Maybe just one more chapter...

I ended up getting so many comments and PMs about making this story longer SO here we are lol.

Let me know what you thought (:

Six months had flown by faster than I thought possible, and so many things had changed while so many others had stayed the same.

I'd gotten things right with my mom, visited Forks again to see the boys on the rez - apparently Jake hadn't told them anything - visited my dad's grave, and even managed to explain the situation to Angela. She didn't understand the vampire/ wolf hatred, but she also couldn't understand how I'd be so willing to let vampires back into my life given everything that had happened.

The only thing left was to try to talk to Jake one last time.

Over the past six months I'd tried countless times to get him to accept so much as a phone call from me, but last week he'd finally agreed to meet me at my apartment - without Jasper and Peter - to give me the opportunity to talk...to try and explain - and surely so he could get some things off his chest as well.

I was dreading that day, honestly. In two days I would know whether or not I was going to be able to mend the relationship with my best friend or not - and the or not really didn't sit well with me. The past six months had been so weird and...almost empty without him. And though it wasn't the same emptiness I felt when I was apart from Jasper and Peter, it still came with its own ache and carried its own significance.

Which I was so thankful that the boys understood. They didn't like Jake any more than he liked them, but there was at least some respect there from them since I'd explained in full how important Jake had been in my recovery.

I simply wouldn't be here without him, and that certainly wasn't an over exaggeration.

Still, I knew that if he ultimately asked me to choose between him and my boys that there really wouldn't be a choice. No one could compete with their level of importance in my life. It was odd, really, but the longer I spent with Jasper and Peter, the more I felt that connection they were talking about. The bond.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to fully feel it until I was a vampire too, but from what I was feeling now...god help me, I didn't know how I was going to be able to restrain myself, let alone as a newborn with already crazed emotions.

But that was a worry for another day.

"Why does he get to pick the movie again?" pouted Peter. He was already on the couch, arms crossed as he jokingly glared at Jasper.

"Because you lost your movie pickin' privileges." said Jasper, settling onto the other side of the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him as he pressed a few buttons on the remote control for the TV.

I laughed, moving into the room to take up my spot between the two of them as I said, "Jasper's right. That rom-com you picked practically had me bored to tears."

"I thought women liked that shit." grumbled Peter in his own defense.

I rolled my eyes and said, "You should know by now that I'm not the typical woman, Peter."

"I know that, darlin'." said Jasper, a shit eating grin on his face as he pressed a quick kiss to my lips that had Peter growling, "He's just not that quick of a learner."

"Shove it up your ass, Whitlock."

Jasper laughed - loudly - and honestly I still wasn't completely used to the sound. He'd opened up so much over the past few months we'd all spent together, but outright belly laughter was still fairly new.

"Bella is definitely rubbin' off on you."

I raised an eyebrow at Jasper, feigning indignation as I gasped and put on my best southern belle accent, "Why Mr. Whitlock, I would never ever say such a thing!"

We all broke into another fit of laughter at that, Peter recovering enough to chuckle out, "I've definitely heard that exact phrase come outta your mouth at least four times over the past few months talkin' to Jacob, sugar."

"Oh shut up." I laughed, lightly swatting his chest so as not to hurt myself and continued, "That doesn't count. It was supposed to have been a private conversation between best friends and -"

"We can't help that we have great hearin'." interrupted Jasper, a small smile still lingering on his face.

I rolled my eyes and said, "You two weren't even supposed to be at my apartment for most of those phone calls."

Neither one of them looked too apologetic about it, a smirk even sliding onto Peter's face as he asked, "Can you really blame us for not bein' able to keep away from you?"

I opened my mouth to say that yes, I did blame them, but I stopped myself and really thought about it. Did I blame them?

It seemed like it was almost painful for them to be away from me for too long, which had been the basis for my moving in with them in the first place. They'd explained it as a dull throb in their chests that progressively got worse the longer they were away from me.

I couldn't say that the same happened to me, but I did miss them - a lot. But there really wasn't any physical pain that came with that longing.

Letting out a slightly annoyed sigh I said, "No, I guess not."

Both men had annoyingly handsome grins on their faces, but I shut them up before they could say anything, "Just watch the movie."

"What do you expect me to say, Bella?"

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to figure out what to say. This conversation with Jake was not going well.

At all.

"I don't expect anything. I just wish that you would be more open minded. Jasper and Peter are my mates, Jake. How would you have felt if I made you choose between Angela and I?"

"Angela didn't destroy my life."

"And neither did they. I didn't even know Peter before I met him at Darcy's and Jasper and I -"

"They're vampires. Disgusting bloodsuckers who -"

"And you're a wolf!" I shouted, throwing my hands in the air, "This has nothing to do with how hurt I was and everything to do with what they are, doesn't it?"

Jake rolled his eyes and tried to brush it off, but I had to know.

"It wouldn't matter if they had no connection to the Cullens, would it? It's the fact that they're vampires and you can't let that go."

"So what if I can't? They're going to kill you." he snapped, narrowing his eyes at me.

"They're going to change me, Jake. It's not the same thing."

"You're right. It's worse."

"How can you honestly expect me to live my life without my other halves?" I asked quietly, "Better yet, why would you want me to?"

"I want you to be human. I want you to have a heart and a conscience and the ability to have a normal life. I -"

"A normal life? A normal life? Nothing about my life could ever be normal, Jake, and I don't understand what's so wrong with that."

"Everything!" he shouted, beginning to pace in front of my couch. "Don't you want kids? To find someone to grow old with? To -"

"What part about soulmates aren't you getting, Jacob?" I snapped, my patience already paper thin. "Would you be able to forget about Angela? Leave and marry someone else? Have children, have a life with someone other than her?"

He opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to come up with anything to say.

"Exactly. So if you couldn't do it, how could you expect me to?"

He let out a deep breath and sat back on the couch, "How am I supposed to lose my best friend?"

"You don't have to lose me. That's entirely your decision. I'm not leaving Jasper and Peter. I'm not turning my back on them. I'm not going to let my past with vampires dictate my future. But I'm not turning my back on you either, Jake."

"Yes you are. You're going to be just another bloodsucker that puts humanity in danger and -"

"Like how Paul almost killed his wife? Like how Embry nearly tore that bullies head off? Like how you broke Angela's arm? Don't act like vampires are the only danger to society." I spat, finally at my limit.

"Those were all accidents. We never meant -"

"And not all vampires mean to hurt humans. You don't get to stare down your nose at them Jake, because if you make me choose, I will always choose them, the same way you would always choose Angela."

He shook his head, clearly not listening or understanding a word I was saying.

"When are they changing you? Who's changing you?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"I don't know when." I said honestly. "Soon, I would assume, and Jasper's going to do it. I was putting it off so that we could have this conversation."

"Why?" he asked petulantly.

"Because no matter what you might think you know, I love you. You are one of the most important people in my life, and it was important to me to at least try to make things right with you...even if it was just giving you the opportunity to say goodbye to me."

I could feel tears pricking my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. If he decided that he couldn't - wouldn't speak to me anymore - then that was his choice, but I would know I'd done everything I could to try and make things right.

"I don't wanna lose you, Bells." he said softly, his eyes glassy as he looked at me.

"Then don't."

"Are you sure?"

I had quit my job at Darcy's a few days ago, called my mom last night, and even though the conversation with Jake was a bit open-ended, I was ready. There was really nothing else stopping me from taking this leap with my boys.

"I'm sure." I said, looking around at the empty space that used to be my apartment. I hadn't been there in a few weeks, but most of my things - other than things I needed on a regular basis - had all still been here. Now they were packed up and on their way to a place Peter and Jasper had up in Canada - Quebec, I think. Their place here wasn't secluded enough for a newborn, but apparently the place in Canada was in the middle of nowhere and they owned hundreds of acres out there.

I was still struggling to wrap my head around the next year of my life being so...different. Jasper had tons of experience with newborns, and I'm sure his gift would come in handy, but I was still nervous. There was always the chance that I would kill someone - and that also brought up my preferred diet choice. Would I drink human blood like Jasper and Peter or would I be a vegetarian?

I really didn't know.

My biggest fear, out of everything that choosing this life could mean, was killing an innocent person. Of being so consumed by my bloodlust that I just...lost myself. That was the absolute worst thing I could imagine, and it never failed to form vicious knots in my stomach.

"Then why does it feel like you're about to vomit, darlin'?" asked Jasper, walking up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

Peter had stayed back at the house to pack up the rest of the things and load them into the truck, so Jasper and I were in my apartment getting the last few boxes of pictures and small knickknacks.

