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It didn't take me long to react to Jared's lips on mine. I licked his lower lip begging for entrance and plunged my tongue into his mouth when he opened. His mouth tasted like the sweetest dessert and I just had to be closer to him.
He wrapped his arms around my waist as I fisted my hands into his hair pulling our bodies impossibly closer. Remembering we were both technically human and had to breathe I reluctantly pulled back and rested my forehead on his. We were both panting at this point and I could see the smile on Jared's parted lips.
"I like the way you talk" I couldn't resist telling him. His eyes met mine and seemed to burn their way to my soul.
"Bella, I messed up, I know I did. I don't regret imprinting on you. I never will, the only regret I will ever have is not claiming you sooner. I want, no, I need you. I can't survive without you and I want to be able to tell the world you are mine. Please say you'll let me, say you want me too, please." By the end Jared was practically whimpering
I sighed, "Jared, I have always wanted you. I didn't react to you at first because all I wanted was your happiness. You know just because you imprinted on me doesn't mean I don't have that same desire to keep you happy. I want you too Jared but I also need you to accept the imprint fully with me, as I already have. To do that you need to accept both parts of me. Izzy and Bella. Yes, we are one in the same but at the same time we are two separate entities. Some how I think my mental shield, long before I discovered it, was able to split me into sweet innocent shy Bella and aggressive violent Izzy. I am slowly combining the two but it's not easy and I need to know that you will accept me during the times when I loose it. I saw the way you reacted at the field that night when Izzy first came out. You were disgusted with me." I looked down abashedly.
Jared put his fingers under my chin and raised my head to look at him but I redirected my eyes so as not to look into his.
"Bella, please look at me." When I did he continued. "Bella, Isabella, I wasn't disgusted with you, I was scared for you and worried about you. I could see the mask, I knew I had hurt you and forced you into that persona. I'm not going to lie, you put the fear of god into me and the guys," he smirked at this causing me to let out an awkward laugh, "but I wasn't disgusted, just worried. I love you Isabella Marie Swan. You don't have to say it back; I just want you to know my feelings for you. No matter what you do, I will always love you. Whether you are Bella, Izzy, Isabella, crazy, sane or all of the above I don't care as long as you are by my side and I can say you're mine."
I had happy tears streaming down my face with his words. Instead of responding verbally I leaned in to kiss him putting all my feelings into that one simple gesture. We pulled back and just stayed smiling at each other with our foreheads resting together. It could've been minutes, hours, days I didn't really know. Lee came out and told me to hurry my ass up so after a quick goodbye kiss to Jared we all turned in for the night.
Over the next few weeks the pack and the vampires have been getting together in the field and training. Lee was one of the better fighters followed closely by Paul and Jake.
Jane and Dimitri would be joining us when we needed them. Some vampires that showed up to help were mostly nomads like Garrett and Alistair. The Denali's mostly refused although Kate did join us. The others saw it as helping the wolves and since Irina blamed the pack for Laurent's death they didn't want to help. Kate only joined us because she had met Garrett once before and I guess they had a connection and she didn't want to risk not being here for him. Some other covens that Carlisle had met during his travels had also come to help.
Jared and I were officially a couple now and he was doing great with not babying me. He let me practice with everyone although he flat out refused to spar with me. I honestly didn't expect him too so I was ok with that.
Alice had a vision of when the fight would be but couldn't get a read on the outcome. We had another week before it would take place and just as we expected they would come to our field. Jane and Dimitri were due in a few days early so that we could practice with them here.
Everyone was extremely confident even without Alice knowing every detail. I had managed to get a good feel on everyone so I could hold separate shields for everyone to ensure no casualties for us.
Right now everyone is practicing, I am sitting this one out and Peter decided to join me.
"Hey Izzy," Peter sighed which was the tell tale sign he knew something and it wasn't necessarily anything good. Fucking yoda.
"Hey Pete?"
"So,"
"God Pete spit it out already," I snapped.
"The win won't be as easy as you think," I interrupted him.
"What's that supposed to mean Pete? What are you talking about? Tell me right the fuck now what you know, I'm not putting up with your cryptic shit right now Pete."
"Easy there Iz, alright. All I know is they have a newborn, this newborn is special. She has a mental attack just like Jane," I stupidly cut him off again.
"Pete, I'm a shield so what's the point?"
"Iz will you listen to me? She's got the same attack as Jane only more painful and unstoppable." Peter actually looked really worried for me. "Izzy, if they hit you, you won't be able to defend yourself and everyone else because your shield will drop. More importantly, you will be an easy target because you are just a normal human without it. Izzy, I can't loose you sister. I'm actually worried! I'm a cocky asshole I'm not supposed to get worried."
