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Aro, Caius, and Marcus had, according to Didyme, planned something for me. Whatever they had planned slipped by my mind. No clues or hints were littered in our morning conversation, or in the heart-to-heart we had the night before. In all ways I had been left in the dark.

Finding myself in a shimmering gold dress that my mate's younger sister had dressed me in, I had been left to my own devices inside the castle. Nobody had exactly come back to pick me up, meaning that I would have to find my way around the twisting corridors of the ancient place.

The midnight shoes on my feet clack as I strolled down the many hallways, making a little too much noise as I tried to find my mates. Seemingly no guards were posted around, the people I would usually ask for help finding my way. Struggle as I may, upon turning down the right hall for the third time that hour I found Aro, who chuckled when I bumped into him.

"That dress," he takes a second to look at the overly fancy piece of clothing, "looks divine."

"Aro!" I heard Caius' voice as he sped down the hall, his cloak following behind him like a lost puppy. "Cara mia, we have been looking everywhere for you. How long have you been out of the towers?"

"A few hours," my blonde mate hissed at my answer, moving to my side. "There weren't any guards around to redirect me. This place is huge."

My mate hissed again before looking behind him, where a group of Volturi guards were coming to their posts. "Why are you late? Newborn training doesn't take multiple hours! I don't want to ever hear from my human mate that you weren't at your posts! What would have happened if she were attacked? You-" I shushed him, not wanting the angry vampire to yell at any of his covenmates. Yes, he was likely right, but at the same time voicing that anger would do more harm than good. "Mia cara-"

"Please just leave it alone," I plead with him, looking at the terrified guards down the hall. "What is done is done. I'm safe and I found you all."

He huffed before suddenly picking me up in his arms, making me squirm in protest. "Now I can show you to our date, mia bellissima regina. Penso che adorerai quello che abbiamo pianificato per te."

"Da quanto tempo lo pianifichi?" Caius clicks his tongue and shakes his head. "Are you going to keep such a silly thing a secret?"

"It's not silly," he mutters under his breath.

"Our first date will not be silly, tesoro," Marcus came up behind me and kissed my cheek, the gesture turning my face carmine. "You really are the cutest little thing. You react to every little thing we do."

"I am not little," I deny, turning my head away from him in defiance. Little, I am nowhere near little. I am of average height for an Greek woman. Maybe a little smaller, but I'm not petite.

"You are wrong, mia regina, you are very small for a human. Even most vampire women are taller. We can wrap you up and throw you around like a feather," I gasp at the thought. Throwing me around? Who did they think they were? "Human women are so much different. Your little face as you sleep is simply adorable. I wish I could watch you sleep all day, but I have my duties to attend to."

"Duties," Caius huffs, "When do you ever do those duties of yours? For the past two thousand years you've been too busy brooding over Astraea's arrival to do any of your paperwork."

"Hush," he silences our mate, stepping ahead of us on our travel to wherever this date was going to be. "I have waited for a long time, but that does not mean I have been unable to finish most of my daily tasks. I do not brood, amore, simply dwell on what is to come. It has been a long wait."

"That is the definition of brooding," Caius retorts, pressing me further into his chest, almost blocking my view of the world around me. Looking up, I see my mate's face staring down at me with care. "Are you comfortable, la mia amica del cuore?"

"Sì." He nods before forcefully closing my eyes. I whine and try to open them back up, but he keeps them closed. "Fammi vedere!"

My blonde mate refused, holding his arms tight around my much smaller body and face. I let out another whine before I felt a rush of wind run through my hair and body. My heart drops in my chest as my stomach churns uncomfortably. What could only be described as motion sickness flew through my head as I wanted to get down and fall over, the only thing supporting me being Caius' strong arms.

Finally allowing me to see the world around us, I open up my eyes and see what my mates had set up. A picnic. They... they don't eat anything but they brought me food. What did I do to get three perfect men willing to do this for me?

"Come now, i miei amori," Rushing over to the tree where they set up the picnic, Aro brings out some of the food for me. I could feel Caius' smile as he ran over using his vampire speed, setting me down on the silk towel that they set out.Right beside me, Marcus got out more food and placed it in a bowl. The focaccia was plain, but Caius made sure that he gave me some of the spreadings. Things like garlic spread and hummus were available, the best quality I had ever seen.

