The tension in the room hung thick as we waited for Dad to speak. His breath came out in a slow, heavy sigh as he sank deeper into the armchair, his eyes scanning the faces around him. His expression was unreadable, like a steel mask concealing the storm brewing inside his mind. He had always been the strong one, the one who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, but now it seemed that even he didn't know where to begin.

His gaze flickered over everyone in the room, landing finally on Mom. There was no urgency, no impatience, just a calmness that almost felt like a reassurance.

"What do you remember?" he asked, his voice steady, his eyes searching for any hint of recognition.

Mom's brow furrowed as if she hadn't expected the question to turn on her. Her eyes flickered away for a moment, lost in thought, before she spoke, her voice soft yet sure.

"Spirits," she said quietly, as though the word itself carried weight, a forgotten truth resurfacing.

Her eyes grew distant, and I could see her mind turning back, rewinding the years to a time by the fire on the beach when Dad had told her stories—stories she'd dismissed then as mere romanticism, designed to make him seem more mysterious. But now, they were no longer just stories.

"Spirit warriors," she continued, her voice growing stronger, more confident. "In the form of wolves?" She hesitated, as if a part of her was still unwilling to believe it, before something clicked, a shift in her expression. "Descendants can shift into wolves... Great wolves."

Her eyes moved deliberately across the room, settling on Jake, Jesse, Embry, and Seth. The air in the room seemed to freeze as realization hit her, like a wave crashing down all at once. 

"Cold ones... blood drinkers," she whispered, her voice trembling. "They set it off... They were called the..." She stopped, her breath catching in her throat. "Cullens," she gasped, the word leaving her lips with shock and disbelief.

The room held its breath, some metaphorically. Her eyes snapped to Carlisle, and for a moment, a flash of terror passed through her. She hadn't expected this, hadn't wanted it to be true. Her grip on the glass in her hand loosened involuntarily, and it slipped, falling from her fingers.

Embry, who was sitting between the couch and Dad's armchair, reacted swiftly, reaching out to catch the glass before it hit the ground. But even his quick reflexes didn't ease the tension in the room. Mom flinched again, her mind reeling.

"Sorry," Embry muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he handed the glass back to her, shrinking away in shame.

Mom stared at him, her mind whirring. Her gaze lingered on his speed, on the impossibility of it all. Her eyes met Rob's next, and something in her shifted. The anger that had been bubbling beneath the surface began to rise.

"Everything I told you, everything my father and mother told you, it's all true," Rob said quietly, his voice tinged with regret.

Mom's eyes welled with tears as she looked around the room, at the faces of the people she thought she knew but now saw through a different lens. She turned to Jesse, her voice breaking. "You're... you're a werewolf?"

Jesse gave a small, sheepish smile, his head dipping slightly. "A shapeshifter... but yeah." His smile widened slightly. "It's okay, Mom," he added, trying to comfort her, but she didn't smile back. 

She turned to Rob, the question hanging in the air. "How long?"

"I first phased in July 2005," Jesse answered instead, his voice steady but laced with a quiet sorrow.

Mom's mind raced as she tried to piece together the timeline, her thoughts flashing back to when she had gone to Miami, before she'd returned for Christmas. Her eyes drifted to me, then to Bella, and finally to the Cullens. She paused on Bella for a moment, narrowing her eyes, the pieces falling into place.

"You're Cold Ones... vampires," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Aunt Lily," Bella said, her tone exasperated, but there was no mistaking the truth in her words.

Mom's gaze flickered to Edward, and she didn't need to say anything—her stare was accusatory enough.

I felt a pang of guilt for my mother's confusion, but I was grateful for Jasper's calming presence. Without him, the tension might have overwhelmed the room.

Mom's focus shifted to me then, her eyes scanning the red and blue inside my own. Jake's hand instinctively moved to rest on my bump, as if to shield me from whatever question was coming next.

"What are you?" Mom asked, the words sharp, full of pain and accusation.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Mom, please," I whispered, my eyes welling with tears.