Hmm, well this could be a problem. "Hey Pete, relax. We'll talk to the major and just incorporate this new Intel into our battle plans. We just need to find this newborn first. Can she attack more than one person at a time?"
"No, just one."
"That's good Pete that means that she'll just go after me. Major, get over here." When the major was with us and updated on the latest news I started sharing my plan. "Alright so we know this is a female newborn correct?" Peter nodded, "we also know her power is pain but can only effect one person at a time. We know she is going to go after me. I purpose having Jane come in sooner. We can have her use her power on me and I will build up a tolerance of sorts. It's going to hurt like a bitch but hopefully I will be able to hold a shield through the pain long enough to take out this newborn."
"How will we figure out who she is and who will be the one to dispose of her?" Emmett questioned. While we were discussing things all activity had stopped and everyone was now listening to our newly developed information and plans.
"Pete, do you think you would be able to figure out who it is?"
"I should be able to get a feeling but I need to look at all the females," Peter agreed.
"She will most likely be in the back line next to the leaders. She will be protected," the Major informed us.
"I don't want anyone to rely on my shield just in case I can't keep you covered. Pete, you will be with me. We will advance when we find this newborn. She will keep the power on me but if someone gets too close to her she will switch it up. Its self-preservation and as far as I know I am the only being to ever lack in that department." That caused the mood to lighten slightly with a few laughs.
"You should probably have 2 others with you. If she is in the back with victoria and Maria as I suspect, those two will help to protect her."
"Good thinking Major. Problem is who? I want you leading the line because I know you can take out the most newborns and we will need the depletion in their numbers quickly to keep the wolves from wearing out. You know some of us are still technically human," I smirked.
"Kate and I could go," Lee suggested. "We are both good fighters and have our own advantages. I am faster and Kate can shock the bitch." Lee was smiling.
"That sounds good. Hopefully I can keep you all covered long enough to take out the newborn than Pete and I will help you girls. I think it sounds manageable. We'll start practicing with Jane when she gets here. I also think we should start practicing in our pairs. Most pairs will be wolf and vampire but obviously some will be vamp and vamp since we have a lot more vampires than wolves." I clapped, "alright lets go." And we continued practicing for the rest of that night.
It's a week before we expect the war to happen and Jane and Dimitri have just arrived. We are all in the field; unfortunately I will be the only one actually practicing tonight.
"Alright Jane, you understand what's going on now so lets just start off small. Don't juice me too bad the first time around. While I'm getting hit, Kate is going to walk down the line zapping everyone to check how my shield holds up so we can see how many I can cover and how close I have to be to everyone for it to work." I took a deep breath and shook my hands to loosen myself up.
This is going to hurt; I have to stop psyching myself out.
"Alright Janie hit me with your best shot." I had to use her hated nickname so I felt like I got something out of this. Jane smiled at me.
"Pain," she whispered. It hurt but I knew I was still able to work around it. I ground out through my clenched teeth for more and hot damn did it hurt. I felt like my blood was on fire and my skin was being ripped from my body slowly.
"Everyone is still covered lets up it," Kate said to Jane who smiled even bigger.
My breath was starting to come more labored but I kept my teeth and fists clenched and haven't fallen to the floor yet. I tried to just concentrate on the shield as to ignore the pain but it was getting harder to do.
"Still covered, c'mon Janie, is that all you got? I though you were supposed to be this big bad Volturi guard. You can't even bring one human girl to her knees." Kate was provoking Jane knowing the more pissed she is the more it hurts.
Damn I'm going to get her back for this. I felt myself start to slip on the 15th person covered. Still better than I thought but the pain was getting worse. I was about to pass out when I heard Peter tell Jane to stop.
I immediately fell to the floor panting. Jared came running over to me, I didn't notice till just then he was being held back. He scooped me up and cradled me in his lap. He rocked us back and forth till I was able to finally feel somewhat normal again.
I gave Jared a kiss on the corner of his mouth and smiled reassuringly to him. I stood up and grabbed his hand to pull him up with me.
"Well, how'd I do?" I asked. Everyone smiled at me but Peter was the one to answer.
"You did great Iz but we need to practice more and we need to see if we can get you to move through it. I will be keeping newborns from getting to you while we make our way to the bitch. I'm proud of you sister." Peter smiled and slapped my back before we started the whole thing again.
By the end of the week we were confident in my ability to hold my shield up around the pain, now let's just hope this newborn's power isn't much worse than Jane's.
A/N Alrighty, hope ya'll liked this chapter. I'm thinking just a few more chapters. We have to have the fight and than of coarse the after math. I apologize if anyone wanted some Jared and Izzy lemons but unfortunately every time I tried to write it I fail epically. If anyone is willing to write one for me or knows someone who can, please PM me! I wanted one the night before the fight. Well let me know what you think!