Now, if their situation wasn't so serious, Kiara was sure that she herself would have killed Alice and Jasper there and then. 

Dropping the bomb on them all that the Volturi was coming, then running off on some secret mission to track down something that could potentially save them all - but not actually telling them that, and instead just sending nomad vampires to their town? Yeah, that pissed Kiara off.

She could hear the similar thoughts of the other wolves through their shared pack link, crossing over each other but with the same familiar theme. If Alice had planned on returning from the start, why didn't she just tell them what she was doing when she crossed their lands?

Of course, Alice being Alice, she simply smiled in that serene way of hers in their direction, not at all bothered by the heated gazes trained on her. Kiara wasn't sure how comforting that was - it wasn't like she could see the future of the wolves anyway.

For what felt like an eternity, they could only watch as Alice and Jasper made their way towards the field, her pixie-like face almost unreadable once she turned her attention over to the Volturi. Beverly and Emmett exchanged glances, arms tightening protectively around each other as tension crackled through the air, while Kiara's large wolf frame moved closer to Rosalie's side.

"My dear, dear Alice, we're so glad to see you here, after all," Aro mused, a sick smile on his face as he took in the couple that had crossed the clearing to stand in front of him and his coven.

"I have evidence the child won't be of risk," Alice told Aro, straight to the point and not entertaining his delight at seeing her.

Kiara held back a conflicted low grumble. It made sense that Alice had left them to look for evidence to help protect Renesmee - and she was glad that her brother's imprint was hopefully going to be okay. She just knew, deep down, that Alice and Jasper could only have had time to prioritise one of them. She was okay with it being Renesmee, but it did suck.

Some of the other wolves seemingly shared that thought.

'I hope she has evidence for Kiara too,' Jared thought, a shared grumble going through the wolves. Edward looked back at Kiara, a crease in his eyebrows that told her that Alice didn't have any evidence for her - just Renesmee. 

The frustrated thought was quickly pushed aside as the attention of everyone present landed on Alice, who elegantly presented a hand to him, her facial expression unreadable as Aro took it, his eyes closing as he delved into her mind.

"It doesn't matter what I show you," Alice snapped, everyone shifting uneasily at her erratic movement and tone of voice. Kiara's hackles raised, and she could feel the rest of the wolves unease. "Even when you see... you still won't change your decision."

She spun around, her eyes meeting Bella's only.

"Now!"

Kiara had known there was some backup plan with Bella. How could she not? Renesmee turning up with a backpack to the battle, Bella having already lifted Renesmee on to Jacob's back... yeah, she figured the mother would have created a back-up plan long before this. She just didn't think it would be needed to fall into action.

"Take care of my daughter," Bella murmured as Jacob turned to look at her, his wolf eyes a little glossy as he realised that this wasn't ending how he hoped. He hesitated, torn between leaving and protecting his imprint or staying with his pack.

Kiara barked in his direction, everyone's heads turning to look at where the darker wolf was standing beside Rosalie, Beverly and Emmett. The twins looked at each other for a split second, and then Jacob was off - the snow kicking up from underneath him as he sprinted towards the edge of the clearing with Renesmee on his back.

"Get them!" Caius screamed, starting a chain reaction of events.

Alice spun on her heel, placing one hand on the snow and using it to balance as she turned around and kicked Aro directly in the chin, sending the man flying backwards through the air. If this had been any other time, Kiara would have been impressed.

But now was not the time for admiration or awe. The moment Aro was airborne, Kiara knew it wouldn't be long before the field descended into chaos. She could feel her body responding, the rush of adrenaline giving her strength as she crouched low, preparing to spring.

It wasn't her who took off first.

Carlisle Cullen brushed past them all, letting out a yellow anger and anguish as the Volturi guard began to drag Alice away, his fatherly instincts taking over as he sprinted across the snow in Aro's direction. Kiara and the wolves snarled in anticipation as he fought off two of the guards before lunging into the air. His body crashed into Aro's, both of the vampires falling from the air and hitting the snow once more. 

Aro landed with a smug grin, turning around and looking at the gathering of covens and wolves that were stilled to the bone at the sight before them.

