Chapter 11 - Hide and Seek

He growls and stands up, disappearing for a few seconds and returning with a fresh bra and shirt for you. Taking his own shirt back from you, he redresses you, then himself, and fixes your hair. As he shoves the last piece of your old bra and shirt he'd shredded, in his enthusiasm to feel and taste your bare skin, into his pocket, you hear the dual slam of car doors in the driveway.

Jasper places you carefully on the couch in the corner. "Stay there," he commands, his eyes solid black, his demeanor brief and blunt. You nod, wondering if the Major is in control.

"Major?" you question softly. His onyx eyes flashing to yours, he holds up his hand and shakes his head.

"No talking!" he curtly orders, his tone full of authority. You decide to listen for the time being, trusting him to speak with you once the danger is past.

You jump, startled, at the pounding knock that shakes the front door. Jasper yanks it open and snarls, "Get in here and keep your mouths shut!"

Rosalie and Emmett stride hurriedly into the room and wrinkle their noses. Emmett glares at Jasper and growls, "What the hell . . ."

Jasper's intimidating hiss stops him mid-sentence. The Major then starts pacing in front of the couch, occupying the space between you and his siblings, growling quietly to himself. He whips out his phone and sends a text to someone, most likely Peter. It chimes with a reply that makes Jasper roar and clench his fist.

"Fifty years! Fifty fucking years of the most stringent self-discipline down the drain in a few fucking hours! Damn it all to hell! Why now?" Turning to stare at you, he demands, "Why did you have to come now? You couldn't have waited six fucking weeks? Just six more fucking weeks?"

You know it's a rhetorical question, so you just shrug and sigh sadly, mumbling, "Sorry."

He scowls and kneels beside you. "Don't be. You're worth it. Even though it's going to cost me everything I've worked for over the past fifty years, I'm still glad you're here. We're going to have to disappear tonight though. It's not safe for you here."

"What? Disappear? The hell you are!" Rose immediately protests, sounding both angry and hurt.

"I can't afford to let the fortune teller figure out what's happened here," he snarls. "The shit's going to hit the fan, big time, and heads are going to roll, literally, right into the flames. I don't want Bella in the same damn state when that happens, much less the same fucking town."

Emmett opens his mouth to argue and Jasper hisses, "Don't! Not a word!"

He can't say anything because he doesn't want Alice to see it, you think. Furrowing your brow, you ask, "It's truly that serious, as in life or death?"

The Major raises a brow and nods once, scrutinizing you.

Biting your lip, you suggest, "We should involve the wolves then. I know some things that may convince them to help us."

"What? No way!" Rose shrieks.

"The wolves? Why?" Emmett questions, gawking at you.

"Hell, no!" Jasper bellows. You cower back into the couch under the force of their shouts and angry stares, even though you know you're not the object of their anger and fear.

Jasper's phone chimes with another text and all eyes go to him, allowing you to relax a bit. He stares at the text dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly as he's rendered speechless. He takes in a ragged breath and reads it aloud:

"Whatever just changed, whatever idea was just suggested is absolutely brilliant! If you go with that plan, we can still pull this off, Major!"

Jasper is clearly nonplussed, while Rose and Em are stunned into silence. Grabbing the phone book, you race outside and climb into the back of Rose's M3.

"Let's go!" you shout when you realize you're the first one in the car. Two seconds later they're all in place and backing down the driveway.

"Drive to the treaty line," you instruct, dialing Sam's number.

"Hello?" a tentative female answered."Is Sam there?" you ask.

"No, he's out at the moment. May I ask who is calling?" she replies, a slight edge to her voice.

"This is Isabella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter. It's imperative I reach him right away. Do you have any way of getting in touch with him?"

"Oh! What's wrong? Is Charlie okay? Is it official business or personal?" she rapidly fires a barrage of questions your way.

"Neither."

"Neither?"

"Look, I don't have time for games. Get in touch with him however you can, and tell him to get to the treaty line as soon as possible if he wants to protect the tribe from being massacred by the Cold Ones."

She gasps and makes a few inarticulate sounds, before she chokes out, "I will!"

"Thanks. Oh and Emily? You need to tell Leah the truth, the whole truth, including all the things you and Sam did to fight the imprint. Sam may be under oath not to tell her, but you're not. If you don't, it's going to come back to bite you in the ass later, I assure you."

"Who are you? How do you know? Who told you?"

"Can't talk now, call Sam, life or death, got it?"

"Right!"

You hang up and look around to find all the vampires studying you with varying expressions on their faces.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Rose inquires coldly, her voice sharp as a steel sword.

"No! Of course not! I'm on your side, I promise!" You declare insistently. You pause and then confess, "Well, honestly, I'm on Jasper's side, so I guess it depends on if you're on his side or not."

Rose and Em exchange a speaking look with Jasper and then each other, before nodding at you simultaneously. "Careful, or you'll start looking like each other too. You know what they say about old married couples," you banter.

Rose simple rolls her eyes, while Em gives you a skeptical raise of his brow. "Is that the best you can do?" he challenges.

"Give me a break, I'm under a lot of stress at the moment," you mutter defensively.

Jasper is holding himself stiffly, his back ramrod straight, his nostrils flaring and tongue peeking out with every breath, his eyes flicking over everything, constantly scanning for danger in every direction, using all his senses. He turns his head, his black eyes probing.

"You better have a damn plan," he warns, the intensity of his scrutiny making it feel like he is searching the depths of your soul.

"Yes, Major," you quickly reply. He grunts in acknowledgment. Curious, you wonder, "Does this have anything to do with a certain evil tracker and a red-headed escape artist?"

He sucks in a breath and turns to you, a mixture of horror, fear, and worry in his eyes. "Yesss," he hisses, covering your mouth with his hand. "Say no more!"

You nod and keep quiet, thankful you're almost there.

Rose pulls over on the side of the road once the 'Welcome to La Push' sign is within sight.

"The wolf is already here, and he's alone," the Major announces.

Rose hesitates to get out of the car. "Jasper, the reason we came to find you is because Alice informed all of us that Bella is Edward's mate, that the pull he feels to her is lust, which he is confusing with bloodlust. She explained he wouldn't have hurt Bella, but claimed her instead, if we'd all just let nature take its course. She told Edward he had mistaken the need to bite Bella to mark her as his own, thinking it was the desire to bite and drink. Carlisle and Esme are thrilled he's finally found his mate and are encouraging him to pursue her. They are upset that you interfered and blocked Edward from accomplishing his goal, and intend to tell you to stay away from Bella and Edward, so Edward can claim her for himself."

"That fucking bitch! She's lying!" Jasper rages. "Bella's mine! I already claimed her, damn it!"

"Yeah, so we can smell," Emmett mutters snidely, then catches himself. "Wait, how can Bella be yours when you already have Alice? Why should you get two girls when Eddie doesn't have any?"

"Because Alice isn't my fucking mate, okay? She's a bloody liar who has been deceiving you all these years. Look, I'll explain later, the wolf is ready and waiting."

Rose and Em aren't happy with his answer and clearly want to force the issue, but don't dare push him when he's in Major mode. They sigh, wearing nearly identical disgruntled looks, and reluctantly nod in acceptance.

Wanting to get things rolling, you recommend, "Rose and Em should stay back, so Sam doesn't think we're trying to ambush him. You two, stay within sight and hearing range so he knows we're not hiding you, but not so close as to appear threatening."

Everybody nods and prepares themselves, before getting out of the car and moving to their places.