Rosalie's POV
The aftermath of the battle felt suffocating—silent and heavy with the weight of death. The forest, which had echoed with the fury of the fight just moments ago, was now still. The bodies of the newborns were scattered across the clearing, their vacant eyes a haunting reminder of the violence that had unfolded. Some were torn apart beyond recognition, others simply lying still, their limbs twisted in unnatural angles. And yet, amid the chaos and the carnage, there was a hollow silence settling over us.
My thoughts were not on the fallen enemies, or the Cullens who had fought to survive. My thoughts were consumed by one question.
Where was Sakura?
I had felt her—her power surging through the fight. Her vectors had struck like a storm, cutting through the chaos with fierce precision, protecting me and the others. But then, just as suddenly, she had disappeared. Gone. Vanished into the trees without a trace.
I wanted to call out to her, to run after her, but I couldn't. The Volturi were coming.
A chill spread through the air, and I knew they were near. There was no mistaking the feeling of their presence—the cold, oppressive force that followed their every step. But it wasn't the full force of the Volturi that arrived. No, it was just a small group of guards led by Jane. Their cold, red eyes swept over the battlefield with clinical detachment, taking in the devastation with a practiced, emotionless gaze.
They had arrived to ensure that the law was upheld.
I could feel my stomach tighten as I saw Jane step forward, her face a mask of cold authority. Behind her, two other Volturi guards flanked her, their eyes burning with the same merciless fire. They moved like shadows, swift and silent, their presence ominous in the stillness of the aftermath.
I had seen Jane in action before. Her power was fearsome—able to make anyone feel the excruciating pain of their deepest, most unbearable suffering with a mere thought. And while she didn't have the authority of the Volturi's kings, her loyalty to the law was absolute. She had come to finish what had started, to clean up the mess left behind by Victoria's newborn army.
And now, that mess included Bree.
I saw Bree standing a little ways off, her eyes wide with fear, trembling as she realized the gravity of the situation. She had stepped forward, surrendering herself to the Volturi, her hands shaking as she dropped to her knees in front of Jane and her guards. She knew what was coming. We all did.
I couldn't bring myself to look away, though every instinct in me screamed to run—to do anything to save her. But it was pointless. Bree had broken the law. She was part of a newborn army. She had fought for Victoria's cause, and the Volturi had no tolerance for anyone who crossed that line, whether they were a newborn or not.
Jane stepped forward with cold deliberation, her red eyes narrowing as she looked down at Bree. "You have broken the law," she said, her voice soft but laced with undeniable finality. "You will be punished for it."
Bree's lips trembled, but she didn't argue. She didn't beg. She simply lowered her gaze, resigned to the fate that awaited her. The Volturi didn't care about her reasons. They didn't care that she hadn't chosen to be turned, that she had been created as a pawn in Victoria's war. They only cared about the law.
And the law had no mercy.
With a single flick of Jane's hand, the execution began. The Volturi guards moved with terrifying efficiency. They didn't speak, didn't hesitate. With one swift, precise motion, Bree's body was torn apart. The sound of her limbs breaking echoed through the forest, and in that instant, my chest tightened.
But it didn't end there.
The true finality of a vampire's death was not in the tearing apart of the body, but in the fire that followed. The Volturi made sure of that. Without a word, one of the guards ignited the remains, setting Bree's broken body ablaze. The flames spread quickly, turning her to ash within moments. I could smell the burning, the unmistakable scent of vampire flesh turning to nothing, and I had to look away.
The forest was now silent. The only trace left of Bree was the faint smell of smoke and the ash carried away by the wind. The Volturi's work was done.
I felt a wave of disgust rise in my throat, but there was nothing I could do. The Volturi didn't care. They never did. They saw Bree as an offender, a rogue vampire who needed to be erased. To them, there was no gray area, no compassion. Just law and punishment.
The guards were already turning away, moving to leave as quickly as they had come, their task complete. Jane didn't look back. She had already written Bree off as an example, a warning to anyone else who might consider defying the Volturi's rules. She gave me a passing glance—one that was more curious than anything—before she nodded toward the others.
"It is done," Jane said coldly.
I didn't respond. I couldn't. I just stood there, staring at the place where Bree had fallen, my heart heavy with guilt. I could have tried to help her. I could have—
But no. The Volturi were too powerful. Once they had made their decision, there was no changing it. Bree had been guilty, no matter the circumstances. And the Volturi's justice was always swift and final.
As Jane and her group melted back into the shadows, I felt a terrible emptiness settle over me. The battle was over. The newborns were gone. The Volturi had claimed their punishment.
But where was Sakura?
The bond between us, though faint, had been undeniable. During the fight, I had felt her presence, felt her power reaching out, cutting through the chaos. But now… now there was nothing. Only the empty space where she should have been.
I glanced at the others—Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and the rest—but none of them seemed to share my concern. They were all still reeling from the fight, trying to recover from the brutal losses we had faced. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Sakura had disappeared, and I couldn't help but fear that she was in more danger than we knew.
I had to find her.
The Volturi might have left, but this wasn't over. Not yet. I had to find Sakura, before the Volturi or someone else did.