Renesmee Cullen

Jake and I returned home from Washington a week after Jared and Kim's wedding on Thanksgiving Weekend.

The family missed us terribly, as expected, given that we were gone for two weeks. Aunt Alice just missed her mannequin to try clothes on – the mannequin being me – and Emmett missed making fun of me and talking sports with Jake. My parents were surprisingly the ones who missed us least, more my dad than my mom though. This was because my dad knew Jacob and I were a packaged deal and that in some shape or form, we are thinking about each other, when we're around each other or when we're apart. He was still trying to get used to the idea of us together, I think, after almost a year since our newfound blossoming relationship began.

A year…

Wow.

A lot can happen in 12 short months. I still had no idea how we would celebrate the occasion. I don't even know if we need to. Every day we celebrate our love for each other, what's one special day? But it is a special day after all.

I don't know. I'd have to talk to Jacob about it when he's off work today.

My family had a little Thanksgiving celebration of their own while we were gone. It was Carter's first Thanksgiving and Rose wanted to make it special for him. She wanted to capture as many of these memories with him as possible –like my mother did for me – since he was growing like a weed on a daily basis.

Although, Aunt Rosalie and Carter both know she isn't his biological mom, the connection between them would appear otherwise to someone who wasn't in the know. Carter was a child of abandonment. His mother left him and disappeared when he was only days old and his father is a con artist who craved power for himself.

We don't know if Lizzie will ever come back, she is still a newborn vampire and who knows what she is doing right now wherever she is. Charles is out there as well and is determined to collect his progeny. My grandfather has a theory that he might be experimenting with reproducing hybrids with other female human hosts, similar to what Joham did with Nahuel and his sisters' mothers but my dad also has a theory he could be doing it to add to his 'legion'.

Again…it's all about power.

With each day that passes, Carter ages in some way or another which also means the growth of his abilities. Carlisle has established that Carter had an gift to influence the element of fire, similar to Benjamin's ability except it's just that singular being and in a way more powerful. It could pose a grave threat which is why we're all contributing in helping him contain and control his ability. It is sometimes harder than it looks.

Carter's additional ability to compelling us to do what he wishes often gets him into trouble. When he has had enough of people telling him what to do, he compels them to keep quiet or walk away and then goes about his day. What a stubborn child he is.

His antics don't work with my shield of a mother though. Since his ability targets the mental psyche rather than the physical or emotional, it doesn't work on Bella's mental shield and she can often catch him when he's being mischievous.

He is so much like Emmett in that regard. Adopting his impish humor has also drawn Carter closer to Emmett. It's hard to determine what type of relationship those two have. It wasn't a natural 'son/parent' progression like it was with Rose. I think Carter views Uncle Em as a confidante, best friend, maybe in older brother in the way they act around each other. I think it will change over time but I don't think Em minds anyway. He likes that the kid looks up to him in that way and he wouldn't be crushed if he wasn't called 'dad' again (the first and last time was four or five months when Carter said his first sentence).

His relationship with other family members is also quite poignant. With Carlisle, I think he sees him as the head of the entire household and a respectable authoritarian and he's always eager to ask him questions. The kid is super smart in ways, perhaps even smarter than I ever was when I was his age. Carlisle is also as fascinated and intrigued with him given his DNA. He wasn't a normal hybrid like me, he very much is inconclusive if lack a better term. He has vampire DNA, human DNA but he also has…angel DNA?

Grandpa Carlisle has been all the ball for the past seven months researching legends and myths about Half-human/half-angel creatures and most of the results is a lot harder to come by but I think he enjoys it a lot.

Carter views Esme as the mother hen and I think it comes natural to him to call him "Nanny Es". Esme loves doting on him. I think she sees the son she lost during her human years in Carter. She's always there to wash, style, and play with his light auburn locks every night. I find their relationship endearing to watch blossom.

My dad is sort of Carter's mentor. I think Carter found it harder to warm up to him because he is so intimidating to him but as my dad began teaching Carter to play piano when he was physically two, the fears he had washed away from him. My dad often told me listening to his mind was like 'walking into a sunny park with birds chirping in the trees', his mind was very ingenious and theatrical, almost like a retelling of a novel. He was in his own little world that was really adventurous. He is always quick and eager to want to try different things. To explore.

But my dad also tells me that he has trouble accepting who he is, what he is. He sees the human children everyday around the neighborhood and whenever Rose takes him out to parks and wishes he was like them. Not just a normal child but a normal human child. My dad told me he wishes he was more human than he was immortal sometimes. He thought it was a wonderful life than he has now. Running around, being able rough house with the other kids his age and never being afraid to hurt them. Starting a new grade every year instead of every three months. Having a normal childhood. He craved it so much.

