I just want him alive. After everything we've been through, this is as much as I can give. Even if he's always getting into trouble, causing a scene in places where he should know will get him killed. I can't see the motive. Even if Bella were dead, why would he want to die for her like this? She wouldn't want this! She would want him to move on, find another epic love or something stupid and sappy like that.

My friend isn't dead. She's right here in front of me, looking dazed and entranced by the sensations happening around her. Bella's long, dark hair was knotted in multiple places, mainly around the back of her neck and scalp. She was a ghost, pale and unkempt in the way she dressed. I felt her brush past me as we made it out of the fancy car Alice decided we steal.

She wasn't always like this. While quite and often reclusive, Bella brushed her hair nightly. She'd even put on the face masks that her mother mailed to her every so often. She had no wrinkles or pimples. In many ways she felt impenetrable by human forces. Vampire boyfriend be damned, she was unstoppable for a year.

Until he left her. Then came this ghostly, unkempt, unlikable and traumatized Isabella Swan. Ungrateful for any help Charlie tried to give her. No matter what I did to help this version of her, it wasn't enough. I'd do this for her, coming to Italy to save a crazed and suicidal Edward Cullen, if it meant I'd get my Bella back. The one who saved me from myself. The one I watched graduate and even party with her friends. The one who said please and thank you. The one who apologized properly and didn't flip from one emotion to the next.

Edward was her key to happiness, it seemed, and I'd bring him back to her. Even if I didn't exactly know who the Volturi were, or why Alice hated them so much.

"Alice, what is it that you think is wrong with the Volturi? On paper they seem like a normal vampire coven. Should I be afraid?" I asked Alice, who'd parked and swiftly left the red car on the side of the street. "They don't like humans much, do they? That's why Edward hid Bella and I from them, isn't it?"

"They want nothing to do with humans on a personal level. You and Bella are good people, but they just see you as blood bags. Drinking from humans is wrong! They are people with their own lives and families and Vampires shouldn't come around and ruin that for them!" I felt the thunder in Alice's voice as she continued the rant, "What's bad about them is that they drink human blood and kill anyone who doesn't agree with them. They have vampires with so many different powers. They rule over us, call themselves kings."

Every history has two sides, I knew that very well. Every person has two sides. I couldn't help but wonder why they acted the way Alice described. Surely, three vampires couldn't just rule over hundreds over other without some sort of standing beforehand. Then again, dictators can rule over millions without the people realizing what they do is wrong. Plus, Carlisle said that vampires he's personally friends with drink human blood still. It's simply their nature, whether or not humans realize it, animals have families too, and we tear them apart regularly. So, who is in the wrong? I couldn't tell, so I stayed as quiet as I could before Bella shouted as loud as she could for Edward.

If we're being completely truthful and honest here, I thought this whole thing was stupid. Edward didn't have to try this whole thing after a single vision. He hadn't even called Charlie to see if Bella was okay. He knew the number by heart, his immortal memory not faltering with this depressive episode he's been in as of late. So what if Charlie was going to a funeral? He would have told Edward if Bella, his own daughter who he'd been taking care of for the past year, was dead.

Edward leaving in the first place was the start of this mess, I had to remind myself. That wound was still open. He'd treated me like family. Carlisle said he thought of me as his own daughter. Then, all of a sudden, they'd left and never came back. I'd gotten all but a few letters that I keep with me at all times. I didn't get a chance to properly say goodbye, and from what the letters said the leave was an idea of Edward's. A stupid plan to try and protect Bella. What good had it done? She was on the verge of a full psychological break and decided to cliff jump without equipment!

I still wasn't over the fact that Edward had essentially taken away the only parents I'd ever had. My history be damned, Esme and Carlisle were my rocks when I was screaming for help. They'd lifted me up and listened to me when no foster parent ever would. When they decided to be my legal guardians, I couldn't have been more happy. Then they had to leave. Edward wanted to, so what were they supposed to do? Whenever Edward left them, he started killing.

