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Chapter Text

Gwen was six years old when she started to notice things.

She noticed that she did not live with her mother and a father, though she knew that they were alive.

Well, she wasn’t too sure about her father.

Gwen didn’t understand it at the time, as she was only a child and wouldn’t comprehend these complexities until she was much older. However, at the time, she didn't understand why she couldn’t be with her mother but her living situation was something she had eventually gotten used to. Not living with her mother was normal and she thought it was weird that other children lived with their mothers when she met them – if she was ever allowed to mix with them. When she asked her Nana, she was told that her mother couldn’t be with them because it wasn’t safe so she stopped asking for her. Instead, Gwen lived with her Nana in Utah, far away from everyone and everything. The closest neighbours she had was hundreds of miles away, just how she liked it. She found her neighbours creepy and weird. They were too curious and wanted to know more about them, something she knew Nana didn’t like.

“Firefly! Come here for a moment!” Bethany called as her loud voice carried throughout the two-bedroom bungalow.

Gwen looked up and pouted, disappointed that her game was interrupted, “Coming, Nana!” Gwen shouted back, too curious to ignore her Nana’s calls. She had always been a curious child and always had to explore no matter where she was. Gwen stood up and walked into the living room, and immediately noticed that there was another person in the bungalow.

On the couch, in the living room were two people. One of the women was Bethany, an older woman with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Her skin was tanned and slightly wrinkled, but she looked younger than she actually was. Bethany had always said she would never grow old gracefully and looked scornfully in the mirror when she would notice another wrinkle. Bethany was a small woman, with a round face and a rotund stomach. However, it was the woman next to her Nana that Gwen didn’t recognise. The woman was tall and slender. She had ruby-red hair and brown eyes. Everything about the woman screamed beauty and power. The sharp angular jawline, the slightly larger than average nose and the perfectly groomed eyebrows – which were also red. She looked young, far younger than Nana and was completely wrinkle-free.

“Who are you?” Gwen asked, tilting her head to the side.

The air in the living room became tense as Bethany’s eyes widened and she sent an apologetic and sympathetic look in the direction of the other woman. The other woman in the room seemed to have frozen, too in shock to do anything. “I am sorry about this, Scarlett,” Bethany looked at the red woman with an apologetic expression.

Slowly, Scarlett relaxed but her eyes remained tight, “She is only a child, after all, and I am a stranger to her,”

Gwen stared at the woman, she looked so pretty, just like the princesses in her stories and make-believe games. “You’re really pretty,” She said lowly, her own eyes wide in awe.

Scarlett smiled softly at the child, “Thank you, dear.” There was a hidden longing in her eyes, one that Gwen had not picked up on since she was too young to understand.

Bethany looked to her ward. “Come here, Firefly,” She said with a kind smile, one that Gwen could never refuse. Gwen launched herself at her Nana, jumping onto her lap with a skip in her step. Bethany exhaled sharply at the added weight but didn’t comment on her lack of manners this time. Instead, Bethany picked Gwen up so she was sitting perfectly on her lap, her body facing sideways.

Looking back at the pretty lady, Gwen smiled. “My name is Gwen! I’m going to be seven soon!” She said with a wide toothy smile on her face.

“I know, that’s why I came to visit you,” Scarlett replied, moving around in her seat nervously, “My name is Scarlett, don’t forget it, dearie,”

Gwen giggled, the name Scarlett really suited the woman.

Bethany looked down at Gwen lovingly and squeezed her slightly. “So, is this a quick visit or…?”

Looking up at her Nana, Gwen felt confused. Nana was never short with people and she could stand for hours, just having a chat with people – even strangers. Gwen didn’t understand what was happening, but she knew better than to ask as this seemed like a ‘grown-up talk’.

Scarlett smiled sadly, “Unfortunately, it is. I came to check on the little robin,” Her brown eyes looked down at Gwen, who smiled at her widely.

“She’s doing well,” Bethany said with a smile as she squeezed Gwen slightly, causing the young girl to squeal in laughter, “But she is showing signs of magic already,” Usually, a child wouldn’t show signs that they had magic until they were nine but Gwen had started to display signs that it was coming – soon. This worried her because it was far too soon. Gwen had spiked a fever the other week and the lights had started to flicker when she had a temper tantrum. Based on everything she knew about magic, Bethany knew it wouldn’t be too much longer before Gwen’s magic awakened.

“That was always a possibility,” Scarlett commented with pride in her eyes. However, this brought on a whole host of other problems that she would need to rectify.

Bethany scoffed playfully, “So full of yourself,”

Scarlett smirked but then she soon turned serious, “Have there been any causes for concern?”

“No,” Bethany shook her head, “I haven’t detected any with my gift,”

Gwen blinked slowly as she watched her Nana and Scarlett interact. She did not understand what was being said, but it all seemed to complicated. They spoke in a way that made her curious but she felt unsure so she stayed silent.

Scarlett hummed lowly but didn’t comment. Instead, she noticed Gwen’s inquisitive stare and couldn’t help but smile, “Gwen, what do you think of Bethany’s gift?” Scarlett asked, her tone soft and low.

Gwen looked up at Scarlett, then to her Nana and then back at the red lady. “I think it’s really cool!” She answered with a big smile on her face. Her Nana always had the gift of seeing into the future and it always amazed Gwen whenever her Nana did this. Nana had explained that this was her superpower and Gwen had always wished she had one too. Though, she had been warned that no one was allowed to know of this gift and so it was their secret. Gwen would do anything to protect her Nana. Even if her Nana would sometimes tell her off for things she hadn’t even done yet.

“Thank you, Firefly,” Bethany said as she kissed the top of Gwen’s head softly, which made her giggle loudly.

Amusement danced in Scarlett’s eyes. “Is that so? Well, I think you deserve a gift of your own then,”

“Really?” Gwen asked, her eyes wide in awe.

Scarlett smiled in return. “Of course. I wouldn’t lie to you. But some people will lie to you. They will try to deceive you in the future and I want you to be prepared.” She said as she stood up and walked over to Bethany. Scarlett placed a hand over Gwen’s head and there was a bright light before it disappeared.

That was the last thing Gwen remembered.

Then everything went dark.

TWILIGHT

A year had passed since that meeting and Gwen had completely forgotten about it. However, she had not felt right ever since. Every time her Nana would mention Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny, she got a weird sensation in her chest. It was very similar to a tingling sensation and it was strange. She hadn’t mentioned this to her Nana because she didn’t want to worry the older woman. During this year, Gwen had started to gain more perception of how isolated they were and how she had been told to avoid people altogether. Something wasn’t quite right about the situation but Gwen didn’t want to ask and worry her Nana even more – who was looking over her shoulder a lot more than she usually did.

Bethany was always a cautious person, but she was even more twitchy than usual.

Gwen ran around in the back garden, as she played a made-up game when she felt eyes on her. As she turned around, Gwen saw two people stood at the edge of her Nana’s property, staring at her. They were both tall, thin people with long flowing blonde hair and dreamy blue eyes. They were both female or at least very feminine-looking. They looked so pretty that Gwen couldn’t help but stare.

One of the strangers waved her over and Gwen couldn’t help herself. She walked over to them, right on the edge of her Nana’s property line and smiled at the strangers. As she got closer, the most amazing smell hit her. It smelt like freshly baked cookies and it reminded her of Nana’s cookies. “Hi! You two are really pretty!” Gwen said cheerfully.

“Hello, little one,” One of the strangers said, “Are you playing out all on your own?” The stranger looked around, but especially at the house.

Gwen nodded her head, “I am, but I don’t mind it,” She was used to playing games on her own so it didn’t bother her.

The other stranger kneeled down beside her. “Do you mind if we play as well?”

Gwen was about to agree but she stopped herself. She was split, one part of her was fascinated by the strangers and wanted to spend time with them. However, there was another part of her that warned her to stay away from them – to get away fast and inform her Nana about them. She took this time to examine the two strangers in front of her and noticed for the first time that they had pointed ears.

That wasn’t right.

Slowly, Gwen moved back, “I’d have to ask my Nana first…”

The strangers looked at one another and smiled sweetly, “You don’t need to do that. Your Nana and we are friends, she asked us to come over so you wouldn’t be so lonely,” The woman said, her voice soothing and bell-like.

Suddenly, there was a tingling sensation in her chest. It felt like butterflies and lightning, but it was not painful.

“Nana’s…never done that before,” Gwen said softly as she continued to back away. That weird tingling sensation had appeared once more in her chest which put her on edge. Their eyes followed her every move, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

“Don’t worry, we won’t let anything happen to you,” The other woman said, stretching her hand out, “Just come with us,”

Fear struck Gwen heavily and she almost found it hard to breathe. The tingling sensation became more apparent in her chest and she instinctively knew that they were lying. They were going to hurt her if she went with them. This was wrong. These people being here was wrong. They shouldn’t be here. Every nerve in her body screamed to get away and fast before anything could happen.

“NANA!” Gwen screamed out as she turned around to run into the house.

The stranger hissed and quickly grabbed Gwen’s arm, harshly tugging the young child. “Let’s go!” The stranger yelled as she picked up Gwen and began running into the nearby trees. The other stranger followed behind her, quickly catching up to their accomplice. 

“Gwen!” Bethany shouted as she ran out of the house with a shotgun in hand. When she saw that two strangers were running off with Gwen, she aimed at them and shot with such precision it was deadly.

Gwen screamed when she saw one of the strangers fall to the ground and didn’t get back up. Her Nana’s figure was getting smaller as the stranger that held her ran so fast it was practically impossible for anyone to keep up. Some shots embedded themselves in the ground as Bethany aimed for the stranger's legs but they all missed as she was moving too fast.

“Gwen!” Came the echo of Bethany’s voice but she could no longer be seen.

Tears streamed down her face as she realised what had happened. “Let me go!” Gwen thrashed about, hitting and kicking the stranger with all the might of a seven-year-old. Unfortunately, this did nothing and only made the stranger laugh at her effort.

“You can struggle all you want, it is useless. We’ve finally found you and we don’t plan on letting you go,” The stranger said smugly.

“Nana!” Gwen screamed out in fear as she sobbed in fright. “Nana! Help me!”

The stranger ran for what seemed like hours and Gwen continued to cry and call out for her Nana. It got to the point where her throat hurt and her mouth was dry. It hurt to call out but she desperately wanted her Nana to find her. Gwen had no idea where she was in the forest. She had never explored this deep into the woods and it scared her. All the dark places in the forest made it seem like people were hiding and looking at her.

Eventually, the stranger growled, “Oh shut up! You’re giving me a headache!”

“I want my Nana!” Gwen screamed out.

“Well, she’s not here!” The stranger yelled back as she pinched down on Gwen, causing the young girl to squeal in pain.

Pressure started to build in her chest, one that was uncomfortable and she made her whole body hurt. She had never felt anything like this before and it was even different from the tingling sensation she got in her chest. It felt warm – hot to the point she started to sweat and her breathing became shallow. Something was happening to her and she didn’t understand what it was. Gwen clenched her jaw as a sharp pain shot through her and caused her to start uncontrollably screaming in pain, wailing like a banshee. The stranger attempted to place their hand over Gwen’s mouth but that did nothing to silence her howling.

“Shut up!” The stranger hissed lowly but her voice was drowned out by the screams.

“NANA!” Gwen wailed loudly as the pain in her whole body turned up a notch. It felt like her blood had turned into lava. Whatever was happening to her was too much. She couldn’t handle what was happening to her and she just wanted it to stop.

Having enough, the stranger threw Gwen onto the ground, causing the child to cry out in pain. “Looks like I am going to have to shut you up,” The female stranger said as a white light glowed at the tip of her fingers.

The moment Gwen saw this, her eyes widened and she backed away in fear, the pain momentarily forgotten. Something about the light in the woman’s hand unnerved her. However, there was also a side to her that was called to by that light, as if trying to draw her closer. If Gwen hadn’t been so scared, she may have asked why the stranger’s hand glowing but she couldn’t even form the words necessary. She could not decide whether this was because of pain or fear, or maybe a mixture of both.

Her trance was broken when the woman was a foot away from her. “Stay away…” Gwen whimpered quietly.

The woman continued to get closer to her.

“Please, I’ll be quiet!” Gwen pleaded out as she continued to back away. She hoped that this would make the woman happy but it seemed as though it hadn’t worked. The closer the woman got, the worse the pressure in her chest got.

Soon, the woman was even closer than before.

“Get away!” Gwen cried out loudly as she crawled back desperately. The pressure was almost suffocating at this point and she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. It was just as the stranger touched her shoulder that caused something inside Gwen to snap. Letting out a loud scream, Gwen’s vision became white and that’s all she remembered. The world shifted around her and everything went dark and numb.

TWILIGHT

Three days later

Bethany stared down at Gwen with a saddened expression. The young child lay in bed, her young face flushed with a fever and her breathing shallow. On her head was a dampened cloth that seemed to do nothing for Gwen. For each cold cloth placed, it would heat up within a matter of minutes.  Ever since Bethany had found Gwen alone in the forest, she had been unwell. At first, it had started out with a headache but it soon progressed to the point she was throwing up every hour and had a dangerously high fever that came on suddenly. Bethany knew that this wasn’t a normal illness and so she contacted the only other person who knew what to do. No matter what she did, nothing seemed to help Gwen or alleviate her pain in any way. It was concerning and broke her heart to see her little firefly like this.

Moments later, Scarlett walked through the door and her eyes immediately zoned onto the young girl. “Oh, my dear Gwen,” She whispered softly as she glided over with ease. She fell down beside Gwen placed a hand on her face and winced when she felt how hot Gwen’s face felt.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Bethany commented as she looked at the Witch. This did not seem like a normal illness as nothing she had done worked. In fact, Bethany would say that Gwen was getting worse by the minute.

Scarlett muttered a small spell under her breath and watched as the pain slowly faded away from Gwen’s face, finally peaceful after days of unsettled rest. “Tell me what happened again, all of it,” Scarlett instructed firmly. When she received the call from Bethany, it had been rushed and she didn’t want to miss anything.

“I found Gwen alone in the woods after a bright white light covered the area. There was a scorch mark in the grass but that was it. There was no one else and her kidnappers were nowhere to be seen. She was unconscious but seemed okay, but then the fever came on that night.” Bethany answered quickly, having already gone over this story with Scarlett on the phone.

“Has anything about Gwen changed in the past few days?” Scarlett asked suddenly, her eyes void of any emotion.

For a moment, Bethany was about to deny it but she stopped herself. Straight after she had found Gwen, there was one slight difference, “One of Gwen’s eyes changed colour. It turned into a light blue colour,” This had been a shock for her, and Gwen hadn’t seemed to have noticed until she looked in a mirror. Now, one eye was blue and the other hazel and didn’t look to be reverting back any time soon.

Gwen thought it was cool, but Bethany had been worried.

Scarlett’s face hardened at the news.

“Do you know what happened to her?” Bethany asked in concern.

Hesitantly, Scarlett nodded her head. “Gwen’s other magic was trying to protect her. She was in a situation where she couldn’t protect herself so her other magic did.” It was a day that she had dreaded and she hoped it would never happen. She had tried to keep her daughter out of danger but she was being pulled back in and Scarlett hated it.

Bethany’s eyes widened, “Can you do something?” Scarlett had warned her years ago that this could happen, but she did not anticipate it would happen while Gwen was so young.

“I can and I will,” Scarlett waved her hand and it lit up a bright red colour. The red light enveloped Gwen until not even her silhouette could be seen. Scarlett muttered a few words under her breath and soon the light disappeared.

Peering at her ward, Bethany noticed that Gwen no longer appeared flushed. Tentatively, she placed a hand on Gwen’s face and found it back to a normal temperature. “Her fever is gone,” She marvelled with wide eyes.

“She’ll be fine now. I have locked her other magic away. As long as she isn’t pushed to this point again, she should be fine,” Scarlett said with a deep sigh.

“This can never happen again,” Bethany said with determination. She refused to let her ward be put in danger like this again. No one had ever got this close to stealing Gwen from out of her care before and it scared her. If she hadn’t heard Gwen’s scream then she wouldn’t have even realised she was gone before it was too late. If one of those two strangers were too deep in the forest then it would have been too late and Gwen would have been lost forever. 

Scarlett nodded her head in agreement, “It can’t happen again. Her magic needs to be trained immediately. I will send over my grimoires and she can begin her training,”

“But her magic hasn’t actually awakened,” Bethany protested. Gwen’s magic was on the cusp of awakening, as she’d seen some signs to point out it was imminent.

“That doesn’t matter,” Scarlett said seriously, “Gwen doesn’t have the luxury of time. She needs to learn how to defend herself with magic otherwise my bindings won’t last forever,” She would have to force her daughter’s magic to awaken, something she didn’t want to do, but she had little choice.  

Bethany frowned but nodded her head in agreement, “Okay, I will start her training immediately,”

Scarlett looked back at her daughter, a thoughtful gleam in her eyes. “I will also be bestowing Gwen the Mark of Hecate,”

“What?!” Bethany yelled out in shock, nearly falling out of her seat, “B-but it’s too power-” Bethany was cut off and her eyes glazed over. She was having a vision, one where she saw Gwen with the Mark of Hecate. Her breathing became shallow and Scarlett watched patiently, waiting for Bethany to finish her vision. After a few minutes, Bethany let out a long gasp and she slumped forward in her seat. “I-it works,” She muttered lowly.

Scarlett smiled sadly, “It never gets easier, does it?”

Bethany shook her head, “Unfortunately, no. But I wouldn’t trade it away for the world,” Her visions of the future had helped her so much and she was grateful for it. Through her visions, she found out that her husband was cheating on her and she was able to leave him. With this power, she was able to protect Gwen, except her gift wasn’t always fool proof. However, it wasn’t always easy for a human body to handle such a gift and it always left her feeling tired.

Looking back to the sleeping child, Scarlett smiled, “If I give her the Mark of Hecate, it will protect her but she will need her magic as well. I will give her the best possible chance to survive in this world,” The world that they lived in could be cruel and harsh, especially for people like Gwen and she refused to let Gwen suffer for her mistakes.

“But it won’t be permanent,” Bethany warned.

“I know,” Scarlett said as she nodded her head solemnly, “But hopefully this issue will be resolved by the time this mark fades,” Raising her hand, Scarlett began to mutter an ancient spell, one that had not been invoked before. Lines of red light appeared around Gwen and circled her, slowly building up the pace until the light looked like continuous rings. As Scarlett muttered the final verse, the red light lowered itself down until the light enveloped Gwen and disappeared into her body. The only evidence that magic had been used was the red glowing mark in the centre of Gwen’s forehead. The mark was Hecate’s Wheel and glowed brightly until it disappeared as though it had never been there.

Bethany went to touch Gwen but Scarlett grabbed her arm to stop her. Scarlett shook her head and Bethany retracted her hand. “You should stay, you’ve used a lot of powerful magic,” She was concerned for Scarlett’s health. Everyone expected her to be this powerful person but at the end of the day, she was still one woman.

Scarlett smiled sadly “I can’t stay, my magic may attract them. I’ll lead them away and I suggest packing up soon, Gwen should be okay to be moved in about ten minutes.” Scarlett said before she left the bungalow. She would create a distraction so Bethany and Gwen could get out.

Bethany watched her go with sad eyes. She then looked to Gwen and smiled sadly, “Oh firefly, if only you knew the truth,” Turning around, Bethany grabbed a suitcase from under the bed and began packing. Scarlett was right, they needed to leave before others came and in larger numbers. Bethany was lucky there had only been two of them. However, now that their location was known, an army could be sent to retrieve Gwen so they needed to leave quickly.

TWILIGHT

Three years later,

A ten-year-old Gwen sat in front of Nana, who looked down at her ward with a stern expression. She had been trying to teach the young girl the history of the Blackthorn Coven for the past hour and had little luck thus far. Gwen had seemed extremely interested at first, but as time dragged on, the less attentive she seemed and now her head rested on the desk in front of her.

“Gwen, are you even listening to me?” Bethany asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

“No,” Gwen answered bluntly with her face still on the desk. She had tuned out about thirty minutes ago and had been trying to daydream.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Bethany shook her head, “I am trying to teach you the history of your Coven, I thought this would interest you,” Usually, Gwen absorbed information about the Coven expertly but it seemed as though today was not the day. In the past three years, Bethany had educated Gwen as much as she could about the Coven even though she wasn’t personally a part of it.

“But history is so boring!” Gwen exclaimed as she raised her head.

“But useful,” Bethany countered as she walked over to her ward and tapped her on the nose, “You need to understand your Coven and your roots,”

“But we don’t have roots!” Gwen argued back with a frown, “We’re constantly moving,” In the last three years alone, they had moved over eighteen times. Vaguely, Gwen remembered being in Florida for one day before Nana made them move in the middle of the night without warning. She had a map in her room of America and she had marked off where they had been over the years. Most of the map was coloured in and sometimes the red marker she used mocked her because of her lack of roots.

Bethany frowned but didn’t say anything. Her ward wasn't wrong and it made her heart ache to know this was hurting her.

“I am constantly kept inside and I am not allowed to make friends!” Gwen complained further, finding it difficult to stop now that she had started.

“You know why we must stay away from other people,” Bethany reminded her.

Gwen nodded her head, “I do, but I just wish I had at least one friend…” Now looking out the window, she could see three children playing with one another in the distance. She had watched them for weeks, wanting desperately to join them in their games, but every time she asked Nana, the answer was always no.

“You will have friends in the future, loads of them in the future,” Bethany promised her, her gift giving her this insight. If everything went to plan, Gwen would never be alone again, but they needed to get her to that point where she could protect herself.

Her words placated Gwen, for now. However, it didn’t stop her feeling lonely. It frustrated her to no end that the only time that she was allowed outside was when it was dark and she could not interact with anyone. Gwen remembered how social her Nana was, but now, she avoided everyone, only going out to get food and necessities.

“But for now, tell me what you’ve learned about the Blackthorn Witches?” Bethany said, getting back to the task at hand.

Sighing deeply, Gwen gave in. Her Nana would persist until she got the answer she wanted, and sometimes it was just easier to give in, “For many years, there were Witches and Warlocks. Their leader brought them together and made the Blackthorn Coven and they provided shelter and protection to all Witches and Warlocks who needed it. Soon, their numbers grew and we spread out around the world. The three biggest Covens are the Russian, UK and American, but the American Coven is the one who oversees everything,”

Bethany gave her an exasperated look, “Gwen…”

Pursing her lips together, Gwen knew what her Nana was doing. She wanted Gwen to see the Blackthorn Coven as her people. But Gwen couldn’t do it. She couldn't call a Coven she had never met her own. Ignoring her, Gwen continued on like nothing was wrong, “However, the Blackthorn Coven soon caught the attention of another group when they offered up protection to the Children of the Moon. The Volturi didn’t like how much power the Blackthorn Coven had and wanted it for themselves. So, they tried to take that power. But the Witches and Warlocks fought back, and that started a war between the two species. It got so bad, that each side nearly exposed themselves to the humans. It was then decided that this couldn’t go on, so a Treaty was made. The Treaty stopped all attacks and brought peace, but as part of the deal, the Treaty must be looked over every hundred years, to make sure there is balance,”

Bethany nodded her head in approval, “Excellent, you’ve remembered the story of your people well,” She sent her a pointed look, one that Gwen chose to ignore. “Now, tell me about the other treaties,”

With practised ease, Gwen answered this easily, “Witches have set treaties with different groups within the supernatural community to maintain peace. It helps to maintain order and assist with any disagreements that may come out between the groups. They are aimed to be fair and respect both sides. The only people who have the power to terminate the treaties are the leaders of the species.”

“Perfect,” Bethany beamed, happy with everything that she heard.

Gwen smiled slightly but soon frowned, “Nana, how many treaties do the Blackthorn Witches have?” It seemed a bit excessive to have treaties with every other species, surely that would be exhausting. Gwen could see the advantages, but relations couldn't be that bad, could they?

“The Blackthorn Coven has managed to secure eleven treaties,” Bethany answered with ease. Scarlett had sent over all the materials necessary for Gwen’s education and there was no way she would scrimp on this. She also found the history interesting and despite not having magic, Bethany was classed as an honorary member of the Coven, the title given to her by Scarlett. “Groups like the Children of the Moon, Shapeshifters, Vampires and Elves agreed to have treaties and have honoured them since.”

“But, why do we need these? It just seems a bit much,” Gwen questioned, not able to hold it back.

Bethany smiled patiently, “It can seem a bit much, I agree. But these treaties are to maintain peace so that things do not escalate to the point where there are fights, like with the Vampires. One was needed to maintain balance and to ensure humans did not become aware of them,”

 “What’s such a big deal about humans finding out?” Gwen asked with a frown, not understanding the seriousness of it. Humans were nothing compared to supernatural creatures.

A dark expression flickered in Bethany’s eyes, “Humans are strange people, who are easy to panic and cause a frenzy. Fear is a powerful tool and can drive them to do drastic things. The Witch Trials is an example that Witches are not all-powerful,” While Bethany herself was human, she did not want to be grouped in with them.

Gwen fell quiet as she realised her mistake. She had read about the Salem Witch Trials, led by Caius from the Volturi. Humans had rallied together and feared that Witches were causing havoc, and many were killed because of it – a Blackthorn Witch was the first to be killed.

“But these treaties are there to aid others as well. If there are disagreements between groups and it escalates massively to the point of fighting, they can be assisted.” Bethany said, getting back to her original point.

Gwen nodded her head, now understanding it more.

“In fact, your mother managed to secure a lot of them.” Bethany chuckled fondly.

Looking at Nana, Gwen said nothing. She knew who her real mother was – Scarlett – the former Head of the Blackthorn Coven. She could vaguely remember a woman with red hair that smelled like lavender. Gwen remembered that the woman used to visit very occasionally, and it was only after Gwen asked her Nana who the red lady was, that it was revealed Scarlett was her mother. That had caused a meltdown, but Nana had quickly calmed her down.

“Is Scarlett going to visit soon?” Gwen asked, not able to call that woman her mother.

Bethany frowned, a sad expression on her ageing face, “No…she’s been delayed and won’t be able to visit,”

“Okay,” Gwen said before looking down at her book, acting indifferent to the news. She had expected this and so it didn’t disappoint her. In fact, she felt relieved. Every time that woman visited, it was always awkward because Gwen did not know how to act around her. Scarlett was her biological mother but she didn’t raise her.

“Now, you know she would want to come if she could,” Bethany quickly said, worried that this would damage the relationship between Scarlett and Gwen even further. She knew how hard it was on the young Witch, but it was for the best. If Scarlett was around them Gwen would have been found ages ago and that would not have been good.

“Doesn’t matter,” Gwen said shortly.

Bethany silently sighed deeply. She knew that nothing could be said to dissuade Gwen on this subject and she did not want to push in fear of another meltdown. They were taxing and dangerous, especially since she had to keep Gwen balanced.

Gwen stopped reading for a moment and looked at her Nana, “Scarlett is my mother, I know that. But… who is my father?”

This question took Bethany off guard, not expecting this. None of her visions had prepared her for the moment Gwen would ask about her father and she didn’t know what to do.

“Like who is he? Why is he not part of my life?” Gwen asked quickly, feeling nervous for the answer.

“Gwen… your father… he is… well…” Bethany stuttered as she tried to think of something. Scarlett had not advised on what to do if this ever came up and it left her struggling on what to say. What would be acceptable? Instead, Bethany blurted out the first thing she thought of, “I don’t know who your father is,”

The tingling sensations flared up in Gwen’s chest.

The hopeful look in Gwen’s eyes faded away to nothing. But, not for the reason Bethany thought. Gwen knew that she was lying to her. Recently, Gwen clicked on why she got a tingling sensation in her chest at weird times when she spoke to anyone. Bethany didn’t often lie to her, but when she did, they were usually small things that she could get over. But this, Gwen didn’t know what to feel. Instead of saying anything, Gwen stood up from her seat on the couch and walked out to go to her room.

Bethany watched her go, a heaviness in her heart that would not go away. Standing up, Bethany walked to the garden and pulled out her phone. She was not meant to call Scarlett, only in emergencies, but Bethany felt like this constituted as one as she needed advice on this subject.

The phone line rang twice before Scarlet answered, “What happened?” Her voice was calm and crisp, sensing something wasn’t right.

Bethany looked behind and around her before answering, “She asked about her father,”

The answer was a sharp inhale.

“I didn’t know what to say, so I just said I did not know who her father was,” Bethany answered quickly, worried about Scarlett’s reaction.

“She’ll know you lied,” Scarlett answered her.

Bethany shook her head, “I know,” She knew that Scarlett had bestowed the power of truth-seeking on her daughter. It was painful as sometimes Bethany had to watch what she was saying around the child, and it was difficult especially when she could not be told the full story in fear of a backlash. “What should we do?”

“Anything but the truth, but she will pick up on that,” Scarlett mused with a sigh in her tone, “Then that will just cause her to mistrust you.”

“Can’t we just tell her the truth?” Bethany asked.

“No,” Scarlett said sharply, “She is too young and she is not ready. If she finds out too soon without the right people around her, she could do something reckless. She will know the truth in time, but for now, she cannot know,”

Bethany sighed lowly, her shoulders slumping in defeat, “What can I say then?” She had to tell the child something and she felt bad about how it had been left. She knew that Gwen had felt the lie, she had tested the child’s power and noticed the little scowl every time there was a lie told.

“Tell her that you cannot tell her for now, but she will find out in the future,” Scarlett replied back.

Bethany glanced back into the house, “She wanted to know why he was not involved in her life,”

Scarlett was silent on the line for a moment, no doubt formulating her answer. This was a topic she had been fearing would come up, but hoped it would be much longer before it happened. Gwen was only young – a child – and she would not be able to handle the truth. If she found out, it would send her into a meltdown and the bindings that Scarlett put on her would not work and then that would raise a whole host of problems.

“Tell her that he was not a nice person and that she is better not knowing him,” Scarlett eventually said.

Bethany frowned, “But this will make her question things more,”

“I know,” Scarlett said, “But that’s all I can say for now. Anything more will just make it worse.”

Bethany silently nodded her head, accepting the answer. She was confident that Scarlett had a plan, surely, she had to. The woman never left without a plan in mind. “Do you plan on visiting any time soon?”

“I can’t,”

Bethany closed her eyes for a moment, she could hear the heartbreak in Scarlett’s voice. It was only natural as Gwen’s mother, that she’d want to spend time with her own daughter, but because of the situation, she could not. After Scarlett had visited last time, the home that Bethany and Gwen had fled from, Bethany had got a vision of Pixies coming to the home and burning it to the ground when they weren’t there. Scarlett’s presence would only make magical creatures come after them.

“It is better this way, safer.”

“She doesn’t understand it though, she’s only ten years old,” Bethany argued back, thinking back to the times she had found Gwen upset. She used to cry out for her mother, but that stopped when she turned eight, and when she realised Scarlett would not come for her.

Scarlett remained silent.

Knowing there was no way to deter the Witch, Bethany sighed deeply, “I tell her what you’ve said, but I still think she needs to know,” She was teaching Gwen how to use her magic to protect herself, though Gwen did not know what from and this was causing frustration.

“She will know eventually, just not now,” Scarlett said before hanging up the phone.

Putting the phone away, Bethany turned back into the house, needing to talk to her ward. It would be better to get this over with now instead of letting it fester.

TWILIGHT

Two years later,

A now twelve-year-old Gwen was up in her room as she waited for her Nana to leave. It was the weekly run to the grocery store and Gwen was never allowed to attend with her. As far as everyone was concerned in that town, Bethany was an innocent old lady who lived alone. No one knew about Gwen, that way there would be less chance of them being found out. The moment anyone found out about her, they would be leaving that same night. Bethany had been increasingly unnerved the past few weeks, constantly keeping an eye on Gwen and it was suffocating.

Gwen watched as her Nana left the house and as she hobbled over to the silver minivan. That vehicle was purchased with the thought of needing to flee in the middle of the night, taking all their stuff with them. Nothing could be left behind in case it would be used to track them down. Even the most mundane of objects absorbed traces of her magic.

Once her Nana was out of sight, Gwen jumped into action. She grabbed her coat and put the hood up to hide her face. She then snuck out of the back door of the house, with the intent of heading into the nearby forest. It was still light out and she didn’t plan on going far, she just needed to spend time outside and away from the house. The woods were thick with trees and the paths basically abandoned. This would be the perfect place for Gwen to escape for a few moments as it stretched for miles.

The house had been suffocating her. Being inside all the time with no reprieve was torture because she felt as though she could not go anywhere. Nana had explained that they were running from someone but would not go into any more detail, always saying that she was too young to know. This made Gwen’s blood boil because she was always being handled with kid gloves. She was nearly thirteen years old but was still being treated as though she was eight years old. 

Gwen craved freedom, and even if it meant going behind her Nana’s back, then she’d do it for at least thirty minutes of freedom.

Besides, what could happen in thirty minutes?

As she walked deeper into the forest, Gwen took in everything around her. The broken branches on the ground snapped under her feet and the cool wind made her sigh in happiness. Even just the smell of the earth made her feel relaxed and at ease. Her tense muscles relaxed as she left herself to be guided deeper into the forest, allowing the wind to take her anywhere, but keeping in mind her path so she could make a quick return when the time came.

It took another ten minutes before Gwen came upon a lake. She stopped to admire, the whole scene was like out of the books she had read. One that contained adventure, stakes and romance. Walking over to the water, she stared at her reflection. Shoulder-length fiery red hair and heterochromia eyes of blue and hazel reflected back at her, and a thin dusting of freckles covered her face. Her face was chubby and round, her lips a little too small for her liking and her nose slightly larger than normal.

Gwen was distracted from her reflection when she saw something move in the water, her blue and hazel eyes darted to where she saw movement.  She jumped back when she saw a face in the water, a sense of panic filling her.

She had been seen by someone.

However, before Gwen could even move, the person in the water broke out, only their head visible. That’s when Gwen saw the gills on the woman’s neck. Gwen’s gaze travelled down into the water, and with how clear the water was, there was no hiding the blue tail under the water. 

The woman was a mermaid.

“Now, what’s a cutie like you doing so far in the forest?” The woman asked, her voice rough but alluring.

“Just exploring,” Gwen said, faking the confidence and she hoped the mermaid wouldn't sense her panic. She needed to leave – now – before anything happened. Gwen did not know if this creature was a friend or foe, and the Blackthorn Witches did not have a treaty with the mermaids yet. That meant she did not know if she was in danger, but she assumed she was by the hungry look in the woman’s eyes.

“I know quite a few interesting places we could explore, why don’t I show you? I promise nothing bad will happen to you,” The Mermaid said with a flirty smile.

The tingling sensation flared up in her chest.

This Mermaid was lying to her.

Gwen shook her head, taking a step, “No thank you. I really should be getting back,”

The serene expression on the Mermaid’s face quickly changed to one of malice. Not one to be rejected, the Mermaid swam to the edge of the lake, “But you haven’t even told me your name yet,”

In that instant, Gwen knew that if she did not get away from this Mermaid, it would not go well. Vaguely, Gwen remembered an incident when she was a child and was taken away by the Fae, but couldn’t remember what happened afterwards. All she remembered was a white light, pain and feeling a lot of power. She was getting the same sinister feeling she got from those Fae all those years ago.

“Bridgett,” She answered back, giving a fake name. Gwen did not like lying, especially with what her power was, but she deemed it necessary in certain moments, like this.

The Mermaid grinned viciously, “I don’t think you’re being honest with me,”

Seeing no other option, Gwen fled the area, running as fast as she could. In the background, she could hear the Mermaid jumping out of the water to chase after her. Mermaids could walk on land, their tails transforming into legs, but it would only last for a short time so Gwen had to make her escape quick. There was no way Gwen could go back to the house – she refused to lead the Mermaid back to her home so she just had to wait the Mermaid out.

Hiding behind a tree, Gwen caught her breath after running for a few minutes, cursing her bad shape. She never left the house to exercise and now she surely regretted not taking her Nana up on the Yoga she did at home.

“Oh, come out wherever you are, little one,” The Mermaid sang, her voice echoing through the forest.

This scared her.

It made Gwen crave the safety of her home with her Nana. She regretted coming outside in the first place and wondered why Nana hadn’t stopped her. Surely, she should have seen Gwen in danger by now.

Looking down at her hands, Gwen soon had a realisation.

She was a Witch.

She could use magic.

She was not a defenceless human who would lie back and take someone coming after her. She would not be treated like prey.

She was the daughter of a powerful Witch, and she would not be backed into a corner.

With a sudden surge of strength, Gwen moved away from the tree and began heading towards the Mermaid, confidence pouring from her. As she did so, Gwen felt her magic spark to life and felt as it gathered in her hands. Gwen followed the voice and soon found the Mermaid, who was looking around.

When the Mermaid spotted her, she smiled widely, “And there she is! I was worried something had happened to you!”

The tingling sensation appeared in her chest.

The Mermaid was lying.

Holding up her hand, static crackled at Gwen's fingertips, the found crackling loudly. At the sight of the static, the Mermaid’s smile fell. Gwen did not have much information on Mermaids, but after today, that would be addressed. However, something that was common knowledge was their weakness to lightning.

Lightning happened to be Gwen’s main affinity.

“I will give you one opportunity and only one,” Gwen said, her blue and hazel eyes trained on the still Mermaid in front of her, “Either, you can leave and forget you ever met me, or I strike you down with lightning. What’s your choice?”

The Mermaid looked at the static at Gwen’s fingertips, indecision in her eyes.

Sensing that she wasn’t being taken seriously, Gwen poured more of her magic into the static until they were much bigger and the cracking sound much louder. The sound made the Mermaid flinch back and took a step back.

“They said you were an easy target,” The Mermaid cursed lowly, but it was loud enough for the Witch to hear.

“Well they were wrong,” Gwen snapped back, irritated by her words. She may not know who was after her, but she understood enough to know nothing good would come from it. The creatures that came after her always made comments like these and it annoyed her to no end. Her irritation only made her lightning stronger, and the Mermaid took a bigger step back.

“I will say I never saw you,” The Mermaid promised, her voice tight with apprehension.

The tingling sensations in her chest flared up once more.

Knowing she was lying, she hid her reaction. Gwen nodded her head, “Good, now leave,”

Without hesitation, the Mermaid went to leave but seemed to change her mind at the last minute. The Mermaid leapt at Gwen, malice in her eyes, never once intending to leave without her prize. Sensing something like this would happen, Gwen instinctively thrust her arm forward and lightning shot out from her hand, the element striking the Mermaid in the chest and causing her to scream in pain. The Mermaid fell to the ground and Gwen’s lightning crackled to life once more, ready for another attack.

Slowly, the Mermaid got back up, a massive scorch mark on her chest. She looked down at the mark and then at Gwen for a few moments before she shook her head. “This is so not worth it,” The Mermaid mumbled before she hobbled away, looking back cautiously.

Gwen watched her go with a sense of victory.

She had fought someone – and won. She had used her magic to defend her and she wasn’t terrible.

With a spring in her step, Gwen walked back to her house with a smile on her face. It stayed the entire walk there until she reached her house and saw the silver minivan outside. Her Nana was back from shopping. Mentally cursing, Gwen’s posture went inwards as she made the walk of shame back to her house. Silently, she hoped that Nana had not noticed her being gone and so snuck in the back. However, the moment she opened the back door, Nana stood there with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Gwen…” Bethany hissed out lowly, anger in her eyes.

Gwen closed her eyes and waited for the scolding of a lifetime.

But it never came.

Instead, Bethany sighed deeply and pulled Gwen into a hug, “Thank god you’re okay,”

Gwen’s eyes widened, not expecting her Nana to do this. Despite everything, she tensed when her Nana hugged her. She expected a scolding, a smack over the head and to be sent to her room while she sorted the move to another place. “Y-you’re not angry?”

“I am furious, but I was more worried about your safety,” Bethany answered back instantly, still not letting go of her ward. “I saw what happened and knew you would be fine, but that still doesn’t stop the worry,”

It took a few moments for Gwen to process this in her head. She moved away from her Nana and looked up at her in shock, “B-but you knew and still let me out?” She had always been warned about leaving the house, Nana had forbidden her to leave without someone being with her. But this time, it had been allowed and it was difficult to comprehend.

Sighing deeply, Bethany looked down at her with a saddened expression, “I know what being inside all the time is doing to you. Also, this needed to happen to light a fire under your behind, you haven’t been trying in your magic lessons,”

Gwen flushed red at being called out. It was true, Gwen had stopped trying with her magic as it was too easy. Nana had said she was a prodigy at magic, picking it up with such ease like she was breathing. But lately, Gwen had not been trying at all, she had lost her spark and her interest in magic. Nana had tried multiple times to make the lessons interesting, even going into the more advanced spells within Scarlett’s grimoires, but nothing could capture her interest.

Bethany had foreseen this and knew this would be the thing to bring back Gwen’s spark. Bethany hadn’t liked that Gwen was put in danger, but she knew the Mermaid would have been dealt with.

“Nana, how do they keep finding me?” Gwen asked with a frown. She could not understand why creatures were always finding her, wherever she went.

Frowning, Bethany thought out loud, “It could be for a variety of reasons, but I am starting to think it is because of your magic.”

“My magic?”

Bethany nodded her head, “Yes, your magic is powerful and is bound to attract attention. It gives off a signal and brings people closer to you.” Before Gwen had unlocked her magic, they could hide away in a city for a few months to a year before being stumbled upon. But after having her magic unlocked, the number of weeks/months they could stay in once placed decreased massively.

Gwen looked down at her hands, guilt hitting her fast and hard.

Sensing where her thoughts were going, Bethany patted her head, which made the young Witch flinch, “Never mind those thoughts. I have a solution in mind for this,”

“How?” Gwen asked as she looked up to her Nana.

Bethany pulled out a small bag of herbs. “These, it’s a small concoction that will help hide your presence. I have been trying to find the right ones in your mother’s Grimoires and I think this will do. You’ll have to wear it every day and it will need changing every month,” She had used her powers and found that it would work, easing her worries.

“Should we put it in a necklace?” Gwen asked, her eyes lit up in excitement. Maybe with this in place, they would not have to move as much, and maybe she would go outside.

Bethany snorted, “Heavens no. Necklaces are easily broken, stolen or misplaced. We cannot risk that. We will sew it into your clothing and you can also drink it. Though I would not suggest that, it does taste very bad,” Bethany winced as she remembered the taste, it was not pleasant at all.

Gwen nodded her head, “Good plan,”

“But first, we are going to have to move,” Bethany said, looking around at all the stuff they would need to pack. The Mermaid had managed to find them, and there was no doubt that someone would be back, so they needed to leave quickly.

With a grin, Gwen snapped her fingers and multiple suitcases flew out of the cupboard and opened up on the ground. With another snap of her fingers, all the things from the house packed itself until the suitcases were full and they closed with a snap. This was a little trick she had learned from the last time they had moved in a rush, but she had not used it in so long.

Bethany looked at Gwen before she laughed, “God, I love magic,”

Gwen’s grin grew wider, she really loved her magic as well. She made a silent vow to herself that she would not minimise her power anymore. From now on, she would take these lessons seriously so that she could defend herself. Creatures would continue to come for her, but Gwen would not be an easy target, she would fight back tooth and nail.

Chapter Text

Five years later

A now seventeen-year-old Gwen hummed to herself as she drew in her sketchbook, images of sigil and magical runes littered the page, all with different meanings. Gwen had been filled with the urge to sketch some sigil because she had been searching for a particular one, and it just kept flowing. There were some she tried to memorise and would look between her Grimoires and her sketchbook, making sure she got everything right. Messing up a sigil or a rune could be very dangerous, and Gwen was nothing but a perfectionist when it came to her craft. Playing music always helped and she hummed away to the music, only half paying attention to the melody – her focus on her craft and making sure every stroke of her pencil was perfect.

The house groaned, which caught her attention. It took her a few seconds to click onto what was wrong. With a snap of her fingers, the music skipped to the next song, a piano-based song. The lights in Gwen’s room flickered in appreciation.

“I take it you didn’t like the other song, Tilly?” Gwen asked the space of her room, though it was anything but empty.

Tilly’s response to this question was to have the bedroom door shut and open again.

Laughing to herself, she lovingly petted the wall behind her head with a smile.

The house that they had moved into was called Tilbrook House, a very old house within Forks that was located at the very edge of the small town, and backed onto a very large forest that spanned for miles. It was very isolated and very much haunted. When Gwen had moved into the house, she had been immediately enamoured by the house and Tilly responded in kind. It had been abandoned and hadn’t been looked after, but after a few weeks with Gwen, her magic had repaired the house back to its former glory with a few added extras. It was very rare to find a house that was possessed by its former owner, Lady Sophia Tilbrook as most had been exorcised by people too scared to handle the home. This was something Bethany had wanted to do, but she soon changed her mind when she had a vision and decided that this was the house for them, and there was no changing her mind after that.

There was the sound of banging downstairs and this made Gwen look up. “Is Nana causing trouble again?”

Tilly’s response was to shut the window of the room with more force than before.

Understanding Tilly’s frustration, Gwen decided to go and help her Nana. Bethany and Tilly’s relationship was still a bit tense, the house had remembered the comments that Bethany made about getting an exorcism and she did not appreciate it. Tilly had warmed up to Gwen, and she made sure to reciprocate in kind. Gwen had a good feeling about this home, more so than she’d had about any other home and so she wanted everything to work out. She didn’t know if she had the heart to leave Tilly now, despite only living here for a year.

Walking down the stairs, she made her way into the kitchen and saw Bethany tear open the cupboards as she searched for something. Bethany muttered under her breath about trying to find the coffee, and the kitchen was in disarray as no stone was left unturned. However, it seemed to be a fruitless endeavour as Tilly had hide the coffee.

With a snap of her fingers, Gwen used her magic, and a fresh jar of coffee beans appeared on the side in full view. Bethany nearly jumped out of her skin but saw Gwen and she rolled her eyes. “Some notice would have been nice,” Bethany said as she ran a hand through her short hair. Five years later had not been kind, more wrinkles were now on her face, and her hair greyed quicker than she’d like.

“Tilly was getting a little annoyed,” Gwen said with a sheepish smile.

Bethany rolled her eyes, “Of course, that damn house would rat on me,” In her vision of the home, she had seen Tilly bonding with Gwen and protecting her, hence why the house was chosen. If not for her vision, she would have had the house cleansed at the earliest convenience. She was used to the supernatural community, but ghosts crossed a line for her.

Tilly sent the cupboard door open before slamming it shut, not appreciating Bethany as she badmouthed her.

“Oh, calm your handles,” Bethany shook her head in exasperation as she picked up the coffee beans and began to make herself the beverage she’d been craving.

Gwen rolled her eyes at this interaction. In the year that they had lived in Forks, this was a typical day, where Tilly and Bethany would annoy one another – though Tilly was the instigator in a lot of these squabbles. Gwen had thought it would fizzle out, but as time went on, they’d both showed no signs of stopping their squabbles – Bethany was just as bad at times. Tilly certainly was a funny character and she looked forward to seeing what the house had to offer.

“Any progress finding the right sigil?” Bethany asked as she looked at her ward with a curious expression. She was aware that Gwen had a dream of a particular sigil and she was determined to find what she had dreamt about.

“I'm still going through all the grimoires, but I feel like I am getting closer,” Gwen answered as she started to make herself a cup of tea. When she saw her Nana with the coffee, she realised that she hadn’t drunk much that day and craved some tea. Without a second thought, Gwen started to take over making her Nana’s coffee, especially when she saw Nana’s hands start to shake.

The older woman said nothing and let her ward take over.

It was hard knowing her Nana was getting old.

Bethany stretched her back out, hearing crack and sighed in satisfaction.

Gwen watched with a frown, worried about her Nana’s health. Having visions took a toll on the woman, especially within the last five years. The visions weighed heavily on her Nana, and she’d been having more this past year alone but she always refused to share what they were about. However, around twelve months ago, she had been adamant that they come to Forks, even though Gwen originally wanted to go to Oregon or Phoenix. Her Nana could be stubborn, but she outright refused to move on this topic which made Gwen curious as to what was in Forks. The town was tiny with a population of less than four thousand people and everyone seemed to know each other’s business, which was exactly the opposite of what they were going for. A year had already passed, and Gwen had found herself liking this town the longer she was here, but she was wary as she knew they would move at some point and just wondered when that time would happen. Gwen was also not shy in admitting that this town could be boring as well – mundane at best, but that was also what appealed to her.

It would be harder leaving Forks than all the other places they’d lived in her seventeen years on this earth.

However, it would be mainly because of Tilly.

“Now, what do you think we should do about food?” Bethany asked as she went over to the fridge and winced when they saw no food. She’d meant to go shopping but it had completely slipped her mind and now she was paying for it.

Before Gwen could say anything, Tilly’s lights flashed and she groaned.

Someone was at the door.

“I’ll go and get it,” Bethany said as she moved towards the front door. They understood that Tilly did this when someone approached the house, and it gave them time to prepare. If it was someone she did not like, she would lock all the doors and windows, as if protecting them. If Tilly did like the person, she’d just let them know that someone approached. Usually by flinging cupboard doors open by someone’s head.

Gwen looked around the kitchen and patted the doorway, “I feel like you make things a hundred times more interesting,” Forks did not deserve to have such an interesting house, especially since no one paid attention to Tilly.

Tilly let out a groan in agreement, and the room became noticeably warmer.

Gwen looked out the kitchen and over to the front door Bethany answered and she could see a man at the door. He was a tall man, over six foot and looked young, maybe around early thirties. He had short ginger hair and brown eyes, he was also dressed in the Forks police uniform, and she instantly recognised him. 

“Liam, how are you?” Bethany greeted kindly.

Liam was Bethany’s grandson. After Bethany had divorced her husband, their child took their father’s side and refused to see his mother, believing his father’s poison. But Liam was different and wanted to see his grandmother. Gwen had met him a few times in the past when he came to see Nana.

“Why don’t you come inside?” Bethany questioned as she moved aside so Liam could come inside.

Liam tried to come inside, but it was like there was a force stopping him. He looked at the doorway in confusion, there wasn’t a spell surrounding the house so he was confused.

Tilly’s floorboards creaked, as though she was amused by this predicament.

“Oh Tilly, let him in!” Bethany said in exasperation.

Tilly remained unmoved and nothing happened, causing Bethany to glare at the open space of the house.

“Come on, it’s just Liam, let him inside,” Gwen reassured while she made another cup of coffee for her uncle. She knew Liam was partial to the beverage as much as her Nana, especially since he tended to work late with the police.

Tilly’s light flickered in response as if a child had been scolded by a parent.

Gwen gave Liam the signal to come in.  

The next time Liam tried to step into the house, he found there was no resistance and he seemed even more complexed.

“It seems as though Tilly was just messing with you guys,” Gwen said as she came into the hallway where Bethany and Liam were. She handed them both their coffee and watched as they nearly inhaled the drink with how fast they guzzled it down despite the hot temperature.

Bethany nodded approvingly, “As annoying as Tilly can be, she is very good at protecting the house,”

There was the sound of running water as Tilly practically preened under the praise.

Gwen silently agreed, but mentally reminded herself to put some wards around the home. There was nothing wrong with being extra cautious. The outside of the house was still wood and very easy to damage. She wanted to make sure that Tilly remained in the best shape possible and that nothing happened to her. She deserved some love and care after being abandoned for so long and she was just making up for all that lost time.

The moment Liam saw Gwen, his eyes lit up, “Hey kiddo! How have you been?” He walked up to Gwen and motioned for a hug, but Gwen shook her head and took a step back. It quickly dawned on Liam and he sent an apologetic smile instead.

“I’m fine, how have things been on the force?” Gwen asked with a smile. She viewed him like an Uncle, one who was fun but protective.

Liam smiled widely, “It has been great! Can be rather slow because of how much of a small town it is, but I like it. Also, Charlie is a great mentor,” When Liam had left home, he had ended up in Forks. Charlie had taken Liam under his wing and mentored him, practically raising him to take over as Chief when Charlie eventually retired.

“God’s help this town,” Gwen jeered while rolling her eyes playfully.

Liam playfully rolled his eyes as he laughed.

“We were just thinking of getting food, what do we fancy tonight?” Bethany asked. There were not many places to eat in Forks, probably three good places in the whole town, so that made options limited, and she did not fancy cooking.

Nodding his head, Liam thought to himself, “Pizza’s always a hit,” 

“Pizza sounds good,” Gwen suggested as she found herself craving the cheesy goodness. Her Nana liked to make home-cooked meals, so she didn’t always get to indulge in take-out, so when they did, it was a special occasion.

“It’s not too far, but it may get busy soon on a Friday, should we head out now?” Liam said as he looked at his watch.

Bethany looked to Gwen, but the Witch shook her head, “I want to do more research, why don’t you both go and catch up?” She suggested, not wanting to leave the house for a moment. Her mind was still on the markings she had seen in her dreams.

Liking the idea, Bethany and Liam left, leaving Gwen alone in the home.

Sighing deeply, Gwen leaned back near the staircase and closed her eyes for a moment. She loved her Nana, but sometimes she just needed a moment's peace to herself as the older woman worried too much. Bethany would always watch her like a hawk, especially whenever she’d seen something in her visions but did not want to tell her about it. It always put Gwen on edge when Bethany hovered at times, and while endearing, she was glad for the quiet.

Tilly groaned, inquiring if she was okay.

“I’m okay, thank you,” Gwen said with a small smile.

Moving away from the staircase, she moved back to the kitchen and snapped her fingers, making all the stuff move into their assigned places. No matter the kitchen, Nana always arranged her appliances in a certain fashion and so Gwen had placed them accordingly.

The cupboard opened and closed as if Tilly was applauding her and this made Gwen laugh.

“Now, time to explore,” Gwen said with a grin as she left the kitchen. While she wanted to do more research, she was suddenly filled with the urge to explore. The house seemed deceivingly small but was much bigger on the inside, a common theme of this house. The upstairs had two bedrooms, and that’s what was listed on the website – and what the relator explained. There were two living rooms, a dining room, a small kitchen and a fire pit in the back garden. They would get plenty of space in this home since it was far away from anyone, their nearest neighbour was at least a ten-minute drive away. They’d lived in this house for over twelve months, and somehow, every time she looked, Gwen always found a new room in the house – rooms that had never been listed – but when she’d go back again, the room would be gone. Gwen had discovered this within her first month of staying here and had made it a mission to find every room in the house – secret or not. In the past year, Gwen had tried to distinguish whether there was a pattern to certain rooms appearing, but there was no concrete evidence and it seemed random most times.

It didn’t take long before Gwen felt as though she had explored the entire home, staying out her Nana’s room. There had been no new rooms found that day and she was kind of disappointed. As Gwen walked past the second living room, she spotted a new door, one that she had not spotted previously.

Gwen’s eyes lit up when she spotted the door – it was a new room.

Tilly’s groan sounded more like a chuckle and Gwen instantly knew the house was messing with her.

It liked to do that.

Narrowing her eyes playfully, Gwen grinned, “I will discover all your secrets,” The house had something up its figurative sleeves and this made her excited. She had never lived in a haunted home before and knew this would be very interesting.

The floorboard next to her foot creaked, the house had accepted the challenge.

Reaching over to the handle, she went to open the door but was stopped when the house alerted her of someone at the door, and she could also hear furious knocks, as well as familiar shouting. Letting out a curse, she let go of the door handle and went to the front door, only to find her Nana and Liam outside holding pizza boxes.

Bethany did not look amused, “The house would not let me inside,”

The lights on the porch flashed in defiance.

“Stupid house,” Bethany muttered lowly, but the house heard it and let out a hiss in response.

“Let’s get inside,” Liam said soothingly, knowing that his Grandmother was close to exploding. She had tried her key for a good five minutes before they were forced to knock on the door. The key would not turn, or unlock the door, no matter how much Liam or Bethany tried. When Liam had tried, it had shocked him. Bethany was furious that her own home would not let her inside. She had shouted at the house, but Tilly had remained unmoved. She had almost thought something was wrong until Gwen opened the door.

Gwen patted the wall, “It’s just Tilly, she’s messing with us,” Moving aside, she let Liam in and then looked to her Nana when she realised, she hadn’t moved, “You coming?”

Bethany shook her head, “You go in firefly, I need to speak to the house,”

Sending her a confused look, Gwen nodded her head and shut the door. It was wise to let her Nana and Tilly work out their issues, but she’d step in if her Nana started to exorcise the house. As soon as the door was shut, there was a sound of the lock turning very loud, Tilly had sent a pointed message.

Now alone, Bethany looked at the house with narrowed eyes. Ever since coming into the house, she could feel a powerful presence, like someone was watching them. Bethany had no idea where the eyes were, but it unnerved her. The only reason she agreed to move into this house was for Gwen as she saw in her vision how much she adored this house, and it seemed as though the feeling was mutual.

“Listen here, Tilbrook,” Bethany muttered out and watched as the lights on the porch came on full beam as she had the house’s full attention, “I have protected Gwen since she was a babe. Kept her hidden and out of sight, but her time is running out and I will not be here forever. I need you to make a promise to protect her. I want you to watch over her, keep the bad people out and don’t let her do anything stupid. Do you hear me?”

For a moment, the house did not respond and Bethany worried that Tilly was ignoring her. However, after a few seconds, the lights twinkled, as if it agreed with her.

Relaxing a moment, Bethany nodded her head in satisfaction, “Things are going to get dangerous and a storm is coming our way. I just hope Gwen is ready for it,”

In response, there was the sound of the front door unlocking and the door flung open, inviting Bethany back into the home.

It seemed as though there was a truce between Bethany and Tilly.

TWILIGHT

Later that night

Gwen sat on her bed, reading through one of Scarlett’s Grimoires, studying the spells intently. She had no luck finding what she needed, so she decided to move on and search for the next spell she intended to practice and looked at the steps she needed to complete. Witch crystal lights were dotted around the room, and changed colour every few minutes, creating a very calming atmosphere.

Her room was medium-sized with a large window and panel so she could lounge on it – something she planned to do more often as it looked very inviting. The walls were lavender and the carpet was grey. Gwen had a double bed, a small desk and a small wardrobe with a matching chest of drawers. Photos were dotted around the room, all of Gwen’s memories of when she moved places, and there were quite a few of them. They mainly consisted of her, her Nana and the scenery, but they were her memories regardless and she treasured them. The most recent one was of her, Liam posing in front of Tilly.

Tilly was quite fond of that photo and had made the room warmer as soon as the photo went up on the wall.

Typically, Gwen would have been asleep by now, but she found herself too wired to be asleep. There was so much to do and she wanted to get a head start.

There was a swooshing sound that made Gwen look up, and she saw a mug of hot chocolate on her bedside table. The sight of it brought a smile to her face, “Thank you, Tilly,” Placing down the grimoire, she slowly drank the chocolatey goodness.

“I’m thinking of placing wards around the house, what do you think about that, Tilly?” Gwen asked as she looked around.

The lights in the room turned on full beam before turning off.

Gwen smiled before taking another sip, “Sound like a plan then,” With the wards she had in mind, it would strengthen her structure and foundation, where Tilly would not be as fragile and not easily broken into. It would also make her more resistant in case anyone tried to set the house alight. While there had been no threats to her home, she wanted to make sure Tilly would be still standing if anything did happen.

There was a knock on her bedroom door that caught her attention, “Come in,” Gwen knew that it was her Nana as there was no one else in the house. There were a few ghosts that passed by, like an elderly woman who occupied the rocking chair in the living room, but none of them ever knocked, they would just phase through the walls.

Gwen had become so used to it, that it didn’t even bother her. However, she did place a protection spell around her room so that ghosts could not enter her room uninvited.

Bethany walked in, dressed in her PJs and silk robe, “I see you got the hot chocolate then,” She had made it intending to come up to Gwen. But when she’d turned her back, the beverage was gone and she suspected Tilly had intercepted it.

Holding up the mug, Gwen grinned, “Delicious as always, Nana,”

Smiling fondly, Bethany came into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking over at what Gwen was reading, “Some light reading then?”

“Just looking for more spells to practice,” Gwen said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Bethany sent her a dubious look, they both knew that Gwen had been through every single one of Scarlett’s grimoires. There weren’t any new spells as Gwen had learnt them all or did not deem them interesting enough. Bethany had requested that Scarlett send more grimoires but she had yet to hear from the red-haired Witch.

“How are you feeling about living here?” Bethany asked, moving the conversation along.

