Hurried footsteps pounded against the mud and dried leaves scattered across the ground.

Bella ran as fast as her legs could take her, not once stopping to look behind her even as she heard the trickling of laughter overhead.

Victoria was taking her time chasing the girl, following with sadistic delight. Every time Bella got close to a trail, anywhere that could lead onto a road, Victoria swept in and knocked her down. Gone like a sudden gust of wind, too fast to anticipate and impossible to stop.

There was no stopping her.

No matter what Bella did, there was no escaping her.

She didn't even know how long this went on for—minutes? Maybe even an hour? Or was it more?

Eventually it got to the point where Bella could barely stand after Victoria shoved her especially hard, causing her to trip and roll down a steep incline. When her back hit the ground and the world finally stopped spinning, Bella found herself staring up at Victoria's blurred face as she knelt beside her with a soft smile on her blood smeared lips.

Despite her heart pounding wildly, she didn't have the energy to flinch when Victoria gently ran the back of her hand down Bella's cheek.

"There's no escaping me, Bella. You should just go ahead and beg me to end it. I'll make it quick, as quickly as it took for James's body to burn to ash."

"Is that what Edward told you he did?" Her voice was barely above a whisper in between her ragged gasps.

Victoria's hand was suddenly around her throat, "All he did was go to the last person on his roster. The only one he hadn't lied to. Oh yes, he told me about his little plan to keep Jasper from his mate. Jealousy is quite a silent little killer isn't it? Wanting what he couldn't have drove him mad with obsession. For some fucking reason, he wanted you. He truly is pathetic, but it made my days go by a little faster. Gave me time to plan for this day."

Bella said through gritted teeth, wincing when the vampire's fingers applied more pressure around her throat, "James went after me. It wasn't the other way around. All the Cullens did was protect me."

"And ruin my life!" Victoria's red eyes practically glowed with outrage. "What am I going to do now? Without him there's nothing. Nothing! You did that! If they'd let him kill you, then it all would have been fine. I'd still have a mate and you wouldn't be the little pest invading that coven of freaks."

For a moment, Bella thought she might be right. But another part of her—that side of her that had been healed by Jasper and realized she wasn't at fault for the way Edward had treated her—told her Victoria was wrong. So wrong.

"If you kill me, Jasper will never stop until he makes you pay." She wasn't lying. She knew he would do that and more. His love and devotion to Bella was an overwhelming force of nature.

If she thought about him long enough, she knew she'd start crying.

Never seeing him again...hearing his voice...

"If Edward was right about his fierce protectiveness of you, I'm sure that'll be true even if I let you go. If I'm going to die, it might as well be for something. But like I said, I won't kill you until you're begging for it. So try and run from me again, Bella. This is the most fun I've had in a long time."

Before Bella could say anything else to try and make her see reason, Victoria was gone once again.

They would resume their game, whether Bella wanted to or not.

Tears welled in her eyes as she rolled onto her side and pushed herself up despite her body screaming out in protest.

If this had happened after Edward hurt and discarded her, she knew giving up would have been easy.

But this wasn't about Edward anymore.

This was about her and Jasper.

And for them, she would fight. No matter how many times she gets pushed down, or how badly she hurts, she couldn't give up.

Not when they just barely found each other.

They needed more time.

She needed to make that time, until he finally found her.


Bella's scent was everywhere. Her blood was everywhere.

Jasper ran through the forest at incredible speeds with his family close behind. Barely paying them any mind.

She was close, closer than Jasper allowed himself to think as panic and primal rage ruled his every move. If he lost control now he could lose her again or enable Victoria to harm her before he had a chance to save Bella. That wasn't something he was willing to do. Losing control of himself now was not an option.

According to Edward, Victoria wouldn't kill Bella until he was present too. Some sick sadistic plan she has to exact her revenge for James. Somehow, she'd known how to navigate around Edward's and Alice's gifts. And when Edward finally read Victoria's thoughts and realized she wasn't some female vampire who sought comfort in the arms of another, it was too late. She'd learned all the ways she could torment Bella because of him.

Fucking fool.

Jasper had been so tempted to kill his brother then and there as soon as he realized Edward had been with Victoria all this time. That she'd taken Bella and nearly killed Charlie.

Knowing how on edge Jasper was, Carlisle had ordered Edward to stay with Esme while she watched over Charlie. Jasper hadn't wanted to be near him again nor hear those useless words.

"You're a bigger fool than any of us thought," Rosalie had snarled after Edward revealed all he'd done and said to the nomad, head hanging low as he stood before his family.

Edward looked towards Jasper, but if he searched for empathy or forgiveness for such a foolish series of lies and cruelty, he would never find it in Jasper.

Losing James had been like losing a crucial piece that made up Victoria's very twisted puzzle. Jasper had to let himself wonder despite everything—if he lost Bella, would he become like the nomad? Wanting to get drunk on revenge.

Or would he take the other route laid out before him. Giving himself up to the Volturi and letting them end his eternal existence.

In the end, all he saw was Victoria rushing towards her own death. One way or another.