"I'm just nervous." I admitted, immediately relaxing into his comforting embrace. "I still don't know if I can choose to drink human blood..."

"Somehow I don't think that's what's got you worried." murmured Jasper, "You know you can tell me anythin'."

I sighed before asking, "What if I kill someone, Jazz?"

He let out a deep breath even though he had no need to before turning me around so that I was looking up at him.

"I wish that I could tell you it would never happen, but I don't know that, and I'm not gonna lie to you." he said, one hand cupping my cheek as he continued, "But I do know that Peter and I are gonna do whatever we can to make sure that doesn't happen. Besides," he said, a small smirk lifting up the corner of his mouth, "I happen to be very good with newborns."

I couldn't help but laugh. I was thankful for him lightening the mood. It didn't fully appease my nerves, but I admittedly felt better.

He tugged me against his broad chest, enveloping me in a hug as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head, and I really couldn't get over how safe I felt with him - with both of them. There was no other way to explain it, other than they felt like home.

"Should we get outta here, then?"

I nodded, pulling away from Jasper to glance around my empty studio one last time.

"Yeah, let's go."

The house in Quebec was beautiful. It was an old, faded yellow farmhouse with a huge wrap around porch with a cute, white swinging bench. The house felt nostalgic, like somehow I'd been here before, but I certainly hadn't. Hell, I'd never even been to Canada.

Regardless of the odd feeling, I absolutely loved the house. There was nothing but forest to be seen in either direction, which did ease my nerves about the possibility of running into someone during my first year.

What it didn't do, however, was really impact the overwhelming amount of nerves I'd had since getting here. I really didn't understand why, but it was like I constantly felt on the edge of losing my lunch.

I was sitting on the front porch looking out at the stars that completely covered the night sky. I had a blanket wrapped around my shoulders as the late September air was pretty cold, but not cold enough to coax me back inside. I wouldn't be able to feel the cold in a few days, and I wanted to try and burn the feeling into my memory.

Both Jasper and Peter had been...strange since getting here. It seemed like they were trying to keep their distance, but I didn't know why. We'd agreed to wait a week so that I could settle in a little before Jasper changed me, but I didn't understand why they were being so distant.

Suddenly a terrifying thought gripped my chest - what if they didn't want me anymore?

What if they'd been wrong? What if they just thought I was their mate, but I really wasn't? What if they were trying to figure out how to let me down gently?

The rational part of my brain was really trying to make me see reason - they were my mates, and I knew that in my soul - but for some reason I couldn't stop the spiraling thoughts that were threatening to overwhelm me.

In the same second that I found it hard to breathe, both Peter and Jasper were knelt in front of me on the swing.

"Isabella, what's wrong?" asked Jasper, his face pinched in concern as he placed his hand over mine.

And honestly, if there'd been any doubt, this moment surely proved how much he cared, but for the life of me I couldn't get my breathing under control.

What was happening?

I shook my head, trying to force air into my lungs as I attempted to stop thinking about every worst case scenario that could come out of them being so different around me.

"Bella, sugar, please tell us what's wrong." pleaded Peter, his eyes wide.

Honestly I had no idea at this point. I'd felt odd ever since we'd gotten here. It wasn't that I was anxious about changing, but actually about not changing. It was like the longer we were here and I was still human, the more uneasy I got.

"I can't - I don't -" I shook my head, closing my eyes to focus on my breathing.

"Can I help you?" asked Jasper, "Please let me help you."

I just nodded, unsure what he planned to do, but not even a second later I literally felt those anxious emotions draining out of me.

"Oh darlin," said Jasper softly, his hand covering mine on my lap, "She's started feelin' the urge." he said to Peter, catching his eyes.

"Really?" he asked, face lighting up.

I had no idea what they were talking about or why my extreme discomfort was something to be happy about.

"What were you feelin'?" asked Peter, his hand coming to rest on my knee.

"I just...I don't know." I started, fidgeting under their intense gazes. "I've felt anxious since we got here, and you guys have been so distant, and I guess I just started thinking about -"

"You have to know that we -"

"Let her finish." interrupted Jasper, his eyes staying focused on me.

I cleared my throat and continued, "But I knew that was stupid, and then it was just like...like...like I was antsy to change."

At the sight of their matching grins I asked, "What? Does this mean something?"

"I think it means you're feelin' the bond." said Jasper, the smile still firmly on his face.

Peter nodded and said, "It seems like your body knows that somethin's missin'."

"The completed bond?"

I had no need to ask, really. Jasper and Peter had explained that the bond wasn't complete until I wore their mark - their bites - and they wore mine.

Both men simply nodded, seemingly studying me for my reaction.

Instead I asked, "Why have you guys been acting so weird?"

Peter laughed, which immediately had Jasper rolling his eyes as he said, "We were just tryin' to give you space. I could tell that you were feelin' nervous, and I figured it was because you were afraid of the change."

"We didn't want you to feel like we were pressurin' you." added Peter, "But this was entirely the Major's idea. I told him that we should -"

"I don't feel pressured." I interrupted quickly, "I am nervous about this change, but that doesn't mean I'm not 100 percent sure I want to do it."

Jasper and Peter both smiled, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before Peter said, "I really don't think you understand how happy you've made us, Bella."

"Oh shut up." I said, a fierce blush creeping up my neck at his words.

"He's right." said Jasper, tucking a stray curl behind my ear, "You choosin' this life - choosin' us - it's more than we deserve."

"Oh don't say that." I said, lightly slapping his shoulder, "You two are amazing...and really, there wasn't ever a choice. I knew that this was what I wanted two weeks after we met."

Peter's eyes widened, but Jasper didn't look the least bit surprised.

"What? You didn't bring it up until a month later." said Peter.

I shrugged, looking to Jasper who wore a shit eating grin on his face.

"You knew, didn't you?" he asked Jasper, eyes narrowed, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I might have been able to sense her emotions toward us shift, but it wasn't my place to say anythin'."

Peter rolled his eyes and sighed in mock frustration as he said, "Why the universe is punishin' me, I really don't know, but I must've done somethin' bad in a past life to be stuck with you for the rest of eternity."

Jasper only laughed, the sound drawing the corners of my mouth up into a light smile.

I couldn't help but hope the next few days flew by so that I could get through the three days during the change and then be right back by my mates' sides, just as their equal.

Peter and Jasper hadn't sugarcoated what it would be like, but Jasper had told me that he was going to try taking most of my pain - which I vehemently disagreed with. If he and Peter had to suffer through the change, why shouldn't I?

Just because Jasper could didn't mean that he should.

"You two bicker like an old married couple sometimes." I said, smiling at the two of them as I made to stand and head inside.

Jasper only laughed harder as Peter said, "We are not an old married couple."

"Keep arguing like this and I'll think there really is more than brotherly love going on between the two of you." I said with a smirk.

Over the past few months I'd become a little more convinced that they did feel something for each other. I'd never mentioned it, but the way they looked at each other on occasion certainly made me wonder.

Jasper raised a surprised eyebrow while Peter looked as though he wanted to melt into the floor.

"Would it be a problem if there was?" asked Jasper, studying my face intently.

I stood, readjusting the blanket as I headed for the door, pausing to look over my shoulder and say, "Only if you don't intend to let me watch."

I only had a split second to enjoy the look of utter shock on their faces before I went inside, but if I knew my boys it wouldn't take them long to get their heads back on straight.

I walked into the kitchen, draping the blanket across the back of one of the barstools before making myself a bowl of cereal. Just as I was about to sit down at the table Jasper and Peter were barreling into the kitchen.

I looked at them with a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk on my face as I waited for one of them to say something, using the silence to take a bite of my cereal.

"Did you mean what you said?" asked Peter, both men continuing to stand on the opposite side of the island from me.

"I did." I said simply, taking another spoonful of cereal.

"She's tellin' the truth." murmured Jasper, a look of surprise on both their faces.

"Why's that surprising?" I asked, setting the bowl down on the counter, "Did you honestly think I hadn't noticed anything in the past few months?"

Both men looked sheepish, but it was Jasper who replied, "Alice never - "

"Don't compare me to that pixie." I snapped, "I'm nothing like her, and you should know that by now."

"We do know that, darlin'." said Jasper softly, "She's just the only person we have as a comparison for this situation."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I asked, "I take it she wasn't interested?"

Both men shook their heads but Peter said, "In hindsight I'm thankful. That bitch was as frigid as they come."

Jasper laughed, immediately redirecting the conversation back to the point, "I can tell you have some questions, so go ahead and ask."

