CHAPTER 12
Logan held his breath…
The door opened before he even finished knocking.
The darkness of the night fell and wrapped the glass house in cold shadows in the middle of absolute nothing.
Turning the forest into a living, suffocating wall.
A petite woman, with brown hair, angelic face, and a perfect figure, looked at him with a smile that seemed fresh out of the oven —warm, welcoming, too much for this hell of cold—. She looked perfect, too perfect to be real…
"You must be Logan," she said with that warm voice, embracing his name as if she had been waiting for him all this time, unaware of the darkness and danger hiding between the trees. "Carlisle told me about you. Come in, it's freezing outside."
The smell hit him instantly: cinnamon, vanilla, freshly baked cookies… and underneath, rot. Something dead disguised as home.
It could fool anyone —not him.
The cold tightened his chest, chills running down his spine like invisible fingers, while the scent suffocated him like a punch to the gut.
She was a wolf in sheep's skin.
A predator that smiles while breaking your neck, wrapped in fake sweetness.
Logan swallowed, muscles tense under the shirt soaked in sweat.
"Thanks…" he answered, stepping inside with heavy feet.
Great, Jimmy.
The sweetest vampire of all… and the one that makes you want to run the most, while the forest whispered that something worse was lurking in the mist.
He looked into her eyes as he passed by her, and he noticed it… the strange behavior.
Similar to what happened around Edward at school. That uncomfortable look, that posture like she was holding back or wondering what the hell was going on.
Mrs. Cullen tried to hide it the best she could.
No, it didn't work.
"Logan, Carlisle, my husband, had a feeling you might visit us. I made cookies, you gave me an excuse to use the kitchen after years," she tried to lighten the tense atmosphere. "Let me introduce myself: Esme Cullen, just Esme is fine."
She extended her small pale hand.
"A pleasure, Mrs. Esme," he said, feeling the cold when he shook it.
Their eyes met for a moment. That golden-brown color in her gaze disturbed his senses, too unreal to be human…
Esme kept looking into his dark eyes a second too long.
Her expression seemed tired…
That boy was huge, yes… but he was also broken.
She saw it in the way he clenched his jaw, in how his shoulders seemed to carry something too heavy for someone so young.
The scent he gave off —warm, wild, almost painful— stirred something inside her she didn't expect.
He wasn't just a dangerous human.
He was something more.
And for the first time in decades, she felt the impulse to open her arms and protect him… even knowing he would never allow it.
She guided him through the entrance hallway into the main room.
Too bright, too alive. This place was unsettling, too perfect…
And of course Esme noticed.
"Were you expecting something else?" Esme asked with a small smile.
Logan appreciated the attempt to ease the growing tension.
"I think I expected some dungeons and people tied up," he answered jokingly, scanning the place, feeling a little uncomfortable.
Esme looked at him softly and gave him a somewhat strange smile.
"We don't do that… but I can show you my coffin if you want," she teased to calm him.
It didn't take long before he felt a presence coming from upstairs.
When he lifted his gaze, he saw a blonde with unnatural beauty staring at him with cold eyes…
She spoke without filter.
"Carlisle isn't here!" her voice carried clear anger. "And a human like you is not welcome in this house!"
She showed deep rage, teeth clenched, her eyes locked on Logan…
Her aura turned dark, the air changed and grew heavy. In that moment he truly felt a wild animal watching him…
He could only sigh…
He looked at Rosalie and an awkward smile formed on his face…
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Restaurant – Edward and Bella
Edward watched as Bella ate timidly from her plate. The warm yellow lights of the restaurant created a cozy atmosphere between them.
A comfortable silence settled in the place. Around them, other people enjoyed the meals and talked, unaware of the non-human predator sharing the room…
"You must give me some answers…" Bella spoke, still not understanding what she was doing there at all.
Edward looked away for a moment.
"Yes, no," he answered in a low voice. "To get to the other side?"
Bella shook her head, annoyed.
"1.7724," Edward continued giving silly answers.
"I didn't ask for the square root of pi," Bella said angrily.
"Did you already know it?" a small amused smile appeared on his face.
"How did you know where I was?" Bella asked again, without humor.
"I didn't…" Edward whispered, not looking her in the eyes.
Bella, frustrated, shook her head and prepared to leave.
Edward stared at her, unsure of what to do. With a sincere look he only managed to say:
"Please, Bella, don't go."
A strange expression appeared on his face, an inner suffering was consuming him, his body felt tired.
"Were you following me?" Bella asked, unsure of what to believe.
Edward looked around. He couldn't look at her directly in that moment. With a heavy voice he said:
"Yes, I did…
It's just that… I feel this need to protect you, you know? I can't help it.
I was only going to watch and keep my distance… only intervene if you needed my help.
But then I heard what they were thinking and I just…"
Bella, unsure of what to feel, asked quickly what that meant.
"Wait!"
"You said earlier that you could hear their thoughts…" Bella continued shyly. "Do you… read minds?"
She asked without really knowing how the question escaped her. Just the idea made her feel strange.
Edward looked at her for a long second. With every moment his gaze seemed to lose strength.
He leaned back in the chair for a moment.
He turned his attention only to Bella and said:
"I can read everyone's mind in this place…"
"All except yours. Watch—" he nodded subtly toward different people around them. "Sex, money, sex, power…"
"And then there's you. I can't hear anything…" he spoke with a frustrated tone. "It's very irritating."
"Why? Do I have something wrong with me?" Bella asked insecurely.
Edward laughed softly.
"I tell you I can read minds and you think something is wrong with you?"
For the first time, Bella saw him laugh. A charming smile formed, with a sincere look.
But then she felt that tense moment again. A pressure wrapped around them, and a sudden feeling of unease hit them…
She noticed the strange atmosphere surrounding both of them.
"What's wrong?" a strange sensation pressed her chest.
He leaned slightly closer. His shield broke for a second and he spoke with sincerity:
"It's just that… it's hard for me to stay away from you."
"I don't have the strength to leave anymore. Not ever again…"
Edward sighed. He felt his body grow lighter, and an invisible weight drifted away.
Their eyes met.
There was no discomfort, only desire, an obsession.
They wanted that moment to last forever…
To be continued…
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Hello everyone!
Sorry for uploading the chapter so late, I wanted to post it yesterday on my birthday but…
I was feeling a bit down and didn't have a good day.
Sorry…
I hope you all have a good day, thanks for the support 🐻
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