"Jasper," Emmett called from where he stood interrupting his dark thoughts. Jasper turned and noticed the grim look on his brother's face. And as a faint breeze swept past them, the Cullens stiffened.

Blood, fresh and still lingering with the scent that belonged to a human before death claimed what little was left of them too. Not Bella's blood though. Thank god...

Jasper hurried to Emmett's side as Carlisle went to the woman who laid face down in the ground before them. Blood pooling around her shoulders and head as it trickled from the gaping wound in her neck. Beside her, a man was crumpled in a heap in a similar manner.

Both Victoria's doing. Bella's scent was here too though it faded into a different direction, along with the nomad's.

Carlisle shook his head, "We can't leave them this way."

"If we move them now the humans who come looking will find tampering of evidence. They'll investigate. If we leave them like this, no one will look into it. There've been too many bear attacks to say otherwise. The wounds Victoria inflicted were too crazed and sloppy," Alice said, looking lost as she returned from a vision. Her eyes fluttered before finding his, "She's toying with Bella. Won't kill her until she pushes Bella to beg."

Beg.

Beg for a quick death.

He growled at that, already coming up with all sorts of ways he was going to torture Victoria.

"They'll be heading towards a stream. Close enough to the treaty line. If you head there now, you can make it!" Alice said as she was swept up by another vision. "Go, Jazz."

Spinning on his heel, Jasper headed towards Bella's scent once more with Rosalie and Emmett by his side. Rushing to save his mate.


Bella came to a stop to catch her breath, her lungs feeling as though they were on fire with every shaking pant. Her legs were trembling for all the running and falls she'd taken.

Rain started to trickle between the leaves above, splattering her face. Not that she could feel the cool droplets given the sweat coating her skin, making her thin Henley shirt to stick to her back.

Bruises bloomed across her back and arms, curtesy of Victoria's shoving and strong grip. Always more than happy to swoop in and hurt Bella before disappearing again, her honey-sweet laughter dancing away with her.

Her body ached terribly, but she couldn't stop.

If she knew Jasper, he'd find her soon. She just needed to hold on.

She looked up as she heard faint footsteps up ahead and her heart suddenly sank as she stared at the meadow. Edward's meadow. The flower fields that she'd loved seeing the first time he'd brought her here, were all gone. Dried to the root with only a few patches of still green grass.

"He wouldn't stop raving about this place," Victoria mused behind her, sending Bella stumbling forward before whirling around. When she scanned the path behind her however, the nomad was nowhere in sight. When she spoke again, it was an echo across the field behind Bella again. "How it brought this peace to him. Because he didn't need to think about his miserable eternal existence. What a fool. Only a fool fears the gift of immortality."

Bella inched back as she felt an unnatural breeze brush past her, pressing her back against the bark of the tree. Her senses were hyperactive with apprehensive anticipation for what was to come.

She knew by now that Victoria would lash out at her at any moment. Taking her revenge slowly.

"He could have continued living such a mundane life all he wanted. If he'd only let James take you, all of this could have been avoided. But of course, nothing is ever enough for men like Edward Cullen. A spoiled brat who's gotten everything he ever wanted."

Bella flinched this time as Victoria whispered into her ear, "Except you. His singer. The woman who isn't his mate."

"Stop it," Bella finally snapped, whirling to face Victoria. She glared at the woman, fire blazing in her eyes as she faced her tormentor, "killing me wont take back what's been done. James wasn't innocent in all of this. He could have easily left me alone! He didn't have to hunt me down. He could have been satisfied with a life with you, but that wasn't the case."

Victoria snarled viciously, slamming her hand against Bella's chest. She fell back hard into the wet ground with a gasp of pain. For a moment she wondered if her heart would stop beating because of the force of Victoria's blunt hit.

It was an effort to open her eyes in time to see Victoria stalk towards her, rage etched across her usual calm, egotistical expression.

"Shut your mouth. You're nothing more than a weed in a dying field, following the rest of the dried up earth until you're nothing but dust. That's what you'll be to the Cullens and that mate of yours. You'll die by my hand and they'll thank me for unburdening them from the likes of you."

Bella coughed as she inched back, her socks now soaked, and torn, and dirty slid across the dead grass.

"I'll take pleasure in finally feasting on you, the way James wanted to all along," Victoria's ghost of a smile sent bile rising in Bella's throat.

Rather than beg like Victoria wanted her to, Bella focused on the months she's spent with Jasper. Healing and finding herself in him, loving him the way she should have all this time. Knowing that Victoria was wrong. Jasper would never forget her.

He was as much her heart as she was a part of his soul. Death could never pull them apart.

Victoria stood over Bella, pressing the heel of her shoe into her chest that still burned wildly upon applying pressure to the blossoming bruise that was surely stretching across Bella's skin.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she shut her eyes, seeing Jasper's piercing gaze and breathtaking smile in her final moments.

Jasper...

As Victoria released a satisfied growl, Bella prepared to feel the searing pain before the world faded away.

Only that didn't happen.

"What?" Victoria whispered as another set of low guttural growls permeated the air around them. Bella opened her eyes, blinking up at Victoria as the nomad stared wide eyed ahead of her. Her lips trembled as she took a single step back, "Impossible..."

