mine ➳ caius volturi ღ

| 25 |

Aro stepped back, dropping Alice's hand, his expression marred with shock or horror, perhaps a mixture of the two.

His gaze dipped behind her, to us, to the witnesses before flickering back to her.

All was quiet for a moment.

"Now you know," Alice told him coldly, "that's your future. Unless you decide on another course."

Caius stepped forward. "We cannot alter our course. The child still poses a grave threat."

"But what if you were sure she could remain concealed from the human world." Edward called out, a knowing in his voice that confused me. "Could we leave in peace?"

"Of course, but that cannot be known." Caius replied, unsure where this was going.

"Actually, it can."

Alice began to walk towards us, sharing a small smile with Edward. Clearly they knew something the rest of us didn't.

Feet crunching in fresh snow along with the sound of something jingling together sounded across the all but silent clearing.

I turned, watching as two figures approached, dressed in clothing too warm for this environment.

The closer they came, the more I began to notice a faint beating, fast but soft, like Renesmee's.

"I've been searching for witnesses of my own," Alice spoke, turning back to face the Volturi with the strangers at her side. "Among the Ticuna tribes of Brazil."

"We have enough witnesses." Caius interrupted, becoming impatient.

"Let him speak, brother." Aro said, his tone final. He seemed just as intrigued as the rest of us to know what these strangers had to say.

"I am half human, half vampire. Like the child." He spoke softly. "A vampire seduced my mother, who died giving birth to me. My aunt, Huilen," he motioned to the woman next to him. "She raised me as her own. I made her immortal."

"How old are you?" Bella interrupted, pushing forward and pulling Edward along with her.

"150 years." I saw their relief as they realised that Renesmee's increased growth rate didn't mean they would have less time with her.

"At what age did you reach maturity?" Aro asked, desperate for more information.

"I became full grown 7 years after my birth. I have not changed since then."

"And your diet?"

"Blood, human food. I can survive on either."

Marcus looked towards Aro and spoke, " These children are much like us."

"Regardless, the Cullen's have been consorting with werewolves. Our natural enemies." Caius was reached for reason to behead something.

I rolled my eyes. "Caius," I said, ignoring all the eyes that landed on me. "Shut up."

Caius' angered gaze was removed from me by Aro delicately placing a hand on his shoulder and shaking his head. Caius seemed shocked that Aro was so willing to let this matter go, but no one other than Alice and Edward knew what he had seen in Alice's vision. I was thankful that it was enough to get them to dismiss the trial.

Aro's gaze flittered over us before he turned to his people. "Dear ones, there is no danger here. We will not fight today."

It was all that was needed as the majority of the Volturi disappeared in seconds. Caius hesisted, looking towards me, no doubt waiting for me to join him.