⊱ ──── {⋆☂ ❉ ☽⋆} ──── ⊰

Anna rode her motorcycle into the school parking lot with Jasper following behind her in his family Jeep. Anna spotted the conflict between Jacob and Edward, she jumped off of her bike and rushed over to pull Jacob back before a scene broke out. "Jake, enough," Anna spoke sternly causing him to step back as Jasper walked over. "I'm coming here to warn you. If your kind come on out lands again..." Jacob trailed off seeing Bella looked between him and Edward confused. "Wait, what?" Bella asked while Anna sighed and looked down. "You didn't tell her? Anna?" Jacob turned to the blonde who rolled her eyes, she could see his protective nature for Bella appear.

"Just leave it alone, Jacob," Edward warned but it was too late, Bella already caught on to something important and she never backed down. "Tell me what?" Bella asked as Anna noticed the crowd, Alice and Colton standing a short distance away. "Emmett and Paul had a misunderstanding, there's nothing to worry about," Edward answered her while Anna gritted her teeth, she was still upset with both males. With Paul for not backing down when they were chasing the same thing and with Emmett for taunting Paul into a fight. "Listen to you. Did you lie to get her out of town, too?" Jacob taunted making Anna angry.

Anna stepped into Jacob's view with her eyes no longer blue but overlapped by grey to show she wasn't screwing around. "You need to step off your pedestal, Jacob Black. There are no lies and you are no manipulating this situation to risk a chance with my sister, so back off," Anna warned causing Jacob to step back again, Bella watched with wide eyes while Edward lowered his own head; Jasper was watching with a proud smirk. "She has a right to know," Jacob defended. "Victoria is after me, Jacob. Edward was protecting her and you have no right to come in here hoping to get between them," Anna told him as her eyes returned to their nature blue.

"By lying to me?" Bella spoke up with an upset expression, her eyes glancing between her younger sister and boyfriend. Bella cut Edward off before he could say anything, "We're gonna talk about this, but... You." Bella turned to Jacob who held his head high as Anna moved to stand with Jasper. "Why haven't you called me back?" Bella asked Jacob. "I have nothing to say," Jacob answered her making Anna roll her eyes. "I'm not dealing with this," Anna muttered before grabbing Jasper's hand and walking away from the trio of madness. "Did I mention that I love it when you take charge?" Jasper whispered to Anna as they walked inside. "I don't recall but it's good to know," Anna told him with a teasing wink.

⊱ ──── {⋆☂ ❉ ☽⋆} ──── ⊰

Anna walked into her room feeling off, she looked towards her desk and noticed the photo of her and Bella had been moved; Charlie and Bella knew better than to touch her stuff. She turned to her closet, opening the door swiftly with her eyes overlapped by grey but no one was in there. She tilted her head before turning towards the window, she approached it and let her hand hover above the sill. "Someone's been here," Edwards voice caught her attention, she turned to see him and Bella watching her with worried expressions. "It was bound to happen sooner or later," Anna said with a frown, she had a feeling it was Victoria's doing but Edward was adamant on blaming the Volturi which only annoyed Anna.

The trio headed to the Cullen household, Jasper immediately approached his mate who assured him she was okay despite feeling slightly violated about a stranger going through her things; he headed off to track the scent. "Who was it?" Someone we know?" Alice asked as they all got comfortable in the living room. "Just a stranger. I didn't recognize his scent," Edward answered her while Rosalie held Anna's hand for comfort. "A nomad passing through?" Esme questioned. "A passer-by wouldn't have left Anna and Bella's father alive," Rosalie said causing the twins to glance at each other, Anna swallowed carefully at that thought and closed her eyes.

Jasper bursted through the door and headed straight for his mate, "His scent disappeared about five miles south of the Swan house." Anna leaned into Jasper as he pulled her closer to him, he wanted to kill the vampire that had come near her. "Someone's orchestrating this," Edward stated as he looked between the twins, Anna sighed at his words. "Victoria?" Carlisle asked but Alice shook her head, "I would've seen her deciding." Edward scoffed, "It has to be the Volturi." Anna shook her head at that, the Volturi wouldn't be behind this; Victoria was the obvious choice after the attack and threats. "I don't think it's the Volturi either. I've been watching Aro's decisions, too," Alice told him.

