Previously:

I shook my head. "If you intervene during training or harm anyone in the group, you'll just have to train me yourself. Because I will not risk the lives of others because of a stupid power trip."

"No one who harms you lives."

I wanted to laugh. "Then I really don't understand why you're alive."

Elise

That evening, I sat outside of Jasper's room and watched the recruits gather around the bonfire. From the corner of my eye, I caught Claudia coming out from behind a cluster of rooms. She saw me instantly and waved.

"Hey," I offered.

"Hey yourself. Are you coming?"

I shrugged. "I can see everything from here."

Jasper's room was alongside those of others that belonged to the delegates, and they had a grand view of the center circle.

She sat beside me and leaned her back against the wall. "I'm glad you'll be training with us again. Though I don't think anyone's going to be a willing volunteer to partner with you."

I winced. "Right."

"In any case," she said. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"My assumptions. I judged too quickly. I thought he was just using you."

The door beside us opened and I felt myself stiffen.

"Claudia," Jasper looked down at us pleasantly. "Jasper Whitlock."

"Yes," she said cautiously. "I'm aware of who you are."

"Are you?" He cocked his head to the side. "Is Elise aware that you've been the one spreading those rumors around camp?"

Claudia looked straight ahead. "I've just been sharing what I—"

"Sharing what you thought was happening, with no straight evidence," he interrupted. "Rumors."

Claudia glanced at me quickly. "I'm sorry. Truly." She stood up, avoiding Jasper. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I watched her walk away. Jasper's hand entered my line of site. An offering. "You should go with her."

I came to my feet without his help. "You didn't need to do that."

"Expose the one that's been upsetting you all this time?"

"She has the right to talk about what she perceives," I snapped.

"You'll mope about the rumors, then defend the source?"

Had the rumors upset me? Sure. But people made mistakes, and Claudia had always been very outspoken regarding Jasper's role in my life.

"You'll ignore the rumors, and only acknowledge them now?" I countered.

He shifted, and his smile did not reach his eyes. "I'll acknowledge anything that'll make you upset."

Would he really? "You're making me upset."

He tugged on a strand of my hair as the wind blew around us. "Acknowledged."

I took a step back, away from his reach. "Will Peter be taking me out for dinner?"

"Give me an hour. I'll take you." Then, I felt his touch on the small of my back. He pushed me gently. "Go enjoy the bonfire. I'll find you later."

My feet moved closer to the recruits, but my mind remained elsewhere. Confused. Confounded. The attention I barely got before was now on the forefront. Jasper's attentiveness was not something I was used to. But there was a certain edge to it that made me nervous.

I caught Claudia's gaze as she sat with other recruits. She threw me a small shrug, and a look of sympathy. I didn't understand the gesture. Rosalie came up beside me and invited me to sit.

"Where's Emmett?" I asked.

"Hunting." She scanned the gathering of recruits. "How are you?"

"How do you think?"

I saw the same look of sympathy on her face that matched the one Claudia had. "Well, you seem very jittery. Your hands haven't stopped picking at the ground. A walk helps with my restlessness. Can I offer you that?"

The fire was warm, but her nicety was welcoming. We started for the forestry.

When we were far enough away, she released a big sigh. "It's so nice to be away from all of the talk. It must be nice for you, as well."

The recruits were having a field day ever since Jasper had intervened between Bryce and I. I supposed not much happened around here. "I don't get why it's so important to talk about."

"A move like that from a man of his status?" She shook her head, eyes wide and amused. "You can't help but talk about it. Not many people know Jasper on a personal level—only stories and his accomplishments within the alliance and the Southern Wars. But as someone who knows him more personally, I know that it was very out of character for him to openly claim you like that."

"Claim me?"

"Well, not claim you claim you. But your connection couldn't have been more obvious."

I sighed. "It's so stupid. We're talking about what people are saying—but none of that matters anymore. What matters to me is what I'm seeing from Jasper right now. The way he's acting is very unsettling."

She paused. "How so?"

I wasn't even sure how to word it. "He moved me to his room. He's closer to me physically, and it's not something he hides from the rest of the camp. He barely acknowledged my presence around others, but now I'm all he watches."

Rosalie tried to make sense of this. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

Did it? "What makes me uncomfortable is how much he's changed in a very short amount of time. But also how much of him remained the same."

That didn't make sense even to me. But Rosalie seemed to pick up on something. "He's showing you more affection, but his mind is still very closed off to you."

