┌────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┐

└────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┘

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱. He had to watch over his mate, who would freak out if she woke up to him staring at her intently or perched by the door. He couldn't say that he blamed his younger mate for having such a reaction, he felt like a stranger rather than a mate to Aurora. Felix stayed far enough away for comfort but close enough to know that he was keeping her safe and sound in his mostly unused bed.

It was around 9:00 AM when Aurora's phone went off for the first time that day. The chime of the notification brought it to Felix's attention right away. Seeing that it was one of her friends, he thought it was best to respond rather than to leave this person in the dust, potentially call, and hence wake his peaceful mate up.

PRIVATE CHATS

QUEEN LEAH:
Are you alive?

ME:
Asleep

QUEEN LEAH:
Send pic for proof

ME:
She's asleep

QUEEN LEAH:
So who has her phone?

ME:
Felix

QUEEN LEAH:
The tall guy?
The hot one?

ME:
I'm taken

QUEEN LEAH:
Send pic for proof

ME:
She'll kill me

QUEEN LEAH:
No she won't
She's sweet

ME:
She bit me

QUEEN LEAH:
Wait really????
Like no joke??

ME:
Yeah she bit me
Tried to bite my brother
and my sister
Looked like she wanted to bite my dad too

QUEEN LEAH:
What did they do?

ME:
exist
idk

QUEEN LEAH:
Take an embarrassing pic

ME:
No
why would I do that to her?
she looks cute tho

QUEEN LEAH:
Do you like her?

ME:
do you interrogate all of her partners?

QUEEN LEAH:
you consider her your partner

ME:
I mean yeah we're kinda stuck together
may as well
plus she's cute

QUEEN LEAH:
have you squished her cheeks together yet

ME:
Why would I do that?

QUEEN LEAH:
Tart looks cute when her cheeks are all squishy
Like a little loaf of bread

ME:
If she wakes me up you owe me
She's bitey
and hungover

QUEEN LEAH:
Why was she drinking?

ME:
why not?

QUEEN LEAH:
should have known you were irresponsible

ME:
I carried her back

QUEEN LEAH:
Did she reveal anything while drunk?
She usually does that
She called my brother a salty fish once
and my ex a zargot

ME:
What's a zargot????

QUEEN LEAH:
ask her idk she wouldn't tell us

QUEEN LEAH:
anyways you better treat her well
Or the entire pack will get you
I'll get you
and kill you
because I'm just like that

QUEEN LEAH:
So you better watch out man
My brother may be a kid but he can bite

ME:
Mhm please don't bite me
I can handle Aurora
but nobody else

QUEEN LEAH:
Is she still asleep?
boop her cheek for me

ME:
What is your obsession with harassing Aurora?
What has she done?

QUEEN LEAH:
wdym she's my friend
it's not harassing when you've booped her for 30 years

ME:
she's 19???

QUEEN LEAH:
no
in spirit we've booped each other

ME:
I'm not looking for death
she's finally being nice to me
finally

QUEEN LEAH:
just a warning she drools in her sleep
like a lot
she's like a dog
a cute little puppy

ME:
doubt she likes being called that

QUEEN LEAH:
Whatever
she only bites you
not me
she loves me

ME:
shit she's waking up
gotta go

QUEEN LEAH:
better make her happy
or I'll make you pay

Felix couldn't help but laugh as Aurora almost fell off the bed and onto the floor. Thankfully he took this chance to help her back onto the bed as she hung off it's side. She whined and tried to throw him off of her, to no avail. Far too strong and large for her to do so while half-asleep.

"Get away," she whined at him. "What did I do to deserve your horrible presence?" He laughed again.

"Well, let's see. You got drunk and needed someone to save you from making terrible decisions that you would regret for the rest of eternity." Aurora let out a knowing whine before stuffing her face into a pillow like she'd done the night prior. "Don't look so down. Nothing happened last night, if you can even remember what was said between the two of us. For the most part you showed that you do have the ability to be nice towards me if you so wish, which is refreshing considering our previous conversations have been hostile. Though I do admire your ability to hold your whiskey."

Her face blushed a deep red as she looked away. Felix took pride in making her blush at every turn. A sign that somewhere, no matter how deep inside, he was getting to his mate, making her feel something for him that she'd never felt for anyone else before. It sent confidence down his spine every time she looked up into his eyes. Amber on carmine. Those eyes stared into his soul and stained his dead heart.

"At least my head doesn't hurt. That would suck." Aurora let out a large yawn as she flipped onto her back, gazing intently into red eyes. "I remember what was said between us last night. We were both drunk off our asses and ━ well it just doesn't matter now. What got said got said and there's nothing we can do to go back in time and take back what we said so it's better to just move on with our lives. Clearly I wasn't holding myself enough with the things I said to you. Stupid on my part. Not your fault."

The man's face instantly dropped from a dashing smile to a near frown. Felix didn't understand what she meant by that, if he was supposed to be worried or offended or anything in between those emotions. The way she spoke hinted more towards negative thoughts, but her tone remained so cutthroat that it could be interpreted as mere morning lag. "You don't mean that, do you?" Stillness raced towards them both, taking over just as it had many times before.

