Chapter 7

Hi everyone, here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it. As always, the characters are not mine.

"I was under Maria in the Southern Wars. Yes, it is the same person you all served under. I was stolen from a very small town in Mexico and taken to the compound you all remember to be a gift for one of the officers. Maria was finally getting what she wanted because the Major was able to take over the biggest territory that she had been craving. I had been held for about a week leading up to the battle before it all went to hell."

"I was the reward for a job well done, but when The Major did not return Maria lost her temper and took it out on the only thing she had left of the Major, his prize at the end of the day." Jasper was quickly losing control of his emotions, so I put a shield around him and continued my story, it would do no good to stop now.

"Maria eventually changed me, by accident or on purpose I don't think she knows, but I was changed. It took about 6 days for me to come back to the land of the aware, but when I did I was immediately put into the pit to fight. Luckily, I was a fast learner and able to hold my own, so I did not lose. I did incur many injuries though. I don't need to go into detail on it because you all lived the same fate I did, but I ended up basically taking The Major's place, but this time Maria was more careful. While I led and trained the troops, I was not allowed to talk to anyone outside of those zones. I was watched and punished regularly. I was lucky though because I have a gift that Maria was not completely aware of. You see, I am a sponge. Any power that is used against my mental or physical shield I absorb and am able to manipulate."

"You are the first people that I am sharing this with that I will not remove from your minds, so I hope you can keep it to yourself. I was able to take on all the gifts that any vampire used on me and learn to control it. I was careful however, the last thing I needed was for Maria to find out or worse the Volturi who came to investigate the area occasionally. I only used powers that could be attributed to my shield in the presence of others, so no one would know the power that I hold."

"After defeating all but 2 armies I decided I was finished and wanted to leave. I fought one more battle but had brought my clothes and belongings with me to the battlefield. I told Maria that I was going out on my own and not to come looking for me. She agreed to my terms of leaving as she got to keep her life. They were that she did not create an army over 30 because she cannot control them and that she never come for any of you again."

"Even after 120 years of being gone you are all still legends. The ones that got away and Maria still wants you back. I know she will not find me, I used my shield to block my image from her mind as I do with all who live after seeing my face, but she still seeks you out though she has never been able to find you. You see Jasper, I knew you were a gentle and honest man long before I met you; I have actually been searching for you for years."

"You see when I first made officer rank, I was given your quarters to stay in and I found these." I handed him the tin with his pictures and mementos in it. "These are yours and I have been waiting to return them to you. I only have one last confession that I think you should be able to hear from the source. I am The General of the South, and I am sorry to have kept that from you for so long Peter and Charlotte. I was actually coming to tell you even before I met Jasper."

"I kept it from you because knowing The General could get you into unwanted trouble. Though no one knows what I am capable of or what I look like, The General has made some enemies in the past." I stopped my story there. I needed to give them time to process what was happening, it was a lot of information for such a short time, but it needed to be said. I could only hope that they would stay with me.

I waited for about 15 minutes before the silence got overwhelming and I moved to go sit outside. They deserved any time they needed after that information dump. As I went to stand Jasper's arms came around me and pulled me back. He brought me close to his body as he nuzzled my hair, calming himself with my scent.

"Isa, I am so sorry that my leaving caused you all the pain it did. I wish that I could take it back." Jasper was near sobbing with his words and sorrow at my treatment.

"Hey, I said I did not regret any of it and I mean that. I would not be the person I am today without those experiences and I would not be a worthy mate to The Major without them either." I was confident about my assessment.

Peter looked even more horrified after hearing my story than he should have. He was actually -sobbing onto Charlotte's shoulder and she could not get him to calm down at all.

"Peter, I am okay. I have been fine for years …" I trailed off as I saw him shaking his head

"No, you don't understand, my gift was yelling at me all day to go to the compound that Maria was at the day I convinced The Major to leave her. It was buzzing and buzzing, but I could not justify going to the compound when I knew where The Major was going to be based on information I already had. I mean getting out of the compound the first time was near impossible and getting out a second would have been impossible. At least that is what I thought, but I got a headache with the constant buzzing from my gift. I ignored it and left it alone, but for the next week it was telling me I had to go back, and I just kept on ignoring it. It wanted me to go get you Isa. I know it did, that was the one time that I did not listen, and I now realize the consequences it had on another's life. I will not make that mistake again, but I am so sorry for the hurt you endured because I was scared." Peter was back to leaning against Charlotte.

"No Peter, you would have been hurt in the process. I know. Remember how I said that any gift used against me is absorbed, well you used the gift the day that I woke up. Your gift was the first that I acquired and though I did not understand how I knew a lot of information before I should have, and it kept me alive. I don't blame you or anyone. I am a strong fighter and you were a pivotal part in my being able to leave."

He just stared at me after my admission. Peter saved my life more times than I could count, so he did not deserve the shame he felt. I got off Jasper's lap and went to kneel in front of my two best friends.

"You two have given me everything I have now, and I will not be able to repay you, but you are my only family and the only ones that I will need aside from my mate. Lucky for us you already like him." They had both gone to hug me and were laughing by the end of the discussion.

Thanks again for reading. Until next time.