If you want to support or read some advanced chapters +10 please follow me on: patreon.com/Jayjayempi
Nate reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, rummaging silently until he pulled out a small, compressed pouch. He placed it on one of the rusted tables in the abandoned factory. Inside, folded with precision, was a stained and worn shirt.
Carlisle looked at it, a faint frown forming as he caught the scent embedded in the fabric.
"What is this?" he asked, though his tone already hinted that he suspected the answer.
"Riley's shirt," Nate replied in a low but firm voice. "The vampire who attacked Forks. Not even Victoria knows where he is now."
Carlisle stood still for a moment, processing the words. His gaze hardened ever so slightly.
"Edward said he escaped… Jacob chased after him, but we haven't been able to speak with him since."
"We need to find him before he does anything else," Nate insisted, his crimson eyes locking on Carlisle's. "That's why I want to ask you… Do you know any vampire with a gift for tracking?"
Carlisle drew in a slow breath, as if searching for the right way to explain.
"Gifts are rare even among vampires," he said at last. "But tracking… that's one of the more common ones. The best tracker in the world is Demetri, from the Volturi."
At the mention of that name, a cold wave of anger surged inside Nate—brief, but sharp—before he buried it deep enough not to show on his face.
"Besides him," Carlisle continued, "I only know of one other… but he lives in voluntary exile. He doesn't like to talk to anyone, and I doubt he'd want to help."
Nate's gaze sharpened, his tone turning resolute.
"Just get him to talk to me. I'll handle convincing him. That's all I need."
Carlisle studied him in silence. The tension between them lingered for a few seconds before he finally nodded.
"I think I can persuade him… at least to agree to meet you. But he's an old friend, Nate. I don't want you threatening him."
Nate held his gaze, his reply short but steady.
"You have my word. Only words."
Carlisle nodded, though the concern in his eyes didn't fade.
"It'll take me some time to reach him, but if I manage… I'll send him to the Denali house so you can meet."
After that, Carlisle stepped over to Alice and gave her a brief hug, lingering just a moment longer than necessary, as if trying to convey a message without words. Then he turned to Nate, giving him a light pat on the shoulder.
"Good luck with your self-control. And don't take too long to come back to us."
Nate allowed a faint smile—a brief flicker of genuine gratitude.
"Thank you, Carlisle."
The Cullen leader left without another word, his footsteps echoing faintly in the silent structure. Nate watched calmly as Carlisle vanished into the shadowed forest like a breath of wind.
Once Carlisle's steps had faded completely into the distance, Alice reached for Nate's hand with a gentle yet firm gesture. He felt her fingers—cold and delicate—intertwine with his. Outside, night had fully fallen; the sky, clear and dark, let the moon bathe the forest in silver light, stretching long shadows between the trees.
Alice met his eyes and, with a calm smile, said,
"We've got a long way to go if we want to reach Alaska."
Nate lowered his gaze briefly, speaking with quiet sincerity.
"I'm sorry… the trip must be boring. Even tedious."
She shook her head slightly, squeezing his hand a little tighter and tugging him forward.
"Not at all. We have all the time in the world… and I think it's a good chance for us to talk a bit."
Nate nodded, and together they started moving through the forest. The damp earth muffled their footsteps, and though darkness wrapped around everything, Nate could see every detail clearly thanks to his sharpened senses: the rough texture of tree bark, the glint of tiny insects crawling in the grass, even the distant blink of some nocturnal animal's eyes.
With a faint smile, he glanced at Alice.
"Have you always felt like this?"
She let out a small, musical laugh.
"For me… It's always been like this. What I wonder is what it feels like to be human. I can't remember what it was like when I was one."
Nate exhaled slowly, searching for the words.
"The difference is… huge."
Alice tilted her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes.
"How different?"
Nate looked up at the sky before answering.