I tilted my head, studying both men for a moment before asking, "Have you had sex?"

Peter looked slightly uncomfortable, which I found adorable and hilarious, while Jasper answered with a straight face.

"No, darlin', we haven't."

"Do you want to?"

Both men looked at each other for a moment, seemingly having a silent conversation, before Jasper again answered, "I think we prefer to fuck you."

The smirk on his face was sinful, but I refused to be distracted. I needed to know what they wanted - from me and from each other.

"So what have you done then?" I asked, looking to Peter.

He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck before saying, "Do we really have to talk about this?"

Jasper rolled his eyes and said, "Don't be such a baby. You were shittin' yourself this whole time, and now that she brings it up - and is fine with it - the cat's got your tongue."

"Shut up." he muttered, running a hand through his hair, "I just didn't expect this right now."

I laughed, picking my cereal back up and gliding past them into the dining room to sit at the table. I felt them follow me, but I focused on eating, content to wait until one of them answered my question.

"I...uh...I mean obviously we've kissed." said Peter, stumbling over his words for the first time since I'd met him.

Both men took a seat at the table across from me, though Jasper looked more amused at Peter's discomfort than anything.

"Obviously." I said with a smirk, continuing to eat.

Peter cleared his throat - again - before saying, "And...uh...I suc...I gave hi..."

"For fucks sake." interrupted Jasper with a laugh, "Peter sucked my cock."

The immediate heat that pooled low in my stomach caught me off guard, and Jasper immediately noticed, a low growl rumbling through his chest as he watched me.

"What?" asked Peter, looking between the two of us, "What'd I miss?"

"It seems our mate enjoys the idea of you on your knees in front of me, Captain." murmured Jasper, his eyes slowly shifting from bright red into a deep oxblood.

"Really?" asked Peter, his eyes focused on me, and as he watched the blush spread up my neck his eyes darkened too.

"He asked you a question, darlin'." said Jasper, suddenly standing behind my chair, his hands moving my hair away from my neck and shoulder so that he could murmur against my skin, "It's polite to answer questions."

"Yes," I whispered, eyes locked on Peter while Jasper placed teasing kisses to my neck.

Peter growled and not a second later I was standing between the two of them, Peter's chest pressed against my back and Jasper's chest pressed against my own.

"Who would've thought you were such a bag girl, sugar?" purred Peter, his hands sliding to my hips and grinding his hard cock against my ass, "I never would've guessed, would you, Major?"

"No," he growled, yanking me into a bruising kiss before murmuring, "But thank fuck she is."

It would've been easy to get lost in their touch - in fact I was lost in their touch - but Jasper suddenly slowed the pace.

"We can't do this right now." he ground out, "Everyone's too wound up."

"But you -"

Jasper hushed me with a soft kiss before saying, "We can't take the chance of hurtin' you, darlin'."

"He's right." said Peter, though it certainly sounded like he wished Jasper was wrong, "But I guarantee you one thing, sugar. When you're one of us, we're really gonna show you what it's like to have two mates."

Their promise had butterflies erupting in my stomach and certainly did nothing to quell my desire for them, but I understood what they meant. It would be way too easy for one of them to be too rough with me - especially considering how turned on they'd been by my easy acceptance of their relationship.

But really, what girl in their right mind wouldn't want to see their two sexy mates going at each other?

"Promise me you won't."

Jasper, Peter, and I had been arguing for the past two hours about Jasper taking my pain upon himself during my change.

I was 100 percent against it, Peter was neutral, and Jasper was 100 percent for it. We were getting nowhere.

"Can't do that, darlin'." he said with a slight smile, "Why can't you just accept that I wanna do this for you?"

"Because you shouldn't have to." I snapped, "You've gone through the change once, there's no reason you should have to go through it again."

"You're the reason, though." said Peter softly, "I'd be offerin' the same thing if I could."

"I thought you were neutral!"

"I am, I am." he quickly defended, "I'm just sayin', I see where he's comin' from."

I rolled my eyes, turning my attention back to Jasper to say, "I don't want you doing it. I'm strong enough to handle this on my own."

"I know you're strong enough. That isn't what this is about."

"So what is it about? You've suffered enough in your life, excuse me for not wanting to be the cause of anymore of it!"

"I would take on any sufferin' for you, Isabella. We both would - just as we know you would do the same for us. That's what bein' mates means. You're tellin' me that if the roles were reversed and you had the ability to take the pain from Peter or I durin' the change, you wouldn't do it?"

"Of course I would." I answered immediately.

Both men smirked, clearly having made their point.

I sighed, leaning back against the couch as I muttered, "Just don't do it the whole time, okay? Go out, hunt, watch a movie - something, anything, other than sitting with me the whole time torturing yourself."

Jasper opened his mouth, no doubt to argue, but Peter interrupted.

"I'll make sure he doesn't."

I wasn't sure that Peter - or anyone - could get Jasper to do something he didn't want to do, but his reassurance made me feel better nonetheless.

The burning feeling was worse than I expected it to be, and it started almost immediately after Jasper's first bite.

I was aware that he'd bitten both of my wrists, both of my thighs, and both of my ankles. We'd all agreed that he wouldn't mark my neck until we were all ready to finalize the mate bond. That way I'd be able to bite them as well.

Though none of that really mattered now, the feeling of being torn to shreds from the inside out was almost all consuming. The urge to scream was practically impossible to push down, but I managed. I didn't want to make Jasper and Peter worry about me even more than they surely already were.

Focus on the memories you want to keep. Replay them in your mind over and over again.

So that's what I tried to do, focus on all the things I wanted to remember, all the things I wanted to take with me into this new life.

Suddenly I felt the pain lesson and immediately realized that Jasper was taking it, and even though I'd agreed - and even though the slightest reprieve from the overwhelming burning was the greatest relief - I didn't want him to. Now that I knew how bad the pain was, the idea of him taking it on himself was more painful than the change.

A strange feeling expanded in my chest and just as suddenly as the pain had lessened, it was back at full force.

I had no idea what had happened, but I could vaguely hear Jasper and Peter, though everything sounded so far away.

"How is she doin' that?"

"Have you ever seen a gift like this?"

I couldn't focus on their voices anymore, instead choosing to focus on my memories. I forced myself to go as far back as I could remember, and then went forward from there. Birthdays, holidays, trips with my parents, living in Phoenix with my mom, moving to Forks, the boys from the Rez, my friends from school, Jake - I even forced myself to remember the Cullens, the first time I'd seen them and every time since. I remembered the baseball game, going to Phoenix with Jasper and Alice, playing video games with Emmet.

I forced myself to remember Volterra, Edward, how he left, the year that followed, and everything Jake had done for me. I remembered my dad's laughter, my mom's constant dating advice.

I thought about the first time I'd seen my boys at Darcy's and everything we'd gone through since. I didn't want to forget anything.

And even though I was vaguely aware of the odd expanded feeling in my chest, nothing could really distract me from the constant, painful burning of the change. Jasper's venom was literally burning away at my DNA - completely restructuring and changing everything.

It even sounded painful.

I wished that they would hold my hands again like they had at the beginning. Their cool touch had been nice against my skin. It had eased the burn a little bit - and it was nice to know that I wasn't alone. Nice to know that they were there looking out for me.

I had no idea how much time had passed, but I was vaguely aware of someone calling my name, but everything sounded like it was underwater.

"...shield down...won't do it again...sit with you..."

Shield? What shield? They weren't talking to me, were they?

I just wanted them to be touching me again - or were they and I just couldn't feel my body anymore?

That thought inspired a light wave of panic, to which I heard Jasper's voice a bit more clearly.

"...to let us in, darlin'. Everythin's gonna be okay...down your shield."

I was so frustrated and scared and all I wanted was to be able to feel them - to understand what was happening. Was this normal? Should I still be able to feel my body? I didn't know how long it'd been, but they'd never said anything about losing feeling.

Though I definitely still felt the burning. And with my rising panic I couldn't focus on my memories to help distract me.

Suddenly I felt cool hands. They were ghosting over my face, down my arms, across my stomach - and I immediately felt better - and I could hear them both now.

"You're doin' so well, sugar."

"You're gonna be one hell of a vampire, darlin'. Everythin's gonna be alright. You're so close."

The strange feeling in my chest was gone, and I tried to focus on how my boys' bodies felt against mine and replaying my memories over and over again. Jasper had said I was close, so this torture couldn't continue for that much longer.

Right?

The first thing I noticed was how I could hear everything. I hadn't even opened my eyes yet and I was already overwhelmed.

