AS SHE REACHED OUT TO ETHAN, MY EYES caught Jacob's sudden shift in demeanour. He strutted forward, Renesmee's hand slipping away from his cheek, and extended his right arm in a protective stance, shielding her from harm.

"Enough show-and-tell for one day," Jacob declared, his voice firm and unwavering.

Show-and-tell? I couldn't help but scoff at the notion. Renesmee was no mere school project to be flaunted and displayed.

"Jacob," Edward interjected, his voice calm and collected. "They won't harm her."

Jacob's response was hesitant, his words laced with uncertainty. "I know, but let's not push it."

My confusion mounted as I watched Jacob's strange behaviour. What was his deal? Acting weird was an understatement. I locked eyes with him, my gaze piercing.

"What's your problem?" I demanded, my voice sharp and accusatory.

As Renesmee let out a drowsy yawn, her tiny arms stretched out like a sleepy kitten. She rubbed her eyes with her delicate fingers before placing her hand on her mother's cheek. My heart swelled with an indescribable warmth as I watched the adorable scene unfold before me. If only I were human, I thought, I would have melted into a puddle of goo right then and there.

Bella's voice broke through my reverie, "She needs a nap," she said, glancing at Edward.

I seized the opportunity to break the awkward silence, "Hey, Jake," I said, trying to sound friendly. "We should catch up."

Edward nodded in agreement, "Sounds like a good idea," he said, scooping up his wife and daughter in his arms.

"I'll see you later," Bella said, and they made their way out of the living room.

I couldn't help but feel that Edward knew something I didn't.

"So you and the wolf have a history," Kate asked me, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"We were friends when we were human," I replied, trying to keep my tone casual.

"Interesting," Tanya commented, her lips curling into a sly smile.

As I turned to face Jacob, his eyes darted nervously around the room. I could feel the tension building between us, like a storm brewing on the horizon. Joseph, always the instigator, egged us on with a sly grin.

"This should be good," he said, leaning back in his chair.

Jacob took a deep breath and stepped forward, his feet shuffling nervously on the floor. "Violet," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "Look, it's a wolf thing."

I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "What's a wolf thing?" I growled, my voice low and dangerous.

Jacob hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Um... You know about Seth and Ayla?"

I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities.

"And I'm sure you know about...?" Jacob trailed off, his eyes flickering to the ground.

I felt a bitter anger rising within me. "Well, I wouldn't know," I whispered, my voice dripping with venom. "It's a wolf thing."

A few snickers echoed around the room, but I couldn't tell who they came from. Jacob swallowed hard, his eyes pleading with me to understand.

"Then," he said, his voice barely audible. "You know we have no control over it. We can't choose who it happens with."

Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind. Seth's words at the reception, his declaration of love for Ayla. The imprinting.  I felt a chill run down my spine as I realised the truth of Jacob's words. This was a wolf thing, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I thought about Ayla's phone call... it all made sense now. The disgusting feeling in my throat wasn't from thirst, but from the realisation that... Jacob had...

My anger boiled over, and before I knew it, I had grabbed Jacob by the back of his neck and dragged him towards the door. With a swift motion, I flung him outside, watching as he landed on the ground with a thud.

"You imprinted on Renesmee?!" I screamed at him, my voice echoing through the forest.

"It wasn't my choice!" Jacob yelled back, his eyes blazing with frustration.

"She's a kid!" I shouted, my voice cracking with emotion.

"It's not like that," Jacob insisted, desperation creeping into his tone. "You think Edward and Bella would let me be near her if it was?"

"What is imprinting?" Simon's voice cut through the tense silence that had settled over us. I turned my head to see my family and the Denali Coven standing outside, their eyes fixed on me as I delivered a brutal beatdown to Jacob.

"It's a way of finding your soulmate," I replied, watching as confusion and disgust flickered across their faces.

"That's not it," Jacob interjected, his voice defensive.

I turned to face him, my eyes blazing with anger. "That's what Seth told me," I spat.

"He's still new," Jacob shot back.

I shook my head in disbelief. "You could have imprinted on thousands of women, but you chose her daughter," I ranted, my voice rising. "Even though you had a crush on Bella, her mother!"

As I stood there, adrenaline pumping through my veins, I couldn't help but feel like I was in the middle of a dramatic scene straight out of a soap opera. Gasps echoed behind me, as if the audience was watching with bated breath, waiting for the next twist in the plot.

And then, without warning, I lashed out. My fist connected with Jacob's face, the sound of the impact echoing through the trees. But as I stood there, triumphant, I heard something else. Growls, low and menacing, coming from the shadows.

