Welcome to the Family

“May I have this dance?”

Alec’s eyes narrowed, the romance swiftly banished from the air as the tension and testosterone swam around the three of us suffocating me.

“Alec?” A fourth all too familiar voice pouted as Lauren pushed her way in between Alec and I. “May I dance with you?” batting her eye lids she stroked his arm flirtatiously, I growled lowly causing her to snap her eyes towards me, I never been a clingy girlfriend and I’m sure Alec appreciates that… But it was for Alec to appreciate, not Lauren. “You don’t mind do you?” She stated rather than asked, a smug smirk twisting along her lips. “I’m mean you have Oliver to keep you company” I opened my mouth to retort, yet found there was nothing to say, closing my mouth I looked up at Alec who looked from Lauren to glaring at Oliver before turning his gaze to me.

“Maybe later Lauren” Alec tried as he went to take my hand, to take me away from the smog of tension.

“But, Alec, it’s tradition for us to have at least one dance?” She argued.

“I” Alec paused as he looked down at me, almost asking for permission. I cringed inwardly, now that he had asked so sweetly I couldn’t deny him his traditional dance as much as the jealous… yes I admit jealous… side of me wanted to. I gave him as soft smile before stepping back slightly, he nodded in acknowledgement “Sure Lauren” He smiled at her, “I’ll find you later Abby” He forced out, pecking my cheek with a small kiss before he left hand in hand with Lauren to a separate part of the dance floor. I glared at the back of Lauren’s head.

“So is that a yes?” Oliver asked, grabbing my hand and twirling me like a ballerina, I giggled happily. He sure did look dashing tonight, his attire was similar to Alec the only difference being the silver waist coat underneath his formal tailored jacket and the silver styled Roman gladiator mask.

“That’s a yes” I smiled up at him, placing a hand on his shoulder whilst my right slotted into his as he held if out in front of him, taking up the waltz position. “Now shall we dance?”

“Why yes madam” He bit back a smile, golden eyes gleaming with amusement as we began to dance, swaying gracefully to the ¾ beat.

“I didn’t actually think we’d get to dance you know?” I blurted out suddenly after about an hour or so of dancing and occasionally talking to other vampires, all of whom found my vegetarian habit fascinating. “You’re not exactly Alec’s favourite person”

“Nor is he mine” He agreed, “The two greatest understatements of the century” He chuckled,

“At least it’s a mutual feeling” I tried,

“A mutual hatred?”

I chuckled, “Yeah… It doesn’t sound so great when you put it like that” Breaking the dance we headed to the side of the halls while the other couples continued to dance, leaning against the black bricked walls in a space that wasn’t covered in royal red drape Oliver joined me brushing his hand against mine as he leant against the wall.

“You seem glum… I’m not that bad a dancer as am I?” He asked I flickered my gaze over towards him, the intention being to glance away again, yet his honey trap eyes caught me, no allowing me to look away.

“No” I answered shaking my head,

“Then what’s up?” His concern for me shinning through his eyes. “Because something’s eating at you”

“I’m fine honestly” I tried to convince him… A shame that he already knew me well enough to tell when I’m lying.

“Don’t try that one on me” He shuck his head, “Now spill”

“Oliver really it’s not that big a deal” I pushed myself off of the wall.

“Wait” He almost pleaded as he grabbed my hands and stood in front of me, trapping me between him and the wall, yet still leaving space, so I didn’t feel claustrophobic. “I didn’t mean to pry. I just care for you” I bit my lip; I had half hoped that he would continue to pry at it, I needed to tell someone.

“I guess I’m just jealous” I muttered looking at the floor, I hated to admit it but every time Alec looked at Lauren I couldn’t help but imagine the two of them together, it hid in the back of my mind taunting me, teasing me about what could happen. “I’m just- It- I’m” Taking a deep breath “Lauren”

“Oh” He nodded

“God… I feel like such a kid” I buried my face in my hands. “I mean it’s not even proper jealousy it’s like there’s this thought going around in my head and it keeps taunting me with the idea of them being together” Oliver went to say something but I cut him off, “And every time she looks at him or he looks at her it pops up again”

“May-”

“But then when she’s not there it goes away and I love every minuet of it. I hate this. Why can’t it just be simple? And it’s not like I don’t trust him, I do. I’, just freakin’ paranoid”

“It’s been awhile since you ranted hasn’t it?” Oliver asked with an amused smirk when I finally took time to breath, I rolled my eyes, he wasn’t taking this seriously. “Hay, look I get it… I understand you” He tried a different approach.

“Really? You understand?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Yes” He nodded, “You don’t trust him” He stated plainly, my eyes widened,

“What? Of course I trust Alec” I argued. How could I not? We were soul mates.

“Then why do you think what you’re thinking right now whilst Alec is with Lauren?”

I opened my mouth on to close it again. He had a point; if I trusted Alec implicitly then why did these horrible thoughts twist within my mind every single second? Why did it always hide in the back of my mind waiting to pounce on any slip up?

“You know I have a point” Oliver continued, taking advantage of my silence.

“I don’t know” I muttered pitifully looking down at the floor. Maybe Oliver was right.

“But you do know Abby, you come from a family made up of soul mates, have you ever once heard them question the other?”

“No” I answered honestly, still looking at the floor. Carlisle never mistrusted Esme. Rosalie never doubted Emmett. Jasper never suspected Alice. Yet I did all three with Alec.

“Look at me” Oliver uttered calmly, “Abby” He used his hand to tilt my face up to look at him capturing my full attention. I knew for a fact that with one look into my eyes he could read everything I was thinking, he could see the doubt, the questioning. Everything. “I can see it; I can see what you’re thinking all the doubt. You and I both know that soul mates aren’t supposed to think those sorts of thoughts about each other”

“But Marcus saw that we were, that we were soul mates” I tried to comprehend.

“Abby, he’s been wrong before. He sees relationships, all he saw that yours was a powerful one… That’s doesn’t mean that you’re soul mates” He explained, stroking the sides of my cheek with his finger.

“So… All this time?” I swallowed slowly, “We might not be? But it felt…”

“Abby, calm down” He soothed,

“How?” I choked,

“Look, I’m leaving tonight, after the ball, you should come with me” He smiled, “We can go far away, wherever you want, get away from it all”

I closed my eyes, blocking out his mesmerising golden hues, taking a deep breath, I needed to talk to Alec, I need to see his eyes and looked into him, I knew for some reason that if I saw him and looked at him properly something would become clear… I would know what to do.

“Abby, come with me” He pleaded, grabbing both of my shoulders. I opened my eyes, the doubt and questioning now gone from them.

“I need to talk to someone” I stated, breaking his hold on me and side stepping past him, my eyes scanning the hall, Alec no where to be seen in amongst the flashes of expensive material.

“Abby, think for a second” Oliver tried again as he stepped in front of me. I ignored him and took a deep breath in inhaling all of the scents of the room, scanning through them searching for Alec’s.

“I am” I answered firmly as I caught Alec’s scent, “Let me do this” I continued as I stepped past him, sweeping out of the hall on Alec’s trail.

His trail led down a small passage leading from the hall, the music dimming to a low drone as I walked further down the passage; reaching a large oak down with a grand brass handle I opened it onto a small balcony, the wind catching my hair blowing two strong scents in my direction.

Alec’s and Lauren’s.

My eyes followed my nose as I looked down. I stopped, everything within me froze, my lungs stopped working no air passing through me, my mind fuzzed as I looked at the scene before me. Alec and Lauren kissing. Her hands roamed the back of his neck, fingers twisting within his hair while he rested his hands on her back.

“Did you really think it would work?” Jane spoke from beside me as she jumped down from the roof above me. “He’s the prince of the Volturi, Lauren is the Princess and that makes you the delusional peasant” She continued, “He deserves so much more than you and Lauren is what he deserves”

“But you gave me the dress and the necklace” I turned to her, tears filling my eyes, the burning behind them as they welled up.

“I’m protecting my brother, that doesn’t mean I’m going to be a complete bitch. You deserved one last night of whatever fantasy the two of you were sharing” She explained. I felt my whole body shake in distraught, Oliver was right, Jane was right, Lauren was right and Marcus was wrong… My feelings for Alec were all fake… A delusion… A beautifully ugly illusion.