Gwen smiled, “Good. This one feels different for some reason, but I would probably say it’s been one of my favourite places so far,” While she found the town boring at times, and quite mundane, there was an energy about the place that made her pause. It was like she could feel the air change and something new was going to start. Usually, she hated moving but living in a haunted house certainly made things more interesting. It also helped that she wasn’t the only supernatural in this town either – something that made her curious.

“Because of the house?”

The sheepish look on Gwen’s face said it all.

Tilly out a bashful noise by creaking lowly.

Bethany chuckled to herself, “And school’s been going well?”

“Yeah, it’s been going fine. I didn’t realise how boring it would be,” Gwen had begged her Nana to let her attend school, like all the other times. Gwen had expected Bethany to say no, but to her surprise, she was allowed to attend the local school. Gwen had been confused, this was the first time she would be allowed to attend a high school, and Bethany never said another word on the matter. She had never been so surprised before and it made her suspicious as to why Bethany had allowed it this time but denied it all the other times.

“I did try and warn you,” Bethany laughed at her ward’s misery.

Gwen smiled and nodded her head, she remembered how smug her Nana had been when she came back after a month and said how boring the school was. Bethany had been her tutor for years, and she was miles ahead of everyone in that school.

“You finding not using magic okay?” Bethany asked, worried for her ward. While she did not have magic herself, she understood how much Witches and Warlocks relied on their magic, and to not use it was unnatural. However, Gwen needed not to use it so she could blend in.

“It’s weird and doesn’t feel right, but I’ve been doing okay,” What Gwen didn’t say was that she could feel her magic build up. Every day she immediately used her magic once she was home because it felt like it was bursting out of her. Gwen had higher magical reserves than any other Witch her age – from what she was told at least – and so this made it harder for her.

“You’ve been doing very well, but you have to remember that this is a school for mortals so you’ll have to be careful. You cannot use your magic too freely in front of them,” Bethany warned with a serious expression.

Gwen nodded her head, already knowing this, and knowing how hard it was going to be. She used magic for everything. It was her comfort, her companion throughout the years of isolation and running away. Magic came as easy to her as breathing – it was a natural reflex to use her magic and so she knew it was not going to be easy at all.

“If the humans catch on to the fact, that you’re not like them, they will treat you differently,” Bethany continued, needing her ward to understand this. Humans could be evil and nasty, especially when they come across things, they do not understand.

“Just like a human,” Gwen said as she tried to reassure her Nana.

“Now, get some sleep, we’re going shopping tomorrow,” Bethany said before she stood up and left her ward’s room.

Using her magic, Gwen levitated the grimoire bank into her trunk that sat at the end of her bed. It had a magical lock on where only she could open it, this was to protect the grimoires as they contained very powerful and rare spells. One thing Gwen could say about Scarlett was that she was a genius when it came to magic and recorded every spell she’d ever made/used.

Once the grimoire was in the trunk, the lights immediately turned off, making Gwen look around in surprise. One of her Witch lights flickered on and off for a moment, Tilly was letting her know it was time for bed. Gwen tried to turn the lights on with her magic but nothing happened.

“Tilly,” Gwen warned.

Tilly groaned in protest but did not turn on the light.

Sighing deeply, Gwen was tempted to argue with the house but decided against it. She was starting to feel tired now and decided to go to bed, grumbling about how unfair the house was. The house groaned, as if laughing at her plight but otherwise went silent when Gwen settled into bed.

TWILIGHT

A few days later

Gwen stared at herself in the floor-length mirror, making sure that she looked presentable for school. She didn’t want to look too out of place and she wanted to blend in as much as possible. Gwen had pulled her ginger hair into a high ponytail with hair framing her face. She was dressed in her dark blue skinny jeans, an oversized white V-neck jumper and some brown ankle boots. She wrapped her thick dark blue scarf around her neck for extra warmth. Forks wasn’t the coldest place she had visited, but it was cold, especially in March.

However, she couldn't forget about her coloured contact. As one of her eyes was blue, she used a brown contact lens to cover it and make it look like her other eye. She didn’t want to stick out anymore so she covered it. Having two different eye colours never bothered her, but Nana had warned her people might look at her more if she didn’t cover them.

Mentally debating whether make-up was necessary, Gwen contemplated different ideas. During the year she had been at the school, she’d observed what the mortals wore, like make-up. Some girls wore too much and it looked bad – others wore nothing at all. Not able to make up her mind, Gwen gave up and just decided to put on lip gloss and a light application of mascara so her eyelashes didn’t look non-existent – a curse of being ginger.

The door to her bedroom flung open and Tilly groaned, indicating her annoyance at the Witch taking so long.

Gwen rolled her eyes, “I’m coming, I’m coming,” Tilly was a character, she laughed when one of them tripped over or dropped something. If she was in a playful mood, she would hide the things Bethany was looking for, only to make them appear where she had first looked. Tilly also had a habit of turning out the lights when she deemed it late enough and demanded that Gwen go to bed. It also seemed that Tilly had separation anxiety as she did not like it when Gwen or Nana left the house for long periods. Tilly has not taken kindly to being told that she would be attending school and has resorted to hiding Gwen’s things, her clothing, books, or anything that she would need. It had taken a lot of reassurance that Tilly was not being abandoned before the house calmed down and stopped hiding her things.

Walking downstairs, Gwen walked into the kitchen and found her Nana cooking up a storm, while also arguing with Tilly over the fact the coffee was missing. Despite Tilly no longer messing with her stuff, Bethany’s things were fair game.

“I swear if you don’t give me the coffee, I will set you alight,” Bethany growled as she looked at the kitchen with malice in her eyes.

Tilly’s floorboards hissed at the threat, refusing to bring the coffee back.

Rolling her eyes, Gwen walked over to the kettle and began making herself some tea, “It is too early for this,”

Making her tea, she watched as Bethany argued with the house while cooking up breakfast. Even while arguing, Nana managed to accomplish this while sliding her ward a plate of warm food. Gwen easily chomped down on her bacon, eggs and toast with gusto, her nerves making her want to eat. After she finished, she quickly washed the dishes, and Nana and Tilly were still arguing, with Nana making more threats and Tilly hiding more things in the kitchen so that Nana couldn’t get at them.

Looking down at her watch, Gwen decided to make a move. She wanted to get there at a relatively okay time so as not to bring attention to herself, “I’ll head off now,” She said before heading to the front door.

This immediately stopped the argument between Nana and Tilly. Bethany looked at her ward, “Have you got everything you need?”

Gwen nodded her head, “Yep,”

Bethany sent her a dubious expression, “Where’s your bag?”

Before Gwen could even respond to this, there was the sound of something being dropped on the floor. Looking down, Gwen saw that her backpack was now downstairs, and she hadn’t used her magic to do this.

“Thanks, Tilly,” Gwen said with a smile.

Tilly’s lights flashed in response.

“What about your phone?” Bethany questioned.

Gwen patted her pocket, where her phone was. It was always fully charged and she would call her Nana if she needed anything. Bethany had got her this phone only last year as there was no reason for Gwen to have a phone beforehand – she never left the house and she and Nana were always together. She never saw the point in having one either, but now there was a reason to need one.

“Purse?”

Nodding her head again, Gwen remembered putting the purse in her backpack. There, she had access to an emergency fund of money Scarlett set up for her. Again, it was something Gwen did not touch as there was no need to and she was far too focused on strengthening her magic.

“Keys?”

Gwen reached into her other pocket and pulled out two keys, one for the house, and the other for the car she had been gifted. On her sixteenth birthday, she’d asked her Nana to be taught how to drive, and surprisingly, Nana agreed. She had claimed she was getting too old to drive and didn’t see the issue in Gwen driving them around instead. It took around six months before she passed her driving test and while in Forks, Nana had gifted Gwen a car. It was a second-hand red Fiat 500, and Gwen loved it.

“The herbs?”

Pacing her hand over her right boob, she patted it, referring to the pouch of herbs that was stitched into her bra. In every bra, in every piece of underwear and in every pair of socks, there was a small pouch that contained the herbs that concealed her presence from being discovered. It covered her scent. The herbs had to be changed over every month and she had spent hours yesterday doing this. Despite the tediousness of the task, Gwen knew that it was essential as without it, she would not be allowed to leave the home in fear of magical creatures hunting her down and her location being discovered. Ever since she had started wearing them, they’d had a peaceful life and had been allowed to stay in one place longer than before.

Bethany looked at her dubiously, “Do you even have a pen?”

Sending her an unimpressed look, Gwen rolled her eyes, “Of course I have a pen. I also have a notebook, highlighters, a ruler, an eraser and a pencil.” She mentally scoffed, of course, she had a pen. Gwen loved stationary and anything to do with organisation – it was her thing – and the fact that Nana had questioned this was almost insulting.

Bethany laughed, as she realised how silly that question was, “Of course you do,”

“I’ll head off now. Bye Nana, bye Tilly,” Gwen said before she left the housing, grabbing her black coat before closing the door.

Bethany watched her go with a frown on her face. It was weird watching Gwen leave without her, she was always with the girl. It was like this every morning, she would always make sure Gwen had everything she needed before leaving the house. However, it never got easier. They had spent seventeen years together but this was a new chapter for Gwen. This was the place where she would meet her destiny and Bethany would not step in the way of this – unless she had no choice. All the protecting, all the secrecy, all the hiding and running away would now be over, as long as everything went well and as intended.

TWILIGHT

Gwen arrived at the school and parked her car, a small red Fiat 500 that she loved dearly. Driving gave her some form of freedom, and while she knew she could not go far, at least not without her Nana knowing – she had the illusion of some form of freedom. As she locked up her car, she sensed as her friend approached her.

“Morning Gwen!” Said the cheery voice that belonged to Caitlin Fisher – the resident goth girl of the town.

Gwen looked at Caitlin and saw her dressed in all her dark glory – leathers and thick eyeliner standing out amongst the mundane people of Forks.

“Morning Caitlin, looking very dark this morning,” Gwen joked with a grin.

Caitlin beamed at the praise. Usually, people gave her horrified looks at what she wore, but Gwen took this in stride. Their friendship had come about when Gwen had complimented her outfit and then defended her from some bullies – like Jessica Stanley.

“You’ll never guess what,” Caitlin said as she snapped out of her thoughts.

“Let me guess, you tried to summon a demon?” Gwen arched a brow, aware that the girl in front of her tried this before – despite the Witch’s reverence about this.

“No, that’s this weekend's plan.” Caitlin waved off, “We’re getting a newbie! She is meant to be in our year,” She heard this juicy bit of gossip from her mother, who had heard it from a few other people. But apparently, Charlie Swan had said it so it had to be legit.

Gwen’s looked at the goth girl in surprise. For Forks to get another new person was quite a shock. The last new person that arrived in Forks was herself and Nana, and even a year later, people tended to treat her as though she was a hot commodity – though she supposed it was because she never cared about them or tried to get too involved. Caitlin was the only exception. The only other new people in Forks were the Cullen's.

Speaking of them…

Just at that thought, Gwen spotted the gorgeous sibling’s cars appearing. The familiar silver Volvo and blue Jeep were parked far away from everyone else. No one liked to park near the Cullen's cars because they were too expensive and people were too scared to accidentally scratch them. Whenever the Cullen's arrived, the teenagers tended to stop their conversations to stare at them.

Gwen watched as five of the most gorgeous creatures she had ever seen in her life got out of their cars gracefully. There were three guys and two girls. The first guy she saw looked like a bear; he was very tall and burly. He would have been very intimidating if it wasn’t for the playful grin on his face. He was very handsome with his short dark brown hair and golden eyes. A girl was standing next to the bear of a man, and she happened to be the most beautiful woman Gwen had ever seen. She was also tall and her figure reminded her of a model. She had long wavy blonde hair and golden eyes. The other male was also very tall and had honey-blonde hair. He was muscular, but also very lean which only made his large golden eyes stand out even more. There was a tiny girl next to him, one that reminded Gwen of a pixie, especially with how thin and small she was. Her hair was cropped, short and spiky, which suited her, and she too had the alluring golden eyes. However, it was the last one that drew Gwen’s attention. In Gwen’s opinion, he was the most handsome out of the other two guys. He had high cheekbones, a strong jawline, a straight nose and full lips. His untidy bronze hair made his liquid gold eyes stand out even more.

Emmett.

Rosalie.

Jasper.

Alice.

Edward.

And they were all Vampires.

It had thrown Gwen at first when she saw them a year ago, she nearly had a panic attack and called her Nana. She had thought they would need to leave straight away, but surprisingly, her Nana had laughed at her and told her not to worry. This had thrown the Witch off, as usually when they came across anyone in the supernatural community, they would pack up and leave, but that didn’t happen this time. At first, Gwen had been confused by their eye colour, as she’d never met a Vampire with golden eyes before.

Now, it just amused her that no one else had clicked on what they were.

Gwen was aware that they all tried to blend in as much as possible, but it was hard to hide their beauty – especially when they all looked like supermodels. They stood out like sore thumbs in a boring town like Forks, and it was no wonder they were still the talk of the city despite living here for a year longer than Gwen.

“Still so gorgeous,” Caitlin muttered under her breath.

Gwen rolled her eyes and snapped back to reality, “Come on, let’s head to class,” She said as she began to walk to class, with Caitlin fumbling to catch up with her. Gwen looked at the Cullen's and saw as Alice flashed a smile in her direction, something the Witch returned.

“I still can’t believe you are friends with Alice Cullen,” Caitlin muttered lowly as she watched this interaction in awe.

“She’s nice, I don’t understand what the hang-up is,” Gwen shook her head. Alice had been one of the first people who introduced herself when Gwen first came to Forks. This has freaked the Witch out slightly and she wondered whether they knew she was a Witch or not. But as time went on, nothing was ever said. However, what had been a nuisance was the population of Fork’s reaction to this friendship and it had gained Gwen a lot of attention. The attention she did not like and had been annoyed by, but this did not stop her from being friends with Alice.

Gwen was certain they did not know she was a Witch.

This amused her more than anything.

Emmett happened to turn his head at the same time, and smiled at the Witch, enthusiastically waving in her direction. Gwen waved back and nearly laughed, she was fond of Emmett and she loved his energy. While he had never spoken to her, it appeared he wanted to, but was always stopped at the last second by someone.

Emmett was funny when he pouted.

“This is so unfair,” Caitlin whined as she followed Gwen to their lesson.

Gwen ignored her moans of unfairness and continued to walk as they had double English that morning, and she did not want to be caught up in the mass rush to lessons.

TWILIGHT

The rest of the day went by relatively okay. Most of the residents were buzzing that there would be a new person coming to Forks – who also happened to be Chief Swan’s daughter who had lived with her mother in Phoenix most of her life. Gwen had spent most of the day hearing all about how Charlie and Renee had broken up, hearing about all the different theories as to why their daughter would be coming back to Forks. The rumours weren’t the nicest, but this was typical for mortal teenagers so Gwen kept out of it, as it was not her business.

Parking her car in the driveway, Gwen was immediately greeted by the lights flashing on as Tilly saw her. The door flung open before she had even made it to the porch but this just made Gwen smile at the house’s eagerness to have her back. Just the sight of the house made her feel relieved. It was here that she could be herself and not have to worry about holding back her magic – something that had been a massive struggle throughout the entire day.

“I’m home, Tilly,” Gwen said as she patted the doorway. She placed her bag on the ground, which was soon swallowed by the floorboards within seconds. No doubt it would turn up in her room, as it always did when she got home.

Tilly let out a happy groan and shut the door behind her, locking it straight away.

Rolling her eyes playfully, Gwen couldn’t stop the rush of affection at the house’s actions. “Where is Nana?”

At the question, she heard an angry yell from the woman in question. Walking further into the house she saw Bethany cooking up a storm in the kitchen, but she was swearing at the house for hiding away the pasta.

“Hi Nana,” Gwen said as she announced her presence.

Jumping in surprise, Bethany turned around and smiled widely, “Oh firefly, you’re back! The house never told me,” The woman glared at the possessed house accusingly, causing one of the cupboard doors to close in response.

“I see you’re both still standing,” Gwen commented as she smelt the dinner, making her nearly groan at the smell. It was one of her favourites, spaghetti bolognese. There was a faint smell of garlic and she knew her Nana had only just put the garlic bread in the oven.

“Not with a lack of trying,” Bethany muttered under her breath.

The cupboard door next to Bethany swung open and hit her in the back of the head.

“Tilly!” Bethany yelled out in anger. 

Laughing, Gwen wordlessly set up the table, knowing that her Nana was occupied with dinner. She was starving already and also very tired. She just wanted to get the homework done from today, do a little more work on her spells and go to bed.

“How was today?” Bethany asked, recovering from the house’s assault on her head. This was a regular occurrence, and she knew that Tilly would never actually harm her, but she toed the line at times.

“It was fine, a bit boring,” Gwen said as she finished setting up the table. Since it was only the two of them, it made quick work, which was why she did not use her magic.

Bethany hummed at this, this did not surprise her. Gwen had given the same answer multiple times when asked how school was. Bethany remembered how tedious it was when she was young – a long time ago – but she still remembered how bored she’d been. She empathised with her ward in having to deal with teenage drama.

“We’re getting someone new in town, she’s the police chief’s daughter,” Gwen said after a few moments of comfortable silence. She wondered whether her Nana had seen anything about this new person.

Maybe they would be interesting?

Bethany frowned for a moment, “Ah yes, her name is Isabella Swan,” There was a lot she wanted to say, but decided against it. It was a name she had been waiting to be mentioned, and she suddenly remembered all of the visions she had before coming to Forks.

Gwen watched her Nana for a moment. She watched as her Nana recognised the name and how the woman had rolled her eyes. That was the face Bethany wore when she did not like someone but didn’t want to say it. Bethany could not hide her facial expressions, no matter how much she tried. It made her wonder what she’d seen to make her react in such a manner. “Anything I should know?”

“No,” Bethany answered immediately.

A tingling sensation flared up in Gwen’s chest.

Nana had lied.

This made Gwen frown, why would Bethany lie about this? She didn’t like it when Bethany lied to her, it made her think that the older woman thought she couldn't handle the truth. She had been blessed by Scarlett to see through lies, so she hated it when people lied around her. Even if she didn’t have this power, she still would have been able to tell her Nana was lying. Also, she was aware of Gwen’s power, so Nana knew that she knew.

Cleaning her throat, Bethany moved the conversation on, “So, has any boys caught your eye?” The teasing glint in Nana’s eyes was obvious, one that could be seen past the half-moon glasses she used for reading the cooking instructions.

Sensing that she wasn’t getting any answers, she shook her head, Gwen began rooting for a cup to make herself a drink, “No, no one. They’re all… immature,” It was the only word that described them. She couldn’t expect too much she supposed, they were mortal teenagers. They stared at girl’s chests and made jokes about how they wished to sleep with them. Gwen had been subjected to a few stares as well, especially when she first arrived, and they had all made her feel disgusted. The Cullen's were the only people that were worth looking at, but Gwen would not even cross that line.

Bethany frowned, this was not the answer she was expecting. For a moment, she thought Gwen was not being honest, and maybe she was too embarrassed to admit to a guy catching her eye. Bethany had been waiting patiently for a certain name to be mentioned, but it never had. It was like Gwen hadn’t cared at all, and she wondered why.

Surely, they had met? They had been here for a year already, they came here on purpose so Gwen could get comfortable.

Bethany was tempted to ask the question but stopped herself. She would not intervene on this, if she asked too many questions, Gwen would become curious and there was a risk of sending her in another direction. Gwen was stubborn, much like her mother, and if told to do something, she would do the opposite just out of spite.

She just had to be patient.

TWILIGHT

A few days later

Gwen was in her backyard, dressed down in black leggings, a tank top and a black pair of sneakers. Despite her dressed-down attire, she did not feel the cold as she had placed a warming spell on herself to combat the cold. She would probably need to drop that spell as soon as she was about to get to the bulk of her training. She had finished meditating, something she did every day to help balance her magic. Holding her magic in for the entire day was hard for her, so she found meditation helped with this. It allowed her a chance to think, reflect and calm herself down all in one. Then, she would train her magic.

She had already placed a barrier around her home so that no one noticed anything amiss. Tilly was backed onto a massive forest, but the last thing she needed was a mortal accidentally stumbling on one of her training sessions.

Gwen breathed in deeply before she sprang into action. Quicker than human eyes could keep up, Gwen summoned her lightning and blasted it around the sealed arena, not worried that her element would attack her. The lightning screamed in the sky, the brightness violent and beautiful. With a spin, Gwen gracefully jumped between elements, using the air and picking up the pressure until a small tornado formed in front of her, then she used the water element and made it rain within the small arena. Gwen felt the cool droplets of water fall on her face, refreshing her at that moment.

Twirling away, Gwen stomped her foot and chanted the trigger words needed to make ice form in her hands, throwing it up in the air and making it snow. She smiled at the beautiful scene in front of her, seeing her magic alive made her feel happy. She had held back a lot in school and she needed moments like this to expel her magic.

There was a slow clapping that snapped Gwen back into reality. She looked to the back porch and found Nana and Liam standing there, clapping with impressed looks on their faces. She nearly flushed red at being caught and praised but she stopped it and instead grinned, proud that she put in such a good display. She was not shy in admitting that she was good with her magic, she had trained for years to hone her craft.

“I told you she was good,” Bethany said, pride in her ageing eyes.

“You weren’t wrong,” Liam admitted with a grin. Bethany had practically rushed him out of the door to see Gwen practice her magic. He had never seen her use her magic to such an extent, but he was happy he had seen it now.

“How was work?” Gwen asked as she walked over to them. She took down the barrier around the house, no longer needing it. She dispelled it with a snap of her fingers and she could no longer feel the strain on her magic anymore.

Liam shrugged his shoulders, “It was okay. We caught a guy trying to steal from one of the shops, but otherwise, it was a pretty standard day.” He had spent most of it patrolling the streets with his Chief, Charlie Swan. Other than that, one incident, nothing much happened that day.

Gwen nodded her head.

“Come inside, Liam’s made burgers,” Bethany said as they headed back into the house to escape the chill. She was old and found that she got colder much easier than when she was younger. While it was March, it was still very cold, as the winter chill heavily clung to the hair and Bethany swore there would be snow.

Eyes lighting up, Gwen dashed inside, desperate for food. She was starving. “Best news ever, I was starving!”

Walking into the dining room, she noticed that Tilly turned the lights on and had extended the table. Originally, there was only a small table to fit two people, but it seemed as though Tilly had worked her magic and extended the table so there was enough room. Gwen grinned, patting the wall as thanks.

Tilly’s lights flickered at the appreciation.

Soon after, Bethany, Liam and Gwen sat down and began eating, making small talk with one another. Gwen informed them about her day and what had happened, how school was boring as usual, and how stupid mortal teenagers were. Gwen devoured her food, and reached for seconds, using her magic had made her work up an appetite. Liam had made burgers and chips – which tasted divine. She loved Liam’s cooking as he always made the food taste amazing, even better than restaurants. It was very rare for her to taste his food, but Gwen silently hoped they would get to eat more of it.

“So, I heard Charlie’s daughter is coming,” Gwen said in between bites.

Liam nodded his head, “Yeah, he’s excited about her coming,” He and Charlie were quite close, as Liam considered the older man to be a mentor to him. Most times, he was paired up with Charlie whenever it came to patrols.

Bethany scowled but said nothing.

This made Gwen’s eyes narrow, her Nana knew something.

“When is she coming?” Gwen asked curiously. All week, she had heard nothing but talk about Isabella Swam coming to town – it was all anyone spoke about. In all fairness, nothing too exciting happened in Forks, so whenever something new happened it buzzed around and everyone knew about it. It had taken months before people stopped spreading rumours about her. The only exciting things in Forks were not even known to the public, because if they did, there may be uproar.

“Is another few days, she’ll be arriving Monday,” Liam answered as he ate his food, a bit faster than Gwen and Bethany. He was hungry and wolfed down the food as quickly as he could, he had missed lunch because he was behind on paperwork.

Bethany scowled at her dinner once more.

“Why do you look like someone has offended you?” Gwen questioned, not able to hold back. The past few days, Bethany had acted strange, more annoyed and she’d been having more visions than normal. Something was happening – or going to happen – and Nana was very secretive.

And she didn’t like it.

Bethany stared at her ward’s mismatched eye colour and she opened her mouth to deny but stopped herself. She sighed to herself, her shoulders visibly deflating, “I am sorry, I shouldn’t have lied the other day.”

“Nana, what's going on?” Gwen asked with a frown, concerned.

Liam looked at his grandmother, also curious. Usually, his grandmother had no issues telling them if something was wrong.

Even Tilly’s actions in the background seemed to stop as if the spirit of the house sensed that something was afoot.

“This girl is going to cause a lot of issues. She’s a trouble magnet,” Bethany explained with a frown as she leaned back in her chair. “Her blood appeals to the Cullen's, especially to Edward,”

Liam and Gwen shared a look – that was not a good thing. So far, there had been no slip-ups with the Cullen's, and this was something Gwen had kept an eye on. No humans had gone missing, and there had been no people who had been turned into Vampires. She was aware that they got their blood through animals – a practice that still confused her. However, if they were tempted, that would not be a good thing. A single Vampire could destroy this entire town without a second thought, a whole Coven could destroy the entire country in a blink of an eye, and much worse. Any attention would draw the Volturi in as well, and this was something Gwen wanted to avoid.

The less people that knew about her, the better. At least, that is what she had been told.

“Her blood is sweet to the Vampires, and she will attract quite a few of them,” Bethany warned with a severe expression. She had seen what would come, and it annoyed her with how careless this human could be. “She also stirs up trouble with the Shifters in La Push,”

Gwen’s eyebrow arched. She was aware of the Shifters in La Push, as the Blackthorn Coven had a treaty with them. She had stayed away from La Push in her time there, no matter how many times Caitlin begged her to go. Gwen did not want to risk anything with the Shifters, in case they figured out who she was and that would attract attention to herself. To her knowledge, there was only one Shifter, but she didn’t doubt there would be more. The Shifters worked in packs, much like Werewolves, so there was bound to be more of them.

“So, I just need to stay away from her,” Gwen said. She wasn’t too worried, she could handle a mortal and a few Vampires. Her magic pulsed under her skin as she thought about it, and she made a mental note to do more training after this.

“That will be easier said than done,” Bethany muttered under her breath.

“I’ll be careful,” Gwen promised her.

Bethany looked up and stared at her ward before she smiled, “I know you’ll do what is best,”

Chapter Text

The rest of the weekend passed without much incident, and things seemed to lull back to normal. Bethany was still weary, and she would have her arguments with Tilly as normal, especially when the house made the coffee disappear. But Gwen still noticed the tenseness of her guardian’s shoulders, especially when Monday came and Gwen went to school as per usual. She had built up this image of this new girl in her head and prepped herself for what was to come.

After all the anticipation, Gwen finally met the new girl when she rocked up to school that morning.

And she was not impressed at all.

First, the truck that the new girl drove was a monstrosity. The engine could be heard from miles away and the gears would shriek when shifted. It was also ugly – a horrible burnt orange colour. The moment Gwen saw it, she had to do a double take, as did most of the teenagers in the parking lot. Gwen had watched carefully as a girl stepped out. She was plain, with very pale skin, brown hair and doe-brown eyes. Anyone with common sense could feel the anxiety that poured from her skin in waves. Anyone could also see that the girl did not want to be in the school. Her dress sense was nothing to write home about – plain and comfy. It was like she had not tried that morning at all. But she looked like a regular girl, with regular mortal issues. Gwen was confused when she glanced over at the girl – how could this girl cause so much trouble? That’s when Gwen watched as Bella nearly tripped over the stairs, and stumbled to correct herself.

The Witch had to stop herself from laughing.

“That’s a fucking ugly truck,” Gwen said as she watched Bella walk into the school building, her shoulder hunch high and head down low.

“That’s her,” Caitlin said as she also watched Bella. Even Caitlin couldn't help but feel disappointed.

“I was expecting more,” Gwen said honestly. She couldn't under how this human girl would cause such a hurricane. Could her Nana be wrong? Was this the wrong person? This girl didn’t look as though she could fight her way out of a wet paper bag.

Caitlin nodded her head in agreement, “The rumour mill is going to go crazy,” There had been bets on what this girl would look like.

Out of the corner of her eye, Gwen could see the Cullen family standing off in the corner. She watched as Alice stared at Bella, but Gwen couldn't make out the expression on the Vampire’s face. As if sensing her gaze, Alice turned to face Gwen and her eyes lit up before she waved at her. Gwen smiled back and wondered what had made the Vampire so sombre. Alice was usually the one who was energetic and smiley.

As the day went on, Gwen learned that the girl had been taken in by the popular group, with Jessica, Mike and Lauren. Gwen happened to share a few lessons with the girl. One of them was the gym, and that was a total failure. Bella had also managed to trip herself up multiple times within a sixty-minute lesson, which was almost laughable. Somehow, Bella had managed to hit the ball, but it had smacked someone else on her team, which made Jessica a little annoyed, especially when Mike started to openly flirt with Bella.

Gwen had nearly puked at the boy’s attempt to flirt and she almost felt sorry for the anxious girl.

However, it was during lunch period that she realised something about Bella.

She was curious about the Cullen's.

Too curious.

And she was very clumsy.

Gwen had watched Bella like a hawk that day – but in secret. She did not make it as obvious compared to everyone else. She watched as Bella sat down with the popular group, and how they fawned over her, and she watched as Jessica was green with envy at how much attention Bella was getting. The only decent person from that group was Angela, as she did not act as though she was better than everyone.

“Jessica is at it again,” Gwen said to her friend, Caitlin, who sat beside her. They had a table to themselves, that was a few tables away from them. They were situated between Jessica and Lauren, and the usual Cullen table.

Caitlin looked up from her packed lunch – a good idea since cafeteria food in Forks was not good by any means – and looked at the table. She nodded her head, “Yep, I almost feel sorry for the girl,”

Gwen nodded her head absentmindedly. When she first arrived at the school, Jessica had done the same thing to her. Jessica had tried to latch herself onto the Witch and acted very fake. Gwen had been able to see through it very quickly due to her power. She had made it very clear to the mortal teenager that she was not interested in a friendship, and Jessica had not taken it well. Caitlin had explained that Jessica was all about her image, of being the best. Caitlin had intimate details as she used to be very close to Jessica at one point, but their friendship died and had never been rekindled as they had two very different paths in high school – with Caitlin being goth and Jessica being the popular girl.

High school politics gave Gwen a headache.

That is why she was thankful for Caitlin’s guidance otherwise she would have been lost.

It was the moment that Bella looked over at the Cullen table and had a staring contest with Edward that Gwen knew that something wasn’t right. She watched the Vampire’s face closely and saw the frustration, confusion, but also intrigue.

Edward could not read her mind.

When Gwen first came to Forks, she had been freaked out to know Edward could read minds and had made a ring that blocked out that power – from a certain spell book from Scarlett’s private collection. She had heard Liam and Nana gossiping about his power, and Nana thought him to be a nosy busy body. Gwen had not taken this ring off and had stayed under the radar for over a year. However, there was a part of Gwen that wanted to test this to see if she could fool the mind reader – and also a part of her wanted to mess with him because he was too serious. He needed to lighten up.

Bella stared at Edward, awe and interest in her doe eyes. A violent blush appeared on her face when he looked at her. She nervously looked away and then looked back, trying to act discreet but failing at it.

Gwen watched all of this, as Edward whispered to his ‘siblings’ and how each of them reacted differently. Rosalie and Jasper tensed, instantly on guard. It was Emmett who was the most relaxed as he tried to reassure Rosalie, and Alice seemed contemplative. It was interesting to watch them all – and it made Gwen long for that connection.

Jasper looked over at her in that moment.

This nearly made her curse out loud, she suspected that Jasper had a gift, but she did not know what it was, but she did not want his attention due to this uncertainty. Instead, she smiled at him looked away, and got Caitlin into a conversation to distract herself. She could feel his gaze on her throughout the rest of lunch and Gwen pretended he wasn’t there.

Straight after Lunch period, Gwen went to her next class, which was art. Entering the art department, away from everyone made her relax. Gwen sat down in her usual seat at the back but was surprised when someone else sat down beside her.

“Hi,” Alice greeted as she sat down beside her.

“Oh, hi Alice, you okay?” Gwen asked with an arched brow. Usually, Alice sat in the row in front of her, and they’d usually have a chat before the lesson started. Never before had Alice sat down next to her.

Alice shrugged her shoulders, “I just fancied a change,”

Gwen nodded her head, she could respect that. She watched Alice for a moment, as she expected the Vampire to say something, like they always did. They mostly spent the lessons chatting about plans for the weekends, and Alice would mention the different fashion shows she’d seen and what her family did. However, this time, there was nothing as Alice seemed to stare off into space, with a contemplative look on her face which seemed almost out of place. It was a similar look that Nana had this morning.

“Hey, I like your necklace, where did you get it from?” Gwen asked, referring to the necklace/choker. It was a black band with a lion on the front. She had seen all the other Coven members with that symbol.

Alice seemed to snap out of her daze and her fingers delicately went to her necklace/choker, and smiled, “Thank you. It means a lot to me, it was given to me by Carlisle,” Absentmindedly, she traced the pattern of the symbol with her pale fingers, as she smiled fondly.

Gwen nodded her head, and this made her smile, especially when she saw the warmth in Alice’s eyes.

“I love your scarf, where did you get it?” Alice’s golden eyes lit up when she spotted the Witch's scarf.

Gwen looked down at the white and pink scarf with black butterflies. It went with her outfit really well, a black dress with a white soft touch turtleneck top.  She had paired this with black tights and black high-heeled boots with buckles. The scarf, she’d found when they lived in Utah, was one she was attached to as her Nana bought it for her fourteenth birthday, “Thanks, I got it when I lived in Utah,”

“Where else have you lived?” Alice asked curiously. “You mentioned you’ve moved around a lot,” This had been at the beginning of the year when Gwen had first joined, and the Witch was almost surprised she had remembered.

This made Gwen think, she had lived in a lot of places in America, and also outside America, “I have yeah, it can be quite fun seeing all the new places. Honestly, too many places to name,” In her time travelling, she’d seen some good sights, but she could never stay too long. She wished she had more time to see different places in her own time. “Your family does a lot of travelling as well,”

Alice nodded her head happily, “Yep! We love seeing the world!”

That is what Gwen liked about Alice, she didn’t lie. Despite them hiding a secret, Alice was always genuine in her answers. Alice had been the first one to show sympathy for her when she first came to Forks, as Alice seemed to understand how the staring affected the Witch. Alice was one of the first people in Forks where she had a decent conversation – she could see and feel the wisdom that poured from the Vampire. Gwen presumed she wasn’t the eldest out of her Coven, but she wasn’t the youngest either.

“What are your thoughts on the new girl?” Gwen asked, curious to know what Alice thought about Bella. She hadn’t forgotten about the face the Vampire made when she saw the mortal girl earlier that morning.

Alice looked thoughtful, “I don’t know yet, but I hate her clothing,” The sneer on her face was still beautiful – unnaturally so.

Gwen nodded her head in agreement, “You’re not wrong there,” Bella’s style seemed very… basic… and not to her taste to say the least, and it appeared as though the little fashionista agreed with her. Bella tended to use more earthy tones, and clothing that clashed with one another, “Speaking of fashion, I and Caitlin are going to Port Angeles soon, do you want to join us?” She had always wanted to invite Alice on a day trip to go shopping because she really liked her and her fashion sense, and she thought she’d be fun to bring along.

Alice’s eyes lit up, and she nearly vibrated out of her seat, “Really? You want me to come along?”

Gwen was almost taken aback by the eagerness that was Alice. But she couldn't help but find it funny, “Of course, I have always wanted to ask but I worried you may not be interested,” Gwen said honestly. She was worried about being rejected – as she heard the Cullen's didn’t interact with other people, but she had a good feeling since Alice seemed really friendly with her.

“I am very interested, I would love to come,” Alice said immediately as if she wanted to reassure the other girl.

“That’s great, so are you free in two weeks?” Gwen asked. They couldn't go this coming weekend because Caitlin had to go and see a relative, but they had planned for the week after that.

Before Alice could say anything, her eyes glazed over and she stared into space. The moment Gwen saw this, she instantly knew what had happened. Alice was in the middle of a vision. Gwen easily recognised it, as she had seen her Nana have many visions, but Alice seemed to come out of the visions a lot better than her Nana, but she suspected this was because she was a Vampire. She had seen Alice with a dazed expression a few times but had not said anything, she usually acted as though she did not see anything, as they were usually quite quick and Alice snapped out of them within seconds.

“Yeah, that works for me,” Alice smiled when she came out of the vision a few seconds later.

“That’s great,” Gwen scribbled down her number on some paper and handed it to Alice, “Text me and I’ll message you the details,”

Without hesitation, Alice also gave Gwen her number. There was a giddy and happy expression on the Vampire’s face, one that made Gwen smile.

TWILIGHT

Gwen’s last lesson was biology, something that she found tedious and not interesting at all. Mr Banner also happened to make the subject even worse. Gwen did not know if it was his voice in general, or his lack of flair and happiness when it came to teaching, but he always managed to suck the fun out of it. Gwen was sat in her usual space, second from the front, and it happened to be behind Edward Cullen.

Despite sharing the same class, Edward had never once looked in her direction, something Gwen did not mind at all. Edward had worked alone for the last term, and he was far ahead of everyone else, even her. It had made Gwen wonder how old he truly was – she suspected he was a lot older because of how bored he seemed of school. She glanced at him occasionally and it made her wonder why he was taking high school when he and the rest of his Clan did not need to.

She almost pitied him.

However, that day changed when Bella walked through the door and stepped in front of the fan at the front. Mr Banner always liked to keep his room very toasty, especially when it was cold outside, but because a few students complained about how warm they were, Mr Banner would occasionally allow the fan to be turned on.

Gwen noticed two things straight away. The first was how Bella stared at Edward, a nervous longing in her eyes like she hoped he would notice her. The second thing she noticed was how tense Edward became and how he used his hand to cover his mouth as if he wanted to vomit. Gwen watched as his whole body seized and locked up. There were the slightest growls that could easily be disguised with the sound of the fan and the chatter.

But Gwen heard it.

For a moment, Gwen thought Edward thought Bella stank badly, but then she remembered Nana’s words. Bella’s blood attracted Vampires, especially to Edward.

This made Gwen’s eyes widen – Edward was in a bloodlust.

This made her nervous. In Scarlett’s journals, she had read how Vampires can have Blood Singers, someone whose blood calls to a Vampire, a bit like a siren singing. Scarlett had shared in her journal how it was basically impossible for a Vampire to resist this call and most times, the mortal Blood Singer ended up drained of blood.

It was made even worse when Bella sat down next to Edward and seemed to notice the dark look on his face.

Edward’s whole body was taut, and it looked as though he had stopped breathing altogether. A wise decision. Gwen was aware that Vampires did not breathe at all, but the Cullen’s put on a show to make it seem as though they were mortal by moving their chest every couple of seconds. However, the glare that Edward had sent Bella’s way made it look as though he wanted to kill her.

Bella nervously shifted in her seat sniffed her hair, and wondered what she’d done to earn his ire.

The longer the lesson went on, the worse Gwen felt. In the journals, it mentioned how Vampires would also kill everyone else to get what they wanted. Gwen did a quick sweep around the room and muttered a small spell under her breath as she directed it towards Bella. Her desk mate, Angela, was talking to someone else behind her, the class was too preoccupied with the work Mr Banner had set to notice her so anything.

She made Bella’s scent disappear.

The moment the scent was gone, Edward perked up and his moved his hand from his mouth. While Gwen would not see his face, she could practically feel the shock radiate from him. She looked away just in time as Edward’s black eyes swept the room as he was looking for something.

“A-are you o-okay?” Bella stuttered.

“Fine,” Edward snapped back quickly before he turned away from her. He moved his seat so it was as far away from her as possible. While her scent was gone, he worried it would come back.

The moment the bell rang, Edward darted out that door. He tested his speed as he tried to masquerade as a human – he was pushing it because the way he darted out was too quick for a human, but not as quick as what would be expected for a Vampire. Bella blinked in surprise but seemed more upset about this and kept her head bowed down.

Gwen watched this all with a frown.

She felt as though a massacre had been avoided, but there would be more to come. Gwen glanced at Bella briefly before she packed up her things and left the room.

Gwen headed towards her car and saw Caitlin was already sitting there, waiting for her. Caitlin could not drive – her parents did not trust her behind the wheel of a car and neither did Gwen. So, every day, Gwen would drop Caitlin back at her house.

“Hey, Gwen,” Caitlin said with a smile, her black lipstick showing off her teeth.

“I am so glad it’s the end of the day,” Gwen muttered as she unlocked her car door and got inside. “Oh, by the way, is it okay if Alice comes with us on our shopping trip?”

Caitlin’s eyes widened, “Really?! She wants to come?!”

Amused by Caitlin’s reaction, Gwen laughed, “Yeah, she seems pretty excited by it, is it cool?”

“Is it cool? Of course, it is!” Caitlin cried out, horrified that her friend had to even ask. There was no way she was going to say no to Alice Cullen coming on a shopping trip with them.

Gwen was relieved when Caitlin spoke no lie, and this made her relax.

For the rest of the trip, Caitlin did not shut up about how excited she was, she was even jumping up and down in her seat.

As soon as she dropped off Caitlin at her house, she headed over to the supermarket. Bethany had sent a text to her, asking to pick up some groceries on the way as Liam was coming over again and he wanted to make some tacos. Excited at the prospect of good food, Gwen drove over with no complaint. 

Walking around the supermarket, Gwen began looking around while wheeling her trolley. Bethany had sent her a list of things to get, so the first place she went to was the meat section. She picked up some extra stuff as well, things she would cook over the weekend. Gwen and Liam were big meat eaters – he would often say it wasn’t a proper meal unless there was some meat on a plate and Gwen was inclined to agree with him. Bethany liked meat as well, but not as much as her grandson or ward as she had trouble digesting it.

As Gwen wheeled her trolley around, she turned a corner into an aisle only to bump into what felt like a brick wall. She winced, the trolley having jammed itself against her stomach, slightly winding her. Gwen looked up and saw exactly what she had crashed into, only to find she had crashed into a person.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” Gwen said immediately. Her trolley had actually crashed into a woman’s back and that made her feel instantly guilty. The woman turned around and revealed a beautiful woman. The woman had very pale skin that looked like soft marble. She had a heart-shaped face and caramel-coloured hair. She was small and slender and was around the same height as Gwen. The thing that stood out the most was her eyes: they were golden and mesmerising. The moment Gwen saw her, she realised who she was – Esme Cullen. She had seen Esme a few times, but it was always in passing, and she had never had an actual conversation with the Vampire.

Esme smiled warmly, “It’s no problem. It was an accident.”

Gwen checked Esme, and while she knew she could not injure the Vampire, she was worried that something else had happened, “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Amusement shined in her golden eyes, “No, you didn’t, dear.”

Gwen sighed in relief, “That’s good then.”

“Are you okay though? You looked slightly winded.” Esme asked, looking concerned. Her own golden eyes looked over Gwen, making sure there were no injuries. She noticed that the Witch was holding her stomach slightly and was worried about any damage.

Gwen smiled, feeling warm at the question. There was an air around Esme where she seemed so motherly and kind. It almost made Gwen feel safe, even though she didn’t know the Vampire. It was odd as she had been taught that Vampires could be ruthless and to be wary of them. But Esme reminded her of Nana – there was a warmth about her that drew her in. Gwen could tell that Esme was genuinely interested to see if she was okay. Waving it off, Gwen shook her head, “Oh, I’m fine. I was just surprised.”

Esme smiled seemingly happy with the answer.

It was at that moment Gwen looked down at Esme’s trolley and saw that there weren’t many items in there. At first, she found it odd that Esme was even shopping for human food when Vampires could not eat food at all – only blood. But she quickly brushed that aside, as it would be odd for one of the Cullen's not to be seen shopping. It was a little detail that would not be missed by the gossiping community of Forks, and if they wanted to masquerade as human, they needed to act as though they ate. However, Gwen did wonder what they did with the food since they didn’t actually consume it.

“You wouldn’t happen to be related to Alice?” Gwen asked, just as a formality. It was obvious that this woman was a Cullen and a Vampire, but she couldn't act like she knew. While Gwen did not like lying, she understood that it was needed at times to not draw attention to oneself.

Esme smiled warmly, “Oh yes, she’s my foster daughter. My name is Esme, it is lovely to meet you,”

There was a tingling sensation in her chest, Esme had lied.

However, Gwen had already assumed that it was the foster daughter part she lied about, so this did not bother her.

“Nice to meet you,” Gwen wasn't able to stop the smile coming onto her face, “My name is Gwen, I go to school with your children,”

Esme’s eyes lit up at the name, “Oh, Alice has mentioned you a few times!”

There was no tingling sensation in her chest, Esme was telling the truth.

Gwen honestly didn’t know what to feel at those words. They made her feel happy that Alice had mentioned her, but she was also curious to know what had been said. “All good things, I hope. Your daughter has been nothing but kind,” Gwen said, being honest. She hoped that Alice had not said anything bad about her. Gwen would rather avoid confrontation as she quite enjoyed her life in Forks, despite it being boring and mundane at times.

Esme smiled, “Yes, all good things, I promise,”

There was no tingling sensation in her chest, Esme was telling the truth.

For an unknown reason, this made Gwen feel happy, and much better than before. Any worries she had were gone.

“It was nice to meet you, hopefully, I will see you around,” Esme waved before she moved off to pay for her items.

This snapped Gwen out of her daze, “You too, Esme.” With that, Gwen finished her trip around the shop and paid for the shopping. This time, Gwen made sure to be vigilant and not bump into any more people and put the groceries in the car with no issues.

TWILIGHT

With the Cullen's

Arriving home from school, Edward parked his Volvo in the spacious garage, along with all their other cars. Behind him was his family in the Jeep – his family did not like his Volvo, but Edward loved the car. Once out, they all walked into the house and they all relaxed. This was their home, the home Esme had built, and made their home where they could be themselves, and not have to hide what they were. Rosalie had a neutral expression on her face, while Alice looked happy. Emmet looked highly amused while Jasper looked happy as well, feeding off the emotions his wife emitted.

“Did you see anything?” Edward asked Alice the moment they were inside the safety of their house.

Alice turned to him, confused, “What do you mean Edward?” With her powers, she kept an eye on many things and many people. She needed to know exactly what he was talking about so she could answer his question.

“Isabella Swan,” Edward muttered the girl’s name as if it was a sin to say her name any louder.

Jasper looked at his younger brother, he could feel the guilt radiating from him, as well as shame and curiosity. He had felt that same emotion from Edward before they left school and it made him wonder what had happened. Usually, Edward had more pride than all of them combined, so this was a new development.

Edward shot Jasper a slight glare, but there was no real heat behind his eyes. Jasper rolled his eyes and ignored the mind-reader.

“I didn’t see much, just that she was coming today, why? Did something happen?” Alice asked with a frown. She had been more focused on her friend and how excited she was for a shopping trip in two weeks times to even notice anything else.

“Yeah, Eddy, did something happen?” Emmett couldn't help but tease. He knew that his brother hated that nickname so he liked to use it as much as possible.

Jasper sniggered in the background, especially when he felt Edward’s annoyance spike dramatically.

Edward’s jaw set, “I nearly lost control today,”

Rosalie’s head snapped in his direction, “You what?!” She nearly shrieked angrily.

“I didn’t see that,” Alice said with a frown. She kept an eye on all of their futures to make sure nothing happened. Every time she saw something worrying, she would let them know so they could avoid disaster. She had helped Jasper out in a few situations where the mortals had scrapped themselves or warned the family when she saw someone getting too close to their secret. However, she had received no visions of Edward nearly losing control – and she should have.

“What happened?” Rosalie demanded with a glare. This was not the news she wanted to hear. They had settled in Forks and as much as she didn’t like the town, she didn’t want to move again so soon. She actually wanted to graduate in this town and renew her vows with Emmett once more, like they did every so often.

Edward frowned as he thought back, “Isabella had stepped into the room and her scent… it was too much… I wanted to kill everyone in the room to get to her,” As he remembered the hunger, his own eyes turned black. He needed to feed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jasper tense, no doubt he could feel his hunger with his powers. Edward closed his eyes forced those memories back and pushed back the burn in his throat as it wasn’t fair to Jasper.

“But…” Emmett said dramatically, but he kept an eye on Jasper and Edward in case one of them needed help.

“It was like her scent disappeared. It didn’t come back until after I left the room,” Edward said with a frown. He did not understand what had happened. A human’s scent didn’t just disappear, that only happened after a person died, and it took time for that to happen. This was unnatural and it made him suspicious that something else was afoot that he wasn’t aware about.

Jasper looked thoughtful, “Is she gifted?” No human could do this, but if a human had a gift, that could explain it.

Alice frowned, “I haven’t seen anything that would say that,” In the sparing visions she had seen of the Swan girl, she appeared completely ordinary. There was a potential of something there, but her visions were fuzzy when it came to the girl.

“Did you try and read her mind?” Rosalie asked with a frown. She was also confused by what Edward said and it unsettled her. She didn’t like it when things didn’t make sense.

Edward shook his head, “I couldn't hear anything,” He had tried to read the Swan girl’s mind a few times, but there had been nothing – absolutely nothing. He could easily read the minds of a lot of people in Forks, most of it unimportant or lustful thoughts of him and his family. It was either that, or anxious teens worried about tedious stuff, and heightened emotions. These were normal, but what was not normal was the silence from the new girl.

Rosalie did not look impressed and there were a few choice words in her head, ones that made Edward wince.

“I also haven’t been able to read the mind of your friend ever since she came,” Edward admitted after a few moments of silence from his family as he looked to Alice.

Jasper sent him a sharp look – this should have been shared ages ago, and by the deadly glare being sent from Rosalie, she was in agreement with him.

“You’re having performance issues?” Emmett asked as he laughed loudly.

Scowling, Edward rolled his eyes, his power was not failing him. He was just… having a difficult time at the moment. “It’s not wise that you associate with that girl,” Edward said as he looked at Alice. Without his gift, he could not read her mind to see if she was dangerous, something the family relied on to keep their secret safe.

Instead of agreeing with him, Alice glared at him, “No, I will not. I happen to like her,”

“But she could be dangerous!” Edward argued back.

Jasper hissed lowly at him for shouting at his wife, but he remained silent on the matter at hand. This decision belonged to his wife whether she wanted to end her friendship with Gwen. Though he understood where Edward was coming from – Gwen was an unknown threat. However, he knew how much that mortal made his wife happy. Most days after Art, she was always bursting with excitement and would tell him all about the conversations she’d had with the female teenager. It amused him how much his wife was affected by this human – if he had been truly worried, he would have pulled Alice aside to discuss this with her.

Edward frowned, “She smells strange…” Then that was the issue with her scent. It did not match her, it smelled fake and artificial. It was obvious that something was masking her natural smell. What also stood out to him was that he could not smell her blood.

“She does smell strange,” Jasper agreed with him. Usually, he had the hardest time dealing with the smell of human blood due to his past, but even he could admit that he did not crave Gwen’s blood. It was a surprise, a pleasant one, but it made him suspicious as he’d never had this before. He didn’t like it when things did not make sense because then he couldn't plan.

“I like her, I think she’s funny,” Emmett grinned and then looked sheepishly at his wife, who glared at him as though he had just betrayed her.

Alice nodded her head in agreement, “Yes, Gwen is my friend,”

Rosalie sneered at that answer, “She’s human,”

“And?” Alice challenged the blonde beauty with no hesitation. Before anyone could say anything, Alice’s eyes glazed out as she went into a vision. It was only Edward who saw her vision, with his gift, that saw what she did. Once it passed, Alice looked at Edward and frowned, “You’re leaving?”

“I don’t know,” Edward huffed as he ran a hand through his hair. He had seen what his sister had seen – him leaving Forks and going to Alaska with the Denali Coven. It would only be for a week while he got his bearings back. He would come back.

“You leave because you can’t handle one human’s scent?” Rosalie demanded with an unenthusiastic expression.

Edward glared back at her, her words stung.

Sensing this, Jasper used his power and sent a wave of calm around the room and everyone’s shoulders dropped in relaxation. Rosalie sent him an annoyed look, one that Jasper playfully rolled his eyes at.

“If you go, you better warn Esme,” Emmett said, his tone serious as he looked at his brother. Esme was the mother they all loved and cared for – and she loved and cared for them in return. Most of them did not remember their mothers, but they had Esme, and that was all they needed.

At the mention of the maternal Vampire, Edward tensed. He knew that Esme would be hurt if he left – he had been the first son Carlisle had turned. While Esme loved all of her children, she had a special place for Edward as they’d been together longer, just as Rosalie was held in high regard as well. There were no favourites, she loved them all in different ways. The thought of hurting Esme unsettled him and he didn’t like it.

It also didn’t help when Alice got a vision and he saw through her power what Esme’s reaction would be – she’d understand his need for space, but would be devasted by him leaving. Carlisle would have a similar reaction – but would hide his disappointment better.

Feeling his conflict, Jasper took pity on him, “Running away is not going to help. The problem will still be here when you get back,”

“Yeah, Eddy, be a man!” Emmett cheered him on, appearing beside him and smacking his back very hard. There was a loud sound that vibrated through the house, and the windows shook. However, However, Edward merely rolled his eyes at his brother’s actions.

“I need to think,” Edward said before he sped off to his room. He needed to think about his next plan – whether he stayed or whether he went away.

“So dramatic,” Rosalie muttered before she walked off to the garage, she wanted to tinker around with the new car she’d purchased in auction.

Jasper shook his head and looked to his wife and brother, “Any decision Edward makes, he will have to run past Carlisle,” As the head of their Coven, it was Carlisle’s decision that was final. They were all grown Vampires, but they all looked to the older Vampire for guidance. Even Edward, the ‘favoured son’ could not go against the Coven Leader’s decision.

TWILIGHT

Gwen was sitting in her car, still outside the supermarket, the key in hand, but she had not started the car. Her mind was elsewhere, far too focused to pay attention as all the other humans walked into the store.

She had used magic.

On purpose.

In public.

In school.

She’d broken the promise she’d made her Nana when they’d arrived and she shouldn’t help but feel guilty for it. Gwen worked through the what-ifs in her head – what if someone saw her cast a spell? If a human saw her cast a spell, she would be screwed. If anything happened in this town, it spread around like wildfire. It hadn’t fully hit her, her actions, until she had got into her car after buying groceries, her mind had been occupied with other things.

Had she done the right thing?

She needed to speak with her Nana.

Gwen reached into her pocket and dialled the number she had memorised by heart – a safety precaution in case she ever lost her phone. Just as she had to delete all her messages in case, and certain contacts were saved using code names, no one could be linked to her.

Bethany picked up within the first three rings, “Hello firefly, is everything okay?” There was some noise behind her – she was in the police station, waiting to speak with Charlie Swan about a job as an admin worker.

“I used magic in school,” Gwen blurted out immediately.

Bethany fell silent for a moment, “Did anyone see you use it?”

“No,” Gwen shook her head, “Well, I don’t think so.” She had checked afterwards and saw no one had spared her another glance, no one had stared at her as though she had another head. No one had screamed that she was a Witch and no one had called her out. Edward had come the closest as he turned his head so fast, she thought he nearly caught her, but he hadn’t said anything. She doubted he would as he had his own secret to hide – as well as his family’s secret.

“Then what’s the problem, dear?” Bethany asked as she sounded confused.

“You told me to never use magic in public,” Gwen said quietly.

There was a sound of understanding on Bethany’s side, “Ah, that makes much more sense. Gwen, you’re a Witch, you’re going to use magic. It was only a matter of time before your instincts would take out. However, no one saw you, so there is nothing to worry about. If I get a vision about anything, I would have pulled you out already,” The woman’s voice was low as she made sure no one overheard her.

“You’re not disappointed?” Gwen asked, worried.

“No firefly,” Bethany said softly, “but I am curious as to what made you use it when you’ve managed this long?”

Gwen sighed deeply as she leaned back in the driver seat, “I was in biology. The new girl came in and I saw Edward Cullen recoil at her presence. He looked as though he wanted to murder her,” Looking back, she wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t cast that spell, “I used my magic to block the new girl’s scent and it worked.”

Bethany fell silent.

“Nana?” Gwen called out, confused by her lack of response.

“Of course, she’d make trouble already,” Bethany muttered in her breath in exasperation.

Gwen looked at her phone, her brows furrowed, “Nana?”

“Sorry dear, that wasn’t directed at you, but at the new girl,” Bethany answered quickly to reassure her ward, “I had hoped that she wouldn’t cause trouble on her first day at least, but it seems I was too hopeful,”

“Nana, why do you hate that girl so much?” Gwen asked. It also made her wonder exactly what Nana had seen to make her turn on the girl so much, as Nana liked mostly everyone. She had said this girl would cause trouble, but she wondered what else would happen in the future.

Bethany sighed deeply on the line, “Gwen, listen to me closely. Keep clear of that girl, she will bring nothing but trouble. She will become fascinated by that family and bring trouble to their door. I don’t want that for you. For some reason, most creatures seemed fascinated with her,” Her voice was low as she made sure that no one heard what she said.

“Trust me, nothing about her is interesting,” Gwen laughed to herself. She couldn’t understand how Isabella Swan could make so many waves while in Forks. However, it concerned her that she would become fascinated by the Cullen family. If she focused on them, would she figure out their secret? Would she figure out Gwen’s secret?

Bethany let out a sharp laugh, “To us, yes she is not interesting, but her blood draws them to her,”

Gwen hummed, taking in her words, “Nana, when are we going to be leaving Forks?”

Bethany made a noise of surprise, “Why are you asking, firefly?”

“We’ve already been here for a year, usually we’d be looking to leave,” Gwen answered back as she thought back. The longest they ever stayed in a place was around thirteen months, and that was only after Nana had given her the herbs. She wanted to get a sense of when they were going to leave so she could make the usual preparations – saying goodbye to people and cleansing the house of her presence so no one could track her. Gwen would be sad to say goodbye to Tilly, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they had to leave.

“We’re not leaving,”

Gwen’s eyes widened at her Nana’s answer, “What?”

“We’re not leaving Forks,” Bethany repeated once more.

For a moment, Gwen didn’t say anything, unable to form any words. Her words did not make sense to her. There was always an exit plan – there was always another place they were going to travel to. This did not seem right or fit the pattern she had lived her entire life. She knew that her Nana was telling the truth, otherwise, she could have got the tingling sensation in her chest whenever someone told her a lie.

Her Nana wasn’t lying.

Sensing she would be struggling, Bethany continued, “There is no more running, Gwen. We’re staying here in Forks. That is why I need you to be careful of that girl.”

“But I don’t get it. Why here?” Gwen asked as she scrambled to gain her bearings back.

Bethany laughed, as if she was amused by her confusion, “You know I can’t tell you everything, it would ruin the fun of it,”

“You know I don’t like not knowing!” Gwen whined playfully, but she understood what her Nana meant. If there was truly any danger to her life, her Nana would have told her something more, just as she had in the past. While Gwen did like knowing what was to come, she understood she couldn’t rely on her Nana for every decision.

“I know, but you'll live,” Bethany laughed “Now, I have to go, I am about to see Charlie,” With that, Bethany hung up the phone.

Gwen put away her phone and felt much lighter than before. Putting her phone aside, she started her car and drove home with a smile on her face.

TWILIGHT

It was late into the night at the Cullen house, but all were awake. As they did not sleep, most found other ways to occupy themselves. That night, most of them were out hunting, all except Alice and Rosalie. Edward had eventually ventured down after Emmett had nearly broken down his door, tired of his brother moping around in his room, and he dragged the mind-reader out. Jasper followed close behind because he was curious but also amused by how Emmett had strong-armed Edward. Despite the mind reader being faster, he couldn't beat Emmett’s strength and had resigned himself to this fate. Carlisle and Esme were on a date that might and wouldn’t be back for some time.

Alice walked into the garage, into Rosalie’s sanctuary. The beautiful blonde Vampire was under a car, dressed in overalls so her clothing was not ruined, and she tinkered away with the car. Rosalie tended to spend a lot of time in the garage when she wanted time away from the family. She would spend days in there if Emmett didn’t coax her out.

“Do you think I am endangering the family?” Alice asked.

