sam for this kid; I had to be the one to look after him.
“While we were there we met a vampire called Fred who is a remnant of this coven the Cullens and us killed, he was smart, he ran. Matthew took a liking to him and we told him to go to the Cullen's and they helped turn him into a yellow eyes vamp and he lived with us. Sounds like a movie or TV show huh? Werewolf, vampire and hybrid live in a house together.
“It's funny. I was satisfied with my life, but the last two years with Matthew and Fred....they were so wonderful, it was like I had done the impossible and found a normal human life. I had a job, my own house...even a kid. I missed La Push, I made sure I called mom and Seth and kept in touch with them.
“But all good things come to an end, Matthew's sister showed up, stole him, and torched the house and almost me with it. Fred saved me and we’re back now, we know where he is now and what his evil father is planning. But dad....something has happened to Matthew. I can sense it deep inside my soul. I am afraid to find him now, I am afraid to find him, because I know he may not be the same Matthew I knew and loved and I do love him dad.
“Ridiculous as it sounds I do love him. And even though I am afraid of what I might find I must go get him back, every fiber of my being is telling me to get him back, no matter what. I have to see him again dad, I have to be able to hold him in my arms and smell his sweet scent and listen to his beautiful voice and know he is safe and happy. So I am going to the heart of vampire law and culture to face Joham on the battlefield, him, his daughters, the army he has bred and Matthew himself, I must ally myself with my brothers, my allies and some of my most dangerous enemies all for the chance to reclaim him and even if I get him back keeping him will be harder than before, but I know with Fred's help I can do it.
“I wish you could have met him, Fred is the kind of guy you always told me to go for. Strong, smart, polite, educated. Sure he drinks blood, but he has lovely hair and he doesn't talk much...which is good seeing how I talk enough for the both of us. I just wish you were hear daddy. I wish you wear hear so you could give me some advice.
“I guess I just want to hear your voice one last time. I love you daddy, I know you might not approve of some of my choices, I hope you are proud of me for what I have done with what fate has given me. Matthew saved me from all the anger and bitterness that surrounded me, now I have to save him. I love you, dad.”
I stood up and I went to find Seth, he wasn't to far away, I was sure he heard some of what I said.
“You okay sis?” he asked me.
“Yeah. Just needed to vent. Ready?”
“Sure, we going home?”
“Yeah. Don't want to freak mom out any more then what we have.”
We headed home and I looked back, I felt like dad should be there waving at us, but he was gone, all I had left of his was memories and the lessons he taught me and that was more than enough for me.
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Two days later and we were set.
We had to wait for the Denali coven to come, they arrived yesterday. Sam and his pack were here along with the elders and Charlie. He didn't know exactly what was going on, he just knew we had a very important trip to make and it had something to do with Matthew.
He was still on the need to know thing.
The mood was somber. Everyone knew this was going to make the little Volturi incident seem like cake walk. Because we were helping one snake fight another and the chances were high that we would be poisoned no matter what happened.
Jake suggested Carlisle call up the other vampires from before but he said no. Before he was just asking them to witness, he would not outright ask them to fight. Personally I would have felt better with that Zafrina woman on our side.
While everyone was saying goodbye I took Emily far away from the group so we could have some privacy.
“Em, I know we have been through a lot and there is still some bad blood between us, but before we go, I had to do this.” I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a hug. She stiffened in surprise but relaxed and hugged me back.
“Oh Leah,” she said.
“I didn't want you to think I hated you or something, you know in case I-”
“Don't even say it Leah!” Emily said her face set in stone. “Don't think you can use death to weasel your way out of being my bridesmaid. I expect you to come back alive and well and you’re going to bring that kid of yours too, I'll wear a lot of perfume or something so he can't smell my blood, but understand this Leah, you will come back, this isn't goodbye, got it?”
She hugged me again and I hugged her back.”Yeah, I got it,” I smiled.
We walked back and I saw Sam was watching us with a small smile.
Mom was fussing over Seth, making sure he had everything packed. “Now I packed that guide to Italian so you can learn the language. Also I packed you a map so if you get lost-”
“Mom, I get it, I'll be fine,” Seth said.
Mom looked like she was about to cry. She wrapped Seth in a big hug and began to sob. “My boy, my baby, your all grown up now, what am I going to do?”
“Now, now Sue, leave the boy alone,” Charlie said gently pulling mom of Seth.
As soon as mom saw me she latched onto me next. “Take care of your brother now Leah. Be careful, don't trust any of those monsters.”
“I won't mom,” I said hugging her.
“And Seth listen to Leah, she is your sister and an alpha now.”
