A/N: Three chapters in one month?! I must love y'all.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the continued support.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
"A gift of cloaking," Jasper answered, his voice hoarse once more.
"Exactly!" Bella exclaimed.
"Yes, that's very possible," Jasper responded, his voice tight.
"Well," Bella raised her eyebrow, "isn't it good that we know?"
"Do you understand what that means, Bella?" her mate asked with real fear in his voice.
"That they may have taken the boxes and journals, too," Bella replied in a bewildered tone, assuming that had been implied.
"It also means that if one of their party has a gift to cloak them, it's very possible that they never left."
Despite Bella's assertions to the contrary, the monster that Jasper knew was always waiting under the surface of his calm roared for him to take action. The impulse to seek and destroy whomever was behind whatever-the-fuck was going on nearly overtook Jasper. His rage was palpable, freezing his family and friends in their seats; even the plants in the living room of the Cullen home wilted, afraid to be alive in his presence.
My mate is in danger. My scent is all over her home. I have led them straight to her.
His hands were shaking with rage, eyes gleaming like pitch, and all the while, Bella looked on, unafraid. She took one step forward, and then another, watching his reaction to her movement.
Jasper kept his eyes trained on her, searching her face for any sign of distress, but found none. He quickly realized that she was only approached slowly to not stress him unnecessarily.
She reached to slide her hand into his. At her touch, he took a deep breath, as though finally breaking from the dark depths that were always waiting for him, just below the surface.
"Come," Bella whispered, pulling Jasper lightly with her grip.
Jasper took first one step, and then another, and allowed himself to be guided to up the stairs to his bedroom.
She closed the door quietly behind them and sat her mate down on the bed. He closed his eyes, fighting to keep his grip on the bloodthirsty demon inside of him. The seconds ticked by and Jasper slowly collected himself. He finally opened his eyes and fixed them on his mate's face.
There, he saw kindness, warmth, and love, the same as he always had, regardless of the glimmer of the beast she had witnessed: Jasper knew he was terrifying.
"Are you okay?" Bella asked him soothingly.
"Are you?" he asked back, voice rough from the effort to keep himself together.
"I'm perfectly alright, Jasper," his mate assured him.
"How can you be alright?" Jasper asked, with disbelief. "Do you understand that you saw a fraction of what is in here?" He gestured to his body. "Do you understand that every single vampire that has left marks on my body was slaughtered almost immediately after?"
Bella's face remained impassive. "Should I punish you for your past? Should I cast you from my life?"
Jasper couldn't look Bella in the eyes, let alone answer her.
"You do not scare me, Jasper Whitlock," Bella continued firmly. "You are my mate, and this side of you that you keep chained is still every bit as much a part of you as the way you were with me when my arm was broken, and the way you hold me close at night," she whispered quietly and reached for his cheek with her free hand.
"You are you, and I am me, and we are mates," Bella finished simply, rubbing her warmth along the side of his face.
Jasper didn't speak and couldn't if he tried. Instead, he reached upwards to meet Bella's hand with his own and turned his face to gently kiss her palm. Jasper marveled at the woman in front of him. "Thank you," he whispered, and took Bella into his arms.
She embraced him fully, wrapping her arms around him, squeezing as tightly as she could. Jasper flinched, much to Bella's disappointment. She pulled away, hurt and shock clear on her face.
"No," Jasper reached for her once more. "It was just a little tight, is all."
Bella froze, "Wait, what? I can hurt you now?"
"It appears so," Jasper answered with a frown.
"Izzy gets stronger with each passing day," Peter announced cryptically from the living room below. "Once she's done cooking, I don't know whose ass she won't be able to kick."
Her limbs tingled with energy, as through confirming her uncle's words.
A puff of air escaped Bella's lips as she flopped backwards onto Jasper's mattress and covered her face with her hands.
"Is there any way to just pause time?" she asked, voice muffled by her sleeves.
Jasper stretched out next to her and clutched her body closely to his.
"I'm afraid not, darlin'," he whispered hoarsely, wishing more than anything that he could.
"It's just so much," Bella whimpered back, tears leaking from her eyes. "I feel like we haven't had enough time."
"I know," Jasper murmured quietly into Bella's hair.
He nuzzled his mate's hands until she pulled them away, allowing him access to her face. Jasper kissed along her cheeks, removing all traces of her tears before pressing his lips to hers.
Their kiss was long and slow, each seeking to soothe and comfort the other.
Jasper finally pulled away and gazed into Bella's eyes.
"I can't promise you that it will be okay," he whispered gruffly. "But I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to make it so. You are my everything," Jasper finished with another soft kiss.