That cold feeling of worry ran through Felix's heart in a way it never had. The one chance he got at proving himself was taken away once before, by the man in her dreams who remained on a short list of people Felix truly hated. That one tiny, miniscule chance that presented itself while they drank away their thoughts and feelings, was it all for nothing? Getting her to open up enough to get to see inside her mind was a challenge in and of itself, but sober Aurora brought little comfort in terms of change. One mindset for her entire life, never straying away. He had one chance. To set fire to a woman whose fire had been dimming for so long. Because of him, she would add. In the end, that one chance was only given because he was involved in what made her hurt, what ended up breaking any trust she could lay in a vampire's grasp.

Panic wrung itself into Felix's lungs. The kind that pressed and pressed and wouldn't go away, dropping your heart into the pit of your stomach. He hadn't been this anxious since before his turning, back when everything could change at any moment, when Aro could decide that he was not worth his time and simply kill him off like he did every week. Felix felt completely and utterly hopeless under his woman. He would bend to her will if she so desired, not that she knew that. Desperation would leak into his lungs whenever he saw her. He'd been so grateful for the chance he'd been given, and now he was ready to face the fall if he failed her.

"No, I don't," She whispered, almost to herself, as her eyes started to drift away from his. No longer having that contact, Felix let out a steady breath, handing his mate's phone back to her. A slight flush found itself on Aurora's cheeks as his hand touched her own. She shrank back, pulling her hand away from his as she opened up her phone. "You and Leah were talking, huh?"

"I'm so sorry," Felix sputtered out. "I didn't know if you wanted me to ignore her or to text her back. Knowing how some people get when ignored I elected to do the latter for you and not take any of her advice when it came to assaulting you in your sleep ━" He stopped for a moment as he saw Aurora's face go from blushed to confused. "She wanted me to poke you and to squash your cheeks together. I did neither as it would be highly inappropriate for me to do so."

Wishful thinking on his part hoped that she wouldn't scorn him for invading her privacy and talking to her friend in place of her. Lord knew what she could do to him while angry. A bite isn't the worst thing Aurora Canyon is capable of. No, a wolf of her stature could tear anyone apart in a matter of seconds, her wolf taking over in place of her anger. Bonds would save him from death only, and he knew that sometimes there were fates worse than death. As a vampire, who knew what Aurora could do. Take down his coven in one fell swoop? Perhaps she could be merciful and leave a few siblings behind.

His anxiety was through the roof every time she got quiet like this, when she just wouldn't speak. In a matter of seconds she went from a spitfire to a silent wolf capable of true malice. A slip of her tongue would leave him on edge, wanting more yet wanting to beg her for mercy. It was a process with her. Comfort needed to be in place for her to understand when he is trying to be a good mate. Comfort. He needed to give her comfort, yet right now he's as far from comfortable as he can get. This game of push and pull needed to stop soon, lest he lose himself trying to work out what his mate wanted from him.

"It's okay Felix," she said, her voice snapping the tension Felix felt brewing in his lungs. "Anyways, there's absolutely nothing to do today besides some paperwork Aro wanted me to do before next week, and that can be done tomorrow. Why does he send me to do paperwork? Doesn't he know a wolf's attention span is not as long as the average humans, and even those beings have trouble doing such useless work? Plus, couldn't he just do this stuff? Send it over and have me fill in the blanks? Figuring out how many wolves are in my pack isn't that hard knowing that I could just text him the numbers and have him input them. Why have me do it all?"

"Aro is a busy man, Aurora," Felix tried to explain. "And he likely thought you were the best to do this because you also need to put in the correct ages, names, wolf colors and types, plus the mates of everyone. He wouldn't be able to get that information correct from one text and he trusts that you will know of any other information he should know, such as diet restrictions and allergies. The wolves are your people, not his, and you are their leader now. Maybe you aren't the Alpha of your pack, but you will be the Alpha in the eyes of the vampire community now that your existence has been legalized. Believe it or not, Aro doesn't give important paperwork to just anyone. He doesn't trust that my covenmates will do it right, or his way, or both."

"Why does he need to know who's mated to who?" Felix shook his head and chuckled.

"For seating arrangements. The Volturi are like royalty and host a plethora of balls during the time we aren't imposing the law around the globe. If wolves are in the picture, he will want them to attend his fancy balls together. He's a man of politics and will use mated pairs in his own little deals." Aurora shivered, but Felix remained unphased. "It's not an issue unless one makes it an issue. It's been his way of policy for years and it's worked well enough so far. Word has a hard time to get around for vampires, even when we move so fast. We prefer to stay in the same place, even when it comes time to leave or talk to people. We aren't very social in nature, barring Aro and a few others in our coven."

The very few times Felix could remember actually getting out for anything other than work were to meet up with Demetri after the missions they weren't sent on together. Of course, that was before they were found to be soul brothers. One doesn't just separate a soul family member from their other part, even when it comes to missions. Those times it was only Demetri who he spoke with. No humans and no vampires. None caught his eye. Eternity is a long time to spend trying to make friends, and a few more years of near-isolation hasn't hurt any vampires for a long time. Not that he knew of, at least.