Rosalie stopped her work for a second before she went back to work, “Don’t listen to Edward, he’s talking out of his ass,” There was a sneer in her tone. It was well known that in their family, she and Edward did not see eye to eye. Rosalie did not like how self-important he was, and how smug he could be. In her view, Edward overstepped his place at times, and they’d argue at every opportunity they got. Rosalie liked to annoy him by thinking sexual thoughts as she knew that the virgin was too much of a prude.

Alice nodded her head, Jasper had said something similar, but much stronger, “I like Gwen, but I can’t really see her future and I worry about that,” Alice had a feeling that something was stopping her power in seeing Gwen’s future and she didn’t understand why.

“But she’s human, so you can’t get too attached,” Rosalie reminded her sister, not unkindly. She wasn’t being mean, just honest. While Rosalie’s words could be cutting, she did this because she cared.

“I know,” Alice muttered softly. “I just feel like there is something about her, that I can’t see yet,” She got a feeling there was something more to come, more for the whole family, but she couldn’t be certain. Alice had yet to tell Carlisle about this, but she planned to, so she could get another opinion that wasn’t biased. As much as she loved Edward, he was her brother, he got on her nerves at times.

This piqued Rosalie’s interest, but she stayed silent.

“Does it bother you that Emmett likes her as well?” Alice asked curiously.

“I am more worried about him getting too attached, and then us having to leave,” Rosalie admitted with a sigh in her tone. Emmett, her loving husband, the light of her dark endless life. She did not know where she would be without her mate. Emmett wore his heart on his sleeve, and this was something she loved and hated about him. As a Vampire, they felt emotions more intensely, and by losing someone, that pain was greater. This girl was human and was more susceptible to death and illness. When Emmett became attached to someone, he would do anything for his friends and family, and as his wife, it was her duty to protect him from things like this. Rosalie knew exactly why Emmett was attached to this girl – she looked similar to his human sister when he was alive. Emmett had the clearest memories of his human life as he’d been turned the latest out of all of them, though even they were not fully clear anymore. However, one thing he remembered about his younger sister was her hair. It happened to be the same shade as Gwen’s hair. Emmett said it reminded him of fire.

“She’s one of the good humans,” Alice said as she wanted to defend her friend. It was rare when someone wanted to genuinely be friends with her as most humans thought her to be weird, but Gwen never seemed to care.

Rosalie hummed, a lovely sound, “What about this new girl, Isabella?” She sneered at the name. She had watched the human and thought her to be pathetic and not worth looking at. She didn’t understand why Alice even had visions about this girl. It was all because Edward could not read her mind – or the ginger-haired girl.

“Her blood attracts Edward, but then her scent disappeared, so that is confusing,” Alice said with a frown. This had never happened before – human scents did not just disappear.

“If Edward was smart, he’d stay away from the new girl,” Rosalie muttered as she continued to work. If Edward could not read her mind, and her scent disappeared, this raised suspicions. “If she becomes a threat, I and Jasper can deal with it,” This was her family, her Coven, and she would protect it, as she knew Jasper would as well. Out of all her siblings, she and Jasper were quite close as they viewed things quite similarly. While Carlisle did not agree with how they handled things at times due to his morals, he also understood that sometimes action was needed. That was one thing she admired about Carlisle, was his devotion to his Coven and their safety.

Alice nodded her head in understanding. From what she’d seen, it wouldn’t come to that, but it may come close, but visions about Isabella Swan were limited. This frustrated the small Vampire, as she was not used to things interfering with her visions.

Alice quickly left the garage but sent a quick thanks to Rosalie before running back up to her room. There were a few things she wanted to do.

A few hours later, she had reorganised her room and ordered more clothes for herself and the family online. She had just finished purchasing Rosalie and Emmett’s outfits when a vision washed over her. Standing still, Alice watched the scene before her. The vision started out by showing Gwen with a man that Alice recognised as someone who belonged on the police force, and a little old woman. However, the vision changed to show Gwen interacting with Alice and her family, but the focus was mainly on Gwen and Edward. Flashes of moments of them meeting and Edward being very happy filled her vision. In the final flash of images, it contained Edward muttering a word that made Alice gasp and all of a sudden, the vision ended.

Blinking slowly, Alice allowed herself to come back to earth. However, soon a high-voltage grin appeared on her face and she let out a squeal in happiness. She began dancing around the room at a faster pace, a pace that no human would be able to keep up with. She was ecstatic about the news. Edward would meet his Mate in Forks. It was strange that Edward had noticed – but he would and then he would finally be happy.  

Just then, Jasper appeared in the room, watching his wife with adoring golden eyes. His eyes were a brighter shade of gold, showing that he had just fed, “Have you seen something, darlin’?”

“Yes!” Alice cheered out, launching at her husband, wrapping her arms around him. Jasper effortlessly picked her up and swung her, engulfed in her happiness due to his power. Alice kissed him on the lips before jumping off him and continuing to dance around.

“Care to share?” Jasper asked with a smile.

Alice shook her head, “Nope, can’t have Edward finding out before the time is right,” She said with a devious grin. She couldn’t have Edward finding out otherwise it would ruin the fun. Edward was adamant that he didn’t need a Mate, even though he often looked at his family with jealous eyes. Everyone other than him was Mated so Edward was often the odd one out, even if everyone tried to include him. It wasn’t the same without your Mate and Alice knew that it was something Edward longed for, even though he refused to say it.

“Of course,” Jasper readily agreed, far too used to his wife’s erratic behaviour. He knew that whatever she had seen would be revealed in time.

Continuing her dance, Alice couldn’t stop the overflowing excitement that no doubt her husband was feeling.

Chapter Text

Bethany sipped her coffee in a little café in Port Angeles. She had told her ward that she was going to do a bit of shopping and also threatened the house that she’d bring back some sage. Tilly had not been amused by this and had hidden Bethany’s car keys. That had caused an argument in the house, with the older woman screaming in the open space of the house. In response, Tilly flung open doors and cupboard doors that nearly hit the older woman in protest. Gwen had to mediate between them and managed to convince Tilly to give back the car keys, but even that took nearly fifteen minutes. Bethany thought it amusing how much Tilly only listened to Gwen – but only once the incident had ended, as she had been much too annoyed to be amused then. Even the ghosts in the home had warmed up to Gwen, and they mostly ignored Bethany’s existence. That was something Bethany was quite thankful for.

As long as Tilly protected Gwen, Bethany could put up with the house’s antics.

Even if they did make her contemplate murder.

Bethany took another sip of her coffee when another person entered the café. She did not need to look at them to know who it was. All she needed to do was look at her watch and know that this person was on time. Within seconds, someone sat down in front of the woman, right on cue. Taking her time, Bethany placed down her mug and looked at Alice, “You got my message?”

Alice nodded her head, “It was very hard to ignore,” She had received a text message from an unknown number stating that they wanted to meet. Typically, if Alice received a message like that, she would have ignored it. Though she did not get messages like that often. Alice and her family did not usually give out their numbers, so this raised some suspicion. Only trusted people had these numbers, and Emmett was constantly changing his numbers because he kept breaking his phones. However, it was the follow-up message Bethany sent that referenced her recent vision of Gwen that piqued the Vampire’s interest.

“And your Coven Leader raised no issues in you coming here today?” Bethany inquired calmly. She was curious to know what the response had been but stopped herself from asking this question as they had other things to discuss.

“Yes, Carlisle had no objections to this meeting,” Alice responded, her tone level and calm, different than how she usually was. When she had got the text messages, she had visited Carlisle in the hospital and informed him of what had happened– and what she had seen. As expected, he had been ecstatic for his son, and also curious about whoever sent this message. Carlisle had cautioned her to be careful but gave his blessing for them to meet up, as he too was curious about what this person wanted. However, what was frustrated Alice was that she could not see an outcome to this meeting to anything to do with it. She had not even seen herself getting this message and it had made her curious as to why.

Bethany hummed in response but said nothing as a staff member walked up to their table and asked if they’d like anything. Alice asked for water, and Bethany asked for another coffee. It was only when the staff member walked away that Bethany started up the conversation, “You and I are quite similar,”

“How so?” Alice asked as she tilted her head.

“I can also see things,” Bethany smiled as she watched as Alice’s eyes widened at the news. The Vampire’s whole body tensed, “I have no intentions of telling people what your family are,” Bethany said as she drained the last of her first mug of coffee that was now lukewarm. She had come early on purpose and could not resist getting herself a drink. She was only human after all.

Alice relaxed ever so slightly, but Bethany was not a fool to think she had dropped her guard, “Why?”

Before Bethany could say anything, the staff member came over and dropped off the new steaming mug of coffee and a glass of water. Bethany smiled at the staff member in thanks as they took her old mug away. Once they were out of earshot, she answered the Vampire, “I am Gwen’s guardian and have been since she was born. I have watched over her, protected her and shielded her from things she has no idea about.”

At the mention of Gwen’s name, Alice’s golden eyes lit up, but she allowed the aged woman to continue.

“I know you’ve had some issues with your powers when it comes to her,” Bethany said as she smiled knowingly.

“I have,” Alice admitted as she saw no reason to lie. It was obvious that this woman knew things, the wisdom and knowledge behind her eyes was too much to ignore. It reminded Alice of her own eyes, minus the colour, “I have never had issues locating people’s futures with my visions, but I appear to be hitting a wall when it comes to Gwen,” Alice could not hide the tone of frustration in her voice. This did not happen to her, and she did not like this. Her family relied on her power and she did not want to disappoint them, even though she knew they would never be.

Bethany nodded her head in understanding, “That would be because of forces outside your control. However, that block has been lifted, so you will be granted visions of her now,”

Alice sent her a curious expression, but Bethany never answered it.

“I am also going to ask you to not push Edward and Gwen together,” Bethany added in. This was the main reason she wanted to speak with Alice because she had seen something and wanted to prevent it.

Alice sent the woman a sharp look, “Why not?”

“Because Gwen is stubborn,” Bethany laughed, “If anyone tries to get her to do something, she will do the opposite,” Gwen had been like that since she’d been a child, something Bethany was amused by – but also made her want to pull out her own hair.

Disappointment but understanding flashed in the Vampire’s eyes, “Oh, that makes sense,” Alice muttered softly.

“I don’t want her getting freaked out when she finds out either,” Bethany said as she sighed, “I want her and Edward to build a relationship organically. Otherwise, Gwen will reject him straight away,” In the many visions she had seen about this topic, Gwen never reacted well when the news first dropped, so Bethany wanted to delay it until it was time.

“Edward won’t believe it either,” Alice agreed with the aged woman, “he would question why he hadn’t been able to tell from her scent alone,” She could see the woman’s reasoning and thought it sound. Not everyone reacted well to finding out about the mate bonding. Alice had been comfortable with this knowledge about Jasper as he’d been the first vision she’d had when she woke up alone as a Vampire – if she’d seen Jasper before she turned, she would never have known as she had no knowledge of her past. However, it was when she actually met him in person that she knew he was her mate. He had smelt like home, like she’d found that person who balanced her out and brought her peace, he was her anchor. Her undead had sung the moment she laid eyes on him. Rosalie has described the same phenomenon when she’d met Emmett, who had been attacked by a bear, his blood had called to her, but had not made her hungry, but rather overcome with a longing to possess and have that person. Edward had not felt that when he’d met Gwen and it was partly due to her scent being covered up. Alice was confident that Edward would reject the Mate bond as he would think it a hoax, and then he would be miserable. He would miss his chance to feel whole.

Bethany smirked, “Well, that may be because of the herbs Gwen wears to mask her scent,” She hadn’t been completely honest with Gwen about these herbs. They would mask her scent from the creature that wanted to hunt her down, but they would also mask her scent from Edward. Without these herbs, the situation would have gone south twelve months ago and it would have been a disaster.

Alice made a noise of understanding, “That makes sense as to why her scent is weird,” It was a scent that bothered none of her family and none of them craved her blood. Alice was aware of how much this had shaken her husband, and it was one of the reasons Emmett was so curious about her. They’d never come across a human like her.

Bethany smiled behind her coffee mug.

“Is Gwen human?” Alice's voice was barely above a whisper as she asked this. She did not want to be overheard by anyone. Bethany had chosen this location wisely, as it was away from Forks and any prying eyes. If anyone in Forks had seen them meeting up, there would be rumours within minutes of leaving the café. Her family and Gwen would know about this meeting within hours and they would both want to avoid raising suspicion.

Taking a sip of her coffee, Bethany continued, “That is not my information to give,”

Alice frowned, this was not the answer she had expected or wanted. She had wanted to ask more similar questions but sensed that she would get the same answer, “You said you have protected Gwen all her life, why is that?” It was the woman’s wording that had made her curious, what did Gwen need protecting from?

“Again, that is not my story to share,” Bethany answered back as she drank her coffee.

Now, Alice fought back a pout. She was not used to not having all the information, thanks to her power. Usually, she was the one with all the answers and would speak cryptically, but now the tables were turned, Alice did not know how to feel about this.

Bethany laughed, “Don’t worry, all will be revealed soon enough, you just have to be patient,”

“My visions could tell me,” Alice pointed out.

Bethany arched a brow, “Will they?”

Alice fell silent, not sure how to answer this. Based on the woman’s answer, Alice suspected that her visions would not be able to help her in this endeavour. This unnerved Alice but also… excited her? It wasn’t often she was caught off guard.

“I would ask that you keep this conversation between us, and your Coven Leader,” Bethany advised as she put down her mug. She did not want a certain mind-reader to become aware of things he should not – yet.

“That would be a good idea,” Alice said in agreement with the human. Luckily, it was her and Carlisle who were the best in keeping Edward out of their heads. She and Carlisle had come up with a way to make sure Edward couldn't read their minds – Alice would think backwards, often reciting songs in her head backwards. It often annoyed her brother, so he tended to stay away, but when he saw she was having a vision, he would try his luck as that was when her guard was down.

Bethany nodded her head, “Thank you, and thank you for coming to meet me,” She was aware that she’d taken a chance by sending that message to the Vampire. However, she’d had a vision where Alice had attempted to meddle and force Edward and Gwen to interact, it would not go well. In fact, Gwen would outright hate the Vampire. It was in Gwen’s best interest that Bethany intervene, as it was Gwen who needed to make the first move. She was like a cat, she came to a person in her own time and would not be rushed.

Wordlessly, Alice stood up and left the café, leaving behind her untouched water and some money for the beverage.

TWILIGHT

Gwen sat in her English lesson, feeling weird – a bit more curious and like she had woken up from a long nap. Usually, she liked the subject, found it really easy and found Miss Hall to be very pleasant. However, today, she was not paying as much attention as before. Her mind was elsewhere and her thoughts preoccupied.

More specifically on Edward and Bella.

When she’d got up that morning, she had half suspected that Edward would not be back after the debacle of biology. Gwen had arrived at the school, expecting to see an absence of the Volvo car, but to her surprise, it was there and so was its owner. Edward had strolled in like nothing was wrong with him. This had confused her, and then she cursed mentally. It raised further questions – what was she going to do about Bella's scent? She couldn't exactly allow a hungry Vampire to go around loose in the school, that could end badly for everyone.

It would also end all of Gwen’s fun when things were just getting interesting.

Her guard had been raised the rest of the week, which seemed to fly by. Ever since that day, Gwen had felt restless and it had continued on until Friday. Before, she’d been content to continue masquerading as a human, until she’d used her magic out in the open. It had been like opening a can of worms that she did not want to hide or put away. It made her realise the possibilities and it made her want to test how stealthy she could truly be. If she had managed to fool a Vampire, then she could surely fool humans. It also didn’t help that Gwen felt as though something was going to happen as the air in Forks had changed.

Gwen suspected it had something to do with Bella Swan.

Miss Hall passed out the books, the red cover to the Lord of the Flies standing out, the bright colour borderline offending the Witch’s eyes.

“Now, I want you all to read until chapter three, and then we will discuss. These books are yours for now, but you will be expected to give them back, so please look after them,” Miss Hall said as she finished handing out the books. She looked slightly worried that some of the students wouldn’t look after the books and wondered how many she’d get back when it was time to collect.

Opening the book, Gwen began to read, as did most of the people in her class. As she sat in the back of the room, Gwen got a great angle of being able to look around and still be inconspicuous. Edward was sat on the other side of the room, on the back row, which made it slightly more awkward, but she managed well enough.

Looking down at the ring on her right hand, Gwen was conflicted. Since she had found out about Edward’s mind-reading abilities, she wanted to test them out but was really reluctant. The whole point of moving around and blending in was to keep herself hidden, if she did this, she would proverbially be poking the bear and she did not know if she wanted to do this. Gwen looked down at the silver ring on her finger, the one that had the spell in place to keep Edward out of her mind. She had never been tempted to take off the ring as she hadn’t wanted to risk the copper-haired Vampire finding out about her and causing drama.

But a part of her wanted them to know.

She wanted something to happen in this town.

She was bored.

Making her mind up, Gwen reached out and took off the plain silver band from her finger. She placed it beside her and inhaled deeply. She needed to think of something that would not draw immediate attention to her if he managed to read her mind. It had to seem natural, but curious at the same time.

‘The Cullen’s seem weird,’ Gwen thought in her head.

Looking at his reaction, Gwen noticed no change in his expression. Edward was reading the book with a neutral expression on his face. However, she could see that he was bored and it did make her wonder if they often masqueraded as high school kids.

Gwen frowned, and tried again, ‘I wonder how they look so perfect?’

No reaction.

A spark of irritation filled her, Gwen mentally wondered whether Edward was ignoring her on purpose. She also wondered if he had an off switch to his powers and that’s why he could not hear anything.

‘I know you’re not human,’

Edward moved slightly.

Gwen’s eyes widened as she looked down at her book, her heart rate accelerating. She could feel Edward’s gaze on her, but there was no heat behind it. Cautiously, she looked up and found him staring at her, his head tilted slightly. There was a small frown on his face and his brows furrowed together. It was like he was…

‘Can you hear me?’

Edward gave no reaction again. After a few more seconds, he turned away from her and began reading the book once more as though nothing had happened.

Blinking slowly, Gwen also returned back to looking at the book, but she was not reading. She was still reeling from that small interaction. Edward had not been able to read her mind, or if he had, was very good at covering it up. Gwen was leaning more towards the fact he could not read her mind as he looked confused – not alarmed, worried or angry. Putting the ring back on made Gwen feel safe, regardless of whether he could read her mind or not. Having that ring there gave her some protection if Edward was lying and was able to hide his expressions well.

However, it made her even more curious to know how they’d react if they knew that Gwen knew the truth.

The rest of English class went by really fast, and before she knew it, the bell sounded loudly. Gwen watched out of the corner of her eyes and saw how Edward was putting away his things, almost as though he was doing it purposely slowly. This made her frown, his actions did not appear authentic, but rather, artificial. This amused her as she wondered how other people hadn’t noticed this before, but she almost thought it endearing how much effort they put into act as though they were human – even though they were too gorgeous to be mortal.

Luckily or unluckily, Gwen’s next lesson was Spanish and there was no Cullen in that lesson. The reason why she was unlucky was because she also shared that lesson with Jessica, and it turned out that Bella was also in this lesson. Both of them were sat in the front, with Jessica talking up a storm, with Bella nodding her head every so often and saying something.

The moment Gwen entered the room, she could feel Bella's eyes on her, as well as Jessica’s. However, they quickly went back to what they were discussing.

Gwen sat down in the back of the room and grabbed her notebook.

“So, I heard you shared a lesson with Edward Cullen,” Jessica asked the brunette, her voice low, but not so low no one else could hear.

Gwen’s ears perked up at this, especially when she heard the name of the Vampire.

“I-I do yes,” Bella muttered, but Gwen was still able to hear.

“So, what do you think?” Jessica asked, a large grin on her face.

Gwen looked through her notebook as she waited for the teacher to arrive for the lesson. She had come early, so it would be at least another ten minutes before Mrs Roberts arrived in the classroom.

“He’s… different….” Bella answered back shyly, her head bowed low and her shoulders stiff.

Jessica hummed in agreement, “I know,” She sighed deeply in a longing way.

“Does all of his family keep to themselves?” Bella asked curiously.

Jessica nodded her head, “They do, well except Alice. She’s the weird and small one I told you about. I haven’t seen this, but I’ve heard from others that Alice is friends with Gwen,”

Gwen tensed in her seat when she heard her name. She couldn't help but feel offended by how they described Alice. She was small, but she was not weird. Alice did things at her own pace and didn’t care what people thought about her, that was something Gwen admired about the Vampire. She considered her to be a friend and she did not like it when people insulted her friends. Ever since coming to Forks, she discovered she was protective over her friends.

“Gwen?” Bella repeated confusion in her voice. She’d not heard the name be mentioned before by Jessica.

“The ginger girl in the back,” Jessica motioned to where the Witch was sitting, who acted as though she hadn’t heard a single thing she said.

Gwen felt eyes on her again, but she refused to look. She pretended to skim her notes and forced her body to relax so no one could tell that something was wrong. The eyes remained on her for a while longer and it started to annoy the Witch – why was she being stared at for so long?

“Who is she?” Bella asked.

The Witch nearly cursed out loud – the last thing she wanted was for Bella to be interested in her.

“She was the new kid before you, she came here around a year ago.” Jessica said, her voice lower than before, but Gwen could still hear, “She hangs out with that goth girl,” There was a sneer in her tone when she described Caitlin.

Gwen’s eye twitched – that was it, she was going to cast a hex on the girl.

“She also thinks she is better than everyone else,” Jessica scoffed.

Now this nearly made Gwen smirk and she had to fight the urge. Jessica still did not like how she’d been snubbed when she had attempted to make friends with the Witch when she first came a year ago. Gwen had seen through the nice girl act – especially when Mike started to flirt with her in front of Jessica. Gwen had been able to feel the jealousy from her in waves and Gwen had decided she wanted no part in that teen drama. Mike was not her type anyway – too self-absorbed and had golden retriever energy. When the Witch had refused to be friends with Jessica, the mortal had taken such offence to it and had tried to start some rumours with Lauren, ones that never took off, because Gwen refused to feed into them. The fact she didn’t care seemed to set Jessica off more.

“Good to know,” Bella said awkwardly.

It was during that lesson that she felt Bella’s eyes on her. Even when Mrs Roberts came and started the lesson, Bella’s eyes would find the Witch. They would leave Gwen for a moment, but they always came back.

Gwen did not like this – she did not like being watched.

When it had reached the tenth time, Gwen had enough and looked up. She met Bella’s brown eyes and watched as the mortification flashed in her eyes that she’d been caught. She turned bright red as she turned away quickly and her head ducked down low. Gwen rolled her eyes and hoped that Bella would stop staring at her now.

The rest of the day went by relatively okay after that – though whenever she shared a lesson with Bella, she would get stared at by the girl.

Gwen walked into her last lesson of the day – art. It was a lesson that she liked and would be away from the prying eyes of Bella. She sat down in her usual space and a few moments later, Alice skipped into the room with a grin on her face.

“Hiya, Gwen,” Alice greeted brightly as she sat down beside the Witch.

“You seem happy,” Gwen said, amused by her friend’s sunny attitude. She wondered what had caused the Vampire to be in such a good mood. Gwen took notice of Alice’s golden eyes, they were no brighter than yesterday so she hadn’t fed.

Alice nodded her head, “I had a good night last night!” She said with a grin but never elaborated further.

Gwen was used to this and didn’t question this. The Witch took this time and looked around and noticed that there were a few people who were watching her and Alice and talking amongst themselves. This made her frown, with Alice's advanced hearing, she would have been able to hear all of this. She wondered if this bothered her, “Hey Alice, does the staring ever bother you?” She asked as she looked at the Vampire.

For a moment Alice looked thoughtful, “Hmm, not really. My family and I have moved a lot, so we’re used to people staring at us,”

When Gwen detected no lie in her answer, she nodded her head in understanding, “That makes sense. I remember how annoyed I was when people kept staring at me as though I was alien,” That was one thing that had made her regret attending a school. In fact, she had considered asking her Nana to home school her again when she first started but decided against it.

Alice hummed in agreement, “It can be annoying… but I ignore it,” Alice flashed her a wide smile, and showed off her perfectly white and straight teeth.

“At least now there is another new girl to take the heat off us,” Gwen grinned as she got out of her work. Mrs Davies was always late so she knew it would be a little bit before she would arrive, but she liked to be prepared.

“Very true,” Alice agreed, “what are your thoughts on Bella?”

Gwen shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know her, but from what I have seen, I don’t get the fuss,” While she didn’t know Bella, and maybe she could be a nice girl, Gwen did not want to get to know her. Her Nana’s words rang in her head, she’d been warned to stay away from the girl and the Witch fully planned to do so.

“I get that,” Alice said in agreement as she took out her art supplies. This was done at a human pace as she purposely slowed down her movements, something Gwen took notice of.

“She also seems really interested in Edward,” Gwen said as she watched Alice’s reaction from the corner of her eyes.

Alice snorted, which would have looked ugly on anyone else, but it didn’t on her, “So is pretty much every girl in this school,”

Gwen laughed, not able to stop herself, “That’s kind of true,” Nearly every girl fawned over the Vampire, even some of the female teachers would look far too long at him. Gwen was pretty sure she’d seen Mrs Cope, the receptionist looking at Edward inappropriately, which was very creepy. Gwen did not doubt for a moment that he was older than everyone in this school, but he had the physical appearance of a seventeen-year-old.

Alice looked at her, “What about you? Do you like him?” She asked with a teasing glint in her eyes, but she was also eager to know.

Gwen blinked slowly, as she’d not expected to be asked this. Did she find Edward physically appealing? Yes, she’d have to be blind and stupid to not, as he was gorgeous. But that was it. His personality was like a wet paper towel. He treated the people around him like dirt – even his sibling. She had watched them for the past year. At first, she had been paranoid that she’d hurt them, but then she got comfortable with them being here and she watched and observed. If Gwen was being honest, Jasper and Emmett were more her type, but she wasn’t going to tell Alice that – she didn’t want to risk her attempting to scratch her eyes out.

“If he had a different personality, he’d be better,” Gwen admitted after a few moments of silence.

Alice looked disappointed, a pout on her face.

“Where are you expecting a different answer?” Gwen asked when she noticed this.

“Kind of,” Alice sighed deeply.

Gwen shrugged her shoulders, “I’m a picky person.” In all fairness, she had never been in a relationship, her situation never allowed it. She was content in her current relationship status, so it would take a lot for someone to change her mind – even if he was a gorgeous Vampire. But that leads to a whole other issue. Vampires and Witches did not mix romantically – ever. The whole issue of the Witch Trials, and how Witch's and Warlock's blood appeals to Vampires in such a way that it caused issues.

“What is your ideal person?” Alice asked curiously.

Gwen hummed in thought, “Honestly, I am not too sure. I would want someone who would treat me right and not try and control me.” Her Nana had told her stories about her ex-husband and she did not want to end up with someone like him. “I don’t like liars either,”

Alice frowned as she thought about it, “That makes sense, but why mention the lying?”

“Because I can tell when people lie,” Gwen winked at the Vampire.

Alice’s eyes widened for a moment before she started to laugh.

That was when Mrs Davies came into the room and the lesson started.

TWILIGHT

Gwen hummed to herself as she walked to her car. School had just been let out and for once, she did not have to drive Caitlin back to her house, as her dad had picked her up that day. The car park was mostly empty, as it was a Friday and everyone had rushed home so they could enjoy the weekend. It was the stragglers that remained behind and Gwen was one of them. Their art teacher, Mrs Davies, had allowed them all to continue drawing as Gwen was one of those people who had taken her up on this as she’d been in a hyper-focus. That was why she liked Mrs Davies, she was interesting – she looked crazy – but she was a kind soul that wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Usually, Alice would have stayed behind with her, but the Vampire had said she and Jasper were going on a date and she needed to get ready. Gwen had rolled her eyes, because Alice would look good in anything, but had wished her a good time before she had continued with her artwork.

However, it was when she reached into her coat pocket that she felt someone approach from behind. Her magic hummed as she sensed that this person wasn’t human.

It was Edward Cullen.

Gwen turned her head and her eyes met his golden eyes. He stood a few feet from her, his face blank of all emotion – his perfect appearance almost startling. Up close, he was even more beautiful, just like all the other members of his family. Mentally, Gwen snorted, how people hadn’t realised there was something supernatural about them baffled her.

“May I help you?” Gwen asked when she noticed he stayed perfectly still. Too still, it was as if he was made of marble.

“I think it would be best if you stopped associating with my sister,” Edward said, his voice silky smooth. It was pleasing to the ear – too pleasing.

Gwen arched a brow, “Oh?” This had taken her aback for a moment, but she was really curious as to why. Other than Alice, none of the Cullen family had approached her. Not even Emmett, for all his friendliness, had approached her. It made her interested to know why this had changed all of a sudden now. For a moment, Gwen considered the fact Edward had clicked onto her using magic, or that he had heard what she said mentally, but she doubted it as he would have confronted her beforehand.

Edward nodded his head, “Yes, Alice doesn’t want to be friends with you anymore,”

A tingling sensation flared up in her chest.

That was a lie.

“Bullshit,” Gwen called out immediately.

Edward’s eyes widened, taken aback by her instant response, but he quickly schooled his expression, “I am not lying. Alice wanted me to tell you because she didn’t want to hurt your feelings,”

The tingling sensations were back.

Edward was lying.

Gwen snorted, “Now I know you’re lying. If Alice had an issue with me, she would have mentioned something by now,” Alice was a sweet person, but she was a grown person who voiced her opinions freely. At no point had Alice raised any concerns, and there had been plenty of times as they shared Art together, “Also, how would this not hurt my feelings? Your logic isn’t making sense,” Gwen added as she looked at Edward with an amused expression.

Edward glared at her, “Listen to me, it is in your best interest to stay away,”

There was no tingling sensation in her chest.

“Why?” Gwen demanded.

“You don’t need to know,” Edward said as he shook his head.

“Well, I disagree,” Gwen shot back with an unimpressed expression. Whatever he was attempting to do, she was unconvinced.

“Just listen to me,” Edward pressed further.

“Fuck off,” Gwen immediately replied back and nearly laughed at Edward’s affronted expression. It was as if no one had spoken to him like that. She did not like being told what to do – if Alice did not want to be friends with her, the Vampire could say it to her face. However, she suspected Alice knew nothing about this, “How about I ring Alice now and ask her?” Gwen asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

For once, Edward seemed lost for words. Frustration flashed in his eyes, but he quickly schooled it, “She won’t want you calling her,”

The tingling sensation on her chest flared up once more.

This made Gwen smirk, which seemed to unnerve the Cullen, “You know, you’re not a very good liar,” Usually, she did not like being around liars, but there was something about riling up Edward that she found amusing. From what Alice had told her about her family, Edward was uptight. From Gwen’s own observations, Edward kept away from everyone, but now he had approached her and lied.

Edward looked slighted, “Excuse me?”

“You’ve done nothing but lie since you spoke to me,” Gwen pointed out, amused when the frustration flashed in his eyes once more, “You could be a bit more creative with your lies, you know,”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Edward instantly denied.

The tingling sensations flared up.

Edward was lying.

He knew exactly what she was talking about.

“I think I am going to start calling you Pinocchio,” Gwen said suddenly.

Edward looked at her, confused.

“For the lies,” Gwen grinned.

The flat expression that was sent her way made Gwen start laughing. Especially when she thought about casting a spell on Edward where his nose would actually grow with every lie. It was tempting – extremely tempting.

“Can’t you be serious for a moment?” Edward demanded.

“I can,” Gwen grinned when her laughing subsided, “But I think you’re too serious for the both of us,”

Edward rolled his eyes, “I am just trying to take your safety seriously,”

“Am I in danger?” Gwen asked with an arched brow. If she was in danger, her Nana would have contacted her by now. Other than the Cullen's, the Shifters and herself, there was no other supernatural creature in Forks. Gwen was reassured that nothing could physically harm her, so she was not too worried.

For a moment, Edward fell silent, but he stared at the Witch with a blank expression, “You could be,”

Despite his ominous words, Gwen was not scared. She stared at him, fearlessly meeting his gaze. They both stared at one another, neither one willing to back down. Gwen’s power had not detected a lie in his words, but she did not believe him. However, her magic did not like the veiled threat and it hummed under her skin and in her fingertips. If she was truly in danger, something would have happened already. She had been in Forks for twelve months, anything could have happened in that time. Also, she knew they couldn't harm her – if anyone touched her with malicious intent, they would pay the price.

“My answer remains the same,” Gwen replied back fearlessly.

Edward’s golden eyes darkened a touch, “Do you not value your own life?”

“How bold,” Gwen mused softly, “To make threats when you too have a secret you want to protect,”

Edward’s expression slackened into shock as his whole body tensed. His golden eyes were nearly black at this point but Gwen was not unnerved. When growing up, she had been taught to be careful around Vampires with black eyes as it usually meant one of two things – hunger or anger. Gwen suspected this was more due to the latter than anything.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Edward denied strongly, his voice rough. He tried to give an air of nonchalance, but Gwen could see right through it.

The tingling sensation in her chest roared back to life.

Gwen’s mouth twitched as she fought back a smirk, “Lie,”

If possible, Edward tensed further, his whole body coiled tightly. He stared at the Witch as though she was the worst sort of person. Like she had just killed someone in front of him. For a moment, Gwen considered leaving and not making things worse, but she couldn't help herself.

Why not make things more interesting?

After all, it could make things more exciting.

“Let’s just say, my being able to tell you’re lying isn’t because you’re a bad liar,” Gwen said as she took her keys from her pocket. Without another word, Gwen got into her car drove away, and looked in the rear-view mirror as Edward remained there in shock. However, after a few seconds, he disappeared from view in a blink of an eye.

The drive back to her house was a short one. As she drove, her phone rang, and she looked down to see that it was her Nana calling her. Without hesitation, she answered the phone, “Hi Nana,” Gwen said as she continued to drive and she put her phone on loudspeaker.

“You really couldn't help yourself, could you?” Bethany said as she sounded exasperated, but not angry.

That was a good sign.

Gwen grinned, “I couldn't help myself,” Thinking back to his facial expressions nearly sent her into another laughing fit. It was like he had never come across a person who had called him out on his antics before.

Bethany sighed on her side, “You do know that this is going to cause you to get more attention?” Instead of sounding upset by this, she sounded more amused.

“I do,” Gwen answered back, and was almost surprised she wasn’t bothered by this. She and the Cullen's had lived in Forks peacefully for the past year, and she had just rocked the boat. She could only imagine the chaos that would erupt in the Cullen household by her dropping this bomb and knew that they would respond.

It almost made her giddy thinking about it.

“Well, be careful, if there are any issues, stay with Tilly,” Bethany warned lovingly, “I have to go now, I am getting my hair done,”

“Okay, see you later Nana,” Gwen said before she ended the call. Just as she did this, Tilly came into view. The Witch smiled when she saw the house, and she began to hum as she parked her car, locked it and walked to the porch. The moment she was close enough, the door flung open for her.

“Hello to you too, Tilly,” Gwen greeted with a grin. She patted the side of the door frame in affection, she really did love this house.

The lights on the porch flickered to life as she greeted the Witch.

She was about to step into the house when she felt another presence approach the house, coming in at a fast pace.

Too fast to be human.

Within a blink of an eye, Rosalie appeared on the edge of the property lines, a few feet away from her car. There was a blank expression on her face, but there was a burning anger in her eyes, one that almost made Gwen take a step back, but she steeled herself and refused to back down. Gwen knew that she had been messing with fire when she teased Edward and now, she had to deal with it – and she would do so head-on.

She would not run.

“I’m surprised it took you this long,” Gwen said with an arched brow. She thought that one of them would have intercepted her before she even made it home. She wondered why it had taken that long – had Edward delayed in telling them? Or had there been a commotion in the house which had caused it? She knew that it was either going to be Rosalie or Jasper that would confront her. While she did not doubt each one of them was deadly in their own right, it was Rosalie and Jasper who gave off the vibes of being the executioners of the family.

Rosalie’s eyes narrowed, “You knew someone would come?” Her voice was beautiful, glorious to the ears, but Gwen could hear the deadly notes.

“I knew it wouldn’t be long after Edward relayed what was said,” Gwen admitted honestly.

Rosalie’s golden eyes studied the Witch in front of her as if examining her prey. Gwen knew that the Vampire would be able to pick up the sound of her heartbeat – which was slightly elevated, but calming down – as well as how many breaths she took. Gwen met her eyes fearlessly, as she refused to back down and be intimidated. The Vampire could not physically harm her so Gwen knew she was safe. The Witch could sense that Rosalie wanted her dead, and she did not doubt for a minute she would try something.

“You can’t kill me,” Gwen said as she stared at Rosalie.

Rosalie’s eyebrow arched perfectly, “You want to bet?”

“Well you’d lose that bet,” Gwen said, her fingers twitching, something she knew that the Vampire did not miss. Gwen felt her magic surge as it sensed the threat, “I know what you guys are, but you have no idea what I am,”

Rosalie's eyes hardened, but she did not disagree. However, she did not seem to care and took a step closer. The resolve is clear in her body language.

She had come to kill her – to silence her.

Gwen decided that she needed to show her hand. Otherwise, it would escalate and she’d have a Coven of Vampires after her neck for killing off one of their own. That would result in more Vampire deaths, and that would draw the Volturi to question this. If Demetri got a hold of her scent, she would be screwed, royally so. It would also reveal her existence to the Blackthorn Witches – something she would rather avoid. Magic surged through her as she sent a bolt of lightning at the ground as a warning for Rosalie to come any closer. There was a loud screech as the lightning hit the ground, vibrations shook the ground at how powerful it had been.

Gwen mentally cursed, she hadn’t meant it to be that powerful.

But she was glad she did not hit her car, otherwise that would have been messy.

Rosalie froze, her body coiled tightly and when she looked down at the scorched earth before her. She knew that Gwen had missed on purpose. Rosalie watched the girl – no, Witch – with cautious eyes. She had not been expecting this development – Alice hadn’t warned her. As the realisation hit Rosalie, she let out a loud curse, one that befitted a seasoned sailor. “You’re a Witch,”

“And you and your Coven are Vampires,” Gwen lamented.

For a moment, indecision flashed in Rosalie's face. She truly did not know what to do next, and this annoyed her. She had come up with one goal – to get rid of the threat to her family. But now she couldn't do that. If she made any move against the Witch that would cause physical harm, she would break the Treaty between them, which would bring the Volturi to their door. Rosalie hissed out loud when she realised that the Witch had been right before – she couldn't kill her.

“I am willing to answer any questions you may have,” Gwen said when she saw that Rosalie hadn’t moved, “but I know you will need to bring this all back to your Coven Leader,”

At the mention of Carlisle's title, Rosalie’s body tensed more. “You’re coming over now?”

Gwen shook her head, “No, tomorrow morning I will come over.”

Rosalie looked as though she wanted to protest.

“I have not said anything about your family for a year, you can hold off for another day,” Gwen argued back when she sensed that Rosalie would not leave without a fight.

Before Rosalie could argue, her phone chimed and so did Gwen’s phone. Gwen looked down and saw that there was a text message from Alice.

Tomorrow morning works fine – Alice.

“I will come over around ten,” Gwen said to the female Vampire in front of her. She guessed that Rosalie had received the same text message as Rosalie nodded her head, and within a blink of an eye, she was gone, as if she had never been there.

Tilly’s floorboards creaked, curious to know if the other person was a threat. The house had watched the entire time and saw no physical threat to Gwen just yet, as the Witch had handled it herself. Gwen patted the wood and smiled, “I'm okay, don’t worry,”

Gwen walked back inside and was not surprised when Tilly locked the door behind her.

Now, she just had to prepare for the inquisition.

Chapter Text

The next day

“Wow,” Gwen muttered as she stared up at the house.

Scratch that, it wasn’t a house – at least not a regular house. It was large – extremely so, and was completely made of glass. The contemporary style stuck out amongst the forest, it looked so modern and chic that she almost got house envy. Gwen had to push this aside and remembered that if Tilly could hear her thoughts, she would revolt and not let her back inside. Tilly had nearly not let her leave the house that morning and had locked all the doors. It was only when Bethany assured that her that she saw no problems in the future that Tilly unlocked the doors. But even this took nearly an hour. This had nearly made the Witch late, which she knew would not go down well. Gwen suspected that if she did not arrive on the dot, the Cullen’s would come to her instead, and Tilly would not be happy about that at all. After the encounter with Rosalie yesterday, Tilly foundation seemed to shake at the mere mention of the Vampires.

Gwen got out of her car and locked it. The moment her feet were outside the dirt path, the front door of the house opened and Alice was out within seconds, using her inhumane speed.

If the cat was already out of the bag, it made sense to not have to hide anymore.

“You’re here!” Alice cheered happily, a grin on her face, “I told everyone you’d come!” The entire night had been spent with the family arguing with one another, Edward had been adamant that Gwen would not turn up and betray them, despite Alice and Emmett’s assurances that she would.

“I said I would come, I am a Witch of my word,” Gwen grinned in return.

Alice’s eyes lit up at the word and before she could say something, another figure walked out of the house, this time at a human pace. This figure belonged to Rosalie, who stood with her arms crossed over her chest.

“See, I came,” Gwen said as she stared at the blonde beauty. She remembered how the Vampire had not believed that she would come to the house and answer the questions. Rosalie had looked ready to drag the Witch back to their house, which would have resulted in more issues.

Rosalie stared at her before she nodded her head. She didn’t say anything but she turned back around and walked back into the house.

“Don’t mind her, she’s been impatient,” Alice assured the Witch.

There was a low hiss that came from the house, which both Alice and Gwen chose to ignore. Instead, Alice gently linked her arm with Gwen, which made the Witch flinch slightly, but she allowed it to happen. She was then guided into the house and Gwen’s eyes darted everywhere, taking everything in. The house was beautiful, even on the inside.

They made it a few feet into the house before Edward blocked their path.

“Edward,” Alice warned him, her eyes narrowed.

Edward stared at his sister, hearing her thoughts but chose to ignore her. His golden eyes were focused on the Witch “What, no lightning?” He had seen what happened through Rosalie’s thoughts on the night before and it had taken him by surprise. He had no idea that they’d been going to school with a Witch for the past year.

There were a few people who called Edward’s name in a scolding manner, but Gwen didn’t pay attention to this. She knew what he was doing, he was challenging her. He was trying to provoke her. Not one to back down, Gwen raised her other hand that wasn’t attached to Alice, and lightning crackled at her fingertips, “Why? You need a demonstration, mind reader?”

Edward tensed, his whole body coiled.

“That’s enough,” Entered a new voice. Carlisle walked over to them, a serious expression on his face. Carlisle, like the rest of his family, looked gorgeous, better than any model Gwen had ever seen. He had collar-length blond hair and was very tall. He looked young, around twenty-three years old, with a well-toned medium frame, and his golden eyes were gentle. However, his voice was firm and authoritative, his presence alone screamed who he was, he was the Coven Leader. The ‘father’ to all these Vampires.

Gwen’s lightning fizzled out when she saw Carlisle. Gwen nodded her head at him, a sign of respect.

Edward scowled and ran off, out of sight within seconds. Alice was right behind him, an annoyed expression on her face.

Carlisle seemed to sigh as he shook his head, he then looked to Gwen and smiled kindly, “Hello, my name is Carlisle Cullen. It is nice to meet you,” He offered his hand and for a moment, Gwen hesitated in taking it, but she did in the end. His hands were cold – an indicator of their true nature – and they were firm. This Vampire was used to interacting with humans daily and knew how much pressure was needed to not harm fragile humans.

“And you too, Carlisle, my name is Gwen,” The Witch answered back politely, though she could not hide her annoyance at Edward’s actions.

“I apologise for my son’s actions.” Carlisle said, sensing her annoyance, “He is quite sensitive and protective of his family,”

Gwen nodded her head, “It’s fine, I understand that things are quite frustrating. But he needs to be careful who he speaks to like that, as others may not take it so well,” She warned the Coven Leader, sending him an expression that showed she meant business. Other Witches would not take his challenge well – and neither would her Nana. Her Nana would have whipped Edward into shape within seconds.

“That is understood,” Carlisle said and then motioned to her, “Let us sit in the living room, would you like a drink?”

Gwen arched a brow, “Oh wow, a Vampire offering a drink. I hope I am not expected to offer one in return,”

There was a booming laugh further in the house that nearly shook the house, and Gwen suspected that it would have only come from Emmett. He was basically built like a mountain. Carlisle also laughed, though not as loud, and it sounded beautiful to the ear, “No, we don’t drink human blood. We drink animal blood,”

Gwen looked at him for a moment but followed him into the living room. While she was aware, they drank animal blood, it had confused her as to why their eye colour turned gold instead of the usual red. It did not make sense in her mind, but she did not question it further. As she walked in, she could see all of the Coven was present. Edward was the furthest away, standing on the balcony upstairs, with Alice on the couch, Rosalie on the other side of the room and Emmett beside her. Emmett was nearly vibrating in his seat with a large grin on his face. Jasper stood with Rosalie and Emmett, and Esme was in the kitchen area, a bright expression on her face.

“What could I get you, dear?” Esme asked kindly.

A rush of affection hit Gwen as she looked at Esme, and the Witch smiled, “Water please,” There was something about Esme that was warm and she liked her. Gwen could feel the eyes on her, though the most prominent was Jasper’s gaze, which was intense. Gwen tried her best to ignore their gazes and feigned being relaxed.

Esme nodded her head and grabbed a glass before filling it with water and passing it to her. This process took all of five seconds, but by the end, Gwen had a glass of water in hand, and Carlisle and Esme were sat on the couch opposite Alice. Alice patted the seat next to her, and Gwen sat down next to the Vampire, ignoring Rosalie’s scowl.

“So, where do we start?” Gwen asked as she broke the ice.

“Are you really a Witch?” Emmett asked immediately, an eager grin on his face. Rosalie sent her husband a look, but the Vampire ignored his wife.

Gwen nodded her head, “I am yes,”

“Prove it,” Emmett asked again. While he trusted his wife with what she had seen, Emmett wanted to see magic so badly, and he was not going to miss this opportunity. He had also heard the cracking when Edward had questioned her, Rosalie had to hold him back from watching this and now he wanted to see it in person.

Arching a brow, Gwen looked to Carlisle, who motioned for her to go ahead and that he gave permission. With permission from him, Gwen snapped her fingers, and all loose objects in the home, like vases, the piano in the corner of the room began to float up in the air.

“Badass,” Emmett muttered in awe.

Edward stared at Gwen hard, his gaze had never left her being since she had entered the room. His expression was guarded, though she could feel his mistrust.

With a snap of her fingers, the items landed on the ground softly.

“Fascinating,” Carlisle muttered, intrigue in his eyes. He leaned forward, showing his interest in this matter. He had come across many Witches, as most kept to themselves, especially around Vampires, but magic had always fascinated him.

“How did you figure out what we were?” Rosalie demanded as she ignored the scolding expressions from Carlisle as well as Alice.

Gwen had been expecting this and knew it would come, and she was ready, “I’ve known the entire time. The first day I saw you, I knew what you all were,” It wasn’t hard, the only thing that threw her off were the eyes, as she’d never encountered a Vampire with golden eyes. “You guys aren’t the first Vampires I have come across,” In her time travelling, she’d met many creatures, and around six years ago, she’d met a Vampire in Vancouver. They had red eyes, and it was only in passing.

This caught everyone’s attention, “And you survived?” Edward asked, dubious.

“Of course,” Gwen scoffed. She’d done nothing to provoke an attack, and it was only in passing. There was no reason she would not be able to survive meeting a red-eyed Vampire.

Jasper’s eyes narrowed, “You’re confident,” He had been assessing the Witch since she entered their home. She was comfortable and he thought she’d be more nervous, but she wasn’t – not in the slightest. He had felt the rush of affection when Alice had greeted her, as well as Esme, and this had thrown him off. This went against everything he had been taught about Witches. However, his knowledge had originally come from Maria, and the Witch that supported Maria to help her win her wars.

“I am,” Gwen said as she looked at the Texan Vampire, “Like I said, I have known what you are for a year. I kept an eye on you guys to make sure you weren’t a threat to myself and others. If you had been, I would have acted sooner,”

Emmett and Jasper shared a look, the larger Vampire more excited, but even this intrigued Jasper. Emmett wanted a fight of some kind but knew he couldn't, and that bummed him out. Jasper was curious to know what the Witch had hidden under her sleeve. Edward sent them all dark looks for their thought, and both Emmett and Jasper chose to ignore his share.

“And what is your assessment so far?” Carlisle asked out of curiosity.

“That you’re all odd for wanting to be around humans, teenagers especially,” Gwen said bluntly as she looked at each and every one of them, “I imagine you all have some age on you, and it makes me wonder how many times you’ve attended high school,”

“Too many times,” Rosalie muttered lowly.

Esme smiled at the Witch kindly, “We want to show that Vampires can live among the humans, that we can co-exist,” She held Carlisle's hand and leaned into him. It was her husband's dream, as he wanted to help humans with his medical knowledge and she admired his dream.

Gwen nodded her head, as she considered the matriarch’s words.

“What do you intend to do with this knowledge?” Carlisle asked the Witch.

“Nothing,” Gwen answered honestly. “As far as I am concerned, we both have a secret we wish to keep from the humans,” If she revealed that the Cullen's were Vampires, there would be nothing that could stop them from revealing that she was a Witch to the public. She would gain nothing from this other than unwanted attention.

Jasper’s brow arched as he felt the honesty radiating from the Witch in waves. Edward looked at Jasper and read his thoughts, and this also made the Vampire frown.

“Why say something now?” Rosalie demanded.

“I was bored,” Gwen shrugged.

Rosalie’s cold expression cracked for a moment as she stared at the Witch in shock. For all the responses she had expected, this had not been it. “You were bored?!” She yelled back, ticked off that everything had been disturbed because of boredom.

“I was,” Gwen sighed, “Nothing interesting seemed to happen here. You guys and the Shifters on La Push are the only interesting thing around here,”

Alice and Emmett seemed to beam under the praise.

“You know about the Shifters?” Carlisle asked in surprise, but also relief. As part of the treaty, he could not reveal that information to anyone, but the fact she knew, made things much easier in his eyes.

“Yep,” Gwen said cheerfully, “I haven’t been to La Push yet, but I’m not keen, to be honest,” She did not care for them, as she lacked interest.

“Did you help cover Bella's scent?” Alice asked as she looked at her friend.

This time, Gwen felt the burning gaze from the mind reader, “I did. I saw how Edward struggled the moment Bella entered the room. I did fear something would happen, so I used my magic to cover her scent,” She then looked to the Vampire in question, “I am honesty surprised you seemed okay in the next biology lesson,” She had expected Edward to need more support with the scent masking, but he hasn’t. Edward had walked in a few days later, right as rain and did not even flinch when Bella entered the room.

“I’ve got used to her scent now,” Edward admitted slowly, albeit reluctantly.

“Is it because she’s your Blood Singer?” Gwen asked bluntly.

Edward looked pained by this, “Yes, Bella’s blood calls to me,” He was used to her scent, but if there were any hiccups where she cut herself, Edward would struggle to maintain his control. He had swiped one of Bella’s scarves and acclimatised to her scent. After he had done this, he returned the clothing item.

“Which is a huge pain,” Rosalie muttered as she glared up at her brother, as if it was all his fault.

Edward glared back at the blonde beauty.

“Your scent doesn’t match one of a Witch, why is that?” Esme asked, not rudely, but with genuine curiosity. Witch and Warlock blood was meant to be very tempting for a Vampire, and the fact that Gwen did not smell appealing threw all of them off, some more than others. None of them had even suspected her to be a Witch and had thought her to be mortal this entire time. Not even Alice had been aware.

Gwen patted her bra, where the herbs were kept, “I wear these herbs, they block my scent,” She had no doubt that if she hadn’t worn these herbs, the Cullen’s would have been able to smell what she was as soon as she arrived in Forks. Gwen suspected that this meeting wouldn’t have gone down well.

This thought made her frown as something dawned on her.

“That’s smart,” Carlisle nodded his head.

“How did you know I lied?” Edward demanded from his spot upstairs. He raised his voice loud enough so Gwen could hear him.

Gwen looked up and met his eyes fearlessly, “I’m gifted by Scarlett,” She was there to answer questions and she had nothing to hide.

Carlisle instantly sat up at the name and his eyes widened at the news, “Scarlett, the ex-Coven leader of the Blackthorn Witches?” He had met Scarlett a few times and the Witch always intrigued him. Her name was legendary within the Vampire Community as she was the only Witch all three of the Volturi Kings liked and revered.

“The very same,” Gwen said, though not enthusiastically, “When I was younger, I was gifted with the ability to see through lies. When someone lies to me, I get a tingling sensation in my chest,” She placed a hand over her chest, just a few inches away from her heart. This was where the tingling sensation would radiate from, but it never hurt her.

“I want a go!” Emmett yelled out, eager to test this out.

Carlisle looked to the Witch, “Could we get a demonstration?” He asked with his head tilted. He was keen to see this power in person.

“Of course,” Gwen smiled, amused by them.

The family looked at one another, and the whispers happened. However, they were so low and fast that Gwen could not make out what was said. Gwen did not mind and in fact, she was entertained by this. She felt a gaze on her again and Gwen met Jasper’s eyes as he studied her. Gwen smiled at him and soon after, Jasper looked away and joined back in with the conversation.

“Let’s see if you can spot the lie,” Alice said as she looked to Gwen, confident that her friend would have no issue with this, and she started the little game between them. “We lived in Alaska before Forks,”

Gwen felt no tingle in her chest – but she knew that to be true as Alice had mentioned before in art class. “Truth,”

Alice beamed when the Witch got this right.

“My favourite animal to drink from is a bear!” Emmett chimed out with a grin.

Again, there was no tingle in her chest. “Truth,”

Emmett grinned back in response.

“I and Emmett have been married three times,” Rosalie offered with her arms over her chest. She looked down at the Witch as she waited for her answer.

This time, there was a tingle in her chest.

“Lie,” Gwen said as she looked at Rosalie.

Emmett's grin widened as he laughed happily, and Jasper looked thoughtful. Carlisle rubbed his chin in thought as he wondered about her power. He had never met anyone who had this power before and he wondered how far it could go. Gwen turned to look at everyone, who was excitedly chatting among themselves, all except Edward. Gwen looked up at him and found him staring at her again.

“Satisfied?” Gwen asked with an arched brow.

Edward frowned, “Why can’t I read your mind?” This was something that had bothered him. There had been very few times he had not been able to read someone's mind – the only people were Scarlett, and a Vampire within the Volturi, Demi, Alec’s mate. However, since coming to Forks, that number had basically doubled and he wasn’t happy.

“It’s part of the gift’s side effects, it grants mental shields to the person,” Gwen shared with them. After the situation in English, she had asked her Nana and Liam why Edward could not read her mind. They had explained that anyone who was gifted by Scarlett would be allowed privacy from any mind readers, as Scarlett always prided privacy. Scarlett was the only leader who had been able to award such privileges, no other Coven Leader in the Blackthorns had managed this before. However, none had been as powerful as her.

Understanding flashed in Edward’s eyes and he nodded his head.

“Why aren’t you with your Coven?” Jasper asked. All the knowledge about Witches he knew was that they stayed in Covens like Vampires did. Except for the Witch that worked with Maria, but that was a different circumstance. He was aware of the three major Covens but also knew there were smaller ones, but they all tied into the Blackthorn Coven.

Gwen shook her head, “I don’t have one,”

Carlisle looked confused, “You don’t?”

“Why?” Edward demanded.

Gwen glared at his tone, but continued on, “That is a bit more complicated. No Blackthorn Coven Witch or Warlock is aware I exist,” She had been hidden for years, and had been kept away from the Coven. Despite being taught about the Coven Scarlett led for many years, she had never officially been part of it. It also needed to remain that way – at least that is what she had been told by her Nana.

“You’re hiding from something,” Jasper pointed out with a thoughtful expression. It made sense, her herbs that blocked her scent and the fact no other Witch knew about her. Alice had mentioned to him that Gwen had told her about moving a lot.

“I am,” Gwen admitted with a sigh. She knew that they would click onto this eventually, but hoped it would be in the future.

“What are you hiding from?” Esme asked, her brows furrowed in concern.

Now this made Gwen pause. She contemplated whether she should tell them or not – with the limited knowledge she had. There was an argument not to tell them, as she would not want to drag them into this. This was her business. However, she had dropped a bomb on them and disturbed their peace. She could feel their eyes on her as they waited for her to decide, “Nana and I have moved around all my life, to keep me hidden. Someone is after me and they keep sending out different people to find me. With the herbs, it stops them from finding me from my scent,”

Carlisle frowned, “Your Nana is Bethany Carter, right?” He had treated the older woman for her migraines and headaches for the past year. In the time he had treated her, he never would have thought she was hiding such a secret. She never treated him any differently than any other person in Forks. He had no idea she knew about his and his family’s secret. It made him marvel at the older woman’s composure and ability to keep secrets.

“She is,” Gwen smiled as she thought of her Nana, “She's not related to me by blood, my mother entrusted her with me to raise and protect. She’s like Alice and has visions of the future,” She looked at Alice and smiled.

Alice beamed back. However, she made sure to keep her thoughts locked away, especially from her nosy mind-reading brother.

“So, you could bring danger to our door?” Rosalie said sharply, annoyance on her face. It appeared as though Jasper was on the same front as her, as he watched the Witch carefully.

“No,” Gwen answered sharply, “That is my issue, I wasn’t going to drag you into my issues,” She could deal with what would come her way like she had all this time. That was why she trained her magic to be sharp, she was a prodigy at her craft. “I can deal with whatever comes my way,”

For a moment, there was a flash of respect in Rosalie’s eyes, but that quickly disappeared.

“Damn,” Emmett muttered lowly, disappointed he would miss out on action.

“You didn't seem surprised when Carlisle mentioned our diet,” Jasper asked as he looked at her curiously. He had thought the Witch would have more questions when it came to their diet as he had felt the curiosity when Carlisle had told her this.

Gwen looked at the Texan Vampire and smiled, “I knew you feed from animals,” When she’d first come to Forks, she’d questioned their eye colour and couldn't find an answer in any of her books. After that, she had asked her Nana, who told her about the Cullen’s diet. It still did not make sense to her.

Alice made a noise of understanding, though Rosalie and Jasper shared looks with one another.

“Though I am curious as to what you do with the bodies of the animals,” Gwen questioned. With the amount of time they fed, surely there should be a pile-up of dead animal bodies. However, none had been found and there were no new rumours of any predators in the area.

Carlisle answered this one, “After we drink from the family, we make sure to use all of it. We turn the skin into leather and donate it, and we give the meat to any food banks or charities,” If they were to bury any bodies of animals, they could be discovered so they had to be methodical about it, and make sure there was no trace. They also had to make sure they did not over-hunt certain animals in certain areas as they did not want to raise suspicion if a certain population of animals decreased dramatically.

Gwen nodded her head, understanding what he said, and it made sense. “So, now that you know what I am, does that make you feel better?” Gwen asked all the Vampires in the room. “Has this sated your curiosity?” Gwen asked as she looked at Edward.

Edward’s eyes narrowed, he was not fully content as he wanted to know more. He needed to understand how she worked. Usually, he could read someone’s mind to suss them out, but he could not do that this time around. “You should stay away from us,”

“Edward!” Alice shouted at him angrily, her eyes narrowed into slits.

“We can’t trust her! How do we know she isn’t lying to us?” Edward demanded as he looked at each of his Coven siblings.

Emmett frowned, “She’s not though,”

“Also, Edward, that isn’t your decision to make,” Jasper pointed out as he motioned to Carlisle and Esme.

Esme looked to the Witch, “I apologise for him,” She hoped that Gwen would not see this as disrespectful and have her leave on bad terms. She knew how fond Alice was of the Witch, and she could see Emmett was the same.

Gwen shrugged her shoulders, “It’s fine that Eddy boy doesn’t trust me,” That was very low on her list of priorities, as he was her least-liked member of the Vampires.

Emmett laughed at the name, it was a name he had used against Edward many times, and Jasper smirked, but that dropped when he felt the dramatic dip in mood.

A loud growl came from Edward as his eyes narrowed at the Witch.

