After Alex, accompanied by Lucina and Bella, went to the cafeteria to try the school food, Emmett remained standing in the hallway, watching him go. And as soon as Alex disappeared from sight, Emmett pulled out his phone and quickly typed a message for one hyperactive vampire girl who hadn't found peace all night—pacing around the house, trying on dozens of outfits.

Alice Cullen had just stepped out of class when she received the notification. Opening the message, she frowned, but only for a moment: instead of wondering why Emmett was calling her to his locker, she simply shrugged and lit up with her usual radiant smile. Humming a tune and skipping along, Alice paid no attention to the glances of classmates whispering behind her back and calling her a weirdo.

Once, such mockery would have hurt her, but now nothing could spoil her mood—for today she would finally see the one she had been waiting for ten long years.

Approaching the appointed spot, Alice saw Emmett and Rosalie whispering animatedly by the locker.

"Hi, guys!" she exclaimed cheerfully, almost skipping toward them.

Emmett and Rosalie smiled at the same time: no matter the circumstances, Alice always remained a ray of sunshine. But as she approached, several girls behind her kept giggling and tossing out snide remarks. For a split second her smile faltered, but it quickly returned.

"Fucking bitches," Rosalie hissed through her teeth, glaring at the offenders.

The girls froze, and when Rosalie narrowed her eyes menacingly, they bolted toward the cafeteria, desperate not to cross her path. Everyone knew: angering Rosalie Cullen was a dangerous mistake.

"Hey, Alice," Emmett said, struggling to keep a grin off his face. "We've got news for you. Really good news. Want to hear it?"

Alice perked up even more."I hope this isn't about you finally taking Rosalie's car to the shop? The dent you left in it a couple of days ago?"

Emmett's smile froze.

"He did what?!" Rosalie's voice turned icy. "You said some idiot backed into my car in the parking lot!"

She grabbed Emmett by the collar, and despite his height and strength, he looked like a toy in her hands.

"I'll strangle you when we get home!" she snarled, shaking him furiously.

Rosalie's eyes blazed with fury as she held Emmett by the scruff. Even though he was tall and muscular, in her grip he looked no different from a ragdoll. And even if Emmett was a vampire and technically couldn't sweat, he felt a cold chill run down his back under Rosalie's piercing glare.

Everyone in the Cullen family knew how Rosalie felt about her car, and unfortunately for Emmett, he had left a dent in her beloved vehicle. Alice, meanwhile, was overwhelmed with guilt for having let it slip. She looked at panicking Emmett and furious Rosalie, who seemed ready to tear him apart alive.

"Sorry… I thought you'd already told her about the dent."

"It's fine, Alice," Emmett croaked, still trapped in her grip. "It's my fault… But that's not the point. We met your Alex."

When Rosalie heard Emmett's words, she let out a heavy sigh and released his collar. But that didn't mean Emmett would escape punishment once they got home. He knew perfectly well Rosalie had only granted him a temporary reprieve. Rubbing his neck, he was already planning his escape… though he had no idea he wouldn't stand the slightest chance of avoiding her wrath.

At that moment, Alice was in for a real shock. Her eyes widened, and a broad smile spread across her face. She literally began bouncing on the spot from excitement.

"What was he like?" she blurted out. "As handsome as I painted him? No, wait… I'm sure in real life he's even better! Especially his eyes… so unusual… or that athletic body… o-o-oh!" Alice giggled and nearly drooled as she recalled all her visions.

"Hey, slow down and wipe your drool," Emmett chuckled. "Your Alex is a nice guy, sure, but not at all like the way you painted him. More like the opposite: he looks like he can't even be bothered to move. But… once you start talking, he's interesting. You know, around him I had this strange feeling… like trust. Like standing next to someone from the family. It felt like… home."

"Of course!" Alice's eyes sparkled with delight. "That's thanks to the blessing of the goddess Hestia, keeper of the hearth! I told you, everything I saw was real. He's a knight in shining armor, leading people forward!"

"Hm. A knight?" Rosalie raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Judging by your paintings, there wasn't any shining in sight. He was always dressed in black. And last I checked, black doesn't glow."

"Pfft, details!" Alice waved her hand dismissively. "The point is, he's here. And now I need to fix my makeup right away. I have to look perfect when he sees me!"

Without waiting for a response, Alice dashed off toward the girls' bathroom.