Carlise landed without his head.

Suddenly, everything was a flurry of movement, screams, and teeth bared in a display of raw aggression. Kiara wasted no time in leading the charge of the wolves, their mind link nothing but screams of aggression and shouts of anger. She didn't have time to think about what the pups back in La Push would be telling the other imprints - she just knew that if they didn't kill the Volturi right here and right now, the imprints were in danger.

She saw Rosalie move alongside her too, her vampire speed making her look like a blur to the human eye. But Kiara's senses were far from human - she saw every detail: the flash of teeth, the murderous glint in her eyes. She was ready to fight. They all were. 

Kiara didn't have the luxury to notice more. She was in her element now – fighting for her family, for Rosalie, for their future.

Her teeth ripped into the first Volturi guard that crossed her path, feeling a rush of adrenaline like she'd never experienced before as she felt her jaws clamp around her neck, crushing and shattering the diamond skin without any struggle. 

Her victory was short-lived, however, when a larger guard rounded on her. Her teeth bared viciously as she launched herself at him, but the guard was quicker. He side-stepped, and with one swift movement, had wrapped his arms around her scruffy neck. 

Kiara thrashed in his grip, teeth chomping at the air as she struggled back and forth as he began to squeeze harder, restricting her airflow for just a moment. Her eyes scanned the scene in front of her, noticing her friends and family fighting against the rest of the Volturi. The wolves snarls and shouts rang out in her head - but one was louder than the others.

'Not on my fucking watch.'

Sam was beside her in an instant. With a snarl of his own, her lunged at the guard, using his enviable strength to tear him away from Kiara. The two wolves worked in tandem, their movements synchronised as if they had done this a thousand times before as they circled the vampire, Kiara still a little winded from the original attack.

They finally brought down the vampire, leaving him in a pile of broken limbs and dust. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment - brown matching brown. There was no need for words as they shared a silent promise; if this was their final fight, they were going to take down as many vampires as possible first.

As Sam turned to help Jared, Kiara froze in her spot as a heart-wrenching scream echoed across the field - a scream that she knew all too well. She turned her head just in time to see Jasper's head hit the snow, Alice falling to her knees as she struggled against the guards that were still holding her in their grasp.

With a roar that echoed across the field, Kiara launched herself at Alec as he rushed past her – who barely had time to register his attacker before they were tumbling across the snow, a mass of fur and flashing teeth.

"Let me," Emmett demanded from beside her as her paws pinned him down, her teeth threateningly close to the neck of the vampire. "Kiara, let me do it!"

Kiara was almost beyond hearing him. Her mind was consumed by a white-hot rage, her vision narrowed on the terror flashing in Alec's eyes. She could feel the fear pulsating off him; it was satisfying.

Alec made one last attempt to break free, a panicked swipe at her face that she managed to evade. His fear was palpable - this wasn't how things were supposed to end for him.

But it was too late. Kiara let go for one second, her wolf body moving to the side as Emmett nodded at her, stamping his own foot down into Alec's neck with a satisfying crunch. Seth joined them, his large teeth latching on to Alec's body as he helped Emmett to rip it from the head.

The battle raged on, each passing second more brutal than the last. The cost of freedom was evident in every growl, every snarl, every heart-wrenching scream.  

Kiara saw her girlfriend through the chaos, her golden eyes fierce and determined. She seemed like a goddess more than ever in that moment, her blonde hair swinging back and forth as she moved with deadly accuracy.

A sudden sharp gasp distracted her, and Kiara turned just in time to see Edward groaning on the ground, clutching his stomach. A Volturi guard was standing over him, an evil smile playing on his face.

She roared in anger and pounced at the guard. The vampire was taken by surprise and could only let out a surprised gasp before Kiara's teeth found his throat. Turning quickly to her friend, she nudged him with her nose as he grabbed at her fur to help him back up to his feet quickly. 

"Get up," she growled out in her mind, knowing that he would hear it without a single issue. He struggled back onto his feet, nodding towards the alpha before rushing back into the fight and heading back towards Bella's side.

It almost looked like they were winning.

