"Well, that was dramatic."

Aro spoke easily, moving to the left slightly so that Felix and Demetri could get rid of Chris Eldridge's body - which Jane had done a simple job of killing with the flick of his neck to the side. 

Casey Eldridge held her daughter in her arms, she and her husband had talked previously about the worst case scenario in a time like this and she knew this could happen. That however didn't stop the gut wrenching feeling that she felt when the love of her life made the decision to die for his daughter's freedom. She was barely able to keep herself together, how was she ever supposed to comfort her daughter? 

"Such a shame, he really did us proud when he was here. It's too bad." Aro continued to speak, knowing that Haven and Casey now had the right to leave. He didn't have a problem with this however, knowing that he was now in touch with his beloved huntress for a long time. Their minds were connected, there was no doubt in the vampire's mind that he would see Haven Eldridge back here soon - they always come back. 

"The least you could do is let them keep his remains."

All heads turned at the familiar chime of a voice, Haven even looking up from the spot she had buried herself in against her mother's chest to see none other than Alice Cullen standing next to her brother Edward, the two seemingly had just entered the room. They both had grim looks on their faces, the pixie looking vampire directing her comment to where Felix and Demetri were just starting to pick up Chris Eldridge's limp body. 

Haven had never been more relieved to see the pale looking vampires. The immediate sense of familiarity needed in her as her mind kept reeling in the events that had only just occurred. With something being taken from her that meant the world, the simpleness of looking at two people who she knew were on her side made her body feel instantly more at ease.

Without thinking, Haven had unraveled herself from her mother's comforting arms and made her way over to where the two vampires stood. The brunette immediately gripped Edward in a hug, his cold body not being as unappealing as Haven thought it would be. Edward tugged her tighter, knowing how much stress she would have been under in the past two days - he also knew a lot more about the situation, something that he wasn't allowed to tell the huntress. He wished he could right now, but it wouldn't be long until some of the pain he was sure she was feeling would go away. 

Haven then gave Alice a hug, the contact with the vampires brought a lot more ease and comfort to the huntress than she would have ever thought possible. She had grown to care for them, which was something that she had never known would happen but it did. They were her friends, and her dad had made an adamant point of sticking with them. 

"Alice and Edward!" Aro let out in joy, his face full of glee at the sight of two of the vampires he would gladly accept into his coven in the blink of an eye. "When Mandy at the front desk told me you were here I was elated! If you have come to rescue your friend, then there is no need. She and her mother are free to go."

Haven hated that it was that easy. Her father had died, and now she was free to go. It was a stupid rule and the brunette was more than ready to speak her mind, the anger bubbling up in her stomach thinking about what had just gone down. 

A hand came to rest on her shoulder, the icy temperature of Edward's skin against Haven's made the girl look up. Edward may be a mind reader, but he didn't have to - although he couldn't anyway due to her huntress blood - use his ability to see the anger about to burst through Haven. It was obvious, her hands gripped in fists by her sides, the pink flush on her cheeks and the grinding of her teeth that he could hear. Everything was going to plan, the last thing any of them needed was the huntress to ruin the genius thing they had set up.

Haven visibly relaxed slightly at Edward's touch, the girl being brought back from her emotions with his friendly gesture.

Edward can still clearly remember how the events of the previous two days had gone from his point of view. He remembers Jacob calling Bella in despair, the wolf had gone around to Haven's house to start the plans he had so carefully laid out for her birthday only to find nobody in the house, with a wicked smell of vampire. Bella was then too in immense worry, the doe eyed girl already knowing that something was terribly wrong with her best friend at the signs of an incident in her home. It was then that Edward went to investigate for his mate, the familiar smell of the Volturi meaning only bad things for the huntress.

It didn't take long for the Cullen's, Bella and Jacob to formulate a plan to go to Volterra. No hesitation was in anybody at the thought of travelling to try and break Haven out. Everyone knew it was the only option, she was a beloved part of their dysfunctional team and the brunette would undoubtedly do the exact same to help all of them. Embry and Quil were also involved, the two standing next to their pack member and best friend to go and find the love of his life, his soulmate. Edward had also had to fill Jacob in on the Volturi's history with the Eldridge bloodline - he was astonished that Haven hadn't mentioned it to her boyfriend, but gave the wolf the run down either way. 

