AN: Another chapter, another piece of the puzzle. So, I hope that you guys are enjoying this so far and that I've grabbed your attention. I promise to go back to one of my older stories, most likely one of my crossovers, very soon
Song list: Shatter Me- Lizzy Hale ft. Lindsey Stirling
Heavy Prey- Lacey Sturm & Geno Lenardo
Chapter 1
Bella POV
It was odd that just changing my jewelry brought that memory back up. Until now, I had somewhat forgotten that I hadn't received my crest. It hadn't been important, considering that we had the Volturi over our heads and that Jake had imprinted on Renesmee.
As I slipped on the leather cuff, jeans and a green thermal, I realized that the lack of a crest on my person was why quite a few of our allies had barely glanced at me during the confrontation.
Jasper had taught me that in the vampire world, knowing where you belong is key to survival. Case in point, the Volturi themselves. All their members, guard and royal, wore the crest. The colors differed based on rank, but they wore the same symbol. Even the nomads, like Garrett and Alistair, had their own crest. I looked at the crest on the cuff Jasper and his family had given me and realized that's why I had it. He wanted me to know that I belonged.
Yet it wasn't enough
While I loved Jasper, and his friends, like family, I needed to know that the person beside me was mine as I was his. Lack of his crest, as well as his affections, didn't make me feel like that. I decided then and there that I would talk to Carlisle about my not having a crest.
Taking an unnecessary breath, I went back to the house
*Cullen Main House*
As I walked into the main house, I heard everyone laughing and clapping. Figuring it was a result of Emmett doing something stupid, I smiled and walked towards the sound. Only to find that it wasn't.
Everyone was crowded around Renesmee, who was proudly sporting her own version of the Cullen crest.
Edward saw me and said, "Bella love, I wasn't sure if you'd make it back in time, so I told Carlisle to go ahead with the ceremony. Doesn't it suit her?" Burying the rejected feeling as deep as I could, I smiled and said, "Of course it does. Congratulations sweetheart." Renesmee gave me a hug, but for some strange reason, it felt stilted. As if she didn't want to touch me at all.
I turned and saw Jasper staring at me, mostly at the cuff on my wrist. I hadn't worn it much since he'd put it on me, so I knew seeing it was a bit of a shock. Shaking away my thoughts, I said, "Actually, I'm about to go now. I didn't want to ruin the other clothes I was wearing and I wondered if anyone wanted to join me."
Most of the family shook their heads, but Jasper said, "I'll join ya Bella." I knew he had hunted earlier in the week, so he wasn't coming to hunt but to talk. Nodding, I said, "We'll be back soon." I left without kissing Edward, not feeling the need or desire to.
As Jasper and I reached Montana, he asked, "So what's with the feeling of utter rejection I felt Bella?" Sighing, I asked, "How long after you joined the family did you get your family crest?" He seemed to think about it for a bit before saying, "At the end of my first year I think. Carlisle wanted to make sure I could blend in with the family and keep up the foster kid story before taking me in officially. Why?" "I've been married to Edward for 3 years and I still haven't gotten mine."
Jasper looked shocked before he said, "Wait, Carlisle and Esme gave you something after your first hunt." I reached into my pocket and threw the black diamond and pearl necklace to him as I said, "That's all I was given. I was going through it all and when I saw this, it reminded me of the one piece I'm lacking."
Taking another deep, unnecessary breath, I said, "Jasper, since the day I met this family, I've never felt like I fit in. When Edward left, my fear was confirmed. When he asked me to marry him, I said no because I didn't want to get rejected again when he left or changed his mind about marriage." Looking at the small Cullen crest on his cuff, I said, "It's amazing how one simple piece of jewelry can decide how one feels about one's place in the world."
Jasper grimaced as he said, "So I guess you figured it out…" "What? That I'm not meant to be a member of this so-called family, but the child I died to bring into the world is? Yeah, I got the message." Growling as I leaned against a tree, I asked, "So now what?" I can't stay here and pretend anymore Jasper." He shrugged and said, "That's up to you Bella. But let me ask you something. When everyone was here to go against Aro, did you feel the urge to follow anyone? To leave, even if it meant Nessie's death?"
His question bothered me in two ways. One, I felt guilty because I had. The second was my lack of response at Jasper referring to my daughter as Nessie. When Jake had called her that when he revealed the imprint, I'd nearly killed him. But lately, I could barely raise an eyebrow where she was concerned.
I sighed and said, "Yeah, the night before the battle. After I met with Jenks, I went to the cottage to put the passports and cash into a bag. Alistair came in and taunted me in a way that irritated, yet…" "Yet?" Glad that I no longer blushed, I snapped, "Turned me on alright! I wanted him and I wanted to leave with him. I had been turned per the Volturi's order, so I didn't have to stay. I never wanted to marry Edward and I never expected to get pregnant. To be honest, I kept my pregnancy only because I thought Edward would have wanted a child of his own."
"And after he said he didn't?" "I would have agreed to ending it, but when he tried to force me and took over everything after, I just dug my heels in and refused. Jasper, the only thing I wanted was to be turned."
Jasper looked confused and asked, "So why did you marry Edward?" Growling again, I said, "I agreed to it because it was the only way I could get Edward to turn me. Actually, it was the only way I could get him to let anyone in the family to turn me. He was so adamant about me staying human, even after the Volturi found out about me."
Jasper growled and said, "So he made you compromise on something you never wanted in order to get what he wanted? Bastard. He didn't even turn you in the end." I turned towards him sharply and asked, "What?!" Sighing, Jasper said, "Edward didn't bite you after Nessie was born. He just injected you with syringes full of his venom."
Looking down at my hands, I ripped off my wedding rings, seeing them as dead weights in a marriage full of lies. Turning to Jasper, I said, "Come with me to the cottage. I need your help with a few things." He nodded and we ran back to Forks. I texted Sam and Jake, asking them to run around the cottage to keep Alice and Edward in the dark.
As we walked into the cottage, I dropped my rings on the table and walked back to my room. Spying the jewelry box, I took out the garnet necklace from Aro and the few pieces from my human days, putting them into a travel case as I dumped the rest back into the box and left it open on the bed. Next, I grabbed a large duffel and stuffed the jewelry, all my jeans, t-shirts and Converse I had inside. Reaching into the safe, I grabbed all the cash inside and shoved it in as well. As I walked back into the living room, Jasper, who had apparently packed what little he still had, asked, "Where are you going?" "Volterra first. Let Aro know that anything the Cullens do from this point on has nothing to do with either of us.:
At his confused look, I said, "Well, with the bags and what I heard you say to Peter and Charlotte when they left, I figured you were done with this coven a long time ago. That and I noticed that you've been wearing the Whitlock crest more often than the Cullen one. It's time to get the hell out of here." Jasper chuckled and said, "Yeah, let's just say that what they've done to you isn't the only thing that pushed me out. I sent Peter and Charlotte the important shit months ago. You switching diets too?" Shrugging, I said, "We'll see once we get out of their range." "What happens after Volterra?"
Sighing, I said, "I'll start looking for Alistair."