I slowly blinked open my eyes - eyes that I now knew would be a bright red - and was amazed by everything my human eyes had been missing. It was truly more shocking than I could've ever imagined.

I could literally see the individual specks of dust dancing around in the bright sunlight that had to be filtering in through one of the windows. I was fascinated watching the thousands of swirling particles that it took me a moment to realize I wasn't breathing. I took an experimental breath in and was immediately assaulted by the smell of everything.

The metal frame of the bed I was laying on, the laundry detergent from the sheets, the old wood of the floor - and then I smelled them.

I sat up immediately, my eyes quickly flicking around the room before landing on them.

I knew them, right?

They were standing just in front of the doorway to the bedroom, their eyes studying me intently - and that's when it hit me - Jasper and Peter.

I had my arms thrown around Jasper's neck before I even registered the thought to move.

"Hey, darlin'." he said softly, his arms encircling my waist.

I grabbed Peter's shirt, tugging him into Jasper's side so that I could wrap one arm around him too.

Both men groaned lightly before Peter said, "You're stronger than us now, sugar. You're gonna have to be the careful one."

I loosened my grip immediately, offering both men an apologetic smile, "I had no idea it would be like this."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet." said Peter with a smirk, "Wait until you run."

The thought immediately excited me, a child-like glee at the idea overwhelming me, while Jasper chuckled lightly.

"It's been a while since I've been around a newborn...I almost forgot how consumin' their emotions are."

"Can we go?" I asked, ignoring his words as I bounced on the ball's of my feet.

"Don't you wanna see what you look like?" asked Jasper, both men smiling as they motioned to the mirror that sat on the vanity in the corner.

In a flash, I was standing in front of it absolutely in awe of myself. It was me but...flawless.

My hair was longer and silkier, my curves had filled out more, my skin looked as perfect as porcelain - it was surreal, looking at your face in the mirror and not really seeing your face anymore, but I had to admit that I looked sexy.

And the bright red eyes that I thought would bother me, surprisingly didn't.

"What do you think?" asked Peter.

"I look hot." I said with a laugh, causing both of them to laugh with me.

"You always were." said Jasper, Peter immediately nodding in agreement.

I just rolled my eyes, choosing to bite back my sarcastic comment about the fact that I certainly hadn't looked this hot. Instead I asked, "Can we go hunt?"

"Of course, sugar. Do you know what you wanna hunt?"

"Animals." I said, the word out of my mouth before I really had time to think about it.

Neither of them seemed surprised though.

"Well lucky for you, the Major here knows all about that." said Peter with a chuckle.

"You're coming too though, right?" I asked, the thought of one of them being out of my sight causing a wave of panic to rise.

"You couldn't keep me away."

Running was exhilarating.

Jasper and Peter had miles of forest that was teeming with wildlife, and I spent at least 15 minutes just running around, taking in the sights, the smells, the sounds of everything. It was insane.

"How can you focus on anything?" I asked, absentmindedly trailing my fingertips across the tree beside me.

"Close your eyes." said Jasper, coming to stand behind me, his hands on my shoulders, "Listen for a heartbeat."

It was difficult at first. There were just so many sounds - I could hear the insects almost as loudly as the animals, so it took a while for me to be able to tune them out, but when I did, it was easy enough to pick out a heartbeat.

My eyes flicked open and not even a second later I was off.

I could tell that they were following me, but they kept enough distance to let me lead. Let me figure it out for myself.

It didn't take me long to find the source of the heartbeat - a bobcat. It was stalking it's own prey, but the second I smelled its blood it was like something inside of me took over, and all I knew was that I needed it right now.

Before I realized what I was doing, I lunged, snapping its neck and sinking my teeth into its throat. The taste wasn't as bad as Peter had made it out to be, but Jasper had said that not all animal blood was repulsive, so maybe I'd just gotten lucky.

I drained the bobcat - probably as inelegantly as I could have, because I noticed that my clothes were now covered in blood.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a whistle - Peter - and watched as they both dropped down from one of the trees and landed in front of me.

"Damn, Bella. You're a natural."

Jasper nodded in agreement, chuckling when he noticed my grimace at the state of my clothes, "You'll learn how to drink without makin' a mess. Everyone's first couple kills are..."

"A wreck?" I offered with a laugh, standing up and looking between the two of them.

Jasper pulled me into a kiss, his tongue sliding against my own and no doubt tasting the blood that coated my lips and mouth. He growled against me, and a low purring started in my chest at the sound. I pulled back, slightly shocked, eyes probably as wide as saucers as I lifted one hand to my chest.

"Why am I doing that?"

Both men laughed, but Jasper was the one to answer me, "It's somethin' mates do."

"I'm like a cat." I blurted, immediately embarrassed at how ridiculous I sounded.

"You have no reason to be embarrassed, darlin'. Everythin's new to you."

Peter pressed a kiss to my temple and murmured, "But we're gonna have so much fun teachin' you everythin' you need to know."

He pulled me into a kiss too, his lips softer than Jasper's had been, but that wasn't what I wanted. They could finally kiss me without holding back, and I was going to make sure they remembered it.

Tangling a hand into Peter's hair I yanked him forward, obviously catching him off guard as I kissed him wildly. "I'm the one who's supposed to be careful with you, not the other way around, Whitlock." I murmured against his lips.

He was saying something, but the wind shifted and suddenly there was a scent I hadn't come across yet. It was the most enticing thing I'd ever smelled in my life, and I wanted it.

Human blood.

And then I was running.

I was vaguely aware of Jasper and Peter yelling behind me, but the only thing I could focus on was that scent. I had to get it. Now.

The smell was stronger now, and I could hear two heartbeats - there they were.

One of them was bleeding profusely from a leg wound, the other - a girl - was panicking. Her heartbeat was thundering loud in my ears and the only thing I could think was that I wanted both of their blood spilling into my mouth.

The need was overwhelming.

I was almost at the clearing they had camped out in, when suddenly I was slammed into from the side.

No!

I had to have them. I had to.

I shoved against the body wrestling with me against the forest floor, managing to shove him off after a particularly hard punch to the jaw. I didn't make it more than two steps before I was tackled again - this one smelled different.

Why wouldn't these vampires let me eat?

Suddenly I was flipped on my back and there was a cloth over my mouth and nose, and the only thing I could smell was a mixture of cinnamon, cedar, and sunshine.

I was becoming aware of the fact that the person above me was talking, their bright red eyes searching my face like they knew me.

Did they?

The smell certainly was familiar. Like home.

Jasper.

Oh god. Oh god, what had I done.

I immediately started pushing at his chest, trying to get him off me. I had to see that I hadn't killed them.

Oh my god, what if I'd killed them?

My clothes were covered in blood, but I vaguely remembered killing an animal before everything went hazy.

Please, god, don't let me have killed them.

"Relax, darlin'. Just relax. You didn't hurt anybody. Listen, you can still hear their heartbeats." murmured Jasper, still holding what I now realized was his shirt over my nose.

He was right. I could still hear their heartbeats, but the thought of what I could've done - what I almost did - it was terrifying. What if they hadn't been there in time? What if I'd been out by myself? What if I really would've killed them?

"Let's get you home, sugar." said Peter, kneeling down beside my head as he pushed a few strands of leaf-tangled hair from my face.

"Just don't breathe, okay?" said Jasper.

I nodded, and as soon as he'd let me go I took off. I had to get as far away from those people as possible.

I wouldn't become a killer. I couldn't.

I didn't stop until I reached the house, dropping down onto my hands and knees as tearless sobs wracked my body.

How could I have done that? I wasn't even me in that moment.

Seconds later Peter and Jasper had their arms around me, murmuring apologies that they didn't need to. None of it was their fault. In fact, if they hadn't been there -

"How could I do that?" I whispered, clinging to both of them, "How could I have...I would've..."

"Shh, it's okay. Nothin' happened. All of this is normal, Bella." said Peter, his hand lightly stroking up and down my back.

"And you hauled ass outta there as soon as you realized what was happening." said Jasper, turning my face so that I was forced to look at him, "You were so concerned that you'd hurt them, but you didn't. I know that you wanted to make sure they were still alive, and at the first chance you got, you ran. You should be proud of yourself."

"Thank you. Both of you." I said, taking a steadying breath that I certainly didn't need anymore. My emotions were so all over the place, it was overwhelming. Jasper and Peter definitely hadn't done the extremes of newborn emotions justice when they'd been explaining it to me.

Super strength was not as cool as I had thought it was going to be. I could hardly touch anything without denting or completely destroying it, and it was the most infuriating feeling - add that to the fact that the slightest thing seemed to be able to set me off, and I was really just a ticking time bomb.

