CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
HER GREATEST SACRIFICE

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VERONA SHOULD'VE KNOWN IT was too good to be true. That no matter how hard they tried, she and Alec were destined for different things. It took one simple phone call, one cry for help from her sister to destroy everything that Verona and Alec had been building for themselves.

It was a fine morning in the city of Volterra. Two weeks had gone by since Verona came to see Alec, and those fourteen days together were the happiest they'd been in a very long time. Verona's hesitance to start their relationship again had long since faded, replaced by a smoldering spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, they were on the right track again. But hope was a foolish feat for someone like her. Every time she hoped for something, she crashed and burned in the aftermath, and this time around was no different.

Alec had been summoned by Aro, Marcus and Caius earlier that morning, much to his annoyance. He hadn't spent a second away from Verona since she arrived, wanting to give them another chance. He didn't want to leave her alone, but he knew he had no choice. So he went, promising Verona that he'd meet her in town sometime that afternoon to show her the best hunting spots for her golden-eyed diet. She'd gone on ahead for a bit of sightseeing, wanting to make the most of her trip away, as the last time she'd been in Italy, she hadn't had much of a chance to stop and enjoy the scenery. That was when the call came. At first, she didn't know what to think when she saw that Bella was the one ringing her. She knew the brunette wasn't due back from her honeymoon for another week, so why she was contacting her, she wasn't sure. Swallowing nervously, she stepped away from the busy street, her hands trembling as she clicked the answer option and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Bella," she greeted, her voice light yet strained. "It's good to hear from you. How's your honeymoon?"

"Verona." Bella's voice shook with terrified sobs, and immediately, Verona was concerned. Something had happened. Just when she thought everything was turning out okay, things went wrong again. "Verona, I need your help."

"What is it?" she frowned, almost afraid to hear the answer. "You know you can tell me anything, Bella."

"I'm pregnant," she cried, barely able to get the words out. "I'm pregnant, and I want to keep the baby, but Edward wants it out of me and I don't know what to do."

Bella was pregnant? The words echoed over and over again in Verona's head. It just wasn't possible. Female vampires couldn't have children, so it was assumed that male vampires couldn't impregnate either. But they were wrong, it seemed, so very wrong. And now they were paying the price.

"Bella, you need to calm down," Verona breathed, forcing the confusion and fear from her voice as her sister continued to cry. "Panicking isn't doing you or the baby any good right now." She paused, sparing another glance at the busy street around her. She couldn't afford for anyone to overhear her. "Look, just tell me where you are. Are you on your way home?"

"Edward cut our honeymoon short," Bella whimpered at the mention of her husband. "Verona, he wants to kill my baby."

"I'm sure he's just shocked. Don't worry, he'll come around soon," Verona assured, though deep down, she wasn't sure what to believe. 

Edward would be fuming right now, no doubt about it. Bella's life was on the line because of this baby. Humans were fragile, and if the baby inside her inherited any of its father's supernatural traits, then it'd be extremely detrimental for Bella's health. But she, in all her glory, wanted to have that child. And while Verona didn't want her to die, she refused to do anything to her against her wishes.

"Verona," Bella whispered, worried that she'd hung up. "Are you there?"

"Sorry, I just got distracted," Verona sighed, her mind clouded with thoughts. She had to go home as soon as she could, she knew she did, but the thought of leaving Alec behind after being with him for such a short amount of time broke her heart. And no to mention the excuses she'd have to give for why she was leaving. He couldn't find out the truth, he'd feel obligated to tell his coven and she knew they'd exterminate Bella and the baby before any of them could so much as say a word. So much for being honest with each other, she thought with a sigh. "Look, I'm in Italy visiting Alec right now, but I'm going to catch a plane back to Forks as soon as I can, okay? Just try and hang in there."

"Okay," Bella sniffled, her sobs beginning to cease. "Edward's coming. I better hang up. I'll see you soon, Vee."

And with that, the call ended. Verona stood there for a moment, feeling sick to her stomach. Just when she thought her life was getting better, everything came crashing down again, and there was nothing she could do to stop it from happening.

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FORTUNATELY FOR VERONA, ALEC was still with his coven when she returned. She managed to enter his quarters without anyone noticing her, a sense of relief hitting her then. If she could just get her things in order and leave without Alec coming back, she'd be fine. She could make up an excuse later, at least she wouldn't have to lie to his face after insisting they told each other everything. It would only hurt them more if he was there, watching her walk away again. 

But it seemed the fates weren't on her side that day. 

She'd almost finished packing her bags when he returned, sensing his mate's presence in the confines of his bedroom. He wore a smile on his face when he saw her, but the grin was quick to fade when he noticed her packing her bags, frantic in her movements.

