The Twilight Saga has returned to streaming, leading fans to return to the series, as well as introducing a whole new group to the franchise launched back in 2005 with the publishing of the first book, Twilight. But something fans of the films may not know is that Jacob Black and the other werewolves from the Quileute Tribe are not technically werewolves according to the book canon, even though they are referred to as werewolves throughout the series. The revelation comes during the climactic showdown between the Cullens and the Volturi during Breaking Dawn.
In the novel, the Volturi have travelled to Forks, Washington with their army and witnesses because they believe that the Cullens have created an immortal child, which is against their laws set in place to protect vampire secrecy around the world. At least, that's their official reason for traveling halfway across the world. In reality, they are interested in dismantling the Cullen coven to increase their own power and prevent any potential threat against them. In order to stop the Volturi, the Cullens accumulate some witnesses of their own to attest that Renesmee is Bella's natural born child and not an immortal child.
Also standing with the Cullens is Jacob Black and the Quileute werewolves, who have sworn to protect Renesmee. When the Volturi see that Renesmee is not an immortal child, they reach for a different reason to put an end to the Cullens. They look to the werewolves in fear and try to use their existence as a reason for attack. Carlisle steps in here to tell Aro, the leader of the Volturi, that he has nothing to fear from the pack.
Carlisle then explains that the Quileutes are not actually "Children of the Moon," which are creatures that better match the traditional mythology of a werewolf. In The Twilight Saga, Children of the Moon can't shapeshift at will like the Quileutes, as their transformation is dictated by the lunar cycle. They also lose their humanity when they transform, turning into animalistic creatures. The Quileutes have more control over their transformation, though transitions can be triggered by emotional turmoil and instability, and the Quileutes also maintain their humanity and mental capacities when they transform.
The Children of the Moon even differ from the Quileute werewolves in their physical form and appearance. The Quileutes look more like regular wolves in their transformed state, only much bigger. In contrast, the Children of the Moon are more humanoid, in that they can stand and walk on their hind legs and still maintain opposable thumbs. Physically, Children of the Moon are more dangerous to vampires, as a single Child could kill a vampire on their own whereas the the Quileutes need to work as a pack to be as effective.
Carlisle tells Aro that he should not fear the Quileutes because they aren't the Children of the Moon that the Volturi have spent so much time and resources hunting to near extinction. Therefore, they can't use the Quileute's alliance with the Cullens, or their mere existence, as an excuse for a fight between the covens. The Volturi have less power in North America than they do in Europe, and the werewolf gene of the Quileute people is triggered by the physical closeness of vampires to the community, so it makes sense that the Volturi didn't immediately understand the difference between Children of the Moon and the Quileutes.
The Quileute werewolves don't have that much in common with widespread werewolf mythology, but within the Twilight universe, a more traditional type of werewolf does also exist in the Children of the Moon. They transform into humanoid wolves based on the lunar cycle and lose their humanity in the process, unlike the Quileutes, who have more control over their transition and maintain their humanity throughout the process.
The Twilight Saga is currently streaming in full on Netflix.
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