*Carlisle's POV

  Unbelievable. So after the mess he made he just runs? I was angry but as Elizabeth pressed herself to my side, obviously afraid, I knew I needed to stay calm for her. Holding her close to me, whether cimed or not, I was ready to protect her with my life if it came to it.

  Alice and Jasper must have told the other two that Elizabeth was my mate and Rosalie apologized for her behaviour. To the surprise of all, Ellie offered her to start over. I was overjoyed that the girl I was destined to spend the rest of eternity with, was kind like her.

  When Emmett challenged her, she took him on without hesitation. Until it came down to it and it seemed that his size finally somewhat intimidated her. I reassured her that she'll be fine and Jasper found something funny. When I looked questioningly at him though, he shook his head. Even though they were born far apart and it may be because of their abilities, the two seemed like a big brother and his sister more than any of the others.

  Emmett and Elizabeth were equally shocked when she not only beat him but also smashed the boulder they used for their arm wrestling. While the others ughed, I couldn't help feeling proud. Elizabeth was quite petite and my need to protect her was strong, however, she was probably the st one of us who'd need protection at the moment.

  "Umm... I'm going to change." Said Elizabeth after Emmett took off with Rosalie. There was hardly an hour before they'd all leave for school again. I called the hospital after Elizabeth was attacked and I took the whole week off. They would call me back only if it was absolutely necessary so I could stay with Elizabeth for the time being.

  "Will you keep an eye out for Edward? There isn't really much he could do alone but, just in case. I'd like to know if he's coming back. Elizabeth is quite anxious about meeting him. I don't want him to surprise her and make her run again."

  Alice giggled. "Of course." Then she turned somewhat apologetic. "Well, I do try to." I knew she was doing what she could. "Carlisle..." Suddenly I heard Elizabeth say my name. "We'll leave you two alone. See ya ter." Giggled Alice again and pulled Jasper away while I ran to Elizabeth's room.

  Worried, I sort of just barged in without knocking. "Did something-" I stopped dead in my tracks. Elizabeth was half naked, holding my jacket as if to hide herself and her eyes were wide with surprise. My unannounced entrance obviously startled her. I slowly walked over to her and tried to keep my voice as calm as possible. "I heard you say my name, love. Did something happen?"

  "I-I didn't mean to call you... I got angry and..." Elizabeth spoke up hesitantly. "...Your scent helped me to settle down a bit." She finished silently, reluctantly looking up at me from the jacket she held. Ah, so that's why... It made me smile and I longed to kiss her again.

  "It's alright, Ellie." I reassured her and sat down, pulling her close to me. "I'm here now. You don't need this." Taking my jacket from her hands, I embraced her. Even if she called me unintentionally, I was happy that I could be there for her. "What angered you so?"

  "Edward." Elizabeth mumbled into my chest, after a moment of silence. Hearing his name from her lips again, especially since I knew she was afraid of him and her fear was evident in her voice, was unimaginably infuriating. I still wasn't sure how but he would pay for what he did.

  Once Elizabeth became a vampire, the only thing she was supposed to worry about was not hurting humans. Because she was to know what awaits her before she made the choice to become one. Instead, she was attacked out of nowhere and turned without any knowledge of what it meant. Holding her beautiful petite form tight in my arms, I had to calm down. For over a hundred years Edward was my companion. I truly considered him a son. He was the first that became my family after I left Volturi, yet he betrayed me and became a threat.

  "Ummm... will you answer me now?" Elizabeth asked suddenly, without facing me. It made me wonder why. Nonetheless, I invited a distraction from my own thoughts. Her sweet scent was alluring and with the possibility of Edward coming for her again, my desire to cim her grew by the minute. The fact that she was physically stronger than him might not matter once she'd stand face to face with him because of her trauma from the attack and it worried me.