The doorknob on the front door was severely dented, half of my clothes were ripped, and I didn't even want to think about what I'd done to the TV remote.

"It's only been a day, darlin'. Give it some time."

"Easy for you to say." I muttered, focusing yet again on slowly and carefully opening a cabinet door in the kitchen. It seemed like no matter how gently I thought I was moving, it was still too much.

"How about you take a break?" asked Peter, looking between Jasper and I, "There's somethin' that we wanna talk to you about."

I sighed, abandoning the cabinet door and hopping onto the counter to face them.

"Alright, what's up?"

"Do you remember anythin' from the change?" asked Peter.

I shrugged, "I remember it burned like hell."

"Do you remember Jasper takin' the pain away?" pressed Peter, obviously fishing for something that seemed just outside of my grasp.

"I...kind of."

"Walk us through what you remember." said Jasper, his eyes studying mine intently.

"The pain went away, and I realized that you were taking it...I didn't want you to, though. When I found out how bad it really was, the thought of you going through that pain...it made me crazy."

"Then what?"

I shrugged, "Nothing, you stopped."

Jasper shook his head, "I didn't. Did you feel anythin' strange?"

"My chest felt weird...why are you guys asking me all this?" I asked, looking between the two of them.

"You blocked us out." said Peter, breaking the silence, "We were holdin' your hands and Jasper was usin' his gift, and then all of a sudden we got pushed back. It was like you had a...a bubble around you."

My eyes widened as I took in his words. Did that mean I had a gift? What was it? How did it work? Would I be able to control it? Would I even be able to do it again? What if -

Jasper's laugh pulled me from my thoughts.

"Slow down, darlin'. We'll explain what we know."

Peter nodded in agreement and I tried my best to silence my thoughts.

"We think that you're a shield."

"What does that mean?" I asked, "Can I protect you two with it?"

Both men smiled at my question, but Peter was the first to speak.

"We're flattered that you'd want to, sugar, but we don't really know. Neither one of us has ever met a shield before."

"So how do I find out if I can?" I asked, subconsciously bouncing on the balls of my feet. The idea of being able to protect them for once was too perfect an opportunity to pass up.

"Trainin'." said Jasper easily, though Peter shot him a look.

"She's been a vamp for like six hours. How about we give her some time to adjust, Major."

"I wasn't sayin' that we should start now, but -"

"I'm saying it." I interrupted, walking around the island to stand in front of Peter, "I want to learn. I want to be able to protect you guys for a change. You've -"

"You won't ever have to do -"

"You don't know that." said Jasper and I in unison.

I smiled, surprised that we'd had the same thought, though I guess it wasn't all that surprising really.

"You know that nothin's a guarantee." said Jasper, shooting me a wink before focusing back on Peter, "It would be better to have her trained just in case."

"Just in case what?" asked Peter, still not budging.

I sighed, stepping between his legs and wrapping my arms around his shoulders - and Jasper's low growl wasn't lost on me, but I ignored it for the time being.

"You know as well as I do that Victoria's still out there, and she's definitely still looking for me." I said softly, "So the sooner I can protect myself - and you two - the better."

His arms had slid to my waist, his fingers tensing as he listened, and though I knew he didn't like what I was saying, he knew that I was right. There was no way around it.

Besides, I'd much rather hunt her down, than be caught off guard. I needed her dealt with so that I could finally stop looking over my shoulder.

"Being a newborn gives me the best shot of being able to take her."

At that Jasper growled, his arms winding around my middle as he stood behind me. With his lips pressed to my ear he said, "Absolutely not."

"What do you mean?" I asked, turning my face so that I could look at him.

"There's no way either one of us is lettin' you go up against Victoria. We'll handle her."

"What?" I asked, immediately shoving both of them off me so that I could turn to glare at Jasper, "No, no way."

"I handled James just fine. She's not -"

"I said no." I snapped, "I'm not letting the two of you put yourself in harms way for me. If you train me I can -"

"What if somethin' happened to you?" asked Peter, "We would never forgive ourselves."

"What if something happened to you?" I shrieked, stomping my foot hard enough that the hardwood floor cracked under the force, "How do you think I would feel?"

I knew that I needed to calm down, but the rational part of my brain had been completely overshadowed by the overly emotional newborn half, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Jasper stepped forward, as if to take my hand, but I was so furious at the ease with which he seemed to be able to make decisions for me, that I felt that same expanding feeling in my chest, only this time it was explosive.

Not only did it push Jasper back, but Peter, along with everything that wasn't firmly attached to something went flying into the next room.

I was nowhere near done, though. I followed them into the living room, surrounded by dishes, a vase, and all the furniture that had now been shoved up against the other wall. They were on their feet in an instant, both staring at me apprehensively.

"You two don't get to make decisions for me." I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared at both of them, "I refuse to be told what to do, because trust me Jasper, I had enough of that with Edward to last a lifetime and you know it."

"We weren't tryin' to-"

"No? Then what exactly does 'absolutely not' mean to you?" I snapped, resisting the urge to stomp my foot again.

"We're just worried about you, darlin'." said Jasper, keeping a close eye on me and the obvious bubble of space I'd cleared around myself.

"We would never intentionally take your choices from you." added Peter, "But the thought of you gettin' hurt when we coulda done somethin' about it...it just don't sit right, sugar."

"That doesn't give either of you the right to tell me what to do." I said, losing a bit of my steam at their confession.

They both nodded, but Jasper was the one to speak up, "You have to understand, Isabella, we've waited so long for you..." he trailed off, quickly clearing his throat before continuing, "We would and will do whatever we can to keep you out of harms way. It's not to piss you off, because trust us, it's the last thing we want, but we will do it if it means keeping you alive."

I felt my anger deflate as quickly as it'd come, my bubble - my shield - disappearing as I threw my arms around Jasper's neck.

He seemed caught off guard, but quickly wrapped his arms around my waist, and a second later I felt Peter step behind me and do the same, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.

"You're still training me." I said firmly, "And I will go after Victoria, but," I said, emphasizing the word when I noticed them trying to interrupt, "I won't go without you two. That's the best I can do."

"It's good enough." said Peter, though he didn't sound that happy about it.

Jasper's growl was low, but he agreed nonetheless.

Thank god.

Training was hard. I'd told Peter and Jasper not to hold back, and even though I knew they were it still felt like they weren't.

"Try again." said Jasper, motioning to Peter to attack again.

I managed to dodge the first two punches and one kick, but the third punch managed to connect harder than I think he'd anticipated. The force knocked me back, and I felt the air I didn't need leave me in a huff as my back connected with the solid dirt.

"Fuck, Bella, I'm sorry!"

Before I could tell Peter that I was fine, Jasper had shoved him back, a snarl ripping from his throat.

"If I thought you'd be more likely to hurt her, I woulda trained her myself."

"It was an accident, Major." said Peter, his tone contrite as he looked to me, still flat on my back as I tried to gather myself. "You know I would never -"

"But you did." he snapped, shoving him again, which finally propelled me forward.

"Jasper, stop."

He completely ignored me, lunging at Peter again, who just managed to dodge him.

"Jasper! Stop it!" I yelled, walking forward but Peter stopped me.

"Don't, Bella. He's not -" before he could finish his sentence Jasper pounced, taking him to the ground in a flurry of fists and gnashing teeth.

I couldn't help it. I screamed.

Loudly.

Jasper immediately stopped, jumping away from Peter in a flash, and as soon as I saw his face I realized that hadn't been Jasper, it'd been the God of War.

Would he really have hurt Peter over me? I didn't want to know what he'd do to someone who really was trying to hurt me.

"Fuck, Peter, I'm sorry." he said, running a hand through his hair as he took another step back.

I didn't know what all had happened to Jasper during the Southern Vampire Wars, but it had to have been bad for him to just disassociate like that. For him to have had the need for a complete alter ego was...honestly heartbreaking.

"It ain't a big deal." said Peter, already smiling, "I coulda took you."

I knew he was trying to lighten the mood, but Jasper didn't seem to notice.

"I'm gonna -"

"Please don't go." I said softly, not making a move to walk toward him, but holding his gaze all the same, "Please don't hide from me - from us."

He seemed shocked by my words, but nodded his head once before clearing his throat, "Back into positions."

Peter smiled and I couldn't help but crack a small smile of my own.

I didn't know if he'd ever be able to leave the God of War behind, but I knew that I was going to make sure he knew I loved every part of him, regardless.