"So we keep looking," Emmett said with determination while Anna stood up and began pacing the room. "We also take shifts, guarding Anna and Bella at their home," Carlisle added with a nod. "Another protection detail?" Rosalie sneered with a glare towards Bella. "Rosalie," Esme sternly warned. "No, she's right. You can't protect me, protect Anna, watch my dad... and search for the intruder," Bella began before Anna continued, "And for Victoria while keeping yourselves fed. I can at least protect the house." Edward turned to Bella, "I'm not leaving you here defenceless." Anna rolled her eyes severely annoyed by Edward's lack of trust in her abilities as a witch.

"Well, I'm not gonna let you starve. And I wouldn't be unprotected, I have Anna and..." Bella trailed off as she thought about someone else who could help. "The pack will help," Anna spoke up as she looked to the family, "Despite feeling irritated by Edwards doubts in my skills, I know that they will help. Don't forget, Paul imprinted on me and Jacob will protect Bella no matter what. Plus, gives them a chance to kill some vampires... a win-win situation." Anna grinned at them before turning to leave the room, she felt a headache forming and the tension was becoming too much.

⊱ ──── {⋆☂ ❉ ☽⋆} ──── ⊰

Anna was sitting on her bed with Jessica going through her closet, meanwhile, in Bella's room, Angela was hanging out with the older Swan. "What are you thinking of wearing under your graduation gown?" Jessica asked Anna who shrugged while doing her homework, the headache had lessened but it still felt uncomfortable even after a couple of days. "You think you could choose for me... fashion is not my forte," Anna asked Jessica, the perky brunette happily agreed before turning back to the closet. "I still cannot believe that you and Jasper Hale are together... though I will admit, it works perfectly," Jessica told Anna as she sat down on the bed.

"He's amazing, Jess," Anna said with a fond smile while Jessica swooned and laid back against the bed. "This is what I adore about you and Jasper, when you look at each other or talk about each other, you can practically feel the love radiating off of you," Jessica rambled making Anna smile. "But with Edward and Bella, like, respectfully, it's borderline obsessive in the way they act," Jessica added before sitting up at Anna's raised brow, "Oh, don't get me wrong... I can see love between them but it's... it seems so unnatural and forced. At least to me." Anna nodded aa she processed Jessica's words. "It's different for them, I guess," Anna shrugged.

The two friends spent the night laughing and having fun gossiping, Anna adored these moments more than anything because its a reminder that everything matters; even the smallest details. In the morning, Jessica and Anna joined Bella and Angela for breakfast and spent time with each other talking and watching movies before Jessica headed home, Angela leaving not too soon after her. Bella and Edward leave the house together while Anna got on her bike and headed to the pack house, she spotted Paul racing her in wolf form making her laugh as she barely beat him there. "So close," Anna teased Paul who chuckled.

"So what's happening?" Anna questioned Paul as he put his arm around her shoulders, he leads her over to a fire surrounded by people eating hot dogs and laughing. "It's a council meeting, thought it'd be nice to invite you along to learn the history," Paul answered her as they grabbed some food before sitting down by the fire. "The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning..." Billy Black began as Jacob and Bella walked over and sat down. "But, we've always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors... Shape shifters, that transform into the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies, and protect our tribe," Billy continued fulling entrancing the Swan twins.

"One day our warriors came across a creature. It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone, and cold as ice," Billy's voice was low as he spoke, Anna and Bella glanced at each other at the mention of Vampires. "Our warriors' sharp teeth, finally tore it apart but only fire would completely destroy it," Billy added while Anna flashed back to the memories of James being burned alive in the Ballet Studio. "They lived in fear that the Cold Man was not alone. And they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village. Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe after his son was killed," Billy continued as Bella glanced at Anna, the blonde listening carefully.

"Taha Aki's third wife could see that he would lose. The third wife was no magical being, no special powers but one... courage. The third wife's sacrifice distracted the Cold Woman long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She had saved the tribe," Billy's eyes landed on Anna, he had heard the story about her fight against James through Paul; he knew about her using her blood to distract James long enough to save Bella. "Over time, our enemies have disappeared. But one remains, the Cold Ones. Our magic awakens when they're near. And we sense it now, we feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming. And we must be ready. All of us," Billy's words were a warning to the Swan twins.