"What are you?" Mom repeated, the demand impossible to ignore.

I hesitated, taking a deep breath before speaking. "It's a little hard to explain."

"Well, I have the time. I've been kept in the dark long enough." Her eyes flashed with frustration as she shot Dad a hard glare.

"Mom, you need to stop blaming Dad," I said softly, meeting my mother's gaze with intensity. "It's not his fault you didn't believe him. The rest of us didn't either for a time." I glanced at the Cullens. "There are also other rules in play."

"Rules?" Mom repeated, incredulous.

"Yes," I confirmed, my voice steady. "There are rules we have to follow, and not all of them are ours to break."

"I still want to know everything," Mom demanded.

Tori, sitting beside her, spoke up gently. "We can do this tomorrow, Mom. When you've had some rest."

But Mom wouldn't hear it. "No! I want to know everything. I want to know the truth."

The room fell silent, the weight of her words settling over everyone. I looked around at the others. They all wanted to tell the truth too, and it seemed like this was the price they had to pay to finally ease Mom's pain.

Turning to Dad, I spoke again, my voice quieter now. "Dad?"

He took a deep breath, the gravity of the moment settling in. "It all started with Taha Aki..."

And as he told the story, Mom listened in stunned silence, the truth of their world unfolding before her. The legends of wolves, the treaty with the Cullens, the vampires that had become part of their lives—everything she'd dismissed as fantasy, as stories, was now undeniable reality.

Carlisle spoke next, his voice soft yet heavy with regret. "We didn't know that our return would trigger the gene again. We understand now that it placed a great burden upon this generation. Had we known, we would never have returned."

Bella sucked in a breath at Carlisle's words, but it was I who spoke next, my voice full of empathy. "Carlisle, please. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"I have gained much from our return, don't get me wrong," Carlisle continued with a soft smile, meeting my gaze. "But it came at a great cost."

Jake leaned forward; his voice gruff but filled with conviction. "Don't beat yourself up, Doc. We've never been happier."

Carlisle smiled sadly. "I know," he said quietly.

Jake turned to Mom, trying to explain further. "When a Quileute of a certain bloodline—usually a male—turns eighteen and they come across the scent of a vampire, their body starts to change. We grow taller, stronger, our temperature rises, and we feel this overwhelming need to protect the tribe. After a few months, we phase for the first time, and it's not easy. It takes a lot of control to hold onto who you are, especially when anger triggers the change. But not every eighteen-year-old phases. It depends on how many vampires are nearby."

Jesse nodded. "Sam was the first to phase, and then Jared, Paul, and I followed in July 2005."

Mom's eyes shifted to Jesse, her mind racing. "Your hair... and the tattoo..."

Jesse chuckled softly. "Yeah, Mom. After we phased, we had to cut our hair. Long hair, long fur, you know? There were four of us at first. Sam was our alpha; Paul and I were his beta and third. We had to wait for others to join us, especially with Carlisle's family of seven vampires. That's when we found out about Victoria and..." He paused, the name lost on him. 

At the mention of their names, Bella spoke up, her voice distant. "Laurent."

Mom turned to her, her eyes narrowing.

Bella took a deep breath, steadying herself under my mom's unblinking gaze. The room was tense, everyone waiting for her to speak. "Two months after I moved back to Forks," she began, her voice strong but with a slight tremor. "Edward and I became official. I knew something was different about him, and with the things Jacob had told me... I figured it out. Maybe a week after we became a couple, we were out with his family when we came across three other vampires: James, Laurent, and Victoria."

As she spoke, I felt myself retreating into my memories, remembering my first encounter with these dangerous beings.

Edward's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Some vampires have... gifts. Special abilities." He glanced at me. 

"Don't mention me specifically, please," I added quietly, mentally, only for Edward to hear.

Edward continued, explaining the wide range of powers vampires could have. "I can read minds. Alice can see the future. Jasper can manipulate emotions. Bella has a mental shield, which protects her mind, and others' minds, from mental attacks. Some vampires can inflict pain with a glance, others can manipulate the elements, project their thoughts, or even alter the senses. The possibilities are endless."

