Aria's POV

I watched Jacob disappear down the stairs and out of the door, the familiar ache of his absence settling in my chest. I almost felt like our baby inside me missed him too. I placed my hand gently over my bump, offering a quiet, comforting pat. "We'll see him soon," I murmured softly, though I wasn't entirely sure if I was reassuring myself or the little one - who I was now proud to admit was the size of a smallish pumpkin.

Turning away from the door, I caught my mom's gaze. She was sitting on the couch, a thoughtful look in her eyes, but there was a softness there too. I could see she was trying—trying to understand everything that had happened, trying to find her way through it all.

I tried to lighten the mood, knowing it was important to find moments of normalcy, even now. "I'd say let's order takeout, but it'll probably take forever to get here. So how do you feel about tacos, Mom?"

She gave me a small, knowing smile. "Tacos are good."

I couldn't help but smile back. "Shall we invite Tori and Scarlett as well?"

Mom thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Tori and Scarlett would probably appreciate the distraction too. It would be nice to have them around, to remind us of what it was like before everything got so complicated. Tonight, maybe we could focus on something simple, something we could control. Tacos, laughter, and just being together. It felt like the right kind of plan.

A few hours passed in a blur of comfort and noise. Tori, Scarlett, Mom, and I had settled into the living room after dinner. Tacos had been a hit, as usual, and we were all lounging on the couches, the remnants of the meal scattered on the coffee table. There was a sense of normalcy, a fleeting peace that helped drown out the tension of everything going on outside this house, outside our world.

Tori, as usual, was the one to pick the movie. She leaned forward on the couch, grinning as she held up the DVD case. "Something Borrowed," she announced, her voice filled with playful excitement. I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped me.

"Really? A rom-com?" Scarlett teased, tossing a pillow at her.

"Hey, don't knock it till you try it," Tori shot back, holding the case like a trophy. "It's the perfect movie for a night like tonight."

Mom leaned back, making herself comfortable in the chair next to me. "I'm in," she said softly, her tone light. She seemed more at ease now, laughing occasionally at the lighthearted moments in the movie. I was relieved to see her laughing, even if it was just for a few hours. It felt like a brief escape from the weight of everything we'd been dealing with.

As the movie played on, I glanced over at Tori, who was curled up next to Scarlett. The two of them were close, and I could tell they were both enjoying the movie, even if it wasn't necessarily their usual go-to genre. Tori had been a rock throughout everything, especially for Mom. With all the chaos going on, she had kept herself grounded, but it was clear she was struggling too. Still, she was trying to keep things as normal as possible for all of us.

Tori had received special circumstances with her college due to everything going on with Mom. Instead of returning to New York for the fall semester, she'd stayed home to help, finishing her classes remotely. But we all knew she'd be heading back to the city after the holidays, resuming life on her own again. I could see how much she had been looking forward to that return, to getting back to her life, her friends, and the bustling energy of New York.

But tonight wasn't about that. It wasn't about the future, or the uncertainties that loomed. Tonight was about the quiet moments—about being together, in the calm before everything else shifted again.

I adjusted my position on the couch, tucking my legs beneath me as I glanced at Mom, who was completely engrossed in the movie. Her eyes were soft, her shoulders relaxed. I could tell she was taking the time to breathe and that was all we could ask.

Despite everything, I couldn't concentrate on the film and my mind wandered. Whilst I had been cooking, I had received a text from Emmett confirming bad news:

Your mom's apartment is literally destroyed. Scott's scent was there, but no sign of him now. Rose cleaned up as best as she could. I tracked his lingering scent—he got into a car, but we don't know where he's headed. Alice has no more updates. We're hoping he's gone for good, but we're still not taking any chances. We'll be heading back soon.

My stomach tightened as I had read it, the weight of the message sinking in. It was what we had feared— Scott was still out there, but no one knew where he was, or what he was planning next. I felt the familiar pressure in my chest as I thought about my mom's apartment in Miami. To think it was destroyed... the space where she had once tried to find some peace, now reduced to nothing.

