Edward's POV:
"Will he tell?" Emmett asks me as we make our way up to the house. I shake my head no.
"He's scared shitless." I say.
"Guess we won't be hearing all this coven crap from him for a while." Emmett chuckles, then continues with a perfect imitation of Jasper. "'You guys don't know how easy you've got it! If you were in a traditional coven you would have been torn limb-from-limb years ago!'"
I laugh and so does he.
"We should tell him we were just kidding when we get back."
"Are you nuts?" Emmett says with a shake of his head. "Let him be scared. Maybe he'll stay out of our hair for a while."
"Carlisle really will beat us if he finds out though." I remind him. "He's never amused by things like this."
"He won't find out. Just stay inside Jasper's head and pay attention. If he starts thinking about telling Dad, then we'll tell him it's just a joke. But until then, let him squirm." Emmett shrugs, then pushes my shoulder. "You're always poking around other peoples thoughts anyways."
"Shut up!" I push him back, harder than he pushed me.
"Oh, the little one is getting agitated." Emmett sneers.
"Don't call me the little one." I hiss.
"Whatever bro. You're too dramatic."
I glare at Emmett and growl.
OoOoO
Jasper's POV:
"Where's your brothers, Jasper?" Esme asks me as she settles on the couch next to Carlisle.
"I was just ready to come back home and they wanted to stay in the woods." I say quickly. Alice looks at me with a concerned look. I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to me. Although I'm not ready for a fight while I'm sitting down, it feels better to have Alice against me and it's less suspicious than standing rigidly behind her.
"Are you okay?" She asks. I nod and kiss her.
"Was Emmett annoying you?" Rose says with a roll of her eyes. "He's been annoying me for the past three days. I'm glad he's out of the house."
"Rosalie," Carlisle chuckles slightly. "That's not very nice."
She goes on a rant about all the stupid, annoying things Emmett does, and everyone expect me gives her their full attention. Carlisle still has mine. I know Edward and Emmett were lying, but I try to guess Carlisle's fighting style. He's wrestled with us on a few occasions, and all of us boys have been at the receiving end of his spankings before, so I know he's strong. The wrestling throws me off some. He never really gives it all he's got when he wrestles with us. Is it because he doesn't want us to know his fighting techniques?
"Do you hear that?" Esme says to Carlisle. We're all quiet, and can hear fighting and arguing in the distance.
"Emmett and Edward." Carlisle sighs as he stands. "I'll be right back."
He shakes his head and runs out of the house. We all exchange curious looks and I relax now that Carlisle is gone.
"If they're fighting, he's going to whoop them both." Rose sighs and glances out the window.
"He's warned them multiple times about fighting." Esme says. She looks at me. "Were they bickering in the woods? Is that why you came home before them?"
"It wasn't any more than there usual teasing." I respond quickly. Esme nods and she and Rosalie start talking.
"How many times do I have to repeat myself? We do not settle things by fighting in this family!" Carlisle scolds Emmett and Edward. His voice is faint and far off, but is just loud enough for us to hear.
Emmett apologizes. True to his nature, Edward huffs about things being unfair and how nothing is ever his fault and blah blah blah. Carlisle is able to get them to tell him what started the fight, and sighs when he learns it was simply from them pushing each other off the path.
"Turn around and bend over."
"Good going, idiots." Rosalie mumbles.
"Rose." Esme warns her with a simple disapproving tone.
Edward protests, and Emmett tells him to shut up and take it. He must have finally did what Carlisle said, because we hear two sets of fifteen smacks. Edward complains and whines afterward, but Carlisle quickly shuts him up.
"You only got fifteen smacks, and you had your jeans on. If you want to continue whining and complaining, I'll give you something to whine and complain about!"
Damn, Carlisle's getting tough.
"Do not give him a hard time about this." Esme says with a sigh, and we all know she's talking about Edward. Rosalie rolls her eyes, but doesn't say anything. Alice and I nod.
As they return home, Edward runs upstairs to sulk, and Emmett came around to kiss Rosalie, but she shrugs away from him. He pulls his brow together.
"What's wrong, babe?"
"You know what." She says bitterly, stands from the couch and struts away, leaving her mate both confused and awestruck at the sight of her walking away.
"I seriously have no idea what I could have done wrong to piss her off, but she's been mad at me for days." He sighs and flops down in her spot on the couch. I shake my head. From what she told us, I could think of multiple reasons.
Carlisle's phone rings, and he quickly answers it in his usual professional manor. He leaves the room, and Esme follows him. Disappointment seeps from her- the last thing she wants is for him to get called into work. As they leave, Alice kisses my cheek. Emmett gives me a harsh look.
He mouths "don't tell" at me.
oOoOo
"What's wrong, Jazz?" Alice asks as she puts her book down and cuddles closer to my side. I set my book down and wrap my arm around her.
"Nothing, sweetheart."
"You're lying to me, Jasper." She says in a hurt tone that kills me. I hate lying to her, but I shake my head no. If Emmett and Edward are telling the truth, which is highly unlikely, I want to keep her safe. I can't tell her. She'd run to Carlisle to ask him about it, which would give him reasons to haze her.
Not that I believe he would or anything.
"You're so worried." She sighs. "About what? You can tell me, you know."
"I know I can, my love, but there's nothing to tell." I give her a fake smile.
"Why are you worrying?"
"You know me," I sigh. "I'm always worrying about something."
"Did they do something when you were hunting?" She questions. I don't have to ask who 'they' are.
"Just their usual bickering and teasing."
Alice just looks at me. We keep our eye contact locked on each other. God, why is she so perfect? Everything she does is just so happy and pure, and here I am lying to her. I really have to step up and be the man she deserves, but I cannot tell her the truth. I won't let anyone hurt her. From day one she has had this perfect image about our family, and like me, she idolizes Carlisle. But now I have information that will crack his perfect, passive image. He's more like a traditional coven leader than she needs to know. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her from having to go through his beating. I won't let him hurt her. She doesn't deserve it. I can't trust Carlisle with her.
If this whole thing is true, I mean.