Here's the epilogue guys. It was difficult to wrap this story up when I've been working on it so long. I just want to say thanks to everyone who has read this story from start to finish and supported me as I fumble my way through writing and grammar. Lol. I hope this final chapter is a good finish to this story that has taken me an absurdly long amount of time to finish.
Previously…
"Hello Jasper." Alice practically cooed her eyes raking over the blonde next to me.
Mine.
An aggravated rumble started in my chest.
"Somehow I knew you were behind this Alice." He replied coldly.
"You think you know me so well don't you? Well there are a lot of things you are unaware of Jazz." She spit the pet-name out sarcastically.
"Now as I was saying, Bella, a power like yours should not be wasted. We could use someone with your talents in Volterra to help keep order. I see you seem to be struggling to maintain the shields for an extended period of time, and we could offer you help in gaining better control over your power." Aro continued persistently.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw an anxious look overcome Alice's face. She knew I would kick her ass the second I had a chance and was nervous!
Lucky for her I wouldn't leave Jasper for anything…not even a chance at revenge.
"I think I'll stay on the side that didn't just try and attack my friends and me." I replied sarcastically, unable to hold back the venom in my voice.
The old, decrepit vampire sighed in reluctance.
"Well I can't just leave with just your flimsy promise to destroy the rogue vampire Maria. How can I know that you will come through on your word and won't build another army against us?" He questioned rhetorically. "It is too much of a risk to allow this coven to remain intact."
I grit my teeth in fury. Aro was just threatened by the number of vampires willing to go against the Volturi! This had nothing to do with not trusting us to follow through with hunting down Maria. He just didn't want to lose power!
"And Bella, by the looks of things you won't be able to keep those shields up for much longer. What's going to happen when they fall and every single vampire on your side is killed because of that?" Aro continued patronizingly, causing me to shut my eyes in concentration.
Unfortunately, he was right. I could feel my control over the shields waning as the seconds passed. If only I had more time to prepare beforehand. If only I could save everyone.
"Don't even think about it." Jasper ordered the major coming through in his voice.
I didn't have another choice, right? The only thing that would save everyone would be for me to go to Volterra. One life to save so many more.
"I won't let you do this." Jasper denied, his voice rough as he shook me. "You can't."
My mate sunk down to his knees in front of me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pressed his cheek against my stomach.
His tears stung when they hit my skin, but I welcomed the slight pains.
Then a voice broke the tense silence.
"I'll go."
"Edward. Well this is a surprise." Aro replied, his eyes shining with delight like a kid's on Christmas morning.
Ignoring the Volturi leader's creepy fascination, Edward responded "If anyone deserves such a fate, it's me. The only reason this is happening is because I was too stupid to keep from making a mistake, and then cowardly enough to try and hide it."
And then my former love stepped out of the protection of the shield.
Aro touched the back of his hand and seemed to go into a trance.
Five minutes later Aro released Edward and moved his blood red eyes to me.
"I see now that you really do intend to find Maria. Whether you will be successful or not, it cannot be determined." He said. "Therefore, I require Edward to remain with us in Volterra. And the Cullen coven cannot remain as large as it is now. It must be divided as of today...permanently."
I was stupefied.
Had we really just traded Edward in for our lives?
"You have two weeks to track down Maria and dispose of her." Aro said . "In two weeks I will send Demetri and Felix down to insure you kept up your end of the bargain. If you haven't…let's just say that meeting won't be as casualty free as this one was."
He turned to the newest member of the Volturi. "Edward, you won't need any of your things. We are returning right away."
Then, as quick as they had arrived, the illusive Volturi were gone.
BPOV
I sighed and leaned back against the hard chest behind me.
"It's beautiful." I said softly, the silence of nature making me feel the need to whisper.
I felt more than heard the rumble of his answer, sending a delicious feeling across my skin.
We lapsed back into a lazy, comfortable silence; the only sound being the occasional neigh from the horses.
Jasper had suggested we take them for a ride and watch the sunset. Who knew he was such a romantic? At first glance my mate could seem hard and impassive, but I could see through this façade at the man underneath. The man who was protective, possessive, caring, and devoted.
Jasper and I have been sharing peaceful moments like this one lately; to make up for all the chaos that filled our lives only a mere week ago.
My mind flashed back to a brief moment months ago before Jasper and I got together. It was the first time I really got to know Jasper as a person instead of 'Alice's husband who wasn't allowed near me'. Edward and the others hadn't trusted the blonde vampire to be around me, and that was the first time I hadn't allowed their fear to rule.
*flashback*
Jasper paused at the door with his hand on the knob.
"My room." He explained before opening the door and leading me inside.
"Wow." I breathed, my eyes flickering over the tall shelves of books on one side of the wall. If Edward's room was a music store, then Jasper's room was a library.