Sensing the threat, Gwen glared at the Vampire, and her fingers twitched as her magic surged. This action alone caused everyone to tense. A few actions happened at once, Alice had jumped up in front of Gwen, and Carlisle had jumped up as well, but this time he faced Edward, as though he would intercept. Suddenly, a wave of calm soothed Gwen and her shoulders relaxed – but this made Gwen feel suspicious, this emotion did not belong to her. She realised that someone in this room had a power she was not aware of. Gwen looked around the room and tried to find which Vampire this power belonged to and was stumped when there was no obvious answer.

“That’s enough,” Carlisle said, her voice stern as he looked to Edward. The stare he sent his eldest son was enough for Edward to level his mood.

Edward looked away, ashamed of his actions.

“I think that’s enough for today, but thank you for coming today, Gwen,” Carlisle said as he sent a smile her way.

“That may be best,” Gwen said as she stood up. She did not spare Edward a glance as she bid goodbye to Alice and the rest of the family.

As she was about to leave, Carlisle looked down at her and smiled apologetically, “I do apologise for Rosalie too. She acted before she should have,” They had not made an agreement on what to do before Rosalie had burst through the door. No one had predicted this, but luckily nothing bad happened. However, he had a chat with Rosalie afterwards and was confident there would not be a repeat of her action.

“No blood no foul,” Gwen reassured him with a wave of her hand.

Carlisle nodded his head, but then sent her a stern look, “I would also ask for the same respect we give back. Please do not antagonise my family,” While he did not agree with Edward’s behaviour just now, and there would be a discussion around this. As Edward is much older, he should know and act better. But Carlisle did not agree with the fact Gwen had riled up his son and needed to make his feelings known in this situation so this did not happen again.

There was a twinge of guilt in Gwen and she nodded her head solemnly. With one final look at the Coven of Vampires, Gwen left the house.

It didn’t take long before Gwen arrived back at the haunted house. The Cullen lived on the other side of the town, far out of town, but it was still a small distance via car. The paths had been rocky, but stable for her Fiat to drive back without any issues. Once outside her home, she had locked her car doors and Tilly had opened the door before she even stepped onto the porch. Gwen cooed at Tilly and thanked her for being so thoughtful before she entered the house, with Tilly closing the door behind her.

“Nana, I’m home,” Gwen called out as she walked further into the house. She could hear movement in the kitchen and made her way there.

In the kitchen, Bethany was cooking up a lunch, and she planned to do some brownies for the office, as she wanted to be nice to the staff she worked with. When she heard Gwen’s voice, she looked up and smiled, and her aged face lit up, “Ah Gwen, how did things go?”

“You know exactly how it went,” Gwen said with a pointed look.

Bethany smiled, “I know, but I do it to be polite,”

Gwen nodded her head, “It was fine. Edward was hostile, but I expected this.” She still thought very highly of Emmett and Alice and was unsure about Jasper and Rosalie. She liked Esme and Carlisle, they seemed lovely, and she was particularly fond of Esme, but Edward, she was not the biggest fan of.

Bethany frowned, “He seemed like such a nice boy out in public,”

The Witch made a noise of agreement, only half listening to her words, as she had other things on her mind, “The herbs aren’t just to hide my scent from the people hunting me, aren’t they?” Gwen questioned. She had thought about this on her way back to Tilly, but it was only when she explained her situation to the Cullen’s that she truly understood. Her Nana had got her to wear those herbs to protect her from the creatures that wished her harm, but it also had another purpose. It was to hide her existence from the Cullen's – until she was comfortable with their presence. Gwen didn’t fully understand it, but she was certain that her fate was tied in with theirs. Nana’s attitude to the Cullen’s indicated that Gwen should like them, she never once protested her friendship with Alice, whereas she had protested her friendship with Caitlin. She had made Gwen research Vampires thoroughly as she grew up so she would understand them better. The subtly questions about the Vampires were another layer to the matter. The fact they weren’t moving anywhere else, her Nana had said this was the end of the road, that they were staying in Forks for the foreseeable future, something they had never done before. Bethany was even putting down roots by getting a job, and she had allowed Gwen to start school. However, the final clue was when her Nana had let her walk into a Coven of Vampires – in their territory – without a worry. Any other Witch would have baulked at the situation and refused, but Nana had encouraged it.

Bethany stopped her baking for a moment, before she started up again, “No, they aren’t,”

When Gwen did not get the tingling sensation, she knew her Nana was telling her the truth.

“My fate is tied to the Cullen’s, isn’t it?” Gwen asked bluntly. 

“Yes,” Bethany answered back simply.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gwen asked when she was certain her Nana was telling the truth. The thought of her life being tied to Vampires was confusing, and she wanted to know more. Witches and Vampires were not meant to mix, so she did not understand why she was being pushed in their direction.

Bethany turned around and smiled sadly, “Because, firefly, you wouldn’t have handled the news well if I had told you this twelve months ago. It would have done the opposite. You would have avoided them like the plague and you would have never formed that friendship with Alice,” She had seen it for herself, that is why she had to meretriciously plan this to every last detail. She knew that Gwen would not be happy with her, but it was for her own good.

Gwen frowned, she wanted to argue back but knew she couldn't because her Nana was spot on. “Will there be a time when I can take the herbs off?”

Bethany nodded her head, “There will come a time, but it is not now.” If everything went as planned, the herbs could be taken off and there would not be a big blowout.

Potentially.

“Okay,” Gwen relaxed slightly, though still not fully satisfied.

Content, Bethany turned back around and continued her baking. She had thought the questions were over, but she froze when Gwen started up again.

“Why am I being hunted?”

Bethany wet her lips and swallowed thickly, “Firefly, we’ve discussed this…”

“But you never fully answered me.” Gwen pointed out with a frown. She had asked before in the past years exactly what she was being hunted by and the reasons why. It was never explained, with Bethany always placating her that it would not be forever, that it was temporary, and her mother was working on it.

The older woman fell silent when she realised her ward was right.

“I think I am old enough to understand what is going on. I am soon to be eighteen in two months,” Gwen added. By Witch standards, she would be classed as fully mature, but because Bethany was human, she followed the human rules more when it came to this particular area. Her Nana had always emphasised that her eighteenth birthday would be important but never specified why. It was these cryptic messages that had started to grate on the Witch.

“Gwen, I would need to check in with your mother first-”

“Why?” Gwen demanded with narrowed eyes, her body tense, “She isn’t here, you’re the one who has raised me. Why do you need her permission?”

Tilly let out a creek, concerned. However, this was ignored.

“She’s still your mother,” Bethany added in, albeit weakly.

Gwen shook her head, “Then where is she?” It was her Nana that looked after her when she was unwell. It was her Nana that would wipe up her sick when she threw up. It was her Nana who made her birthdays special and it was her Nana who gave her all the cuddles she needed. Her mother – Scarlet, had not done any of that.

“She’s busy…” Bethany replied back, uncertain.

There was a tingle in Gwen’s chest.

Bethany had lied.

“Why do you even bother lying when you know I can feel it?!” Gwen shouted out as her magic surged with her emotions. Items in the kitchen began to float and the lights flickered in the house.

“Gwen!” Bethany shouted in alarm as she looked at her ward with wide eyes.

Tilly let out a surprised squeak from the floorboard.

It was only then that Gwen had realised her control had slipped. Gwen’s eyes widened, and she forced herself to relax. Breathing in slowly, she used her magic to bring down the items in the kitchen and the lights stopped flickering. Mentally, Gwen swore that she’d lost control. With her higher level of magic, she had to be careful to keep her magic in check and emotions played a very big part in her magic.

“You think me a child, Nana, and hide things from me,” Gwen said, her voice low, but strong. There was no other sound in the room, which made what she had to say more powerful, “I have let things slide over the years and act as though your lies haven’t hurt me, but they have. I want to know what is happening, because I am sick of hiding,” With nothing more to say, Gwen turned around and left the kitchen, with Tilly closing the kitchen door behind her.

Bethany watched her go silently.

Hours passed and it was late at night, when everyone should have been asleep, but Gwen couldn't. after she had stormed off to her room, she had Tilly lock her door and not let her Nana in, no matter how much Nana knocked. Gwen needed space away from her and put a silencing charm around her room so she could not be heard, and Nana could not hear her. To keep her mind occupied, Gwen did what she always did, explore the grimoires for even the smallest of spells to practice, something she did for hours.

Tilly had shut out her lights when it became late enough and this signalled that Gwen should go to bed. With a sigh, Gwen hag got ready for bed, but could not find sleep. She lay in bed for hours, tossing and turning. She had a mind to knock herself out with a sleeping draught but decided against it because it would knock her out for a whole twenty-four hours, and they tasted nasty. Tilly had turned the lights off hours ago and had tried to play soothing music for her, but it hadn’t worked. Gwen toyed with the idea of getting up for a while but decided against it. But then two minutes later, she changed her mind five times.

Fed up, Gwen stood up and walked over to her door, only to find it locked. “Tilly, I am not running away,” Gwen assured, her voice low.

There was a sound of her bedroom door unlocking.

With a sigh, Gwen smiled, “Thank you,” She opened the door and made her way down to the kitchen, trying to keep as quiet as possible. As she walked down the dark hallways, small lights would flicker on as Tilly lit the way for her. She did not have to worry about waking her Nana, as she was a heavy sleeper at the best of times. Once in the kitchen, Gwen intended to grab herself a glass of water.

The moment Gwen had got the glass, the tap began to run. This made Gwen laugh at Tilly’s actions. After she filled her cup, the water turned off and Gwen was left alone in silence. There was an odd sound or two from the house, but the Witch ignored these. Instead, her thoughts were preoccupied with the fight she had with her Nana, something that usually did not happen. Usually, she and Nana had a great relationship, and usually, Gwen could trust the woman. By blood, she was not related to her, but she’d been treated like family.

But she was hurt.

To be lied to hurt.

A lot.

Gwen could feel when people lied to her, and most times, it did not bother her. After spending twelve months surrounded by teenagers who lied like their lives depended on it, she’d become used to the constant tingling in her chest. But, when it was someone who she trusted and was open with, she expected the same treatment in return. She did not like to be lied to.

The whole situation confused her, as she’d never got a straight answer from her Nana. Whenever asked what exactly she was hiding from, Nana would always give an answer as if she couldn't tell her now as she wasn’t ready. This had been the same routine, the same song and dance for years now. They’d moved constantly to keep away from the threat, but now all of a sudden, they were staying in Forks. It made her wonder what was so special about it.

Then the Cullen family being involved was a whole different mystery. Why was she connected to this family? What business did a Witch have with a Coven of Vampires? None of it made sense, and this caused her head to begin to throb with how hard she was overthinking.

With a snap of her finger, the glass was emptied and cleaned using her magic. She then placed it on the draining board to dry and headed back upstairs. The lights all switched off behind her as she walked back to her room. However, she stopped in the hallway looked around, and stared directly at her Nana’s room. Gwen hesitated for a moment before she tip-toed to her Nana’s room and tried to open the door.

However, the door would not budge.

“Tilly, open the door,” Gwen whispered so she did not wake her Nana.

The floorboard under Gwen’s feet shuddered, as it tried to lead her back to her room, but Gwen resisted and stepped backwards the room.

“I want to speak with Scarlett,” Gwen whispered lowly. If she wanted answered, she needed to go the source. The best person to ask her questions would be Scarlett, and she’d know if she was being lied to.

The rumbling stopped and Nana’s door unlocked.

With a sigh of relief, Gwen gently opened the door and looked inside. The room was clean – spotlessly clean and she could see her Nana asleep on her bed, sleeping soundly. Gwen looked around and saw Nana’s phone on the sideboard like it always was. Using her magic, Gwen levitated the phone over to her and softly closed the door behind her.

Gwen walked into her room and closed the door. Breathing deeply, Gwen looked at the phone and was nearly blinded by the light in the dark room. Tilly turned on the lights, which helped slightly, as they were dimmed. After she adjusted to the light, Gwen scrolled through the phone. There were no text messages, but that was expected as Nana didn't like texting, she only called someone. However, there were no call logs, which she knew Bethany had deleted. Gwen searched through Bethany’s small list of contacts – all saved under code names. However, there was a name that stuck out, one that could only belong to her mother.

Red Mother.

Her heart pounded in her chest as her finger hovered over the call button. Gwen debated whether she should call Scarlett or not.

Biting the bullet, she pressed the button.

It rang six times before someone answered.

“Bethany, what is the emergency?” A voice answered on the phone, a mature and slightly deeper voice. It had been a long time since Gwen had heard this voice and it made her heart lurch into her throat.

“Scarlet,” Gwen said.

“Who is this?” Scarlett demanded.

Annoyance filled Gwen, “It’s your daughter,”

The line went silent.

Then there was a small noise as the line disconnected.

Gwen stared down at the phone with mixed feelings. She was pissed that her own mother had hung up on her, but she was also hurt. Her Nana would always go on about how her mother wanted to speak with her, but couldn't, and how she couldn’t speak to her because she was extremely busy. But she’d been on the phone with her, and her own mother hung up on her. She hoped to have a conversation with her – to understand what the hell was going on. But it appeared as though Scarlett did want not to speak with her.

Gwen placed the phone down after she deleted any evidence of this call and watched as it disappeared. No doubt Tilly had put it back where it belonged.

The house whined as the lights dimmed further as if Tilly felt her pain.

Gwen patted the wall, “Thank you, Tilly,”

TWILIGHT

With the Cullen’s

Carlisle sat in his study as he poured over some of his personal medical journals that were only published in the supernatural community. Not only was he dedicated to helping humans as much as he could, but around one hundred and fifty years ago, he had dipped his toe into the supernatural community and their medical needs. It opened his horizons to many things and allowed him to further his passion for his craft. It was not just humans that needed medical attention – though most supernatural creatures repaired themselves at a faster pace. Due to his passion and his success in helping others, he had gained a reputation – a good one.

However, his mind was not fully in his journals.

Tonight, had not gone as expected.

It had nearly been a disaster.

Carlisle had spent time with the Volturi, as Aro was a close friend to him. While he was indifferent to Caius – though he remained respectful. He liked Marcus, though he mainly felt pity for the poor Vampire who had lost his Mate and made him continue on with life – eternal life. It was a fate worse than death in Carlisle’s mind. The thought of spending his life without Esme made him uneasy to the point he did not want to even ponder this thought any longer.

But that then brought him to what made him need time to think.

Edward and Gwen.

That interaction left a bad taste in his mouth as if he had eaten something foul. It was impossible as it had been a long time since he had tasted anything other than blood. Carlisle thought over to the meeting they’d had hours before. It had started off pleasant enough – though rocky at best. Relations between Witches and Vampires had never been good but the treaty kept things civil. However, if there had been any altercation between Edward and Gwen that treaty could have been broken and not even his friendship with Aro could save his Coven. Rosalie had nearly broken it herself, but at least she had held herself back when she realised Gwen was a Witch. Rosalie had acted before anyone could say anything, and it was only Alice who had calmed down their worries that nothing would happen.

There was a soft knock on his door, and Carlisle already knew it was Alice, “Come in Alice,” He called as he looked up from his book. He had heard her stand outside his office for some time, but he had waited for her to announce her presence, waiting for her to be ready.

Alice walked with a sullen expression on her face.

“That wasn’t meant to happen,” Alice said lowly. No one else was in the house as they’d all gone hunting, so they were free to speak.

“None of it is your fault, you know your powers are subjective to people’s decisions,” Carlisle reassured his daughter with a kind look. He understood how Alice held herself to a higher standard and worried about her family’s safety. There had been several times when he had to remind her that she could not control people’s decisions, but some things were inevitable.

Alice flashed him a thankful smile.

“But are you sure Alice?” Carlisle asked, unable to stop the frown that crossed his face, “Are you sure that they are mates?” He had watched both of them very carefully and managed to keep his thoughts away from Edward. If Alice had not told him, he may not have believed it as Edward gave no indication that he recognised Gwen as a Mate.

“I am,” Alice’s voice was soft but completely certain. She had seen them together, happy and in love. She could understand Carlisle's hesitance towards this union as that interaction did not leave much confidence in their future, even for her.

“This will not be an easy union,” Carlisle commented as he contemplated how this would happen. Having a Witch on their side would be extremely useful, but it also came with its own set of risks. However, he was concerned about Gwen’s situation. She was hiding from something she had no idea about. The more Carlisle thought on the matter, the more he thought that Gwen looked like someone he had met before but he could not put his finger on it.

“It’s unheard of,” Alice agreed as she nodded her head.

“Has Jasper said much?” Carlisle asked, curious. Jasper’s mind for battle and strategy was one that Carlisle still marvelled at. He respected Jasper’s word and opinion, especially when it came to the safety of their family.

“He doesn’t know enough to make a decision, I think he’s worried about upsetting me,” Alice giggled as she thought of her Mate, her other half.

Carlisle smiled at this. Ever since Alice and Jasper found their family, things had been much more interesting. In the beginning, there had been tension between Jasper and Edward, as the mind-reader was not a match for the Texan. It had taken time for their family to work together, but Esme was often that glue. She loved each and every single one of her children, and he could see Esme was already taken with Gwen. Esme did not know about Edward and Gwen being Mates, but Carlisle knew she’d be happy with the news.

“How is Edward?” Carlisle asked. After he had spoken to his son quite sternly, Emmett had swept him away for a hunting trip to vent out any frustrations he may have had. No doubt, Rosalie would tease him for how he reacted. Luckily, Jasper would be with them to make sure things did not escalate too much – as long as he did not join in with Emmett in poking fun at Edward.

“Ashamed,” Alice answered, thinking about what Jasper had told her, and what she had seen on his face, “Gwen really goes get under his skin,”

Carlisle hummed in agreement. While he understood that Gwen had made a jab, Edward was older and should have known better.

“But I think she will be perfect for him,” Alice said with a grin.

“Oh?” Carlisle arched a brown, intrigued to hear this.

“Edward needs someone who will call him out when he’s wrong,” Alice said as there was a twinkle of amusement in her golden eyes, “He needs an equal,”

Carlisle considered her words and agreed wholeheartedly. This was why he had hoped Rosalie and Edward would take to one another in the beginning – but that idea was quickly thrown out the window quite violently. Those two butted heads the most but acted the most like siblings. Carlisle realised very quickly that Rosalie would never put up with some of Edward’s personality and he often had to play mediator between them quite a few times. Rosalie’s newborn phase had been a trying time, to say the least.

“We just need to be patient, and not rush it,” Alice said more to herself than anyone else.

This made Carlisle smile. He knew how much Alice wanted to help, but he understood that from Bethany’s words, it would not go well. Carlisle had been hesitant to listen to the words of a woman he did not fully know, but Alice was certain Bethany could be trusted. Bethany and Alice had been speaking with one another quite frequently, with Alice keeping him in the loop on any matters. Carlisle would trust Alice’s judgement for now.

Chapter Text

Gwen was sat in her car, outside of Forks High School with a frown on her face. She had not slept well for the rest of the weekend. Now that Monday had arrived, she was exhausted. Her thoughts had gone into overdrive. There was a part of her that was hurt that her mother hung up on her call, but a larger part of her, the more dominant side was angry that her mother had rejected her – had not even said hello before she disconnected the call. She had been awake to hear her Nana get up at her usual time. Gwen was almost certain that Bethany did not know what had happened the night before – she had made sure to delete the call log. But her Nana had not said anything that morning, and in fact, she had given the Witch some space, something Gwen was thankful for.

It was only when she realised the first warning bell would go soon, that Gwen sighed deeply and opened the car door. She was careful of the snow around her so she did not fall. Caitlin must have been running behind, as she often did, so Gwen decided to make her way into the lesson. She had double English that morning and her mind was not in the best space at the moment.

“Good morning, Gwen,”

Gwen jumped when a voice said right beside her. She snapped her neck to turn to the voice and found Edward looking at her, amused to have caught her off guard.

“Are you trying to give a heart attack?” Gwen demanded as she placed a hand over her fast-beating heart. She had massively been caught off guard, as the Vampire’s light footsteps had not helped. If she had not been so distracted, she would have sensed him as he approached her, but she had not because she’d been so focused on her thoughts.

“You and I both know you’re not susceptible to that,” Edward pointed out dryly with an arched brow.

“Oh, look at you, being all knowledgeable about my kind,” Gwen smirked as she taunted the Vampire. While Witches were very much like humans in their lifespan, they were more resistant to human ailments and diseases but not completely immune. Potions and magic could be used to strengthen a Witch and also extend their lives.

Edward rolled his eyes at her taunt. But he took a quick peek around to make sure that no one overheard them.

“Now, what have I done to gain your attention?” Gwen asked as she and Edward walked to class, as they both had English that morning. She was very aware of the stares they were getting from the rest of the humans. Some were jealous looks, and others were of awe. She was sure that this ‘event’ would be known by the whole school in a matter of hours, as teenage mortals were very jealous creatures.

“I have been tasked with keeping an eye on you,” Edward said as they continued to walk into the school. He too could feel the stares, but he could also hear the thoughts of the teenagers around him. There were a lot of girls who were not happy about this situation, especially Jessica, and boys who were staring at Gwen with indecent thoughts – it made him sick.

“How charming,” Gwen commented back dryly, unimpressed. “Keep an eye on me for what exactly?” The last time they had seen one another, Edward had not been happy and looked ready to murder her when she visited two days prior. Alice had messaged her that everything was okay afterwards, so this was an unexpected move.

What also gave it away was the tingle in her chest, so she knew that Edward was lying.

Edward looked at her with a blank expression, “That you don’t expose us,”

Gwen arched a brow at him and laughed, “I know that you’ve not been tasked with this, as you seem to forget my gift. I assume you decided to take on this role for your own ridiculous reasons,” It also made no sense, if she exposed the Cullen’s, there would nothing to stop them from revealing her secret in return. As far as she was concerned, that secret was well protected. Also, Gwen would gain nothing in informing anyone about the Cullen’s, so it made no logical sense.

“I don’t trust you,” Edward glared at her. For the past year, he had been completely unaware that he had gone to school with a Witch. No one in his family knew. They have been caught off guard and he did not like it in the slightest. They could have accidentally broken the Treaty without realising it, putting their Coven in harm’s way. However, the Witch was not wrong. No one in his Coven had tasked him with this. Carlisle and Esme did not see the risk and had been reassured from her visit two days prior – and were eager to speak with her again, especially Carlisle. Alice and Emmett had been beaming about the fact Gwen was a Witch, Rosalie was annoyed and Jasper was reserved. It was Edward who had been the most vocal about how they could not trust her – and surprisingly, Alice had been the most adamant to disregard his words. Edward had been hurt by this as he and Alice were usually quite close, but for her to oppose him so strongly, with Jasper taking his wife’s side, made the mind-reader annoyed. It was made worse because he knew that Alice was hiding something from him, but wouldn’t say or reveal anything in her mind. It was under too many layers in her mind for him to access, which frustrated him beyond belief.

“And I don’t care what you think,” Gwen snorted as she rolled her eyes.

Edward frowned as he stared at her, his golden eyes roamed freely as he looked at the Witch. Gwen met his gaze easily, as she sent him a challenging look, one that begged him to say or do something. This attitude rubbed him the wrong way and he glared at her, which made the Witch smirk in mirth.

Both made it to the English room, and Gwen sat in her usual space at the back. However, she was not surprised when Edward sat in the seat next to her. Gwen could feel the stares of the people in the room and could also hear some whispers, but chose to ignore them.

“So, you plan on being my shadow then?” Gwen asked him. She thought she’d be annoyed, but in fact, she was amused by this whole situation.

Edward nodded his head.

“For how long?” Gwen asked as she leaned back in her chair to get comfortable. She’d been tempted to cast a charm on the chair to make it more comfortable but decided against it. It would be such a waste of magic.

“Until you can be trusted,” Edward responded.

There was no tingling in her chest, he was being honest.

For once.

“And how do I know if you can be trusted?” Gwen shot back at him.

Edward looked at her confused, “What do you mean?”

“How do I know you’re not going to reveal my secret?” Gwen questioned him as she looked at him with a blank expression.

Edward was about to protest, but realisation dawned on him at what Gwen had hinted at. For a moment, he felt conflicted about his next move. He had been so certain that the Witch needed to be watched, to make sure she didn’t do anything that could endanger the family. He had not considered Gwen’s side in this.

“I thought as much,” Gwen was smug and shot him a look, “But you’re welcome to watch, I have nothing to hide,” The grin on Gwen’s face was pure smugness, one that irritated the Vampire.

Edward turned away from her and did not speak to her for the rest of the lesson.

Gwen laughed to herself as she got her notebook out, and started to make some notes to make it look as if she was busy. If she looked busy, it was less likely that Miss Hall would bother her. As Miss Hall started her lesson, she could feel Edward’s eyes on her, but she ignored them.

However, it would seem as though Gwen would not get peace that day. In the lessons she shared with Edward, he would act as her shadow. He would sit in the seat near her, and if the lesson required that they pair up with people, Edward would claim her as his partner, before anyone else could say anything. Caitlin had been in one of these lessons and had sent Gwen a bewildered look, one that Gwen shrugged in response to. By lunchtime, nearly every student was talking about how Edward and her seemed close, and the stares became worse. Gwen had noticed one person in particular who looked at her frequently, and that was Bella. Bella had watched her every move in Spanish, and Gwen thought she was going to break her neck at one point with how many times she had turned to look at the Witch.

Due to all the gossip, Gwen had decided that she would ditch the cafeteria for lunch, mentally cursing the Cullen. Instead, she headed towards the library, where Caitlin saw her and sat with her.

“A few rumours are going on about you and Edward Cullen,” Caitlin wriggled her eyebrows suggestively as she ate. She had heard the whispers going around the school and wanted to know if it was true.

Gwen snorted and laughed, not too loud where she’d be shushed by the librarian. “Like?” She’d heard a few herself, but she wanted to know if any more had come out.

“That you guys are dating, and that’s why you’re so close to Alice,” Caitlin said as she sniggered.

Gwen nearly choked on her sandwich at the ridiculousness of the rumour, “Absolutely not. Edward and I are not an item. I and Alice are friends because we sit next to each other in Art class.” The thought of her and the Vampire dating nearly made her vomit. Vampires and Witches do not mix romantically, and Gwen had never heard of a match before like that.

Caitlin nodded her head, “Ah, that makes sense. But what is the deal with Edward?” She had seen what she was like in one of their lessons. Edward had sent dark looks at anyone if they dared approach Gwen, even to the goth.

“What do you mean?” Gwen feigned ignorance, even though she knew exactly what her friend had asked. Edward had not exactly been inconspicuous when it came to being her shadow. She was surprised she had managed to give him the slip, but at the same time, she would not be surprised if he was hidden away somewhere in the library.

Caitlin looked around, making sure there was no one around and lowered her voice, “You know how I mentioned that people still stared at the Cullen's?” This had been when Gwen first arrived at the school a year ago when she had given the rundown of how things ran.

Gwen nodded her head in response. She remembered the conversation well, as she remembered nearly laughing at Caitlin’s words. High school really was like all the drama shows she had watched – Gwen had binged a lot of shows to prepare herself for actual school.

“Well, that is because the Cullen’s keep to themselves. They do not interact with other students unless they have to. Many people have tried to ask them out, to hang out, but they always say no. They keep to themselves,” Caitlin explained, her voice barely above a whisper but Gwen was still able to hear.

“And what does that have to do with anything?” Gwen asked, confused. Surely, the mortals would have got used to the Cullen’s by now, but it appeared as though she was wrong. The mortals were obsessed with this family, and every new move they made, always circulated the school within minutes.

“People are finding it strange, that Alice is speaking to you. Usually, Alice is the nicest one of the family to approach, but even she holds people at a distance.” Caitlin explained as she continued to eat her lunch.

Gwen was starting to understand now, “And they’re wondering what makes me so different?” This made sense. She’d been here for some time with no change, and now, all of a sudden, things appeared to be changing. Gwen would class Alice as a friend, and now Edward had started to get closer to her – not that anyone knew the true reason for this. But to the mortal eye, it appeared as though she and Edward were ‘close’.

Caitlin nodded her head, “Yes, people have even started to make up some theories, that maybe you guys knew each other before Forks,”

Honestly, this amused the Witch. She snorted and laughed behind her sandwich. “Yeah, that does not make sense,”

“So, would you ever date Edward Cullen?” Caitlin asked bluntly, curiously.

If Gwen had water in her mouth, she would have spat it out there and then. She nearly shouted something out but stopped herself at the last minute, not wanting to anger Mrs Brooks and take advantage of her generosity. Instead, she snorted, “No chance,”

“Huh?” Caitlin looked genuinely confused.

“A guy that pretty? He’s got to be playing for the other team,” Gwen said in a joking manner, a large grin on her face.

Caitlin's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened.

A booming laugh sounded in the library and this made both girls jump. Gwen had to stomp her instant response in using her magic, thinking she was under attack. She looked around and saw Emmett laughing, pure delight in his eyes. Jasper stood beside him, a hand over his mouth to hide his smile and even Rosalie was there, a grin on her beautiful face. They were on the other side of the library and looked as though they had just come in.

Gwen instantly knew that they had heard her, and this nearly made her laugh out loud.

 “Mr Cullen!” Mrs Brook scolded harshly, she had nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the young man laugh.

“I apologise for him,” Jasper said quietly, the grin still on his face.

Caitlin paled when she saw the members of the Cullen family and looked down at her lunch. Gwen stared at them for a few more seconds. Before she looked away, Emmett sent her thumbs up, childish delight still shining in his golden eyes. It looked as though she had made his day completely, and this made Gwen feel happy. Grinning slightly, Gwen nodded her head in acknowledgement.

Rosalie’s amused expression turned sour as she glared at Gwen.

Ignoring the look, Gwen turned back to her lunch and started to talk to Caitlin about other things.

“I hope they did not hear that,” Caitlin muttered under her breath.

“There is no way they heard it, they are too far away,” Gwen reassured her human friend, as she shot the Vampires a look, one that she hoped would reassure them. After Edward’s behaviour towards her, she wondered whether any of the other family members harboured any resentment towards her.

Rosalie’s sour expression lessened slightly, and she pursed her lips together. She turned away from the human and Witch and focused back on her mate and family. Jasper sent her a thankful look, and Gwen took this as a good sign.

After that, the rest of lunch passed fairly quickly, and so did the rest of the day. Before Gwen knew it, it was her last period of the day and Gwen was sat in Art class, casually painting, with her thoughts away so she had not fully paid attention to what she had painted.

Her head was filled with too much stuff – like training, the mysteries of her haunted house, keeping her magic away from the mortals, and what she was to do about Edward. She could not understand the hate from his side, the secret was out, and now they could live their lives and she could live hers. Despite her Nana’s words, she doubted that she would stay in Forks long, as they never stayed long in one place. Maybe she may get to finish the year out, but after the year, she would probably never see the Cullen’s again. Also, Cullen’s lifespan ran circles around hers, so she was a small blip on his radar.

“Are you okay?”

Gwen snapped out of her daydream and turned to Alice, who looked at her with a concerned expression. Her unnaturally beautiful face is the biggest indicator of her true nature – meant to draw in her prey. It was a wonder no one had figured this out already with how much they stood out.

“Gwen?” Alice called again.

Looking at the tiny creature in front of her, Gwen sighed deeply, “Sorry, I am just a bit distracted,”

“Is it something my brother did?” Alice asked curiously.

“He claims he has been sent to watch me,” Gwen said with a frown, “But I know that he hasn’t,” She had felt him lie, due to her gift. She wondered why the mind-reader had even attempted to lie when he knew about this gift.  

Annoyance at her brother flashed in Alice's golden eyes, “No, he was not assigned, Carlisle had not agreed to it. I had hoped he wouldn’t follow through with his plan to follow you, but I heard the rumours so it seems that I was wrong,” She and Edward had got into an argument that morning before school as Alice had warned him that his plan would be fruitless, but the mind-reader would have none of it.

When Gwen did not get a tingling sensation in her chest, she knew that Alice had been telling the truth. This relieved her, as she had worried that the Cullen’s had decided to turn against her after their chat. “So, your family does not think I need to be watched?” Gwen asked as she looked at her Vampire friend.

Alice shook her head, “No, you have your own secret to protect,” Even Rosalie and Jasper were certain that Gwen would not reveal them due to this. Edward was the only Vampire in their Coven who did not agree with this.

“Thank you!” Gwen laughed, as she felt vindicated. All day, she had felt as though someone had watched her, and she knew it was Edward. Luckily, they did not share this lesson so she would have had to put up with him.

“Besides, it’s nice knowing each other’s secret.” Alice beamed at the Witch. Being around humans could be exhausting, even for a creature that did not feel tired or need to rest. Now, she had someone who she could be herself around, and speak to about certain things.

Gwen nodded her head in agreement.

“Edward isn’t usually that bad, he is protective. He will come around, I’ve seen it,” Alice reassured the Witch, as she hoped the events of today had not impacted the future.

 “Look, I know Edward is your brother, so you’re obligated to defend him. But I don’t want to hear it today,” Gwen said with a sigh, focusing on her painting in front of her. It was a mess of colour and forceful strokes from the brush, but she liked it. She wasn’t the best painter and not the most artistic, but she enjoyed drawing and would often find herself doodling ruins.

Falling silent for a moment, Alice concentrated on her artwork – a gorgeous scenic canvas with oil paintings – before she spoke up again, “Do you want me to speak to my brother?”

Now Gwen felt guilty, “I didn’t mean to snap at you, I’m sorry. I don’t want to pull you in the middle of this, you’re my friend, and I wouldn’t do that,”

Alice’s eyes lit up, “I’m your friend?”

Putting down her paintbrush, Gwen looked at Alice and smiled, “Yeah, you’re one of the only people who have spoken to me normally, not like a novelty. Also, I don’t have to hide that part of myself either,” Gwen genuinely considered Alice a friend, just like Caitlin. Alice had a warm energy around her, one that she liked to be around. Also, the Vampire hardly ever lied, which Gwen liked because then her power did not flare up. Caitlin was a good friend of hers, but she was not part of the supernatural community and she could not share that part of her life with the mortal, there was always a barrier between them.

“Well, then as your friend, what is happening with that shopping trip?” Alice asked, a wide grin on her face as if she had waited for this moment.

“Thank you for reminding me about that, I nearly forgot,” Gwen shot the Vampire a smile, “I need to update my winter wardrobe,” Despite it being March, the weather was still cold, which was on brand for Forks, and so Gwen wanted to update her wardrobe a little, as she was bored with some of the clothing she already had. She didn't have too many clothes as she usually needed to pack and leave quickly and just had never bothered to expand her wardrobe, but now seemed like a good time.

Alice squealed slightly, she was practically vibrating in one spot, “Oh I can’t wait! We will have such a good time!” Just as Alice finished speaking, her eyes glazed over and she went deathly still. The abrupt change made Gwen stop what she was doing.

The moment she saw it, Gwen knew what was happening. This is what would happen to Nana when she had visions. She would freeze up, go quiet – unless it was a very powerful vision – and eyes glazed over. Gwen said nothing, just letting Alice ride out her vision, which only took a few seconds before Alice was right back to her normal hyper self, making plans as if nothing had happened.

“It was planned for this weekend, is that still okay with you?” Gwen said as she got her friend’s attention.

Alice nodded her head, “That’s fine with me! We can head to Port Angels, they have some cute shops that I know you’ll love!”

The wording of her sentence wasn’t lost on Gwen and it just made her grin. Alice had probably had a vision about this day out. She was used to this behaviour and wording after living with her Nana for seventeen years, so she felt comfortable.

“Do you mind if Rosalie comes along? I feel like she’d like it,” Alice asked, her eyes wide and innocent.

For a moment, Gwen was hesitant. Caitlin would also be attending and she wondered how the blonde Vampire would be having to interact with a mortal and a Witch. Gwen liked Rosalie, there was an energy about her that drew her in, and she wanted to get the know the beautiful Vampire more. “I’ve got no issues with her coming,” She silently prayed that Caitlin would not faint at this news.

Alice’s eyes lit up at the news as she did a little happy dance, that was adorable.

Just then, the bell went, signalling the end of the day. Before she forgot, Alice turned to the Witch, “Text me with the time and we will be there,” With a wave, Alice left the room with a skip in her step.

The moment the Witch stepped out of her lesson, she could feel the eyes on her again. She had managed to ignore the stares and whispers in the lesson, but it did make her wonder how Alice and her sibling put up with it. With their advanced hearing, they would be able to hear everything that was being said about them. Honestly, Gwen did not know how they put up with it. When Gwen reached her car, she sensed Edward’s gaze on her.

Gwen turned her head and saw that Edward was standing on the other side of the school parking lot, his gaze intensely locked on her.

This amused her, he acted as though he was on an important mission, and that she was a danger. Gwen smirked at him and laughed. Edward’s eyes narrowed as if he demanded to know what he was thinking – something she knew frustrated him because he could not hear her thoughts. It was the fact Gwen knew this must have been getting to him that caused her happiness. The Witch soon realised that she had found a new favourite pastime – taunting Edward Cullen. Gwen caught Alice’s gaze, and she smiled widely at the Witch and waved. Standing next to the small Vampire was Jasper, as well as Emmett and Rosalie. Rosalie refused to look in the Witch’s direction, whereas Emmett smiled and tried to placate his wife – something that did not appear to be working, based on the scowl on her face.

The Witch was snapped out of her thoughts when she sensed someone approach her. Gwen knew it would not be Caitlin as she was being picked up by her dad that day, and all the Cullen’s were nowhere near her. Curious, Gwen turned her head and watched as Bella got closer to her. Gwen’s eyes quickly darted over to Bella's ugly truck, which was parked a few cars away, and thought she was passing by, but this thought was put aside when Bella got closer and stopped when she was a few feet away from the Witch.

Bella did not say anything as she stared at Gwen, but it appeared as though she wanted to say something.

Gwen waited a few seconds, but nothing was said and this made her impatient. “Do you need something?” Gwen’s eyebrow arched in question.

“I-I heard you were the new person before me,” Bella stuttered, caught off guard by the blunt question, her doe-like eyes on the floor.

“Yeah, I’ve been here a year now,” Gwen said with a frown as she did not understand why this was being asked. Bella had been here for a week, and not once had the girl approached her before, so she did not understand why now. It made her wonder what she was after, and she wondered what had caused this wallflower to strike up a conversation. It didn't help that Gwen had watched as Jessica had whispered loads of information to the new girl and it made her question what else Bella had been told about her.

After all, Jessica was not her number one fan.

Bella nodded her head and shifted her feet as if she was nervous, “I heard that before you, the Cullen’s were new,”

“Yeah, they were,” Gwen said flatly.

Bella gulped at her tone, and wet her dry lips, “A-are you and Edward…”

“Are we what?” Gwen asked, confused.

“Jessica mentioned that Edward’s not shown interest in anyone…” Bella drifted off as she looked over her shoulders, and stared right at Edward and his family. Edward was still staring at Gwen and had not even looked at Bella.

Gwen frowned and looked at Bella and saw the longing in doe-brown eyes. It took a few minutes before the penny dropped and she realised what Bella was asking her. She wanted to know whether she and Edward were an item. It seemed as though the rumours Caitlin had told her about were coming back to haunt the Witch. The thought nearly made her burst out laughing. Gwen knew that Edward was good-looking but his personality was lacking and that brought his level of attractiveness down for her. Then there came the separate issue of her being a Witch and him a Vampire, it would not work. However, it made sense that Bella – a human – was ensnarled by him, after all, Vampires were designed to draw in their prey with their appearance.

“No, I and Edward are not together,” Gwen nearly laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

This caught Edward’s attention, as he’d looked away for a moment, only to look at Gwen with a bewildered look on his face. Gwen grinned at him and shook her head before her eyes darted to Bella. Understanding flashed in his eyes as he looked away.

Bella nodded her head, but she continued to stare at Edward, not hearing a word of what Gwen had said.

Rolling her eyes at Bella, Gwen was about ready to get in her car and get away, as she found this conversation tedious. However, she was distracted when she saw Alice, in the corner of her eye, tense where she stood. Alice was having a vision, but it was horror on her face that made Gwen frown and stop.

That’s when Gwen heard a loud screeching sound that made her ears hurt.

Turning her head, Gwen saw a car skidding towards Bella and her, with Tyler behind the wheel. His eyes were wide and he shouted at people to get out of the way. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Gwen’s eyes widened and she looked at Bella, she stood there in shock, a sitting duck for the incoming car. Things seemed to slow down, and Gwen’s first instinct was to use her magic to stop the car but she hesitated because if she used her magic, she would risk exposing herself to Bella and everyone else around them. However, if anything happened to Bella and blood was spilt, then this could expose Fork’s resident Vampires.

Neither option was ideal.

It was brief, but Gwen turned to look at the Cullen’s and saw the horror on their faces. Alice looked scared, with Jasper tense beside her. There was no smile on Emmett’s face and he seemed to be struggling, with Rosalie stone-faced. However, it was Edward’s expression that Gwen could not read.

Instinct took over in the end, as Gwen quickly stretched out her arm and used her magic to slow down the incoming sliding vehicle as much as she could. With more time, Gwen pushed Bella out of the way, causing Bella to fall to the ground, looking up very dazed but seemed unharmed. Just as she did this, Edward appeared by the Witch’s side, he grabbed her and pulled her out of harm’s way, just in time as Tyler’s car hit Gwen’s car. This caused a horrible noise to echo in the parking lot and people screamed when they saw the two cars connect. It took a few seconds for Gwen’s mind to catch up as everything happened so quickly. However, she was able to recognise two things – she had used magic and hoped that no one had noticed otherwise her Nana was going to be mad, and another thing that she noticed was that Edward was holding her close to him, to the point she could feel the coldness of his body. However, it was the fact that he had touched her that caused her to flinch and jump back away from him. She was relieved when she saw nothing had happened. Edward noticed this and looked down at her with a frown.

 “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Edward asked again when he did not get a response the first time he asked.

Gwen shook her head, “I'm fine… but Edward, you were too fast,” She whispered lowly as her eyes landed on Bella, who lay on the ground with a dazed expression when she saw Edward.

Edward tensed as Bella stared at him. It was made even worse when he smelt blood from the scrap on her elbow. He had built up a resistance to Bella’s scent, but having her blood exposed made a part of him snarl as he wanted to drain her dry. He hadn’t noticed this until now, as he had been far too occupied, but now his mind concentrated on the sweetness of the blood and his desire to drink her dry. The itch at the back of his throat became almost unbearable.

“Go, I’ll deal with this,” Gwen whispered to him and she watched as he tensely nodded his head and headed off. Gwen saw how the other Cullen’s had disappeared and were no longer present, but their cars were still there.

That was for the best.

All of a sudden, Gwen and Bella were flooded with students as they checked up on them and asked how they were. Gwen had to take a step back from everyone as it was too much – there were too many people and she did not want to risk being touched. When people saw that Gwen was fine, they focused on Bella and asked whether she was okay. The mortal was too dazed to say anything, which caused an ambulance to be called for her, something that Bella tried to protest, but someone had shouted they’d seen Bella hit her head when Gwen pushed her. There was also the flurry of getting Tyler out of his car to make sure he was okay, and he seemed very shaken up by what happened. Unfortunately, he seemed the most injured out of the lot of them, with blood on his face, but in too much shock to share about any other injuries for the moment.

Despite Gwen’s insistence that she was fine, she ended up being taken to the hospital by the concerned ambulance staff who learned she had been involved. No matter what Gwen said, she was not listened to and decided to go along as she knew nothing would come back.

By the time she arrived at the hospital, and she was placed in an examining room with Bella and Tyler, and Gwen just wanted to go home. She had been asked by multiple different professionals whether she was okay or not. The nurses started to annoy the Witch and could not seem to understand when she did not want them touching her.

Just as she was in the middle of telling a nurse to back off, Liam walked through the door, dressed in his full cop uniform, with Charlie right behind him.

“Gwen, are you okay?” Liam asked with concern on his face. He had heard what happened and had rushed right over. Bethany had shared that Gwen was okay, but he wanted to check in on her to see if she was okay.

Gwen nearly sighed in relief when she saw him, now that she had an adult beside her, maybe people would listen, “Yes, I am fine. Not even a scratch on me,” She grinned at the inside joke and Liam laughed and relaxed fully. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Charlie fretting over Bella, as Bella weakly tried to tell him that she was okay. Gwen could also feel Bella's eyes on her as if she was trying to catch her gaze so they could talk, but she would not have it.

“Gwen, Bella, I am so sorry!” Gwen heard someone speak, which pulled her away from her thoughts.

Turning her head to the voice, Gwen saw Tyler, who was in a neck brace and some blood on his face. “I just lost control of the car, I think I slipped on some ice.” He said, looking guilty and very apologetic.

“You’re lucky you didn’t kill them both,” Charlie said to the boy, anger in his eyes. “You’re also lucky I don’t take away your licence.” When he got the news about his daughter potentially being in an accident in school, he had nearly keeled over in shock.

Tyler whimpered under Charlie’s glare.

“Ch-Dad,” Bella tried to say, but it fell flat. She looked to Gwen for help but was met with nothing, and Liam did not seem in the slightest bothered by all of this.

Liam looked at Gwen with an arched brow, amusement in his eyes. Gwen had to hold back a laugh and hid it behind her hand. Instead, Gwen turned her head to face Tyler, “Don’t worry about it, Tyler, just focus on getting better.” If he had been driving recklessly then she wouldn’t have been as nice, but Gwen could tell Tyler was telling the truth. She didn’t need her gift to know that Tyler hadn’t intentionally tried to kill her. Ice was a scary thing, especially with motor vehicles.

Speaking of motor vehicles, Gwen groaned when she realised that her car had been damaged in the crash and this made her feel anxious. Liam looked at her, confused, “My car was hit in the accident,” She said lowly so no one would overhear. She knew that Bella was trying to lip-read because she practically felt her watching like a hawk.

Liam made a noise of understanding.

Just then, a doctor walked in and Gwen instantly recognised him and relaxed more. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the nurses become flustered by his presence as they tried to make themselves look busy.

“Hello, I’m Doctor Cullen.” Carlisle introduced himself with a gentle smile.

“How is she, Carlisle?” Charlie asked, his brows furrowed together in concern.

Carlisle looked down at Bella’s chart before performing some basic tests on her, like making her eyes follow his finger while he used a flashlight. He then checked her knee and her elbow, which she hit when she was pushed. These tests went by very quickly, “There is no sign of a concussion which is good. Keep the scrapes clean and they will heal on their own,”

Charlie visibly sighed in relief.

“I heard you were quite lucky,” Carlisle said as he looked to Gwen, a knowing glint in his golden eyes. His children had called him just after this and informed him what happened. He had made sure he was the doctor attending to this incident so he could check on Gwen, and also fish for any information.

Gwen nodded her head, “I was, not a scratch on me,” She shared a look with Liam, who looked amused.

Carlisle managed to hide his confusion well as he completed some basic tests with her, that were done much quicker than Bella’s tests. He could see there were no visible injuries but he wanted to make sure that she was okay. When he had heard that Gwen had been involved in an accident, Carlisle had been very worried but was happy to see that she was unharmed, and he could see no damage at all.

“That was because Edward got her out the way,” Bella said suddenly, her gaze trained on Carlisle as she was looking for some reaction from him.  

Gwen had to hide an eye twitch. It seemed as though this mortal had seen more than she should have, and this made her worry. Had Bella noticed as she used magic? The thought of her secret being out made a part of her panic, but she had to remind herself to remain calm, otherwise she would give herself away.

However, Carlisle kept his calm and did not visibly react, “Did he? Then it was lucky he was there,” He said as he shot a thankful look to Bella.

Gwen was almost impressed because she may not have been able to tell he’d been lying without her gift. However, the tingle in her chest gave away his lie.

“It was like he came out of nowhere,” Bella commented again, this time for forcibly, not letting this go.

“That’s because he was coming over to us,” Gwen said suddenly as she cursed this mortal’s curious nature and observations. She knew that she had to make up something otherwise she felt like Bella was not going to let this go.

Bella looked at her confused. “No, he wasn’t,”

Gwen rolled her eyes, “You wouldn’t have noticed, you had your back turned. Edward was coming over, I saw him.” While she did not like lying, this was necessary to keep hers and Cullen’s secret.

Carlisle smiled as he completed the work, there was a flash of appreciation, but it was gone quickly so no one would notice, but Gwen had.

“Make sure to thank your boy for me,” Charlie said to Carlisle with a grateful expression.

“I will,” Carlisle reassured.

“So, when can I leave?” Gwen asked bluntly just as Bella was about to open her mouth and ask another question, “No offence, but I don’t like hospitals,” The smell was very strong, and the lighting was far too bright. She did not know how Carlisle could put up with his, with his advanced senses. Now, after being in one, she could understand why her Nana disliked them.

This made Liam and Carlisle laugh, and Charlie smiled slightly. “Just sign these papers and you’re all good to go,” Carlisle said, handing Liam a clipboard and a pen.

Gwen stood up from the bed as they began talking, “I’m just going to stretch my legs.” She told Liam before walking out of the room. Gwen’s legs had been feeling restless and she knew that she needed to walk before they drove her crazy.

“Don’t walk too far away.” Liam reminded her in a stern voice, though this was mainly for show. There was a playful glint in his eyes, one that only Gwen and Carlisle could pick up on.

“I won’t!” Gwen shouted back. She could feel the glare from Bella as she left the room and she was thankful when she did not feel her eyes anymore.

Beginning her walk, Gwen intended on heading for the reception desk and then she would head back so Liam could take her home. That is when she could focus on her car and how she would fix that. On the way, she had seen some people from the school and they’d asked if she was okay and they’d ask about Bella. Gwen had kept things vague and said how she was okay, but it started to bother her when she told the third person the same story. As Gwen got closer to reception, she saw Edward and Rosalie glaring at each other and talking to each other in hushed whispers. Gwen planned to walk past them and pretend as though nothing had happened, but she stopped when she heard her name.

“Gwen,” Edward called out.

Gwen turned around and saw Rosalie looking at her in disdain. This made the Witch roll her eyes, “Yes?”

“Has she said anything?” Edward asked, referring to Bella.

“She suspects something,” Gwen shared as she got closer to them and kept her voice low. She knew that they could hear with their advanced hearing, but she did not want to risk anyone else overhearing in the reception area. While it was not too busy, except for a few people – which was expected as it was a small town – she did not want to risk it. “She knows you were not close by. I said how you were on your way over to us, that is how you got there so quickly,”

Rosalie arched a brow, as if surprised she had helped. “Did she believe it?”

“She never said,” Gwen frowned, “But when I speak to her more, I will be able to tell,” With her gift of being able to identify lies, she would know if Bella bought the story or not.

Edward nodded his head but frowned, troubled. What Gwen has said was much more believable than if he’d said he was beside her. There was no way this would have been believed and he was almost thankful for a plausible story.

“You need to be careful of her,” Gwen muttered as she looked around, “She is watching you, Edward,”

Rosalie scowled darkly at this and muttered something under her breath that Gwen did not catch. However, Edward did and he sent his blonde sister a glare.

Gwen was about to say something else, but stopped when she felt a familiar gaze on her, “She’s here,”

Rosalie and Edward looked and saw Bella standing, hiding behind a corner as she watched them. Rosalie glowered at her, which made Bella visibly flinch at the venomous look. “Don’t fuck this up for us,” Rosalie said before she walked out of the hospital. She did not want to be anywhere near the human and needed to get away before she said something she shouldn’t have.

“Thanks for the help, Edward,” Gwen said, speaking normally now. Since Bella was there, she decided to cast a privacy spell. “By the way, we can speak normally, I have cast a spell so Bella won’t hear anything,”

Edward shot her an interested look, “She won’t hear what we’re saying?”

Gwen shook her head, “Nope, this spell filters what I want out.” It was quite a handy spell that she had learnt a few years ago but hadn’t had much of an opportunity to use it. It also made it difficult for anyone to lip-read, providing as much privacy as it could. Despite not liking her mother, Scarlett had some very useful spells within her Grimoires.

“Well, that is handy,” Edward admitted, albeit begrudgingly.

“You still suspicious of me?” Gwen queried with a smirk.

Edward sent her a look, one that seemed unsure. Part of him was conflicted, as he still did not trust her, but this had proved that she would help protect their secret. However, he still did not like how he could not read her mind.

“Don’t strain yourself too much,” Gwen laughed when she saw the conflict in his eyes.

Edward shot her an unimpressed look.

Gwen took this moment to examine Edward and noticed how his eyes were a bright golden colour, “I assume you’ve fed then,” Back at the school parking lot, Edward’s eyes had turned pitch black. She assumed Bella must have scrapped herself to cause such a powerful hunger in Edward, especially since Bella's blood was like a heroine to him.

“I have,” Edward admitted with a frown, almost perturbed that this Witch picked up on this, “And… I want to thank you for getting me out of there…” Edward loathed to admit it, but Gwen had helped him out and got him out in time. None of his siblings had been there to pull him out because they’d had to help with Jasper, who had picked up on Bella’s blood. Edward remembered being in a mist, but Gwen had pulled him out, and he did not understand how.

“Don’t worry about it,” Gwen waved this off, not bothered.

Edward sent her a strange look as if he did not understand her. Surely, she should have been angry. He had acted like a monster; his control had barely hung together like a thread. He had nearly blown their cover, and he could have committed atrocities under his blood lust, but Gwen did not seem concerned in the slightest.

It unsettled him at how calm she was.

Footsteps echoed behind Gwen, and she instantly knew who it was, so she lowered her spell around her and Edward.

“That’s where you’ve gone off to,” Liam said as he walked up behind them. He noticed Bella hiding behind the wall and looked at Gwen questioningly, who shook her head in response.

Gwen looked away from Edward, “I’m ready to go now, I was just thanking Edward for helping me.” Gwen said, her smile turning sickly sweet which Liam didn’t seem to notice. Edward noticed and he rolled his eyes at her behaviour.

She could also feel Bella’s gaze still on her and she wanted to put on a show for the mortal human.

Liam turned to Edward, “Thank you, I appreciate what you did.” He said, holding his hand out to shake the younger boy’s hand.

Edward smiled and shook Liam’s hand, “No problem at all, sir.”

With that, Gwen and Liam left the hospital and headed for his police cruiser. As Liam started up the car, he looked to the Witch, “Why was Bella watching you two?”

“She suspects something,” Gwen sighed.

Liam made a guilty face, “Yikes. Well, this will make things slightly awkward. Charlie invited us over for dinner tonight. He wants to thank you for saving Bella, do you not want to go?” Liam had accepted the offer without hesitation but now he realised it may not be such a good idea.

Gwen wanted to groan and say no, but she stopped herself. This may be a good chance to find out whether Bella believed the lie. However, she did not want to spend more time with Bella. It wasn’t personal, but there was something that unsettled her about the mortal. She was too observant and seemed to be too focused on Edward.

“Will Nana be there?” Gwen asked, a little nervous. She had not spoken to her Nana after their argument over the weekend, she did not know what to say. She was still hurt, but she missed her Nana.

Liam nodded his head, “Yes, she said she would meet us there,” He had called his grandmother before he found Gwen, who seemed to think it was a good idea.

“Well I am not going to say no to free food,” Gwen grinned, despite the fact she just wanted to get home to Tilly and her bed.

Liam laughed in agreement.

TWILIGHT

With Edward

Not long after his exchange with Gwen, he drove back home in his Volvo. Bella had tried to approach him after Gwen and Liam left, but he had quickly made his escape before she got close. He couldn’t help but think back to what had transpired. When he saw the car heading for both of them, something snapped in his mind and he felt conflicted. Edward knew that he should not have done what he did, because it put his family at risk, and he saw that Gwen had used magic to slow down the car, but his body had reacted before he even knew. He just knew that he needed to get Gwen out of harm's way before something happened and he did not understand why. That drove him insane. His instincts had been screaming at him and he had moved before he even knew it.

As he stepped into the house, he was met with his family all in the living room, all except Carlisle, who was still working. Esme was away working with some of her charities, and would not be back for another hour.

When Rosalie saw him, she began to clap slowly and sarcastically, “Well done. You just nearly exposed us!” She yelled at him, fury evident in her golden eyes.

“I couldn’t just sit back and let something happen,” Edward answered back, rolling his eyes at his sister. He had expected this reaction from Rosalie, she had already tried to give him a lecture in the hospital before Gwen arrived.

Alice looked at her siblings, “If Gwen hadn’t pushed Bella, then it wouldn’t have ended well for us.” She said, her face grim at the thought. If their family was exposed then a visit from the Volturi was imminent. The vision had come too late for Alice or anyone else to do anything and this frustrated Alice that her powers weren’t working like they used to.

Jasper gripped her hand tightly, reassuring his wife as he could feel her emotions going up and down. It also didn’t help that there was a lot of tension in the house and it was slowly getting to Jasper. He had spent the better part of an hour trying to calm down Rosalie from exploding – which was something he was having to do a lot more often within the last week. Jasper also needed to feed after being exposed to Bella’s blood and nearly crumpled under the weight of Edward’s blood lust.

“Yes, and now you’ve got that girl curious.” Rosalie hissed. 

“Gwen is going to find out whether Bella knows anything,” Alice shared. She had got a text from Gwen’s number and informed her that she was going to have dinner at the Swan’s house that night. Alice had been happy that Gwen had texted her, and had immediately replied.

“And what if she does suspect something?” Jasper questioned with a frown.

“Then we deal with her,” Rosalie answered, resolutely.

Emmett looked at his wife, “You so sure about that babe? Carlisle was pretty mad when you went after Gwen,”

Rosalie said nothing and thinned her lips. When it had come to light that the Witch knew about their secret, Rosalie had been the most vocal about killing her. Carlisle had been adamant against it and had wanted to speak with her first before making any decisions. This was one of the first times that Rosalie had gone against what Carlisle had said, and he had shared how disappointed he was. This had hurt. She cared for Carlisle like he was her father, and now she felt like she’d disappointed him.  

“I acted without knowing, I don’t know what happened, it’s like my body acted without me knowing,” Edward shared, feeling frustrated. The rest of his family didn’t have the same view as him and that’s what made this conversation so aggravating.

“So, you rush to save someone, you claim you don’t like because your body did it for you?” Emmett said, with arched brows. That sounded very uncharacteristic of his brother who was usually in so much control. “And you could have exposed us when Bella started to bleed?” They had all smelt Bella’s blood. It was a very sweet smell and they’d all had to leave instantly, especially Jasper. Emmett and Rosalie had kept a very strong grip on the Texan Vampire and had marched him out to the Forest so he could feed.

Jasper sent the mind-reader a pointed look. “Edward, you were being careless. If one of us did what you did today, you’d be grilling us.” He said, his southern accent coming out.

Edward’s expression turned sour, and his immediate thought was to refute what was said, but he stopped himself, especially when he saw the expressions of Jasper and Rosalie. A part of him hated being called out, but another, more rational part of his brain knew that they were right. He had been reckless, and if any of his siblings had done this same thing, he would have made his feelings very clear and his disapproval known.  

“Do you reckon Gwen is his mate?” Emmett queried, which caused him to get a few looks, “Maybe that’s why he moved without thought?” He had done it loads of times when someone hit on Rosalie, or Rosalie had done it with him when he was hit on by someone. He also remembered how Rosalie had told him she’d acted without thought when she found him nearly dead after a bear attack.

Edward made a disgusted look, “Absolutely not,”

“And why not?” Alice demanded with narrowed eyes.

Edward looked at Alice and shook his head, “Besides the obvious, she is a Witch and I am a Vampire. It would not work out,” There were many other reasons, but mainly because she did not smell like his mate. His family had shared how they’d known straight away. Surely, if Gwen were his mate, he would have noticed a year ago when she first came to Forks.

Chapter Text

Dinner at Charlie’s was great – much to Gwen’s surprise. Gwen had dreaded it, as she just wanted to go home, but she found that she enjoyed herself, despite the set of curious eyes on her. Bethany had met them there, and had greeted Charlie warmly, but seemed weary of Bella. Gwen was relieved to see her Nana, and the older woman could not help but fuss over Gwen, but also sent her a look to say they would discuss this when they got home, something she understood clearly. Gwen had found it a bit awkward at first with how much Charlie thanked her for pushing Bella out of the way, and Bella had remained quiet for a lot of this, a thoughtful yet sour expression on her face. She too had thanked Gwen, but she still seemed mostly distracted.

They had all gathered around the table in Charlie’s kitchen. The decoration was slightly outdated, but it was homely, and Gwen felt at ease in the house. Well, she would have, if Bella had not been staring at her the entire time they sat down for dinner – food that Charlie had ordered out. He had sheepishly admitted he was not the best cook and did not want to poison anyone.