I took a deep breath and leaned back against the couch, my hand instinctively going to my bump again. The little pumpkin stirred inside me, as though feeling my unease. I gently patted my stomach, trying to soothe both myself and the baby. "We'll be okay," I whispered to him, though the words felt hollow.

As the film continued, the soft glow of the TV screen flickering in the dimly lit room, I felt the weight of the silence around us. The house, with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the dark forest, felt quieter than usual. The usual sounds of the night—rustling leaves, distant animal calls—seemed to fade into the background as the film played on. The house had always felt like a sanctuary, tucked away in the middle of the forest, far from the chaos that always seemed to follow us.

But then, at exactly 8pm, as the clock ticked over, the atmosphere shifted, and the silence was broken by a howl—loud and distant yet chilling enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The howl had come from deep in the woods, but it wasn't a typical sound we were used to hearing from the pack. This one was different—longer, more desperate, almost as if calling for something.

 My heart skipped a beat, but as I listened closer, I realized it wasn't one of the pack. I knew the pack's voices by heart, and this... this wasn't one of theirs.

I glanced at my mom, who had frozen as well, her eyes wide. She wasn't used to this kind of thing—the wild calls of the forest, the creatures that roamed just beyond the trees. She looked at me, clearly uncertain.

"Was that..." she began, but I interrupted, trying to mask the concern in my voice.

"It's just a wolf," I said, keeping my tone casual, though something in the back of my mind was nagging at me. "Probably a lone wolf. Nothing to worry about."

But my mind wouldn't let go of the feeling that something felt different. The howl had been too long, too distant—something about it felt deliberate, like it was calling, waiting.

Tori and Scarlett exchanged uneasy glances, both sensing something more, no doubt. The howl had been prolonged, too loud to be just any random animal. But I forced myself to remain calm. It could be nothing. It had to be nothing.

I turned back to my mom, trying to ease her worry. "We'll be fine. It's just a wolf."

Mom didn't look convinced, but she nodded, still unsure. "Okay, if you say so."

Before I could say anything else, the howl came again—louder this time, still distant but almost as though it was coming closer. It seemed to echo through the trees, bouncing off the mountains in the distance.

The sound lingered for a moment before the night returned to its usual stillness. Something shifted inside me, but I didn't know what it was. The baby—my son—was calm now, but the unease remained.

No more than ten minutes later, an uncomfortable feeling crept over me. It was subtle at first, like the brush of cold air against my skin, but it quickly grew stronger. My senses were heightened, the hair on the back of my neck standing up as if something—or someone—was watching us.

I glanced around the room, my gaze scanning every corner, the large windows showing only the darkness of the forest outside. But there was nothing. No movement, no signs of life beyond the walls.

Instinctively, I reached out with my mind, searching for any thoughts, any presence beyond the room, but I found nothing. No one—nothing—was out there except for those in the house. The eerie silence seemed even louder now, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was really wrong. 

With my heightened hearing, I focused on the sounds outside the house, trying to block out the noise from the movie. I concentrated, straining to catch any hint of movement or life beyond the walls, but the silence of the forest only seemed to grow heavier, more oppressive.

Then, I heard it. At first, it was faint, barely perceptible, but as I listened more intently, it grew louder—steady, rhythmic. Breaths. Deep, heavy breaths, like something—or someone—was lurking just beyond the trees, close enough that I could hear but still hidden in the shadows.

My heart started to race. The breathing was deliberate, laboured, and accompanied by a thudding sound—its heartbeat was strong, far too fast, too intense. It wasn't human. It wasn't anything I'd ever heard before. Whatever it was, it was huge—massive. Maybe some kind of bear, but there was a weight to it, something more primal, something unnatural.

The hairs on my arms stood on end, and I felt a cold shiver crawl down my spine. My baby shifted uncomfortably inside me, reacting to the strange tension in the air. I glanced at my mom and the others, but they were oblivious.

