Chapter Twenty Six

Jasper

Renee stood in the doorway looking angry and confused,

"Well?"

Jean sighed then got up and went to her but she pulled away,

"I'd like to know what happened to my daughter, it seems everyone else in the room knows so its only fair you tell me too."

I got up and offered her my chair

"If you sit down Madame Chastel I'll try to explain."

She took my chair and looked at me suspiciously,

"Who exactly are you?"

"My name is Jasper Hale, I knew your daughter when she lived in Forks."

"I might have known Charlie was mixed up in this some how. I just knew being a cop he'd bring trouble on our daughter."

"It was nothing to do with Chief Swan I promise you. Your daughter was kidnapped by Luc Chastel and hidden in the cave system under the château. Unfortunately in making his alibi he introduced poison into his system and it killed him. Bella has been beneath your feet all this time but without adequate food or water, that's why she's sick."

"Why did Luc do it?"

"That we may never know. I came over with my friends to visit and your husband offered to show us the tunnels. We found Bella quite by accident."

Renee looked at me steadily for a few moments then shook her head sadly.

"Good try but it won't wash. Why would you visit knowing or thinking Bella was dead, killed by a wolf. No, you came because you thought she was still alive. I saw the way you looked at my daughter, you're in love with her. You came to collect her and my husband found you sneaking around the caves before you could get away with her. You were in on it with Luc. How do you know him? Were you at school together?"

Now we were on dangerous territory,

"No, I was at school with Bella in Forks, your ex husband will confirm that. I arrived yesterday and I've been looking for Bella ever since."

"How did you know she was alive then? Oh..."

She put a hand to her mouth and looked at her husband in horror,

"Were you involved? Did you help Luc snatch Bella?"

"Renee I was with you when Bella was taken and here with you when Luc reappeared."

"Well you aren't telling me everything. There was something going on in this house and I intend to find out what. Are you going to tell me?"

"I think you're going to have to tell your wife the truth"

They both looked at Darius who had spoken.

"At last a few words of wisdom and just who are you?"

He stood up and introduced himself

"Well Darius, if Jean doesn't tell me the truth perhaps you will or do I need to ring the police myself if the doctor hasn't already?"

"He hasn't. I asked him to give us a few hours, until tomorrow. There's a lot to explain but I know you don't want to be away from Bella for too long. Perhaps I could come upstairs and explain everything."

"And leave these three to their own devices? No, we'll all go up. When Bella wakes up she'll be able to tell me who is telling the truth."

Renee

I was suspicious of all of them although something told me that the person with the real secrets was Jean. The others were strange and I knew they had their own stories but I wanted the truth from my husband first then I would ring Charlie and tell him Bella was alive. They followed me upstairs and into Bella's room where the nurse had arrived and put up the drip. She looked at us disapprovingly,

"The girl needs peace and to rest".

"Thank you. We'll make sure she gets it."

The nurse hearing dismissal in my voice scowled once more before leaving and I went to sit beside the bed noticing Jasper had taken his place the other side. He was staring at her with a look I hadn't seen in years, longing and such devotion it almost made me cry, or maybe that was just relief making itself known.

"Well Jean?"

"It all goes back many years Renee, to my ancestors who were given this château. for killing a wolf that was killing the peasants."

I listened in growing amazement and horror as he told me of the curse his family were under although I found the idea of shape shifters a little too far out, still I would wait until he finished to demand proof. When he went on to tell me about his real flesh and blood son I felt an icy chill run up and down my back. Eventually he stopped speaking and they all waited for me to say something.

"Now let me get this straight. Your ancestors were and the family still are carriers of a gene that causes them to transform into giant wolves and it was such a wolf that was killing the peasants here when the farmer Jean Chastel shot the wolf, using it as a scapegoat so to speak for his sons crimes?"

"Yes, the peasants thought he was keeping and training a huge dog because they heard the howls of his son when he transformed and some saw a huge black dog like figure close to his cottage. He kept his son in the very caves that Luc used to hide Bella."

I looked down at my daughter laying there so peaceful and saw her hand reach out across the covers until they touched his thigh. He dropped his hand down and took hers then she squeezed it and I heard a small sigh of contentment. His eyes met mine as if to say, I would never hurt her, see she trusts me.

"You kept your own son, your own flesh and blood, locked in a cage in the cellars below the château.? I want to see him, now."

Jean looked at the others then stood up.

"Very well but I only did it to keep him safe Renee, I love my son and I spend as much time as I can with him but he is dangerous."

"I'd still like to see him".

"I'll come with you. I can communicate with him even if he's in wolf form."

I looked at the one called Jake and suddenly I knew who he was,

"You're Billy Blacks son aren't you? I didn't recognise you at first. So perhaps you did come from Forks Jasper. It seems I've been wrong about a lot of things recently. Let's go. And you Jasper, you stay here with Bella. If she wakes up you make sure you don't upset or frighten her."

I knew he would anyway but I didn't want him to know I believed and trusted him too much.

Jake

Renee, Jean, and myself went down into the cellar and along to Maudits room where he was sitting reading a book in human form which was a relief. He stood up looking at her warily,

"How is Bella?"

"She's going to be fine Maudit. This is Renee, Bella's mother."

Maudit walked very slowly to the bars and put his hand through. Renee looked at it then smiled and shook his hand before withdrawing her own,

"So you are Jeans son?"

"Yes Madame. I'm very sorry for what happened to Bella, I liked her, she spoke to me, we discussed books for a while. I'm sorry you had to find out about me but please don't think badly of my father I know he loves me."

"It's a funny way to show it, locking you up like this."

"Oh he has, no,..."

I pulled her back quickly as Maudit transformed and there in place of the young man was a huge angry wolf. I waited for the scream I knew would come but I was mistaken, instead I heard a gasp of shock and turned to see Renee looking at the wolf, tears rolling down her cheeks,

"The poor boy, how can he live like this? Jean there has to be a way to help him surely?"

She felt sorry for him, I had underestimated Renee like the rest of our party and her husband.

Now for the bad news, I'm off again for 5 days but I will post as often as I can and I promise I'll keep writing. Thank you for all the reviews, they are much appreciated. Jules x