The sound of heavy thundering footsteps shook the earth beneath Bella's palms. Before she could whip her head around to see what was approaching them, a large black mass leapt over her in a graceful arc.

Victoria released a grunt as something collided with her, sending her rolling across the field. Bella shot up as she stared at Victoria and the...enormous wolf in horror as they collided, rolling and snarling in a vicious dance.

The wolf was massive, nearly as tall as Emmett as it stood up, avoiding Victoria's attack as she lashed out to defend herself. The vampire got to her feet, frantically looking between the black wolf and the three other wolves stalking forward. Saliva dripped from their sharp fangs as hatred shined from their eyes.

Victoria crouched low, baring her teeth at the black wolf as it barked loudly. When the wolves charged towards Victoria, their growls and barks sent chills down Bella's spine.

The nomad was a blur as she evaded the wolves attacks only long enough for the black wolf to lunge for her. His fangs snapped into the air as she whirled around gracefully, getting knocked down by one of the other wolves with dark silver fur. This time Victoria couldn't avoid the beasts bite as it's fangs sank into her arm and a sickening crack reached echoed across the field.

Victoria's desperate wail made Bella cringe, struggling to stand to her feet and swaying almost instantly. She flinched as another brown wolf ran past her, only stopping long enough to direct its deep brown eyes her way. A shaky breath escaped her at the beauty of the creature before it charged away. It's eyes deep and warm like freshly ground coffee.

He was beautiful.

And just as quickly, he was fine. Aiding his pack in the fight against the redhead.

The wolves wasted no time feasting upon the vicious snarling woman as she tried to fight them off, stopped by the black wolf's paw as it stepped on her hand and buried it deep into the wet grass.

Bella finally felt her fear take over, driving her into action and taking one cautious step back. If Victoria got away from the wolves and killed them, she knew she'd be done for.

That is if the wolves don't attack her next.

Bella stumbled back, her legs still trembling uncontrollably as she turned and ran, leaving the pack of wolves behind as Victoria continued to scream, a high pitched fierce wail that pierced the sky.

She only made it as far as the tree line before two strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

"No!" Bella suddenly screamed out. Hitting the hands that grabbed her arms, trying to wrench herself away. Not hearing the steady yet panicked voice saying her name over and over again. "Stop!"

"Bella. Bella it's me! It's me, darlin'. Look at me," Jasper spun her around even as she tried to fight him off.

When she finally opened her eyes to find his dark ones sinking into hers, a sigh of earth shattering relief turned into a sob, "Jasper...?"

Jasper's lips tilted up into a heartbreaking smile, "It's me, baby. I'm here. I'm here..." his eyes scanned every inch of her, reading her like he would a book. Every line, every imperfect edge. Taking in the bruises on her face and neck and arms. His jaw clenched but he never deviated from the gentle almost devoted way he caressed her cheeks and brushed her hair away from her pallid face.

It was then when everything finally slowed down, that Bella knew she wasn't imagining him. That Jasper was really here. She hadn't died and he was here.

Her legs gave out the second that piece of knowledge clicked into place in her battered heart.

Jasper sank to the ground with her as Bella threw her sore, bruised arms around him. Holding him with a desperate need to keep him close.

Tears rolled down her face as she looked over his shoulder toward the field. The large trees thankfully obscuring her line of vision before she could see Victoria or what was left of the wolves.

She pulled back, starting to panic all over again, "V-Victoria, she's been attacked by these—"

"I know," Jasper reassured her, "they won't hurt you. You're safe with us."

Us?

"Bella!" Carlisle called as he suddenly appeared beside her and Jasper. He knelt beside them, quickly examining the visible injuries on her body. Despite everything, she smiled at the man who was practically a second father to her.

"Carlisle..." she murmured, feeling a wave of darkness threaten to consume her.

"It's going to be okay now, sweetheart. Just stay awake, don't fall asleep."

If she nodded that she understood Carlisle's words, she didn't feel it.

"Take her home, Jasper. I'll speak with Sam," Carlisle said as he gently ran a hand over Bella's head, grimacing when he felt the wet sticky half-dried blood on the back of her head.

Bella barely felt Jasper slip his hands beneath her legs and back before she was being lifted into his arms. Breathing a sigh of relief to feel him so close to her as she rested her head against his broad chest, Bella allowed herself the right to feel comforted by him.

Accepting his gift to ease the pain radiating from her body.

Jasper growled a response as he looked after Carlisle as he made his way towards the meadow. But she couldn't hear it, probably couldn't even if she tried.

"You found me," She murmured against his neck, her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders as he held her close. His hands tightened slightly and his gift draped itself over them both—an undying, crushing sort of feeling—love. Relief. And guilt.

"I'm only sorry I didn't get to you sooner," Her mate kissed the top of her head and temple as he took her away, back to the safety of their home, "Bella...my Bella..."

Despite him being here, despite the aches and the fear that still remained with her like a shadow, Bella felt herself gladly slipping into the darkness. Knowing she was safe in the arms of Jasper once again.


Thanks for reading x