The rain didn't let up as I walked down the slick, empty road leading into Forks. Each step felt surreal, as if the world itself could collapse at any moment and drag me back into the void I'd fallen through. But the cool air against my skin, the faint ache of my new body adjusting, and, most of all, the growing hunger reminded me this was no dream.
It was real.
I didn't know what I was anymore. Vampire was the only thing that made sense—pale skin, enhanced senses, the gnawing hunger for blood—but I wasn't like the vampires from the Twilight saga, not entirely.
There was power in me, more than I knew what to do with.
I found myself wandering through the outskirts of the town, sticking to the shadows. I wasn't ready to face anyone yet. What if I lost control? What if I hurt someone?
The hunger gnawed at me with every passing minute, a slow burn that grew sharper and more demanding. I couldn't ignore it any longer. If I was going to survive, I needed to figure out how to deal with it.
The forest called to me like a sanctuary. I moved quickly, faster than any human could, weaving through the trees with an ease that felt both natural and foreign. My instincts guided me, and soon, I caught the faint scent of prey.
It wasn't a person.
A deer stood a few yards away, its ears twitching as it grazed. I crouched low, my body moving with predatory precision I hadn't practiced or learned. My muscles coiled like springs, and before I could even think about what I was doing, I lunged.
The deer didn't even have time to run.
The blood was warm and rich, filling me with a surge of energy that burned through my veins like fire. As I fed, the hunger receded, replaced by a sharp clarity. My mind quieted, and for the first time since I arrived, I felt… in control.
But the moment didn't last.
I stumbled back, horrified at what I'd done. The deer's lifeless body lay at my feet, and though I knew it wasn't the same as feeding on a human, it still felt wrong.
Wiping the blood from my mouth, I turned and ran, faster than before, the forest blurring around me.
By the time I reached the edge of town, the rain had finally stopped. The clouds hung low in the sky, heavy and gray, casting everything in a muted light.
I lingered on the outskirts, watching from a distance. Forks was just as I'd imagined it—a sleepy little town with narrow streets, quaint buildings, and the occasional car passing by.
But something was off.
I could feel it, like static in the air. A faint, electric hum that set my nerves on edge. My senses stretched outward, picking up on the faint emotions of the people around me—curiosity, boredom, frustration.
And then, there was something else.
A presence.
It was subtle at first, like a faint pressure against my mind, but it grew stronger as I focused. There were others here, others like me. I didn't need to see them to know it. The Cullens.
They were close.
I tried to shake the thought, but it lingered in the back of my mind. How was I supposed to face them? What would they think of me?
I had to blend in, at least for now. That meant keeping a low profile and figuring out how to navigate this new life.
The next morning, I made my way to Forks High School.
I had spent most of the night preparing, forging what I needed to pass as a new student—enrollment papers, identification, even a backstory that was just vague enough to hold up under scrutiny.
As I stepped onto the school grounds, I couldn't ignore the way people stared. Whispers followed me as I passed, conversations halting mid-sentence.
"Who's that?"
"He's new, right?"
"Look at him. He's… wow."
I ducked my head, trying not to draw too much attention, but it was no use. My appearance, though I hadn't asked for it, made blending in nearly impossible. My sharp features, pale skin, and golden eyes seemed to captivate everyone around me.
Inside the office, the secretary looked up from her desk, her eyes widening slightly. "You must be… Camron, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I just transferred. Thanks for setting everything up on short notice."
"Oh, of course," she said quickly, fumbling with the stack of papers in front of her. "Here's your schedule. And your first class is…" She glanced at the sheet. "Biology with Mr. Banner. Room 202."
"Got it. Thanks."
As I turned to leave, I caught her staring, her cheeks flushed. I forced a polite smile and walked out, feeling her gaze linger until the door shut behind me.
The first half of the day passed uneventfully, though I could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on me. Every time I entered a room, conversations would stop, and I'd hear faint whispers as I walked past.
By the time lunch rolled around, I was exhausted. I stepped into the cafeteria, grabbing a tray more out of habit than necessity, and scanned the room.
That's when I saw them.
The Cullens sat at a table near the far end, their presence impossible to ignore. They were just as I remembered from the books—beautiful, otherworldly, and entirely out of place in this small-town high school.
Edward sat next to Rosalie, his expression unreadable, while Emmett leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk on his lips. Jasper was quiet, his gaze flicking across the room, and then there was Alice.
She was smaller than the others, her dark hair framing her delicate features in soft, playful spikes. Her golden eyes seemed brighter than the rest, alive with curiosity.
As if sensing my gaze, Alice turned and looked directly at me.
Our eyes met, and for a moment, the noise of the cafeteria faded away.
She tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a faint smile, but there was something else in her expression—something I couldn't quite place.
I broke the gaze first, moving to sit at an empty table near the edge of the room. I could feel the Cullens watching me, their curiosity practically radiating across the cafeteria, but I kept my focus on the tray in front of me, pretending not to notice.
They didn't know what I was.
And for now, that was exactly how I wanted it to stay.