[Edit: 4 Sep 2021]

[A/N: Broken is set around 2012. Canonical Renesmee is born in 2006 (making her 6 yrs), however, the time skip between Breaking Dawn and Broken would be too big. So for the sake of my story Renesmee will be 'born' in 2008, making her 4yrs.]

TW: spicecsm, implied emotional abuse

"Jacob!" A little girl bounds from the Cullens' home, her bare feet barely touching the floor as she flies down the stairs and into Jacob's arms. Despite appearances, and this makes my head pound, Renesme is only four, although she seems closer to twelve.

I take a step backwards, toward the shadow of the tree line and the safety of the forest, and wait. As expected the next person out the house is Bella, followed closely by Edward then Esme and Carlisle.

The welcome committee. Yippee.

I try not to cringe too obviously.

One would think because of our natural order, that the vampires would have been forced out of town by now. Things were peaceful before they crawled from the depths of hell. Now, every fourth pre-pubescent Quileute boy is turning into an uncoordinated wolf cub and being a general menace and threat to my livelihood.

As if being an unwanted pack member (mentally linked, extremely unwillingly, to a man who threw me away and who still runs our pack) wasn't enough, there was dad's heart attack and the knowledge that, despite having Seth, I would always be alone.

Despite all this, the most acceptable of the Cullen clan was Esme. Even bloodsuckers have their one unproblematic member I guess. She is kind and warm in a way her species rarely are. She doesn't feel like a threat. Instead of fury, the wolf within me is calm with her. Her smile now is fond, the crinkles around her eyes real and comforting in their humanity. I don't want to like her, I don't want to be accepting, but she is different from them. She does not feel unnatural.

"Jake," Bella crows and joins her daughter in embracing Billy's son.

The group watches on, fond, while I fight to keep my snarl inside.

You saw him earlier this week. He isn't even good company, I muss, disgusted by the display. As if the vampire and wolf aspect wasn't enough, Renesmee's a child. A literal baby. And not one of the people present seems to realize how unnatural this is.

It was not okay when Quil imprinted on Claire, and it's not okay now with Jacob imprinted on Renesmee. If I were them, I'd probably have castrated him by now. Granted, I'd like to castrate him anyway, Jacob should not be permitted to procreate.

"Come in, please," Esme is looking directly at me, her smile welcoming, it's the same smile she used earlier in the week, the same kindness and patience she's been using for years.

Jacob is already halfway up the stairs. He freezes in place, the little Renesme hanging over his shoulder and giggling. Seth is just behind him.

I shake my head, throat still thick with bitterness. "I'll be out back, Seth," I turn and stalk away.

Turning my back to them makes my body ache.

I kick the ground as I walk, keeping my ears pricked for the sound of Seth's steps on marble floors, a strangely familiar tap-tap. Don't be an idiot, Seth, stay safe.

The forest here feels preserved. A time capsule of the many years passed, so many memories. Weddings, fights, the birth of a tiny abomination. If I focus hard enough, I could almost still smell them. The trees are ancient, but they carry the recent years like back pains and blight. The forest remembers, too, and for some reason still continues to thrive.

There's an old pine tree just at the edge of the clearing out back, at its base is a grassless patch that I've flattened and refined to a perfect seat. I head toward it. The shade of the canopy is cool and dark enough to give me a semblance of privacy - however faux. I lean my head back against the base of the trunk, bark against my back, the whisper of leaves overhead. If there is one thing I would congratulate the vampires on, it would be their home.

I glare at the crystalline mountain, glimmering in the sun much like a vampire's skin. It would be beautiful if I wasn't so bitter. "Sure, eat my food then subjugate me to bloodsuckers, how nice of you, Jacob." I mumble and fiddle with a pebble on the ground. One throw and bye-bye glass fortress.

What's the saying? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones?

"You did not have to come,"

I jerk upright and snarl at the vampire. Alice, more pixie than vampire, her eyes are molten and look right through me, she fits this house. She's one of the less offensive vampires to be around, but still creepy as hell. "But I did come," which I regret every time, "So now what?"

For a moment she scrutines me, then her face breaks into a brilliant smile, "Would you like some apple slices? Nessy loves them."

My eye twitches and I rub at my forehead. "Why are you still trying? Can't you leave me alone?"

She hums and crouches down, head cocked like a bird. "You're interesting." I snort and her smile grows bigger, "Did you know that I cannot see you?" Clearly seeing my confusion, she clarifies "Your future. I cannot see the wolves."

This is news to me, although I doubt its validity just by virtue of it being a vampire who said it. Did Jacob and Seth know? Why has no one told me if it is true? Reluctantly, I'm curious, "Only the wolves?"

"Yes, and Bella, but that's different." She waves a hand and shuffles on her haunches, "You're all staticy and..." she moves her hands about while squinting, "like bad cable."

I watch her, considering her words. Lies can be detected through heart beats with some people, through smell, or breathing patterns in others - for vampires, who don't have a heartbeat, no sweat glands, or need to breathe...it's hard to tell what is the truth. I want to believe that this isn't just an elaborate ruse. What reason would Alice have to lie about this?

"Listen, I don't know what your future entails. I can make guesses on what I've seen from those around me, those you interact with." I cringe, that doesn't make me feel much more comfortable. "I do know, however, you won't be sitting out here much longer; a day will come when you will come inside our home."

Although she sounds confident, her eyes are searching. I've 'known' this girl for seven or so years, at most we've exchanged pleasantries (not pleasant on my end). But I've seen this before, done it myself when pleading for an answer I'm not sure I'd get.

("Damnit, Leah, will you let off?" Sam snarls, he crowds me toward the door, trying to force me out. "I'm sick of your whining."

I open my mouth, looking over his shoulder to the pack's faces turned away, Emily's face in open shock. "I-I'm just saying that-"

"Shut up!" he snaps, eyes barely human, teeth poking out as fangs. "Come back when you learn your place." He closes the door in my face, a solid thunk of wood.)

I despise her, I despise her ilk and everything they've done, I remind myself even as my chest aches with familiarity.

"Leah?"

I look at her questioningly. Why hasn't she left yet?

"Apple slices? Apparently they're delicious."