He paused for a moment, then pressed on. "We ran into a small coven—James, Laurent, and Victoria. James had a gift, too. He could track anyone. If he had a scent, he could find you anywhere. It wasn't just about following a trail; he could predict your every move. His mate, Victoria, had an enhanced ability of self-preservation. She was incredibly fast and could avoid any attacks. When James locked onto Bella, she became his next target."

Bella took over, her voice quieter. "We decided I would have to go into hiding until James was destroyed. Alice, Jasper, and I went to Phoenix, while Esme and Rosalie stayed behind to protect Charlie. Edward, Emmett, and Carlisle went after James."

Lily, who had been watching intently, spoke up, her voice thick with the memory. "You fell down a staircase... and out of a window?"

Bella shook her head slightly. "Not exactly. James found me in Phoenix. He tricked me by saying he had kidnapped my mom. I went to him, and he attacked me. But Edward saved me, and his family helped destroy James."

Edward nodded gravely. "We thought that once James was gone and Laurent had gone off to Denali, we were safe. But we were wrong." His gaze flicked briefly to me. "Bella's eighteenth birthday... that's when everything changed again. Bella got a paper cut, and Jasper, who was the newest member of our coven, found it hard to control himself around human blood. There was an altercation. Bella was injured, and that made me doubt everything. But that was not the most catastrophic thing to happen that night."

I felt my chest tighten as the focus shifted back to me. But I wasn't ready to face it just yet. I turned to Edward, my voice thick with emotion. "That's a strong word. I don't want to make it sound worse than it was." There was an uncomfortable silence. Then I turned to my mom. "Dad had always told us to stay away from the Cullens. I'm not sure if you knew that or not?"

Mom's gaze softened but remained hard with suspicion. "I had an idea," she said quietly. "I thought he was being superstitious... but I understand now." She turned to Edward, her face hardening. "You did this to her."

"Mom..." I murmured, but my mother wasn't listening.

Edward's voice was heavy with regret. "I was distraught. I know Aria was collateral damage because of my love for Bella. I take full responsibility."

Before my mom could react, I quickly interjected, "I don't hold Edward accountable. If I had listened to Dad, maybe I would've had a different life, but I'm happy now. I wouldn't change anything."

Mom flinched, confusion clouding her expression as she seemed to think I was saying I wouldn't change the lies or secrets. She tried to process it. "You wouldn't change that you all kept this from me?"

I met her gaze, steady. "No, Mom. That I would. But there are rules."

"Rules?" Mom spat the word as though it was venom. "I'm your mother! You should've told me everything! Everything!"

"I know," I whispered. "And I'm sorry. You'll know everything now. But... are you sure you want to know what happened?" I asked quietly.

Mom's expression softened just slightly. She nodded, the pain in her eyes now mingling with a mixture of concern and confusion. "I'm listening."

I took a deep breath and continued. "As I said, I should have listened to Dad. Bella was being watched. The Cullens didn't know. They weren't looking for her."

"Her?" Mom echoed, her face confused and alarmed.

I closed my eyes briefly before speaking again. "Victoria. She wanted revenge for Edward killing James. She wanted Bella dead. She wanted to hurt Edward. She wanted to make them all pay, and... I was part of that plan."

Mom's face blanched as the realization began to set in. My gaze was unwavering, and I knew my mother needed to hear every word.

"The night of Bella's birthday," I continued, "I wasn't on good terms with Jesse... do you remember? We had been arguing, not speaking much. I left the house to clear my head. I wasn't sure how far I'd gone into the forest, but Victoria found me."

Mom's breath caught. She reached out instinctively for my hand, her mind reeling. "She hurt you, didn't she?"

I nodded, my voice shaky. "Yes. She hurt me badly. I knew something was broken. Well, a lot was broken. But then... there was this sudden surge of anger, heat, the world seemed to shake. Then, when she bit me... everything went dark."

