Chapter Two

Jasper Whitlock

I remember the exact moment I broke Alice's charm. I remember the feeling of coming alive again. It was like I'd been drowning and suddenly I could breathe again. Memories flooded through me, memories of my real mate, and I felt myself cry out. Thankfully, Alice was gone this time. She'd gone on a three-day shopping trip with a human girl she'd met along the way. Too bad because when she came home, I wouldn't be there. None of us would be. She would come home to an empty house and she would be pissed. Oh, I had no doubt that she would come after us...but by then I would have my true mate back in my arms and she would have no chance against us both. I had made the wrong decision before. I should have stopped her. I shouldn't have listened to her lies. Even if I couldn't change the past, I could make a damn better future.

The thought of my mate brought venom tears to my eyes. Colleen Swan had been Bella's twin sister. When we first met, though, I'd never met Bella. Colleen, though, she'd been my world. She was beautiful. Sparkling blue eyes. Waist length brown hair. Ivory skin. She'd smelled like roses...but strangely I had never been tempted to drink her blood. Never once had I almost snapped and drained her of blood. She was my Mate, my only true love. And then Alice had come along and my life had been ruined.

I'd known Alice was wrong from the beginning but I hadn't known how much of a threat she really posed. Maybe if I had, I would have done something to stop it. Changed Colleen. Done something, anything to save her. In the end, I'd submitted to Alice to save my Mate. She'd changed my memories, making me believe that I'd only been acquaintances with Colleen. She'd twisted my feelings so that I truly believed that she had been my mate. For two years, I'd lived as Alice's mate. But now, seemingly out of nowhere, Alice's charms broke. It probably had something to do with the fact that she'd gotten a little cocky. She'd left the family for three days for a shopping trip. Her absence had broken her carefully constructed charms. I could only hope that my family had been spared as well.

I descended the stairs, moving towards Carlisle's study where I could hear the family talking in quiet voices. They looked up as I walked in and Rose rushed over to me. She hugged me tightly before going back to Emmett's side. I looked around at them all. They all looked shocked but relieved. Their charms had broken as well. We were free. But Alice would be back tomorrow and we had to get out of here. Luckily, we only lived an hour from Forks. Edward had insisted we stay close so that he could keep an eye on Bella and Carlisle had consented. Carlisle spoke first, his voice calm.

"We need to get out of here before she gets back. If she gets back and discovers that her charms have come undone, we will be in even more danger." he said.

I nodded. "We need to go to Forks. Bella's there...and she'll know how to find Colleen."

"I think we should call Charlie first. Tell him we need to meet with him. It...is against my better judgment but he needs to know the truth. What we are. Why we left. Bella and Colleen won't consent to be changed unless their father is safe...and he won't be safe unless he's changed as well." Edward said quietly.

"I agree. Charlie should know that we didn't just abandon the girls. Come on. Everyone in a car. I'll call Charlie on the way there." Carlisle said.

"Okay."

We walked out of the house and to our cars. Instead of driving my own, I slid into the passenger seat of Edward's Volvo. He nodded at me, lost in his own thoughts, and pulled out of the driveway quickly. We had to hurry because soon, if we weren't careful, Alice would see this coming and come home. I was surprised she hadn't seen it already. The drive to Forks was quiet. Carlisle called to say that the others would park their cars at our old place and run to Chief Swan's place. He was expecting us. Both girls were in Forks but were out of the house currently.

With Edward's driving, it only took thirty minutes to get to Forks. We parked in front of Chief Swan's home and waited for the girls to get there. A few minutes later, Bella's truck pulled into the driveway. She and Colleen got out and Edward was out of the car in a heartbeat. As soon as she'd seen him, Bella was running across the lawn towards him. He put his arms around her, kissing her hair, whispering apologies. At last, I climbed out of the car and stood beside it, staring at Colleen. Our eyes met and tears filled her blue ones. She dropped to her knees, covering her face and sobbing. I felt as though my heart had been ripped out. In a heartbeat, I was beside her. Lifting her to my chest, I kissed her temple and whispered my love for her over and over again. She clung to me, tears streaming down her face.

"Jasper. Jasper I love you." she said finally.

I smiled. "I love you too, Colly."

Carlisle, Esme, and the others arrived then. Colleen and I walked over to stand beside Edward and Bella.