“Yes mom.”
Mom beamed at me. “My baby, an alpha. Your father would be so proud of you.”
“Leah.”
I turned and Sam was there. “Good luck,” he said.
Much to his surprise I gave him a hug. If this was to be the last I saw of him, of any of them I wanted them to remember me as happy, tough Leah, not sad, angry Leah.
“Listen, now that you are an alpha now, I was wondering. How would you like a pack of your own?” Sam asked.
“What?” I asked surprised.
“My pack is too big Leah. I spend more time trying to keep them from fighting and killing one another. We get our instincts from wolves Leah, wolf packs aren't supposed to be this big. I figured with you being an alpha now, when you get back you could take some off my hands. I figure since your good with kids maybe you could help me whip them into shape.”
“Can we do that? Three wolf packs?”
“We worked with two, why not three?”
“I'll think about it Sam, but thanks for the offer.”
“Come back safe Lee.”
Nessie was finishing saying goodbye to her parents. She was still upset she couldn't come with. She reminded me of Bella when she was still human, the anger, the frustration at how helpless she was.
We had our hugs, we all said our see you laters, careful not to say goodbye.
We all got into the cars. Us wolves rode with Emmett and Rose in his jeep, it was the only car that could hold us all. Fred rode with Bella and Edward, Nahuel and his aunt drove with Carlisle and Esme and the Denali coven followed.
I wanted to ride with Fred, but I did not want to be around Edward when I was next to Fred and it had been so long since I had been with my pack brothers.
We drove to the airport, the Cullens had bought a private plane to fly us to Italy. Funny, I once dreamed of going there with Sam one day. Now that I know what lives there I dread it.
We didn't pack much save some clothes we would need. When we faced the Volturi we wanted to look a bit better so Alice got us some clothes that wouldn't make us look like we came from a third world country. If I was going to face the most powerful coven in the world it was not going to be in my sweat paints and a tank top.
We got to the airport in record time thanks to how reckless vampires drive. I was glad that the Cullens got one of those big jet planes instead of the cramped ones. I was a wolf and I hated being stuck in cramped areas. Made me nervous.
I sat by the window, watching as the earth passed us by. I kept on wondering if I would come back to Washington this time? I had a lot of things to look forward to, being bridesmaid, being an alpha to a pack of wolves.
But this felt different than any other battle I ever fought. I felt like I was standing in front of an oncoming train and I couldn't move.
“Penny for your thoughts?” a voice asked.
I turned and saw Fred was sitting next to me. “Hey. Nice view huh?” I asked.
“Yeah, it's amazing. I never flew in a plane before,” he said looking out the window in wonder.
“You scared about meeting the Volturi?” I asked.
“No. I am confident in my ability.”
“But will you be okay being around them? The same people who killed Bree?” I asked.
He took a deep breath in then out. “It will be tough, but this is for Matthew.”
I laid my head on his shoulder. “Sam offered me a pack all of my own.”
“I heard. You going to do it?”
“I don't know. I mean I am still trying to figure out what to do about Matthew, I haven't even considered his offer.”
“So how does it feel to be an alpha?” he asked.
I shrugged. “No different than before. Which is funny, I thought being an alpha you would feel more important or big and bad. But I am still me, still Leah.”
My eyelids felt heavy. It was going to be a long trip. Soon my eyes closed and I felt something cold brush my lips lightly.
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Fred P.O.V
She looked so peaceful sleeping right now.
I brushed my thumb gently against her hot lips, remembering the feel of them pressed against my lips.
I still think what happened between us was a dream. Did I really go skinny dipping with her? I have never even gone on a date with a girl before and here I was swimming with one in my birthday suit. We didn't have sex but it was definitely rated R.
Despite our little romp in the creek it was still unsaid what we were. Were we an item? A couple? Boyfriend and girlfriend?
I didn't know. But I do know there was something powerful between us.
I thought of the Volturi. I know everything about them. From the leaders, Marcus, Caius and Aro. How Aro can read minds with a touch, Marcus can see the bonds between people, Caius has no power but he has a sharp mind and a cold logic and is one of the greatest tacticians to ever live. Aro was the head of the three, it was his ambition and will that made the coven the force it was today. Marcus was useful, with his gift, he could spot a traitor a mile away, but he had suffered the loss of a loved one and had been a zombie for centuries now. Caius was the most violent of the three, preferring more draconian methods to matters. Despite not having a gift he earned his place as coven leader for his brilliant mind and his ability to solve any problem.
