Chapter 26

Jasper's POV

I knew we needed to do some serious planning to make sure that we were ready for Victoria, so when Charlie showed up with the Blacks, I decided that it would be the perfect time for us to all meet in the library and give Bella some alone time with her family and friends.

The library was my one room that was soundproofed so we could talk without Jacob overhearing us. I wanted to keep the wolves out of this as much as possible. I knew that I would still have to talk with them once the decision was made to change Bella, but that was further down the line. She had to be in a better state of mind, and her body healed so she could walk on her own before we could even consider changing her.

Eleazar called to let me know that he would be here soon, so I closed the meeting until we could include them in on our planning. When I opened the door, I heard yelling, but I could not hear Bella. In fact, I did not smell her anywhere in the house.

I walked into the family room to see that, once again; Bella had thrown and broke everything in sight.

"What happened and most of all where the hell is Bella?" I yelled, getting a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

"She left after making this mess." Jacob said, sounding like he didn't understand what had just taken place.

The next moment I was down on my knees racked with fear that could only be coming from one person. Bella was in trouble. I stood and dashed out of the house not caring who saw my speed. I felt my family right behind me as we ran in the direction I was being pulled.

I could not help the roar I released as I heard the fighting before I could see it. I could not see Bella, but I could hear her heartbeat as I joined in the fight taking over Eleazar's place fighting Victoria. The air was filled with their screams as we ripped them into pieces. The only thing on my mind was the safety of my mate. Once we had, her and her small army of five defeated and burning, I went to find Bella.

I found her hiding under a huge wrap-around bench. I pulled her out and quickly checked to make sure no harm had come to her. I, then, picked her up and took off running—not knowing where I was taking her or what was going to happen. I was operating on sheer instinct. It was dark, by the time I even slowed down to look at her. I needed to know that she had no fear of me—all I felt from her was want and need.

Want and need—those emotions were all I needed to feel to know what the next step would be. I knew that my eyes must have been pitch black—not because I needed to feed, but because of my desire for my mate. I laid her down, scanning the area and sniffing the air to make sure that we were in a safe zone.

All of my years in the military were at the forefront of my brain. Once I was satisfied that we were safe, I laid down next to Bella, pulling her to me. I crushed my lips to hers. I was fueled with the need to claim my mate, and nothing was going to stop me from doing just that.

As I kissed her rougher than I have ever kissed her before, she yielded to me and showed me that she felt the same way I was feeling. I let my instincts take control as I ripped off all of her clothes—needing to feel every inch of her and to check to make sure there were no hidden injuries.

The smell of her arousal just fueled me on even more. I needed to be inside of her this instant. I quickly undid the front of my jeans—not even bothering to take them off. Once I freed my member, I rammed into her with such force that I heard her whine in pain.

Even hearing her cries, of pain did not stop me. This was not about pleasure right now, but about dominance and claiming my mate after a battle for her safety. At one point, Bella reached up and caressed my face. I kept up the pace and force of my thrusts along with my growls that were building deep inside of me. I, suddenly, erupted into a roar as I came deep inside of her—just before I sank my teeth into my mate's neck.

It was not until I heard her scream that I realized what I had done. Shit! What have I done? It's not time yet! She isn't healed enough for this yet! How stupid can I be to get so carried away like this? I knew it was too late to suck out the venom because I had released it at full force. The only thing I could do was to bite her in a few more places to help speed up the process of her change.

I quickly bit her on the other side of her neck, directly above each elbow, on her wrists, above the knee, and then at the ankles before placing one last bite above her heart. I tried to take in as much of her pain as possible while sending her waves of calm.

I found myself just holding her and telling her over and over again how sorry I was for not talking to her about this first. I kissed her to show her just how much I love her, hoping she could feel it through her pain.

I needed to get her out of here and to a place that would be more suited for her to wake up in. I picked up my phone and called Peter.

"Major, I'm on my way. How is she doing?" He said, before I could even get any words out.

I hung up the phone not even answering him, because I could not find the words. I continued to hold her close and kissing her to muffle her screams not wanting anyone to hear them. What seemed like a million hours later, I smelled two known vampires. As they made their way towards me, I couldn't help but growl out a warning. Peter, along with Emmett, carefully made their way to the little clearing we were in.

Peter took charge and told Emmett to stay back because I was still in, what he always refers to as, Major mode and needed to be approached with extreme caution. Peter talked to me as he slowly approached, trying his best not to do anything that would set me off.

I could feel the growls that just got deeper and louder as he drew closer. He was correct. I would do anything right now to protect my mate who was burning and going through the change. Once he coaxed me into looking at him, he instructed me to follow him back to the car that he had waiting.

I followed, but I stayed well behind them, so I could observe their every move—making sure, they weren't a threat to my mate or me. When we came to the edge of the road, I saw not one, but two vehicles, and I understood why Emmett was there.

I watched as Peter and Emmett carefully entered the first vehicle and waited for me to enter the second. I carefully placed Bella on the bench seat, climbed in and pulled her close to me. I needed to be touching her to keep my mind focused on the task at hand.