"Verona." She spun around, slamming the lid of her suitcase shut with wide eyes. Neither of them said anything for a moment, just staring at each other. Then, Alec took a step towards her, confusion drawing his eyebrows into a frown. "Where are you going, my love?"

"Home," she stuttered, the word sounded strangled as it lingered in the air. "I'm going home."

"Why? I thought we were going to spend more time together."

Verona turned away from him then, unable to look into his eyes, to see him so upset. This was going to be so much harder than she thought it would be. She hadn't realised how attached she'd gotten to him in their time together. She thought it was bad the first time they lost touch, but now was going to be so much worse. With shaky hands, she continued to pack her bags, ignoring the gaze burning into the back of her head.

"Verona, just stop for a second." Alec's hand on her arm was like a burning fire, and she was quick to step away when he tried moving closer to her. The hurt in his eyes increased, and her heart cracked at the agony staring back at her. Her mind was screaming for her to stay, to stop hurting him, but she had to go back. Bella needed her. Edward needed her. They mattered more than her happiness. "What's going on, my love?"

"Nothing," she insisted, unable to raise her voice any higher than a whisper. "I just need to go home, Alec."

"Why?" Alec pressed, refusing to give in without a fight. He sighed in annoyance as she turned her back on him, zipping up her suitcase and dropping it to the floor by her feet. He reached out for her again, wanting her to look him in the eyes and give him the truth. Instead, he let out a hiss of annoyance as she flinched away from him. "Verona, don't do this. I thought we agreed not to keep things from each other."

Verona kept her back to him, her eyes flashing as her phone vibrated with a text from Rosalie, who asked if she wanted a lift from the airport. She went to respond, but she was stopped as Alec gripped her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "What are you keeping from me?" 

"Nothing." She couldn't do it. She couldn't hurt him. She couldn't lose him. But what choice did she have? "I just don't want to be here anymore. I want to be with my family."

Alec froze, his hands falling to his sides as he stared at her. The words were like a kick to the stomach, like someone had reached inside him and torn out his heart. He thought she was happy with him. Why did she want to leave? What had he done wrong? But he could see it in her eyes, the pain at letting him go. There had to be something more that she wasn't telling him, right? 

"I don't believe you," he muttered as he stepped back, watching as she gathered her things together, her eyes locked on his bedroom door. She was going to leave no matter how much he begged her not to. It was clear she was done with them, done with him. "Fine, leave then. But don't expect me to wait for you anymore, Hale. I'm done with this back and forth. I'm done with you."

Verona felt like she was dying, like someone was ripping her to shreds. She wanted to turn back and apologise, beg him to hold her and never let her go. But Bella's fear as she pleaded for Verona's help was too hard to ignore. She had to go, even if it meant she lost her final chance at happiness. Verona paused by Alec's bedroom door, turning back to look at him, no matter how much it hurt. He was hunched over his desk, hands digging into the ivory wood as he shook with anger and sadness. She let out a sigh, her eyes burning, knowing this could be the last time she ever saw him, her beautiful broken mate.

"Goodbye, Alec."

He didn't look at her as he spoke, his voice even and empty. "Just go, Verona, and don't ever come back."

And so she did, her heart breaking as she heard him scream in agony, ruined by her sacrifice.

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VERONA'S BODY SHOOK WITH sobs as she sat in an uncomfortable plastic airport chair, her eyes lowered to the ground, determined to ignore the pitying stares from the humans surrounding her. She just wanted to go home, to be away from everything. But what was waiting for her at home was even worse than the broken boy she was leaving behind. Why hadn't she told him she loved him in their time together? Why hadn't she kissed him a little longer and held him a little tighter? She'd never get to do that again, and that time around, she was the one making the decisions. She was the one tearing them apart. And now, she'd have to face the consequences.

Her hands shook as they reached for her phone, desperate as they dialled the first number in her contacts that she knew she could trust. 

"Verona," Rosalie whispered into the phone, her heart sinking as she heard her sister's cries. She'd expected this would happen when Bella called her and told her that Verona was coming home, but it didn't make hearing her cry any easier. "Oh, Verona. I'm so sorry."

"I had to let him go," she whimpered. "I couldn't tell him, so I had to let him go."

"I know, darling." Rosalie wanted to be there, to hold her and comfort her, but that would have to wait for when she came home. For now, all she could do was whisper assurances and grip onto her husband's hand as they sat together, listening to their sister's final downfall. "Just hold on a little longer for me, okay? You'll be home soon, and we'll be right here with you."

Verona's flight was called and she said goodbye to Rosalie, hanging up the phone and rising to her feet on shaky legs. With one final glance around her, she moved to board the plane, right back where she began.