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Alice's POV
Alice had only been in Seattle for a few hours, but the discomfort in her chest was constant, sharp—like an invisible dagger stabbing with every thought. The feeling never left her for a moment; an oppressive weight that kept her from breathing calmly, a persistent knot growing with every second. Even though she was surrounded by her family at the hotel where they were staying—the soft murmur of familiar voices, the familiar scent of the Cullens, and the distant hum of the city—nothing could soothe the restlessness she had carried with her since Washington D.C. Everything had happened so fast: the plan with the Romanians, Nate's decision to stay, the urgency to capture the werewolf. He insisted firmly, as he always did, assuring her he would be fine, that it was the best option. But Alice wasn't convinced.
Since she met the Romanians, those ancient vampires from another era, a bad feeling had settled inside her. They weren't like the other vampires she had known in her long life; there was something dark, something almost primal and hungry in their eyes, a disturbing mix of patience and threat. It wasn't just their strong accent, their worn clothes that seemed to tell centuries of history, or the way their eyes glowed with a smoldering fire; it was that intangible aura surrounding every one of their movements, like shadows that had learned to wait—watchful, patient, and lethal. Although she never said it aloud, Alice feared their interest in Nate went deeper than the simple need to catch a wild creature. Sometimes she wondered if the werewolf plan was just an excuse to keep him close, to control him. She felt very reluctant to leave him with them, but still, she did because she trusted him. Because she loved him.
She tried to distract herself amid that whirlwind of emotions. She talked with Esme, whose usual warmth offered a brief respite; helped Rosalie with some last-minute preparations for the upcoming operation; shared battle strategies with Jasper, seeking in his logic and calm a point of support. Even Carlisle, with his serene and measured tone, tried to cheer her up by updating her on what had happened during her absence, trying to illuminate the darkness of her thoughts with facts and explanations. But nothing could pull her out of the latent tension consuming her from within.
As the afternoon wore on, the Denali clan informed that they would be delayed a little longer. Alice gritted her teeth, feeling frustration compress her chest. Had she known about the delay, she would have postponed her trip. She could have stayed one more night with Nate. I was there when he went after the wolf. Supported him in person. But now all that was just a stabbing regret.
The sun slowly set, dyeing the sky a dull red that announced night's arrival. And with it, desperation began to grow inside Alice, like a slow sentence taking over her thoughts. In her mind, she replayed over and over every word Nate had said before they parted. She tried to find him in her visions, but found only darkness; a dense, impenetrable veil, like the shadow wolves leave behind. That darkness made her even more anxious, filling her with terrible unease, a void that seemed to swallow her whole.
At ten o'clock at night, she sent the first message. A simple sentence, something casual, carefully written not to sound too worried. But there was no reply. At midnight, she sent another message. Then another. At four in the morning, anxiety overcame her. She grabbed her phone with trembling hands and dialed his number. The operator's automated voice answered coldly:
"This number is out of service."
Alice sat motionless at the edge of the hotel bed, staring at the phone screen as if expecting magic to light it up and show some sign of life. At five, she called again. Nothing. She hugged the pillow against her chest, feeling how fear gnawed at her from inside, slow and corrosive, like acid devouring hope. It was then, just before dawn, that she called Edward.
He answered on the first ring.
"Did Nate tell you what time his flight to Forks was?" she asked bluntly, her voice tense.
Edward took a few seconds to respond—long enough for Alice to know something was wrong.
"No, but…" he said softly, almost out of breath. "I called him a few hours ago. His grandmother… Mrs. Winter… passed away. I was with her when it happened. I told Nate as soon as it did."
Alice closed her eyes, her soul shrinking in her chest. She felt a dull, genuine pain that pierced her mercilessly. Mrs. Winter had always been kind to her, treating her like family, with a warmth that, even when they weren't sure what she and Nate were, was undeniable. That woman had embraced her in moments of uncertainty, and now she was gone.
She swallowed hard, unable to say anything at first. Only heavy, thick silence filled the line for a few seconds.
"And what did Nate say?" she finally murmured.