  "I promised, didn't I? Ask away." I reminded her, caressing the crimson mane that was her hair. We covered pretty much all that I expected. Most humans had no knowledge about the real vampires and the majority of what they thought they knew, didn't apply to us or was incorrect.

  "Thankfully, we didn't come across any humans today but it might happen and after a while you will need to come into contact with humans again and learn to control your thirst. We feed on animals, however, human blood will smell more appetizing to you and you need to resist it."

  "So, I can't go to school with others..." She muttered and I bit back a chuckle. We could hear them leaving.

  "I'm sorry, Ellie but yes. It's too soon for you to be around humans. It would put you under too much stress now, even if you managed to not attack anyone. I don't want you to unnecessarily suffer that way. Please, let us take it slow, alright?" I hoped to sooth her somewhat, wishing she wouldn't feel isoted. Elizabeth was lively and surprisingly caring for her age and that she didn't have anyone. I didn't want her to suffer the knowledge that she hurt someone if we rushed things and she lost control.

  She seemed deep in thought and then slowly spoke up once more. "Why...? Why did you let Edward bring a human into your home?" She asked, confused. Before I could answer, Elizabeth jumped from my arms and took a defensive stance in front of me. "Did you know he'd turn me?" She continued, eyeing me cautiously.

  I clenched my hand in fist in an attempt to manage my anger. Because of Edward, she was suspicious of me too now. I fought my urge to take her into my arms, because she needed to know that she can trust me first. "No, Ellie. I have no idea why he attacked you like that. I'd like to ask him myself. Aside from a few other things." I didn't ask him yet if he was aware that Elizabeth was my mate when he tried to take her for himself and whether he really wanted to turn or kill her when he attacked her. And most of all, why he tried to put the bme on Jasper.

  "You were supposed to first learn about us and have a choice in the matter of becoming a vampire." He's got a lot to answer. I thought, hardly containing my anger. "As to why I allowed a human to move in with us..." I continued, looking straight into her crimson eyes and pondered if she'd realize what the pull she must have felt between us meant without me telling her.

  "Vampire's have soulmates. A person who makes them whole, happy. Understands them. Someone they would love unconditionally and forever the same way that person would love and support them... Edward convinced me that you are his soulmate. That's why I agreed for him to invite you to live with us, since you didn't have anywhere to go." I also couldn't bear the thought of you killing yourself... The thought that she'd kill herself still haunted me.

  "How'd you know I wanted to kill...?" Elizabeth must have heard me and trailed off. I could tell she realized how I knew about her choice to die. "Alice." She bit her lip and looked embarrassed, avoiding my eyes as she hung her head. "Wait a moment..." Elizabeth breathed out in shock and I saw her start to tremble. "Edward is my mate?" She asked, her voice choked.

  Seeing her scared like that because of him made me furious and I jumped off the bed but he wasn't around for me to do anything about it except for expining to her and hoping to calm her down. "No." I slowly pced my hand on her cheek in an attempt to sooth her without frightening her more. She closed her eyes but otherwise didn't move. "Elizabeth... What did you feel that night in my room?" She had to understand.

  "I felt... safe. I know I ran away but... in fact I didn't want you to let go of me." She hesitantly admitted with her eyes still closed. I knew she must have felt the pull just like me but hearing her actually say it, I longed to act on it.

  However I needed her to confirm something. I was gd she found her way into my room. That way we met before she turned and she was able to make a comparison. "And what did you feel when Edward touched you?" I somehow managed to say it without gritting my teeth.

  Elizabeth opened her eyes, frowning. "I don't know..." She looked confused when she finally answered, meeting my gaze. "He even kissed me..." I didn't know about that before and my anger fred anew upon that revetion. "But I can't recall any feeling except for fear and anger when he attacked me."

