Tempus | Alec volturi | Joel Courtney |

† six †

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" Sometimes you just have to accept that some things will never be the same again. " 

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J O E L

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"How was the mission? I trust it went well." Aro grinned as we walked in.

I nodded impassively, offering him my hand. He skimmed through my thoughts as I stood waiting. He nodded, approving and dropped my hand. I turned on my heel and walked out the double doors straight to my room.

The mission was simple - find and kill the immortal child. According to newspapers and magazines, a large number of deaths and disappearances in Sydney were reported on bodies being found bloodless. It wasn't a surprise to find a nomad vampire with an immortal toddler as the root cause.

What shook me most was that the vampire I was forced to kill had the same smile as her. ​​​​​​

I shook my head, attempting to rid myself of her plaguing thoughts. I kept my eyes on the floor, not in the spirit of conversation.

"Brother. . ." A voice muttered, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Alec - an expression of relief and gratitude on his face. He looked oddly happy, which should have mildly shocked me - but it didn't. The shocking thing about him, was the scent that clung to his form.

Oh my god. I thought. She is finally here. 

"Carly. . . " I whispered, rushing towards the source of the scent. I ran straight through the corridors bursting in the room that held the strongest scent. Her eyes snapped up and I then realized that it wasn't my lovely mate, but her sister Maddelyn.

My face fell, though I was happy to know that if she was alive, then so was Carly. 

"What's wrong?" Alec asked, walking towards me.

"I. . . thought it was her." I sighed, looking up. 

"Don't fret brother, if she is here, then Carly will be here soon." Alec reassured. 

"Did you talk to Maddelyn?" I asked, trying to look happy for him, though I was miserable inside. 

"No, I didn't speak to her yet - I'm not really sure how to approach her. We surprisingly didn't argue yet: she walked quietly with me." Alec replied, eyeing the door of his room that just separated Maddelyn and him. Just as his gaze moved to mine, the door opened revealing Maddelyn, and he was in a trance again. Her eyes glanced at her mate, before settling on mine. 

"How are you doing Joel?"

I wouldn't lie when I say that I was surprised. This was the first time she spoke without snapping or taunting us. 

"I am fine." I replied. It was the same lie that I have been repeating for over six centuries. The only time I would be fine is when my mate would reciprocate my feelings - love me despite my faults, care for me despite my anger and be there, despite my absence. 

"How is she?" I asked, knowing that she knew what I meant and that she was the only one who could answer my questions. 

"She's happy." She replied, annoyance in her tone, though her answer made me feel better than I did a couple of hours ago.