"As you are mine," Bella replied when his lips had finally slowed.
"And what are we, chopped liver?" Emmett boomed from the living room.
Bella rolled her eyes, a grin spreading across her face. "Always ready to diffuse the mood."
"That's Em," Jasper confirmed with a sigh.
"I suppose we should–," Bella trailed off. "Well, I guess I don't really know what we should do."
"We do what Char, Peter, and I do best: plan a war."
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Edward had been running for weeks and knew he couldn't stop now. He made no decisions and sought no one. The very instant his thoughts drifted to forming a plan, he would shove all wants, needs, and emotions aside and take off in another direction.
All I need to do is–, no. Wander, wreak havoc, just keeping going.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Esme was hanging up the home phone when Bella and Jasper joined the rest of the group downstairs.
"Bella, dear," Esme addressed the girl with a smile. "I just got off the phone with your father to let him know you're staying for dinner."
Bella smacked her head, "Oh, I completely forgot! I hope he wasn't worried."
"He hadn't been home to realize you weren't," Esme reassured her. "He also mentioned that you'd be welcome to stay the night if there was 'parental supervision', and you planned on staying in Rosalie's room," she continued with a small smirk.
"As it stands," Jasper cut in, "I'd prefer we all keep watch, at least for tonight, until we figure out a plan."
"Agreed, Major," Peter replied as he waltzed into the living room carrying a metal baseball bat.
"What on Earth are you going to do with that?" Bella asked, shocked by the sight.
"You'll see," Char answered her niece with a grin, following her husband with a matching bat.
Aside from Esme and Jasper, the rest of the Cullen clan each gripped a bat and filed through. "You know the pattern," Carlisle directed.
The group moved as two separate units, swinging wildly in a pattern that ensured no shielded beings would have had a chance to move from one room to another to avoid the bats. Aside from furniture and décor, not a single square foot of space was left untouched in less than a minute.
"Nothing," Peter reported back to the Major, who relaxed his stance, trusting his second in command.
"I'll set the alarms," Carlisle advised. "Any windows or doors being opened at all will trigger it."
"We should also park the vehicles we use regularly on the driveway, that way we don't have to open the garage and risk someone getting even partial access," Rosalie pointed out.
"What about my house?" Bella asked quietly. "We don't have a security system."
"No," Peter began slowly, "but you have seven vampires that love you, and will ensure two or more are never far from your presence."
Bella couldn't stand any longer and fell into a seat on the couch. "Do you really think it's about me? I mean, like I said, the missing persons cases started long before." She added hopefully.
"Just because they were here before doesn't mean it hasn't become about you," Charlotte reminded Bella.
Jasper was quiet for a moment. "Bella, if my math is correct, the disappearances happened shortly after your mother's accident. It's very possible that whomever is doing this was waiting for you, assuming you'd come to Forks to live with your father; I assume information about your father would be in Renee's journals."
Charlotte covered her mouth in surprise. "Because they couldn't have gotten to you down there, not with us guarding you," she gestured to her husband.
Pieces were clicking into place, and for once, Bella didn't take any satisfaction in understanding the predicament.
"But why would they want me?" she asked fearfully, the answer sinking in the moment she finished speaking. Bella turned a horrified face to her mate. "Someone wants to use me."
"That's one possibility," Jasper confirmed.
"But I can't be guarded forever."
"No, you can't," he agreed.
Carlisle returned and Esme eyed her husband warily. "I'd really like it if Char, Peter, Jasper, Bella, and myself could go over those test results in your study then we can do a deep clean of the house."
Bella looked at Esme, bewildered, but Carlisle, Emmett, and Rosalie nodded their understanding.
Esme led the group up the stairs and ushered them quickly into the doctor's cozy office. She placed a finger to her lips to indicate the need for silence before breathing onto a section the wall between a painting and a bookshelf.
Silently, and without warning, a section of wall behind the door slid away to reveal what appeared to be a secondary room.
The matriarch of the Cullen family extended her arm and allowed the others to slip inside. Jasper gripped Bella's hand tightly to encourage the girl and they crossed the threshold together. Esme exhaled on a tile that decorated the walls to close the door behind her.
Bella worked hard to keep from panicking as an overwhelming darkness enveloped them completely.
"Close your eyes so the light won't hurt them," Esme's voice came from the shifter's left.
She did as she was told, and in a moment, registered the telltale flicker of light turning on from behind her lids.
