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The following morning arrived with a lighter air in the Cullen house. For the first time in days, the atmosphere didn't feel weighed down by tension. Although Nate had only mentioned that he didn't believe the Quileutes would keep lurking around for a while, everyone took it as a certainty. Those few words, spoken with the calm conviction that characterized him, were enough to restore a bit of peace among them. With that newfound sense of safety, everyone could finally breathe more easily.
Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie were getting ready to head out to school, chatting among themselves with a restrained enthusiasm that contrasted with the silence of the previous days. Alice saw them off at the door with a bright smile, while Nate watched the scene from a few steps back. His gaze focused on Alice, noticing that she seemed to have no desire to go with them, and a faint trace of relief flickered through his thoughts. Apparently, Alice was content simply having her family together again; there was no hurry in her to resume her school routine.
To everyone's surprise, Nate stopped beside her and wished them a good day with what seemed like a small, quiet smile. Jasper and Rosalie looked at him in confusion for a second, as if unsure they had heard correctly, but eventually nodded.
Emmett let out a loud laugh.
"When I get back, maybe we can do something—now that we don't have to stay locked in all day."
Nate nodded without much commitment, just a polite gesture—enough not to seem distant.
As the three of them climbed into the car, Nate noticed that Edward had chosen to stay home once again. It surprised him. He couldn't understand why he would waste days he could be spending with Bella, reassuring her. Even though Nate knew Edward intended to "keep an eye on him," it didn't seem like a smart idea. Knowing Bella, it wouldn't be strange if she decided to come over herself if she kept hearing nothing from him.
While he thought about that, Nate slightly turned his head toward Alice, who still stood beside him. She was watching him with a playful smile and her arms crossed, as if trying to guess what was running through his mind.
"I'm a little surprised you came to see them off. I thought you'd be waiting for me upstairs or something."
Nate shook his head slowly, his expression calm but thoughtful.
"I feel like I'm a bit disconnected from my emotions—that's why I have trouble controlling myself when anger takes over. I think it'd be better if I try talking to more people… see what it stirs up. Maybe cutting myself off from everything that unsettles me isn't the answer right now."
Alice remembered what Nate had told her the night before—how rage had clouded his judgment during the fight. Even so, she couldn't help but feel a warm spark at seeing him try to improve.
She seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding softly.
"That makes sense. Back at the Denali house, you seemed calmer, and you used to talk to everyone there—you even looked happier. I'm glad you're trying to get along with my family."
With those words, she rose on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Nate smiled at the gesture—a subtle, almost imperceptible expression that softened his gaze. But when he looked up, he noticed Edward watching them from the second floor, leaning on the railing with his arms crossed.
He shook his head, holding back a sigh. He knew Edward would be the last person he'd want to spend time with until he learned to control himself better. Still, after reliving everything that had happened with Jacob and the Quileutes, he had promised himself he would at least try.
With that thought in mind, he decided not to follow Alice upstairs right away. Instead, he began to walk around the house at a slow pace, letting the morning quiet accompany him. Through the wide windows, Forks' gray light filtered softly, tinting the interior with silvery hues.
Nate continued walking through the house, his steps unhurried but alert. In the days he had stayed there, he had rarely left Alice's room; he had spent most of the time talking with her, reading, or simply letting himself be drawn into whatever activity she came up with. Now, however, he allowed himself to wander the halls calmly, taking everything in with more attention.
There weren't many photographs hanging on the walls, but there were several carefully arranged objects: small sculptures, old books, and keepsakes from different places that spoke of a long, shared life. He guessed each piece represented one of the cities where the Cullens had lived before coming to Forks. There was something almost human in the way that home tried to appear normal, and Nate quietly appreciated it.
He kept walking, without direction or haste, until he heard soft footsteps approaching from the hallway. He didn't need to turn to know who it was—Esme.
He could sense the presence of all the Cullens still in the house without much effort, but Esme's calm, gentle rhythm was easy to distinguish. She didn't say anything at first, simply watched him patiently, giving him space to finish his quiet tour.
Nate sighed softly. He imagined that, after the little "incident" he had with Edward the day before, Esme probably didn't feel entirely comfortable leaving them alone in the house. He couldn't blame her, though he didn't exactly approve either.
He didn't want to be rude, but he also knew that if he ever decided to leave or do something on his own, Esme wouldn't be able to stop him—unless, of course, she went through Alice. Though that wasn't very likely either; Alice always ended up supporting his choices, even when she didn't fully agree with them.
With a polite smile, Nate turned his head toward her.
"Is something wrong?"
Esme didn't seem surprised by his kind tone. Unlike some of the others, she didn't see him as dangerous or intimidating. Even when he was still human, she had thought of him as a polite, charming young man. Now, as a vampire, she could still sense a trace of sadness in him whenever he was apart from Alice—but nothing fierce or threatening like what her children tended to feel when he appeared expressionless.
With her soft voice, she replied,
"No, nothing… I'm just glad you decided not to stay locked up in your room all day."
Nate nodded slightly.
"Felt like moving around a little today. Besides, you mean Alice's room…"
Esme let out a light laugh, genuine and melodic. She seemed genuinely amused by his response.
"I said it right. I meant it when I told you you're part of the family. Any house Carlisle and I live in will always have a room for our children… including you."
Her words caught him off guard. For a moment, Nate fell silent, watching her. Since his transformation, he had avoided any kind of bond that could lead to that kind of closeness. Even with the Denalis, he had drawn clear lines not to get too attached. His first instinct would have been to deflect or fake indifference, as he usually did.
