JASPER POV
Bella is doin' amazing. I always knew she would, but seeing her tutor Seth, juggle with college assignments and the part-time job she insisted on doing—not that I'm complainin', her bartenter uniform looks heavenly on her—is truly a marvel.
I've also been enjoyin' myself. Bein' back with my brother and sister is like comin' home after a war. A feelin' I'm all too familiar with. It also doesn't hurt that I can pummel Peter into the ground without worrying about any human in the vicinity, like I did when I was with the Cullens.
It also helps lettin' out some steam that I cannot yet… subject Bella to.
"Oi! Major, your girl is here!" Char's sharp voice rips me out of my thoughts. Sure enough, I can feel my love's emotions just at the edge of my consciousness. That means I probably have another five minutes of waitin'. Her car is faster than her old truck, but still not very suitable for country roads.
Typically I go to her apartment and we spend some time together, always on the weekends and some nights durin' the week. I also make a point to go visit her at her workplace—even force myself to drink some of the cocktails I ask her to prepare. Occasionally, though, she comes to us, like today.
Only three weeks separate us from the end of her first college year, and she's doin' amazing.
Not only am I excited about her progress but also at what is awaitin' us after the year is up. She has already said goodbye to her friends at the reservation, visiting for Christmas and New Year's Eve, her mother got her goodbye during a surprise trip I planned for spring break, and she is still in contact with her father. Phone calls, emails and video-chats have allowed them to remain close, and occasionally I even join. Even without my gift I can tell that both father and daughter are happy with how things are, and I can only hope that she'll be able to remain in contact with him even after her change. I know only that I'll help her regardless of her intentions.
There is also another thing that makes me both nervous and happy.
The weight of the ring in my pocket is scaldin', and despite all the pep talks Peter has given me on the subject, I can't help but feel immensely nervous about asking Bella such a thing.
Mind you, I have no plans of gettin' married if Bella doesn't want to. We can even simply exchange vows in the privacy of our home and have the rings as a reminder of our dedication to one another. Or we can celebrate the biggest wedding to ever grace this side of America. I just want Bella, and I know she wants me. I know it.
The why am I so nervous?
I put on my cowboy hat—the one I know Bella loves—and go down the stairs to meet my beloved.
My eyes take her in as soon as she steps through the door. Hair longer and shinier that even, eyes glintin' with happiness, she jumps into my arms as soon as our eyes meet.
Our kiss is passionate, as they always are, and it's not until Charlotte clears her throat that we separate. Her smile lights up her face and the redness on her cheeks is so beautiful I almost don't want her to become a vampire just so I could watch it for the rest of my life. Almost.
"Hello, my god" she says, leanin' up and kissin' the side of my neck, and a growl catches in my throat.
"Hello, my formidable goddess" I answer.
"Yeah, hello to us, too. You fuckers" Peter interrupts with his usual crassness. And cue, a slap from Char.
"Let them enjoy themselves" I hear her hiss between the sounds of Bella's giggles. "They haven't seen each other in weeks."
"Well, any news?" I ask Bella, steerin' her towards one of the sofas. I see in the corner of my eyes my brother goin' to fetch Bella somethin' to drink, and Char makin' herself scarce.
After successfully deliverin' the water, Peter smirks at us and exits the house and the lust in his emotions makes it clear what he wants to do. Preferably where I cannot hear.
"Nothing special, I just had the last lesson with Seth—he has improved much—and my lessons are nearly over. I can't wait for the semester to end."
"I'm happy you're happy, but are you not worried about your exams?"
"Of course I am, but according to my schedule and my syllabus in on par with pretty much everything. I hope it means all will go well."
I hurry to reassure her when worry takes over her emotions, "Of course it will, darlin'. You have been slavin' over them books for the entire year. I'm so very proud of you."
She curls in my embrace, and I kiss every bit of skin I can reach. I feel her hot skin under my lips, and with each contact of my cold body with her bare flesh she shivers and burrows in my arms further.
We stay in silence for a while, enjoying as we often do the love and adoration that flows between us and that I allow her to feel.
Time passes, and in the meantime, I work to gather up the courage to do what I have wanted to do since the moment I found out my Bella is my mate.
As observant as ever, my beloved turns to look at me with her brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"
I sigh. "You are too observant for your own good."
She chuckles, "Isn't that what got me entrenched in your world in the first place?"