Bella opened her eyes and stared around her in wonder: she had seen correctly: she found herself standing in a large room sat behind the wall of Carlisle's study. There was a long rectangular table that started on the far wall, with chairs arranged around it in a way that gave the impression that important people made important decisions there. Computers dominated the right side of the room, and various cutting, printing, and laminating machines, along with some Bella had never conceived of, were stationed on the left. The wall that contained the door they came through was essentially one large marker board.
"Welcome to the War Room," Jasper murmured into her ear after she had processed her surroundings.
"The War Room?" Bella asked in a hushed whisper.
"You don't need to be quiet in here, dear," Esme responded gently. "We come here when we need to strategize privately."
"Have you needed to often?" Bella asked the woman, eyes wide with her shock.
"Only twice since being here, but we've had them in every home we've occupied."
"It reminds me of a panic room," the girl remarked, growing more comfortable having drawn the human comparison.
"The intentions differ, but yes," Peter chimed in. "The walls are extremely thick."
"Obviously, our kind could still tear our way through," Charlotte clarified, "but sound won't carry out of this room."
"That's a relief," Bella muttered with a soft sigh. "That's why you told everyone else to clean? To make a ruckus?"
Esme nodded. "If we are being watched, it would make more sense that your heartbeat can't be heard if everything else is loud."
Satisfied, Bella changed topic. "So, we're here to plan a war?"
The room went silent and deferred to Jasper.
"I really don't know, darlin'," Jasper answered honestly. "Come sit?"
Bella followed him to the far side of the room, where he pulled a chair out to the left of the seat at the head of the table: The Major's Seat, Bella realized.
Peter took a seat at Jasper's right.
Second in command: his right-hand-man.
Charlotte took the seat next to her husband, while Esme sat on the left side, next to Bella.
"It's time, Jasper," Peter said solemnly, sounding uncharacteristically serious.
Jasper heaved a deep sigh and turned to face his mate. "There are a lot of things you don't know about my early life, and we don't have the time to cover all of it, but you need to learn about the Southern Wars."
"Oh, wait a moment," Esme sat up straighter, a mortified look on her face. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but Bella, dear; it's around eight o'clock, and you haven't had any dinner."
She turned to her son, "Since we aren't in the strategizing portion, I'm going to relieve myself to cook Bella some dinner while you brief her."
Jasper nodded in agreement with Esme's reasoning.
Bella reached out for her vampire-mom's hand. "Thank you, Esme. I didn't even realize I was hungry."
"It's no problem, Sweetheart," Esme answered with a radiant smile before leaving the others to their discussion.
"So," Peter started after the door had closed once more. "Abridged version."
Jasper leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face with both hands before drawing a ragged breath. A moment later, he straightened in his chair and stared off at the back of the room, focusing on nothing.
"As you know, my new life was more than a little violent. I was created for the sole purpose of fighting in a war to gain territory," he started off. "My maker, Maria, had a suspicion that I would be gifted, and she wasn't wrong."
Peter and Charlotte remained silent, but shivered, both looking down at their hands.
"I far surpassed her wildest expectations, however, when she found that on top of my gift, I had the skill necessary to lead her army."
Bella nodded, assuming her mate had done so.
"Aside from a small handful of us, her army was comprised almost entirely of newborn vampires."
Catching Bella's confusion at the term, Jasper broke off to explain. "Newborns, those recently turned, are exceptionally powerful and impulsive for the first year or so of their new lives. This means that they are difficult to train and keep from killing each other. The strength and speed ebb over the second year, resulting in a near constant birth and culling cycle."
"Culling, as in–," Bella asked with concern.
"Yes," Charlotte whispered quietly.
"Most were killed shortly after their first year," Jasper continued. "I, and a few others, were the exceptions, among hundreds of thousands over the course of fifty years."
Bella sat in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the number of vampires that had been created and killed in the name of gaining land.
"All for territory?" she asked breathlessly.
"Yes," Jasper replied flatly.
"What you need to know," Peter cut in, "is that every single one of us was advised upon our waking that enemy vampires were trying to cut us off from our food sources. Our existence, our sole focus became fighting for our survival."
"We simply didn't know there was any other way of life," Charlotte amended.
Bella took a moment to compose herself, sharply inhaling and sighing slowly to curb her stress. "How did you get out, then?"
"Well," Peter interjected, "Jasper had been ordered to cull Char's group."
Bella's jaw dropped open at the information, and she turned to face her mate.
Jasper didn't meet her eyes, however.
"Thankfully, Jasper and I had bonded somewhat–," Peter started with a smirk.
"You were a pain in my ass," Jasper clarified.