He chuckled at my reaction and shut the door. "I thought we'd have more privacy in here."
I looked at him questioningly. Had he forgotten that the occupants of this house all had supernatural hearing? I didn't matter how far away from the others we were, they would still hear.
"Sound-proof walls." He said tapping one of them.
"Nice." I said appreciatively. How come all of the rooms didn't have this? It would sure be useful with the lack of privacy even if it didn't block against their gifts.
I ran my hand along one horizontal shelf of books before sitting down on one of the chairs in the corner of the room. Taking it as an invitation, Jasper sat on the black leather seat across from me and I waited for him to speak.
As much as I wanted to deny it, I had no idea what to say to the vampire in front of me. I didn't really know anything about him besides his past life. Which I didn't have many details of, just a basic story of what happened. Jasper was...sort of an enigma. He was older than everyone in the Cullen family, with the exception of Carlisle. He had seen and done so many things, and I was only eighteen. It was surreal to imagine living, or existing, for that long.
Then I realized something I had missed earlier.
"Why did you call this place 'your room'? I mean I thought the other room was the one you stayed in. You know the one you shared with...'' I trailed off awkwardly, regretting bringing up something that could cause painful thoughts about Alice.
"Don't hesitate to ask me anything okay? I'm not going to lose it if you say Alice's name Bella." He rolled his eyes, and, predictably, I blushed.
"And I referred to it as my room because it actually reflects who I am. And I like to spend my time here whenever I can." He explained motioning to the walls where my eyes automatically looked.
"Is that-?"
"A real flag from the Civil War." He finished my thought looking at it with an unidentifiable emotion on his face. "It was the one that flew when I lead my troop for the last time before I was changed."
"So how old exactly is that?" I asked awe-struck. I had no idea Jasper would keep something like this in the Cullen's house.
"April 12, 1861. Which makes that very flag exactly 148 years old."
"Jasper that's amazing." I said turning my eyes back to him when I heard him scoff.
"What? I think it is." I responded defensively, crossing my arms.
"No, no. It's just that out of everyone I've showed this to you were the most positive about it." He explained. "And If I would have known that you would have had this reaction to it I would have showed you it long ago."
"Why didn't you?" I questioned, anxious to hear his answer.
"He thought it would bring up unpleasant thoughts and questions." Jasper said, his tone showing his distaste for the choice.
"Edward." I said knowing it was my overprotective ex who Jasper was referring to. "But what do you mean I was the most 'positive' about it?"
Jasper chuckled lightly before responding. "Well let's see...Carlisle wanted me to turn it in to a museum. Alice wanted to get rid of it and buy a new one that didn't come with all the dirt and holes. Rose really didn't have an opinion about it. Edward was unenthusiastic because of the death the war where it flew caused. Emmett wanted to reenact the whole battle vampire style. And I think it almost made Esme cry."
"Okay I see what you mean." I said grinning at each of the Cullen's predictable reactions.
Jasper sighed drawing my attention back to him.
"What?"
"Carlisle wants to talk to you now. I guess we'll have to postpone this conversation until a later time." Jasper said wryly.
"Or we can ditch the meeting and run away." I suggested grinning, and successfully improving his mood.
"Where would we go?" He asked playing along, his gold eyes shining.
"Texas of course." I said immediately, giggling at the surprised look off his face.
I had just caught a vampire off-guard. I smirked inwardly, feeling pretty accomplished.
"Why exactly?" Jasper questioned, his eyes serious and probing now.
"Because Jasper, even if all your memories from there aren't good it's still where you were born. Well that and...I've always secretly wanted to learn to ride a horse." I confessed expecting laughter from him. He didn't disappoint.
"As much as I would love to continue talking about our escape to Texas, Carlisle is will be at the door in a few seconds if you don't head down to his office." He said, standing and opening the door for me.
"Oh right. Well, talk to you later Jasper." I called turning and walking down the hall.
"Bella."
I turned back around from where I stood half way down the hallway.
"I might just take you up on that idea of yours." He said winking at me before disappearing back into his room.
*end flashback*
I hadn't realized it then, but I remember walking downstairs with the first real smile on my face in a long time.
"Angel, you with me?"
My mate's voice brought me back to the present, snapping me out of my reminiscing.
"Sorry." I replied sheepishly, turning my head against his shoulder and looking up into his brilliant eyes.
"What's got you thinking so hard?"
"I was just remembering a certain promise you made that has officially been fulfilled."
A smile overcame his face as he caught on to the moment I was referring to.
"You mean the day I felt your more than friendly emotions around me?" He questioned, his voice teasing.
My jaw dropped in indignation and I turned around in his lap to glare at him.