Taking a bite of some focaccia that I had laced with garlic and sharp white cheddar, I moan at the taste. The mixtures of flavors were like heaven to me. Never in my life had I been able to have so much food at my disposal, with most of our meals being plain and unspiced leftovers from the neighbors. My cousins and I would no longer have to struggle to find decent food in the cities or our classes.

Classes... I stopped my classes! I haven't been to school in four days! Oh lord, they must be looking for me now. Even if uncle told them that I was out sick they would start asking questions. God knows Madam Lucia hates absences. If I am here with my cousins, there will be no way for me to complete my basic education. By Saturday I will have missed a full week. Six days of schooling is a lot. Who knows if I have tests or-

My thoughts were cut off by Aro, who seemed to know that I was in frantic thought. "Is something wrong, cara?"

"School," he sighs, knowing where I was going with this. I was supposed to be in school for the next two years. How would I do that in the Volturi castle? "I have to be at school. Our teachers will be wondering where we are. Ambrose and Astro as well. Their absence will be noticed by their friends."

Marcus hummed, tapping his slender fingers against one of the baskets of food. "They are both fifteen years old, are they not?" I nod. "I think it would be best for them to finish their education here. You can as well if that is what you would wish to do. As newborns they will not be in control of their bloodlust like elder vampires and will need to be closely monitored in the presence of any human."

"Do you think I will be able to see them soon?" Caius tenses beside me, looking into the distance. I want to see my family...

"They just woke up from their transformation, cara, I think it's unwise to have them in your presence while they are untrained and potentially dangerous," I frown, understanding why I couldn't see them but still longing for some time with my younger cousins. It had been almost a week since I had seen them last. The longest we had been without each other was eleven days and that was only because they were on a field trip. "The only way that I would allow such a thing would be if all of us and the elite guard are there."

"Marcus," Caius seethes, clearly not happy with the idea of two newborn vampires being near his very human and very precious mate. "Don't go around making promises like that! We must keep her safe!"

"Do you really think that I would let our mate get hurt?" He questions, hurt by the very idea of my theoretical injury. "Astraea needs to be with her family as well as us when our bonds are growing. She should not be cut off from those who she loves dearly."

"It is a matter of safety," I watch as the two of them go at it.

"She shall be safe in our presence!"

"Not with a newborn!"

"I would never allow her to be hurt!"

"She could be bitten!"

"We can restrain any newborn vampire that even thinks of harming her!"

"They are stronger-"

"We are over three thousand years old, we can handle two newborns! The elite guard have taken out armies of them in the past!"

"I will not-" Aro cuts off their argument with a firm hand and voice.

"This is not helping," he states, looking at our mates, "Do not argue in our mate's presence. Be civil. We are not savages and we shall not speak to each other with such tones, do you understand?"

"Mi dispiace amore mio," Marcus apologizes first, looking down at the grass below his feet. "Non essere arrabbiato con me. La prossima volta non sarò così avventato."

Aro hurried over to our mate's side before kissing his cheek and his head. "Shh, va tutto bene, mio ​​caro amico. Non sono arrabbiato, non c'è bisogno di preoccuparsi. Ti voglio bene Marcus."

"Ti amo," he whispered, accepting the reassurances from Aro. "M' sorry Caius."

"It's okay," Caius accepted his apology before kissing his lips, pulling him in close. It only lasted a few seconds, with the brown-haired king pulling away. Caius growled at the lack of contact and pulled Marcus down to the ground, forcibly cuddling with him, which Marcus didn't seem to mind that much, wrapping his arms around our mate and purring.

"You two are so cute," Aro cooed, rushing over to meet them in the newly formed cuddle pile. "Join us, Astraea."

Giggling, I do as he says, flopping down and joining them in the cuddle pile.

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Nearly forty minutes went by before one of us got up. Marcus was the first to move around, with my head resting on his right shoulder and Caius' on his lap. All huddled on top of each other, his departure meant that we all groaned and tried to not fall onto the grass or blanket below us, knowing that neither were particularly clean surfaces for our faces.

