verona hale and alec volturi; two lonely immortals so immersed in their petty coven rivalry that it's almost too late when they realise they're in love with each other. almost.
the twilight saga / alec volturi
new moon ― breaking dawn
...
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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: PENANCE FOR THEIR CRIME
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ALEC DIDN'T KNOW WHAT to think when he saw Irina of the Denali Coven standing before Aro, Caius, and Marcus in the throne room. She had turned to face him and Jane as they arrived, her golden eyes shocking Alec. He immediately found himself thinking of Verona, of how her own eyes would shine bright when she laughed, how in the short time she spent with him, the hue never changed from fresh gold, showing just how important her diet was to her. Even thinking of her made Alec uncomfortable, his stone-cold heart twinging his chest. He missed her, even if he didn't want to admit it. When Jane told him that she called a couple of days ago, wanting to speak with him, he immediately wanted to call her back, just to hear her voice. But she'd left, she chose her family over him. So with a scowl, he pushed the image of her out of his head, shoving past Irina with a hiss. His sister shot him a knowing glance as she followed behind him, a look that he ignored as they took their positions beside their masters, who were staring down at Irina in a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.
"Well, what is it that you want?" Caius asked her with a frown. Irina was silent at first, hesitant. Alec tried his best to ignore her wide golden eyes as Demetri and Felix stepped closer to her, Caius giving a hum of impatience as she swallowed nervously.
"I have to report a crime," she announced, moving closer to where the rulers were sitting. "The Cullens, they have done something terrible."
Alec shared a look with his sister as Aro flitted across the room, his initial disinterest for what Irina had come to share with them quickly changing into excitement. Meanwhile, dread was pooling in Alec's stomach at the mention of Verona's family. He and everyone else in the room knew that the Denali Coven were close to the Cullens. They called each other cousins, an alliance for some of the only vegetarian vampires in existence. So for Irina to be standing before them, nervous yet determined to report them, the Cullens must've done something absolutely abhorrent. Alec found himself fearing for Verona's life.
"Allow me, my dear," Aro offered Irina his hand, his eyes wide as she let him look into her thoughts. There was silence for a long moment, everyone waiting to hear what Aro had to say. Was what Irina had come to report as bad as she made it out to be? Before they knew it, Aro was letting out a sharp gasp, releasing Irina's hand and turning to face them - to face Alec - with his lips pursed and eyes burning in brewing fury. "Oh, my."
"What is it?" Caius asked, glancing between Irina and Aro curiously. "What have the Cullens done now, brother?"
"It seems that Alec's mate and her coven have created an immortal child."
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MEANWHILE, IN FORKS, WASHINGTON, Verona was sitting in the living room with everyone but Alice. Renesmee - who looked to be around five or six years old - was playing an elaborate tune that Edward had taught her on the piano, her father sitting beside her as her mother and Jacob stood opposite them, the three sharing looks of awe over Renesmee's talent. For someone who'd only been born a week ago, she was pretty damn smart. Carlisle and Esme were sitting across from them in two armchairs, hunched over an intense game of chess which neither of them were winning, both too distracted by their granddaughter and each other. Verona sat with the rest of her siblings on the lounge, a magazine in her lap that she'd long since given up on reading as she stared out the window, feeling unusually relaxed as she listened to Renesmee's tune.
