A/N: This one's kinda short. But it felt like the place to stop.
To all my UK and Ireland readers, happy Mother's Day! I hope you ladies are having a wonderful day!
– Isa's POV –
When Jasper and I returned to the training field almost everyone was sparring in groups of three and four. Carlisle, of course, was nowhere to be found. Neither was Irina or Eleazar.
Peter was sitting in the long grass chatting with Edward's head! Char was sat in her mate's lap, happily drawing on Edward's forehead.
Looks like they had a lot of fun with Edward!
He now had a penis drawn on the side of his face, pointing towards his mouth, with the words, insert here, in big black letters. Both his ears and his nose had been pierced. How? I don't know! I don't think I want to know! He had a dangling penis earring from one ear and a pair of cherries from the other. His septum had been pierced with a bull ring between each nostril and it was probably about as big as a farmer would put in a bull! So big, I could use it to swing Edward's head through the air without letting him go or damaging his hair, which had been permed! He looked a little like Justin Timberlake in the early 2000s! To finish off the look, he had bright pink feather eyelash extensions with matching pink lipstick!
"Looks like you two had fun," Jasper laughed as we joined them in the grass.
Pete grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Ed needed to update his look!"
"And the penis on his face?" I wondered.
Char chuckled. "That was all Esme!"
While Char and I discussed ways to humiliate Edward further, and simultaneously piss Carlisle off, Jasper and Peter were discussing the Volturi. Peter didn't know anything—in that special way he just knows—but they figured there was no harm in asking, as long as we were willing to pay the price that would come with asking for the Volturi's help.
"What kind of price?" I wondered. "I'm assuming it's not money, so we're talking a favour, doing a job for them or something like that?"
"Yes," Jasper nodded.
"Likely, it'll be a 'we'll do this for you now, and at some point in the future—whether it's two, ten, twenty, a hundred, two hundred, or a thousand years—you'll repay us' kinda deal," Peter answered.
Do we want that hanging over our heads for who knows how long?"
I guess we have to weigh up the pros and cons. Like, pro, Jasper wouldn't have to go back to the south where old enemies could suddenly remember they want our mate dead.
Con: we'll owe the Volturi a favour and they'll come calling at some unspecified time in the future.
Pro: Our need for revenge will be appeased. Maria will be ash and we can live our lives peacefully.
Con: We'll owe the Volturi. And who knows what they'll make us do!
I think that's it for pros and cons. Either we do it, spare Jasper from going to the south, and pay the price, or we don't.
Which means we either live with our need for revenge and try to forget about it, or . . .
Or, we go back to the south without Jasper.
And if he finds out we left him behind to go face off with his Warlord Sire who's, let's face it, probably stronger and more skilled than we are, he's gonna be pissed!
And there's a possibility we could die.
"Whatever yer thinkin', mate," Jasper's deep voice rumbled in my ear, "stop."
I turned my head, ready to argue with him, but paused when his black eyes met mine. Ah. Not Jasper. My Major was back and he wasn't looking too happy.
Hmm. How did he know we were considering going to the south alone?
"Yer emotions, Darlin'," he answered before I could voice the question. "Now that we've physically mated and every part ya has accepted our bond, we're more in tune with one another. Yer emotions are stronger than anyone else's. which is how I know yer considerin' goin' to the south without me and that ain't happenin'. We go together, or we don't go at all, understand mate?"
"Understand, yes. Agree, no." I responded. "How many enemies do you have in the south? Ballpark it for me. Three? Ten? Twenty? A hundred? You returning to the south will have all of those bastards gunning for your head. I want to take out one bitch, not go to war with an entire horde of vampires intent on killing my mate! So, if there's a chance I can get in, kill her, and get out without alerting anyone who's holding a grudge against the three of you, we should at least consider it."
"Absolutely not!" He snarled. "You will not go anywhere near Maria or the south, do you hear me, Isabella? I am your mate and I command you to stay here!"
"Oh Christ," Peter mumbled, shaking his head.
Oh boy. This isn't gonna end well.
Snarling, I leaped out of his arms. He followed my move, getting to his feet to stand tall and imposing before me.
"Let's get one thing clear, you may be my mate, my partner, and my lover, but that does not give you the right to give me orders!"
"Actually, Darlin'," he smirked, "it does. I am yer Alpha! I am the dominant in this relationship."