I focused harder, but the steady breaths and the pounding heart were the only things I could hear now. They seemed to be getting closer, their presence undeniable. I looked toward the windows, but the forest was swallowed in darkness, no shape or figure visible in the moonlight. Whatever it was, it was still out there, waiting.

As I listened to the heavy breaths growing louder, a thought crept into my mind. Could the howls from earlier have been a warning? A regular wolf, maybe trying to warn us about something bigger, something dangerous that was now nearby.

I glanced around the room, suddenly realizing something felt off. My phone. I couldn't remember the last time I'd checked it. My eyes darted to the dining room table, where I had left it earlier. As I stood up, trying to appear casual, I forced myself not to panic.

As I made my way toward the dining room, my feet moved automatically, but my senses were on high alert. I had to stay calm. I told myself it was just my nerves acting up, maybe the tension of the howls and the strange feeling of being watched.

But when I reached the dining room, I hesitated, glancing back toward the windows. The darkness outside seemed thicker than it should be, like something was out there, watching.

I moved closer to the window. The forest stretched out in front of me, dark and still, but the heavy breathing persisted, deep and rhythmic.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes locked onto something in the distance. There, just beyond the trees, almost nine feet up in the air—two beady, green eyes glimmered in the darkness. They were watching me, glowing faintly in the moonlight. I felt my heart skip a beat, my blood running cold. They didn't belong to any animal I recognized.

The creature, whatever it was, was too far to make out clearly, but those eyes were unmistakable. They were intelligent, deliberate—tracking my every move. I stood frozen, every instinct screaming that I needed to stay still, stay quiet.

My heart raced, and my pulse hammered in my ears as I focused harder on the creature in the distance. The more I stared, the clearer it became. The glowing green eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, locking onto mine with unsettling intensity. I couldn't tear my gaze away, and with every second, the figure seemed to grow larger, more terrifying.

Then, as my eyes adjusted to the night, my stomach dropped. My phone slipped from my hand, hitting the floor with a sharp clatter, but I barely registered the noise.

What I was looking at... It was no longer just a pair of glowing eyes. The creature was massive—too large to be any regular animal. It was standing on its hind legs, towering in the shadows. Its body was covered in thick black fur, the shape more human than wolf, with long, sharp claws that dug into the earth beneath it. Its jaws were parted slightly, revealing a row of snarling, razor-sharp teeth.

The beast's gaze didn't waver. Its eyes, still glowing a fierce, unnatural green, were fixed on me. A low, guttural growl rumbled from deep within its chest, and I could feel the vibrations in my bones.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. It was so close, so much closer than I had realized. The creature didn't move, but its presence felt suffocating, as if it was drawing closer with every passing second, even though it remained standing still.

I couldn't move, couldn't even think. My mind screamed at me to run, to do something, but fear locked me in place. This was no ordinary animal. This was something darker, something far more dangerous.

I wanted to scream, to alert my mom, Tori, or Scarlett, but the words lodged in my throat. All I could do was stare at the creature, my heart pounding so loudly I thought it might give me away.

The moment the creature's full form came into view, a chilling realization swept over me. It wasn't just any beast—this was something from the nightmares of a horror film. My mind raced, a term that had been whispered about in the darkest corners of the supernatural world flashing into my thoughts: Child of the Moon.

A real werewolf.

The kind that made the legends and stories come to life, something beyond the realm of ordinary wolves or the occasional rogue shifter. A creature that even the Volturi feared. Its posture, its size—everything about it screamed that it wasn't just a wolf standing on two legs. It was something ancient, something with a terrifying power that was difficult to comprehend.

The beast's thick, dark fur bristled as it inhaled deeply, nostrils flaring, its beady green eyes locked onto mine with a deadly focus. I could feel my heartbeat pounding against my ribs, and every instinct inside me screamed to run, to hide, to get out of sight—but I knew I couldn't. Not from something like this.