"Our world, sugar. This is as much mine as it is yours. Soon it'll be even more true."
"I can't wait for my change" she smiles, "I know it will hurt, but what are three days of pain in the face of an eternity with you."
If anyone asks, I have never been more in love with this woman that I am now. "You flatter me, darlin'."
I burrow my face in her neck, pullin' her to me so she can fully sit on my lap.
A hint of mischief tints her emotions, and sure enough I feel her hips undulate. Straight over my cock.
I hiss, lightly bitin' her earlobe. "You play with fire my love."
"Maybe I don't mind the burn" she smirks.
I jump her right where we are.
And if Peter and Char return sooner that I though, and see us fuck in the living room, well, I don't really give a shit.
4 hours later
Bella is all but boneless. I carried her to my bedroom after our activities, and she soon fell asleep. Now, she lazily caresses my stomach, kissing the scars over my heart.
"You are still restless" she murmurs, her soft breath warming my skin.
I clench my jaw, rallying my strength. In my mind, memories of the past flash as quick as lightnin', memories of my days in Maria's army, of the years spent with the Cullens, the memories I have made with Bella as a human and during the fight along the Volturi.
My soul has healed after meetin' Bella and even further after the mergin' of my two halves. Here in the wilderness I am fully able to let myself go as I have never been able to before, and with my woman and my family by my side I feel almost invincible.
But if that's the case, why am I so nervous now?
"Jasper" she murmurs, "What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."
"I know, my love, but this is something I'm quite nervous about."
"Alright" she yawns, "Take your time."
Acceptance flows from her, and I cannot even begin to imagine what I have done to earn such a wonderful, beautiful, perfect mate.
I soon feel her fallin' asleep again, and I am almost relieved.
"You cunt, you better tell her soon or I'll tell her myself."
Peter's hiss from the living room is heard clearly by those with vampire hearing, but thankfully Bella doesn't stir.
"Calm down you fucker. I'll tell her when I see fit" I snarl back.
"Besides, she's asleep now" I continue.
I haven't got the time to bend my head and kiss Bella's cheek that a loud thump resonates from downstairs. Immediately Bella startles awake and the curses I say in my head would make Peter shrivel. That fucker.
"Oh, shit. I fell asleep, sorry" she rubs her eyes quite adorably.
"Don't worry, sugar. I don't mind watching you sleep."
"But you wanted to say something."
"Yeah" I sigh. Fucking stupid ass Peter.
I extract myself from her embrace, kneelin' on the bed in front of her. Bare as the day I was born and not ashamed of it. It seems fittin' that I should ask this while being nude. There are no barriers between us and there never will.
"My love" I say, and she raises herself on her elbows. I gulp unnecessarily. "I have loved you one way or another since the first moment I met you. You have held my heart in your hands and my respect for you for even longer."
Her eyes are wide, and a mixture of excitement, love and hope surround her and reassure me that this will go well.
"I know we are bonded by fate, our mating bond is yet incomplete but stronger than anything I have ever felt in my life. It would be my utmost honor and pleasure to be bonded with you even further."
I fish the ring from my bedside table and hold up the small brown leather box. An unusual choice for a wedding ring, but it fits us.
There are tear spilling from her eyes now, but she scrambles to sit up, and her eyes are wide with wonder when I finally open the box.
My heart is in my throat as I watch her examine the ring with trembling hands and brilliant eyes.
The ring is beautiful in its simplicity. A band of gold houses a one-karat diamond, with two smaller amethysts around it, but the true wonder is the decorations on the band. Engraved in the gold are flowers and small plants. On the inside of the band, the inscription 'my beloved' is clear as day. No doubt Charlotte's best work.
"Jasper this is beautiful" she says, tears still fallin' from her eyes before she raises them to me.
"I would be honored to become Mrs. Whitlock" she simply says, but those words are the most wonderful of music to my ears.
She'll take my name, the possessive part of my mind is incredibly happy with the notion, and the rest is still wonderin' about how the fuck I got so lucky.
I reverently slip the rings on her finger, and welcome her warm weight in my arms when she throws herself on me. We kiss each other senseless, and it's only her need of oxygen that makes us separate.
That and the fact that I barely have time to register a presence and throw some covers over our bodies before Peter barges in the room, holding a bottle of champagne.