As the plane tickets were being purchased online, Carlisle spoke up. It turns out that precautions were already in place, Chris Eldridge coming to him earlier in the week in fear. The two already had a plan - one that was full proof and one that surprised every single person in the room at the time. 

"Can we take him as well?" Edward said hopefully, eyes moving towards where Felix had paused to place Chris on the marble ground.

Aro shrugged meaninglessly, "It makes no difference to me."

Casey stood up, moving to protectively grasp her daughter in her arms. The two girls had to stick together, after everything that had happened tonight it was at an utter most importance. 

"I will hopefully see you all again soon!" Aro grinned, knowing that everything was falling into place for him. Chris sacrificing himself had been a small hiccup, but it was still panning out the way he hoped. Haven was connected to him and now along with that came the anger he could feel radiating through him, her emotions of madness already displaying themselves inside him through the connection. Those two thing combined meant that the huntress would be his soon, it would just take time and subtle pushing from Aro.

Edward immediately went over to retrieve Chris, while Alice looped her arm around Haven as she directed her to the doors. With Alice on one side and her mother on the other, the brunette almost felt like she could walk out of this place with her head held high. The emptiness was already settling in her stomach, numbness coating her body as Haven began to push all her thoughts out of her mind. If she continued to think about what her father had just done and the fact that she would never be able to see him again, then the brunette wouldn't even trust herself to walk - with the aching emotion of guilt turned on then not one single action would be possible.

Alice lead the two broken Eldridge's out of the room, before traipsing out the way her and her brother had come in. She let out a breath of relief at realizing that Aro hadn't asked for her or Edward's thoughts, which would have ruined everything. All she needed now was to get everyone out of this place, there was after all an army of people waiting outside. 

Haven had barely noticed that they made it outside, the sudden beam of sunlight in her eyes making the brunette realize that she was free. Everything she had just been through was still fresh in her mind, but knowing she was no longer captured was soothing. 

Remember, I'm still with you. Never forget that, Haven.

Having nearly forgot that Aro had access to talk in her mind, the shrill of his condescending voice in her head sent a shiver down her spine. Haven knew that it all wasn't over, but in this moment she had to try and distance herself from this place as much as possible. Too many bad thoughts warped around her brain while she was close to Volterra, close to those evil vampires. 

Her wooden colored eyes widened, Haven was sure they were bloodshot due to the many tears that had escaped them, at the sight of the group of people standing before her. She hadn't noticed where Alice had even lead her, but as far as he could see the Volturi were well out of sight. 

A figure barely gave her time to react before she was enveloped in arms she was well accustomed to. Haven's act of trying to seem like everything was okay nearly instantly broke as Jacob held her, she had no doubt in her mind that it was him - she was positive even if her eyes were clenched shut that she would be able to recognize the comforting feel of his skin on hers, the familiarity of his arms were like no other.

With her face pressed closely to his chest, Haven instantly wanted to retract as a smell she had never realized that the werewolf carried with him filled her nostrils. Vampire senses were new to the huntress and they were another factor on the long list of things overwhelming her at the current point in time. 

But nothing - not even the smell of pungent wet dog - could tear Haven out of Jacob's grasp. 

Jacob's hands moved soothingly around her back, the boy not knowing half of what went on with his girlfriend in her absence but he knew it was bad. The instant he walked through Haven's house a couple of days ago, there had been a hollow feeling in his chest and funnily enough as soon he laid his eyes on her worryingly distraught looking figure, everything seemed liked it would be okay. Haven was fine, although Jacob didn't know to what extent. His chest clenched in happiness like it usually did when Haven was in close proximity to him, the feeling of completeness overwhelming him at his other half finally being back where she belonged - by his side.

Tightening his grip on the girl, Jacob only spoke in a hushed tone knowing from Carlisle about how she most likely had vampire abilities, "Thank God you're back."

Haven couldn't do anything but try to force a smile, pulling back to let her eyes fully take in that she was indeed back in her boyfriend's embrace, the very boy that helped her take control of her own emotions when Aro's were too much. 