As if sensing my fear, it growled low in its throat, the sound vibrating through the air like an echo from the depths of some nightmare. My mind screamed at me to move, but I was frozen, caught between the desire to protect myself and the overwhelming realization of what I was seeing.

It wasn't just the size of it or the eeriness of its gaze that struck me. It was the sheer, raw power that radiated from it. I could almost feel its energy crackling in the air, like electricity before a storm. It wasn't an animal anymore—it was something much worse.

And it was waiting. Watching.

At the loud noise of my phone hitting the floor, the others turned around, their eyes wide with shock and confusion. I held my breath, praying they wouldn't do anything to draw attention to us.

"Don't!" I whispered urgently. "Don't move towards me."

I could feel my heart pounding, the weight of the creature's presence outside pressing against the walls of the house. I could see its breath, pluming in the darkness beyond the windows. 

Tori was the first to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. "What is it?"

"I don't know," I replied, my voice tight with fear. My hand instinctively went to cover my bump, shielding the baby. I didn't know if he could sense what was out there, but I couldn't take any chances.

I turned to the group, trying to keep my voice steady. "Do you have your phones?"

Tori and Scarlett nodded quickly, both reaching for their devices. Lily, however, shook her head, the worry clear in her eyes.

I didn't waste time on that. "Text the Cullens... text the pack... tell them to get here." I said, my throat tight with panic. "Now."

"Ari, you're scaring me," Scarlett's voice trembled, and I heard her shift on the couch.

"Don't!" I nearly begged, my voice wavering as I spoke. "Please, stay still."

The creature, outside, remained silent for a moment. But then, I heard it again. The deep, steady breathing. And then, it moved. Just one step forward, but that was all it took to make the hairs on my neck stand on end. My stomach turned, but I refused to look away.

We were sitting ducks here. But as long as we stayed still, as long as we didn't draw attention to ourselves, I could only hope it would keep its distance.

Mom's voice was barely a whisper, but it hit me like a punch to the gut.

"Aria? Honey?"

The moment she spoke, the creature outside let out a deafening howl. It wasn't like the first two—it was raw, a bone-chilling sound that seemed to reverberate through the walls of the house. The windows shuddered under the force of it, and I felt a surge of panic flood through me.

Everyone jumped at the noise. Tori, Scarlett, and Lily all covered their ears, grimacing in pain. I could hear the frantic thumping of their hearts, each of us struggling to regain control of our breath. The air in the room felt suffocating, the pressure rising as the howl rang out. It echoed through the forest and back, shaking the very foundations of the house.

And then, with a bone-rattling crash, it emerged. The sound of its footfalls thundered through the trees before it finally appeared, running full force toward the house on all fours.

I could hear the heavy, thundering stride—its massive body moving through the forest, faster than any animal should be able to move. The darkness outside seemed to grow thicker, more oppressive, as it approached. My heart raced, and I held my breath, praying that it wouldn't reach us, but deep down I knew it was already too late.

I couldn't move. Couldn't think. All I could do was hope that whatever this thing was, it would stop before it reached the windows.

It was coming. Fast. And we were trapped.

Third Person POV

Aria's voice pierced the air, sharp and frantic. "Go! Upstairs, go!"

Her command snapped the others into motion, and they scrambled from their seats, their phones pressed urgently to their ears as they raced toward the stairs. But as they moved, their eyes caught the outline of the creature emerging from the darkness, its massive form looming closer with every passing second. The sight of it was enough to freeze their blood.

A scream tore from Tori's throat, followed by Scarlett's and Lily's, as the full enormity of the creature became visible in the moonlight. Its grotesque shape was almost too much to comprehend—too tall, too unnatural, a terrifying fusion of man and beast. The air around it seemed to pulse with danger, its hulking body moving with a predatory grace as it closed the distance.

