It had taken us three weeks to gather all the witnesses we could. Shortly after I brought the Traditionals home, other vampires from across the world started to hear plea. As each vampire arrived, they were won over. Each of them was made to see. Carlisle had convinced the weary Irish coven to journey to Forks. Although, we were grateful for their help, their thirst for human blood complicated the situation. The nomads that Rose and Emmett sent were even more unpredictable.

There were so many red eyes around the Cullen home, each of them belonging to Vampires who I did not trust. They had agreed not to feed in the area, but they would have to hunt somewhere, while the Traditionals were perfectly content with feeding off of blood bags that Carlisle had smuggled from the hospital before he went off to gather more witnesses.

Another problem was occurring as more vampires entered Forks. More and more Quileutes started to turn. Both Jake's pack and Sam's pack had gained more than ten new members in three weeks, each younger than the other and scared out of their minds.

Finally, Carlisle and Esme returned home with our last witness.

I stood outside with Bella and Edward as Carlisle and Esme stepped out of the car.

"How many came?" The vampire doctor asked.

"Twenty-nine. You have some good friends." Edward smiled slightly.

Esme wrapped her arms around me. "And Alice?"

I shook my head.

The unknown man scoffed in front of us.

"We'll all be on Aro's list now. Centuries on the run. That's what you've brought me. Some friend, Carlisle."

I glared at him. What crawled up his ass and died?

Edward smirked, and I knew he had read my thoughts.

"Alistar, come meet everyone." Carlisle chuckled.

The british vampire glared at the blonde man. "I already told you, if it comes to a fight, I won't stand against the Volturi."

I didn't trust him. He would turn his back on us in a heartbeat, and I couldn't have that. I'd need to keep my eye on him.

"It won't come to a fight." Carlisle said a-matter-of-factly.

The man scoffed again muttering, "I'll be in the attic." and jumped away from us.

"He's not a people person." Esme smiled, hugging me tightly.

I scoffed. "Clearly."

We had opened the Cullen house to twenty-nine Vampires, eleven Traditionals and eighteen Cold Ones. Many of the Cold Ones, had gifts of their own. Zafrina from the Amazon coven had power over the mind. She could make anyone see what she wanted them to.

I stood with Nik as we watched Edward and Bella.

"If she weren't holding my hand right now, I could swear this was real." The former spoke.

My sister looked up at her husband confused. "I don't see anything."

I furrowed my eyebrows at her words. She should be able to see what Edward was seeing, but then I thought back to when she had an encounter with Jane's gift, she hadn't felt anything.

"Edward, you didn't tell me you wife is shield." Eleazar spoke, wondering next to the couple.

My sister looked at the older man confused. "What's a shield?"

I watched as Edward furrows his brows, then smiled. "The ones I've met are so different."

I sent a look to Nik and he smiled at me. "Let's see if she's immune to our gift." He whispered in my ear.

I looked at him confused, as he grabbed my hand, pulling me down towards my sister.

"Oh, yeah, she's a shield, all right. Shoulda put her on her ass." Kate exclaimed.

I chuckled. I was rather fond of the feisty blonde.

"Or your voltage had been exaggerated." Nik suddenly spoke as we stood next to her.

Kate turned her head towards the man beside me. "Maybe it only works on the weak."

Nik scoffed. "I'm a thousand year old hybrid, I am anything but weak."

Kate held up her hand, as if daring Nik to try and touch her.

"Klaus, I wouldn't." Carlisle tried to warn his friend.

I watched with amused eyes as Nik touched a finger to Kate's hand and he was instantly put on his knees.

"You are an amazing woman." Garrett voiced from behind me.

I chuckled as Nik got up and glared at Kate.

"Now, Isabella, I have something I'd like to test."

Bella looked at Nik with cautious eyes. "What?"

Nik suddenly flashed in front of her, and looked deep in her eyes. "Spill your deepest and darkest secret right here and right now."

We all waited with anticipation to see what would happen, but nothing happened.

"She really is a shield." Nik muttered, upset that his whatever hadn't worked.

I went to speak but something in the distance cut me off. "Someone's here."

