Under the Cursed Moon - CH - 74

Teddy sat in the car, fidgeting impatiently, his book long forgotten on his lap. He had been waiting so patiently, hoping to catch even a tiny glimpse of Renesmee. He knew he had promised Sam he wouldn’t get out, but his heart ached to see her.

The pack had gone inside, leaving him alone. The forest surrounding the Cullen house was eerily quiet, but Teddy knew it was filled with eyes—vampires, some familiar, some not. He kept glancing toward the house, hoping, just hoping, that maybe Renesmee would sense he was here.

And then he saw movement.

The front doors of the Cullen house opened, and two figures stepped out. Teddy’s heart leaped—Emmett and Rosalie.

Emmett had always been one of Teddy’s favorites. He was fun, loud, and always up for a game or a challenge. And Rosalie, despite her usual coldness, had been kind to him in her own way. He had spent so much time with them before everything became complicated.

Teddy felt a wave of relief. They would recognize him, maybe even call Renesmee out.

But as they walked past the car, something strange happened.

Emmett’s eyes flickered toward him, just for a second. Rosalie saw him too.

But instead of greeting him, instead of saying anything, they acted like he wasn’t even there.

They walked right past him, their expressions unreadable, their eyes sliding over him as if he were a stranger.

Teddy felt his chest tighten.

Why?

Why were they ignoring him?

He sat there, stunned, his excitement turning into something heavy and painful. Emmett had always acknowledged him, always greeted him with a grin or a playful jab. But now… it was like he didn’t exist.

Teddy’s fingers curled into fists.

He had promised Sam he wouldn’t get out of the car. He promised.

But right now, he didn’t care.

Without thinking, Teddy shoved open the car door and stepped out.

His feet crunched on the gravel as he hurried toward Emmett, his small form dwarfed by the massive vampire.

“Emmett!” he called out, his voice carrying a mix of hurt and confusion.

Emmett stopped, but he didn’t turn around immediately. He exhaled heavily before glancing down at Teddy, his usual playful expression replaced with something serious.

“Teddy,” Emmett said quietly, glancing around.

Teddy looked up at him, his bright blue eyes filled with hurt. “Why are you ignoring me? What’s going on?”

Emmett hesitated, then leaned down slightly, keeping his voice low.

“Listen, kid. You shouldn’t be running around the house right now,” he muttered. “There are too many outsiders here. It’s not safe for you.”

Teddy frowned. “But—”

Emmett shook his head. “Just go back to the car, alright? I see you, I do. But right now, we have to act like we don’t. Just trust me on this, okay?”

Teddy didn’t like that answer. He didn’t like it at all. But before he could argue, something unexpected happened.

A pair of small, warm arms suddenly wrapped around him.

“Teddy!”

Before he even had a chance to react, he was pulled into a tight embrace.

It was her.

Renesmee.

Teddy barely had time to register the fact that she had grown a little taller since the last time he saw her before she pulled back just enough to look at him, her face glowing with excitement.

“I missed you so much!” she said breathlessly, her brown eyes shining with joy. “I knew you’d come! I’ve been trying to find a way to talk to you, but everything’s been so—ugh, it doesn’t matter! You’re here now!”

Teddy, still caught in shock, finally broke into a grin. “Nessie!”

Renesmee grabbed his hand, her grip warm and strong. “Come on!”

“Wha—wait, what?” Teddy blinked as she suddenly started running, pulling him with her.

Straight toward the Cullen house.

Teddy barely had time to register Emmett’s exasperated groan behind him before he was yanked through the front doors, his heart racing.

Whatever was happening inside, he was about to find out.

And right now, he didn’t care about anything else.

He had Renesmee back.

Sam, Embry, Seth, and Jacob stepped into the Cullen household, their presence alone enough to shift the atmosphere of the already tense environment. Their wolfish scents clashed with the overwhelming mixture of various vampires in the house, drawing a few wary glances from those who had never encountered shapeshifters before.

Carlisle was the first to greet them, his expression composed but laced with concern. He knew this was not a social visit. The presence of Sam and his pack in such a volatile time meant something serious needed to be discussed.