"Nothing…" Edward replied. His voice carried a guilt Alice hadn't heard before. "When I told him, he stayed on the line for a few minutes… then hung up. I tried calling him back later, but his number was out of service. I thought maybe he blocked me or something. After all… I failed him."
Alice pressed her lips tightly. She wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, that he did what he could. But all she could think was that Nate was alone. Alone with that pain, with that loss, surrounded by those ancient vampires who hunted him like hungry crows. She had no idea where he was or what he was doing. And that tore her apart.
She fell sideways onto the bed, clutching a pillow desperately. Her chest ached even though it had no heartbeat. She wanted to be with him. To hold him. To tell him he didn't have to carry it all alone.
............................
The discomfort never left Alice, not even when the sun began to rise over Seattle, painting the sky with pale orange hues. The dawn's light seemed unable to dispel the shadow lodged within her. Her family tried to mask their growing concern, exchanging barely perceptible glances and measured words, but everyone knew something was wrong. They assumed her worry came from Nate's pain, from the recent loss of his grandmother, the sweet Mrs. Winter, and believed he was surely devastated or, at least, needed a few days to disconnect and recover.
Carlisle, as always, calm and steady, approached her with a soft voice meant to soothe, like a breeze trying to calm a storm.
"You must focus on the visions, Alice. On finding Victoria before it's too late," he said gently, his deep eyes full of ancient wisdom. "Once we catch her, Bella and Nate will be safe."
Alice nodded silently, unable to hide the hollow feeling eating away at her soul. Because that wasn't the true reason for her anguish. Not entirely.
What kept her on the verge of collapse had nothing to do with Victoria.
She hadn't told her family anything about the werewolf or the Romanians. Nate had asked her expressly. It was a secret they had to keep for the moment, at least until he thought it necessary to reveal it. Alice agreed, aware it was the only way to protect her family. If any of them fell into the hands of the Volturi, if Aro tried to read their minds… at least as long as it wasn't her or Nate, the truth would remain hidden.
But keeping it silent hurt. It hurt like an open wound that wouldn't stop bleeding.
After a few hours, later than expected, the last members they were waiting for finally arrived to close the situation.
The arrival of the Denali clan filled the hotel with a different air. Tanya, Kate, Irina, Eleazar, Carmen… and Laurent as well. They all showed a determined attitude, ready to face the problem with the same seriousness and focus as the Cullens. Alice greeted them in the lobby with a hurried hug, though her mind remained torn between the familiar faces before her and the heavy shadow cast by Nate's absence.
Laurent was the only one who lingered a bit longer with her. His eyes, though respectful, scrutinized her with an unease he couldn't hide.
"Isn't Nathaniel here?" he asked quietly, almost as if he already knew the answer would displease him.
Alice held his gaze firmly. She couldn't fully lie to him, but she couldn't betray the promise she had made either.
"No, he just suffered a loss, so he stayed in another city for now to be safe. As soon as we finish with the neophytes, I'll return to him immediately," she said with a steady tone, though her heart tightened under the weight of the half-truth.
Laurent seemed to understand, but he couldn't hide the shadow of disappointment that clouded his face. He nodded silently and walked away, joining the rest of the group that was beginning to gather in the makeshift strategy room.
With everyone present, they naturally sought Alice's counsel. She was the key to determining the right moment to strike. She settled into a chair, closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind, though focusing was difficult. The image of Victoria kept shifting, as if sensing they were close. It confused her, a disturbing feeling that churned her stomach. She breathed deeply, digging her fingers into the armrests, forcing herself to go deeper into the vision. Finally, the image stabilized.
"She's in a warehouse on the outskirts of Seattle," she murmured, slowly opening her eyes. Her voice sounded weak, as if it was hard to say those words, but firm. "It seems to be her base. She's restless… nervous, as if waiting for something."
Carlisle exchanged glances with Jasper; their faces showed contained concern.
"Probably because her army is starting to draw too much attention. The deaths are becoming visible," Carlisle said with a serious, measured tone, aware of the gravity of the situation.
Jasper stepped forward, his face hardened by countless battles.
"Then the best thing would be to attack them just before they go out to feed. They'll be more aggressive, yes, but that ferocity will be their weak point. It will blind them," he explained confidently, showing trust in the strategy.
