CH. 21 (Elle)

The Cullen's and the Denalis seemed to get along quite well with Cole and his siblings.

Everyone was over at the Cullen's house, since their house was the biggest they seemed to be the headquarters for everything supernatural.

I was sitting on Emmett's lap and talking to Cole.

"So you mentioned that your makers 'mate' was killed because she was acussed of witchcraft. Well I have two questions." I said.

"Ask me Anything." He said smiling.

"Was she a Witch, like a Real witch, do they exist?" I asked excitedly.

He chuckled.

"Ellie, witches do exist, but not the pointy hat and broom stick witches you see on television. No, think of Brujas and shadow men. Like Voodoo only some use it for good conjuring potions to help others while some use it for bad, giving out spells to curse others." He informed me.

I swallowed hard, wow, Witches. I was always obsessed with witches. Almost as obsessed with them as I was with Vampires.

"Ok, secondly. What is a mate?" I asked.

He gave me a sweet smile "Ahh, my dear Ellie, in the lycan world we have mates, the Fates own chosen partner for us. For humans and Vampires you have SoulMates, for shifters they have Imprints. But for Lycans we have Mates." He said sitting up and scooting to the edge of his seat.

"A mate is our other half, when we find our mate a magical thing happens and our hearts are bound to each other forever." He said and sat back indicating he was done.

"But what if one dies?" I asked.

"Then The other will die soon after. You see when a lycan mates it is literally forever, even In the afterlife. Remember when I said theirs a magical bond that ties mates together, well through that bond mates can communicate with each other, they can feel the others emotions, and if one dies the other does as well."

Wow, I thought. It's so morbidly beautiful.

Edward nodded and I saw him out of the corner of my eye.

Jacob grew to like the Lycans as well.

Emmett told me that Jake was jealous of them, and even thought about challenging one until both Edward and Carlisle talked him out of it.

I shook my head as I remembered Emmett's words. "I was all for it, that mutt still deserves a beat down for putting you through glass."

I love this caveman of mine, but he's so overprotective. I know he means well but what's in the past is in the past. Time to move on.

Weeks passed by and we were all back to the normal mundane lives we had before.

School was super boring. Work was just as bad since we hadn't had a customer in months.

Dad's actually thinking about turning it into an animal shelter. Which isn't a bad idea, apparently Esme has a degree to be a Veterinarian so she openly volunteered her services.

When Cole and I finally clocked out we were dying of boredom.

Dad never came into work, Not that he really had to, we had no customers and he could do everything he does here, from home.

I didn't bother checking in on him, this isn't the first time he suddenly decided not to come into work.

Cole and I joked as I put on my dark wool peacoat and locked up the building.

We walked to our cars when all of a sudden Emmett ran up to us.

He had a panicked look on his face and my insides flipped, I was worried now. Something was wrong.

Rosalie, I thought, I knew she'd come back.

Emmett pulled me into a tight hug.

"Elle babe, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He said sadly.

I had the sudden urge to cry, I was right Rosalie came back and now Emmett was going to leave me.

I braced myself for those two dreaded words. 'It's Over.'

I closed my eyes as they began to mist over.

"Elle baby, we have to go, something horrible has happened." He said sadness washed all over his face.

Ok my fear was overdrawn, Emmett wasnt breaking up with me, but something else happened.

I reached up and laid my palm on his cheek, he closed his eyes and leaned Into my hand.

"Baby's what's wrong?" I asked concerned.

"Elle, its...it's your parents. Red, they're dead."

I was absolutely shocked, his words rang in my head until I couldn't hear anything but my own heartbeat.

I began to fall to the ground but two sets of hands caught me.

I could feel my body shaking and I heard someone In the distance crying.

Emmett picked me up into his arms and cradled my still shaking form against his body.

He put me into my passenger seat and we drove to the Cullen's.

Everyone was there wearing sympathetic looks.

Esme took me into her arms and rocked me, shushing me and stroking me hair.

When she pulled back to look at me, she grabbed my face and ran her hands over my cheeks.

I saw moisture glistening on her pale palms.

I hadn't realized I had been the one that was crying.

Emmett took me up to his room and he laid me in the middle of his huge bed.

I curled into a ball, and his body wrapped around mine.

He let me scream and cry and finally when i was too exhausted to continue, he let me fall asleep in his arms.

I woke up and Emmett was still in bed with me.

Still holding onto me.

"It's 4am Babe, go back to sleep." He said gently.

I shook my head no, "I can't sleep." I said my voice coming out thick and gravelly from screaming and crying earlier.

He kissed my forehead and I nuzzled my face into his neck.

"Can we go downstairs?" I asked after a few minutes.

Without Answering me he got out of bed and held his big hand out to me.

I took it and he helped me to my feet.

I staggered a bit but regained my footing soon enough.

We went downstairs and just about everyone was still here.

Everyone continued talking and doing what they were doing before I came down, and for that I was greatful I didn't want to hear 'sorry' over and over.

I sat down on the sofa tucked into Emmett's side.

"What happened?" I asked knowing they would all hear me no matter what they were doing.

It was Carlisle who spoke.