"That explains a lot." Felix had to raise an eyebrow at this. Aurora sighed. "Your behavior, and that of your covenmates. You aren't very, let's say, socially adept. Inept in most situations, I would say. You can't seem to figure out when what you're doing is confusing or socially inappropriate for species other than your own. Wolves are in tune with each other, sensing every disturbance in each other's mental and emotional state. If someone felt sad one day, we would know and do everything in our power to help them. For you it seems to take you awhile to figure out what's actually wrong and how to fix it. We're polar opposites in that regard."

"I ━" he couldn't deny it even if he tried. "Look, we're just different. Yeah, different. We don't think like a pack and don't check up on each other. We're each our own person and that's okay. There's hierarchy but that could get taken down in a few seconds if someone wanted to take over." Now it was time for Aurora to raise an eyebrow. "Not that anyone here would want to do that. I'm perfectly happy with the way the kings run things around the castle. I'm just pointing out the differences between us so we can further understand each other."

There were so many subtle things that made vampires and wolves alike, but with every value they shared there was one to oppose it. Vampires being reclusive while wolves travel in packs, wolves working for the betterment of their pack while vampires often turn against one another if it benefits them. In all ways one could say that every being shares similarities with another, but not all species are mortal enemies like vampires and true wolves, who've been fighting since the dawn of time. How a mating bond could work between two different people such as themselves, Felix didn't know. He wished he did, but that knowledge remained unknown to the man.

Now they were here, stuck together in an awkward battle against time and nature. Felix wanted to have her, to get that chance to have a true mate, but he couldn't push his mate too far, lest he push her further than he could ever pull. Being patient is what he did for a living. Making sure that the world doesn't fall into shambles is a part of a Volturi guard's job. One could say it's their very purpose in undead life. If he could make sure that the world around him doesn't fall into chaos, he'd be damn sure to make sure his personal life doesn't fall apart as well.

Aurora sat before him, as perfect as the day he first laid eyes on her. Something about her wolf called to Felix, and it was unlike anything he'd felt before. A small tug pressed against his chest, wanting more than he could have. It was torture to have her not be his. Not yet, he wanted to remind himself, but the reminder almost did more harm than good, nearly cancelling out with the uncertainty of it all. Because Aurora Canyon is not his, and for a vampire whose possessive nature sometimes gets the better of him that's the worst scenario. She could bite and kick and scream, but if she was his it didn't matter. Verbal abuse didn't matter because he was already hers. Perhaps that was the most painful part of it all, the lack of reciprocation. Left in the dust, wanting more than you can have. Greedy, some would call it, but it was nature that brought them together, and he'd be damned if their natures tore them apart.

"Is that what you want?" Of course that's what I want, he wanted to snap back, but refrained from doing so. "To get to know me, to be my mate? Would you be willing to put up with everything that comes with being mated to a wolf? We're no angels and we don't work the way you do. One thing that's normal may be taboo. Our bodies don't function like a human or a vampire and the days before the full moon make us aggressive as all hell." She let out a deep sigh before continuing, "And you'd need to come back at some point, come with me to Washington. A wolf without their pack is weak, and I refuse to be a weak wolf in Italy, surrounded by vampires who aren't too keen on my existence. I need to be with them by next month or any stray vampire around here could end up dead ━"

"Whatever you need, Aurora, I'll let you have it. I can't fully leave my coven though, they do need me. Being so high up, I am responsible for a lot that goes on inside here and it could be anarchy if Demetri goes off the rails again while I'm absent." His mate seemed to understand, but that didn't stop the scowl of disappointment from appearing on her face. "Look, there's only so much we can do while inside of this room and worrying over future plans. For all I know the full moon is three weeks away and shouldn't be fretted over until at least next week, when it will be almost two weeks since you came. In the meantime we can do things to help integrate you into the lives of other vampires."

If the scowl she gave before was from disappointment, this was from anger. No, Aurora doesn't like vampires, she's made that very clear to her mate, a known vampire. Being around anyone who can be killed by her would not seem to be a good idea, but Felix knew that if she remained cooped up in their room one of them would go crazy. Shared bond emotions hint to Aurora first, then Felix through her. Demetri was all alone and had been for the past week, meaning that he would be getting himself into some trouble soon if Felix didn't divert his attention onto something or someone else. What better way to reintroduce his brother to his mate than to have them in the same area together?

"Just give it a chance, Aurora, you may find that not all vampires you claim to hate are entirely bad people. My brother is great and many of my covenmates are reasonable." Some, not all, but he wouldn't say that right now. No need to frighten her or give her any doubts. "Whatever experiences you've had with vampires have not been ones with my coven. We are civil, barring Jane and Caius, but everyone knows that Jane and Caius have rubbed off on each other over the centuries. They shouldn't have been some of your first impressions of our coven, so I am sorry you had to deal with their rudeness."

