Chương 20: Cullen's

A/N: Decided to spend some time rewriting to give Edward a bit of a hard time, so that's why this chapter's a little late.

As Jaxon strolled into the cafeteria, the usual chorus of student chatter dropped to murmurs and scattered whispers, eyes following him as he moved with calm confidence. He caught sight of a familiar group sitting by the far window: the Cullens. Today, their attention was unmistakably on him, and as he held their gaze, their intensity was impossible to ignore.

At their table, Edward's golden eyes narrowed as he watched Jaxon, concentration tightening his features. He was using his gift, trying to slip into Jaxon's mind, but he was hitting an impenetrable wall. Edward's expression twisted with frustration as he struggled to push through the silence.

"What's wrong, Edward?" Alice asked, her brows knitting in concern. She noticed the faint line of strain on his forehead as he glared in Jaxon's direction.

"It's strange… I can't hear him. It's like his mind is blocked off," Edward muttered, his frustration simmering. "No matter what I do, I can't read him."

"Maybe it's you," Rosalie suggested, leaning forward with a curious look. "He's just a human, after all. Why would he be different from anyone else?"

Edward shook his head, his tone unwavering. "No, it's him. There's something about him. His mind isn't silent—it's completely shut off, like a shield."

Jasper, who had been quietly observing, exchanged a glance with Alice, his gaze darkening. "I'm not sure it's just a mental block. There's a strange energy around him. It feels… controlled, almost heavy."

Jaxon continued to watch them, a faintly amused expression tugging at his lips. The subtle, invasive pressure of Edward's mind pressing against his own was beginning to wear thin on his patience. He let his focus sharpen on Edward, homing in on his bioelectric signals and guiding them with pinpoint precision. He sent a brief but decisive command, halting the flow within Edward's nervous system.

In an instant, Edward's face froze, his entire body stilling as if someone had pressed pause on him. His golden eyes widened in alarm as his muscles locked in place. For a few seconds, he felt trapped, his body bound and silent, unable to move or think as his senses dulled, and the world went blank.

Alice gasped, grabbing Edward's arm as she saw him freeze. "Edward, are you okay? What's happening?" Her voice was urgent, her hand tight on his arm, but Edward didn't respond, his expression frozen in shock.

After several breathless seconds, Jaxon released his hold, allowing Edward's bioelectric signals to flow normally again. Edward jolted back to life, gasping for air as he clutched his forehead, his eyes wide with residual terror. He blinked rapidly, his mind racing as he processed the surreal experience. His gaze shot back to Jaxon, who hadn't moved, still watching him with a faint smile, a trace of challenge glinting in his eyes.

"What… was that?" Edward whispered, his voice shaky as he tried to steady himself. He struggled to find an explanation for what he had just experienced. "It was like… like I was switched off."

Alice leaned closer, her face pale as she glanced between Edward and Jaxon. "Switched off? Edward, I've never seen you like that. It was like you weren't even here."

Emmett's brow furrowed as he exchanged a wary look with Rosalie. "You're saying he… paralyzed you? Just by looking at you?"

Edward nodded slowly, his expression still shaken. "It wasn't just paralysis. My mind went blank, my whole body locked up. I couldn't move or even think. It was as if… he controlled me, somehow."

Jasper's jaw tightened, his gaze dark as he watched Jaxon from the corner of his eye. "There was something intense about his energy, almost… electric. But whatever he did, he held you under like it was nothing."

Rosalie shook her head, crossing her arms as she regarded Jaxon warily. "So what, he can just shut us down whenever he wants? He's human, Edward. Are we really saying a human has power over us?"

Emmett, intrigued despite the tension, leaned forward. "If he's got that much control over someone like Edward, maybe there's more to him than just being 'human.'"

Jaxon, still seated across the cafeteria, finished his meal with an air of detachment, as if unaware of the conversation unfolding across the room. But he could sense every detail of Edward's bioelectric pattern, every shift in their energy as they discussed him. When he finally glanced back at them, his gaze locked onto Edward's, and in that look was a quiet warning—a challenge daring Edward to try again.

The Cullens exchanged silent glances, their unease settling thick in the air. Each of them felt the tension, the weight of what Edward had described, and as they turned their eyes back to Jaxon, the realization dawned on them: Jaxon was not an ordinary student. Whatever power he wielded, it was beyond anything they had encountered before, and it had left even Edward shaken.

"Edward, maybe you should stop trying to read his mind," Alice murmured softly, her tone cautious. "I don't think he appreciates it. And… I have a feeling he could do more than just 'switch you off.'"

Edward's jaw clenched as he looked back at Jaxon, a mixture of wariness and respect growing in his expression. "You're right, Alice. Whatever he did, it's not something I want to experience again."

Jasper kept his voice low, his gaze never leaving Jaxon. "Whatever he's capable of, it's powerful, and I don't think he's shown us the full extent of it. We should be cautious."

Emmett cracked a smile, despite the lingering tension. "So what now? Maybe we should try talking to him. If he's this strong, he could be a good ally."

Rosalie scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Or he could be our worst enemy. If he can freeze Edward, he could do that to any of us."

---

As Edward steadied himself, his gaze shifted back to Jaxon, now with an expression caught between confusion and reluctant respect. Jaxon's power had left him defenseless—something Edward wasn't used to feeling. He could sense his siblings' concern as they exchanged glances, their usually quiet confidence edged with wariness. Whatever Jaxon had done had unsettled them all, leaving them to question what he was capable of.

When Jaxon finished his lunch and stood, his attention drifted back to their table. His eyes found Edward's, holding his gaze for a moment, cool and unreadable. There was a hint of something in that look—something neither hostile nor friendly, but clearly dismissive. With that, Jaxon turned, walking out of the cafeteria as the Cullens watched in tense silence, each of them now carrying the same question: who, or what, exactly was Jaxon?