Chapter 75

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Nate opened his bedroom door and, the moment he closed it behind him, let out the breath he'd been holding. He slipped off his jacket, tossed it onto the bed, and walked over to his closet, pulling out a somewhat worn black backpack. He unzipped it on the bed and began stuffing in T-shirts, a couple of pairs of jeans, and some underwear, moving quickly but methodically.

As he searched for a charger and rummaged through his drawers, he heard the soft creak of the door. He looked up just as Alice stepped inside, her small silhouette framed by the hallway light.

Alice's lips were pressed into a tight line, a rare frown on her face. She closed the door behind her and walked forward slowly, as if weighing each step.

"Nate…" she said quietly, her golden eyes locking onto his. "Is it really necessary for you to go?"

Nate sighed, dropping a pair of socks into the backpack before turning to face her, bracing his hands on the bed.

"I know physically I'll just be in the way, Alice," he said bluntly. "But I trust what I can think. I'm not letting you all risk everything without me there. My mind is the best thing I've got, and I want to be where I can use it."

Alice nodded, though her eyes remained sad. She lowered her gaze, fidgeting with her fingers, uncomfortable.

Nate let out another breath, stepped closer, and gently took her hand in his.

"It's going to be okay," he said with a small, reassuring smile. "We have a plan. We're not alone, remember?"

Alice lifted her gaze slightly; her eyes softened. She squeezed his hand, firmly, as if clinging to that certainty even if it felt fragile.

"I know…" she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "I just… don't like it."

Nate gave her hand a gentle squeeze before patting it lightly and letting go to return to packing. He rummaged through a pile of books, looking for a cable, when he heard a small sound behind him: Alice had moved toward an old, half-open box in the corner of the room.

Alice paused in front of the box, looking at it as if it might bite her. She took a breath, then glanced back at Nate over her shoulder.

"I know you haven't mentioned it for some reason…" she said, hesitant. "But don't you think you should take your knife?"

Nate frowned, distracted, turning to her.

"My knife? You mean my dad's?" He walked over to Alice, who stepped aside to let him see inside the box. Nate opened it fully, revealing an old leather sheath. He picked up the knife, its dark wooden handle polished smooth from years of use.

"And what good would it do me?" he asked with a half-laugh. "I thought your skin was like stone."

But when he looked up, Alice was staring at him as if he had just revealed an impossible secret. Her eyes were wide, lips slightly parted.

"You… really don't know?" she said almost voicelessly, as if doubting what she was seeing. "All this time I thought you didn't mention it because you were keeping it a secret or something…"

Nate blinked, confused.

"Alice, what are you talking about?"

Alice took a deep breath, her voice firming.

"That knife," she said, pointing at it, "can cut through our skin, Nate. The night Edward and I broke in here… Edward cut himself on it. By accident. It sliced through him like nothing."

Nate blinked again, brow furrowing as he processed her words. He looked down at the knife in his hands.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked in a low, serious voice, lifting his gaze back to Alice.

Alice swallowed, a bit nervous, and reached out for the knife.

"Let me show you."

Carefully, she took the polished wooden handle and, with a precise motion, pressed the tip lightly against the pad of her finger. Nate watched as, with an unsettling ease, the blade pierced Alice's pale skin.

Alice quickly pulled her finger back, bringing it to her lips as the small wound closed within seconds.

The room fell silent. Nate stood frozen, staring at the knife with such intense focus that his entire face seemed to harden, as if a shadow had crossed his eyes. The room seemed to hold its breath as he thought, his fingers closing tightly around the wooden handle.

"Nate… are you okay?" Alice asked softly, uncertain, noticing the change in his expression.

Nate blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. His eyes refocused on Alice, though the dark glint in them didn't entirely fade.

"Yeah," he replied in a deep tone that contrasted with his usual calm. "It's just… something I'll have to figure out later."

With controlled movements, he sheathed the knife and tucked it into a side compartment of his backpack.

Alice watched him with a furrowed brow, her golden eyes reflecting concern.

"Nate… where did that knife come from?" she asked cautiously.

Nate's hand froze on the zipper of the backpack. He was silent for a moment before lifting his gaze to Alice, his eyes serious, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

"First, we focus on James," he said clearly. "After that… we'll talk about this."

Alice looked at him with frustration, ready to argue, but saw in his eyes that she wouldn't get anything more out of him right now. She exhaled slowly and nodded, reluctantly.

"Alright…" she murmured.

Nate zipped the backpack closed with a sharp tug and slung it over his shoulder, his hand brushing once more against the knife's sheath. Without another word, he gestured for Alice to follow him as he walked toward the door, determination returning to his stride.

Nate descended the stairs with the backpack over his shoulder, his brow still furrowed, eyes fixed on the ground as each step echoed in the house. Alice followed behind him, watching him with worry, her hands clasped together as she lightly bit her lip.

Downstairs, Charlie was still giving Bella an endless stream of warnings, his brow furrowed as she nodded, clearly nervous.