He was referring to earlier that same day months ago when I had walked into his room and found him lying on his bed with his eyes closed. I had taken that moment to appreciate his devastatingly good looks. I was only doing what any hot-blooded female with eyes would do, so give me a break! Besides, it's not like he could deny his attractiveness…he was an empath for gods sakes…probably couldn't walk outside without feeling lust pouring towards him in waves. Luckily for him, I would be there to warn off the salivating females from now on.
"Don't be embarrassed darlin'. I had a similar epiphany that day." He assured me, tucking a strand of my dark hair behind one ear.
I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to continue. "What was that?"
"You have very, very nice legs." He rumbled, running his hands up my jean clad legs.
I laughed loudly, before resting my head on his shoulder to calm myself.
We were so alike it made sense our relationship developed rather quickly. I hadn't really known Jasper until after we each split with our significant other, but I quickly came to trust him more than anyone. It got to the point where just seeing him would make me smile. That's when I knew I didn't just think of him as a brother. He was my best friend. My confidant. And I didn't know it back then, but he was my mate. My other half.
I felt his arms wrap around me like steel bands and closed my eyes in contentment, pressing my lips to his neck.
"You don't know how terrified I was on that field." He murmured seriously, as I rested my head in the crook of his neck.
"You thought those old, grumpy vamps could beat us?" I teased, attempting to brighten the mood.
He pulled back away from me to look me directly in the eye, and I immediately was regretful of my dismissive tone. His hands came up and held each side of my face as he replied.
"I almost lost you."
"But you didn't." I reminded him, leaning into his touch.
"It was close enough." He said wearily, his eyes tormented with past events.
"Hey, baby-"
A brief grin crossed his lips at my rare usage of the pet name, but his eyes remained tight.
"-I'm sorry for worrying you but I can't apologize for doing what I felt was right." I continued, maintaining eye contact so he could see my sincerity. "The thought of going with Aro only crossed my mind when I realized the direness of the situation. They were out for blood that day Jasper, you and I both know that. We're just lucky the wolves were there to scare the shit out of Caius."
My mate smirked knowingly.
"And as for what happened after the Volturi left...I had to make sure that she wouldn't be a threat to us ever again." I finished, my eyes hardening at the memory.
*flashback*
"You have two weeks to track down Maria and dispose of her." Aro said . "In two weeks I will send Demetri and Felix down to insure you kept up your end of the bargain. If you haven't…let's just say that meeting won't be as casualty free as this one was."
He turned to the newest member of the Volturi. "Edward, you won't need any of your things. We are returning right away."
Then, as quick as they had arrived, the illusive Volturi were gone.
Everyone stood there in shock, staring with disbelief at the empty field across from us….well almost empty.
My eyes slid across the field and connected on my target.
Two sets of eyes locked and I tensed in preparation. Then she turned and ran.
With a snarl I brought the remaining shield around myself, protecting me from Alice's visions, and took off after the dark haired vampire. My heart-shaped fangs snapped down as I ran.
That bitch was not getting away without consequences…and maybe a little pain.
As I quickly gained ground and caught up to her, Alice spun around just in time for me to tackle her to the ground. I grabbed her arms and shoved her hard into the dirt, delighting in the fear filling her eyes.
"Get off me!" She screamed, shoving me away and jumping back up.
"What's wrong? Not so confident without your power?" I taunted as we circled each other warily.
Her dark eyes were wide as she frantically tried to gain the upper hand without the use of her ability. She had been using her visions as a crutch during battles for so long I doubt she knew how to fight without them.
"You're one to talk Bella." She said cynically. "You get a shield and suddenly you know what's best? You'll always be the weak little human that Edward picked up from this dump of a town. Nothing, not even the venom of my husband can change that."
Fiery rage pumped through my veins as I feinted to the left before racing forward and sending a roundhouse kick directly to her chest. Alice stumbled back, and then I was on her. I gripped her right arm from behind and twisted it back agonizingly, causing my enemy to hiss in pain. She lashed out and scratched me across the face with her free hand, before I imprisoned that one in my grip as well.
I jerked her back and leaned forward, my mouth at her ear.
"Is this how you envisioned your future, sister?" I growled mockingly, ignoring her pathetic whimper.
"This wasn't supposed to happen." She cried disjointedly. "My visions…It wasn't supposed to…all your fault. You took everything from me!"
"I didn't take anything. You lost everything when you decided to stab your coven in the back."
"But Jasper was m-"
"Jasper is my mate." I interrupted coldly. "You tried to tear us apart but you couldn't. Your manipulative actions pushed us even closer, despite your desperate attempts to separate us."
"He'll just leave you. You're not enough for him." She snapped, shifting in my grip and wincing in pain.
"Despite what you seem to think this isn't just about Jasper." I replied. "We were sisters and you betrayed me every chance you got, didn't you?"
"Nothing you didn't deser-"
She howled in agony as I jerked suddenly on her arm, dropping the severed limb to the ground.