“So, how’s school going so far?” Liam asked as he looked at both Bella and Gwen.

“Good, most of the lessons are simple,” Gwen shared as she ate her food. It had come from the local diner, and it was quite good. It was one she and Nana frequented, which was not too much of a surprise as there were not many places to eat out in Forks.

Charlie looked at his daughter with an optimistic expression. “What about you, Bella?”

Bella frowned, “It’s okay.” She honestly didn’t like Forks, it was too cold and rained far too many times in the week. She also didn't like how she was the centre of attention by her peers, but one thing that won her over was the Cullen's. The only thing she liked about Forks was Edward but she would never say that in front of her dad.

Charlie and Liam shared a look before getting back to their food. Though Charlie struggled to hide his disappointment.

Bethany rolled her eyes but continued to eat her food. She had done this every time Bella opened her mouth to speak, whether it was to ask a question or answer one. She looked to Charlie, “And how have you been dear? Being the chief of police must not be easy,”

Charlie smiled at the older woman, and flushed bashfully, “Thank you. Things are not too bad, it’s a small town. But we’ve been getting reports of animal attacks in other towns, so we’re on the lookout,”

Liam hummed in agreement, “Yeah, I and Chief Swan are paired up for this,”

“Call me Charlie when not at work,” Charlie looked to his junior, not unkindly, but awkwardly.

“Oh, he respects you too much,” Bethany teased as she looked at her grandson with a mischievous grin.

Liam glared at her, but he could not stop the flush forming on his face.

Charlie coughed awkwardly.

“How’s the job going, Nana?” Gwen quickly asked as she moved the conversation on. She could feel the embarrassment that radiated from Liam, and she could visibly see that Charlie was awkward, so she wanted to move it along for everyone’s sake. Seeing Charlie made her realise that Bella took after her dad a lot, but there was not a lot of warmth coming from Bella towards her dad and this made her curious as to why. Charlie seemed like a cool guy and sincere as well. He had not lied the entire time they’d been chatting, and he had been genuinely grateful she had helped Bella.

Liam shot the Witch an appreciative look, whereas Bethany looked almost disappointed, but she answered without protest, “The job is going well, I mostly organise files for the police officers,” As it was a small town, there wasn’t too much paperwork, but she found most of the officers hated paperwork and were happy for her to step in.

“She’s made everything much easier,” Charlie said thankfully. The older woman had whipped them all into shape when it came to paperwork, and most of his subordinates were too intimidated by the woman to tell her no.

Bethany flashed him a smile, preening under the praise.

Bella, who had been quiet for most of the night, looked to Gwen with a frown, “Gwen, did Edward save you?” She asked, a slight demand in her tone. Gwen wouldn’t have noticed it if she hadn’t looked at Bella when she spoke.

Gwen put her fork down, “He did, yes.” She had a feeling that Bella was going to ask her more questions so she decided to give the brunette her full attention.

“But he was on the other side of the parking lot, how could he have saved you?” Bella questioned, looking confused, and mildly irritated. She was certain that the Cullen family were on the other side of the parking lot and was annoyed that Gwen was not giving her the answers she wanted.

Bethany and Gwen shared a look with one another. The Witch was obviously not going to reveal the truth, and she had already made the groundwork by giving an excuse to Bella, so she just needed to reinforce it. By informing Edward about the lie, he would be able to go along with her story and make it seem more believable. Gwen had already laid down the groundwork, as when people in the hospital came to see her, she’d told them how Edward was nearby, and no one had questioned her on this. However, she knew this needed to be handled, delicately as Gwen had noticed that Bella was becoming more and more interested in Edward and his family as time went on. However, if Bella questioned anyone else, they would repeat what Gwen told them.

Some mortals could be gullible.

But this mortal in front of Gwen was too curious for her own good.

If Bella wasn’t careful, she would need to be dealt with.

“I already told you Bella, he was on his way over to us before the crash happened. He was like two cars away.” Gwen said, lying through her teeth. If Gwen had said that Edward was standing next to them then Bella wouldn’t have believed it at all. From what she’d heard about the brunette, she was a smart girl and would notice when things did not add up.

Bella frowned and seemed to think about it for a moment. She nodded her head and went back to her food. Bella did not say anything for the rest of the dinner about the matter and seemed more focused on her thoughts.

This made Gwen suspicious. She looked at Bethany and found her shaking her head. This made Gwen mentally curse. Bella did not believe what was said, and this may cause further problems.

“Dr Cullen is definitely an asset to this town. He could work anywhere, but he stays here,” Charlie praised the man, with evident respect and admiration for the doctor. “It’s no wonder his children are model examples,” Not once had he had any issues with the Cullen family, unlike some teenagers. All the children were well-behaved and very smart. Charlie admired Carlisle and Esme for taking in children and caring for them as if they were their own. 

Liam nodded his head, “Esme does a lot of charity work too. Sometimes she’ll stop by Dr Cullen’s office with cookies or brownies to give out to the patients. I swear she’s a saint.” Liam began to drool as he remembered the brownies that Esme had brought in. If he was in the hospital over a case, Esme would always offer him one, everyone in the hospital viewed her and Carlisle as saints with how kind and helpful they were.

“The kids don’t really interact with anyone,” Bella muttered lowly, but everyone heard her.

Charlie’s brows furrowed as an annoyed gleam flashed in his eyes, “Are people saying mean things about the kids again? I swear people in this town are so close-minded!” He had heard the gossip about this family too many times, and there were a lot of nasty rumours. Charlie had not paid much attention to it, but after meeting the family, he was affronted that people would talk badly about them.

Bella sank further into her seat and kept her head down for the rest of the night.

The rest of dinner passed by uneventfully. Gwen had offered to wash the dishes, but Charlie had brushed this aside and allowed her, Liam and Bethany to leave with some leftover dessert. With a thanks, and Bethany pulling Charlie into a hug, they left the Swan residence. As they walked out the door and to the car, Gwen turned back and saw Bella as she stared down at them from her bedroom window. Ignoring the mortal, Gwen turned back around and got into Nana’s car, who drove her back to Tilly, while Liam drove back to his own home just down the block.

As soon as Bethany’s car pulled up at the house, Tilly had the lights on in seconds and had the door opened for them to walk into once the car was parked.

“Hello Tilly, sorry we’re late,” Gwen said as she greeted the house.

The lights flashed unhappily, but there were no other rumbles. Tilly was just glad to have them back in the house. The moment they stepped into the house, Tilly locked the doors – as if letting them know they’d spent too much time from her. Gwen smiled at the house, but then she frowned.

“Do you think Bella bought the lie?” Gwen asked as she looked at her caretaker.

Bethany’s lips thinned as she went to make herself a hot drink, and put away the leftovers, “I am not convinced.”

“You did say she’d cause trouble,” Gwen sighed. When her power did not activate, she knew Nana was being honest with her opinion, and this caused mixed emotions within her.

A chair pulled out for Gwen to sit down, with Tilly thinking she was stressed and needed to sit down. Gwen smiled at the caring nature of the house and took a seat, which moved her to the table in the dining room. A chair appeared for Bethany as well, and the older woman took this without hesitation before it pulled her to the table.

“Oh, it is just the beginning,” Bethany muttered as she sipped her hot drink.

Gwen hummed in agreement. While she did not possess the same foresight that her Nana, mother and Alice possessed, she also had a feeling that things would become more complicated. “I am sorry for snapping at you,” She did not like it when she and her Nana fought with one another, but Gwen was sick of being kept in the dark about things that concerned her.

Bethany looked to her ward and smiled apologetically, “I am sorry too. I wish I could tell you, but your mother does not think it is time,” There were many times she’d wanted to tell her ward the whole truth, but she was always stopped when she remembered Scarlett’s words. It was not time yet, but it would be soon. She had sworn to Scarlett that she would not reveal this information until it was time.

When there was no tingle in her chest, Gwen knew that her Nana was telling the truth, and this made the knot in her chest ease ever so slightly, “I know, but why doesn’t Scarlett want me to know?”

Bethany’s lips thinned, no doubt not missing how Gwen did not refer to the red woman as her mother, but she did not say anything on the matter, “She worries for you,”

Gwen scoffed, “She does not care,”

“She does,” Bethany argued back strongly.

The young Witch stared at her Nana for a moment, “I called her from your phone,” If Scarlett truly cared, she would not have hung up the phone on her. She would have spoken to her. Scarlett would have been more involved in her life. Her Nana had told her it was too dangerous, but never went into more detail.

Bethany stilled for a moment, mid-sip.

“I snuck into your room the other night and called Scarlett.” Gwen said bluntly, “She hung up on me,”

“Oh dear,” Bethany lowered her cup as she stared at her ward sadly.

“Why would she do that?” Gwen whispered lowly. “If she actually cared about me?” In her weakest moments, she would wonder what she’d done wrong. Did Scarlett not want her? Is that why she was never around? When she was younger, she would practice her magic so much because she wanted Scarlett to be proud of her, and she thought if she was better, it would get the woman’s attention. However, nothing worked. In the end, that longing turned to hatred, often she would try to feign indifference but her Nana was always able to see through her mask.

Bethany shook her head, “I don’t know, dear.”

When there was no tingling in her chest, she knew her Nana was telling her the truth. For this, she was glad, because she did not think she could take another lie from the woman who had raised her. It also gave her comfort, that even Bethany, who had been a long and loyal friend of Scarlett did not understand her motivations and it was not just her.

After a few more minutes of chatting, Gwen headed up to her room, feeling much better, but tired. It had been a long day and she needed some time to herself after this whole debacle. Tilly had opened her door for her, so Gwen did not need to lift a finger, and the Witch flopped onto her bed, and nearly sighed when she melted into the bed.

Gwen could have fallen asleep like that, but she was snapped out of her doze when her phone chimed. Lazily, Gwen used her magic and summoned the phone to her hand to see who was calling her. Her eyes saw Alice’s name lit up on the screen.

“Hi Alice, you okay?” Gwen asked once she answered the phone.

“I’m good,” Alice chirped back, “And how are you feeling?” She had been worried for her friend, despite Carlisle’s reassurances that the Witch was okay.

“Unharmed, completely, just drained mentally,” Gwen admitted as she rolled over onto her back, so her face was not being suffocated by her blanket.

Alice giggled on the other end, “Thank you for covering for Edward today, we really appreciate it,”

“Yeah, quick thinking, Sabrina!” Emmett shouted in the background.

“Emmett!” Alice scolded loudly.

Gwen rolled her eyes at the nickname Emmett had given her, but she found herself laughing when it sounded like the two siblings argued with one another. This went on for several minutes until Alice called Jasper’s name, and then there was the sound of Emmett screaming as Jasper's body slammed Emmett to the floor – at least that is what Alice told her what happened.

“Oh, by the way, don’t worry about your car, Rosalie will fix it for you,” Alice said suddenly.

“Really?” Gwen asked, surprised. She thought the blonde Vampire did not like her, so she was confused as to why she’d help her. She knew that Alice wasn’t lying, and that caused her to be even more taken aback.

Alice hummed, “Yeah, it’s her thanks for covering for us. Also, I will come and pick you up tomorrow for school, so you don’t have to worry,”

Gwen blinked slowly for a moment. She hadn’t even considered how she would get to school tomorrow, or the rest of the week. She may have had to borrow her Nana’s minivan or have her Nana drop her off at school, or even Liam. However, it was nice to know she had a friend that she could rely on when something happened. “Thanks, I really appreciate it,”

“I’ll let you go, but I will see you tomorrow!” Alice chirped before she ended the call.

Gwen put down her phone and groaned. She just wanted to sleep.

As if Tilly had read her mind, Gwen’s PJs appeared right beside her on the bed, as if they had always been there. Gwen stared at them for a few moments before smiling, “Gods, I love this house,”

Tilly’s lights turned up brighter at the compliment.

TWILIGHT

The next day

Gwen waited in the haunted house, as she anticipated for Alice to arrive that morning and take her to school. She was fed, dressed and her bag in hand as she waited for the small Vampire to come and collect her. After she had told Tilly about the incident yesterday, the house had locked down and it would not let Gwen leave, nor would Tilly let Bethany leave that morning. It had taken around ten minutes of coaxing before Tilly had allowed Bethany out of the door and seemed happy to keep Gwen inside.

Just then, she heard a car pull up and knew that Alice was there. However, when Gwen went to the door and tried to open it, she found that the door would not open. Gwen looked at the door, confused as she tried again, but the handle would not even turn.

“Tilly, I have to go to school,” Gwen said with a frown, not understanding Tilly’s behaviour. She had never done this before.

In response, Tilly locked on the doors and windows, and shut all the curtains and blinds.

Confused, Gwen decided to look out the window – something that Tilly allowed her to do – and saw that it was not Alice outside, but Edward. Edward appeared to be struggling to get near the porch, as every time he tried, there would be a force that stopped him. The Witch would have found this whole situation amusing if she hadn’t been distracted by the pure confusion over the situation.

“Tilly, that is just Edward.” Gwen tried to reason with the house, “He is no danger to me,”

Tilly grumbled for a moment before the front door unlocked.

“Thank you,” Gwen said as she opened the door and stepped out. She saw Edward stood near the porch, with a perplexed expression, as if he had lost a battle of wills.

Edward looked up when he saw her and sent her a look, “I cannot get close to your house,” For the past few minutes he had tried to get closer, but it felt like there was a force that prevented him. He’d try and get so far that he could not even set foot onto the porch. He was even sure there had been a few rocks thrown at him, ones that he managed to avoid, but it was very weird.

“That’s just Tilly, she doesn’t like strangers,” Gwen said as she patted the door frame.

“Huh?” Edward said with arched brows.

“She’s a haunted house, the spirit of the last owner runs this house,” Gwen said as she thought back to the mysterious door, she saw nearly two weeks ago. She had not seen that door since and wondered when Tilly would allow her access to it. She’d asked Tilly to reveal the door and had used spells to try and find the door, but it was no avail. Tilly had thought the whole situation amusing.

Edward made a noise that he understood but sent the house a weird look.

Tilly’s lights came on and shone on Edward, and there was a sound similar to a hiss from the floorboards. This made Gwen frown, Tilly had never reacted like that to anyone before. She liked to mess around with people but was never outright aggressive. Gwen would have contributed to Tilly’s hatred of Edward being a Vampire, but Tilly had not reacted like this when Rosalie appeared.

Unless…

“Have you been here before?” Gwen asked suddenly.

Edward stilled as he looked at the Witch, “No, I haven’t,”

There was a tingle in Gwen’s chest.

“You’re lying,” Gwen glared at him. She did not understand why he chose to lie when she would be able to feel it, “You’ve been here before,” Evidently, he had, otherwise Tilly wouldn’t have treated him with such outright hostility.

Edward opened his mouth to argue, but decided against what he was going to say, instead, Edward nodded his head, “I came by last night. I wanted to see what you were up to. But when I got closer, the curtains of the house closed.” It had been an odd occurrence, and he had run along all the different windows and doors, to no avail. He could see nothing. What was even more curious, was that he had not been able to hear or smell anything. If it weren’t for the fact, that he had known she was home and could see the lights peer through the curtains, he would have assumed no one lived there.

When there was no tingling sensation in her chest, Gwen knew he was telling the truth, “And why would you do this? What were you looking for?”

“Anything that could show your true intentions,” Edward answered bluntly, as he saw no point in lying. He would be called out for it if he did.

Gwen nearly groaned and shook her head, “Edward, I have done nothing to show you that I am untrustworthy. What can I do to show that?”

“Let me read your mind,” Edward shot back.

“Not going to happen,” Gwen replied back dryly, “I'm gifted by Scarlett, you’ve got no chance. Even if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t let you read my mind either,”

Edward looked confused, “Why not?”

“You like control too much,” Gwen answered him bluntly, not holding back, “You’re a control freak. You like the fact that your Coven relies on you and your ability and you hold yourself highly. You’re the first to criticize others, but when the others do it in return, you can’t take it. You also don’t like being challenged and believe that your siblings need to listen to you,” In her time in Forks, she had observed Edward and his family, and she had also listened to the unspoken frustrations that Alice had over her brother. It didn't take a genius to see that Edward felt like he carried the weight of his family’s safety on his shoulders when that was not his entire role. This attitude on how he spoke to her also gave away his personality and seriously coloured her view of him.  

Edward stood there, stunned by her words. His golden eyes were wide as he stared at the Witch and Gwen would visibly see the cogs in his brain working overtime.

“Now, let’s go, we need to go to school,” Gwen said as she breezed past the stunned Vampire and got into the Volvo.

Wordlessly, Edward got into the car but he did not say anything the entire ride.

Not that Gwen minded the silence.

Even when they arrived at school and the mortals around them began to whisper about her and Edward arriving together, Edward never said a word to her. Gwen got out of the car and saw girls glaring at her, but the worst glare was from Bella. Bella looked at the Witch as though she was scum on the earth, and Jessica chatted away excitingly as she watched them. Edward walked past his family and walked into school without acknowledging them. Emmett yelled after him and followed after the mind-reader and Rosalie rolled her eyes. Jasper had a knowing smirk on his face but chose not to say anything. Alice had sent her a look, silently asking what had happened, but Gwen shrugged her shoulders as she headed off to find Caitlin.

By lunchtime that day, everyone was buzzing as they thought Gwen and Edward were dating one another.

Caitlin was off doing some homework that she was behind on due to being sick, so Gwen was going to join her in the library, but she had been cornered by Alice, who all but demanded she come and have lunch with them – or at least sit with them. Gwen had been somewhat reluctant, as she did not want to feed into the rumours more, but gave in when Alice gave her the most pathetically desperate look that had Gwen wincing.

When Gwen sat down at the Cullen table in the cafeteria, all eyes turned on them. It made her feel awkward, and as if she was under a microscope. However, she noticed that someone was not there, and this made her curious.

“Where’s Edward?” Gwen asked the Coven of Vampires.

“Pouting,” Jasper muttered lowly, but everyone on the table heard him and this made Emmett laugh loudly.

“I’m not sorry for what I said,” Gwen stated with no remorse. She expected the family to take Edward’s side in this all, and try and defend him.

“He’ll get over it,” Rosalie dismissed as she looked down at the food on her tray in disgust. Even if she was human, she would never touch this garbage.

Alice nodded her head, “Yeah, Rosalie tells him off all the time,” She’d asked Edward what happened and he muttered what happened, and of course, they had heard him. Alice had thought the words to be deserved, especially when that morning, he had sped out the house before she’d even got dressed to go and get Gwen, something that Alice still pouted about. She had wanted to go pick up the Witch that morning.

“But what made you say it?” Emmett asked with glee, as he silently begged the Witch to give him more details.

The Witch grinned, and relaxed when she felt no judgement coming from the family, “Edward tried to watch me last night, but Tilly stopped him. He said he wanted to work me out,” She used her fingers to air quote this and her voice turned mocking.

“Tilly?” Alice asked her, confused, as did the other Vampires.

“Was he seen by someone?” Rosalie demanded.

Gwen shook her head, “No, Tilly is my haunted house,”

Emmett’s head snapped in her direction, and he looked like a child in a candy shop, “Haunted house?”

Rosalie groaned and shook her head when she saw the look on her husband’s face. She knew that her husband loved all the paranormal things and he had a thing for horror movies. Emmett had gone through a phase of wanting to be a paranormal investigator, but it did not work out and had roped Jasper into this as well.

“Yes, she was the previous owner that died. I call her Tilly. She closed the curtains to make sure that Edward could not see into my house,” Gwen answered, amused by how happy Emmett looked. It was the amazement in his eyes and how she held his full attention.

“Can I come to your house?” Emmett asked eagerly.

Jasper also looked to the Witch, interested in this, but so was Alice. The only one that did not seem too interested was Rosalie. However, she appeared to look annoyed, but this was for another reason.

“Edward tried to spy on you?” Rosalie demanded.

Gwen nodded her head, “He admitted it,”

“I will kill him,” Rosalie hissed lowly. She took privacy very seriously, especially a woman’s privacy. If it had been for the sake of the family, Rosalie could understand, but Gwen had a secret to hide. However, even then she was not fully convinced. If Rosalie had been aware that Edward had decided to be a creep, she would have stopped him.

“Can I watch?” Gwen asked with a grin.

For a moment, Rosalie considered it before she nodded her head.

“House?” Emmett grabbed the Witch’s attention, and sent her puppy-dog eyes, nearly begging to be allowed at her house.

Gwen laughed, unable to stop herself from Emmett’s face.

The rest of the day passed by relatively okay, and there were no hiccups. People spoke about the incident, and Gwen had not heard any rumbles about any disagreeing with Gwen’s story. Luckily, the Witch had no lessons with Bella or Edward for the rest of the day and managed to avoid them. Edward still seemed to be in a daze of his own, and Bella had readily stared at the Cullen family, plus Gwen at every chance she got.

Once the last bell rang for the end of the day, Gwen made her way out of school and had been tempted to catch a ride with Caitlin and her dad, or even Alice. Gwen spotted Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett chatting with one another and was about to head in their direction, when she spotted Edward by his Volvo, on his own.

Mentally sighing, Gwen diverted from her original place walked towards Edward and stopped when she was in front of him. Edward did not acknowledge her, or even look in her direction, far too focused on his thoughts.

“Twenty questions,” Gwen said abruptly.

This seemed to snap Edward from his thoughts, “Excuse me?” Edward asked as he looked at her confused.

“You want to know my true intentions, think you can guess it from a game of twenty questions?” Gwen arched a brow as she looked at him.

Edward’s posture straightened, she had his attention. “But how will I know if you’re lying?” His golden eyes were narrowed as he asked the question.

“You won’t,” Gwen’s grin was wicked.

For a moment, Edward looked as though he was going to protest, but he stopped and thought about it. His mouth turned upwards in thought and his brows furrowed. At that moment, Gwen wished she was the mind-reader so she could hear the Vampire’s thought process. There was a part of Gwen that hoped he would not turn down this offer – as she would not offer something like this again – and she hoped he would not waste it.

“Okay,” Edward agreed after a few seconds.

“Let’s go then,” Gwen said as she motioned to his car. At least in his car, they would get some privacy away from the prying eyes, especially when they got out of the parking lot. Gwen would be honest and say that the number of eyes on her and Edward at the moment was unnerving.

Without another word, Edward walked over to the passenger side car door and opened it for Gwen. Gwen looked at him, shocked, but got into his car and got herself comfortable. Edward rolled his eyes at her shocked expression. He was a gentleman and he knew how to treat the fairer sex – even if she happened to be a Witch that he did not trust. Edward got into his car and started it up and drove out of the school without a word said between them.

Alice watched this all happen, a wide grin on her face.

TWILIGHT

Gwen should have been unnerved, especially with how fast Edward was driving. If she had not known he was a Vampire, she would have screamed at the driver for going over eighty miles an hour – in Forks. For a moment, Gwen thought they may get pulled over, but quickly brushed this aside as no car in Forks would be able to keep up and the police seemed quite relaxed. But Gwen was at ease and knew that she was never safer than in a car with a creature that had fast reflexes. If Gwen was being completely honest, she found that she enjoyed the drive and that they were going as fast as they were.

They had no destination in mind, so Edward just drove so they could have some privacy. However, when no one started this game, Gwen realised that she would need to take the lead otherwise they would be here for a long time.

“Since this was my idea, I will start. We each get twenty questions. We have to be honest, and I will know if you lie,” Gwen flashed him a smug grin.

Edward rolled his eyes, “Of course,” He planned to pay attention to every little detail the Witch would share. He would also listen for any silent tells she may have. He would listen to her heart rate, her voice – everything he could to distinguish whether she was being honest with him.

“Okay, so I will start, how old are you?” Gwen asked as she looked at the Vampire in question.

“Seventeen,” Edward shot back immediately.

There was a tingle in her chest.

“Liar,” Gwen sent him an unimpressed look. She did not even need her powers to know he was lying.

Edward pressed his lips together in irritation.

“If it’s going to be like this, you can drop me back home,” Gwen said as she looked out the window instead. She could not make too much out, as they were driving somewhere there was a lot of green. Gwen suspected that they weren’t even in Forks anymore.

“One hundred and four years old,”

Gwen turned her head and smirked, especially when she saw the defeated look on his face, “See, that wasn’t too hard,”

Edward glared at her, which made her laugh.

“Before, you mentioned you were hiding from something, what are you hiding from?” Edward asked once the Witch had stopped laughing.

“I don’t know,” Gwen answered back, not at all surprised he started with this question.

“I thought you said we were, to be honest,” Edward challenged, his grip tightened on the wheel of the car.

Gwen shrugged her shoulders, “I am being truthful. I honestly do not know what or who I am hiding from. All I know is that I have been doing this since birth,” It bugged her that all her questions to her Nana were always left unanswered, and with vague promises that she would know when she is older. “I’ve been hiding from all sorts of creatures, so I can’t even pinpoint any particular group either,”

Edward looked at her in confusion but slowly nodded his head. He had heard no skips in her heartbeat or her voice. Edward liked to think he was able to tell when people were lying – but evidently, he had nothing on Gwen and her power.

“My turn,” Gwen said, “Why did you turn?” Whenever she read about Vampires, she was always fascinated to know why someone would turn into a Vampire.

“You’re very direct,” Edward frowned at the question, and was tempted to lie, but he knew it would be testing his limits with the Witch. “To make a long story short, I was dying in 1918 of the Spanish Influenza. Carlisle was my doctor at the time and turned me,” Years after his turning, Carlisle had sat him down and explained that it had been Edward’s mother, who had an inkling of Carlisle's true nature and had begged him to save her son. Edward had found this hard to accept but had come to accept the facts.

Gwen frowned but nodded along as he spoke.

“My turn, what is your true name?” Edward asked, and when he got a confused look, he expanded, “If you’re hiding from something, you would not go by your true name. You’d change it,”

“Smart man,” Gwen muttered with a grin, as she now understood his question, “My real name is Gwendolyn Bishop.” In school, her last name was Carter, as that had always been her fake alias as that was her Nana’s last name. No one knew her connection to Scarlett, or that her descendant was the first Witch that died in the Witch Trials. “What was your name before becoming a Cullen?”

“Edward Anthony Masen Jr,” Edward answered with ease. While his actual memory of when he was a mortal was mostly foggy, especially as he got older, Carlisle had advised him to document his life as a mortal, so that he could look back on this. Every now and again, Edward would read his old journals and try to remember what it was like when he was human. “Why aren’t you with the other Blackthorn Witches?”

“They don’t know I exist,” Gwen answered him honestly, “And it is better that way,”

“Why?” Edward quickly asked.

“Not your turn,” Gwen grinned, especially when she saw the frustration in his eyes, “What is it like being a Vampire?”

For a moment, Edward struggled to answer this, as he racked his brain. He’d never been asked this before and it made him question everything, “It is…long… we live forever. We are at risk of becoming static. If you don’t have a mate… it can be lonely,”

“Damn, that's depressing,” Gwen muttered and Edward smirked at her answer.

“Why is it better that the other Witches do not know about you?” Edward asked, happy that it was back to his turn so he could ask this.

Absentmindedly, Gwen began to play with her hair, “That is what I have been told, by Nana and also Scarlett. If the Blackthorn Coven were to become aware of my presence, they would want me to be with them but would treat me a certain way, that would be suffocating because of who my mother is.” This had been something she’d questioned herself years ago, and Nana had given a very similar answer. Gwen had sensed that this was not the whole truth but had not pushed it any further, as it seemed to stress the older woman out.

Edward opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off when Gwen jumped in, “My turn! You mentioned a Mate, what is that?”

“A Mate is our other half. Mates are meant to match each other perfectly,” Edward sounded wistful as he spoke, “Rosalie and Emmett are Mates, like Carlisle and Esme, and Jasper and Alice are Mates,”

“So, you’re the odd one out,” Gwen pointed out.

“I am,” Edward nodded his head. “Who is your mother?” He had noticed twice that she had mentioned her mother, but never named her. He was aware that Gwen was not living with her mother, but rather a woman who she referred to very affectionately.

Mentally, Gwen cursed him for asking this question. She had promised to be honest, but she was worried, “Before I tell you, you have to promise to not let this get outside your Coven,” Gwen said, completely seriously.

Edward glanced at her and saw how serious she was. He nodded his head in agreement, his curiosity peaked.

“My mother is Scarlett,” Gwen admitted.

Edward’s head snapped to look at her, shock in his gold eyes. “You’re not lying,” He had listened out for everything he could. Her heart has remained steady, and so has her breathing. Her body indicated that she was telling the truth and this had blown him away. Scarlett was a legend among all the Vampires, as to how highly she was regarded by the Volturi Kings, particularly Aro and Caius. It was warned to all Vampires that none of them were to even touch Scarlett in any manner, or the punishment would not be pleasant.

Gwen shook her head, she was not lying.

Edward snorted, “Carlisle is going to be over the moon with this,” His father figure adored Scarlett and found her fascinating. He would love to know that Scarlett’s very daughter resided in the same rainy town as them.

This reaction took her back. She had expected more questions, but in fact, she watched Edward relax more. His shoulders can be tense the entire time, but he seemed more relaxed. “I will admit, I didn’t expect you to take it so well,”

Edward looked at her, and grinned, “I can get why. But it explains a lot actually,” The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't believe he had missed such details. Gwen looked quite similar to her mother, she had the same facial structure and eyes – except the contact lens in one eye. They even held themselves the same way – with unwavering confidence. Now that it had been pointed out, he could not miss it.

“What’s your thoughts on Scarlett?” Gwen asked, curious to know what this Vampire thought of her mother. She was aware that Vampires held her mother up quite highly, which was why she did not mention it the first time she chatted with them in their home.

Edward shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, appearing to be unfazed, “I do not think too much about her. Carlisle is fond of her, but I would say I am indifferent,”

This made Gwen smile slightly, and almost relieved. Finally, there was one person who was not impressed with her mother, like she was. What helped was that she knew that he was not lying and he was being genuine in his answers.

 “Why do you wear one contact lens?” Edward asked. He had noticed this and it made him curious as to what she was hiding.

“My eye colour changed when I was seven years old, and it’s never changed back,” Gwen said as she thought back to what happened. That was the closest she’d ever got to being kidnapped, but her memories were fuzzy on what exactly happened.

Edward frowned but nodded his head.

“What’s your preferred animal to hunt?” Gwen asked.

“Mountain Lion,” Edward answered easily, “Why aren’t you with your mother if she is so powerful? Surely, she can protect you from what you're hiding from,” Edward asked, as they continued on with their game. The air around them had become more comfortable, and he had not missed how Gwen’s body had relaxed ever so slightly, but he was not fooling himself in thinking she was fully comfortable around him.

“I’ve been told it would be too dangerous, that it would draw attention to me more than it should,” Gwen answered with a frown. This had also been a question she had posed to her Nana years previous and had received that exact answer.

Edward hummed at the answer and was tempted to ask a follow-up question, but stopped himself as he knew that Gwen would not answer as it was not his turn.

“What is Jasper’s power?” Gwen asked.

Edward shot her a confused look before he looked back at the road. He also felt suspicious as to why she wanted to know. They had driven a long way from Forks and made a mental note he would need to drive back soon enough.

“I know that you and Alice have powers, and I suspect Jasper does as well, so what is it?” Gwen expanded when she saw his confused look.

“He can manipulate emotions,” Edward explained cautiously.

Gwen nodded slowly and thought the power suited him. It also explained why Jasper always looked as though he was in pain. She also felt pity for him, as surely, he could be able to feel his siblings’ hunger for blood – Gwen certainly did not envy him for having to put up with all the teenage angst in school.

“Why now? Why is it you chose now to reveal yourself?” Edward asked. This had been a question on his mind for some time and had rubbed him the wrong way. For the past year, he and his family had been completely in the dark that a Witch was among them, one that was Scarlett’s daughter.

“I already told you, I was bored,” Gwen answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

“I don’t believe you,” Edward shot back.

“Doesn’t matter, I know it’s the truth.” Gwen arched a brow as she looked at him, silently challenging him.

Edward hissed lowly, but he could not challenge her. Her heart rate was steady as was her breathing. She was completely confident in what she said, but her reasoning did not make sense to him. It also annoyed him that he did not pick up on this when he realised, he couldn’t read her mind.

“My turn,” Gwen grinned when she saw how frustrated he was, “Since Vampires don’t sleep, what do you occupy your time doing?”

“Music is something that interests me, I make music but I mainly focus on piano,” Edward shared with a sigh, as he resigned himself back to this game. The Witch beside him confused him, despite getting the opportunity to ask her questions.

Gwen hummed, impressed, “I like listening to the piano, though I prefer violin,” She had always wanted to play the violin but did not have the talent. She remembered her Nana had bought her a violin when she was nine and she tried it. Nana had never thrown out something so quickly with how bad she was.

“You’re a fan of classical music?” Edward asked in surprise.

Gwen grinned, “I am taking at that one of your questions, but yes, I do. I listen to quite a bit of it, it can be soothing,”

Edward looked as though he wanted to protest, but he stopped himself and grumbled instead about how that was a question wasted.

“Out of your Coven, who would you say you're closest to?” Gwen asked, amused by how annoyed he was.

“Alice, she and I get on the best,” Edward answered honestly. “Does anyone else know our secret?” He needed to know if anyone else had slipped through the net so they could either be dealt with, or taken into account.

Gwen nodded her head, “Yes, my Nana knows and so does Liam, he works in the police. However, they are under Scarlett’s protection,” Gwen added with narrowed eyes as she saw Edward tense at this news.

Edward mentally went through the policemen in Forks, before he remembered who Liam was. Edward had never tried to read the man’s mind, but now realised he may not have been able to. Even when they met in the hospital, Edward had not noticed. However, he had attributed this to Charlie – whose mind was not the easiest to read – as they always seemed to patrol with one another. He was aware of the elderly woman who Gwen lived with, but he still felt uneasy that three people were aware of his family’s secret all this time without any of them knowing. However, when he heard they were under Scarlett’s protection, this made him back off, as at least he did not have to worry about the Volturi getting involved.

“Who is the person in your Coven you get on with the least?” Gwen asked, curious to know how that dynamic worked out.

“Rosalie, we argue quite a bit,” Edward answered immediately. Out of them all, he and Rosalie acted like true siblings and they fought all the time. They had been around each other the longest and both knew what buttons to press to aggravate one another. However, if anyone said anything bad about each other that was not warranted, they would defend one another. “Do you think Bella is a Witch?”

Gwen sneered at the question, almost insulted, “No, I do not get that energy from her,” She would be able to tell if that the girl was a Witch, and she had not sensed the slightest bit of magic in her.

Edward nodded his head, relieved by that answer.

Just then, Gwen’s phone chimed and she looked down. Her Nana had messaged her and asked her to come home for dinner.

“Looks like that is all for today, I need to head home,” Gwen said as she looked out the window to see where they were. She was surprised to see that Edward had already started to drive back to Forks, and they were not too far away.

“It is getting late anyway,” Edward agreed as they drove into Forks.

It did not take them long before Edward had pulled up outside Tilly. Edward had not parked in the drive, as he had learned his lesson and knew to stay away from the house. Before Gwen could say anything, Edward was already out of his car and had opened the car door for her. Gwen looked at him, in surprise. In response, the Vampire rolled his eyes and shook his head.

The moment Tilly saw Gwen, the porch lights flashed on but were directed harshly on Edward. This made Gwen laugh.

“Is your house ever going to forgive me?” Edward asked with a sigh.

“She holds grudges,” Gwen grinned as she thought about her Nana and Tilly’s relationship. There was no sign of that improving, though, in all fairness, they both provoked one another. “So, I honestly don’t know,”

Edward looked at the house and shook his head.

“But Edward, a bit of advice,” Gwen said as she caught the Vampire’s attention before he left. She stared at him, her eyes deadly, “If you ever try and spy on me again, invade my personal space, or do anything to seriously offend me, I will kill you,” Magic bubbled under her skin and sparks lit in her hands as her magic felt her intention.

Edward tensed, ready to run or act if needed. His face guarded, “But what of the treaty?”

“I don’t give a shit about the treaty. If you do anything like that again, you will regret it,” Gwen said seriously, meaning every word.

Edward stared at her for a moment, and he instantly knew that she was not lying. The look in her eyes promised pain. For the first time in a long time, Edward felt nervous. Slowly, he nodded his head, “I promise I will not come here without your consent,”

The threatening air around Gwen was gone in an instant and the sparks disappeared, “That’s all I needed to hear,” She felt much better when she knew for certain that he was not lying. If he had lied, she would have felt it and it would not have ended well.

Consequences be damned.

Without another word, Edward got back into his car and drove off. Gwen watched him go, satisfied that he got the message.

Gwen walked back into the house and started to coo over Tilly, who almost blushed at the attention she was being given.

Chapter Text

The rest of the week flew by and before Gwen knew it, it was the weekend. It was also the weekend that they were meant to be going shopping in Port Angeles. There was a slight change to the plan as Caitlin had been grounded. She actually tried to summon a demon but had been caught by her parents and had been grounded due to this. To say she’d been given a lecture by her parents, but also by Gwen, left Caitlin whining about missing out. It was not the grounding that had bothered the goth girl, but that she had been caught just as she was about to light the candles. Luckily, Caitlin did not know the actual ritual needed to summon demons, as Gwen had nonchalantly shared the wrong version of it, hoping she would never question it. Gwen did not want her friend to summon a demon as it never ended well, and it would be a lot of work to clean up afterwards for the Witch. Caitlin had made the Witch promise that she would tell her everything that happened on the trip, and Gwen, being the friend, she was, agreed to this. However, Gwen knew that certain facts may need to be omitted as Caitlin was not aware that the Cullen’s were in fact, Vampires. When Gwen had broken this news to Alice, she did not seem surprised, and the Witch had instantly known that she’d seen this happen before.

However, Gwen had made one fatal error.

She had underestimated Alice and her love for shopping.

By a lot.

As soon as Rosalie pulled up outside her house in a red convertible, Gwen had been hopeful. Her ear had been chatted off with the amount Alice spoke about how excited she was to go shopping with her and Rosalie and all the shops they were going to hit. Gwen has thought it would be a good relaxing day for her to spend some time with Alice and Rosalie, and maybe even bond. Gwen hoped that she and Rosalie would get on more, so she hadn’t focused too much on Alice’s words.

Gwen had also thought her to be joking.

But she was wrong.

As soon as they were parked, the smaller Vampire had basically dragged the Witch to shops – some shops Gwen had not even heard of. Now, Gwen had a substantial amount of money saved up from Scarlett sending money over the years, but she had nothing of the wealth that was the Cullen family. Alice dragged her into every designer shop that could be seen, and then some. Before Alice, Gwen had not even glanced in a Chanel, Gucci or Valentino shop. She had not cared for Balenciaga, Parada or Dior. Nothing in her wardrobe was designer, but she quickly realised that Alice would settle for nothing but the best.

When Gwen had seen the price tag of certain outfits or accessories, her eyes nearly came out of her head. However, Alice did not bat an eye as she swiped her credit cards with ease, and carried the bags with her. The Witch only had about three bags with her, whereas Alice had fifteen and Rosalie had a modest seven bags with her.

It was when they were in their twelfth shop, that Rosalie seemed to take pity on the Witch. Rosalie picked up a dress – a gorgeous red floor-length dress – and she spoke up, “I think she needs a break,” She said this without looking at either of them. However, she had watched as Gwen slowly struggled as they went into every shop, but she never once complained. Rosalie had been tempted to see how far the Witch could be pushed, but even she could see that Gwen would not ask any time soon, despite the fact she had massively slowed down and had started to wince with every step.

Alice stopped in mid-rant and looked to Gwen, “Do you?” Her gold eyes were wide as if this had just dawned on her.

For a moment, Gwen was about to deny needing a break, but then the ache in her feet came back to haunt her. Gwen has dressed in boots – not walking shoes, something she severely regretted – and her feet hurt. She was pretty sure they had swelled slightly with how much they had walked. They had been shopping for at least five hours already, and there had been no break so far. The closet she had come was when she was sat down as Rosalie and Alice tried on clothing. But this never lasted long as she would get roped into trying on clothes so she would not be sat down long.

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble,” Gwen looked at them pleadingly.

For a moment, Alice looked guilty, “I am so sorry, I forgot that you’re not like us,” It had been completely lost on her that Gwen still had a human disposition, despite being a Witch. Gwen did not nearly have as much stamina as she and Rosalie and she should have considered that and taken breaks.

“I should have brought some potions for stamina,” Gwen sighed deeply, as she regretted not taking some – even though her Nana had told her to take one before going, “and I can take some pain potion for my feet, so don’t worry about it,” This was an oversight that would not happen again, as she enjoyed shopping with Alice and Rosalie, but next time she would be more prepared.

Unsure, Alice nodded her head.

“There is a food court just up ahead,” Rosalie said as she put the dress back on the rack and walked out of the shop.

Alice walked up next to Gwen and looped her arm with hers, which made Gwen wince at the contact but she went ahead with the Vampire. Gwen was surprised with how gentle Alice was being with her, and how slow she walked next to her. For the entire trip, Gwen had been walking way behind them as she had not been able to keep up. Alice led her to the food court, and the moment the Witch smelt food, her stomach grumbled.

“I can’t believe I forgot food as well,” Alice muttered to herself, disappointed. She had been so excited that she’d neglected her friend’s needs.

“I should have said something, don’t worry about it,” Gwen said as she sat down and nearly moaned in relief when pressure was taken from her feet.

“I’ll go get you food,” Alice said before she zoomed off – at a human pace.

The food court was heaving with people, but Rosalie managed to snag them a table far away from people and would glare at people who thought of sitting near them. There were a few men that walked past and stared at Rosalie in lust and awe, some girls stared at her in jealousy. Gwen could feel eyes on them and could practically hear people whispering under their breaths as they stared at Rosalie.

“Does the staring ever bother you?” Gwen asked, curious to get Rosalie’s opinion. Out of all the siblings, Rosalie was the one who was stared at the most – as she was the most beautiful of the Coven, and men tended to stare the most at her with lustful glazes.

Rosalie pursed her lip, “No,”

Gwen nodded her head at the Vampire’s curt reply. “What about the smell?”

“Disgusting,” Rosalie sneered. The smell of human food was putrid – it smelt like garbage to her, especially the processed food that this generation seemed to guzzle down.

Gwen hummed in response, as she understood why she said this. To Vampires, human food would not be appetising in the slightest. It made Gwen wonder how they could put up with dealing with such heightened senses. She wondered if it ever became too much for them at times, especially Jasper who could then feel everything, and Edward, who could hear thoughts. Gwen smirked as she thought about Edward and how determined he had been to question and figure her out – only to be left more frustrated than when he first started. It was a game that she enjoyed.

“Edward wasn’t completely wrong,” Rosalie said as her voice brought the Witch out of her musing.

Gwen looked at the blonde beauty, “About what?” Edward had admitted that he and Rosalie were the ones that butted heads the most, so she was surprised when Rosalie said Edward was right about something.

Rosalie said nothing but glared at the Witch. For a moment, Gwen was confused as to why Rosalie was not saying anything, but Gwen soon clicked on. With a glance around the food hall, Gwen made sure no one was watching him too much, and she muttered a spell under her breath. She had cast a silencing charm around them, the same one she’d cast when she was in the Hospital with Edward. This way, no one could overhear them.

“What did you do?” Rosalie demanded suspiciously, her form tense. She had seen Gwen mutter something under her breath and she suspected magic was involved.

“No one can hear what we’re saying. I cast a privacy spell,” Gwen answered the Vampire with a grin.

For a moment, Rosalie did not say anything as she took in what was said, but she soon nodded her head in understanding. “I was referring to Edward telling you to stay away from us,” Rosalie said bluntly as she stared at Gwen in the eyes.

Gwen considered her words and tilted her head to the side, “Why?” She could feel that Rosalie truly believed in what she said, and she wanted to hear more.

“You could bring danger to our door, you’re hiding from something and it could affect us,” Rosalie glared at her. This had been on her mind since the Witch had stepped into their home. She had been very vocal to the Coven about her feelings on the matter, but despite this, only Jasper and Edward seemed to understand her concern.

“But I haven’t,” Gwen pointed out as she leaned towards the Vampire, “I’ve lived here for some time, and nothing has happened,” During the last twelve months, no other supernatural creature had visited her in Forks, and she took that as a good sign. But that did not mean she had lowered her guard by any means. It would eventually happen, and when it did, she would be ready. She did not expect the Cullen’s to jump in and help her when she did not need it.

Rosalie fell silent, but the glare remained.

“What other reason?” Gwen asked as she suspected this was not the Vampire’s only reason.

For a moment, Rosalie seemed as though she did not want to answer, but she seemed to change her mind, “Being near you is risky. There is a reason why our kinds do not interact with one another,” When Rosalie had been first turned into a Vampire, it had been hard to take in what she was, but to learn about other creatures she had thought to be fable had been mind-boggling. Carlisle had been the one to educate her about the Treaty with the Witches and the importance of such peace, she did not want to screw something up that Carlisle held so highly.

Gwen nodded her head, “That is true, our kind does not interact much. But maybe, they should. The treaty was made so our kind could exist beside one another. What is the point of the Treaty if we just stay away from one another? My blood doesn’t bother you guys since my scent is masked. Just treat me like a human, except I am much cooler,” She said with a grin towards the end.

Rosalie said nothing, but the harshness of her eyes softened ever so slightly.

“Besides, you guys probably won’t be here much longer. I imagine because you guys don’t age, you have a time limit on how long you can spend in one place,” Gwen added as she thought of their situation. Unlike her, the Cullen’s did not age, and at some point, this would become suspicious, even to unobservant humans.

“That’s the problem,” Rosalie muttered lowly, but Gwen did not catch this. Rosalie thought of how her family were getting too attached and she did not want to see them hurt when they eventually left Forks.

The Witch had been looking around for Alice, as she tried to see if she could see the Vampire. However, she could not see with the crowd of people, as Alice was very short and blended in too well in a crowd.

“Oh, I never got to thank you for fixing my car,” Gwen said as she turned to look at the blonde Vampire. A few days ago, her Fiat had turned up outside her house. Gwen had stood outside looking at the car in wonder as Tilly had not told her about her car being back, or how anyone had approached. However, she remembered how Tilly had basically laughed at her shock and Gwen suspected she had done this on purpose. Gwen has tried to thank Rosalie in school, but she could never catch the Vampire without her walking off. It had felt like Rosalie was avoiding her.

Rosalie waved her off, “Don't worry about it. It was a very simple dent and a realignment of the tracker. Took me a few hours,”

“I think you did more than that,” Gwen said with a smile. Her car’s engine sounded much smoother and the brakes were not making as much noise as before. Gwen had been meaning to take her car in to have the brake pads looked at, but it seemed these may have been replaced for her. It was small changes, but they had surprised her when she realised.

Rosalie shrugged her shoulders and said nothing on the matter.

“Is that something you do in your spare time then? Fix cars?” Gwen asked, wanting to get to know Rosalie more.

For a moment, Rosalie considered ignoring the Witch, but she sighed and nodded her head, “Yes, I tinker with cars, it’s interesting,” There was nothing better than taking apart a car and putting it back together with her bare hands. She enjoyed fixing cars and getting them back into prestige condition and watched as the people who she sold the cars back to stared at them in awe. Obviously, she could not do this in person, and she had a persona that had to be changed every now and again so people did not click on it being the same person. Of course, everyone assumed she was a man and she never corrected them.

“Sounds like fun,” Gwen commented with a smile, especially when she saw the fondness in the Vampire’s eyes.

Before Rosalie could say anything, Alice bounced back with a tray full of food. She placed it down in front of Gwen and sat down next to her. Gwen’s eyes widened when she saw all the food on the tray – there were burgers, fries, hot dogs and two big drinks that looked like soda.

“I didn't know what to get, so I got a bunch of things, hopefully that’s okay?” Alice asked as she looked to the Witch for confirmation that it was okay. She was not aware of Gwen having any allergies – and she did not know what was good by Witch standards so she took a guess.

“Good job I am hungry,” Gwen smiled as she tucked into her food.

Alice beamed at this.

The food did not take long to eat, though Gwen could not eat all of it. She ended up taking one of the cups of soda to walk around with, especially when she saw how impatient Rosalie was starting to get with waiting for her to finish. As soon as she was done, Alice basically dragged her into even more shops. However, Gwen had managed to cast a quick spell that made her feet hurt a bit less and made her shoes a bit comfier, and then she was fine.

A few more hours later, Alice, Gwen and Rosalie ended up in a shop that appeared to sell vintage clothing. As soon as Alice saw this shop, she deemed it cute enough to try and stated that it hadn’t been here when she and Rosalie last went shopping.

“Ooh, look at this!” Alice cheered as she picked up a vintage dress. It was cute and the material felt like silk.

“That is pretty,” Gwen agreed as she looked at the dress and the rest of the rack. All the dresses and outfits seemed really pretty and she was unsure of where to start. This was not her type of fashion, but she could never say no to Alice. Gwen soon spied a soft-looking pink and white dress that caught her attention, “This is cute, Rosalie, what do you think?” She asked as she looked at the blonde beauty. She had been trying to include Rosalie as she noticed that the Vampire would move away from them when they got into shops.

Uninterested, Rosalie looked up but then her eyes zeroed in on the dress, “… it looks good,” She mumbled lowly before she looked away.

“I thought you might like this place, Rosalie!” Alice said as she looked quite proud of herself, “This is the style that used to be in fashion when she was still human,” Alice mumbled lowly to the Witch so no one would overhear them.

Rosalie tensed at this, and she glared at Alice for sharing this.

“What period would these belong to?” Gwen asked as she looked at the dresses in front of her.

Alice opened her mouth to answer.

“The 1930s,” Rosalie answered instead, more engrossed in looking around. Her eyes took in the whole shop as it reminded her of what shops used to look like when she was human. It brought her back and she made a mental note to come back.

Gwen looked at Rosalie in surprise, shocked that she would even answer her. “You answered that so quick,” She knew that the Cullen’s were smart, but she did not expect such a quick answer from Rosalie, there had been no hesitation when she answered.

“This style was popular before I turned,” Rosalie answered flippantly.

Gwen nodded her head in response but didn't ask any further questions. She could see how tense Rosalie was and felt that she should not push any further. Her gut instinct told her not to say anything, and her gut instinct was usually right most times.

“What was popular before you were turned, Alice?” Gwen asked the smaller Vampire, as she felt that this may be a safer topic to talk about.

Alice sighed, “I don’t know. I don’t have any memories of my life before I turned,” She could only remember waking up on the floor of a destroyed building, alone. Then a vision hit her and it was about Jasper. She knew from that first vision alone that he was hers, and she was his. She knew she had to find him, and that is what she did.

Gwen frowned at this news and seemed confused.

As if sensing her confusion, Alice giggled and smiled, “Sometimes, the venom makes you forget your life before. However, strong emotions and memories can stay behind. We sometimes bring those strong emotions or qualities in this life,” It wasn’t an exact science, but it was something that Carlisle strongly theorised. It was felt that Edward was good at reading people when he was human and Jasper had been very initiative of people’s emotions as a human. However, Alice was not sure about herself.

“Would you want to remember?” Gwen asked in morbid curiosity.

Alice thought about this for a moment and nodded her head, “I would, I have always wanted to know what happened to me,” No matter what she did, she remembered nothing. She would have looked at records of anything, to jog her memory, but nothing worked. She did not know what names or places to search. She would not know where to start even if she wanted to, and that frustrated her beyond belief, even with Jasper’s help, she had uncovered nothing.

This made sense and Gwen nodded her head, understanding what she meant.

“Ooh, I am so getting this!” Alice said as she grabbed a top she really liked and made her way to the changing rooms.

TWILIGHT

Hours had passed before Alice had decided she’d had her fill of shopping. She could have gone longer, but she could see that Gwen was visibly struggling and decided to call it a day. Gwen had nearly cried in relief and vowed that the next time they went shopping, she’d be more prepared. After they’d left the mall, they all made their way to Rosalie’s car, but Gwen stopped when she spotted a familiar silver Volvo.

“Is that Edward's car?” Gwen asked as she looked at Rosalie and Alice.

Alice stared at the car and glared, and Rosalie rolled her eyes. She continued to put her stuff in the spacious trunk of her car and even took Alice’s shopping, meticulously slotting the many bags into her car with little effort.

Just then, Edward got out of his car and smiled dazzlingly at his sisters, which made Alice pout, “You promised it was my day!”

“I and Gwen have a game to continue,” Edward simply said as he shrugged his shoulders – as if he had no control over the matter.

Rosalie rolled her eyes and got into her car, not interested in what happened.

“We do, but we never said it would continue today,” Gwen pointed out as she wondered what game he was playing. She had not expected him to appear out of nowhere, and Alice appeared just as taken aback. This made Gwen theorise that this had been a last-minute thing – maybe done on purpose so Alice couldn't see.

“Well, I want to keep things interesting,” Edward answered back cheekily, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Gwen found herself grinning in return, amused at how much of a little shit he could be.

Before Alice could say anything, she stilled and her eyes glazed over as she entered a vision. The grin on Edward’s face grew bigger, and that was when Gwen knew he had won. Alice’s vision only lasted a few seconds, before she relaxed. With a huff, Alice grumbled and threw her hands in the air. She shook her head and got into the red convertible.

Realising that she would be leaving with Edward instead, Gwen made her way to the Volvo and put her bags in the trunk, with the Vampire hovering over her, seeming as though he wanted to take the bags from her and do this task for her. However, the Witch ignored him and once done, she closed the trunk and got into the passenger side. By the time she looked over, Edward was already on the driver's side and so she quickly got into the car, closing the door behind her. The moment she was buckled up, they were off.

“So, why do this today?” Gwen asked as she looked at the mind-reader, curious as to why he did this.

Edward grinned, “I am counting that as one of your questions. I thought it would be funny to mess with Alice, and I would find out more answers. It was a win-win,” Luckily, Jasper and Emmett had been preoccupied so they could not stop him, they were busy playing video games together to notice him slither away.

Gwen hummed in response, but the smile was still on her face.

“My turn, what does it feel like to use magic?” Edward asked as he drove out of Port Angeles. He did not have a destination in mind, and he had a full tank of fuel, so he did not have to worry about stopping anytime soon.

This question made her look to Edward, almost surprised he had asked this, but she answered regardless, “Magic is… life. It’s like an extra arm or leg. It is an extension of myself. It’s a comfort to me, whenever I use it. I can make things happen with words and a hand motion, it’s amazing,” Gwen looked down at her hands and smiled, comforted when she felt the rush of magic sent to her hands. Her magic had always been there, a power that she’d always tapped into when she needed something, or just simple when she wanted something. It had never failed her and she could never imagine her life without it.

Edward seemed taken aback by the softness of her words and he examined the Witch for a moment. He could see that this answer was genuine, very raw and very real. There was no denying that she was being honest with him, he didn't need to listen to her heartbeat and her breathing to be able to tell this.

“My turn, have you told your Coven about my mother?” Gwen asked as she looked at the Vampire.

Edward shook his head, “I have not,”

Gwen looked at him, shocked, “Oh, I am surprised by this,”

“Why?” Edward asked thoughtfully, but he soon realised his mistake and winced, as he silently hoped that Gwen had not noticed this mistake, but when he saw the grin on her face, he knew that she’d caught on.

“I am taking that as your question,” Gwen sang sweetly, with a devious grin on her face, much to his chagrin, “but to answer your question, I was sure that you would tell your Coven about Scarlett. The comment you made about Carlisle being over the moon about this made me think you’d tell him straight away,” However, now it made sense why Alice and Rosalie had not commented on it. When Gwen had seen them that morning, she thought it would come up in conversation – it was one of the reasons she thought Rosalie had picked her up. When people found out she was Scarlett’s daughter, Gwen was worried she would be treated differently.

Edward let out an unnecessary sigh, “I had thought to tell my Coven. I told them everything else we spoke about. But that bit of information seemed… wrong to share,” Edward frowned, not able to explain why he had not shared this information. He had no issues divulging all the other information he’d learned to his family, but this bit of information made him pause.

“Why did you think it would be wrong to share?” Gwen asked, not able to help herself. She wanted to know why, what was his reasoning?

“Your whole existence is a mystery, a secret. You made me swear that this would not get out.” Edward replied back, fully serious, “The fewer people to know the better. It protects your secret and it protects our secret. Also… I knew my family may treat you differently, especially Carlisle,” There would be no shutting up his father if he were to find out this information. Carlisle would ask so many questions, and that would take away from their game. He also knew it would undoubtedly make Gwen uncomfortable, and while this was not his top priority, something inside him told him not to cross this boundary, an instinct deep inside him. It was something that confused and frustrated him.

Gwen’s breath caught in her throat and Edward looked at her, panicked that something was wrong, but he was taken aback by the deep emotion on Gwen’s face. In an instant, the atmosphere in the car thickened, and there was tension between both of them. However, before Edward could comment on it, Gwen cleared her throat and moved on.

“It’s your turn,” Gwen turned her head away to look away from Edward, hiding her flushed face.

Edward chose not to comment on Gwen’s racing heart, knowing that she was not lying, as it was his turn. He wanted to poke the situation more, but he decided to ask an easy question, “Honestly, how was shopping with Alice?”

Within seconds, the tension disappeared, as Gwen’s shoulders dropped and she groaned, “She is a monster. Next time, I will make a potion or use a spell that will let me keep up with her,” She knew there would be a next time, as she was certain that Alice had a vision about it, and had hinted at it in her words – something Gwen did not miss as she lived with a clairvoyant.

Edward chuckled, “Yes, she has a lot of energy,”

“She mentioned something earlier, about not knowing her past. Does she really not remember her past?” Gwen asked as she looked at the Vampire.

“Yes,” Edward nodded solemnly, but not shocked that Alice may have mentioned something, as she is always very open with people she trusted, “Sometimes, what happens when we change, is the venom can erase our memories. Carlisle theorises that it can depend on how we are changed. We have all tried to help Alice find something about her time as a human, but we’ve come up with nothing,” Records of all sorts have been searched extensively, and private investigators came to nothing. Over time, Alice had learned to accept she would never learn what happened before she was turned, or why she was turned, though Jasper had never truly stopped looking.

Gwen hummed, feeling saddened for her friend.

“You said last time that you’re being hunted, what has hunted you before?” Edward asked as he continued to drive. He was not sure where they were at this point, but he did not care much as he was far too focused on their game.

“All sorts. I have been hunted by the fae, mermaids, orcs, pixies, trolls and even griffons. I’ve never been able to pinpoint what group is after me or behind this,” Gwen said with a frown as she thought back. Over the years she and her Nana had travelled, they’d come across a lot of different groups of the supernatural community. Some had been good interactions, others, not so much. As a precaution, she stayed away from all magical creatures – until she’d met the Cullen family.

Edward hummed in thought and frowned at this information. It did not help and raised more questions than answers.

“What's got you so curious?” Gwen asked as she looked outside the window, not able to identify where they were driving.

“What you said got me interested to understand why you were being hunted in case that came back to hurt my family. I was wondering if there was any particular group, we needed to be careful of. This has been a topic of discussion in my family,” Edward answered back honestly. He had worried that his family associating with Gwen would cause friction with other groups. Their family did not come across many other supernatural beings as the Cullen’s tended to live near humans. The only other time they had come across the supernatural community was the Shifters in La Push and a few other creatures who liked to masquerade themselves among the humans.

Gwen nodded her head slowly as she took in this information, but she understood where he was coming from. He did not see her directly as a threat, but he was worried about if something came after her. This made more sense, and she could understand his mistrust more.

“Carlisle told me that Witches lean towards an element, what’s yours?” Edward asked as he continued to drive at high speeds. He would turn the wheel when needed, but everything mostly looked like a blur in the windows to Gwen, but Edward could see everything perfectly.

Gwen shot him an impressed look that he’d know something like this “Lightning, it’s the element I have the best affinity to – water is my least favourite element to work with,”

“Fitting,” Edward smirked.

The Witch shot him a curious look, “What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked quickly but soon realised she had wasted a question. She knew she’d been caught when Edward shot her a smug look one that made her roll her eyes in return.

“Storms can be unpredictable, you never know where lightning is going to strike. Just like you,” Edward said as he looked at her.

Gwen stared at him in return and noted how bright his gold eyes were. He had evidently fed before he’d come to collect her and she found the colour fascinating. Her Nana always told her that eyes were windows into the soul and for a moment, Gwen considered her words.

