Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc., are the property of their respective owners. The original characters, ideas and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I only do this for fun. – B

Attempting to Covet

A/N: My prayers go out to the families who were involved in the Newton Massacre last Friday in Connecticut. RIP to all of the children who were killed as well as the faculty members. You will always remain in our hearts. 3

For all those who have asked, YES, this is a repost of my very first FanFic story! I deleted the original and am revising and editing everything I had written, because I feel like I can do this story more justice than I had. If you have any questions or comments about the story, post them in my reviews and I will answer them in my next Author's Note at the bottom of the next chapter! I hope you enjoy the story!

Chapter 2
(Bella's POV)

Pain.

Fire.

Burning... sensations flowing through my veins, making it feel like I am being roasted from the inside out by molten lava. I knew what was happening to me as I heard this pain being described by many of the Cullen's who spoke to me about their change. I was becoming a vampire. But what I have to endure that a lot of them didn't is the emotional pain on top of the physical burn. I knew that all of their stories weren't happy stories insinuating on how they came to be who they are, and maybe I was just being delusional in believing that that could never happen to me. I should have known better than to expect that if Edward ever agreed to change me that it would be a romantic sensual experience for me.

Edward...

How could he have done that? I could understand losing control, especially when your singer's blood, even as small as a paper cut to start, was unavoidable. But the things he said...I always knew I was never good enough for him. I was a plain, human girl with no special qualities about her. Edward even said it himself. No vampire could ever love a human, especially one like me. Or I was. Now that I'm becoming a vampire and no longer have blood, will he even want to have anything to do with me? I guess I really wasn't his mate.

Mate...

Jasper! He said I was his mate. But what about Alice? I thought she was his mate? Vampires are supposed to mate for life. I'm coming up with more questions than answers at this point. What I do know for sure though is that Jasper saved me and I will forever be grateful for that. He must really care about me. From what I can tell so far he has been here with me this whole time so far. Through the burning and pain, I feel like I can still sense him there, like how I used to be aware of Edward when he was near only so much more. It's a connection that I have never felt before and it seems to just be getting stronger as time goes on.

Not only is he here with me and talking to me as though to distract me, but I feel like he is trying to take the pain away. Not just with his cool body, but with his gift, as well. Strangely, regardless of how I barely know him, and even through all the pain I am in, being in his arms feels so right. I want to be closer to him, to literally get so close that I crawl inside him and remain there. I tred to move but I couldn't. I feel as though I am paralyzed, but very much aware.

"Isabella?" A honey velvety voice asks me in a hushed but stern tone. "I know you can hear me, I feel your emotions react to what's happening around you. I want you to do something for me now. As you know, human memories fade throughout the change. I want you to think of all the most important memories you have and replay them in your mind as often as possible. Not just the good ones, but the bad ones as well. They can become very significant at times even if it doesn't seem like it now."

Ok, memories. Where to start? I guess the best way to do this would be to start with the people who mean something to me, who stood out in my life for one reason or another. And that's what I did. I replayed all the memories that I could possibly think of through the burn of the change.

(Jasper's POV)

I finally feel like I am coming back to myself. It figures that it would take a human girl to make the Major come out again after nearly a half of a century of silence and suppressing that side of me. Bella...my mate, it makes sense now, finally; that pull in my chest whenever she is not around. The constant need to see her smile or comfort her when she is distressed. The thrill I get when she looks at me and the desire to be forever close to her. I looked down at the beautiful girl in my arms and smiled. She is about three quarters through her second day of the change. Her features have morphed and her skin is now paler and hard, as well as her body temperature also has dropped significantly. She feels about the same as my body temperature now. But she's still so silent. I know everything is going along fine with her change and from her emotions, I can feel that she is in considerable pain, but surely by now she should be screaming or at least showing some signs of feeling the intense burn that the change produces.

"Alice." I called. Just to be on the safe side, I want Alice's opinion on Bella's future.

I heard her footsteps coming up the stairs to the third floor guest room where I was currently waiting for her with Bella against my bare chest. She seemed to pause at the door for a moment, to gather herself, or so it may seem. Her emotions were putting off determination and I had a feeling I knew what she was about to bring up. Figures she would wait until now to question me on this subject. From her first and last run in with the Major, she knew not to argue or question him about anything for that matter.

Alice turned the door handle and strolled into the room, shutting the door behind her. She then turned around and froze when she saw Bella still tangled up in my embrace. She recovered quickly, trying to act nonchalant and doing a piss poor job of it.

"Her change is going along just fine. Carlisle thinks it's from the morphine he gave her right before you bit her. Though, it's not unheard of for a vampire to be silent throughout their change. Take Carlisle, for example. Though it's almost unheard of, it is possible for the strong-willed, but I think for the best answer you are gonna just have to wait and ask Bella herself." Alice said almost sounding annoyed with her arms crossed over her chest defiantly.

