Edward stood motionless in the school parking lot, watching as Bella and Jacob walked away. The weight of their conversation hung heavily in the air, but there was something more pressing on his mind now—something he couldn't ignore.

The image of Bella, vulnerable and caught between the world of vampires and werewolves, gnawed at him. He knew he couldn't control everything, but he was determined to protect her from whatever was coming next. He had made so many mistakes with her already.

He didn't wait long before turning on his heel and heading straight to the Cullen home. There was something that needed to be addressed, something urgent.

As Edward pulled up the long driveway and into the garage, the house was quiet, almost eerily so. He glanced at the clock on the wall as he entered—early morning, just before the start of school. He should have been there with Bella, but instead, he'd watched her leave with Jacob, wondering what had become of their fragile peace.

Inside, Carlisle was in the study, his face etched with concern. Jasper was there too, his thoughtful gaze fixed on something far beyond the window, seemingly lost in thought. Alice was nowhere in sight.

Edward didn't waste time. He headed straight to the living room, where Rhea was lounging on the couch, her eyes staring at the flickering flames in the fireplace. She seemed lost in her own world—dark and quiet, just like the storm inside him.

"Rhea," Edward started, his voice tight with urgency.

Rhea turned her head toward him, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "What is it, Edward?"

"We need to talk," he said, his expression serious as he moved toward her. "Bella's been with Jacob all morning. I don't like it. And she needs to be kept safe." He paused, staring into her eyes, trying to get his emotions under control. "The pack wants her there. They're expecting her. But there's one problem—I can't go to Quileute land."

Rhea's expression didn't change. She leaned forward slightly, her sharp eyes studying him. "And you want me to go?" she asked, her voice cool.

Edward nodded. "Yes. I need you to check on her. The pack might be fine with her, but there's a lot of tension, and with everything that's happening—Victoria's army, the threat of the Volturi—things are volatile."

Rhea stood up slowly, folding her arms. "I'm not a messenger, Edward. If the pack is expecting Bella, then they can take care of it." She didn't look entirely convinced, though. "Besides, Jacob knows how to protect her better than any of us."

"I don't trust him, Rhea," Edward snapped, the frustration in his voice impossible to hide. "I can't leave her there alone. I know the pack, I know what they're capable of—but what if something happens? I need you there."

Rhea stepped closer to him, her posture calm but her eyes narrowed. "You really expect me to just walk into their territory, knowing everything that's between us and them, and make sure Bella's okay? You know how the pack feels about me."

Edward hesitated, his thoughts momentarily scattering. He knew what she was referring to. The fact that Rhea had been turned had created enough rifts between them, but that wasn't the only thing that mattered now.

He exhaled deeply, swallowing his pride. "I know it's difficult. But Rhea, you are the only one who can go without making the situation worse. You're the only one they'll allow near Bella. You're not a threat to them, and you know how to stay calm."

Rhea studied him carefully, reading his face with that practiced vampire precision. She saw the raw concern there, and beneath it, the edges of his desperation. She understood what was at stake.

"Fine," she said finally, her voice steady. "But don't think this changes anything. I'll do it for Bella—nothing more, nothing less."

Edward nodded, a sense of relief washing over him, but it was fleeting. There was still a storm ahead. The more they delayed, the more the danger grew.

He turned to leave, but as he reached the door, Rhea's voice stopped him.

"One last thing," she said, her tone quieter, more reflective now. "I'll go check on Bella. But after that, we need to talk. There's a lot more between us that you're not seeing."

Edward didn't reply immediately. He wasn't sure what she meant, but he knew now wasn't the time to delve into it. They had enough on their plate.

With a stiff nod, he opened the door. "Thank you, Rhea," he said, his voice sincere. "Just make sure she's safe. That's all that matters."

As he left the room, Rhea's eyes lingered on the empty space where he had stood. Something about this situation didn't sit right with her, but for Bella's sake—and maybe even for Edward's—she had to follow through.

And then, once it was all over, maybe it was time for the real conversation to begin.

Rhea couldn't shake the gnawing feeling in her chest as she left the Cullen house. Edward had been insistent that she go and check on Bella—there was no time to waste, and with the way things had been escalating lately, there was no telling what might happen next. But even with her mind focused on Bella's safety, something else lingered in her thoughts—something she couldn't easily push aside.

It wasn't just about Bella.

As Rhea crossed the boundary from the Cullen property into Quileute land, she could feel the shift in the air, the subtle energy that told her she was now stepping onto the wolves' territory. The dense forest enveloped her, its scent rich with earth and moss, but underneath it, she could smell something familiar—a trace of Paul.

