Don't Let Me Be Yours - Alec Volturi

14. Italy

Getting off of the plane in Florence was one of the most daunting things I had to do in my life. Throughout my years I'd dodged vampires, escaped werewolves, and even crossed paths with a coven of satanic witches once, and yet Volterra still sat at the top of the list.

Alec was supportive, albeit a bit smug. He'd gotten everything he wanted; He'd gotten to take his mate back home with him.

"Do I have to meet everyone right away?" I asked Alec in the backseat of the car as we rode through the final stretch of our trip to Volterra. A guard had met us at the airport with a car and was driving us back to the castle like a chauffeur. We were due to arrive in less than an hour and my nerves were shot.

"Why? Do you need rest?" Alec asked, pulling himself from being lost in thought.

"It would be nice. I'm pretty tired." I was, but I was also buying myself some more time. Meeting the King and Queen was tough as it was the first time, but to be reintroduced as their son's mate? And I hadn't even met his twin yet!

I needed time to rest.

"Of course, my angel," he said. "We have all of the time in the world." Alec had become noticeably more lax the farther we got from Forks.

I exhaled and tried to relax for the duration of the drive, as well. At the very least, like last time I was in the country, the surrounding scenery was stunning.

* * *

Volterra Castle was just a I remembered; Dark, a bit gloomy in places, and tastefully - if not a touch gaudily - furnished.

"Afton will take your bags up to our room," Alec told me, in regard to the driver, after we'd climbed out of the car. We'd pulled up on the left side of the castle, tucked out of direct view of the little foot traffic in the area.

"Okay," I said apprehensively. I didn't know how I felt about being waited on by servants, even if they were members of the Voltrui guard.

Alec led me through a different, but similar entrance to the castle and it wasn't long before we were navigating the wide, stone corridors below ground, which were lit with copious amounts of torchlight.

I tried to stay as quiet as possible as we walked through the halls with hope that we wouldn't attract any attention, but it was Alec, after all, and he stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Brother!" I heard a high, feminine voice tinkle from behind us.

I froze in my tracks and my heart leapt to my throat. In one crushing blow I realized how silly I must have looked in light washed overalls and pain white t-shirt compared to my surroundings.

Alec turned around immediately. "Jane!" he exclaimed.

I turned just as Jane breezed right past me to get to her brother, who pulled her into a tight hug.

"It's been too long," she scolded him when they released each other. "I was beginning to worry."

"I called you plenty of times," Alec waved her off with a laugh. "Sister, this is Indigo."

I was mortified as the petite platinum blonde looked me up and down. She was an inch taller than me with pin straight hair that was tucked neatly into a bun. She was elegant and extremely put together. Her appearance was a sharp contrast to mine, with my dark waves and overalls.

"Indigo," she repeated, putting a warm smile on. "It's nice to finally meet you. My brother speaks highly of you."

"Thanks," I blushed. The weight of the moment was not lost on me. "It's nice to meet you, too."

Alec looked thrilled to pieces as he watched Jane and I exchange pleasantries.

"I was just showing Indigo to our room," Alec explained to his sister. "She needs rest after our travels."

"Of course," she said. "I don't blame you," she said to me.

I was unbelievably surprised with how well things were going so far. Princess Jane was agreeable and, although it was a little embarrassing talking about sharing a room with her brother, she didn't seem to mind me.

"We'll have to catch up shortly, sister," Alec said.

"I won't be long," I assured her, trying not to stumble over my words.

"There's no rush," Jane replied graciously.

"Come along, Indy," Alec said, taking my hand in his. "We're not too far."

After another five minutes of weaving through the castle and ascending a few flights of stairs, Alec stopped me in front of the heavy dark oak door, which has elaborate, pain-stakingly detailed artwork stylistically carved into the wood.

When Alec pushed the door open I hesitated for a fraction of a second; I had no idea what to expect. Alec stepped through the door after I did and closed the door behind us as I took a moment to drink in my surroundings.

Alec's room - our room - was...excessive, to say the least.

The room was massive, and there was a canopy bed centered and pushed against the back wall, elevated on a short platform, which was only three steps off of the ground. On the right side of the room was a doorway that led to an en suite bathroom, and the left of the room opened up to a large balcony that overlooked the vast Tuscan landscape outside.

I found the whole set up completely over the top. Just the balcony was larger than the apartment I used to rent back in Oregon, before I met the Cullens - and I certainly didn't have lavish rugs or gilded furniture to fill the place out, either.

It was all a bit overwhelming.

"We're definitely not in Forks anymore," I said as I took in my surroundings.

"I'm hoping that isn't a bad thing," Alec said, his tinged tinted with apprehension as he joined me at my side.

"No," I said, turning to look up at him. "It's just...different."

"If you need anything, will you let me know?" he asked, kissing me on the forehead.

"Yes, of course," I replied, though, based on how exuberant his lifestyle was I couldn't imagine needing anything more than I was already being provided. I had to hand it to him, though; Alec was really working hard to win me over.