The wives had no dealings with their husband’s dealings, they only came out to feed or spend time with their mates, otherwise they kept to themselves, and until they came to Forks they had not left Volterra in centuries.
The guard was numerous; of all them only two did not have special abilities. Santiago and Felix. From what I understand Aro took these two in because despite their lack of powers they had battle skills that made them capable of fighting groups of vampires and coming out on top.
Santiago was once one of the Spanish conquistadors. Sometime during his run in the jungle he ran into a vampire and was turned. He had claimed a large part of Mexico for himself. When the Volturi showed up to prevent exposure they saw potential in Santiago they had not seen since Felix and had him join.
Felix. He was the one who killed Bree. Felix was once a Spartan warrior, like all children of Sparta, or at least the males life was tough and cruel. Babies who were judged to be weak or diseased were left to die. Those strong enough were harshly trained to be warriors. Felix was the youngest fighter in the Spartan army. But one day he got into an argument with a superior officer and killed him. Before he could be killed he ran, eventually he was captured and bought as a slave in Rome and tossed in the ring as a gladiator.
Life was good for him then. No matter what they sent after him whether it was man or beast fell to to him. His Spartan blood and warrior instincts made him damn near invincible. Then during the time of the war with the Romanians Aro needed some troops so Caius having heard of Felix's reputation made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Demitri was one of Aro's prized guardsmen. His talent for tracking was unsurpassed; he had never lost a target. Edward said the reason for this was unlike other vampires who catch the scent of smells their target leaves, Dmitri catches the scent our minds leaves behind. I guess our minds leave behind a foot print or echo he can track. It is similar in a way to Edwards telepathy apparently. His power might not work on me though, since I can make someone sick by the very thought of me.
Demitri lived in Pompeii. However as a child he found he had a talent for hunting and spent much of his time out of the city, hunting animals to sell in the city for their meat and fur. It was on such a day when young Dmitri felt the earth shake and saw Mount Vesuvius erupt. He was one of the only survivors of that lost city.
Dmitri lived in the wilds for years, hunting animals and selling their hides at cities and towns to make ends meats. But one day he was captured by slavers and like Felix was sent into the arena. Years hunting animals helped him though. Dmitri proved himself a capable warrior. But soon he met his match one day in a free for all. When it came time for the thumbs up or down Aro who saw potential in Demitri whispered into the Roman ruler’s ear and Demitri got a new life he never expected.
Of course there was the witch twins Alec and Jane. Alec who could strip you of all your senses and Jane who with a single look could bring you to your knees with pain. Thinking of Jane made anger rage through me. It may have been Felix who killed Bree, but it was Jane who ordered it, Jane could have spared her but she decided to be sadistic and petty. They were the Volturi's strongest members. Their gifts allowed them to take on vampires stronger and bigger than them.
Then there were other members like Corin, Afton, Chelsea, Heidi and many more. They were the strongest, the oldest, and the best. But they were far from perfect. They were corrupt and instead of killing when the law was broken they killed when they wanted something, namely vampires with special gifts and they didn't care who they had to kill to get it.
This was proven when they came to Forks three years ago. They had been told the Cullens had made an immortal child, but instead it had been Nessie. They should have left when they learned the truth. Instead they tried to make some new excuse for Nessie to die. It was all lie's Aro was using to try and get Edward and others to join him.
But they did not count on the Cullen's having so many friends and allies and they did not count on Bella's power protecting them all. Rendering the Volturi's powers impotent for the first time ever. A part of me wishes I had been there but then they would have used my existence as an excuse to fight.
It matters not now; we are going to Italy, this time to save them. Irony. Yet we knew despite our good intentions there was still a good chance they could turn on us.
But if we did nothing then Joham would destroy them leaving the world open for unruly vampires. Plus it was the only way to save Matthew.
“Hello Fred.”
“Nahuel,” I said politely.
Nahuel sat down next to me. “How is she?” he asked referring to Leah.
“Worried for Matthew. You heard right?”
“About her....premonition?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, I heard.” sadness filled his eyes. “I do not doubt it, her and Matthew have a powerful bond. I, too, fear something has happened to him.”
“It can't be too bad, Joham wouldn't harm his own kid right?”
“Maybe not physically. But my father has no sense of empathy or compassion. Once he sets his mind on something he will see it threw no matter how horrid or inhuman. To him the end justifies the means. If sacrificing the lives of innocent women is fine I don't see why a single hybrid would matter, even if it is his own son.”
When he spoke of Joham it was with complete disgust and loathing.
“I owe you an apology,y Nahuel. I failed to protect Leah and Matthew.”
“You owe me nothing Fred. I owe you. You had the strength to do what I did not.”
