CHAPTER SⵊX
ᴡᴏʟꜰsʙᴀɴᴇ

The sun, no matter how some feared it, seemed to be an omen that evening after the confrontation with the Volturi. It lay softly over the horizon, like a firefly, bathing the stark snow in a frosty, orange light. It seemed to say that we were safe as vampires and hybrids alike, even as our skin sparkled and eyes shone a mix of yellow and red.

The two men- the Romanians, they were dubbed- left first in a flash of anger, which Carlisle didn't seem worried by. Perhaps it was the flush of happiness and relief, but I felt inclined to agree with the man. It was not often that Carlisle was wrong and there was no need to fear the retaliation of the Volturi just yet.

Jasper parted to say goodbye to Peter and Charlotte, and Esme escorted the Irish coven to the edge of the boundaries. Most of the wolves had dispersed before reaching the house, but Jacob had remained, shifting forms only as most of the red-eyed vampires began to disband. Zafrina and Senna left only as the sun began to lower, leaving Renesmee with images of butterflies and tigers, with promises to return. The sight was a warming one. To think the family had such strong connections with their own kind, all across the world. Not even two years ago I had thought the sight impossible.

Nahuel and Huilen were the last to leave. There was something about Bella and Renesmee that fascinated the hybrid, and it was not difficult to guess what. His own mother had not survived the birth, but here stood Bella as strong as ever. And this child was just as he had been with a quick heart and hot skin and delicate speed.

His parting words were not of thanks and hope, but of worry. Alice's steely expression meant that she'd predicted as much, even if she hadn't outright saw it. But amongst all the relief and happiness that filled the air, anxiety refused to settle upon my shoulders. Not until, at least, I'd heard his preposition.

"I must ask something of you," he said, lips pulled into a harsh line.

Alice's face lifted into an easy smile, only working to calm me further. "Anything. Our victory would not have been possible with our you or your Aunt."

He nodded in thanks. "My sisters. They are not at fault but I fear the Volturi will go after them anyway. Find them before they do. Warn them, direct them to me, anything, if you will."

They were not the worrisome words I had expected from Nahuel. But something about the task had left me feeling pleased. The sense of finality in this final battle had felt too instantaneous, as if things as they had been before were finally ending. At least now we had our own adventure to use as a closing.

"We can do that. We've gotten good at hunting people down," I said, eyes meeting with Alice, seeing that she must've understood all that I was thinking.

"Thank you," he said with a nod and eventually departed.

Not long after, I found Thomas hanging by the treeline, legs cast over a thick branch, admiring the wooden and glass structure the Cullens and myself called home. He smiled, teeth a dazzling white, and jumped from the tree, arms opening casually wide. There was something about the gesture that brought me back to the days when we were young and stupid, thinking we would die just as young and stupidly. I had to mirror his smile then, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"You've made quite the home for yourself here," he said, nodding approvingly, just like a brother would.

"Not without difficulties," I admitted, pulling away but remaining with one arm around him as he draped his own over my shoulders, gazes cast upon the family who was now regrouping. "It was worth it. I have a family now. You should stay. They'd welcome you readily."

"They already have," he said and I'd almost forgotten that he must've been in Forks a week already. "I'd planned on staying anyway, I assumed it was a given."

"Of course it is," I said, nudging him slightly for the teasing. "But you have a habit of fleeing when you get too comfortable."

"I do not!" Thomas argued. But he quietened at the look I shot him. "It's different this time."

"How so?" I asked. There were many things that had changed- his status as alive one of them- but none that might've caused him to voice it so softly.

"I've missed you," he said, causing my smile to falter. I'd missed him too. "I don't want to go another century wondering what's happened to you. You're my sister, Elide, maybe not by blood, but blood has failed me before. You're my sister in the way that matters, and we have wasted time to make up for."

So much wasted time. So many stories to share, and there was doubt that he would have many. He'd always been a wild soul, dragging me along to all his fun. And then there was my own story to tell, of Alice and her family, the drama in Volterra... William. It all felt so long ago.

Thomas was pulling me toward the house before I could show him the way, manoeuvring through the rooms as if he'd called the place home for years. He found his way to the living room, tossing himself over the back of a sofa, landing with a bounce beside Jasper, opposite where Bella and Jake sat with Renesmee between. He forced himself into the conversation just as easily.

"Now that's a story I want to hear," Thomas shouted, flashing his white grin to the boy beside him, clapping his hands together once in an encouraging gesture.

Jasper didn't seem surprised. Perhaps he'd grown used to my old friend's antics in the past week. It wouldn't have been hard- Thomas could yank anyone into a conversation and let it draw out for hours. But the talk slowly moved away from the lawyer in New York to stories of the past and future, as Alice and Emmett came to join us around the chairs.

