Emmett was rarely serious, so when he didn't say anything, it terrifies me. His usual smug grin was gone, replaced by a tight-lipped expression that made my stomach churn. And to make things worse, my system had already burned through the alcohol, leaving me painfully sober for what was waiting at home.

We pulled into the garage, and I could already feel the weight of the impending doom waiting for me. I didn't even need supernatural hearing to know my whole family was in the living room. Their presence radiated from the house like a death sentence.

I sank further into my seat, gripping the door handle like it was my lifeline. "I swear, Emmett, I'm going to disown you as my uncle."

He smirked an oddly strained smirk. "Whatever you say, squirt."

I groaned and climbed out of the jeep, instinctively hiding behind Emmett as we walked inside. My strategy was simple: avoid eye contact, head straight upstairs, and hope they'd lose interest before confronting me.

As we passed the living room, I could feel their eyes boring into us, but I kept my head down, my steps quick.

"Renesmee," my dad's voice stopped me in my tracks.

I squeezed my eyes shut and turned around slowly, plastering the sweetest smile I could muster onto my face. "Yes, Daddy?" I asked, batting my eyelashes the way I used to when I was little. It usually melted him back then—maybe I could pull it off one last time.

For a moment, his expression softened, and I thought I might actually be in the clear. "Come here, baby. We want to talk about something."

My heart dropped. My face fell. Of course, he knew about my little drinking adventure. Of course, he'd sniffed it out of my mind a few miles ago. But I was careful not to think about it. Emmett must have told him. I narrowed my eyes at the snitch, who gave me a half-hearted shrug and mouthed sorry before sitting down beside his wife, abandoning me to my fate. I wanted to drag him back by his stupid collar, but the look on my dad's face told me this wasn't the time to argue.

"It's not about that," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "Please, just sit down with us. It's important."

Reluctantly, I shuffled into the living room, the weight of their collective stares making my palms sweat. I sat down on the couch, my eyes darting between my mom, Dad, Esme, and Carlisle. Even Rosalie and Jasper were there, looking uncharacteristically serious. Alice sat on Jasper's lap, pouting as usual when it comes to seeing my future.

"What's going on?" I asked cautiously, my voice small.

My mom reached out and took my hand, her expression tender but concerned. "There's something we need to talk about, Renesmee," she said softly.

My stomach twisted into knots.

"I gather that you drank for the first time tonight?" Dad asked, his tone measured, but his eyes bored into mine like he already knew everything.

I nodded, my cheeks flushing as I squirmed under his scrutiny.

"And you made Emmett feel drunk?"

Another nod.

"And you made him dance, just with a touch of your palm?"

I nodded again, the embarrassment growing as everyone's gazes locked onto me like lasers.

I bit my lip, willing him to just get to the point already. Just say it, Daddy, I thought toward him, hoping he'd pick up the silent plea.

His jaw tightened, and he exhaled sharply through his nose. "You also made a woman do something."

My heart sank. I didn't want to nod this time, but I forced myself to. "She didn't seem upset, or hurt." I mumbled defensively, though my voice lacked conviction.

Dad pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to keep his composure. "Renesmee, do you realize what this means?"

I hesitated, looking at Mom for support. She gave me a soft, encouraging smile, but it didn't make me feel any better.

"I didn't mean to do anything bad," I said quickly. "It's not like I made her rob a bank or something! I was just—"

"Testing your powers," Dad interrupted, his voice heavy. "I understand that. But you need to know how serious this is. What you did goes beyond influencing someone's thoughts. You're controlling them, Renesmee."

His words sent a shiver down my spine. I swallowed hard. "I mean… I guess?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But what's wrong with that?"

Carlisle leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It's more complex than you think," he said thoughtfully. "I had a theory that your ability might evolve into something like this, but I never expected it to manifest so strongly… and so soon." He flipped through his notebook, his expression unusually grim. "If this is what I think it is, then you're capable of full-scale mind control. If the Volturi found out..."

"They'd either try to acquire you, or... eliminate the risk entirely." Jasper finished, his expression grim.

The weight of his words settled over the room like a heavy blanket.

The room fell into a heavy silence, his words hitting me like a brick. "Acquire me?" I repeated, my voice shaky. The implications dawning on me like a slow-moving nightmare. "Oh God."

Mom squeezed my hand, her fingers tightening protectively around mine. "We won't let that happen, sweetheart," she said, her voice fierce. She had mentioned the Volturi's interest in her when she met them after she was turned. She was lucky they let her go that time, because she had fulfilled her promise to be turned after her graduation. But Alice said they're just waiting for us to break a rule, no matter how small, and they will strike. Images of chains and torture chambers flashed through my mind.

Dad's face darkened, his jaw tight. He wrapped his hand around my shoulder protectively. "It won't come to that, ever. I promise. That's why we need to be more careful than ever, and we can't let you out of our sight."

I exhaled sharply, pressing closer into my dad's embrace. His protectiveness was comforting, but a sickening realization twisted in my gut.

"What about college?" I blurted out suddenly.

My parents promised to let me attend real college after my real seventeenth birthday, all by myself to a university of my choosing, without them or any other family members hovering like a helicopter. It was the one thing I'd been looking forward to for years. But if they were saying what I thought they were saying…

Dad closed his eyes for a moment before looking at me. "Unfortunately, yes. We will all attend the same university with you."

My jaw dropped as the meaning of his words sank in. "Are you kidding me?" My voice rose with frustration. "I've been waiting to go ever since I was five, I have followed every single one of your stupid rules,, and you're just going to break your promise? This isn't fair!" I shot up from the couch, pacing in frustration. "I didn't ask to have weird brain-touch powers or whatever this is!"

"We know, sweetheart," Mom said softly, her voice full of sympathy. "It's for your own safety."

I let out a bitter laugh, throwing my hands in the air. "Right. My safety." My voice dripped with sarcasm. "More like your paranoia."

Dad's jaw clenched, but he didn't argue.

"Renesmee." Carlisle's voice was gentle but firm. "I know this is difficult to accept, but the truth is… you're dangerous. Not just to yourself, but to others. We don't know the full extent of what you can do yet, and until we do, we can't risk leaving you on your own."

I felt like I was suffocating. The walls were closing in, trapping me in a life I didn't want.

I turned toward Alice, hoping for a miracle that she somehow can see my future, but she just shook her head, her tiny hands balled into fists. "You know I can't see your future," she murmured.

I groaned and swung my leg out to kick the pretentious glass coffee table with everything I had. The glass top shattered instantly into jagged shards, the metal frame skidded backward until it slammed into the wall with a deafening bang.