"What time exactly is she going to wake up?" I asked her acting as though I didn't notice her tone. I refused to play her little game. If she wanted to be immature about this whole thing, that's all on her. I told her before we got married that I felt something wasn't right, that I didn't feel the mating pull when we were apart. She wanted to blow me off and tell me that I was being silly and that it's all in my head. I was so in love with her at that time in the beginning of our relationship and I was so grateful to her for bringing me into this new life that I didn't want to believe that we weren't really mates. The more I think about all of this, the more I realize what a manipulative bitch she really is.

She rolled her eyes at me and her eyes glazed over. "Bella will wake up at exactly 2:27pm tomorrow." She let the vision play in her mind a little longer. A baffled look came across her face just then and her brows furrowed.

"What Alice? What do you see?" I asked getting slightly panicky. This was my mate's future she was looking in and if something was wrong, I needed to know immediately!

"Her eyes..."

"What about her eyes?" I rushed out, pulling Bella tighter against me.

"Nothing, you'll see. It's not important." She said as she shook herself out of her vision.
I looked at her skeptically, and then figured that she would never disregard something by putting Bella's life in jeopardy. She loves Bella. So I let it drop for now.

"But what is important is that we talk for a minute and I'm sure you know what it's regarding." She said narrowing her eyes at me.

I sighed. "Alice, you know this isn't something I can control. Even if I could, I'm sorry, but I don't think I'd want to. I told you that something wasn't right with us. No other mated pairs I have ever come across can be separated from their mates like we can and I can't feel you like other mates can. Even if the bond isn't that strong, they at least show signs of these things. We haven't even marked each other! I haven't even felt that primal urge to claim you like that! as others have towards their mates."

"How did you find out all that information, Jazzy?" She asked me almost eyeballing me in an uncomfortable way. Her emotions were giving almost a nervous feel to it as though she was trying to hide something from me.

"When I went to visit with Charlotte and Peter, they brought it up and it peaked my interest. When I got back, I asked Carlisle and Esmé, Rosalie and Emmett, and even Eleazar and Carmen about these things and got all the same information. I then went in Carlisle's study and did some research in his library and read up on all the information I could on the subject about soul mates. Our bond was nothing like the ones I learned about, Alice, but I felt like I needed you or I wouldn't be able to live this life successfully and I loved you so much for most of our relationship that I didn't want to believe that you weren't my true mate. Well, now I found her and there is no one I'd rather have!"

"And why is that? She's not even that pretty and not to mention her fashion sense -"

"Fashion sense? Are you joking, Alice? I can't stand how you dress me up to be what you think your domestic partner should be. Some of your outfits are so ridiculous that it just baffles me on how anyone could or would walk out in public like that. Bella dresses for comfort and it fits her personality and she doesn't need those irrelevant little things like make up or a handbag to make her up to look beautiful. And you say she's not that pretty? She is breathtaking on the inside as well as the outside. She's so pure and passionate and I can't wait to find out all those insignificant details that make her out to be who she is. And I will spend the rest of eternity finding those things out! I'm sorry, Alice. I'm grateful for all you've done, I really am. But what we have is over." I ranted to her. It was taking a heck of a lot of self-control not to strangle her.

"This wasn't how it's supposed to happen! No, something keeps changing..." She started pacing and mumbling to herself. Suddenly, it clicked. She knew.

"You didn't!" I yelled, clearly startling her and she stopped mid-rant, her head snapping in my direction. "You knew! You knew we weren't mates! How could you, Alice?"

"Because I couldn't bear to let you go, yet!" She screamed. "It isn't fair. You have your mate and I don't see mine, yet and I didn't want to be alone! I figured that Edward could hold Bella off for a while and change her. I convinced him that you weren't stable enough to be around Bella, so he would help me keep the two of you apart. I love you, Jazzy. Regardless of if we are true mates or not, I couldn't risk you knowing the truth and have you leaving me before I was ready."

I was momentarily stunned. I had no idea what to say to that. Anger was raging through me and my beast was banging on his bars trying to get me to let him out to make her pay for what she had done to us and our mate. It even bothered me that she dragged Edward into this! How is he going to feel when he learns that everything he thought he knew about Bella and their bond is a lie? It would be even worse later on and might have missed his mate because he thought that Bella was her!

"How could you be so selfish, Alice? Do you only care about yourself or stop and think about what this information would do to me, Bella, or Edward when it surfaced? Do you even stop to think about your decisions anymore, because I don't think you do!" I accused her.

"Of course, I do!" She giggled. Fuckin' giggled. "I make decisions everyday about my visions and what the correct path I should take to ensure that it's the best one -" I growled at her stopping her mid rant.

