Trigger warning: Dark themes regarding children. Please be warned.

Jewel POV

She's a nuisance, and I don't like her, but no one deserved death like that.

Succumbing to her fate, she stared up at Aro, her veins turning a bright red, before her entire body slowly starts turning a dark grey color.

Her eyes never leaving his, as she becomes nothing but a pile of ash at his feet.

How Bernard created such a weapon, scares me.

"Father." I look towards the front door, Kali, Lya and Kevin walking in. Kali and Kevin held two little girls in their arms, the two looking at us with scared yet with curious eyes.

"Kali my dear. You have found them!" Aro gleefully says, walking on Hera's ashes, and towards them.

Their little eyes search the room, before stopping at me, a strong feeling filling my being.

"They were muzzled and placed in a steel cage, like dogs brothers." Aro says, walking back over to us. It irritated me a little that he continued to walked on Hera's ashes like it was regular dust on the ground.

"They were sired as well." He shakes his head, disappointed.
"I'm slowly starting to regret my decision in killing the man. He would of done so well on the guard."

He signals to one of the minor guards.
"Get me the woman. I'm sure she missed her daughters dearly."

The strong feeling was still there, and I glance over to Marcus for confirmation. His usual dull eyes, looking between us surprised, was all the confirmation I needed.

I keep my hands to myself. Taking a seat back on Aro's throne.

When Claire is brought in, she sees her daughters and instantly begins to cry, calling out to them. The two girls fought to get out of Kali and Kevin's arms.

"Please. Please can I hold them. I haven't seen them in so long!" She begs Aro.

"Oh I'm not that cruel. Let a mother hug her children." They let them go, her arms wrapping around them protectively.

"Mommy's so sorry. I'm so so so sorry."

"I love a reunion." Aro giggles, turning to look at me, but I couldn't muster any emotion.

This Aro is different. This is not the man I danced with and laughed with. This is Aro Volturi, King of Vampires.

"Please don't kill them." He turns back to her.
"They wouldn't hurt anyone." She tries to reason, but I knew neither of them would be leaving here alive, and that angers me.

Hera's selfish motives, has lead to the deaths of an entire family.

"You must be unaware of the damage these monsters have caused. The number of people they have killed." Cauis tells her.

I look to the girls again, their eyes already on me.

No.

"Please it is not their fault. If I had known they would...if I had known I...I would not of turned them." I hear their mother say.

I see Aro turning to look at me again, I'm sure realizing what maybe occurring by now. He appears in front of me within seconds, asking for my hand, but I don't give it to him. He reaches down, grabbing ahold of it, and I shut my eyes.

It's just cruel.

"I see." He mutters. I look back at him, his body towering over mine. Resting my hand back on my lap, the feeling of everyone's eyes on me.

The once crazed look in his eyes was now long gone, and one of uncertainty replaced it. He'll be breaking his own law, keeping them alive for me.

"I know you can't...just...Don't let it hurt them too much."

I get that you can't choose who you are bonded to, but this really was just cruel.

He searches my face, his eyes narrowing a bit when he sees the tears appearing in my eyes.

He turns back to them.
"Do it quickly." The mother screams no, holding unto her daughters tighter. The guards roughly grabbing them from her.

Wait...Not in front of them.
Isn't there any other way, to make this less painful?

I feel angry within myself, listening to them cry for their mother. As they are taken from her by Kali and Kevin.

Their cries were beginning to feel like someone was continuously sticking pins into my eardrums. The excruciating pain I felt in my heart, I knew was intensified because of the bond. However almost majority of people in the room, looked like this was just another day at work for them.

They go to rip their heads off, but I couldn't. I'm trying but I can't.

"WAIT! Wait!" They all look to me. I try to go to them, but Aro stops me.

"Amore you can't."

"They are children Aro. They had no right to be apart of your mistress' sick twisted game." I move pass him, and this time he doesn't stop me.

I walk over to them, making sure to walk around Hera's ashes.
"Let them go." Kali and Kevin look to Aro for confirmation, and I glance back at him.

He waves his hand, and they do as told.

"Hi." I smile down at them. They tightly hug me, crying their little eyes out.

"Please don't kill our mommy."

"Yeah. We healthier now. We'll behave." I glance to the woman, the guards holding her, did not seem to care that she was crying.

