Several months pass uneventfully, with Carlisle monitoring Renesmee's rapid growth with Bella, Edward, Jacob and the rest of the Cullen family worrying what will become of her with such a rapid growth rate. On an outing in the woods, a bitter Irina sees Renesmee from a distance, as the immortal child (creating one is strictly forbidden because immortal children remained mentally on their transformation age, thus being uncontrollable). Irina decides to go to the Volturi for reporting a supposed crime.
Later Alice sees the Volturi and Irina coming to kill the Cullens, and leaves with Jasper the next day, unnoticed, leaving a note, where she tells them to "gather as many witnesses" as they can before the snow covers the ground because that is when the Volturi will come. The Cullens begin to summon witnesses, including, for example, the Denali family. One of the Denali, Eleazar, later encounters that Bella has a special ability: a powerful mental shield, which she can extend to protect others from mental attacks like Jane and Alec, with practice.
As some of their potential witnesses are attacked and prevented from coming to support the Cullens, Carlisle and Edward finally face the reality that they may have to fight the Volturi despite their efforts to do otherwise. Some witnesses hesitate, but ultimately agree to stand with them in battle.
The Volturi arrive, led by Aro, who is eager to obtain the gifted members of the Cullen coven as part of his guard. Although Aro is persuaded that Renesmee is not an immortal child, he still insists she poses a risk. Alice and Jasper appear to attest to the existence of other children like Renesmee, and Alice shows Aro a vision of the future. In the vision, Alice realizes that Aro will not change his decision, and a battle ensues, during which both sides undergo heavy casualties, with Aro and most of the Volturi dying. After the vision ends, Alice reveals to Aro that the vision will come to pass if Aro will maintain his pursuit of Renesmee. Two more witnesses then arrive: a fully grown vampire-human hybrid and his aunt who have been living peacefully and undetected for 150 years, proving Renesmee is not a threat. For the sake of self-preservation, Aro orders his guards to retreat but not without giving one final glance to Alice and Bella.
Back at the Cullen home, Alice glimpses into the future, seeing Edward and Bella together with Jacob and a fully matured Renesmee. Edward reads Alice's mind and feels happy that Renesmee has Jacob to protect her. Alone in the meadow, Bella finally allows Edward a peek into her thoughts, and as the final lines of the novel read, "And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever."