Two massive wolves emerged from the trees, their eyes fixed on me. I could feel the tension in the air, the sense of danger that hung over us like a thick fog. And then, from behind me, came the snarls of the Denali Coven and Alana.

Jacob rose to his feet, his hand held up in a gesture of peace. But I couldn't take my eyes off the wolves. I recognized them, those two grey and sandy beasts that stood before us. They were familiar, somehow, and I couldn't shake the feeling that they knew something I didn't.

Jacob's voice broke through my thoughts, his hand raised in a calming gesture towards Leah. But my attention was solely focused on the sandy wolf, who I recognized as Seth.

"Hey, Seth," I said, my voice low and steady. The wolf bowed his head in response. "Did you two know about Jacob and Renesmee?"

The wolves nodded, their eyes fixed on me. I felt a chill run down my spine, and I turned to Jacob.

"How did they know?" I demanded, my voice rising.

"It's a long story," he said, his eyes flickering with something like fear.

I didn't give him a chance to explain. Without thinking, I lashed out again, my fist connecting with his stomach. He fell to the ground, gasping for air.

As I stood there, panting and triumphant, I couldn't help but feel like I was in the middle of a dramatic scene straight out of a soap opera. But this was no fiction - this was real life, and the stakes were higher than I ever could have imagined.

"Stop this at once, Violet!" bellowed the authoritative voice of our father.

"Hold on," interjected Joseph, his tone calm and measured. "Allow her to express herself fully."

Jacob raised his hands in surrender as he stood up. "Okay, okay. I found out that Bella was pregnant nd I informed them."

"And I presume they were less than pleased?" I spat out, my bitterness palpable.

"Yes. Sam's initial reaction was to eliminate her, but I stood up to them. When Renesmee was born, Bella perished, and I was devastated. It was then that I had a sudden urge to eradicate the newborn, and..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I interjected, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "Hold up. You were going to murder her?"

Jacob nodded, conceding the truth. "Yes, I was. That's when I imprinted on her."

What the hell? What the hell? What the hell? Why the hell would he do that?

As the fury bubbled up inside me, I could feel it taking over. It was like a wild beast, clawing its way out of my chest and into the world. My eyes locked onto Jacob's and everything else faded away. The world turned purple, a deep, pulsing shade that seemed to vibrate with my anger.

Jacob's fear was palpable, and I relished in it. He deserved to be afraid, after what he had done. The memory of my fight with Dina came flooding back, and I knew that this was the same feeling I had experienced then.

"You were going to kill Renesmee?!" I snarled, my voice a mix of a shout and a growl. The words felt like they were being ripped from my throat, torn out by the force of my rage.

Suddenly, my right hand was on fire. But it wasn't a painful fire - it was a glowing, purple flame that surrounded my hand like a halo. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at Jacob.

"Hey, Jake," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "Let me show you what I can do."

But before I could do anything, a shadow loomed over me. It was my dad, his voice commanding me to stop. It was like he was scolding a misbehaving pet, and I felt a pang of shame.

The purple haze disappeared, and I was left blinking in the bright sunlight. Jacob was on the ground, trembling as he tried to get up.

"When can you do that?" he asked, his voice filled with awe and confusion.

"A month ago," I replied quietly. "And no, I don't know how it happened." I looked at Jacob, my anger fading into confusion. "But why her?"

"Violet, my dear," Jacob began, his voice low and steady. "You know me as well as you know Bella. And all I want is Nessie."

"Nessie?" Alana's voice cut in, her annoyance palpable. "You mean to tell me you've nicknamed that girl after the Loch Ness Monster?"

Jacob let out a sigh, his eyes flickering over to Alana before returning to me. "That's exactly how Bella reacted," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

But Dad wasn't having any of it. "Not now," he said firmly, his eyes narrowing.

Jacob nodded, his gaze returning to me. "I just want Renesmee to be safe. Happy. You see, Violet, nothing ever made sense before. Bella. Me. Any of it. But now, I understand why. This was the reason."

Renesmee was the reason for him? I couldn't quite wrap my head around it, but I could see the conviction in his eyes. I turned to Seth, who gave me a reassuring nod. And then, I looked over at Leah, who was staring intently at my family.

I followed her gaze and saw the disdain etched on her face. She probably hated that more vampires were coming to stay. After all, she had called me a leech at the reception. But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on Jacob's words. Nessie was the reason. And somehow, that made sense to him.