Chapter Twenty-Two
Once I am done, Jacob leaves to do a small patrol around the house with Seth, but Leah remains at my side.
"How is it you are still here?" I ask with a hiccup. Leah smiles as she gives me tissues and she shrugs.
"Because I know how it feels to be left when your boyfriend plays stupid. I know that my situation is different from yous, but Embry is a moron for not seeing that his thought process on this is wrong and he lost a great girl that loves him dearly, the same goes for Sam," Leah says. She moves a piece of my hair out of my face and smiles.
"You are right, but am I to do now?" I sniffle.
"Make him pay by making him jealous for leaving you. If you take him back in the end of this, I will kick your ass," Leah says. I laugh and then give her a hug.
"Thank you," I say softly. Leah hugs me back and we go in search of Manny. Leah goes outside to hang out with Matthew and I find Manny playing with Jasper in the living room alone. I stop and watch him play with my son without a care in the world in who saw. Manny smiles at Jasper and the two have a great time together. Carlisle touches my shoulder and he leads me into the kitchen.
"Jasper has been playing with your son for almost an hour now. Manny seems to really love Jasper," Carlisle says while getting me some water. I smile and take the glass with shaky hands. "I would like to thank you for coming to help us with understanding a bit of the situation."
"It is wrong of the pack to want this when they accepted me, Matthew, and even Manny. Their decision is like killing me when I became pregnant with Manny a year ago," I say.
"Well, it was a good choice for you of made to help us," Carlisle says. I hear the familiar sounds of my son's little feet and turn to see my little man toddling over to me with Jasper not far behind him.
"Mama!" Manny giggles and toddles faster to me. I giggle as I lean down to pick up my sweet boy. His hair is falling out of his little ponytail and he kisses my cheek.
"Buon giorno, mi amore," I say softly. Carlisle leaves us and Jasper walks over to give me Manny's sippy cup.
"He was a good boy while we played," Jasper says.
"Thank you for playing with him," I say. Jasper bows his head and he turns to leave. "Why did you do it?"
"Why did I do what?" Jasper asks, as he rurns back around to me.
"Why did you play with him when you barely know him?"
"Because I knew that it is the only way to your heart and to get to know you better. I wish to get to know you better in the end of this and I had fun playing with him."
"But you have a mate already, why do you want to get to my heart?"
"Beacuse I like you for standing up to your family for what you believe is right, you are a great mother, and you are a beautiful woman. My mate has seen how I look at you and she has fallen a bit for another person, which is fine with me."
"But, we just met each other today."
"I feel like I know you from a long time ago and I have a feeling we are meant to be together." Jacob comes in at the end of his sentence and Jasper leaves us.
"What was that about?" Jacob asks.
"I think I imprinted on him before today," I say softly. "I saw him just now, being free of Embry, and felt a pull like I did when I first saw him at the wedding."
"Marinna, it is either you did or didn't. Is that why Embry said you are free of him? He must have known that you had imprinted on someone other than him, which is probably why he let you go," Jacob says. I look at Manny and kiss his cheek.
"Maybe," I murmur. Manny gets sleepy and I decide to lay on the couch in the living room with him. Bella smiles at the company and Edward gives me a small nod. Manny rubs his beautiful green eyes and he lays his head upon my breast while I see his little lullaby. It is not long before he falls asleep and I with him.
Jasper is sitting with Manny the next morning and he is feeding my son his jar food. I smile when I walk over, but Alice stops me with a big smile.
"Can I talk to you?" Alice asks. I nod my head slowly and run my hand over my unruly bedhead. Alice takes my hand and leads me back to sit with Bella.
"What is going on?" I ask a little worried.
"Okay, Alice wants to talk to you about two people. She wants to know about Matthew and to give you information on Jasper," Bella says with a smile.
"Why?" I ask with a raised brow.
"Because I knew you were coming into his life, but never said anything. I saw you before the wedding in a vision and when Jasper caught you in his sight, I saw the two of you together and very happy. I want him to have that happiness and I knew he was only with me until he met you. I seem to like your brother and I am unable to be away from him, like something is pulling me to him," Alice says a little too perky for me. I nod my head and rub my face a bit.
