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The family was gathered in the living room.
Esme sat on the central sofa, flanked by Jasper and Edward. On one of the side chairs, Emmett rested with Rosalie curled up against his chest, her golden hair cascading like a curtain over his shoulder. On the other side, Nate sat with Alice on his lap; she was completely absorbed in the movie, her small figure relaxed, her head resting in the hollow of his neck.
For Nate, however, the atmosphere felt strangely off.
Not uncomfortable, exactly, but foreign.
With the Denali family—though they were numerous too—there were no "roles." There were no parents or children, no structure that seemed to pervade every corner of the Cullen house. Except for Irina, Tanya, and Kate—who, in addition to their physical resemblance, presented themselves as sisters—the Denali coven functioned more like a group of friends… or housemates. There was affection, mutual support, but also an unspoken freedom: everyone had their own space, their own pace.
Here, however, everything felt different.
There was an invisible order, a natural hierarchy that could be sensed without the need for words. Esme, with her unwavering warmth, radiated the figure of a mother; Carlisle—though absent—was undoubtedly the moral center holding everyone together. They were a family… a true family.
And that, precisely, made Nate feel out of place.
He had grown up in a small home, without siblings, and although his childhood had been warm, he always remembered it as intimate and quiet.
Even later, when he lived with his grandmother, it was just him and her.
She, in her own way, always gave him space: they would eat together, talk when Nate helped with chores or in the garden, but then each retreated to their own world. That calm and respectful coexistence was what he understood as home.
So now, sitting among soft laughter, sighs, and familiar gestures, he couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.
He remembered the smell of his grandmother's tea, the sound of the radio on rainy afternoons, and for a moment, nostalgia pressed heavily on his chest.
Then he felt a steady gaze on him.
He turned his head slightly and found Edward's eyes fixed on him with intensity. There was something inquisitive in his expression, as if he were trying to decipher him, to force his gift to pierce through Nate's mental silence.
For a second, neither of them looked away.
Nate's eyes left the melancholy behind and turned cold, almost challenging, as if daring him to try. Edward, after a tense moment, yielded. He lowered his gaze and directed it back to the screen, his brow barely furrowed.
Alice, unaware of the exchange, tilted her head slightly toward Nate.
"All right?" she asked softly, touching his cheek gently.
Nate gave her a small smile—just enough to reassure her—and nodded.
"All right," he murmured, focusing back on the screen.
But his mind was already far from the movie.
The images on the screen blurred as he tried to understand the reason behind Edward's behavior.
He knew the distance between Forks and the forest where the neophytes were was minimal; for a vampire like Edward, it would be a short trip. And although he tried to dismiss it, he couldn't help but suspect that Edward might have spoken with Stefan after receiving the orders. After all, Edward had taken too long to return… and he didn't seem happy at all. It would have made more sense if he had been delayed to see Bella, but in that case, he wouldn't have had that expression while looking at him.
Knowing the Romanian, it wouldn't have surprised him if he tried to draw him into his cause. Nate knew firsthand how persuasive the Romanians could be. Stefan was not stupid: it would have been impossible for him not to take an interest in the vampire who accompanied him on their last encounter, especially since the only person present in almost all of his meetings with them was Alice.
Nate narrowed his eyes, trying to remember if he had ever mentioned Edward in front of them…
And then he remembered. The day he got bitten, he had. He had spoken of Edward and his ability to read minds.
Although when he brought Edward before the neophytes, he had been careful not to mention his name or reveal details that would connect the threads, the doubt persisted. Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to involve him.
His power was too useful, especially when dealing with such untrustworthy figures as the Romanians, and before they were interrupted by Alice's call, it seemed like the best plan to use Edward's power to detect anything suspicious—but that didn't mean he trusted him anymore.
Not after everything he had seen.
Maybe it was because of his transformation at a young age, or a flaw in his character, or perhaps because of the emotional image projected through Bella's interference—but Edward seemed reckless, impulsive… someone without the control or power to act without consequences.
Moreover, he seemed incapable of seeing the bigger picture, as if he could only move straight ahead, without considering alternative paths or perspectives.
That image of Edward was etched in his mind: someone weak and unreliable… although he acknowledged his judgment might be biased.
All because he couldn't tolerate him.
Not after what happened with his grandmother.
While the others laughed at a lighthearted scene, Nate kept his gaze fixed on the dark reflection in the window.
For a moment, he wanted to set aside his thoughts; he knew Edward would not confront him directly. He had already proven it before: he wouldn't ask or bring up the topic unless they were alone… or Nate mentioned it first.
And if he didn't, he would remain in doubt until the matter with the wolves was resolved and his departure with Alice became inevitable.
By then, Nate would know what to do with him.
........................................................
The days passed without anything out of the ordinary.
As Nate had predicted, Edward never mustered the courage to ask him about what was clearly troubling him.
For Nate, this was a relief… although he couldn't deny that it was uncomfortable to feel him lurking nearby, watching, waiting for the right moment to speak.
The situation with the rest of the Cullen family, however, had shifted slightly compared to his first days in the house.
Everyone seemed kinder when they encountered him, seeking brief, light conversations, inviting him to small family activities.
Each of them, in their own way, tried to bridge the gap between them.
Emmett, for example, after the last beating, seemed determined to find something—anything he could use to surpass him.
From board games to physical competitions, he tried to defeat his sister's partner, only to be beaten again and again.
Each failure left him more frustrated but also more stubborn, which greatly amused the others.
Jasper, on the other hand, took a more cautious approach.
Sometimes, when he saw Nate unoccupied, he would approach him carefully to ask for advice or techniques to improve his fighting style.
