The sky hung low, burdened with the weight of an impending storm, as the Cullens stood at the edge of a vast clearing. Thunder rumbled in the distance, its ominous growl echoing through the dense forest. The air was thick with tension, every vampire present aware that a battle unlike any other was about to begin.
Victoria's newborn army was out there, waiting, driven by bloodlust and the distorted tales of vengeance she had spun. The Cullens knew they had little time. Newborns were volatile, driven by a ferocious thirst and overwhelming strength that made them dangerous but reckless. Victoria had them convinced the Cullens were their enemies, that they were the ones responsible for their suffering. And among that army was a girl who, unbeknownst to anyone, was about to change everything.
Bella Swan crouched low, hidden beneath the cover of the forest's shadows. Her chest heaved with the force of her breath as her senses warred with the chaos around her. The sounds of the newborns—her so-called comrades—were wild, their growls and hisses filling the air as they readied to charge. Bella's throat burned with an insatiable thirst, the all-consuming need to feed clawing at her very soul. She fought against it with every ounce of strength she had left.
What am I? Who am I?
The questions circled in her mind like caged birds, desperate to break free but trapped in the fog of her confusion. She remembered the fire—the searing pain that had overtaken her body as her human life ebbed away. She remembered the red-haired woman, Victoria, who had stood over her, telling her she was born to fight. Born to kill.
"The Cullens are your enemies,"* Victoria had hissed in her ear. *"They're the ones who slaughters our kind. They will destroy you if you don't kill them first."*
But Bella didn't feel like a killer. She didn't even know what she was. All she knew was the thirst, and the horror of her first kill—Riley forcing her to drink from a human, her will collapsing under the monster that now lived within her. The memory of the warm blood sliding down her throat made her stomach churn, yet the monster in her craved more.
"I don't want this."* Bella's voice was a whisper, too soft to be heard amidst the chaos around her.
Victoria had gathered them all in a darkened, secluded part of the forest. The dense trees seemed to press in on them, casting long, eerie shadows across the group of newborns she had created. Bella stood among them, her mind clouded with confusion and fear. She felt detached, unsure of who she was or how she had ended up here. All she knew was that she was thirsty—an overwhelming, burning thirst she couldn't control.
Victoria's voice cut through the silence, cold and sharp like the crack of a whip. "Listen up," she said, her fiery red hair catching the moonlight as she paced before them, eyes gleaming with malice. "The Cullens are a dangerous coven. They pretend to be noble, but they've been hunting us for centuries. They think they can control everything, that they're better than the rest of us."
The newborns stirred, their eyes flickering with uncertainty. They were newly born vampires—strong, fast, and driven by a feral hunger they barely understood. Most of them had no memory of their human lives, their identities erased by the transformation. Bella's own memories were hazy, like fragments of a distant dream. The last clear thought she could cling to was that she had been on her way to Forks for some reason. But why? She couldn't remember. All she knew now was the hunger and the woman standing before her, filling her head with venomous information.
Victoria continued, her voice filled with righteous fury. "The Cullens will kill us. They don't care about our lives, our pain. They see us as monsters, and they'll stop at nothing to destroy us. But we have the numbers, and we're stronger than they are. Together, we can take them down."
Bella felt a shiver run down her spine. The words washed over her, planting seeds of doubt and fear. Were the Cullens really as dangerous as Victoria claimed? The newborns around her nodded in agreement, their minds easily swayed by the fear and anger Victoria fed them. But something about it didn't sit right with Bella. Deep inside, a voice whispered that there was more to this story, something missing. She tried to hold onto that thought, but it was slippery, drowned out by the hunger clawing at her throat.
Victoria's gaze swept over the group, her eyes narrowing as she spoke of Riley, the first of her newborns. "Riley was the strongest of you all," she said, her voice softening with pride. "He was loyal. He understood the mission. He fought for our cause. And you all should be like him—loyal to the end."
Bella remembered Riley. She had seen him only briefly, a tall, brooding figure who had seemed to carry Victoria's favor. He had been their leader before disappearing into the shadows, following Victoria's orders without question. But what had happened to him? Bella didn't know, and she didn't dare ask.
