AN: Here ya go. I know you were all dying to see what happened next and why Charlie was such an idiot.

xxxxxxx

Chapter 40 - Major Meltdown

Jasper POV (backtracking slightly to before Charlie's return)

It won't be much longer before I can claim her properly, I thought to myself as I held my beautiful mate in my embrace, basking in the warmth of her love and satisfied cat-that-ate-the-cream feelings. I was sure my own blissful smile indicated to everyone trickling into the room that something of an intimate nature had passed between us. At least, according to the minor surprise, followed by indulgent amusement and affection the majority of them felt as they returned. Most of them were rather ruffled in their own way that thankfully gave them no room to talk about what we'd been doing.

According to what I learned when I got my latest psychology degree, girls finish puberty and adolescence between sixteen and seventeen, while boys don't finish until between 18.5 and 19.5. Thus, Bella would be the mental equivalent of an adult at the mental age of sixteen. The only real difference in mental maturity after that comes from real world experience, so she'll continue her mental growth over time as she experiences new things.

She'll mature at the cost of her naïveté and idealism, as reality fails to live up to her hopes, dreams, and expectations. Only the experience of repeated disappointment can create the bitter, pessimistic cynicism of the average modern adult, Major mentally derided. Is that really what we want?

Well, considering we're about to face a fight on two fronts, she may well get more 'life' experience than we would ever want her to have. She'll be seeing the death of our kind first hand, as well as witnessing acts of brutality, I thought, responding to the Major in my mind. At least Edward wasn't here to hear me conversing with myself, though it wouldn't have been the first time he'd heard it. The fact that the Major has his own distinctive voice in my head convinced Edward of my mental instability, and he'd warned Carlisle that I was 'clinically insane'. Needless to say, I had found it ironically amusing when James admitted Alice had been committed to an insane asylum as a human. After all, Edward considered her one of the most sane of all of us.

The other vampires were talking amongst themselves, as we waited for the stragglers to return, but Bella and I were content to simply enjoy each other's presence in silence, our emotions speaking for us.

"Jake is not going to come back for a little while," Billy suddenly announced.

I felt concern and a tinge of guilt well up inside Kate. "Did he say why?" she asked.

Billy gave her a knowing look, letting her know he was aware of what happened between them. She grimaced and looked away, unable to make eye contact. "The poor boy has been through quite a bit in the past two months. It's been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs for him, and his whole world has been altered forever, opening his eyes to a new realm of possibilities he'd never before considered. Remember, even though he now looks like he's in his early twenties," Billy explained to everyone, his feelings calm and introspective. "He is still really only fifteen. He'll be sixteen in mid-December. He hasn't yet given himself time to just sit back and process everything that has happened thus far and the implications of each aspect with regards for him and his future. He just needs some time to think about everything and come to terms with his new life. Don't worry. He's in wolf form, so Chief is able to communicate with him, if need be."

My gift picked up three vampires rapidly approaching, though they weren't within our hearing range yet. That must be Emmett, Rosalie, and Charlie. After what just happened, I'm sure they explained to him about Bella being my mate. I wonder what he thought about it, I thought curiously, as I began sorting out the emotions. They were far enough away and close enough together for me to have a difficult time deciphering which emotions belonged to which vampire. Overall, the most prominent emotions were a mild fear, concern, and worry. As they got closer, I could feel Charlie's paternal love, affection, and protectiveness alongside the other emotions, as well as the strong love and attraction Emmett and Rosalie had for one another.

I decided I should warn my mate about the impending entrance of her biological father, just in case she wanted to take up a less intimate position in my lap. Turning her head gently with my fingers to allow me access to her ear and neck, I leaned down to whisper into her ear, "Charlie, Em, and Rose are nearly here."

I then nuzzled her neck, planting a kiss just below and behind her ear. I inhaled her scent and rubbed my cheek against hers, enjoying the way our natural scents mingled and complimented one another. I didn't even think about my actions until after the fact, when in the next breath I smelled the delicious aroma of her arousal. I felt my pride rise in knowing I was so easily able to affect my mate in this way.

