CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:
BEGINNING OF THE END

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

THE BEGINNING OF THE end. 

Verona's stomach danced with nerves as she stood beside Rosalie and Emmett in the clearing where the Cullens had fought against Victoria's newborns. The rest of the witnesses were clustered around them, a stark contrast to the ravenous newly-turned vampires they'd been surrounded by only a few months ago. Months; that's how long it had been since the newborn army came to Forks. For Verona, those months seemed like a lifetime; a period where she wasn't in love with Alec, where Bella was human, where Renesmee didn't exist, and the problems that came with her young life were nothing but a crazy, unfathomable idea. So much had changed in such a tiny instant of time for Verona Hale, for everyone she knew and cared for.

The beginning of the end.

The clearing was covered in a thick blanket of snow; the previously dull green strands of grass, the withered leaves that hung from tree branches, were laced with white ice that dripped with water, a sliver of sunlight driving the cold away. Off in the distance, a never-ending shadow of darkness loomed down on them like the sky of thunderclouds above, prepared to serve justice wherever they saw fit. 

The beginning of the end.

As the Cullens and their friends stood together, a united force prepared to lay their lives on the line for the hybrid child with a human heartbeat, they accepted that their last moments alive could be wasted at the vindictive hands of Aro and his guard. They accepted the beginning of their end with bravery, even as fear and the instinct to flee soared through their veins like fire.

"The red coats are coming, the red coats are coming," Garrett hissed under his breath, his hand gripped by Kate's as she and the Denalis stood alongside him. Verona spared him a glance over her shoulder before she spun back around to stare at the trees, gnawing on her lower lip as Rosalie reached out to grip her arm, worry flashing across her face.

The shadow of darkness had begun to separate, forming a long line of figures wearing the trademark Volturi cloak. Verona didn't look too closely at their features, afraid for who she might see staring back at her. Instead, she took in the vast amount of witnesses that Aro had gathered to watch them die, the dancing of her stomach morphing into a swarm of terrified birds trying to escape their cage. 

As they neared them, closing the gap between both sides, Edward whispered, "Aro's looking for Alice."

And he was. At the very front of the crowd stood Aro, his bright red eyes taking in every face that dared stand against him, searching for the familiar features of Verona's best friend with fearsome intent. When he didn't see her, he frowned, but continued to lead the witnesses towards them. Beside him stood Caius, a joyful smirk twisting at his lips. He was eager for the death, the destruction, the justice; but his grin soon faded as the wolves began to howl, slinking out of the woods to join the Cullens with their teeth bared and hackles raised. A forbidden alliance brought to light.

A moment passed, tension thick in the air. The Volturi had stopped a good several metres away from where the Cullens were standing, staring them down with anger and expectancy. So after an instant of hesitation, Carlisle stepped forward, his hands rising in surrender as he began to speak.

"Aro," he addressed the man in question with honesty in his eyes, earnest with every word he uttered. "Let us discuss things as we used to; in a civilised manner."

"Fair words, Carlisle," Aro hummed as he shared a look of amusement with Caius. "But a little out of place, considering the battalion you've assembled against us."

"I can promise you that this was never my intent, no laws have been broken." 

"We see the child," Caius scoffed at him. "Don't treat us as fools."

"She's not an immortal," Carlisle exclaimed, raising his voice for everyone to hear. With a nod to the vampires behind him, he added, "These witnesses can attest to that."

There was a moment of silence, heavy and uncertain. Aro stared at Carlisle with masked emotions in his eyes, listening to every word his old friend spoke attentively. On the other hand, Caius was shaking his head, refusing to accept the blonde man's words. Verona along with everyone else watched with bated breath, waiting for someone to make the next move.

"Or you can look," Carlisle sighed and gestured to his granddaughter. Renesmee was gripping onto Bella's hand as she stared at the unfamiliar figures with curiosity, oblivious to the army sent to dispose of her and her family. "See the flush of human blood in her cheeks."

"Artifice," Caius hissed in denial. 

Aro interrupted him with a raise of his hand, "I will collect every facet of the truth, but from someone more central to the story." He gave a wicked smile, eyes locking on the bronze-haired boy who stood with his wife and daughter. "Edward. As the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved."

More silence. Verona's worried gaze locked on her brother, who was looking from Aro's outstretched hand to Renesmee, who was also watching him with wide eyes. He lingered for a moment in the presence of his family, then he was crossing the clearing to where Aro was waiting for him. Aro grasped Edward's hand in his, taking a moment to delve into Edward's thoughts, his grin growing wider with every memory he got to witness. 

"I'd like to meet her," he murmured in amazement. 

Edward nodded, knowing that he couldn't deny Aro's request. He looked behind him, gesturing for Bella to bring Renesmee forward. With reluctance, she took her daughter's hand and lead her over enemy territory. Jacob followed behind them, baring his teeth at every witness he laid eyes on. Emmett gave Rosalie a kiss on the cheek, sparing Verona a nod as he joined them, knowing that his niece needed his protection. 

"Hey, he'll be okay," Verona whispered to Rosalie, who looked to ready to protest the further that Emmett moved away from her. The blonde nodded slowly, gripping onto Verona for dear life and never once looking away from Emmett's muscled frame.

"Ah, young Bella, immortality becomes you," Aro smirked at the newborn in question, who stared at him with thinly-masked disgust in her eyes. Aro paid her ill-feelings no attention as he turned his attention to Renesmee, listening closely as her heart thudded like a young bird beating its wings. He let out a laugh, the sound echoing around the clearing as he pointed at Renesmee in astonishment. "I hear her strange heart."

He offered his hand again, bending down so he could look her in the eyes. Renesmee turned to her parents for approval, only moving over to Aro once her father gave an affirming nod. "Hello, Aro," she greeted, ignoring his hand in favour of placing her own against his cheek, transferring her thoughts to his mind despite the gasps of outrage from his guard.

"Magnifico," he breathed, eventually snapping out of his trance and rising to his feet. He turned to face his followers, and while his back was to them, Bella pulled Renesmee into her arms, hating the distance that loomed between them. "Half-mortal, half-immortal. Conceived and carried by this newborn while she was still human."

"Impossible," Caius spat, causing Aro's eyes to narrow. 

"Do you think they fooled me, brother?" Edward and Bella took the opportunity to bring Renesmee back to where Verona and the witnesses were waiting, Emmett and Jacob following behind them with one last glare directed at Aro's army.

Verona was busy taking in their shocked expressions, listening to their hushes whispers as the leaders conversed, when she saw him standing there. He was next to Jane and Demetri on the frontlines, already watching her with his bright crimson eyes, realisation twisting at his features. If Verona was human, she knew that her face would be as white as a sheet, drained of all colour at the sight of him after so long. I love you, her thoughts began to taunt her, the dial tone echoing in her ears like a broken record. For her truth had been revealed, and it was truly hitting Alec as he looked at her from afar, once again, on opposing sides of an all-out war.  

"Bring the informer forward," Caius demanded, turning his furious stare to a nervous Irina, who'd previously gone unnoticed in the crowd of enemies. "Is that the child you saw?"

Irina's bottom lip trembled as she eyed Renesmee across the clearing, realising the grave mistake she'd made. "I-I'm not sure."

Caius made a sound of disapproval, "Jane?"

"She's changed," Irina cried before the younger blonde could use her power on her. "This child is bigger."

"Then your allegations were false," Caius hissed. 

No one said anything for a long moment. Verona could feel Alec's stare even with the distance looming between them, but instead of lingering on the thought of him when her cousin was in the firing line, she focused her gaze on Irina, who stared back at her and the others with remorse in her eyes, knowing she was in the wrong.

"The Cullens are innocent, I take full responsibility for my mistake."

From the corner of her eye, Verona spotted one of the lower guards setting a wooden torch on fire, the bright orange flames contrasting against the ice-white snow. Demetri and Felix grabbed hold of Irina's arms, keeping her in place as Caius took the burning torch, preparing for her execution.

"Caius, no!" Edward shouted, though his pleas were drowned by the terrified cries of Irina's sisters.  