"Rude doesn't even begin to cover the shit those two do. How does Caius retain his position while being a haughty brat that nobody could ever like unless forced to?" Felix laughed at that. A question he'd posed to his soul brother back when he was human. He was surprised when Marcus didn't kill him for slandering his brother. "If I were his mate I would rather die. He's vile and cruel and an idiot for messing with wolves. It's as if he looks for everyone in the room and picks out a marginalized group to blame his problems on. Just like every shitty dictator in history. We hate this person so let's kill them all! Give me a break, he's a grade A asshole with no moral backing whatsoever. Your cats have more class than he does, and they pissed on one of the plants yesterday."

While he may be his king, Felix couldn't help but agree. His king didn't say many nice things about anyone but Jane and even then it was praising her for her skilled gift she'd gained when turning into a vampire. Before her he must have been a pain to drag around. No matter what someone does, he'll find a way to insult them from it. Aro's reasoning for his leadership role is that he's good at scaring the criminals. But surely Aro could have figured out some better way to scare people. He could just laugh and all of the guards would want to throw themselves into volcanos. No, there has to be something else that keeps him up so high, but Felix doesn't know the answer to that.

"Why he's up so high isn't my concern and I am in no place to question his power over the vampire community," Felix says with a sigh. "All I know is that I have control over what I do and what I do only. Yes, I have influence, but only to those in this coven who care about what I have to say. To those numbers, maybe three. Demetri and Alec seem to listen, oddly along with Marcus as of the last few hundred years. Everyone else would rather go their own way than listen to the tallest person in this coven." Aurora let out a small laugh at his last comment. "Let me show you what my coven is really like, then you can make a judgement on us based on who I show you."

"Sounds a bit biased," Aurora mentioned. "You could show me your friends and not the people who I know will hate me. A sly tactic, I will admit."

He chuckled before looking at the door. "If it makes you feel any better, it seems that the rest of my coven has no idea that I'm mated to a wolf. The ones that do don't seem to have a problem with it. They wouldn't say anything to your face or in any way that could send the word back to you, which usually means silence for the rest of us. We would never risk your teeth sinking into our systems and killing us. I may have the benefit of being your mate, but the rest of the Volturi don't have that luxury. My brother doesn't judge you for being a wolf, although you did hurt his pride when you knocked him out cold with a mere play dart." Aurora laughed at the memory, which made Felix happy with himself. "I won't bring naturally unkind people to you."

"Do you have somewhere in mind? Do the guards of the Volturi congregate somewhere to get whatever social needs they have met?" She took a long pause before continuing, "I don't socialize outside of my group, and even when I do its because my father makes me. Keeping up the act of being just another normal human native tribe member takes a lot of effort. Wolves relate to each other and that's how we work so well with one another. Same language, same full moon activities."

There's only one time of the month that you see the guards together, and even some don't come to that event. Hosted best when Demetri or Marcus (who for some reason spends the most time with the guard, bringing his queen along as well) decide to get off their asses and find some time to plan the event of the evening. Guard night. One six hour event involving drinking and movies, although most of the drinking is between the newer guard members who haven't learned to let go of their human nature. Younger guards get to know the ancient ones and people find out just what it means to have fun as a vampire in a human-oriented world. Felix hadn't skipped one since finding Demetri as his soul brother, the bastard dragging him along to every one, but he planned on skipping it if it meant he could spend more time with his newly found mate.

"New activities could be a good thing for you." She didn't have a response to that, reverting back to her awkward silence. Felix sighed before continuing, "Guard night will have all of the guards who are willing to talk to people. Since most of us are reclusive, many miss the event. The best people are always there and make sure to put on a show for the rest of the guard. Jane never attends and Marcus should be there to police anyone who attempts to be disrespectful." Aurora's eyes only lit up slightly as her body shifted to face Felix, who turned back to look her in her carmel eyes. "Drinks, a movie, and some new people who aren't the worst of our kind for you to get to know. I know for a fact that Afton will try to get you to spill some secrets, so don't mind him. He and Santiago always make bets for who'll spill the best secret of the night, so new people are often targeted."

As he awaited her response, he couldn't help but notice the way her lip curled up as he spoke. Better than when it curled down into a clear frown, but not the same as a smile. Was she not used to smiling in front of people? Being as curious as he was, he pondered on the idea as he waited. Surely a woman like her could smile, he'd seen her do it before, but was it a rare occurrence or something she did on a regular basis? The minor detail shook the man, but he sat, calm.

"Just no drinking, not after last night." He could work with that.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥. While Felix surely did whatever he could to get me here, reminding me that an adult (if you could call Marcus that, he looked a bit younger than myself. I guess his chronological age matters most in this castle) would be there to manage the situation. People aren't my strong suit, they never have been. The best I could do is socialize with Leah and her pack, and even then they're a type of wolf. Even if they didn't know they were wolves, I did, and that's what matters.

Not much more had been said between Felix and I, with both of us spending our time on opposite ends of the room. The cats decided to come in around noon, where they prodded against my legs looking for attention. Both of them seem to like me well enough to spend any time with me. I'd learned that their names are Marley and Lui. Apparently Alec found them on the street and decided to take them home. Being one of Aro's favorites, he's allowed to keep him as long as he's the one to take care of him. How he managed to keep them safe in a family of vampires, I have no clue. I haven't seen much of Alec, who doesn't come into Felix's and I's room at all, but he'll be at guard night.

