I had risen from the water with Emmett, easily relocating the herd I had been tracking before. It was a frightening thought at how easy this all was. How easy it would be to drain Alice. To relish in the warmth of her lifeforce, feeling her pulse slow, visible just under her pale flesh.

I let out a roar before banishing the thoughts from my head. I found myself effortlessly taking the herd before Emmett even arrived. The taste made me flinch, but not as much as the thought of Alice's emotions while she lay in my arms dying.

We found our fill before returning to the stream to rinse off. Esme always had a fit when we came home less than proper. It was obvious that she did not approve of our games or carelessness or even disregard for the animals. It was a necessary trade off for our chosen lifestyle and she should have been more than acquainted with the thought by now.

If we were to ignore our instincts and force ourselves upon this wretched diet…if you could even call it that…we needed a compensation for our animalistic tendencies.

Emmett raced back towards home, drying any remnants of wetness from his remaining clothes before his arrival. I had discarded my clothing in the ravine and thought better than trying to salvage any of it.

Instead of facing the wrath of our maternal influence, I approached the side of the house, easily pushing off of the ground and landing in the tree nearest my window. I leaned toward the home; hand grasped firmly around the strongest limb. I glanced in, assuring Alice wasn't in use of the room. Satisfied of its emptiness, I pushed the window to the side, launching myself into a low crouch on the bedroom floor.

I straightened myself and made my way to the closet. I stared at the vast wardrobe not feeling worthy of any of its contents. Alice had hand selected most of the attire, forecasting several decades worth of fashion trends. Rosalie had also lent her hand at updating several pieces, but none of it felt right. I ran my hand through my hair once again, leaving it to rest on the back of my neck. I glanced in the mirror across the closet. Finally satisfied that I had successfully removed the blood from myself I brought myself to making the choice of attire.

Just then I had realized my lack of attention was a drastic mistake. Alice had appeared in front of me suddenly, only announced by her lustrous and surprised emotions. Her eyes raked my body thoroughly.

I rapidly turned myself from her, folding in on myself in the process. A soft warning growl erupted unconsciously as she approached me.

Alice walked slowly towards me; hand outstretched. She placed it softly on my shoulder, sliding it around to my chest; examining each and every crescent upon my monstrous skin.

I was most taken aback when she ducked under my cowering head, hugging me tightly. I rather enjoyed the feeling of her warm and smooth skin on mine. Still in her towel, slightly damp, I felt closer to her than I truly deserved.

I pulled back from her ever so slightly, only enough to meet her gaze. My brows furrowed; I could feel myself beginning to calm under her touch. Her delicious golden eyes and full bosom perfectly on display.

She reached her hand up to caress my face, all the while issuing a "sush".

It was then when I felt it. It was viciously cold in contrast with her warmth. I snatched her hand off of my face, examining it closely, hoping to be wrong.

"What the hell is this Alice?" I growled yet again.

She cowered backwards forehead creased tightly in worry, tears forming in her eyes.

"I.." she stammered, trying to pull her hand from my grasp.

I was brought back to the forest, the bully tom forcing that lioness into ungodly circumstances.

"You think this is all a silly game don't you Alice. You think that this is the game of life where we all can have happy endings? Is that it?" I yelled.

"No…I just…I didn't think you,"

"No! You absolutely didn't think! I'm not to be trusted Alice!" I roared at the top of my lungs.

"I think of killing you Alice. You want to know more about me…about my past?" I mocked her. "You think you do, but you can't fucking handle it! I can't…" I murmured to myself turning now from her. Tears had begun spilling constantly down her cheeks.

I spun back to her, driving my point home… What was my point?

"Even now Alice," I whispered. "The family is outside of that door right now…because I can't fucking be trusted Alice!" I threw my hand up in their direction.

"You want this happy family, with a loving and protective husband. Well guess what, I wanted our forever! I wanted you every single night since even before the moment I knew of your existence. But you were selfish. You made the choice to leave me…You made the choice to do everything on your own." I slammed my hand down on the central counter in the closet, feeling it crumble beneath.

"Now look at you…A fragile little pathetic human." I finished with a whisper now directly in her face.

She whimpered then, but planted her feet firmly before beginning.

"How dare you Jasper. You know exactly what the hell I went through for you. Even I know, and I have only a partial glimpse of what happened. You think I'm this doll. Something to be handled and coddled so gently. But then you talk to me like that? That's not you Jasper…" She trailed off. "I'll prove it…Not for me, but for you Jasper. I'm not fragile…nor am I pathetic." She spat.

Her voice hadn't waivered once, nor had it raised above a murmur.

I had become increasingly aware of the family's presence now inside the room. Bella was at Alice's shaking side. She narrowed her eyes at me before looking to Alice for permission. With a wordless nod, Alice was hugging Bella's neck and was vanished from my sight.

"Son, a word…" Carlisle's disapproving tone echoed over my shoulder.