"So, you had a vision and in it Jasper and I are together and we are happy? Well, you can have my brother if you want him, but I am in love with someone else," I say. Bella takes my hand and she holds it a little tightly.
"Marinna, Embry gave you up and picked killing me over keeping you and Manny at his side. Jasper loves your son and he likes you very much. Last night he sat next to you all night to watch over you and Manny," Bella says. Usually, I would find what Jasper did a little creepy, but I found it sweet. My ears perk when I hear Manny giggle and babble to Jasper.
"He has been watching and caring for Manny all morning and he is having a great time," Alice says. I think about how I felt drawn to him and how I loved how Manny likes him and how well he takes care of my son as his own.
"I will think about it and let him make the first move. If he asks me out, then I will agree until after the baby is born," I say with a sigh. Alice and Bella giggle and then the three of us discuss Matthew for Alice's sake. He arrives not long after with a big smile on his face and he sits next to me. He hugs me tightly like always and we sit and share a small conversation in Italian. Alice waits for my signal to ask him to walk with him around the house. Matthew, being the gentleman he is, agrees and leaves me with Bella. Manny screams and it makes me jump to my feet and run to hkm. My baby has never screamed like that ever. I arrive to a bedroom to see Manny running around with Jasper chasing him and Emmett laughing on a couch in the room. Rosalie looks at me with a raised brow and I put a hand over my rapid beating heart.
"Marinna, are you okay?" Rosalie asks.
"I am sorry, I heard Manny scream and he has never done that before," I say. Manny runs over and hugs my leg.
"Papa pway," Manny says and points to Jasper. My heart aches when I hear him call Jasper 'papa.' Jasper does mot correct him and he smiles a bit. I pick my son up and carry him outside the house. Jasper runs after me and he grabs my elbow.
"Why are you taking him away?"
"Jasper, he just lost his father the other day! I cannot have him get attached to you when we are not even together. I will not have my son lose another man in his life."
"Marinna, please let me into your life. I know you just broke up with Embry the other day, but I would never leave your side and I takecar of you andyour son. Please give me a chance andgo out to dinner or something." Damn, it is as if he knew what I agreed to.
"Alright, you can continue with playing with Manny and we can go on a date when this is all over. But he is not to call you papa. He can call you something else, but that."
"Agreed, you have my word and I will try to prove to myself that I am worth your time and will hold your heart like a treasure."
"Don't push it, Jasper." I smirk and walk over to the little river to let Manny play in it. Jasper remains by the house, but keeps an eye on the two of us. Manny is stomping in thewater when I look up to see Sam and Embry standing on the other side of the river. Manny exclaims and calls for his daddy and his uncle, but neither of us move.
"Mari," Sam says sadly. I growl and pull Manny closer to me.
"You made your choice and I made mine," I say sharply.
"You are infatuated with a Cullen! He is a vampire and will break you heart!" Sam snaps.
"He cares for me and Manny more than you and that man next to who, whom I thought loved me. I am not going to go back to men that chose to kill a human girl because she is pregnant with a hybrid, but let me into the family as a hybrid and have a hybrid child of my own. I will not let my son live in that kind of world anymore," I growl.
"You cannot mean that," Embry says finally. I turn to him with tears in my eyes.
"You, shut up, you have no right to tell me what I mean. You left me and now you will suffer the consequences. The two of you can tell, I have imprinted and it is not on Embry, it is on Jasper Cullen. He cares for me and my son more than my choice of protecting his sister. I will not push him away because he cares for me," I say. "Now, go away and make your little plot to end Bella's life, because you will never get to her unless you get through me."
"Marinna," Jasper's voice calls from behind me. He reaches for my hand, but I give him Manny to take him a little further down the creek to let him play. Embry growls when Jasper holds Manny close.
"Stop, Embry," Sam says. "You are moving quickly in this relationship with that Cullen."
"He is my imprint and I trust him more than you two. I have this feeling that I have met him before and I know that I will live forver with him and will behappy with him. Goodbye, Sam and Embry," I say and walk towards Jasper. He holds out his hand to me and I take it to curl into his embrace. I hear Embry's howl once more and probably for the last time. Manny is standing in the water before us and he splashing like a happy boy.
"You know I can control a person through their emotions right?" Jasper asks softly.
