AN: Sorry! I'm really sorry I've been gone so long. I had some stuff to sort out and everything went wrong just when I had time to write :(. Sorry again. I hope you like this chapter.
Chapter 10: Strength of a Lioness
We walked back to the house hand in hand. It just felt right, perfect. He was beaming all the while as if he'd won the Olympics. It was so strange to see him this happy. I could still see a shadow of the anger he'd portrayed when I'd told him a little of my past. I knew I didn't have to worry. He wouldn't tell the others. I wasn't ready for them to know, but I'd have to tell them soon. They were planning on sticking around.
The Cullens eyes focused on our interwoven fingers. I smiled slightly. Their expressions were priceless. "When did this happen?" Emmett inquired with his hands crossed over his chest. Jasper shrugged. We were only a few feet from the others now. It's fine. I'm safe. They're family. They're dangerous! The animals are your family. The Cullens outnumber you. They could kill you. Jasper could hurt you. He won't! You have no way of knowing that for sure.
I took a deep breathe in an attempt to calm myself. Jasper looked over at me worriedly. "Bella, are you okay?" I forced a smile to my face.
"I'm fine." I assured him. Rosalie and Esme were eyeing me sympathetically.
"Bella, what happened to your children?" Esme inquired softly. "Did you really think you could get away from me?" Shut up! "Mom help us! Mommy!" Get out of my head! "Mommy run! *screaming*" No! I whimpered softly. It was all your fault. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
Someone put their hand on my shoulder. I stiffened, sprang away from whoever it was, and growled loudly. Maybe they would leave if I scared them. Then I realized it was Jasper I'd growled at. I shut my mouth and straightened up shakily. My hands moved of their own accord to cradle my flat stomach. "Sorry Jasper." I apologized looking down.
"You were stuck in a memory. It's fine." I could still see hurt in his eyes. What was wrong with me? Everything. That was meant to be rhetorical!
I looked up and met Esme's eyes. "When they were three Victoria and her army came. She killed them." I couldn't hold her gaze any longer. I looked down ashamed to have ever been able to call myself a mother. I'd failed my children in the worst way imaginable. All of the Cullens growled, but Esme was by far the loudest. How she managed to be louder than Jasper I'll never know.
"That evil little bitch!" She snarled outraged. I remembered Esme's story. She'd jumped off a cliff because her child had died. She could sort of understand the pain I felt. I was still shocked she'd sworn though. Esme never cursed. I wasn't the only on either. "What? You know it's true. She's lucky she's already dead. I would have made it slow and painful."
"Esme!" Carlisle said shocked.
"Oh, come on Carlisle. You're thinking the same thing." She said waving him off. I shook my head in disbelief.
"Who's their father?" Rosalie questioned quietly after an awkward pause. I stiffened internally. "You know you want this as much as we do." Stop it! "You can't get away." Shut the fuck up! I shook my head to clear it of the horrible flashback. Damn my memory to hell. I hated it at times like these.
"Jacob Black." I said with only a slight hesitation. They gaped at me. Jasper's jaw dropped. Thank god he believed it. I needed to believe it.
"Wait, the werewolf?"
"Yeah," I said shrugging. I really wanted to stop talking about this.
"Thank you for taking us onto your land." Carlisle said changing the topic as if he could read my mind.
"No problem Carlisle. I wanted you to meet my family, and I wanted them to be a little less fearful.
"Do they all really live there?" I nodded.
"Like I said the herd of the vampires even relocated to my land once you came back. They know you're animal drinkers, so they were terrified. It's a bit over crowded, but it's starting to settle down as they get settled in their new territories and return to their old patterns." I shrugged.
"They could come back now that we drink bagged blood." Carlisle offered.
"Maybe, I don't think I could convince all of them to return, especially the bear you attacked Emmett." He looked down sheepishly.
"Could you try to convince them?" Esme inquired.
"Yes, I'm overdue to run a meeting for the animals. It would probably be best if you attended with me." Their eyes widened with shock.
"That sounds great." Jasper replied taking my hand in his. I smiled happy I didn't flinch away from him. He squeezed my hand to show he'd noticed as well.
"When is it?" Rose asked. I looked up to see the full moon begin to rise.
"It should be tonight actually. In about an hour in the baseball field: it's the only place with enough room especially since there are thirty horses now."
"We should go now then." Rose said excitedly. I looked to Carlisle he nodded. I turned and led the way. Hear them behind you? They're chasing you. They're going to hurt you. Shut the hell up! They're family and my mate. Jasper took my hand as if he knew I was battling with myself, which he probably did. My mind made no come back thankfully.
"I have to call everyone here." I slipped my hand from Jasper's and went to the center of the field. I shifted into my true form. I was now a horse sized white wolf. Jasper was in awe. I smiled slightly before turning towards La Push. I howled loudly to call the animals to me then I changed to a horse and neighed as well so the herd of the vampires would understand. I made sure it wasn't a warning call. They had a bit of time to show up.
The sound of galloping hooves broke the silence. Fareth and Astin came into view a second before their herds also burst through the trees. I whinnied happily and trotted over to see him. "What's this about?" Astin inquired.
"The Cullens are on a bagged animal blood diet as well. I'm going to suggest everyone moves back home. My land really isn't big enough to support everyone." I explained.
"That's wise. There was a territory fight today. I'm worried about the amount of parentless kits we'll have wandering the forest." I sighed.
"It was the mountain lions?"
"You know how Birkita gets when someone draws too near. They were fighting over a piece of fresh kill." Astin elaborated.
"Great," I shook my mane in irritation. I returned to the middle of the field and shifted back to my vampire form.
"What's wrong?" Jasper inquired worriedly.
"The prides were fighting over fresh kill today. Astin warned me there may be some motherless kits. The prides are all so full I can't ask any of the lionesses to take another kit."
Jasper gave my shoulders a squeeze. "Maybe all the lionesses lived." I shrugged. The other animals were arriving so I needed to focus. I waited until they were done asking questions to speak.
"I know it's been a while since I last called a meeting. This one is of a very basic nature. The Cullens follow the same diet as I do, so it is perfectly safe to move back. I can promise you they won't attack you. There are too many animals on my land. Many of you will die if you continue to insist upon living in such tight quarters." They were murmuring among themselves in agreement. Fareth stepped forwards.
"My herd will move on to the Cullens land." He declared holding his head high.
"Thank you Fareth." He opened the flood gate. Packs, herds, and families agreed to move back to their old homes. The amount of animals left on my land was less than half of what it'd been these past few days. I allowed the other animals to leave as I still awaited the mountain lions' arrival.
They were limping, and I felt horribly for them, but they'd brought it on themselves. I shifted into a mountain lion and growled at them loudly the second they were settled. All of them flinched back as a whole. Why couldn't I instill that sort of fear in my vampire form without being fearful? "Do you understand what you're doing to yourselves? There are only thirty of you spread between four prides. Why are you fighting?"
"There was fresh kill and…" A younger lioness, Kirva, tried to explain. I cut her off.
"And what, you grew so lazy you're incapable of hunting for yourselves? I expected more from you Kirva. Your pride needs a strong leader not someone who steals. Look at your pride. Do you see the injuries? Your kits are crying as are the kits of the other pride." She bowed her head in submission. Birkita held her head high. "Watch yourself Birkita. You have the right to defend your kill, but your pride didn't need to be so ruthless." She nodded, but didn't lower her gaze.
"Half of the animals moved off of my land into Cullen land. Only my pride is to remain on my land. The other three are to return to their old territory. I promise the Cullens won't attack you. Do you understand?" I inquired. They nodded.
"Okay, who needs to be healed?" I questioned in a much gentler tone. Ten mountain lions stepped forward. I healed them all. I was getting weak. I would have to sleep tonight. "How many are dead?" I inquired.
