Ever since the fight with the Volturi the line between territories had disappeared, allowing free access to each other's territories.
Jasper of course took this to roam around the preserve for it was in his nature to scout out new territories.
He liked the forest here. Much quieter and while the stench of dog was stronger he had grown used to it to a certain extent. He was walking back to the house when he caught it.
Blood.
Human blood.
His muscles locked as he came to a sudden halt.
Sniffing the air and feeling his throat be set ablaze when the wind brought with it a sweetness that slammed into him with the force of a tsunami.
He stumbled back as his throat closed. Shit. Shit. Of all places possible the worst to slip at would be in the wolves' land. He couldn't fuck things up like that. He needed to get away, needed to get away before it was too late, but his legs wouldn't answer to him. In fact.
Rather than escape, he finds himself drawn to the glorious smell of human blood. It doesn't take him long to come across an unconcious hiker. Her forehead bleeding. He crouched at her side and reached out to her but didn't touch. His throat threatening to melt down and his jaw so tight it feels like it will shatter at any second. Venom flooding his mouth.
But he is fighting. Fighting to pull back before he does something that could destroy their alliance with the wolves.
He manages to pull back and in a last attempt to stop himself from doing something stupid he bites his arm. Breathing harsh and gaze fixated on the dripping blood. His shoulders are shaking and he feels like he is burning from the inside out.
The burning venom in his arm allows him to at least get up but he can't do more. Can't move. Can't escape this. He is shaking and he can't move. He can't move. His control is about to shatter into a million pieces. He's gonna mess up. He's gonna ruin it all. He's-
The sudden stench of dog intensified and he choked on the horrible smell. He spun around in order to be met with the second worst shifter to come across in this situation.
Leah.
He wants to tell her that he didn't do it. He didn't hurt the woman. She was like that when he found her. But his voice won't come out. It won't come out. Their gazes hold for what feels like an eternity and something about her emotions feel like a whiplash that rattle him. Shock. Surprise. Confusion. Rage. Such an unadulterated blazing rage it slams into him like a tsunami. Burning his skin and making him snap out of his bloodlust.
And when she blinks he runs.
She doesn't follow him but he doesn't care. He needs to get as far from that glorious smell before it drives him mad. He needs to run. And run he does.
He stumbles as he takes a leap on the river that once upon a time marked the division of territories. Crashing as he lands on the other side. His breathing erratic and his throat burning. He had to calm down. Had to take deep breaths. Nothing happened. He hadn't messed up. Leah would see he hadn't harmed that human. He had done nothing wrong.
Jasper wasn't sure how long he spent sprawled on the ground staring at the swirling clouds above him but at some point he heard footsteps and a familiar scent reached his nose.
Alice came to a halt above his head. Her beautiful face blocking his sight of the clouds. A light frown adorning her face.
-Hi.- He greeted as Alice crouched down. Her fingertips tracing the fresh bite on his arm.
-You alright?- Her voice was soft as concern stained her emotions. He gave her a short nod before rolling on his stomach and bringing himself up on his hands enough to reach her and give her a peck.
She grabbed his arm as she pulled back refusing to let him lull her into forgetting about his arm.
-Why did you bite yourself? I thought we were past this Jasper.
-A reflex. Won't happen again.- Jasper told as he got up. Pulling her up with him and kissing her knuckles.- I promise.- He added as an afterthought when her concern didn't fade.
Alice stared at him for a moment longer before seeming to accept his words. She had been acting weird ever since the near fight with the Volturi and while she denied it he knew it had to do with whatever she had seen. Her obsession at finding Nahuel had been almost too much for it to be normal.
He got it.
She wanted to help the Cullens but there had been no need for her to be so obsessed over it. So anxious and angry about him refusing to stay behind with Nahuel and his aunt while she spoke with the Volturi. He couldn't understand.
-Have the wolves said anythin,?- Jasper couldn't help but ask after a moment. Alice gave him a confused look.
-No, why? Did something happen?
Alice's question was met with silence and Jasper avoiding her eyes, and she couldn't help but feel alarm hit her at that. She grabbed his face to get him to look at her.
-Jazz, what happened?
-There was a hiker- but I didn't hurt her.- He was quick to assure when the alarm grew and horror seized Alice's emotions.- I swear Alice. She was bleedin' an' unconcious when I found her. I didn't even touch her. But Leah saw me and- I didn't touch her. I didn't-
-It's alright. I believe you.- Alice cut off. The last thing she wanted was for him to panic right now.- We should go home. Just in case.
