Multifandom X Reader Stories

"Goodbye to Forever" Emmet Cullen prt2

The evening is darkening fast, thick clouds shrouding the forest in near-blackness, and the familiar weight of fear curls in my stomach. Alice was right; the danger she'd seen in her vision is real. But that hasn't stopped Bella, and I can't bring myself to leave her out here, alone and reckless, even as every survival instinct in my body screams at me to turn back.

Bella's pushing forward through the trees, determined and stubborn as always, trying to prove something to herself. And I'm here, trailing just a few steps behind, making sure nothing gets too close. Every snap of a twig makes me flinch. Without thinking, I reach for the pendant hanging around my neck, the one Emmett gave me.

The ache in my chest is overwhelming. There's no way he's ever coming back. The last time I saw him, I was the one who turned away, telling him that forever wasn't ours to share. I forced myself to walk away from him, but not a day has passed when I don't feel the absence of him like a gaping wound. I can't think about it. Not now.

Just as we reach a small clearing, Bella stumbles over a fallen branch, catching herself at the last second. She doesn't stop. Her determination to find what she's looking for has her almost blind to the danger she's running into. We both know what lurks in the shadows, but she keeps going. Just as I start to call out to her, I catch movement out of the corner of my eye—something quick, dark, and closing in fast.

A figure emerges, powerful and swift, moving so fast that I barely have time to react. I feel a rush of cold air sweep past me, and then... Emmett.

He's standing in front of me, blocking my path, his massive frame imposing and fierce. His eyes lock onto mine, wide with worry and relief, and for a split second, I forget to breathe. He shouldn't be here. He can't be here. But he is, just as steady and strong as I remember, and the sight of him knocks the breath out of me.

"What are you doing here?" My voice is a whisper, barely audible over the quiet sounds of the forest.

His gaze doesn't waver, his face hard as stone, but I see the cracks in his expression—the concern he can't hide. "Protecting you," he says simply, his voice low, rough.

I swallow, my heart pounding as I take in the intensity of his stare, the way he stands between me and anything that could be a threat. "Emmett... you shouldn't have come. You said you wouldn't."

He clenches his jaw, and for a moment, his eyes betray him. There's a storm of emotions there—anger, fear, relief, and something else, something tender that I remember all too well. "I said a lot of things," he replies, his voice barely holding back the ache. "But when Alice saw you out here... alone... I couldn't just sit back and do nothing."

He's looking at me like I'm all he sees, like everything he thought he'd left behind is right here in front of him again. I feel Bella move beside me, sensing her confusion as she takes in the tension between us. But Emmett's focus remains on me, his gaze burning with a fierce protectiveness that makes my heart ache.

"What do you think you're doing out here?" he asks, his voice low and steady, but there's a faint tremor beneath the surface. "Do you even realize how dangerous this is?"

I straighten, meeting his gaze despite the way it makes me feel raw, exposed. "I couldn't let her come out here alone."

"You shouldn't be out here," he says, his tone clipped. "Not in a place like this, with things like that" —he gestures to the shadows— "hunting around."

Bella steps forward, folding her arms, but her voice is soft. "It was my choice to come. I needed to—"

Emmett's jaw tightens as he cuts her off, though his eyes flicker with understanding. "I get it. But there's a difference between bravery and throwing yourself into danger without a plan."

He turns back to me, and I see the hurt in his eyes. I can feel his frustration, his anger at having to see me in this position, but beneath it all, there's that unbreakable, protective urge that I know I'll never be able to escape.

"Why did you come?" I whisper, the words catching in my throat.

He takes a deep breath, his voice softening as he steps closer, close enough that I can feel his cool presence. "Because I couldn't let anything happen to you." His voice is rough with emotion, and I see the cracks in his resolve.

"You left," I say, though the words are barely a whisper. "You told me you'd walk away."

He clenches his fists, the struggle written across his face. "I did. I tried." He looks down, pain flashing across his features. "But when I thought about you out here, in danger, I realized... I can't just walk away from you, (Y/N). Not like this."

I feel the tears welling up, and I look away, the ache in my chest almost unbearable. "It's not fair, Emmett."

"No," he agrees, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's not."

We stand in silence for a moment, the weight of the past between us, thick and heavy. I can feel his gaze on me, the silent desperation, the unspoken question. He's here, right in front of me, breaking the promise he made to leave for good. And in his eyes, I see a love he's tried to bury, a love he's clearly never let go of, no matter how hard he tried.

After a beat, he reaches out, his fingers brushing my arm, and I shiver at his touch. "I don't know what the future holds, (Y/N), but I know I can't let anything happen to you. No matter how much it hurts to be here, I'd rather be here, by your side, than be anywhere else."

My heart is pounding, and I find myself gripping his arm, the weight of his words sinking in. "You don't have to do this, Emmett," I whisper, though a part of me wishes he would stay forever.

He looks at me, his expression fierce and vulnerable all at once. "I know. But I'm here anyway."

Bella shifts beside us, quietly slipping away, but I barely notice. All I can focus on is Emmett, on the warmth of his presence, the way he's so close I can feel his steady strength. In this moment, nothing else matters. He's here, risking the pain of loving someone who can't promise him forever, simply because he can't bear the thought of me in danger.

He brushes a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering against my skin, and I see the resolve in his eyes, the vow he's making even without words.

"I'll keep you safe," he murmurs, and I can feel the promise in every syllable.