“I loved him” I choked

“Yes” Jane agreed, “But he loves Lauren” She stated firmly, “He always has”

“But-”

“You should just go” She narrowed her eyes, “He’s better off without you”

I bit my finger in attempt to hold back the screams that were hurtling around my head, the burning now feeling like an inferno behind my eyes, my vision completely blurred. Everything knotted within me hate, heartbreak, anger, sadness a twister of emotion. I couldn’t take it; it was like it was pushing at the sides of my heart, threatening to explode.

“Abby?” Oliver asked as he joined us on the balcony, “Abby?” He asked again, concern as he saw my broken state. I snatched off my mask, anger twisting in my eyes, throwing it to the floor, quickly pulling the clip from my hair. Carlisle had given it to me… I was no longer apart of that family, Alec had seen it and asked me to wear it and now I was no longer with him… This clip held memories of both families that I had lost…

“Give this to him” I hissed lowly as I shoved the clip into Jane’s hands, she nodded. Oliver looked over the side catching sight of Alec and Lauren.

“Abby I’m so sorry” he began as he turned to me,

“Shut up” I hissed breathing heavily only just managing to contain everything. “Take me the hell away from here before I hurt someone”

“Right, yes” He blinked slightly stunned as he grabbed my hand leading me back through the halls.

We reached the hall and I froze the iron scent wafting up my nose, my mouth watering, the music had stopped, the lights had dimmed and the crowds were now in a circle around the dance floor. I pushed through the crowds and reached the front, freezing at the sight.

Gianna lay there, sprawled on the floor blood dried on her skin, arms and legs broken at odd angles, eye wide in fear yet dead, void of all life, a shell.

“Gianna” I croaked hoarsely,

That was it; I snapped my narrowed eyes towards Aro who stood victoriously over her body. He smiled at me wiping a small droplet of blood from his chin.

“She failed to survive the process” He announced, “But I’m sure you agree, it proved for great entertainment” I felt physically sick, ‘entertainment’? I looked up at Oliver, his look was stern,

“You knew this was going to happen?” I gasped,

“I guessed, Aro rarely turns humans unless they have potential” He whispered back,

“And you didn’t think to let me know. I could have gotten her out of here” I argued,

“And what? He would have just tracked her down and you know it, the moment she became apart of the Volturi she signed her own death certificate” He silenced me.

“I think we all agree her screams were most entertaining” Aro laughed as he continued to address the crowd. My head snapped towards his direction.

It bubbled beneath me, I had just caught my boyfriend cheating on me and I could just about contain that. I loved him too much to hate him for it… But the Volturi… They were different matter all together; I was willing to contain myself for Alec’s sake I didn’t want to hurt his home. But losing Gianna was too much.

“Aro!” I snarled, pushing my way into the centre of the circle, hisses rippling out throughout the crowd.

“Silence!” Aro called over the crowd while waving the guards down with his hand, he even refused Renata who stood wide eyed at his actions.

“Abigail” He smirked tilting his head to the side opening his arms wide.

“Abby” Oliver muttered lowly as he stood at my side, “Not a smart move”

“You killed her” I hissed lowly ignoring Oliver,

Aro’s smile dropped, “She wasn’t fit to be apart of the Volturi”

I laughed harshly, “She gave her life for you!” I roared “She gave everything to this coven and all she got was…” I trailed off as I looked down at her. I couldn’t say it.

“What she was destined to have” Aro finished.

“You’re a monster!” I shriek as the rippling began, starting from my heart this time, powering outwards. Quickly I grabbed Oliver’s hand and let it take me. The emotion built up in my centre and exploded outwards, a white light flashing in front of my eyes as everything released.

The light faded and my eyes dropped with it, my body drained of all energy.

“Abby” A panicked Oliver called as I felt a pair of strong arms support my weak frame. “Abby” He called loudly my eyes snapping open. I pushed myself up, breathing heavily, still using Oliver as a support, the hall lay in ruins, the drapes torn and shredded, parts of the wall lay as scattered rubble on top of the stunned vampires that were still recovering from what ever hit, the crystal was shattered and had rained down onto the floor and the large brutal looking oak doors were now demolished, ripped from there hinges, smashed onto the floor.

“Did I?” I muttered incoherently.

“No time. We need to get out of here” Oliver interrupted as he scooped me up bridal style and took off, running out of the Volturi, out of the Volterra and out of the Italy, sweeping me away like a white knight.

I opened my eyes and found myself in Oliver’s arms, forest and trees whizzing by.

