MINE (Caius Volturi)

CHAPTER 22

Unedited version

Emmaliese POV

I have always dreaded one thing, a particular feeling, all my life, the feeling of being the odd one out. This was the reason why I never felt comfortable in Phoenix with mom and Bella, when the students in the school would flaunt their slightly golden shade of skin, confidently gazing out from cropped tops and booty shorts, and would mock me for my ghostly pale skin, hidden under layers of clothing. This was the reason why I moved to Forks, to blend in, to not be the different one. I felt more at peace in Forks until I unknowingly befriended five ethereal new students and again became the odd one out. The only student the Cullens were social with inside the school premises.

And soon my sister Bella joined me in the same boat, keeping me company, until she too became a different creature. And once again I was the odd one out in the great war. The only pathetic human.

When I left Forks, I knew this feeling would stay. In the huge Volturi Palace, amidst the creatures way different than me, I was once again the odd one out.

This time I had nowhere else to flee to. Nowhere else to escape so that I could blend in.

So I decided to clung on to the tiny rope of hope, that maybe I won't live my last moments as the unwanted one.

The flicker of hope came from my conversation with Marcus from this afternoon.

Flashback

I let a few tears slip past my eyes as I waited to meet Marcus. I never knew the fact that my mate didn't want a mate in the first place, would affect me this much, would make my heart heavy to the point I have to find peace by crying. But I didn't want to undergo a full on crying session, at least not right now when I knew only bits and pieces and not the full back story.

Also majorly because I didn't know my feelings for Caius either. All this time I was blaming it on the mate bond and maybe I was not all wrong. A large part of my feelings and as a result my actions were driven by the mate bond. It was the root cause giving rise to these tingling sensation whenever I found myself close to Caius, it was the mate bond making me feel the warmth from his otherwise cold body.

But I couldn't deny the sweet, fuzzy feeling I would get whenever I see him or how my heart would beat so rapidly whenever he would come close to me. If anything, I knew at least these were not because of a pathetic mate bond.

But now I didn't know what to do except to wait for Marcus.

Fortunately, that happened sooner than I thought. Jane escorted me to Marcus's study where he was waiting for me already, standing near the window, looking outside to god knows into what oblivion.

I knocked on the wooden door, twice. "May I come in?"

Marcus immediately turned to me. "Yes."  I wondered if his voice was naturally this hoarse or if it was the result of his constant grief stricken state. "I guess the reason for this meeting is related to Caius and Athenodora." he more like stated.

"Not Athenodora. But Caius, yes." I nodded.

"Have a sit." he gestured towards one of the two chairs in front of a mahogany desk.

"Thank you. For giving your time to me." I said as I occupied my place while Marcus sat in front of me.

Marcus's study was very much different than Carlisle's. It was filled darker shades of brown that somewhat gave the same vibes as a barren land under the influence of a thunderstorm. Perhaps it was intenyially kept this way to reflect on Marcus's inner turmoil and resonate with the ever present gloomy aura around him.