Charlotte is hot on his heels, but not quick enough to stop the stupid asshole from jumping on the bed between me and Bella.
I kick him in the gut, and he barely has time to moan in pain before my Bella's laughter ring sin the room.
She looks radiant, my fiancée, and begrudgingly—still pinchin' Peter's ear—I have to smile too. She grabs the bottle from his hands and chugs a mouthful.
"To my engagement!" she yells, and my brother and sister echo the happy cry.
She seems comfortable in her almost nakedness, so I don't bother her with a shirt, but I use a cushion to cover myself before hoppin' out of bed and puttin' on some clothes.
"Charlotte, you made this ring didn't you?" she asks.
My sister nods, a bright smile lightin' up her face. "Yes, my best work yet if I do say so myself. Took me a while, but I wanted to make sure it was the best there can be."
Bella smiles brilliantly, goin' to hug her. "Thank you. I'll be proud of wearing a ring you made."
Eyes shiny with venom tears and with pride, contentedness and deep affection, Charlotte returns the hug.
Both Peter and I smile at the display of affection, but then he frowns. "What do you want to do with the wedding? I mean, are we havin' a bit thing or what?"
Bella bites her lip—my eyes zeroin' on the movement—and says "I don't want a big affair. I was actually thinking of marrying and sealing our vows or whatever we do with the bite to change me. We obviously can't bring dad or my mother, but I suppose if you want we can invite the Cullens. And maybe send a notification or something to the Volturi so they know I'm to be changed."
I nod, "Sounds like a plan, and then if you ever change your mind in the future we can have another marriage, like Em and Rose do."
"Well, actually it would be an actual marriage. I was thinking about having a more symbolic celebration, not an official one if you agree? I don't think it would be convenient for me to change identities now. After I'm changed I'll continue college through online classes so my change won't be a problem, and we can change officially my identity after the public wedding?" she asks.
"Whatever you desire, darlin'."
"Then we'll do like this: after my exams we'll have the ceremony, then the change and then my second year. For the ceremony we'll invite the Cullens and send a notification to the Volturi, not an invite though. I don't think having too many human drinkers will be wise. We already have the three of you and more could be cause of concern. We can go visit them after my change."
"What about your diet?" Peter asks, stealin' the words right outta my mouth.
"I think I'll try them both, but if I decide to hunt humans I'll only do criminals like you do, unless I meet my singer."
"You don't want us to stop you n case you meet your singer, even if it's innocent?" Charlotte sounds surprised.
Bella shrugs. "I'm grateful that Edward was able to control himself, but by what I've been told the hunger is incredibly painful and I have no desire to increase my suffering by attempting to resist. Naturally, if it's in public I'll need your help but I'll definitely indulge. I have respect for human life, and I hope I'll carry that through my change, but I have respect for my own life and wellbeing too."
"Good to know. We'll respect your wishes, and if you don't remember them after the change we'll work to make you remember" Peter says, with uncharacteristically seriousness.
"Speaking of" Bella turns to look at me, "Rose told me there is a way to remember one's human life. Can you help?"
"Of course, sugar, I'll stay by your side and talk to you about your life. What I don't know I'll make your remember."
She frowns. "How will you do it?"
"Well, a lot of memories are lost because during the change because there is no stimulus that forces the memory to the forefront of the mind, and they are lost to the burn. Or so Carlisle says. But if I manage to stimulate your mind enough to remember those memories will be engraved in your vampire mind as well."
She hums, "I'd like to remember my mother and my father, I have no specific memories from my childhood I'd like to retain, just their presence in my life. Oh, and also my vacations to the rez. The obviously I need you to remind me of everything from the moment I came to Forks up until now."
"As good as done."
Two months later
And to think I was nervous to ask Bella to marry me. That's nothin' compared to what I'm feelin' now.
Bella and Charlotte are gone with Alice and Rose to prepare for the ceremony, while Peter is with me. The rest of the Cullens is finishin' settin' up the area where Bella has decided we'll perform the bonding ceremony as she calls it.
Essentially, we'll simply recite vows of devotion to one another and then I'll bite her. The Cullens are set to depart a day after the ceremony, during Bella's change. We have decided to have only the family close to her after she awakens. It kind of jarred me to realize that when I think of family I now don't include the Cullens, but it feels right.