But neither Kate or Tanya were able to do anything as Felix ripped Irina's head from her body, and Caius set the rest of her on fire with a wicked smirk tugging at his lips, ensuring that she was well and truly gone. Verona's mouth dropped open in shock, her heart a heavy stone in her chest as grief struck her hard. Irina was her cousin, someone her coven had accepted as family. To see her burning at the feet of someone like Caius made her feel sick to her stomach, the cries of Irina's heartbroken sisters thrumming in her ears. Verona didn't need her gift to feel their pain, it was written as clear as day on their faces as they thrashed against the hold of their coven-mates, who were trying in vain to stop them from racing over to Caius and ripping him apart for what he'd just done.

"Blind them," Edward snapped at Zafrina, who used her power to create illusions to remove the horrifying scene from the eyes of Kate and Tanya.

"Give me my sight back," Tanya snarled as Kate began to whimper in defeat, falling limp against Garrett's frame as he held her tight. 

"Tanya, this is what they want," Edward murmured, fueled by the hush whispers of the Volturi guard as they watched them in amusement. "If you attack now, we'll all die."

Both blondes slowly stopped struggling, and silence shrouded the clearing once more. Verona's furious glare raked across Aro and his guard, meeting Alec at the very end. He stood there, blank eyes showing a sliver of remorse that Verona met with a shake of her head. Instead, she turned to look at Edward as he moved to join her and the others again. Only he didn't make it to where they stood, collapsing to his knees with a cry of agony that was brought on by one tiny word.

"Pain."

Bella and Verona immediately launched into action, sharing a nod before moving to Edward's side. Verona dropped to her knees next to her brother, her hand gripping his as she transferred his pain to her own body. Bella stood before them, eyes narrowed in concentration as she attempted to expand her shield from her brain to not just Edward and Verona, but everyone that stood on her side. 

Aro and the others watched in surprise as Jane's torture suddenly stopped, and Edward slowly rose to his feet with a proud smile. Verona was quick to follow him, nervously clinging to his hand even after Bella's shield was in place, worried that the newborn might lose concentration and Edward's pain would start again.

"It's working," he told her, bringing her to his side as he moved to stand next to Bella again. 

They watched as Jane gave a furious snarl, launching towards them only to be stopped by Alec, who gave a shake of his head as his sister thrashed against him. Instead, he stepped in front of her, meeting Verona's eyes with gritted teeth and allowing his sensory deprivation mist to flow from his fingers. But he was quickly stopped by Aro, who was at a loss for words after witnessing Bella's astounding gift.

"Aro, you see there's no law broken here," Carlisle sighed, growing tired of the back and forth.

"Agreed," Aro nodded, and Verona waited alongside everyone else for the 'but' they all knew was coming. "But does it then follow that there is no danger? For the first time in our history, humans pose a threat to our kind. Their modern technology has given birth to weapons that could destroy us. Maintaining our secret has never been more imperative in such perilous times. Only the known is safe, only the known is tolerable, and we know nothing of what this child will become. Can we live with such uncertainty? Spare ourselves a fight today, only to die tomorrow."

Verona can see the fear on the faces of Aro's witnesses. His speech was swaying them, convincing them that Renesmee needed to be taken care of. She looked to Alec, desperate for him to do something, anything. But he stood there, red eyes grave, and she knew he wouldn't go against Aro in front of everyone. However, before either side could say or do anything more, there was the sound of snapping twigs from within the forest. A familiar scent burned Verona's senses, and she met Edward's shocked gaze as he and Aro came to the same realisation.

"Alice."

As if she'd been summoned, Alice emerged from the edge of the woods, her sights set on Aro with Jasper right by her side. The couple took a moment to look at their family, each Cullen staring back at them with wide eyes. Verona's heart lurched at the sight of them, and she fought the urge to race over and hug them as they slowly began to approach Aro, the leader in question wearing a dazed smile upon his lips. Demetri and Felix were quick to step forward and stop them from getting any closer, causing Alice to sigh in frustration. 

"My dear, dear Alice," Aro sighed in giddiness. "We're so glad to see you here, after all."

"I have evidence the child won't be a risk to our kind," Alice spoke over him, her outstretched hand hovering in the air. "Just let me show you."

"Brother," Caius protested, but Aro ignored him as he nodded, eagerly holding out his hand for her to take. Alice pushed Demetri aside with a huff, before marching over to Aro with determination flowing through her veins.

Silence. Everyone's eyes were on the spectacle before them, waiting and watching as Aro grabbed onto Alice's hand, hurling himself into the future.