"I started with him," Victoria continued, her voice rising again, "and then I found more of you in Seattle. Weak humans with nothing to live for. I gave you strength, I gave you power, and now I'm giving you a purpose. The Cullens think they can rule over us, but we're going to show them they're wrong."
The newborns growled in agreement, their bloodlust ignited by Victoria's words. Bella remained silent, her hands trembling. She hadn't asked for this. She hadn't wanted this life. Her human memories were a blur, but she remembered enough to know that she had been on her way to Forks for a reason—something important. She had no recollection of how she'd crossed paths with Victoria, no clear memory of her transformation. All she knew was that it was forced upon her, her humanity stripped away without consent.
Victoria's words echoed in her ears as she continued to pace, her face twisted with hatred. "The Cullens are our enemies. They're killers. They'll hunt us, and they'll kill us if we don't kill them first. You either fight, or you die. Those are your choices."
It was those words that snapped Bella out of her trance. *Fight or die.* The ultimatum rang hollow in her heart. She didn't want to fight. She didn't want to die, either. But the idea of attacking these people—whoever the Cullens were—felt wrong. Something deep within her told her they weren't the monsters Victoria made them out to be.
As the newborns surged forward into the clearing where the Cullens waited, Bella lagged behind, her mind in turmoil. She could hear the snarls and roars as the battle began, the scent of blood filling the air. But she couldn't bring herself to join the fray. Instead, she stayed low, hiding behind the trees and brush, watching with wide, fearful eyes as the others threw themselves into the fight.
Her instincts screamed at her to feed, to tear into the flesh of those standing before her. But her heart, whatever was left of it, held her back. The Cullens didn't look like the vicious killers Victoria had described. They were calm, methodical, defending themselves with precision but not ruthlessness. There was no malice in their movements, only resolve.
Bella's eyes landed on a caramel -haired woman—who stood with a gentle but fierce determination. She defended herself with grace, protecting those around her. Another, with blonde-colored hair—seemed to be more focused on stopping the newborns without killing them, his movements careful, almost compassionate. These weren't the actions of murderers. These were the actions of people protecting their own.
Bella's confusion deepened. What if Victoria had been lying? What if the Cullens weren't the monsters after all? Her mind swirled with questions, but there was no time to dwell on them. As the chaos of the battle raged on, Bella stayed hidden, paralyzed by indecision, her heart heavy with dread.
The man seemed to notice her hesitation. His eyes flicked toward the brush where she crouched, his expression one of curiosity and concern rather than hostility. For a moment, their eyes met, and Bella felt an odd sense of safety—something she hadn't felt since her transformation.
She shrank back, unsure of what to do, but one thing was clear: she didn't belong with Victoria and her army. She didn't want to be part of this war. The Cullens—whoever they were—weren't the enemy she'd been led to believe.
As the battle raged on, Bella remained in hiding, torn between the world she had been forced into and the possibility of something different, something better.
--
On the other side of the field, the Cullens were prepared, their eyes scanning the treeline as they waited for the inevitable clash. Carlisle stood at the forefront, his expression calm but determined. Beside him, Esme's face was tight with worry, though her gaze was fierce. They had faced many threats before, but this one felt different. It wasn't just Victoria's thirst for vengeance; there was something darker at play, something far more dangerous.
Jasper, ever the strategist, positioned himself beside Alice, his mind already calculating their enemies' movements. His ability to sense and manipulate emotions had given them an edge before, but the newborns' raw power was a wild card, unpredictable and lethal. Still, the Cullens had something far stronger than brute force—they had each other.
Emmett grinned, a dangerous glint in his eye as he cracked his knuckles. "I've been waiting for this," he muttered, his voice low but filled with excitement.
Rosalie stood beside him, her cold beauty sharpened by the battle ahead. Her eyes gleamed with determination, but there was something else there—anger. James's attack on Alice years ago had left its mark, and now Victoria was here to finish what he had started.
Edward, meanwhile, was on edge, his jaw tight as he listened to the chaotic minds of the newborns approaching. Their thoughts were a cacophony of violence, all driven by Victoria's lies. But amidst the noise, something—or someone—stood out. A mind, no a voice, that wasn't consumed by rage or bloodlust, but confusion. A voice, faint and trembling, echoing through the fog of newborn savagery.