Mmmm, that is by far the most incredible aroma in the entire world, Major purred to me. I couldn't help but agree, as did our body, which immediately began responding accordingly. I felt myself getting hard and could soon smell my own musky scent, as my pheromones were released into the air, letting my mate know I was just as ready as she was. She inhaled and instinctively pushed herself closer to me, shifting her bottom so it rubbed against my cock, both of us only getting more aroused by the action. The odor of sex began to emanate from both of us, mingling together, causing the Major to puff out his chest and pant like a dog in heat. I need to taste that sweet nectar, Jasper, he internally growled. Take her upstairs to our room quickly!

Carlisle and Esme had suddenly stopped breathing, and both wore conflicted expressions on their faces. Poor Mom and Dad. Billy was looking and feeling disgruntled, disappointed, concerned, and disgusted. Eleazar, Carmen, and Tanya were simply a little uncomfortable, but sex and varying states of arousal were so prevalent in their own house they barely noticed. Kate felt amused and a bit mischievous, but was otherwise fine.

"Jasper!" Charlotte hissed, glaring at me. "Are you trying to alienate your father-in-law?"

She flitted over to the windows and opened them up on opposite sides of the room to create a cross breeze to air out the room. Peter suddenly startled and rushed to close all the windows again.

As he did, we could hear the approaching vampires. "Charlie, really, there's no need to worry. Jasper is a good man and will take good care of her," Rose assured him.

"Yeah, he's been a complete gentleman so far," Emmett concurred as they ran into the yard and toward the house. The wind gusted and all three of them froze in place for a second.

"What the hell?" Emmett muttered.

"Oh, fuck!" Rose exclaimed.

Charlie roared, his rage suddenly spiking. The next moment he burst through the front door, not even pausing as the wood splintered into sawdust from the force of his entry. He was in front of me, yelling something at me, but I was too engulfed in his emotions and actions to pay attention to his words. He made a grab for MY Bella, trying to take her from me, feeling possessive and protective toward her, underneath his rage and desire to destroy me.

Of course, he never got anywhere near MY mate. How dare he try to put his hands on my mate? How dare he try to take her from me? How dare he try to stake a claim on my woman? Has he not heard of me? Major screamed in my mind, fully in charge of our body now. I will teach this newborn some respect! He shall fear ME, for I am his master, the God of War! My mate trembles behind me because of this imbecile, so he shall suffer my wrath!

"You DARE try to take what is MINE?" Major roared, causing the whole house to shake and the other vampires to cringe and cover their ears. We looked around in satisfaction to see all the others lying on the ground in full submission, wordlessly begging for their lives. They will live today, for I have no quarrel with them, only this one who still dares to stand before me, full of anger and defiance, looking me straight in the eye and challenging me.

"She is MY . . .," his declaration was abruptly cut off by his agonized scream as I ripped off the arms that dared grab for my mate, trying to pull her away from me.

How dare he lay claim to my mate? She is not his! She is all MINE! He is delusional. Major screamed internally.

We need to mark her, so everyone knows she is ours, I agreed, as we tossed our opponent's arms to opposite sides of the room.

Facing the now armless antagonist, we could feel that the fight had gone out of him, his rage spilling out and seeping away just like his venom oozed from his wounds. His mind was dazed with pain and confusion, as his eyes swept back and forth between his two arms. They were twitching on the floor, convulsing, and trying to pull themselves toward him. He was now like every other newborn reacting to their first loss of limbs.

In a practiced move used thousands of times, Major sent him an emotional cocktail of defeat, surrender, hopelessness, helplessness, obedience, and submission, guaranteed to send him straight to his knees and keep him there. As soon as the attacker hit his knees, Major was behind him, ready to break him completely. Grabbing hold of the other vampire's head by his hair, Major pushed a knee into his back, forcing him to fold up into the fetal position on the floor. The once defiant male was curled up, with his backside on his heels, his chin on his knees, and his forehead pressed into the hardwood.

The Major and I rejoiced together to see him rendered helpless before us, completely at our mercy. To make sure he understood to whom he owed his life, Major then bent over and completed the maneuver, latching onto the back of the vampire's neck, our teeth sinking deeply. One move to struggle on his part could easily result in decapitation. We pumped our venom into the wound, knowing it would burn for days with this much foreign venom in there and would scar terribly. This would be this asshole's permanent reminder not to fuck with us or our mate.

