Snow had finally set on the ground, and Christmas was over. 

Kiara had spoken with Bella and Edward, and upon learning that they'd purchased a five-day fishing trip to Fraser River for Charlie and Sue, it had made her and Sam reconsider what they wanted to do about their tribe. 

The original plan was that the newest pups would stay back with the imprints but she'd be lying if she admitted that she was fully onboard with that idea. She was more fortunate in that she'd be able to have an eye on Rosalie at all times, alongside Jacob, Leah and Seth who would also have that advantage, but the rest of the pack with imprints... she knew their mind would be split between the battlefield and the reservation.

Sam had told Emily about his and Kiara's idea to send them on an all-inclusive trip, like Charlie and Sue, which had generously been offered to be funded by Carlisle once he'd listened to their reservations about the imprints being left behind with just the pups. Emily, of course, had immediately told him that she wasn't running and hiding.

To an extent, Kiara had understood her reasoning. Having the imprints even further away with no protection could be disastrous if the Volturi really wanted to seek out vengeance, and that idea would be even less reassuring for the wolves. Therefore, the final decision was that they'd all stay at Emily and Sam's, with the pups.

Regardless, Kiara knew things were complicated. 

The plan was for the vampires to head into the mountains that evening, with some of the wolf pack joining them. Most would remain in La Push tonight and instead meet them early at the makeshift campground the follow morning. Kiara didn't want to deny them one last night with their loved ones - not when she was asking them to risk their lives for her own.

Only a few would stay at the campsite - Seth, Leth, Jacob and herself were a given, but Kiara was surprised to find that Embry also intended to join them. She understood it, to be honest. His mother was out of town and the rest of the pack were either spending the day with their imprints or would be remaining behind.

"Hey," Emily breathed as she strolled down the steps, her often bare feet wearing snow boots as she pulled Kiara into a hug as the girl stepped down from Bella's old truck. "Sam said you'd be stopping by."

"We're heading off soon, so I thought I'd check in and make sure you're all set for the next few days," Kiara replied, and Emily instantly could tell the smile on her face was forced. The girl had came a long way in the space of a year, but it was clear that this was something she was not taking in her stride. "Sam's going to finish up patrol with the others, and should be back with you in an hour or so."

Emily smiled as she placed a gentle hand on Kiara's cheek, brushing a strand of her out of her face as she looked at the younger girl.

"We'll be fine," Emily promised her, no concern in her voice although Kiara knew fine well she was terrified too. "It's us that should be worrying about you all."

"Trust me, Emily, we're going to be alright. We're more than ready for this," Kiara said, her voice steady and determined, yet a hint of uncertainty lingered in her eyes. Emily gave her a comforting squeeze on her shoulder before stepping back.

"Well then, you better kick some vampire ass for us," Emily teased slightly, trying to ease the tension. A small chuckle escaped from Kiara's lips as she gave a mock salute.

As they pulled apart, Emily nodded solemnly and gestured towards the house. Inside, the familiar aroma of freshly brewed coffee and omelettes wafted through the air, offering a comforting ambiance that momentarily allowed them to forget the dark clouds looming over their heads.

For a moment, with the snow gently falling outside and the homely aura of Emily's kitchen surrounding them, it felt almost like a normal day. A day without blood-sucking vampires or feuding wolf packs. Just two friends sharing breakfast amidst the backdrop of an early winter morning.

"Are you sure we can't convince you to leave?" Kiara asked in an almost hopeful tone.

Emily let out a small chuckle, rolling her eyes playfully at the younger girl. 

"And leave the elders alone and unsupervised? As if," Emily joked, Kiara faintly smiling at her thoughts. "Besides, with the pups here, you'll have constant access to our movements through your mind link. You know that."

Kiara let out a small sigh, knowing Emily was right. Still, she didn't like the idea of leaving them without an additional layer of protection.

"I keep calling them pups," Kiara finally said, sipping her coffee and meeting Emily's eyes. "But they've been training hard with the rest of us. They might not be on the field with the rest of the pack... but they'll protect you with everything they have."

Emily nodded, biting her lip as she stirred her coffee absently. "I know. They're family."

"True," Kiara admitted, picking at the embroidery on the table cloth.

"You won't be alone in this, Kiara. You have your brothers and sisters backing you up. And you know Rosalie will move heaven and earth for you, so god help anyone who lays a finger on you." 