  I needed her to understand. I needed her to trust me. I needed her. Lifting her off the ground, I sat her on the desk. "You are not his mate." I leaned down to her and she closed her eyes again. She's not afraid of me, is she? Crossed my mind and I stopped. "What do you feel now, Ellie?" My voice came out as a whisper, as I was anxious for her answer. Instead of words, she grabbed my shirt and kissed me. "I want you, Carlisle. That's what I feel..." I heard her as she purred into the kiss when our tongues met, deepening the kiss and I pulled her closer.

  Just then my phone rang. According to the ringtone I knew it was the hospital and reluctantly ended our kiss. "That's from hospital. They wouldn't call me if it wasn't serious. I'm sorry, Ellie, I have to take this." I apologized and received the call. Elizabeth was biting her lip, looking disappointed while I listened to the nurse on the other end. By the time I hung up, Ellie understood that I had to leave while she pyed with her hair, looking down. "I'm truly sorry about this. I wish I could take you with me, but to take you to a hospital now would be like torturing you..."

  "I understand." She reached for my hand and brought it to her cheek. "I'll be waiting for you." She gave me a somewhat sad smile. I didn't want to leave her but I had no choice. Patient from the car crash on Friday suddenly got worse and needed another complicated surgery, or he might die. I quickly changed and got my work suitcase. I nearly forgot... I took a small gift bag from my desk and went downstairs where Ellie was already waiting for me, now dressed in a new top that fell off one of her shoulders. It was snow white, creating an interesting contrast with her blood red eyes and hair.

  "I know I missed it but... Happy birthday, Ellie." I gave her the bag. There was a new phone. Alice told me that she didn't have one so I wanted to surprise her but didn't manage to give it to her until now.

  When Elizabeth looked into the bag, she gave me a bright smile and hugged me. "Thank you!"

  "Ummm... I'm gd you like it. But you're crushing me, love." I chuckled and she loosened her hold on me a bit. "Sorry." Elizabeth was looking at me so longingly, I couldn't help myself and kissed her one more time before leaving. "My number is there too. But I'll try to return as soon as possible. Let's celebrate your birthday when I come back." I smiled at her for the st time and got into my bck Mercedes.

  *

  No wonder his condition worsened. His rib punctured his lung and by the time we got him on the table, it was half filled with blood. Something seemed off about it though. It took a few hours but once we stabilized him, I went over his x-rays. I knew it... He had a lot of fractures from the crash but the rib we had to fix today, together with the damage it caused, was not one of them. How in the world did he break it? He was lying in a coma for nearly a week. "Carlisle!" I heard Elizabeth call me as if from afar and then my phone rang.

  It was Alice. "Carlisle, are you with Elizabeth?" She seemed distressed.

  "No, I had to go to the hospital. A patient was in critical condition. I'm just about to go back. What happened, Alice?" I had a very bad feeling and was already on my way to my car.

  "I don't know what happened but..." She hesitated.

  "Out with it Alice!" I was getting restless as I pulled out of the hospital parking lot, speeding to our house.

  "I just got a vision of Edward joining the Volturi...And Elizabeth was there too."

  "What?!" I nearly broke the wheel when she said that and I floored the gas pedal. Please, let me be wrong! I almost prayed by the time I pulled up to our house. "Elizabeth!" I tried to call for her but I could tell she was gone. Between trees near the house I caught Edward's scent. He didn't come alone. There were two more. I recognized one of them. It was one of the twins, Alec. Elizabeth didn't know what he could do and I knew that there was no way she'd escaped them.

  Of course, their tracks vanished by the road. They must have had a car there and were long gone. When I came back to the house, others were waiting there for me. "Finally some action!" Emmett was excited to fight and Rose smacked him.

  "We can't just attack the Volturi. Do you want to die?"

  Remembering the phone I gave her, I reached into my pocket for mine. I needed to know that she was alright. Alice caught my hand before I could dial her number. "I know you're worried, Carlisle. But if you call her now, they'll take her phone away. She will contact you when it's safe." She could communicate even without a phone. However, I'd have to be nearby and Edward would hear me too. I didn't know what to do.