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A MISPLACED JEWEL

WORD OF BILLIE BURBANK'S DISAPPEARANCE SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE.

Despite her father being the chief, Bella Swan was actually one of the last people to catch wind of her friend's disappearance from Seattle. Her father wouldn't disclose much, but the morning he was about to set out to Seattle to investigate was the exact morning the newborn army was supposed to be arriving.

Bella had been cooped up on the mountain the night before, only hearing of the news from Jacob who'd joined her and Edward that following morning. He'd heard it through the mind link while he patrolled the area at dawn, reporting his findings.

The Swan girl couldn't help but feel responsible somehow— it was her idea for Billie to attend the campus tour, but she hadn't accounted for the fact that she would be going alone.

The news effectively put everyone on edge, which wasn't good at all considering they were about to go to battle, and it would serve them no good to be distracted. Jacob said Embry was taking it the hardest, and Sam had half a mind to bench him before the fight. But the Call boy was stubborn and had a lot of steam to let out, so really, he would be extra useful.

The battle soon raged on, and though everyone had been optimistic of the coven and the pack defeating the newborns, they hadn't accounted for the fact that Edward began hearing Victoria's thoughts. But, she wasn't alone.

She entered the clearing, following by a boy they all knew was working for her; Riley Biers. Edward instantly tried bargaining with the boy, knowing he was only under the influence of the redheaded woman they'd been trying to hunt for the last few months.

"She only created you and this army to get revenge for her true mate, James," Edward continued, trying to sway Riley into abandoning Victoria, "that's all she cares about. Not you. Not Billie."

That seemed to get Victoria's attention the most, and Bella knew that based on the pointed tone he used when saying the blonde girl's name, he saw something in Victoria's mind that led him to believe she was responsible for Billie's disappearance.

"There's only you," Victoria reassured Riley with a small glance, promptly avoiding the mention of the Burbank girl. "You know that."

And boy, did Riley seem to know that when he turned back to Edward, a malicious glint in his eyes.

"You're dead."

The fight ensued, the wolf of Seth Clearwater joining the midst while Edward taunted Victoria— tried keeping her from running. And it worked in his favour, ultimately, because as soon as the fight began, it ended with Victoria's head torn from her body. With the help of Bella using her blood as a distraction, though.

The triumph didn't last long, because as soon as Edward lit Victoria's crumpled pieces on fire, he turned to the human girl next to him. "She knew where Billie was," he began, but continued speaking despite the way Bella's mouth went to interject, "but she would've never told us."

"So, now Billie's just missing and the one person who knew is dead," Bella parroted back with a small scoff, holding her bloodied arm. "How are we gonna—"

She was cut off by Seth's whining, Edward immediately going to read over his thoughts. "It's Alice," he repeated back what he was hearing, "she needs us to head down there."

"Something's wrong?"

"It's the Volturi— they're on their way."

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Descending down the mountain, Victoria and Riley dealt with, Edward and Bella rejoined the rest of the Cullens in the clearing with her arm bandaged up.

"How long?" Edward asked, approaching the ground as he walked hand in hand with the brunette.

"A few minutes, maybe ten?" Alice assumed, nervous eyes flitting around the field.

Carlisle looked away from the sizzling fire of vampiric limbs that was ablaze in front of them. "The pack needs to leave. The Volturi won't honour a truce with the wolves."

Their troubles were far from over, as a stray newborn had emerged from the treeline closest to another shifter that was positioned nearby. The wolf tried to fight it off, but a sandy brown wolf inevitably came to their rescue when it was clear it wasn't a winning fight.

Only, it was a matter of moments before the newborn got its grip around Jacob, snapping down harshly with a distorted crunching sound. It was followed by a whine from the wolf, just before the rest of the pack came to his aid while two others disposed of the newborn.

It wasn't long before the wolves were carrying Jacob away from the clearing, Carlisle promising to come by the house to help provide medical aid once the Volturi were dealt with. After receiving a final nod from Sam, the wolves were gone.

All that was left were the Cullens and their visitors, who reached the clearing only a minute after the Quileutes' departure. The four Guard members lowered their hoods in a strange unison, surveying the vicinity with blonde girl taking a single step forward.

With the fire humming in the background, Jane's voice rung out among the vampires gathered. "Impressive," she began, "I've never seen a coven escape an assault of this magnitude intact."

"We were lucky," Carlisle told her, albeit a little tensely. He paired it was a smile, hoping it would be convincing.

But it wasn't. "I doubt that."

"It appears we've missed an entertaining fight," Alec added with a small smirk of his own as he surveyed the scene, clearly feeding off of his sister's chaotic energy.

"Yes; it's not often we're rendered unnecessary," Jane stated matter-of-factly, unblinking as she stared at the coven as if she was trying to get more information on what actually transpired. After all, she'd been expecting multiple casualties, not this scene where each coven member was clearly intact.

Edward spoke up from his spot beside Bella, the girl standing just behind him as though the vampire was like a shield. "If you had arrived half an hour ago you would've fulfilled your purpose," he replied, lips pressed into a thin line as he glanced, clearly displeased, in Jane's general direction.

The air was suddenly thick with tension. "Pity." Edward's words were not helping the situation at all— especially when Jane turned her scrutinizing gaze at Bella. And though she didn't point out her obvious humanity, she pointed out something else entirely. "You're missing someone."

The Swan girl knew what Jane was talking about after having heard Billie tell her of her hang-out sessions with Jane as of late. She knew Jane was talking about Billie, and she knew that if Billie had followed them to Italy, why wouldn't she be on the battlefield. In a moment of bravery, Bella stepped forward. "She's gone."

The three guard members looked amongst themselves as Jane tilted her head. "Elaborate," she demanded, obviously taking the role of their leader and honing it immensely.

"The vampire responsible for all of this— her name's Victoria," Edward added, his eyes locking with Jane in an instant. "Perhaps you knew her."

The insinuation was crystal clear, but Carlisle came to his rescue before the telepath could wreak any more trouble among the governing vampires. "Edward, if the Volturi had knowledge of Victoria, they would've stopped her," he said, trying to diffuse the situation as he turned back to the petite blonde vampire, "isn't that right, Jane?"

"Of course," she responded easily, but her lips were still pressed into a firm line. Jane's face remained stoic. "But Caius will be interested to know that she's still human," she remarked, gaze narrowed in Bella's direction, judgmental as ever. "And Aro will be interested to know that you've lost something of value to him, I'm sure."

Jane had just dished out two threats, but somehow the second one that was implied made Bella nervous even more. There was one thing she'd kept from Billie since the start, since Volterra, and she could practically hear Aro's voice ringing in her ears once more:

"I am not as lenient as you may think I am. Should anything happen to her, I will consider it to be the highest of treasons, and you will be punished accordingly."

They were supposed to be keeping Billie out of trouble, and instead, they'd pushed her directly into the crossfire. She pushed her, but Bella took it in stride. "The date is set," she stated, "and we're trying to find her."

Then, Jane's eyes averted to the dark blond Guard member to her side. They spoke non verbally, but it was only a matter of seconds before Demetri was speeding off into the woods with a command from Jane on his mind.

The other three remaining put their hoods back on, and Jane, as diplomatic as ever, said her final peace.

"If any harm has fallen upon her, your coven will suffer greatly. I will ensure that."

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[ wyn's note ]

too good not to write cause jane is PISSSSSSED. rightfully so, but ooo the cullens are gonna be in trouble ;)

also no bree... sorry baes, just imagine she's living her best life elsewhere LOL

where do we think demetri is off to?! the cullens may be trying to find her, but the volturi have their own plan.

all love xx