The next thing I knew, I was being pushed out of a small tunnel. Everything was disorienting, and the sudden brightness stabbed my eyes. I tried to speak, but all that came out was crying. Then it hit me: I had just been reborn.
Peering around, I got my first look at my new parents—Charlie and Renee Swan (née Higginbotham).
Charlie had a mustache and curly brown hair. He stood six feet tall with an average build, and his eyes crinkled kindly at the corners. Renee had medium-length brown hair, innocent blue eyes, and a round face full of laugh lines. She was about 5'4", and the warmth radiating from her smile made the harsh light of the world seem a little softer.
Before I could fully process that this was real and not a hallucination, Renee started screaming at the top of her lungs, cursing Charlie for putting her through this. I blinked, overwhelmed, when my sister arrived moments later—Isabella Marie Swan.
Once I was cleaned and swaddled, Charlie held me in his arms. He looked genuinely happy, and, strangely, I already felt a bond with him. I decided then and there that even if Charlie and Renee ever got divorced, I would make it a point to visit him and stay close.
I had always thought Bella ignored her father too much in the original story. She never fully appreciated how much he tried—buying her a second-hand truck, being there when she needed him, even if he struggled to express his feelings. I wasn't going to make that mistake.
Time Skip: Childhood and Preparation
Growing up as Bella's twin brother was… interesting. For some inexplicable reason, she saw me as competition for our parents' affection and often acted standoffish. I still visited Dad regularly, even when Bella stopped coming during the summers, and I called him at least once a week.
Renee was exactly as scatterbrained as BookBella described. I had to grow up fast to compensate, but having memories of my previous life gave me a huge advantage—I already had adult-level knowledge and discipline.
Since I knew I would eventually be mated to two beautiful, mature vampire women, I prepared myself. I focused on impeccable manners, learning martial arts for self-defense, and studying languages and other skills that would help me connect with them. I worked part-time in our neighborhood garage and did odd jobs—gardening, mowing lawns, washing cars, clearing driveways, raking leaves—saving money for my eventual move to Forks.
Next door, there was an elderly retired music teacher. I made a deal with her: I would help her with chores for free if she taught me guitar. To my surprise, my musical knowledge from my previous life transferred over. Within weeks, I was strumming like a pro.
Knowing I would eventually become a vampire, I also made sure to maintain peak physical fitness. I swam, exercised, and worked out, ensuring my body would be strong and agile for what lay ahead.
By the time I turned seventeen, I looked exactly as I had designed in the afterlife: 6'3" tall, dark brown hair, steel-blue eyes, six-pack abs, and a lithe, muscular build. I even added a few subtle tattoos, carefully chosen to suit my personality.
I was leaving a week before Bella to prepare my room, get a car, and secure a job in Forks.
Moving to Forks and Thoughts on the Tribe
A few hours later, I walked out of the airport and saw Dad waiting by his Cruiser. I ran up to him and hugged him. Despite everything, it wasn't awkward—we had kept in touch regularly. On the ride home, we mostly talked about his job and Mom, but I could tell he was feeling guilty about something.
He admitted, hesitantly, that Billy Black was coming over. I groaned inwardly. I hated the tribe—their constant prejudice and interference. I knew that when I met my mates, they would probably try to intervene. It was only a matter of time before chaos ensued.
Honestly, from my perspective, their behavior was pure hypocrisy. Did Sam stay away from Emily after mauling her face? Did Quill leave Claire alone when she was just a two-year-old? Imprinting, as far as I could see, was twisted. The imprintee might grow to love the wolf, but they had no choice. Even if the parents wanted to move away, tribal law didn't allow it. Wolves could get aggressive if the imprintee chose another mate.
I sat silently, letting my thoughts simmer. I despised their sense of entitlement. The La Push Pack had no right to tell me how to interact with my mates. None. Not because they were wolves, not because of tradition, not because some hot-tempered idiots could transform into overgrown puppies. And I was going to make sure they understood that the day I met Tanya and Rosalie.
Charlie glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. He had no idea what I was thinking, but he knew I was unusually quiet. Growing up, I had never been silent about my disdain for the tribe. Even at seven years old, I had attended a tribal meeting and defended vampires while everyone else sided with wolves. Billy had stared at me the entire time, suspicious and annoyed. I knew he must have guessed, or at least suspected, that I might be mated to a vampire already.
I took a deep breath. "It's okay, Dad," I said politely. "I'll be polite."
Then I turned my gaze back to the window, watching the trees blur past, mentally preparing for the chaos and adventure that awaited me in Forks.