Chapter 25:
Breaking Dawn

       There was a sharp intake of air.

Hunter peeled her eyes open and snatched her hand from Alice's. She felt around her body frantically, attempting to find the hole that tore through her body. But there was none.

She looked around and found everyone perfectly still. The entire Volturi was alive, Carlisle, Jasper, Seth, and Leah, everyone was alive.

"Now you know." Alice deadpanned, "That's your future. Unless you decide on another course."

Hunter breathed heavily, each breath shakier than the last. Everything she had just witnessed was false. It was nothing but a meer vision that felt realer than the snowflakes that melted away on her eyelashes.

She died. She would've died if the vision came true. Sparing one last glance at her mother, she let tears pour out onto her cheeks.

All her life, she believed her mother was dead. She blamed herself for so long. Living parent-less made her feel less than worthy of breathing crisp air every morning.

She lived that until suddenly, her mother became a monster, a savage, a beast. She tormented her and tore down her walls, beat her while she was down, and killed her. All without beating an eye.

She didn't know what she did to deserve any of that from the woman who gave birth to her, but she was done trying to get answers.

"We cannot alter our course. The child still poses a grave threat." Caius exclaimed, trying to gain Aro's attention. The blonde man craved murder.

Their lives were dedicated to protecting the existence of vampires and if there was a slight chance of exposure, they would destroy it. "But what if you were sure she could remain concealed from the human world?" Edward jumped, "Could we leave in peace?"

"Of course, but that cannot be known." Caius sassed.

Hunter carefully trudged away from the royal vampires. Her heart continued to pound in her chest but perhaps that's what brought her some comfort. The fact that it remained in her chest, pumping blood and oxygen throughout her body.

Her hands gravitated to Sam's fur, more relief climbing onto her shoulders. She felt safe.

"Actually it can." Edward called back with a smirk.

In the distance, two people walked in from the woods. A tall and tanned man beside a shorter beautiful woman. Their skin contrasted the snow greatly and discouraged the name 'pale faces'.

Hunter was amazed by them, their seemingly flawless figures moving closer and closer to them until they reached Alice's side. "I've been searching for witnesses of my own among the Ticuna tribes of Brazil."

"We have enough witnesses." Caius seethed.

"Let him speak, brother." Aro interrupted. Willow held onto Aro's arm tightly. She sent a smirk to a flustered Caius. The much younger vampire was always trying to gain the respects of Aro, but he only dug himself further into his grave with his venomous outburts.

"I am half human, half vampire. Like the child." The tanned boy spoke. Hunter listened to his calm heartbeat, finding solace in the fact that he was a living being. "A vampire seduced my mother, who died giving birth to me. My aunt Huilen raised me as her own. I made her immortal."

"How old are you?" Bella quizzed, her interest in the boy taking control.

He turned briefly, sharing a look with Renesemee, "A hundred and fifty years."

"At what age did you reach maturity?" Aro asked.

"I became full-grown seven years after my birth. I have not changed since then."

"And your diet?"

"Blood, human food. I can survive on either."

Hunter shuffled, he was much like her too. She was living and breathing, blood coursed through her veins, and yet she contained the powers of the undead. Hybrids.

"These children are much like us." Marcus, the eldest Volturi vampire stated, glancing at Aro with calm yet tired eyes.

Caius scoffed, "Regardless, the Cullens have been consorting with werewolves. Our natural enemies. Not to mention we have a wolf hybrid on our hands, who knows what she's capable of."

Willow held her hand up, "Caius, if you so much as speak again, I will make sure you spend the rest of your eternal life in purgatory."

The slender woman turned to the rest of the Volturi with open arms, "There is no real danger here. We will not fight today."

Hunter released a deep breath, a smile threatening to spread on her cheeks. The vampires gathered themselves, ready to leave the cold and wet town of Forks.

They flashed back into the forest without so much as a glance back. Apart from Aro and Willow who halted their movements to spare one last look at the Cullen clan, then they were gone.