"Are ya ready? The ladies will be done soon" Peter says, fixing his shirtsleeve.
The both of us were wearing shirts, his tan and mine white, and elegant pants. We decided to keep it simple and avoid any accessory except for our hats. I had no idea what Bella was wearin', but the dreamy expression on Alice's face as she saw a vision of it hints at it bein' somethin' good. Not that Bella could ever look ugly in my eyes.
"Yeah" I swallow my nervousness. "Let's go."
The place Bella has chosen is a few miles behind our house, the valley at the foot of a couple of small hills, if they can even be called that. A piece of brown fabric covers the soil where we will perform the ceremony. A few green cushions are already spread around to serve as cushions, not that any of us will need it, but Alice insisted. Several vases of white flowers also litter the empty space between the cushions.
Two brown cushions face one another, indicating where me and Bella will sit, a bit separated from the others so they can observe. The sun has nearly set by the time Bella's heartbeat can be heard.
My nerves spike but the overwhelming amount of love I feel pourin' from Bella keeps me grounded.
We all get up, everyone dressed in shades of brown or beige, and when I spy Bella, my breath catches in my throat.
She is an absolute vision. Her long hair is braided in a crown on her head, like the goddess she is, and a few lilies are behind her ears, the petals as white and delicate as the dress she wears. Long and flowy, it looks like she is being hugged by liquid pearls.
Her smile is blinding, and I cannot keep myself from smiling back at her.
My rings is the only jewelry she wears and I have to hide the way my chest puffs in pride at seein' her lookin' like this. My Bella, my mate, all mine.
Once Bella is sat in front of me, the rest of us sit too, and we begin.
I ca genuinely say with certainty that I remember nothin' of the ceremony. Genuinely nothin'. It's only by muscle memory—after all I repeated my vows in the privacy afforded by my hunts for several weeks—that I am able to say what I'm meant to say. And I can teel by the mischievousness in Bella's eyes that she has realized that too. Hel lips curl with amusement and I need to shove down the urge to pounce her.
Doesn't also hurt that Edward looks entirely uncomfortable with the directions my thoughts are goin'. Jesus, didn't he and his mate have sex? That earns me a glare.
Bella's words lull me into such a contented state I must look like an idiot on the outside. No matter, I'll soon claim my mate and that's worth any teasin' I'll have to face, probably from Peter. I might also just punch him and get it done with.
Her hand is suddenly in mine, and I feel her lips comin' to kiss the ring Charlotte made for this specific occasion. With the same engravings as Bella's, my ring has no gemstones, but I'll be damned if it's not the most precious thing I've ever owned.
"I'll love you even when the bones in my body have turned to ash and long after that" she says, her eyes sparklin' with adoration.
I kiss her ring in return. "I'll love you until my mind is no more, and then I'll love you with my heart. It'll forever belong to you" I answer, concluding the ceremony.
I can hear Esme sniflin' in the background and even Emmett looks a bit chocked up, but all of them fall in the background as Bella's lips fall on mine.
Our kiss is slow and sweet, the tender love from our families and our own devotion overwhelm me, and I cannot help but project it to Bella, lettin' her feel it too.
Her answerin' smile is blindin'.
"Are you ready?" I ask her.
"I have been ready since I first met you, my beautiful god" she whispers, her forehead against mine.
I kiss her throat, and when I feel her arms embracin' me, I finally bite in her neck. I don't even feel the taste of her blood, consumed as I am by the delight at her being finally, totally mine.
"Then I'll be honored to have you join our world, my beautiful goddess of war" I whisper reverently, lookin' at her serene smile before the pain overtakes her.
I hate myself for the pain I am causin' her, but I know that's what she wants. She has always been meant for greater things, and I a more than content at being able to be with her as she does them, right by her side where I belong.
THE END
I have no excuse for how long it took me to finish this fic, but I hope that you're all pleased with my story. I know that my English is not perfect and I plan on editing, slowly but surely, my fics to make them more pleasing to read. I plan on expanding also on AO3, with this same username if I can, so if you catch sight of somthing similar it might very well be me. That, however, will be in the future.
Thank you for accompanying me on this journey! Know that each one of your reviews, PMs and Favourites/Follows has warmed my heart and made me smile. Thank you.
[A/N: I imagined Bella's dress to be a Fanny Liautard 2012, it's probably the first one that'll come up when you search for it.]