Chapter 2

Jasper sat on the clifftop staring out across the river below, listening to the peaceful sounds that came with the darkness. This had always been his favourite time of day. Even when he was human. Unlike the others he remembered almost everything about being human. He remembered what it was like to have a real family, a real life.

Casually throwing rocks over the edge, he watched them fall, spinning and twisting until they finally hit the water with a splash.

He was luckier than most. He'd had three lives so far, that of a human, that of a soldier and now, with the cullens, with Alice. He didnt hate this life, being a vampire. He felt grateful for it. It had allowed him to see and experience things he never would have. Now, that he fed on animals instead of humans, it was much easier, although he wished he could exist without harming even them, their emotions were still strong when scared, they still feared their deaths. But he made sure to hunt the over populated, and felt at peace with that.

He threw a rock a little harder than he had intended to and watched it vault through the air.

He hated how they treated him in the Cullen family though. As the weak link. Jasper Whitlock had never been the weak link. Not in all three lifespans. He'd never attacked a human before Bella, not since being vegetarian and he could say with certainty that he hadnt meant to attack her. Hell, it'd been his choice to go vegetarian, he couldnt take the human emotions crushing down on him when he fed anymore. So it made no sense that he would hurt her.

It was impossible to stand the surge of emotions that came from his family when Bella cut herself, again. Everyone except Carlisle wanted her blood. Even Edward. It had been too much to take and he had toyed with the idea of simply tasting her, which nosy edward had heard. When he pushed her backwards and sliced her arm open, the emotions were ten-fold and he couldnt take it. Jasper had snapped towards her, and so had begun this stupid course of events.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket Jasper decided he could at least try to make this right. He was a soldier at heart. He followed orders. But he certainly didnt follow Edwards. Slowly he entered the number he knew by heart, and sent a text message with his cell number. Then, feeling better than he had for months, he turned and walked back towards the house. She needed to know she wasnt alone. Edward be damned.