"And you loved it," Peter countered with a grin. "Something to break the monotony. Besides, I had proven useful."
Jasper allowed the comment, leading Bella to wonder what exactly he had done.
"I begged him–, I would have set myself on fire to save Char."
"Thankfully, it didn't come to that," Char answered, gripping her mate's arm.
"No, it did not," he responded gratefully.
"Anyway," Char took over the tale. "After leaving the war, we realized how much more to life there was; that everything we had been told was a lie."
"So, we did the most dangerous and stupid thing that we could do," Peter began.
"You returned for him," Bella breathed as relief and gratitude coursed through her. "Thank you," the shifter's voice shook with emotion. She flicked her eyes to her Aunt and Uncle. "Thank you," she repeated as tears fell from her eyes.
"We should go check on your dinner," Charlotte said wisely, dragging her mate by the arm to give Jasper and Bella some privacy.
Bella stood and approached her mate to slide her legs around either side of Jasper's chair. She enveloped his marble body with her arms, clutching him closely to her, as though she could reassure herself that he was truly there. His rigid body began to relax under her touch.
"You're still wonderful," Bella whispered into his ear before kissing a cheekbone. She pulled away and turned her face for the other ear.
"You're still deserving of love," she continued.
Bella pulled her face away and waited for Jasper to meet her eyes.
"You're still my mate, I still love you, and there is absolutely nothing that could ever change that fact," Bella finished and leaned in to kiss her mate.
Jasper met her lips slowly, hesitantly; unsure that he truly did deserve the amazing creature sitting before him. Her soft, heated flesh pressing against his body worked to ease the tension Jasper had been holding. His need to love and cherish his mate overwhelmed the attention he had focused on his pain, and suddenly, nothing existed aside from his mate.
He began to kiss Bella with urgency, nipping at her lips and soon her neck, much to his mate's surprise and delight. She felt a growing stiffness between her legs and longed to feel her mate. Moments later, however, she was struck by what Rosalie had mentioned to her about smelling human arousal, and began giggling, ruining the mood.
"Do you think this is humorous, darlin'?" Jasper asked with a rumble and ground her center along his hard tip through his jeans.
"I was thinking that we are so lucky I don't really smell differently when I'm wet," Bella whispered into his ear. "Otherwise this could turn into an embarrassing in a few minutes."
"And who told you that?"
Bella froze, wondering if Rosalie had been covering to quell any anxiety she may have felt. "Rose."
"Well," Jasper began, taking a moment to nip her ears. "You may not smell differently to everyone else, but you most certainly do to me. You smell–," Jasper considered for a moment. "More luscious and warm; like a forest meadow at the peak of bloom, with the sun shining down. You're sweet and earthy, warmed honey and vibrantly alive. It's quite lovely."
Bella pulled away from her mate and blushed crimson at the comparison. "Well, you sure know how to flatter a girl, Major Whitlock."
"I aim to please, ma'am," Jasper joked back, readjusting in his seat to ensure the inuendo wasn't lost on Bella before grasping her face to kiss her once more.
"On that note," Peter announced as the wall door slid open, "perhaps we should come back later."
"If you came bearing gifts of food, don't you dare leave," Bella responded with ferocity. "Sorry, Major," she addressed her mate with a wink. "I'm starving."
Peter entered the room to reveal Esme, bearing a tray loaded with a plate of dinner, snack foods, and drinks. She set it down at the far end of the table then carried a steaming plate to Bella's spot.
Bella blushed, this time due to the intimate nature of her and Jasper's bodies. She stood stiffly and seated herself once more with an embarrassed smile.
A moment later, they were joined by Char, who was carrying a memory foam mattress, pillows, and blankets. She set the bed up near the markerboard wall and took her seat once more.
Noting Bella's confusion, Charlotte explained, "in case you get tired, Sweetpea."
"I need to stay in here for tonight, don't I?"
"It isn't that we don't trust Emmett, Rosalie, and Carlisle to keep you safe," Esme assured the girl.
"It's that if something happened, Bella," Jasper murmured quietly, "we wouldn't have any way of knowing from in here. We trust that Em, Rose, and Carlisle can hold down the fort."
"Oh," Bella realized strategizing was crucial enough that her presence was required, if only so Jasper could stay focused and not be concerned for her safety. "Well, I'll be here until you kick me out," she continued with a smile.
Bella looked at her plate and began salivating instantly. "This looks amazing, Esme."
Before her sat the most delicious parmesan crusted salmon Bella had ever seen, surrounded by wild rice and roasted asparagus.
"I'm so happy to hear it, dear," Esme answered warmly, sounding extremely pleased to have been able to help in her own way.
"Is Bella up to speed?" Esme asked while Bella began eating her dinner.
"Mostly," Peter confirmed. He addressed Bella who looked up from her plate at his tone. "The reason we briefed you on newborns, Bella, was so we could segue into the missing persons cases."
Bella dropped her fork in shock. "Oh, my God!" she exploded loudly. "The pattern could mean someone is slowly adding to an army?"
The room went silent once more before Jasper spoke. "Potentially. It could also just be the trio's feeding pattern. If they wait too long between feedings, they may have gotten sloppy and stuck to one area."
"Or they don't know the rules," Char pointed out. "If the leader of the group is simply a younger vamp, they may have no idea the risk."
"Does it feel that way?" Jasper addressed Peter.
"I don't know what it feels like, Major," Bella's uncle replied with annoyance in his voice. "It hits when it does, and that's all I can ever hope for."
"What are you talking about?" Bella asked curiously before taking another bite of her dinner.
"Peter has a gift," Esme said knowingly.
"I wouldn't go that far," Peter muttered darkly. "Isn't like it works half the time anyway."
"Peter!" Esme protested. "Just because you don't get to pick and choose what information you receive doesn't make it any less a gift than anyone else's."
"I can see why you're Momma Cullen," Peter joked with a smile on his face.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Bella woke to feel Jasper's marble arms wound tightly around her. They were curled up in the War Room on the mattress her aunt had set up earlier. Esme and Charlotte had been replaced by Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett to be caught up by Peter.
Bella rolled over to face her mate and caught sight of the complex markings and lines that sprinkled the markerboard wall. She sat up, yawned once, twice, and blinked her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.
Bella turned her eyes to meet Jasper's and flashed him a half smile.
"I have absolutely no idea what any of that means."
Jasper and shifted his body so he was sitting next to his mate. "It's a few strategies we've laid out for the 'what-ifs'," he explained, raising his eyebrows.
"As in, 'what if someone grabs me'?"
"Among other things," Peter clarified. "I mean, obviously you mean the most to all of us Sweetpea, but we want to be prepared for numerous reasons."
Bella turned to face her uncle with confusion clearly spelled out on her face.
Jasper sighed from beside her and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Well, darlin', whether the missing persons cases are linked to a newborn army or overhunting and drawing too much scrutiny, at some point, our leaders will likely catch wind and intervene," Jasper cautioned her quietly.
Bella drew in a shaky breath, understanding the seriousness of the issue.
"So, this needs to be resolved," Bella connected. "Quickly."
"Precisely," Peter chimed back in.
Bella processed "What do I need to know?" she inquired quietly.
"Our best strategy right now is to continue acting as though we have no idea that anything is amiss," Peter offered.
"We keep up our perimeter checks because we have been doing them so far, and seeing as how you're my mate, there's no reason I'd suddenly stop," Jasper added.
"And there's no way they don't know you're my mate?" Bella probed.
"Absolutely not," Rosalie asserted quickly. "It has been months of our scents in your woods and home. There would be no other reason for it."
"Now, it'll be hard working different angles on this to see what's going on, but we think we can try planting false information to see which scenarios and locations produce interference from our friends," Jasper smirked wickedly.
"They'll be little things, of course," Peter continued, "nothing that would cause suspicion, and nothing that would lead to discovering our intentions."
Bella nodded along her understanding. "Baiting them."
"Bingo," Emmett boomed excitedly. "Always a fun game."
"This isn't a game, Emmett," Jasper warned his brother with a growl.
"Woah, I know it isn't bro," Emmett raised his hands in defense. "It just helps me to think of life as videogames sometimes."
"How so?" Peter asked curiously.
"Well, it's like, I need all this action and movement, right? If I focus too much on all the different variables, I get too bogged down with the details," the enormous vampire explained. "I mean, obviously I have the brain power, but I use my energy on my body, so simplifying things is just easier."
Bella grinned at the man-bear. "I can see why you and Jess get along, Em."
Emmett cocked his head at her curiously.
"Jess has immense brain power but must work constantly to block the external, as well."
"She's a good one," Emmett beamed. "I'm flattered, really," he added happily.
Peter tapped his chin slowly, observing the scene unfold before him. "Who is this Jess, Bella?"
Shit.
"Oh, uh–," Bella stuttered, realizing she had brought a human into the conversation. "She's a friend of mine from school. One of my best friends, actually. Doesn't know about me or all of this. Why?"
"Just a feeling," Peter noted and waved his hand dismissively.
Still a terrible liar.
