Forever or Never?

“Ah, yes…” Alec started. They walked forward and stopped in front of our little group. “I see you’re still working with the mutts, then, Emmett.” Alec smirked. Seth growled behind me. I put my hand back and brushed his fur for a second to calm him down. He stopped growling and exhaled quickly, the warm mist rising and disappearing into the air. “And you now, too, Mateja?”
“Yes, actually. But as of yet we haven’t needed to work with them against anyone. It’s more of a mutual friendship.” I smiled politely at Alec and Demetri. “But, as I am not the leader of the coven of this area, and Seth isn’t the Alpha of his pack, we must meet in a more appropriate place.” I turned and looked Seth in the eye. “Get Jake. Meet us at my house. Neutral territory.” I ducked as the large wolf jumped over me, Alec and Demetri and continued running through the forest. “Emmett,” I said, standing, “go get the rest of the Cullens, and my parents if you would, please. My house, fifteen minutes.” Emmett nodded and ran into the forest in the direction of Forks. “As for you,” I turned around to face the two vampires of the Volturi guard, “follow me. Stay close, and don’t stop following me until we get to my house.”
We ran through the forest in silence and stopped outside my house, Jake, Seth, Leah all in wolf form in the yard. I opened the front door as the Cullens, Denalis and Jordan arrived. Everyone came in, followed shortly by the pack leaders, who had stayed outside to phase.
“Aro’s just checking up on his long missed friend.” Alec started. Carlisle and I nodded at the same time.
“I’m fine.” I stated. “I’m happy, and I’m not stupid. What does he want this time?” I asked shortly.
“He just wanted to make sure you were still alive. Word travels fast, especially if the Cullen coven gains even more members. When you left, you said you had found a mate. Who’s your mate?”
“Actually, at that time, I hadn’t found a mate. I had found Dan and Cassandra, though, who have been my makeshift parents. And now I have found a mate. Two, actually.” Alec cocked his head to one side. “Emmett and Seth.”
“A wolf? Really?” Demetri interrupted.
“Yes. A wolf. And technically he started it.” I smiled smartly at the two Volutri members. “What else do you want?”
“Well, we were sent because Aro has heard of an extraordinary human who he thinks will have great powers if changed. And since she was in this area, Aro sent the two of us to find Eleazar and you. Oh, we know you don’t want to go back to the Volturi, so don’t bother. Aro just wanted to see if you and Eleazar could match up and together figure out what she would be as a vampire.” Alec explained, cutting me off more than once.
“We’ll think about it.” Eleazar said, pushing himself off the wall and coming to stand behind me. “Who is it?”
“Catie Annette Smith.” I tucked my lips inside my mouth and bit, the venom flowing out of my mouth into my bottom lip. “You know her, I take it?” Alec asked, smirking at my reaction to my niece’s name.
“Yeah. I do.”
“She lives out on the rez. You can’t touch her.” Leah announced, her face looked protective.
“And why not?” Demetri asked. “All we were asked to do was find out what she could do, then bring her to Aro.”
“Because the entire pack is between you and her. And it’s grown since the last time you decided to pick a fight with us.” Seth leered, looking at me.
“And my family for sure.” Dan said, coming up and putting a hand on my shoulder.
“And ours.” Carlisle sighed. I got the feeling that he didn’t want to fight, but he knew what Catie meant to everyone and how closely she had become knit into the coven.
“And ours.” Eleazar stated. “All of them. It wouldn’t take much for me to get the rest of the Denali’s here.”
“And Peter and Charlotte are always willing to help.” Jasper said.
“And almost everyone will come back to help us.” Alice dazed, in a trance, looking to see who would come and help us. “If it comes down to a fight, we win, you lose. Again.” Her eyes hardened as she said the last few words, her voice hardening at the same time.
“It doesn’t have to come to a fight.” Alec said, looking at the group of vampires and pack members.
“But it will. Especially if Aro finds out what she can do.” Alice spoke of what only she and Edward knew.
“But you don’t know exactly what she can do yet, Alice?” Alec asked, curious.
“No. It keeps changing.” I decided to tell Alice to shut up, and she closed her mouth before another word came of it. I smiled at her.
“Are you going to introduce me to your new friend now, or do we have to wait?” Demetri asked, eyeing Jordan and Emmett, who were standing next to each other.
“Oh, this is Jordan. Emmett’s twin brother from when they were human.” I said, looking over at the two massive vampires.
“Lovely. There’s another one. Does he have any powers?” Demetri asked wearily.
“No.” I lied. Demetri’s eyes challenged mine to see if I was lying, but I was too impressive of a liar.
“Fine.”
“Demetri, our work here is done. They obviously won’t help us.” Alec walked out the door and Demetri reluctantly followed. Alice rushed over to me.
“They’re going to take Catie by force. We have to stop them.” She whispered in my ear.
“NO!” I screamed. “Jake, call the pack. They have to protect Catie. Alec’s decided to go get her. Keep her on the rez. I have faith in you.” I tried to say calmly, but it didn’t sound very calm. Jake, Seth, and Leah ran out the door and a few seconds later I heard a wolf howl. Edward and I bolted out the door and ran towards the rez, going the long way around.
We arrived at the reservation to the wolf pack in a circle around Alec and Demetri. I followed Catie’s scent to Sam and Emily’s house as Edward tried to calm the wolves down. Leah and Seth were standing in their wolf forms in front of the door. When they saw me they moved aside enough for me to sneak in the door and then closed the gap again.
Catie jumped off the couch and attacked me in a hug.
“Aunt Mats, what’s happening?” She asked worriedly. “Where’s Jordan? Why isn’t he here? What do the other vampires want from me?”
“Shh.” I patted her hair trying to calm her down. “It’s ok. Jordan will be here in a minute.” On cue Jordan came through the door and pulled Catie out of my arms, lifting her two feet off the ground in a hug.
“Jordan.” She whispered in his ear.
“It’s ok, Catie. I’m here. They won’t get you.” He whispered back.