The Major sat on the roof of the house, scratching at his neck absently and staring at nothing in particular, ever since the leader spoke to "Jasper" he had been feeling rather anxious about a lot of things, it was like each and every single one of those words had rattled his entire view of the world like an earthquake.
All his beliefs. Shattered .
The fact that he had done nothing but ask him if he was feeling better after coming down two days later after that stunt at school made it even worse.
That man terrified him. More than Miss ever did and he hated him for it. No one so nice had the right to exist let alone lead a coven. Being nice led to weakness and weakness led to the death of the entire coven.
This man was more stupid and dangerous than he himself was aware of. He was meant to protect his coven and still he let threats escape. His punishment's methods made him want to claw his face off and make him swallow it. Because what the absolute fuck was wrong with this man?
And the angel said this place was their safe haven? There was no safety whatsoever on a coven with no obedience or order in it.
None at all.
This place unnerved him more than he was willing to admit.
Esme was such a nice woman, her ability to love everyone around her was quite fascinating if he was being honest with himself, it sometimes made him wonder if she would love him too, if the love she had for Jasper would also be extended for him.
But he also knew that wasn't possible.
Much like the others he had felt it.
Her fear for him and her relief for his death.
No matter how much she loved those around her The Major was nothing but a monster.
The mind reader put him on edge. He was nice to Jasper but even he could tell he still had his reservations about him. He was smart. He knew Jasper still hid things.
The Major didn't like him. Didn't trust him.
And he knew the mind reader wouldn't hesitate to attack or speak against him if he was to find out how close The Major was to them.
Still.
The angel to his utter dismay favored the mind reader, thus by default he had to keep himself in control, he couldn't tear his head off.
Rosalie... she was a stunning woman who had quite the outstanding amount of vanity. She was nice to Jasper despite how much of a bitch she could sometimes act towards others, how much of a bitch she had been when they first arrived.
He had wanted to rip her head off and set it on fire. Force her to bend down to him and respect him. Even now, he still resented her, he didn't care if her hatred was born out of fear, that didn't gave her the right to treat others like shit.
Were she to find out The Major lived within Jasper he knew she wouldn't hesitate to give her back to them. Become a bitch once again.
Emmett... He liked Emmett. His emotions were like a peaceful heaven and despite how much of a threat he looked like he was actually stupidly inoffensive. Wrestling him had been eye opening.
His strength was out of this world and so similar to that of a newborn's he wanted nothing more than to train him. He wanted him to become as much of a lethal fighter as the angel. That strength and that size shouldn't go to waste. He could become this coven's most dangerous fighter if Jasper was to ever leave them.
But the angel told him not to. Jasper told him not to.
And as much of a threat as Emmett could be something told him he wouldn't give them his back if he were to find out the truth behind The Major.
He would be disappointed and feel betrayed but he wouldn't hate them...
Probably.
Hopefully.
With these Cullens he could never be sure. All of them seemed to care about Jasper. Yes.
But all of them saw The Major as nothing but a monster. A demon. The devil.
And part of him burnt with it. Because he hated to admit he had grown to like them quite a bit.
But all of them hated him.
The few times he had come out with no aggressive intent all of them had still feared him. Had gotten anxious. Alarmed. Nervous. Unsettled. Uneasy.
He would never belong here.
He tensed and growled at the sudden presence behind him. Fangs and claws retracting. He hated appearing as something he wasn't as much as he hated animal blood. It was demeaning and pathetic. He was a vampire meant to kill not to look defenseless! But the angel and Jasper wouldn't like it at all for the Cullens to catch a glimpse of his claws or fangs.
He glanced up at the invader and was met with Rosalie's face. Her emotions were... interesting. Curious. Calm. A twinge of courage. Weird .
She came to sit at his side and he put distance between them. It still unsettled him to have women that weren't the angel so close. He did touch Esme once but it was a spur of the moment. He didn't think he could ever do it again.
Still.
The oddest question he could have ever expected was thrown at him.
-What's your name?
-Have ya gone mental? Ya know mah name.- The Major said as a statement of fact. Rosalie gave an unimpressed look.
-No, I know Jasper's , but you aren't him, am I correct?
Smart.
But he wasn't about to give in. No one could know. No one could ever know he existed.
-No, ya ain't correct, what possessed ya ta believe such a thin'?- He was curious to know how had she figured it out considering not even the so called doctor had figured it out.
His answer was Rosalie reaching out to him. He reeled back with a hiss. She smirked at him before retreating her hand.
-Jasper hasn't hissed at people for touching him for over two years now, hasn't flinched back for over five. Also, your eyes, your voice, your accent, your body language and the fact that Jasper never touches his scars but you keep either touching or scratching them every two minutes.