I was reminded of how I'd been dragged to Italy once again when a flash of red flew across my vision. We were in the middle of this festival, at the heart of Volterra, and nobody fucking thought to perhaps... blend in? I felt incredibly petty for wanting to point this out, seeing as this wasn't the time or situation to do so. However, we stuck out like sore thumbs. None of us were of Italian origin, vampires are pale as bone, and we didn't bother to get the signature red cloaks. If the Volturi were to hunt Bella and I down for being humans and in the know about vampires, they'd get a head start due to the sheer lack of a disguise we had on.

Bella soared in front of me, gaining energy from some unknown source deep within her body, nearly hitting a wall before shoving Edward onto the ground. I groaned, jogging as fast as I could in the slick, humid heat of the coastal city. Instant smiles were present on both of their faces and Bella kissed him with fervor. Gracefully looking away while I approached them, Bella grabbed my hand and pulled me closer.

"I'm not dead!" She whispered as she and Edward pulled themselves up off the tile floor of the Volterran clock-tower.

"Are we done trying to get ourselves killed for the day or can we freaking leave. It's hot and frankly I'm tired from having your sister pull me from my covers at three in the morning," I snapped, feeling myself slowly lose my temper as the weight of our situation dawned on us. I, a mere and simple human from somewhere in the United States, was going to have to deal with the Volturi in what was supposed to be my time before college.

"Someone didn't get fed on the way here," Edward said coolly.

"No, we didn't have time," Bella confessed. She turns to me with wide blackish brown eyes, "I'm sorry, Anna, we'll get you food on the way home"

I roll my eyes, wanting nothing more than to get my ass out of Italy. I had always wanted to go here, maybe even to live here, but being here under these circumstances just spoiled the feelings of joy inside of me. If Edward hadn't decided to leave, and then make stupid decisions, this trip could've been Bella and I's dream. She wanted to study with me. Honestly, she just didn't want me to leave her side. Now... now we have to deal with this.

"Look at who we have here," a male voice came from halfway down the hallway.I turned my head, a scowl situated on my face as I look into the eyes of a freakishly tall man. Does being a vampire turn your blood into fucking steroids? The fuck kind of blood does this guy drink? I swear to God.

"The suicidal vampire has drawn not one, but two meager humans to our humble home." The man let out a small laugh. "I bet Master Aro would love to see the humans you've exposed to our culture and way of being.

"Exposing our kind to not only one, but two humans. You've gotten your wish, Cullen, you're going to die. Too bad your little humans will as well," said a smaller, frailer appearing man. His hair was spiky and shot out in various different places, as if he'd just gotten up from a long nap.Edward turned to me and put a hand on my arm.

"Nobody is going to hurt you, Anna, they have to understand the situation you were in, as well as Bella, is special. I'll speak to the vampires from now on, okay? This is my fault and I am going to fix it-"

I interrupted. Frankly, I'd had enough of this. Being dragged around, having to deal with the vampires around me. I was running on a mere two hours of sleep after having to handle Bella and her night terrors for months on end. Where was my beauty rest? In the Devil's anus, I presume. I could barely reach for words at that point and snapped at Edward.

"Oh, you are going to handle this. That's what you said when Jasper was trying not to feed on Bella. What happened was you didn't handle it and Bella and I almost got turned. A situation that could have been prevented if you'd made better plans! And then you, after making a mistake, left Bella to me and Charlie. I love her, she's my friend, but I haven't slept properly in months because of your shitty actions! I haven't eaten all fucking day and I'm fucking tired of vampires making decisions for me when I'm a sentient being with thoughts and feelings and the capability of figuring things out my own way! So guess what, if we have to face the Volturi, so be it! I'm speaking for myself and what's happened in my life so far! Fuck you and your disco ball vampire abs that are only good for cracking coconuts!"

