Bella and Ash had barely arrived at the beach when he spotted the same group of boys walking along the shoreline.
"They were here last time too," he noted, tilting his head toward them.
Bella, never one for subtlety, immediately turned to stare.
"I think I know the one on the far left," she murmured.
Ash followed her gaze. Buzz cut, t-shirt, jean shorts—nothing remarkable. But the boy's reaction was. His eyes widened, and without a moment's hesitation, he broke away from his group, hurrying toward them with a smile too bright to be casual.
"Bella, hi!" His voice was eager, almost relieved. Up close, it was obvious he was a little younger than the two of them.
Bella offered him a polite smile. "Hey."
His gaze flickered to Ash.
"Oh, this is my new classmate, Ash Nightsun. He just moved to Forks from Canada."
The moment his name was spoken, the entire group of boys froze. It was subtle—too subtle for Bella to notice right away—but Ash caught it instantly. Their bodies tensed, their breathing hitched, and their eyes filled with something between shock and barely restrained terror.
Jacob, however, didn't remain frozen for long. His expression darkened, fear morphing into something much more volatile.
"You should go home, Bella," he said abruptly, his voice tight. "It isn't safe here."
Bella blinked in confusion. "What? Why? What's dangerous?"
Jacob's gaze flicked to Ash, a slip of instinct rather than choice, but Bella caught it.
"You have a problem with him?" she asked, her tone turning defensive.
Jacob clenched his jaw. "You don't understand—"
"Then explain it to me," Bella demanded.
Jacob exhaled sharply, clearly warring with himself. His eyes locked onto Ash with something that almost resembled a snarl.
Ash raised his hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, easy there. We just met, and I haven't done anything to you."
"You brought her here," Jacob shot back, voice low and accusing.
Ash blinked in disbelief before sighing. "Is it a crime to make friends now?" His voice was all innocence, but his eyes danced with amusement.
Jacob looked like he was about to explode.
Ash knew exactly what they wanted. They wanted him to slip up, to reveal himself fully so they'd have an excuse to rip him apart. There were four of them and only one of him—they clearly thought they had the advantage.
He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.
"I don't know what I did to offend you guys, but whatever it is, it wasn't intentional. I've only been to La Push once before, and it was with a group of people. We didn't do anything wrong—at least, not that I'm aware of—so maybe cool it with the death glares?" His voice was light, unbothered.
The hesitation in their eyes was brief, but there. Maybe, just maybe, they were starting to question whatever they had been told about him.
Strange, how quickly word spread between enemies.
"Let's just go," Bella muttered, tugging at Ash's sleeve.
He allowed himself to be pulled away, making his way toward his motorcycle. He opened the storage compartment, as if searching for his phone, but his attention was elsewhere.
The sky was clouded, as always, but something about the tension in the air made him laugh softly. He glanced back at Jacob just as Bella's truck engine rumbled to life.
"So rude," he mused. His voice was quiet, almost pitying. "You really ought to keep yourselves on leashes."
That was the final straw.
One of the boys bared his teeth and let out a low, guttural growl.
Ash merely arched a brow. "Now, now," he murmured, his tone dripping with amusement. "You wouldn't want to start something in front of Bella, would you? I'd hate for her to see your bodies."
The growling boy stepped forward, eyes flashing. "Like you could kill us."
Ash grinned, slow and taunting. "Whoever told you about me clearly left out the survival rate." His voice was pleasant, almost playful. "Forks really is such a fun place. I think it's about time I found your leader and started my hunt."
One of the others stiffened. "Our alpha would kill you on sight."
"Alpha," Ash repeated, rolling the word over his tongue. "Such an archaic term. Did you know real wolves don't actually have alphas? The whole concept was made up by a scientist in the early twentieth century—one who later admitted he was wrong. Funny how misinformation sticks."
"Stop talking, or I'll knock your teeth out," Jacob snapped.
Ash chuckled, sliding his helmet over his head. "I'd love to see you try, wolf boy."
With that, he revved the engine and sped out of the parking lot, Bella following close behind.
When they reached Bella's house, she barely had time to park before she was out of the truck, calling his name.
Ash should have driven off. Instead, he sighed and swung off his bike, pulling his helmet off.
"What was that?" she demanded, eyes burning with frustration. "What were you two arguing about?"
Ash shrugged. "They don't like me."
"That's not an answer."
He sighed. "I don't know why. They never actually said."
Bella's frustration only deepened. "You're lying."
"I—"
"Don't." Her voice wavered, but her eyes were fierce. "I'm so sick of being lied to. No one tells me anything!"
Ah. So that was it.
This wasn't just about him.
Ash's expression softened slightly. That was what he hated about the supernatural world—Edward, in particular. He was already playing mind games with Bella, setting the stage for some grand tragedy. He wasn't just keeping secrets; he was hurting her with them.
Before Ash could say anything, the front door swung open.
"What's going on out here?"
Charlie Swan stepped onto the porch, eyes narrowing the second he saw Bella's face. His gaze snapped to Ash, his protective instincts flaring.