My fists balled in frustration. "I thought I had this figured out."

"You can't figure this out until you understand your bond. You might understand Jasper, but the bond is very new to you."

Did I understand Jasper? "I'm used to him being distant. I'm used to him hiding affection. Hiding—"

"Let's talk a little more about mating." She smiled. "It's different for every couple. Some are hopeless romantics, some are barely more than friends. The bond begins and ends where you want to define it."

"You say that like we have any control over the bond. It doesn't feel like… it doesn't feel like we do. It keeps drawing us closer, and then Jasper keeps putting up more walls."

She shrugged. "That's his problem. Let me explain some important characteristics of the mating bond. The milestones."

"Milestones?"

"Yes. There are four in total: the meeting, the acknowledgment, venom transfer, and claiming."

"Claiming? Like when you said he claimed me in front of everyone?"

Rosalie laughed. "No, that wasn't the correct term for that. Claiming your mate is just a fanciful term used for sex."

It sounded so primal. "You just said some mated couples are just friends. These milestones are…optional?"

"You can accomplish all milestones and still remain friends."

An uncomfortable feeling settled in my chest. I looked at her. "That's it?"

I was sure that she could sense my trepidation. "The mating bond is a very interesting phenomenon," she explained. "It's like a very progressive idea of a muscle. It'll keep strengthening the more you progress and work on it. If you don't, it'll begin to cry and warn you. You'll feel that warning if you're apart for too long. The strengthening comes from the milestones, but the more you are together—supporting, respecting, and protecting one another—that'll add tremendously to your connection. Its purpose is to draw you together—not tear you apart."

"Jasper has the protection part down. The respect and support…"

Rosalie smiled tightly, and the look of sympathy washed over her features again. It angered me beyond belief when I realized just what that meant. Pity.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I demanded.

She was quiet for a while. "Jasper is a hard person, Elise. Being mated to a man who has tried so hard so break your bond… it's unthinkable."

I thought about her and Emmett. "It seems like such a beautiful idea. What you and Emmett have is so sweet. How did you progress in your relationship?"

"It came very naturally," she said. "The respect part was easy. But the trust took some time. It was hard for me to trust men for a long time, but the more time I spent with Emmett, and the more we acknowledged what we shared, it became real. And it became more than I could even comprehend." Her brows furrowed. "I can't imagine living in this world without him."

That was an interesting point. "If something happened to Emmett, what would you do?"

Her shoulders stiffened. "I can't even think about that reality." She glanced at me. "But I think Jasper thinks about that all the time with you. That's where his protective nature kicks in. If you died, he knows he wouldn't survive it."

That sounded too intense to be true. "Jasper would probably be better off without me."

"No. The pain of a mate being torn apart is one thing. The pain of losing a mate forever is something that… I can't even think about. I don't blame him for being cautious."

"He said he would have to kill anyone if they succeeded in tearing me apart. Which is just ridiculous, right?"

I waited for her to completely agree with me. But she didn't. "It's an act of dominance. It's a message to anyone who even has the thought of harming you."

"It's a power trip."

She shook her head. "It's a threat. We can only be killed if we're torn apart and lit on fire. Anything close enough to even hint at your death, Jasper will do his best to eliminate."

"Jesus. I'm learning how to fight. That's all it is. Would Emmett go this far?"

She smiled fondly. "Emmett is definitely more reasonable than Jasper, but your mate holds a great position of power here. He needs to make that statement to the recruits."

I frowned. "How did you know that you and Emmett were the romantic type?"

She shook her head, clearly seeing through the question. "You're overthinking this. Nature will push you to what your relationship needs. Sure, the bond will keep you together, but romanticism is a separate thing. So, if you're perfectly content with being friends, that's fine."

I thought of when Jasper had kissed me. When I kissed him. When his proximity today clouded all thought.

"The more we check-off milestones, the closer we are?"

She nodded. "You're already at… three out of four."

"Oh, no," I stopped us. "We haven't had sex."

"I know. That's the one you're missing."

I looked at her incredulously. "I thought the rumors at camp would've told you otherwise."

"Those rumors were baseless." She rolled her eyes. "Jasper's scent is barely on you. No one should believe that you've been having sex."

"Interesting," I murmured, then drew out a finger as I counted out the milestones she had mentioned. "Meeting, got that. Acknowledging, got that. Venom transfer?"

"Ah, that one was simple," she said. "Jasper killed you. His venom is already in your body."

