His Brother

Why?

Emmett glanced up from his game, shrugging. "Just the usual—chess, magazines, and trying to figure out how to beat this level," he replied, a grin spreading across his face.

Rosalie rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression. "And trying not to let Edward take too long with his moves," she tossed in, teasingly.

Jasper looked up from the chessboard, his brow slightly furrowed. "We've had some strange visitors, and with the newborn army looming, we're on high alert," he said, his tone sobering the conversation.

Bella, having overheard, looked over from the dining room. "Is it really that serious?" she asked, concern knitting her brow.

Tomas nodded, his expression turning serious. "Yeah, it is. We need to be prepared for anything," he replied, his gaze shifting to Edward and Jasper. "And we need to come up with a plan. The more organized we are, the better."

Alice, who had been listening intently, piped up, "I had a vision about the newborns, but it's hazy. I think we have some time, but we need to act quickly."

"Great, let's get everyone together," Tomas said, his voice decisive. "We can't afford to underestimate them. We need to discuss our strategy and make sure we're all on the same page."

Tomas then glared heavily at the coven, causing everyone in the room, including Laurent, to shift uneasily, knowing that if he knew what had happened in the past few years, he would be very disappointed, and none of the Cullens wanted that directed at them. Tomas waited patiently for someone to speak, as Laurent was slowly gathering himself together with a combination of venom and blood.

Tomas, ever the observer, remained patient, waiting for someone to break the silence. Laurent was visibly struggling to compose himself, the scent of venom and blood thick in the air around him, mingling with the undercurrents of anxiety that coursed through the room.

Rosalie, unable to contain herself any longer, scoffed loudly, drawing Tomas's attention. She locked eyes with him, her expression fierce as she began to speak. "This all started because of those two," she accused, pointing an accusing finger toward Edward and Bella.

Edward bristled at the accusation, his expression one of indignation, ready to defend himself and Bella, but Tomas cleared his throat, giving Edward a pointed look that urged Rosalie to continue her narrative.

"Remember how we moved back to Forks once the people forgot about us?" she prompted, her voice laced with frustration. Tomas nodded, his brow furrowing as he braced himself for the unfolding story. "We came back, and two years later, we get an announcement that the chief of police's daughter is moving here," Rosalie recounted, her tone tinged with exasperation. She recalled the excitement that had swept through the town and their school, even Alice gushing over her visions of the new girl.

Tomas's confusion deepened as he tried to grasp the significance of this new arrival, but he remained silent, allowing Rosalie to proceed. "When Bella got here, a girl named Jessica told her about us. She looked interested in Edward right from the start, even when he was glaring at her from across the cafeteria," Rosalie explained, her gaze narrowing at Edward as she recounted the events.

"Though she pretended to act disinterested," Rosalie continued, her tone mocking as she grimaced at the memory. "Fast forward to biology class, and there she is, sitting next to Edward, completely unaware that she is his blood singer."

Tomas's eyes widened slightly at the revelation. The implications of Bella being Edward's blood singer were not lost on him. He turned to Edward, disappointment etched across his features. "And the reason you decided to stay? You know you should've left the moment you met your singer. You put the entire town at risk," he questioned, raising an eyebrow. The thought of Edward's choice to linger, risking exposure, sent a wave of dread through him. 'I would've sent to kill the entire town,' he thought grimly, making Edward wince, clearly uncomfortable under the scrutiny.