"Yeah, okay," Bella shrugged, equally as dismissive, but preparing to corner him later. "Anyway, I got derailed. Any other strategies or hot takes on how to deal?"
"Once we know of the locations and patterns, Esme will be imperative to our mission," Peter answered as though that would make sense to Bella.
"Oh!" Bella pieced it together within seconds.
Emmett's forehead, however, wrinkled in confusion as his eyebrows drew together. "What are you talking about, dude?"
"Her gift," Peter spoke slowly and clearly, pushing them in the direction of his thoughts.
"Esme has a very strong ability to direct others with mere suggestions," Bella whispered in awe of the vampire mother. "That's why she was so integral to the planning isn't it? So much will hinge on her ability."
"Ding-ding-ding," Peter chimed obnoxiously. "You never noticed that people tend to do whatever she says?" he directed at Emmett and Rosalie.
"I mean, I just thought I respected her."
Carlisle barked out a laugh. "Well, son, I'm assuming that if you'd spent as much time in her presence as I have, you'd know better."
Rosalie's jaw dropped in shock. "I can see it now!"
"Holy shit," Emmett groaned. "I feel so stupid. Bells here got it within a few months of knowing her, and I've been living with her for decades."
Bella chose not to take offense at his using her intelligence as a lesser marker to compare his own to.
"Aw, don't go feeling bad, Em," Peter teased with a grin. "Our girl here is fixing to be one of the smartest people in this room."
Bella froze, her fear of changing taking hold once more.
"I wish you wouldn't be so cryptic, uncle Pete."
Peter took a few moments to examine his niece, realizing that his broad statements weren't as reassuring as he had intended them to be. "Why don't we take a few minutes, just me, you, Jasper, and Char."
The shifter nodded quickly, hoping to finally get the answers she needed.
Rosalie and Emmett stood to leave the room. Rosalie paused near the doorway, however, and approached Bella at vampire speed to give the girl a tight hug.
"I know how scary changes can be, and I know it doesn't make sense now. All I can think is that it must be necessary for whatever is coming," her sister whispered near Bella's ear. "I also think that if anyone can handle this, it's you. You'd have to be strong to be mated to Jasper, and to have bonded so solidly with the family as sister and daughter."
"Thank you, Rose." Bella spoke shakily, taking comfort in her sister's words and support.
"We're always here for you," Rosalie answered simply, pulling away to join her mate.
"Yeah," Emmett added quickly. "And because I'm here for you, I'm going to go see about finding you some breakfast," he beamed, clearly pleased he had remembered Bella's human needs.
Bella grinned and thanked him as he, Rosalie, and Carlisle departed. Char slipped inside moments later and took in the scene.
"We need to talk to Bella," Peter explained.
"Can I use the bathroom first?" Bella asked, having been reminded by her brother that she did indeed have human needs.
Char looked mortified that it had somehow slipped everyone's minds. "Of course, Sweetpea." She turned to the The Major and said, "The house is still on lockdown, with no activity. I can take her."
Jasper nodded, indicating how much trust he had for the vampire.
The girls were back shortly, Bella looking much more fresh and alert than before. She took a seat at the table where Peter and Jasper were already waiting; this time, Jasper sat beside her, addressing the table as an equal, and not a leader.
"How do you want to do this, Sweetpea?" Charlotte asked, allowing Bella to set the direction of the discussion.
Bella stared at her hands and thought for a moment. "I think it would make the most sense if you start off by telling me more about what you know of shifters in general from Renee, and then draw comparisons between her and myself."
Peter and Charlotte nodded simultaneously.
"Well, there are some things she flat out told us, such as being able to shift a certain amount of days around the full moon as any animal, though some are difficult. Then there's the accelerated healing, longer than usual life, no aging beyond a certain point, hereditary ever since your great-grandmother, Ava," Peter counted off.
"Most of which we covered yesterday," Charlotte amended. "What we didn't say, however, is that the gift was given by a very powerful sorceress."
Bella waited for Peter to start laughing, or Charlotte to wink, letting her know that had been said in jest; but it never came.
"Why?" Bella asked the only logical question she could come up with in response.
"As far as your mom knew, the sorceress needed something only Ava could give her," Peter began.
Why does this remind me of Rumplestiltskin?
Charlotte picked up where her mate left off. "So, they struck a deal; Ava would do this thing, if the sorceress could get her out of an arranged marriage with a predatory and abuse man, and a truly terrible future. With the gift, she was able to safely leave everything behind."
"What did Ava have to do?" Bella asked worriedly.
Peter and Charlotte looked at one another with disappointment then turned back to Bella.
