The morning sunlight filtered through the forest as the Cullen family car approached the small school nestled among the trees. Bella gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white against the leather. She had always known this day would come, but the idea of leaving Isabella and Elliot in a world filled with humans—and unknown dangers—gnawed at her.

In the back seat, Isabella and Elliot sat quietly, their nervous energy palpable. Isabella smoothed the hem of her green sweater, a thoughtful look in her heterochromatic eyes, while Elliot tapped his fingers rhythmically against the side of his gray backpack.

As the school came into view, Bella pulled into the parking lot and turned off the car, letting the hum of the engine die away. For a moment, silence enveloped them.

"Are you ready?" Bella asked softly, twisting in her seat to look at the twins.

Isabella nodded but didn't speak. Elliot, ever confident, shrugged. "We've got this, Mom."

Bella's lips trembled with a small, wavering smile. She reached out, brushing a strand of Isabella's dark hair behind her ear. "I know you do. You're both so brave."

Edward, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to the twins. "Remember, your contacts will help you blend in. No one can know about your abilities, or about us. Stay close to each other when you can."

"We know, Dad," Elliot said, rolling his eyes. But his tone softened as he added, "We'll be careful."

Bella took a shaky breath, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I'm going to miss having you here all day."

Isabella's eyes softened, and she leaned forward to wrap her arms around Bella. "We'll be fine, Mom. Promise."

Elliot followed suit, leaning into his mother's embrace. "We'll be back before you know it," he said, his voice light but laced with an unspoken understanding of her worry.

Bella blinked rapidly, fighting the sting of tears as she held her children close. "I love you both so much."

"We love you too, Mom," Isabella said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Edward cleared his throat gently, breaking the moment. "We should let them get to class before we change our minds."

Bella pulled back reluctantly, watching as her children climbed out of the car. They turned to wave once more before heading toward the school's entrance, their backpacks bouncing with each step.

Edward placed a hand on Bella's shoulder. "They'll be okay," he murmured, though his eyes stayed fixed on the twins until they disappeared inside.

Inside the School

The twins parted ways as their schedules split, with Isabella heading to her first class and Elliot moving toward the gym. Isabella scanned the hallway, her senses overwhelmed by the sheer volume of noise, smells, and movement. She adjusted her contact lenses subtly, trying to ignore how they irritated her eyes.

In the cafeteria at lunch, Isabella sat at a corner table, quietly observing the sea of students. Her attention was drawn to a girl sitting alone, her curly brown hair tied back in a messy ponytail. Something about her seemed off—not in a bad way, but… different.

Isabella tilted her head, listening closely. Her enhanced hearing picked up the faintest heartbeat, far too slow for a human. Curiosity piqued, she stood and made her way over.

"Hi," Isabella said, sliding into the seat across from her.

The girl looked up, startled. "Hi."

"I'm Isabella."

"Juliette," the girl replied, her voice soft and hesitant.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other. Then Isabella leaned in slightly, her voice lowering. "You're not… like them, are you?"

Juliette's eyes widened, panic flickering across her face. "What are you talking about?"

"I can hear your heart," Isabella said softly. "It's faint, like mine. I'm not going to hurt you—I just want to know."

Juliette's gaze darted around the room before settling back on Isabella. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, though her tone remained guarded. "You're… like me?"

"I think so," Isabella replied. "But maybe not exactly. Were you… born this way?"

"No," Juliette whispered, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her lunch bag. "I was human once. Then… something happened. My brother and I…" She trailed off, her eyes clouded with old memories.

Isabella's curiosity deepened, but she didn't press further. Instead, she offered a reassuring smile. "I'm glad I'm not the only one."

Elliot

In gym class, Elliot couldn't help but stand out. His heightened reflexes and speed made him nearly untouchable during dodgeball, earning him a mix of admiration and suspicion from his classmates.

After class, a boy approached him as they headed to the locker rooms. He was tall and lean, with golden eyes that mirrored Juliette's.

"Nice moves," the boy said, smirking.

Elliot shrugged. "Thanks. You too."

"Nathaniel," the boy said, offering a hand.

"Elliot."

As they walked, Elliot couldn't shake the feeling that Nathaniel wasn't entirely normal. His movements were too graceful, too controlled.

"You new here?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah," Nathaniel replied. "My sister and I just moved. She's in your sister's class, I think."

"Juliette?" Elliot guessed.

Nathaniel's eyebrows lifted. "You know her?"

"My sister does," Elliot said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "She's… interesting."

Nathaniel chuckled, though there was something guarded in his expression. "Yeah, she is."

As Nathaniel turned to leave, Elliot felt a strange pull in his mind. A voice—not his own—echoed faintly.

"Your family isn't like the others, is it?"

Elliot stopped, his breath catching. He looked around, but Nathaniel was already walking away, his posture relaxed.

"Who are you?" Elliot thought back instinctively.

There was no response, but a flicker of understanding passed through him. Whoever Juliette and Nathaniel were, they weren't entirely strangers.

The Twins' Ride Home

As the twins climbed back into the car, Bella and Edward were eager to hear about their day.

"Anything interesting happen?" Edward asked as he started the car.

"Made a friend," Isabella said quickly.

