The past four days were a whirlwind of terror, each moment stranger than the last. Everywhere I turned, there she was—the cloaked figure, draped in black from head to toe, her face always obscured by the deep hood that seemed to swallow the light. It chilled me to my core. When I glanced out the window, she stood motionless at the edge of the treeline, a dark silhouette among the trees. After stepping out of the shower, I caught her reflection in the fogged mirror, her presence lingering like a bad dream that refused to fade.

It felt as if she was haunting my every move, shadowing me, always just out of reach but close enough to unsettle me to my bones.

Desperation gnawed at me as I searched through the family Book of Shadows, flipping through page after page, hoping to find some mention of her, some clue that might explain her presence. But there was nothing—no mention, no drawing, no spell. She was a ghost, an enigma that couldn't be traced. Even when I dug deeper, searching for the smallest hint, I found nothing. It was as if she didn't exist... or worse, as if she existed only for me.

I kept the figure's presence a secret from my Grams. Maybe this was my punishment for drawing on the darkness to save Bella—an unseen consequence lurking in the shadows, haunting me for my sins.

I heard from Emmett, and I was so glad to hear from him. There were now a handful of witnesses that came to support the claim. Renesmee had shown them what happened the night she was born, drawing them into the memory.

I slammed the car door shut, the leather of my jacket squeaking briefly as I made my way toward the house. Emmett stood at the door in a grey tank top, grinning widely. He stepped out to greet me, pulling me into a tight embrace before pressing his lips against mine. I hadn't realised just how much I missed him until that moment.

"What a warm welcome," I said, smiling up at him as he returned my grin with a playful sparkle in his eyes. "How did it go?" I leaned back slightly, searching his gaze for answers.

"We gathered everyone; we just need to wait for Carlisle and Esme to bring back the last one," Emmett's voice was steady, but his eyes held a deep warmth, gazing at me as if we'd been separated for decades instead of days. "I've missed you," he murmured, his voice soft and genuine, filled with heartfelt emotion.

Before I could respond, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to mine, the intensity of the kiss making me melt into him. The way he kissed me made it clear—he had definitely missed me.

"How many came?" I asked as his lips pulled away, though their cold touch still lingered on mine.

"Seventeen," he replied, my eyes flickering to his gaze.

"Do they know?" I asked, but Emmett's silence gave me the answer before he could speak. Clearly, they had no idea. I sighed softly against his lips, realising that the burden of telling them would fall on me. After all, it was my secret.

Without a word, Emmett's hand slipped into mine, his grip gentle as he led me inside and up the stairs. The moment we reached the first floor, I was met with countless pairs of red eyes watching me from every corner. There were indeed a lot of vampires gathered under one roof.

I spotted their cousins from the wedding, mingled within the crowd. Every set of eyes was fixed on me, making me uneasy. It was nerve-wracking, feeling their gazes study me, their senses picking up my scent.

"Bella," I said, spotting her against the wall with Jacob by her side. I let go of Emmett's hand and approached Bella.

"Charlotte," she greeted, her face lighting up with a wide smile as she stepped forward, pulling me into a warm embrace. I heard the shuffling of footsteps entering the main room where everyone had gathered. When I pulled back from our embrace, I saw the crowd filling the space, their eyes on me.

"What's your mate doing here?" Kate asked gently, her golden eyes shifting between Emmett and me.

"I'm here to help," I said with a smile, but a nearby man let out a brief chuckle.

"Blondie, what do you think you can do against the Volturi?" he smirked as if my presence was a death sentence.

"Garrett," Emmett warned, his jaw tightening as he stepped protectively forward, clearly displeased with Garrett's attitude.

"They've persecuted my kind for centuries," I said sharply, watching as their expressions shifted to frowns. "We've been drowned, hanged, and burned," I spoke slowly, my voice low, letting the weight of my words sink in as gasps rippled through the room.

"Are you really saying you're a witch?" Tanya questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief as she stood beside her sister.

"That's not possible," a male voice echoed, and I turned to see him step forward. His red eyes burned into mine, and his darker skin and attire suggested an Egyptian origin. "Witches died out centuries ago," he stated.

"And whose fault is that?" I shot back, gesturing pointedly at him and his kind—the vampires and the Volturi. "All my kind ever wanted was to live in peace, to pass down their knowledge to their daughters. Instead, they watched as they were slaughtered." I still harboured a deep hatred for the Volturi, and I doubted that would ever change.

"If this is true," the Egyptian man said, his red eyes piercing into mine, "the Volturi will never let you live." His certainty sent a shiver down my spine, chilling me to the bone. "Your very existence is a threat to their power," he said.

"What made them turn on us?" I asked, my brows knitting together in confusion. It was never clear what sparked all of this.

"Some say it was love, others claim betrayal, and a few believe it was all about power. Nothing is truly clear," he stated, there was nothing in his statement that made a definitive conclusion. "But the Volturi will demand you be burned at the stake. That's how they've always dealt with witches."