She had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but there was no avoiding it now. She knew that sooner or later, she'd have to face him.

Rhea took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Paul wasn't just a part of her past—he was a chapter she hadn't quite closed. Their history was complicated, full of love and loss, and though time had passed, she knew he hadn't forgotten her. The memories, both good and bad, stirred in her mind as she continued forward.

When she finally spotted him, standing by a cluster of trees near the edge of the clearing, her heart skipped. His dark eyes locked on her immediately, and for a long moment, neither of them moved. Rhea's steps faltered, and she felt an inexplicable pull to him, even though she was determined to focus on the task at hand.

"Rhea," Paul called out softly, his voice low but familiar, like it always had been when they were together.

Rhea's chest tightened at the sound of her name on his lips. She hadn't heard it from him in so long. She swallowed, trying to push aside the surge of emotions threatening to surface.

"I didn't expect to see you here," she said, her voice steady but guarded as she walked toward him.

Paul's gaze softened, and he stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "I wasn't sure if you'd come. After everything, I thought you might avoid me." He paused, as if considering his next words carefully. "But I'm glad you did."

Rhea folded her arms across her chest, feeling the coolness of the air brushing against her skin. She wasn't sure how to respond. The last time they'd spoken, he had left her. He had broken her heart when he shifted, when he became part of the pack, and yet here he was, standing in front of her, as if nothing had changed. She wasn't the same girl anymore, and neither was he.

"I'm not here to rehash the past, Paul," Rhea said, her voice firm but not unkind. "I'm just here to check on Bella. Edward sent me."

"I know." Paul nodded, looking down at the ground for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "But we need to talk, Rhea. I—there's a lot I've been carrying since you... since everything happened."

Rhea's heart sank, though she didn't show it. She had hoped he would have moved on by now, that he'd let go of what they had. But there he was, standing in front of her, looking like he hadn't forgotten a single thing.

"Paul, we don't have anything to talk about," Rhea replied, her voice softer this time but resolute. "You moved on, I moved on. We both changed."

He shook his head, a small, sad smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "I don't think either of us ever really moved on, though, did we?" His words were heavy, laden with meaning.

Rhea took a step back, trying to put more distance between them. "I'm not who I was, Paul. I'm not human anymore. I'm a vampire. You can't just pretend everything is the same."

Paul didn't step back. Instead, he took a step toward her, his expression pained but determined. "I know what you are now, Rhea. I know you're not the same, but that doesn't change how I feel. It doesn't change what we had. What we still might have, if you'd let me—"

"Stop," Rhea interrupted, her voice sharp. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to just pick up where we left off. Things are different now, Paul. I'm different now." She clenched her fists, feeling a rush of frustration. "You're part of the pack, and I'm not human. We can't just go back to the way things were."

Paul's expression faltered for a moment, and then he exhaled sharply, as if he were finally accepting the reality of the situation. "I know. I know it's not that simple." He glanced at the ground, looking almost defeated. "But I can't help the way I feel about you, Rhea. I never could. Even after everything... even after what I became, I can't just forget you."

Rhea's heart ached at his words. Despite everything, despite how much she'd tried to move on and build a new life, she still felt the pull of the bond they once shared. But that wasn't enough to make her go back. She couldn't—*wouldn't*—go back to that life.

"I can't go back either," she whispered, her voice softening just slightly. "You have to understand that. You deserve someone who can be with you. A life with the pack, with a future you can share. I can't offer that to you."

Paul stood still for a moment, his brow furrowing as he processed her words. He didn't argue, though, and Rhea could see the resignation settle over him. He took one last long look at her before stepping back.

"Maybe you're right," he said quietly, turning to look toward the forest. "Maybe we can't go back. But I still wish things were different."

Rhea watched him for a moment, then nodded, her heart heavy with the unspoken emotions between them. She didn't have the words to comfort him—not when she wasn't even sure how to comfort herself.

"I'm sorry, Paul," Rhea said softly.

He didn't respond at first. Then, finally, he turned his head to meet her eyes once more. "Take care of yourself, Rhea," he said quietly, before stepping back into the shadows of the trees, disappearing from her sight.

Rhea stood still for a moment longer, her mind spinning with everything that had just transpired. She had known it wouldn't be easy—coming back here, facing the people and the memories she thought she had left behind. But nothing was ever easy when it came to matters of the heart.

And with that, Rhea turned away, her focus returning to Bella. It wasn't over between her and Paul, but for now, the past had to stay where it belonged—behind her.

As she moved forward, her senses sharpened again. Bella needed her, and no matter how complicated the past was, Rhea knew her duty.