"Let's go inside. Charlie's waiting."

"Why is Charlie waiting?" Bella asked.

"We're going to change the three of you. It's the only way to ensure your safety. Which means we've got to talk to Charlie, tell him the truth."

"Okay."

We walked up to the door and Bella opened it, stepping inside with Edward close behind her. The rest of us followed and Charlie turned the television off as we entered the house. He gestured for us to take seats and we did, looking at each other.

"What's this about?" Charlie asked

Edward spoke, voice calm. "I'm going to let Carlisle tell you that. Before he does, however, I want you to know that I need you to trust us. Everything we are telling you is the truth. No matter how hard it is to believe."

"O...kay." Charlie was confused but intrigued.

Carlisle spoke next. "My family...we aren't human."

Before he could say anything else, Charlie snorted. "I knew that. I'm not dumb, Carlisle. You're all too...pretty to be human. Not only that but...I don't know. There's just something off about you."

I smiled as Carlisle nodded and continued. "We're vampires but we're slightly different from most of our kind. We don't drink human blood. We take from animals. We're not supposed to be telling you this because it's against the rules...but we have to protect you. We left because, at the party we had for Bella's birthday, she cut herself and Jasper almost hurt her. It scared Edward and he left to protect her. But she is his mate and he cannot stay away from her. Vampires mate for life. Once we mate, it's forever."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Charlie wasn't afraid. On the contrary he was amused and slightly curious.

"Jasper will tell you that story. It is mostly his to tell." Carlisle said quietly, looking to me.

"Okay."

"The summer Colleen stayed with you without Bella, she came across me hunting in the woods. Instead of running scared, she watched me. After I was finished, we talked. We fell in love rather quickly and I was happy. But another vampire, Alice Brandon, came through town. She wanted me...and she refused to take no for an answer. Some vampires, like Alice, Edward, and I, have extra talents. Alice has two powers. She can see the future...and she can change things. She can change memories, feelings, your perception of time. She threatened to kill Colleen and used that as leverage to get me to agree to let her use her power on me. It was the hardest decision of my life. Thankfully, she became careless and left us alone. Two days later, Alice's power wore off and the memories came rushing back."

Before Charlie could say anything, Bella spoke. "Dad, you have to agree to be changed. Edward and Jasper are going to change Colleen and I."

"Why do I have to be changed?"

I answered, "When she realizes that we have left her, Alice will come after us. She will attack you if you do not agree to be changed. At least, if you are changed, she will have a lesser chance of hurting you."

Charlie thought it over. After a moment, he agreed. "I think you're right. I will agree to be changed."

Colleen asked the most relevant question. "What's going to be our cover story? We'll have to leave Forks..."

Carlisle thought. "We don't have time to come up with an elaborate death story so we'll have to settle for just leaving. We'll go to Denali. That way we have more protection against Alice while the three of you are changing."

"What is in Denali?" Charlie asked.

"Another Clan of vampires that we're close with. They'll help us protect you." Edward explained.

Carlisle nodded at Charlie. "Go and pack anything of value. Don't worry about clothing, we'll buy you whatever you need once you've been changed. Bella, Colleen, you need to do the same."

"I'll pack for the both of us." Bella said.

Colleen nodded. "My bags are still packed. I've never unpacked."

"And all I need to grab are a few pictures." Bella said, leading Edward up the stairs.

"You kids going to be all right down here?" Charlie asked, pausing on his way up the stairs.

Colleen laughed and my heart did a flip. "Dad, Jasper's like a hundred something years old. He was a Major in the Confederate Army. He's also a pretty bad-asss vampire. We're gonna be fine."

I grinned. "She's right. If Alice does show up here, I'll protect her. Alice will not touch a hair on Colly's head."

Charlie smiled, shaking his head. "All right then. We'll be back in a minute."

Like he'd said, a few minutes later, they descended the stairs. Bella handed Colleen's bags to her and I took them, throwing them in the back of Emmett's jeep. Colly and I were riding with Rose and Emmett while Charlie was riding with Carlisle and Esme. He'd wanted to ride with Carlisle so that he could get more information on vampires and what he was going to become. We pulled out of the driveway after a few minutes of conversation. A day and a half later, we arrived in Denali.