Because while Jasper had done nothing it was no secret how much Leah still didn't like them which was kind of odd since she had defended Alice and had been willing to give her life up for Esme in her vision.
But being careful never hurt.Leah had told Jacob once that she wished to imprint on someone, anyone, if that meant getting to forget Sam.
What she hadn't been expecting was to imprint on the worst choice possible. A friggin' blood sucker.
Because her luck was that horrible.
She had followed the stench of blood merged with one of those leeches. The stench of venom. She had seen the unconcious hiker with a bleeding forehead. Had seen the blood sucker standing there frozen in place.
He had turned around.
Their gazes met and she had felt it. The world stopping around her and her words catching in her throat. She couldn't focus on nothing but him. It was like the doors of a new world opening for her.
Shock and surprise were her first reactions.
Then confusion.
And when the world came back to her rage made its presence known as realization dawned upon her.
She had blinked and he was gone. She didn't follow after him as her instincts screamed at her to do. But this time it wasn't to rip him to pieces.
That bastard.
How come did she imprint on that? She had seen him a few times before. Why the hell now? Why him? How was it possible to imprint on a vampire?
The one with scarred skin and dangerous air who looked like he was planning mass murder. And on top of it all he was taken. Even if there was the slight chance of her agreeing to this unwanted bond she couldn't even have him.
What was the point of imprinting if she couldn't have him? She had wished to imprint in order to forget Sam but the leech was taken. The pixie was his mate. Leah didn't even like him. No matter what the bond said she didn't like him. Hell, she didn't even remember his name and he gave her the creeps. She remembers him fighting.
And that was another thing. Something about how he fought. The things he knew. It was almost as if he was holding himself back. She didn't want that thing.
But what was done was done. Even against her will Leah was now tied to that blood sucker. And she loathed it.
Even more so because she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret.
The pack knew.Edward was climbing the stairs when he heard Jacob's sudden change of thoughts.
The second he did so the second Edward froze and turned around to look at him.
-It's not on her. You know it.- Jacob was quick to say as he got up from where he had been playing with Renesmee.
-He's taken.
-So was Sam. Like I said. It's not like we get to choose. It just happens.
-What's wrong?- Carlisle asked confused at the odd conversation that had come out of nowhere.
-Leah's imprinted on Jasper.
Edward's words made silence obliterate the place.
-But he's with Alice.- Bella was the one who broke the silence. She knew there was no choice on the matter but still... Jasper was with Alice.
-She probably doesn't even know his name, why the hell would she imprint on him?- Rosalie's words were truth.
Leah had not even once spoken with Jasper and she had seen him before. Why would she imprint on him? And now? It made no sense at all.
-It just happens. She doesn't have to know him for it to happen.- Jacob reminded them.
As if that made things any better.
A shifter imprinting on a vampire shouldn't even be possible.
And while it didn't had to be romantic as proven with Jacob and Renesmee and the other wolf who imprinted on a child this was Jasper and Leah they were talking about.
Leah had softened a bit but she was still the most intimidating wolf to be around. It was no secret she still held her doubts when it came to being around vampires.
And Jasper? Well... It was basic knowledge that he lived for no one but Alice.
He had never, not even once, been seen interacting with the wolves. He kept his distance from them with an interesting obsession. The two times he had spoken to any of the wolves was when Victoria was bringing her army and to Jacob during Bella's pregnancy.
The idea of him and Leah having to interact at all sounded as foreign as it sounded odd.
And Alice.
How would she react to this?Turns out Alice reacted rather well about it. She didn't seem bothered and all she had said was that she liked Leah.
Jasper on the other hand had shown nothing but disinterest at the new information. As if he couldn't care less about it.
That had pissed Jacob off of course.
Jasper had ended up disappearing upstairs with his last words being "Not my problem."
In a sense it was true. He had all the right to be against it since it happened against his will. He didn't ask for it and thus he had no obligation to go with it.
But on the other hand Leah hadn't asked for it either. It had also happened against her will. It didn't take a genius to know how she must be feeling about it.
And something told them their peace was about to come to an end.Jasper was walking back to the house when he felt the presence. He had grown to learn the emotional signature of a few wolves.