For most of the day I spent time on my computer, working on my online schoolwork. This year my parents decided it would be best for the entire pack to go remote. Homeschool. It led to a decrease in vampire attacks and helps us blend in. Wifi is easy to find when your uncle works at a local tech firm. While the work is a bit harder than when I was in-person, I say that it's worth it. If anything goes wrong I can just text my parents and ask them what the answer to a really hard question is. They almost always answer, but now it'll take longer due to time zone differences. Nine hours ahead isn't the best, but it's what I have to work on. College isn't so bad when you're online.

By the time 8:00 PM hit, we were ready to go. I wore semi-formal clothes. Well, Felix didn't find them formal, but he's probably used to stuck up rich people clothes. My pants must have cost about $100 and my makeup... lord that stuff does put a dent in your budget. Why does it have to be so expensive? I thankfully got most of mine from my birthday money because I would have to save up for months to be able to buy such high quality makeup. Felix doesn't have the luxury of being a woman and wearing makeup, although he could blend into society better if he invested in some blush.

We didn't link arms or hold hands, simply walked next to each other awkwardly as ever. Felix didn't look down and I refused to look up, rather comfortable in my discomfort. Many vampires could be seen walking down the halls, some with their mates and some with their friends. Never once did I see Jane or Caius during this time. Best case scenario is that the two of them stay cooped up in their rooms and complain to whoever will listen all night. I feel bad for Caius' poor wife, dealing with a man like him all the time. At least Felix doesn't complain and tries to be cordial under pressure.

It took us a few minutes, but once I opened up that door into the guard hangout I knew something was different. Of course, none of the vampires I'd encountered before the Volturi had any connections, just strays wandering around the globe. These people have known each other for so long, multiple generations at least. Much older than myself, stuck in bodies not much older or younger than me. Alec being the exception, sitting down on a bean bag chair in front of a large TV. He instantly looked over at me and gave me a small, terrified wave that I returned.

Many of the guards whipped their heads around. In shock or horror, or perhaps both, I couldn't tell. Felix pushed me behind him as a few vampires started to hiss violently. Not the best way to start the evening, I thought to myself, This was a mistake. These people will never get along with people like me, not with the way they've been raised to hate and kill wolves. Vampires don't change much, do they? No, they don't. I was stupid to think they could.

"What have you done, Felix?" One of them asked, their deep voice hitching. "Bringing a Child of the Moon inside the castle? Have you gone mad? She could kill you at any moment. We kill those for a living ━" I cut him off with a loud growl of my own, making the rest of the room highly uncomfortable. He had to clear his throat as Felix's hand brushed against my arm, trying to calm the anger brewing inside of my chest. "What is it doing at Guard Night, Felix? Because I would much rather have this be a vampire only party."

The next voice that came was from Marcus, who let out a quiet, discontented hiss. "Aurora is Felix's mate, the one he found last week. And for future reference Afton, we don't bring up slaughter unless absolutely necessary. Not only does being insensitive look bad on your part, it looks bad on my part, as I am the one who organized this event as I often do. You will not harass your covenmates mate lest you be ousted to the street like Caius has wanted you to be for the past three centuries. I will not tolerate any more of this negative behavior tonight, especially when they have just come here. This is no way to make a good first impression and you will immediately apologize for your rudeness. We are not a segregated community anymore and won't be for the rest of eternity."

A few vampires around the room let out shocked gasps at the revelation. One of their own mated to the so-called enemy of their species. What a damn near disgrace, but what could either of us do about it? We're stuck together and if they wanted to keep their immortality they should just shut up about it. Not like I would choose to be mated to that knucklehead. No way. Would much rather be mated to someone who has some idea of how to run a pack. Felix can't do that as a vampire, and I'm stuck as the heir. Not a good match by the fates, I would say.

But that didn't matter. The fates decided that a vampire and a true wolf would be together, which means they would. For the rest of time there would be a true wolf and a vampire that were joined together by soul. If not for the rest of eternity, for the time that we're on this Earth, which is exponentially longer than if I were with another wolf or even a human being. Lord, this would be so much easier if he were human. He was once, but that's beside the point. A wolf and a vampire. Nobody could have guessed such a pairing, but here we are, trying to tolerate each other's presence without ripping ourselves to shreds. Or at least I am. Wanting to tear myself apart, that is.

This Afton guy, he's so full of himself. Thinking that you could just get away with insulting a wolf. We're not called Children of the Moon for one. That name was given to us by vampires. We're called true wolves because that's what we are, the true mix of souls between the two species. The original wolves. Not lycans and not shifters. We came first and we will be the last ones to leave. I'll make sure of that. He won't live longer than me, not if he keeps that attitude up for much longer. Not even Felix will be able to stop me from tearing his throat out if he dares call me a Child of the Moon again.

"And you're just expecting us to ━" Marcus cut off his covenmate.