“I rather like the sound of that,” Gwen admitted with a grin. She’d never been compared to a storm before, but she found she rather liked it.

Edward rolled his eyes and huffed, “Of course, you would,”

Gwen laughed at his dismay and shook her head, “It sounds like you were hoping I wouldn’t like that analogy,”

“I would never,” Edward replied back sarcastically, though there was a ghost of a smile on his marble face.

Gwen had expected this to be a lie and waited for a tingle in her chest. Yet there was no tingling in her chest. In fact, her power had not flared up the entire time she’d been with Edward, which surprised her, but also delighted her that he had finally learned his lesson.

“How powerful is your magic?” Edward asked as he felt himself relax. He had felt an energy shift and he wondered if that had anything to do with the Witch in the car with him. He had wondered whether Jasper was following them, but he knew that Jasper would be with Alice wanting a private show of everything she’d bought.

“Very,” Gwen answered him honestly, as that is what was promised, “As Scarlett’s daughter, I have access to her Grimoires so I have access to all her spells. I have quite a high magic reserve. I can defend myself and others when needed,” She wanted him to understand she was not the threat and she could defend herself.

Edward slowly nodded his head, and he believed her.

“Are you happy being a Vampire?” Gwen asked.

This question made Edward pause for a moment, he looked perfectly still and frozen in place. The car began to slow down ever so slightly due to the lack of acceleration, but Edward quickly regained his composure, “Of course I am,” He smiled tightly.

For the first time that night, there was a tingle in her chest.

“You’re lying,” Gwen whispered lowly.

The expression on Edward’s face fell and an emotionless mask fell into place. His golden eyes looked hollow, and this startled the Witch. Edward had known that Gwen would pick up on his lie and he wondered why he had even bothered in the first place.

Silence hung over the car and the previously relaxed air was gone in an instant.

Suddenly, Edward pulled up at the side of the road and stopped the car. The sudden motion made Gwen jerk forward and she let out a surprised noise. Within seconds, he was out of the car and paced outside on the gravel. There were no other cars around and it appeared abandoned, but it was quite peaceful and it would allow them space to chat without an audience. If Gwen had been another person, she would have been scared, but she remained calm and instead, she undid her seatbelt and opened the car door. She walked over to the Vampire that paced around like a madman.

“Get back in the car,” Edward ordered, not even looking at the Witch as he said this. His voice was low and rough, a silent threat in his voice.

“No,” Gwen said defiantly.

Edward stopped his pacing and looked at her, his eyes darkened, “I said, get back in the car.”

“I said no,” Gwen glared up at him.

In a flash, Edward was in front of her, his mouth curled into a snarl, “Trust me, it is safer for you in the car,”

Despite there being no tingle in her chest, Gwen did not fully believe it. Edward thought he knew what was best for her, but Gwen did not like being told what to do. In fact, it was his tone that had lit the spark of defiance in her, as she did not appreciate his tone, “I am perfectly safe the way I am now.” She replied back without hesitation.

“You don’t get it!” Edward exploded as he rushed backwards so he was not so close to her, “Vampires are dangerous! We don’t deserve happiness, I don’t deserve happiness!” He looked to the ground, a dark expression on his face, as he remembered everything he'd done.

“What the hell are you even saying?” Gwen looked at him in confusion, she wondered where this had come from and how things had escalated to this point.

Edward looked at her, “I am a killer,” His voice was barely above a whisper, and sounded gravelly, as if he was parched.

Gwen blinked slowly and frowned, “Yeah, and?”

This response made Edward’s eyes widen in shock, and he took a step back as though he’d been slapped across the face. Edward had expected a much bigger reaction – he had expected disgust, horror and to be screamed at. He had expected to be damned for his actions because that is what he deserved. He was a monster, and he knew his many victims would call him such.

Seeing the confusion, Gwen expanded, “Look, you're a Vampire, I know you're vegetarian and all. Everyone has a past and things they’re not proud of. Death is part of life, but it doesn’t make sense why you think you don’t deserve happiness,” Gwen stepped closer to Edward, who just stared at her with a shocked expression.

“You don’t get it,” Edward spat angrily as he took a step back from the Witch.

“No, I don’t,” Gwen admitted as she got closer to him, “I don’t see what the issue is. I’ve killed people and I think I deserve to be happy,”

Edward's expression changed as he stared at her from shock to fascination and almost denial. He was so stumped that he did not move back and allowed Gwen to get a few feet from him. Edward breathed in her scent and found the odd scent around her relaxed him. He knew it wasn't her real scent, but it was one that he associated with her.

“The people who came after me, I killed them.” Gwen told him, and she watched as the understanding flashed in his eyes, “In the beginning, I would release the creatures that tried to take me away. But they kept coming back for me, no matter what I did. I tried to reason with them, but nothing worked. In the end, I realised I had to kill them, or be kidnapped – or worse killed. I don’t know what they want with me, and I don’t want to find out that way either. That is the world we live in, the survival of the fittest, and I have no plans of dying anytime soon,” Gwen said, her voice becoming stronger as she spoke.

“Who was your first?” Edward asked quietly.

“A Mermaid,” Gwen answered as she closed her eyes. She could still remember what the Mermaid looked like. It was the same one that came after her when she was thirteen years old. She had come back for her despite Gwen’s warning over a year later. The Mermaid had touched her, and that was her biggest mistake. At first, Gwen had been distraught, but soon she realised it had been necessary. These creatures had no issues with trying to harm her, so why should she allow herself to be hurt?

Edward slowly nodded his head.

“Do you think the rest of your family doesn’t deserve happiness?” Gwen questioned him.

“No, they do,” Edward replied back immediately, with no hesitation. His family deserved all the happiness in the world, all of them had been through so much that it would be cruel to deny them any happiness.

Gwen was relieved when she detected no lie.

“I…” Edward started as he looked to the ground, “I went off the rails in the 1920s. I killed some people and drank human blood. They were monsters, they killed people without remorse. I would pick the ones who hurt children, women and men. I killed them and I thought if I killed monsters, it would make me less of one,” When he’d come back to his Coven, they’d welcomed him back with open arms, Esme had been so happy to have him back. While he knew that Carlisle did not condone what he’d done, he’d also understood it.

“You probably did the world a favour,” Gwen muttered lowly. She saw nothing wrong with Edward’s actions and mentally commended them.

Edward shook his head, “Carlisle has always said that human life is sacred,”

“Well humans don’t exactly hold that same belief,” Gwen snorted in repose and this made Edward chuckle in solemn. “Humans turn on each other far too easily. Think of the Salem Witch Trials,” It had been a bad time for Witches as many died. However, there had also been some wrongly accused humans who were killed alongside actual Witches and Warlocks. Gwen’s descendant was the first to be killed in the Witch Trials – Bridget Bishop.

Edward nodded his head grimly. “I’m sorry that happened,”

“I know,” Gwen muttered lowly. An apology was not needed from Edward, he and his family had nothing to do with the trials. It had been Caius to start these trails, and he had enjoyed them with glee. The easy answer for her would be to be hate Vampires for what they did to her kind, for the war they started, but she did not. Especially now that she’d met Vampires like Alice and Emmett, it would be very hard to hate them, but maybe they were the exception.

Both of them stood at the side of the road for a time, they stared at one another, but not in a hostile way. There appeared to be an air of understanding. The way Edward looked at her was not one of resentment or distrust, but rather he looked at her as though he was meeting her for the first time. He had never met someone whose mind worked like hers, and he was fascinated to know her thoughts on many matters, but he knew they did not have time for that now.

“Your family does a lot of good, Edward, remember that,” Gwen told him, her voice thick with emotion, “Your family is involved in so many things to make the world a better place. Esme and Rosalie run charities for battered women and children. Carlisle helps with medical advancements, in the human and supernatural community. Emmett supports charities that help with children's education. Jasper helps the veterans and homeless people. Alice has set up charities to help people suffering from mental health. You have funded programs scholarships and support disabled children. Think of the lives you’ve all helped,” Alice had told her and Gwen could not help but be fascinated by this. Gwen had not been able to stop herself from asking Alice what they did with their immortality, and she’d shared their side projects. However, it made sense because it gave them something to do – why not give back when you live forever? It was commendable and Gwen massively respected them all for this.

“But I am still a monster,” Edward muttered, but it was loud enough that the Witch heard him clearly.

“Oh, piss off with that attitude!” Gwen shouted at him, which made Edward look at her in shock once more, “How do you think your family would react hearing you say this?” Gwen demanded as she pointed a finger at him.

Edward fell silent as he considered her words. Carlisle was aware of how he felt about himself and had tried for many years to comfort and guide the boy. Carlisle would always look at him with sad but patient eyes that made Edward want to hide from him as he never wanted to disappoint his father again. Rosalie would roll her eyes at him and smack him on the back of the head, telling him how foolish he was. Emmett would try to distract himself by playing games, but even Emmett would not be able to hide the worry he held for his brother. Alice would look at him with her all-knowing eyes and there would be sympathy – something Edward did not feel as though he deserved. It would be Jasper who would already know how he felt and had tried to broach this subject before to no avail. It never led anywhere, because Jasper and Edward were quite similar. Edward would never compare his suffering to Jasper’s, after what he endured while under the control of Marie, but Edward never viewed his older brother as a monster either and would defend him against anyone who tried to judge him. But Jasper viewed himself as a monster, but he has Alice to balance him out. However, it was Esme’s reaction that would hurt him the most. There would be venom-filled tears that would never fall, and she’d told him close, and whisper soothing and loving things to him, like a mother would do to a hurt child. He would see the guilt that Esme would feel and this hurt him – his undead heart physically ached at the thought of upsetting his mother. 

“Do you think I am a monster and don’t deserve happiness?” Gwen questioned him, her voice low. She could see the cogs working in his head as she posed that question to him. She felt she was on the right line and wanted to push him further.

Gold met Hazel.

“You’re not a monster,” Edward said lowly, but sincerely.

There was no tingle in her chest.

He was being truthful.

“And I don’t think you’re a monster. I think you deserve happiness,” Gwen told him honestly in return.

Edward inhaled sharply. He could hear by her heartbeat – which was steady – that she believed what she’d said. She had said it with so much conviction that he was jealous. However, her words resonated with him. Maybe it was because she was not a family member and wouldn’t try to placate him like others might. Did he hold her opinion in high value? Before this night, Edward would have said no immediately, but now he was not too sure. If a Witch could tell him to his face, that she did not view him as a monster despite what his kind did to hers, maybe he could listen. Maybe she was right.

“Now, are you done with your tantrum? I need to get home,” Gwen said as she walked back into the car, turning her back fully to the Vampire.

Edward watched her go and blinked slowly before he walked towards the car wordlessly. He closed his door and drove them back to Forks, mostly in silence as he digested her words.

It was only when Gwen was dropped off at her house that she received a text message. She watched as Edward stepped off, with Tilly’s lights blaring at him as he drove off. Gwen looked down at her phone and noticed a text message from Alice.

Thank you – Alice.

Gwen smiled and texted back.

No problems – Gwen.

TWILIGHT

Bella sat on her bed as she stared out the window. She was trying to do her homework for school that was due on Monday. Despite how easy the homework was, her interest was elsewhere – far away from reality. Her mind was focused on a particular family, a name she would not dare to utter in her house just in case her dad heard her. He did not take kindly to people speaking badly about the Cullen family and seemed just as fond of Bethany’s grandchildren.

Bella had tried to ask her dad for some information about Gwen and her grandmother, but Charlie had shared nothing but good things. Bethany was a strict woman that no one wanted to cross because she reminded everyone of their dear grandmothers, and Gwen was a well-behaved child who had not caused any trouble since coming to Forks. He would not have a bad word said about this family and has grilled her to know if someone had said anything. Bella had to dive out of that conversation very fast.

The Cullen’s… and Gwen….

They both seemed weird but in different ways.

When Bella had first come to Forks, she had thought she would just need to bide her time while her mum had her happiness. Bella had done the noble act of allowing her mum and her new husband some time together. Renee was too much of a free bird to cage and she preferred to travel. Bella had to go and live with Charlie, a person who she only saw on holidays and she always dreaded them. Charlie was not a bad man at all, he was practical. But they were just too similar and the silences could be deafening when they were together.

But then Bella laid eyes on the Cullen family and her opinion of Forks changed very fast.

They were beautiful.

Unnaturally so.

Bella felt as though something called to them, especially Edward. She wanted to know more, she needed to know them more. However, they kept to themselves and did not interact with anyone else.

Until Gwen started to hang around Alice.

She had tried to speak with Edward in Biology class, the only lesson they had together, but he never engaged past polite conversation. Bella had tried to probe for more answers, tried to give information about herself so he’d ask questions, but he never did. In fact, Edward seemed to want to keep very far away from her which confused her. She’d not done anything to offend him and she wondered why he seemed too repulsed to be around her. She had seen how Edward and Gwen would interact with one another in lessons, he would always look behind him, where Gwen sat and they seemed to share a silent conversation.

Bella hated it.

Bella remembered that burning jealousy that filled her when she saw Gwen sit with the Cullen family, and when she saw her and Edward get into his Volvo. Bella had a thought that it should have been her. Bella should have been the one to laugh with his family, Bella should have been the one who Edward drove home.

Bella was certain that the Cullen’s were hiding a secret.

There was no way that Edward could have made it to them that quick. She was certain he had been on the other side of the parking lot and he had managed to get Gwen out of the way. Gwen’s story was believable, but Bella did not get it. Everyone who had been there repeated the same thing Gwen had said and for a moment, Bella had doubted herself, but she had remembered staring at Edward before the incident, as she had debated going over to him.

It was obvious that the Cullen’s were hiding something, there were too many weird things going on. They were too perfect, too pale, too isolated to be normal.

But then that raised the next question.

Was Gwen in on the secret?

But if she was in on it, why had she not interacted much with them in the past year? For a minute, Bella considered that Gwen had her own secret but quickly dismissed that. She did not have enough evidence to speculate that, but it was not off the table completely.

However, one thing was certain, she would try and figure out what the Cullen’s were.

Chapter Text

Two days later

Gwen stood with Alice outside the school as they waited for the warning bell to go off. Alice twirled around and showed off the new outfit she had bought, a bright smile on her face as she explained what she liked about the outfit. Jasper stood by Alice’s side, as he looked at her lovingly, but his shoulders held tension. This was something Gwen noticed and assumed it was due to the fact they were surrounded by quite a lot of humans. Emmett and Rosalie stood nearby, with his arm around her shoulder and Edward was stood on Gwen’s other side as he scanned the crowd, as he did every morning, and listened in for anything worth noting.

“She’s watching us again,” Rosalie hissed under her breath, but loud enough that even Gwen could hear her.

Gwen stealthily turned her head and looked, she could and spotted Bella, who stood on the opposite side of the parking lot with her friends. Lauren and Jessica appeared to be talking up a storm, giggling with one another and Bella stood on the outside, not seeming to be interested in their conversation. Mike and Tyler were pushing each other around, acting like immature boys, and Ben stood at the side with Angela as they whispered lowly to one another. However, Bella was much too busy staring at the Cullen’s – and Gwen by extension.

“Did she buy your story?” Jasper asked as he looked down at the Witch.

Gwen’s lips thinned, “No, I don’t think she did.”

“We should just get rid of her,” Rosalie muttered lowly, as she glared venomously at Bella.

“We can’t, babe,” Emmett said as he held his wife closer to him. He understood Rosalie’s unhappiness with the mortal human. He knew how much Rosalie hated leaving a place early after she got settled and he’d hate for them to have to move again. Even he had warmed to Forks and didn't want to leave either.

Bella, feeling the heated gaze on her, noticed Rosalie’s glare and turned red. She moved her head so fast that Gwen thought she would give herself whiplash.

“I still can’t read her mind,” Edward admitted with a frown. Ever since he’d realised, he could not read her mind – it was complete silence – he had tried often to see if there were any cracks in this silence. However, nothing changed at all, he could not access her thoughts. It vexed him immensely and caused him much frustration.

“Maybe she doesn’t have a brain?” Emmett commented with a thoughtful expression.

Rosalie smiled lovingly at her husband and shook her head.

“Can you feel her emotions?” Gwen asked Jasper, as she looked at him. “And Alice, have you had any visions of her?” She wondered whether Bella was immune to all the powers or just Edward’s power.

Jasper frowned as he focused on the human girl for a moment. It only took a few seconds before he cringed and nodded his head, “I can feel how she feels. She is feeling majorly embarrassed,” Her emotions were very concentrated and it made him want to retreat very quickly. While he was used to teenage angst, her emotions were too much for even him.

Alice pondered this for a moment, “I haven’t had many visions of her, but she has been in them before,” Bella had been in the vision of the car crash, but she had not been the main focus of the vision, Gwen and Edward had. However, she was still present in those visions. Alice made a mental note to try and concentrate on Bella more to test this out.

Gwen nodded her head.

“Would your magic affect her?” Edward asked the Witch, curious to know.

Gwen thought about it and decided to do a small spell as she did not know the answer to this. It had to be one that was not obvious to draw attention to herself or too flashy. She muttered a small incantation under her breath as she tried to read Bella’s thoughts only to stop when she came across some resistance. This made her pause for a moment as she considered her next steps. She tried to push it further but felt like she was pressed against a wall.

“She’s gifted,” Gwen said, and this caused all the Cullen’s to look at her.

“What?” Rosalie questioned unhappily.

“Even with my magic, I can’t read her mind,” Gwen explained to the confused Vampires. She could see this information had caused a calculating look to appear in Rosalie and Jasper’s eyes. “My guess is she has some form of shield around her mind, and that is why Edward and I can’t access her thoughts,” It explained why Bella was not immune to Jasper or Alice’s powers, but her mind was protected.

“Is she gifted by Scarlett?” Edward asked out of curiosity.

Edward and Gwen shared a look with one another, they were the only ones that knew the truth about Scarlett. Gwen shook her head, “No, I would be able to tell. Scarlett’s magic leaves a distinctive signature behind for people to identify, so other magical creatures know to stay away.”

“It’s rare for humans to be gifted,” Jasper mused with a thoughtful expression. 

“There is nothing exceptional about her. It just makes her more of a nuisance,” Rosalie rolled her eyes.

“It also means her mind can’t be altered with magic either,” Gwen pointed out with a frown. This meant that an offensive position might be needed after all, and she could see that Rosalie and Jasper had also come to that conclusion as well.

“Our best bet is to ignore her and make sure not to do anything to make her suspicious,” Edward said seriously, as he could hear the thought of his siblings. They had dealt with curious humans before, Bella was not the first person to become fixated on them, it happened quite often. But none of the humans had been as observant or gifted and that made things tricky, but it just meant they needed to be more careful of their actions. The last thing any of them wanted to do was disappoint Esme or Carlisle. However, what helped is that someone else was able to cover for them – a Witch.

“That may not be easy,” Jasper muttered lowly, as he looked to his brother, “She is fixated on you, Edward,” He could feel the human’s infatuation with his brother and it was only growing every day. Usually, this would not stick out to him. He was used to the infatuation that people felt towards his family, as well as lust and jealousy. Every now and again, he could feel fear from people and also curiosity. However, Bella’s emotions were more potent and it made him pause and not so quick to dismiss her.

“Could you make her dislike him instead?” Gwen asked the empath.

Jasper shook his head, “She’d notice something wasn’t right. My power would only work if I was around her as well, once she’s out of my reach, her real emotions would come back,” He could see the Witch’s reasoning, and if his power worked long-term, he would have done it, but unfortunately, it would have raised more questions.

Gwen hummed in response.

“We just do what we always do when humans become too invested.” Rosalie said as she flipped her hair behind her shoulders, “We ignore them,”

With that said, everyone headed to their classes.

On the way to her class, Gwen was commandeered by Caitlin, who jumped at the Witch with a massive smile. Gwen flinched back when she felt Caitlin jump at her, but she quickly composed herself and looked at the goth girl with a fondly exasperated look. She could see as Edward watched this interaction, and Gwen motioned for him to go ahead, she would see him in English. He nodded his head and left the two girls behind.

“Tell me everything,” Caitlin begged with wide pleading eyes.

Gwen rolled her eyes and laughed, “It was good. Alice is a massive shopaholic. I wasn’t able to keep up with her or Rosalie,” She could still feel the ache of her feet, despite consuming multiple healing potions.

Caitlin whined, “I wish I could have gone,”

“Well maybe if you didn't try and summon a demon, you could have,” Gwen pointed out with a small grin. Mentally, she commended herself for not sharing the true way to summon a demon.

“I was so close!” Caitlin huffed as she crossed her arms, “But then my parents barged in and interrupted. I was so close to completing the setup,”

Gwen said nothing at this and had to stop herself from laughing. It had been her who rang Caitlin that night, but she hadn’t answered, she had insisted to Caitlin’s parents that she needed to speak to the goth girl, feigning needing help with some homework. That was how Caitlin’s parents had caught her.

“They even took all my candles, and Ouija board,” Caitlin continued to whine as they made their way to class.

“Well, maybe it’s a sign,” Gwen said as she shrugged her shoulders. She silently hoped that her friend would stop this pursuit of summoning a demon, the thought made her nervous. Gwen had summoned a demon herself before – only once – and it had been terrible. She’d been bored one day when her Nana was out and decided she had nothing better to do than test her limits on whether she could contain a demon. She found out her answer, she could barely contain it, but it was not worth the clean-up. Gwen had to explain the scorch marks on the floor to her Nana, who did not take what she did very well. At all.

“Yeah, a sign that I will try again,” Caitlin declared confidently, a wicked smile on her face.

Gwen shook her head and mentally sighed. She would have to keep an eye on her friend.

The rest of the morning passed by fairly quickly, and before Gwen knew it, it was lunchtime. Caitlin was in the library, trying to find more information about summoning demons, and this was something Gwen decided to pass on. Before the Witch could decide where she sat, Alice had appeared and dragged her to come and sit with the family, with Emmett trailing behind them with an excited smile.

The moment Gwen sat with the Cullen family, she could feel the eyes on her again. Gwen looked around the room and many eyes darted away from her. However, it was Bella who did not look away straight away.

“Hey, Sabrina, are we still able to come to your house?” Emmett questioned with an excited look on his face. He had asked several times whether he could see this haunted out, but Gwen had said she needed to check with her Nan and Tilly first.

Jasper also looked over, curious.

Gwen nodded her head and smiled, “Yeah, it’s all good. Tilly is okay with it and so is Nana,” Bethany had not looked phased by this question and had an amused glint in her eyes. It was not Bethany’s response that worried her, but Tilly’s response. As soon as the Cullen family had been mentioned, Tilly had locked down the house and it had taken a lot of reassurance that they were not there to take her away or harm her. When Edward’s name had been mentioned, Tilly had not reacted well and the temperature was so icy cold that Gwen had started to shiver.

“Even me?” Edward questioned, with an arched brow.

Gwen made a face, “Okay, maybe not you… she still hasn’t forgiven you,” She’d had to promise Tilly that Edward would not come to the house without permission. It was only then that Tilly relaxed and returned the temperature of the house back to normal.

Emmett laughed at the face Edward pulled and pointed at him.

Rosalie huffed and rolled her eyes, but there was a softness to her eyes that was directed at her husband.

Alice was about to say something, but she stopped and so did everyone on the table except for Gwen. The Witch blinked slowly as she watched the Vampires, Rosalie and Jasper were frowning, Alice and Edward looked worried and Emmett looked contemplative. Gwen turned her head and saw that Tyler and Mike were raving about something, the only words that could be made out were La Push and they were dancing around.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Alice muttered lowly.

“What just happened?” Gwen asked curiously. She could not fully hear what had been said, but she assumed it had something to do with Bella.

“They’re going to La Push,” Edward answered the Witch.

Gwen nodded slowly as she took this in, “That’s where the Shapeshifters are,” She remembered her Nana had warned her about them when they first moved to Forks. Gwen had never been to La Push and had never been interested either.

Emmett nodded his head, “Yeah, but they’re not as cool as us,” He started to posture and flex his muscles which made Gwen laugh at the faces he was making.

“I can’t see Bella’s future,” Alice said, the worried expression coming back full force. She’d never had this issue before and she cursed the human for causing so many issues already. Her powers had never not worked, she had always been able to see everything, especially when she tapped into certain people. The only exception so far had been Gwen, but there was a reason behind it that she now understood. However, when she tried to see how the La Push trip would go, she saw nothing. It was like Bella disappeared.

“What is the issue?” Gwen asked, confused as to what has caused such unrest in the Coven.

“We know we can keep our secret,” Jasper started.

“But there is no guarantee with those mutts,” Rosalie spat, as she finished what Jasper started to say. “Especially if she mentions our name,”

“As part of the treaty, we’re not allowed on Quileute soil,” Edward explained further to the Witch when he saw the confused expression. While he knew she was aware of the Shapeshifters in La Push, he did not know if she was aware of their treaty.

“Edward,” Jasper warned the younger Vampire.

“She already knows they exist,” Alice pointed out to her husband.

Jasper frowned but soon nodded his head. Rosalie also looked unhappy, but did not challenge this, and instead turned her head away.

With no one to object, Edward continued, “We made a treaty with the Quileute tribe in 1936. We could not injure any humans, either by hunting them for food or by transforming them into Vampires, as the Quileute's viewed this transformation as equal to murder, and the Vampires were never to trespass on Quileute land. Carlisle agreed to these terms and proposed adding the concept of mutual secrecy: The Quileute’s would not be able to tell anyone of our true nature, and we cannot reveal theirs,”

Gwen hummed as she took in this information, she had followed everything so far, “Where is the boundary?”

Emmett answered this, “The Quileute territory covered all of the reservation, plus some of the land that had traditionally belonged to the Hohs and the Makahs. In some places, the boundary line followed the main road, now Highway 101, but in others, it followed the old tribal lines,”

“They also can’t come into our land as well,” Alice added in.

“There are some neutral areas, the town of Forks, along with a few other surrounding towns, and the highway,” Jasper explained as he wanted the Witch to understand everything. There would be no point in giving half the information.

Gwen hummed in response and understood what had caused such worry. Bella was inquisitive, and there was a high possibility she would mention the Cullen family. “My Nana said there is only one Shifter at the moment,”

“For now, but there will be more,” Edward shared with a frown. There were not many creatures that could injure a Vampire, but Shifters were one of them as their teeth could pierce their hard skin.

“And you guys are blind the moment she steps into La Push,” Gwen pointed out.

“Unfortunately,” Alice muttered as she leaned into Jasper, who wrapped his arm around her.

“But if they are bound by this secrecy as well, surely they wouldn’t share it?” Gwen questioned with a frown.

“All it takes is one idiot,” Rosalie shared with a frown, “Most of them assume that it is just a legend and we’re referred to as Cold Ones.”

“Maybe Carlisle needs to speak with them, call a meeting,” Edward suggested as he thought about the matter. The best thing would be for the La Push people to be given a warning so their guards were up. However, there was no guarantee that this would be received very well, as they did not have the best relationship with one another.

Alice whipped out her phone, “I’ll let him know,” She quickly typed a message to Carlisle and knew he would read the message when he had an opportunity, as he would be working today.

“I could always go,” Gwen offered.

The Coven of Vampires turned to look at her, and Gwen flushed under their gazes, but she steeled her nerves. She had not expected such a reaction, Emmett stared at her proudly, Jasper and Rosalie were the most contemplative, Alice’s eyes were wide in realisation and Edward’s expression was brooding.

“I mean, it makes sense if I go.” Gwen continued on, “The Shifters don’t know about me, I am not included in the Treaty. I am a grey area. I can keep an eye on things,” She could understand why Rosalie and Jasper were unsure about bringing her into this, as they worried this would break the treaty. However, Gwen was already aware of the Shapeshifters in La Push so they were not breaking any rules, she was a wild card.

“Not a bad idea,” Jasper said, impressed. He could see the massive advantage that would give the Coven. They would have ears in the Quileute, something they’d never had before. It could provide them with the advantage and the edge needed if things started to go south.

“It will be dangerous, especially if they find out you’re associating with us,” Edward warned the Witch. He had to fight his immediate response which was to shoot down this idea, but he knew that this would not be taken well.

“I can handle it,” Gwen said as she looked the mind-reader in the eyes.

Edward nodded his head but did not break the wordless staring match between them.

TWILIGHT

Later that same day

It was towards the end of the day and Edward stood by his Volvo. He waited for the rest of his siblings to get out of school so they could head home. Carlisle had responded to Alice and they would be having a family meeting later that day so he was waiting for the rest of his siblings. As he waited, he noticed a familiar scent. Edward turned his head and watched as Gwen and Caitlin walked over to her car. They were laughing with one another, joking about random things that seemed mundane to him. But Edward was interested and wanted to know more. Gwen looked over at him and waved, a smile on her face.

Gwen had a nice smile.

At the thought, Edward visibly jerked back, as though he’d been slapped. He could not understand where that thought came from.

He didn’t understand what happened.

Edward remembered when he first met Gwen over a year ago, he’d not been interested in the slightest. She hadn’t piqued his interest; her scent was muted and she seemed to blend in too easily in a crowd. It was only when Alice started to hang around the Witch that he began to examine her more and that is when he realised, he could not read her mind. The fact he hadn’t noticed this at all baffled him because surely, he would have picked up on this before now. This had caused him to doubt himself and his abilities, something that had not failed him in the over one hundred years he had been a Vampire. Even as a human, he had always been good at reading people, but with Gwen, he drew a blank.

When it was revealed that she was a Witch and she had known their secret the entire time, he panicked. It made him think about all his actions and whether he or his family had accidentally broken the treaty at any point. He did not trust the Witch and thought that she had ulterior motives for revealing her secret but she’d done nothing to let on that she had any bad intentions. Edward had been disappointed by this because he wanted things to go south to prove to his family that he was right.

He found Gwen opinionated, bull-headed and stubborn.

Naïve as well.

But there was also something that drew him to her. Edward wondered what her scent would be without those scent blockers on her. The more he learned about her, the more he was interested. He had not expected her to challenge him.

She was daring, fearless and confident.

She was a mystery that he wanted to know more about.

When she told him, he was not a monster, Edward felt something in his shift. The guilt he’d held on his shoulders for many years seemed to lighten. He would remind himself of her words every day, and it seemed to help. He had felt lighter than he had in years and his family had noticed a change in his moods. Jasper was the first to notice, next was Carlisle and then everyone else. They were all surprised and it made Edward realise he had not acted the best and he wanted to change that.

While he did not trust Gwen in the beginning, he now considered them starting a friendship with one another, one that he would cherish.

Like Rosalie, she would call him out when he needed it, but her words hit differently.

Edward snapped out of his musing when a different scent hit him, and his body froze. It was Bella, there was no mistaking her sweet, tempting blood. It was like his own personal heroine and hell. He did not want to give into his instinct and drain her dry and instead forced himself to remain calm. He refused to give in to temptation.

He would not ruin what his family had built in Forks.

Edward turned his head and saw Bella standing near him, a shy expression on her face. The red flush on her face did not help his urge to drink from her, but he tried his hardest. He had got used to her scent, somewhat, but when he was caught off guard, she put him on edge.

However, there was no urgent call or message from Alice so he assumed it all worked out. Alice only ever intervened if something were to go south, and none of his brothers had been sent to restrain him, so he took it as a good sign.

He could handle this.

“Edward,” Bella said, her voice small and low.

“Oh, hello Bella,” Edward said as he tried to act nonchalant. He acted as though he did not want to drain her of all her blood until she died. He tried to act human by putting his pockets in his jacket as though it was cold and to hide his pale hands. It also distracted him in wanting to grab her and run off with her so he could drain her dry.

“I wanted to chat, do you have a minute?” Bella asked, her large doe eyes staring right at him. They were pleading for him to say yes, silently begging him to speak to her.

His immediate answer was to refuse her. He did not want to speak with her. Edward wanted to get as far away from her as possible, but there was no genuine reason for him to make a getaway. Instead, he smiled and nodded his head, “Of course, is there anything I can help with?” The smile he used was dazzling, and he knew what he was doing.

Bella’s eyes glazed over for a moment before she wetted her lips and spoke up, “My friends and I are going to La Push, and I was wondering if you wanted to go as well?” Her eyes immediately fell to the ground and the flush on her face burned brighter in embarrassment.

This question genuinely shocked him as he stared at the human in shock, he had not expected this, “Thank you for the invite, but La Push is not my scene,” Edward said, wording his answer carefully. He did not want to give her any more reason to suspect something was wrong. He also questioned her motives behind this question and it made him feel suspicious, did she already know something?

Visibly disappointment flashed in her eyes, “Oh,”

“But thank you for the invite,” Edward added politely.

Bella nodded her head, flushed in mortification. Edward’s mouth flooded with venom and he had to swallow hard. Her blood enticed him too much and he made a mental note he would need to leave soon.

“I never got to thank you, for helping to save me and Gwen from Tyler’s car,” Bella said as she looked to the ground, her breath hitched.

“It was just lucky I was so close,” Edward said as he tried his best to be as modest as he could. However, mentally he cursed Bella for bringing this up. He looked around discreetly, wondering where his siblings were so they could get him out of this situation.

Bella made an unhappy face, one that quickly disappeared, but Edward had seen it. “Yeah… I don’t remember you being so close to us,” While her voice seemed pleasant, there was a cynical tone silently veiled.

“I was on the way over. I needed to speak to Gwen about some homework in English,” Edward said, the lie passed through his lips with practised ease.

“You moved so quickly… almost unnaturally quick,” Bella added, her eyes narrowed but her gaze remained on the floor as if she did not want to look at him.

“It must have been adrenaline, I acted without thinking,” Edward was thankful that Bella did not possess the same gift as Gwen, otherwise things would have been too messy. Edward knew that if he even tried to lie to Gwen, she would have called him out on this straight away. Before the Witch, he had thought himself a convincing liar, and he planned to use his lying skills as much as possible while he could.

Bella let out a frustrated sigh, “You have an excuse for everything,”

“Because it’s the truth,” Edward lied.

“I don’t believe you. I know you’re hiding something,” Bella argued back, her brown eyes lifted from the floor in a show of defiance.

Edward frowned and feigned a confused expression, “Look, Bella, I don’t understand what you’re saying. Have I done something to make you dislike me for something?”

Bella fumbled for a moment as there was a flash of shame in her eyes.

“But also, even if I did have something to hide, what right would you have to know this?” Edward added as he shook his head.

Before Bella could say anything, she was interrupted when Rosalie stepped up to both of them, a venomous expression on her face. She stared down at Bella, her gold eyes darkened ever so slightly, clear disgust on her face.

“Is she bothering you, Edward?” Rosalie asked, her voice like silk.

“She was thanking me for saving her and Gwen,” Edward said, but he knew his sister had heard everything, and could hear his sister’s thoughts. Rosalie fumed that Bella dared to approach him and question him. This was not a side he saw often of Rosalie, the protective older sister. While he was older than her in Vampire years, Rosalie was turned when she was eighteen years old and she had always acted like an older sister to him.

Bella whimpered under Rosalie’s withering gaze and she nodded her head in agreement.

“Well, now that you’ve done that, you can leave. We want to go home,” Rosalie’s gaze was purely predatory, signalling for the human to run far away.

Without another word, Bella left, jogging away to her monster of a truck. Edward and Rosalie remained silent as they watched as the human drove off in her truck. It was only when she drove away that they started to speak.

“You did well,” Rosalie commented as she looked at her perfectly manicured nails.

“Oh?” Edward had a cheeky grin on his face, “That’s a high compliment from you.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Rosalie rolled her eyes and walked over to her red car.

Edward chuckled, though he felt warm when he could hear his sister's thoughts. It wasn’t often that Rosalie was proud of him, and he knew he had handled the situation the best he could. However, he and Rosalie agreed, and Bella was starting to become an issue. Edward was taken aback when his sister expressed any gratitude for Gwen spying for them in La Push, especially after this incident.

TWILIGHT

A few days later

It was now Saturday, and the sun was out in Forks, a rare phenomenon. It was slightly warmer than usual and Gwen understood why plans were made to go to La Push, where there was a beach. Gwen did not want to go but knew it would be important for her to go and make sure Bella stayed out of trouble – as much as she could. The Cullen’s had not been in school on Friday due to the unexpected sun, and Gwen knew that this had made Bella more suspicious. The Witch was aware that the sun did not burn Vampires like in fiction, but rather the sun reflected off their skin and made it appear like diamonds. It was very beautiful, though Emmett had admitted he felt emasculated by it and hated it the most.

Caitlin came with Gwen, and she’d not been hard to convince to come. The moment it was mentioned, the goth girl had jumped at the chance. When they arrived, Gwen parked her car and instantly recognised that Mike’s car was not too far away.

“I can’t believe you managed to convince my parents to let me come with you,” Caitlin said with an excited smile. It had been ages since she’d last been to La Push and she’d jumped at the chance to get out of her house.

“You must have been driving them up the wall,” Gwen said with a grin. Caitlin’s parents believed Gwen to be a good influence on her daughter and had allowed her to go to La Push, as long as she was back by six o’clock in the evening – at the latest. Gwen had promised Caitlin’s parents she’d be back before that. Gwen idly wondered if they would have the same thought if they knew she was a Witch.

“I was,” Caitlin agreed easily, with a devious smirk.

Both girls made their way out of the car, with beach bags in hand. Caitlin wanted to collect some shells for some bracelets she was making, and Gwen was happy to come along. They walked along the beach, with Caitlin squealing happily when she saw a pretty shell and she grabbed them without hesitation. Gwen watched this fondly, as she silently summoned some shells to make the goth girl happy without her noticing.

The entire time, Gwen kept her eyes peeled for Bella and her other human friends. She had looked around and wondered where they were. However, it did not take long to find them. There was a group of them ahead, with some Quileute boys. There was a man who stood slightly further away from the other Quileute’s, he was imposing, with his large stature, and muscles. There was a tattoo on his upper arm that was bold against his skin. There was an intense look in his eyes as he watched.

Gwen instantly knew he was a Shifter. His aura gave it away, and she could tell he was the Alpha of the pack as well.

“Oh, they’re cute,” Caitlin said as she looked at some of the Quileute’s.

“Meh,” Gwen shrugged her shoulders, not fully impressed.

Caitlin sent her a bewildered look.

At that moment, the boy beside the imposing man turned and looked at Gwen, he was tall with some muscle on him as well. There was a similar tattoo on his arm like the Alpha, and this made Gwen realise he was another Shifter. This made her frown. Bethany was under the impression there was only one Shifter, but there seemed to be another one. However, this one looked angry and his intense eyes filled with rage that put the Witch on edge.

She had a bad feeling about him.

He continued to stare at her and did not look away. The big man followed his gaze and stared at Gwen, his gaze narrowed.

Gwen looked away, pretending that she did not notice them.

Gwen wanted to get closer to Bella and her group of friends, but she needed it to look natural. She and Bella were not friends. She and Jessica were not friends. She and Lauren were certainly not friends. Lauren tried to get her to join the volleyball team after she’d seen her in the gym, but the Witch had bluntly turned her down. Gwen also despised the pea-brained boys – who had asked her out relentlessly when she first joined because she was the shiny new toy. The only decent people in that group were Angela and Ben – who appeared to have a crush on one another. Jessica and Lauren also despised Caitlin and treated her horribly, so she did not want to expose her friend to such treatment because she worried about what she’d do in retaliation.

Discreetly, Gwen used magic and listened in on their conversation instead. She heard Jessica and Lauren laugh obnoxiously, and Mike and Tyler fooled around like the teenage boy they were. This drivel made the Witch bored and she was half tempted to tune out when the conversation caught her attention.

“She’s just embarrassed that Edward Cullen turned her down,” Jessica’s voice was sickly sweet and mocking.

This caught Gwen’s attention.

“I just wanted to be nice,” Bella muttered, but thanks to her magic, Gwen was able to hear this response clearly.

“The Cullen family do not come here,” The intense man said, who Gwen learned was called Sam when someone muttered his name. She also learned that the person next to him, the angry boy was called Paul.

“How come?” Bella questioned without hesitation.

Gwen watched this from afar, but even she could see the powerful look in Sam’s eyes when he answered, “They just don’t,” Sam stated with authority that no one questioned them.

The conversation died for a while so Gwen tuned out.

She and Caitlin continued to walk alongside the beach. Even Caitlin stayed far away from the popular crowd and was conscious when they got too close. Gwen would act as a shield, and stood in the way. Luckily, the group of teenagers seemed to focus on themselves to focus on her and Caitlin – something that Gwen was grateful for.

However, it was when Bella and another boy – Jacob – ended up walking off alone that caught her attention.

Gwen could see the infatuation in the boy’s eyes, and there was a certain energy around him. He was a potential Shifter. So were the other boys with him as well (Embry, Quil and Jared) and Gwen made a mental note of this. They didn't appear to have shifted yet, and there was no tattoo present on their arms – yet. However, Gwen knew it was only a matter of time.

“What was that all about, that the Cullen’s don’t come around here?” Bella asked Jacob when they were alone. They walked up and down the beach. Bella seemed unaware of the gaze on her, far too focused on Jacob and getting answers.

Jacob looked uncomfortable, “You caught that? I’m not meant to say,”

Gwen’s form tensed when she heard this.

“Hey, I can keep a secret,” Bella asked, trying to feign indifference, but Gwen could tell she was far too eager to be normal.

Jacob laughed, but nervously, “Really, it’s just some old scary story.”

“Well, I want to know,” Bella pressed as she fluttered her eyes at him.

Gwen mentally cursed Bella and the boy.

“Well apparently, Quileutes are meant to be descendants of w-” Jacob did not get a chance to finish his sentence, as he tripped over something and fell flat to the sand with a small cry in shock. Bella let out a surprised gasp and ended up tripping over herself and she landed on her arm awkwardly.

Gwen smirked at her handiwork. She had used her magic to make them trip up and disrupt the conversation.

“Are you okay?” Jacob jumped up and helped Bella up, concern on his face.

“Y-yeah, just shocked,” Bella blinked slowly in surprise. She looked down at the sand and did not notice anything sticking out that could make her trip. She knew she was clumsy, but Jacob had also tripped over. It felt as though someone had pushed her.

Bella looked around and noticed that her friends were too far away, but she also noticed Gwen and her goth friend further away.

There was no way they could have done anything from that distance…

Could she?

Bella looked back to Jacob, “What were to saying? About being descendants of what?” She asked, wanting to get back to what they were talking about.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Jacob shook his head.

Bella frowned, unhappy. She tried to press him on this, but Jacob would not budge and they ended up walking back to the friend group.

Gwen smirked in victory.

A disaster had been avoided, but she would need to tell the Cullen's about this. Jacob appeared the weakest link and he would need to be put in his place. This made Gwen worried that Bella would try something again, she’d done it once before and Gwen could not always guarantee that she would be there to intervene. Mentally, she debated about putting a spell on Jacob to make sure he did not talk about it.

“Hey, I’m going to put this in the car, can I have your keys?” Caitlin asked as she stood up, a bucket of shells in hand.

“Yeah, just try not to get too much sand in my car,” Gwen said as she handed her keys over. The last thing she needed in her car was sand that would never leave.

Caitlin saluted the Witch before she ran off, a bucket of shells secured. Gwen watched her go with a smile on her face.

However, now the Witch was alone.

But she wasn’t for long.

She felt a figure approach her, and Gwen turned her head at the approaching figure. It was Paul, and this surprised her. She wondered why he had walked over to her, and her guard was immediately up.

He stopped in front of her and stared at her, his dark eyes roaming her figure with no hint of embarrassment.

“You need something?” Gwen questioned him with an arched brow.

“What are you doing here?” Paul questioned back, his tone rough but young. He couldn't have been older than sixteen years old, but he tried to act older.

“Enjoying the beach,” Gwen answered him blandly.

Paul’s eyes narrowed, “Is that it?”

“What’s it to you?” Gwen demanded as she placed a hand on her hip, and his eyes followed her every movement.

“You don’t smell right,” Paul said bluntly.

This bluntness almost took her off guard, and she knew he wasn’t lying. He truly thought she didn't smell right. Gwen knew it was because of the herbs she had tucked away in her underwear and his enhanced senses. “Then don’t stand so close,”

Paul’s face flushed in anger, and his eyes darkened.

Gwen met his eyes in a challenging manner, and this seemed to set him off more. His shoulders trembled ever so slightly and his fists clenched. Gwen mentally wondered whether he was close to Shifting and knew it would be dangerous to get too close. From what she’d read, energy could explode from them and this could be deadly to people too close. However, Gwen refused to back down, as any steps back would have been seen as a retreat.

Before either of them could say or do anything, Caitlin came running back with a smile, but this soon dropped when she sensed the air around them.

“Is everything okay?” Caitlin asked, almost nervous.

“Yes, he was just leaving,” Gwen said, her eyes never leaving the Shifter in front of her. She raised a challenging brow – would he do something in front of a human? She suspected he knew she was not completely human and that is why he approached her. But Caitlin completely reeked of human, despite her goth attire.

With one last glare, Paul stormed off back to Sam. Gwen watched as he whispered something in Sam’s eyes. Sam’s eyes landed on Gwen, and Gwen sent him a challenging look back. Sam’s nostrils flared but he soon snapped something at Paul, who flinched back.

“That’s so weird,” Caitlin muttered lowly as she watched this.

Gwen nodded her head, “Never be alone with any of them. I get a bad vibe,” She hoped her friend would listen to her. She would hate for Caitlin to be involved in supernatural drama. Having a Witch for a friend was already bad enough and Gwen tried her hardest to keep her away from this.

“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Caitlin agreed easily, as she sent an uneasy look towards the Shifters.

With her mission accomplished, and Caitlin had her fill of shells, Gwen dropped her friend back home. Caitlin’s parents had been lovely and tried to invite her in for dinner, but the Witch politely backed out, stating her Nana was expecting her back. She then drove back to Tilly and visibly relaxed when she was back in the house.

“I’m home,” Gwen patted the side of the doorway, as it swung open the moment, she parked her car.

Tilly’s floorboards hummed in happiness and the floorboards moved Gwen into the kitchen. Gwen laughed and she made herself a drink of tea, she needed it after the long day she’d had.

Going into her room, Gwen sat down on the bed and grabbed her phone. The moment she did, the phone rang and she noticed it was Alice. There were a few missed calls from Alice and other numbers from the Cullen family, and this made her blink slowly. She hadn't noticed her phone ringing at all.

She answered Alice’s call, “Hello?”

“Gwen! I was so worried! You disappeared in my visions!” Alice’s voice was filled with concern and she spoke so fast that Gwen nearly missed what she said.

“Is she okay?” Emmett shouted on the other line.

“That’s what I am checking!” Alice yelled back at him in frustration, but this seemed to cause an argument between them.

“Gwen?” Edward’s voice now came onto the phone. He had taken the phone while Emmett and Alice argued with one another. Jasper was trying to calm the situation down, but he was laughing too much to be any true help.

“I’m fine, I just got back from La Push,” Gwen answered him as she slowly sipped her hot drink. It relaxed her straight away.

“I’ll put you on speaker,” Edward said as he pressed the button. While everyone could hear Gwen, she would not be able to hear everyone else.

“Thank you,” Gwen said.

“Gwen! How are you?” Esme said, her familiar voice came through.

“I’m fine Esme, thank you for asking,” Gwen smiled, feeling that rush of affection for the maternal figure of the Coven.

“You’re not injured are you, Gwen?” Carlisle asked, his calm voice soothing.

Gwen shook her head, though she knew they couldn't see her, but she couldn't stop herself, “No, I am completely unharmed.”

“I'm glad to hear,” Carlisle said, clear relief in his voice.

“What happened?” Came the direct response from Rosalie.

Gwen nearly snorted at how direct she was, but she expected nothing less from the Vampire. “It was mentioned that Bella asked Edward to come. It was Sam who commented that the Cullen’s don’t come here. Bella ended up asking Jacob, who I am certain has feelings for her, and he nearly told her about the legends. However, before he could, I stopped them by tripping them up with my magic. I worry that Bella may try again with Jacob though,”

There was high-speed whispering on the other end, and Gwen could not keep up with it. Instead of trying though, she just sipped her tea and waited for someone to speak at a normal pace so she could understand.

“Jacob Black?” Carlisle questioned. He had kept up to date with all Quileute children, so he could be aware of who they were dealing with when they came back.

“Yes,” Gwen answered, she vaguely remembered as Bella introduced him to her group of friends.

“He’s Billy Black’s son. He is an elder of the Quileute tribe.” Carlisle shared.

Gwen hummed, “Well he was about to spill the beans, all Bella had to do was flutter her eyes at him,”

Rosalie hissed angrily on the other line, “Those damn mutts,”

“Also, from what I could see and sense, there is more than one Shifter,” Gwen added as she took another sip of her tea.

“How many?” Emmett immediately asked in excitement. He would love to fight against the Shifters but was always told he couldn't.

“I can confirm two, Sam and Paul. I sensed at least four others that have the potential of becoming a Shifter,” Gwen explained to them.

Emmett cheered in excitement, and there was a sound of a slap with Emmett screaming out in pain.

“Did anything else happen?” Jasper asked.

For a moment, Gwen considered not telling them this part, but decided to, “Paul came over and confronted me. He was asking me why I was there, and when I challenged him, he seemed to get angry.”

“You need to be careful, Gwen, he could have shifted near you,” Carlisle warned in a fatherly tone.

“I was fine, he backed off when Caitlin came back. I think he knows something isn’t fully right with me. He said I smelled funny,” Gwen added in.

Rosalie made an offended noise, “They have a cheek, they smell like dogs!”

Alice laughed loudly and agreed with her sister. This comment also made Gwen laugh as well, and she assumed that is what they smelt like to the Vampires.

“Thank you for going, Gwen, we appreciate it,” Esme said kindly.

“No problems, I am glad I could help,” Gwen answered her truthfully.

Alice grumbled on the other end, “I don’t understand why my gift doesn’t work,”

“I mentioned that to my Nana. She thinks it’s because of the Shifters, they may interfere with your visions. My Nana can still see them in hers,” Gwen answered. After school on Monday, she had asked her Nana who told her a working theory. They did not know this for certain, but her Nana had been pretty confident in this.

Alice hummed in thought but didn't say anything else on the matter.

The phone call soon ended after that, and Gwen finished her tea. However, about ten minutes after the phone call ended, she got a text from Alice.

Keep your phone on you, we may need you tomorrow – Alice.

Chapter Text

A few days later

Gwen sat in her bed as she looked through some Grimoires, her crystal Witch lights created a calm atmosphere. The colours changed softly and every so often. It was around midday and she had no plans other than to practice her magic. There were a few spells she wanted to work on, and maybe get stronger. She thought about the different ways she could use this spell when she got the sudden urge for a drink. It was only then that she realised it had been a while since she had last left her room and knew it affected her concentration.

The Witch left her room and got herself a drink. Bethany was out getting groceries for the week and would be a little while as she liked to take her time. However, she was not sure about this, as Bethany had started to act weird lately – hovering more often than she used to. There had been a few times where the Witch had caught the older woman staring at her, only for her to smile when she realised Gwen had caught her. While it was weird, the Witch did not question it as she assumed it had something to do with a vision that she had and she was working through it. Gwen knew if she was truly in any danger, Bethany would warn her. This was the not first it had happened and doubted it would be the last.

Gwen gulped down the water before she cleaned the glass and placed it on the draining board. Gwen turned around to walk back to her room as she fully intended to go back and study some spells, but she stopped when she noticed a new door.

Gwen’s eyes immediately zeroed in on the door – it was the same one that she’d seen ages ago, the one she didn't get to explore last time. It had a little red mark on the door, one that was easy to recognise as she had looked for a door with this symbol on to no avail. Excitement built in her chest as she crept towards the door. When Gwen grabbed the handle, she felt a pulse of magic and this made her eyes widen.

That was new.

There was something behind this door.

That was something Gwen was certain about.

If she had not been curious before, she would have been now. Gwen took a deep breath to calm herself down and tried to open the door.

Except the door handle would not budge.

Gwen frowned, “Tilly?”

Oddly, Tilly remained silent. 

“Tilly, can you open the door for me?” Gwen asked and hoped that Tilly would let her into this room. This had never happened before, none of the doors that Tilly had shown her had ever been locked before, they’d always been open to her.

However, there was no response. This was odd, as Tilly had never been silent in the time they had lived there.

Instead, Gwen gripped the door handle and attempted to turn it. However, it did not move. It did not budge. Gwen looked at the door, she could not sense any protective spells around the door so that did not explain what happened. Tilly had not done her usual thing of laughing at her misfortune – she’d been oddly quiet.

Just then, Gwen heard her phone’s ring tone go off from her room.

Gwen looked away from the door to the direction of where her room was. She knew she needed to answer the phone in case it was her Nana. Gwen looked back and saw that the door was now gone. With a sigh, the Witch walked away and dashed to her room and answered the phone, she saw it was not her Nana calling her, but rather Alice.

“Hey Alice, you okay?” Gwen said as she sat down on her bed.

“I’m okay, thank you,” Alice chirped on the other end, “How quickly can you make it over to our house?”

“In about twenty minutes, why?” Gwen asked, confused as to why she’d ask that. If anything, she felt that Alice would already know this.

“Could you come over? We’re having a meeting with the Shapeshifters. Carlisle spoke to them last night and they didn’t believe what was shared,” Alice explained, exasperation in her tone.

“And you need someone to credit the story,” Gwen said with a sigh. She had hoped to stay as a silent observer between the Vampires and the Shifters, but it seemed that time was over. She could not blame anyone but herself as she had volunteered to spy on Bella and walked straight into Shifter territory. Gwen had known this was a possibility, but she found she was not too torn up about this.

“Yes,”

“I’ll be there, when is the meeting?” Gwen asked as she looked down at her clothing. She was dressed in sweatpants and a tank top – not exactly the best outfit to leave the house in, especially when she was going to see Alice. The Witch nearly laughed as she thought about the fit Alice would have if she saw this. Gwen would need to change and get ready before she even thought about leaving the house.

“In about two hours,” Alice answered.

Gwen looked at her clock, it was about one in the afternoon now, “Give me about thirty minutes, and I’ll be there,”

“Thank you!” Alice beamed.

The call ended and Gwen jumped to get ready. The Witch explained to the house that she’d be back and Tilly seemed to be more relaxed than normal. This allowed Gwen a chance to get ready and grab the things she’d need, like her phone and car keys. Gwen patted the side of the door goodbye as she walked out and got into her car.

The drive was fairly quick to the Cullen mansion. Her mind wondered what would happen and how they would play this out.

Once she was outside the Cullen house, Alice flew out of the house and greeted her with a smile, “You’re right on time! Esme has made food!” She linked arms with Gwen, who flinched in surprise and she quickly locked her car before she was softly dragged into the house.

The moment Gwen stepped into the house, she could smell food and her stomach nearly growled out loud at the mouth-watering smell. She looked around and found Esme in the kitchen, a wide smile on her face and Carlisle watched her fondly. Emmett was beside Esme as he helped her cook, looking like a lost boy waiting for instruction and Esme gently guided him through the next steps. Rosalie stood nearby and watched with an affectionate eye roll. Jasper sat on the couch nearby and Edward on the upstairs hallway balcony, watching all of this unfold with a serious expression on his face.

The moment she stepped into the house, Gwen could feel Edward’s eyes on her.

“So, what's the plan?” Gwen asked as she looked at Carlisle.

Before Carlisle could open his mouth, Esme cut in, “Before we get to the serious stuff, Gwen, have you eaten?” Esme asked as she looked to the Witch, an excited gleam in her bright gold eyes.

Gwen blinked slowly as she took in the Vampire’s question, caught off guard, “I could eat, I haven’t had lunch yet,” She had planned to reheat some leftovers from last night’s dinner when Liam came over.

“Perfect! Do you like spaghetti?” Esme asked as she started to plate some of the food. Her back was turned so Gwen could not see what was being plated up.

“Of course, is that what you’re cooking? It smells amazing,” Gwen said as she and Alice sat down on the couch. Alice immediately cuddled up to Jasper, who enveloped his wife in his arms with ease.

“She’s been cooking up a storm, now that there is someone around who can enjoy human food, she has been excited to try a few recipes,” Alice said with a wink to the Witch.

Gwen arched a brow at the small Vampire and wondered whether this was why she was brought around so early. Instead of questioning it further, Gwen shrugged her shoulders, “Well if it tastes as good as it smells, it will be amazing,” It wasn’t like she was going to turn down free food, that would be a stupid decision.

“She's probably eaten,” Edward commented from his perch.

For a moment, Esme looked conflicted and turned to the Witch. Emmett also lowered the plate he was holding, a pout on his face.

“Shut your mouth,” Gwen glared at the mind-reader with a venomous gaze that made Edward stare at her in shock.

Edward wisely did not say anything, especially when he saw the looks Carlisle and Rosalie gave him.

“I am never going to pass up free food,” Gwen grinned as she looked at Esme and Emmett.

Esme beamed as she placed a steaming bowl of spaghetti in front of the Witch, and Emmett was not too far behind as he placed some garlic bread on the side, wearing a matching apron as Esme. Gwen arched a brow at the muscled Vampire who shrugged his shoulders with a carefree grin on his face. Without another word, Gwen began to eat the food and nearly moaned at how good it was. There was a part of Gwen that had been surprised that a Vampire who did not consume human food could make delicious food. However, that thought vanished as she ate more.

“This is amazing!” Gwen happily munched down on the food, not caring that most of the Vampires stared at her as she ate.

Esme beamed at the praise, “Thank you, it was an old recipe,” There was a faraway look in her eyes as she remembered the last time, she’d cooked food for human consumption, which was a long time ago. As a human, she had always enjoyed cooking and was good at it, but none of her children could enjoy her cooking as Vampires.

Gwen ate the spaghetti with gusto and ate as much of the garlic bread as she could, but there came a point where she needed to stop. The guilt almost hit her when she saw the disappointed look on Esme’s face so she promised to take the food back home with her so her Nana could enjoy this as well. Esme quickly got some Tupperware and packed it away for her.

Now that the food was gone, Gwen looked back to the Coven of Vampires, “So, what happened?”

“I made contact with Billy Black. He is on the counsel of the Shifters and I tried to warn him about our worries, but he dismissed this,” Carlisle started with a frown. When Alice had messaged him their concerns, he had immediately tried to reach out. However, Billy had been very short in return and refused to acknowledge that Bella had been snooping for any information. Carlisle suspected the friendship between Billy and Charlie had affected this and had clouded his judgement.

“I think he believed we were causing trouble,” Esme commented with a frown. She had found Billy Black less than savoury and she had not appreciated the way he had spoken to her husband, even Ephraim had been much more diplomatic to speak to.

“Dumb mutts,” Rosalie muttered lowly, but everyone heard her. No one disagreed with her either.

“So, I assume they didn't believe what you said about Jacob and Bella as well then?” Gwen questioned with a frown.

Carlisle shook his head, “You would be right in your assumption. Billy said how his son would not do this, and questioned where we got this information. They now assume we have broken the treaty by going onto their land, but they have agreed to this meeting,” He had understood the risk he’d taken by approaching Billy Black again, but he would not allow a human girl to expose his family and risk their safety. They needed to act before something went wrong, he just wished Billy had not reacted so negatively.

“That is where we need you to step in and corroborate the story,” Jasper added as he looked to the Witch.

“We understand that you don’t want to expose your secret though, so we never mentioned you were a Witch,” Esme added as she smiled at the Witch.

Gwen returned the smile, grateful, “Thank you, how’d they take that?”

“Not well,” Carlisle grimaced, “They believe we have brainwashed you, and want to meet you to make sure you’re safe,”

Alice’s face soured at the thought of someone assuming they were hurting her friend. In her view, Gwen was probably in one of the safest positions.

Gwen snorted, “They’re very judgemental,”

“Very,” Edward agreed as he nodded his head.

“Says you,” Emmett commented with a grin.

Edward sent his brother a look, one that made both Emmett and Jasper laugh. Edward was not impressed, and the thoughts of his brothers just made his expression sour even more. For a moment it looked as though Edward would jump at Emmett, but one stern look from Esme made all the boys quieten down.

“I am more than happy to come with you, I think this will be interesting. But what would have happened if I had said no?” Gwen questioned out of curiosity. Of course, she’d never refuse this request, as it was quite a simple one and within her power to do so. However, she wondered what their plan of action would have been if she refused to engage with it.

“We would have worked it out,” Carlisle reassured.

