Seventeen-year-old Harper Thorne hoped that leaving the bustling streets of her California hometown for the quiet, rain-soaked town of Forks, Washington, would offer her a fresh start - a chance to escape the shadows of her agonizing past.
But Harpe...
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Spring of 1965
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Edward moved a red chess piece a few squares forward, then leaned back in his chair.
"Your move," he said, smirking slightly.
Emmett frowned in concentration, his large hands hovering over the board as he studied it like a battlefield.
The Cullens were enjoying another quiet day in their three-story Denali home, nestled deep within the Alaskan wilderness.
The family had lived there longer than anywhere else, the remote location allowing them to avoid frequent relocations. They kept to themselves most of the time, hidden from prying eyes, especially with tourist season approaching.
Spring's early arrival meant more travelers would be flocking to the area soon, and the Cullens couldn't afford to draw attention.
Despite their isolation, they were cautious. They hunted under cover of night, venturing deep into the forest where no human would stumble upon them. For now, life was steady, predictable—even if it felt monotonous.
Edward tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, barely restraining the urge to prompt Emmett to hurry up. He already knew the move his adoptive brother would make, but Emmett still clung to the belief that Edward's telepathy couldn't affect him during chess.
Out of the corner of his eye, Edward noticed his adoptive sister, Alice, sitting at the dining room table adjacent to the living room.
She was running her delicate fingers over the petals of freshly picked baby's breath and wild lilies in a stained-glass vase. Her face was pensive, her usual bright demeanor nowhere to be found.
Edward frowned. Alice, the heart of their family, was always lively. She thrived on her routines—flipping through the latest fashion magazines, analyzing and predicting the stock market to make extra money for their family, and planning extravagant dinner parties with her trademark optimism.
However, for the past week, she'd been quieter than ever, as if a shadow had settled over her.
He knew why. Of course, he did. Her thoughts were loud and clear, but he didn't want to push her. Edward feared that voicing her worries might hurt her more.
"Edward?" Emmett snapped his fingers in front of him, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Sorry," Edward muttered, glancing back at the chessboard.
"You're up. Unless you want to forfeit," Emmett teased with a grin.
"Not a chance," Edward smirked as he moved another piece without much thought.
"You're worrying about Alice again, aren't you?" Emmett whispered.