"Yeah, the best one for you!" I paused, waiting for her to react. She didn't argue, so I continued, "Do you have any idea what that kind of meddling can do? If you knew anything about true mates, you would know that they are not able to be apart once they consummate their mating. If one dies, the other one isn't usually too far behind and usually instigated by their own hand. Even if they haven't completely mated yet and something happens; Say I feel as though Bella was threatened or injured, my beast could come out and I would have no control over my actions. You know Edward would have tried to fight me off along with others and they could all lose their lives! You have not met my demon yet and trust me, Ali, you don't want to! My beast has no remorse and doesn't think twice before ripping someone's head off, no matter who they are to him! Then when I come back to myself I would have no idea why I acted that way and it could destroy me, Alice! That kind of thing would kill me. Especially if I believed that I was responsible for my 'mate's' demise! I would believe that I had no reason to live! There are so many things that could have happened that would have resulted in all sorts of terrible conclusions!" I screamed at her.

She stood there silent, eyes agape and just stared at me. 'Yes Alice, this is what happens when you meddle with fate.' I thought to myself. She still remained silently, scanning the future as if she were trying to find a way out of this and still get things to turn in her favor. Not this time. Even if I didn't have my beautiful mate lying on the bed wrapped up in my arms, I would leave her. I don't need someone like that as a wife. I can't believe I allowed myself to be so manipulated and used just to fit the role of what Alice thought her perfect mate should be. I let so much slide over the years when I knew she hid many things that she saw in her visions. I guessed she wanted to fool me into believing that she loved me too much to not do what was best for me. Boy, do I feel like a fool. Never again! My beast roared.

"Alice, Jenks is drawing up the divorce papers. I'm done with all of this." I finally told her.

"You don't mean that!" Alice exclaimed as she snapped back from a vision.

"Yes, I can promise you that I do and there is nothing and no one that can change my mind"

"But what about Ed -"

"Don't say his name!" I cut her off in a stern tone that left no room for arguing. "Edward took what wasn't his to take and after what he did tonight, though I can sympathize, I can't feel any remorse for the happenings on my part for this evening. My first priority is that girl right there!" I finished as I pointed to Bella. She started to whimper, so I immediately came back to her side and nuzzled her neck, letting as much love, calm and happy euphoric feelings I could send her seep through the dam. "I think you should go, leave us alone. This is obviously upsetting Bella." I told her as I sent her away.

Once she made it to the door, I noticed she visibly stiffened. She looked back and me briefly and took a deep unnecessary breath and opened the door. Carlisle and Esmé stood in the doorway with their arms crossed over their chest disapprovingly. They obviously heard the entire exchange and wanted to put their two senses in as well. I guess I couldn't begrudge them that. After all, she had caused problems here that resulted in emotional trauma for more than just me and Bella. Problems in which could have led to disastrous outcomes.

"Mary Alice Brandon!" Esmé began as Alice flinched at the use of her full name. "How could you do something like this to your husband? To Bella? To Edward?"

"I am very disappointed in you, Alice." Carlisle interjected. "I never thought that you would be the type of person to manipulate people for your own gain. Imagine the heartbreak your brother is going to have to endure when he finds out about this. And YOU are going to be the one to tell him."

Alice didn't answer right away. She seemed lost in a vision. Her emotions ranging from disbelief, to anger, to intrigue, to...acceptance?

"Of course, Carlisle. It was my mistake to begin with and I will take full responsibility for its unfortunate outcome." She said. What? Her demeanor changed so drastically. I scanned her emotions again and found impatience. Something just didn't seem right.

"Good, now go downstairs with Esmé and stick around until your brothers and sister get home. Keep an eye on them for when they get here. I want us to all except Jasper to intersect Edward as soon as he walks in the front door and ask to speak with him. Esmé, please call Emmett and prepare him as best you can without Edward getting suspicious and be brief as you can. He will understand what we are going to talk with him about and why we should need him there for Edward." Carlisle explained to the two.

Alice turned her head and sent a smirk my way before turning back and walking out the bedroom. I internally sighed. Peter said to prepare for Alice. With this thought my arms instinctively tightened around Bella, my Bella.

Carlisle cleared his throat, effectively interrupting my musings. I looked at him sheepishly.

"How is she?" He asked walking into the room.

"The same. Silent, but Alice says all is well. I can feel her emotions and you can see the changes in her appearance." I told him.

"Yes, she is looking good to me so far. All is where it is supposed to be in this part of the change, apart from the silence." He replied.