Jasper and I were at the house by ourselves while Peter went out to find himself dinner. It'd been three days since the change and Jasper had opted on hunting with me for the time being, seeing as I wasn't sure I was ready to witness a human hunt, no matter how despicable the human was.

Jasper said that he didn't care either way. He'd hunt with me whether I chose to hunt humans or continued to exclusively hunt animals. He'd been a vegetarian for decades with the Cullens and it wouldn't bother him to return to that lifestyle.

I couldn't deny that his red eyes were sexy, though.

"Do you think it bothers Peter that I don't drink human blood?" I asked, leaning my head against Jasper's shoulder as we sat on the couch.

He chuckled, "Absolutely not. He's happy with whatever makes you happy, darlin. Does it bother you that he does?"

"Of course not!" I said quickly, "I don't judge either of you for it...besides," I said with a smirk, "You both look downright sinful with those red eyes."

A low rumble shook his chest as he murmured, "Careful, wouldn't want Peter to come home to us in a compromising position."

"Why not?" I asked, finally broaching the topic of why they hadn't marked me yet.

Jasper must have sensed my ricocheting emotions because his face softened and he squeezed my hand, "Nothin' like you're thinkin', darlin'."

I believed him, but I still wanted answers.

"So why?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before saying, "We just wanted to give you some time to adjust. Everythin' is so new and overwhelmin' to you, so we figured that addin' the mate bond on top of that woulda been too much."

I rolled my eyes, lightly punching him in the shoulder as I chuckled, "You two are ridiculous, you know that right?"

"You may have said it a time or two." he admitted sheepishly.

Before I could say anything we heard the sound of a car on the driveway a mile or so out, but it didn't sound like their truck at all.

I looked to Jasper, eyebrow raised as I asked, "Expecting company?"

"No." he said, standing to look out the window.

I moved next to him, and it didn't take long for a shiny black Mercedes to pull up in front of the house.

"Oh my god." I whispered, immediately catching the two vampires' scents before they even stepped out of the car.

A feral growl tore from Jasper's throat and a split second later he was out the front door.

"What the fuck are you doin' here?" he growled, glaring at Alice and Edward as they stood in front of their car. Alice's eyes were focused on him, but Edward was staring at the house. I immediately stepped away from the window.

I didn't know if I could handle this. I don't know why it'd never occurred to me that I'd see Edward again, but it hadn't, and now that he was standing less than a hundred feet away, I couldn't wrap my head around it.

Why were they here?

"We came to see you." said Alice.

"And Bella." said Edward, taking a step forward, "Is she here?"

Jasper growled again and said, "No."

"I can smell her." said Edward, taking another step forward.

Oh no.

This was exactly the kind of situation where the God of War would show up, and even though I didn't love Edward anymore, I didn't want him dead either.

"Get off my property, both of you." snarled Jasper, "Before you regret it."

"Jasper, please." said Alice softly, walking forward until she was a few feet away from Jasper, "I miss you."

Jasper's body was stock still, and he didn't say anything, causing a nervous bubble to form in my stomach.

Did he miss her too? Would he want her back? They had a history that I could never compete with, and it was only natural that he'd miss that, right? What if he was wrong about us being mates? What if -

"Stop it, Isabella." he growled, still facing Alice and Edward.

Edward's eyes widened and he made a break for the front door.

Jasper was fast, but Edward had always been faster. I remembered them talking about it during the baseball game. Edward was faster than all of them.

Before I could move, Edward was standing inside the doorway, and for the first time in over seven years, I was staring at the former love of my life.

There were a million things running through my head, my emotions so all over the place that I had no idea what to say. Part of my mind was still preoccupied with Alice and Jasper, and another part was reliving the horrible year I'd had after Edward and the rest of the Cullens had left.

"Bella," he whispered, taking a tentative step forward, "You look beautiful."

I couldn't seem to get my mouth to form words, but it didn't matter, because not even a second later Jasper was yanking him back out onto the front porch, slamming him down hard enough that the wood splintered around Edward's body.

"Give me one good reason not to end your life right now." growled Jasper, the hand on Edward's throat tight enough that Edward's clawing hands did no good.

I stepped out onto the porch, locking eyes with Alice first before looking to Jasper and Edward.

"Please stop." I said softly, placing my hand on Jasper's shoulder. "This isn't going to solve anything."

"Sure it would." he said, not moving from his position over Edward, "If he's dead he won't bother us again."

"Let him up." I said firmly, taking a step back so Edward could scramble to his feet.

I would've thought with a vampire as dangerous as Jasper in front of him, his eyes would've been glued to him, but he was staring at me.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." he said, making the wise decision not to move forward, "Could we - can we talk?"

Jasper growled, but before I could say anything Alice was speaking up, "I'd like to talk to you too, Jasper."

Jasper was staring at her, not saying anything, and that was almost worse. The pit in my stomach only grew worse, and Jasper's eyes immediately snapped to me.

Ignoring him I turned to Edward and said, "Sure, but not inside."

I stepped off the porch, ignoring Jasper's call of my name as I headed into the woods, Edward trailing behind me.

He obviously wanted to talk to her right? That's why he hadn't said no. If he'd been sure that he didn't...didn't need this, then he would've just told her to get lost...right?

Before that train of thought could spiral too far out of control I turned to face Edward, satisfied that we were far enough away that Jasper and Alice wouldn't hear our conversation.

"What did you want to talk about?"

He ran a hand through his hair, and for some reason that simple motion took me back. It was such a normal thing for him to do, something I'd witnessed a million times, but unlike the usual butterflies it had inspired, I didn't feel anything but a slight sadness and quite a bit of anger at the way things had ended between us.

"I'm really sorry for everything."

"You said that already." I deadpanned, staring at him as he fidgeted under my gaze.

"I know." he said softly, "I just...I'm so sorry for what happened. How I left."

I arched an eyebrow at him, "How you left? How about how you made everyone leave? They were my family too, Edward."

"I know." he said with a grimace, "I honestly thought that I was doing the right thing. I just wanted you to have a chance at a normal life."

"Yeah," I snorted, "It looks really normal to me."

"If Jasper hadn't sought you out it could've been." he said angrily, "If he would've just left you alone you could've gotten married, had children -" he broke off, shaking his head and taking a deep breath before he spoke again, voice more controlled, "I just wanted the best for you."

"What about what I wanted?" I asked, feeling my anger rising, "Huh, Edward? What about what I wanted? Did you ever consider, even for a second, that all I ever wanted was you?"

His expression was pained, and he took a step closer to me as he said, "If you think I ever wanted anything other than you, you're wrong."

I laughed but the sound was devoid of humor, "Right."

"I'm serious." he said, closing the remaining gap between us but not touching me, "I loved you - I love you. Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

"Love me?" I asked incredulously, "You don't leave someone that you love like that. You don't abandon them and take practically the only family they have with you. You don't erase yourself from their life!"

He flinched at my tone but didn't step back, "I'm never going to be able to tell you how sorry I am for doing that, but I'm here now. I want to start over. Get to know the new you."

"Have you completely lost your mind?" I asked, taking a step away from him, "You didn't just break my heart, Edward, you shattered it. You smashed it to bits and left me to pick up the pieces alone. How do you think I'd ever be able to forgive you for that?"

A look I didn't recognize flashed through his eyes but it was gone before I could place it.

"If this is about Jasper and Peter being your mates, you might want to reconsider."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, that ball of dread in my stomach back at full force.

"Jasper's still in love with Alice. She's seen their future together. It was a little uncertain for a while, but that's why we showed up today. She saw what would happen." he said softly, "I'm sorry, Bella."

"I don't believe you." I said, shaking my head as I took another step away from him.

"See for yourself." he said sadly, nodding his head back in the direction we'd come from, "But know that I never wanted you to have to see it."

I was running before I realized it.

And I immediately wished I hadn't.

Alice had Jasper pressed against one of the pillars of the house, her lips on his and her hands on his chest.

Jasper pushed her away by her shoulders, and I was certain he was saying something to her, but I couldn't hear anything.

They had kissed.

His hands were still on her shoulders.

It didn't look like he was upset.

Should he be upset? Should I?

Because I certainly was.

I didn't know if I'd made a noise or if Jasper had picked up on my emotions, but either way his head snapped in my direction.

"Isabella," he breathed, taking a step toward me, but Alice grabbed his face and kissed him again.

This time he shoved her away. He seemed angry.

Was he angry because he was caught or angry because she'd done it again after he'd said no?

Everything sounded like it was underwater. I was vaguely aware of them arguing. Vaguely aware of Edward saying something by my side.