"Alice, you must know that this one should be turned. Should have happened ages ago! This kind of humor shall not die in the name of the Volturi!" The shorter one exclaimed. "Oh, I'm sorry, human woman, my name is Demetri Volturi and this is my soul-brother Felix."

"Our Masters decide your fate, however we will put in a good word for you," Felix said, eying a door to his right. "The Throne Room is this way, Cullens and humans. The Kings will be waiting for us there right now. We should not keep them waiting for long. If you can come upon your own accord, that is preferred. If needed, however, I can drag you into the room and attempt to not break your ribs or wrists in the process."

"I'll walk," I said firmly, following after Felix and Demetri into the Throne Room. My eyes were on the floor. I couldn't get the strength to look up. Whether or not I wanted to admit it, today three men I'd never met would decide my fate. They could want me as a slave if they're as bad as Alice makes them out to be. Or they could decide my life is worthless, as many have decided before, and kill me then and there.

So I didn't look up when a man said, "So this is the young Isabella. How Edward mourned over you in your absence. His heart could not handle it."

I felt Alice's presence beside me and she held my hand tight, almost crushing with her immortal strength. She took in a deep breath and let go of my hand only to grab onto my upper arm. Her discomfort was obvious, even if I didn't take a single glance at her.

Edward's frantic voice echoed throughout the Throne Room, "Alice, did you have a vision?"

Things paused for a second. No voices, just the sound of the wind and every human in red costumes outside. Silence dawned in the Throne Room. Only for a moment. Just a small moment in time where I took up an uncomfortable amount of space in the world, in their world. It wasn't my world. Edward didn't want me turned, neither did Rosalie. Carlisle even had his doubts. This wouldn't be my world.

Even if, deep down in my heart, I wanted it to be.

"Your soul-sister has a great deal of strength in her gift. We would be open to hear what she has seen, if it happens to mean something to our trial."

I felt a swelling of discomfort in my chest from staring down at the ground. Was it rude to do so, when you're on trial? Most defendants look at the jury. My jury is simply three judges. And these judges had strict rules they followed. Were their expectations of the courtroom any similar to their way of life?

"Annalise, do not look at them," Edward demanded of me.

Why? Is there something wrong-

"Anna just listen to me right now. Do not look at them, do not speak to them-" Edward was intervened by a small voice of a young girl.

"She can speak for herself, Cullen. The human is also on trial and has the right to defend herself against the claims made against her. The defendant will always get a voice in our trials. You know that very well, Cullens."

A growl could be heard across the room from someone. A king, I presumed. I peeked to the side for the first time in the trial, gaining enough strength to see the woman who'd given the chance for me to speak. A petite blonde girl. She couldn't have been more than fifteen years old. She wore a short Gothic style dress with white stockings and platform boots. She was truly adorable. How anyone could be afraid of her was beyond me.

"That is right Jane. Thank you," a different voice said. It was low, seeped with melancholia, as if he'd just been given terrible news about someone he loved. "You can look at us, Annalise. If you are to defend yourself in the face of these crimes, it is only right you look up at the people who hold your fate in their hands."

"Anna don't-"

"Silence, Cullen. She will speak and she will do it for herself," Jane hissed.

Feeling the pressure in my chest get stronger and stronger, I decided I would simply pull the band-aid off and pull my head up. When I did, I was faced with three men. All with varying shades of red eyes, but all beautiful in their own way. One king had a scowl on his face that matched his shoulder length blonde hair. The man standing in the middle of the three kings held himself with strength and power unmatched to any man I'd ever met. Finally, when I met the eyes of the melancholic king, he gave me a small yet sweet smile of relief. In that moment I felt a short spurt of happiness that I hadn't felt for over two months.

"Annalise, you can reject the bond and come back with us," Edward suggested. "You don't have to seal your fate. They aren't good men. This isn't what you want, remember? You wanted to go to college and stay single forever because no man could ever understand you and your obsessions with Spanish television dramas."