"Why yes, I am expecting you to accept her presence with dignity and respect. We are the Volturi, not a pack of vagabonds and lowlifes not open to new people. The only reason why you continue to be here is because we are open to your stupidity from time to time. Don't take my leniency with this issue as some sort of chance at a sly remark either, Afton. The discussion is over. Aurora is welcome to come with her mate to Guard Night if that is what she so desires," Marcus said with a hint of sophistication I wasn't ready for. I should have, he's older than time itself at this point, but the way he spoke to me earlier hinted at a playfulness not seen now. Perhaps that is only seen in private matters with people he doesn't rule over. The king sighed and took a sip of his drink. "If anyone else has an issue with Miss Canyon's presence then they should take their leave now, lest they make any unflattering comments and not get their meal tomorrow."

The threat caused a ripple of silence to fall over the crowd of vampires, who had been threatened with starvation if they were to go against their king's orders. A simple threat that could be counteracted if they decided that they would go on a trip to a nearby town to feed, but it was the sentiment that counted, and I did have more respect for Marcus now that he used his power to do some good. Out of all of the kings, he felt the most like what I was used to in a leader. Quiet, only using their power when truly needed, and only then did they use it to defend those without power. I may have my teeth, but none of these people respect me. I don't have the same power that I do in my home or my pack, where I'm seen as the next in line for a throne.

"Our coven has been the source of greatness for so long. Now that we are sure true wolves," Marcus continued as he corrected Afton, "are safe around both humans and immortals as long as they are not threatened by anyone moronic enough to pick a fight with them, they are allowed to live as freely as they please. Within reason and security, of course. Now that their extermination is no longer they need a representative, as the Volturi are the leaders of the supernatural world and hold no true wolves in its ranks. Aurora has so kindly taken the role and will provide a voice for her people whose ways are much different from our own. Any violations of wolf code are to go through her. Yes, you must follow wolf rules while in their home territory and are subject to their law if you break any important rules."

"How is that fair at all?" One of them asked. "We aren't wolves and they've never followed any of our rules? Do you not remember when they slaughtered entire villages? Put us at risk of exposure and death? The Black Death ━"

"Oh keep on kidding yourself," I finally snapped, sick and tired of people bashing the name of wolves in their own defense. Killing wolves is wrong, and killing innocent men, women, and children is needless slaughter no matter how you put it. "The Black Death was an occurrence in Europe and Asia, not the Americas. I for one am Native American and a member of the Atalya tribe, who have been true wolves since the beginning of our oral record. Not only is your argument flawed by design, how could you possibly excuse the killing of actual pups. Even if their parents did kill people, the best thing for you to do is to home them to another couple of wolves and have them take care of the youngling. We can move packs and homes much easier than any human can, with little trauma involved. We had an entire government in the Americas and you destroyed that!"

Is this all I'll ever get from them? Excuses and justifications of genocide? If this were any other group that got killed they would be rolling with horror. But no, since it was the enemy they were okay with it. I bet half of these vampires killed one of my own or laughed about it with their friends. Not even wolves laugh about their enemies demise. We don't laugh because it was easy or because it was funny, because oftentimes neither are true. The only reason why we would laugh is because we're relieved that our families can be safe again. Because at least then we're laughing for something other than death itself. Laugh for life, not death.

"They could have been saved?" A woman dressed in all black asked. Her slender features matched that of Aro's, oddly enough. "What a terrible loss, the loss of a parent, worse is the loss of a child. I am terribly sorry that my husband and brother ever took part in such a thing. Unfortunately our kind has been desensitized to the killing of children, with children of our own kind being so dangerous to our survival. Should you wish to stay, you may always talk to me. As a queen of this coven, it is nice to have another woman in a place of power around here."

She had the same aura as Marcus, who I could tell just by looking at the way he looks at her is her mate and husband. With her hair tied and back and freckles littered across her cheek, I knew just how she was able to fit in with Marcus here. Every one of these vampires fit in with each other, no matter how damn obnoxious some of them are. Because they wouldn't be able to coexist without that bond. Vampires would rather die than live in a place they don't belong, we learned that when coming across a dysfunctional group a while back. Two people turned together but not meant to be near each other forever. Sad, but they're dead now so it doesn't matter. Still, this woman's voice dripped like melting honey, and I could get used to the way she talks to me. Almost motherly but not demanding.

Grabbing a chair for me, Felix ushered me to sit down, ignoring some of the stares that we got. The discussion truly is over. I would be staying, alive, and being fed here for some time. Until the full moon, at least. I would have to go home to see my family at some point, but that's okay. Nothing to worry about, just like Felix said earlier. There's nothing I can do to change my biology and that's perfectly fine because I'm amazing just the way I am. Being a true wolf is a gift that I was given and it's my blessing by birthright. Full moons are just things I have to deal with.

The full moon wouldn't be fun. Right now I can't feel Arcadia as much as I can during that time. She tends to hide whenever I get stressed, not wanting to say the wrong thing and upset me even more. I thank her for that, but sometimes it gets lonely inside my head. I don't know what to say to people, and getting questions about my wolf could happen now that I'm around people who have knowledge of the way we work. I have to hope that most of the Volturi are ignorant in our biology so that I can be alone, away from curious people who want that information for their own immortal minds. They won't forget, I have to remember that. Whatever I say will be remembered, even when it doesn't go the same way for me and what they say.

