willow » twilight

23

Decisions were made within 365 days.

The Swan family had ventured to their new location retreat. Bringing the end to their lives they had known in Forks behind.

Willow returns to Italy, alongside Jane and Leah. It was time for her transformation. She had decided to become a hybrid, a change that would cause her to experience pain twice. No change suddenly had ever been recorded.

Aro awaits with a welcome smile, Jane is instructed to return to the ranks for their stay within the castle. Spending time to converse with her brother.

Willow is led to a stone room, where Leah sits next to her on a black sofa. "So this is it?" Willow asks, nerves getting the better of her as she tugs her sleeves.

Leah sighs, she had watched this girl grow up and now she was being forced to become a monster. The side effects of a hybrid vary from different people since Leah was born with the werewolf gene she is still able to transform whereas her partner Fred remains in a human form. Although senses are heightened, much like a vampire.

They still craved blood under a full moon, but with time the hunger subsides and the Swan family were able to maintain their control. From Willow's perspective a vampire in a human form. 

Charlie and Sue had been through the change of becoming hybrids, maintaining distance from Willow for the past six months as they control their urges. "Things will be hard for a while, but we're all here to support you." She assures the young girl.

"Once it's over, are you finally going to marry Fred?" Willow asks, changing the subject from the upcoming fate in a matter of hours.

Leah plasters a smile on her face. "Only if you're able to be standing beside me as my maid of honour." She casually mentions. 

Willow's face is full of excitement, she throws her arms around the girl. "Nothing is set in stone yet." She reminds the young girl.

"You have been engaged for over fifteen years, you're not getting any younger." Willow jokes, causing Leah to laugh. She hadn't aged since her transformation, although she had made changes to her appearance within that time. Her hair was now long and dyed a light brown tone, she enjoyed makeup.

She had mentally matured, although lacked the physical appearance. She rid of her tom-boyish antics from her time apart of the wolf gang and had even forgave Sam and Emily when he had retired to start his own family. 

"Well, at least you're not going to get any older, although I do miss the days when you wouldn't talk." Leah recounts, causing Willow to roll her eyes.

"You know before we left Forks. I came across some files in Charlie's old office." Willow mentions. "I found that a teenager went missing and has the same name as the man that is mentioned on my birth certificate." 

Leah is caught off-guard, it had been a long time since the mention of Riley Biers. They had closed the case file and Riley was forgotten from the small town. "It's the same man, your father went missing when you were little. They weren't able to find any trace of him."

Leah's face turns sour. "But there's more to the story?" Willow asks causing the older woman the shrug.

"You had a terrible start in life, Bella didn't want you and she tossed you in your father's doorstep," Leah tells the girl. "You were raised by his family for the first year before Riley went missing, he was turned into a vampire."

Willow is shocked. "Does that mean he's still alive?" Willow asks hopeful. She had wanted to know if she was wanted elsewhere since her mother abandoned her.

"Willow, there are good and bad people in this world." She says. "Your father was manipulated by an evil woman, he had to be killed for your mother's protection and more importantly your own."

A small tear falls down Willow's face. "Who killed him?" Leah had known who killed him.

"Seth did." The shock turns to horror. "But my brother has sacrificed so much to protect the people he loves, your father was involved in a war but he chose the wrong side."

Willow understood how protective Seth had been, he was one of the people close to her that she could rely on. He raised her and always offered to babysit when everyone else was busy with their lives. She could never hate Seth for what he had done.

"Why would he hurt my mother? Didn't he remember her?" Willow asks.

"That's something I don't know, I wasn't there and Seth was only there to help the vampires protect your mother," Leah says honestly. 

"From all the stories you've told me, my mother seems like a lot of hard work to keep alive," Willow says to lighten the dark subject in the room.

"Well it varied who wanted to kill her each week, so yes," Leah says. "But I honestly think your father would be proud you turned out to be an alright kid."

That comment makes Willow's smile reappear.