"You know what would make this better? Wine!" Thomas shouted, earning a bark of laughter from Emmett. "You know werewolves have a way of making alcohol work for them. Sprinkle a little bit of wolfsbane into wine and they're on the floor."

"You know this how?" Jasper drawled, eyebrow raised lazily as Thomas turned to grin at him yet again. It seemed a natural reaction, prodding Jasper into conversation far more than he usually would.

Tommy only shrugged, a proud smug taking over his features. "Sweden isn't as peaceful as you think it is. Not for a vampire anyway. I'll tell you about it sometime," he said with a wink, leaving Jasper to shake his head. Alice glanced my way, the smallest of looks on her face and I held in a laugh.

I left them to their laughter, fearing the longer I remained, the more likely it would come to the many stories Thomas could tell about us in our youth, most of them embarrassing. Rosalie was in the kitchen, nodding at something Carlisle was saying, as he drifted from the doorway, greeting me with the kindest of smiles as he passed.

"He's fitting in well," Rose said, her eyes moving to watch Emmett as he tried to wrestle Thomas from the seat, successful after a few seconds. No one was stronger than Emmett. "You had us scared for a second. It was only when he showed up, that Carlisle started to understand what you were doing."

"Did you miss me, Rose? You can tell me if you did," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Rosalie was stubborn- relentlessly so. "I won't tease."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Not you too," she said. "You're as bad as Alice, no wonder you get on so well."

It was my turn to roll my eyes then but Rosalie just smiled and gave a nudge. I wondered if this was what it was like to have a sister.

After a moment, she spoke again, "I never did fix your car."

"I'd say not to bother but the chaos doesn't seem done with us yet."

Eyes drifted across the closing scene in the room over. Carlise had met the young crowd with smiles, Alice hovering by his side, eager to map out our past journey. There was admiration in his eyes as he watched her excitement- the same look that was reflected in mine. But Nahuel and his Aunt were only just leaving, and their promise haunted the back of my mind. We would have one adventure yet before our story could come to a close.

"I doubt we'll need a car for this one though."

What use did a car have when we could all run faster?

"I'll look at it anyway. Give me something to do when you're gone," she said, arms crossing over chest, the leather of her jacket crinkling.

"You could come. Bring Emmett. Make it into a road trip."

Rose snorted in a sort of laugh. "I'm sure Alice would love that. It'd be like bringing siblings on a honeymoon."

"That's slightly dramatic," I said, shaking my head. "We won't go far."

"We're talking about Alice. Of course, it's dramatic."

I shrugged. "You have a point."

"I always do," Rose hummed, sighing afterwards as she pushed herself from the bench, eyes zeroing in on Emmett and Thomas. "Hm, I better go put an end to their play fighting. Show em how to really do it."

"I'm betting on you Rose."

Her face was smug, perfectly Rosalie. "Of course you are."

Rosalie was soon replaced by Esme, who came gliding into the kitchen, her eyes settled on me with purpose. She was looking for me, I knew. Esme and I never had time to talk, no matter how often she wanted to.

"We were so glad to see you, Elide," she said. There was something singing behind her eyes, a warmth that could not be matched. Even her cool toned skin gave the impression of a flush without even a tint of colour. After a moment she looked away, eyes gliding to Alice. Everyone wanted to speak of Alice. I could not complain. "Thank you for looking after my daughter."

"I think it makes more sense to say she looks after me," I said, shaking my head ever so slightly.

"Maybe, but you helped her in more ways than one. You gave her someone to explore with, someone to indulge her fancies." Esme's arm wrapped around my shoulders and she gave me a squeeze to the side as a wide smile stretched on her face. "Someone to love."

"I do love her. So much that I don't know how to put it into words," I said, because for some reason, I love you couldn't match the intensity of what I felt.

"She knows. But go tell her anyway," Esme said, using her arms to push me away. She didn't need to tell me twice.

Alice seemed to sense my arrival. In the centre of the room, Rosalie now had her hands wrapped around Thomas' in an attempt to push his to the ground. She was close, her eyes impossibly calm, staring him now as he tried to make her move. Behind her, with his arm itching to wrap around her, Emmett was laughing, encouraging her on. The sight was nice, but not as comforting as the hand that encase my own.

Alice's head came to lie upon my cheek.

"Hello," I whispered and felt her smile. "Peace at last. I only wish we could have some privacy."

She let out the faintest of laughs. "Soon," she said with a hum. "Soon we'll have all the time in the world. To ourselves."

"I can't wait," I said, feeling her hand slide further up my air.

I was pressing my lips against hers a moment later, chastely, letting my own hand slip around the side of her neck, finger trailing circles. My nose leant against her cheek, giving enough time to whisper I love you, before her lips were against mine again, a smile behind the movement. There was a shout behind us- probably encouragement from Tommy- which made Alice laugh, burying her head against my chest.

Soon we'll have all the time in the world. I found such comfort in that.