The Major for the first time in his life was left speechless. This woman. Was it even legal for someone so beautiful to be that smart? He had never heard of someone having both qualities at the same time.
Still . No. He refused to let her win. So, for the first time in his life he forced himself to strain his very soul as he spoke.
-I am just in a bad mood, I have not fed yet, that is why my eyes are darker, what accent? I am from Texas anyways, I am sure having an accent is unavoidable, what body language?- Each word physically hurt to speak, he tried to smooth his voice down but maybe he overdid it, and keeping his hands to himself was proving quite the challenge when all he wanted was to do anything to get rid of the aching.
-You do realize he would never be caught dead speaking like that right?
Rosalie's answer was a glare before he returned his gaze back to the forest.
Rosalie couldn't help but stare at him . It had taken her quite a while to connect the dots but at the end she had managed and to be honest it was a wonder how Carlisle hadn't figured it out yet, how no one had figured it out yet.
That the so called "Dark Jasper" was not Jasper at all.
She had had her suspicions but after seeing him confront Maria and argue with Carlisle she had had her confirmation.
Jasper would have never back talked like that nor even used his gift to intimidate a human in the middle of the parking lot. Would have never slammed a door. That reckless behavior had nothing to do with the forever calculating mind of Jasper.
And while his stance was forever soldier-like "Dark Jasper"'s was an oddly yet perfect mix between relaxed and aggressive. His aura was heavy and cold, it submerged the world in absolute darkness and fear, shaking those around him to the core with his very eyes where the void itself resided. He was dominant and his sole presence demanded submission in exchange for one's life.
He looked at people as nothing but specks of dust that meant imminent death for him. His gaze forever cold and menacing. He was merciless and cruel. Cold. Detached. Arrogant. Brutal.
His voice was rougher and held something akind to an echo that made them hesitant to even speak back and Rosalie could bet that if he wanted he would make everyone very much kneel for him if he so much ordered it.
All about him screamed murder intent. Something to never touch let alone cross.
And he looked at Alice with an odd reverence. Almost as if she was the only being in this world who was worth forgiving for whatever bad deeds she was to ever commit.
That wasn't Jasper.
Him hissing at her had finished confirming it. Jasper had stopped hissing at people for touching him, he only did it whenever he was startled.
Also. Jasper would never be caught dead sitting so slouched let alone with his legs crossed like that, he sat as straight as a post, this one sat slouched and almost too carefree for comfort.
Almost as if he knew that he didn't need to be alert for he could bring whoever dared to attack him down before this one could even reach him. There was a confidence in him that put her on edge.
And he kept scratching at the scars, touching them, mostly the ones from his neck.
-So? What's your name?
-None of yer business.- He snapped back without sparing her a single look.
-You hate me.- It wasn't a question but a statement of fact.
-Yes.
Ouch.
-Why?
-Ya reminded him of Miss due yer emotions an' treatment towards him when he first arrived. Yer sole presence used ta make him nauseous. He wanted nothin' more but ta leave, he was terrified. But the angel would've been sad, so he forced himself ta be 'round ya. Hence, ah hate ya. He may have forgiven ya but ah dun't forgive. Forgiveness isn't mah thin'. Mah only job's ta keep 'im safe, once an enemy always an enemy.
Rosalie wasn't quite sure on how to answer to that.
The idea that she had reminded him of Maria. Maria . It made her nauseous and God had she been that horrible so as to remind him of his torturer? No wonder he had avoided her. Would tense whenever she glared at him.
She had reminded him of his abuser.
And God that was so not something she could have ever seen herself being seen as.
She had wanted him to leave so bad God. Little she had known he had also wanted to leave but hadn't done so due Alice.
-I never meant to hurt him.
-Ah know. But that doesn't make it any better.
-It was never my intention to make him remember her, I, had I known what I was provoking on him I would have stopped, I didn't want him here, yes, but I'm not heartless, the last thing I would ever do would be to remind someone of their abuser on purpose.
Her answer was a scoff.
-Believe it or not I do understand that kind of fear, that of seeing someone who reminds you of that one person that messed with your life.
-No one understands.
-I may not know the extent of it but I do know she did horrible things-
-Ya know nothin'!- The Major snapped. Anger and pain flaring inside him at the nerve of such condescending words. He was still weak and too anxious over the leader's attitude. The last thing he needed was to deal with an entitled woman who understood nothing.
Nothing!
No one could ever understand the amount of pain and darkness in their minds!
Horrible?!
-Ya think she did horrible things?! She did more than that! She tore us apart an' put meh back together over an' over an' over an' over again lac we were nothin' but a mere puzzle ta her an' if she was feelin' like it she would make us put ourselves back together! She set the newborns on us ta tear us apart when we couldn't move. She buried us an' starved us for weeks either as a punishment ta shut us up or 'cause it would make us better!