"Goodbye Alice. I honestly wish we could have been friends…maybe if you weren't such a controlling bitch."
"Bella wait-"
Then she fell silent.
I quietly gathered branches and leaves, forming a pile in the dirt.
Benjamin approached from behind and then abruptly flames were eating at the foliage quickly. Jasper appeared suddenly at my side and I quickly averted my gaze, afraid of his reaction to the burning remains of his ex-wife.
I stared unwaveringly at the hypnotic flames licking at branches and ignored the feeling of Jasper's stare intent on the side of my face.
A thick purplish smoke soon filled the clearing and Benjamin slipped back to re-join the others on their trek back to the house.
I searched through my emotions and found, not sadness, but emptiness and a sense of loss. Even though Alice had never been truthful towards me through our entire relationship, I had still come to love her when I was human. Before I knew her true intentions, she was the closest thing I had to a sister.
And then there was Jasper. He probably hated me right now. I mean, I know Alice cheated on him but he probably didn't want her dead…especially by my hands. I know I'm his mate, but somehow I feel as If I've disappointed him. I'm not the perfect, innocent human he first fell in love with. And now here's the proof in the form of the dismembered, burning, body of his former lover.
"Bella, are you alright?" The object of my thoughts asked, breaking the tense silence.
So I was Bella again…not such an angel anymore I guess.
I shrugged, tensing when he approached slowly. I bit my lip in apprehension, dreading the conversation that was about to happen. The one where he ended things and told me I wasn't the same person he fell in love with.
Mates are not like imprints for wolves. When one of the pack imprints, both sides feel the inescapable draw toward the other. Vampire mates have the choice to leave the other rather easily if they feel the need to end things. And finding your mate isn't as cut and dry as finding your imprint. Ironically, Jasper had explained this to me a few days ago. A vampire could wander years and never find their true mate. Jasper had stayed with Alice under the misconception that she was his mate, only to find that he was mistaken after he met me. On the other hand, Rosalie and Emmett were two of the luckier vampires. They found each other relatively quickly compared to most mates.
"I know that must have been extremely difficult for you." He continued, not bothered that I still hadn't turned to face him. "And I'm sorry."
I whirled around in disbelief, the emotion probably written all over my face. "You're sorry? Jasper, I'm the one who's sorry. I just dismembered your former wife and lit her remains on fire right in front of you. You should hate me."
I dropped my head into my hands, my throat feeling tight despite the lack of tears.
Then, I was in Jasper's arms. I gripped his shirt in my hands and pressed my face against his chest, taking the comfort he was willing to give. His hands tightened around my waist and pulled me impossibly closer.
Finally, he pulled back to look me in the eyes before breaking the silence.
"You are my mate. I'll stand by you through anything."
"But-"
"No. Just hear me out." He interrupted sternly, "I don't give a fuck about Alice. She's in the past and I don't give a damn if you decide to dance around her burning pyre. All I want is you. All I need is you. But next time you decide to unnecessarily endanger yourself I swear to god you are going to regret it."
I bit my lip and ducked my head submissively, instantly sensing the major's presence.
His hand tilted my face up and then we were locked in a fervent embrace. My arms twined themselves through his hair as his hands snuck onto my hips and dragged me closer. His mouth moved to my neck and I arched my back, dropping my head back against the tree I was suddenly pressed against. A moan escaped my mouth without my consent, and I felt my mate's smirk against my throat.
He wasn't the only one who got to have fun.
Growling playfully, my hand snuck down to his belt; which, much to my pleasure, brought a rumbling growl from Jasper's chest. This sent him into a frenzy and suddenly my shirt was in tatters on the floor, and my pale skin was exposed to the cool air.
I shivered at the predatory look in his eyes, feeling a heat begin to pool low in my stomach.
"I love you." I said suddenly, knowing that I couldn't hold it back any longer.
A genuine smile broke out across his beautiful, scarred face as he repeated the sentiment.
"I love you too, Angel."
*End Flashback*
The scent of a nearby herd of deer brought me out of my thoughts, my fangs snapping down at the aroma.
I glanced quickly at my mate, slightly embarrassed by my obvious newborn reaction, but his eyes were on my mouth.
Puzzled, I stared at him uncertainly, my mouth dry at the darkly possessive gleam in his eyes.
He reached his hand forward and lightly trailed a finger over one of my fangs, sending an erotic tingling down my spine.
I closed my eyes and shivered, unable to stop my response to his tender action.
I opened my dark eyes and caught sight of his heavily hooded gaze just before he lowered his mouth to mine. Our tongues tangled together as we were swept away by the euphoric feeling of living in the moment. We had allowed our lives to become monotonous routines of following orders and pleasing others, and only through each other had we found what it meant to truly live.
A/N: THE END!