"We have them on the run. Now is the time to attack." The romanian vampire known as Vladimir announced. His hands were in fists and the anger on his face was strong.

But it all wiped away when Carlisle walked past them with a calm expression, "Not today."

The two foreign vampires lingered, shock covering their pale faces, "You're all fools!" Stefan yelled, "The Volturi might be gone. But they will never forgive what happened here."

Hunter snickered at them, their accents creating a plethora of jokes in her mind. Then, they were gone too.

Sam nudged her arm softly and she laid it on top of his back with a sigh, "As much as I hate to admit it, you were right. We are family. And I'm sorry for everything."

Her apology was unexpected but it was honest. Before, her father spent most of his time on the reservation, protecting Forks and his own town from vampires and other threats. Those people became his family, his pack.

As much as she wanted to be independent, there was nothing wrong with having people to stand by with love and loyalty.

She felt guilty for how she's tormented the Uley pack in the past. They were at the end of her stubbornness and horrible temper, and she was sorry.

"Save the sappy love for later." Hunter gasped. She could hear his voice again. The telepathic exchange was only able to happen if she was in the pack or connected to him in some way.

Hunter hastily lifted up the sleeve of her hoodie and the long claw mark that tore through her skin was gone. The tattoo that nearly faded looked brand new and fresh. "Does this mean I'm in the pack again?"

Large puffs of breathing gained her attention. All around stood the entirety of the Uley pack, watching and waiting for her.

"Welcome back, alpha."

She could hear Paul's voice too, it was smug as always and she couldn't help but smile at the sound. "Alpha?" She asked, shooting Sam a look of skepticism.

"He thinks you deserve it more than he does." Edward said, joining her side and intertwining their hands, "Your father was the last alpha, now it's your turn."

Hunter inhaled, "I can't believe Sam Uley is bowing down to me." The werewolf growled playfully in response, moving to reach the side of his pack mates.

"They're awaiting your command." Edward told her, pressing a tender kiss to her temple. Hunter could melt into the snow with the happiness that swarmed her life. "Go ahead, we can catch up later."

Hunter nodded. She couldn't trust herself to speak out of fear of bursting into tears. She finally felt at peace with herself. Edward let go of her hand and backed away.

Hunter breathed deeply and felt her body transform from human to wolf, the warmth engulfing her even more than it did before. With one huff, she tilted her head upwards and a howl escaped her elongated snout.

The other's followed her actions, confirming their new alpha. Hunter stopped her howl and turned to the Cullen's, each of them baring a proud smile of their own.

They dodged a bullet with the Volturi.

"Guess Kansas will have to wait." Jacob snickered, brushing the side of his face against her's. Hunter would've laughed and pulled her long time friend into a bone crushing hug, but for now, she only licked his face happily before scurrying off into the woods, the rest of the pack following her excitedly.

Hunter had what she's been craving for most of her life; happiness. She would continue to live on for eternities to come with the people she cared for the most.

For her, that made being immortal worth it.

___

It was sunny.

Forks welcomed clear skies and chilly air on the next December day. The snow had melted away, any traces of footprints disappearing into the dirt and grass below.

Hunter wiped off stray tears when the breeze picked up, her warm hands previously patting down the flowers she just planted in the dirt. The flowers were bright, orange, yellow, with splashes of pink that erupted onto the blooming plant. It thrived in the warmth of the sun.

"The rest of my life is for you." She whispered.

The gravestone was motionless, only telling her brief information of the person buried six feet beneath her. She made a promise to visit the stone every few weeks from now on, she deserved it.

WINSTON FORGE. It tore her heart in two everytime she read the name. He didn't exist anymore and she was still gathering that truth, but at least she was trying.

She didn't know when she'll forgive herself, but until then, she couldn't let go of the pain. If he could hear her, he'd tell her a hundred times that it wasn't her fault, to go on and live her life freely and happily.

He'd tell her that he missed her and he so badly wanted to return to the world of the living. But he was fine with his fate, he was okay with watching her smile for the next eternity.

Hunter sniffled and got onto her feet. She didn't want to spend too much time in the cemetery, otherwise she'd breakdown.

