𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑. paul lahote ✓

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

┏━━━━⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆☾ ﾟ｡⋆━━━━┓

PACKAGED DELIVERY

AFTER HER IMPROMPTU STUDY SESSION WITH PAUL ENDED WHEN SHE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM JASPER.

He was outside with Alice's car, waiting to collect her with Emmett shoved in the passenger seat. Neither boys watched when the girl they considered their sister was escorted out of the diner by the shifter, who didn't walk away until she was safely in the car. Only, when she was in the car, she noticed the black of their eyes, and upon looking at her reflection in the window, black eyes stared back at her.

Augustine thanked whatever higher power was up there because although the other two were clearly displeased by what they saw, they hadn't mentioned it— rather, Jasper told her that they'd be making a pit stop on their way home. She hoped that it was a pit stop to get something to eat, but alas, they would have other plans.

It was then that she was filled in on what had occurred while she was out; a unknown vampire's scent was caught in Bella's home, and while Edward was presently driving the girl to the Cullen residence, the three seated in the car were about to go track it.

"You said you wanted to be involved more," Jasper shrugged, looking at the way her eyes widened. "Here's your chance."

They parked in front of the Swan home and began their own pursuit, tracking the scent that was drifting a little too close to town for comfort. It dipped near the town and into the woods, before vanishing completely.

How bizarre.

When the trio of vampires got back to the house, Augustine noted that everyone was already gathered in the living room sporting coal black eyes of their own. Bella was seated next to Alice on the couch when they walked in, Jasper calling out a, "the scent disappeared about five miles south of Bella's house."

Carlisle stood with his hands in his pockets. "Someone's orchestrating this."

"Victoria?" Bella offered, only to receive a shake of the head from Alice.

"I would've seen her decide," Alice pointed out, and that made Augustine's eyebrows furrow in confusion. Who else could be tormenting Bella now, hadn't she been through enough already?

"Has to be the Volturi," Edward stated, almost angrily.

Remembering there was a mind reader among them, Augustine firmly pushed down the way Alec's name filtered into her head. Instead, she hummed a theme song from a television show she'd watched when she was a kid, hoping he wouldn't notice.

But when her eyes met Rosalie's, the blonde obviously noticing way her body went rigid for a split second, she knew someone had noticed.

"I don't think it's the Volturi, either," Alice replied, "I've been watching Aro's decisions, too."

Emmett shrugged. "So, we'll keep looking."

"We'll also start taking shifts, guarding Bella's house," Carlisle added, looking to his family and receiving nods from everyone but the blonde to his right.

Rosalie was obviously anything but pleased with this. "Another protection detail?"

Augustine outwardly groaned, "Rose—"