She's Mine Chapter 4

Everyone was seated around the living room, acting as if everything was normal and that Sulpicia normally made visits to other covens without her mate. Bella was fighting a smirk at how much she knew Sulpicia was loving making everyone uncomfortable. Bella had voted to leave for the Denali’s home right away; she saw no point in visiting with the Cullen’s as what she had been asked to witness was done. She didn’t want to visit people she likely wouldn’t see any time in the near future.

But her sister wanted to visit.

Well, her sister really wanted to make everyone nervous because it amused the hell out of her. Semantics.

“I’m truly thankful for everything you have done for my family.” Carlisle thanked once the child and her parents had left to their home that was apparently built outside of hearing range from this home.

They were being formal because of Sulpicia and her status as queen. Bella thought it was ridiculous to treat her sister any differently because of a title Aro had given them. To Bella, the Volturi were just other vampires with bigger than average ego’s. she didn’t treat them any different than she would any other vampire; except for her sister of course. It usually annoyed the hell out of Aro and Caius and amused the hell out of Bella. So, for how indifferent Bella was about the Volturi self-made titles, to see other vampires act so differently towards her sister was always amusing.

As much as Bella didn’t want to play along with this whole ‘be nice to the so-called royalty’ thing, she didn’t want to ruin her sister’s fun. Sulpicia better appreciate the torture Bella was willing to go through for her.

“I didn’t do it for you.” Sulpicia quickly said, “I simply want to make sure my baby sister is happy.”

“I’m older than you.” Bella said under her breath. Sulpicia may have been turned at an older age than when Bella had stopped aging due to her shifting, but Bella had a few thousand years on her sister. Sulpicia just refused to be called her younger sister for whatever reason and always took whatever opportunity she could find to call Bella her baby sister.

Irina put a hand on Bella’s thigh in an attempt to calm her, and nearly gave Bella a heart attack instead. The shifter had completely forgotten Sulpicia had chosen to sit on the couch so both Bella and Irina could sit with her. Sulpicia wanted to sit next to Bella and knew Irina would want to sit next to her sister. Bella just wanted to sit next to her sister because it had been a few years since she had seen the vampire. Bella was so used to being alone, except the occasional visits she was forced to make because of Sulpicia, feeling Irina touch her thigh startled her. Immediately feeling Bella’s discomfort, Irina retracted her hand and Bella was sure who was hurt more: Irina for Bella being afraid of her touch or Bella for losing Irina’s touch.

“Tell me, how do you your two covens know each other?” Sulpicia asked, ignoring Bella’s remark and her actions from Irina trying to comfort her. Sulpicia knew the two of them would be talking once they got to Denali. It would be like pulling teeth to get Bella to talk about what Sulpicia wanted her to, but she would. They were sister’s after all, Bella always helped her when Aro and Caius’s scheming got too much, it was the least Sulpicia could do.

“We crossed paths once when Carlisle was looking for a new place to live and since we were on the same diet, we kept in touch.” Tanya answered for them, keeping her eyes focused on Sulpicia but most of her attention was on her sister. She was absolutely thrilled Irina found her mate, but she was worried about what kind of trouble it may have brought their family. She hoped she was just overthinking things but since Sulpicia was going to be following them home, she wasn’t sure what to think. “I know Carlisle has already thanked you, but I feel it needs to be said from my coven as well, but we are very grateful for you and Bella saving our Irina.”

Bella couldn’t stop the growl from leaving her throat at hearing someone else claiming Irina. With a blush, she quickly stopped the growling and glared at the ground. She didn’t understand why her beast was so upset with Irina’s own family claiming Irina. It wasn’t like they were trying to take Irina away from Bella. Hell, Bella technically didn’t even have a real claim on the beauty next to her to even get defensive about. She was more than old enough to keep control of her emotions and not lash out like a cub.

Irina smiled as she once again put her hand on her mate’s thigh. Even though she felt the shifter tense, Irian felt Bella was really okay for her hand to stay where it was. It would seem her mate wasn’t much on human contact and from what little, very little, Irina knew about her mate, Bella likely mostly lived on her own, so she wouldn’t be used to being around others. Irina would just have to be patient and go slowly with her mate. She would do anything for her mate, not just because she had saved her life, but because it was the least she could for her mate.

“How did you two meet?” Irina blurted, the need to ask her mate anything to try and get to know her outweighing proper etiquette when meeting with any of the Volturi royals. She knew she would be blushing at having spoken so suddenly and gaining everyone’s attention. She knew most of the people in the room were definitely upset with her for having acted before thinking. And she knew it would likely be better for her to not say anything after all the trouble and danger she had put everyone in, but she couldn’t help the desire, the need, to try and get to know her mate better.

Instead of backing down in embarrassment though, she held her gaze with her mate who was still looking at the ground, hoping Bella would answer her.

Bella hesitated, hoping Sulpicia would answer for her but after a few seconds, she knew her sister wasn’t about to save her. Bella mustered up the courage she knew she had as a panthera and ignored the embarrassment from a few moments ago and faced her mate, doing her best to ignore the fact Irina hadn’t moved her hand away from her thigh and for as cold as she knew vampires were, Irina’s hand seemed to be trying to burn a hole in her leg.

“I met her when she was out on a hunt.” Bella explained what had happened so long ago. Heidi is still being punished for not being vigilant enough by still only being on ‘fishing’ duty instead of going out on missions. “They were hunting near shifter grounds. I slipped past Heidi and noticed Sulpicia was eyeing someone close to shifting and so, I attacked her.”

