Alice had been buzzing for hours.

She kept floating from room to room, rearranging flowers, flicking invisible specks of dust off the banister, humming like she’d swallowed a spark of lightning. Everyone assumed it was because she loved parties… until she paused in the kitchen doorway, pupils dilating like she’d been slammed with a vision.

“She’s coming,” Alice whispered.

Rosalie barely glanced up from adjusting a ribbon around a gift box. “Bella?”

“No.” Alice inhaled—slow, excited, trembling. “Her.”

Emmett, who was in the middle of stacking a ridiculous tower of wrapped presents on one arm just to see if he could, froze. He didn’t breathe—he didn’t have to—yet something in him stuttered anyway.

Jasper straightened, sensing the sudden spike in emotion. “Alice—what did you see?”

Alice’s smile widened, impossibly bright. “Someone important.” Her eyes flicked to Emmett with a knowing glint. “Someone for him.”

Rosalie’s hands stilled.

Emmett blinked. “Al, what are you talking about? Someone for—”

A knock sounded at the door.

Three hearts. One fast and familiar — Bella’s. Two slower. One belonging to Charlie… and one belonging to—

His entire body went still. The world narrowed, sharpened, tunneled.

Alice practically bounced. “Told you.”

Carlisle gave him the softest fatherly smile. “Emmett… you might want to be the one to answer it.”

Emmett swallowed hard even though his throat didn’t need it. Something instinctive, buried and ancient, roared awake inside him.

He crossed the foyer in two long strides and pulled the door open—

—and everything else disappeared.

You stood beside Bella, her hand linked with yours like she’d dragged you here against your will. Your coat was still dusted with rain, hair a little messy from the drive. And your heartbeat—

God.

It was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard.

Bella gestured awkwardly. “Um—so, everyone… this is my sister. She, uh… hasn’t met you guys yet.”

Emmett couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t do anything except stare at you like you were the first sunrise he’d ever seen.

Because to him, you were.

Your gaze finally met his, curious at first—then held, caught by something you couldn’t explain.

A little spark jumped through the air.

Alice was behind him, whispering loudly enough for the whole house to hear

“Found her.”