Not acknowledging our discomfort with our new seating situation, Marcus grabbed his phone from the grass and looked down at the screen. What he saw remained unknown to me, as I was not in a position to see what was on it for myself. All I could hear was Marcus' small gasp as he stared down at the bluish white tinted screen.

"What is it, caro?" Aro questions, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Today is a Thursday and we don't have anything to do."

"Not that," he mutters, typing furiously. The mates still clinging onto my body sigh and nuzzle themselves further into me, giving almost no room to breathe. "So about those cousins of yours..."

"Are they okay?" my mate nods, but looks awkwardly down at his phone in hand, almost looking over to truly make sure he was giving me accurate information. "If they've woken up, has something happened? Please, Marcus, I have to know if my baby cousins are okay-"

"They're fine, my dear," he calms my anxieties, giving me a half-hearted smile. "I promise, they're okay. There have been a few developments that have taken place with them. Nothing bad, actually very good, but they are things that we must take a look at."

Both of the other kings looked quite confused at his cryptic language. Looking at what? The only thing that either of them have that is out of the ordinary are birthmarks on the middle of their backs. Matching, obviously. What more could happen with them? Good lord, they must have gotten in trouble already. Started a fight or something. Ambrose never was very good with new people, let alone vampires he doesn't trust yet. Astro must be freaking out now that he's been turned. He was always a bit terrified by the idea of vampires.

"You make it sound like they've done something illegal," Caius muttered under his breath, starting to shuffle around on the picnic towel. "Spit it out already."

"It seems that Ambrose and Astro Angelos have found their mates."

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"I will see them whether you want me to or not!" I exclaim, trying to claw my way out of Aro's grip as he held me back from running into the guard's room to try and find my two cousins. Marcus couldn't drop a bomb on me like that and expect me to not question whoever these mates were and make sure that they knew that if they messed with my cousins' feelings they would feel my wrath.

Holding me to his chest, my mate attempted to keep his arms wrapped around me, which failed after I kicked his leg and let out a feral hiss when my foot started to hurt. God, his skin was like real stone. If I had kicked him any harder I would have broken or at least sprained my toe. Possibly worse, my legs were sore after fighting him off of me.

"Per favore mia cara, non litigare con noi su questo. Non ci auguriamo altro che la tua felicità e sicurezza. I tuoi cugini potrebbero essere pericolosi e non possiamo metterti con noncuranza in modo dannoso, anche se vuoi vederli," Aro pleaded with me. My distressed self did not listen, moving away from him and walking closer to the guard's meeting area. There was nothing that Aro could say or do that would stop me from seeing my family. No matter if they were my mates, I would be seeing Ambrose and Astro today.

"Where are the guards?" I turn back to ask my raven-haired mate, who lets out a low hiss, not wanting to answer my question. "I'll ask you very clearly: Πού είναι οι φύλακες?"

"I can't let you be hurt-" I cut him off with one finger pointed at him.

"Then you will come with me to see them! Do not take me from my family or you will regret it, Aro," he gulps but still nods. My fury was not something to be taken lightly. Once I had my mind set, there was nobody or anything that would be holding me back from getting what I wanted. "Show me to where they are."

"Ask nicely, αγαπητός," being reminded of basic manners would not do me any good. "Come with me, they are down the hall. Please stay by me and do not, under any circumstances, hug them when you set your eyes on them. Human contact is not what they need right now. Even if they love you, they can and will harm you if they get your scent in their heads."

Making our way down the old corridors, many guards turned to us. My annoyed expression was obvious. There was nothing to hide. I was much too upset with the fact that my mate tried to keep me from my cousins by physically holding me back to smile or wave at the guards like I would normally.

When we reached a door, one guard posted outside gave Aro a nervous look. My mate turned to me and opened the door right up. The guard now understanding what had gone on didn't make any protest, allowing his leader to go inside.

Inside was a familiar air of calm that the entire castle held, only slightly different from my mates and I's room. Smelling of old stones and tempting mint, the largest room in the ancient Italian building had quite a few vampires huddled inside, chatting with each other before noticing us and turning to face Aro and I. The instant turn was what scared me the most. First happy and talking away with one another and in a blink of an eye they became cold guards with little discernible personality. I couldn't tell if they acted this way because my mates forced them to or if this was just how vampires acted in front of their coven leaders.