Kiara felt a faint blush creep upon her cheeks at the mention of Rosalie, thinking about their night before. She had a lot to fight for, and Rosalie just kept reminding her of that every day.

"She's doing it for Renesmee," Kiara amended softly, though she didn't miss Emily's knowing smile. She knew Emily was right - Rosalie was all in, committed not just to fighting alongside the pack but towards their shared life together.

"But," Emily continued, her gaze turning serious once more. "You need to promise me that you won't go doing anything reckless out there."

"Em, when have I ever done anything reckless?" Kiara met Emily's eyes and gave her a determined smile.

"Should I get started on the list?"

Despite the heaviness of their conversation, Kiara chuckled lightly in response. There were few moments of reprieve from the tension these days and any bit of levity was precious.

After a while of comfortable silence between them as they finished their breakfast, Kiara finally rose from her chair and glanced back hesitantly at Emily who had moved to clear away their empty plates.

"I should probably head out," she said quietly.

When Emily nodded in understanding without turning around, Kiara paused for a moment before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around her friend. Emily returned the hug tightly, a comforting warmth amidst the icy winter chill.

With that, Kiara turned to leave, pulling her jacket tighter around herself as she stepped out into the snow. Emily followed her to the door, her face a little tighter as she battled with the news that she wanted to share with Kiara. 

"Sam wanted to wait before telling you."

Kiara paused, turning around to look at Emily in confusion as she stepped outside on to the fresh snow that had already coated the footprints she'd made when heading into the cabin. Her eyes were narrowed a little, noticing the tenseness of Emily's body that hadn't been there before.

"I just... I know you'll come back, Kie," Emily said, tears brimming in her eyes. "But in case... it's not just us you need to come back for."

Kiara wasn't entirely sure what Emily meant at first, until she noticed the way Emily's hand had slipped down her own body. Her eyes widened, looking down at Emily's hand that was now resting on her stomach before looking back up to the woman's face. She was grinning as she watched Kiara slowly connect the dots, tears in her eyes as she knew she'd treasure this moment forever.

"You're..."

"We're having a baby, Kie," Emily cried, only happy tears resting on her cheeks as she laughed at the expression on the girls face. "That's your god-child in there."

Kiara blinked, her own eyes welling up as she stared at Emily's cradling hand. It took a moment for the news to fully sink in, and when it did, a wave of emotions hit her. The shock morphed into joy, then concern, and finally an overwhelming sense of responsibility that left her momentarily breathless.

"A baby?" she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. For a moment, all thoughts of looming battles and impending doom fell away. Kiara took a step forward, closing the small distance between herself and Emily.

Emily nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks now as she took hold of Kiara's hands. She gently guided them to rest over her stomach, pressing them firmly against the fabric of her loose shirt.

Her throat tightened as she swallowed, trying to imagine baby clothes and diapers replacing pack meetings and battle strategies. She leaned forward, awkwardly wrapping her arms around Emily in an attempt to convey the rush of feelings coursing through her veins. Emily hugged back tightly, burying her face against Kiara's neck. They stood there for several heartbeats, sharing in a moment that only two lifelong friends could truly understand.   

Finally pulling away, Kiara cleared her throat and blinked away the moisture threatening to spill from her eyes. She tried to summon up something witty or sarcastic to lighten up the situation, but found that words failed her.

"You're speechless," Emily teased gently. "That's a first."

"I'm going to be the best godmother ever," she promised fervently, allowing herself to revel in this small piece of happiness. Emily laughed, nodding her head in agreement.

"I have no doubt about that." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "Just... come back to us safe, okay?"

"Promise," Kiara replied without hesitation, determination etched onto her face.

The life inside Emily added another layer to the intricate web of relationships and responsibilities Kiara was a part of. Another reason to fight her hardest, another reason to return home safely.

"Come back to us," Emily repeated in a whisper as Kiara turned to leave, her words lingering in the cold air long after her footsteps had faded away. And with every step she took, Kiara felt the commitment not only to Rosalie, her pack and Renesmee but also to Emily and Sam, and their unborn child, settle deeper into her heart.

_____

"So, did you ask Rosalie to marry you yet?"

Kiara's paws scratched through the dirt as she skidded to a surprised halt, her large wolf head snapping to the side to look at the grey golf that was now snorting at her reaction. Leah slowed to a stop too, sitting back on her haunches as Kiara turned to glare holes in the side of her head.