It wasn't like Rose and Emmett or even any of us aren't trying to provide that experience for him in the same way they did for me. The only difference was, I didn't particularly wish to be like the other children, I knew what I was and made the best of my situation. Carter is finding that hard.

And for me, I feel like I had an obligation to help him out. I'm the only one who really understands what he is going through. I went through what he went through although I handled it differently, I could help him.

I was walking to the Cullen main house when I heard commotion going on from the backyard.

"We have to stop him before he attacks!" I heard Carter cry out.

"Not if I can help it!" Emmett's attempt at a brooding, villainous voice filled the air.

"Thanos!" My dad exclaimed. "Captain America, what do we do?"

"We run!" Carter replied.

I smiled as I entered the house and on my way in, I saw Aunt Rose come down the stairs with a pile of Carter's superhero costumes in her hands.

"The boys are roleplaying again." I stated knowingly.

She nodded her head.

"It's called larping!" Emmett and Carter corrected me from yards away.

I chuckled.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Carter roped Emmett, Jasper and even your dad into playing Marvel characters this time."

I laughed.

"Where's Alice?" I asked.

I was half-expecting Alice's high-pitch squeal to ring in the air the nanosecond I waltzed through the doors and to greet me with one of her powerful hugs like she always does when I come over to visit.

"She dragged your mother and Esme to the mall for some Christmas shopping and for a few last things we need for the Family ski trip" She told me.

I nodded. "Right."

"Carter, Nessie is ready for you!" She called.

"One minute, mom!" Carter replied before making some slicing noises.

I watched Rose shudder a little but then smile when Carter said that word. I think she was still finding it hard to wrap her head around that she's viewed as someone's mother. Something she's been yearning for, for decades.

"Thanks again for offering to take Carter out to hunt. He wouldn't let up when we tried to convince him for weeks now." She said with a concerned face.

I smiled sympathetically.

I guess I understood his reservations. Not only did he find hunting inhumane, when he watched his own adoptive parents devour and maim animals in a very animalistic way, he sort loses it. I don't think he lets Rose know his feelings though but I can tell it's hurting her because she gets the idea he doesn't want to feed with her in a 'mother/son' bonding way which is far from the truth. He just doesn't want to feed with vicious vampires because he thinks he has to be like that when he's not.

He often prefers to hunt with me because I'm not only like him and understand him, but I'm also very empathetic when I'm feeding. I don't viciously kill my prey before feasting on its blood. I feed enough to sustain me but hopefully still keep the animal alive. I think my love for animals overthrows my need to kill. I think he wants that kind of energy around him.

"It's no problem at all." I replied as Carter entered the room in his Captain America suit with Emmett on his flank.

"Glad I can help. Should be fun bonding with my cute little cousin muffin." I said pulling Carter towards me and showering him with kisses on his head.

He moaned. "Nessie! Lay off! You know I hate kisses!" The little boy who could have easily been five, maybe even six, tried pushing me away.

"Okay! Go get ready! We have to catch the deer before the mountain lions do." I told him.

He attempted an excited grin before running up the stairs with supernatural celerity to his bedroom.

"Or you could just catch the mountain? Way more fun to catch since they put up a fight and they're great to eat." Emmett suggested.

Rosalie bumped her husband's granite-like stomach. "That could be dangerous for Carter!"

Emmett shrugged. "He can just compel them to obey him and boom, food!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna have my son attempt to hunt a 300 pound mountain lion." She said, giving me a look as well.

I raised my hands up in defense.

What did I do?

"Why not? The boy needs some real nutritious meat blood in his system. He's been looking a little scrawny lately, babe."

"That's because you're always making him run around the house like a lunatic." Rose laughed.

"Oh come on, Rose. I just want him to be fit and strong like me!" Em stated, pumping out his large guns to an imaginary audience.

I rolled my eyes as they continued to bicker on.

"Guys!" I called. "Guys! He will be fine! I am very capable of taking care of Carter. He will be fine, I promise."

Rose smiled. "We know. We know."

Carter then descended the steps, dressed up in some beige shorts and a plain pale blue shirt and some black and white sneakers.

"Ready?"

"Ready!" He exclaimed.

I smiled as I adjusted his cap and extended my hand out to him. He took it immediately, his miniature hands firmly gripping mine.

"Carter! Be careful. Ness—He isnt wearing long pants so be sure he doesn't get pricked by thorns or bees or –"

"Bye, Aunt Rosalie!" I said as we made our way out the house.

"Mothers," Carter said with a shake of the head.

"Am I right?" I giggled as I descended the steps while he walked down the ledge of the wooden stairs.

"So do I wanna run or drive there?" I asked.

Carter jumped down and landed gracefully onto the lawn.

"I think I wanna run there today!" He said with a wide smile.

I smiled back just as warmly. "Okay."

"Wanna race there?" I said with an eager smirk.

