The ride was spent in absolute silence.
Sam at the end had seen fruitless to attempt to stop them.
Jasper looked down at his hand. His head was still aching and drowsiness was around the corner but he tried to ignore it. Right now all he could focus on was on Carlisle's odd emotions; worry, confusion, denial, wariness, more confusion, doubt, fear?
There had been anger in the wolves. What had happened? Why had the wolves insinuated wanting to keep him? Why would they do that? They didn't even like vampires, why would they want to keep one? Him? He had done nothing lately that could gain him such unwanted attention from those mutts.
Then Carlisle decided to turn the car off.
Silence reigned for almost five minutes.
If Jasper was being honest this whole attitude from the man was starting to freak him out a bit.
-Is-
-Jasper.- Carlisle's voice was hard. Serious. Too serious. It made his muscles lock as a flicker of panic seized his chest.
-Yes sir?- He asked looking at him. Carlisle didn't look at him. His lips were tight as he stared forward. Fingers gripping the steering wheel a bit too tight. There wasn't anger. Not irritation. Nothing but uneasiness. Confusion. Wariness. Confidence.
-Do you remember what happened last night?- Carlisle's question made Jasper frown.
-I...- He tried to fight for something, anything. But he couldn't for the life of him remember.- No.- He ended up conceding with a defeated sigh.
-Jasper, if I were to ask you something, would you answer me with the truth?
-...You know there are things better left unknown. I can't-
-How did you find out about vampires when you were human?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be honest?
Carlisle could had taken the biting and the hits when Jasper got all aggressive last night. Losing him had been nerve wrecking and Sam's call had almost come from Heaven.
Hearing from Edward the kind of thoughts he had had last night...
Memories.
Of someone telling him to not trust the "blood feeders". That a creature with no heartbeat is nothing but a demon wearing the skin of the deceased. A woman. Not Maria. Not a vampire.
Then the revelation Sam threw at him...
His hair had white highlights.
And he had a heartbeat.
It was faint but it was there.
Much like the blood flowing through his veins.
But he still smelt like a vampire despite the acidic mix in it. His eyes were still light orange. His state made no sense at all.
-That's not important at this point, is it?- Jasper told with a frown.
-Jasper, I'm just trying to understand.
-Understand what?- What was Carlisle aiming for?
-Just answer, please?- Carlisle requested. He refused to believe Sam's words. It just wasn't naturally possible for a werewolf to be turned into a vampire, but why would he lie?
And how could he explain Jasper's current situation? But not even that explained a thing to begin with.
-... My parents told me about 'em, much like they warned me against werewolves and generally any supernatural being. They were... maybe a bit too paranoid. Or maybe not considerin' how I ended up.- Jasper conceded staring down at his hand.
Carlisle for his side couldn't help but frown. If he had been warned against werewolves too it wouldn't make sense for him to be one. Why would his parents warn him against their own kind? Unless they hadn't been his biological parents?
Jasper never spoke about his human life before becoming a soldier. Never failed to give a new version behind the reason for him to want to enter a war at 17. Lie about his age. How did someone become a Major at 18 without much experience or bloodshed? How could a teenager trick a whole bunch of people into believing he was old enough? Why would he go through so much trouble just to get into the army?
There were way too many mysteries surrounding Jasper.
-How did they know about those creatures?- Carlisle questioned. Humans couldn't just know about supernatural beings.
-... They may or may have not practiced magic.- Jasper muttered refusing to meet Carlisle's gaze. He didn't like remembering that. It reminded him of the reason behind his escapade. Even now it made his chest burn whenever he remembered his parents' whispers.
Their whispers about hurting him.
His mother had been against it but his father had been so adamant. The same people he had loved so deeply, same ones he was so sure loved him.
They had been plotting to hurt him.
-Magic?- Carlisle repeated. That... didn't make sense. Werewolves didn't do magic. He had met his fair share of witches to know that a creature whose being was cursed couldn't do magic. But then that would mean...- Can you show me your back?- His request got him a funny look.
-I'm sorry?
-I just want to see something.- Carlisle appeased. Jasper didn't seem convinced but still did as requested. Turning his back to Carlisle and letting him pull his shirt up.
His back much like most of his skin was littered in scars. But even then Carlisle managed to find it right where he knew it would be.
Sam was right.
The Labonair birthmark.
Right on his shoulderblade.
How did he not know of this until now? But to be fair Jasper had never been someone to take his shirt off during their trips to the beach or the lake. And while Alice may know about it she probably didn't even knew the meaning behind it, not many would. Much less considering werewolves were at the edge of extinction, courtesy of the Volturi.
But it didn't make sense. How did Maria managed to turn him? If he was a descendant from a werewolf... In fact. If he was a descendant from this particular bloodline there could be trouble were the Volturi to find out about this.
Not that there wouldn't for the sole fact that this was even possible.
But this mark...
-Jasper... do you know anything about this mark?- He questioned. If his suspicions were right he may not.