"Now, who the hell told you I was doing that?"

"You asked Rachel for advice about it, and she told Paul, and Paul let it slip to a few of us on patrol last night," Leah thought back, a smirk on her wolfy lips.

"Great, so now everyone knows," Kiara grumbled mentally, her wolf form's ears pinning back against her skull in embarrassment. Her tail flicked irritably as she turned her gaze back to the forest, her mind reeling at the thought of everyone in the pack knowing about her plans. "So much for a private moment."

Kiara groaned, whipping her tail in annoyance. Of course Paul let it slip, she mentally grumbled. Her bright eyes rolled upwards in a distinctly exasperated manner.

Leah's grin widened, her tail thumping against the ground in amusement.

"Don't tell me you're actually nervous? Ooh, this is priceless," she teased, a chuckle bubbling up in her thoughts. "The fearless Kiara Black afraid of asking the love of her life to marry her, who would've thought?"

Kiara gave another groan and flicked Leah's nose with her tail before sitting down next to her. Despite the irritation at having her secret revealed, she couldn't help but feel a bit relieved to finally air out some of her anxieties.

"I'm not afraid," she muttered defensively into Leah's mind. "I just...don't think now is a good time."

"A good time?" Leah echoed incredulously. She shook her head and continued smugly, "We might all die tomorrow. Therefore, it's really just simple. You get down on one knee tonight and ask: 'Will you make me the happiest wolf in the world by becoming my vampire beta?' Or something disgustingly sweet like that."

Kiara looked at her, and Leah immediately agreed.

"Yep, sorry, too far," Leah murmured. "I was surprised you hadn't done it last night when I was out a wander and heard those noises coming from your cabin-"

"Leah," Kiara snarled, not minding her friend teasing her but being very cautious that any of the pack could shift at any moment and overhear. They were lucky that no one else was shifted, but Kiara wasn't surprised. Patrols were over for the evening, and the rest were getting ready to head up to the campsite.

She shifted back without another word, reaching down and untying the bag of clothes from around her ankle. Leah followed suit, rambling as she also threw on her clothes. 

"Wait," Kiara breathed out, turning back to face her once she was fully dressed. Her eyes trailed on Leah's face as the girl pulled her own shirt back on, suddenly avoiding Kiara's gaze. Suspicious. "You never tend to wander in that direction."

Leah shrugged, keeping her gaze focused on the laces of her sneakers. "Well, I guess I just...you know, felt like a change of scenery."

"But near our cabin?" Kiara pressed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't be coy with me, Leah Clearwater. You're terrible at it."

"I'm not lying," Leah grumbled, throwing Kiara a glare. But it lacked heat and Kiara raised an eyebrow in response.

"Really? Because you haven't looked at me once this whole time."

Finally, Leah huffed out a sigh and met Kiara's gaze reluctantly.

"Okay, fine! I wasn't alone alright?"

Kiara blinked in surprise. Leah's social circle could be counted on one hand - she preferred it that way - which meant there were limited options for her mystery companion. Jacob and Seth had both spent the night at the Swan residence, having stayed over with Renesmee to spend time with Sue and Charlie too. There wasn't anyone else that Leah would have...

Oh.

OH.

 "Well, well, well. How tables have turned," Kiara teased, a knowing smirk falling over her face as they began to walk back in the direction of the Cullen household.

Leah groaned, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Oh, shut up, will you? It's not like that."

"Sure it's not," Kiara teased, her smile unfaltering. "Did you or did you not happen to find yourself pressed against a vampire in the woods during this... casual stroll?"

Leah shot her a brief glare but didn't deny it anymore, which was all the confirmation Kiara needed. The thought of the two of them together made her grin widen even more, if possible. Leah hadn't been in a relationship since Sam and she deserved someone special to make her happy.

"You should ask Kate out," Kiara teased, grinning as she quoted Leah's words back to her. "You know, 'since we might all die tomorrow'."

Leah snorted, her cheeks flushing a deep russet colour.

"Except that I'm not head over heels in love with her the way you are with Rosalie," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

"Sure you're not," Kiara said lightly, nudging Leah's shoulder playfully. "I saw the way you've been checking each other out at every given moment. I'm your alpha, Leah, I can see these things from a mile away."