Thus, he recognized who this was before he even saw her.
Leah.
She glared at him and he walked past her in return. There was anger in her emotions. Disgust. Hatred.
But there was also a sense of defeat.
It has been almost a week since he heard about the dilemma he was dragged in against his will and he had been more than happier to not see her again.
Jacob had said that she had been in quite the mood and not even Seth could sooth her.
Jasper could understand her rage.
He ignored her walking behind him. While turning his back to a wolf wouldn't be wise this one he knew couldn't touch him. Both because of her unwanted bond to him and also because he knew she liked Alice.
She wouldn't risk upsetting her.
As he got closer to the house he couldn't help but come to a halt as he picked on a familiar scent he had grown to resent.
Charlie.
The man had taken it to come visit a lot. And while he knew avoiding him wouldn't help him get used to his scent he couldn't help it. With Bella things had been different. She had known about them.
But Charlie didn't knew.
If Jasper fucked up the Volturi would hunt the man down.
And then Bella would hate him. And Edward for upsetting Bella. And Renesmee. And if he upsets Renesmee Rosalie would resent him. And then Emmett.
One single human would ruin him.
So he turned around. His mood dropping even more as he felt the stench following him.
Couldn't she go back to ignoring him?
How did Bella and Edward dealt with having their daughter stinking like a dog 24/7?
He found a log to sit at near the river. Pulling his phone out to send Alice a text.
Ever since the near fight with the Volturi Alice had been... paranoid. She had asked him to give her a warning beforehand if he was around the wolves. Why? He didn't knew. But it seemed to sooth her so he didn't mind doing it.
He felt Leah behind him. She was close but not close enough.
Was he now bound to have a mutt following him? Jacob spent a lot of time around Renesmee, an obsession, it was constant. And while what seemed to be blooming between those two was an odd sibling kind of bond he wasn't stupid.
Renesmee was a child.
She would grow viewing Jacob as an older brother. A best friend. She would never develop romantic feelings for him.
And he knew Jacob viewed Renesmee as a treasure. His protege. That would never change. The mutt would never cross the line even if he liked to get under Edward's skin using stupid comments.
The bond between those two would forever be platonic.
If Jacob ever dared to feel one single flicker of romantic love for her Jasper would make sure to kill him.
And he didn't care if that brought him the hatred from Renesmee herself or the Cullens. He wouldn't allow his niece to be groomed. He had seen Maria do it with the younger newborns and he refused to be anywhere near anyone who did something like that again.
Still.
Back to the issue at hand.
Leah was a woman, not a child. He had once overheard what Leah desired the most.
Imprinting so she could forget about Sam.
Sam who imprinted on Emily and didn't hesitate a second to dump Leah for her cousin.
But Jasper had Alice.
That meant Leah at the end didn't got what she most wanted.
He kind of felt bad for her but there was nothing to be done.
He met her glare when she circled him. Glaring back at her with the same intensity.
Just because he pitied her didn't meant he liked her.
He hated the dogs. Good allies. Yes.
But he couldn't for the life of him stand their stench when in close proximity. It was too nauseating for his taste. He didn't understand how could the Cullens be so fine with them around.
He felt her disgust wash over him and he bristled. Biting back a growl as he did so. What was her problem? She was the one who followed him and the one who imprinted on him, why then the need to act as if it was his fault or like she didn't want to be anywhere near him? No one was asking her to follow him.
Why-
His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when he felt a shiver run down his spine. Prickling pain flashing from his back up to his skull.
He bit down his tongue and looked away.
That was... not new. Odd but not new.
Ever since the near fight with the Volturi things had become... strange. He had flashing headaches at times. Shivers. Surges of heat across his veins. Phantom pains. Mood swings during particular moments... Alice worried but he was sure it wasn't something to be concerned about. He had never had great luck since he became a vampire.
He glared back up at Leah before getting up and walking past her.
Or he would have done so if a jolt of pain hadn't wrecked through his insides sending him crashing on his knees, he gasped more out of surprise than actual pain.
Fingers gripping his stomach as the pain rippled across his ribcage like a poisonous snake writhing inside him.
There was a voice somewhere above but he couldn't focus on the words. At least not right now. The emotions around were asphyxiating. It made his head swim.
And then there were hands.
His reflex was immediate. In a moment where pain was dominating him unknown hands did nothing but activate a fight/flight response.
He bit.