"One of you needs to explain. Now."
Bella wiped at her eyes. "Dad, it's fine—"
"Like hell it is," Charlie snapped. His glare hardened on Ash. "What did you do?"
Ash held up his hands. "We had an argument," he explained smoothly. "Bella was upset because I wouldn't tell her why some kids from the reservation were mad at me." He let out a breath, feigning unease. "Truth is, I don't know either. One of them seemed upset that I brought her there. Or maybe just that I was around her at all." He frowned. "Honestly? It was kind of scary."
Charlie's shoulders relaxed slightly. "That true, Bells?"
She hesitated—just for a second—before nodding.
Charlie sighed. "Jacob Black, huh?"
Bella nodded again.
"I'll talk to Billy," he decided. "We'll figure this out."
Ash offered a small smile. "Thank you, Mr. Swan."
"Just Charlie is fine. Why don't you come in? You and Bella can hang out while I call your uncle."
Before they could protest, Charlie was already ushering them inside.
Ash exchanged a look with Bella.
The moment Charlie was out of earshot, he leaned in.
"Now that we're alone, I can explain everything for real."
Bella's eyes widened. She had believed every word of his earlier explanation.
"You what?"
Ash smirked. "I know Edward's a vampire."
There was a sharp thud behind them.
Bella gasped, spinning toward the sound—
Ash only smiled wider.
"Great of you to join us," he murmured, eyes gleaming.
Edward stood by the back door, his glare murderous.
"Leave. Now. Or I'll tear you apart so fast Charlie won't even hear your last breath." Edward's voice was a low, lethal growl, his body coiled like a predator ready to strike.
Ash Nightsun didn't flinch. Instead, he smirked, tilting his head in mock amusement. "You've got guts threatening me in someone else's home. If Carlisle is as wise as he claims to be, I imagine he'd tell you to leave Forks before this gets messy. Disobeying him won't end well for you."
Edward's lips curled back over his teeth. "You're arrogant," he spat. "As if you're not just as fragile as the humans you surround yourself with."
Ash clicked his tongue. "You really don't get it, do you?" His voice dropped to something dark, something almost amused. "You're playing a reckless game, immortal. If Carlisle told you even a fraction of what I am, you'd know better than to test me."
Edward straightened, a smirk forming as Bella inched closer to him, emboldened by his presence. "Tell me then," he mocked. "What reason would a lion have to fear a lamb?"
Ash chuckled, but there was no warmth in it—just cold, sharp amusement. "None at all," he agreed. "But I'm not a lamb, am I, Edward?" His voice turned silkier, deadlier. "And no matter how mighty the lion, a well-placed bullet still brings it down."
The air grew suffocating, thick with something primal and violent. Neither Edward nor Bella saw Ash move, but suddenly, a wicked-looking knife was in his hand—dark steel with an edge that gleamed like a whisper of death.
Edward's body tensed, instincts screaming.
Ash's grip on the knife was casual, almost lazy, but the way he turned it in his fingers spoke of experience—of certainty.
"Bella," he said, voice quieter now, more dangerous. "Look away. Unless you want to see what it looks like when I gut your boyfriend."
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Hello my dear readers there !!
I love this chapter a weird amount. I don't even know why—it just speaks to me, you know? Like it reached out, grabbed me by the throat, and whispered, "Yes, this is it. This is the peak of your existence."
I really enjoyed writing that last line. I mean, come on, don't tell me you never thought about killing Edward while reading or watching Twilight. Be honest. He was insufferable at every possible moment. Every. Single. One. The audacity? The arrogance? The way he stood there looking all broody like he was the tragic hero of a Shakespearean play when in reality, he was just a sparkly stalker with commitment issues? Disastrous. If I were in Twilight, I'd be taking notes from Ash Nightsun. "Gutting your boyfriend," is such an excellent threat. Peak cinema. I'd pay to see it.
At this point, you've probably noticed my writing style is... well, dramatic. Some might say overly so, but I prefer the term cinematic excellence. I love movies, and they influence my writing a lot. Books are hard, okay? You know how difficult it is to get impactful lines in books? Seriously, props to the famous authors—Shakespeare, Tolkien, Jane Austen—absolute legends. Meanwhile, I'm over here trying to craft dialogue that hits like a knockout punch, and half the time, it feels like I'm throwing soggy noodles at a wall and hoping they stick.
Speaking of my completely normal and healthy writing habits, you're probably wondering, "Why is this being posted at such a cursed hour instead of the usual update time?" You might even be thinking, "What time zone is this person in to be awake and writing at both these times?"
And the answer is:No, I do not sleep.
Ever
(At This point you can even call me a sparkling discoball A.K.A a coldone)
Sleep is for people who don't need to craft god-tier trash talk. My goal is to evolve from mere master-level roasting to omnipotent-level. That's right, we're taking it to divine heights. Next chapter, I want Ash to deliver insults so legendary they echo through dimensions. So brutal that Edward has no choice but to reflect on every life decision he's ever made.
So, yeah. Stay tuned for more of… whatever this is!