Although he knew that with Nate around, the chance of a family confrontation was nearly zero, he couldn't help but feel a certain ambition after witnessing the vast difference in their abilities.
Nate didn't refuse him. Occasionally, he agreed to go out to the clearing to practice with him, always under Alice's watchful eye.
Since that practice session between Nate and the Cullen siblings, Alice seemed delighted at the idea of seeing him more involved with her family.
She enjoyed every small gesture of closeness and encouraged Nate to participate, fantasizing about the possibility that, once their matters were resolved, they could stay and live with them permanently.
Esme, too, appeared visibly pleased.
Noticing Nate's change in attitude, she took every opportunity to include him in her activities.
She even invited him to cook with her, remembering that when he was still human, he had once offered to help her.
Now that he was close, she seemed determined to fulfill that promise, almost forcing him to join her in the kitchen.
To her surprise, Rosalie also joined them, and although they usually worked in silence, a certain harmony could be felt between the three.
Esme, always smiling, encouraged them to prepare large quantities of food to take to the hospital, as she always did.
Amid those small routines, the days flew by, and soon it was Friday: the day before the meeting with the Quileutes.
That afternoon, Nate was in the room with Alice, as usual.
She was engrossed in a book, while he lay back with his eyes closed, enjoying the silence.
Almost on a whim, Nate spoke in an unusually soft tone:
"Tomorrow, when Carlisle returns with the tracker, this will all be over. I'll resolve the matter with the wolves, and we can leave…" he paused briefly. "We might not return to Forks for a long while."
Alice set her book aside, looking at him curiously. Her voice sounded melancholy when she spoke.
"You're right… Even though my family will stay here a couple more years, sooner or later, they'll have to move before they start raising suspicions." She lowered her gaze slightly. "You might not be able to return for decades… at least until there's no one left who would recognize you."
Nate nodded, with little emotion.
He had already seen his grandmother's ashes and had made plans regarding them, but a part of him still felt the need to see—one last time—everything he was leaving behind.
Finally, he broke the silence.
"I know it's not the wisest… but would you come with me for a quick stop in town?"
Alice frowned, fully aware of the risks.
Even with Nate's control, a single glance from someone who recognized him could cause unnecessary complications.
But seeing the expression on her partner's face—a rare mix of calm and longing—she couldn't resist.
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she tilted her head and asked:
"What do you have in mind?"
Nate gave her a small smile before looking away.
He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the sounds of the house: the soft creak of the floorboards under distant footsteps, the murmur of water running through the pipes, the muffled echo of a song filtering in from another room.
Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie were at school, near the end of their day.
Those who could still notice their movements, however, remained: Esme, who seemed to be showering, and Edward, confined to his room with the music turned up loud enough to block out any other sound.
Perfect.
A barely perceptible smile appeared on his face. Without a word, he took Alice's hand. She looked at him, amused, understanding his intention before he even expressed it. In a synchronized movement, they both jumped out of the window.
The fresh air hit them with a wave of humidity. They landed softly on the leaf-covered ground and, without losing a second, vanished into the trees.
As they ran, Alice was the first to speak, her voice cutting through the silence with a note of warning:
"You know I'm with you," she said without looking at him, "but remember we can't be too conspicuous…"
Nate turned his head just enough for her to see his serene expression.
"I don't want to go into town itself," he replied. "I've already seen my grandmother's house, her ashes… I even caught sight of Charlie from afar. I just want one last look at something."
His tone was calm, but a faint hint of melancholy shone in his eyes, which Alice didn't miss. She didn't insist; if Nate had decided to do this, he must have had a valid reason.
The path was familiar to both of them. The air grew damper as they approached, and the ground, carpeted with pine needles, muffled their steps. It took only a few minutes before they reached the forest surrounding Forks High School.
The mist enveloped them, dense and cool, weaving between the trunks like a veil protecting them from the world. From their hiding spot, the building was visible in the distance: gray, silent for the moment, almost as if it were a natural part of the landscape.
Nate crouched beside a moss-covered tree, eyes narrowed and fixed on the school façade. He remained motionless, almost statue-like, as if the slightest movement could break the fragile balance of the scene.
Alice watched him silently for a few seconds before speaking softly, careful not to disturb his thoughts.
"Did you want to see the school?"
Nate shook his head without looking away from the building.
"Not exactly," he murmured. "I just wanted to see how things were… I know Edward will eventually bite Bella, and I'll have all the time in the world to catch up with her. But I don't think I'll see the others again. I thought I was okay with that…"
He paused briefly. His voice dropped slightly, almost a whisper.
"But I wanted to give my life as a human a proper farewell."
Alice didn't need any more explanation. She understood what he wasn't saying: the nostalgia hidden between his words, the silent weight of closing a chapter that, although no longer his, still defined who he had been.
With a gentle gesture, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.
The contact was enough to ease some of the tension in his posture. Nate allowed himself to close his eyes, letting her presence envelop him. He appreciated the gesture. He knew his control was strong, but the flood of human scents that would soon fill the air was a test he didn't want to face alone.
As if destiny had synchronized with his thoughts, the last chime of the day rang in the distance, vibrating through the trees.
The forest's silence broke with a growing murmur: doors opening, hurried steps, laughter, overlapping voices.
Within seconds, the place came alive.
A tide of students began pouring out of the building, brimming with energy, dragging backpacks, exchanging jokes and farewells.
Nate narrowed his eyes, focusing with inhuman precision. It didn't take long to find the figures he was looking for.
It was easy. He knew those voices, those gestures, the way they walked, even the rhythm of their laughter.
In the distance, he saw Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie exit the school, their arms hooked over their shoulders, moving in sync as if improvising choreography while walking.
A small smile formed on Nate's face.