Jasper let lose a growl at this news and in an instant Janet was in front of him, holding him. At that same instant the wolves formed a barrier around Leah. Janet forced Jasper's face down to her so she could look into his eyes.
"No papa, she is my mate" Janet pleaded since she knew Jasper wanted to hurt her mate. The rest of the Cullens came to stand behind Jasper and Janet just in case.
Leah stood behind her pack in complete shock and could not do more than stare at the beauty that was Janet Whitlock. Her long blonde curls brushed the middle of her behind while the hazel eyes of melted honey seemed to envelope you in nothing but raw emotion.
" Papa please if you kill her, you kill me" Janet explained and clutched Jasper's middle in a desperate attempt to make him understand. Jasper looked down to the light of his life with wonder as she clung to him with such despair. His non beating heart broke at the sight of his little girl in such a state because of him. With a sign of resignation Jasper wrapped his arms around his child.
" It's alright darling, I won't" Jasper said as he laid his head on hers and inhaled her scent just to let his inner demon know she was still with him.
" Seth is right, what now?" Edward asked the question on Seth's mind as Jasper and Janet stayed in each others arms. Since this had never happened it had really left everyone in shock and without answers of any kind.
" Let us continue with the training. We will figure this out at a later time" Carlisle answered and motioned for Jasper to take over the training. It was such a surprise that the always calm and collected Carlisle couldn't come up with anything to say.
As Jasper stood in the middle of the clearing to teach his family as well as the wolves, Janet took up position flanking his right. He knew his daughter craved to approach her mate but even without his powers he could tell Leah was too unstable. After almost two centuries of being alone Janet had to find a mate in an enemy. Jasper didn't know what to think but that was a topic for another time.
Janet decided on not partaking in the training on this day since her father was more than qualified to teach about fighting newborns. She focused on the gray wolf that was a tad bit smaller than all the rest. If her heart was still able to beat it would have skipped a beat when her mate turned to look at her with those beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Everything inside her screamed to go to her but the fear and panic in those brown eyes glued her to her spot.
Leah didn't know what to do at the moment, when she saw Janet looking almost desperately at her. How could a lee- vampire be her imprint? She couldn't even insult her without it physically hurting her. Her whole world revolved around Janet now and she wanted nothing more than to go to her but she couldn't... could she? It was insane! The center of her existence was the very thing that took her father's life.
" Go Leah, you're not going to feel any better if you don't get away to clear your head" Sam told Leah through their mind link.
Without having to be told twice Leah took off into the woods and didn't stop until she completely alone. She shifted back in mid run and tumbled to a stop near a cliff. A cry of anger and frustration flew from her mouth as she stayed kneeling on that cliff's edge.
Janet watched as her mate ran from the clearing in obvious despair. It broke her heart to know she was the cause of that despair. The wolves watched her and her family closely and so she closed off her emotions and turned into the stone killer the wars had trained her to be. Her mate would come around eventually and if not then Janet would watch over her from a far.
She turned and watched her father and Alice spar. It was a mix of emotions for her to watch them. For years it had been them against the world. Well mostly against Maria since she was the greatest obstacle in their lives. Janet didn't trust any body with her father's heart since Maria had used it against him for so long.
Alice had just showed up in his life when she wasn't with him and then everything was sunshine. Janet had fought with her father so many times because Alice tried to act motherly and Janet wasn't ready. So in the end Janet left to avoid problems and came for visits. Now with her mate here Janet planned to stay but she would have to play nice with Alice or face a lifetime of fights with her father.
" Janet" Jasper called from his spot in the center of the clearing. It was a well known fact by the family that Jasper trained Janet but Jasper wanted the wolf pack to see she was not one to be taken lightly. She might be Leah's imprint but he didn't trust them not to try and hurt her.
Janet walked slowly forward with a predatory smile slipping onto her face. She hadn't had much practice since her last visit to her father. This was going to be very fun.
Leah stood and looked over the water crashing against the earth. It had been a while since she left but she couldn't find answers or anything and it was frustrating her to no end. With every second she spent away a new cell in her body craved to be near Janet.
She closed her eyes and saw her father's face and her heart broke but what broke her more was the fact that her father would not have run from the problem. With that on her mind she shifted into a wolf and ran back to the clearing in hopes that she could figure this out.
