transported into twilight with a system

chapter 4

Chapter 3: The Rules of the Game

Ethan stood awkwardly in the center of the Cullen family’s immaculate living room, the tension thick enough to cut through. He’d never imagined himself face-to-face with fictional characters from a YA novel, let alone trying to explain his sudden appearance in their world. The system buzzed faintly in his mind, like an unwanted pop-up ad in the corner of his vision.

New Quest Objective: Gain the Cullens' Trust.

“Of course,” he muttered under his breath. “Because that’s gonna be easy.”

“What did you just say?” Rosalie’s sharp voice cut through his thoughts, her eyes narrowing as she continued to size him up. Ethan had forgotten how intimidating she could be.

“Uh, nothing. Just talking to myself. It’s a bad habit,” he replied quickly, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to look casual. “So, where do we start? Maybe with why I’m not immediately being thrown out into the woods as vampire bait?”

Carlisle took a step forward, his face calm but serious. “We don’t believe in rash decisions, Ethan. But you need to understand—we have a responsibility to keep our family safe, and that means understanding exactly what you are and why you’re here.”

Ethan nodded, trying not to look as overwhelmed as he felt. “I get it. You’ve got your whole immortal secret to protect. I’m just as confused as you are, though. One minute I’m living my regular life, and the next—bam—I’m here, in what feels like a twisted version of the Twilight saga.”

Alice stepped closer, her face a mix of curiosity and concern. “And you keep mentioning this system, like it’s some kind of game. What do you mean?”

Ethan took a deep breath, glancing around at the expectant faces. “It’s hard to explain. It’s like… a heads-up display, you know? In video games, there’s always a system that gives you objectives, health bars, stats. I have something like that in my head. It keeps throwing quests at me—stuff like adjusting to this world, meeting you guys, not getting killed by vampires. The usual.”

Emmett snorted, clearly amused, but Rosalie’s frown only deepened. “That’s insane. Are we supposed to believe you’re some kind of… player in a game?”

“I’m not asking you to believe anything,” Ethan said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just telling you what’s happening. Trust me, I’d love to go back to my boring, non-supernatural life.”

Edward remained silent, but his gaze was intense, as though he were still trying to read Ethan’s mind. “I can’t hear your thoughts,” Edward said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not just a block. It’s like they’re not even there.”

Ethan shifted uncomfortably under the weight of Edward’s scrutiny. “Yeah, well, maybe that’s a good thing. You probably wouldn’t enjoy being in my head right now anyway.”

“You’re right about one thing,” Jasper said from his spot by the wall. “You’re not just an ordinary human. You feel… different. Like there’s something else influencing you.”

Ethan felt a shiver crawl up his spine at Jasper’s words. He’d always been sensitive to emotions in the books, but hearing it directly from him was unsettling. “Well, that’s comforting,” Ethan muttered. “So now what? Are we just going to stand around and analyze me all day, or is there a plan?”

Carlisle exchanged a look with Esme before speaking. “We need more information. We don’t know if you’re a danger to us—or if someone else brought you here for a purpose. Until we understand the full extent of your situation, we’ll need to keep a close eye on you.”

“Babysitting detail? Great,” Ethan said, the sarcasm slipping back into his voice. “Am I getting my own vampire chaperone, or is it a group effort?”

Emmett grinned, clearly enjoying the tension. “Don’t worry, man. You’ll get used to it. Besides, who wouldn’t want to hang out with us?”

Rosalie shot Emmett a warning look before turning back to Ethan. “This isn’t a joke. If you’re a threat, we’ll handle it.”

Ethan’s stomach tightened. “I’m not here to cause trouble. If I could figure out how to leave, I would. But until I do, I guess we’re stuck with each other.”

Esme, ever the peacemaker, finally spoke, her voice soft and reassuring. “You’re welcome here, Ethan. We just need to be cautious, that’s all. We’ll figure this out together.”

Ethan nodded, grateful for at least one friendly face among the group. “Thanks. I’ll try to stay out of trouble.”

Carlisle’s expression softened, though there was still a trace of concern. “For now, Alice will keep an eye on you. She’s seen a version of this before, though it’s unclear what’s guiding you. In the meantime, it might be best if you stayed close. We don’t want the Volturi getting wind of your existence.”

“The Volturi?” Ethan’s voice cracked slightly. “Okay, now that’s something I wasn’t ready for. Are we talking about those Volturi? Creepy cloaks and all?”

Edward nodded grimly. “They won’t hesitate to investigate anything out of the ordinary. If they find out about you, it could spell trouble for all of us.”

Ethan felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him even harder. This wasn’t just a game—there were real consequences. The Volturi were ruthless enforcers, and the last thing Ethan needed was to be on their radar.

The system buzzed again, and a new notification flashed before his eyes.

New Quest Unlocked: Avoid the Volturi.

“Yeah,” Ethan muttered, “easier said than done.”

Alice stepped toward him, her expression firm but not unkind. “You’ll stay with me. We need to figure out what’s happening, and I’m the only one who’s seen glimpses of where this could lead. Don’t worry,” she added with a grin, “I won’t let anyone eat you.”

“Gee, thanks,” Ethan replied. “That’s super comforting.”

With a sigh, Ethan followed Alice toward the stairs that led to the guest rooms. The Cullens had agreed to let him stay, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was walking a tightrope. One wrong move, and he might end up in a world of trouble—whether from the Volturi or the very people who were supposed to be helping him.

As they ascended the stairs, Ethan glanced over at Alice. “So, any idea what happens next?”

Alice smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ve seen a few possibilities. Most of them aren’t great. But don’t worry,” she added, catching his worried expression, “I’m good at improvising.”

Ethan laughed, but it was a nervous sound. “Yeah, well, here’s hoping you’re better at it than I am.”

“Just remember one thing,” Alice said as they reached the top of the stairs. “In this world, nothing is what it seems. If you want to survive, you’ll have to adapt. Fast.”

Ethan’s stomach twisted. He had a feeling this was only the beginning, and the rules of the game were about to get a lot more complicated.

As Alice led him down the hall, Ethan couldn’t help but wonder: Was he really just a pawn in someone else’s game? Or was there something more waiting for him in this strange new world?

The system’s silent buzz was his only answer.