Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

New Love, New Life

By Momma2Fan

Chapter 18:

Jane and Alec led Alice into the throne room. She had her head bowed and her posture showed her resignation. When their movements stopped in the center of the room, only then did she raise her head. There was an audible gasp from the Cullens when they saw her red eyes. 

“Ah, young Alice, I see you’ve finally eaten.”

“It was either that or starve. Since I’m not brave enough to kill myself, I ate what you provided.”

Caius leaned forward, “And how do you feel?”

Alice was silent as she examined herself and then closed her eyes to test her gift. She was met with a vision unlike any she had ever experienced, she was seeing the past. When she finally opened her eyes, she stared at the Volturi in shock. 

“What was that?”

Aro was before her before she could blink, holding his hand out to her. After reading her, he gently patted her hand. “That, dear Alice, was a taste of what your visions should be. What they would have been if you were on our natural diet. How do you feel after consuming human blood?”

Alice was silent for a moment, “Stronger, clearer. It’s like I can see things I couldn’t before.”

“That is because the animal blood suppressed your gift. While your diet can temporarily satiate your thirst, you need to feed more often than you would on human blood.” Aro moved back to the dias and took a seat. 

“How often do you hunt?” Caius sat back and steepled his fingers. 

“Every three to four days. We rarely go longer than a week.”

“You feed as often as a newborn who is learning to control their thirst?”

Alice nodded and looked at Carlisle, “It’s how we were taught.”

“Alice, were you aware that Esme Cullen had a gift?”

Her eyes snapped to Marcus, “Had?”

“Esme was executed yesterday for her crimes against not only her mate, but the rest of you and Isabella Swan.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Esme didn’t have a gift.” Alice looked stunned as she glanced around the room, hoping someone would explain.

Bella watched silently from where she stood off to the side as Alice was told everything they had discovered. She didn’t think it was possible for a vampire to become any more pale than they already were, but Alice did. She also hit her knees, the marble floor cracking from the force, and covered her mouth as she began to sob.

“I didn’t know,” she cried. “I swear I didn’t know.”

“You’re going to have to let me read you in order for us to believe your innocence.”

Without hesitation, Alice held out her hand to the king. Swooping down from the dias, Aro knelt before her and closed his eyes. A myriad of emotions played across his face as he sorted through everything in her head. After what seemed like hours, but was merely minutes, Aro let go of Alice’s hand. 

“Well,” he stood up and walked back to his throne. “She didn’t know about Esme. Somehow, any vision she had about Esme’s past or future was conveniently interrupted.”

“The mind-reader?” Caius questioned.

“Perhaps. If he knew of Esme’s gift, he could have assisted her somehow.”

“If I may?” Jasper stepped forward. At the nod from Aro, “Alice’s gift was always subjective. If Edward knew and was somehow able to clue Esme into the fact that Alice was having a vision of her, perhaps Esme could have made a decision which changed the course of her sight.”

“The only way you’ll know for sure is to read Edward,” Emmett spoke up.

“You’re right, Mr. Cullen, however we still need to determine what crimes Alice committed.”

“What did you find when you read her, Aro?” Marcus wanted to know.

Aro sighed, “Alice has known since her first vision of Bella that she wasn’t Edward’s mate. In the times she was able to get clear visions of her without any interference, she could see she needed to be integrated into their lives in order to meet her true mate. While she didn’t know who that was, she knew he was a vampire.”

“Did she do anything to discourage the relationship which formed between the two?”

“Why would I do that? Edward is my brother and I wanted him to be happy.”

“What you wanted did not matter, Miss Cullen.” Marcus stood from his seat and stepped forward. “You know our laws. Mates are not to be kept apart, nor paired with one who isn’t their mate.”

“But—”

“But nothing,” Caius also stood. “That’s one strike.”

“Let us add two, brother.” Aro commented as he stared down at the seer. “She knew the Major wasn’t her mate either, she also knew who his mate was. With the help of the young Mr. Cullen, she prevented Mr. Whitlock from finding her and thus saving her life. Tragically, she perished in a fire along with her entire family.”

A roar of outrage and heartbreak filled the throne room as Jasper made to lunge for Alice. Felix was there to stop him as Alec temporarily relieved him of his ability to move.

“You don’t understand!” Alice cried as she made to move toward Jasper. However, an invisible bubble halted her. 

Jasper, although unable to move, could still speak. “I understand perfectly, Mary Alice! You needed my protection, the fear my name instilled in other vampires.”

“Jazzy, please.”

“Don’t call me that! I hate that name! How can so much malice live inside someone so tiny? The only reason you’re upset is because you were found out. Had Bella never been brought here, you would have continued with your manipulations. I’ve never been more glad that any relationship between us stopped long ago!”

Alice looked down at the floor before bringing her eyes back up to meet his. “I’m sorry, Jasper. You were right, I did need your protection.”

“Tell him why, Alice,” Aro ordered. 

With a slump of her shoulders, “My sire was also my mate. Unfortunately for me, he was a sadistic bastard who spent the first month of my new life raping me. One night, when he’d gone to feed without me, I ran. Thanks to my visions, I was able to stay one step ahead of him, until that fateful game in Forks.”

Bella couldn’t contain her gasp and finally revealed her presence. “James?”

Turning to her former friend, Alice nodded. “I knew what he would do when we ran with you, but I needed Jasper to kill him.”

“So you used me as bait to get what you wanted.”

It wasn’t really a question, but Alice answered anyway. “Yes, I’m sorry.”

“And that,” Caius smiled, “Is strike three.”

Without asking for permission, Bella kept her shield wrapped around Alice and lifted her in the air as one would a balloon. 

“No, Bella, please!”

“Your apology and pleas mean nothing to me, Alice. You’re not someone who can be allowed to be in the vampire world. You’re too dangerous because of your complacency.” As she spoke, she compressed her shield, slowly wrapping it around Alice until nothing remained of her except what looked like sand.

Bella turned in Demetri’s arms after she had disposed of her former friend. She hated taking the life of another, but it was a necessary action in order to prevent further harm to someone else Alice may have set her sights on. 

“Bravo, Bella,” Aro clapped. “Jane, Alec, bring up Edward. Let’s get this finished.”

AN: Almost done.