"I have not!" Leah protested, but the giggle that erupted from Kiara's lips told her that she wasn't fooling anyone.

"Well... I overheard Rosalie saying that Kate's been asking about you," Kiara gave a shrug, trying hard to keep her smugness under control. "Something about a certain werewolf catching her eye. Seems like you've done more than just catch her eye though..."

Kiara's eyes trailed along a slow healing bruise on Leah's neck. The older girl groaned, shoving her friend in the shoulder as she continued to march back towards the house. Kiara barked with laughter as she followed behind her, noticing as they approached the drive that Edward was standing outside waiting on them - well, Kiara.

"What's that about?" Leah asked as Edward nodded towards Kiara.

"I'm not sure," Kiara admitted, splitting away from Leah and heading towards Edward. "But I'm going to find out. Make sure the others are ready to go, and check if Esme needs help packing up food for us and Renesmee."

Leah nodded, smiling gently at the instant change with Kiara as she naturally fell back into alpha mode. She mockingly saluted to Edward as she walked past him, skipping the second steps as she jogged into the house without looking back at the two.

"Walk with me?" Edward murmured, his eyes barely looking at Kiara. She paused for a moment, taking in the way his hands wrung together and the furrow on his eyebrow. He looked at her, clearly listening in to her observations. "I'll explain."

Kiara nodded, falling into place beside Edward as they walked down the gravel road that led to the Cullen household. She could faintly pick up the chatter inside the house as all of the vampires prepared to move up towards their makeshift campsite.

"Emmett went ahead with Beverly, the nomads and the Irish coven," Edward told her, answering the question before she even asked. "Benjamin and the others from Egypt are heading up with Carlisle soon. Rosalie wanted to wait for you, and seems like the Denali's wanted to hold off too..." He trailed off for a second and then smirked. "I guess Kate had some say in that."

"Can't imagine why," Kiara mused, a smile on her lips as she realised he'd either overheard her and Leah, or picked up on it in their thoughts once they'd gotten close enough. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. "You know I hate it when you do that whole mind-reading thing."

"You know, your thoughts are so loud," Edward joked back, and Kiara mused her lips a little. She'd gotten better at hiding her thoughts since becoming an alpha, to avoid revealing things she didn't want to do so when around the pack but it was different with Edward. The packs thoughts were more conversational and not an on-going stream, but with him... it was like she was a TV and he could surf the channels.

They walked for a bit longer, eventually reaching the road that connected their side path to the main one. Kiara scrunched her face up as a car went speeding past them, turning to look at Edward with a raised eyebrow.

"You're not going to push men front of a car, are you?"

Edward rolled his eyes but did let out a chuckle.

"Bella has planned something," he admitted, not wanting to beat around the bush. Kiara raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms and tilting her head as she looked at Edward. "She thinks she's been really subtle about it, but it's Bella... I think it's a plan B, and I think it involves your brother."

Kiara nodded, not saying anything as she took the information in. She couldn't really say that she was surprised that Bella would have a back-up plan if the rest of them got ripped apart by the Volturi. Edward winced at the thought, but Kiara didn't apologise.

"Great for her. You're telling me this...?"

"In case it comes down to it, I want you to make sure you're out of there with them."

Silence.

Edward was sure that he'd never heart her thoughts so quiet as he did in that moment.

"No."

The vampire blinked, no words leaving him for a moment as he was met with the opposite reaction to what he thought she was going to say.

"Kiara-"

"Do you understand what you're asking me to do?"

"Yes, and-"

"No, Edward," she snapped. "I don't think you do. If all hell breaks loose, you'd be asking me to abandon my pack to help protect Renesmee."

"She's an imprint - you have laws-"

"Rosalie is an imprint. Bree is an imprint. Heck, Kate is now too. Do not try and push my own laws into question here, because that is NOT what it means. Our imprints come before anything, and my pack comes before my own self-preservation. I will not abandon them."

Edward's face softened at Kiara's words, the intensity of her conviction apparent. He watched as her arms fell to her sides, fists clenched in an attempt to keep herself grounded. She was half-way between shifting, her wolf instincts screaming for a fight even when there was none. And Edward knew who she would fight for.

"Kiara," he finally said. His tone was soft, but there was an edge to it. "I'm not asking you to abandon your pack."

"Sounds like you are," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Edward sighed, shaking his head. "No, that's not what I'm doing. I'm asking you to go along with whatever plan Bella has if this all goes south..."