"Sadly, Sweetpea, we have no idea," Charlotte broke the news gently. "Your mom didn't even know, so it isn't in any of the journals, at least."
Bella huffed a sigh of relief. "Well, that's something, I guess."
A thought was itching at the back of her brain, but Bella's uncle launched into more details, causing Bella to lose the thread entirely.
"That brings us to the things that were never explicitly stated but have been pieced together and are most likely accurate," Peter spoke with authority. "Firstly, your mother was stronger than her mother, and her mother stronger than her mother before: there is a genetic predisposition for each generation to build on the last, essentially."
"At least, that's what we assume; it's a logical conclusion," Charlotte pitched in.
Bella nodded in agreement. "It stands to reason."
"Do you remember that time your slipped on a rock during a shift and broke your ankle?" Peter asked Bella suddenly.
"I remember I broke my ankle, but I don't remember telling you how I did it."
"Thank your mom for that, Sweetpea," Charlotte answered with a grin. "She didn't like keeping us in the dark, and she worried about you."
"At any rate," Peter interjected excitedly. "Renee told us that she had a break with similar severity a few decades prior, and it had taken her three weeks to heal."
"Which is roughly half the time it takes humans, yet, it only took you a few days," Charlotte pointed out.
Bella leaned forward in her chain, unable to process what she was hearing. "Wait, what? She never told me!"
Peter and Charlotte looked at each other once more in a manner that was beginning to irritate Bella.
"Could you please stop doing that? I need to know this information, no matter how delicate it is, and every time you do that, I wonder what you're omitting."
"It isn't that!" Peter turned his attention to Bella quickly. "We just don't like having to be the ones to tell you. Each time we look at each other, we're thinking about how hard this must be, and how much we wished Renee were here."
Bella looked down at the floor, realizing that her emotions had gotten the better of her. "I guess I'm overwhelmed. Sorry for snapping. I wish she were here too."
"It's understandable, Sug," Charlotte offered her a sad smile. "It isn't the same, obviously, but learning about vampire life years after we had been changed was a lot to process, too."
"It's like I was putting together a puzzle," Bella began to explain. "And I thought I knew what the picture was supposed to be, even if pieces were missing. But all of this information–."
"It's like someone dumped a couple more boxes of pieces on top of what you were building?" Jasper suggested.
Bella just nodded and leaned forward to rest her head on her arms atop the desk. A moment later, Jasper reached out to rub the girl's back soothingly.
"What about the cognitive changes?" Bella asked from her new position, slowly relaxing once more.
"Well, the cognitive, and even your physical changes, are much like your accelerated healing," Peter offered.
"In fact, you're reaching maturity much more quickly than Renee did," Charlotte pointed out. "She finished at around twenty-three years old; Marie by twenty-seven years old, and Ava by twenty-nine."
"That's wild," was all Bella could think to say, mentally and emotionally drained. "Anything else?"
"Just that she loved you so very much, Iz," Charlotte choked out. "You can't even imagine how over the moon she was when she found out she was having you."
"And she was a goddamn nightmare the months leading up to your first shift," Peter said with a laugh. "Worried you would, worried you wouldn't, knowing she'd love you regardless, but was terrified about how she could possibly keep you safe."
Bella sat up and smiled. "That sounds like Renee."
Charlotte and Peter nodded, grateful the meeting had ended on a happier note.
"Now, how about we get you some breakfast," Charlotte directed.
"Then we can work on getting you home," Jasper added. "I need to talk to Charlie a bit about his upcoming schedule and figure out what sorts of security measures could be added by us, at his work, our school, and our homes."
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Alice had walked into the Bering Sea from the outer edges of the Aleutian Islands and didn't stop until she hit Siberia. From there, she had spent over a month wandering Asia and Europe, hoping and praying that she would get a vision of her brother; her best friend. She had never been lonelier in her entire existence; not even the years she had spent alone after being turned and abandoned had compared to the pain she felt now.
Perhaps I must mourn, as humans do.
From her position in the snow-topped Swiss Alps, Alice turned her head to study the forest and mountains that surrounded her.
It's funny how the trees are all so tall when you're flat on the ground. Will I never be so tall again?
The tiny vampire closed her eyes, allowing fluttering flakes of snow to drift gently around her, covering her body completely in less than an hour.
I should have reached for them; I should have branched out to my family when I had the chance. It can't be too late.
Snow continued to pile, and Alice remained unmoving as the cold began to saturate every particle of her body. It permeated her very existence, until nothing else was left, leaving her mind wide open.