“What is that?”
“You staid with her. That day she left she asked me to come but I said no.”
“She told me that. May I ask why?”
“My aunt and I live in the mountains; we have lived in the wild on humans for years. I feared we would not be much help to Leah. You lived on humans for little over a year; imagine the effort you would have to put into it if it had been a hundred and fifty years.”
“I can't, I still have some difficulty,” I said.
“Exactly. Leah would have a tough enough time with Matthew, but with me and my aunt we would be a greater hindrance then a help. I am grateful you had the power and will to do what I had not. I knew Matthew was dangerous, even for Leah, he already proved that, but me and my aunt could not just adapt to the Cullen way of life or to the modern world. Two years you helped give them peace and happiness. I owe you much Fred.”
“Nahuel...I know you care a lot for Leah and-”
“I know about you and her Fred.”
“You do?” I asked surprised.
He smiled. “I am not blind. I have a special place for her in my heart. But what we had was all about lust, not love. I admit I would not be oppressed to the idea of a more lasting relationship with her, but her heart is in your hands now my friend. And I am sure it is well safe there.”
“I don't know about that. I can't give her what she wants. She wants to age, I can't she wants to die but I don't want her to die, she wants to stay live the normal life but there is only so much of that I can give her. I curse this state I find myself in. The only good thing about my nature is I can use it to protect her and Matthew, but I can not use it to be with her. I wish I was a shape-shifter so that way we could truly be together. But I am a vampire, I will live until I am torn apart and the pieces burned, but she wants to age, to wrinkle, to fade, to die. It is ironic that men have sacrificed much to achieve immortality and hear I am wishing I could trade it all.”
“I know how you feel, Leah already told me of her wish to live and die like a human. It is not easy to live with the idea the one you love wants a life you can not give her. I wish I could give you some advice to help you. But I to can not give her what she wants, immortality was born to me. I can no more give her that life then you can.”
“I picked one hell of a woman to fall in love with. I wish I was still human. Then we could be together so easily.”
“But you would not have met her and Matthew, you would not be able to travel with her to Volterra to help save him,” Nahuel pointed out.
“I know. All we can do is try our best to get my brother back and protect them. But I hope life can make it work out. I see pain in your eyes Fred. You and her both deserve happiness.”
“Thank you Nahuel, I am glad we can be friends, despite our affections for Leah.”
“I never did understand why humans get so angry with one another when they love the same person. Seems stupid to fight when you share love for the same person.”
“Humans huh?” I said.
“Yeah, silly things,” he smiled.
The flight continued on. Leah woke up a few hours later and asked if she missed anything. We smiled and told her no. We had our man talk and there was no need to tell her what was said.
We all went over planes and strategies again and again. We were swimming into dangerous waters.
As we drew closer to Italy my thoughts turned to Matthew. I wondered if he was okay, what he was doing, if he was thinking about us. And I sincerely hoped Leah's feeling was not an omen, but just a bad feeling and nothing more.
Matthew was like a little brother to me, and like a son in some ways. If anything happened to him I dare say his loss would be worse than Bree's.
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Leah P.O.V
It was day when we arrived at the airport.
I was glad to be off that damned plane. It was good to feel sunlight against my skin, to feel the wind blow through my hair.
The vampires had to dress in full body clothing so they wouldn't sparkle when the sun touched them. We went to baggage claim to grab our bags. The vampires got a lot of odd looks. Partially because of how they dressed and partially because they were so stunning. The men wore hoodies and the women had scarves wrapped around their heads to block out the sun. But they still looked amazing.
It was to our immense surprise we found a limo and a driver waiting for us. An older man with a sign that read Cullen in thick black letters.
“For us?” I asked Carlisle.
“Aro arranged transportation,” he said.
“How nice of him,” I said, my voice thick with sarcasm.
We loaded our bags in the trunk and got into the limo. Once we were already we were on our way.
I was amazed we were all able to fit in the limo. Five werewolves and fourteen werewolves. All in one limo. I have never been in a limo before, I don't know if I was supposed to feel special or not. I felt like I should be riding in a Hurst.
“So what is the game plan?” Emmett asked.
“Yes, I know we have gone over it on the plane dozens of times but I think we should prepare again,” Garrett said.
“Alice, what is going on with Aro?” Carlisle asked.
“He is eagerly waiting our arrival,” she said. “He has already gone over everything with Marcus and Caius. Caius thinks we are lying and planning something. He wants to kill us as soon as we arrive. But Marcus and Aro are more sensible. They want to hear what we have to say. He is really interested in Matthew. He has already thought of thousands of ways Matthew could be useful to him.”