Inside, a few girls noticed her, exchanged mocking smiles, and whispered under their breath, calling her a weirdo. But Alice didn't pay them the slightest attention—she had long since grown used to gossip. Today, nothing could spoil her mood. With incredible focus, she straightened her clothes, smoothed every fold, refreshed her lips and lashes. Looking in the mirror, Alice smiled at her reflection and confidently left the restroom.

At the cafeteria entrance, her family was already waiting. Alice greeted Jasper and Jane cheerfully, completely ignoring Edward, who—as always—looked like the whole world had wronged him and his parents hadn't loved him enough as a child. Containing her impatience was impossible, and she was the first to step inside.

The moment she crossed the threshold, her gaze began darting around the room in search of the one person. It was as if an invisible thread pulled her in a certain direction. And then, in the far corner of the cafeteria, she saw him.

Alex.

The one she had waited for ten long years. For a vampire, time usually flowed differently, but for Alice, those years had been agonizingly slow. And now, seeing him at last with her own eyes, the world around her seemed to vanish. She froze on the spot, spellbound. His eyes drew her in, glowing with a unique depth, and Alice couldn't look away.

Another second—and she would have lost all composure, but Rosalie intervened just in time, literally yanking her out of her trance and pulling her to their table. Otherwise, Alice would have stood there, staring at Alex endlessly.

As Alice sat down, her gaze kept drifting back to Alex again and again. She was practically bouncing in her seat from impatience and barely restrained herself from rushing over to him, touching him, testing just how pleasant his body felt to the touch.

"It's just curiosity," she whispered to herself, shaking her head sharply. "I just want to know… if he's really the same as in my visions…" One of those visions flashed before her eyes—Alex standing shirtless, showing off his chest and abs. Alice bit her lip and repeated silently to herself: "Curiosity. Just curiosity."

The rest of the Cullens, watching Alice's reaction, couldn't help but shift their gaze to the table where Alex, Lucina, and Bella were sitting.

"So that's your Alex," Jane was the first to break the silence. "The white-haired one must be Lucina. And that girl… obviously Edward's mate. The two of them are rather odd, but the girl looks completely ordinary."

Edward frowned darkly and, without taking his eyes off Bella, muttered:"She's human. And I have no intention of turning her into one of us. No one deserves the punishment of eternal life in the body of a monster."

Alice rolled her eyes and snapped:"I don't care what you want. You can run, you can hide, but remember: if you get in the way, I'll dunk your head in the toilet myself. Or hang you upside down from a tree."

"Do whatever you want," Edward shot back, casting his sister an irritated look. "But if you spill anything, you'll bring disaster not only on us, but on them as well. The Volturi won't miss such an opportunity."

"Enough!" Rosalie cut in, putting an end to the argument. "If everything Alice saw is true, then this Alex can handle the Volturi. And Edward, stop acting like a child. As Esme said yesterday—don't make decisions for your mate. Let her decide for herself. And we need to tell Carlisle that the boy from Alice's visions actually exists."

The quarrel slowly subsided, but then the whole family overheard Alex starting to describe them to Bella and Lucina, repeating what Emmett had told him.

At first, he mentioned Emmett and Rosalie—the two exchanged glances, Emmett only shrugging. But when it came to Jasper and Jane, Emmett couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. Jane immediately shot him a murderous glare. Alice, covering her mouth with her hand, also giggled quietly.

But Alex's words about Edward finally broke Emmett: he doubled over, clutching his stomach, trying to stifle the loud laughter with his hand. The entire cafeteria was now sneaking glances at their table.

"Emmett, for heaven's sake… what did you tell him?" Rosalie asked wearily, rubbing her forehead.

"Nothing special!" Emmett barely managed to get the words out between fits of laughter. "I just told him about the family while we were playing tennis. I swear I didn't say… that!"

"Hm. I'd believe you—if I didn't know you so well," Jasper remarked calmly, giving his brother a look that said he already knew the answer.

Emmett kept swearing he was innocent, but no one believed him.

Meanwhile, before the Cullens had even entered the cafeteria, Alex, Lucina, and Bella were still sitting in their corner. Alex and Lucina had managed to get Bella talking—something she rarely did, being withdrawn and quiet by nature. Yet with them, she felt unexpectedly at ease. She even dared to share a little about her life before Forks: how her mother, caught up in travels with her new husband, had sent her to live with her father, whom Bella hadn't seen in years.

Lucina frowned—this turn of events was clearly not what she had expected. But Bella just shrugged, as if to say, "What can you do?"