Edward waited for her at the entrance with sorrowful eyes. He held immense guilt for Winston's fate as well, he was more than capable of saving him than Hunter was at the time.

"Ready?" He asked her, lifting his arm up and over her shoulder once she engulfed him in a hug. She nodded into his chest and inhaled deeply. There were sobs sitting on the tip of her tongue, ready to come out if she opened her mouth.

Edward guided her out the cemetery and into his silver volvo, the one she's spent a good chunk of her life, in the back seat.

The car zoomed through a pile of fallen leaves, the engine rumbling loudly as he drove onto the main road.

The witnesses they gathered had left briefly after the Volturi did, each one thankful for being able to go back home. Hunter thanked them too. Her family was safe because they trusted them.

"All the times we made it out of situations alive, I've always felt so uneasy." Hunter started. Her eyes stared out to the road ahead, watching pedestrians walk along the concrete sidewalks and the different kinds of cars zoom past. "Like we aren't fully out of the woods yet."

Edward constantly glanced at her as she spoke. There was a calmness to her tone that took him by surprise. They were nearing the Cullen home and she was already drained of her mournings. Normally she would've been mute after visiting Winston.

Hunter slid her tounge over her bottom lip and finally glanced at her lover, "The Volturi might've let us go, but I still have a bad feeling."

"That's normal." Edward responded as the car came to a stop in the driveway, "But we shouldn't dwell on the what ifs. We're safe for now and that's all that matters."

He unbuckled his seatbelt and flashed out of the car. Hunter sat still with her head resting on the seat. Edward was right but it felt wrong to ignore her twisting instincts.

The car door beside her opened and Edward stood there with a bright grin. She lazily unbuckled the seatbelt and accepted his hand. The chilly wind hit her skin yet this time, it didn't seem to affect her.

The couple walked through the house hand in hand, the sounds of their family happily talking amongst themselves sparked all sorts of emotions in their chests.

It seemed like forever since Hunter let herself be happy, each time the fear of having it snatched from her grasp was too strong to ignore.

Bella was the first person she saw upon walking out the back sliding doors. She wore a small smile while she spoke with Alice and Renesemee clung to her arm.

The weight lifted from her shoulders and skidded away with the wind. She walked taller. Her stride was lighter, more carefree. Surrounded by family and love made every inch of doubt in her bones simmer away.

Carlisle and Esme stood by the stairs, entangled in one another's arms as they've done for decades. Emmett and Rosalie displayed their usual ways of affection without a care, and Jasper lingered by Alice with a satisfied smile.

The worry they carried since Edward and Bella's honeymoon eradicated the second they knew they were safe. Although the rest of their eternal lives would be spent moving all around the world and possibly facing more fights, they were glad to be settled in their home for a little while longer.

   "Hunter!"

The hybrid groaned when Renesemee crashed into her arms, her warm cheek flushed against the bottom of her stomach. Hunter smiled and lifted the growing girl into her arms, "Hey cutie. You just keep growing."

   "Soon I'll be taller than you." Renesemee laughed, pushing away lightly so she can see her.

   "I believe you."

Hunter placed the girl down softly and watched her run back to her mom, egging her to play. She could never imagine having a child of her own, and she was glad it was impossible for her to get pregnant.

As nice as it would sound to settle down and start a real family of her own, it didn't appeal to her now. She was still young and had an eternity to complete all the dreams and plans she wanted.

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Edward stood before her with a knowing smirk, "Remember when Carlisle said gifts could evolve?"

Hunter breathed deeply and sent him a nod, her ears perking at whatever he had to say. "Well, he and Alice figured out that your's evolved. It's how you were able to push out Jane's gift and see Alice's visions."

She craned her neck to the side in thought. If it wasn't obvious before, it was now. She had to have been one of the most powerful creatures to exist. Being an alpha, werewolf and vampire hybrid, with telekinetic abilities seemed a little overpowered but she welcomed it.

It would make it easy for her to survive.