Edward was not far behind, his eyes flickering between the pack members. His mind-reading ability had already informed him of the purpose of their visit before a single word had been spoken. He knew Sam wanted to make one thing absolutely clear—the treaty must be upheld, no matter how many vampires had arrived.

Carlisle, ever the diplomat, nodded in understanding and led them toward the newly established meeting room, a space recently set up to host discussions such as this. It was better suited for delicate negotiations, a necessary precaution given the number of powerful figures now present in Forks.

Once the pack was seated, Carlisle wasted no time calling in several of the more influential vampires who had come to his aid. If the treaty was to be discussed, the witnesses needed to understand its importance.

The meeting room quickly filled with a mix of faces—some familiar, some not. Many of the vampires present had only ever heard of shapeshifters, but few had actually seen them in person. Their curiosity was apparent, though restrained.

Sam didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

“Our tribe has protected these lands for generations,” he began, his voice strong and unwavering. “We made a deal with the Cullens—a treaty meant to keep the peace. That treaty states that vampires do not cross into our land, and more importantly, that no vampire hunts or kills humans in Forks or the surrounding areas.”

A murmur spread through the gathered vampires. Some listened with mild amusement, others with a hint of skepticism.

One vampire, a lean figure with dark eyes and a cold smirk, leaned forward. “And what if we don’t obey this treaty?” he asked, his voice laced with condescension. “There are hundreds of us here and only a handful of you. What exactly can you do?”

A few others chuckled quietly at the implied threat, but Sam only smiled. A slow, knowing smile.

He didn’t even look at the arrogant vampire—instead, he turned his head toward Carlisle, his gaze steady, filled with meaning.

“This would’ve been a big issue a few years ago,” Sam said, his voice deceptively calm. “Before I met Harry and Hermione.”

At the mention of their names, Carlisle’s face visibly stiffened. Edward, standing nearby, immediately tensed.

The other vampires, however, exchanged puzzled glances. They didn’t recognize the names.

But Carlisle and his family did.

And they knew exactly why Sam was smiling like that.

“If you try to take over our land,” Sam continued, his tone laced with quiet confidence, “if you hunt in our town, if you kill any of our people… you know what will happen.”

The amused expressions vanished from the faces of the Cullens.

Edward’s gaze darkened slightly as he read Carlisle’s thoughts. They don’t understand, Edward realized. But we do.

Carlisle inhaled slowly before speaking, his voice steady but firm.

“No vampires will trespass on Quileute land,” he said, his words carrying the weight of finality. “And no vampire will hunt in Forks or any of the nearby areas. The treaty will be upheld.”

Sam nodded once, satisfied.

For the outsiders, it may have seemed like a simple agreement between two groups.

The meeting had just concluded, and the tension in the air was still thick as the vampires processed what Sam had just said. The shapeshifters had made their stance clear—the treaty was to be respected, and any violation would have dire consequences.

But before anyone could reflect further, a sudden commotion erupted from the entrance.

All heads turned sharply at the sight of Renesmee, running full speed into the house, dragging a small figure behind her by the hand.

The Cullens froze in place.

The other vampires stared, their expressions shifting from confusion to shock.

And then, the whispers started.

A human child was standing inside the Cullen household.

The murmuring grew louder as the gathered vampires reacted in disbelief. Every single one of them could hear the rhythmic thump of a heartbeat—steady, strong, undeniably human.

Teddy.

He stood beside Renesmee, looking slightly dazed but grinning nonetheless. The enchanted pendant around his neck masked his wolfish scent, making him appear no different from any regular human child. To the vampires who had never seen him before, the implications were immediate and dangerous.

A human had been brought into their world.

The reactions were swift and severe.

“What is this?!” one of the older vampires demanded, stepping forward, his eyes burning with outrage. “A human child? In the middle of all this? The Cullens have been hiding this from us?”

Another vampire, a tall woman with piercing red eyes, sneered. “You’ve broken the most sacred law, Carlisle. How could you be so careless?”

A cacophony of voices erupted as the vampires questioned, accused, and lashed out with disbelief.

Carlisle raised his hands in an attempt to calm the rising tension. “We have not broken any laws,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “We have disclosed nothing.”