"The kings," one of them whispered to someone. Once they turned around I could recognize Astro, who was sitting next to a teenage looking blonde girl with the same red eyes as everyone else. My cousin looked up at me and smiled before turning his attention to my mates. He looked like he instantly regretted everything he had ever done in his life, his head turning down to the floor.

"Master, what is it that you and your mate need?" she asked politely, meeting Aro's gaze. She was much less terrified than the rest of the guards around her, even willing to look my mate directly in the eye as she spoke.

"Astraea wanted to see her cousins. There was nothing I could do to stop her so I thought it best that I watch over the situation since Ambrose and Astro are newborns," he seethed the word and wrapped his arms around me protectively. Coming out from one of the areas of the section of the castle, Ambrose found his way into the room, almost strutting. "Especially since they have found their mates."

"Wait a minute," Ambrose muttered, looking at me and then looking at Aro. "What are you doing with my dear older cousin?"

Many of the guards in the room hissed at his comment. Lord don't make him upset. He's a king and if you get him riled up I have no clue what he'll do. Don't make me cover for you for the rest of eternity. That temper of yours is going to get you strung up on a wall somewhere.

"Your cousin is my mate," I could tell that Aro was trying to hold himself back from doing something to Ambrose that would upset me. "And I am your king, show some respect."

"Sedens placere," said a very tall man, motioning for my cousin to sit next to him and a much smaller, but still quite large man. "I am sorry for my mate's rudeness, master, he must not be used to the newborn emotions yet."

"He's lucky he's my mate's cousin is what he must be," Aro snarks before making his way over to my cousin. "I will allow you and your twin time with my mate as long as your mates are willing to hold you back from accidentally killing Astraea due to your bloodlust. I will be there as well to oversee this meeting and I will not allow any disrespect on either side."

"Of course," he answers back, voice shaking as he scrunches back into the wall.

"Aro," I called him back, seeing just how terrified my cousin was of him as he asserted dominance. Are all vampires like this? Or is it just the men? You know what, it may just be the men. Do vampires have hormones? If they're dead then how do they even move? Their brains must be functioning on some level. Oh well, guess we'll never know because I'm too lazy to ask. "Don't scare my cousins with your titles. Ambrose, Astro, we're going. Whoever your mates are can come along as well."

The blonde girl and a boy that looked about the same age as her stood up right next to Astro. So he also has multiple mates. Wonder if that's normal or genetic. Can that sort of thing pass through family lines? Would be cool if it did.

Men much taller than myself stood next to Ambrose, who sighed and looked back to me standing there.

"Don't worry, Felix isn't scary once you get to know him," the blonde girl snarked.

"What are you talking about, Jane? I'm as horrifying as you," his voice was deeper than I expected, with a slight raise when he said her name. "Alec's the damn teddy bear of the elite guard."

"Am not," the younger looking boy denied, holding onto Astro. "I'll knock you out."

"For later, Alec," Aro tutted, opening the door behind him. "Gifts are for the courtroom and training, not for silly rivalries."

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ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ:

Penso che adorerai quello che abbiamo pianificato per te. I think you'll love what we have planned for you.

Da quanto tempo lo pianifichi? How long have you been planning this?

Fammi vedere! Let me see!

Non essere arrabbiato con me. La prossima volta non sarò così avventato. Do not be upset with me. I shall not be so rash next time.

Shh, va tutto bene, mio ​​caro amico. Non sono arrabbiato, non c'è bisogno di preoccuparsi. Ti voglio bene Marcus. Shh, it's okay my darling mate. I am not upset, there is no need to worry yourself. I love you Marcus.

Per favore mia cara, non litigare con noi su questo. Non ci auguriamo altro che la tua felicità e sicurezza. I tuoi cugini potrebbero essere pericolosi e non possiamo metterti con noncuranza in modo dannoso, anche se vuoi vederli. Please my darling, don't fight with us on this. We wish for nothing but your happiness and safety. Your cousins could be dangerous and we cannot carelessly put you in harms way, even if you want to see them.

Πού είναι οι φύλακες? Where are the guards?

αγαπητός. Dear

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