"And what about the rest of them? Seth? Rosalie? Leah? What about them?" she asked, frustration creeping into her voice. "I will not pick and choose who gets to live out of my friends, Edward. I know Renesmee is your flesh and blood but I will fight. Whatever your wife has planned for Renesmee clearly only involves my brother, and that is her choice. This is mine."

Kiara turned around as she gathered her breath for a moment, the setting sun making her dark hair glisten and reflect shades of fire. She paused for a moment before turning back around, standing defiantly in front of him.

Edward looked at her for a long moment as Kiara's words echoed in his mind. She was right and he knew it. Her loyalty to her pack was stronger than any vampire bond. He opened his mouth, wanting to argue but there were no words that could change her mind.

 "Whatever Bella is doing... you need to put it at the back of your mind," Kiara ordered. "She's hiding it from you and we both know why - Aro is going to want to read your mind. If he knows whatever that plan is, Renesmee and Jake are screwed. If she's the only one that knows... it dies with her."

"I understand," he said after a long pause. It was all he could say at that moment. She was right - the less they knew, the better. His mind drifted to Aro for a second, his eyes flickering back to Kiara who was watching him closely.

"Aro... he won't be expecting to see you all with us, much less standing alongside your imprints."

It was a warning, Kiara could hear it in his voice.

"Seth and Leah won't be standing with Bree and Kate," she told him. "We discussed it, and it's better to have the element of surprise. Carlisle told me that one of them can sense the bonds between people - an imprint is an unbreakable bond. I don't want any vampire messing with that, and if it isn't obvious then we lower that risk."

"Jacob won't leave Renesmee's side."

"Oh, that I know," Kiara replied with a soft smile as she thought about her brother. "But one wolf looks a lot less crazy than a pack."

"Kiara..."

"Irina heard me," Kiara muttered to Edward, a determination in her eyes. "I've been replaying that over and over again. The moment she saw Renesmee - I kept thinking back to it and not understanding why Alice was so afraid about seeing me in her vision. It wasn't because she wasn't used to it - it was because it was confirmation that I'm not like the others now."

Edward remained quiet as he tried to keep up with her thoughts.

"Irina heard me and Bella... talking about how Rosalie had bit me," Kiara admitted, Edward's eyes widening ever so slightly. "The more I think about it, the more I think it's not just Renesmee that the Volturi were warned about. We keep saying that we'll have the element of surprise with the pack, but I'm not so sure. Irina knew about the wolves - heck, she has a vendetta against us after Laurent... there's no way Aro won't have seen that in her mind if she's held his hand."

"If they attack and you're not in your wolf form..."

"I'll shift," Kiara replied. "If I end up right, and I'm going to be on some fucked up vampire trial, I want to be able to answer for myself."

______

"There you are!"

Kiara smiled as Jacob bounded down the stairs, two tent bags in his hands as he held one out towards his sister with a soft smile.

"We were wondering if we'd have to send out a search party for you," he teased, although Kiara could see in his stance and the way he eyed Edward who walked past him, that he was suspicious of why they'd taken a long walk away from the house. 

"You can't get rid of me that easily," she joked, taking the bag from his hands. She knew that they would be the only ones using the tents - the wolves needed sleep and warmth but the vampires didn't. "Embry here?"

"Yes ma'am!" The boy in question called, a thick coat around his shoulders as he walked through the snow towards them both. Seth and Leah were on his flank, the five of them all naturally forming a small circle as they looked at each other.

Kiara smiled gratefully at Leah as the girl passed her a fleece lined coat, noticing that the others all had similar on. It was cold, even for them, and where they were going would only be colder.

Unlike most of the vampires, it had been decided that the wolves would take a car up the trail as far as possible before walking the remaining distance. They wanted to preserve their energy for tomorrow, and Kiara kind of wanted to savour the moment before they were back to being surrounded by vampires again.

"Jake, are you going with Bella and Edward?"

"Yup, Nessie is coming with us too, of course."

"Are the others all gone?" Kiara asked, noticing the house was a lot quieter now than it had been before they left.

"The Denali's and the Egyptians headed up with Carlisle just before you got back," Leah said, avoiding eye contact with Kiara who had to restrain herself from smirking at the information. 

