When The Cat Becomes The Mouse 12

"I think we should stop for the night." Rosalie and Bella had been driving for almost 18 hours and Bella had barely slept. Rosalie was worried because she knew humans needed a lot of sleep to stay healthy. She quickly dismissed the little devil on her shoulder that whispered in her ear all the things she could do with her mate when she got Bella alone in a hotel room. No matter what her hormones were trying to get her to do Rosalie knew Bella's needs would have to come before her own and what Bella needed was a decent meal and a good nights sleep. Rosalie wouldn't be disappointed if Bella slept naked of course but she wouldn't push Bella to do anything she wasn't comfortable with.

"Yeah ok." Bella agreed. She had thought she would be fine resting in the truck but it just wasn't comfortable enough to get proper sleep. A bed sounded heavenly and if Rosalie joined her she wouldn't complain. "I'll text Victoria to let her know."

Rosalie waited a minute to feel the annoyance she felt should have come when her mate mentioned Victoria but it never came. Exploring her feelings Rosalie actually decided that she wasn't annoyed with Victoria's role in their relationship with Bella but actually felt grateful to have another person who cared as much for Bella as she herself did. Victoria didn't threaten the relationship Rosalie had with Bella she had been encouraging it from the beginning. When Rosalie had been hesitant to even tell Bella about the mate bond, Victoria offered her support and helped Rosalie explain to Bella why she never told her. If Victoria had wanted she could have used the fact that Rosalie had been forced to ignore the mate bond as a way to get Bella to reject Rosalie. Instead she explained what was going on to Bella and had taken the whole thing in stride. Rosalie realized how lucky she was it was Victoria and not someone else that she shared a mate with.

"Victoria said she will meet us at the hotel. I gave her access to my phone before we left so she knows where we are in case something happens." Bella told Rosalie. She initially had balked at the idea of someone knowing where she was at all times but after Victoria explained her reasoning she had agreed. It would be a lot safer for Victoria to be able to get to her as quickly as possible if Bella needed help.

Rosalie also thought that was a good idea. "I would say link your phone with mine but I am still connected to the Cullen’s plan. I need to set up a new phone. Hell I need to set up new everything."

"We will work it out, don't worry." Bella reassured her noticing Rosalie was beginning to panic. "You aren't alone anymore. You have me and you have Victoria to help you. Once we get settled we will make a plan and everything will be just fine."

Rosalie took a deep breath and released it slowly. Bella was right, she wasn't alone anymore. That meant that it was no longer her by herself fighting against the hold her sire had over her. Victoria had already promised to protect her from her friend's and her revenge on the Cullen coven. Then there was Bella who had already shown to have a powerful gift even though she was still human. If she was really thinking about it she didn't have much to fear anymore. The Cullens couldn't do anything to her even if they wanted to. "You know what I just realized?"

"What?" Bella was confused by the calmness she now felt coming from Rosalie. It was a quick turnaround from the panic she felt moments ago.

Rosalie smiled as she pulled off the exit following the signs for the hotel advertised. "I just realized I'm free. I don't have to worry about Edward trying to claim my mate anymore, nor do I have to deal with Carlisle showing me off like a piece of meat to anyone he wanted to flaunt owning my beauty to. I will miss Emmett as he was just as stuck as I was with them but I can honestly say for the first time in both my human and vampire lives I am happy. I am legitimately happy with the way things are turning out. Even not knowing what is going to happen next I'm not worried because you are right. I have you and I have Victoria by my side for the rest of eternity."

"Never doubt that for a second sweetheart." Bella leaned across the cab and kissed Rosalie's cheek as she pulled into the hotel parking lot.

Rosalie parked the truck, turned it off, then raced around to the passenger side to get the door for Bella. She enjoyed the blush her mate sported at the action. "Did Victoria say when she would be here?"

Bella looked around spotting Victoria's car pulling in the parking lot. "There she is."

"That was fast." Rosalie said as Victoria got out of her car.

"I was keeping pace with you guys. I just got stuck at a light or I would have been right behind you." Victoria told them.

Rosalie looked away embarrassed that she hadn't noticed that. She was supposed to be protecting her mate and she was doing a piss poor job of it apparently. She vowed that from then on she would be more vigilant. "So how do you want to do this? I don't want to check in under my name because the Cullens would be able to trace it as my bank info is linked to them."

"You don't have your own bank account?" Victoria asked surprised. Rosalie had told her her sire was controlling but even then she figured Rosalie had stashed some money away without anyone knowing.

"Carlisle controls all that." Rosalie easily interpreted the look on Victoria's face. "I know what you're thinking and no I don't have any secret bank accounts. I tried that once but Alice had a vision of me setting it up and told the family about it. They actually took away my access to money for ten years after that. If I wanted something someone else had to take me shopping as I was not trusted to go alone."

"Jesus Rosalie." Bella exclaimed. She quickly pulled Rosalie into a hug. "I don't know how you survived living like that for all these decades."

Rosalie sighed as she held Bella. She hadn't really thought out about her situation that much as it had all become normal over the years. "I never really knew any different until I locked eyes with you in the parking lot of school that day."

"I have plenty of money saved from being alive so long that you can have all the access you want to it." Victoria told her. "However I think it would be a good idea to set up private bank accounts for both of you when we get settled in case you need money for anything especially if there is an emergency."

Rosalie wasn't sure how comfortable she was with the offer. Victoria wasn't her sire or even her mate. The only link the two of them had together was their mate bonds with Bella. It wasn't Victoria's job to take care of her." You don't have to do that. I'm sure now that I'm away from my coven I can figure out a way to make my own money."

"Don't you get it?" Victoria rested her hand on Rosalie's shoulder waiting for Rosalie to look at her to finish speaking. "The three of us are a coven now. Not only are we a coven but we are one that is bound together by something stronger than a sire bond. The mate bond we share with Bella makes it not only my responsibility to take care Bella but you as well because your wellbeing and happiness directly effect her. I'm sure as things progress there will be times when it will be your job to take care of me and if you accept my help than I will gladly accept yours as well."

"OK." Rosalie cleared her throat to get a moment to get her emotions under control. She told herself to accept the help Victoria was giving now because Victoria was right, it would one day be her job to take care of the three of them. That's just how life worked. Where one person was strong another was weak. Rosalie had no doubt she would get a chance to repay the kindness soon because as soon as the Cullens caught on she was gone she knew all hell would break loose.

"Good now that that is out of the way, I am going to go check in under my name. You guys grab whatever you need for the night." Victoria said. "Bella do you want to go out to eat or do you want to get take out?"

"I think take out. I'm not in the mood to go out." Bella replied.

"Alright let's go get settled because I can't wait to spend the night with my mate in a hotel room." Victoria winked before she walked away leaving a blushing Bella and a stuttering Rosalie behind.