But honestly, I was just so angry.

And I wasn't really sure who I was angry with, but the sight of them kissing - regardless of whether or not Jasper had wanted it, was flashing in front of my eyes and I felt like I was seeing red. I knew that I needed to calm down. I knew that I just needed to ask Jasper what had happened, but I couldn't. It was almost like when I'd smelled the human blood. It felt like I wasn't in control anymore.

"...told you he still had feelings...see them kissing...she never wanted to hurt you..."

I was only catching bits and pieces of what Edward was saying, but it was only adding fuel to the raging inferno I was trying so hard to keep contained.

It just didn't seem like that was going to be an option.

Suddenly I felt the tension in my chest explode outward, slamming directly into Alice and flinging her into the woods hard enough that her body broke through multiple trees, the sound loud enough that several birds scattered.

I didn't notice any of that, though.

I had one focus, and she was currently laying on her back in the forest.

Before I registered that I was moving I was standing over her, vaguely aware of Jasper shouting something somewhere behind me.

It didn't matter though.

"Bella, what are you doing?" she asked, scrambling to her feet.

I said nothing, tilting my head to the side to study her. She, of course, looked exactly like I remembered her. Exactly like she had over seven years ago when she'd abandoned me.

Sister my ass.

And now, here she was, kissing my mate.

Mine.

How dare she.

The growl that tore through my chest was feral, and it obviously scared her if her step back was of any indication.

"Bella, please." she said, taking another step back only for her back to hit an invisible barrier - my shield.

I hadn't realized that I'd locked both of us in it, but it was certainly going to work to my advantage. Having prey that couldn't get away was definitely easier than one that could run.

"We're family. Can't we talk about -"

An involuntary growl escaped me at her mention of the word family. What did she know about that? She'd left me just as easily as Edward had. As easily as they all had.

I lunged at her, taking her to the ground and managing to tear into her shoulder.

She screamed, kicking me off of her, but my shield moved with me, shoving her forward so that she was flung against the opposite side of it.

From the new position I could see Jasper and Edward banging on the shield, but I ignored them.

This was between us.

"Jasper and I are meant to be together, Bella. I'm sorry!" she yelled, managing to dodge me once before I landed a kick to her stomach that flung her back against my shield, her head making a sickening crack against the invisible barrier.

"You and Edward are actually mates!"

That made me pause.

Was she telling the truth? I had no reason to believe her, and I hadn't felt anything for Edward.

What I felt with Peter and Jasper was nothing like what I felt around Edward.

I glanced over to Edward and Jasper, Jasper vehemently shaking his head and saying something, though I couldn't really hear what it was.

It didn't matter.

"Why do you think he hasn't marked you yet? Solidified the bond. Because he knows something's missing." she said, using my pause to push herself to her feet. "He always loved me and he always will. I'm sorry that all this happened, but -"

I lunged at her.

I didn't want her to keep talking. It was only making everything worse. She had to be lying.

She screamed again as I tore into her other shoulder, the disgusting taste of her venom filling my mouth before I spat it onto the ground, managing to keep her pinned under me.

I snarled, leaning forward to tear into her neck, when I suddenly heard Peter.

"...don't...regret it...not you...know she's lying!"

I looked up, catching his eye as he stood on the opposite side of my shield from Jasper and Edward.

Alice used the distraction to shove me off her, rolling on top of me and tearing into my arm.

If I hadn't seen the gash in my arm from her teeth I wouldn't have known she'd done anything. I couldn't feel it.

"...lower your shield..."

I didn't know who'd said it, but I knew I wasn't doing it.

Using the training I'd gotten from Jasper and Peter, I sharply arched my hips up, knocking her off balance enough that I was able to get back on top of her, quickly pinning her hands above her head as she gnashed her teeth at me.

"What are you going to do?" she taunted, "Kill me? Jasper would never forgive you. I was his wife."

I narrowed my eyes at her, unsure of whether I believed her or not, but not willing to take the risk. Instead I forced her arm up and out, easily tearing it from her body and tossing it away from us.

She was screaming, attempting to tear her remaining arm out of my grip, but I wasn't budging. Instead I leaned down, one hand on her throat and my lips inches from her ear, and even though she was still screaming I knew that she'd be able to hear me.

"If I see you again, I don't care what Jasper does, I'll tear you to bits and dance around your ashes."

Before I could let the newborn part of my brain override my common sense, I pushed away from her, immediately darting into the trees and away from all of them. The longer I stayed there the more likely I was to really kill her.

I didn't stop running until I made it to a river, not even bothering to shed my clothing before jumping into the frigid water.

Letting myself sink all the way to the bottom of the riverbed, I tried to clear my head. Tried to force the rage back and clear the red from my vision.

When I finally managed to get myself a bit more under control, I noticed that my arm was burning.

That's when I noticed the giant gash, along with a pair of Alice-shaped teeth marks, and the only thing that stopped me from going back to tear her limb from limb was the fact that I'd gotten the better of her. I'd literally ripped her arm off.

I vaguely remembered Peter telling me that foreign vampire venom would burn until it was pushed from the body or sucked out.

Honestly, though, I liked the pain. It gave me something to focus on that didn't involve Alice's mouth on Jasper.

I closed my eyes, clenching my teeth before focusing back on myself.

It didn't seem like I had any other injuries, but my clothes were almost ripped to shreds. A shame, really. I'd liked this top - and managed to put it on myself without tearing it.

Short-lived that was.

With a sigh I pushed myself off the river floor and broke the surface of the water again, pushing my wet hair from my face to take stock of where I was. It wasn't like I'd been paying attention.

"Bella,"

Not even a second later I felt arms around me - Peter - as he said, "You scared the shit outta me."

He turned me to face him, his hands running over my face, to my shoulders, down my arms -

"Fuck," he snarled, pulling my arm out of the water to inspect it, "I'll kill her."

"If anyone's killing her, it's me." I snapped, though I didn't pull my arm from his grasp.

"She was lyin', sugar." he said softly, his free hand sliding to my cheek, "Jasper is just as much your mate as I am."

"You didn't see what happened." I said, my eyes welling with venom that would never fall.

"Oh, baby." he said softly, pulling me against his chest, "Alice has a damn death wish. Jasper isn't in love with her anymore. He hasn't been in a long time."

I pressed my face against his neck, arms tight around his waist as I said, "Just because he isn't in love with her doesn't mean he doesn't still love her."

"He might have love for her, but it's nothin' compared to how he feels about you." he murmured, "If you told him that you never wanted him to speak to her again, he wouldn't. She's nothin' compared to you."

"How do you know that?" I asked, pulling back to look him in the eye.

"We do talk, Bella." he said, a soft smile on his face, "Besides, do you really think he woulda been able to show you how he felt so clearly that you believed him if he wasn't in love with you? If you weren't his mate?"

It was a good point. The night that they'd been waiting for me in my apartment, Jasper had used his gift to show me exactly how he felt about me, and there was no fabricating that level of emotion. That level of devotion.

"Why are you telling me this instead of him?" I asked, breaking away from him to swim back to shore.

He followed me, sitting down next to me on the riverbank before saying, "He wanted to make sure Alice and Edward left. He told me to find you. He knew that you wouldn't wanna talk to him right now."

"That didn't seem to stop me, though."

We both turned to see Jasper standing a few feet away from us, his eyes focused solely on me.

"Give us a minute, Peter. Make sure they're gone." he said, not even glancing at Peter.

Not that it seemed he needed to. Peter immediately stood and took off back toward the house.

I decided not to say anything, instead just holding his gaze.

"She's not my mate." he said, breaking the silence.

"But you love her anyway." I said, looking away from him to stare out at the water.

I heard his groan before he sat down next to me. I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to look at him. I was so confused.

"I don't love her." he said softly, "I...for a long time I thought that I did. I thought that I would always love her for what she did for me...but she's not that woman anymore. I know that you're my mate just as surely as I know my own history. We are meant to be together. Souls fused for eternity. Alice was...Alice was a part of my life that I needed at the time, but that's my past, Isabella." he said fiercely.

The conviction with which he spoke forced me to look at him, and my breath almost caught in my throat at what I saw.

His eyes were brimming with venom.

"I don't know what I would do without you." he continued, tentatively reaching out for my hand, "You're my now, my future, my everythin'. I would fight for you. I would kill for you. I would die for you. There is nothin' and will be nothin' on this Earth that I won't do for you."

And there was no doubt in my mind that he was telling the truth.

I immediately threw myself at him, knocking him onto his back as I clung to him. The thought of having lost him - of never really having had him in the first place - it was the biggest relief of my life to know he was well and truly mine.