"Yes, Dad, I promise, everything will be fine…" Bella said with a tense smile, gripping Edward's arm a little too tightly.

When Nate and Alice reached the last step, Nate lifted his gaze. This time, he didn't bother hiding a smile; his eyes remained dark, something simmering beneath them, and his voice came out firm:

"It's time to go," he announced, looking at everyone. "We still need to swing by Bella's place before heading to the airport."

There was a moment of silence before Charlie huffed and gave Bella one last warning look. Edward nodded politely, quietly thanking Charlie for trusting them, while Alice stood off to the side, her expression calm but her golden eyes fixed on Nate, as if still trying to read him.

The group began to move toward the door, the damp night air greeting them with the scent of wet earth.

Just as Nate was about to step through the door, he felt a hand on his arm.

He stopped, turning to see his grandmother standing behind him, the warm hallway light illuminating her lined face, her eyes fixed on him with an unusual intensity.

"Nathaniel," she said in a low, serious voice that made even Edward glance their way. "I don't know what you're getting yourself into tonight…"

Nate froze, surprised, lips parting slightly as his grandmother lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear with a maternal gesture.

"Just…" she continued, her voice breaking just a little, "be careful."

Before Nate could respond, his grandmother pulled him into a hug, holding him tighter than he would have expected from her frail frame. Nate blinked, standing completely still, eyes wide, while Alice watched with a hand over her heart and Edward, a few steps away, furrowed his brow slightly, surprised to hear the woman's accelerated heartbeat.

His grandmother pulled back, resting her hands on Nate's shoulders, looking into his eyes with a mix of pride, sadness, and something like resignation.

Then, with a sigh, she turned and went back inside, closing the door softly behind her, leaving the group under the cold porch light.

Nate stood for a moment, staring at the closed door, his brow slightly furrowed, before turning to Edward, who was watching him closely, hands in his jacket pockets.

"Edward…" Nate said quietly, his tone serious. "How much does my grandmother know?"

Edward tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes glinting in the dim light as he listened to the last echoes of the house.

"It's not that she knows anything specific," he replied calmly, with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It's more of… an instinct she has."

Nate raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Your grandmother's mind has certain traits…" Edward continued, crossing his arms. "Similar to yours, though not as… complicated."

For a moment, Nate's brow furrowed further, his eyes darkening as he stared off into empty space.

"Maybe I get that from her…" he murmured to himself, barely audible.

Edward watched him silently, a hint of curiosity in his gaze, before giving a small nod.

Nate let out a breath, adjusted the backpack on his shoulder, and walked toward the car, where Alice was already waiting by the back door, Bella sitting inside looking out the window nervously.

Without another word, they all got into Nate's car, the doors shutting with a dull thud under the damp Forks night.

The engine came to life with a low purr, and the headlights lit the road ahead as they pulled away from the house, heading toward Bella's place.

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The drive to Bella's house passed in silence, the steady sound of rain on the windshield and the low hum of the engine filling the car.

When they arrived, Edward turned to Bella with a small, supportive smile, and the two of them quickly got out, walking through the rain toward the front door.

Nate kept his hands on the wheel, his gaze lost in the darkness ahead, the lights from Bella's house illuminating the wet street.

Alice watched him quietly for a few seconds, brow furrowed, before breaking the silence softly.

"You said you'd make a call, remember?" she said, her voice low but filled with concern.

Nate blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, and nodded slowly.

"Yeah… I know."

Alice murmured something barely audible as she placed a light, almost trembling hand on Nate's thigh.

"You're… distracted."

Nate closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening them to meet her gaze, a spark of determination returning to his eyes.

"You're right. I'll focus on James."

He pulled out his phone, unlocking it with a swift motion as Alice slowly withdrew her hand, watching him carefully.

He dialed and brought the phone to his ear, listening to the line ring. It took three or four rings before a rough, familiar voice answered.

"Yeah?"

"Billy, it's Nate," he said, his voice firm but controlled.

There was a brief pause before Billy responded with a low grunt.

"What is it now, kid?"

Nate glanced out the window, seeing glimpses of Edward and Bella moving behind the curtains.

"I can't explain everything right now, but there are two "cold ones" sniffing around Forks," Nate continued in a low tone, choosing his words carefully. "I don't want to alarm you… But my grandma and Charlie might be in their sights."

Billy let out a heavy snort on the line, the sound of an old TV playing in the background.

"And what the hell am I supposed to do with that, Nate?"

"We're going to try to divert them… but if you can talk to your 'spiritual warriors,'" Nate said, using the term respectfully, "and make sure they keep an eye on Forks until we're back… it would help."

Billy was silent, and Nate could picture him rubbing his knee in frustration.

"I'll talk to the council… as soon as I can," Billy finally grumbled. "But damn it, kid… I told you to stay away from the leeches."

Nate clenched his jaw, looking down at the steering wheel.

"I know."

Billy muttered something inaudible before hanging up, leaving the line dead.

Nate lowered the phone, resting it on his lap as he exhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment.