Enchanted || A. Volturi

One

Some people say that love is the ultimate expression of the will to live. Other's say that love is fleeting just like time. People even associate the feeling with madness.

Odette Cullen loved her family. Her love for them was constant, and unbreakable bond that remained the same for generations. Her love for her Father never changed, staying the same since she was human. Then her heart made room for Esme, her adoptive mother who immediately treated the girl as if she was the one who birthed and raised her. As more siblings came piling in, the blonde immediately took on the big sister role.

When Alice needed a person to go shopping with, she would be there.

When Rosalie needed an extra hair tie during History, Odette always carried the extra one she kept in her tote.

Emmett asked to spar with her, she couldn't refuse him.

Edward needed a mind to pick, she wouldn't mind showing him what she would daydream.

Jasper had a question or needed guidance on the Cullen's diet? She would give him the words of encouragement he needed.

Yes her feelings on love had been the same for centuries, a constant and consecutive flow of electricity from a circuit.

That is until she first laid eyes on Alec Volturi.

Going to save her little brother from death's grasp a few months ago, she never in a million dreams expected to meet her soulmate during the catastrophe. But there he was, standing with the Volturi as one of the Kings' top ranking guards.

Her feelings for him were confusing, still are if she was being a hundred percent honest. They had only talked once, and that was in January. It's May now. And while she did think that his occasional letters were a sweet gesture, was love really the word she would use if someone asked what she felt for him? She wasn't sure. She knew something was there, something more than a like but less than a love. A fancy maybe? No that wasn't the right word either...

"Odette!" A voice yelled at her, snapping her out of her thoughts. Standing from her spot underneath a big pine tree, she turned around to see Rosalie behind her. "Took you long enough to snap out of it. Only called your name, like, five times."

The older blonde smiled bashfully. "Sorry Rose. Guess I was just too caught up in my thoughts."

"You weren't... you weren't thinking about the Volturi guard again?" She asked, hesitant to bring him up. When Rosalie had first learned about her sister's fated mate, she was angry that it had to be a Volturi. But then her anger slowly faded into concern as she watched her sister go through the separation of being away from him.

Odette did miss him, whether it was her or the mate bond talking she wasn't sure. She missed his presence, his smell, and the warm feeling he would bring to her when she had been around him. And being away from him, away from that alive feeling he gave her, it came as close as it could to pain.

"No." The vampire lied instinctively. Of course Odette knew how Rosalie felt, how all her other family member's felt. While they tried to be happy for her, she knew that their concern overpowered the joy. On the occasion that she would receive a letter, she noticed how their eyes would linger on the envelope before handing it to her. And every time one of them caught her spaced out, she would always be questioned if she was thinking about Alec. If she would tell the truth and say yes, then she would get looks of pity from them. And while she did love her family, she was tired of those kind of looks, so that's why she lied. "And even if I was, he has a name. You can say his name, hearing the words Alec Volturi will not kill me or you."

"Sorry." Rosalie said defensively. "I was just checking on you. We need to start heading to school now or we'll be late."

Odette sighed. "Right. School." She mumbled, rolling her shoulders back. "I have a test in Political Science today, damnit."

"Like you won't pass." Rosalie scolded, chuckling lightheartedly at her sister. Odette just smirked, wrapping an arm around Rosalie's shoulders as the two started walking up the hill towards the house.

•••

Hearing the bell, Odette was the first one to turn her test paper in before quickly leaving her Political Science classroom. Heading for the cafeteria, she made her usual stop next to the stairwell, waiting for Alice and Jasper.

The two came down soon, Odette not having to wait much. Alice had a smug grin on her face, swinging her and her boyfriend's intertwined hands back and forth. "I've decided something!" Alice chirped, interlocking the crook of her arm with Odette's.

"And what have you decided?"

"I'm throwing a graduation party at our house." Odette raised her eyebrows amusingly.

"Oh really?" The pixie-haired girl nodded. "Ok then, that's exciting I suppose."

"Isn't it? I was thinking like a purple and pink theme, with of course a bit of blue and black thrown into the mix!" Alice rambled. Jasper and Odette shared a look of amusement as the three entered the cafeteria.

Spotting Edward and Bella, Alice quickly lead them to the two, the couple sitting with Jessica Stanley, Mike Newton, Eric Yorkie and Angela Webber.

"I decided to throw a party." Alice said as her and Jasper sat next to Edward. Odette appeared next to Bella, sitting between her and Angela.

"After all, how many times are we gonna graduate from high school?" Jasper asked, looking at Odette. This question would seem innocent to others, but there was an inside joke between the Cullens. One that has been ongoing for years.

"A party? At your place?" Jessica asked, dropping the pen she was holding. "I've never seen your house."

"No one's ever seen their house." Eric commented, rolling his eyes at Jessica.

"Another party?" Edward asked, making Alice pout.

"It'll be fun!"

"Yeah, that's what you said the last time." Bella murmured. Before Alice could reply, she froze suspiciously, her eyes becoming glossy. Odette immediately recognized the look, looking at Angela and Eric with a plan to distract them.

"You two are in my Political Science class? How'd you do on the test you think?"

"Oh, uh..." Eric stammered, not expecting for the usual non-talkative Cullen to talk to him of all people.

"I think I- I mean, we, did well." Angela corrected, smiling awkwardly at the blonde. Odette nodded in affirmation, talking about her own thoughts on the test to the two.