"Now that everything is settled," Marcus started, looking lovingly at his mate before continuing, "how about we get the movie started? Many of you will remember this one from the beginning of the thirties, but it was a nice one and I managed to find a version that will work on our much better television. To those either not with us or not alive for the time, just wait one moment while I get this thing running."

A movie about vampires. Splendid. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞, 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟. My eyelids feel droopy against my face and I feel myself drifting off at random times. I may have fallen asleep for a few seconds or a few minutes, I don't know. The one thing I'm certain about is that I'm not paying attention to the film, and neither is Felix, who has been staring at me for a while now, just watching me as I attempt to stay awake for a few more hours.

All in all, the night hadn't been the worst. A man named Santiago had cracked a few jokes in the middle of the first movie, which made almost everyone laugh, including myself. At least a few members of this coven have a nice sense of humor and don't go out of their way to make annoying comments or rude remarks. Afton had already gotten on my nerves once tonight, but he didn't say much after Marcus told him off. I noticed that Alec kept to himself the entire night, sitting on his own bean bag and never looking at anyone else. The kid seems nice, so why he's all alone remains a mystery. The only one that was alone, might I add. Everyone else was sitting next to someone they thought of as family, but Alec was sitting alone. Not that he seemed to care, taking a sip from a water bottle certainly filled with blood every few hours. Out of everyone, he's one of the ones I can tolerate being in a room with. Everyone else seems to stare or get on my nerves in one way or another.

From this odd experience I've come to the reasonable conclusion that vampires are obsessed with themselves. Spending your evening watching a movie with creatures that are supposed to be like you inside seems quite narcissistic and just weird. Wolves don't watch werewolf movies because they depict us as monsters, just like they do in this one. The girl who fell in love with a vampire. Such a cliche and overused story, but maybe back in the 1930s it wasn't like that. The first of its kind, but now that it's been so long I know where this is headed. The girl wants to be with him forever but he's worried she'll be ruined or regret her decision later on, then leaving him for another or just outright hating him for all eternity. We know how it goes and it's stupid. At least have his fears come true and have him beg on his knees for once. Make it special, memorable.

Felix and I were right next to each other, not exactly touching but not too far away from each other. If I wanted I could rest my head on his shoulder, but I could also run if need be. The perfect amount of distance, but I was getting tired. Real tired. The kind of tired where you aren't thinking straight and just need a nice place to rest your head. Unfortunately I had to rest my head at some point, and doing so at one in the morning didn't sound like a bad idea. No, it's a wonderful idea, but not for me. Except my brain can't handle being this tired without a pillow. And my mate had a pillow. His shoulder, to be exact. A real nice shoulder for a tired wolf to lay on.

I should have known better to fall victim to my own exhaustion, but what more could I do? Laying down on his shoulder felt like the best idea, and right now I'm on the verge of falling asleep while watching a really shitty vampire movie with a bunch of idiotic vampires who have no respect for my species whatsoever. Only one person in this room could be trusted with my head, and that's the person who couldn't hurt my head because it would kill their soul and then their immortal body. Felix, who over the past week has become less and less of a pain in my ass than I'd previously expected. While my sanity may hate me tomorrow, the instinct to burrow my head into his shoulder and sleep was too strong for me to overcome it.

A little shift in the way I sat led me to rest my head on his chest, missing his shoulder entirely. Felix let out a little noise of surprise but wrapped his arms around me. I huffed as he tightened his grip, allowing me security as I layed on him. He smelt of warmth, if that made any sense. Even if his skin was chilled, the way he smelled... It reminded me of what I'm used to. Comfort, belonging, and hope. He gave me a sense of peace I hadn't felt for so long.

Just like that, I was out.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐩, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦. She didn't move, just snuggled up on his chest. Little happy noises released from her lips, but they were quiet enough for her to remain in the room and not upset any vampires still watching the movie. He knew that she would need to sleep at some point, all wolves needed to sleep every night, but Felix smiled at how long she lasted, attempting to stay up. He liked to think it was for him, but he knew that she did it in her own stubbornness.

Aurora's hair brushed over her face, only allowing her mate to see parts of her face. Her eyes closed, only leaving a whisper of the rest of her face left. A little part of her left cheek and her forehead was visible, but everything else remained stuffed into Felix's chest. He ran his fingers through her long brown hair, happy to have her here on him. It was the first time that she allowed him to be this close to her, be intimate in any way.

Felix knew his mate wouldn't be close with anyone she didn't hold some semblance of trust in. She's made that very clear, especially in their earlier arguments. No trust means no bond progression, and if that was true then she must have some trust in Felix. For a being so in tune with her primal side as Aurora, sleeping on someone must be a big step. It's a way for her to be vulnerable. She'd blessed him with another chance that he didn't know if he deserved just yet, and he would thank her for it later on in the week. Repay her somehow, because the way she looks right now is so damn sweet. The way she snuggled into his chest made his heart swell in too many ways. Felix's own primal side could be explored right now, when he had her trust and could be protective of her. She gave him consent to protect her right now against any potential danger.