Jacob smoothed his calloused hands over her cheeks, the redness evident in her face and eyes from the cries of agony and pain she had let out. His heart ached for the girl, wanting nothing more than to take away what she had felt. He would even have endured it himself if possible, anything to stop the obviously draining events being cast onto Haven - a girl who didn't deserve any bit of torment, her loving and caring nature deserved nothing but praise. 

The werewolf placed a delicate kiss to her forehead before locking his dark eyes onto her ones that looked overloaded with water, tears that would fall at any moment. "I know it hurts, but you're going to be okay. I'm going to make sure of it."

Haven wished she could believe his words. They sounded so honest and truthful as they fell out of his lips, but the brunette knew better. Everything wasn't okay, she wasn't okay and she didn't think she would be for a very long time. This excursion had changed her and it definitely wasn't for the better.

While this exchange had been happening, Edward quickly sped over to Carlisle and Esme who were waiting over to the side. He easily handed over Chris' limp figure, Carlisle taking the man and smiling quickly to Edward before he and his mate quickly exited the scene. It was this that began to form their final part of the plan.   

Another body enveloped Haven in a hug, Bella's familiar thin form easily tugging her best friend to her. Haven easily welcomed the affection, the other teenage girl being a person that she never wanted to leave. 

Bella had been so worried for her friend, but now that she stood in front of her the brunette couldn't think of anything appropriate to say. She knew what had happened, but she was also in the know of the rest of the plan. Nothing seemed right but the only thing Bella could settle on to say was simply, "I love you."

Haven only tightened her grip on her best friend at those words, she hadn't spoken since everything had gone down and she was reasonably scared too. The brunette wasn't sure after all of the cries she let out earlier, whether there would even be a voice to speak with. 

Everyone else greeted her after; Emmett, Quil and Embry being the only three to wrap the huntress in a hug. Rosalie and Jasper smiled happily at her however, Haven knowing that they were grateful to see her. 

The brunette looked around confused, Jacob sticking close by her side with a hand lingering on the small of her back, "Where's Carlisle? And Esme?" Haven looked over to where Edward was standing near Bella, brown eyes widening at the sight, "Where's my dad?"

Her voice was incredibly hoarse, many of the people surrounding her flinching at the sound of it knowing that they didn't know the half of what she had been through. They also realized that she didn't directly mention the remains of her father, Haven choosing to use denying words that meant she didn't have to utter the word 'body'.

"That's the next part in the plan, we have to take you somewhere." Alice easily said, her eyes getting a new glint of happiness at what was to come. 

Haven looked to her mom perplexed, watching to see if she knew of what Alice was talking about. Casey was just as confused as her daughter, the mention of the word plan sending a wave of emotions through her slim body. 

The huntress looked towards Jacob inquisitively, he only offered her a small smile in return before saying, "Trust us, you're going to like it."

It didn't take long for the group to pile into a sleek looking van, driving to a location that Haven had no clue about. She was semi grateful for the distraction, Haven's whole mind choosing to focus on what her friends were planning rather than what had occurred earlier. 

Once they had taken a short trip, they all filed into a hotel. This gave Haven no clue of what to expect, Edward easily signing in to the large room they had already reserved earlier. 

When everyone had entered the normally decorated hotel room, Carlisle and Esme were perched on the cotton sheet covered bed. They both had smiles on their faces. 

Upon seeing the girl enter, Esme bounded up to Haven and easily pulled her into a hug saying how glad she was that she was now safe. 

"Is someone going to tell me why we're here?" Haven asked once she was back at Jacob's side, their hands intertwined since the werewolf had barely taken a hand off her since they had been reunited not that long ago. 

Before anyone could reply, a figure walked out from what Haven presumed was the bathroom. 

A breath caught in the back of her throat, Haven's whole body tensed up in astonishment at the sight before her. Shock radiated through her, not knowing what on earth was happening considering what she had seen with her own eyes earlier. 

Chris Eldridge, her father, had been the one to walk out of the room. 

Haven froze up, not knowing if it was her imagination flourishing since she already missed her father so much or whether it was really happening. She had seen the body, in fact Edward had carried it out of the Volturi's place.

The man cleared his throat, looking at both his wife and daughter sheepishly.

"I think I have some explaining to do."

---

well, did I make you cry in the last chapter for nothing?

i'm so evil, everything will be explained next chapter!

*insert smirky devil emoji here*