"My mother," a young lioness said. She seemed barely older than a kit. The poor girl.
"Any others," I asked. No one answered. "Then go back to your territories and leave each other alone." I ordered. They left quickly. Once they were gone I shifted back into vampire form. I was swaying slightly. I staggered a few steps forward before Jasper caught me.
"Are you okay Darlin?"
"I'm fine Jasper, exhausted, but fine. I'm going to have to sleep tonight." I said yawning.
"You're fierce Bella." Rose complimented. I smiled slightly.
"I have to be. They were fighting over a single piece of kill. There are how many deer in the woods? It was pathetic." I said rolling my eyes before I yawned once more. I really was exhausted.
"Do you sleep?" He inquired.
"Sometimes, usually in my clearing so I'm near if anything goes wrong, but that hasn't happened in decades." I yawned out.
"You're more than welcome to sleep at our house." Esme offered kindly.
"I don't want to be rude." My words came out garbled.
"You can take my bed. I don't need it." Jasper offered.
"Thanks Jazz." I sighed leaning into him.
"Let's head back." Carlisle decided. I tried to run with them, but I only made it a few steps before I nearly fell once more.
"Can I carry you Bella?" Jasper questioned hesitantly. I thought about it for a second.
"I think I'm too tired for it to matter, and I trust you." He smiled at hearing that I trusted him. He scooped me up into his arms and ran us back to his place. I wanted to sleep, but my body was aware enough not to let me sleep until I knew I was safely in the bed, and nothing was happening to me.
JPOV: (Right after Bella passes out)
She was asleep and I was able to think about everything she'd told me. Bella was so strong. She was so much stronger than I'd imagined. I wanted to break shit after she told me she was raped. Thinking about it now I had difficulty holding back a growl. I wanted to kill the one responsible, but he was already dead.
She'd also told us her children's father was Jacob. If she'd been able to be close to him why was she so cautious around me? Had she been lying? I didn't want to think about what that meant. When she was ready she would tell me, us. I had to be patient.
BPOV (sleeping):
I was immediately thrust into a nightmare. I was being chased. She wanted me dead. I'd ruined her life. She shoved me down the stairs, and I whimpered in pain. She laughed hovering over me. She ripped my head up by my hair. "Rot in hell bitch." She left me to die. I jerked upright in bed gasping. My eyes fell on the closet across from me, and I started shaking. She'd shoved me in there. She'd hidden me from everyone. Jasper burst into the room half a second later.
"What's wrong Darlin?" He questioned worriedly. He moved towards me. I forced myself not to react. I couldn't speak. He sat beside me slowly and wrapped an arm around me. I stiffened before I relaxed fully. I pulled myself closer to him still shaking. He rubbed soothing circles on my back as I tried to calm myself down. After a few minutes I finally managed it. I looked up at him slowly.
"Thanks Jasper," I whispered.
"Anytime Darlin," he assured me. I could see the curiosity raging in his eyes. He was too kind to press me for details, but I owed him the truth. I owed all of them the truth.
"I'm going to expl-," He cut me off before I could finish.
"You don't have to."
"I know I don't have to, but I want to. I owe you and the rest of your family the full truth."
"You don't owe us anything." He argued.
"I need to do this. I don't want to lie anymore."
"If that's what you want who am I to stop you? I can feel your worry. I want you to know that no matter what you tell us today I'm not going anywhere. I will never leave you." He assured me looking me in the eyes. I smiled slightly. He was so sweet. I took his hand and together we walked downstairs to the living room. I shuddered as I entered it. Everything had started here. Well not everything, but the reason I was here today had happened in this room.
They were all already seated around the room. Of course they'd heard me talking to Jasper. I took a few deep breathes to try to calm my nerves. I needed to talk about this. Jasper released my hand knowing I needed space. They waited patiently for me to begin. I took a deep breath and began.