A soft gasp echoed in the room, but I pushed on. "I woke up two days later. I was... different."

Alice spoke up, her voice gentle. "I had a vision, but it was too late. Victoria had already made her move."

Edward's face was grim. "We arrived too late. Victoria was gone, and Aria was... crumpled on the floor. She wasn't in pain. But that wasn't normal. We knew she was different. Her heart didn't stop, she was still warm. And she didn't seem to be in the kind of agony we'd expect during a transformation."

Jesse's voice was strained as he remembered the events. "When Aria didn't come home that night, Sam, Jared, Paul, and I went looking for her. We followed her scent, but then we hit the boundary line. We couldn't go any further. We didn't know if she was dead or alive."

I paused for a moment, swallowing hard. "I woke up... and everything was different. My senses were heightened. I could feel everything. I was faster, stronger. My eyes—" I stopped myself, glancing at Mom. "My eyes were the biggest change."

Mom leaned forward, her eyes flicking between my now red and blue eyes and my growing belly. "I thought blood drinkers had red eyes..."

I nodded. "When a newborn is created, they have red eyes. After a few months, if they drink animal blood, their eyes turn gold. I didn't need to drink blood. But yes, at first, my eyes were red."

Mom's hand trembled in my own slightly as she tried to understand. "But now? What about now?"

"I don't hurt people," I said quietly, rubbing my belly. "I crave blood, but I don't hurt anyone."

Lily's gaze softened slightly as she placed her hand over my stomach, feeling the gentle movements. "How far along are you?" she asked quietly, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"Thirteen weeks today," I replied, giving a small smile. I glanced toward Carlisle, confirming with him. "Right?"

Carlisle nodded. "Thirteen weeks and a day."

Lily's face was a mixture of disbelief and concern. "How? How is this even possible?"

Carlisle responded, "Aria's pregnancy is... accelerated. It's like Bella's, but not quite as advanced. I believe it's moving at twice the human rate, so we estimate her pregnancy is condensed into 20 weeks rather than the typical 40."

Lily's mouth opened in shock. "So... you're really 26 weeks?" She looked at me, trying to make sense of the impossible.

I nodded. "Right."

Lily looked at my bump, finally reaching out to caress it gently. She felt the flutter of movement and took a deep breath. Despite the confusion, she could feel my warmth, my life, and the little one growing inside me. It was all so overwhelming, but my presence here, now, was proof of the incredible journey I'd been through.

I yawned, shifting to settle into Jake's side. "I'm sorry, Mom. We're all sorry."

Tori squeezed Mom's hand. "We just wanted to keep you safe."

Jesse then added almost sternly, "Speaking of safe... What happened to you?

Mom froze, her body going rigid as her gaze blanked and glazed over. The memories hit her like a flood, tearing through her mind with an intensity I could feel from across the couch. I didn't want to look, didn't want to witness the pain unfolding in front of me, but Edward's tortured expression made it impossible to look away. His pain was my own, a silent plea for understanding.

I had only been to Mom's apartment twice, but it was clear she was no longer here with us. Her mind had transported her back to that place, to the moment she feared most. Scott stood before her, his face flushed with anger, his piercing green eyes searing through her as though he could burn her from the inside out. His mouth moved in a furious tirade, but the words didn't register with Mom. Her attention drifted—first to the door, where stacks of boxes and suitcases lined the wall, reminders of an escape that seemed impossible. Then, her gaze shifted to the hallway mirror, where her reflection revealed the truth of her torment: one eye already swollen nearly shut, bruised black, and a brace wrapped around her wrist.

As her reflection registered, something shifted within Mom. It was as if the sight of herself, broken but unyielding, sparked a quiet but undeniable strength. The world around her sharpened, the noise of her past and present becoming clearer, more focused.

"I'm leaving," she said, the words slipping from her lips before she even realized she had spoken them—yet she didn't regret a single one.

"Like hell you are!" Scott's response was fierce, a sharp growl of defiance.