Bella said it so casually, as if she was talking about picking which book to read, or what food to eat, not attacking one of the ruling queens of vampires. Everyone stared at Bella in shock that quickly turned to understanding. If it wasn’t for the bond, everyone was sure Sulpicia would have either won the fight or her guards would have been there fast enough to end the fight and Bella would have lost. It was likely a very chaotic time while everyone figured out who Bella was to Sulpicia.

Sulpicia gave her sister a smirk, knowing exactly what everyone was thinking. She wasn’t one to turn away the chance to embarrass her sister, especially since she knew Bella would downplay everything.

“I would have easily died if the bond hadn’t utterly confused her.” Sulpicia gave Irina a quick look, unsure of where she stood on the new bond between the Denali and her sister but she could at least try and help her sister, regardless of what she thought about her new mate. “Since she spends most of her time these days to herself, she forgets how old she is and how much more strength her age has given her. She could have easily killed me that day and the guards wouldn’t have been to do anything but feeling a bond, for the first time I believe, was enough to throw her off kilter and allow me the chance to talk with her rather than fight.” Sulpcia wasn’t proud of her easy defeat; but it did help knowing how much older Bella was compared to her.

“How old are you?” Kate blurted, the need to know exactly how strong this woman was overwhelming her. There was so much Kate needed to know about this woman who was suddenly mated to her sister, who had not only basically single-handedly saved Irina but also who had the absolute respect and possibly even fear of the Volturi. Kate needed to make sure this woman was even safe for Irina to be around, much less be mated to. she didn’t want her sister to get anymore; especially after all this with Laurent that nearly cost her, her life.

Bella tilted her head as she stared at Kate, mentally trying to figure out exactly how old she was. She may have a better memory than a human, but she didn’t have a perfect memory like a vampire. She didn’t even know how old she physically was because she didn’t remember how many winters she had lived through before turning and then there were a few times she had stopped turning for small extended periods to age a little. She didn’t know how old she was physically much less how old she was in general. All she knew was that her people were no longer around and either was the panthera atrox she shifted into.

“I don’t know.” Bella answered, though it sounded more like a question. She gave a quick look towards the blonde next to her. Would she want to know how old she was? Was that something Bella should really try and figure out?

“Well, then what are you?” Kate asked right away, earning a small slap on her thigh from her own mate. “What?” Kate immediately defended, “She’s definitely not a wolf shifter, she smells nothing like them. She just smells, well, old.” She said with a confused look. Bella smelled of the forest for sure, like the wolves. But the wolves had a strong scent of wet dog, baked in the sun too long. It was disgusting. But Bella smelled of the forest, of an ancient forest that made her feel like she needed to ask permission just to talk to much less interact with. It was an odd feeling and Kate really wanted to figure it out, she wanted to figure Bella out. Both to sate her curiosity and to make sure she was safe and good enough, for her sister.

Bella looked towards her sister, since her sister had drilled into her head also that sharing what she was could be bad. She had already known that but if her sister, someone who was practically obsessed with being safe, thought it was important enough to constantly stress to keep her identity a secret, was she allowed to share with all these strangers?

“That Kate, can be answered once we are at your house.” Sulpicia answered for her, she didn’t want the Cullen’s, whom she was sure had loose lips, to learn what Bella was and then to let it slip to the wrong people.

“Not even a hint?” Emmett blurted. It had been silently agreed the Cullen’s wouldn’t talk unless spoken to since everyone was still on edge from barely get Irina out alive, much less all of them supposedly leaving still on ‘good’ terms with Aro and company. But Emmett really wanted to know what Bella was. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, and he doubted he was the only one in his family to feel it, but he felt Bella was someone to never mess with. Her very presence had his beast on edge and he knew without a doubt if she wanted to, he wouldn’t stand a chance in a fight. It was awesome, he had never met anyone so strong! He just wanted to know what she was, to know why this shifter scared him, again he would never admit that to anyone, when the wolves only made him laugh.

Sulpicia shot a glare towards the younger vampire, keeping her anger in check when Bella stood up. Bella knew she was interrupting what was sure to be a very thorough tongue lashing, Sulpicia was known for her acidic words after all, apparently she was trying to get on her mate’s good side. Emmett Cullen sure was lucky.

“If my sister doesn’t want me to say anything, then I won’t.” Bella said, then turned towards her mate, “I guess now would be a good time to go?” She asked, “We can continue talking at your house.” She knew there wasn’t a chance in hell she wouldn’t tell her mate, and her mate’s coven by proxy, everything about her. But clearly her sister didn’t trust these very young vampires with her real identity, so she wouldn’t say anything.

“Of course.” Tanya said as she stood up, answering for her whole coven, “I guess this is goodbye until next time.” She declared as everyone else stood up.

Bella and Sulpicia watched as the Denali’s said their goodbyes, Bella’s eyes never straying from Irina and tensing every time she hugged someone. If it wasn’t for Sulpicia holding her hand, she was afraid she would have growled again at someone. Sulpicia kept her eyes focused in no particular direction but was paying attention to everyone, to what they said and where they moved. She had been mated to Aro for so long that his paranoia was practically her own, regardless of how harmless these young vampires were.

Within ten minutes, they were running off. The sister’s were leading the way with Carmen and Eleazar brought up the rear. It was the Denali’s way to protect Sulpicia as they ran so if Aro asked, they could say they did all they could to keep Sulpicia safe. As much as Kate longed to run beside her mate, she was making herself be content with just listening to Bella run behind her. A small part of her had hoped she would need to shift, she was really curious on what she was as well, but the older shifter didn’t seem to have any trouble keeping up with them. There was so much Irina needed to learn and now that they were headed home, Irina was that much closer to learning everything there was to know about Bella. She couldn’t run fast enough.