Alice nodded slowly, accepting the reality of the plan that had to be carried out.
"They'll hunt tomorrow night," she added in a low voice, almost a whisper.
Everyone was silent for a moment, processing the information. Tanya, with a serious expression and arms crossed, was the first to speak.
"Then we attack tomorrow."
"Yes," Carlisle confirmed, looking at each person with a firmness that brooked no argument. "Prepare everything. Tomorrow night, it all ends."
Alice nodded with the others, but inside she felt restless, dissatisfied. She wanted it all to be over already, wanted to be far away. She wanted to return to Nate. Every minute away from him was a constant pang in her chest, a reminder of what she had left behind. But for now, she had to do her part. She locked that pain inside her chest and forced herself to move forward.
She stepped away a few paces from the group who were exchanging words until she felt a hand gently rest on her shoulder.
Irina, who had just been with the group, approached her with a sweet and understanding expression.
"They told me about you and Edward's partners. For me, this whole partners thing is new too, but I'm sure you're worried about him, right?"
Alice looked at her, speechless. She couldn't answer, but her silence was enough to express everything she felt.
Irina took her hand softly, conveying a comforting warmth.
"He'll be okay. You'll be back with him soon," she said with a kind smile, empathizing with her old friend.
Alice barely managed to nod, unable to form a word.
They let the hours pass until the morning of the third day in Seattle arrived. The atmosphere was heavy with palpable, almost electric tension. Each person present fine-tuned mental and physical details, as if the weight of the imminent battle was felt in every held breath. Jasper took charge of giving the last strategic advice he could think of to face the neophytes, insisting they remember their lack of control, their brutal savagery without technique, and how that could be used to their advantage. His voice was firm, authoritative, but with a shade of concern he couldn't hide.
Alice, however, felt increasingly detached from it all. The distance separating her from Nate weighed on her like an invisible slab, and frustration clouded her mind. She still hadn't heard from him. Not a call, not a message. Nothing. The void of his silence slowly consumed her.
At one point, unable to contain her anxiety any longer, she walked over to where Carlisle was. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes, darker than usual, reflected a mixture of frustration and restrained desperation.
"I can't take it anymore. I'm going to D.C. to look for him," she said firmly, though trembling inside.
Carlisle, unaware of the true weight behind those words, tried to calm her with his steady, serene tone.
"Alice… just a little longer. We're almost done. You're key to making sure Victoria doesn't escape. If she gets away now, all this will have been for nothing. As soon as this is over, I'll personally accompany you to find him, I promise."
He paused for a moment and added with a slight smile:
"And knowing Nate… I don't think he's in danger. He's an extraordinary human. Always has been. I'm sure he just wants to be alone for a few days to process his loss."
Alice pressed her lips tightly. She wanted to argue, tell him about the Romanians, about the wolf, about what Nate had told her, but she knew she couldn't betray his trust. She simply nodded, jaw clenched, and anguish on the verge of exploding.
When the time was approaching, everyone prepared to head to Victoria's refuge. The atmosphere was dense, filled with expectant silence. Before moving, all eyes turned to Alice, waiting to see if one last vision would appear that might alter the course of the attack.
Alice closed her eyes, trying to find her, to locate her silhouette among the broken threads of the future. She wanted to focus on Victoria, on her surroundings, on the terrain… but her mind inevitably wandered. She thought of Nate. His voice. His expression as he said goodbye.
And then, she saw him.
The vision, like all she had had of Nate, changed at a dizzying speed, but this time there was something different: the ending remained still, fixed, as if it were an unchangeable fact.
Nate stood, his back turned to her.
In front of him, Victoria, baring her fangs, was ready to pounce.
And behind her, more than twenty vampires. All with glowing eyes, fierce, and looking at Nate with deadly determination to end his life.
The atmosphere of the vision was thick, as if it were a trial. A condemnation.
Alice remained motionless.
Cold ran through her from her fingers to her chest, where even her dead heart seemed to shudder.
It wasn't just a vision.
It was a nightmare, which, although it had not yet happened, was already beginning to consume her from within.