As soon as she stepped into the clearing she noticed something was up with the pack since they were all in edge. She made her way to the front and was shocked to see Janet pinned to the ground by Jasper. A roar ripped through her throat as she lunged forward to aid her imprint.
A lot happened in that instant that it was hard to keep up with it all. The pack came up behind her but didn't know whether to help her or not since Alice had told them not to interfere. The Cullens had moved forward to make a wall in front of Jasper and Janet. A lot of chaos.
Janet to charge and pushed past her family and flung herself at Leah. Leah was running on pure instinct at that moment and instantly crouched around Janet to protect her. They all watched as Janet spoke softly and caressed Leah to calm her down. Slowly, Leah stood and allowed the rest of the clearing to breath a sigh of relief.
" That's enough for today" Jasper declared as he watched Janet continue to speak softly to Leah. It was probably too tense between the two sides to try training again.
"They want to get our scents so they don't get confused during battle" Edward said and motioned for everyone to stand in the middle of the clearing.
Janet jumped on to her feet and pulled on Leah's ear with a giggle as she ran from the playful nip Leah tried to give her. It seemed Leah had given free reign to her wolf instincts. The wolves knew she would not be so playful towards Janet had she been in her right mind. Janet danced to the others and left Leah behind to gather her thoughts. She knew Leah was not all there so it was best to give her some space.
" Papa" Janet beamed up at Jasper as she came to stand in front of him. Jasper couldn't help but smile at her even if she did smell like wet dog now. It would take his some time to come to terms with a mutt having his little girl. It took a lot of his control not to kill the mutt when she was wrapped around Janet. But the fierce protection that Leah showed without hesitation was what earned her points with Jasper.
" Hello Janet" Alice greeted from Jasper's other side as she watched the girl she saw as a daughter sway to the music only she could hear most likely.
" Hello aunt Alice" Janet returned the greeting but as always refused to acknowledge Alice as a mother figure. It was a great feat in itself that she even acknowledged her at all. A few decades ago she hated Alice for taking her dad from her.
A soft bark alerted Janet that Leah wanted her attention. With a beaming smile Janet turned to see that she was next for the pack to get her scent. It was strange for her to do this but she at least got to be with her mate for a small moment.
" I'm here" Janet said enthusiastically as she came to a skipping stop in front of the wolves. Though she knew they were her enemy she couldn't help but find them cute. They reminded her of the dog she had during her human life.
" They want to know if you can shift into anything else or just a child" Edward told Janet for the wolves. Janet shrank to her child form and sat cross legged in front of Leah. Leah became more protective instantly now that her mate was in the form of such vulnerability.
"I'm afraid just a child is the extent of my shifting abilities. It was weird the one time I tried for something else so I like to be a child whenever I can. But if you would like I can shift back" She explained as best she could without giving too much of her past away.
Sam nodded his head for her to shift back since it was making them all uncomfortable to see a vampire child. Janet smiled and shifted back before them causing Paul to growl at her. Leah growled a warning at Paul and stepped in front of Janet.
" It's alright" Janet said softly to Leah and laid a hand on Leah's neck to stop the fight. Leah immediately stopped and let the others proceed to get Janet's scent.
Seth was impressed that someone could calm down his sister so easily. He came up to her and without warning licked her. Janet let out a surprised gasp before letting lose laughter that spread to the other Cullens except Edward and Rosalie.
" It's time to go darling" Jasper said and held his hand for Janet to take. He was a good couple of feet away since he wasn't comfortable approaching Leah. The others had already began to go their separate ways. The wolves to the south and the Cullens to the north.
Leah and Janet stood in the middle not wanting to leave each other. A whimper slipped from Leah's mouth as she nuzzled into Janet's neck once more. Janet hugged Leah around the neck in a goodbye that was almost physically painful.
" You will see her again" Jasper reassured Janet as they walked away from the wolves who were ushering Leah away.
" But I don't even know what she truly looks like" Janet told her father as she looked back once more and locked eyes with Leah.
Leah felt like she was being ripped away from her soul as she watched Janet disappear into the forest. Those golden eyes full of longing seared themselves into her mind.
My imprint