He smirked back as well as he assumed his position.

"Ready," I began as I stood my ground. "Set," we began crouching low. "Go!" I exclaimed and we instantaneously sprinted into the forest.

As we were running through the green and tree infested forest, I glanced back to see Carter trying to catch up to my tail. His jaw was clenched and eyes focused as he tried to surpass me. I grinned. One of the advantages of being Edward Cullen's daughter, I inherited his speed. Well at least some of it.

Our speed as hybrids were not matched to full-fledged vampires like our family. Obviously. Because we share half the vampire DNA which allows us to be quicker than normal humans, maybe even quicker than the fastest man alive but then our half human DNA causes us to be more vulnerable to fellow members of the supernatural.

I was part of the track team at school and although I could have easily been the fastest one on the team, I settled on being the second fastest because, well I didn't want to be good at everything at school.

Ninety-five seconds into our race, I decided to turn the race up a notch as I leaped off the ground, arcing my back as I shot up into the air and landed onto one of the many pine trees surrounding the forest –chasing away the canaries and pigeons that occupied the trees in the process.

Carter looked up and frowned. I heard him groan at me.

"Come on! You have to keep up!" I challenged with a laugh.

The five year old concentrated, trying to mimick my movements as he leaped into the air and landed onto the tree opposite me, gripping it hard. I was about some thirty-five feet from the ground. Carter was less, approximately twenty-three feet from the ground. I smirked as I hopped onto the next tree I saw and then the next and then the next.

Carter was following my flash movements, striding over trees as he lurched forward.

I smiled as I saw the riverbank about eighty yards from us. The deer and their young were drinking there.

"Nessie—Wait up for me!" He moaned.

I turned around to see that I left the little guy some thirty yards as he hopped trees.

I held up, waiting for him. He didn't take long. Only about ten seconds and he had already caught up to me. He lunged for the tree next to mine and as I was about to jump to my next, I felt his hand grab hold of my leg, automatically causing me to lose balance and I fell to the ground.

I gasped as I fell on my back onto the bed of leaves on the ground. I sat up on my elbows and eyed the sneaky boy.

"Sneaky little boy!" I spat. "You cheated!"

He smirked. "Now you try keeping up," He used my own words against me.

I chuckled as I somersaulted my way up, dusting off my bronze hair that sat in a wavy ponytail. My hair usually sat in ringlets but over the years, when my hands got ahold of a curling iron and blow dryer, my bronze hair turned from being super curly to being slightly wavy like my mom. I still had my granddad's curls though but some days my hair forgets what it once was.

I backed up four paces before I lunged into the air and followed Carter who cheated his way into the lead.

He was laughing aloud, basking in his conniving glory.

"Ha!" He exclaimed. "I'm winning!"

"By default!" I replied. "Okay. Okay. Wait up, Carter!"

"I'm not falling for that, Nessie!" He answered.

"No. This is where the race ends, Carter. Now we prepare to hunt. We don't wanna scare the deer off." I warned him.

He listened instantly and waited for me to catch up to him before we dropped onto the bedrock just before the river.

"Okay. Be very quiet." I murmured as he and I crouched down. "Look ahead!" I whispered, pointing to the mother deer and her little Bambi.

"I get the big one right?" He asked with eager eyes.

I giggled, rolling my eyes. "Sure." I told him.

And then we started our hunt.

When we were done feeding, we dropped our meals but they were still very much alive so we performed a tourniquet around the area we fed on them and then helped them off.

"Well that was fun." I said as I watched the mother and child leap off.

"Yeah! It was awesome. Thanks again for offering to hunt with me, Ness." The five year old told me.

"Don't sweat it!" I pinched his cheeks. "Hey, so about the hunting though. I understand you prefer to hunt with me because we have the same view on how we hunt our prey, we don't kill or drain their blood like the others. I get why it bothers you. I get it. But I don't think Aunt Rose gets it you know."

He looked down, his hands in his pockets.

"She loves hunting with you, you know and when you tell her you'd prefer not to hunt with her and Emmett it hurts her because she thinks you don't want to hunt with them at all. That you don't like hunting with them. That you don't want to bond with them."

"That isn't my intention." I heard the cracking in his voice at the thought of hurting his mom's feelings.

"I know. I know you don't mean to hurt their feelings." I said as I rested my hand onto his shoulder as we began walking back.

"But don't you think you need to sit down with them and tell them how you really feel,"

"But—But if I do that, will that mean you and I won't hunt together anymore?" He asked. "I don't only hunt with you because I think it's convenient, I genuinely enjoy hunting with you, Ness. You and I are alike and it's fun to be around someone like me."

"Oh, Cartie!" I smiled, pulling him into a side hug. "Of course I love hunting with you too. That won't change." I told him.

He smiled.