Aria, her heart pounding in her chest, felt a surge of panic flood through her. She turned to the others, desperate to get them out of harm's way, but her own body felt paralyzed by the horror unfolding outside. She could hear the others' frantic breaths as they moved toward the stairs, but the creature's presence seemed to fill the entire room, its howl still echoing in the distance.

Despite the heaviness of her pregnancy, Aria's enhanced strength surged through her veins. The blood she had consumed to nourish her unborn son had amplified her abilities, making her feel invincible. Her instincts screamed for her to protect her family, but the weight of her swollen belly made her movements more cumbersome, and she grew fatigued faster than she would have liked.

The others were ahead of her, already halfway to the stairs, when the creature made its move. With a deafening roar, it charged through the glass window, sending shards flying in all directions. The sound of breaking glass filled the room, and the creature, with its horrifying blend of man and beast, came crashing into the room, its eyes wild with fury.

Aria's heart raced, but there was no time for hesitation. Her muscles tensed, and without a second thought, she lunged toward the table in the centre of the room. Clasping her hands around its edge, she lifted it effortlessly, as if it weighed nothing. The table—once a heavy piece of furniture—now felt like a mere tennis racket in her hands, and with a powerful swing, she sent it hurtling toward the creature.

The force of the blow sent the creature crashing backward, its monstrous form skidding across the floor before it was flung through the air and sent tumbling back down the hillside. Aria's breath came in heavy bursts, her heart hammering in her chest, but the adrenaline coursing through her kept her going.

As the table collided with the creature, everything in its wake was obliterated. Vases, glassware, and furniture shattered into a thousand pieces, scattering across the room in an explosion of broken glass and splintered wood. The once pristine lounge and dining area was now a chaotic mess of destruction, the remnants of what had been a peaceful home now lying in ruin.

Aria stood, her breath ragged, watching as the creature stumbled back, disoriented but not defeated. The space around her was in shambles, but the only thing that mattered was the safety of the others.

The room was now exposed to the open air, the once-secure walls no longer shielding them from the outside. Aria could feel the breeze rush in, but it wasn't the cool night air that made her stomach churn. The stench that filled her nose was overwhelming. It was sharp, rancid—a pungent mix of damp earth and wet dog. It clawed at her senses, and yet, there was something else beneath it all. Something deeply unsettling.

Familiarity.

Aria's eyes widened, her pulse skipping a beat as the realization hit her like a punch to the gut. She couldn't believe it. Her gaze snapped toward the creature, still recovering from the blow, and the horror crystallized.

"Oh my god..." she whispered in disbelief.

It was Scott.

Her mind reeled, trying to make sense of it. The creature standing before them, the one she had thought was some kind of monstrous werewolf, was none other than the very person they had been hunting. Scott—the very same who had been lurking in the shadows, the one whose scent had once been elusive but now unmistakable.

The blood drained from her face, and her hand instinctively moved to cover her belly, as though she could protect her unborn son from the oncoming storm of chaos. The presence of Scott, transformed and feral, sent a wave of dread through her body, but also an overwhelming sense of fury. This wasn't just some random creature from the wild—it was him.

"Scott..." she muttered, her voice thick with a mix of disbelief and anger.

As she stood there, heart pounding, the others slowly turned to face the creature. Tori, Scarlett, and Lily froze, their faces pale with shock, too stunned to speak, too terrified to move. But the room was open now, and there was no turning back. The danger was here, and it was far worse than any of them could have imagined.

The tension in the air was thick, suffocating. As Aria stood, her heart racing, trying to keep her focus on the creature before her, she could feel the weight of the moment crashing down. Scott—no, the monster he had become—was still recovering from the impact, but his eyes were locked onto her, burning with a dark, feral hunger.

It was then that Aria's mind was pulled elsewhere, her senses drawn to the sound of frantic, panicked thoughts. She recognized Sam's steady, commanding voice, the thought processes of his pack coming through loud and clear.

We're coming, Sam's voice rang through her mind, calm yet urgent. "Hold tight, Aria. We're ten minutes out."