But instead, he swallowed any trace of discomfort or hesitation.
He gave a faint smile—one more genuine than any he had shown before.
"Thank you."
Esme returned the smile, that familiar warmth of hers radiating without need for words, making anyone feel welcome. For a moment, the silence between them became comfortable—almost familial.
Esme walked with him a few more steps in silence, observing how his demeanor seemed more relaxed than usual. There was something different about him that morning: his gestures were less tense, his expression softer.
"You seem to be in a good mood today," she commented with a gentle smile.
Nate barely nodded, without stopping.
"I suppose so. Now that the situation with the Quileutes is nearly resolved, Alice and I will be able to leave soon. I'd like these days to be calm for everyone."
Esme nodded, though she couldn't hide the faint trace of sadness that crossed her face at hearing him. Every time one of her children left, she felt the house grow a little emptier… and the idea of Alice leaving again was not easy to accept.
They walked together a few more steps before Esme cautiously broke the silence.
"I know you didn't want to give many details last night, but… are you sure you'll go talk to them alone? I understand you made an agreement with Jacob, but I don't think Carlisle would allow it. He… like me, he worries about you."
Nate didn't respond immediately. His eyes drifted toward one of the windows, where the gray forest light filtered through the glass. Although Carlisle already knew part of the situation with the neophytes, Nate knew his presence would undermine the deterrent effect he had carefully planned. According to his calculations, the neophytes should already be running back to the forest near Port Angeles by now.
Calmly, he shook his head.
"The deal was that I would handle this matter, and he would bring the tracker. Besides, the Quileutes naturally distrust vampires… it wouldn't look right if I went with company."
The words came out naturally, but as soon as they left his lips, he felt the weight of the lie. It wasn't just deception—it was directing it toward someone as genuinely kind as Esme. But he couldn't afford complete honesty. If, for some reason, the meeting went wrong, if the situation turned violent and one of the Cullens ended up dead, Alice would suffer more than she could bear… and Nate wasn't willing to take that risk.
Esme seemed unconvinced, though she didn't press. Her gaze softened, full of that unchanging tenderness, even in the face of the secrets she sensed.
"Just be careful," she murmured finally.
Nate nodded.
They walked a few more seconds until she stopped in front of a shelf and began arranging some porcelain figures. Nate took the moment to politely take his leave.
"I think I've wandered enough for today. I'll see what Alice is doing."
Esme looked up and gave him a small smile, slowly coming out of her thoughts.
"All right. I'm glad you gave yourself a little break, Nate."
He responded with a slight nod before departing. As soon as he left the main hallway, his expression hardened again. Soon, he would have to return to the forest, where Stefan and the neophytes awaited his instructions. And although he preferred not to lie to Esme, he didn't feel comfortable leaving the neophytes so close without clear orders.
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A couple of quiet hours passed. Nate stayed with Alice in her room, distracted between light conversation and the soft murmur of the forest outside the windows. He feigned relaxation, but his attention remained divided. Every so often, his gaze shifted to the sounds from downstairs, alert to Esme's steps and movements.
He wanted to leave as soon as possible. He needed to meet with Stefan and the neophytes in the forest, fine-tuning the last details before the encounter with the Quileutes. But something held him back: the thought that, although Esme could never catch up to him, there was a chance she might track him and reach the neophytes. He couldn't allow that.
Later in the afternoon, with a faint sigh, he reclined on the sofa beside Alice in the living room. She lay next to him, her head resting on his chest, flipping through a magazine she barely paid attention to. The silence between them was comfortable, familiar.
Nate kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling, waiting for the right moment. For an instant, he considered asking Alice to approach the neophytes herself, to order them to stay away until the end of the week. Her mother trusted her enough that her leaving wouldn't raise suspicion. But the idea vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He didn't want her near them, much less alone in front of Stefan.
So, as naturally as he breathed, he leaned toward her and murmured:
"Alice… get your mother out for a couple of hours."
She didn't need to ask why. She looked at him with those bright, understanding eyes and barely nodded, a subtle gesture.
"Don't take too long," she whispered in response, her voice so low only he could hear it.
With a faint smile, Alice rose with an almost dancing lightness and walked toward the hallway. She found Esme arranging a bouquet of flowers on the table and spoke in a casual tone:
"Mom, would you mind going to the hospital? We need more blood bags for Nate. We're almost out."
Esme looked up, hesitating. Her expression reflected some reluctance to leave the house, still wary after what had happened the night before. She was about to respond when a sudden movement interrupted her: Edward fell from the second floor, landing effortlessly on the living room floor.
"I'll go," he said simply.
Nate looked up, a hint of irritation in his gaze. But that discomfort vanished as soon as he noticed how Edward was watching him closely, his thoughts flowing in a clear direction. From a few steps away, the vampire barely whispered:
"I'll handle it."
In an instant, Nate understood. Edward had grasped the situation and was acting accordingly. He relaxed his expression and let his thoughts flow naturally, allowing the message to reach its mark without words or confusion: the neophytes would keep a low profile, and he himself would fetch them at the end of the week.
Edward nodded silently and, with the speed of a flash, disappeared through the front door.
Esme followed him with her gaze, sighing with relief at seeing that, for the first time in days, Edward and Nate seemed less tense with each other.
"Well… I suppose that settles it then," she murmured, giving them a brief smile before returning to her flowers.
Nate lingered thoughtfully for a moment. He didn't want to have to trust Edward with anything, especially after what had happened. But when Alice returned to the sofa and calmly wrapped herself in his arms, he decided—at least this once—to give him the benefit of the doubt.