More like insane.
-She stabbed us with fire! Chained us! Beheaded us! Put fire over us a thousand times 'til it felt lac our skin would melt off our damn bones! She forced us ta fight even when it felt lac our skull was tearin' itself apart over the tumult of emotions 'round us!
He knew he should stop. That this was too much.
But he couldn't stop.
All that repressed anger and hatred and resentment and pain was pooling out of him and he couldn't make the words stop. He couldn't stop.
-We had ta kill all her newborns when their time was up. She made us rip 'em apart. Bite 'em 'til the venom paralyzed 'em. Use our gift on 'em ta the point where some of 'em had ta be put down 'cause their minds collapsed under the pressure. She touched an' kissed an' bit . An' ah couldn't even stop her! If she was in a good mood she would be better! If she was in a good mood she wouldn't lock us in her room!
She wouldn't touch him in their sleep. She wouldn't bite and cling and kiss. She wouldn't be there at all.
-Ah slept willingly with her so she would agree ta keep Peter! An' how did he repay?! The traitor left us there for some ungrateful skank! Ah dun't care if Jasper forgave 'im ah dun't forgive traitors! If it was up ta meh ah would've killed that son of a bitch a lon' time ago the same as ah would've killed ya! But ah cain't even do that! 'cause 'm not allowed!
He grabbed at his hair for there was nothing else he could do about the overwhelming heat in his chest. The rage and pain was consuming him from the inside out. Frustration. Panic. Fear. Hatred. More rage.
It was suffocating him. Blinding. Strangling. He was drowning in a pit of utter despair.
But most of all.
He was utterly and irrevocably terrified, for the first time in his life, he , was terrified.
Because all of this was too big. Too good. Too confusing. He wanted to go back to a nomad life where everything had been so much more simpler. All he had to do was kill everyone on sight to keep them safe.
But he couldn't have that.
Because that would lead Jasper to an imminent death. When the angel found them at that point Jasper rarely ever fronted, his voice growing quieter and quieter with each passing day.
And he knew that had the angel not found them when she did.
Jasper would have ended up killing himself.
Just like when Peter came back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rosalie knew as much as everybody else that Maria had been far from kind, an absolute bitch with no mercy or remorse whatsoever.
But she never expected to hear the kind of atrocities that spilled out of the enraged vampire's mouth. Each one worse than the previous one. She could feel the blazing rage in the air. It burnt at her skin and twisted her insides. The resentment. The hatred. The fear. The frustration. The panic.
She felt sick.
No wonder this alter was so aggressive and cruel. All he had ever known was pain. A pain no one should have ever have to know.
She could understand why would he resent those who betrayed him, a protector alter's job was just that, protecting . Everything around him was threatening, all of it nothing but possible ways on how Jasper could get hurt either physically or emotionally.
But if he was the protector how come Jasper had memories about the abuse?
Still. Focus .
-Look, I know your job is to protect him, I know that what I did was unforgivable, that I could have used less cruel methods to get him to leave but... I have never liked change, I know that doesn't excuse what I did. But you have to understand, that I would never hurt him on purpose, I would never wish to hurt him by reminding him of her .
That was the last thing she wanted him to remember.
He whirled around to give her such a blazing poisonous glare she felt a shiver run down her spine.
But she didn't even flinch when he stalked forward and grabbed her arms. Shoving her against the chimney with such force Rosalie heard it crack. He was growling and his eyes while red were so dark they looked like a storm of actual blood locked deep within the void.
And while in another scenario this would have made her kick him into next week she didn't move.
Not when that overwhelming sense of terror was drowning the place.
-My fiancee raped me.
He froze and his growling stopped, his grip on her arms loosing strength ever so slightly.
-He and his friends, and then he left me to die in the streets like a dog, Carlisle was the one who found me. I have a hard time trusting people around me, I don't like strangers, even more so if I think they may be a threat, this is my safe haven and despite it all this family is all I've got, I can't afford to lose them. I never meant to hurt him, and now that I know him, I can assure you that I would kill for him the same as I would kill for the rest of my family.
He stared at her.
And stared.
Almost as if looking for something. He must have found it because his glare disappeared, releasing her and stepping back with a frown. He still looked on edge but at least he was no longer broadcasting his emotions so Rosalie wanted to believe that was a good sign.
-Ya actually mean that.
-Of course.
He bristled at that before scowling and glaring. It was clear he wasn't used to someone being nice to him.
-I've no name. If ya tell anyone 'bout meh ya will be more than sorry.
He told as the others emerged from the forest. Rosalie watched him jump off the roof and unlike Jasper his landing was heard, like a whisper before death struck.
And he didn't go to Alice.
He waited for her to come to him.