"It's like… you're completely rested all the time. You never feel tired. It's constant energy, like there's no limit. You don't need to breathe, or blink… and yet you perceive everything. You see it, smell it, hear it all. You feel strong, like nothing could stop you. I never imagined this is what it would be like to be a vampire. It's… like we're perfect."
Alice smiled, a flicker of relief in her eyes.
"I'm glad you don't feel bad about what you are now."
Nate held her gaze for a moment, as if weighing each word.
"I never minded the idea of being this. I just wanted to wait longer… I would have liked to do a few things as a human before the time came. Be with my grandmother in her last years, spend more time with the guys in Forks… maybe go to college with them."
Alice watched him in silence. Her usually bright eyes now carried a shade of sadness she didn't try to hide.
"You haven't said anything… but I'm afraid. Afraid that deep down, you think what happened to your grandmother was because you got involved with me."
Nate stopped instantly, surprised. The stillness of the forest seemed to grow heavier, as if everything around them had gone quiet to hear his answer.
"Why would you think that?"
Alice lowered her gaze, fidgeting with the fabric of her sleeve as if she needed something to hold on to.
"Because I think it's my fault. If I hadn't brought you to my house that day… none of what happened with James' coven would have happened. Things would have been different. I was excited… back then, I already felt something for you and wanted you to be part of it all. Now I think that if I'd taken things more slowly, maybe you wouldn't have suffered so much."
Nate studied her face, seeing the blend of pain and guilt there. He stepped closer, gently cupping her face in his hands and lifting her chin.
"I don't blame you for a single thing. I'll be honest: ever since I woke up as a vampire, it's been hard to control my anger. I'm angry—very—at Riley, at the Volturi, even at Edward and Jacob. But never at you. You're the last good thing I have left."
Alice closed her eyes, placing her hand over his, seeking the contact as if to anchor her own calm. She stayed that way for a few seconds, letting herself sink into the warmth of the moment before answering softly.
"I don't think Edward or Jacob are to blame… They did what they could. I don't think it's my place to intervene… I just hope you remember Edward is my brother… and Jacob is your friend."
Nate's expression grew serious.
"I'm not sure… but I think it's something I need to settle with them… when things are calmer, when it doesn't hurt as much."
Alice's expression turned slightly uneasy.
"The things we feel as vampires are harder to manage. We're frozen in time… but I'm sure that eventually you'll find the peace you deserve. And I'll be there with you every step of the way."
Nate smiled softly.
"Right now, I feel at peace—your presence always calms me… and now I can sense you even better than before."
Alice gave a playful smile.
"Oh? And?"
Nate smiled with confidence, answering in a teasing tone.
"Seems I wasn't wrong… you're stunning."
Alice pulled her hands away, feigning discomfort.
"Wow… that's pretty intense, Nate."
He smiled, catching the joke instantly, lowering his head with mock embarrassment.
"Don't be like that… you know feelings are different for vampires."
Alice widened her eyes in amused embarrassment, remembering when she had told him that herself. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Don't think that just because you've got an even prettier face now, I'm going to let you tease me."
Nate grinned confidently.
"Really? I haven't seen myself in a mirror… if I couldn't get you off me before, now it's going to be impossible."
Alice laughed. Slowly, she leaned toward his lips and whispered in a velvety tone,
"I wonder… now that you're a vampire, would you taste different?"
She began to close the distance. Nate inhaled her scent—now, more than ever, magnetic to him. He closed his eyes, closing the space between them.
Alice's hands slid down to his chest and, with a swift move, she hooked her foot behind him and pushed, making him fall to the ground. Nate landed sprawled out, somewhere between dazed and amused.
Alice threw him a flirtatious smile.
"I don't think I should make it that easy… You made me worry far too much these past two days."
Then, with an agile leap, she sprang into the branches of a tree and darted away at high speed.
Nate rose in one smooth motion and ran after her. Their laughter echoed through the forest as he chased her from branch to branch, following the fleeting glint of her hair through the leaves. She laughed—a clear, wind-blended sound—dodging him with graceful ease while keeping just ahead. He knew he could catch her at any moment, but chose not to, savoring the chase instead.
