The Cullen family was assembled in the living room, the tension thick in the air. Carlisle and Esme had returned after weeks of assisting nearby covens in building alliances, while Alice and Jasper arrived mere hours ago, looking harried and apologetic.
"We were out of cell range," Jasper explained, his Southern drawl subdued. "The moment Alice saw the vision of the attack, we came straight here."
Alice, sitting close to Bella, clasped her hands tightly. "I should've seen it sooner. If I had…" She trailed off, her golden eyes brimming with guilt.
"You can't predict everything," Edward said gently, though his jaw was tight. "What matters is that you're here now."
Esme leaned forward, her expression maternal yet full of concern. "Carlisle and I are sorry for being away for so long. We didn't anticipate something like this happening while we were gone."
Carlisle nodded, his voice calm but resolute. "We've been working to establish relationships with other covens. With everything that's happening in the supernatural world, it's more important than ever to have allies. But it seems the Eternals are a threat no one was prepared for."
Rosalie crossed her arms, her tone sharp. "They're not just a threat. They're a declaration of war. And they came here because of those children."
"Rosalie," Bella said, her voice laced with warning.
Rosalie softened, but her gaze didn't waver. "I'm not blaming them, Bella. But we have to be realistic. As long as they're with us, they're targets. And by extension, so are we."
The sharp knock on the door broke the tense conversation. Bella opened it to find her father standing there, his expression grave but tinged with concern.
"Dad," she said, stepping aside. "Come in."
Charlie entered, his sharp eyes taking in the Cullen family's worried faces. "Leah told me about what happened," he said without preamble. "I've been doing my best to keep people away, but this can't go on forever. Bodies are turning up, Bells. I can't keep feeding my department lies."
"Dad, I—"
He raised a hand to stop her. "I'm not here to argue. I know you're doing everything you can to protect your family, and I understand why. But you've got to think about what happens next. If these… Eternals keep coming, people are going to start asking the kind of questions I can't answer."
Bella's throat tightened, but before she could respond, Charlie continued, his voice softening.
"I'm on your side, kid. Always. I just don't want to see you or anyone else get hurt. If there's something I can do, you tell me. But you have to know this can't last forever."
Carlisle stepped forward, his tone measured. "Charlie, you've done more for us than we could ever ask for. We won't put you in an impossible position. We'll do what's necessary to protect everyone—including you."
Charlie sighed, his eyes scanning the room before landing back on Bella. "I don't like it, but I trust you. Just… be careful, okay?"
Juliette sat cross-legged on Isabella's bed, staring at her hands. Nathaniel leaned against the window, his shoulders hunched. Isabella and Elliot sat across from them, exchanging worried glances.
"This is all our fault," Juliette whispered, breaking the silence. Her voice was trembling, her eyes rimmed with tears. "If we weren't here, none of this would be happening."
Nathaniel turned to face her, his expression taut with guilt and frustration. "Don't say that. It's not true."
"It is!" Juliette insisted, her voice cracking. "They're after us, Nathaniel. People are dying because of us!"
Isabella slid off the bed, kneeling in front of Juliette and taking her hands. "Listen to me. None of this is your fault. The Eternals are monsters. They're the ones hurting people—not you."
"But if we weren't here—"
"Then they'd find someone else to target," Elliot interrupted, his tone firm. "You're not the problem. They are."
Nathaniel's hands clenched into fists. "I just… I feel useless. Everyone else is fighting, and we're just hiding. It's not right."
"You're not useless," Isabella said fiercely. "You're alive, and you're safe. That's what matters. And when the time comes, you'll fight. But not like this. Not now."
Juliette sniffled, wiping her eyes. "What if someone else gets hurt? What if…" She couldn't finish the thought.
Nathaniel sat down beside her, his voice low. "I won't let that happen. Not to you. Not to anyone."
Isabella wrapped an arm around Juliette's shoulders. "You're not alone. We're in this together."
Elliot nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "And besides, you're stuck with us. So get used to it."
Juliette managed a small laugh, the tension in the room easing ever so slightly.
Downstairs, the conversation grew more serious.
"The Eternals won't stop," Carlisle said. "They've already shown that they're willing to risk exposure to get what they want. If we stay, it's only a matter of time before they bring more destruction to Forks."
"But leaving doesn't guarantee safety," Edward countered. "They'll follow us. And moving around constantly will draw even more attention from humans."
Rosalie, her expression steely, spoke up. "We've managed to stay hidden before. We can do it again."
"But this is different," Bella argued. "These attacks are escalating. If we leave Forks, we're just shifting the danger somewhere else. We can't run forever."
Esme placed a gentle hand on Bella's shoulder. "Whatever we decide, we'll do it together. But we have to consider what's best for everyone—including the humans in this town."
Edward nodded. "If we stay, we risk exposing everything. If we leave, we have to plan carefully. Either way, we need to be prepared for what comes next."
The room fell silent, the weight of the decision pressing down on them. Upstairs, the sound of the children's laughter drifted faintly through the house, a bittersweet reminder of what was at stake.
Bella looked at Edward, her jaw set with determination. "Whatever happens, we protect them. No matter what."
Rosalie and Emmett exchanged a glance, their own resolve hardening. Carlisle stepped forward, his expression somber but resolute.
"Then we prepare," he said. "For whatever comes next."