   "So you're saying I can read thoughts? Like you?" She quizzed with amusement. Edward seemed nervous and she couldn't help but let out a string of chuckles.

Edward was never able to read her thoughts unless she let him, now that she could read his mind freely, it made him uneasy. "I doubt it'd work but—"

   "I think I can hear them now." Hunter joked, "You're wearing dirty underwear?"

Edward rolled his eyes, "Hilarious."

In a swift movement, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Since she's met the Cullen's, she could never imagine finding solace in their very existence.

She wanted to murder them, eradicate them from Forks and protect Bella on her own. But they always proved to be family as the time went by.

Hunter couldn't have been happier than she was now.

___

Pieces of grey were flung into the night sky, carried aimlessly by a chill December wind. Ashen debris glided silently away from the smoke and onto the throng of talkative adults that all stood in awe of the bonfire, their eyes transformed into orbs of light, brighter than they normally were. Each flickered with the reflection of the raging fire, playing a light show on their pupils.

Hunter sat in a foldable chair with her chin in her hands. Everyone sat around the flames, engaged in their own conversations, and yet she couldn't seem to find one thing to chat about.

What could she say that hasn't already been said?

   "Remember when we were human still?" Bella's voice entered her ears and she perked up. Her hands move from her chin to her thighs and she leaned back into the seat.

Of course she remembered being human. She missed it. Back when the only thing that mattered was convincing her dad go let her go to the reservation with him on Saturday's.

"Yeah." Hunter sighed, "We were much cooler then."

Bella snickered, "If you count tripping over your own two feet as cool then I agree." Hunter could recall almost all of the times Bella has proved just how uncoordinated she truly was. It was absurd.

"You changed our lives." Hunter mumbled. There was no offense or anger in her tone, it was reminiscence. Despite it only being three years, it felt like she became immortal ages ago.

Bella nodded sheepishly and eyed the beer bottle in her hand with sudden interest, "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Trust me, it's alright." Hunter assured, "You have an eternity to make it up to me."

From across the fire, Renesemee sat in Edward's lap, the two of them glistening with delight. Hunter was relieved that the little girl held no anger towards her for being with her father, but she couldn't help but wonder if that'd change when she learns the truth.

"He has an eternity to make it up to me too." Bella whispered, knowing well that Hunter could hear her. "But it seems he's already doing that by staying in Renesemee's life."

Hunter agreed. "That love and bond... it's too strong for him to even think about abandoning it." She played with the rips in her black jeans and enjoyed the chilled breeze that brushed past the nape of her neck.

Bella shrugged and slid down the icy beer, "I'm sure Renesemee would give him a mouthful if he even mentioned it."

Hunter chuckled at the thought of a teenaged Renesemee yelling angrily. It seemed impossible to believe the girl would ever be upset at anything. "She's gonna be just like you. Stubborn and determined."

"A little like you too." Bella smiled, "Extremely blunt and unapologetic."

"You might be right about that."

"But it'll balance out. She'll be a little like him too. Protective and observant, quiet at times, a little introverted." Bella added with glossy eyes.

Hunter couldn't tell if the tears were coming from the thought of Renesemee growing older or from remembering Edward's characteristics. Either way, Hunter slumped her arm around Bella's shoulders and pulled her into a warm embrace.

"I love you." Hunter told Bella when their foreheads connected, "More than I could ever love anyone else."

Bella smiled and wiped away the tears from her cheeks, "I love you too." Their friendship was a rocky road, but it seemed like things were only getting smoother as time went on.

Their stories aligned from beginning to end. With love conflicts, supernatural conflicts, and their own conflicts. Hunter knew the rest of their lives wouldn't be perfect, but she knew Bella would always be by her side through it all.

Through the fire, she imagined herself on the other side. Her short hair danced in the winter air and her eyes were a deep orange, the human blood slowly but surely leaving her system.

For the longest time, she claimed herself to be anything but humane. But those were demons implanted by Willow, the ruiner of her and her father's life. Hunter knew that she could be happy with the people she loved and still be flawed.

Cause even Beasts have something to live for.

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑫