A/N: I know, it's been a long time since I've updated. Writer's block and RL had gotten in the way.

I also thought I should clarify something: Jasper only wanted to talk to Seth to find out what he knew. I never said he would come up with a plan at that moment. He needed time to think through everything before he came up with the plan. And one where Bella wasn't in the room.

Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 24

Bella

Jacob came into the prison, staring at me from the other side. "Are you hungry yet, Bella?" He asked.

I didn't answer. I was in no mood to answer him. My stomach growled from hunger, my back burned from the lashes Jacob and Paul gave me and my head pounded with pain.

"Aren't you going to beg for forgiveness, Bella?" Jacob sneered. "All you have to do is tell me what you're really doing here and you'll never have to look at these walls again."

He knew I knew what would happen. He would kill me once he got the information he wanted. It didn't matter what I did. Either way, I would die. Jacob isn't likely to keep me much longer. He'll get tired of this and kill me.

I closed my eyes and buried my head in my arms, hiding my face from his. There was silence for several moments until something hard hit me in the stomach. I gasped out at the pain and my hands instinctively moved to cover my stomach. I looked up at Jacob. He was staring down at me with no regret, a sneer twisting his face and his black eyes filled with rage.

"You aren't going to last much longer, Isabella." He said. "Just tell me what I want and the pain will all be over."

"Bite me." I hissed through the pain.

Jacob grabbed the whip off the wall and without warning, began smacking it against my skin, time after time. I cried out, my fingers curling into the palm of my hand. Blood trickled down my hand and, of course, my back.

Several hits later, I could barely raise my head and my back felt like it was on fire. I wouldn't be able to last much longer.

Jasper.

My eyes snapped open with a cry. I looked around frantically. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust and when it did, I recognized Jasper's room right away. I was back at the manor. I was safe. I wouldn't be hurt anymore.

Cool air hit my skin, making me shiver. I looked down and flushed when I realized I was still naked. Last night washed through my mind.

Jasper and I finally made love.

Speaking of, where was Jasper? I looked around and saw him standing by the window. He appeared to be lost in thought. I got out of bed, wrapping the sheet around my body, and went to him. I winced slightly getting up but it wasn't unbearable. I went to him and gently placed my hand on his arm.

"Jasper? Are you okay?" I asked gently.

"What were you dreaming about?" he asked without looking at me.

I sighed and leaned my head against him. "The last time Jacob whipped me before you came and rescued me." I said.

Jasper's whole body stiffened and he twirled me around until I was facing him. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner." He said. "I should have come."

I shook my head. "You couldn't have known Jasper." I said, running my hand through his blond curls.

"I should have kept a better eye on you. If someone was in the room with you, you wouldn't have been taken."

"There is no point rehashing the past. It's done. I'm back now and I'm safe." I looked into his golden eyes.

"With scars," he growled.

"Scars or not, I still survived."

Jasper looked down at me and nodded. He pressed his lips gently against mine. "I'm sorry."

"You really have nothing to be sorry for." I said. "You did nothing wrong." We stayed standing at the window, watching the sun rise. It was so beautiful.

"Jasper, what's going to happen now? You didn't really say anything."

"I was just trying to wrap my head around what Seth said. Besides, you were tired."

I snickered but didn't correct him.

"Do you know what's going to happen?" I asked.

Jasper looked down at me. "Do you know how many werewolves will be coming?"

"Sue told me that there were at least fifty wolves now. Obviously I didn't meet them all but I'd say at least half of them would come."

"So twenty-five," I nodded. "And Jacob is the leader?"

"Yes."

"When the time comes, Jacob is mine." Jasper hissed.

"It has yet to come." I said. "How long did Seth say until the wolves get here?"

"He didn't say anything." Jasper frowned. "We're going to have to talk to him about this."

"Do you think Sam and Seth will fight with us?" I asked.

"Sam, I believe so." Jasper said. "Seth, I'm not so sure."

"He did come all this way to warn us." I said.

"That's true." Jasper agreed. He looked down at me, his eyebrows raised at the sheet covering me. "You ought to get dressed."

I nodded and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I love you."

He smiled. "I know."

***

Half an hour later, I was sitting in the kitchen with Adrian. He was eating cereal while I sat, picking at the eggs. I wasn't sure if I could eat. My stomach rumbled with nerves. I wasn't sure how this meeting would go.

Rhiannon came into the room. "Hello, my darlings," She kissed me on the forehead before doing the same to Adrian. "How are you this morning?"