And it was at that very moment Bella noticed a group of strangers entering the cafeteria. Among them was Alex's new acquaintance—the tall guy named Emmett.

"Who are they?" Bella asked in surprise, momentarily forgetting that Alex and Lucina were also new to the school.

Alex raised an eyebrow, noticing Bella's glazed expression—she looked as if she had just seen a knight in shining armor. Lucina watched her reaction with curiosity before turning her head as well. Alex followed their gaze—and the first thing he saw was Emmett, holding Rosalie's hand.

A little further behind walked Jasper and… Jane. Her presence among the Cullens came as a surprise to Alex. But what shocked him even more was that Jane was holding Jasper's hand.

Next came Edward—with an expression of eternal offense at the whole world. Bringing up the rear was Alice, who immediately began scanning the cafeteria with her eyes. Their gazes met, and Alex let out a heavy sigh. He could clearly feel that same connection—the one similar to the bond he had shared with the Valkyries and Zhang Ya.

Inside, everything boiled over:

"Damn it… Goddess of Fate! I'm definitely going to give a couple of good hits for these little surprises."

It also irritated him that his father hadn't bothered to warn him that someone awaited him in this world. The Creator was probably having fun right now.

Though Alex himself had no idea that the Creator was enjoying the best amusement park in the multiverse with his granddaughters Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx.

"That's the Cullen family," he began, answering Bella's unspoken question. "They're all adopted children of Dr. Carlisle and Esme. Emmett told me a little while we were playing tennis. That locker over there—that's Emmett. And next to him is his girlfriend, Rosalie."

"Wait… they're dating? But they're family," Bella asked, embarrassed, trying not to look at Edward.

"They're not related," Lucina calmly noted. "If they were, then yes, the conversation would be different."

"Alright, let's continue the tour," Alex smirked. "The one who looks like he just got hit where it hurts—that's Jasper. And the tiny girl next to him—that's Jane, his mate. By the look of it, she's the one who landed the hit. The smaller the girl, the more dangerous—tested and proven."

Emmett at their table quietly snorted with laughter, while Jane shot him a glance that could have cracked ice.

Lucina stared blankly at Alex for a moment, then shifted her gaze to Jasper and Jane. She couldn't help but acknowledge that Alex was right—smaller girls tend to be fiercer, even if one recalled Becca, who had calmed down a bit after settling into family life and magically having a daughter, yet still remained a fairly feisty gremlin.

Bella looked at Alex, then at Jasper and Jane. When her gaze met Jane's, Bella shivered and lowered her eyes, afraid to look at her.

Lucina, keeping her habit of observing her surroundings, noticed that the girl from the vampire family was looking at Alex with far too much enthusiasm. Lucina glanced at Alex and ran her fingers along his hand to get his attention. Alex, with just his eyes, indicated that he would explain everything later. Lucina could only nod.

"And the one you keep looking at, Bella…" Alex said with a slight smile.

"I'm not staring! I'm just curious," she quickly replied, blushing.

"Of course, of course. Anyway, this is Edward Cullen. The guy who looks like he wasn't loved enough as a child and now suffers from constipation. Every schoolgirl's wet dream. Including your friend Jessica, whom he, like everyone else, has already brushed off."

A muffled burst of laughter rang out. Alex, Lucina, and Bella all turned simultaneously toward the Cullen table: Emmett was covering his mouth with his hand, but his shaking body betrayed him completely.

Alex caught Alice's gaze again. She immediately began adjusting her hair and clothes, as if trying to look even more attractive.

"And the last of the family," he continued, "is Alice Cullen. Looks like a pixie who decided to escape the forest in search of adventure. From what I've seen so far, she seems like a pretty cheerful girl…"

"Seems like Emmett told you too much about his family," Lucina remarked, casting Alex a teasing look.

"What can I do? I'm just that charming," he shrugged. "People rush to share their secrets with me. That's one thing I have in common with my brother. Even strangers open up to him."

"Are all your brothers like that?" Lucina raised an eyebrow.

"No," Alex waved his hand. "One walks around with a stone face, the other is lazy to a terrifying degree."

"And what does your family do, anyway?" Bella asked cautiously, still glancing at Edward.

"One brother runs a club with a hotel, another helps Dad, the third… family man," Alex answered vaguely.

Bella nodded, though she was clearly only half-listening—her gaze kept returning to Edward, who in turn stared at them, frowning as if trying to burn a hole through them with his eyes.

