𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 ☾ 𝒑𝒂𝒖𝒍 𝒍𝒂𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒆

[24]

"You sure about this?" Sam asked after everyone had left. Lizzie squeezed Paul's hand tight in her own.

"If they come to kill me, they'd kill Emily, too. Everyone who knows about vampires." Lizzie stated. Sam bared his teeth at the thought of them attacking his imprint. "I'm not doing this just for me."

"We've got your back, then." Sam said, nodding surely. Lizzie gave him a small smile in return and closed the door behind him. Now, all she needed to do was convince an intense amount of vampires that she, a human, was worth keeping alive.

☾

The snowcapped mountains around them were silent, no wind nor breeze in the air. They towered over the landscape in solace, their somber presence providing no comfort to Lizzie. She wrung her glove-covered hands, shivering a bit as they drove closer and closer north. Edward and Bella's silence in the front seat wasn't comforting either.

"You think they'll help?" Paul asked, wearing a shirt and jacket for the first time in a long while. He shuffled closer to Lizzie, taking her cold hands in his.

"I'm not sure." Edward answered honestly. "But we're here." The car pulled around the last bend, snowbanks on either side of the road suggesting the well-travelled roads had been cleaned with a snowplow. They were at the foot of a mountain, the expensive-looking wood chalet looming in front of them.

"Please don't let them eat me." Lizzie mumbled. Edward huffed a laugh as he opened the door, Bella following after him. The Denalis hadn't attacked anyone at the wedding, but that was almost two months ago. Their hunting patterns were unknown, and Lizzie was hoping they weren't hungry.

Tanya, Kate, Eleazar, and Carmen walked forward, meeting with Edward a few feet ahead. They chatted quietly for a moment before Bella turned back to the car. She waved slightly, signalling to Lizzie and Paul that it would be alright for them to come out.

"You ready?" Paul asked, turning to her. Lizzie turned to him and made a face. It didn't matter if she was ready or not. This was something she had to do. They got out of the car, and Lizzie watched the vampire's reactions carefully. As they walked closer, the Denalis recoiled at the scent of werewolves. There was a flash of recognition in their eyes as they saw Lizzie's face. They remembered her.

"Why have you brought them here?" Tanya asked, frowning to the two. Paul squeezed Lizzie's hand, and they remained emotionless as they stepped up beside Edward and Bella. Kate gagged a little bit, trying to hide it.

"We need your help." Edward said, glancing over to Lizzie as she fidgeted.

"With a human?" Carmen asked, raising an eyebrow. "Edward, we're vegetarians." The blonde sisters grinned, and Lizzie shuffled backward a little bit.

"It's the Volturi. They're coming to kill her." Paul growled, getting annoyed.

"How is this a concern of ours?" Kate asked, frowning again. "We have no attachment to her."

"The wolves live on the land close to ours, as our closest allies. Elizabeth is our friend." Edward stated. "If they come to kill her, they will kill the rest of them. The wolves helped us keep Bella and Lizzie safe before, and we owe them now."

"That debt is not ours to bear." Eleazar said slowly, glancing nervously to Paul.

"We're all under a death sentence because your sister is holding a grudge for no reason." Lizzie stated. "I think that's debt enough." The vampires sent deadly glares at her tone, but ultimately, Lizzie was right. They exchanged wordless glances toward one another, and Carmen nodded in agreement.