But then Seth let out an anguished howl that pierced through the tense silence like a sharp knife through butter and all hell in Kiara's head broke loose again. It was like a white hot-pain entered her body, something that she'd never truly felt in her life and never wanted to feel again. It was almost like a limb had been torn off - and the howls of pain around her told her that it wasn't just her that was experiencing the sudden feeling.

She turned around, her eyes latching on to her pack member as she noticed the way he stood at the edge of the chasm, almost frozen in despair. And then her mind caught on to the memory replaying in his head - a painful flash that almost made her want to shift back into her human form just to never see that again.

Leah Clearwater and Bree Tanner were dead. 

Bree and Esme had been grappling at the edge of the chasm when a vampire had jumped on their backs, Leah sacrificing herself to rip the vampire from them. She'd saved Esme, but Bree's fingers had just slipped, sending her plummeting into the crack in the ground alongside the grey wolf.

Kiara's large wolf form started to stagger towards Seth, but everything happened so quickly. Jane - who had watched Seth previously help with Alec's execution - had noticed the wolf's guard down and took action immediately. 

Her powers sent the brown wolf to the ground, not even giving him a chance to think before Felix picked him up, looking directly into Kiara's eyes as he grinned, snapping Seth's neck.

Rage, as fiery as the sun and as cold as ice, blossomed within Kiara. She went to move towards Felix, but Kate had gotten there first - electric hands on his neck sending him crumbling to the ground as Tanya slammed her fist into his back.

The battlefield blurred around Kiara as she launched herself at Jane instead, with red-hot anger pouring from her veins. She collided with her, teeth ripping through flesh. Her scream echoed across the battlefield, drawing attention from everyone in their vicinity - including Alice.

Alice rushed towards them, Kiara understanding that as much as Jane had taken everything from her - Alice needed this more than her. She stepped back as Alice lunged in her place, slamming Jane across the ground and holding her head down. 

'This fucking bitch', Kiara heard, looking over and noticing that Sam was advancing towards Jane - Alice having held her down and motioning for the black wolf to maul the vampire. Kiara was glad. If there was anyone on this field that deserved a brutal death, it was the blonde.

But as her attention was drawn to the scene unfolding before her, she failed to notice the looming shadow that approached from behind. Cauis slipped by, his eyes focused on Rosalie with a chilling intensity. Kiara saw him too late.

She howled at her girlfriend, but it was drowned out by the cacophony of the battlefield. Kiara hurled herself towards them, her black fur a stark contrast against the pristine white of the snow-covered ground as she threw herself into a full sprint.

Rosalie, so entranced in her own battle, did not notice the impending danger. Kiara's blood boiled, adrenaline pumping like a wildfire through her veins.

In seconds that felt like an eternity, Kiara collided with Caius just as he was about to sink his teeth into Rosalie's neck. The sheer force of their collision sent them spiralling toward the ground in a deadly dance of claws and fangs. 

Her jaws opened wide and she lunged at Caius once more, biting down fiercely into his shoulder. He screamed, trying to wrestle her off him - but Kiara locked her jaw and tore away a large chunk of flesh.

Every inch of her body ached as Caius, now enraged and seething with pain, slammed into her with an incredible force - sending her flying backwards. She skidded across the icy ground and came to an abrupt halt when her body collided with a rock formation.

She could feel warm liquid making its way through her fur - painting it a dark shade of red as she staggered back to her feet. Pain seeped through every inch of her body, but she refused to back down. 

The world became a dizzy swirl of colours – black, white, red – as pain erupted through Kiara's body when Caius sped to her side, and dug his nails deep into her sides as he slammed her back down on the ground once more. Her pained cry echoed throughout the battlefield pulling Rosalie out from her current fight and into the scene before her.

"Kiara!" Rosalie screamed, her voice raw with fear.

Her face twisted in pure terror as she wrenched herself away from her opponent and sprinted towards Kiara with all the speed her supernatural body could muster.

Rosalie and Caius collided with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the snowy terrain. Rosalie's fangs glinted dangerously in the patchy sunlight as she sunk them into Caius' neck, ripping out his grey, cold flesh.