Lucina squinted. She knew Edward could read minds, but he couldn't hear hers or Alex's. And for some reason, he couldn't read Bella's thoughts either. That was curious.

"Alex, that Edward keeps staring," Lucina noted, subtly gesturing toward the Cullens.

Alex raised an eyebrow and turned again. Seeing Edward's frowning look, he immediately came up with a plan to tease him. Maintaining a straight face, he averted his gaze, but when he turned back to Lucina and Bella, a wide smile spread across his face.

"Terrifying…" he said in an exaggeratedly serious tone. "I didn't think people like this existed in such a school. Bella, I hope he's not one of those, or I'll have to call your father."

"What do you mean, 'those'?" Bella frowned. "And what does my father have to do with it?"

"Well, you know… pervert-observer," Alex explained, barely suppressing a smile. "They usually hide in corners, watch their victim, sometimes take sneaky pictures. If he doesn't stop staring like that, I'll have to hit him."

He knew perfectly well that the Cullens could hear everything. Confirmation came immediately: laughter erupted at their table, the loudest being Emmett. Alex didn't even need to look to imagine Edward's face—he probably looked as if he had just swallowed something disgusting.

Bella blushed at the words "pervert," while Lucina laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. Her gaze instinctively went upward—to where the Navi drone-fairy hovered invisibly. Lucina knew perfectly well that the girls back home in Orario were watching too and were probably cracking up at Edward's expression.

"Listen, Bella," Alex continued, "if he starts harassing you, just tell me. I'll stuff him in a sack and beat him with a stick. I have plenty of experience—I'm a master at shooing off perverts."

"Where did you get that kind of experience?" Bella asked, embarrassed.

"One of Lucina's friends had a persistent suitor," Alex said with an innocent smile. "He followed her everywhere. In the end, Lucina asked me to have a little heart-to-heart with him."

"Uh-huh, sure, 'heart-to-heart,'" Lucina said skeptically, giving him a blank look. "If by 'heart-to-heart' you mean scaring the poor guy until he fainted, then yes, very nice."

"But it worked," Alex smirked. "So don't worry, Bella. We've only known each other a couple of days, but we're practically friends already. If anything happens, we'll help. Now let's go get some fresh air. The cafeteria is too boring."

He stood up from the table. Bella looked at him and Lucina in surprise—she hadn't expected to find people willing to help in just two days. Without thinking, she grabbed her backpack and followed them.

On the way out, Bella couldn't stop glancing at Edward—he hadn't taken his eyes off them. Alex, seizing the opportunity, looked at Alice once more. The vampire girl blushed and looked away.

Then he caught Edward's dark gaze again.

"Creepy," Alex smirked, and laughter erupted once more from the Cullen table.

Edward frowned even deeper, and what irritated him most was that now even his own—Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, and even Jane—had started quietly calling him "Creepy."

Alex didn't know that Edward had earned a new nickname among his family members. But he knew one thing clearly: there was plenty of time ahead to annoy Edward and have fun at his expense.

Once they reached the parking lot, Alex glanced at his watch—about twenty minutes were left before the next class.

"How about we go get some real coffee?" he suggested, opening the car door. "This local stuff is undrinkable."

"I'm not against it," Lucina replied. "What about you, Bella?"

"Will we have time?" Bella asked hesitantly. "I just don't want to be late on the first day."

"We'll make it," Alex said confidently. "Now stop wasting time. If I don't get real coffee, I'm definitely going to punch someone. Get in."

He got behind the wheel, and the girls exchanged glances before following him.

Bella was still hesitant, but Lucina practically nudged her into the car. Once both girls were settled, Alex started the engine and headed to the nearest coffee shop.

Upon arrival, they went inside and stood in a short line. To pass the time, the trio chatted about trivial things. When it was their turn, Alex ordered a latte, Lucina got a mochaccino, and Bella chose a cappuccino. Bella intended to pay for herself, but Alex had already covered everyone before she could pull out her wallet. All she could do was thank him, and he waved it off like it was nothing.

With their coffee, they returned to the school and lingered in the parking lot to finish their drinks calmly. During that time, Alex and Lucina got to know Bella a little better. Yes, she looked a bit clumsy—she even tripped over her own feet a couple of times—but she was attentive and kind. Bella was the kind of person who, once she accepted someone into her circle, immediately started caring for them.