"The officials are saying it was an animal attack, that a wolverine or a wolf got in through an open door."

"That's not true." I countered "Cat hates when we leave the door unlocked, she experienced a robbery as a young girl and every since then she's always been anal about closed doors and doors being locked."

Carlisle nodded sadly. But then Alice spoke.

"We know for a fact it wasn't a wild animal, I know exactly WHO did it. I couldn't see her attack before because they were careful not to decide on attacking. They know how my visions work perfectly so she would know my loop hole.

I tightened my grip on Emmett's hand as I heard her name.

"That stupid vampire bitch killed my parents!" I yelled.

I was so angry that if Emmett was a normal boy his fingers would have been crushed, and I cussed, Cat would have been so disappointed and scolded me.

"It wasn't her, no when Rosalie returned to Italy Aro (one of the Volutri leaders) read her thoughts through touch. It was Jane that did this." Edward spat.

"I will kill her. I swear it on my parents that I will see her dead."

. . . . .

I was staying at the Cullen's for the time being.

The next day the coroners removed the bodies and Esme and Alice went over and cleaned the house.

Dads attorney came to see me at the Cullen's house.

"It was your parents written consent to be cremated and to have their Ashes scattered in their homeland." He said pausing to make sure I understood.

I nodded.

He continued "Also, your parents named you their sole benefactor meaning you are their executress of assets. You are entitled to Everything, money, stocks and bonds, property, vehicles, jewelry, business'. "

Again I nodded.

"Now our only problem is you are currently only 17 meaning you can't touch any of this, I can set you up with survivors benifits for you to live off of but honey you're gonna have to find some place to stay for now, you need guardians otherwise you'll be awarded to the state until your 18."

Now I was worried.

"She's staying with us." Emmett said clearly.

"Yes, she is staying with us for however long she would like. We have plenty of space plus we love her like our own." Carlisle said.

The attorney nodded.

I signed whatever papers he asked me to and then he left.

"I don't mean to impose." I croaked.

"What imposition? Elle dear, you're family." Esme said.

"But I'm not." I protested.

As much as I wished I was part if this amazing family, I wasnt.

Carlisle shook his head at Esme as she was about to say something and she remained silent.

"Well Elle, it's like I told the Attorney, you may stay as long as you want to, I promise we don't mind and you will be no bother." Carlisle said and walked away before I could say anything.

Three days later Esme picked up my parents ashes.

She set their urns on top of the mantel in the sitting room.

School felt like a waste so I spoke with my counselor and asked if I could test out and graduate Sooner.

But sadly my grades weren't that great at the moment so that option was washed away.

September ended and I was never more happy to see the end of a month.

OCTOBER

...

NOVEMBER

...

DECEMBER

It has been three months since the death of my parents.

I've finally allowed myself to smile and be happy again.

Emmett stayed by my side no matter what, he never gave up on me.

I still live with the Cullen's but that's all about to change, because today is my birthday.

I am now 18, so I can finally quit burdening the Cullen's and move into my own house.

"My Mom used to call me her early Christmas present." I said smiling.

December 21 had finally rolled around and I was now 18.

"Cute," Kate said as she and Alice looked me over.

"Excuse me, nobody I dress is ever simply cute." Alice scoffed causing us to giggle.

Alice and Emmett were throwing me a huge birthday party.

We went downstairs and saw the elegantly decorated house.

There were cream colored peonies and yellow roses along side hundreds of candles placed everywhere.

The room felt warm and intimate.

Emmett greeted me with a single blood red rose and his heart stopping smile.

He cupped my face and kissed me sweetly.

I had a mound of presents and I was giddy with excitement.

Esme had made us a lovely italian dinner and then we had some of the beautifully extravagant cake.

It looked like a small wedding cake and I'm sure it was Alice's doing.

It was no doubt delicious.

Then I opened my gifts.

Bella and Edward got me the entire collection of Anne Rice's vampire chronicles, first editions.

Jake made me a really beautiful dream catcher and Nessie gave me a cute houndstooth scarf I had wanted,

Jasper gave me a really thoughtful gold charm bracelet with 7 charms. A star, a pair of cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, a horse, a cactus, a rose, and a little Texas shaped charm.

Alice and Kate both got me shopping sprees.

Carmen and Elezar gave me what looked to be an original Sandro Boticelli's birth of Venus painting.

Maks gave me a portrait of himself but everyone else gave me a Victorianesque cuff bracelet.

The silver metal weaved intricately creating the illusion of vines and right in the middle lay a big black stone.

"It's was a gift our maker intended on giving his mate before she died. He left it to me to give to someone who could love everyone equally and without convictions." Cole said smiling.

"I have Found that in you and I am proud to call you my best friend. I will always protect you and as long as you wear this, i can protect you even when I'm not around. This is an Obsidian Palmstone, it will ward off any evil or harm."

He said as he placed it on my right wrist.

Carlisle and Esme got me me plane tickets to Ireland for a week, I didn't fail to notice it was TWO plane tickets of course I already knew I was gonna ask Emmett to go with me.

"I'll give you your gift later." Emmett whispered in my ear and kissed my temple.

I nodded and enjoyed the company of my amazing friends.