Caius let out an ear-piercing scream of agony as he tried – but failed – to wrestle himself away from the enraged vampire. And then, Rosalie tore his head clean off his shoulders. His decapitated body crumbled to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Rosalie spun around, her golden eyes wide with alarm as she crouched down next to Kiara's wolf form. Her hands hovered over Kiara's sides where Caius had dug his fingers in, unsure of how to help as the battle raged on around them.

The dark-furred wolf was struggling to keep her eyes open, blood matting her fur and staining the snow beneath them. Gentle hands stroked through her fur as Rosalie murmured soft words into her ear. The tension in Kiara seemed to lessen at Rosalie's touch, but the pain was still evident in her eyes.

"I've got you," Rosalie muttered, her voice barely a whisper amidst the cacophony surrounding them. Kiara leaned into Rosalie's touch; even in this form, she took comfort in the familiar scent and presence of the vampire.

Just then, Kiara felt another warm presence by her side. Paul, his fur as silver as the shine of the snow, was nuzzling against her, his whine echoing Rosalie's sentiments. It was a soft, mournful sound that resonated within Kiara's heart, voicing all the words the friends didn't have time to express in this wretched battlefield.

Her eyes fluttered shut as Rosalie began to cradle her head. "Don't you dare close your eyes, Kiara," Rosalie said, harsher than she intended. Her voice was raw with fear.

Rosalie looked up, desperate for help. She needed to do something - anything - to help Kiara. Paul seemed to echo the sentiment, his jaw tense as his feet stamped into the snow, listening to the voices that Rosalie couldn't hear in their pack-mind.

She paid no attention as Kiara's head moved slightly to look at Paul, the silver wolf almost seeming to have frozen on the spot as he met her glance.

'Get Edward!'

'Get Edward!'

'Get Edward!' 

Edward had mostly tuned the thoughts of others out, but it was hard to ignore the suddenness of the joint mind of the wolf pack directing their thoughts towards him out of nowhere. He ripped the head off the body that he was grappling with, turning to look at Embry who had almost barrelled into him.

Within seconds, Edward was sliding to the ground on his knees beside Kiara, Paul and Rosalie, trying to get Rosalie to focus on what he was saying instead of Kiara who was slipping towards death right in front of them.

"Rosalie, you NEED to listen to me," Edward begged, his eyes flickering between her and the battlefield as he kept an eye on Bella. His hands twitched to get back out there, but Kiara had saved his life more than enough for him to return the favour. "The wolves have an idea but you need to do it NOW!"

Rosalie, who was holding Kiara in her icy grasp, finally tore her gaze away from the injured wolf to look at Edward. His eyes were wide and terrified which only egged on her panic. 

"What? What is it?" she demanded, watching as his gaze flickered once again to where Bella was fighting.

"The wolves... they think you can save her," Edward told her, barely daring to believe it himself. The idea was insane, dangerous, but what other choice did they have? He swallowed heavily, mentally preparing himself for the words that were about to leave his mouth. "They want you to bite her, Rosalie."

"You're... you're asking me to..." Rosalie's voice trailed off as she looked down at Kiara's unconscious form.

"They think your venom can heal Kiara during the transformation - the same way venom brought us all into this life... it hasn't killed her before - so why wouldn't this be any different," Edward explained, his voice was barely audible over the commotion.

"And if it doesn't go well? She'll die from it!" 

"She's dying, Rose!"

Rosalie staggered as the weight of his words hit her. He was right. They had run out of options and this was their only chance to save Kiara.

Taking a deep breath, she looked down at Kiara's wolf form in her arms. This brave shapeshifter who had battled vampires and sacrificed so much for those she loved... her Kiara. Her mind raced with memories - shared laughter and stolen kisses, moments of tender comfort and fierce loyalty. And in that moment of reckoning, she realized that she would do anything - absolutely anything - to keep Kiara alive.

Feeling Edward's hand on her shoulder gave her strength. She nodded once before bending over Kiara's body. Her sharp teeth grazed against Kiara's skin just lightly enough for Rosalie to hesitate one last time.

"I'm sorry," she whispered just loud enough for Paul's highly sensitive wolf hearing to pick up over the roars of the battle around them.