"In fact, we can hunt again next week if you'd like. Maybe Jacob can join this time?" I suggested.

He sighed and his smile dropped into a frown. "No, he doesn't."

I rolled my eyes. I guess you're not Rosalie Hale's child if you don't have the same disdain for Nessie's boyfriend, her wolfie.

I don't think Carter dislikes Jacob though. I think he just prefers not to see him every single day since that's almost been the norm.

Speaking of Jacob. I still haven't told him one crucial detail about my trip to New York. That I'd be spending much of it with Nahuel!

I guess I was afraid of him getting paranoid again. I don't even think my dad knows about it. If he does then he's handling it well. Or maybe it doesn't bother him that much at all since Nahuel and I are just friends.

I think after the talking I gave Nahuel at my birthday party really cemented that fact. I just don't know why Jake isn't convinced.

Time was running out though. I was going to New York tomorrow. If Jake didn't trust me then we will have a problem.

"What's bothering you, Ness? You look like you have a lot on your mind." Carter asked.

I giggled. "You have no idea."

"Wanna talk about it?" The five year old asked.

I could definitely tell him. He understood so much. His mental and emotional maturity was triple times more in tune than a normal five year old. He was way ahead than kids his age, in some cases, way more ahead than I ever was and other instances, not so much but still pretty significant.

"So, I don't know. It's nothing super serious. I'm in quite a predicament right now. I have this friend who I really don't want to hurt, you know, because he means a lot to me as a friend but then I have this other very close friend who doesn't particularly like my friend. And sometimes I just wish they'd all just get along!"

Ugh!

Carter frowned. "Are you trying to hide that you're really talking about the icy relationship between Jake and Nahuel?"

"Was it working?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. You suck at keeping veiling things, Ness."

"Thanks a lot." I giggled.

"And yeah I've noticed the 'Vanilla Ice' energy between those two. I don't know why though. You're with Jacob, bound by some witchy wolfy juju so he has nothing to be worried about."

"Exactly!" I told him. "I mean this is really immature right?"

"Totally." He replied. "Says the five year old hybrid," He referred to himself.

I laughed. "I don't know, I mean Jake handles it a lot better than Nahuel though. He isn't really threatened by him at all. He just finds it uncomfortable the way Nahuel constantly gawks at me whenever we're together, I don't either but…"

"So it's more about the other guy than Jake, right?"

I nodded. "Precisely."

He shrugged. "I think you should just talk to them, you know. Lay everything on the table. Make it clear to Nahuel that nothing will ever happen between you two and let Jake know not to get worked up over guys staring at you, he just has to deal with it."

I furrowed my eyebrows and halted as I stared down at the kid, amused. Hard to believe he's only seven months old.

"Are you sure you're five?"

He shrugged. "I pick my nose sometimes?"

I laughed hard. "You know you're a pretty smart kid."

"Yeah, but I'm more pretty." He told me.

I smiled. He's definitely Rosalie's son.

"Wanna go check out what's happening at the cliff?" He asked me.

I haven't been to the border of California in a while.

"Yeah but we're not swimming."

"Ugh! You just wanna suck the fun outta everything." He murmured under his breath.

"Hey! I don't wanna bring you home with hypothermia and Rosalie Hale has my head for dinner."

"She won't have your head. The least she could have are your arms. She isn't that cruel." He told me.

I laughed.

"Come on." I sighed as I bent my knees and gestured for him to hop onto my back.

He jumped up and down in excitement before hopping onto my back.

"Comfortable up there?" I asked, looking at him at the corner of my eye.

He nodded his head viciously.

"Alright." I replied as I charged for the woods.

I dropped him mid-run and we continued our race where we left it.

"I'm winning!" He laughed as he surpassed me.

I guess that big deer he had energized him up it seems.

I chuckled. "Okay, let's slow down okay. You don't wanna run off the edge of the cliff."

He didn't listen.

"Hey, Carter! Did you hear me?" I called.

He laughed as he made a wrong turn.

"Car—Carter!" I shrieked.

Oh my god! Kids!

I stopped hearing his laugh three seconds later. I halted in my tracks.

"Carter?!" I called.

Oh god. Don't tell me I lost him. Rosalie and Emmett are going to kill me before flipping out. Why did he have to run off?!

"Carter!" I yelped.

I began walking briskly through the bushes he made a turn into as I searched for him.

"Where are you?!" I murmured. "Rosalie's going to kill me." I whispered to myself, fear clear in my tone.

These are one of the times Carter's adventurous streak got him into trouble.

I saw the back of Carter's head in the center of a small field close to the clearing.

"Car–" I stopped myself as I entered the field to see a tall man standing yards away from the boy.

I ran to Carter and pulled him close to me.