Carlisle, Kate, Eleazar, Bella, Edward, Nik and I ran to go see what was happening, and I was met with two unfamiliar faces, sat upon rocks above where Jacob could get them.

"Vladimir, Stefan, you're a long way from home." Carlisle spoke.

Kate looked up at the two with disgust evident in her eyes. "What are they doing here?"

The albino vampire spoke first. "We heard the Volturi were moving against you. But that you would not stand alone."

Nik glared up at the two unknown vampires.

"We didn't do what we were accused of." Carlisle defended his family.

The albino vampire rolled his eyes. "We do not care what you did, Carlisle."

The brunette spoke next. "We have been waiting a millennium for the Italian scum to be challenged."

"Go back to where you came from." Nik spoke.

Vladimir and Stefan looked at the Traditional with angered eyes. "I see Nikalus Mikaelson has come out of hiding. And it only took you a Millennium." The latter spoke.

Carlisle spoke before a fight could break out. "It's not our plan to fight the Volturi."

Vladimir threw leaves with a fake disappointed look on his face. "Shame. Aro's witnesses will be so disappointed."

"They enjoy a good fight." Stefan chimed in.

Eleazar looked up at the two with confused eyes. "Aww. Still hoping they'll listen?"

I found myself back inside the Cullen house with all thirty-one witnesses gathered in the study. Eleazar, Carlisle and Nik all stood in the middle, addressing everyone in the room. I stood in between Elijah and Kol, my head on the latter's shoulder.

"When Aro wants someone from a coven it's never long before evidence turns up proving that coven committed some crime." The former started.

"So he's done this before?" Bella questioned.

"It happens so rarely, I never realized it was a pattern."

Carlisle spoke next. "Apparently he always pardons one person whose thoughts he claims are repentant."

Finally, Nik spoke. "This person always has an ability. And they're always given a place with the Guard."

"This is all about Alice. He has no one like her." Edward interjected.

"Which is why she left." Bella finished.

Emmett looked at the three in the middle. "WHat does he need witnesses?"

Alistar moved forward ever so slightly. "To spread the word that justice has been served. After he slaughters an entire coven."

I glared at the man.

"Oh lighten up old man. Nobody asked for your input." Kol spoke.

I giggled at the younger boy who I had started to call my friend. In the few weeks that the Traditionals had been here, I had grown close to Kol, Katherine, Finn and Caroline.

Alistar glared at the younger brunette beside me.

"Benjamin, Tai, we're leaving." Amun demanded. I watched him with wide eyes.

"And where the hell do you think you're going? Back to Egypt?"

Edward sent me a look, and I nodded, letting him have his big moment.

"And where will you go? What makes you think they'll be satisfied with Alice? What's to stop them from going after Benjamin next? Or Zafrina or Kate or a Traditional or anyone else with a gift? Anyone they want. Their goal isn't punishment, it's power. It's acquisition. Carlisle might not ask you to fight, but I will. For the sake of my family. But also for yours. And for the way you want to live."

I had to hand it to the man, he knew how to give a speech.

It was silent for a moment as each of the vampires looked at eachother. Jacob was the first to stand.

"The packs will fight. We've never been afraid of vampires."

The Denali's stood next. "We will fight."

"This won't be the first time I fought a king's rule." Garrett said.

"We'll join you." Benjamin stated.

Amun looked at the younger man with furious eyes. "No."

"I will do the right thing, Amun. You may do as you please."

"We will stand with you." The Amazon coven.

"So will we." The Irish.

All eyes were now on the group of Traditionals. All had come down to them.

"I miss the action of a war. Stefan, get your Hero-hair, were fighting." Damon spoke.

"This'll be interesting." Tyler muttered as he and Caroline stood.

Elena followed.

"I swore I'd do anything to protect the little one." Katherine spoke. I smiled fondly at my friend who had changed since our brief conversation in the security line.

"Family above all, always and forever. We stand with you, Carlisle." Finn added.

Edward looked around, grateful that everybody had agreed to fight.

"That didn't take much." Vladimir muttered.

"We'll see." Alistar spoke.

I glared at the man, wishing he'd just leave already.

I looked over at Nik who sent me a smile. I hoped that it wouldn't come down to a fight.