Her pulse surged with hope at hearing Sam's words, but then another voice broke through—Jacob's, wild and frantic, laced with the same anxiety she could feel in her bones.

"Aria..."Jacob's thought was sharp, filled with panic. "I'm coming baby. Hold on!" He was at least another thirty minutes away. 

Aria's stomach twisted at the sound of his voice. She could feel the sheer urgency in his thoughts, the terror of not being there to protect her, to protect their baby.

"I love you, Jacob," she whispered to herself, even though she knew he couldn't hear her words. She tried to remain steady, but with each passing second, the creature—Scott—seemed to grow more menacing.

Tori, Scarlett, and Lily were still frozen, their phones still pressed to their ears. The seconds felt like hours as Aria tried to keep her composure, but she could hear the pack's thoughts growing closer, a rhythmic pulse of urgency.

"We're almost there," Sam's voice again, closer now. "Hold on. Don't engage unless you have to."

Aria squeezed her eyes shut, pushing back the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She had to hold out, protect her family until help arrived. But as she stood there, feeling the weight of the moment, she knew that Scott wasn't just a threat to her, to her unborn baby, but to everything she held dear.

The countdown to their rescue was now a race against time.

"Aria!" Lily calls from the stairs, her voice full of fear.

"Stay upstairs!" Aria orders, not taking her eyes off Scott, her tone sharp, desperate. She couldn't afford to lose focus.

From the staircase, Aria could hear Tori and Scarlett still on their phones, their voices trembling as they whined and cried in fear, worried about her and the baby. Aria could hear the fear in their minds, but the truth was, she was just as worried. Her body ached, exhaustion weighing down on her, despite the surge of strength coursing through her from the blood she had consumed. Her belly felt heavy, her movements slower than usual. But worse than that, her thoughts kept going back to her unborn baby, feeling his restlessness as the tension in the air only grew thicker.

The creature was coming back. She could hear its heavy breaths, its slow but powerful approach up the hillside, the ground vibrating with every step it took. She had to do something.

She gripped the table again, her muscles straining with effort. She lifted it easily and positioned herself to swing it again. But just as she was about to launch it into the creature, everything happened in a blur of motion.

A sharp crash echoed through the air, and the creature's body was knocked sideways, thrown off balance. Bella, Edward, and Carlisle—unseen until now—slammed into the creature with inhuman speed, sending it tumbling further down the hillside. For the first time, Aria felt a brief but much-needed respite.

The creature rolled, growling angrily as it tried to regain its footing, but the vampires were already on it, moving too quickly for it to react. Aria's heart pounded in her chest, relief rushing through her veins. But she knew it wasn't over. Not yet.

Edward, his eyes burning with intensity, glanced toward Aria, his expression hard but focused.

Aria dropped the table with a loud clatter as it crashed to the floor, its weight no longer needed. Without a second thought, she leaped through the broken window, her feet hitting the ground lightly as she landed beside Edward, Bella, and Carlisle. The air was thick with tension, and she could feel the energy swirling around them, but her focus was entirely on the creature still struggling to regain its composure down the hillside.

Bella's sharp voice cut through the air, filled with concern, "What is it?"

Aria shook her head, her heart still pounding in her chest. Her eyes were fixed on the creature, but she could barely process the shock she felt. Carlisle, his expression grim, was already deep in thought. She could hear the quiet words in his mind, the ones she couldn't bring herself to say aloud: A Child of the Moon.

Edward, standing just beside her, clenched his jaw. He understood exactly what Carlisle had meant. His eyes locked on the creature in the distance, fury burning in them as he processed the reality of it.

"I thought they were gone," Edward muttered, his voice heavy with disbelief and anger.

Bella looked back and forth between them; her confusion evident as she took in the atmosphere. "Can someone fill me in?!"

Carlisle, his expression never leaving the beast below, spoke slowly, his voice full of certainty. "It's a Child of the Moon."