"Bree went with them too," Seth informed her. Kiara noted that he was a bit anxious, and she assumed that was why. They barely spent time apart, and this was probably the longest they'd been in weeks.

Kiara nodded, knowing that there was one vampire unaccounted for.

Rosalie was across the clearing, leaning against Emmett's jeep as she toyed with the keys in her hands. Her frown turned into a gentle smile as she noticed Kiara was back, raising a hand in a half wave as the alpha excused herself from her pack and walked towards her.

"I thought you were heading up with the others," Kiara mused. Rosalie smiled as she pressed a soft kiss to her girl's lips.

"I'm going with Esme," Rosalie said, motioning to where the mother figure was crouched down and talking to Renesmee at Bella and Edward's car. "I just wanted to see you first. Emmett also didn't want to give his keys to any of the others, so I promised I'd do the exchange."

Kiara smiled as Rosalie dropped the keys into her palm, pushing herself off the car with one final kiss to her girlfriend.

"We'll see you soon," Rosalie murmured against her lips as Embry, Seth and Leah walked towards them with bags in hands. "Don't be too long."

"No promises," Kiara teased, catching Rosalie's hand and giving it a squeeze before releasing it. "We'll see you at the top."

Kiara watched as Rosalie walked away, her heart aching slightly. The thought of leaving her side was always hard, especially when the stakes were this high. She clenched Emmett's keys tight in her fist, feeling the sharp edges of the key dig into her skin. The slight sting seemed to ground her a little, remind her exactly why they were doing this.

Emmett's jeep roared to life as Kiara turned the key in the ignition. Her pack piled into the vehicle, their body heat warming up the car instantly. Their light-hearted banter filled the silence and for a moment, everything felt normal.

Leah and Seth bickered over the radio station, Embry and Kiara sharing amused looks from the front seats. If they weren't heading off into battle, Kiara was sure this would have been a truly lovely moment.

On their way up the trail, Kiara kept replaying what she had told Edward earlier. It must have been evident on her face because Embry leaned towards her from the passenger seat, his brown eyes full of concern.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, flashing him a confident smile. "Just...nervous."

"Nah," he playfully bumped her shoulder. "You're not allowed to be nervous. You've got us backing you up."

She chuckled at his attempt to lift her spirits. Her eyebrows remained tight as she sighed before looking up at the other two in the car through the mirror.

"It's not just Renesmee," Kiara admitted. "I know Sam told you all about... the venom thing."

Despite Edward and Carlisle thinking it was wise to keep it under wraps, Kiara had made sure that Sam had informed the pack of the new discoveries that were going on with her. She hadn't wanted to see their reactions but she also hadn't wanted them to be kept out of the loop.

"Kind of disgusting, kind of badass," Embry replied, shrugging. 

"Yeah," Seth agreed, turning to look at her. "I mean, I think it's pretty cool. You're like a vampire-wolf superhero."

Kiara furrowed her eyebrows further as she shot him a look.

"I'm not... I'm not a vampire, Seth," she reminded. "It's more like... I'm just immune now. Ever so slightly faster and better senses. Same old me."

"Either way," Leah began. Her voice was soft, almost tender - a vast contrast to her usual strong tone. "We've got your back, the entire pack, no matter what happens."

Kiara's heart skipped a beat. She knew they would always support her, but hearing it aloud made it real. She'd been scared to ask before what the reaction had been when Sam told them all but it just showed - they'd came a long way since her first imprint on Rosalie.

"Thanks guys," Kiara voiced out above the light chatter and radio music. She felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes and blinked them away hastily.  

Despite the heavy situation they were heading into, there was something comforting about being surrounded by her pack – her family. They understood each other on a level that no one else could.

Once they'd driven as far as they could, they set out on foot through the snow-covered forest. The moon shone brightly above them, casting an ethereal glow on the landscape. Kiara led the way, her heart pounding with anticipation. 

After what felt like hours, they spotted the others in the distance. Tents were set up around an unlit fire that Jacob was building - their group having arrived ahead of the wolves.

At the edge of the clearing, Kiara took a moment to take it all in. The white moonlight illuminated the frosty ground, casting an eerie glow on the gathered vampires. Among them, she could see Rosalie and Bella standing together, their faces lit by the soft moonlight.

Rosalie caught Kiara's gaze from across the clearing and nodded as if to say they were ready.

The Volturi was coming... they had to be ready.