CHAPTER TWO
(vivenne beckett)

Isabella Cullen felt a pang of guilt as she observed the young wolf that she had fiercely thrown across the yard in an outburst of anger. The source of her frustration had been her friend Jacob Black, who had imprinted on her daughter, stirring up strong emotions of maternal protectiveness within her.

Seth had found himself inadvertently caught in the crossfire of the argument, which was heavily influenced by Jacob's perspective.

Edward continued to offer apologies to Seth, even though he hadn't directly caused the harm, he felt a sense of responsibility for his wife's actions.

Bella was consumed by guilt, nearly resorting to extremes in her reaction. However, Jacob's actions, regardless of their intent, couldn't justify her reckless behavior.

"Seth—"

Seth interjected, gently dismissing her concern, "No worries, Bella. I'm all good."

Edward added supportively, "Bella, love, no one is judging you. You're doing great."

Jacob couldn't help but shoot a resentful glance at the married couple as he was in earshot. Frustrated, he made his way to find Rosalie, suspecting she might be with Renesmee. He harbored a degree of bitterness, chiefly directed towards Edward, due to the subtle amusement on his face, as Edward had deliberately refrained from stopping Bella, probably because he shared a similar disagreement about Jacob imprinting on their child.

Despite the situation, there was a certain parallel between the supernatural pull the immortals experienced with their true mates and the same instinctual bond that Jacob had developed through imprinting. It seemed to be yet another commonality that the natural enemies shared.

Seth smiled softly, reassuringly patting Bella's knee with his unharmed hand, "No need to worry, Bella. I'll be back to normal in no time, just give me about half an hour" he comforted her.

"Well, at least you didn't go all teethy on me, or anything," Seth quipped jokingly, quickly shifting the topic to a lighter note, avoiding the touchy subject about their daughter and Jacob.

As Carlisle diligently attended to the young Quileute's injuries, his thoughts wandered to his old friend and adoptive daughter, Vivienne Beckett. It had been a considerable amount of time since she left, and he couldn't help but think about how she would react if she learned about the newest addition to their family. He knew that aside from Rosalie, Vivienne would be the one who would pamper Renesmee the most.

Edward chuckled lightly as he glanced at his adoptive father, unable to resist grinning as he read his thoughts. Unintentionally, he blurted out, "Vivienne would definitely do that," seemingly forgetting about the presence of his wife and young wolf nearby.

Over time, Edward had developed a habit of accidentally revealing his thoughts, a tendency he seemed to struggle with, particularly when it came to Carlisle. Back when he had first joined the coven, he often found himself answering unspoken questions, hinting at his telepathic abilities. Both Edward and Carlisle had realized that Vivienne had caught on to this pattern, having seen through his unique gift.

Bella glanced at her husband, her curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar name.

"Who is Vivienne?" she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Edward suddenly paused, realizing that they had never mentioned Vivienne to Bella. Over the years, the family had refrained from discussing the history of the Coven, especially the absence of the oldest member and Carlisle's first adopted child. Emotions would often run high whenever her memory was brought up, especially since her departure had left a void in the hearts of all the family members.

Vivienne had been true to her promise of staying in touch for a few years, but as time passed, the contact sadly dried up. The absence of communication left the family increasingly concerned, and during their departure from Forks, they had tried in vain to locate her. Their efforts to find any trace of her proved fruitless, leaving them with no knowledge of her whereabouts or safety.

Carlisle finally broke the silence to explain who Vivienne Beckett was to his daughter-in-law. Seth, now fully treated, lay quietly on the cot, attentively listening to the conversation.

"Vivienne Beckett is the oldest member of our family," Carlisle stated, glancing at Bella, who was visibly taken aback by the revelation of a family member she had never heard about.

Edward couldn't help but snicker as he chimed in, "She was the baby of the family."

Carlisle chuckled, shaking his head in acknowledgment, "She absolutely despised being referred to as the baby, given that she was technically the oldest among all of her brothers and sisters."

Seth, intrigued, voiced his question, "What happened to her?" Bella's interest peaked as well, eager to learn about the only member of the Cullen family she had never known existed until that moment.

Edward shared the truth about Vivienne's departure from the family in 1980, explaining that her diet differed from the rest of them. "She left because she knew it would be difficult for Jasper as he transitioned to being a vegetarian. She believed her presence would make it harder for him," he divulged.

"Why didn't she become a vegetarian?" Bella inquired, prompting Carlisle to pause for a moment before responding, gazing out the window.

"It was her choice, and we all respected it," Carlisle stated, acknowledging the individual nature of Vivienne's decision. The family had accepted her choice, recognizing that it was not their place to intervene or impose their own dietary preferences upon her.

Edward turned to Bella and Seth, explaining on behalf of Vivienne, "She doesn't harm or kill innocent people. Never has, in all the time she's existed as an immortal. She only seeks out criminals, much like I did back when I went against Carlisle's teachings."

Bella spoke to her husband, "But you did eventually turn over a new leaf."

He managed a smile at her, replying, "Yes, that's true, but Vivienne is in control of her own life in the end. Despite her diet, she'll always be a part of our family."

Seth picked up on the sudden tension in the room and opted to shift the topic completely. He remarked, "Lucky for us, Renesmee isn't venomous." Bella exchanged a curious glance with him, wondering what he meant by that.

"She bites Jake all the time," Seth explained, chuckled at her reaction. Bella raised an eyebrow, a mix of surprise and disbelief on her face.

"She does?" she replied, her puzzlement clearly evident.

"Yeah, it's true," Edward chuckled along with Seth. "Whenever Jacob and Rosalie don't feed her fast enough, she gets a little feisty." They both laughed, while Bella wore a slight smile, a hint of curiosity still lingering in her eyes. She longed to know more about Vivienne but knew better than to prod further, respecting the boundaries of her new family. She consoled herself with the thought that they had eternity, and perhaps the subject would come up again in time.

Bella quietly left the room where Seth was resting and embarked on a search for her daughter, Renesmee. It was likely that she would find her in the arms of either Jacob or Rosalie, considering their close bond.

Renesmee, the child who defied the very laws of nature and possibility, was a testament to the power of the immortal beings and their extraordinary existence. Despite the common belief among humans that such beings were merely legends, this child served as a tangible reminder of the truth behind those stories.

The idea of a child being born from a human and a vampire was nothing short of laughable, a mere jest that would often start a good old chuckle. Everyone had dismissed the possibility, reasoning that it was merely a product of impossible imagination, as common knowledge held that immortals were incapable of procreation.

Yet, that assumption was quickly proven false when Edward Cullen's human wife discovered she was pregnant. Soon enough, their biological daughter, Renesmee Carlie Cullen, was born, defying all odds. She had blood running through her veins, and unlike her immortal parents, she possessed a unique mix of both human and vampire traits, including the need for sleep and hunger.

She embodied a unique fusion of immortality and mortality, a rare and extraordinary amalgamation of the two distinct states of being.

The Cullen family, faced with the possibility of Volturi intervention due to the existence of their hybrid child, sought out the assistance of their old friends. Irina Denali, the only witness to the child's arrival, had reported her as an immortal, causing concern among the Volturi.

Grief-stricken and filled with bitterness after the loss of her mate, Laurent, Irina Denali was completely oblivious to the presence of the child's warmth and heartbeat, consumed by her blind rage in the depths of her mourning. In her heartbroken state, she had gone to Volturia to report a perceived crime.

Despite the accusations being entirely unfounded, and Renesmee not possessing any characteristics associated with the forbidden immortal children, the Volturi were nonetheless determined to intervene, driven by their suspicions and the information provided by Irina.