Gwen waited for a tingle in her chest as she had expected him to lie to make her feel better, but did not feel anything. This took her back and caught her off guard, and she relaxed slightly. She trusted the confidence in his word and believed him.

“If not, there could be a fight!” Emmett cheered with an excited grin.

Rosalie rolled her eyes and shook her head at her husband’s actions.

“It hopefully will not come to that,” Carlisle said as he had a small grin on his face, his son’s excitement was contagious, and he suspected Jasper was behind that, and shot the empath an arched brow.

Jasper innocently shrugged his shoulders and this made Carlisle shake his head. However, even he could not lie, it would be fun to put those mutts in their place. Jasper had struggled to hide his annoyance when he heard the conversation between Billy and his father. If he could teach the Shapeshifters some respect, then so be it.

Edward’s expression also darkened as he read his brother’s thoughts and remembered the conversation. It took a lot to test Carlisle’s patience, but even the Coven Leader had struggled and this made Edward restless.

“What if they don’t believe me?” Gwen questioned after a moment of thinking. She had not been in the hearing distance – Sam and Paul were there as well and would question this. She’d used her magic to listen in to their conversation.

“We can mention Bella’s behaviour, and you can say you lip-read this,” Carlisle suggested to the Witch. “Or you overheard snip bits,”

Gwen hummed and stayed silent as she mentally debated her options.

“It’s time we head off,” Alice announced as she looked at the time.

Without another word, they all made their way to the meeting point. It was right at the Treaty line, with the Shifters on their side and the Cullen’s on their side. Gwen had ended up riding on Emmett’s back, who was more excited to give her a ride – and he boasted he got to carry the Witch and sent a smug grin to Jasper and Edward. Alice had warned him to be careful, as did Carlisle and Esme, but Gwen had laughed the entire time. She trusted Emmett would not do anything to harm her, and she was not surprised when Jasper shot her a surprised look. The adrenaline rush she’d got when Emmett ran was so fun that she wanted another turn. However, Emmett stopped a half mile away from the meeting point so Gwen did not have too dramatic of an entrance and made the Shifters accuse them of endangering her – a suggestion from Jasper. Much to Gwen’s disappointment, she was made to walk the rest of the way, with some Cullen’s choosing to walk at her pace and others choosing to race off to the meeting point.

Edward walked beside her and grinned at her windswept hair, “Have fun?”

“Yes,” Gwen beamed with a grin, “I want another go,” It had been such a rush and she’d not been able to see a thing, but the wind against her face had been pleasant. Gwen was silently grateful that she did not get motion sickness otherwise it would not have been good.

“I can run faster,” Edward said smugly.

Gwen shot him a look, “Yeah, sure,”

Edward chuckled at her attitude and he watched ahead. He could see Jasper walking ahead, a spring in his step as he could feel Gwen’s strong emotions, and Alice seemed to skip beside him in kind. Rosalie and Emmett had run ahead, along with Carlisle and Esme, Edward suspected Emmett wanted to try and size up the competition. Jasper had wanted Emmett to be seen first as a way to intimidate the Shifters, especially with how large Emmett was and how strong he looked. Emmett had been more than happy to play along with this as well, a mischievous grin on his face.

It took them minutes, but they arrived at the clearing and the Shapeshifters were not there.

“Looks like we’re here first,” Jasper commented as his golden eyes scoped out the area. He watched for any movement, his mind moving too fast for even Edward to keep up with his strategies. However, he was pleased that they’d come early.

Gwen took this chance to look around and memorise this area for future reference. There was a peculiar tree nearby that was easily distinguishable, and she was pretty sure she could hear the faint sound of a river nearby.

“They’re here,” Edward announced as he drew his family’s attention.

Jasper motioned for Gwen to get behind Emmett, and the Witch did so without any protest. She assumed there was a reason for this and did not object. Emmett winked at her and moved his arm slightly so that he could still see what was happening without being detected. She was much too small to see over his shoulder so this gave her a small window to see what happened. Wordlessly, Rosalie got closer to Emmett and covered the Witch as well so she was completely unseen from all angles. Edward stood behind Emmett and Rosalie as well and stood in the closet to the Witch. Alice was on her other side with Jasper. Esme and Carlisle were in front of them all, as the Leaders of the Coven.

Four figures came out of the trees and shrubbery. Gwen immediately noticed there were two Shapeshifters in Wolf form and she suspected they were Sam and Paul. After observing them for a moment, Gwen identified the bigger Wolf with black fur to be Sam, and the smaller brown-furred Wolf to be Paul. They growled the moment the Cullen’s came into view. Two men stood behind the Wolves, one of them was in a wheelchair and the other manoeuvred the wheelchair.

“Their names are Billy and Harry,” Edward muttered lowly under his breath, so that the Witch would know who these were, but the Shifters could not.

Gwen nodded her head in thanks.

“It is good to see you again,” Carlisle started off politely. He stayed perfectly still behind the Treaty line and he eyed the two Shifters, who growled at his family.

“We cannot say the same,” Billy said, his face grim, distrust clear as day in his eyes.

Gwen nearly arched a brow and didn't need her power to recognise he was not lying when he said this.

“It could not be helped,” Carlisle nodded his head.

Billy looked at the Coven of Vampires, his gaze narrowed as his eyes swept over them and landed on Edward. Gwen could see in the small gap that Billy distrusted Edward the most. For a moment, she considered why but then remembered his gift, and wondered whether that was the reason they disliked Edward the most. She wondered what Edward had heard or voiced to make Billy hate or distrust him so much – because she was certain Edward could not help himself in being a little shit.

“They want to know what the weird smell is,” Edward said as he aired what the Shifters, especially Paul were thinking.

Paul growled at Edward and went to move forward, but Sam snarled at him and Paul remained still. An unhappy gleam in his eyes, but he did not move any further.

“You said it was urgent,” Billy said, unimpressed, as he seemed to ignore the question and Edward entirely, “But I disagree,”

“If you think keeping our secret is not an emergency, I question your decision-making,” Rosalie cut in with a deadly expression.

Billy levelled the blonde Vampire a look, but he quickly looked away at the venomous expression he was sent in return. “You allow your Coven to speak to us like that?” This question was directed at Carlisle and Esme.

“She’s not completely wrong,” Carlisle countered back with a pleasant expression, though there was an underlying air of sarcasm around him that was rare for the Coven leader. However, he did not like how Billy was looking down on his daughter and his heckles were raised.

“We will hear this out,” Harry said as he looked at Billy, who also nodded his head in agreement. Harry looked to the Cullen’s, “You made mention that one of our own nearly broke the Treaty, Jacob Black. He was speaking with Bella Swan, who was enquiring about the legends we hold. Is that accurate?”

Carlisle and Esme nodded their heads, “It is,” Carlisle responded back with a neutral tone.

“And what evidence do you have of this?” Billy questioned. “You claim to have a witness but I see no witness,”

At Jasper’s motion, Gwen knew it was time for her to make an appearance. She stepped around Emmett and Edward and walked over to Esme and Carlisle, her eyes on the Shifters. She saw the recognition in their eyes and how the men tensed when they saw what they thought to be a human on the side of Vampires.

“What is this?” Billy demanded, his voice filled with accusation.

“She is a friend of the family,” Esme explained with a calm expression. However, their family noticed how tense she was, as if she was waiting for an attack.

Billy and Harry looked at the Witch, their eyes roamed over her form as if they were trying to dissect her. “You have broken the treaty,” Billy said grimly. A clause in the treaty called for mutual secrecy, by this human being here, that meant it was broken and the Cullen’s had been the one to break it. As rights, they would be allowed to attack and get retribution.

Sam and Paul growled as they both took a step forward.

Gwen snorted in humour, something that threw the Shifters and the two men off guard, “I was fully aware of the Shifters in La Push the moment I came to Forks a while ago. I also know the truth about the Cullen’s. No one of them told me about you or them,” Gwen said as she nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders.

“How?” Harry asked, confused. He had thought their secret was well hidden except by the supernatural community.

“You guys aren’t the first supernatural creatures I have come across,” Gwen answered them honestly.

“They’re wondering what you’re doing with us,” Edward said as he aired what the men were thinking. They had been thinking many negative things about his family that he tried to censor and keep track of anything useful.

“They’re my friends,” Gwen answered truthfully as she looked the men in the eyes. She refused to back down and show anything other than her strength. Any weakness would be perceived as wrong and she refused to give any other impression than what was accurate.

“They haven’t fed on you, have they?” Billy asked genuine concern and worry on his face.

Alice hissed lowly at the man with fury in her eyes but calmed down – no doubt with the help of Jasper, who kept a tight hold on his wife. Luckily, this had not been caught by the Shifters. Alice was completely offended that anyone would assume they would feed on her friend.

“They haven’t, I am here of my own free will,” Gwen told them with a pointed expression.

Slowly, Billy and Harry nodded their heads, though Gwen could tell they did not believe her. They shared a look with one another, and Gwen looked to Edward, who shook his head.

“How can you help with this matter?” Harry asked diplomatically.

“I heard it,” Gwen said to them. “I heard as Jacob began to explain how they were descents of Wolves,”

Billy and Harry’s expression turned, as they considered her words. They had not realised there would be an actual witness to this, and it made them uneasy. They had assumed the Cullen’s had either lied or came onto their land, which would have caused the treaty to be broken.

“Sam is asking how you could have heard this conversation,” Edward communicated the Shifter’s question.

Sam huffed but did not growl.

“Magic,” Gwen grinned, “I am a Witch,”

Gwen could feel the surprise that radiated from the Cullen’s especially Edward who stared at her in shock. He had expected her to lie and say something else, but when he saw the amused expression in her eyes, he just shook his head. He should have expected her to pull a stunt like this. She’d basically done it to them so he should have seen this coming. Emmett laughed loudly at how boldly Gwen had said this. However, for Gwen, she saw no other option. She had already made up her mind what she would do after the Cullen's first told her what the issue was – and the fact her Nana hadn’t called her didn't make her question this decision either. She could already tell from the demeanour and air of the Quileute pack, that they were not going to agree with anything the Cullen’s said. If there were any discrepancies, they would be picked up immediately. They would not be able to question the truth and would have to act on this information. Her distrust of Bella outweighed the need for her secrecy as it would only be a matter of time before Bella turned her sights on the Witch if she realised something wasn’t right.

“With my magic, I heard Bella and Jacob talking with one another. She was asking about the legends and Jacob was about to tell her, until they had a little tumbled in the sand,” Gwen added with a suggestive grin and she twitched her fingers.

“My son wouldn’t do that,” Billy argued back as he shook his head.

“Even if Bella Swan batted her eyes at him?” Gwen countered back.

Billy fell silent as the realisation dawned on him. He was well aware of his son’s infatuation with Charlie’s daughter. He had been so excited when he learned that Bella would be moving back to Forks and had worked tirelessly on the truck without being asked to. Billy would spend half his time teasing the young lad on this as that was a father’s duty. However, he had never thought his own son would be the one to potentially break the treaty between them and the Vampires. Jacob did not fully understand how badly this could have gone. Billy had taught all his children of the treaty between them and the Cold Ones their whole lives in case the Cullen’s came back, and so they could pass it on to their children. It was how the legend stayed alive, and it was only meant to stay within the tribe.

“I will speak to him,” Billy said lowly as he lowered his head.

“Bella Swan is asking questions. I would be advising you to be careful of her,” Carlisle added in as he nodded his head in acknowledgment. “She is a very curious human,” In his time alive, Carlisle had come across many of curious humans but even be was uncomfortable with how much Bella was digging for the truth.

“Sam wants to know why a Witch is getting involved,” Edward said as he looked at his Coven. They had all relaxed a bit when they saw that Billy had backed down. This was the best result – the only person who was disappointed in this outcome was Emmett, who had been hoping for a fight.

Sam huffed and nodded his head, agreeing with this question.

“As I said earlier, I am friends with the Cullen's. If their secret is exposed, so could mine.” Gwen explained rationally.

“But Vampires have hurt your kind,” Harry asked with a frown.

Gwen nodded her head, “Yes, but we have a treaty with them. There is peace between us,”

“We also have a Treaty with the Blackthorn Witches,” Billy added in with a suspicious look to the Witch, “Are they aware that you’re siding with Vampires?”

“I am not affiliated with the Blackthorns,” Gwen said with a blank expression. She could feel Edward’s eyes on her as she answered this.

“I think they might be interested to know about this,” Billy added with a haughty expression.

This made the Coven tense slightly. They were all aware that Gwen’s whole existence was not knowledge to the Blackthorn Coven. The Witch had explained that much to them and how it was in her best interest they never became aware of her. They were also aware of what Edward had told them as well.

“Is that a threat?” Rosalie questioned him with an arched brow.

“Not a threat, just a statement,” Harry said calmly.

Instead of panicking, Gwen shrugged her shoulders, “Go ahead. However, no rules have been broken, so I find it hard to believe they would be interested in such a trivial matter. I think they’d be more interested to know that your own son nearly broke a Treaty between you and the Cullen’s, they could even be wary about continuing their Treaty with you. Especially when you were so dismissive of concerns brought to your attention,” For a party to break a Treaty did not set good precedence with other groups that may have a Treaty with them. This would bring attention to the La Push tribe, especially when the leader’s own son nearly broke it unknowingly. It would call into question their credibility something that could harm them. The La Push Shifters gained quite a bit through the Treaty with the Blackthorns – protection as well as access to resources across the globe. To lose that would be a blow to them.

Billy and Harry shared uneasy looks with one another, and Sam and Paul looked confused by her words.

“We will look into the matter with Jacob,” Harry said as he nodded his head, the unspoken message clear as day to everyone.

“Thank you,” Carlisle replied back with a patient smile.

“And this matter should remain a secret,” Esme added, “After all, secrecy is what keeps us safe from exposure,” The smile on her face appeared sweet, but there was an underlying threat in her smile, one that only a mother could make.

“Agreed,” Billy said as he nodded his head, and he looked to the Witch, and his head tilted towards her. The silent message was there, they would keep the Witch’s secret.

As the meeting drew to a close, the Shifters, Harry and Billy left.

“Well, that was fun,” Emmett commented with a grin. While he had been slightly disappointed in the lack of action, he was not displeased with how it went.

Jasper looked to the Witch, “How come you revealed what you are?”

“They wouldn’t have bought anything else.” Gwen explained with a shrug of her shoulders, “They would have fought any excuse given and that would have made things worse. We needed this to be taken seriously, if Bella finds out what you guys are, it will only be a matter of time before she turns her attention on me,” She also hoped the Shifters would back off and leave her alone – especially Paul.

Jasper nodded his head.

“We appreciate this, Gwen,” Esme said with a kind smile. She admired the Witch for putting her own secret on the line, for her family’s safety.

Gwen returned it, she did not need her powers to know Esme was genuine with her words.

“Regardless, they should be more vigilant now,” Carlisle said as he began to make his way back home, with the rest of the family following behind him. However, they walked at a human pace for the sake of Gwen, “As long as they keep up their end of the bargain, there is no way Bella will find out about any of us,” This provided protection and now they just needed to focus on keeping a low profile.

Alice was about to say something, but then her eyes glazed over as a vision took over. This lasted a few seconds and she frowned, and Edward held a very similar expression. “There may be some issues with that. The sun is going to be on and off this week. Our usual excuse of a camping trip may bring more questions,” Alice said as she looked to her family.

“Bella seemed very interested in these camping trips,” Gwen agreed as she remembered the mortal’s attitude that Friday when the Cullen's were missing. She had been asking all sorts of questions about why the Cullen’s were allowed time off. This was a genuine question that would raise suspicion, especially when someone was looking for something.

“Maybe we could fake an illness? Humans usually get sick around this time of year?” Emmett suggested.

“Yes, a lot of humans pick up a lot of colds and flu,” Esme agreed as she nodded her head.

“We’ve never been off sick before though,” Jasper pointed out, almost disappointed. Mentally, he began to berate this lack of planning. Maybe they should have had more days off due to sickness or acted sick in school.

“I have an idea,” Gwen pipped up which made the family stop moving as they looked at her.

“Like what?” Rosalie asked with an arched brow.

Instead of answering, Gwen looked to Alice, “Pick out a piece of jewellery you don’t mind being spelled with magic,”

Without hesitation, Alice pointed to the choker-like necklace that had the Cullen crest. There was an excited gleam in her eyes as she seemed to know what the Witch had planned. Now with a medium, Gwen muttered a quick spell and the choker glowed for a moment before it returned back to normal.

“And what did that do?” Carlisle asked, his eyes alight with curiosity.

“Alice, care to demonstrate?” Gwen asked with a grin.

Alice smiled as she stepped into the direct sunlight nearby and watched as her skin did not reflect at all. There were no shimmering diamonds, or sparkles. It was like she had human skin. Normal skin. Carlisle appeared in a flash right next to Alice and compared his skin to hers, which immediately shimmered in the sun.

“Fascinating,” Carlisle marvelled with wide eyes.

“With this, we can blend in more,” Jasper noted, a grin on his face. He liked where this was going and he could see the happiness in his wife’s eyes.

“Not bad,” Rosalie commented with an impressed look.

“Can you do that for all of us?” Edward asked the Witch.

Gwen nodded her head, “Of course. It is a very simple spell that hardly takes any magic. As long as you wear the item I have spelled, it will work. So, it will need to be something you’re guaranteed to wear and not forget,” As long as the item was never broken or damaged, the spell would work and there was no time limit on this spell either.

“Do mine next,” Rosalie said as she stepped closer to the Witch, and she pointed to her necklace that held her Cullen crest.

For the next ten minutes, Gwen focused on charming something of all the Cullen family. Everyone seemed to follow in the same footsteps as Alice and Rosalie, choosing to use the Cullen crest as the medium for this spell. This was something everyone knew they would wear as they never took these off, or if they did, it was never for long. Emmett had been the most excited, happy to no longer sparkly in the sun and Jasper was very grateful. Esme had hugged the young Witch, something that had caught Gwen off guard but she accepted nonetheless. Carlisle asked many questions about how her magic worked, and it was something Gwen did not mind at all. She liked how inquisitive he was, and when he spoke too fast due to excitement, Edward and Esme would be there to mediate and slow him down. There was even a rare thank you from Rosalie, something that surprised most people.

“Hey, Sabrina, can we go to your house now?” Emmett asked, a wide grin on his face.

Gwen did not have the heart to tell him no, and she didn't even mind the nickname he had used. Instead, she ended up nodding her head, “Yeah, sure we can,”

Emmett cheered loudly and began talking excitedly about seeing a haunted house.

TWILIGHT

One week later

The week has flashed by very fast and very little had happened in that time. Gwen and the Cullen’s had gone to school and acted as though nothing had happened and tried to act as human as possible. Now, with their crests enchanted, they could enter the sun and when they appeared in school on a sunny day, people began to whisper. However, not wanting things to seem too spontaneous, the Cullen’s did go ‘camping’ towards the end of the week. They had only wanted to prove to Bella that they could walk in the sun with no issues. Bella had watched the family intensely all week when they were in, and her eyes also followed Gwen.

Once the weekend had hit, Caitlin had begged the Witch to take her to Port Angeles. Caitlin’s parents had ended her punishment early – and Gwen suspected it was because they could not cope with their daughter’s behaviours in the home. Caitlin had been desperate to get a prom dress – stated that she needed one before all the good ones went. This had gone over Gwen’s head, she had not realised that prom was coming up – though it did make sense why some boys had been looking at her more. Caitlin informed the Witch that the prom was a girl’s choice to ask the boys out and this made Gwen roll her eyes. She was not interested in any of the boys in the school so she was tempted to skip the whole thing but the goth girl had nearly thrown a fit at this.

Dress shopping with a goth was to be expected – she bought a long black and purple flowy dress and black heels. She also raided a nearby Top Shop for dark make-up and accessories. Nothing had caught Gwen’s eyes, so she’d not bought anything. However, it was as they walked down the street looking for food that Caitlin stopped and saw a bookshop.

“That’s it!” Caitlin cheered when she saw the bookshop.

Gwen looked at the shop and noticed the sign, Thunderbird and Whale Bookstore. Confused, she looked to her friend, “What's so exciting about this shop?” This shop did give the Witch some weird vibes, something was not fully right about this shop and it made her nervous.

“Well, I did a little digging on the internet. I’ve seen that this shop has a few books on the occult,” Caitlin said, a mischievous grin in place, “This place should definitely have some information on summoning demons,”

Gwen felt her blood pressure spike, “God dammit,” She muttered under her breath.

Without another word, Caitlin waltzed over to the shop and entered, with the Witch following close behind. The moment Gwen entered the shop, she felt it. There was magic in this shop. Gwen’s eyes immediately darted around the room as if trying to find the source of it. However, Gwen was not allowed to investigate properly, as Caitlin was off looking for books and the Witch followed right behind her, trying to make sure she didn't get an actual book on demons that was accurate.

However, after browsing, Gwen senses another presence entering the store. She looked around and saw that Bella had also entered and headed straight towards the counter.

Discreetly, Gwen used her magic to listen in on the conversation.

“Hi, I ordered a book online and I’m here to pick it up. It should be under Bella Swan,” Bella said lowly to the cashier, but luckily with magic, Gwen was able to hear everything.

“Of course. I’ll just go and grab it,” The cashier said before she left to go into the back.

Bella nodded her head and awkwardly stood by the till. Her eyes darted around the bookshop and that is when she noticed Gwen.

Gwen could feel the burning gaze of Bella and tried her best to ignore this. She would engage in conversation with Caitlin while still trying to listen to Bella, in case she said anything to anyone. However, Bella never said anything, she just stared at Gwen and never took her gaze off her until the cashier came back.

“Found it. It was hard to find this book at first, there are not many books on the Quileute tribe,” The cashier said as she rang up Bella’s order.

Gwen mentally cursed and pulled out her phone. She quickly typed a message to Alice and explained what happened.

Bella just got her hands on a book about the Quileute tribe – Gwen

The response came back instantly.

Is there any way you can steal the book? – Alice

Gwen looked up and frowned, she could steal the book quite easily. All she needed to do was swap the book for a different one, but that would not stop Bella from trying again. However, that would have to be dealt with another time. As the Witch watched Bella leave, she cast a spell and changed the book for a different one – a random one that Gwen spotted. Now, in Gwen’s hands, was the real book that Bella was after. Gwen was about to hide the book but stopped when she noticed the cashier and focused on them. She could feel magic pouring from them – the cashier had magic.

Leaving Caitlin to browse the books for demons, Gwen headed towards the cashier, who smiled at her. However, that smile froze when she felt Gwen's magic.

“You’re a Witch too?” The cashier said, her eyes wide. This cashier looked young, only a few years older than Gwen.

Gwen nodded her head, “Yes,” She briefly looked down at the cashier’s name tag and saw her name was Violet.

Violet beamed, “Your magic feels familiar…” She had a thoughtful expression on her face as if she could not place where.

This made Gwen tense. She knew that this Witch could feel Scarlett’s magic – the protection she’d placed on her when she was young. Any Witch or Warlock that Gwen came across could feel Scarlett's magic on her. This was why she stayed away from Witches because they would know too much and would want to know more. It would attract too much attention, and not all Witches were good and decent people.

“We might have run into each other before,” Gwen lied easily, and she silently hoped that the woman would buy it. “You look familiar,” This was a lie, she had never met this woman before, but she needed her to believe it.

Violet nodded her head and seemed pleased with the reason, “You do look familiar,”

When there was no tingle in her chest, Gwen knew that the woman had believed her lie. “Look, I hate to be a bother, but I felt it best to warn you. That girl you served before, Bella, is digging into supernatural creatures, this isn’t just fiction for her. She can’t have this book,” Gwen slid the book across to Violet, the very one she’d stolen from Bella with her magic.

Horror filled Violet's eyes, “Really?” One very important thing was secrecy. Humans could not find out about the supernatural community. There were few exceptions to the rule, but every supernatural creature knew the importance of keeping their secret as a whole – especially a Witch.

Gwen nodded her head, “Yes, I swapped this book so she couldn’t read it. If she comes back, make sure she doesn't get another copy,” She had to stress this part because that was the worry, that Bella would come back when she wasn’t there to stop it.

“Of course,” Violet said as she took the book back, “I will put a warning out to the other workers – they’re Witches too. We won’t sell a single book to her about any supernatural creatures. We will put the word out across Port Angeles stores as well,” Violet offered with a smile, hoping to reassure the girl.

“Thank you,” Gwen breathed in relief, her shoulders relaxed.

“But won’t she notice something isn’t right when she gets home?” Violet questioned.

“She will,” Gwen nodded her head, “She is too curious for her own good,”

Violet grimaced, as she understood what that meant.

“Also, could you make sure that no books about demons reach that girl,” Gwen muttered lowly as she gestured to her goth friend in the corner, as she browsed some books. Caitlin seemed to be in her own world, as she did not notice as two Witches stared at her.

Violet looked confused, “Demons? Is she crazy?”

“Debatable,” Gwen sighed deeply, “She doesn’t know anything about us, but she’s very interested. I am trying to keep her away from it all,” It was hard work at times, and Caitlin was just as curious as Bella, but Caitlin was her friend. Gwen had taken a different approach with Caitlin – trying to guide her away from the truth.

“Ooh,” Violet said as a look of realisation flashed on her face, “Got it. I’ll make sure we keep the demon books away from her. However, any books we sell on supernatural creatures aren’t accurate anyway,”

“Thank you,” Gwen said sincerely as she walked away.

Gwen walked back over to her goth friend, who still browsed with a disappointed look, “Any luck?”

“No, they don’t seem to have any. I thought I saw one just before,” Caitlin huffed in annoyance. She had been certain she’d just seen a book about demons, but as she went to grab it, it was like she couldn’t find it. She’d scanned the same shelf for ages and nothing.

Gwen looked to Violet, who winked at her.

“Maybe you were seeing things,” Gwen shrugged as she lied, “Wishful thinking,”

“Maybe,” Caitlin sighed as she went to leave the shop.

Gwen gave her silent thanks as she left the shop and Violet shot her a thumbs up. As they left the shop, Gwen could not help but notice how much darker it had got that night. Gwen had not realised how long she and Caitlin had been out, but now the sun was setting and the shadows were getting bigger.

“We should probably get food and head back,” The Witch suggested as she felt her stomach start to rumble in hunger.

Caitlin hummed in agreement and they began to walk.

They made it a few minutes into their journey before Caitlin stopped dead in her tracks. This made Gwen frown as she stopped a few paces away and turned to look at the goth, “You okay?”

“Can you hear that?” Caitlin questioned.

Gwen stayed silent, and she tried to hear what her friend was hearing. She listened in for a few moments. She could hear some roars of engines a little distance away, she could hear just regular street noises and was about to say this, but then she heard something unusual. It was male voices, several of them and another voice that sounded feminine. There was a small shriek from the female.

“That sounded familiar,” Gwen pointed out. Mentally, she thought the voice sounded like Bella but she wasn't completely sure.

“You don’t think whoever it is, is in trouble?” Caitlin asked, looking concerned.

Before Gwen could say anything, there was a louder scream. Instantly, Caitlin took off towards the noise and Gwen cursed loudly and ran after her friend. Gwen noticed that her cell phone vibrated in her pocket several times. She quickly grabbed it, just in case it was her Nana, and saw that it was Alice. While she ran, she debated answering it, but decided against it so she didn’t accidentally lose Caitlin. While magic was her speciality, running was not.

It didn't take them long to come across Bella and three men – men who appeared drunk. They stood too close to Bella and one had grabbed her arm and was holding her close to him. There was a scared look on her face as she tried to get her arm away, but the man would not budge and just moved his face closer to Bella’s face.

“Oi, what the fuck is going on?!” Caitlin yelled out, which caused the men and Bella to jump in surprise.

The men looked scared for a moment, but then they saw it was two girls and leery grins appeared on their drunk faces, “Oh look, more people for the party,” Two men started to walk towards Caitlin and Gwen, eyes glazed over.

“Help!” Bella pleaded as she tried to get out of the man’s grip.

The man looked down at Bella and grinned, “But you’ll miss out on all the fun,” He said as he pulled the girl closer to him.

Gwen watched as the two men walked towards her and Caitlin, a frown on her face. Her friend had no survival skills and could not fight at all. There was no way that Caitlin would be able to fight off a fully-grown man. It seemed as though Caitlin had realised this as she started to back away, fear in her eyes.

“Shit,” Caitlin muttered lowly.

“Go and get help,” Gwen ordered her friend, as she silently made a plan in her head. She could easily deal with these men with her magic, but she wanted Caitlin out of the way. There was no way she wanted to expose her friend to anything she shouldn’t see.

Caitlin shook her head, “No way! I am not leaving you,”

Mentally cursing, Gwen had to act quick. Caitlin would not leave – that much Gwen was certain – and the two men were getting closer by every second. They stumbled a lot, evidently drunk out of their minds. This made things easy. With a quick spell, Gwen used her magic and made the men trip up and fall over and they landed on their faces, their arms moving too slow to break their fall.

This drew the attention of the man who held onto Bella, “Huh? What happened?” He blinked slowly as his brain struggled to keep up.

Seeing an opportunity, Bella kicked the man in the shin and he let go, as he yowled in pain. Bella used this chance to put some distance between them.

“Bella, get out of here, now!” Gwen ordered the mortal as she motioned for Bella to move.

Without another thought, Bella ran off. She stumbled a few times but managed to get away. With her out of the way, and her stood behind Caitlin, Gwen used her magic and made all the men trip up and fall to the floor once more. However, before Gwen could do anything else, Edward, Emmett and Rosalie appeared out of nowhere. The two male Vampires stood in front of the two girls, while Rosalie checked on them, her golden eyes looked over Caitlin and Gwen and was happy to see nothing amiss - no rumpled clothing and no injuries. When the drunk men saw Edward and Emmett, they immediately scampered off, especially when they saw how scary Emmett looked.

“Bella was here as well, but she ran off,” Gwen told Edward and Rosalie, who were the closest to her.

“I saw her with Jessica and Angela. She is fine,” Edward muttered back so that Caitlin did not overhear.

Caitlin looked at the Cullen's in shock. “Huh?”

Rosalie took this in stride, “We were in the area and Gwen texted us that something was happening. We wanted to make sure everything was okay,” Her smile was dazzling, and Caitlin ate up what the Vampire said with no question.

“Good thinking,” Caitlin looked to Gwen with a grateful expression, “Because I honestly don’t know what I would have done,” As the adrenaline left her body, she was left shaken and her knees started to weaken.

Sensing this, Emmett spoke up, “We’ll walk you back to your car, maybe you guys should head home,” He ushered them away from the clearing, his eyes looking around as he made sure the men did not come back. He, Rosalie and Edward could still hear as the men ran off, as they hadn’t stopped – they’d stumbled a few times but were nowhere close. However, he did not want to take any chances.

It did not take them long to find Gwen’s car – and Rosalie’s car was parked right beside hers. Caitlin had been in awe of the Cullen’s the entire time and had not questioned anything about them either. She seemed quite thankful that they were there and spent most of the time staring at Rosalie with a dazed expression. With Caitlin in the car, Gwen nodded her thanks to the siblings before they made the drive back to Forks. Gwen dropped off Caitlin, and they both agreed to not tell her parents anything. The less they knew the better. If they knew that Caitlin had nearly been attacked by three men, it would have not gone well.

When Gwen saw Tilly on her drive back home, she relaxed fully. She’d not been scared for herself but for Caitlin. She was scared that Caitlin would discover her secret. Tilly had opened the door for her and locked it behind her. Gwen patted the side of the door in thanks and she smelt food in the area – and it made her hungry once more.

“Nana?” Gwen called as she walked further into the house. She saw a light flash in the kitchen – Tilly was telling her that Nana was in the kitchen.

As she walked into the kitchen, she saw Nana on the phone to someone. Nana briefly looked at her and smiled before she turned to Liam, who had been the one to call her, “Liam, she is back now. Don’t worry, I told you everything would be fine,” With a fond roll of eyes, “I love you too, now go back to your job,” With that, she pressed a button on the phone and put it down.

“Is everything okay?” Gwen asked as she grabbed a drink of water from the sink.

“There’s been an attack near the fishing docks in Seattle. A man has been killed. It is suspected to be an animal attack,” Bethany explained with a grim expression.

“But it’s not an animal attack,” Gwen said as she caught Nana’s tone.

Bethany nodded her head, “It is a Coven of nomadic Vampires. Three of them. Be careful of them, do not underestimate the redhead,” There was something about her tone that sent a shiver down Gwen’s spine. It was a warning – a very clear warning.

“I’ll be fine, Nana,” Gwen said as she tried to reassure her Nana.

Bethany said nothing for a moment and her lips thinned, “Gwen, your protection ends at eighteen years old. It won’t always be like it is now,” Her tone was reprimanding, as though she was scolding the teen.

This made Gwen tense, “I am aware of that,” She said back harshly, her eyes narrowed. She was fully aware that the protection that was placed over her when she was a child would end – and it was getting close by every day. It would fade away as though it never existed – it had always come with an expiration date. However, she was not vulnerable, and her magic would be there to help her. It was something she’d been training her whole life for, it was why she put so much effort into her spell casting because she knew that one day, she would lose her biggest shield.

Tilly’s cupboards slammed shut and the lights dimmed – she did not like it when Bethany and Gwen fought.

Bethany’s expression softened, “I know. I know that you know. I am sorry, I think I am just stressed,” She offered a weak smile.

“I’m sorry for snapping back too,” Gwen said sheepishly, she knew she could not stay mad at her Nana for long.

“I know, and thank you,” Bethany said grateful, before she clapped her hands, “Now, how was the shopping trip?”

“It was fine. I managed to stop Bella from getting a book about the Quileute tribe from a local bookshop. Turns out it’s a Witch that works there, she said she put the word to not allow Bella anywhere near any type of books like that, so I count that as a win.” Gwen grinned victoriously, “And then we also stopped Bella from getting attacked,”

“That girl really does attract trouble,” Bethany muttered under her breath.

Gwen nodded in agreement, “I also got Caitlin blacklisted from bookstores as well, so she can’t buy any more books about demons,” This made her laugh as she knew how frustrated Caitlin would become the longer, she could not get answers.

Bethany pulled a face.

“What’s with the face?” Gwen questioned with a frown.

“What face?” Bethany asked innocently. “I didn't pull a face,”

There was a tingle in Gwen’s chest and she shot her Nana a look. It was a look that was filled with exasperation as she had caught her Nana in a lie. She raised her brow and crossed her arms over her chest as she waited. “What is your issue with Caitlin?” Ever since she’d first made friends with the goth girl, her Nana had always acted weird. She’s not encouraged the relationship with Caitlin and seems so judgemental. Gwen had thought it was because Caitlin was a goth, but she suspected it was something more.

Bethany opened her mouth to refute this but stopped and sighed deeply. “I don’t trust her, that’s why,”

This made Gwen stand up straighter. This was the first she had ever heard of this and it put her on edge, “What do you mean?” She had assumed her Nana’s issues were her putting down roots by making friends, by getting involved with a mortal. However, she’d not protested when she made friends with Alice, though she now understood it was because her future involved them – to what extent she did not know.

“I don’t have visions of her. Any vision I do have, she’s not there,” Bethany explained with a frown, as she could not make sense of it either. It had been rattling in her brain for a while, but she had chosen to remain silent as Gwen really seemed to like the girl. She did not want to get in the way of her ward making friends.

“Oh,” Gwen frowned, confused by this answer. “Why do you think that is?”

Bethany shook her head, “I don’t know why. I have been trying to find reasons, and I even reached out to your mother, but I haven’t heard back,”

Gwen pulled a face and rolled her eyes. Of course, Scarlett had not answered back.

“Gwen,” Bethany began, a reprimanding expression on her face.

“I'm tired, I am going to head to bed,” Gwen announced as she went upstairs, leaving her glass on the side. This disappeared as Tilly put it away.

Bethany watched her go with a sad expression.

Chapter Text

The next day

Gwen lay in bed and didn't want to move. It had been a late night, going through her grimoires and practising more spells. However, there had been a specific spell she had been looking for, she had sworn she’d seen it before but she still had a lot of grimoires to go through. She had also called Alice after she’d gone up to her room and informed her about how she had intercepted Bella from getting a book on the Quileute tribe. Alice had told her that she’d passed this on to Carlisle so he could speak with Billy – who had not taken the news well but seemed more receptive than he had been before. Alice and Gwen theorised that he was coming to the realisation that Bella was becoming an issue and how this could cause issues between Billy and Charlie. They both theorised that this is why Billy had been so reluctant to engage with what was said previously. However, there was no avoiding the truth, especially when it stared directly at you.

The Witch had wanted a lazy day and planned to stay in. But then her phone buzzed, indicating that someone had messaged her. Mentally, Gwen cursed whoever it was as she wondered who was messaging her on a Sunday. Looking at the phone, she saw that it was Alice's text.

There is meant to be a storm tonight and we’re going to play baseball, do you want to join us? – Alice

This piqued her interest and the idea of a lazy day no longer appealed to her. Gwen looked at the text message and mentally debated about whether or not she wanted to join.

Yeah, I am down, what time are we meeting? – Gwen

The response was almost instantaneous.

Great! Come by the house at 1pm, the storm will be happening soon after that – Alice.

Gwen looked at the time and saw that she still had a couple of hours before she had to leave and decided to stay in bed longer. Mentally, she wondered what baseball would be like between a family of Vampires and it made her excited. She got out of bed and started to put together her outfit, some blue jeggings, a long-sleeved white turtle neck and a brown jacket. Gwen began her usual morning routine by putting one contact lens in her eye and putting her hair up in a low bun. Happy with how she looked, Gwen headed downstairs for something to eat.

“Morning Nana,” Gwen greeted her caretaker and then patted the side of the doorway, “Morning, Tilly,”

The lights flickered for a moment and Tilly turned on the kettle, no doubt knowing Gwen would want a morning hot drink.

Bethany rolled her eyes at Tilly’s actions, but she looked to her ward and smiled, “Good morning, Firefly. Did you sleep well?”

Gwen nodded her head as she made her drink, “I did, by the way, did we hear back about the ‘animal attack’ from last night?”

“Yes,” Bethany answered as she sipped from her own mug, “It seemed to be one person has been killed. Liam shared how the victim was drained of all blood, but everyone who doesn’t know the truth assumes it is just an animal. The news will be saying how it is a mountain lion, or something close to it,” Liam had worked through the night and had messaged his grandmother then he was home safe and well. There didn't seem to be any evidence of the true culprit, except for the victim being drained of blood. There were very few people who knew the truth about what happened, and everyone else was none the wiser and would believe the tale made up.

“Do you think the nomads are going to attack any more people, or will they just pass through?” Gwen asked, curious to know the threat level of them.

Bethany frowned as she thought about her answer, “It fully depends. You know that the future is not always certain, it depends on choices people make.” The future was fickle and ever-changing, and taxing on the body to see. There were many times were people’s futures changed because they made a choice, some more predictable and others less so. However, there were also certain events that were set in stone, that were unavoidable.

Gwen hummed as she thought about it. “Hey, Nana, have you ever tried to see Scarlett’s future?” She asked as a random thought popped into her head. She had never asked this before but now that she’d thought about it, she was quite curious to know.

Bethany blinked for a few moments in shock and made a sound of surprise. She had not been expecting this question, but answered it regardless as it was easy, “I have, and I’ve seen nothing,”

“What?” Gwen looked at her confused.

“Whenever I have tried to see into Scarlett’s future, I get nothing. There is just darkness and blankness. I have tried it a few times. I suspect that Scarlett is cloaked with magic, so people cannot predict anything about her,” Bethany shared as she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

Gwen made a sound of understanding, it made sense. She then remembered her plans for the day and looked to her caretaker, “Just to let you know, I am going to play baseball with the Cullen’s later, I will be back later,”

“Oh,” Bethany said as a flash of disappointment appeared in her eyes, but it was quickly gone, “I thought we might spend the day together,” It had been a while since it was just the two of them and she thought it would be good to catch up.

“I can cancel the plans if you want?” Gwen offered immediately. She would be lying if she said she wouldn’t be disappointed. She really wanted to play baseball with the Cullen's, but she quickly realised it had been a while since she spent time with her Nana. Most of her time had been taken up by them and she hadn’t spent as much time with her Nana as she usually would before Forks.

Before Bethany could reply, her eyes glazed over and her body seized up. Her whole body went stiff and there was mild jerking of limbs, her eyes darted back and forth and her fists clenched. Gwen watched this happen without worry as she knew that her Nana was having a vision. Instead, she chose to wait it out and keep an eye on her Nana, and stayed close just in case she fell over. There had been a few times Bethany had fallen over after a powerful vision as she needed time to come out of it. This one lasted a few minutes and by the time it was over, Bethany was sweating and she was weak-kneed. Gwen quickly went into action and she held onto her Nana and gently guided her back to a nearby seat – a seat that had magically appeared thanks to Tilly. Bethany shakily regained her breath as she leaned back into her seat, and fully relaxed.

“Thank you,” Bethany patted her ward’s arm in thanks. Her breathing was shallow as she regained her bearings.

“No worries, are you okay?” Gwen asked as she watched over to Nana. “Do you need anything?”

“A drink wouldn’t go amiss,” Bethany grinned weakly.

In an instant, a cup of water appeared on the table beside Bethany. Gwen looked around and smiled, “Thank you, Tilly,” Whenever Bethany had a vision and had trouble regaining her strength, that was the only time Tilly seemed to be sweet on the older woman. If Tilly and Bethany were in an argument it would stop the moment, she was having a vision. It would pick up only when Tilly was sure Bethany was okay.

Gwen took the glass and held it up to Bethany’s mouth, who tried to take the glass for herself but her strength had not come back just yet. Instead, Bethany allowed her ward to help her drink and she gulped down the cool water with ease. After a few seconds, Gwen pulled the water away and she also grabbed Nana’s sugary sweets that she liked to have. Shortbread was a favourite of Bethany’s so she grabbed two and handed them to the woman.

Bethany’s eyes lit up when she saw her little treat, “You are a dear, my firefly,” She quickly munched on the biscuit with gusto and was now able to hold them on her own.

“I can stay behind if you like, I don’t mind,” Gwen offered, going back to what they were speaking about before. She knew how much her Nana hated people fretting over her, so Gwen had learned to be tactile over the years.

“No, go play your baseball.” Bethany insisted with a shake of her head.

Gwen looked at her dubiously, “Are you sure?” Her Nana was not lying to her, that much she was certain about.

“Absolutely, I would prefer if you went and saw the Cullen family,” Bethany said with a smile and she patted her ward’s shoulders.

“What did you see?” Gwen instantly asked. She wondered whether the vision was what caused her to change her mind, and wondered what she’d seen.

Bethany shook her head, “Mind your business. Now, go on your way,” She dismissed the Witch with a wave of her hands, which were now free as she'd eaten all her shortbread.

With a frown, Gwen nodded her head and grabbed the rest of her stuff. It was time to make her way over to the Cullen residence anyway. She made sure to bring some potions with her in case she needed them, and she wore some comfy trainers in case they had to walk. Gwen hoped that one of the Vampires would give her a lift on their backs. When she was ready to go, Gwen looked into the kitchen one last time.

“Nana, are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Gwen asked again.

Bethany rolled her eyes, “Yes, I am sure, now get out, you’re annoying me,” There was no malice behind her words and they were all in jest, something Gwen did not need her powers to know as there was a tingle in her chest -.

“Okay, I’ll be back later. I could always bunk off school tomorrow and we could spend the day together,” Gwen suggested. She knew that Bethany would not be fussed about her missing one day of school. She was already ahead of her peers so one day would not affect anything.

Bethany smiled gently, her expression softened, “That sounds nice, Firefly. Now go and enjoy yourself,”

Just as Gwen was leaving, she looked to Tilly and patted the wall, “Keep an eye on her for me, will you?”

Tilly’s porch light turned on brightly, indicating she would do what was asked. With a smile, Gwen left and got into her car, driving off to the Cullen family’s house.

TWILIGHT

The moment Gwen was parked outside the Cullen residence, Alice was out the door in a matter of seconds, and she stood on the side with a massive grin. She was excited to play baseball with the family, but also have Gwen there. The Witch noticed she was dressed in a jersey that was blue and white striped and a matching hat on her head.

“Well, you look ready to play baseball,” Gwen commented as she locked her car.

“Of course!” Alice chirped back, “We don’t get to play as often as we want, weather-depending, so when we do, we always have fun,”

Gwen looked up to the sky and noticed how the storm clouds had gathered. In the beginning, Gwen had doubted there would be a storm, but when the Witch had stepped outside, she had felt it. She could feel something building in the air, and Gwen suspected this was because of her connection with the element. No doubt the thunder and lightning would come soon, and with every second, Alice’s excitement seemed to grow.

“Come on, I have a jersey and hat for you too,” Alice said as she dragged Gwen into her home.

All of this took about an hour, as Esme wanted to make sure Gwen had eaten and had cooked up a lovely meal. It was French toast and some fruit, something the Witch had devoured in minutes with how good it was. Esme had beamed in happiness and Carlisle had updated Gwen on what was happening in La Push. Billy had tightened the security around the legends and educated the younger ones on the importance of secrecy and not sharing any of this with outsiders. Jacob had been grounded and given a massive lecture. Billy and the tribe had also promised to locate any books regarding their legends and get them back home where they belonged.

It was Emmett who carried Gwen on his back to the field where they’d play. Gwen had been laughing the entire time, high on adrenaline. It was Edward who stayed close to them as he wanted to make sure Emmett was careful. Edward had explained that sometimes when Emmett got too excited, he could forget his own strength but this did not worry the Witch at all. Emmett gently kneeled down so Gwen could get off his back once they’d come across a clearing in the forest. Gwen got off his back looked around and marvelled at it. There was a layout for the baseball court, with the four bases as well as the raised ground in the middle for the pitcher. Some parts were overgrown, especially the grass, but otherwise, it looked well cared for and well-used.

“This looks cool,” Gwen commented as she looked around with a grin on her face, “How do you do this then?”

“Alice is the pitcher,” Edward explained as he stood the closest to the Witch.

“Because she’s a dirty cheat!” Emmett boomed back with a laugh, especially when Alice looked at him offended.

“I do not cheat!” Alice yelled back and looked to her husband for backup.

However, Jasper shrugged his shoulders, “I can’t say he's wrong,” There was a cheeky grin on his face, one that was filled with mischief.

Alice looked at them in betrayal but soon started to laugh as well. With her power, she would know the outcome within seconds and would know if any tricks were used. In fact, she quite liked being the ball pitcher so she wasn’t too bothered. There would be times when she joined in, and she liked to annoy certain members of her family – like Emmett and Edward.

“Esme is usually the umpire,” Edward continued to explain as he smiled at his mother.

“Because there are quite a few cheaters on this team,” Esme said as she looked to several members of the family, even her own husband. Carlisle whistled innocently, as though he hadn’t heard what his wife said.

“Really?” Gwen's eyebrow raised in shock.

Esme hummed in response, “Of course, everyone in this family is competitive,” While her tone was light and humorous, there was a warmness in her eyes as she looked at her family. Rosalie and Jasper were probably the most competitive in the family and very good at strategy. Edward and Emmett were not far behind as well as Carlisle. Despite his calm nature, Carlisle could get into the game as well but he can take a loss better than anyone else could. Alice always had a knowing air around her and seemed to go with the flow. Esme would admit that she was competitive herself, though she liked seeing her family happy more than anything else.

“Now, that does not surprise me,” Gwen laughed as she looked around. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits, even Rosalie had a smile on her face and hadn’t scowled at the Witch.

Emmett looked to Esme, “You going to play, mom?” He asked with a pleading expression. There was an odd number and Esme would always sit out and play umpire because everyone was so keen to play.

“If Gwen doesn’t mind being the umpire,” Esme said as she looked down at the Witch.

Gwen nodded her head, “I don’t mind, I can make sure none of you cheat,” She answered with a wicked grin on her face.

Emmett’s face lit up, “Yes! I call Mom on my team!” He yelled as he ran around in excitement. He picked Esme up and sat her on his shoulders, with Esme laughed as her son carried her around the field.

Carlisle looked around and sent a thankful look towards Gwen, and the Witch nodded her head in acknowledgement.

Gwen watched as they worked out the teams and how they worked as a Coven. It was quite interesting to watch and fascinated Gwen. Carlisle was leader of the Coven and he led with Esme, and it was obvious that both were very respected and loved by the other members. Carlisle would often look to Esme for input and wouldn’t speak over her.  Eventually, the teams were agreed upon. Alice would be the pitcher – no surprise there – and the two teams were led by Emmett and Carlisle. On Emmett’s team were Esme and Jasper. On Carlisle’s team were Rosalie and Edward. Gwen noticed how the mates were kept apart – and especially how Jasper and Rosalie were kept apart as well.

“Are we playing yet?” Rosalie asked, almost impatiently.

Before Alice could say anything, there was a faint roar of thunder in the background. “It’s time,” Alice announced with a grin, her eyes bright in excitement.

“Spooky,” Emmett muttered with a grin, he looked to Gwen and winked at her.

Gwen shook her head and smiled. She was very much used to this behaviour, as she’d grown up with her Nana doing very similar things.

“You ready?” Edward asked the Witch.

“Of course, now go and play,” Gwen waved him off dismissively as she got into position.

Edward nodded his head and went off into the field with Rosalie, appearing near her within seconds. It was Emmett’s team that would bat first. Carlisle stood behind Emmett to catch the ball if needed – though it wouldn’t – and the game started when there was a loud roar of thunder a flash of thunder that was much closer to Forks.

Gwen could feel the static in the air, and it excited her and she felt her magic hum as she used a spell to keep up with everything. This spell was directed towards her eyes, to allow her to see at max speed – a personal spell from Scarlett’s Grimoires. Mortal eyes would not be able to keep up with everything, and Gwen suspected the family would cheat if given the chance and she did not want to be pushover.

Emmett was first up to bat, and he confidently swung the bat in practice. He would flex in a very melodramatic way that would cause most of them to laugh. When Alice smiled, she delicately danced as she threw the ball, almost like a ballerina, and threw the ball at such a powerful and impressive speed. Gwen blinked and Emmett had already hit the ball hard, the sound that vibrated sounded almost like thunder itself and that is when she realised exactly why they needed a thunderstorm to cover up the sound, as it would attract attention. With how hard the ball had been hit, Gwen would have thought it to be homerun, but Edward surprised her with how fast he was – he was much faster than an average Vampire, or anyone else in his family.

“He is the fastest, among us,” Esme told the Witch, as she could see the amazement on her face. “Just like Emmett hits the hardest,”

Gwen blinked slowly, “He is very fast. Looks like it may be close,” She watched very carefully, her magic pulsed behind her eyes. This would allow her to keep up with the movements. Emmett was already on his way back to fourth base, and nearly about to make a home run, but Edward sped back too quickly and just managed to get Emmett out at the last second.

“Out,” Gwen called out. She did not need to shout as they’d all hear her even if she whispered.

“Hah!” Edward grinned as he looked down at Emmett.

Emmett huffed and pulled an unhappy face, but then looked to Gwen and winked at her. He wasn’t mad at her. Gwen grinned and shook her head at him. Edward was running rings around Emmett and laughing at him, and Emmett was trying to swipe at him but couldn't catch the faster Vampire. It wasn’t often she saw Edward so carefree but it suited him.

Edward spotted her and grinned. In a second, he appeared beside her as Esme went to go and stand next to her team to give Edward some time with Gwen.

“What’s your thoughts?” Edward asked, eager to know.

“It looks fun,” Gwen said genuinely, as she looked around and saw all the happy faces. “I didn't expect you to be so fast,”

Edward grinned, pride flashing in his golden eyes, “Thank you,” He seemed to have wanted to say something else, but he was stopped when Jasper came up to bat and he quickly shot back out on the field when Rosalie barked at him to get back in position.

“Though I do think Edward might be showing off a bit,” Esme commented lowly as she walked back over to the Witch, though she knew everyone could hear her.

“Shocking,” Gwen mumbled not surprised by what she said. She could totally see Edward showing off. She watched him for a moment and couldn't help but smile at how carefree he seemed.

The whole Coven seemed to take a step back when Jasper took the stage. They were all tense as they waited for Alice to throw the ball. Alice kissed the ball before she threw it towards her Mate, the ball coming to the Vampire at a blinding speed. Jasper held strong and hit the ball with ease, and the ball was sent flying into the distance and this set Rosalie and Edward into action. Acting fast, Jasper dropped the bat and sped around the pitch. Rosalie and Edward ran to the ball, with the Blonde Vampire attempting to take the lead, but it caused her and Edward to bump into one another. The sound alone vibrated loudly in the area, as if the metal had crashed into metal and made Gwen wince slightly at the sound. Both Vampires quickly righted themselves, but it was too late as Jasper crossed the finishing line seconds after Rosalie threw the ball to Carlisle.

“Safe!” Gwen shouted out.

Jasper grinned widely as Emmett screamed in excitement and started to mock the other team. Emmett and Jasper high-fived one another with a booming slap and both sent smug looks towards Rosalie and Edward.  Rosalie scoffed and rolled her eyes, where Edward looked annoyed, they’d lost that round. Alice laughed at her family’s antics, as did Esme. Carlisle laughed loudly when he saw how put out Edward and Rosalie seemed.

“Mom, it’s your turn,” Emmett said excitedly as he passed the bat to Esme.

Esme took it with grace, “Thank you, dear,” She said as she got up into position to bat. This quickly caused everyone to follow her and get into position.

“Good luck, love,” Carlisle said before behind Esme, a grin on his face.

“I think you need it more than I do,” Esme grinned back and winked at him.

Alice threw the ball and this brought everything back. Esme hit the ball and was off like a shot the moment the ball was hit. She knew how fast her children were and needed to make it back as quick as she could. She could see Edward already in action as he chased after the ball and knew she’d have seconds at best. Emmett was screaming in encouragement and Jasper was cheering as well, as they called out her name. Rosalie and Edward both jumped into action and seemed more aware of each other than before and seemed to be in synch instead of working against one another – both motivated as they wanted to get back at Emmett for gloating. Edward managed to get hold of the ball and sent it flying back towards Carlisle with precise speed. The ball landed in Carlisle’s hands just a moment before Esme managed to cross the last base.

“Out!” Gwen called.

Emmett screamed in horror and Jasper shook his head in disappointment. They’d been so close to winning. Jasper had hoped that Edward and Rosalie would be at war with each other more, but instead, they’d teamed up and worked well.

“That was fun,” Esme breathed out, a happy grin on her face.

“You did wonderfully,” Carlisle said as he came up behind her, and kissed her cheek. He couldn't help but grin exactly as she did.

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” Esme mocked rolling her eyes, but there was too much affection and amusement in her golden eyes to truly make it seem genuine.

“I only speak the truth,” Carlisle grinned in return.

Edward appeared by Gwen’s side, and the Witch nearly jumped at the speed, but this was something she had come to expect now, and so held her nerve. Edward had a grin on his face, and his golden eyes were bright, “You look like you’re having fun,”

“Because it seems fun,” Gwen said, a smile on her face as she watched as the Coven interacted with one another. They all seemed so happy, and carefree with one another.

“Sometimes, I really wish I could read your mind,” Edward said suddenly.

Gwen looked at him and arched a brow, “We’ve already covered this,”

Edward nodded his head, “I know, but sometimes I feel like you're a mystery to me. I still have so many questions,”

“Well it’s a good job we have plenty of time,” Gwen shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Edward said as he zoomed off, it was his team's turn to bat, and he wanted a chance to get back at the other team – especially Jasper.

It was Rosalie who was first up to bat, and the thunder roared in the background, hiding them away from human ears. It was Esme who stood behind Rosalie, as now Carlisle had a chance to bat. However, just as Alice was about to throw the ball, she froze as she had a vision. Edward’s head snapped in his sister’s direction as a worried expression was etched onto his face.

“Stop, we need to stop!” Alice called out, clear shock on her face.

“Why? What did you see?” Jasper asked immediately as he looked around, his eyes scanning for any threats. His wife would not react like that without cause, even after being together for so long, her mind always amazed him, as well as the spectrum of emotions that she felt.

“Nomads, they’re on their way over,” Edward answered grimly, he had seen Alice’s vision with his ability and he agreed that they needed to stop.

“They weren’t meant to head our way,” Alice shook her head.

“What changed then?” Rosalie asked with a frown.

“They heard us,” Alice answered with a similar expression.

“How many?” Carlisle questioned with a frown.

“Three,” Alice answered, “They were just passing through and were about to leave, but they heard us and turned around. They want to join in,” While this statement seemed innocent, it did not settle well with some of the Coven – especially Edward and Jasper.

“Are they the nomads that killed that human by the boats?” Gwen questioned out of curiosity. Her Nana had warned her about this, and this warning flashed in her mind.

Edward nodded his head, “Yes,”

Emmett scoffed, “It is only three of them, we can take them,” He was confident in their chances that if anything happened, like a fight, they could handle it.

“He’s right, we have the advantage,” Jasper agreed with a nod of his head.

“It may not come to that,” Carlisle reasoned, as he thought about this calmly, “They may just be curious and once they see what is happening, they may leave.” Not all Vampire interactions ended in violence, some were curious about their lifestyle. Some Vampires were more gracious than others and did not cause any issues when they passed a territory, but there could be some that did not care for human life. However, Nomad Vampires tended to be more feral and could cause issues if the situation escalated.

Emmett grumbled under his breath, disappointed, and Rosalie rolled her eyes at her husband’s actions.

“My Nana warned me of something, she said to be careful of the redhead,” Gwen added, as she thought this may in useful.

This made Carlisle and Alice appear thoughtful as they took in the Witch’s word. Edward’s expression remained grim, as he pondered Gwen’s words, and something heavy settled in his chest.

“Are they friendly to Witches?” Gwen asked, curious to know whether she would need to defend herself. Nomad Vampires were still governed by the Volturi, but that does not always mean they played by the rules. Vampires were safe as long as the Volturi did not learn of their discretion, though most times they did.

“I don’t know,” Alice answered her friend honestly. She had seen the Nomads approach them but did not see any interaction.

Edward's head snapped in the other direction, and his eyes darkened, “They're approaching,” He could hear three separate thoughts, one female and two males.

Gwen had very little time to react before the Coven reacted to Edward’s words. They got closer together, and each held a relaxed posture, one that betrayed how they’d reacted earlier. It was not lost on Gwen how when they stood close to one another, it would make it appear as though they were a united front – an unmovable wall. However, she was in the middle of them, slightly hidden. Within seconds of them doing this, three figures appeared from the forest, and then Gwen saw them. The first thing that Gwen noticed was the red eyes – they stood out alarmingly. They were vibrant and violent. The Witch had met red-eyed Vampires before, but after spending so much time with the Cullen’s, she was not used to seeing red eyes. 

It unsettled her, especially with the way one of the male Vampires stared at them all. His eyes scanned them all, as though he was analysing them.

Suddenly, she felt calm – unnaturally calm. Gwen discreetly glanced at Jasper and knew he had felt her unease. However, Jasper was not only using his powers on the Witch, but his wife. Alice had become unnerving still, and it worried him.

There was one female Vampire, she had vibrant curly orange hair that resembled fire. Her appearance was striking, especially being surrounded by the greenery, and she was beautiful. The second male, the one that the female Vampire stood the closest to, stood out, but for another reason. Compared to the red-haired beauty, he looked plain, but there was something about him that stood out. He had light brown hair cropped short, and Gwen noted how he wore no shoes. The word that stuck out the most to the Witch was feral. The last Vampire was tall, only slightly shorter than the other male Vampire. He had a slight olive tone to his pale skin, dark hair and an easy smile. He appeared the friendliest out of the nomads, but this did not put Gwen at ease.

“Good evening,” The third Vampire said, his voice portraying a slight French accent. He bowed his head respectfully, as he looked at the Coven, but his eyes stopped on Gwen for a moment longer than what she liked. “We heard a game that caught our interest. I am Laurent, and they are James and Victoria,” He motioned to the two other Vampires behind him.

James’ eyes swept the Coven, guarded but also interested. It was Victoria that was the most unreadable out of all three of them.

“Hello, my name is Carlisle,” Carlisle said as he stepped forward ever so slightly to draw more attention to himself. This worked as Victoria and James’ eyes locked onto the Coven Leader, “And this is my family, Esme, Emmett, Edward, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice and Gwen,” He motioned to his Coven, not drawing attention to anyone in particular.