I surveyed the man quickly. He was dressed in grey V-neck sweater – where you could see his upper torso was covered in tattoos – and dark jeans. His body wasn't my concern. I was searching for his eye color. A piercing blue instead of a searing red. So he wasn't a vampire.

But something about him was off. What was a random man doing in the middle of the woods? He wasn't a hiker, he didn't seem the adventure type and he didn't seem lost so he must have an agenda of being here.

"Carter. There you are." I said, not taking my eyes off the man and tightened my grip on the boy who held onto my forearm. "Sorry, sir, my little brother and I are just taking a jog and he got a little carried away."

The man smiled sinisterly but didn't reply.

I attempted a smile back.

"Let's get going." I muttered under my breath as I took Carter's hand.

"You shouldn't be out here in the woods all alone, you know." The man finally spoke.

I halted in my tracks.

"You're right. Which is why we'll be on our way." I replied.

"You never know who's lurking." We heard him whisper.

I didn't pay him any mind and just continued walking, Carter's hand firmly in my grasp.

"I'm sorry." Carter apologized, his head down.

"It's fine. Just don't run off like that again, okay?" I said.

He nodded, shedding a tiny tear from his eye.

Poor child was scared.

My heart ached a little.

"Come here," I said, scooping him up into my arms and onto my hip whilst he nestled his head into my neck and tightened his arms around my neck as I ran us back home.

… …

Jacob Black

I got back home from a long day at work. I was swarming in cars and this time, the heavy vehicle kind. Yeah, I'm freaking exhausted. And all I really wanted to do was sit back, kick my feet up on the couch with my Nessie by my side as we watch some old movies.

But what do I have? Embry sitting on the said couch with a girl he'd invited over to stay for the night it seems.

I rolled my eyes as I shut the door and throwing my leather jacket on the rack.

"Hey, Jake!" Embry called out. "Fancy face, this is my buddy Jacob, Jacob meet Fancy Face – or Madison if you prefer formalities. Met each other at the gym today. You'll be seeing a lot of her."

I had to refrain from laughing aloud at the term I heard far too often to count. You'll be seeing a lot of her was what Embry said of many of his pursuits he brought home.

"Hello, Jacob. It's a pleasure to meet you." Madison – a girl with fake blonde extensions and fake boobs to boot – said in a seductive tone, it seemed, as she gave me a quick once-over.

I gave her a slight nod as I opened the refrigerator door to grab a can of Dr. Pepper.

"You and I are going to have fun tonight."

"What makes you think I'm staying the night?" The unbelievably hormonal girl, didn't look older than nineteen or twenty, giggled annoyingly.

"Oh, you're definitely staying the night." Embry said smoothly, his arm around her shoulders with his other hand on her bare thigh. "I know exactly what we're going to do tonight."

She giggled like a hyena. "Do you?"

"Mhmm," Embry said with a bite of the lip, staring at her chest area.

"Hmm. Okay." The girl replied.

I rolled my eyes and pretended to gag myself. Embry caught this, looking at me at the corner of my eyes, staring at him disapprovingly.

"You know what, Fancy face. Why don't you take that shower I promised you I'd give you?"

She chuckled as Embry extended his hand out to help her off the couch.

"That's what I'm here for." She said.

"Yeah you are." Embry said as he directed her to the shower. "Left, second door." He told her.

The girl smiled at him before turning to wink at me.

"Maybe I'll join you in a few minutes?" He said it in such a way to make it a statement rather than a suggestive question.

"I don't know, maybe if Jacob joins in?" She asked, leaning against the wall and staring back at me.

I almost choked on my drink and spat it out.

Uh…What?

Embry laughed at me.

"Nah. He's too much of a bore to do that."

Madison sighed suggestively. "Maybe next time."

"Highly – Highly doubtful." I muttered.

She blew me a kiss and waved before making her way to the bathroom.

"She's hot isn't she?"

I growled under my breath, my teeth clenched and eyes daggering my now former best friend.

"What's the look for, Jake?" Em sighed.

I then began throwing nuts at him.

He laughed. "Ow!"

"Why did you bring a hooker into my apartment?" I whispered the word low.

"Hooker?" He frowned as made his way to fridge to grab something small to chow on.

"Yeah! Hooker." I said. "If you think you living here with Seth and I means you can just bring any random girl every other night then you're sorely mistaken. I could kick you out!"

"But you won't, you love me too much!"

I groaned. "Em…"

"I have my needs okay! And besides, I don't bring random girls every other night. You know Ava, right?"

How wouldn't I? I hear her all the time every Saturday night as I try to fall asleep.

"She's like the only girl you bring over that's been here four times."

"Five, you were at Nessie's the one night."

I snarled. "My god."

I swear to god, I was on the verge of killing him.

"You look beaten up? Was work a bitch?"

"And traffic." I told him. "Where's Seth?"

