Ethereal Bondsand Unmatched PowerThe Reincarnated Guardian of Twilight

Chapter 3: Visions of Bonds and Family Whispers

Meanwhile, in the sleek, glass-walled haven of the Cullen residence, Alice Cullen paced with an energy that bordered on electric. Her petite frame darted from one end of the living room to the other, her golden eyes alight with a mix of excitement and frustration. The rest of the family—spread across the room in their usual tableau of effortless grace—watched her with varying degrees of curiosity and amusement. Jasper lounged on the couch, his calm demeanor a counterpoint to her agitation; Emmett leaned against the wall, grinning like he was waiting for a punchline; Rosalie sat poised in an armchair, her perfect features set in a mask of cool indifference; and Carlisle and Esme stood near the window, exchanging a knowing glance.

"Alright, Alice," Emmett finally drawled, folding his massive arms. "You've been bouncing around like a caffeinated pixie for ten minutes. Spill it. What's the vision this time? Another storm? Edward brooding himself into a coma?"

Alice stopped mid-step, spinning on her heel to face them. Her lips curved into a smile—bright, but with an edge of secrecy. "No storms, no brooding," she said, her voice chiming like bells. "It's… bigger than that. I saw something—someone. My soulmate." She paused for effect, letting the word hang in the air, and the room went still.

Rosalie's head snapped up, her amber eyes narrowing. "Your soulmate?" she echoed, her tone sharp enough to cut glass. "Since when do you get visions about that?"

"Since now," Alice shot back, unfazed. She clasped her hands behind her back, rocking on her heels. "But here's the twist—it's not just mine. Rosalie, he's yours too."

The silence that followed was deafening. Emmett's grin faltered, then widened into something almost feral. "Wait, wait, wait," he said, pushing off the wall. "You're telling me you two are sharing a soulmate? Like some kind of vampire romance novel? Oh, this is gold."

Rosalie didn't move, but her expression darkened, a storm brewing behind her flawless facade. "That's impossible," she said flatly. "Soulmates don't work like that. And I'm not sharing anything."

Alice tilted her head, her smile softening but not fading. "It's not impossible—it's happening. I saw it. He's… different. Not like us, not like the wolves, not like anything I've ever seen. There's this light around him, this… power. And he's tied to us. Both of us."

Jasper sat up straighter, his empathic senses prickling. "What kind of power?" he asked, his voice low and measured. "You're buzzing like you've seen something big, Alice."

"I have," she admitted, her gaze flickering to him. "But it's fuzzy. I can't see him clearly—not his face, not his name, not even what he is exactly. Just flashes. Golden eyes, but not like ours—brighter, with sparks like fire. Wings, maybe? Or something like them. And this feeling…" She pressed a hand to her chest, her brows furrowing. "It's strong. Protective. Angry, too, sometimes. But I know he's ours."

Carlisle stepped forward, his calm authority settling over the room like a balm. "Alice, you're saying this person—this soulmate—isn't human, isn't vampire, isn't anything we know? And you're both connected to him?"

"Yes," Alice said firmly, then hesitated. "Well… mostly yes. The vision's incomplete. I can't see the whole picture, and I don't know why. It's like he's blocking me somehow, or something's interfering. But the bond—it's real. I felt it, and I saw Rosalie in it too."

Rosalie's jaw tightened, and she stood abruptly, her chair scraping faintly against the floor. "I don't care what you saw," she snapped. "I didn't ask for this. I don't want it. And I'm not some damsel waiting for a mystery man to sweep me off my feet—especially not one I have to share with you."

Alice's smile didn't waver, though her eyes softened with understanding. "I get it, Rose. I didn't expect this either. But it's not about what we want—it's what's coming. He's already here, somewhere close. I can feel it."

Esme moved to Rosalie's side, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let's not rush to judgment," she said softly. "Alice's visions have always guided us, even when they're unclear. If this… person is tied to you both, there's a reason. We'll figure it out together."

Emmett let out a low whistle, breaking the tension. "Man, this is gonna be wild. Two badass ladies and some fiery mystery guy? I'm calling it now—best drama in Forks since Edward's sparkle reveal."

Jasper smirked faintly, but his gaze stayed on Alice. "You're thrilled about this," he noted, sensing the undercurrent of her emotions. "Even with the blanks."

"I am," Alice admitted, her voice brightening. "It's a thrill, Jasper! Something new, something huge. I don't know who he is or why he's ours, but I can't wait to find out. And Rosalie—" She turned to her sister, her expression earnest. "—you don't have to like it yet. Just… don't shut it down until we know more."

Rosalie crossed her arms, her lips a thin line, but she didn't argue further. The room buzzed with unspoken questions, the Cullens exchanging glances that ranged from intrigued to wary. Carlisle clasped his hands behind his back, his mind already turning. "If he's in Forks, or near it, we'll cross paths soon enough," he said. "Alice, keep us posted on any changes in your visions. For now, we stay alert."

Alice nodded, practically vibrating with anticipation. She didn't mention the other fragments she'd glimpsed—a girl with Bella's familiar awkwardness, a house that felt like Charlie Swan's, a sense of fierce loyalty threading through it all. Those pieces were too vague, too personal to share yet. But she knew one thing: her soulmate—*their* soulmate—was out there, and he was unlike anything the Cullens had ever faced.

Back in the Swan house, Caspian Swan had no idea the storm of fate brewing miles away. He was too busy teasing Bella about her truck, his golden eyes glinting with mischief, oblivious to the threads already pulling him toward two women he'd sworn to avoid. The system hummed quietly in his mind, a silent companion, as the Twilight saga began to shift beneath his feet.