"What the absolute God-defying Hell are you talking about, Edward? What bond? What vampire voodoo-"

My questions were stopped by the sad-looking king explaining my first question, "Our bond, Annalise, is a bond between the four of us that cannot be broken. Once we gazed into each others' eyes we knew that. For a vampire the feelings come faster and stronger than it would for a human. A release of happiness on your part wouldn't compare to how we felt for you when the bond was triggered. I can see these bonds, as is my gift, and see the golden string that connects us and pronounces us true mates. I suppose the human equivalent is the myth about soul-mates, a person or persons who are your perfect match."

"The three of us are your mates. If you accept the bond, you'd stay here and become our Queen. The Cullens will have their trial continued, of course, but since you are our one true mate, you are under our protection and guidance until you are to turn," The blonde king said as he stood up from his chair. "No harm will become of you in our care. The guards of the Volturi would mentor you as much as possible. Loneliness will never be in your life."

Edward stepped in, his face pale and furious, "She can reject you, and she should. All of the pain and destruction you've caused. She's too good for you and you don't deserve someone as kind and generous as her. Her family are Cullens and Anna deserves to be with her family, Caius."

"Aro, forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't Edward the one who chose to leave Isabella Swan and take his family to New York. If the Cullen Coven was her family, why did you take them away from her? If she knows our friend Carlisle, why were they separated in the first place?" The king, Caius, said firmly. "This attitude of suffrage did not become you before, however this disrespect upon us and our mate by bond will not be tolerated. The fates have decided that we should be together. The bond shows we will fall faithfully and fatally in love with one another. Should you not want her to be Queen of our coven, able to make changes and bring peace should conflict arise?"

I couldn't believe what was going on. Edward was fighting with my supposed soulmates. As in plural. I thought I would stay single forever. Genuinely, I didn't think anyone could love me as more than a friend. Not with my baggage. This man, Caius, was making a promise, in his own way, that he would love me forever. As silly and childish as it may seem, that meant the world to me. I wasn't stupid. I couldn't let this man, or the other kings, go that easily. I had to at least give them a chance.

"She won't-"

"I'm going to stay, Edward." He was absolutely speechless as I continued, "If these are my soulmates then I'm going to take the chance to get to know them before deciding to leave. You've painted them as villains, and if you're right, I'll leave. Surely Carlisle will take me back. I'm still technically his child, legally. But I have to be here. Opportunities like this don't grow on trees. I only get once chance at this soulmate thing."

Alice snapped and seethed, "They'll make you into a monster who drinks human blood!"

"You know what, Alice, eating humans isn't all that bad. Humans eat animals so often and destroy their habitat to the point where animals are going extinct. I'd rather eat a human, whose species is overpopulated and destroying the planet, than an animal whose species may not last another fifty years. I respect your opinion on drinking from humans, but as a human, labeling the Volturi as monsters on that basis is stupid. I'm sorry, but it's the truth," I said softly as a few of the guards walked closer to me.

"So you're just going to abandon us after everything?" Bella asked with tears welling in her eyes. "I thought we were friends!"

"Just because I'm staying here for at least a little while doesn't mean that I'm abandoning you or that we aren't friends anymore-"

"That's exactly what it means! You don't understand what you're doing right now!" Edward almost shrieked as he got closer to me. He was right up in my face and I felt myself flinch for a moment. "You cannot go with them!"

I took in a deep breath before I seethed, "You aren't my fucking dad, so get the fuck out of my face shiny face. I'm staying here in Volterra and I'll have Carlisle get my bags from home to ship here. Until you apologize for speaking to me like an object don't try to call or contact me. I deserve to be treated better than this and I'm sure as Hell Carlisle won't be happy when he hears about this. He may be your adopted father but I'm the one he calls baby girl and gets to use his credit card."

"So now you expect us to bow down to you? How could you do this to us?" Bella said as a tear rolled down her cheeks.

"I haven't done anything to you. But you've said a lot of shit to me about this trip and what's happened here in the Throne Room. So, yeah, you can bow and all hail your fucking Queen."