My brows furrowed further as I hesitated to reach for the book, but I did. My mind was more focused than ever, and my hope rose with each passing second. Finally, my fingers grazed against the black leather of the book. The swirls of red energy that had conjured the book leapt from the cover, winding around my fingers as if I were familiar with it. It felt as if the energy were alive, reading me in some mysterious way. Then, the wisps faded, and the book shot open. Its aged, crisp pages flipped rapidly, as though an invisible hand were turning them with urgency.

Soon, the pages slowed and settled on a double page, not even halfway through the book. I leaned in closer, staring at the page it had revealed. There, upon the page, was an intricate illustration adorned with mystical symbols. It was immediately clear that this was a spell for resurrecting the dead. At the centre of the page lay a circular diagram, reminiscent of a magical sigil, encasing an ominous skull. The border was painted with detailed artwork featuring skulls, and lilies, all symbols of death. The body of the page contained lines of ornate, calligraphic script. Every element on the page was meticulously detailed, unlike anything I had ever seen before.

But my focus was solely on using the spell to bring Bella back. I scooped the large book into my hands, feeling its considerable weight. My eyes skimmed the page, swiftly absorbing the instructions and the accompanying spell. It required a substantial amount of magic and tapping into dark forces, as this was essentially necromancy. But I had to do it. I was ready to risk everything for her.

Just as the words of the spell were engraved into my mind, the grimoire slammed shut with a decisive thud. It leapt from my hands, shifting into the same swirling red energy as before. The energy coiled and spiralled into a vortex, seemingly retreating to its original place.

I stood there, momentarily stunned, as if the book had come to life with a will of its own. It felt as though it wanted to assist me, despite knowing it shouldn't, driven by a need to help. Did it sense my pain? My grief? Those were questions for another time.

"Alice! Jasper!" Edward called out urgently, his voice echoing through the room. I could already sense who was approaching. Sam and his pack. "Stay with her," he said, locking eyes with me, oblivious to my own turmoil. His gaze was firm and unwavering, and I could only nod in response.

I watched him rush out of the room; my heart heavy as I approached the medical bed. Blood had pooled around her lifeless legs, which looked unnaturally thin. Her eyes, void of life, stared vacantly into nothingness, their colour drained by death. Tears streamed down my cheeks, their warmth falling steadily to the floor.

I moved to her side and gently took her frail hand in mine, my thumb brushing softly against the back of her hand. A sob escaped my lips, and I murmured through the tears, "It's going to be okay... I promise you, you'll hold her," I assured her, vowing that she would live to embrace her daughter and savour those precious moments. I leaned down to gently kiss her forehead before pulling back and placing her hand back at her side.

I drew in a deep breath through my nostrils, drawing upon my own strength and the residual power that still lingered in the air. I channelled it, letting it fill me up until I felt as if I might burst.

"Victus phasmatis, ex eleto," I began the incantation, my voice steady despite the sadness within me. I reached into the depths of my mind, seeking the darkness that simmered there—an abyss of hate and rage. I knew precisely where to channel this energy. My thoughts fixed on the Volturi, the very architects of my fury. Their atrocities against my kind, the cold-blooded massacre of innocents, and the way they burned women and children as if their lives were nothing, ignited a blaze of anger within me.

This hatred became my fuel, stoking the dark thoughts I harboured—visions of retribution that I longed to inflict upon them. In my mind, I envisioned their destruction, imagining them suffering as we had. The drive to annihilate them, to make them pay for their cruelty, surged through me. I surrendered to the encroaching darkness, letting it seep into every corner of my mind and body. It enveloped me completely, filling each thought and fibre of my being. With this surrender came a surge of power, intensifying the already formidable energy I was channelling.

"Phasmatos revenios un animum," I intoned, drawing deeply from the darkness simmering beneath the surface. "Revertas phasmatis ut victus," the incantation flowed from my lips with an ease that suggested it had always been a part of me. "Victus phasmatis ex eleto," I chanted, and as the words left my lips, my veins darkened and swelled, turning an ominous shade of black. I let the darkness expand, letting it creep up my arms, envelop my body, and crawl across my face. I could feel its cold, sinister presence just beneath my skin. But I relished in the power...

Suddenly, the sharp growls of the wolves pierced the air from outside, announcing their attack. My gaze snapped to the door behind me, realizing that Edward, Alice, and Jasper would be vastly outnumbered. With all this raw power I was channelling, perhaps I could use it to both help Bella and protect the Cullens. I had to help.

With determination etched into my face and every step I took; I moved from Bella's side to the door within the room I was in. There through the glass, I saw the Cullens being surrounded by the wolves. Their jaws snapped and lunged at the Cullens, taunting them. I saw that Esme, Carlisle, and Emmett had returned, joining forces with Seth and Leah.