“You’re awake” He smiled as he stopped and placed me on solid ground.

“I was asleep?” I asked shocked,

“Apparently” He shrugged,

“How’s that possible?”

“Side effect of your power I guess. You’ve been out for about 24 hours now” He informed, running a hand through his thick hair.

“Damn” I gasped. “So all that actually happened?”

Oliver smiled wildly, “Err, yeah”

“Shit. I don’t know what happened” I pondered, “Was anyone hurt?”

“They’re vampires honey; they were just stunned” He smiled, “Which is one hell of an achievement. You took out the whole of the Volturi”

“Wow” I breathed as I used the three for support. What the hell was I?

“Hay, come here” Oliver soothed as he pulled me from the tree and into a well needed hug. “Shhh, you’ve been through so much, we need to just take it slow”

“Gianna” I choked out, small droplets falling from my eyes, it felt like my heart was being bound so tight before being ripped from my chest, Gianna was gone, she was one of the only rays of sunshine that poked through in the Volturi and now she was nothing. Gone. Dead.

“Shhh” Oliver soothed as he stroked my hair, “It’s okay” My head pressed against his toned chest as the tears dropped onto his shirt.

“What actually happened to her?” I forced out as I continued to cling to Oliver, he was my support.

“You don’t-”

“I do want to know” I nodded, pulling away from him and wiping my eyes “I need to know”

Oliver sighed, “If they went by tradition, they would have gotten in a circle placed Gianna in the middle and attacked her in turn, leaving cuts and gashes that aren’t fatal but cause a lot of pain”

“So that’s what Aro meant by the screaming. He bones were all broken, that was…” I choked out, “She was in pain?”

“Yeah” Oliver nodded sadly, “After that they work up into a frenzy Gianna…” He paused as he looked at me, I just gave him a nod… I needed to know this “Gianna would have been thrown from vampire to vampire for Aro amusement, until eventually he steps down from his throne and drains the last of her blood”

A disgusted shivered rippled through me as I collapsed to the floor, pulling my knees into my chest as tears continued to fall. Gianna gave everything to that place and they brutally murdered her. I could have stopped it. I should have stopped it.

“It’s my fault” I cried into my hands.

“No it’s not” Oliver enforced sternly as he stood in front of me.

“But I could have stopped it” I argued with a hoarse voice.

“As could have anyone in that room, as could have Gianna” He reasoned,

“But if I had just been more forceful and told her not to become a vampire. She could have run. I could have gone with her, hid her” I continued to feel the wet droplets roll down my face.

“Abby” Olive stated sternly. “You were not the cause of it”

“If-”

“If she had had a good life she wouldn’t have been there. If she had never joined the Volturi she would never have had died. The game of ‘if’ isn’t one you want to play Abby” Oliver said firmly. “But I can guarantee that you were not the cause of Gianna’s death you need to stop blaming yourself. It’s not what Gianna would have wanted”

I bit my lip and wiped my eyes again, he was right; I needed to pull myself together and live for myself and for Gianna. Oliver offered his hand to help me up, I took it.

“Oliver, we have no where to go and I’ve royally pissed of the most powerful coven in vampire history” I realised in alarm as I wrapped my arms around Oliver, clutching the back of his shirt. He was stripped from his formal jacket that he wore to the ball and we now only in his trousers and un-tucked white shirt. “What are we supposed to do?”

“We run” Oliver answered firmly,

“They’re going to come after us” I stated finally getting some control over my life again, Oliver’s confident mind set was almost contagious.

“No” He shuck his head, looking down at me with his hypnotic eyes. “After that display he won’t dispatch a single team for us… He’ll just keep an eye on us and if we become a threat, send an army”

“Well that’s good… I think” I furrowed my brow.

“It is” He nodded as he brushed a piece of hair from my face, I smiled up at him before leaning into another hug, something about having his arms wrapped around me let me feel secure. I pulled away from a hug that lasted too long, yet ended sooner than I wanted it too and coughed awkwardly, glancing down at the dress I was still in, ripped and torn.

“I should probably find something else to wear” I announced, “Dresses aren’t very practically for running” I laughed, Oliver laughing with me.

“Come on” He smiled, offering his hand to me. I smiled back at him, running away from everything made sense right now. I took his hand.

“We run”

…