Anna was unfocused as Billy went into the story of Della Freya and her connections to the Quileute Tribe. She was processing what Billy had said, her mind reeling as she realised what was happening; Victoria wasn't making any moves because she knew what Alice was capable of, she had someone else making the choices. "Anna?" Bella's voice pulled her from her spiralling thoughts, she cleared her throat before smiling. "I'm okay," Anna told her noticing the way she was looking at her, Bella was hesitant but with the rift between them, things were still unsteady and distant. "Let's take a walk," Paul offered noticing Anna's attempt to avoid Bella, he helped her up and led her away.

⊱ ──── {⋆☂ ❉ ☽⋆} ──── ⊰

The next day, Anna sat with Jasper and the rest of the clan watching the television as a news reporter spoke about the recent murders and disappearances. "Police are baffled by the escalating murder and disappearances," The reporter spoke as Bella and Edward walked into the room, "Theories range from a vicious new gang to a wildly active serial killer... Reporting live, Dawn Chubai. CNN." Anna sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair, she turned to look at Jasper who was watching the TV in concern. "It's getting worse. We're gonna have to do something," Carlisle spoke up while the twins glanced at each other.

"It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage they're reporting," Jasper began, "Quite a few more. They're undisciplined, conspicuous..." Anna leaned into Jasper more as he tensed up, memories flashing through his mind of his past. "Newborns," Edward spoke up with Jasper and Colton agreeing, the two sharing a similar background. "What... like new vampires?" Bella asked with Anna nodding. "In their first few months after the change," Edward told her. "That's when we're at our most uncontrollable, vicious, insane with thirst," Jasper added though his words were a warning to the sisters wanting to go through the transition to be with their beloveds.

"Something to look forward to," Emmett said to Bella considering she was the one that wanted the change so bad, Anna's situation had changed since learning about being a witch; they weren't sure if Anna could turn. "No one has trained these newborns, but this isn't random," Colton spoke up from besides Alice who was radiating concern. "Someone's creating an army," Carlisle said as he looked around the room. Emmett stood up from the couch with an enthusiastic grin, "Oh, now we're definitely going to Seattle." Colton smirked at Emmett, the two admittedly enjoyed these moments of battling their own kind no matter what the others may think.

"An army of vampires?" Bella asked in disbelief, her eyes wide in shock. "And they've been created to fight someone," Jasper added though he took notice of Anna's silence along with the distant look in her eyes. "We're the only clan even close to Seattle," Edward said as he looked to Carlisle for any other clans possible. "Regardless of who, if we don't put a stop to them, the Volturi will. I'm surprised they've let it go on this long," Carlisle told everyone but even Anna knew that the Volturi weren't fans of the Olympic Coven, they were a threat and Aro could only hope these Newborns would wipe them out for him. "Maybe they're behind it. In Italy, I read Aro's mind... he wants me and Alice to join him," Edward's words made Anna scoff.

"The Volturi isn't behind this, Edward. No matter how convinced you may be. Aro's decisions are being watched and this isn't his style," Anna finally spoke as she stood up, "He wouldn't risk the reveal of his world knowing the consequences it would bring. He may not be doing anything about it, but he isn't behind it." Edward and Anna stared at one another, he was trying to get into her head but she was blocking him off. "It's someone else... someone who still wants revenge, a puppeteer using a puppet to stay in the shadows," Anna continued as she turned away from everyone, "I'm certain its Victoria coming after me. She lost her mate, James and now she wants revenge."

⊱ ──── {⋆☂ ❉ ☽⋆} ──── ⊰

⊱ ──── {⋆☂ ❉ ☽⋆} ──── ⊰

Rosemary Speaks

I've fallen into a flow with this story again.
Also, I'm using ForeverDreaming.org for the script so any mistakes in dialogue is due to that and my need to edit due to mistakes in the script. Plus, nothing wrong with little changes.

Any questions about the story so far?

See you in the next chapter!