We were quiet for a few moments before I asked him what the developments are with staging Bella's death. He reported that everything went according to plan as of yet. They found her truck with the body and there was no questioning that it was indeed Bella. Charlie was distraught, of course, and has help from some friends of his from the reservation to help him with the funeral arrangements. That got me thinking, of course. I knew the young boy, Jacob, who was a close friend to Bella since they were kids, is the descendant of one of the wolves who made the original treaty with the Cullen's before Alice and I came along. I knew he was in love with my Bella. When he showed up at prom this past spring, I could feel it coming from him in waves towards Bella when she was dancing with him. I knew that the wolves were back around and I could only hope that he doesn't catch on. Regardless, I do not regret my decision to save my Bella. I wouldn't want any trouble to catch up with the rest of the family before they have a chance to get out of town.

We heard the front door slam from downstairs and I could feel the despair and anger coming off Edward in waves. We heard the girls intercept him immediately and it sounded like he wasn't having any of what they were telling him.

"No! I am not just going to sit down here now and have a family meeting at this moment! I need to go up to see my Bella first! There is no reason it can't wait until later! She must be so scared going through this right now and I should be up there with her!" Edward argued as I growled possessive. She is not his Bella and I will have him dismembered before he can even finish coming through the door.

"Carlisle," I growled out as he looked at me. "Go handle this. If anyone from this point on tries to come up here without my OK, especially any males, I can guarantee that it will be the last thing they do. Understand? I will not have any threat near my mate while she is in this helpless state. Also, Edward is not to be aware of where I am taking Bella at this time. I won't have him trying to pull anything to frighten her further during her first few months in her newborn year especially."

He just nodded at me and made his way quickly out of the room. I was tense and rearing' to go. My eyes were glued to the door, a constant low warning growl coming from deep inside my chest, daring anyone to go against my orders.

I could feel the onslaught of emotions from everyone downstairs and the truth was revealed. Disbelief, betrayal, anger, pity, understanding, confusion, rage, denial...from the sound of things downstairs, Edward is choosing not to believe Alice and Carlisle. He fought to come up here and threatened me many times, to my amusement. He honestly thought he could win a fight with me. He ended up leaving the house in a fit of rage. The living room is going to have to be cleaned up again from the fight in order to keep Edward away from Bella and myself. One more thing checked off my 'to do' list before my mate wakes and we have to leave.

As angry at Edward as I am for what he tried to take from me and what he did to Bella, not to mention how he controlled her and played on her insecurities throughout their whole relationship, I can't help but to feel sorry for him. It isn't his fault that Alice played on Edward's attraction towards Bella to benefit herself. Blood lust is extremely hard to fight off, not to mention in the presence of your singer. But I could tell immediately that this wasn't the last time we had to broach this subject with Edward and I would not let him take my mate from me. Not again. I would fight for her with my life.

A/N: So, what did everyone think of Chapter 2? What are your thoughts on Alice? What do you think Bella's reaction to everything will be? I will be showing Edward's POV, so what do you think his thoughts on everything will be? REVIEW!

Once again, I am the origional Author to this story and I did have it up once before, but I took it down and am revising and editing it since it was the very first story that I had ever posted and never finished it. I had a broken lap top when I began the story, so there were so many errors in it. I hope you all like this revised and edited verson!

If you have any questions or comments, please post them in my reviews and I will answer them in my next Author's Note at the bottom of the chapter!

To see more, go to either page: Xo BellaItalia oX or Xo Bella's Collaborations oX

Check out my other stories!

'Attempting to Covet' (REVISED)
'Dhampir' COMPLETED!
'Far Fetched Realities'
'Mirror Image'
'Other Worldly Beauty'
'Dhampir: Broken Moonlight' (SEQUEL)
'Perplexing Revelations'
'Unimaginable Outcomes'
'Pretexting'
'You Promised Me Forever
'The Heart's Desire'
'Intricate Beauty'
'Never What It Seems'
'The Major'
'Twilight ReVAMPed'

Check out my Collaboration's as well!

'Flashbacks'
'Unbreakable Faith'
'The Alpha's Mate, Crystal'
'Letting Go and Giving In'
'The Chronicles of the Fallen'
'Elemental Bella'
'Death is Only the Beginning'
'Fear Doesn't Rule You'
'Instinctual Reactions;
'How You Make Me Feel'
'Undisclosed Desires'

If you enjoyed this story so far, check out some of my other stories on my FanFiction page! Also, I am still accepting Twilight stories that involve Jasper/any female leads or Bella/selected male leads if anyone is looking for a Beta Reader. I will make exceptions on the characters depending on the plot. I am also now accepting Phantom of the Opera FanFictions that include Erik! I will also be accepting Bones featuring Agent Seeley Booth, Dawson's Creek, Titanic FanFictions featuring Jack, Snow White and the Huntsman featuring Snow White or Eric (the huntsman), The Ghost Whisperer that feature Melinda and Law and Order SVU that feature Elliot. I will accept OC characters as well depending on the other lead character. PM me for details!
- Bella'Xo
Xo BellaItalia oX