He grabbed her by the hair, pulling it sharply, the burn of pain causing her to scream as if she'd been singed, then stuck her hard across the jaw, before throwing her exhausted body to the hardwood floor. His screaming continued by Mom zoned him out again as he began to kick her. 

I closed my eyes, forcing everything to shut out as I gasped for air, my chest tight with the weight of what I had just seen.

"Oh my God," I whispered, my voice breaking. Without thinking, I threw myself into my mother's arms. "Mommy, I'm so sorry."

Jesse's voice was strained with confusion and urgency. "What? What happened? You need to tell us too!" His body was trembling with shock.

"Easy, Jesse," Jake's voice was calm, but even he seemed shaken.

Scarlett held Jesse tightly, her own shock reflected in the way she clung to him.

Tori, her voice filled with concern, spoke softly. "Mom? Ari?"

Mom blinked; her expression distant as she took a slow, shaky breath. "I was already trying to leave. He came home early from a business trip. I had everything packed, but when he walked in and saw me grabbing my things..." She paused, her eyes squeezing shut at the painful memory. "He'd already sprained my wrist and given me a black eye."

I could feel the tension in the room as she let the memory wash over her. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"He started screaming at me, saying I couldn't leave. But I couldn't take it anymore. I had to live my life—I needed to come back to all of you." Her gaze flicked to each of us, before settling on Dad. "He attacked me. Left me broken on the floor. I don't know how long it took me to get up again, but I found him in the lounge, watching TV, with his back to the kitchen. I grabbed a saucepan and crept up on him. When he noticed me, it was too late. I swung the pan, and I think I knocked him out. I grabbed everything I could and ran."

She took a shaky breath, looking around at us with pain in her eyes. "He's probably destroyed everything else in my apartment now. I left three days ago. I left my phone there so he couldn't track me."

A heavy silence filled the room, the weight of her words settling in. I hugged her tightly, unable to say anything, and Tori and Jesse joined us, offering their comfort in their own ways.

Jesse was the first to speak. "He'll never touch you again, Mom. We'll keep you safe."

Tori's voice was filled with admiration. "You're so brave, Mom. We're so proud of you."

I managed a small, shaky smile. "You're more than welcome to stay here, Mom. We'll figure things out, maybe move the gifts."

Alice spoke quickly, already in motion. "We'll take care of it." She, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett were already moving swiftly, shifting the gifts into the garage.

Mom blinked in surprise, looking at the empty space where they'd just been.

I turned back to her, my voice soft but insistent. "Mom, you should let Carlisle take a look at your injuries."

Mom shook her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm okay for now, sweetheart. I think I just need to sleep..."

I nodded in understanding. "I get it. It's a lot to take in."

Carlisle's calm voice cut through the moment. "I can come back tomorrow, if you need me."

Jesse, still anxious, spoke up again. "I think we need to get Uncle Charlie involved too."

Bella chimed in softly, "He is still need to know, Jess."

Jesse winced, realizing his mistake. "Oh no, I'm sorry, Bella... I mean about pressing charges."

Mom inhaled deeply, her apprehension clear.

Jesse's tone grew more determined. "We can't let him get away with this, Mom."

Mom nodded mutely, her eyes flickering with a mixture of fear and relief.

Esme, ever the voice of calm in times of turmoil, spoke up gently. "Let's give Lily some time to process this. Nothing needs to be decided right now."

Mom gave a small nod. "Thank you," she whispered.

Esme smiled softly. "If you ever need to talk, Lily... I have... experience with this kind of thing."

Alice, already on top of things, spoke up. "The room is ready."

Jacob gave her a grateful nod. "Thank you, Alice."

I stood up, gently pulling my mother to her feet. "Come on, Mom, I'll show you to your room." I paused and looked at Alice. "Alice?"

Alice nodded, her expression reassuring. "I'll be watching for him, I promise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello beautiful people...

Well, it's not been as long as the last update but I'm improving... just after two months. I promise I'll try and be better. 

Either way, I hope you enjoy, let me know of any theories or anything or comments on how it's going. I love to read them.

All my love,

Talia 🤍