"I don't want to do this. I don't want to be this. I wanna go home"
Edward froze, his golden eyes widening as he sifted through the jumble of thoughts. This voice was different, quieter. Desperate. His attention zeroed in on the mind it belonged to, following the thread of fear and confusion until he caught a glimpse of her—a girl, crouched behind the trees, hidden from the battle. She wasn't attacking. She was terrified.
"Who are you?" Edward whispered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else. But the pull was undeniable. Something about her was… familiar.
The newborns finally broke through the trees, their snarls filling the clearing as they lunged at the Cullens. Carlisle, Esme, and the others met them head-on with practiced precision. Jasper and Emmett fought with lethal efficiency, their movements a blur of strength and skill as they incapacitated the newborns. Alice danced through the battlefield, her precognition giving her the upper hand as she dodged and struck with graceful ferocity.
But as the fight raged on, Edward's focus remained fixed on the girl hidden in the shadows. Her scent hit him then—a scent so intoxicating, so overwhelming that it nearly brought him to his knees. His mind reeled, his body frozen as a realization slammed into him with the force of a tidal wave.
Mate.
The word echoed in his mind, a primal instinct buried deep within him roaring to life. This girl—this terrified, confused newborn—was his mate. His world narrowed to a single point, every other sound and thought fading away as his entire being centered on her.
Bella.
His mind filled with her image, though he had never seen her before. Yet he knew her. Every fiber of his existence was drawn to her, desperate to protect her, to keep her safe. The battle around him became irrelevant as his only focus became getting to her.
Edward broke away from the fight, ignoring the chaos around him as he sprinted toward her hiding place. His sudden movement didn't go unnoticed by his family, but they trusted him without question. They continued the battle, knowing Edward had his reasons.
Carlisle, however, caught sight of the girl Edward was running toward. His eyes softened when he saw her—crouched low, shaking with fear, her eyes wide and filled with innocence. She didn't belong in this fight. She wasn't like the others.
"Carlisle," Esme called softly, her voice filled with compassion as she, too, saw the girl. "Look at her."
Carlisle nodded, his heart aching at the sight. There was something tragically pure about her, something that tugged at his centuries-old heart. "She's scared," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
The newborns surrounding them were no match for the Cullens' experience and skill. One by one, they were subdued or destroyed, but Bella remained, huddled in the shadows, too afraid to move.
Edward reached her first, his heart pounding in his chest as he stopped just a few feet away. He could hear her ragged breaths, see the confusion and terror in her eyes. Her scent was maddening, but he forced himself to stay calm. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her.
"Don't be afraid," Edward whispered, his voice as gentle as he could make it. His eyes met hers, and for the first time, Bella looked up, truly seeing him. Her gaze was full of panic, but also… recognition.
"I… I don't know what's happening," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.
Edward took a cautious step forward, every instinct in him screaming to pull her into his arms, to protect her from the world, from everything. "It's okay," he soothed. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
Bella's eyes darted around the clearing, taking in the violence that still surrounded them. She trembled, her body at odds with itself—the monster inside her urging her to fight, but her heart wanting nothing more than to flee.
"I don't want to be like this," she whispered, her voice cracking.
Before Edward could respond, Carlisle and Esme approached, their expressions soft and full of compassion. Esme knelt down beside Bella, her motherly instincts taking over as she gently placed a hand on Bella's arm. "We won't hurt you, dear," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth. "You don't have to be afraid."
Bella's gaze flickered between them, confusion clouding her thoughts. "Why aren't you killing me?" she asked, her voice raw with emotion. "I'm like them."
"No, you're not," Carlisle said firmly, his kind eyes locking with hers. "You're not like them. You're different."
Bella shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't remember anything… I don't know who I am…"
Edward stepped forward, his heart breaking for her. He reached out, his hand hovering just above hers. "You're safe now," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "We'll help you."
Bella's eyes widened at his words, her confusion deepening, but there was something in the way he looked at her that made her feel… safe. She didn't understand it, didn't know why, but she felt a connection to him—a pull that went beyond words.
Before she could say anything more, the last of the newborns fell, and the clearing went silent. The Cullens stood victorious, but their attention was now focused on the girl at their feet—the girl who had, unknowingly, changed everything.
Victoria had failed. But what none of them knew was that the real battle had only just begun.
There you go, the first chapter. Please leave a review.