The Game Begins

Chapter 18: The Game Begins

The dense fog that covered the forest floor seemed to grow heavier with every step Victoria took. Her long red hair fluttered gently in the wind as she left barely visible footprints in the wet earth. In the distance, the footsteps of the officers could be heard following her trail, although they would never get close enough to her to see her. For now, she was in control.

Later that day, in a coffee shop in downtown Forks, Charlie Swan was drinking a hot coffee in the company of his daughter, Bella. The waitress approached, her voice heavy with concern

—Charlie, people keep asking... Have they caught the culprit yet? "She," she inquired, referring to the recent murder.

Charlie, accustomed to the constant stares and questions, sighed

"The suspect is heading east." "Now it's the other county's police business," he responded, feeling a slight release knowing that the tension in the town would begin to ease.

The conversation continued without incident, but Bella couldn't shake the feeling that something dark was still going on. lurked in the nearby woods.

———

Deep in the forest, Victoria came to an abrupt stop. Her eyes narrowed as her mind processed the sensation she had felt repeatedly over the past few days: imminent danger. Her gift of enhanced self-preservation, which had saved her life countless times, was activating again, preventing her from moving down the path they were following.

"Damn it…" she whispered, frustrated.

James and Lauren, who accompanied her, also stopped. James' impatience was palpable, his eyes narrowed as he watched Victoria retreat once again

"Again?" —James snorted—. What the hell is stopping us?

Victoria knew she couldn't ignore her instinct, although she couldn't identify what made her stop. Something powerful, lethal even, awaited her ahead, and she wasn't about to risk it. However, her classmates were beginning to doubt her power.

Lauren, less impulsive than James, was also beginning to question herself

"Maybe we should find another way," Lauren said, looking at Victoria. . We can't keep backing away like this.

Victoria didn't respond immediately, but she knew something was guarding this territory... and she would have to find out what she was.

***

Ethan was just as irritated. In his beastly wolf form, his senses were razor-sharp, and he could smell the scent of the vampires that had wreaked havoc on Mason County. Three of them. He could smell them as clearly as if they were right next to him, but something always kept them out of his reach

It was frustrating. Ethan knew that in his current form, he could run three times faster than any vampire, and yet they always seemed to avoid him at the last moment, as if they knew exactly how to move to avoid him. And that made him angry.

With each patrol, the feeling that something bigger was happening grew, but he still couldn't pinpoint what it was. He just knew that he couldn't allow himself to let his guard down.

———

Days later, Bella was nervous but excited. She had been invited by Edward to a unique activity: going to watch a baseball game with her family. Her idea seemed curious, but she accepted without hesitation

After asking Charlie's permission and formally introducing Edward as her boyfriend, they left for the countryside. The day was covered in thick clouds, which, according to Edward, was the perfect weather for them.

The place was hidden deep in the forest, and when they arrived, Bella was surprised to see the entire Cullen family gathered together. . Carlisle and Esme were together, while Alice, Jasper, Emmet, Edythe and Rosalie prepared everything for the game. The scene was peculiarly familiar, but the Cullens' aura lent an almost supernatural touch to the occasion.

———

At the same time, Victoria's group finally managed to pass through the territory near Forks. They had traveled extra miles, carefully avoiding the area that had caused them trouble before. Everything seemed to be going well until, in the middle of the quiet of the forest, they heard a sound that caught their attention: the rumble of metal hitting something solid.

"That must be... the Cullens," Lauren said. , his tone dry as he looked towards the source of the sound. She had forgotten that this is her territory. Maybe we should go talk to them to avoid future problems.

James nodded, although he seemed more interested in other matters. Victoria, for her part, remained alert, still not knowing what had made them retreat in their previous attempts

When they arrived at the playing field, the Cullens greeted them with a palpable tension in the air. There were formal greetings, but everything felt cold, forced.

Victoria, curious, looked at a point in the distance and asked, pointing with her finger:

—What is that place?

Bella , without realizing the weight of the question, responded automatically:

—It's Quileute territory...

The words resonated in the air. The Cullens visibly tensed, though most didn't notice. Edward, for her part, began to read Victoria's thoughts, trying to understand why she was asking about that place

"Quileute territory?" Victoria asked, but before she could continue, Lauren interrupted her.

"Come on, Victoria, this isn't the time for that," she said, turning to the Cullens and holding up a baseball. How about we play?

Carlisle smiled, relaxing the atmosphere a little.

"Sure," he said. Some players were already leaving.

———

The baseball game was about to begin until James, with his keen senses, sensed something different. His gaze locked on Bella, her eyes shining with a hunger that had nothing to do with baseball. He had noticed...she was human.

When James began to move towards Bella, Edward reacted immediately, stepping between them and causing a spark of tension. James gave a twisted smile, knowing that he had found something that interested him.

After a tense confrontation, both groups decided to separate, but Edward knew that James would not leave them alone. He had read his mind and knew that, to him, this was all nothing more than a sick game. Bella was the target, and James was determined to do everything he could to get what he wanted

Edward worriedly told Bella that they would have to leave Forks. There was no other option. James would hunt them down, and for him, this had only just begun.