-... No. But my parents once told me that no matter what, I should never take my shirt off infront of anyone. But I don't think that was enough...- He wasn't sure why he even said that last statement. Carlisle's emotions... He knew something didn't he?
-What does that mean?
-... The truth is that I didn't wanna be a soldier. But I'd nowhere else to go. I heard 'em arguin' once. He wanted to burn my skin off, said that it would be safer, no one could be sure that someone wouldn't see my back sooner or later... I guess I freaked out. So I ran.
Carlisle wasn't sure what to make of that. Burn his skin? As in to burn the mark off his skin? That... Carlisle wasn't sure he could judge. Because in a sense that man hadn't meant ill. All he had wanted was to protect his son.
But if he had had to go to that length. Magic. There was no doubt. Jasper had been adopted. Had they put spells on him to bind his werewolf's side? But if that was the case why would it break now? It made no sense. And what did that meant then? Was Jasper going to die?
-Is somethin' wrong?- Jasper questioned turning to look at Carlisle. He could feel the man's anxious emotions. Concern.
And Carlisle's look didn't settle well with his stomach. Much less the man's next words.
-We need to talk.
~~~~~~~~~
Jasper laid on the bed staring at the ceiling and picking absently at the buttons of the shirt he had changed into. They had arrived earlier to the house but he still couldn't quite find it in himself to face anyone.
Much less when he knew Carlisle had to be talking to the others. Explaining to them what he had found out thanks to Sam. He had been too much of a coward to be present. Thus. He hid in his room.
He felt... faint.
Werewolf.
He was... or had he been? Or still was?
Werewolves.
He had never encountered one but he had heard enough about them to know that that was the last thing he wanted to be related to. Had his parents known? Of course they had done. Why else would they obsess over him hiding his mark? Why else would they get so anxious every single full moon? Refuse to let him out during those nights? Why else wouldn't they find unnatural for him to be stronger and faster than average? Or why he was so freakishly tall for a 17 year old?
He had always known that he was adopted but to think that a couple of witches had been willing to adopt a werewolf...
What was he now? Vampire? Werewolf? A freaky hybrid? Could a werewolf even be a vampire? Would he die? And what would the wolves do about this? They had wanted to keep him hadn't they? Shapeshifters and werewolves were despite all tied to each other. But he didn't want anything to do with the wolves. It was bad enough that Leah had imprinted on him. Was this why she imprinted on him?
He couldn't for the life of him understand a thing. Would he be forced to leave? What about Alice? Did he had to leave her? He didn't want to leave her. Not now, not ever. He wouldn't be able to survive without her.
But he was changing. What if it came to a point where he hurt her? Werewolves were mindless beasts, unlike shapeshifters. What if he hurt her? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he were to bring harm to her.
He had already hurt others, would Carlisle ask him to leave? Even if the man had assured him that everything would be okay he found it hard to believe.
Renesmee was an hybrid, but her other half was human, harmless, kind of, considering the blood in her body she was stronger than the average vampire.
But his other half wasn't human. It was a mindless monster known to slaughter all of those around them whenever the full moon rose.
One of the most dangerous creatures to ever walk the Earth. A cursed beast.
The sudden incoming footsteps caught his attention and he didn't need his sense of smell or even his gift to figure out who it was. He rolled on the bed and buried his face against the pillow. He didn't want to face her.
The bed sank at his side and soon he felt a weight rest on his shoulder.
-You don't have to hide from me Jazz.- Alice called and when he turned his head to look at her she kissed his cheek.- I love you.
She didn't want him to hide from her. He had done nothing wrong. This... She wasn't sure how would things go all things considered but she hoped they could find some way to fix it. Maybe the wolves would know? If they had wanted to keep Jasper it was maybe because they knew something?
She laid down at his side. Gold against orange.
His hand came to rest against her cheek and even without his gift she was able to feel the love and gratefulness emanating from him. From those beautiful eyes she had grown so familiar with.
His scent didn't bother her as much now. She refused to let that scent bother her.
-How are you feeling?- She questioned. He shrugged before beginning to stroke her cheek.
-Sam wanted me to stay.- He felt the need to say.
-Do you want to stay with them?- Alice asked genuinely curious. Jasper frowned.
-No.- He pulled her into a hug and buried his nose into the crook of her neck.- I only wanna stay wherever you are.- He muttered.
Alice's hand came to rest at the back of his head. A light smile playing at her lips, she placed a kiss on his head.
-Alright.
Even if she said that she couldn't help but wonder what would his future be like. Would the wolves attempt to attack? Take Jasper? Would he even survive this change? She had seen his late reactions to this... Now even his hair was changing color. There were white highlights all over his hair.
He was old. So old. It made no sense for this to be happening now. What had been the trigger? How come it didn't happen sooner? And what if the Volturi found out? She had never expected that such odd birthmark would wield such important meaning.
And now... She sighed and hugged him closer.
Her fierce warrior needed her more than ever. She hoped she could be there for him. Hoped she could help him when the time came.