I pushed open the door, and stepped into the biting cold air, standing at the top of the steps and surveying the wolves below. Their heads instantly snapped to meet my gaze. But with a deliberate wave of my hand, I unleashed a powerful surge of force. The force rippled outward with an intense boom, sweeping across them. It struck with such intensity that it sent the wolves sprawling, their massive forms tumbling and rolling as if caught in a relentless storm. The sheer impact of the wave sent them crashing backwards, disrupting their advance and creating a momentary pause in the chaos.

All eyes immediately turned to me as they noticed my appearance. The dark veins were still visible on my body, indicating that I still held onto the darkness. I descended the steps slowly, feeling the weight of the Cullens' gazes on me, particularly Emmett's, though I avoided meeting his eyes. I passed Jasper and Esme, as there was an opening between them. I positioned myself at the forefront, standing as a barrier between the regrouping wolves and the others.

Sam stepped forward, viewing me as a threat. His eyes locked onto me with a menacing glare, and he extended a threatening paw, snarling in defiance. His stance made it clear: my connection to one of the Cullens had forfeited any protection I might have had.

"Charlotte, what have you done?" Esme's voice was laced with worry.

"What I needed to do," I replied coldly as if it was obvious. "Now sit!" I commanded through clenched teeth, pointing sharply at the pack. Instantly, the wolves began to whimper and lower their heads. Some even rubbed their heads against the ground in a futile attempt to relieve the pain. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I watched them suffer, but deep down, I knew that wasn't truly who I was.

Before anyone could react, I was abruptly thrown off my feet by some magical unseen force, soaring through the air for a brief moment before crashing hard onto the dirt. As I hit the ground, the spell holding the wolves in check dissipated. Their whimpers faded as I quickly recovered, rising to my feet faster than I'd anticipated. A few yards away, someone appeared who I hadn't expected.

"You foolish girl!" my Grams shouted, her eyes wide with shock as she took in the sight of me. "What on earth have you done?" She exclaimed.

Before I could respond, Jacob jumped from the steps and landed in front of everyone. "Stop! It's over!" he shouted, addressing Sam directly. But Sam ignored Jacob and advanced towards the Cullens. Jacob stepped into his path. "If you kill her, you kill me," he declared. Sam responded by lunging forward, using his enormous head to toss Jacob into the air. Mid-flight, Jacob shifted, tearing through his clothes, and landed on the ground in his wolf form.

Jacob advanced with a menacing snarl, his teeth bared as he moved closer to Sam, halting only a few inches away.

"Jacob imprinted," Edward announced, startling everyone. "They can't harm her... Whoever a wolf imprints on can't be harmed," he clarified. "It's their most absolute law." At this revelation, Sam withdrew his paw and retreated, leading his pack back into the forest.

As the pack vanished from view, every gaze turned toward me, etched with concern and apprehension about the path I had chosen. Determined to return to Bella and bring her back, I started moving towards the house. However, my Grams stepped into my path, blocking my way.

"You're not going to stop me from bringing Bella back," I spat, my voice sharp with anger.

She kept her head high, unwavering. "It was the will of nature, and there is no magic strong enough to defy that!" she exclaimed.

"I have every magic!" I shouted back. "Phasmatos revenios un animum." The words rang out, strong and clear, as fire erupted in a circle around me. The sudden heat and dancing flames caused everyone to stumble back in shock.

"Charlotte, don't!" Emmett voiced his concern, his tone and gaze pleading.

"Renesmee needs her mother!" I exclaimed, my voice cracking at the thought. "I can't let her grow up without her." I couldn't allow the same fate to fall upon her as it did me.

"Don't," my Grams' voice cracked as tears welled in her eyes, not wanting to see her granddaughter embrace the darkness.

"I have the power," I shouted, the flames rising higher in response to my words. "I have the darkness," I added, lifting my hand to see the dark veins coursing beneath my skin.

I could hear my Grams begin to chant a spell, hoping to dispel mine and break the connection. But the flames only grew hotter and higher in defiance.

"Victus phasmatis ex eleto," I intoned, drawing in more power, feeling it surge within me. "Phasmatos revenios un animum. Revertas phasmatis ut victus!" The wind whipped around us, strong and relentless, yet it didn't extinguish the flames. Instead, it seemed to feed them, making them burn even brighter and more fiercely.

"Phasmatos revenios un animum!" I shouted, but as the final word left my lips, an invisible force slammed into me, knocking the wind out of my lungs. I hit the ground hard, and the circle of fire extinguished instantly upon my fall, along with the wind, fading away. As I lay on my back, I felt the connection to the power fading, the darkness retreating along with the sinister veins that had tainted my skin. The intense energy that had coursed through me moments before now slipped away, leaving me feeling weak.

My eyes grew heavy, fluttering closed despite my efforts to stay awake. The last sight I saw was Emmett's panicked expression as he towered over me, his face etched with worry. Then, the world faded away, and I slipped into unconsciousness, greeting the darkness like an old friend...

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