"Me too," Elliot added, his tone thoughtful.

Bella glanced at Edward, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Who are they?"

"Juliette and Nathaniel," Isabella said. "They're… different. Like us."

Elliot nodded. "I think Nathaniel knows something, but he didn't say much."

Edward's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "We'll talk more when we get home."

The drive continued in tense silence as the forest blurred past.

The Cullen house was unusually quiet as the family gathered in the living room. A soft glow from the fireplace illuminated the space, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Bella sat on the couch beside Edward, her hands tightly clasped, while the twins sat cross-legged on the rug, their expressions both curious and cautious.

Edward broke the silence first. "Tell us everything about Juliette and Nathaniel. Start from the beginning."

Isabella and Elliot exchanged glances before Isabella spoke. "Juliette doesn't seem like a threat. She's… shy. Quiet. She told me she wasn't born like us—she was human before."

"She said she and her brother have been on their own for a while," Elliot added. "Nathaniel mentioned it too, though not directly. He's guarded but confident, like he's protecting her."

Bella frowned, her worry etched across her face. "They've been alone all this time? That doesn't make sense. How could they survive without a coven, without anyone to guide them?"

Edward leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "They must be resourceful—or desperate. If Juliette was turned as a child, she and Nathaniel wouldn't fit in with most covens. Many would see them as liabilities."

"Liabilities?" Isabella's voice rose slightly, her protective instincts surfacing.

Edward's expression softened as he glanced at her. "I don't mean it harshly, Isabella. But children who've been turned—or even hybrids like you—are rare. They attract attention, which puts everyone around them at risk. It's likely they've been running to avoid that."

"So they're hiding," Bella murmured, her arms wrapping protectively around herself. "But why come here? Why now?"

Elliot's brow furrowed, his thoughts drifting to the strange telepathic connection he felt with Nathaniel. "I think Nathaniel knows something about us. Or suspects it. He tried to talk to me… in my head."

Edward straightened, his expression turning sharp. "Telepathy?"

Elliot nodded. "It wasn't clear, but it was definitely him. He asked if we were like them."

Bella's hand flew to her mouth. "Edward, what if they're here because of us? What if they were drawn to the twins somehow?"

Edward shook his head, his tone measured. "We can't assume that yet. It's possible their arrival is a coincidence, but we'll need to stay vigilant. If they're running from something—or someone—it could put all of us in danger."

"Do you think we should pull Isabella and Elliot out of school?" Bella asked, her voice trembling.

"No!" Elliot's protest was immediate, his eyes blazing with determination. "You can't take us out now. We just got there. We're being careful."

Isabella nodded in agreement, her voice steady. "We've been preparing for this our whole lives. We know how to blend in, how to protect ourselves. We promised to be careful, and we kept that promise."

Bella opened her mouth to argue, but Edward placed a calming hand on her knee. "They're right, Bella. Pulling them out now would only make them stand out more. They've proven they can handle themselves. We need to trust them."

Bella's shoulders slumped, the weight of her fears pressing down on her. "I just don't want anything to happen to them, Edward."

"We'll keep an eye on the situation," Edward reassured her. "And if there's any sign of trouble, we'll act immediately."

The twins exchanged a glance, silently promising to look out for each other.

Later that night, the house was quiet, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves outside. Isabella lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as thoughts of Juliette swirled in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that their meeting had been fated, as if their paths were meant to cross.

In the room next door, Elliot tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His mind buzzed with questions about Nathaniel. Why did he and Juliette seem so familiar? What were they running from?

Suddenly, a voice echoed faintly in his mind.

"Elliot? Are you awake?"

He sat up, his breath catching. "Juliette?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice soft but clear. "I—I'm sorry for reaching out like this. I just… I needed to talk to someone."

Elliot's heart softened at the vulnerability in her tone. "It's okay. What's going on?"

There was a pause before she answered, her words hesitant. "Nathaniel and I… we've been running for a long time. From hunters, from other vampires. It's just been the two of us, and… I'm scared. I don't know how much longer we can keep going like this."

Elliot's chest tightened. "Why are they after you?"

"We don't belong anywhere," Juliette said, her voice breaking slightly. "We're not like full vampires, but we're not human anymore either. Most covens see us as a threat, and hunters… they see us as abominations."

Elliot's fists clenched at the thought of anyone hurting her or her brother. "You're not abominations," he said fiercely. "You're just trying to survive, like we are."

Juliette's silence was heavy with emotion. "Thank you," she whispered finally. "It means a lot to hear that."

Elliot hesitated, then asked, "Why did you come here? To this school?"

"Nathaniel said it was safe," Juliette admitted. "He thought… maybe we could start over here. But then we met you and Isabella, and now he's worried."

"Worried about what?"

"That we'll bring danger to you."

Elliot frowned. "We can take care of ourselves. And if you're in trouble, we can help."

Juliette's voice grew faint, her words almost drowned by the connection fading. "You don't know what you're offering, Elliot. But… thank you."

As the connection broke, Elliot lay back against his pillow, staring at the ceiling. For the first time, he realized that Juliette and Nathaniel weren't just mysteries to solve—they were scared, just like he and Isabella had been once.

And maybe, just maybe, they could help each other.