"He's probably somewhere doing the nasty with his girl Alex."

I nodded. Right.

"How do you expect Jennifer to fall for you if you sleep with random bimbos every so often?" I asked.

"Oh, she's going to fall for me. But I'm not going to dispel my desires because she's taking her dandy time to come around."

"You know, it's a two-way street when it comes to love."

"Ew!" He spat in disgust. "Who said anything about love?"

"Don't mess with the girl's heart, Em."

"Since when do you care about Jennifer's feelings?" Embry laughed as he finished off his beer from the other night.

"She's not some random bimbo. You can't toy with her emotions."

"Hey, Jake. You're my best friend but honestly, what I do with whomever is not your business dude. I don't talk about how Nessie has stripped you from your manhood."

"No she hasn't."

"You manscape now dude! She has got you so whipped."

"How do you even know that?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"You kind of leave evidence in the shower. Which by the way…Ew dude."

"Okay, whatever, do what you want but not on my couch, okay." I told him. "I'm heading over to the Cullen's for dinner. Want me to bring anything?"

"Nope!" He answered as he slipped his shirt off and made his way to the bathroom.

I took that as my cue to leave. I grabbed my bike keys and helmet and took my leather jacket off the rack before slipping out of my apartment.

… …

I parked my bike on the Cullen driveway and then made my way up to the house.

As I walked through the doors of the mansion, I could hear a heavy discussion going on in the living room.

"Guys, nothing happened. No need to cause concern when there isn't any facts. We don't want Jacob losing it as well." I heard my Nessie say.

"Why don't you want losing it?" I asked as I entered the room.

Nessie's lips agape as she saw me enter the room.

"Jake! Glad you could make it." Bella greeted me.

I just nodded but I didn't move my eyes from my mate who looked slightly irritable to everyone else but I could tell she was shaken.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nessie encountered a potential threat when she went hunting with Carter." Edward told me.

"Dad!" Nessie moaned and sighed.

"What were you going to tell him?" Edward asked. I guess he was reading Nessie's mind.

She kept quiet.

"What threat?"

"Not a vampire." Ness said.

"But not a human." Jasper said.

"We're not sure though." Bella said.

"What happened?" I turned to my mate with concerned eyes.

"Carter and I were hunting, and I think I made the mistake of allowing us to go a little bit further than the riverbank. We traveled to the clearing when we met a man in a small field close to the cliff."

"Suspicious as to why he's in the middle of the woods alone." Carlisle said.

"If he isn't a vampire and you assume he isn't human than what could he even be?" I asked.

"I have a theory." Edward probed. "He could very well be a Lurker,"

"Lurker?" Rosalie asked, caressing a sleeping Carter on her lap.

"Lurkers are what rouge wolves are called,"

I don't remember being called a lurker.

"Not shape-shifters, Jacob but real wolves." Edward replied to my thought. "Lurkers or in modern terminology, Omega's are Lone Wolves. The Children of the Moon wolves who do not run in packs."

"Oh, kind of like Ray Parker?" Nessie asked.

I frowned. And Justin.

"Precisely," Carlisle nodded.

"Before Caius almost hunted The Children of the Moon into extinction a century ago, werewolves hunted and ran in packs. Similar to the Quileute wolves although, there wasn't a sense of duty or sense of brotherhood as there is with Jake and his brothers. The werewolves had a sense of enforced loyalty and obedience to their Alpha. Like their free will has been stripped from them every night of a full moon. It's almost excruciatingly painful to break free from that connection. The only way to truly free yourself from an Alpha is by killing the Alpha which is not easy at all because of the enforced sense of obedience and loyalty.

Werewolves aren't moved by duty of protecting the human race. They're very much like vampires in that way. They don't make spectacles of themselves, they're not in the supernatural world to protect. The wolf gene isn't hereditarily past down but is transferred by a simple bite and on the first full moon after the bite, they go into transition."

"Eleazar and I encountered a few of them when we spent our time with the Volturi, separately of course. They're very powerful creatures but they significantly become less powerful when they're not running in packs." Carlisle told.

"Which would explain why some of the wolves who have survived Caius' wrath keep a very low key profile in public life." Edward said.

Carlisle nodded his head. "I haven't encountered a Child of the Moon in over a century. Ray Parker is the only recent one."

"He's also kind of not the only one." I said.

I turned to her. What did she say? She knew about more werewolves?

All eyes were on her.

"Justin is sort of…A werewolf?" Nessie whispered the word.

"Your ex-boyfriend?" Alice squeaked.

I closed my eyes, nodding my head.

"How come none of us knew about it?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, how long have you known?" Emmett asked me.

"Hey, I only found out in April. The night of the prom." Nessie recalled.

I gave her a frown. I think she did mention once to me about her…ex…being a supernatural creature. I think she mentioned someone saving her from being locked in the school's boiler-room the night of Charles' attack. Was it Justin and his werewolf abilities that helped her out that night?

Edward answered my thoughts. "I remember Justin breaking the steel door to get Nessie out of there that night before we came to the scene." He said looking at Jasper and Emmett.

"This was the night the jackass AngelVamp tried to attack the school?" Emmett asked.

Nessie's dad nodded his porcelain head, his eyebrows creased as if he was in grave thought.

"I guess we'd need to talk to Ray Parker and Justin. Maybe they know of any werewolves in town?" Jasper said.

I could tell the blonde was interested in this riveting conversation about frankly, fake wolves.

"Wait, I have a question." I raised, quizzical. "So if these so called 'wolves' you're talking about…"

"They are wolves, Jacob." Edward told me.

"Whatever," I muttered. "If these wolves really are so dangerous that it almost scared the venom out of Caius' ass, then why are we openly approaching them? Aren't vampires and werewolves sworn enemies?"

"Yes, other vampires are." Carlisle said. "But we are not seeking to make enemies with any member of the supernatural world."

"Yeah, see how easily we accepted your smelly ass, mutt?" Rose spat out.

I could literally hear her venom sizzling. Ooh. I'm so scared.

I ignored her. Although she did mention something interesting that I've been meaning to ask.

"Do the Children of the Moon smell as repulsive to you guys as we do to you?" I asked Carlisle.

"In some cases, wolves are able to master the art of masking their animalistic scent in their human form which makes it easy for them to lurk and hunt in plain sight. It's a protecting mechanism they develop with passing time." Carlisle said.

I nodded. "But those who aren't able to mask their scent yet? What about the puppies?"

"Puppies? I'm not following?"

"You know, Doc." I urged. "W—When they first turn after the bite? I don't know what they call them. Surely they don't call themselves newborns like vampires who've just began their transition so, I mean wouldn't that make them puppies?"

"Good question," Emmett muttered, intrigued at the thought.

"Yes, Jacob. They call newly turned werewolves puppies." Edward replied in a certain tone I didn't quite pick up.

"Really?"

He rolled his eyes. "No," He said before rambling on about something else.

I guess that was the end of the conversation.

I was just asking a question. What's his deal?

"Okay! So I think we've established that there was no immediate threat today. Now can I go prepare for my trip to New York tomorrow?" Nessie announced as she shot up from her seat.

She gave a sleeping Carter a kiss on the head and smiled at Rosalie as she had her hand on her face, probably uttering something sentimental to her before dropping her hand.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be going to the other house to pack my bags. Jake?" She said, looking at me as she walked toward me.

I glanced up at her and peered into the milk chocolate eyes I fell in love with since the second I laid eyes on her. I took the hand she was extending out to me and played with it.

"But –"

I'm hungry.

I thought that's what I was here for.

"Jacob? Before you go, would you like me to prepare something for you to eat? I'm sure you're starving after a long day at work." Esme offered.

I looked at the matriarch before looking up into my mate's eyes with hopeful eyes and eager smile.

She smiled and sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, please!" I uttered.

… …

Nessie and I walked into her bedroom, myself, closing the door behind us. She exhaled a heavy sigh as she dropped her little side bag and collapsed onto her bed, making the thud sound.

"Today was quite a day. My family refused to stop yapping!" She chuckled.

"What time is it?" She asked, mostly to herself as she checked her smart watch. "It's only past eight?!"

I moved my way around her room, halting at her working desk where her school books, monitor and Macbook where. I smiled as I leaned my lower back against the edge of the desk as I took the small rubbery football shaped stress ball she left near her workbooks and began playing with it.

"I mean, it was a given my dad would overreact since he's well…my dad but I didn't think he and everybody be asking so many questions." She recalled stressfully.

"Anyway, glad it's all airbrushed out and I can breathe again. Finally I can prep for my trip to New York which I haven't gotten around to doing what with everything that's going on with school, the wedding. Maybe I should've taken Alice's offer up to packing my bag for me…or maybe not. Who knows what that woman will throw in my luggage? Better be safe than sorry, my mom always says."

I nodded.

And then there was a moment of silence.

Nessie shot her head up to look at me, with a furrow between her brows.

"You're uncharacteristically quiet. What's up?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing."

She cocked an eyebrow. "You and I both know that's not true."

I sighed as I set ball back and made my way over to her bedside. I sat on the edge of her bed whilst she sat up, curling her feet up and sitting on them so she could have a better angle when facing me.

"What's wrong, Jake?"

I forced a smile and rested my large hand onto her warm bare thigh and began stroking her snow-like marble skin up to the fabrics of her sweat shorts and down to her protruding shin.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked in a monotone, not exactly answering her question.

"Yeah I'm fine. Jake." She pleaded, concern flooding her face. "You're scaring me. Will you please tell me what's going on?"

I pressed my lips together and stared at Nessie's gorgeous fingers, her nails painted a dark crimson red, on my thigh.

"W-when did you think to tell me you'll be going to New York with Nahuel?" I questioned.

Her face was in shock and then in what looked like shame.

"How do you know about that?" She said, moving her hands that were on my thigh and fiddling with fingers.

"Your dad filled me in on your plans a couple of days ago over the phone." I told her.

She sighed. "Of course he did."

"He's just a concerned dad wondering why his daughter just decides to up and leave the state with a man who's been pining after you for…years it seems."

"Don't be dramatic. It hasn't been years." She laughed.

I sighed. "My point is, why did you keep this from me for two weeks now?"

"Because I was afraid of you getting like this!" She retorted, gesturing to my demeanor.

I frowned. "Like what?"

"Like this! Getting all worked up and jealous over nothing. I knew you would overreact."

"I'm not like 'this' because I'm jealous of you going to New York with a man that isn't me." I told her. "You and I tell each other everything. I don't remember when that changed."

"God, we're not even going to New York together. He was already on his way to New York and it happened to fall on the same weekend of my own trip. He invited me to view a gallery with him and explore some of his old stomping grounds he visited when he lived in the state for a few months."

"Okay and you didn't think to tell me this why?" I pointed out, getting up. "Ness, it hurts me to know you don't think you can tell me these sort of things."

"And it hurts to know that you don't trust me." She said.

What? What gave her that idea? I don't trust her?

"Jake, you and Nahuel have been snarky and snippy at each other for months now like you're on some reality show."

"Me? Snarky?"

"Okay. It's not so much you as it is him but you weren't particularly thrilled when he came here." She told me.

I chuckled. "Wow."

"What?!" She snarled.

I guffawed. "Says the person who overreacted over said man's sister supposedly out to steal me away from you."

She gave me the squinted eyes and pursed lips look.

"So what? You're saying I'm a hypocrite?"

"I never said that." I pointed.

"No, that's what you're implying, right? That I'm the hypocritical teenage girl who thinks she's allowed to be jealous of girls staring at her boyfriend but can't point out when she thinks her boyfriend is doing the same?" She scoffed as she reached for her luggage and began packing.

"Nessie, I'm not going to have you drag me into a fight here."

"I'm not fighting. You're the one who brought it up. Not me."

"Because you didn't tell me!"

"So I must run down my daily activities to you like I'm reporting to my boss or master?" I said. "You and I are in a relationship, yes. But that doesn't mean we need to be tied together at the hip all the time."

"I thought you were okay with that? You keep going on about how we don't spend enough time together like we used to."

"Yes and I cherish the time we do spend together but if you haven't noticed, I have a life as well! A separate entity from my life with my seemingly, controlling boyfriend." She said, not looking at me as she said this.

Wait. She thought I was controlling? I mean I get that I'm very protective over her but I never thought she saw it as me being controlling. That's not at all the way I wanted my mate to be left feeling. That I'm just a controlling boyfriend.

"Controlling? Seriously?"

She saw my hurt expression and instantly I could see her eyes filled with regret.

She sighed. "I'm just saying…I have my dad telling me I can't grow up and make my own decisions, I can't let my boyfriend dictate who I choose to befriend."

"I'm most definitely not doing that. That's far from what my concern is." I told her. "I'm more concerned that my mate has lost complete and utter trust in me."

"Yeah, well you know how I feel."

She gave me a look I don't think I've ever seen her give to me before. A look I would never wanna be on the receiving end of.

She scoffed before dropping a few layers of her clothes in her bag.

"I need to get back to packing…" She said, trailing off for a second, possibly contemplating her next words.

Words I would think would render me broken into pieces.

"So, I think you should go." She said, glancing back at the door but not at me.

Which to me told me she was feeling even more pain saying those words. And just looking at me would make things worse.

So I made the subconscious decision of doing us both a favor of not wanting to hurt each other any more.

"I guess I should." I muttered under my breath although I was sure she heard clearly.

I began making my way to the door but halting in my tracks to turn back at my mate who I could visibly see shaking, as if she was holding back something. I sighed before painfully walking out of the doors.

I wouldn't see her for the coming days and instead on letting her go happy, I let her go angry with.

Who could sleep after that?

… …

A/N: I'm back! Yes I haven't died or disappeared but now I'm back. This was long overdue. I was originally going to continue on to when Nessie met with Nahuel in New York but there was a lot of ground I needed to cover before then. I wanted to show the brother and sister dynamic between Carter and Nessie and Jake's reaction to the news Nessie would be spending the weekend with a man who's been pining for her for a while now.

What do you think?

Please review!