"Hours ago you were a terrifying vampire," Alice called between leaps, "and now you can't even catch me… I think you're overrated."
Nate smirked to himself, pretending to fail each attempt, letting go of branches at the last second as if his grip were too weak.
"I'm still getting used to my new body," he said in a deep, playful tone. "Besides… I'm lacking motivation."
She laughed, glancing back at him with mischief in her eyes.
"If you catch me, I'll do anything you ask."
The words, tossed so lightly, lit a spark in his chest. Alice dropped to the ground and kept running, her feet barely kissing the earth as her sweet scent hung in the air, pulling him forward like an invisible thread.
Nate stayed in the treetops a moment longer, watching her with a smile he hadn't worn in a long time. Finally, he dropped down in one fluid motion, his muscles tensing as he pushed himself forward with real speed. Alice sensed him closing in and, unconsciously, slowed just a fraction, laughing as she felt him almost upon her.
In a blink, Nate closed the distance and caught her. His arms wrapped firmly around her as momentum sent them rolling over the ground in quick spirals. Nate, conscious of every impact, shifted his body so none of it struck her. Their laughter mingled with the rustle of grass and the scent of damp earth until they stopped.
Nate ended up above her, hair slightly mussed and a soft smile contrasting the intensity in his gaze. Alice felt his breath brush her face, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away.
They lay there in silence on the damp, leaf-strewn ground, the night wrapping every detail in darkness, broken only by the silver moonlight filtering through the canopy. Nate's gaze softened, letting the tension slowly dissolve.
Alice, with a delicate gesture, slid her hands along his sides, brushing his cold skin beneath the jacket. Without thinking much, he began to lean closer, his face nearing hers with almost ethereal calm. Alice closed her eyes, waiting for the contact of her companion's lips.
The kiss was brief—just a few seconds—but in that moment, both felt a deep release. The past few days had been a nightmare of uncertainty and pain, and in that fleeting truce, they allowed themselves the luxury of simply existing together in peace. They knew this instant would be etched in their memories forever.
When they parted, Nate lay down beside her, and Alice cupped his face in her hand, studying every line of his cold skin.
"I'll really miss your blue eyes," she said softly, "but I always thought you'd look better with golden ones."
Nate leaned in again, giving her another kiss—this time only a gentle brush, a caress meant to hold the moment without rushing it. Then he looked at her calmly, his crimson eyes glowing in the gloom.
"I love you, Alice…"
She opened her eyes, a light smile escaping her lips.
"You're just saying that to distract me from your red eyes… but I love you too, Nate."
They stayed there, lying on the forest floor, enjoying each other's company in silence for several minutes, the fall of leaves and the soft steps of some nearby animal the only shared sounds.
Finally, as if only just remembering, Alice spoke in a tone of mock resignation, laced with flirtation.
"Well… looks like you won. Now that you've caught me, what do you want to do with me?"
Nate smiled, catching the hint instantly, but his confident expression faltered in a blink. His gaze turned hesitant, almost vulnerable, and with some effort, he held hers with his red eyes. In a low, deeply sincere voice, he said,
"Please… promise me nothing will happen to you… that you won't leave me alone."
Alice looked at him with a flicker of confusion. Nate had always been impressive—strong, confident—but now she understood the weight of what he had endured. Everyone he had given his heart to was gone, and now, with a fragility uncharacteristic of such a powerful vampire, he was pleading for her not to do the same.
Moved, she leaned in closer and wrapped her arms tightly around him, pressing their bodies together in the forest's darkness. Closing her eyes, she whispered in his ear,
"No matter what happens… you'll have me for all eternity."
Nate returned the embrace, melting into it as if it were the last anchor he had to hold on to. There, in the middle of the night, still lying on the cold earth, they let fear and uncertainty turn into a silent, shared determination.