Alex had had prejudices about Bella—thanks to watching the "Twilight" movies before becoming the Demon King. But now, after meeting her in person, he realized Bella was a great friend. He was even ready to help her win Edward's favor… though that didn't stop him from planning to keep teasing Edward.

The bell rang, and the trio returned to school for their next class. Alex noticeably slumped when he saw that Edward wasn't in the classroom. The lesson dragged on, and if it hadn't been for games on his phone, he would have simply dozed off to the monotonous voice of the literature teacher. Thoughts of skipping the last two classes kept creeping into his mind. The next period was chemistry—just as dull as literature. And then came art class.

Besides, Bella and Lucina were heading to biology—where Bella was supposed to be near Edward. Alex genuinely regretted missing that amusing moment. Lucina didn't even hide her excitement and anticipation as she left. Alex, on the other hand, trudged to his elective drawing class with a sour expression.

Why did he even need this subject? Everything he could create was weapons, explosives, and war machines. Art was far from his skill set.

Entering the classroom lazily, Alex immediately felt a strange vibration of connection. Raising his eyes, he saw Alice again. She was sitting at the back of the class, smiling brightly at him.

Alex couldn't help but notice that she looked cute. But that didn't change his firm resolve: sooner or later, he would have a serious "chat" with the Goddess of Fate, who constantly interfered in his life.

Shrugging, he decided to approach Alice. He had no desire to talk to the other classmates.

"Hi. I'm Alex. You must be Alice, Emmett's sister?" he said with a light smile.

"Hi, Alex. Nice to meet you. Sit," she replied, patting the chair next to her.

Alex settled in and glanced at her drawing. The painting wasn't finished yet, but it looked familiar. Wanting to keep the conversation going, he asked about her hobbies. Then Alice seemed to burst with energy: she animatedly talked about what she loved to do, especially her passion for drawing.

Alex listened with a smile and decided to try drawing something himself. On the canvas, the Thousand-Armed Truth gradually appeared—the same one he had used to fight the titan demons. Only this time, he depicted it as a massive tree towering over a ruined city.

"Wow… You draw really well, Alex. Have you done this before?" Alice asked, looking at his work with interest.

"No," he smirked. "Honestly, this is the first time I've held a brush. I just never had time for things like this."

Alice nodded with a bright smile. She knew perfectly well why Alex never had time for drawing—his real hobby was collecting and creating weapons. But in that moment, something else mattered more: she had finally met someone she felt a special connection with, and she couldn't stop talking to him.

Before they knew it, the drawing class came to an end.

"So, Alex, maybe you'll be my partner for the big art project?" Alice asked, playfully patting his shoulder.

"What? Partner? Project?" Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. "They even have that in this school?"

"They do," Alice confirmed enthusiastically. "It's due at the end of the school year. No one wanted to partner with me, and I was thinking of doing it all by myself… But now you're here. So, maybe you want to be my partner?" She deployed her signature "puppy-dog eyes."

Alex sighed heavily but smiled faintly.

"Alright. No promises. Worst case, you'll just tell me what to do."

"Hooray!" Alice exclaimed way too loudly, holding out a sheet with her phone number.

Alex glanced at the numbers, smirked, and decided to return the gesture. He tore a scrap of paper from his notebook, scribbled his number on it, and handed it to her. Alice beamed, tucked the paper away, and waved goodbye as she practically skipped out of the classroom.

Alex watched her go and shook his head. Now he understood the strange connection that had formed between them. This was that "red thread of fate." Something like what tied him to the other girls in the family—only there, he had created special rings to always know what was happening with them.

"Funny," he chuckled. "First day at school, and I already have a girl's number. Interesting start."

He stuffed the paper into his coat pocket, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and left the classroom.

In the hallway, the first person he noticed was Alice. She was chatting animatedly with Rosalie and Jane. Spotting Alex, she waved at him again. He gave a brief nod in response and shifted his gaze to Edward. A smile spread across his face, though he restrained himself from teasing him again.

Assuming Lucina and Bella were probably already waiting outside, Alex headed toward the parking lot. Passing the Cullens, he glanced once more at Alice, gave a slight smile, and continued on.

The day had truly been eventful—and had given him plenty to think about.

To be continued…

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(In general, my nonsense about Alice seeing Alex's adventures, I have already explained this by the connection of the red thread of fate between Alex and Alice. And this is where all the explanations end. And I will say right away that Alice did not see Alex's future or past. She only saw what was happening to him at that very moment in his life. And that is why her visions appeared ten years ago.)