"Sore." I said without thinking. When I realized what I said, I flushed and looked at Rhiannon. She had a knowing smile on her face. "Don't say anything." I warned.

"Yes, ma'am," she looked at the full plate of food with a frown. "Are you not hungry?" she asked.

I shook my head and pushed the plate away. "My stomach is uneasy."

"What are you worrying about?" She asked. "Is it the fight with the wolves?"

I nodded. "I don't want anybody to get hurt." I said.

"Bella, you were hurt while you were there. I would think you'd want to have revenge on the people that not only took you away from your mate but caused you physical harm."

"They were only trying to protect the people in the community."

"Why are you defending them, Bella?"

I honestly had no idea. Part of me hoped Jacob would die for what he did to me. The other part understood he was trying to protect his family the only way he knew how. "I don't know." I admitted.

"Listen, sweetheart. Sam told me everything that happened in the community with Jacob. You shouldn't have been forced into that. You didn't know anything about the spies and your relationship with Jasper, at the time, was non-existent."

"I know." I peered at her through my lashes. "You and Sam seem to be pretty close." I said, changing the subject away from me and to her. "Is there something going on between the two of you?"

If she could have, Rhiannon would have been blushing. "Of course not,"

"Liar," I said. "You like Sam, don't you?"

Her shoulders sagged and she put her head in her hands. "It's impossible for us to be together. I'm a vampire, he's a werewolf."

"Nothing is impossible, Rhiannon. I thought it was impossible for Jasper and I to be together but here I am." I said.

"That's different." She said. "You're human. If you wanted to, Jasper could change you into a vampire and you can spend the rest of eternity with him. Sam on the other hand, will grow old and die one day."

"Have you talked to Sam about how you feel?"

"Of course not! I am not about to embarrass myself in front of him like that."

"I don't think you'd be embarrassing yourself. I think you would just be telling him the truth." I said. "You never know what he'll say until you suck it up and tell him the truth."

"You got a little feisty while you were gone, haven't you?" Rhiannon asked in bemusement.

I shrugged. "Go talk to him." I pushed her towards the door, watching as she reluctantly walked away.

I turned back to look at Adrian. He was sitting in his chair, staring at me with his inquisitive eyes. "Was I too harsh?"

He reached his tiny arms out, asking for me to pick him up. I stood and went to him, taking him into my arms. "Don't worry, honey. Everything is going to be fine soon." I nuzzled his hair. "Jasper will make sure nothing happens."

"You're right."

I jumped and swung around, startled. "Jasper! You scared me."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." He walked over to where I was standing to took Adrian from my arms before pressing his lips lightly against my forehead. "Everything's going to be fine, sweetheart. I promise."

I leaned against his shoulder. "Have you talked to Seth?"

"Yes. He said the wolves should be here in two or three weeks."

My stomach churned. "Three weeks?"

Feeling the spike of horror, Jasper pulled away and grasped my chin in his hand. "You have nothing to be worried about, Bella. I will not let anything happen to you. Do you understand?"

I took a slow, shaky breath in. "I understand."

Jasper

While Bella ate her breakfast, I sat in the study with Sam, Seth, Carlisle and Peter. We were going over everything we knew.

"How long do you think it will take before they get here?" Peter asked, looking directly at Seth.

"It was originally going to be a month away. But now that Jacob knows I'm gone, he will probably move it up."

"So two or three weeks?" I asked.

"Most likely," Sam agreed. "Jacob knows Seth is here, giving up all their secrets. He's going to try and pull a sneak attack on you by changing when it'll happen."

"Jacob could never pull a sneak attack on us." Peter said. "What Jacob fails to realize is Jasper will be on high alert until this problem is over."

"What exactly was Jacob trying to get out of Bella?"

Seth and Sam exchanged looks. "Jacob somehow learned that Bella was in love with you. He didn't know it was you but he knew she loved a vampire. Hewanted your name and to know why she was there."

"And if she had given it?"

"She would have died." Sam said gravely. "What Jacob didn't realize was that Bella was not expecting to be taken."

"Bella never knew about your community in the first place. I tried to keep it from her as best as I could. It was all in vain, anyway. Perhaps if I had told her, things would have been different."

"There is no point in wondering what could have happened." Carlisle said.

I nodded in agreement. "Right now, we need to come up with a plan." I said. I looked at Sam. "What is Jacob's weak point?"

"I don't think he has a weak point." Seth mumbled.

"That's not exactly true." Sam disagreed. "Jacob loves Leah and his son."