Then she bit down, praying that somehow this would work and not end in tragedy.

The next few moments were agonizingly slow. Rosalie watched Kiara's body for any sign of change, her expression stricken with fear and desperation. Her heart ached at the sight of the girl she loved lying prone and vulnerable in the snow-dusted battlefield. Paul whimpered at her side, his head low and his tail drooping.

Edward, his voice barely audible over the tense silence, whispered encouraging words in Rosalie's ear. He reminded her of Bella's transformation, how it had taken time but ultimately been successful. His hand tightened around hers in silent support. There were no immediate changes, no signs that what she had done was either going to save Kiara or lead her down a path towards an inevitable end.

Then there was a soft rustling sound as Kiara stirred. A gasp went through them all, and Rosalie held her breath again, daring not to hope. The wolf heaved a little, all three of them around her flinching as the noise hit their ears.

Paul watched silently from the sidelines. The pain and worry evident in his features slowly faded away as he saw Kiara stir. His gaze softened as he looked at Rosalie. There was a newfound respect in his eyes - a testament to their shared love for Kiara.

Her wolfy eyes snapped open, Paul instantly brushing his body against hers as Rosalie breathed a sigh of relief. Edward nodded to them all, before standing up and rushing back to Bella's side, lunging at the vampire she was wrestling with.

"You're okay," Rosalie breathed, noticing that the only remainder of the wounds on her side was the dried blood that now rested on healed skin. "Oh, thank god you're okay..."

Kiara nuzzled against Rosalie for a moment, but her mind was running a thousand miles an hour. From the shouts of the wolves in her head at her suddenly being okay again, to Rosalie's touch on her skin feeling electric (in a good way), to the overwhelming realisation that she was seeing and hearing things better than she'd ever done in her life... she was sure this is what drugs felt like.

The wolf staggered to her feet, ignoring the warnings from Paul and Rosalie. The adrenaline was truly coursing through her body now, and the desire to protect her Rosalie, her pack, her friends... it burned like nothing she'd ever felt before. 

Kiara's heart pounded in her chest as she watched a spot just over Rosalie's shoulder, where Aro had risen from where he had been thrown by Edward and Bella. His dark eyes held a malice that sent chills down her spine, but she didn't falter. She stood tall, her fur bristling in defiance as she moved past Rosalie and Paul despite their murmurs for her to stay put.

With a fierce growl, she lunged at the vampire, who only laughed in response. His hand lashed out, aiming to strike her underbelly but she was faster, and her teeth sank into his forearm. Aro screeched in response, but his eyes held amusement rather than fear.

Edward and Bella reentered the fray, armed with burning determination. They would not lose another loved one again. With a deafening roar, they charged towards Aro, their faces hard with resolve. The tide of the battle was turning now - most of the Volturi guard was dead. Aro was the last of the main guard remaining.

The next few seconds were a blur - the impact of the trio, Aro's surprised yowl, and the cracking as Edward kicked Aro's legs out from under him. Bella's arms snapped his head as Kiara's teeth pulled his limbs from his body at the same time.

And just like that, Aro's head hit the ground.

Kiara advanced towards the head, his eyes still registering what was going on as saliva dripped from her mouth, her jaw opening threatenly as - 

Aro snatched his hand back from Alice, no words falling from his lips as he snapped out of her mind. His eyes flickered across the field - pausing on those that he had just watched die. Carlisle stood at the front of them all, his eyes watching Aro intently. The wolves were still there, all unharmed. Jasper, Seth, Bree, Leah... all still there. Kiara - not full of venom.

He looked back at Alice who was almost smug.

"Now you know. That's your future."

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Can I be honest and say that writing action is NOT my strong point. Also for clarification purposes - Kiara is not enhanced in the canon storyline, but had this actually happened, she would have been a hybrid once the venom settled in her body. Maybe I'll write a side one-shot about this someday, but in my head, with the extra venom Rosalie gave her at a point where she was near death, her body would have accepted the vampire transformation to an extent. 

But for now, and onwards, she's just little old Kiara who is seemingly immune to venom :)

We are very close to the end of this book :( Only a few chapters left!

What's been your favourite part so far?