“Not to be a downer or anything, but if we do get him back what do we do?” Kate asked. “I mean now that Aro knows of him he will want him bad right? How are we going to keep Aro from getting his hands on him?”
“Fred and I can keep him safe. As long as Fred keeps his power around us we can't be found,” I said.
“Aro won't stop Leah,” Eleazar said. “Once he learns what Matthew is capable of he will not stop until Matthew is his. He is the ultimate desirable. Any vampire would want him in their coven.”
“Well too bad, Aro won't get him, ever,” I said stressing the last part.
“But how do we know Aro won't just kill us after he gets what he needs from us?” Rose asked.
“She's right, once he reads our minds and learns everything he needs why keep us alive?” Jasper asked.
“Greed. Aro wants Alice, Edward, Bella and I know he would want Fred on his side,” Jake said.
“Plus he will not kill us,” Carlisle said. “Despite what happened years ago Aro will not seek to hurt us. Especially not now that we are trying to help him.”
“What about the rest of the guard?” Edward asked. “Aro might be more forgiving but the others will surely not be as forgiving.”
“If Aro orders no hostilities then they will obey, no one would dare attack us if Aro ordered it.”
“Carlisle, you forget, we are giving Aro a reason to attack us,” I said.
“Leah,” Fred said warningly.
“Actually Aro may show Fred mercy,” Edward said, “you forget Fred is quite talented and technically he did not break any rules, his other coven mates did. Jane only killed Bree to assert her authority over us. Once Aro reads Fred's mind I am certain he will be given absolution.”
Fred grinned at me and I wanted to punch him. I was so worried they would try and harm Fred for his past, power or no power.
Soon the limo pulled into a building. The door closed behind us and when it shut it sounded like the doors of a mausoleum closing.
We were expected. Three figures decked in black were waiting for us. I recognized them from the battle. They were some of the guards. We got out and faced the three.
“Carlisle,” the girl said politely.
“Chelsea,” Carlisle said back.
“We have been sent to escort you to the main hall,” she said.
“We have packed baggage,” Carlisle said.
“It will be taken to the rooms Aro has set up for you,” she said.
That made me feel a little more comfortable. If Aro had rooms ready then he wasn't going to kill us...right away at least.
We followed Chelsea and the other two guards. They led us to a door and we found ourselves in a long narrow hallway.
“The building has grown since I was last here. Tell me, do you still use the underground tunnels?” Carlisle asked.
“Yes, we don't use them as much as we once did. But the main building is connected to a few of the newer buildings now,” Chelsea said.
I had no idea what they meant and Edward had to hear my inner questions and answer. “In the old days the Volturi used the sewer system to travel during the day. But not they have built passages that lead to some of the near by buildings.”
“The tunnels are spread far and deep, its very maze like and you can get lost really easily,” Eleazar said.
“If you have time you should visit them. They are fun to traverse if you like puzzles,” Chelsea said.
Yeah, like I would waltz through the labyrinth of the damned. I was amazed at how nich she was being to us, seeing how some years ago she tried to kill us all.
No more questions were asked as we headed for the main room. We took a lot of stairs and walked through a lot of hallways. I figured we were getting close. Soon the concrete and wooden walls turned to stone. The air smelled older, more ancient and the smell of vampires flooded my senses.
I tensed.
It was instinct, so close to so many vampires, many of whom I knew would love to snap my neck like a twig. I knew it was affecting the others as well. I saw the guys faces. Tense, aggravated, angry, ready for a fight.
A wave of calm hit us like a cool breeze on a hit summer day, Jasper and his power. The guys relaxed a little, their faces lost some of the hostility.
I had to appreciate the decor of the building we were now in. I felt like I had stepped out of time and into the renaissance or something.
Soon we came to a large double set of wooden doors. Chelsea opened them and we walked into a grand, vast room. The guard stood in the room and I fought the urge to phase and run.
We walked forward as a group, a pair of vampires closed behind us, the sound of the doors closing echoed eerily behind us.
Chelsea and the two joined the other guards and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a butter knife.
The big three sat on their fancy chair. Just as regal and creepy as I remembered them to be. Their eyes milky red, their skin thin and white, like onion skin.
Aro stood up, a big smile on his face. He clapped his hands together. “Welcome, to Volterra!”
I reminded myself that this was for Matthew, it was the only way I could save him was by joining forces with these monsters. I just hope I haven't damned him as well.

Fusedtwilight: How will the meeting go? What must Leah give in order to have Matthew back? Please review.
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