"We won't let that happen," Bella said firmly, stepping closer to me.

"Is there any way to convince them?" I asked, turning my attention back to him, though the thought of it made my blood boil. I'd rather see them burn than face the stake myself, but I couldn't risk the Cullens—or anyone else—getting killed because they knew what I was.

"Run," he replied, his voice firm like a command. "Run, and get as far away as possible."

"I'm not running from them," I snapped, my voice firm. I wasn't about to tuck my tail between my legs and flee. "My kind tried that, and look where it led them. I'm the last one left." For a brief moment, a flicker of admiration crossed his face, but it vanished before anyone else could notice.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted a figure shrouded in black standing behind the group. They remained oblivious to her presence, but I couldn't help but turn my gaze toward her. Still dressed in the black gown, her cloak's hood obscured her features, casting an unsettling shadow over her face.

I watched in horror as she slowly lifted her arm, extending one of her bony fingers toward me. Then she let out a shriek that caught me off guard, forcing a scream from my lips as I clamped my hands over my ears to drown out the shriek. The sound was haunting, like a siren luring her sailor to doom.

Suddenly, I felt strong hands grip my shoulders, accompanied by a deep, muffled voice cutting through the shrieking that still echoed in my ears. As the sound began to fade, I managed to pry my eyes open, meeting Emmett's worried expression. His gaze searched my face for any signs of injury, concern etched across his features.

"Charlotte, are you ok?!" he asked urgently, prompting me to lower my hands from my ears. I glanced past him, searching for any sign of the woman, but she had vanished.

My eyes scanned the room, taking in the bewildered faces around me. They were all staring, oblivious to the horror I had just witnessed. I locked eyes with Emmett and slowly nodded in response, trying to reassure him despite the turmoil within me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile even though I felt anything but fine. The doubt in his eyes was clear, but he nodded anyway, choosing not to press. He wrapped his arms around me, drawing me into his comforting embrace.

How long will I have to endure this nightmare?

.......................

A few hours later, Carlisle and Esme arrived with the final witness, a man named Alistair. He certainly didn't seem like the friendly type. I was also introduced to the others I hadn't met yet: the Irish family, the Amazon women, and Amun along with his coven. Their names lingered in my mind, but at that moment, my thoughts were consumed by my own problems.

I perched on a stool at the kitchen island, my legs resting on the small footrest, but my right leg bounced anxiously. I was on high alert; every sound made me jump, my gaze snapping toward the source, half-expecting to see that woman haunting me.

I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling the tangled knot between them. I desperately needed a long, relaxing bath to unwind. Suddenly, a hand landed on my shoulder, startling me so much that I yelped in surprise. Instinctively, I unleashed my magic, sending the person hurtling against the nearby wall.

I whipped around to find Emmett sliding down the wall, landing deftly on his feet. "Emmett!? Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" I hurried to him, my face etched with worry and regret for what I had done.

"I'm alright," he said, brushing himself off while I instinctively checked his arms to ensure he was okay. "What happened?" His eyes locked onto mine as I let out a shaky sigh. We made a promise: no more lies, and we would share everything with each other.

"I'm being haunted," I admitted, my voice trembling. Emmett tilted his head, looking at me with the wide-eyed curiosity of a lost puppy discovering something unfamiliar. "For the last five days, I've been seeing this woman in black, and I can't see her face... she's everywhere. It's like she knows me... And it terrifies me." My voice trembled, still rattled by her presence.

"Is that why you freaked out earlier?" Emmett asked, referencing the incident from before, and I simply nodded my head to him.

"I don't know who she is or what she wants, but I'm sure it started when I took back my darkness," I whispered, my voice cracking. Tears welled up in my eyes as I raised a trembling hand to my face, trying to hide the shame. "I'm being punished for everything I've done wrong," I choked out, the weight of it pressing down on me. It felt like nature's way of making me pay.

"Hey, hey," Emmett said quickly, stepping forward and pulling me into his arms, offering comfort. "You haven't done anything wrong," he reassured me firmly, but I didn't feel reassured. "Have you told your Grams?" he asked. I rested my head against his solid chest, wishing I could just disappear into his embrace and fade away. Instead, I gave a small shake of my head. "Why not?" he asked gently, his large hand moving in slow, soothing strokes along my back, trying to comfort me.

"I'm... I'm still mad at her," I replied through a sniffle, tears streaming down my cheeks. I didn't even realize I was crying until I saw the wet stains spreading across Emmett's shirt.

Emmett didn't say anything for a moment, just held me tighter, his strong arms encircling me like a protective shield. He pressed his chin gently on top of my head, his fingers still tracing soothing circles on my back.

"I get it," he finally said in a low voice. "But maybe talking to her could help."

I let out a shaky breath, my mind torn between anger and guilt. "I don't know if she can," I whispered, my voice wavering. I sniffled again, biting my lip as the thoughts raced through my mind. Part of me knew he was right, but the other part was still too hurt.

I couldn't rely on her forever. I needed to face this on my own, without always running back to her.

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