I felt like I could shiver. "How… invasive."

"His venom—now yours, as well—gave you immortal life. It strengthened your bond. You can shift your perspective to see it as a positive, and I think it will make you happier."

My mood soured the more I compared what I had with Jasper to all of the couples around me. "Surely, Rosalie, you and Emmett can agree that murder is wrong. You both value human life. You care about others. Family is important to both of you. What happens when your basic values don't align?"

"You compromise."

I narrowed my eyes. "I will never be okay with murder."

"I'm not saying you have to be. When you go out there and eat criminals for dinner, isn't that considered murder? I bet Jasper would have the same argument."

I wanted to rip my hair out with what I said next. "He keeps women in rooms, in cabins all across the country, and sips at them like aged wine. I will never agree to any of that."

"Is that something he's continuing?"

I didn't know. "Does it matter? He did it."

"And you betrayed him and us. We don't actively blame you for your mistakes, Elise. Move on."

"That's my point," I spat. "He doesn't think they're mistakes."

Her attitude shifted, and I saw her sterner self emerge. "This is not something that you should be telling me. Communicate with him. Tell him what you're feeling. Show him what you're feeling—you can do that. If Jasper will have a soft spot for anyone, it's going to be for you. And hell, maybe you two just need to complete your milestones."

That evening, Jasper and I walked into the city. I immediately began to scan our surroundings, keeping my senses open to any trouble that could result in dinner.

I peeked over at my companion, and realized that he wasn't really a companion during these trips. When you went out to dinner, you expected the other person to eat as well. Jasper merely walked beside me and helped me clean up. I felt like more like a baby who needed to be fed rather than a woman who was out for the night.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

He gave me a sideways glance. "I eat after you do. Usually."

"Why don't you hunt now?"

"Well, the princess doesn't like the gore."

I narrowed my eyes. "The princess doesn't like cruel and unusual feeding methods."

"What do you think I do?" He looked at me head on. "Seriously. What do you think I do when I hunt?"

"If what I wrote in my journal is correct—"

"I don't have time for that anymore," he interrupted. "I hunt the same way you do, but I'm a little less picky with my options."

"So, the cabins are…"

"There are no human blood bags in any of my cabins."

There was an odd glimmer of sincerity in his eyes, which I found myself appreciating.

He clasped his hands behind his back as we walked. "I don't agree with how restrictive your diet is. I never will," he said. "But as I've mentioned before, I respect it."

But that wasn't hard for him. "I'm sorry, Jasper, but I can't respect your…hobbies."

"But you can respect that I'll hunt like most everyone else?"

That was reasonable. "Sure."

"Then, we're good."

My eyebrows rose. "What does that mean?"

A little smile formed on his lips. "I would love to tell you that I'm switching up my beliefs for you, but that just isn't the truth. With the Cullens, I had to maintain my eye color. Little meals here and there were the only way I could consume what I wanted. Now, there is no reason to hide."

It would've been too good to be true for him to adapt to my values just because I wanted him to. "You've stopped stealing women and caging them because of circumstantial factors. Not because you're going easy on my feelings."

"Coddling you isn't the route I've taken before."

"But killing the next person that attempts to train with me isn't coddling?"

I felt the cool, unsettling breeze come out of an alley we were walking by. The damp smell of rain on the cracked concrete wafted out.

My next step didn't make it to the ground. I was spun around, and the lights dimmed around me as the alleyway threw its shadows over me. I felt the cool wall on my back, and my reflexes kicked in. I jerked my knee forward to destabilize my opponent and swiped my arms in front of me to get a hold of a neck. With my mind kicked into a defensive gear, I didn't see Jasper. I saw a threat.

As I kept lashing out, I felt slow. Jasper countered my hands with his forearms. He took a wider stance so my feet couldn't reach him the way I wanted them to.

Finally, I took a moment to blink, and he had me firmly plastered against the wall with his right hand a fist around my neck. I was completely immobilized.

The force he exerted wasn't much at all. I could break free easily. But his scent overpowered the alley. His mere presence was breaking me out of my defensive instincts.

He applied a little more pressure with his hand. "Now this," he whispered. "This is dangerous. Trapped like this, with firm force on your neck—it would be very easy to remove that pretty little head of yours."

I wasn't prepared for this mini-training session. His hand left my neck and then came up to my chin, then to my cheek. I hadn't realized that I was on my toes until I slid down to my feet. "And protecting you is not coddling. It's instinct."