"Actually," I hissed, "I think you'll find it's the submissive who holds the power in the relationship. She sets the rules, the boundaries, and the limits. Her submission to her Alpha, her dominant, is a gift. One I'm officially rescinding!"
He snarled. "Not gonna happen, little lady. I'm yer mate!"
I nodded. "And look how quickly you turned into a jackass!"
Without another word, I scooped up Eddie's head and turned on my heel to walk away.
"Don't you dare walk away from me, Isabella!" Jasper or The Major, I wasn't sure anymore, roared.
I dropped Edward's head and rounded on my mate. "Get this through your thick skull, Major pain in the ass! You either get on board, or you get the fuck outta my way! Maria will die at my hand. If that means I have to take down the whole damn south with her, so be it!"
"Isabella Maria Swan—"
Before he could finish that sentence, I turned my back on him, grabbed Edward's head, and walked away.
"—get back here!" He roared.
Lifting my free hand, I flipped the bastard off and continued running into the forest, having no interest in returning anytime soon. Or being found.
Well, that escalated fast . . .
– Peter's POV –
I'm gonna kill him!
Never, in my existence, have I thought those words about my Sire, my brother, my best friend, but fuck it all to hell; I'm gonna kill him!
What the fuck was he thinking?
Before I got the chance to voice my opinion and bitch slap the fucker for being such an idiot, Char was on her feet, rounding on The Major with Ali joining her. Oh, fuck me!
"Have you lost your damn mind, Jasper!" Char yelled.
"Major," he barked, black eyes narrowing at my mate.
Oh, damn.
I wanted to pull her behind me. I tried, too. But she shook me off and growled at our Sire! She fuckin' growled at him. Never, in all our years together has she been so angry with him.
Char's eyes narrowed. "I'll use your title when I respect you! When you act like the man who deserves such a title."
"You realize, you're acting no better than Edward, Carlisle, and Eleazar, right?" Ali asked.
The Major snarled at the two women.
"Try having a little faith in her!" Kate said, joining the two girls. "You've been mated with Bella for, what, a week, if that? Char told me you two sparred. But do you have any idea what that girl is capable of?" She asked. "Do you think Garrett only taught her the basics? He is one of the best warriors in our world, almost as good as you and Pete. So before you deem her too weak to take on your Sire, maybe you should see what she can do!"
"Instead of holding back," Char hissed. "Yeah, we know you were holding back when the two of you sparred the other day. And I bet she does as well. How do you think that's going to affect the little self-esteem she has?"
"I suggest you fix this, Jasper," Ali said sadly. "Unless you're aiming to be like all the other fucktard males in her life. Pretty much everyone she's ever known has betrayed her and you swore you'd be different . . ."
"Another promise broken!" Char hissed. "At this rate, I'll be shocked if she ever trusts anyone again!"
"Where is she?" Jasper asked, looking off towards the forest where Bella had disappeared. "I—I need to go to her . . ."
"No, you don't," Ali sighed, "you've done enough. Charlie went after her. He's going to take her hunting; they'll be back later when she's calmed down."
"Why don't we go hunt, Major?" I suggested. "Cool down a bit and then you can talk to your mate when she comes home." I looked over to Ali. "Where'd they go?"
"Portland," she answered. "I suggest going up to Vancouver. Stay away from Seattle. Cops are swarming the streets looking for a missing girl."
Jasper's head snapped up, his eyes going wide. "Missing girl?"
"Mm." Ali nodded. "The mayor's niece. There's been a rash of missing street kids in Seattle. Pete and I think it's Victoria recruiting. The mayor's niece is the latest to go missing. Either she's now a vampire and will be here soon, or she was a newborn's first meal, either way, it's unlikely they'll find her."
With that, The Major and I took off toward Vancouver. For a couple of miles, I let him be with his thoughts. We were just passing the Quinault Reservation, a good sixty miles from Forks when he veered off and headed into the Olympic National Forest.
I followed but kept my distance as he crouched and growled, then leaped into the air as a massive mountain lion lunged for an unsuspecting doe. The heard of deer scattered at the sound of Jasper's roar as he and the mountain lion fought.
The fight was longer than I expected. It looked to me like he was letting the animal win just so he could fight it. His clothes were covered in dirt. His shirt ripped to shreds from the lion's claws.
I don't care for the animal blood diet, it ain't my thing and tastes vile, but wrestling with a lion looked badass!
