MTL NOVEL Chapter 10: Chapter 10: A Forest Encounter, a New Flame, and a Family in Chaos
### Chapter 10: A Forest Encounter, a New Flame, and a Family in Chaos
Caspian Swan wandered through the dense forest beyond Forks, the late afternoon sun filtering through the canopy in golden shards. The air was thick with the scent of pine and moss, a quiet reprieve from the tangled mess of Cullens and soulmate bonds he'd been dodging. His latest quest—*"Explore the Wilderness: Uncover Hidden Anomalies. Reward: +250 XP, Potential Ally Unlock"*—had drawn him out here, the system's subtle nudges guiding his steps deeper into the woods. Level 8 felt good, his powers humming beneath his skin, but he craved something more—something outside the script he'd been rewriting.
That's when he saw her.
She emerged from the shadows like a vision, stepping into a clearing where the light caught her in a way that stopped him cold. She was breathtaking—tall and curvaceous, with a presence that radiated both strength and grace. Her skin was a warm bronze, kissed by the sun, and her hair fell in wild, dark waves that framed a face so beautiful it almost hurt to look at: high cheekbones, full lips, and eyes a striking hazel flecked with gold. She wore a simple leather jacket and jeans, but there was nothing simple about her. Caspian's hybrid senses picked up more—a faint shimmer of power, a scent of earth and something wilder. She wasn't human, not fully.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice steady but curious, his golden eyes locking onto hers.
She tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips as she studied him back. "I could ask you the same," she said, her tone low and rich, carrying a hint of amusement. "You're not from around here—not really. I'd remember someone like you."
Caspian smirked, stepping closer. "I'm Caspian. Just passing through. And you?"
"Luna," she replied, her name rolling off her tongue like a secret. "Luna Marrow. I live on the edges—don't much care for towns like Forks. Too many eyes."
He nodded, sensing the truth in that. "You're not human," he said bluntly, cutting through pretense. "I can tell."
Her smile widened, a flash of teeth that wasn't quite a threat. "Sharp senses. I'm half werewolf—Quileute blood, but not tied to the pack. The other half's fae. Old lineage, from way back." She shrugged, as if it were no big deal, but the mix explained her allure—the raw power of a wolf tempered by the ethereal beauty of the fae.
Caspian's brows lifted, impressed despite himself. "Half wolf, half fae? That's a hell of a combo."
"Keeps life interesting," Luna said, her hazel eyes glinting. "And you're no ordinary guy either. Those eyes—fire and light. What's your story?"
He hesitated, then decided on half-truths. "Half angel, half phoenix. Long story, not worth boring you with."
She laughed, a sound that echoed through the trees and stirred something in him. "Boring? Doubt that. You've got a spark, Caspian. I like it."
They fell into conversation effortlessly, the forest fading into the background as they traded barbs and stories. Luna was sharp-witted, grounded, with a quiet confidence that matched his own. She told him about her life on the fringes—hunting anomalies like the ones he chased, avoiding the politics of the Quileute pack and the Cullens alike. He shared snippets of his own—Forks, Bella, his disdain for the vampire drama—keeping the system and reincarnation under wraps. There was a pull between them, undeniable but unhurried, like a slow burn neither rushed to name.
Hours slipped by, and they ended up sitting on a fallen log, the dusk settling around them. Luna leaned back, her gaze softening as she looked at him. "You're trouble, aren't you?" she said, half-teasing.
"Only for the right people," he shot back, his smirk softening into something real. "You're not so tame yourself."
"Never have been," she admitted, her voice dropping. "But I don't mind trouble when it looks like you."
Caspian felt it then—a flicker of something genuine, not forced by fate or a spinning wheel. He didn't push it, didn't need to. They were taking it slow, letting whatever this was unfold on its own terms. The system pinged quietly—*"Potential Ally Unlocked: Luna Marrow. Relationship Status: Developing. Bonus: +100 XP"*—and he dismissed it without a glance. This wasn't about points. This was about her.
