EC

**Willow Evergreen: Illusions of the Heart** The Evergreen siblings had been drifting for decades, always moving before anyone noticed they never aged. They chose Forks, Washington purely for the near-constant cloud cover and thick forests — perfect hunting grounds for “vegetarians” who refused human blood. None of them had ever heard of the Cullens. They arrived quietly in mid-January, rented a large, secluded house deep in the woods, and enrolled at Forks High School as four homeschooled siblings transferring from out of state. **Willow Evergreen**, the youngest-looking at seventeen, stood out immediately with her vibrant ginger-red hair falling in soft waves, porcelain skin dusted with light freckles, warm golden-amber eyes, and a soft, curvy hourglass figure that made her look like a living daydream. Her unique gift was **Illusion Projection** — she could create detailed, multi-sensory illusions that fooled sight, sound, smell, and even touch. It was how the family stayed hidden. Her best friend was already in Forks. Bella Swan had known Willow’s secret for years through secret letters and rare summer visits. The day Bella arrived at Charlie’s, Willow was waiting. “Bells,” she grinned on the first day of school, projecting a tiny swarm of glowing fireflies only Bella could see, “ready to survive high school with a vampire best friend?” Bella just rolled her eyes and smiled. She accepted Willow completely. That same morning, everything changed. The Cullens walked into the cafeteria like a living magazine spread — pale, beautiful, and impossibly graceful. Willow felt the shift in the air the moment their golden eyes met hers and her siblings’ across the room. The Cullens froze. Five more golden-eyed vampires in the same tiny school. The tension was instant. Carlisle later approached them politely after school, but the Evergreens were wary. They had survived alone for a long time. No alliances. No covens. Yet hearts had other plans.