EDWARD

Edward paced back and forth in the living room, his frustration palpable. In front of him, Carlisle and Jasper sat on the couch, watching him with varying degrees of interest. Carlisle held the knife in his hands, inspecting it carefully, while Jasper appeared amused, a small smirk playing on his lips as he watched his brother unravel.

"Are you seriously considering following that thing’s plan?" Edward snapped, turning sharply to Carlisle. Anger blazed in his golden eyes, his jaw clenched tightly.

"Yes, I am," Carlisle replied calmly, his voice steady and measured. "First of all, we don’t have any other plan. Secondly, it gave us a weapon—" he gestured to the knife in his hand "—a weapon that can kill anything, even vampires."

"But it’s a demon!" Edward interrupted, his voice rising. "They can’t be trusted."

Carlisle met Edward’s glare without flinching. "That’s a risk I’m willing to take."

Edward exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair before turning to Jasper. "And you? Are you going along with this madness?"

Jasper leaned back, his expression unreadable but tinged with indifference. "I agree with Carlisle," he said smoothly. "And think about it—if this works, I could accomplish so much. Being king, with Isabella by my side? The possibilities are endless. Can you even imagine what we could do together?"

Edward stared at Jasper as though he’d grown a second head. "Isabella?" he echoed incredulously. "Jasper, that demon is Rosalie’s mate. Not to mention that said demon can burn you to ashes before Rosalie even gets to you!"

Jasper’s expression darkened, his lips curling into a sneer. "I’m not afraid of Rosalie," he said coldly. "If it comes to it, I’ll kill her without hesitation and claim Isabella as her mate. She will see me as the strongest—"

"But you’re not her mate at all!" Edward growled, his frustration bubbling over.

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Jasper just looked at Edward.

"What’s your grand plan for killing the demon, anyway?" Edward asked Carlisle.

"We’ll use Rosalie as bait, of course," Carlisle answered, his voice calm but firm.

Edward laughed bitterly. "Use Rosalie as bait? Have you forgotten that she’s hated you since the moment she woke up as a vampire? The only one she truly trusts is that big oaf, Emmett. She tolerates Esme and Alice at best, but Emmett is the only one she listens to."

"Then we’ll use Emmett," Jasper suggested casually, his tone almost dismissive.

Edward scoffed. "You two have completely lost your minds. You don’t even have a good plan, and I’m not about to get myself killed because of your idiocy." He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Idiot," Jasper muttered, shaking his head.

Carlisle sighed, rubbing his temples. "That idiot has a point, though," he admitted. "What makes you so sure you can control Isabella?"

Jasper smirked confidently. "With my gift, of course."

Carlisle raised an eyebrow. "And why didn’t you use that gift when she burned you?"

Embarrassment flickered across Jasper’s face. He lifted his arm to silence Carlisle’s questioning. "I was in too much pain to concentrate," he muttered. "But it won’t happen again. I’ll make sure she falls in love with me. Once she does, nothing will stop us."

Carlisle wasn’t entirely convinced, but he decided to go along with Jasper’s plan for the time being.

Meanwhile, Edward ran through the darkened forest, with no destination in mind. His thoughts churned with anger and despair. His family, the Cullens, were falling apart before his eyes. He couldn’t deny his hatred for Rosalie, but for the rest of them, he cared for them. He loved being part of a family.

Rosalie had ruined it all. That bitch.

Edward clenched his fists as he ran, his mind racing. Even if he killed Rosalie, the Cullen family wouldn’t be the same. Esme would never go back to Carlisle, no matter how much Edward wished it. Alice and Emmett had already mentally checked out; he’d seen it in their thoughts. They were using Rosalie as an opportunity to leave.

Carlisle’s plan wouldn’t fix anything. And becoming king? Edward scoffed at the thought. The queens were ruthless, their power unmatched. A knife that could kill anything might be real, but getting close enough to use it on the queens? That was another matter entirely.

Edward suddenly stopped in his tracks. An idea formed in his mind, one so bold and dangerous it almost made him smile. There was someone he could turn to—a man whose mate had the power to elude danger and manipulate fate. If Edward could persuade them to help, their abilities could get close enough to the queens to kill them.

Carlisle would be a perfect distraction.

Yes, Edward thought, his eyes glinting with newfound determination. If he played his cards right, the throne would be his. And he wouldn’t share it with anyone.

"Fuck Carlisle and the others," he muttered under his breath. He’d never truly liked any of them anyway—well, maybe Esme. She was the only one he’d spare. If anyone harmed her, they’d be the monster, not him.

Edward began to run again, his steps sure and purposeful. He knew exactly where to find James and his coven.