---
Miles away, in the Cullen house, Alice Cullen staggered as a vision slammed into her with the force of a freight train. Her golden eyes went wide, her hands gripping the back of a chair as images flashed—Caspian in the forest, laughing with a woman so beautiful it defied reason, her dark hair and hazel eyes glowing with life. Their connection wasn't a soulmate bond, not like hers and Rosalie's, but it was real, deepening with every shared word. Alice gasped, her voice trembling as she snapped back to the present.
"He's falling in love," she said, the words spilling out in a rush. "Caspian—our soulmate—he's with someone else. Someone human—no, not human, but close enough. She's gorgeous, and he's… he's choosing her."
Rosalie, lounging on the couch, sat up straight, her expression darkening. "What?"
The family gathered fast—Edward at the piano, Jasper by the window, Emmett sprawled on the floor, Carlisle and Esme stepping in from the kitchen. Alice paced, her agitation spilling over. "I saw it. He's in the woods, with this woman—half werewolf, half something else. She's stunning, like she walked out of a myth. And he's falling for her. Not us—her!"
Edward's jaw tightened, his own frustration bubbling up. "He's rejecting you both? After everything?"
"It's worse," Alice snapped, spinning to face him. "He's not just rejecting us—he's rewriting everything! Bella's slipping away from you too. I saw her with Jacob—happy, laughing, closer than ever. Caspian's pushing it, and it's working. She's falling for Jacob, not you."
The room erupted in chaos. Emmett let out a booming laugh, slapping his knee. "This guy's a genius! Ditching you two and screwing over Edward? I'm officially his fan."
Jasper's calm voice cut through the noise. "He's not playing by our rules. Soulmates don't do this—vampire bonds are permanent, instant. He's defying it all."
Rosalie stood, her hands clenched into fists. "The audacity of him—falling for some random woman when he's supposed to be ours? And Bella's ditching Edward for that mutt? This is a slap in the face."
Carlisle raised a hand, his tone steady. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Caspian's not like us—his nature, his powers, they're different. If he's resisting the bond, there's a reason. And Bella… her choice isn't his fault."
"Isn't it?" Edward shot back, his voice sharp. "He's orchestrating this—pushing her toward Jacob, keeping me out. He's got some kind of control we don't understand."
Alice shook her head, her frustration peaking. "It's not control—it's him. He doesn't want us, doesn't want this life. And now he's found someone else—someone better, in his eyes. It's pissing me off. Soulmates don't just walk away!"
Esme frowned, her maternal instinct warring with her confusion. "Maybe he doesn't feel it the way you do. Or maybe he's fighting it for a purpose we can't see."
"Purpose?" Rosalie scoffed. "He's an arrogant ass who thinks he's above us. And Bella—she's supposed to be Edward's, not Jacob's. This whole family's falling apart because of him."
Carlisle's gaze grew distant, thoughtful. "Or he's building something else. He's not human, not vampire—his rules might not match ours. If he's falling for this woman, and Bella's choosing Jacob, it's a shift we can't ignore. We need to know more."
Alice's hands trembled, her vision still burning behind her eyes. "She's so beautiful," she whispered. "And he's happy with her—happier than he's ever been with us. It's not fair."
Edward stood, his expression hardening. "Then we confront him. All of us. He can't keep rewriting our lives like this."
But back in the forest, Caspian didn't care about their plans. He walked beside Luna as they headed toward the edge of the trees, her shoulder brushing his in a way that felt natural, unforced. The system hummed—*"Relationship with Luna Marrow: Progressing. Soulmate Resistance: 55%"*—but he ignored it. This wasn't about quests or bonds. It was about her—someone who didn't come with strings, someone who matched his fire. And as Bella grew closer to Jacob miles away, Caspian felt the story bending, breaking, becoming something better. The Cullens could rage all they wanted—he was done with their script.