Danger. She isn't in danger right now, but Felix knew that at any point she could be. A member of the Volturi who hates wolves could decide out of the blue that they would rather kill off a wolf than live in peace. The thought rattled him to the bone. It could be anyone after the longstanding feud. Vampires don't change often, and when they do it's under serious circumstances. Felix hated to think that someone in his coven could dare do something so horrendous, to attempt to take his mate away from him, but he knew that vampires are trickier than both humans and wolves combined. Rattling wasn't the right word to describe what Felix felt, but he couldn't find something fitting when so focused on his sleeping mate.

"Dude, is she asleep?" Felix should have known that Santiago would take notice of Aurora's sleepy face nuzzled into his chest. "How did you, one of the elite guards of this almighty coven, get stuck with a true wolf from another nation? I honestly thought that your mate would be a nice vampire girl with a down-to-earth attitude but somehow you're here wrangling a fiery mate with revenge on her mind. Are you sure that she's safe to be around? I'm not looking to get bitten to death in the next century."

The much taller man had to take in a deep breath. Santiago didn't mean any harm with his comments, unlike Afton. No, Santiago often didn't understand the right place for things, but he always had good intentions while conversing with his covenmates. Getting offended wouldn't work and would only damage whatever bond they'd created over their many centuries together. Felix knew he would have to chose his next words wisely, lest he cause another scene during the end of Guard Night.

"My mate is perfectly safe to be around as long as nobody upsets her or denies their actions against her people. Believe me, doing either will result in a bite. I had to learn that the hard way a few times over." Santiago gave Felix a look of confusion. Felix sighed. "Her venom does not affect me the way it will affect you. It has not caused much pain to my body and has clearly not killed me. I'm sure that you will understand that mates cannot kill each other, no matter if they want to or not. She's a bit rough around the edges, but I have to say that may be the fault of the countless vampires she's had to encounter and kill during the course of her life." By now quite a few of Felix's covenmates were looking back at him, but he paid no mind to them. "Aurora is what I have and I am what she has, that is all that matters. I'll always protect her, no matter the cost."

"So you would sacrifice your covenmates for a wolf?" One of Felix's covenmates asked.

"Any vampire or wolf would sacrifice anybody if it meant keeping their mate alive, young one," Marcus chimed in, running his hands through his mate's hair. "It is the way of life. I am glad to see that all of our teachings have rubbed off on Felix. No matter if he is a part of our elite guard or not, his main priority should be his mate. Aurora came to him early on in his immortal life and he should see her as a blessing. I bet he does. When you find your mate, you will understand why we take such care with them and why our lives revolve around our bondmates. They are perfection, gifts to our souls in immortality. To lose a bondmate is to lose yourself, so of course he would sacrifice any one of us to keep her safe. Her species matters not in their bond."

It was at these times Felix was glad that Marcus always showed himself at Guard Nights. His wisdom is widely respected amongst even the youngest guards. If someone needed to get through a covenmate's head, allow Marcus to shove it through with whatever grace he seems to have when speaking. He'd always had respect for all of his kings, but he definitely found the brown-haired man the most approachable out of the three. Always attentive to issues concerning the guards and their well-being, Marcus is everything Felix expected from a kind and courteous king.

"She does look quite tired, Felix," Marcus noted. "Wolves do need sleep, don't they? Better to sleep on a bed than a lap, if I remember correctly."

No, he was right. Always better to sleep on a comfortable bed than someone's lap. Hard on the back and ━ Felix didn't need to think on these things. Action would do much better. Taking in a deep breath, he found himself taking his mate out of the room. One swift motion, but the movie was not interrupted much, to his relief. On the outside of the room he could still hear guards listening in or chatting about. With his mate in his arms, he walked down the halls of the castle, hoping that no stray vampires or staff would interrogate him on the woman in his arms. That was the last thing he needed right now: some staff looking to be saviors of his mate's cause. She's perfectly safe with him, Felix would like to think.

Thankfully the way back to their room did not bring any disruptions. The worst Felix had was when Aurora started to drool, which he had been reminded about earlier in the day by that friend of hers. Leah, he could remember the name. While his memory was supposed to be perfect, sometimes all of the actions of the day polluted that mind palace of his where he stored all information. Still, despite his fears, he could bring her back inside safely, drool on his chest and all.

Now she could lay down, so peaceful as she wrapped her arms around a few stray blankets. Her scent was perfect like this, all happy and unknowing of what the world is really like. Because in sleep she could be quiet. It was a shame that Felix had not seen her like this before. While half-drunk and asleep it felt different, like something was always at the edge of her mind. Right now he felt her calm in the midst of his storm of anxiety, unaffected in her deep sleep.

She really is perfection, isn't she?

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Ok, so I get that this chapter is super long. It's actually 9500 words. 9532 words. Just... take what I have and let me catch a break until the next chapter please.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