Song I listened to while writing this chapter : In The Woods Somewhere by Hozier


~Chapter Twenty Six~

No Matter What


~Jasper~

I stood in the drive way, slowly walking towards the empty road as I watched my entire reason for existing drive away.

Bella. My Bella...

Looking down at my cold hands, I could barely feel traces of her warmth. Her pain. The pain I made her feel with my lies. She found out in the worst possible way, the one way that completely destroyed her and any trust she had in me. I clenched my fists as a rage courses through me. Hate and pain I felt towards no one but myself now, all the distaste I felt for Sam, Jacob and the rest of the wolves were forgotten now.

This was my fault, I was to blame for the pain I caused her - of course I would, how could I not? I betrayed her in the worst way possible, I knew that.

The undeniable pain and feelings of betrayal radiating off her when she came face to face with Jacob almost sent me down to my knees. I wanted to go to her, to explain what she had just heard - to not misunderstand what I was doing with the man that had hurt her many years ago. But I couldn't, she wouldn't even look at me anymore - the betrayal she felt every time I spoke was enough reason not to.

Everything she said was right. She never had a choice in any of this - in being dragged into our world and yet she accepted it because it meant being with me, with my family who have come to love her so much. What if she didn't want any of it anymore?

"...I trusted you..." How could I hurt her so much...?

"Fuck!" I scream out, my fist coming down against the cement and crushing it on impact. I felt a stinging sensation in my knuckles and I knew I had cracked my marble skin but I didn't care.

"Jasper," I whirl around like a wild animal being approached by a hunter only to find Carlisle standing before me, cautiously kneeling down in front of me. "I'm sorry, son."

"I lost her. I lost her all because I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth. I've spent all this time judging Jacob but I'm no better than him. How could I have been such a coward, Carlisle!" I practically sob as I face my father who looks at me with grief riddling his face, grieving for the loss of a loved one too.

"We all kept secrets from Bella when we should have told her what we knew about the wolves. The blame isn't all on you, Jasper."

I shrug away his hand as he tried to give me some form of consolation. I didn't want it. I don't want anything other than Bella. I didn't deserve her compassion or forgiveness...but I wanted to tell her everything, ask her to forgive me but the thought of her never wanting to see me again scared me to my very soulless core. But, God, I wanted to be with her even if it meant facing rejection.

"Then go to her," I look over Carlisle's shoulder seeing Edward, sharing his own sense of guilt with me. He had become friends with Bella, she had trusted him too...

I shake my head, "She won't want to see me."

"That doesn't matter right now. What matters is that, you love this girl, Jasper. You may have screwed up - but we all did. This situation has done several things to damage all of us, especially Bella. She's hurt now but...that girl loves you. With everything she has. I can see it, I can feel it and I do not need to be an empath to be proven just how greatly this human girl feels for you. You can keep avoiding the emotions and love she is willing to share with you all you want but the truth is you both need each other. I don't have to read hers or your mind to know that either."

Of course Edward knew why I distanced myself from Bella to an extent. It had been the only thing I thought about lately. My fear of losing her, my fear of being rejected if I told her I was working with Jacob to keep her safe, hurting her again...But she had every right to know and I took that right away by lying to Bella.

"How can she forgive me for betraying her trust?"

Edward walks towards me and holds his hand out to me, I take it and stand up.

He looks at me intently, his amber eyes filled with conviction, "I don't know if she will but that'll just be something you will both find out together."

"Sam is still out there, Jasper," Carlisle tells me, "even if she doesn't want to see you. Will that really keep you from protecting her? From staying away?"

I stood there between the two men who knew me better than anyone and looked down at my hands again. My right hand I had taken my anger out on had cracks that ran through my knuckles, wrapping around my fingers. If Bella ever saw me like this, I knew a part of her would be concerned and would want to heal my wounds even if I had created much deeper scars in her heart. She didn't have to forgive me, she didn't have to want me in her life anymore but I would always love her. I would always want to protect her and I would, as long as Sam was out there.

look to Edward and he grants me a reassuring smile before letting go of my arm, knowing what to do next. Nodding towards Carlisle all three of us part ways. The two heading back home to alert the others and me - running after Bella.

I would end this incessant cycle with our enemies if it cost me my life.


I ran through the trees, pushing past the fog and ignoring the way the wildlife fled from me. I didn't stop running until I made it to the edge of the forest where I got a strong smell of rancid dog, immediately panic went through me as I looked for the dog that was near Bella's house.

Stopping as soon as I saw them, rage fills me completely. Bella was sitting on the steps, resting on her elbows, staring at a man with pure terror sending waves towards me as he bends down, his hands in his pockets as he asks her in a very calm voice.

"Do you know who I am?"

When she whispered his name I took off immediately, releasing a loud growl upon reaching them. Before he could get closer to my mate I'm shoving him back, sending him away a few feet, his boots scraping against the grass on the yard. I sneered at him as I crouched down in front of Bella, gently taking her hand and pushing her back towards the top of the porch, never taking my eyes off the animal in front of me. I could feel her fear and I wanted to comfort her but I couldn't, not while He was here.

Based on the stench of wolves that consumed the property around Bella's home, I'd say Sam had been here for a while - waiting for her.

"Jasper..." Bella's frightened whisper pulled me out of my deep thoughts, making me look over my shoulder towards her. She was gripping my shirt from behind and holding my hand tightly with the other, slightly trembling as her eyes stayed focused on Sam.

"Bella, I need you to get inside now. I'll deal with him," I say as I reached around her waist and hold her behind me. I try to make her move back towards the door but to no avail as her heartbeat begins to pound wildly and another whiff of wet dog and dirt fill the air around us. Looking back, I hear Sam snickering. I growl as I watch him begin to shake in his laughter.