Hmm. I wonder if Char would like to take a walkabout in Africa . . . I could fight a lion and Char would get to see the elephants. She loves elephants.
The fight only lasted ten minutes, if that. By the time The Major snapped the creature's neck, it looked exhausted and pissed off. With a roar that echoed through the forest, he sank his teeth into the cat's jugular and drained it dry.
"I think Isa and I killed the mayor's niece," Jasper stated as he buried his kill.
"And if you did?"
He sighed and sat back on his hunches, looking up at me. "I can live with it," he answered, getting to his feet. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair "I enjoyed it."
I nodded and slapped him on the back. "Yer a vampire, Major. Feedin'. Killin'. It's kinda what we're known for."
He sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah, I know."
"Look, we both know there are other ways. Animal blood. Takin' out criminals. We don't hafta feed from innocents. If it's animal blood ya want, if that's how you want to live yer life, ain't nobody gonna stop ya or try to change yer mind. And yer mate will understand."
Again, he nodded. "I know. I just . . . I dunno what I want," he admitted. "I haven't been a part of the Cullen Coven fer eight decades, and Carlisle's voice is still echoin' in my head, preachin' his values and morals at me. Tellin' me killin' humans is wrong and all human life should be cherished and protected. And now I've found myself mated to a wonderful woman who doesn't hold the same values as Carlisle or his Coven. She's free and beautiful and she accepts what she is. She embraces it!"
"So, what's the problem?"
"I don't know how to do that," he admitted. "I'm not even sure I know what I believe anymore. I've always had someone telling me how I should live my life. First Pa and my grandfather tellin' me what we were fightin' fer in the south was right and we had to do our part to preserve our way of life. I was so sure they were right that I left my home, Momma and my sisters and I joined the wrong side of the war! Then Maria found me. And then Carlisle. But with Bella . . ." he shook his head, sighing, "she just wants me to be me and I don't know who that is anymore . . . I don't know if I ever did . . ."
"Then it's time to figure it out, Major," I told him. "And, while yer at it, maybe ya wanna stop treatin' Bella with kid gloves and realize she's a strong, powerful, independent woman, who could probably kick all our asses!"
"She's yer partner, Jasper. Not a mindless soldier. And she sure as hell ain't a submissive outside the bedroom. When it's just the two of ya, yer mate will be whatever you need her to be and vice versa. But outside the bedroom, you two need to be on the same page. Yer partners. Ya stand tall together. One is not above the other!"
"Matin' is a union of two souls. A joining. It's about acceptin' another person, wholeheartedly. For all their imperfections and strengths. It goes beyond titles, beyond Alpha, beyond dominant and submissive. Together, united as one, the two of you are equal. Start treating Isabella as yer equal, Jasper, or you're gonna lose her! And that ain't somethin' I would wish upon my worst enemies."
"Oh, and Maria needs to be dealt with," I told him. "It's long past time we put that bitch in the ground. Instead of makin' yer mate believe she ain't strong enough to take on the bitch from hell, and adding to her mounting insecurities, why don't ya," I smirked, "put on yer big girl panties, and man the fuck up!"
"Yer the god damn Major! The God of War! Start actin' like it! And realize, yer mate needs to see the bitch who cause you the worst possible pain, dead. And so do I. So does Char! This ain't just about you, Major."
He shook his head. "My enemies . . ."
"Yer The Major!" I roared. "If anyone wants to go to war with us . . . They. Will. Lose! You are The God of War! Ares! Diablo! You are not weak! And yer mated to a fuckin' powerful shield! Fuck me! With her gift, she could encase them all in her shield and crush them to dust! Let them see her. Let them fear her! Let her send a message! The God of War is mated. He belongs to her! And if anyone comes after him, they deal with the Whitlocks!"
On that note, feelin' pissed off, I turned and left The Major alone with his thoughts. I couldn't say it any better. It wasn't just about him. Not anymore. We all needed to see Maria burn for the shit she put us through. It just took us findin' Bella to realize it and have the strength to admit it.
Whatever was to come next, it was on Jasper. He and his mate needed to deal with this before Red arrives with her army. If they couldn't find their way back to each other . . . well, I didn't wanna think about the consequences . . .
A/N: Don't hate me. It needed to happen. But don't worry Jasper and Isa will be back in the next one. :)