I followed them up to the remote cabin that I had purchased for her change along with Michael and Michelle's. I could smell them, but the scent was hours old so it was safe for me to take my Bella inside. I took her upstairs to the room I had prepared months ago before she had even gotten out of the hospital. I climbed onto the bed and continued to hold her close to me.

Now that I am no longer driving I could caress her, and send her all of my love, while I tried to take as much of the pain away from her. I, once again, could pepper her face with kisses trying to soothe her while she screamed.

Over the next few hours, I heard each of my family members enter the house along with the Denali's. I heard them talking, but no one ventured up the stairs knowing that I would attack anyone who came through the door.

I heard Carlisle ask Peter what happened. Peter explained that I was acting on pure instincts to protect my mate and if anyone would have tried to stop it, they could have very easily lost their life. He was right; it's not beyond a vampire's instinct to kill in order to protect his or her mate when they feel they've been threatened.

Carlisle sat and explained to Eleazar all the stuff that had been happening while my mate was still human, and he informed him that Bella is, indeed, a shield—at least a mental one, and could possibly be a physical shield as well. Carlisle still had doubts about the physical shield, though.

It was then, that Kate brought up that when she zapped Victoria, she had touched Bella briefly to make sure she was okay and Bella showed no indication that she felt the electricity that pulsed through Kate. I couldn't help the growl that escaped my throat, but at the same time I was intrigued. I always knew my mate was special, but her being both a physical and mental shield would make her very unique in our world.

A short time later, I heard someone slowly climb the stairs. I recognized it to be Char by the smell. I heard her as she started bath water then moved around and gathered stuff up. Once the bath was full she started back down the stairs.

"Major I know you can hear me. The bath is ready so you can clean and dress Bella."

I knew I would thank her later, but for now I could only growl. I listened for Char to get completely down the stairs before I adjusted Bella in my arms, so I could stand and carry her to the bathroom. I laid her down in the water and started carefully washing her—soothing her with words each time she would scream.

I dried her off and dressed her in the clothes that Char had left for me. I carried her back to the bedroom and, once again, cradled her to my chest while she burned and screamed in pain. I so wish this would have been easier on her. I knew the twins didn't utter a word during their change, and a small part of me had hoped that Bella would be the same.

Bella's POV

As I started to burn, it pulled me back into the darkness that I had been in for almost five years. I knew this was something I wanted, but I was not ready for it just yet. Things were still up in the air with my dad, and now I would never be able to see him again.

Char had warned me about this side of Jasper. The side known as the Major, t was the animal part of him—the part that was most dominant, but suppressed by his diet and his desire not to be a monster. I vaguely felt each of his bites.

I wanted to show him how strong I could be and not utter a word while burning, but I could not suppress the screams that wanted to be let out. Each time I screamed, he would kiss me and send me some calm.

I could feel his love and how sorry he was for doing this to me now. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, and it was alright. I may not have been ready for this, but I knew with every fiber in my being that, I wanted an eternity with him. Eternity was just going to start a little earlier than planned.

At first, all I could do was feel Jasper. I could not hear or see anything. Well, of course, I couldn't see anything—my eyes were shut. Sometime later, I felt water on my burning skin. The water seemed to cool my skin for a bit then, once again; I was only feeling Jasper.

As time wore on, I could hear my family talking downstairs. I could tell that Peter was very upset with Jasper as this was not the time for me to be changed. By changing me now, he had altered the future and may have just started a war with the wolves.

At that note, I cringed—knowing full well that Jake would not take this well at all. Once again, I felt a wave of calm wash over me. I still couldn't suppress the screams that would escape every so often from my throat.

The next change I noticed was that I could taste the air. I never knew the air had a taste to it before now. I could also hear the birds and animals outside. I had no clue where I was, but I knew I was no longer in a populated place as there were too many different types of animals that I could hear, and soon I was smelling them and oh, how wonderful they smelled. I was not sure what animal went with what scent just yet, but one of them made me lick my lips.

"Darlin', why did you just lick your lips?" I heard my mate ask.

I so wanted to tell him, but when I opened my mouth, the only sound that came out was yet another scream. I wanted this burning to stop. I wanted to sink my teeth into that one animal that made my mouth water.

I caught that scent again sometime later and could not help but lick my lips again.

"Darlin', you're going to have to explain this lip licking when you wake up. I can no longer feel you, so I have no clue, what's going on in the pretty little head of yours."

I loved the sound of his voice. Knowing that he could not feel me, I couldn't help but think through the burning about how much I desire him, and I couldn't wait until he didn't have to hold back anymore.

"Darlin', I can't wait for you to explain how you are so aroused while you are burning and screaming in pain."

I so wanted to tell him it was just the sound of his voice, but once again when I opened my mouth the only thing that came out was a scream.

Between the smell that was making my mouth water and the desire I felt for my mate, the burning seemed to be subsiding and withdrawing in the direction of one point—my heart. My heart felt like it was beating so fast that it would burst through my chest walls and out of my body, then it came to an abrupt stop.