He leaned in, and I thought he might kiss me. But his head bent and nestled in the crook of my neck. I felt his chest rise as he breathed in. Breathed me in.

Electricity ran from my chest to my toes as my hands came up around slowly and rested on his upper back. I felt him stiffen at the contact, and then I realized that I was actively pushing him into me. His lips widened to a grin on my skin as I pushed my head back against the wall, opening up my neck further. His nose traced down to my collarbone, his breath fanning my chest.

"Sunshine," he murmured.

The feeling running through my body was addicting. I had been on fire during my change, but this was a whole new category of heat. If my venom could boil, it was getting close to its boiling point. My hands and arms pulled him closer, if even possible. I felt his other hand on my hip, and his torso was pressed firmly to mine.
When his head came back up, he pressed his lips to where my jugular failed to pulse. His right hand brushed down my cheek and rested on my shoulder. Pulling back, he looked at me.

"You must be hungry."

I realized that my eyes were closed, and his voice popped them open. I licked my lips and examined him. His eyes were a darker shade of red than they had been before.

"I am," I said, feeling unusually breathless—my voice low, and unrecognizable to me.

Mischief played in his eyes as they darted from my neck and back to my eyes. "What for, I wonder?"

I used my foot to push myself off of the wall behind me. Jasper gladly stepped out of the way. There was something different in his expression. Playfulness? Predatory instinct? Both?

I swallowed. "Blood. I want blood."

His eyes darted to my throat, then back to me. His mind was elsewhere "I like the way you react to me. I always have."

I heard people walking by on the sidewalk, some peering into the alley.

"Your vampiric charm was very effective, I imagine."

"There's no vampiric charm right now, sweetheart."

That was true. Now, it was the rope of the bond. "Your eyes are dark."

"You should see yours."

I averted his eyes. He knew more about all of this than I did. "What does that mean?"

The smile he gave me was challenging, but soft. When he took a step forward, I stayed put. He was close enough that my nose almost touched his upper chest.

He opened his left palm towards me, then took his right hand and drew a fingernail across the skin. I flinched slightly at the site of the wound. Venom dripped down his hand, and he dabbed some with his right forefinger.

"It means," he said. "That there are things that cannot be satisfied with just blood."

I fixated on his palm. "What things?"

He lifted his finger to me. "Things."

As I looked at the liquid on his finger, my eyes widened.

…

"I want you to tell me what this tastes like."

…

"Sweet cream."

…

"We did this before," I whispered.

"We did."

I looked up at him, and noticed that he was watching me very closely. Keeping my eyes on his, I leaned forward and took his finger in my mouth. Blood was sweet, but this was candy. My eyes closed involuntarily, and I enjoyed the tingling sensation on my lips and tongue as I tasted his venom. Our venom.

My tongue came up against his finger, searching for more.

"Elise," he groaned, and began to pull his finger back. He drew me back with him until I was on my toes. My face was inches away from his when he finally withdrew his finger. When I felt his absence on my lips, I met his.

I kissed him slowly and pushed him back until he collided with the other side of the alley. I moaned into his mouth as his hand found my waist. My hands tangled into his hair as I breathed him in.

His kisses were light, while mine were demanding. It was a very unexpected imbalance of power. He stepped forward and took my momentary pause to flip me to the wall. As my hands ran up his sides, onto his chest, and around his neck, Jasper pulled them up and pinned them above my head. I struggled gently as I fought to reach his lips.

"We are not doing this in an alley," he said lowly into my ear.

But our venom was delicious, and we were one milestone away from completing them all. I looked up at him innocently. "What exactly are we doing?"

He reached down to plant a simple kiss on my lips before releasing me. "Nothing. You're having dinner."

I leaned back against the wall and crossed my arms. "So are you. Eat with me."

I caught his moment of hesitation. He shifted back a little on his feet and the intensity of his gaze on me wavered.

"Do you trust me to not run off?" I questioned.

The corner of his mouth turned up into a little smile. "No."

"Really?"

He sighed, his eyes flickering to the street. "I'll meet you back here in twenty minutes."

I gave him a big smile and started to step out onto the street, but he caught my wrist.

"If you pull anything," he warned. "I will know."

"I won't run."

"Why?"

I tugged my wrist free. "Because I'm not going to be the one that ignores what's happening between us."

A/N: Closer, but is it close enough?

This will be the last chapter posted this year. See you all in 2021.