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Nate forced himself to sleep that night.
Despite the constant tingling at the back of his neck, the invisible weight that made him glance toward every dark corner of his room, he closed his eyes with the determination of someone who knows that sometimes, the best move is to make none at all.
If the Cullens were like the Cold Ones of Quileute legend, then it didn't matter if he stayed awake or kept a bat under his pillow. If they were already bold enough to investigate his house—his bedroom—then it wasn't lack of vigilance that put him in danger, but ignorance.
Sleeping doesn't make me more vulnerable than I already am… but waking up tired would only dull my greatest strength.
He fell asleep wrapped in that certainty.
The next morning, he got up with a single thought in mind: regain control.
The Forks sky was overcast as always, but it wasn't raining. It was one of those cold, dry days that seemed to herald something. Something bigger.
He dressed without rushing, grabbed his car keys, and left a note for his grandmother, with the tacit promise not to get into trouble. It wasn't a promise he could keep, but it was enough to step out the door with some peace of mind.
As he drove toward La Push, his mind raced, working non-stop, as if movement sharpened his perception. On more than one turn, he checked the rearview mirror, expecting to see a silver Volvo or a shadow between the trees. He never saw anything for sure, but something in his chest told him that even if he didn't see the Cullens, there was no guarantee they didn't know exactly where he was going.
When he arrived at the Black household, Billy was already waiting for him on the porch, seated in his wheelchair with a blanket over his legs.
"Well," he said with a slow smile. "I thought you'd be coming later."
Nate gave a polite smile as he stepped out of the car.
"Due to some circumstances, I don't have to go to school for the time being. Besides, if I came any later, with Jake here I wouldn't be able to avoid him showing me the cars he's fixing."
Billy let out a dry chuckle.
"Come in, kid."
The house smelled of burnt wood, old dust, and a faint hint of pine. They sat in the living room. Billy offered him coffee, which Nate accepted. They talked for a while about trivial things: the weather, repairs on the docks, even the reservation's baseball team.
But they couldn't stay on the surface for long.
"I'm guessing you didn't come just to talk about sports," Billy said, slowly leaning on one of the armrests.
"Of course not," Nate replied. He took a sip of coffee before continuing. "I know the Cullens aren't human. I know they're the 'Cold Ones' from your tribe's legends."
Billy pressed his lips together and leaned back. His gaze was much more serious now.
"How did you figure it out?"
"Ever since you warned me about them, I started watching them differently. Noticing patterns. The way they avoid eye contact, how they move, what they don't say. But it was Edward who confirmed it. We were talking to Charlie about Bella's accident, and in the middle of the conversation, he looked down for a second… and answered a question I had only asked in my head. That's when I knew all my so-called 'crazy suspicions' were real."
Billy remained silent for a long while. His expression was a mix of concern and resignation.
"I shouldn't have told you anything. I thought you'd stay away. I figured you'd avoid them… with some luck. But I never imagined you'd figure them out. And in such little time."
"I didn't expect to find anything either," Nate said, placing the empty cup on the table. "At first, I was just investigating to keep busy… but here we are."
Billy studied him closely as if he were seeing someone else in his place. Finally, he murmured:
"Your father was smart… but you're different. You notice things others don't. If you discovered their nature on your own, even when one of them can read your thoughts… then you've got more than just intelligence, young man."
Nate didn't reply. He just held Billy's gaze, waiting for what came next.
Billy sighed deeply.
"All right. I'll tell you what I know. It's the least I can do for your father… and for my carelessness in warning you in the first place. But understand this: no one else can know. Not even all the Quileute are aware of the Cullens' nature. The treaty and our tribal laws forbid us from disclosing that information. But you… you're not part of the tribe. And you found out on your own. That's… a legal loophole, so to speak."
"Understood."
Billy nodded as if that simple agreement carried an ancestral weight on his shoulders.
"The treaty dates back to the time of my grandfather, Ephraim Black. He was the tribe's spiritual leader. Two other warriors accompanied him. During a hunting trip, they came across the Cold Ones…"
His voice slowed, becoming almost ceremonial.
"Our tribe had already encountered these beings before. They were ruthless, set on ending the lives of innocent people. Many of our old warriors fell to their fangs, but the Quileute managed to defend themselves. We were not defenseless. Our brave warriors were just as strong as any of them. But Carlisle Cullen, his mate… and three of their 'children' were different. They came to these lands and showed a respect for life that was unlike the rest of their kind. That's why my grandfather decided to try something unheard of: to forge a treaty with them, in search of peaceful coexistence."
"What does the treaty establish, exactly?"
"The Cullens may not hunt humans. They cannot bite, transform, or create more of their kind. In return, we would not attack them as long as they stayed away from our lands… and our people."
Billy paused as if weighing every word.
"Additionally… we are forbidden from revealing their existence. We cannot speak of them to outsiders. For the Quileute tribe, that is the price of peace."
Nate narrowed his eyes, finally understanding the root of Billy's tension.
"But I figured it out on my own. You didn't break the treaty by confirming it."
Billy looked at him gravely.
"I'm not so sure about that."