I can be patient, Edward, for you will make a mistake. Whatever you do is on you, and the information will pass from my lips to their ears. I will not allow you to cause any further harm to what's left of our family. It's the least I can do for them now.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Bella joined the lunch table the following afternoon, a deep frown on her face. "Sorry we couldn't go shopping for dresses this weekend."
"Dude, don't even worry about it–, with everything going on, I got a solid 'over my dead body, Angela Marie!'" Angela explained with a grimace that for a moment, looked relieved, as though she hadn't actually wanted to go.
"Not far off from what I got," Jessica chimed sadly. "All for the best, then."
"Well," Rosalie cut in as she took her seat, "worst case scenario we order a few dresses online to try and send back the ones that don't work?"
"That's not a bad idea!" Jessica said happily. "I mean, I'd have to have a pretty good idea of what I want, which is hard without seeing them, but it would be possible."
"I can help you pick if you'd like," Rosalie offered happily. "I have a decent eye for fashion."
"That would be amazing!" the girl gushed with enthusiasm. "Thank you!"
Angela stared at her tray for a few moments and said nothing.
That doesn't bode well.
Bella didn't pry but kept an eye on her friend. Something told her it didn't have anything to do with dress shopping.
The sound of her phone vibrating derailed her train of thought and she reached to check it.
We should talk. Can you come down to the rez this weekend with Charlie?
Also, Tala agreed to a meeting.
Jake
Bella gently nudged her mate to look at her phone. Jasper read the information in less than a second and frowned ever so slightly.
No one can protect me there. Though, I do seem to be able to shift when I get angry enough; perhaps self-defense would trigger the same response.
Jasper leaned into Bella's ear and whispered, "We'll figure that out later tonight, darlin'. I know you still need to gather whatever information you can about your mom."
Bella nodded, grateful that he understood how important this meeting could be in the chain of events unfolding to solve this mystery.
The table's conversation soon turned to the quickly approaching deadline to sign up for elective classes for the last quarter of the year.
"I got psychology for third period and am keeping my fourth period French, obviously," Jessica shared with her friends.
Rosalie looked excited. "I have psychology for third, too! Seniors have electives first and second periods, normally, but I opted to not take an AP class so I could learn something new."
Jessica looked happy to hear the news. "That's awesome! I'll be nice to know someone." Jessica turned to her girlfriend. "What about you, Ang?"
Angela looked down at the table with a frown. "I have Spanish third and art fourth."
Jessica looked both hurt and confused, something that Jasper picked up on immediately. "You, Bella?" he asked with a smile.
"Also psych for third," she answered with a grin. "And I'm waiting to hear back if there's room for me in fourth period Spanish."
The table exchanged confused glances, so Bella clarified, "I took it in Phoenix, but there wasn't room for me last quarter and the teacher didn't know where I was at in terms of skill because the lesson-plans differed."
"Are you behind?" Rosalie asked worriedly.
"Well, it turns out I'm ahead, thank goodness. It means that missing last quarter didn't impact me much."
"Phew!" Emmett interjected dramatically. "It would be so terrible if you had fallen behind and needed your boyfriend to tutor you for hours on end."
Bella rolled her eyes as, aside from Angela, the entire table burst into giggles at the insinuation.
Well, Angela seems off today. I should probably talk to her at some point.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Jasper studied the faces situated around the table in the War Room, thanking his lucky stars for each and every one of them.
"So, to recap the rotation: I will be with Bella in her home from sunset to sunrise. Nights will have either Emmett and Rosalie, Peter and Charlotte, or Carlisle and Esme on the outside, patrolling and watching for any changes around Bella's home.
"In the mornings, I'll ride with Bella and none of us will stray too far during classes. During the day, Peter, you keep tabs on Charlie from a distance, and Charlotte guards their home."
"What about Carlisle and Esme," Bella asked quietly as they weren't currently in the War Room to make sure the rest of house was safe while The Major plotted.
"Since Esme is normally here, between her and Carlisle, our home is guarded as well," Jasper explained.
Bella's head was swimmy from the information already, and she was very grateful that her vampire family had perfect recall, seeing as how she couldn't risk writing the rotation down.
"What has been decided about this weekend?"
Jasper looked to his second in command who simply nodded.
"You'll go with Charlie," Jasper reassured her. "Peter, Rose and I will wait near the outer borders.
Jasper debated with himself for a few more moments before continuing. "It's promising that you've been safe there before, and that Charlie hasn't had issues either. It's possible that our little friends don't like the wolves either."
Guess I'm going to La Push and hopefully, getting some answers.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \