Usual disclaimers apply, I'm an amateur, playing in the world created by SM.

A huge thank you to MsLiss, Rita01tx, and Beatriz06 for your reviews! Your feedback really made my day, and I appreciate your support!

Bella tossed and turned in her bed, the weight of Jacob's warning still heavy on her mind. The soft rain pattered against her window, a constant, quiet rhythm that usually lulled her to sleep, but tonight it only seemed to heighten the restlessness within her. Sleep, usually an escape, felt impossible. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jacob's face, his brow creased in worry, his voice echoing: Stay away from Cullen. Stay away from the Cold Ones.

She knew Jacob meant well. His words carried the gravity of generations, the weight of ancient history and old fears that ran deep in his people. His voice had been filled with genuine fear, and the warnings had been delivered with all the intensity of someone who cared deeply for her. And yet, despite everything Jacob had told her—despite all the warnings, the concern—there was something more profound pulling at her, something she couldn't escape.

Edward.

His presence was like a force she couldn't comprehend or resist. The intensity in his eyes, the way he spoke as if she were the only thing keeping him anchored to this world—it consumed her thoughts. Despite the warnings, despite the fear that gripped her in quiet moments, she couldn't deny the powerful connection that held her to him. The danger felt real, like a looming shadow over her, but so did the pull, the magnetic force drawing her deeper into something she couldn't fully understand but was desperate to explore.

She turned over, glancing at her alarm clock. 2:37 AM. Another sleepless night. She sighed heavily, her eyes slipping shut, willing herself to relax, to let go of the storm of thoughts swirling in her head. But the whispers of the wind seemed to grow louder, more insistent, as if trying to tell her something. The shadows that gathered in the corners of her room appeared darker, deeper, almost alive.

Bella rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling as her mind raced. She focused on the raindrops hitting her window, counting them as if each one could pull her further from her spiraling thoughts. The rain was supposed to be soothing, a gentle reminder of the world outside, but it failed her tonight. The storm wasn't only outside; it was within her too, raging and howling. Everything felt wrong—Forks, her home, her own room—nothing felt like it belonged to her anymore, not after everything that had happened.

Just as she felt herself beginning to drift, her mind slowly settling, that familiar, unsettling sensation washed over her.

The hair on her arms stood on end, and her heart skipped a beat. The air in her room changed, the silence growing heavier, more oppressive. Bella opened her eyes wide, staring into the darkness, every nerve in her body on edge. She felt it—an inexplicable presence, as if the very air around her was watching her.

She tried to tell herself it was nothing, that her mind was simply playing tricks on her. After all, she hadn't slept well in days. Her exhaustion was catching up, and the shadows were probably just that—shadows. But no matter how many times she repeated it to herself, the feeling didn't go away.

Someone was in the room.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she turned her head slowly, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, moving to the far corner near the window.

Edward.

He stood there, just beyond the reach of the moonlight spilling through her curtains. His figure was almost lost in the shadows, his pale skin catching what little light there was, his eyes glowing faintly, watching her. He was still, unnaturally so, like a statue carved from ice, his gaze locked on her, intense and unblinking. Bella's heart began to pound, a mix of fear and something else—something she didn't want to acknowledge but couldn't deny.

She should have screamed. She should have been terrified. But the fear she felt was not simple terror; it was complicated. Seeing him there, his presence both frightened and reassured her. He was dangerous, yes, but he was also something else entirely. He was safety, in his own twisted way, and that realization made her chest tighten.

"Edward?" Her voice was a trembling whisper, barely audible above the rain tapping on the window.

He didn't move, his gaze steady on her. There was something in his eyes that made her chest tighten, something both predatory and pained, as if he was struggling against himself, fighting a battle she couldn't see. It was the same look she had seen in him before, that night in the woods, when he had bared his soul to her and revealed the truth about what he was.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Edward said softly, his voice low and smooth, yet tinged with an edge of something cold, distant. "I shouldn't be here. But… I couldn't stay away."

Bella stared at him, trying to understand. He was in her room—watching her—again. She had sensed it before, on those nights when she had woken with the unshakable feeling of being observed. Those times she'd dismissed it, convincing herself it was just her imagination, just paranoia brought on by everything going on around her. But it wasn't. He had been here before, she knew that now. And tonight, he hadn't left when she woke. He was still here.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice small, her eyes locked on his.

Slowly, Edward stepped forward, the movement so smooth, so silent that it seemed almost supernatural. He stopped at the foot of her bed, his eyes never leaving hers. There was a tension in his body, a coil of barely restrained power, as though he were holding something back—something dark and primal. Bella could feel it, the intensity radiating off him in waves, making her shiver.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you," he admitted, his voice so soft that she had to strain to hear it. "It's wrong. I know that. But I'm drawn to you in ways I can't explain, Bella. You make it harder for me to control myself. Every time I'm near you, it's like something inside me snaps."

Bella swallowed, her pulse quickening. There was a raw honesty in his voice, a vulnerability that made her chest ache. She could see the conflict in his eyes—the struggle between what he wanted and what he knew was right. It was the battle between the man he wanted to be and the monster he feared he was. And yet, there was something else in his gaze, something possessive, almost obsessive, that made her heart pound.

"You shouldn't be here," Bella whispered, her hands gripping the edge of her blanket, her knuckles turning white. "This… this is wrong, Edward."

Edward's lips curved into a small, sad smile, but there was no warmth in it—only sorrow. "I know," he said, his eyes darkening with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. "I know I should leave, but I can't. I need to be near you, to make sure you're safe. Even though I'm the one putting you in danger."

Bella felt a shiver run through her, her skin prickling at his words. It wasn't fear, not exactly. It was something else, something deeper. There was a darkness in Edward, a predatory instinct that lurked just beneath the surface, and yet, there was also an undeniable protectiveness, a need to shield her from the world—and from himself. It was a contradiction she couldn't fully comprehend, but it was one that drew her to him, even though she knew how dangerous it was.

"Jacob warned me," she said softly, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "He told me to stay away from you. That you're dangerous."

Edward's expression hardened at the mention of Jacob's name, his eyes narrowing, his jaw clenching slightly. "Jacob doesn't understand," he said, his voice colder now, an edge of steel beneath the softness. "He sees things in black and white. To him, I'm nothing more than a monster. But you know better, don't you, Bella? You can see past what I am."

Bella hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She had seen more than just a monster in Edward. She had seen the struggle, the pain, the part of him that wanted to be better, that wanted to protect her, even if it meant protecting her from himself. But there was also the darkness, the part of him that wanted to possess her, to consume her in ways she couldn't fully comprehend.

"You are dangerous," Bella whispered, her voice trembling. "But… I don't care."

Edward's eyes flashed with something—relief, maybe, or perhaps something darker—and he moved closer, his gaze never leaving hers. He reached out, his hand brushing a strand of hair away from her face, his touch cold and feather-light. Bella shivered, her skin prickling at the sensation, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I try to stay away," Edward murmured, his voice filled with tension, a hint of desperation in his tone. "I try to keep my distance because I know what I could do to you. I could kill you, Bella, without even meaning to. And yet, every time I think about leaving you, something inside me won't let go."

His words sent a chill down her spine, the weight of them sinking deep into her bones. But there was something intoxicating about the way he spoke, like he was baring his soul, revealing the darkest parts of himself. Bella felt the pull again, that dangerous allure that made her want to move closer to him, to fall deeper into whatever this was between them.

"I need you," Edward continued, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. "More than I've ever needed anything in my life. But it's not just about wanting to protect you. It's more than that. I want you, Bella. I want to own you in a way that scares me."

Bella's breath hitched at his confession, her heart pounding in her chest. The raw, unfiltered need in his voice, the way he looked at her as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered—it was overwhelming. She knew she should be afraid, that she should push him away, tell him to leave, but instead, she felt drawn to him. The intensity of his desire pulled her in, like a gravitational force she couldn't escape, even if she wanted to.

"Edward," she whispered, her voice barely audible, unsure of what she was even asking, unsure of what she wanted.

His eyes softened for a moment, and he leaned closer, his face inches from hers. "I don't deserve you," he whispered, his voice thick with regret. "But I can't let you go."

Bella stared up at him, her mind spinning, her emotions a tangled mess of fear, longing, and something she couldn't quite name. His words were like a dark riddle, wrapped in layers of longing, fear, and obsession. She should have been terrified. She should have told him to leave. But instead, she found herself wanting more—more of his presence, more of the intensity, more of him.

Edward's hand lingered on her cheek for a moment longer before he finally pulled away, his eyes closing briefly, as if he were in pain. He stepped back, retreating into the shadows, the intensity of the moment breaking, leaving behind an emptiness that made Bella's chest ache.

"You should sleep, Bella," he said softly, his voice suddenly distant, the warmth replaced by an almost clinical detachment. "I'll be here, watching over you. But you need to rest."

Bella nodded, though her mind was far from restful. Slowly, she lay back down, pulling the blanket up to her chin. She could feel his eyes on her still, the weight of his gaze heavy in the darkness. The shadows seemed to pulse with his presence, filling the room with a tension that made her heart race. She closed her eyes, but her senses were heightened—she could hear the rain tapping against the window, the soft rustle of his clothes as he moved slightly, the quiet sound of his breath.

Even as sleep began to claim her, she knew he was still there, standing in the darkness, keeping her safe—or perhaps, keeping her bound to him. It was a strange, twisted kind of comfort, knowing that he was there, watching, protecting, even as she knew how dangerous it was. She felt herself slipping into the darkness of sleep, the tension ebbing away as exhaustion finally overtook her.

The last thing she remembered before she drifted into unconsciousness was his voice, soft and haunting, a whisper that seemed to echo in the stillness of the room: "You're mine, Bella. You've always been mine."

And in the stillness of the night, with the rain whispering against her window and the shadows closing in around her, Bella knew that there was no turning back.

She was his.