"Leah! Don't do anything to her!" Seth said frantically.

I looked from Seth to Sam, raising an eyebrow. "Nothing going to happen to your sister, Seth,"

"Leah is a wolf, isn't she?" I asked. Upon receiving a nod, I continued. "Do you think Leah would fight with Jacob?"

"I don't think she wants to." Seth said. "Like I said yesterday, Leah knows that going up against you would be suicidal. She doesn't want to lose Jacob and she sure doesn't want to lose her own life."

"You said many of the wolves are children." I said to Sam. "Would be really make them fight?"

"I believe he would use them to his advantage. He thinks that if he puts the young ones out there, you will be unable to fight because you wouldn't want them to get hurt. They are just children after all."

"He is true in a manner of speaking. I don't wish to hurt the young ones. But if it is the only way to protect my mate, I will do everything in my power to protect her against all odds."

"Jacob doesn't know the extent of your feelings for her. Nor does he know that Bella is your mate." Seth said.

"We will have to fight against them." I said. "There is no other way around them."

"Jasper, we don't want them to be killed." Carlisle said.

"Just maim them." Peter said. "Show them we are not afraid but we are not willing to kill for the sake of killing, as they seem to be."

"Except Jacob," I growled.

"Jasper, that isn't a wise idea." Carlisle cautioned.

"I will not allow Jacob to get away with what he did to her, Carlisle. He hurt Bella, almost killed her. I will not allow him to get away with it."

"Think about his wife, Jasper. And his son. Do you really think killing Jacob won't cause any long term effects?"

"Leah and Jack are better off without Jacob." Seth said sadly. "All the power he wields has gone to his head and now he is using it to his advantage. The Elders are frightened of him, the people are much more cautious and even the wolves are worried. They're afraid that if they fight back against him, they will lose their own lives."

"So this will be for the good of everyone."

"The Elders never should have gotten rid of Sam as Alpha. It is their fault we're in this predicament in the first place. They took Jacob's word over Sam's because Jacob's father is the Chief of the Elders." Seth added.

"How were you dismissed, Sam?" Carlisle asked.

"Jacob went to the Elders and told them that I disagreed with him in regards to Bella." He said. "They thought I lost my touch since Emily died." I winced a little. If Sam noticed, he never said anything. "Jacob told them his side of things without giving me much of an argument. The Elders voted and I will cast aside."

"That was unfair. The elders should have had a warning given, at least watched to make sure that Jacob's accusations were accurate before making the decision." I growled. "Why did the Elders allow Jacob to hurt Bella the way they did?"

"They had no knowledge."

"Zero?"

"Sue knew." Sam said. "I think she tried to tell them what Jacob was doing but Billy cast her off."

"So you think Billy knew everything and just didn't care?" Peter asked.

"Perhaps,"

Peter and Carlisle looked at me. "What do you want to do now, Jasper?"

"We're going to start training." I said. "We will train. When the wolves come, we will be ready. And when I see Jacob, he will lose his life."

***

Bella was sitting in the kitchen, talking to Adrian. She hasn't let him go since she got back. Most of the time, I had to pry her away from him. I could understand why she was so reluctant to be away from him. She missed him a lot while she was in the community.

"Don't worry, honey. Everything is going to be fine soon." Bella said, nuzzling his hair. "Jasper will make sure nothing happens."

"You're right." I said, walking into the room.

Bella jumped and swung around. Her heart beat frantically from shock. "Jasper! You scared me."

I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." I walked over to where she was standing to took Adrian from her arms. I held him lightly before brushing my lips lightly against her forehead. Bella shivered and her love washed over me like a blanket. "Everything's going to be fine, sweetheart. I promise."

She leaned against his shoulder, staring up at me with her brown eyes. "Have you talked to Seth?"

"Yes." I said cautiously. "He said the wolves should be here in two or three weeks."

"Three weeks?" she repeated.

Feeling the spike of horror, I pulled away and grasped her chin in his hand. The heat of her skin made my hand tingle. "You have nothing to be worried about, Bella. I will not let anything happen to you. Do you understand?"

She hesitated before nodding. "I understand."

"I would never let anything to happen to you or Adrian. You know that."

Bella nodded. "Jasper? Can I ask you a favour?"

"Depends what it is darlin'."

She looked up at me, nervously chewing her lip. "I was wondering if maybe... we can get married before the fight with the wolves."

I stared at her in shock. "What?"

All the nervousness left her and she stared at me with the fierce brown eyes. "I want to get married before you fight the wolves."

Review Please