Feeling our victim's abject surrender, Major pulled back and sealed the wound with our venom inside, not even allowing him the option of finding someone to suck it out for him. I doubted he would ever dare defy us again, but Major was taking no chances.

"If you ever even attempt to touch MY mate again, I will rip you up into bite size pieces and feed you to the fire slowly, one little piece at a time, leaving your head for last, so you can watch and feel the entire time. Do you understand, child?"

We waited for his response, and he feebly tried to nod his head, which only angered the Major.

"Do not disrespect me, infant!" we growled, shooting bolts of pain through him. "You will answer me with your words! You will not approach my mate ever again without express permission. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," the broken vampire sobbed.

"Yes, sir, what?" Major insisted, curious if this vampire had been stupid enough to know who he was attacking before he did.

"Yes, sir, Major," he whimpered.

Major huffed, knowing the other male had indeed challenged him while knowing who he was. Stupid imbecile. If he is stupid enough to attack me and try to take my mate, knowing who I am and what I can do, then he is too stupid to be of use to us in battle. There is too much of a risk of him making foolish decisions that endanger the rest of us. I need to have him put down for the good of all.

Do we have to destroy him? I challenged. Perhaps we can find some use for him that won't involve killing him, but also won't endanger the rest of our people?

A weak leader can bring down an entire army, Jasper, Major reminded me. Will you risk our mate just to get out of killing this traitor? We can have the Captain do it, so we aren't exposed to his emotions, if you wish.

He had me there. I would never risk our mate any more than he would. She was our everything, our reward for surviving the hell Maria put us through and the pain of Alice's manipulations. She was our reason for existing, making our life worthwhile. All else could fall by the wayside as long as we kept her safely with us. Anything for our mate, I agreed.

"Captain!" Major snarled.

Peter carefully lifted his head. "Yes, sir, Major?"

"Take care of the prisoner."

Peter winced and slowly got to his feet. "Major, my gift tells me it would be a mistake to kill him, sir."

This statement caused gasps around the room, and the prisoner started to tremble in fear.

Damn it! The Captain is never wrong, so we are stuck with this idiot! Major mentally snarled in frustration.

"Fine," Major growled grumpily. He let go of the prisoner and moved a few steps away from him. "Don't make me regret letting you live, asshole!" He nudged the cowering vampire with his foot.

"Y-yes sir, Major," he whimpered.

Major began pacing in front of him, our hands behind our back. What if he goes after our mate again? I asked, remembering his hand reaching out to grab our Bella. Major paused and then turned to face the man.

"You may not have your arms back until you are ready to admit Bella is mine, ONLY MINE, and you have no claim to her," Major sneered. "Bella is ALL mine - heart, mind, body, and soul. If you cannot say that to my face with sincerity, then you will remain in pieces until you can. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir, Major," the vampire sobbed.

"Captain, guard the prisoner and make sure he does not reattach his arms until he is ready to admit he has no claim to my mate," Major commanded.

"Yes, sir, Major," Peter accepted, moving into position.

With Peter guarding our back, we were finally able to go and comfort our mate. To our surprise, as soon as I turned to face her and took a step in her direction, she raced forward to meet me, jumping into my arms.

"Major, Major," she crooned, kissing my face, checking for damage. "MY Major!"

"Nobody will ever take you from me," Major promised her, kissing her and inhaling her scent to help us calm down. We need to make sure she is uninjured, he thought.

Yes, I agreed. But not in front of all these witnesses. We need to take her somewhere private.

Feeling her little hands trying to sneak under our shirt, the Major decided to run with her. We will take her somewhere secluded and take care of her. The time has come to mark her, so nobody else will be stupid enough to try to claim her.

Holding her tightly to our body, we raced out the doorless entry and then into the woods. We heard the anguished, "NOOO!" howled by the prisoner, but didn't stop or respond. In fact, it simply spurred us on, making us even more determined to stake our claim before anybody else tried to take her from us.

xxxxxxx

AN: How was that?