The vampires weren’t satisfied.

“Then explain this!” The same tall woman gestured sharply at Teddy, who blinked in confusion at the sudden attention.

Before Carlisle could respond, Sam stepped forward. His expression was unreadable, but there was a quiet, simmering intensity in his stance.

“He’s with us,” Sam stated. “He came with the pack. He is one of us.”

A wave of fresh whispers rolled through the room. The vampires did not accept that explanation.

“He doesn’t smell like a wolf,” another vampire growled. “I can hear his heartbeat, I can smell his blood. He is a human boy.”

Sam’s jaw tightened, but before he could speak, Renesmee turned to Teddy.

“Teddy,” she said, frowning slightly, “why did you leave the car?”

All eyes shifted to him.

Teddy swallowed nervously under the weight of so many piercing gazes.

“I… I just wanted to see you,” he admitted. “I missed you, and you missed me. We just wanted to play.”

Renesmee, unfazed by the tension in the room, grabbed Teddy’s hand again and turned to face everyone.

“We’re going to my room,” she announced boldly. “We’ll be playing there.”

Before anyone could stop her, she dragged Teddy upstairs, disappearing from sight.

The room fell into stunned silence.

A human boy and a half-vampire child had just walked off together, completely oblivious to the chaos they had left behind.

The tension in the room doubled as the vampires turned back to Carlisle and Sam.

The gathered vampires stood firm in their belief—the Cullens had broken the sacred law. It was already dangerous enough that they had created a hybrid vampire child, but now, with the existence of Teddy, the situation had escalated into something even worse.

A human child, fully aware of their world?

A child raised among both vampires and shapeshifters?

To them, it was unforgivable.

Murmurs grew louder. Some of the vampires who had come to witness the Volturi’s arrival were considering leaving altogether. If the Cullens had indeed broken the law, there was no need to stay—the Volturi would come and wipe them out. There would be no need for witnesses if the verdict was already decided.

Carlisle tried to reason with them, his calm voice attempting to soothe the rising anger. Edward, standing tensely beside him, could hear the thoughts running wild in the room. Doubt. Fear. Betrayal.

And Sam had enough of it.

His patience snapped as he turned toward Teddy, his voice strong and decisive.

“Teddy,” Sam said, looking directly at the boy, “shift.”

Teddy blinked. He had never been asked to transform in front of so many vampires before.

But he knew why Sam was asking him.

The vampires would never believe them unless they saw it with their own eyes.

So, without hesitation, Teddy took a deep breath, his small body rippling with energy as he shifted seamlessly into his direwolf form.

Gasps rang out around the room.

Where a small boy had stood just seconds ago, now stood a massive direwolf, its fur thick and silver-gray, larger than any normal wolf.

Teddy let out a low growl, his golden eyes glowing, his form radiating power.

Then, without waiting, he bolted—racing through the house, his massive paws thudding against the floor, before bursting through the front door and into the open.

And Renesmee was right behind him.

She chased after Teddy, laughing, her small form moving impossibly fast as she ran with pure joy, finally free for the first time in weeks.

The vampires stood in stunned silence.

It was real.

The child they had assumed to be human was not human at all. He was one of the wolves. The Cullens had not broken any law.

Sam crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “Believe us now?”

One of the vampires, the same one who had accused the Cullens earlier, stepped back, his face pale with realization. He glanced at Carlisle, then at Sam, before nodding slowly.

“…We believe you.”

The mood in the room shifted.

Some vampires still murmured, unsettled, but the immediate accusations and threats dissolved. The gathered witnesses, though still uneasy, now knew the truth—the Cullens had not exposed their world to humans.

Sam turned to Carlisle, his voice much calmer now.

“Let them play,” he said simply. “They’ve been attached to each other for a long time. Keeping them apart is just making things worse.”

Carlisle, relieved that the situation had de-escalated, nodded in agreement.

Edward, though still tense, exhaled and listened. The thoughts of the gathered vampires were no longer screaming betrayal. There was still tension, but it was no longer an immediate crisis.

Outside, Teddy and Renesmee ran together, their laughter echoing in the crisp air, lost in the moment.

For the first time in weeks, they were free.