"Oh, this is a treat. Not only do I finally reunite with Bella but the leech that keeps on fucking everything up decides to show up too! I should thank you, Jasper," he begins pacing back and forth across the yard, holding a hand up as he contemplates what he is about to say. He wasn't as slow as the other shifters when it came to verbal exchanges. Why? He seems almost...human. Finally knowing what he wants to say, he turns to look at me with a shit eating grin on his face.

Disgusting.

"I should thank you for...taking care of my sweet Isabella while I finished up some matters."

"Bella, please get inside now." I tell her once more, trying to keep my panic at bay while hers continued to attempt to overpower my senses. The amount of hatred and twisted amusement Sam was displaying made me want to rip his fucking head off and I couldn't do it unless Bella was safe.

"H-he'll kill...you." She says through the tears that were now falling down her pale cheeks. I could tell she was in shock, her eyes were wide and her pupils were dilated.

"Now that is an intriguing suggestion Bella!" Sam calls out, his mirth echoing through the fog around us. "But you know, I think we should get better acquainted don't you think? It has been so long after all and I'm sure so much has changed over the years, and I can see you certainly have matured quite a bit," a rumble in my chest erupts as the beasts' eyes travel to Bella's physical appearance. His perverse gaze makes her shrink down behind me and sparking a desire in me to gouge his eyes out.

"Don't fucking look at her you disgusting dog," I say through my clenched teeth to which he sighs dramatically, continuing to pace and speaking once more.

"I should just end you now, Jasper since you have proven to be such a thorn in my side but I will let my companions do the honors since they are...so very eager to meet with you again. You've really managed to piss them off you see. You...and your little blood sucking, murderous coven..." He shakes once again but this time I find that rage is what shakes his body now. Preparing myself for the worst I force myself to let go of Bella's hand, clenching my jaw as I feel her fear return in full swing. My eyes never leave him as he shuts his eyes, the veins in his muscles are made visible to me as he shakes his arms and exhaling deeply, trying to control himself from phasing I guessed.

I could feel the loud thumping of paws around the territory, the rest of the pack were approaching and fast. There wasn't enough time to get her out of here.

Edward, where the hell are you guys?

As if having read my mind, Sam inquires once more, "Where are they by the way? Aren't you all supposed to be running together now that I'm here? Now that you've seen just how powerful I am?" I clench my fists are I remembered just how close Emmett was to getting ripped to shreds by Sam and his beta in Port Angeles, Rosalie's horror filled screams and Esme's interference that nearly cost her, her own life. Carlisle and Alice, feeling helpless and terror as they were blocked by the rest of his pack and my own arm being ripped off. If it hadn't been for the array of overpowering emotions and my releasing them onto everyone, I wasn't sure any of us would have been here now. I feared unleashing agony and fear out now just as I had in that moment would destroy Bella even more or any human for that matter.

"Sam, I am warning you. This is your last chance because once I get my hands on you, it's all over." I hoped my threat could shake him enough to get Bella inside the house and then have my fill in watching the filthy animal writhe in pain by my hand.

Finally, he stops pacing and stands still, facing me. I could practically see the steam lifting off of his bare shoulders and all trace of his insane amusement is gone. His eyes were soulless black orbs as he slowly raises his arms, "Oh vampire, you always were this cocky little shit weren't you? Such a shame you weren't born a wolf. You would have made a great one."

He must have sent a signal because I immediately see the rest of Sam's pack emerge from the fog infested forest, slowly approaching with their heads hung low, growling and snapping at one another as if they were only rabid dogs and not shifters.

Maybe they really were now.

"Jasper-" Bella tries to warn me but I can't listen to her now as the wolves come to a stop next to Sam. I take a chance and quickly turn around, grabbing the sides of Bella's face, urging her to look at me. The tears pooling in her eyes, making her brown eyes shine.

"Bella, do as I say and get inside now!" I yell, hoping she will understand the urgency of it all. Sending her a wave of calm I heard her begin to settle but that momentary peace was gone when a loud roar came from behind us. I turned to see Sam signaling to the wolves to move forward and they obeyed him without a second glance, slowly beginning to move forward.

"Fuck, I'm sorry I got you into this darlin'." I said, carrying her, kicking the door in not caring about the wood splintering off the frame and pushed her through the front door enough for her to trip down and lose her balance onto the doormat. Bella looks panicked as her eyes were wide with shock and realization with what I was about to do. I send her a wave of clarity to make sure she understands what I'm about to say, "Whatever you hear, don't come out. Stay inside, please...I love you."

I slammed the door shut behind me so hard it wouldn't budge, no matter how much Bella continuously cried out for me with her soft, harmless fists banging on the door. I forced myself to shut out her mind numbing fear but it wasn't just for herself and what Sam would do to her if he got his mangy hands on her.

It was for me. I slowly stepped down the steps and stared at the wolves with the gaze I hadn't used since back when I was Maria's mindless puppet. As Sam spoke a simple command with a grin, I took off towards the group of vicious wolves that charged towards me. Growls filling the air around us yet Paul's words permeated through them.

"Kill him."


Author's Note & Some Words...

Thanks for reading!

I should explain why I've been gone for so long...

Last year I was in a very toxic and abusive relationship. It damaged me quite a bit and it was incredibly draining and as a result I lost myself even my love for reading and writing. But I distanced myself and got the help that I needed. I'm happy to say that I'm okay now. It's not easy to discuss this but I felt guilty for the longest time for not writing and leaving all my readers on a cliffhanger.

I'm ready now more than ever to finish this story. Thank you to all of those who have left reviews and PM'd me while I've been gone, I have read each and every one of those messages and I truly appreciate them.

Thanks for the support x

- Rose