Aria's gaze hardened as she turned to Bella. "It's also Scott." Her voice was laced with disgust. 

The realization that the creature before them was Scott hit everyone like a freight train. Bella's face twisted with shock, and Edward's eyes flared with alarm, his mind racing as he processed the depth of the situation. Carlisle's expression was taut, full of disbelief, but there was no mistaking the horror of the moment.

But before anyone could say anything further, Scott, still reeling from the blows, surged forward, charging back up the hillside. The earth beneath him trembled as he moved with terrifying speed and power. The air seemed to crackle with tension, and they were all unsure of how to face this—a creature once known to them, but now monstrous beyond recognition.

Bella moved first, her instincts sharp, but before she could react, Scott's massive, clawed hand swiped across her with terrifying force. The impact sent her flying, crashing into the ground a few feet away.

"Bella!" Edward roared, but it was too late to reach her. His gaze snapped toward Scott, fury in his eyes, but Carlisle was already charging forward, his hands like claws as he tried to strike the creature in the chest. Scott, however, was too fast. He swiped a hand through the air, sending Carlisle flying backward, his body launching into the air like a ragdoll before crashing into the side of the house with a sickening thud.

Aria stood frozen, torn. She could feel the weight of the decision bearing down on her—attack and risk something happening to the baby, or retreat and protect him at all costs. The creature before her, the monster that had been Scott, was too dangerous. She couldn't risk it, but the fear gnawed at her, and her baby shifted uneasily inside her.

Edward, ever protective, moved in front of her without hesitation. He positioned himself between her and Scott, determined to shield her from any harm. But the sheer strength of the beast was overpowering. In a flash, Scott surged forward, clasping his massive hands around Edward's middle. With a brutal yank, he tore Edward's arm from his body, flinging it aside like a ragdoll. The sickening sound of it echoed in the night air. Edward let out a pained, ferocious scream, but before he could react further, Scott tossed him with an inhuman strength, sending Edward flying into Aria.

She barely had time to brace herself before Edward collided with her, knocking her off her feet and sending them both crashing to the ground. Her body hit the earth hard, but she instinctively curled her arms around her swollen belly to protect the baby.

Bella screamed, a raw, terrified sound that echoed through the air, but it was drowned out by Scott's deafening howl, shaking the very ground beneath them. The creature turned and ran, retreating into the forest with terrifying speed.

Just as Aria managed to shift to her side, gasping for air and pushing through the pain of her collision with the ground and Edward, she heard the sound of Sam's pack—their heavy footsteps pounding the earth as they descended upon the hillside with a fury she had never heard before.

Scott's howl rang out one last time, echoing through the trees, before the beast disappeared into the night, fleeing from Sam's pack as they charged after him, determined to bring him down.

Aria lay there for a moment, her body still trembling from the shock of the attack, but her thoughts were clear. The baby... She placed a hand over her stomach, feeling the faintest movement. He was still okay. Thank God.

The world around Aria spun in a blur, her mind scrambling to process the chaos unfolding. Her body, battered and exhausted, felt like it was betraying her. The sharp ache of her ribs, the way the breath seemed to leave her chest with each inhale, the overwhelming surge of adrenaline—all of it faded into a distant, numbing haze.

She heard Bella's voice, faint and panicked, shouting something she couldn't quite grasp. Edward's low groans reached her ears, but they too became muffled, as if she were drowning in sound. She felt the pressure in her head, the weight of everything weighing down on her.

Then, there was the sensation of falling, as if the ground itself was slipping away from her. Her body went limp, her arms losing all strength to keep herself upright. Her eyes fluttered closed, and before she could stop herself, everything went black.

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Hello beautiful people...

Well... wasn't that eventful...

I've always wanted to bring Children of the Moon into this story. I find them quite interesting but there isn't much on them Twilight wise so I'm using my imagination. 

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the twist! As always comments are welcome. 

All my love,

Talia 🤍