"Yes, but I know you did not make me like you. It was through Manny and with the convincing of Alice and Bella," I grumble. Jasper chuckles and holds me closer. I feel safe and happy in this man's arms, even more than I felt in Embry's. Manny splashes around mor and he lets out a loud giggle. I smile and leave Jasper's arms to play with my little boy a bit. This feels right and I hope it last forever like Alice said.
Weeks later
Bella has gotten better now that Jacob made a snarky comment about the baby wanting blood. She has become stronger and is happyto be planning a birthday party for my little boy. In a few days, my sweet boy will be turning one and it breaks my heart as I try to wrap my head around it completely. Jasper is sitting with me while we all try to watch a football game. The Cullens havenot fed in a long time and it is getting a little scary to have Manny in the house. Emmet takes peeks at Mannysleeping in my arms and at me, but Jasper keeps growling to remind him who I belong to. I curl up closer to him and he holds onto me tighter. Matthew and Alice have made a big leap in their relationship as well, currently the two are canoodling on the other sid of the room and trying to comfort one another of wanting to feed. Matthew does not have the need to feed, but he has the urge. I look into the black eyes of the man I am slowly falling in love with. He nuzzles my forehead and holds me tightly. Manny is snoring softly in my arms and he is enjoying being in the spot he is in.
"I cannot take it anymore, I nee to feed or drink from someone!" Emmet roars. He makes a move towards me and I flinch pulling Manny close. Jaspe snarls and Jacob jumps to his feet with Matthew soon behind him.
"Touch our sister and you will regret it," Jacob growls. Rosalie takes Emmet into another room and the room settles down a bit. Tears prick my eyes as I kiss Manny's forehead softly a few times. I get up and leave the room. Jasper rushes after me and he stops me from running out the font door.
"Mari, tell me what is the matter," Jasper pleas softly.
"Manny is not safe around your family, Jasper. Emmet wanted to eat my son because he has a beating heart! I cannot keep him here," I sob. Jasper pulls me into his arms lightly and rubs my back.
"You cannot leave, otherwise you may not be able to return because they will think you gave up on us, on me," Jasper says. I bury my face into Jasper's chest and I take deep, ragged breathes. Jasper rubs my back and he buries his nose into my hair. I look up at him with sad eyes, but he smiles and kisses my forehead softly. We walk back to the living room and we settle back into our spot on the couch. Carlisle smiles at me when he sees us. Bella and Edward went upstairsto let her bathe a bit. Matthew and Alice went out in the backyard to let Matthew settle down a bit. Jacob shifts to take Manny, but I smile at my brother and shake my head. Jasper folds me into his arms to let me settle calmly and let me sleep safely in his arms. I must have dozed off for hours, for when I wake the sun is beginning to set and Carlisle and Esme are talking to Jacaob in the kitchen.
"That is all the blood you have left?" Jacob asks with worry.
"And Bella can deliver as early as tomorrow," Carlisle replies.
"And you need to feed to be at your strongest," Esme says.
"You cannot go otherwise you will be killed," Jacob says.
"We have to go and we will take Emmett with us," Esme says.
"It is not enough protection," Jacob says. I step into the living room with my curly hair still a mess.
"Jake, I can go with them," I say.
"Mari, no, Sam will not hold back even if you are there," Jacob says quickly.
"I do not care, they need more protection and I can fight in both forms. I can run in human form and then serve as a distaction for a bit until they get away fwr enough," I say.
"Marinna, itwould be best of you went all the way with us," Esme says kindly.
"No, Jake can serve as another distraction to help with the first phase. I will catch up to you three when you ar on your way back," I say. I sense someone behind me and see Jasper standing there with his hands balled up into fists. "Jazz, sweetie..."
"I just got you in my life and i am not willing to lose you just yet," Jasper growls.
"I willl be back faster than you think," I say. Jasper walks overand he cups my face in his hands. The others in the room watch us in shock and awe.
"Promise to come back to me and Manny safely," Jasper says. I nod and out my hand on one of his hands. We share a small kiss and we keep our face inches from each other. Jacob goes to inform the rest of the small pack ofthe plans. Tears fall down with the thought of how happy this man before me makes me feel and how he cares so much for me in the weeks we have been together.