“Is there any room for any more players?” Laurent asked in a pleasant tone, his eyes soft and his posture relaxed.

Carlisle smiled calmly, but his family could see he was guarded, “Actually, we just finished playing, but there is next time. Do you plan on staying?”

“We were heading north,” Laurent explained as he continued to speak for his other companions, “But we were curious as we have not run into other Vampires in some time,”

Subtly, Edward looked to Gwen and she nodded her head ever so slightly, Laurent was telling the truth.

Carlisle nodded his head in understanding, “This region is usually empty except for us and the occasional visitor, like yourselves,”

Gwen’s eyes swept around, she noted how the nomad Vampires seemed to relax. She suspected this had something to do with Jasper’s gift, and wondered whether they saw this Coven as a threat. From what she understood about Vampire Covens, the Cullen Coven was quite large. Members could also be quite intimidating. She wanted to know what they were thinking, and for a moment she nearly laughed because she sounded like Edward. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Edward, but she tried to make this action look as minute as possible so as not to draw attention to herself.

Edward’s eyes were focused on the nomads – especially James. Edward’s golden eyes had darkened ever so slightly and there was a tenseness in his shoulders that was unnoticeable unless someone was looking for it. Gwen could instantly tell that Edward did not trust James or any of these nomads, but James seemed to ire the mind-reader a lot.

“What is your hunting range?” Lauren asked, curious.

Carlisle answered with ease, “The Olympic range here, up and down the Coast Rangers on occasion. We keep a permanent residence close by, there is also another permanent residence up near Denali,”

This piqued Gwen’s interest, but also the nomads. Laurent seemed to swing in his place, and James and Victoria exchanged surprised expressions. Laurent looked at Carlisle in wonder, “How do you manage that?”

“Why don’t we head back to our home and we can talk about this more?” Esme offered with a kind smile.

“That sounds very interesting and welcome. We have been hunting for some time, since Ontario, and we haven’t had the chance to clean up in a while,” Laurent almost grimaced at their appearance, especially when compared to the pristine appearance of the Cullen Vampires.

James frowned, whereas Victoria couldn't seem to agree more. She looked down at her clothing – haggard and ripped in places and nodded her head in agreement.

“While here, we kindly not ask that you refrain from hunting in the immediate area. We have to stay inconspicuous, which I imagine you understand.” Carlisle said with a smile, a tone that left no room for argument.

Laurent nodded his head, “Of course, we wouldn’t encroach on your territory. Besides, we ate just outside of Seattle,”

Gwen’s thoughts immediately went to the man who had been found dead. He lived in Forks and this was also the murder that Liam and the Forks police department were looking into. That was too close for comfort, a sentiment that Edward seemed to share as his golden eyes darkened and his jaw clenched. This action seemed to catch James’ attention as he smirked at the mind-reader. At the smirk, Edward moved closer to Gwen, his figure basically blocking her from view.

This caught all three of the nomad’s attention, as their red eyes zeroed in on Edward and Gwen. James closed his eyes took in a large breath and his eyes quickly opened and darted to where Gwen stood, “I cannot place your scent…” There was wonder in his tone, one of bewilderment and excitement. “Are you a snack?”

This question set several Vampires of the Coven off, Alice hissed lowly, her eyes ablaze with anger, and Edward crouched low, ready to pounce and attack at a moment nice. Both of their eyes were black. Most of the Coven had followed suit at the insinuation that she was their next meal – the only Vampires who had stayed calm were Jasper, Carlisle and Esme, but there was a tension in their shoulders – especially Esme. Gwen remained calm – though she suspected this was Jasper’s influence.

“Certainly not a snack,” Gwen quipped back as her magic pulsed beneath her skin, ready for action, “I don’t go down easily,”

James smirked, amused, “Is that so?”

Victoria hissed something under her breath, but Gwen did not catch this. Whatever she said made James frown as he examined the Witch with a careful eye.

“She says you're dangerous,” Edward muttered lowly, his gaze never leaving James. There was caution in his eyes, his shoulders taunt with tension.

“She’s not wrong,” Gwen smirked in response, as she watched James carefully. Gwen’s thoughts echoed Nana’s warning – how did Victoria know that she was dangerous? This made the Witch suspicious and glad that Nana had given her this nugget of information.

“What are you?” Laurent asked, his gaze curious – but not in the same hungry way that James was looking at her. He knew she was not human – no human would be that confident in the presence of Vampires.

For a moment, Gwen debated her answer. Her scent was hidden thanks to the herbs that her Nana made for her so this made it very hard for creatures of the supernatural community to identify her, and her presence was meant to be a secret. However, there was a possibility that knowing she was a Witch could de-escalate the situation. The Treaty would also stop anything from getting worse, as they could not harm her under the Treaty between Witches and Vampires.

However, Carlisle answered for her, “She is family, and is off limits,” He said, his tone forceful and commanding, his golden eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

Gwen looked to the Coven Leader in surprise, not just for his words, but the sincerity behind them. He was not lying, he genuinely saw her as family and considered her to be part of his family. This touched her, and she was filled with an overwhelming sense of happiness that even took her breath away. She did not doubt for a moment that Jasper could feel this and glanced at him subtly, but his gaze was trained on the threat before him.

“But she’s human,” Victoria said, a sneer in her tone.

“Not a human, a Witch,” Gwen corrected as she stared Victoria in the eyes. As she was doing this, she saw the surprise flash in her eyes, and she took a step back. Laurent seemed to follow in her footsteps, but James did the opposite.

James took a step forward, “A Witch, you say?” His tone was amused and intrigued.

Edward snarled in his direction, he could see into James’ thoughts and they disgusted him. He knew exactly what James was – he was a hunter, a tracker. He loved the sport of hunting someone down and killing them. He liked to toy with his food and make them suffer before he ended it. James saw his prey and hunting as a game to play with him. Edward was sickened at the thoughts he was having – James now saw Gwen as a challenge.

“Yes, so under the laws of Treaty, you cannot touch her,” Carlisle added in, forcefully.

This made Victoria hiss something at James, and even Laurent looked nervous. However, James, hissed back at Victoria, as if warning her to back off. This was supposed to deter them, but this warning seemed to entice James more.

“He is not going to back down,” Jasper muttered to his family, his gaze trained on the nomads. He could see the determination, the hunger that radiated from James. Victoria was scared and cautious, but for who, Jasper was not sure. It was Laurent who was the most genuine in shock and fear – but Jasper was certain that this fear stemmed from James. This made him revisit his earlier thought that Laurent was the leader of the – James was.

Emmett punched his fists, “Then it looks like it’s a fight,” He said with a grin, excitement filling his body.

“In my time alive, I’ve not been able to hunt a Witch,” James said, his grin feral, “I wonder if your blood is as sweet as I have heard,”

“You’ll never find out,” Gwen said as she raised her hand, lightning crackled in her hands in warning. James’ eyes darted to the element in her hand, and he crouched down low.

“This doesn’t have to come to a fight,” Esme said, as she tried to soothe the situation, “Leave, and will forget this ever happened,” This was the last warning she was going to give the nomads, they’d had plenty of chances. While she did not relish in violence, she would not stand aside while her family fought.

“Yes, we can leave,” Laurent said nervously, as he looked at James.

James remained silent.

“Even if he does leave, he will just come back.” Edward announced, “He is a hunter, and he sees Gwen as a prize to hunt,”

James’ eyes darted to Edward, shock in his eyes, before they hardened, “A mind-reader?” He muttered lowly, his expression more guarded.

“The woman wants to leave, as does Laurent. James would leave, only to come back. He would hunt Gwen, stalk her and try and lure her away from us,” Edward said, uncaring that his gift had been revealed. James assumed that they were protecting the Witch, and thought he would take her down if he had her alone.

James hissed at Edward, fury that his plan was being revealed. This took the fun out of things when people knew his plans, especially his victims. It made their reaction not as genuine, not as sweet.

“Gwen,” Carlisle looked to the Witch, a stern expression on his face.

For a moment, Gwen held his gaze before she sighed deeply and lowered her hand and her lightning disappeared. She understood his silent message loud and clear. Gwen could not interfere. As part of the Treaty, she could not harm or kill a Vampire, otherwise this is a direct violation. However, she thought this was hypocritical, as James was intent on killing her. He evidently did not care about the Treaty between their kind. However, she knew if she did do something, this would place the Cullen family in a difficult position, as they would need to report this to the Volturi and if they didn't, the Coven would be punished as a result.

The moment this happened, multiple things happened at once. James lunged at the Witch, but he was intercepted by Jasper, who tackled him to the ground. Victoria, seeing her mate being tackled, hissed and went to attack, but was intercepted by Alice and Rosalie. Emmett followed after James and Jasper, a wild grin on his face. Lauren had jumped back but was blocked by both Carlisle and Esme, stern expressions on their face. Edward stayed by Gwen, a grim expression on his face. He stayed crouched where he was, as he waited and watched with a tension in his shoulders. He wanted to join in with his family, but he needed to stay with Gwen just in case James or Victoria managed to slip past his family. However, Edward was doubtful that would happen as he knew how skilled his family was.

James fought against Jasper and Emmett but he found himself being overpowered very quickly. Emmett was a mountain of a Vampire, almost unmovable and his punches hurt more than he’d like to admit. James felt his skin crack when he got punched by Emmett. Additionally, he had to avoid Jasper’s attacks, which were arguably deadlier as this Vampire was going for the kill – aiming for his neck and head. James roared in pain as Emmett dealt another blow and he struggled to evade Jasper’s killing blow at the last moment. He was used to dealing with opponents that he could overpower and out-skill, but he could not find any openings against Jasper, and while he tried to, he had to avoid Emmett’s attacks.

Victoria jumped out of the way of another attack with cat-like grace, but her face held pain. She had not managed to escape Alice’s attack, which seemed to come out of nowhere. Rosalie's attacks were just as deadly and she struggled to get out of the way in time. The blonde Vampire was out for the kill, her eyes black from the adrenaline. Rosalie’s attacks were precise, deadly, and powerful. Alice seemed to dance around the field with a grace that only she possessed, but a deadliness that was unmatched. Victoria’s arm had been ripped from her body by Alice, something that had massively shocked Victoria, as she had not seen or felt it come. She could usually feel when she was in danger, but she suspected Alice had a gift that was able to work around it. Victoria could see that she was not going to win – if they were not careful then this is where she and James would die. She looked to her mate and saw him surrounded, and badly injured. With terror in her eyes, Victoria wanted to help her mate but knew it would do no good. Anger filled her, but not at James, but at Gwen for being a target that James would want.

Seeing no other choice, Victoria attempted to flee, and she hoped James would do the same – though she suspected he wouldn’t. However, she only made it to the edge of the clearing before she stopped when she sensed something. Her power flared up and told her to stop dead in her tracks, and she did so without hesitation. She could see a shimmer – there was a barrier stopping her from leaving. Victoria’s head snapped in the direction of Gwen and saw her smirk which enraged the red-headed Vampire even more.

Edward blinked in surprise, and he glanced back at the Witch, and saw the grin on her face, “But Carlisle-”

“I can’t hurt or kill. I haven’t done anything like that, all I did was put a barrier up. That way no humans can see or hear anything,” Gwen said with a devious smirk. As part of the Treaty, she could not harm or kill a Vampire, but there was also another very important factor – secrecy. By placing the barrier in place, it cloaked them from any humans who could pass by. Though the thunderstorm was still going on, this also muted any noise. While it did prevent the nomads from escaping as well – but she was not directly killing them.

Edward flashed a crooked grin and he barked out a sharp laugh. However, this stopped abruptly when he looked in the direction of his brothers. James had managed to knock down Emmett and was attempting to go for his neck – to decapitate him. Jasper was quickly on James and threw him into a nearby tree with a roar.

“Go,” Gwen urged him.

Edward shook his head, “I need to be here, just in case,”

“I can protect myself,” Gwen assured him with a stern expression.

“I know,” Edward nodded his head, “But this is Vampire business, and we have to deal with it,” He glanced in the direction of his mother and father, and found they had pinned Laurent down, Esme had her arms wrapped his neck while Carlisle had ripped off Laurent’s arms.

James let out a roar of pain as one of his arms was ripped from his body, Jasper threw it aside with a vicious smirk as he amplified James’ pain tenfold. Distracted by the pain, Emmett sprang into action as he ripped the other arm from his body. As the hunter fell to his knees from the pain that was amplified by the attack, he did not notice as Jasper appeared behind him and ripped his head from his shoulders. His body fell limp to the ground and Jasper rolled the decapitated head away. Emmett and Jasper gave each other a high five.

Victoria let out a piercing scream when she saw James’ decapitated head. The pain, the horror, the pure heartbreak in her voice echoed in the trapped field. She fell to her knees, as her eyes swam with venom that would never fall. Rosalie struck with quick precision that Gwen blinked and Victoria's head was removed from her body and rolled to the side.

Gwen looked to where Laurent was and saw a very similar picture. Limbs were thrown about, and his head was also in the far corner of the clearing.

Edward wasted no time, with practised ease, he grabbed some nearby sticks and rubbed them together until there was a spark. He nurtured this spark until there was a flame. He could have asked Gwen for the fire but knew he couldn't. With the fire on the stick, he made quick work of setting the bodies of the decapitated Vampires alight, there was no way they would come back from this. This was the only way to kill a Vampire – decapitation and burning the bodies.

Seeing as the threat had been dealt with, Gwen lowered the barrier, especially when the bodies were burning, and all that was left was ashes. “Well, that was eventful. Who knew that baseball would lead to this,”

Emmett barked out a full-body laugh, and his whole body shook.

“We’re not usually this violent,” Carlisle said as he tried to reassure the Witch, but he relaxed when he saw she had only been joking.

“At least that is one less thing to worry about,” Jasper said as he looked at his jersey. James had managed to get a few hits in and his jersey was ripped in place. Alice danced over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Rosalie glared at the ashes of where Victoria had been and spat on them, “Good riddance. She was a pain,”

“I think she had a gift,” Edward said as he remembered the red-haired Vampire’s thoughts. “She was able to evade danger,” He could hear her thoughts when they’d all been fighting. Victoria was able to predict a lot of his sisters’ attacks, and it was only when Alice saw this was, she able to be one step ahead of the nomad.

“Maybe that’s why my Nana said not to underestimate her,” Gwen added thoughtfully.

Edward nodded his head before he looked at his smaller sister, “That hunter, he knew you,” He could hear his thoughts, and James recognised Alice. The moment James saw her, he did, but Edward was not able to see why. It was almost as though James refused to think about it.

Alice frowned, “He did?” There was almost disappointment in her eyes. She was desperate to know more about her life before being a Vampire.

Edward wordlessly nodded his head in response.

Alice’s shoulder sagged for a moment, and Jasper pulled her close to him, to comfort her. Rosalie looked at her sister in sympathy.

Emmett looked at the sky, and saw the lightning cracking in the sky, “Do you think we still have time for baseball?” He asked eagerly as he looked at his family. He hoped this would distract Alice from feeling sad, as she always seemed so happy after playing.

TWILIGHT

It was a couple of hours later before Gwen drove back to her house, with a smile on her face. It has been a very interesting day, to say the least. Gwen’s only regret was that she could not join in. However, she knew it would make things more complicated if she did. Gwen hummed to herself as she parked the car and smiled when she looked at Tilly. Locking her car, Gwen stepped towards the house and patted the wood.

“Hey Tilly, miss me?” Gwen asked jovially.

Tilly’s lights beamed brightly in response as the house seemed to rattle at her return. This made Gwen laugh as she walked to the door and tried to open it so she could go inside. She desperately needed a drink of water. She had laughed so much at the last few games and felt parched. She planned to check in on her Nana before heading to bed.

However, the door would not budge.

Gwen frowned as she looked at the front door. The lights inside the house were on. Gwen attempted to turn the handle once more. It turned, but the door would not budge. “Tilly, what are you doing?” Gwen asked as she looked at the house confused. Tilly had never once denied her access to the house before, and it made her confused.

“What’s going on? Why can’t I go in?” Gwen questioned as she attempted to try the door once more, but there was no movement.

Tilly groaned, but nothing else happened. This confused Gwen as she could not understand what was happening. Had Tilly sounded… sad?

“Tilly, let me in, now,” Gwen said forcefully. She was not playing games, all she wanted was to go inside and relax, but this house seemed to have other ideas.

In response, Tilly turned off all lights in the house.

“Nana! Tilly is acting up!” Gwen called as she hoped her Nana would open the door and let her inside.

However, there was no movement.

This made Gwen’s frown deepen. She looked outside and she could see that her Nana’s car was parked up, so this meant she was in. Gwen looked down and checked her phone for any messages but found none. Her Nana would have let her know if she was going out – like if she was going to be with Liam. Gwen decided to call her Nana, but the phone rang and there was no answer.

That had never happened before. Nana always answered her phone, especially if it was Gwen that called.

Now, she was worried.

“Tilly, let me in, now,” Gwen nearly shouted at the house, panic started to set in. Something wasn’t right. Tilly had never denied her access to the home before – and her Nana would have responded to her call.

Tilly let out a pitiful groan, one that made the Witch tense.

“If you don’t let me, I will force my way in,” Gwen said lowly, fully serious. Magic bubbled under her skin as she prepared to fight against all the defences, she had provided Tilly. She has given Tilly extra protection, she could easily take it away.

Still, Tilly did not budge.

With gritted teeth, Gwen raised her hand and channelled magic into an unlocking spell. She could feel as Tilly fought back, but Gwen pushed through this. It felt like she was trying to break glass, and as much as she did not want to do this to Tilly, she had no choice. Within seconds, the door burst open and Gwen walked in. She stepped inside and noted how Tilly had gone quiet – too quiet. The Witch walked further into the house, “Nana?”

There was no answer.

Gwen looked in the kitchen and the cupboard door nearly hit her in the face. Gwen was quick to step back and glared at the house, “Tilly, what is up with you?!” She yelled at the house in frustration.

Tilly’s floorboard whimpered in response.

“Tell me where Nana is now!” Gwen yelled, her patience gone.

There was a sound of a switch and it came from upstairs – from Nana’s bedroom. With a huff, Gwen stormed upstairs and noted how Tilly did not pull any more stunts like before. It did not take Gwen long before she reached the top of the steps and made it to her Nana’s room. She knocked softly a few times, hoping her Nana had just been asleep and Tilly had been messing with her the entire time. But something in her gut told her this was not the case.

Bethany’s door opened with a creek. Gwen peered inside and all seemed normal. She spotted her Nana lying on the bed, sleeping. Gwen sighed in relief and she leaned against the doorframe, her heart heavy in her chest. She looked at her Nana and smiled, she seemed to peaceful.

…. Except her chest wasn’t moving.

Gwen frowned as she stood straighter than she ever had before. With heavy steps, the Witch walked forward until she was inches away from her Nana. She watched for a moment, as she wished for movement – anything. She waited for her Nana to inhale or exhale, waiting for something to happen. A snore, a snort, rolling over – anything. But nothing happened. Bethany never moved an inch. With shaking hands, Gwen pressed a finger against Nana’s neck and waited.

Nothing.

There was no pulse.

“No,” Gwen muttered, as her eyes widened, “No. No, NO, NO!” Gwen screamed as she fell to her knees and the tears fell. She screamed in anguish as she realised what this meant.

Bethany was dead.

Her Nana was dead.

“Nana! Please wake up!” Gwen begged as she cradled the older woman’s head with a gentleness, she didn't know she could muster, “Please don’t leave me!” Gwen screamed as she screamed into her Nana’s shoulder – just like she used to when she was a child. Pain filled her chest like her heart had been ripped out and put back in. Gwen screamed loudly, not caring who could hear her. Maybe she wanted someone to hear her. She wanted her Nana to wake up and tell her to stop being silly.

But all that remained was silence that only death brought.

TWILIGHT

Back in the Cullen home

Alice and her family were sat in the living room. Carlisle and Edward were playing chess with one another, Jasper and Emmett were playing video games, and Esme and Rosalie were chatting with one another. There had been peace, they were content even after the fight with the nomads. Emmett was satisfied that he could have a fight, and he’d done it with his brother by his side. Rosalie felt quite smug, as did Alice. It had been an eventful baseball game, one they would not forget and Emmett had dubbed Gwen their good luck charm.

However, this peace was soon broken when Alice had a vision, and her heart broke at what she saw. It was Gwen, and she was crying, screaming out in pain. Bethany was in bed – dead. This vision caught Alice off guard and knocked her sick.

Jasper and Edward's heads shot up and they turned to Alice. Jasper could feel the pain his wife felt at this vision and it worried him. However, it was the horror on Edward’s face that alerted people that something wasn’t right. Within a split second, Edward was out of the house, his seat nearly knocked over and Carlisle was left confused.

“What happened, darlin’?” Jasper asked as he was by Alice’s side within seconds. He held her hand as he waited for her to come out. Whenever Alice had bad visions, he would hold her, and send her comforting waves, and this usually worked. However, she seemed quite shaken up.

“Gwen…her Nana is dead,” Alice said, her voice low.

Carlisle frowned and there was a flash of pain in his eyes, “Did Gwen find her?”

Alice nodded her head.

Esme gasped, “That poor girl,” Carlisle was by her side as he placed a hand on her shoulder, with Esme holding his hand tightly.

“Was it a natural death?” Rosalie questioned as she looked at her sister. It seemed odd that they had just dealt with three nomads, and then the older woman happened to die. Stranger things had happened.

“It looks like it, but I am not entirely sure,” Alice answered back truthfully. In the vision, Bethany had looked peaceful with no visible wounds. Alice liked the old woman, she was funny and they shared a gift. It was rare for Alice to meet someone like her, but she knew how much this loss would affect Gwen.

“She’ll stay with us,” Esme said, resolute in her decision. She was already thinking about how they can support Gwen, and what the young Witch would need. She would not allow her to be alone, and Esme would have gone to Gwen herself, but she knew Edward was by her side so she would be okay for now.

Carlisle nodded his head in agreement, “We will be there for her,”

On the other side of Forks, Edward arrived outside of Gwen’s home. It had taken him a few minutes before he had reached the haunted house. Due to the isolated location of the house, Edward did not have to keep up appearances and could run as fast as he could. There was a sense of urgency in his chest – he needed to check up on Gwen, he needed to make sure she was okay. This urge took him aback, all for two seconds before he threw caution to the wind and followed his instincts. The only reason he had paused was because he knew the house disliked him.

Edward watched with cautious eyes. The moment Tilly had spotted him, the house seemed to go in full lockdown mode. Doors locked, windows locked and all lights disappeared within an instant. If it weren’t for Gwen’s car, he would have assumed she was not there as he could not hear or sense anything.

He tried to get close, but he found an invisible force that stopped him before he could even reach the porch.

“House, please let me,” Edward asked tightly.

Tilly’s porch lights beamed at him and seemed to hiss.

“Gwen is in there,” Edward began, finding it ridiculous that he had to reason with a house – a haunted one, but still a house, “I know that her grandmother is dead. I need to be with her,”

Hesitation radiated from the house as the porch lights dimmed for a moment.

“I know you’re trying to protect her. I want to help her, so please let me in. She will be in pain.” Edward said, his tone basically pleading at this point.

When nothing happened, Edward began to mentally curse. He would have to appeal to the haunted house more. However, it did not need to come to that, as after a few more seconds, the door unlocked and opened. Testing the waters, Edward took a step forward and found there was no resistance. Without hesitation, Edward sped into the house, his mind registering how the door slammed behind him. He saw a light on upstairs and headed that way. Now he was in the house, he could hear one heartbeat and he could hear sobbing and he followed this.

Edward appeared in what looked to be Bethany’s bedroom. He spotted Gwen kneeling on the ground as she cried over Bethany’s dead body. He carefully stepped in and got closer, his undead heart clenched at the scene.

“Gwen,” Edward muttered lowly, though loud enough above Gwen’s crying.

The moment he spoke, Gwen’s crying stopped abruptly. She looked up, her eyes bloodshot and tears streaming down her face, with some snot at her nose. She looked a mess, she looked distraught.

“I'm sorry,” Edward said softly.

Gwen let out a strangled sob before she started to cry once more. Edward moved towards her and kneeled down beside her. The moment he did, Gwen moved closer to him and placed her head and his shoulder, her grip on his shirt iron as she sobbed into him. Edward felt awkward, he hadn’t expected Gwen to do this, but he soon relaxed his body and wrapped his arms around her and let her sob into him. He would stroke her hair, trying to soothe her, but nothing helped. At one point, he became worried she would suffocate with how much she cried and how little she was breathing.

Edward held her, and closed his eyes as he waited.

Chapter Text

Since Bethany’s death, Gwen had felt like she was in a daze. It was like she was in a bad dream that she desperately wanted to wake up, but couldn't. Gwen hoped that she’d wake up and her Nana would be there as usual, to argue with Tilly about where the house had hidden her coffee, and have her usual shortbread after a turbulent vision. She would not hear her Nana’s voice anymore, and a part of her felt numb. Every time she thought about her Nana, involutory tears would stream down her face, and her heart would ache. However, no matter how much she wished it, she did not wake up. The nightmare never ended, and the only reprieve she got was when she was asleep, and she could pretend for a few hours.

Hours turned into days, and Gwen did not know how long she had stayed kneeling on the floor before Edward moved her to a sitting position, holding her close. The Witch had not let go of him the entire time, and to his credit, Edward had not left her, not even when his family asked if he wanted to switch places. Edward remained by her side the entire time. Another figure that remained by her side was Esme, who would make sure she ate, who would make sure she was hydrated and warm. Esme would fuss over everything, and Tilly seemed to warm to the matriarch very quickly and allowed her access to the home without any protest.

Carlisle and Esme were both a godsend. They had planned Nana’s funeral for her and took over all the legal stuff. There was something in there about taking legal guardianship over her, and they were arguing with Liam regarding this. The Witch had heard arguments about a will that her Nana made, where she appointed Esme and Carlisle her official guardians, much to the unhappiness of Liam. However, Esme and Carlisle took this all, in graceful stride. Gwen had only half listened as she’d been in her daze; she had not uttered a word in over a week, and she could see the concerned glances from the Cullen family, but it did not register.

Nothing did.

It was like she was in a daze, one that she did not want to wake up from.

Alice would come in every day to chat with her. She would tell her about what she missed in school – nothing – but she would prattle on about the small things, and Gwen would nod her head as if she was listening – and Alice never called her out when she knew Gwen wasn’t listening. Emmett would also do the same; he always tried to make her smile at least once before he left – unfortunately, he had not been successful yet, but he tried every day. However, even Gwen could see the pain in his golden eyes, and normally, she would have felt guilty. But she didn't; all she felt was numb.

Jasper was a silent supporter. He never said anything; he would sit near her, in patient silence. He waited for Gwen to say something, though it never happened. Gwen had half expected him to use his powers on her, to take the pain away from her, but she was relieved when he didn't, because as messed up as it was, she wanted to feel this. She needed to mourn her Nana; she wasn’t ready to face the real world just yet. She suspected that Jasper knew this, and this is one of the reasons why he did not push.

Rosalie never visited, and Gwen had not expected her to either. Alice had muttered how Rosalie didn't know how to handle this delicately, and would probably say the wrong thing. Gwen never said anything about this.

The funeral had been beautiful.

And bittersweet.

Esme and Carlisle had done a wonderful job, and Gwen had cried in Esme’s arms afterwards, not able to verbally express her feelings. Esme soaked this up and took it in stride. Near enough, all of Forks turned up for the funeral. The whole police department was there, and it had been interesting to learn about how her Nana ruled the entire police department with an iron fist. They all had lovely things to say about Bethany, and this nearly made Gwen smile. There were a few nosy people who came to see what happened, but they quickly got turned away by the Cullen family and the police department, who did not take lightly to people disrespecting Bethany. Charlie had been awkward, but kind in his sincerity, something that Gwen appreciated. He was a man of few words, but his words still meant a lot.

The official story was that Bethany died of natural causes. Bethany was an older woman who was pushing into her eighties, though she had told people she was barely sixty, and no one batted an eye at this story.

Except Gwen knew the truth.

Bethany had died because of her powers. The visions of the future were too harsh on the body of a human. Gwen had seen it. She had seen how Bethany struggled after a vision, the physical toll it would take on her body, and her health. Carlisle had admitted he had been treating Bethany for chronic headaches, but also her heart. Within the last few weeks, Bethany had attended the hospital and requested to see Carlisle, who could hear an irregularity in her heart, and had started loads of tests. This had nearly broken Gwen as she’d had no idea. Nana had never told her, and she never saw any medication around the house. Carlisle had been so apologetic for not saying anything, but he hadn’t been able to, and Gwen knew this, so she did not blame him. If her Nana had wanted her to know, she would have told the Witch. Gwen would have searched high and low for a solution with her magic, and it made her wonder why Bethany had not approached her.

The guilt of knowing this, that the powers bestowed upon Nana to protect her caused her death, was a hard pill to swallow. The visions of the future had taken Nana away from her, and a part of her resented Scarlett even more for this. Gwen had not been alone in her thinking; she had heard Liam curse and mutter something under his breath about this. They had shared a knowing glance with one another. They were one of the few people who knew the truth.

Liam had tried to move Gwen into his house, and that sent Tilly into a meltdown. After that, Tilly had denied him entry into her home. Liam had tried to bargain with Tilly, but the house would not be moved. Not even when he offered to move into the house instead, Tilly remained unimpressed. After six days of trying, Liam relented in the end and gave up, but Tilly still did not trust him and would hiss when he tried to get too close to the house. Liam had asked Gwen to intervene, but the Witch did not have the energy.

It was the eighth day after the funeral, just over two weeks after her Nana had died, and Gwen had not moved from her room. She stared out the window, the sun setting, and it cast a warm glow into the room. Gwen’s eyes were empty as she stared outside, but something caught her attention.

There was a slow melody playing in the house.

It sounded beautiful, haunting and low.

The Witch was intrigued.

Slowly, Gwen moved to get out of bed, her knees weak due to lack of strength. A chair moved towards her so that Gwen could grab it and keep her balance. It had been Tilly to the rescue. Gwen smiled and patted the wall as she walked out of her room. Gwen’s heterochromia eyes scanned the house. It looked clean and well-maintained – thanks to Esme.

Wordlessly, Gwen followed the noise. The noise was above her, but she was pretty certain this house did not have an attic. It soon clicked that Tilly had revealed another room. This lit a spark in her, one that caught her interest, and she wanted to know more. Down the hall, she spotted a door that had never been there. The door opened for her, and there was a staircase that led upstairs, and she climbed them with slight difficulty. Once up, she saw a space that was wide and mostly empty. The only item in the room was a piano, and Edward sat on the stool, his fingers danced across the keys with expertise.

Gwen stared at Edward’s back as he played with ease. He almost seemed to be in his own world, but Gwen knew that he had heard her presence and was just waiting to see what she’d do. The melody that came from the piano was something she had not heard before. It was delicate, sad, but also strong, especially as Edward built the song. She watched him play for a few minutes longer before he stopped, the song coming to a natural ending that sounded beautiful.

“I’ve never heard you play before,” Gwen whispered, her throat sore. The sound of her own voice made Gwen wince as it sounded horrible to her own ears.

Edward nearly jumped at her voice, and this nearly made her laugh, but she stopped herself. Edward had not heard her voice in so long that he almost forgot what it sounded like.

“I haven’t had any inspiration for a while,” Edward admitted as he turned to look at Gwen. He looked beautiful as always, and for a moment, Gwen considered her own presentation, as she’d not washed in a few days and started to feel self-conscious. Edward patted the side of the stool, and Gwen sat down next to him silently.

“Was that an original?” Gwen asked, she wouldn’t have been surprised if it were.

Edward nodded his head and smiled, “It is, I call it Firefly.”

Gwen’s breath hitched at the title, and she nearly started to cry once more. In one of their conversations, she had mentioned how her nickname was Firefly with her Nana. The Witch suspected he gave it this name on purpose, and it touched her. “I haven’t thanked you or your family for everything.” This realisation hit her hard, and the guilt nipped at her heart. For the first time in weeks, she felt more awake and alert.

“You don’t need to, we want to help,” Edward said as he took Gwen’s hand in his. The Witch flinched for a moment, but she quickly relaxed at his familiar touch.

Gwen remembered how she’d clung to him like a baby koala and smiled, “I do need to. I haven’t been myself, and I’ve let Carlisle and Esme take over a lot of things.”

“You needed time, and still do,” Edward said as his thumb traced her hand mindlessly. “I remember when I lost my mother. It was just shortly after I turned into a Vampire. I wasn’t allowed to see her because I did not have control of my blood lust. Carlisle had said it was too dangerous. However, I snuck out to see her, and I found her dead.” Edward’s voice was low, and there were still traces of pain in his eyes. It had been a bad time, and as Vampires, they felt things on a higher scale. It had not been a pretty meltdown on his end, and his sorrow stretched for years.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Gwen said lowly, “What was her name?”

Edward smiled as he remembered his human mother, “Her name was Elizabeth Masen. She was a strong woman who took no notice of my father half the time.” There was a lot he could say about his mother, but this came from the journals. His memory of her had faded, but he remembered her name clearly.

This made Gwen laugh; it was small, but it was a start.

Edward’s smile widened, his crooked smile on show, “Emmett is going to be mad I got you to laugh first.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Gwen said, a small grin on her face.

This made Edward laugh, “Our little secret,” He said as he held up his hand, and extended his pinkie finger.

Gwen stared at him for a moment before she laughed and linked her pinkie finger with his, “Our little secret.” They remained like this for some time before Gwen moved away first and shot him a thankful look. “Can you play it again?” Gwen asked as she looked at the piano.

Edward nodded his head, “Of course.” Without needing to be asked again, Edward began to play the melody once more.

Gwen sat beside him, her eyes closed as she took in the melody. It sounded much better with Edward playing beside her.

When he was done, Gwen gently clapped her hands, which made Edward roll his eyes playfully. Tilly also seemed to really like the melody as the lights flickered on and off for some time, as if asking for an encore. This made Gwen smile, but she soon became curious, “I thought Tilly didn't like you?” It had taken her some time to realise Tilly had not protested Edward’s presence once in this home.

Edward looked around the room before he answered, “Tilly and I came to an agreement. She did not want to let me in at first. She has also tried to pull a few stunts, but we talked it out.” While Tilly had agreed to his presence in the home, she had made her dislike of the situation known by pulling all sorts of stunts on him. Slamming doors in his face, slamming cupboard doors, and misplacing his things in the home. Luckily, he’d been able to use his speed to not get caught out, but it had been close, too close for his liking. The house was sneaky and seemed determined to catch him out. There had been a few arguments that Esme had to step in a few times, especially when Tilly had stolen his journal. However, Tilly always seemed to give in to Esme. Tilly always left him alone when he was with Gwen. It was only after Edward had been honest with the house about his intentions to help and protect Gwen that Tilly relented and did not hiss every time he moved.

It was slow, but definitely an improvement.

Gwen looked at him in surprise, even more so when Tilly’s lights flashed once, in agreement. “Impressive, and did she show you this room?” This was one of the rooms she had not seen before, which only reinforced the idea that there was a lot of Tilly that had not been explored yet.

“She did, lit the lights so I would follow. I was surprised to find a piano of such fine quality here,” Edward said as he looked down at the instrument. It was not as good as his back home, but it was a well-made piano. It was a wonder it sounded this good, as the dust indicated no one had been in this room for a long time to tune and maintain it.

“She holds a lot of secrets,” Gwen nodded her head in agreement.

Tilly’s floorboards seemed to squeal in laughter.

Edward laughed, “Yes, and Carlisle seems very interested to know the secrets as well. He’s taken to hunting around to see what he missed.” It had been quite funny, as Carlisle had acted like a kid in a candy shop, a massive, excited grin on his face as he explored each other that Tilly allowed him entry into. He and Emmett had acted as though it were a big adventure, as this also fascinated Emmett. Tilly seemed to take this on and answered this challenge by trying to confuse the two Vampires, almost as if it were a game.

“Good luck with that. Even after a year here, I haven’t found all the rooms yet,” Gwen said as she barked a laugh, stronger.

“Don’t tell Carlisle that, he won't ever leave,” Edward shot back.

Now this made Gwen laugh more, loudly and filled with life. Edward watched this with a soft smile. It was good to see Gwen happier. She had been a shell of herself, and he had been worried she’d stay like that. Tilly seemed to appreciate it as well, as the lights in the room brightened before they returned to normal.

“How are you feeling?” Edward asked.

Gwen frowned, and she was silent for a moment. Edward nearly cursed his stupid question because he had only just started to talk, and he ruined it, but he was surprised when Gwen answered him, her voice delicate, vulnerable, “I am not doing well. I don’t think I would have got to this point without you or your family.”

“You’ll never have to find out, we’re here for you,” Edward promised, and held her hand once more. He had found that when she was in her daze, she would hold his hand and not let go. Her grip was strong, and had even surprised him with how strong she was. When someone approached her at the funeral, she’d tighten her grip even more and only relax when people moved away from her.

“Thank you,” Gwen fully meant this. Looking back, Gwen knew she wouldn’t have lasted long without them. Liam, as much as he tried, was also grieving. She could remember the pain in his eyes, the sorrow and the tears. “Has anyone heard from Liam?”

“He’s okay,” Edward reassured quickly, “He took a few days off and is back at work. He’s hoping work will distract him.” Esme had been the one to update him, as she’d visited the Police department a few times to bring baked goods, and Liam had jumped right back into work. Charlie was watching over Liam like a hawk, and most of the police department was as well.

Gwen nodded her head, which made sense. She knew that the people on Liam’s team would look for him, as they always have each other’s backs. This led her to think about returning to school, which she dreaded. “Have I missed anything with Bella?”

Edward shook his head, “She’s not done anything yet. She’s been watching and she’s tried to speak with Alice a few times because I haven't been there.” Edward had spent his time here with Gwen to make sure she was okay. Alice had come back and told him about Bella asking questions about him, as they’d told the school he was unwell and was resting at home under strict instructions from Carlisle. His father figure had easily given a note to the school, and they’d not questioned anything. Everyone else in school seemed to buy this excuse, except for Bella.

Gwen hummed softly.

Edward’s head moved in the direction of the door. “Esme’s made food, are you hungry?” Edward asked the Witch. He had heard Esme tell him that food was ready, and she seemed to be in a good mood now that Gwen was up and had prepared more solid food for her. During this week, Edward and Esme had been feeding Gwen easily eaten foods that did not require much chewing, as Gwen had not had the energy or lust for life.

Before Gwen could say anything, her stomach roared to life. Her face flushed red, “That would be a yes.” She hadn’t even felt the hunger until Edward asked; it was like it had triggered her mind back into place, and now she was back in tune with her body. Mentally, she winced as she felt her body strain at the slightest movement, and her magic hummed with the need for release.

Edward laughed as he stood up and held out his hand for Gwen to take. The Witch hesitated for a second before she took Edward’s hand, and he guided her down, making sure she did not fall or trip. With his help, they made it to the kitchen with ease, as Esme placed down the last of the food – a hearty lasagne.

The smell of the food hit Gwen hard, and she nearly groaned at the smell. “Thank you, Esme,” Gwen smiled as she sat down at the table. She watched Esme cut her a large slice and place it in front of her.

“You don’t need to thank me, dear, I am more than happy to help,” Esme said kindly as she put cutlery in front of her, “I miss getting to cook, so this indulges me.” Esme winked at the Witch and smiled.

Gwen smiled, especially when she felt the genuine honesty radiating from the matriarch, “I know, but I really do appreciate it.”

Edward glanced at Esme, “I’ll be back in a few hours, I just need to feed,” Edward said before he shot Gwen another smile before he left.

It was as he left that Gwen realised how dark his eyes were. They were a dark gold colour and nowhere near their usual vibrant colour. This made Gwen frown as guilt filled her; had she stopped him from feeding? It was only then that she truly realised how much of a burden she’d placed on the family.

Sensing her guilt, Esme sat down beside Gwen and snapped her out of her thoughts, “It has only been a few days, Edward drank when Alice came to see you a few days ago.” They had worked in shifts to make sure Gwen was okay, and they remained fed. Gwen’s scent may not have triggered them, but they did not want to risk anything when she was so vulnerable.

Gwen nodded her head, not fully convinced, “How often do you guys have to feed?” She asked out of curiosity.

“The younger ones, like Emmett, feed every couple of days to a week,” Esme answered with ease. “However, the older Vampires, like Carlisle, can feed every two weeks. Jasper feeds more because he feels the bloodlust more due to his powers.” They had noticed a difference in Jasper’s mood and control when they were well fed, and so they made more of an effort to ensure their bloodlust did not impact Jasper. This had done wonders for the Texan Vampire’s confidence around humans, though he was still cautious.

Gwen hummed as she ate, “That sounds quite difficult.”

Esme nodded her head, “It is, that’s why we feed as often as we do, to help him. We help family, Gwen.”

Her tone nearly made Gwen start to cry once more. Gwen managed a watery smile as she focused on eating for a moment. They sat in silence as Gwen ate her food. It was only when she was half done with the lasagne, which was amazing, that Esme spoke once more.

“Did Edward ever tell you how I became a Vampire?” Esme questioned, her head turned as she stared out the window, a faraway expression on her face.

Gwen stopped mid-bite and shook her head, “No, I never asked. I thought it might be rude to,” She’d asked about Edward’s past because of their little game, but she would not invade the other’s privacy, just in case the tale was not a good one, she never wanted to make anyone relive what happened to them.

Esme turned her head and sent the Witch a soft smile, “That is very sweet of you, and considerate. I don’t mind sharing. While I may not understand what it means to lose a parent, I know what it means to lose a child.”

This made Gwen sit up and look at Esme with a sad expression. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Esme shook her head, “It was a long time ago, and I have many children now.” Her smile dimmed for a moment. “There are times when I remember my baby. It was in 1921, after losing my baby boy to lung fever, that I tried to kill myself by throwing myself from a cliff.”

Gwen gasped as she looked at Esme, eyes wide. “Oh my god,”

“You see, when I was sixteen years old, I met Carlisle after I broke my leg. Later, after turning me, he told me how he felt the mating bond there and then, but he left not long afterwards, and he treated me. I was so young, but I remembered him even after years. I married a man who was not kind and used to hurt me. My family would not help me and would rather I had kept quiet. I ran from him when I found out I was pregnant, and I became a school teacher,” Esme said, with a distant look in her eyes. Her memories of her life were not the greatest, but she’d written them down in a journal. Certain things stayed with her, certain emotions and dreams. Other memories faded, but she memorised everything about her journal, even the painful parts, as they were a part of her.

“I’m so sorry, Esme,” Gwen muttered lowly, pain in her mismatched eyes.

Esme nodded her head, “Time heals most wounds, some wounds take longer to heal.”

“I just don’t know what to do,” Gwen admitted, her voice hitched as tears threatened to fall once more, “Nana was always there to guide me. She watched over me and kept me safe. I feel… exposed,”

“You have us,” Esme said as she placed her hand on the Witch’s shoulder, and shot her a concerned expression when Gwen flinched. For a moment, she contemplated removing her hand from Gwen’s shoulder, but she was surprised when Gwen held onto her hand tightly, as though it were her lifeline.

Gwen nodded her head and gave a watery smile. She knew she could trust the Cullen's, and she knew that Esme was not giving a half-hearted offer; she fully meant it. Nana had confirmed her life was tied to the Cullen's, and she trusted this. They’d not done anything to make her distrust them – Edward and she had some differences, but they seemed to have worked on it. However, as Gwen thought on this matter, something dawned on her.

“I think my Nana knew she was dying,” Gwen muttered softly.

“What makes you think that?” Esme asked with a frown, as she wondered where the Witch’s thoughts were going.

“As I was leaving to play baseball, she wanted to spend time with me. But then she had a vision and changed her mind,” Gwen said as the horror settled in, and massive guilt. She should have stayed behind. She should have insisted on staying behind so that her Nana did not have to die alone. She could have held her Nana’s hand as she took her last breath. Instead, she died alone, with only Tilly with her. Before Gwen even realised, the tears down her face fell faster, and a sob grew in her chest.

Esme was up in seconds as she held Gwen to her chest and rocked back and forth. She whispered soothing things into the Witch’s ears, but they did not reach her. Gwen was too lost in her grief, and she just needed to let it out. Esme stayed like this for a while, even when Edward came back from a hunt with concerned, bright golden eyes.

TWILIGHT

A few days later,

Gwen was outside, sitting on the porch with a cup of tea in hand and a blanket on her shoulders. Esme was running some errands to get food, as Gwen did not have the strength to venture outside the house fully. Tilly was also not ready to let the Witch go, as she was also grieving the loss of Bethany. Edward was inside the house, the soft melody of Firefly playing in the background. He had played it multiple times now – usually at her request – and each time it made Gwen feel at peace. She had heard him toy with other tunes as well, but he always said they were unfinished and allowed her to listen in. She had caught him muttering things under his breath, and it amused her more than anything. She had never seen him look so bashful until it came to his music.

She had never realised how funny Edward could be. During their time together, she had seen a different side to Edward – not his usual sombre and self-loathing self. He had cracked a few smiles. He had been patient with her, sat with her in silence and offered his strength whenever she needed it. Edward had a very dry sense of humour, one that Gwen had been surprised to discover and had been pleasantly surprised by. He wasn’t the silly type of funny like Emmett, but more sarcastic and darker.

Gwen was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Tilly’s floorboard creak and the lights flashed violently. Someone was approaching the house. Gwen looked up from her cup of tea and saw that it was Billy Black wheeling himself over to the house. She saw a car parked outside, and Jacob was inside. Jacob seemed to avoid her eyes and sank further into his seat, which made Gwen arch a brow.

Gwen heard the music abruptly stop, and she knew that Edward had been alerted to their presence as well. She wondered whether Edward would come out, but when he didn't, Gwen wondered about this. However, she did not get much time to ponder on this as Billy approached the house, just on the edge of the property line, and he stopped, waiting.

“I can’t seem to go any further,” Billy said, confusion on his face. He tried to move his wheelchair forward, but the wheels would not move, as if he were going into a brick wall, but there was no pain.

“It would seem that way,” Gwen said, and she made no move to allow him onto her land–or any closer to Tilly. If Tilly had deemed him a risk or didn't like him, she would not change the house’s mind, as her opinion of the elder was not very high.

Gwen heard a snigger nearby and assumed Edward was watching intently, but did not make his presence known.

Billy frowned as he understood the silent message. He was not an invited guest, and he would not be allowed on the land. He assumed there was magic involved, so he did not protest or question it further.

“Why are you here?” Gwen asked bluntly. She had no business with the Shifters and had not heard from them since they met up to discuss Bella and Jacob. She had not been in contact with them at all and had not even seen one of them at the funeral. She would prefer to keep it this way. Something unsettled her about the Shifters, and she suspected it was down to Paul and his behaviour.

“I heard about your grandmother. I am sorry for your loss,” Billy said, his expression genuine.

Gwen's expression cracked for a moment, and the hurt flashed in her mismatched eyes. This quickly disappeared, and her expression hardened. “Thank you,” While his sincerity was noted, she suspected this visit had other motives.

Billy cleared his throat. “I also came to check up on you.”

“And as you can see, I am fine,” Gwen gave a tight smile.

Billy shifted in his chair, “I know loss is not easy. When I lost my wife, I did not cope very well,” Billy said, a faraway look in his dark eyes.

Gwen nodded her head slowly, but did not say anything. His words were genuine, and she was sure of her gift.

“I also came to thank you for not allowing a book of ours to fall into Bella’s hands,” Billy added in with a nod of his head. This book had been delivered back to them by a shop within Port Angeles, as well as several other books he had not realised had made their way out of La Push. They were now kept in a safe place where no outsiders could see them.

“No problem,” Gwen replied dryly. Her patience was starting to slip because she could tell he was stalling, for what, she did not know.  

“If you ever need anything from us, please let us know. We have extended the same courtesy to Liam as well,” Billy added in, a smile on his face.

For a moment, Gwen was intrigued by the sincerity of his words, but it made her suspicious. A part of her was glad that Liam had people around him at the moment, but a part of her wasn’t happy that it was the Shifters he was getting close to. “I will keep that in mind,” Gwen said eventually, trying her best to be civil.

“While I am here, I would like to offer some advice from an old man,” Billy offered as he laughed at his own joke.

“What advice?” Gwen asked with a tilt of her head, curious.

“Be careful of the Cullen family,” Billy said, his expression losing the laughter he had before. Instead, he was serious, stony.

A small hiss sounded from inside her house, and Gwen did not know if it came from Edward or Tilly – or even both.

“Oh?” Gwen arched a brow at his advice.

Billy nodded his head, “Yes. They may appear as though they are your friends now. But what happens if you cut yourself or hurt yourself? They have instincts that will take over, and I would hate for you to end up hurt, or worse,”

He was not lying, that much Gwen knew.

“Your concerns are noted, but not needed. I can take care of myself,” Gwen said, her tone steady, but there was a tenseness in her shoulders.

Billy watched her for a moment before he nodded his head, “Of course, I would just hate to see you fooled by them.”

Irritation flooded her system, “I think you will find, in the Witch community, I am considered an adult at seventeen years old – I am not a child. I have observed the Cullen family for over a year, and not once have they faltered. Not once have they shed any blood or broken anything between either of our treaties. I am not being fooled by them, and I will not stand for them being disrespected in front of me.” Gwen’s tone was final and harsh, her gaze firmly on the man in front of her, a few paces away.

Billy faltered for a moment, and then he shot her a disappointed look, “Then I hope you do not share the same fate as your grandmother.”

Gwen’s breath hitched, and her whole being stilled. Gwen heard as Edward growled loudly, and Tilly’s lights flashed violently at this remark. Gwen stood from her seat, her blanket fell from her shoulders, and she placed the tea on the side. She walked over to Billy, her anger climbing with every step. Magic pulsed in her hands, and sparks shot from them.

Billy noted this, and his whole body tensed. His eyes were trained on her hands, where the sparks crackled menacingly. He had dealt with Witches before, whenever they visited for the Treaty, but seeing magic used in such a manner unnerved him. He realised he had crossed a line, but what was said had been said.

“And what are you implying exactly?” Gwen hissed lowly, her tone soft.

Billy swallowed for a moment before he spoke, “I just do not find it a coincidence that nomadic Vampires were passing through here, and your grandmother ends up dead. The Cullen family attract trouble, and I would hate for you to be a casualty in that.”

Anger swelled inside her chest, and Gwen could feel herself about to lose it. “My Nana’s death had nothing to do with that!” Gwen shouted loudly, her voice echoed in the area, and she watched in satisfaction as Billy flinched – even Jacob flinched from his seat in the car. Magic pulsed in her hand as her magic responded to her anger, and she wanted very badly to lash out and break something.

Billy stared at her for a moment before he turned away, “I did not mean to offend. It may be best to continue this conversation when you’ve had more time to think.” Billy wheeled himself away, and Gwen watched him go, seething.

Gwen wanted to use her magic and make him fall out of his chair. She wanted to make him pay for what he said. He had no right to say what he did, and he’d massively overstepped. He was looking for something to pin on the Cullen’s, and her Nana’s death had been the target. Billy had connected dots that had no business being connected. Gwen glared at him the entire time as he got back into the van with the help of Jacob, who would not meet her gaze, and as they drove away.

Once they were out of sight, Edward was by her side in seconds. “He overstepped,”

“He just made an enemy, that’s what he’s done,” Gwen muttered lowly as she reached down and grabbed Edward’s hand. Edward squeezed her hand, careful of how much pressure to apply.

“He thinks we’re manipulating you and using you for your magic,” Edward said. While he’d been inside, he had kept his presence unknown just in case it escalated things. Now, he was glad he did; otherwise, it would have been much worse. This was because Edward would have said a few choice words as he was not happy about this encounter either. Edward was sure his father would be very disappointed as well, and Alice would be furious. He did not want to think about Esme’s reaction, as she’d be livid and may end up confronting the Elder herself. It had been a good job that Esme had not been present otherwise it would have not ended well.

Gwen scoffed, “As if. I use my magic how I see fit.”

“I think he was hoping to get to you now, when you’re vulnerable. He thinks that with your grief, you could use some guidance, or you’d be more receptive,” Edward added with a frown, displeasure on his face. He thought the timing to be odd, and when he’d read Billy’s mind, he found out why. He had done this on purpose when he thought Gwen would be alone and without guidance from any adult.

“So easier to manipulate?” Gwen questioned, her eye twitching.

Edward nodded his head.

Gwen inhaled sharply, “Well, he has another thing coming.” She had suspected he was after something. No one from La Push had come to the funeral, not that she’d seen or paid attention. She suspected it had something to do with her magic.

“From what I can tell, he was worried we’re getting too powerful,” Edward added in. He had debated telling Gwen, but he knew she wanted honesty over anything else. “With a Witch on our side, as he sees it, they would be at a disadvantage.”

“As if I would ever help them after that,” Gwen scoffed as she rolled her eyes, “If he seriously thought coming after a grieving person was the right move, he has another thing coming.” If anything, it had done the opposite. Now she wanted to spite them, and the only thing that stopped her from attacking him was the Treaty they had with the Blackthorns. She did not want to bring attention to herself from them, but the Shifters were testing her limits.

Edward nodded his head silently as he handed Gwen back the cup of tea that she’d left when she confronted Billy.

“Tilly, no one from La Push is allowed near this house,” Gwen said as she looked to the house. She knew that Tilly would not disagree with this, but she just needed to reinforce this, “They are not welcomed guests and they can be treated with hostility,”

Tilly’s light flickered, for what seemed like mischief.

TWILIGHT

Later that same day

It was late at night, and Gwen had spent most of the night tossing and turning in her bed. She’d been trying to sleep for hours, only for nothing to work. She had been half tempted to grab a potion that would help, but she did not want to become dependent on them. Sleeping potions were addictive, and she would only use them as a last resort when necessary. With a sigh, Gwen sat up in bed and stared into the darkness.

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

She had become accustomed to the sounds of the Cullen family in and out of her home like yo-yos. Gwen had asked for the night to herself, as she did not want to be a burden on them than she already was. Esme had reassured her, but she couldn’t stop that lingering doubt in her head. She could not rely on them forever. It also seemed weird for her to sleep while they remained awake; a part of her almost felt like it was rude. Even Tilly’s normal noises, like her snoring, were muted in Gwen’s ears. However, the moment she sat up, one of the crystal lights flickered on, as Tilly acknowledged she was up.

Getting up, Gwen got herself a glass of water, hoping this would help. But as she stood in the kitchen, in the darkness, as she’d told Tilly she did not want them on, everything felt too much. As Gwen glanced around the kitchen, she realised how she would never have her Nana cook in here again. She would never hear as her Nana threatened Tilly for hiding her coffee or something else. This realisation hit her head and took Gwen’s breath away.

She needed to get out.

Tilly was reluctant to let Gwen out, especially at this hour, but the Witch had promised she would not be long. Within minutes, Gwen was out the door, dressed in a long hoodie, PJs and trainers. She had her mobile phone to hand, a habit she couldn't help.

As soon as she was out of the house and out of Tilly’s range, Gwen’s shoulders relaxed. Being in the house could be suffocating. She knew that Tilly meant well, but the house had been clingier than usual, and Gwen always felt like there were eyes on her. Gwen just needed to breathe. Everything in that house reminded her of her Nana – and what she will never have again.

Gwen wandered around the forest aimlessly. She did not have a destination in mind – she just needed to think. She took in the night sky. The light of the moon could be seen behind the clouds that covered the sky, so there was little light. However, Gwen’s eyes quickly adjusted. While her eyes were not as good as the Cullen’s eyes, she could see her way and be confident she would not trip over something. The atmosphere was different – more peaceful. Under the night sky, the forest seemed to fall quiet except for the usual sounds. An occasional sound of an owl, crickets, and the sound of the trees moving in the wind.

Gwen stopped when she reached a fallen tree and sat down on the log. She did not know how long she had stayed there, but she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She inhaled and exhaled through her nose as she meditated. This soothed her magic, and she felt the warmth of it spread across all of her body, from her head to her toes. The familiar tingling sensation warmed her body and heart, keeping her safe from the chill in the air. Gwen smiled as she thought about how her Nana would be telling her to bundle up and stay warm. Bethany would be shivering in the cold, saying how her old bones were not made for the cold. Bethany would joke that they need to move somewhere warmer, like Texas.

When Gwen opened her eyes, she saw she was in the exact same place, and there was no Bethany. Her heart sank in her chest as this thought crossed her mind. However, she was snapped out of this train of thought when an icy chill ran down her spine, not a natural one. Within seconds, Gwen was up, and she looked around.

Something was close by, something that was not human.

Gwen’s mismatched eyes scanned the area around her, and magic sparked at the tip of her fingers. Absentmindedly, she patted herself down – she was still wearing the herbs on her person. This made her relax ever so slightly, but she was still on high alert.

That is when she saw it, out of the corner of her eye.

It was a dark, billowing figure. It was a shadowy figure that seemed to blend in the darkness of the night. It floated above the ground, and Gwen could see some of the skeletal remains behind the dust-like cloak that it was draped in.

It took Gwen all of three seconds to realise what this creature was – a Wraith.

A heavy feeling settled in Gwen’s stomach as she realised something. Something, or someone, had found her. A Wraith would not just wander on its own; they tended to have a purpose, they needed to be summoned, usually by a Necromancer or a Blood Witch.

“Who summoned you?” Gwen demanded, out of habit. She knew there would be no response as Wraiths did not speak – they made noises, often dark, strangled noises, but they did not speak full sentences. High-level ones could speak some words, but that depended on how powerful the summoner was.

This Wraith made no sound.

It glided towards her, before it stopped when she raised her hands. Gwen could feel the beady eyes of the creature from behind the cloak and watched with cautious eyes as it circled her. Gwen could see that it wanted to snatch her, as its bony arms reached towards her at times. If it got closer, it would become more confident. She recognised that this creature was trying to work her out, more than likely to give that information back to its master. Gwen narrowed her eyes and muttered a spell, where two balls of light appeared in her hands, illuminating the area around her.

The Wraith let out a hiss as it darted away to the edge of where her light cast, on the very edge.

Gwen’s phone rang, but she ignored it. She was focused on the task at hand.

“Who is your master?” Gwen demanded once more.

The Wraith made a gargling sound, one that sent shivers down her spine. It sounded like what nightmares felt like. It was a dark gargle that unsettled her.

Knowing she would not get a response, Gwen threw a ball of light at the Wraith, but it dodged quickly and hissed as it darted into the cover of the night. However, it remained close by, as Gwen could feel its icy presence nearby.

This frustrated her.  

This Wraith should not have found her, and it had disturbed her peace. All she wanted to do was mourn the loss of her Nana, and now she had to deal with this. This angered her, and her magic pulsed in response. The ball of light in her hand grew bigger, much bigger, and the Wraith hid further into the trees to escape the light.

“Tell your master that if they want me, they better come and get me themselves,” Gwen hissed lowly as she glared at the creature in front of her.

The Wraith’s floating figure appeared to be still for a moment before it crept further away.

Gwen threw back her hand and launched the ball of light in the Wraith's direction. Using her magic, Gwen had the ball of light separate into seven smaller orbs, not giving the Wraith a chance to escape this time. The Wraith attempted to weave its way past her light and get closer to her. It managed to make it past them and was within arm’s reach of Gwen when she summoned more light in her hands and watched as the Wraith disintegrated on the floor below her. Its cloak is the only thing left from the encounter.

The world fell silent once more, and Gwen took in a deep breath. The adrenaline still coursed through her veins. Without a second thought, she gathered the cloak – it was valuable material that could be used for a future spell and made her way back home.

As she walked back to Tilly, Gwen made sure to stay alert in case something else happened. As soon as Tilly came into sight, a sense of relief filled Gwen and as soon as she stepped onto the property line, a sense of warmth filled her. It was so sudden that Gwen had only just realised how cold she truly felt.

The door opened for her, and Gwen walked inside, taking comfort in how Tilly locked the door behind her.

“Things are about to get interesting, Tilly,” Gwen said as she patted the wall with a frown on her face.

A blanket appeared beside her, and Gwen smiled when she saw it. She wrapped it around herself and relaxed further into the warm material.

Gwen walked back into her room and grabbed a few grimoires – the ones locked away. She needed to look up a few more spells to ward the home from Wraiths. While she was confident Tilly could keep them out, she wanted to ensure the defences were top-notch.