"Listen sweethearts, Alec here has a gift. It's like those fairytale powers. What we're gonna do is close our eyes and think of the happiest memories you girls ever had okay?" I glance at Alec, and he walks up to me, as if knowing what I needed him to do.

He releases the fog from his hands, taking away their senses.

I take their hands in mine, flashes of memories already filling my mind.

"Paralyze them before you guys do it Kevin." They come closer, taking ahold of their heads, my eyes filling with tears as I focused on their flashbacks.

Flash

Flash

Flash

Flash

Flash

Flash.

Flash

I numbly stand to my feet, looking over to their mother. Her cries ceased, eyes were filled with tears, but there was a content smile on her face.

"All I wanted was for them to no longer be in pain." She sadly murmured.
"Thank you Queen Volturi, for not making it painful."

I walk pass them, not even waiting for them to carry out her punishment. My emotions slowly losing control, all the adrenaline going away, and the toll of things weighing down on me.

I hear the sound of a head being ripped off, and I hold unto the wall, finding it hard to stay standing.

They didn't deserve this.
They didn't...

"Amore." I look up at Aro, fighting back my sobs.

"They didn't...she lied and because of that...they were only ch-ildren." My voice breaks at the end, as heartbreaking sobs leave my mouth.

I want to be mad at him. Blame him for this. But I knew he wasn't fully to blame. He didn't know Hera would do this. Yet they all knew of her obsession towards him. He used her continuously.

He pulls my weeping body into his arms, holding me tight.

——

"Do you desire children?" My gaze breaks away from the flowers, and I look to him.

"I don't think it's possible now." I look back forward.

"Hm." We remain quiet for some time again.

"Humans adopt when they are unable to have children." I look back at him, a small smile coming on my face. He looked a little unsure of his own words, but I think I got where his motive stems from.

"The Aro Volturi adopting a human child?" He softly chuckles, but it looked like he was blushing.

"You're blushing!"

"I am not." He feigns a serious tone.

"Oh my gosh get the camera." He playfully glares at me, and I giggle. I take ahold of his hand, leaning my head on his shoulder, staring at the flowers once again.

"Thank you...But it's okay."

We settle in a comfortable silence, before a question comes to mind.

"How did you find out about everything?"

"I am Aro Volturi." I hit his chest, raising up to look at him.
"You're always hitting me."

"You deserve it most times." I roll my eyes when he smiles.
"How?"

"Lya." My eyes widen in shock.

"She told you?"

"She removed the block on her mind and allowed me to see everything."

"She's the one..." his smile broadens.

"She can block away particular memories from one's mind, and replace them with new ones. It's magnifico. And her brother, a shapeshifter." He says excitedly.

"Seems your coven is getting stronger." He giggles.

"Sadly the one who has the gift of creating sired bonds is dead. His gift would of been a splendid addition to the guard." I turn to face him, needing to talk about this.

"You should of done more to let Hera know you did not want her." I tell him seriously.

"I hadn't summoned her in twenty four years love. And the last time I saw her, I told her we would not be continuing our affair."

"But you summoned her again after twenty four years." He remains quiet.
"I don't fully blame you. Even though she was here, you did make it clear that you had no interest anymore, and that you only needed her gift, but it's horrible that she went this far to get your attention. You had no heart back then Aro. You basically played her like a violin."

"I cared for little back then." I deadpan him, folding my arms.

"Aro."

"I'm not perfect Amore. The only woman I've truly ever loved is you." I sigh.

"Master." We look behind us to Jane.

"What shall we do of the two subordinates?"

"Have them report to Kali. She'll know what to do." She bows, running back inside.

"There isn't any other mistress's I need to know of right?"

"Well..." I shove him.

"I'm serious."

"Any other person would be dead right now, if they did what you just did." I roll my eyes.

"I'm serious Aro. Is there anyone else I should worry about?" He pulls me to sit across his lap.

"I have many enemies."

"I know this."

"I'll always protect you." My lips curve up into a soft smile.

"I know this." He pushes my hair behind my back, that look in his eyes again as he stared at me.

"What?"

"I understand now why the bond between true mates is more significant than others." He says with a distant look on his face.

I look at him confused, but he just
smiles.

"Riposa Amore."(Rest Love.)

😔😔
See you in the next chapter❤️