And of course the rational part of my mind had known that, but something hadn't wanted to believe it. The newborn part of my brain wanted revenge against who I thought was competition.

But it was clear that there wasn't any. Not from her, not from anybody.

"I love you." I murmured against his neck.

His arms around my waist tightened as he pressed a kiss to my temple and said, "I love you too. So fuckin' much."

"I want you to mark me." I said, the words out of my mouth before I could process it. "I want everyone to know that I'm yours. That you're mine."

He studied my face for a moment before a small smile tilted up the corners of his lips, "Then I suppose we'd better get back to the house and find Peter."

My clothes were discarded around the room - what was left of them anyway - along with Jasper and Peter's clothes, leaving us just as naked as the day we were born.

"You're so fuckin' beautiful." growled Jasper.

"Fuckin' perfect." agreed Peter, both men crawling onto the bed on either side of me.

Jasper captured my lips in a kiss first, his tongue seeking mine out easily as Peter's hands and mouth began exploring my breasts. I couldn't help but moan against Jasper's mouth as Peter pinched my nipple between his fingers, his teeth scraping over the other in a sensual caress that left me panting.

I'd missed this. Missed feeling their hands on my body. Missed the way they seemed to work so perfectly in sync with each other.

"Spread your legs for me, darlin'." Jasper murmured against my lips.

I couldn't help the groan that left me as he settled between my thighs, pressing openmouthed kisses and bites to the sensitive skin there, teasing me.

Peter shifted both of us so he was sitting behind me, my back pressed against his chest as he hooked his ankles over mine to keep my legs open. His hands immediately went back to my breasts, toying with my nipples as his lips pressed kisses to my neck and shoulder.

"I want you to watch him." murmured Peter, "Watch how much he loves teasin' your pretty little cunt, sugar."

I could feel myself get wetter at his words and Jasper chose that moment to lean forward and drag his tongue across my aching center. I couldn't help bucking my hips up, but his hands immediately went to my hips, pushing me back down into the mattress as he began eating me in earnest, sucking my clit into his mouth as he rapidly flicked his tongue across it.

"Oh my god." I gasped, one hand tangling in his hair as I forced myself to keep my eyes on him, "That feels so good, Jazz."

He grunted, the vibrations only adding to the overwhelming feeling of having both men playing my body so sinfully.

"You look so beautiful like this, sugar. Pantin' and writhin' for us."

I moaned, my eyes fluttering shut as Jasper slid two fingers into me.

He slapped the inside of my thigh, his fingers still pumping inside of me as he growled, "Look at me, darlin'."

My eyes snapped open in time to see him lean back down, his tongue attacking my clit with skilled strokes that had my thighs shaking.

"Are you gonna come for him?" asked Peter, pinching my nipples harder and pulling a moan from my throat, "Are you gonna let him taste you?"

"Yes!" I gasped, tensing a second later as my orgasm crashed into me.

Instead of stopping like I'd expected, Jasper only doubled his efforts, replacing his fingers with his tongue while his hands pressed my thighs down into the mattress.

"Fuck," I gasped, attempting to wiggle away from him, but Peter clamped one arm around my waist, keeping me firmly trapped between the two of them and forcing me to take every ounce of pleasure Jasper was giving me.

"You ain't goin' anywhere, baby." growled Peter, "You're gonna take everythin' we wanna give you."

I couldn't stop the shriek that burst forth when Jasper sucked my swollen clit back into his mouth, two of his fingers entering me again and brutally hitting my g-spot with each thrust.

It was too much.

I couldn't tell whether Jasper was pumping the room full of his own lust or if this was all my doing, but the air felt charged. It was thick and heavy and utterly overwhelming.

"I can't," I begged, trying and failing to close my legs.

"You can because we say you can." growled Jasper, working his fingers inside me fast enough that I thought I'd pass out from the pleasure of it.

His eyes were watching me intently, his bottom lip caught between his teeth as he felt me begin clenching around his pumping fingers.

"That's right, baby." he encouraged, "Come all over my fingers."

Not even a second later I shattered, drenching his hand as my hips arched from the bed.

I didn't know if I'd zoned out, but when I managed to blink the world back into focus I was straddling Jasper's waist, a lazy smile on his face as he looked up at me.

"We wanna try somethin'." he murmured, slowly sliding into my still slightly spasming pussy.

The feeling immediately had my eyes closing and a low moan passing my lips.

"Open your eyes, darlin'." said Jasper, his hand on my cheek.

I did as he asked, trying to focus on what he was saying when he was stretching me so perfectly.

"How do you feel about both of us bein' inside you?"

The thought alone had me clenching around his hard cock, and my eyes immediately sought out Peter's.

"I would love that." I said softly, capturing both men's lips in a heated kiss.

Jasper began gently rocking into me, holding my hips still as Peter moved behind me.

I felt his fingers sliding around my pussy, and Jasper's groan let me know that he'd felt Peter's fingers too, before he was teasing my ass.

"Fuck, you're so perfect." he muttered, his voice quiet enough that I knew he was speaking to himself.

As I felt his fingers begin to press into me I couldn't stop my moan, pushing back against his hand and clenching around both of them.

"Please," I murmured, "Please, please, please."

Both men growled and Peter removed his fingers. A moment later I felt the head of his cock rubbing against me there and it was almost enough to throw me into another orgasm.

"Fuck, Peter." chuckled Jasper, "She's gonna come the second you push into her."

"Is she?" asked Peter, and even though I couldn't see his face I knew he was smirking. "Well then I better get a move on."

He wasted no time pushing into me, the feeling overwhelming enough that I could do nothing more than drop my forehead against Jasper's shoulder and moan.

"You're so tight." he groaned, hands over Jasper's on my hips as he pushed all the way into me.

And Jasper was right, I came immediately, shaking between both of them as they waited for me to relax again.

Jasper pushed my hair from my face, his eyes full of love as he asked, "Can we move, darlin'?"

"I think I'll die if you don't."

They didn't need anymore convincing, both men setting a rhythm that was so perfectly in sync with the other that had I needed to breathe I would've been screwed.

It felt so good.

"Please, oh god, please." I gasped, nails digging into Jasper's shoulders as I pressed sloppy kisses to his neck.

"Please what?" asked Peter, his lips by my ear, "Please fuck you harder?"

And as if they'd agreed on it out loud, they both slammed into me harder, their pace still slow and steady.

"Fuck you faster?" asked Jasper, both men speeding up their thrusts to the point that I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.

I had never felt so full in my life, and the slight burn did nothing if not feed the flames they'd ignited in my stomach.

"Tell me when you're gonna come." growled Jasper, his hips slamming into me from underneath while Peter was at my back, pulling out each time Jasper pushed in.

Jasper slid his fingers to my clit, rubbing lazy circles that had my body shaking.

"I'm going to come."

He grabbed a fistful of my hair, pulling my lips against his neck as he groaned, "Bite me, darlin'."

The second my orgasm hit me I sunk my fangs into his neck, pumping my venom into him as I muffled my shriek against his skin.

Jasper's growl rumbled through his chest, his fingers in my hair tightening to almost painful before I released his neck.

I almost came again at the sight of my bite - my mark - on his neck.

Mine, mine, mine.

Peter pulled me up a moment later so that my back was against his chest and I could look down at Jasper below me, "My turn."

Before I could say anything, Peter's fingers replaced Jasper's on my clit, rubbing in quick circles that had my thighs shaking around Jasper's hips in an instant. I'd never came so many times in such a short amount of time. It made me realize that they really had been holding back with me before - holding back more than I ever could've imagined.

"I'm going to come." I gasped, nails digging into Jasper's chest and Peter's hip.

Peter grabbed my chin, turning my face so that his neck was directly at my lips as he said, "Bite me, sugar."

My fifth orgasm crashed into me, and I sunk my fangs into his neck, my venom pumping into him just as it had with Jasper.

And, just like Jasper, Peter's groan shook through his chest before I let go of his neck.

In an instant both men shifted, Jasper leaning up so that he was propped up against the pillows at the headboard while Peter leaned down a bit, both men's faces on either side of mine.

"Would you like us to mark you now, baby?" asked Jasper, his fingers toying with my breasts while his lips brushed against my neck with every word.

"Do you want everyone to know who you belong to? Who we belong to?" asked Peter, the hand that wasn't supporting him sliding back to my clit.

"Yes, gods yes!"

The coil in my stomach was being wound tighter and tighter, my entire body beginning to shake between them.

"Fuck, Major, I'm close." groaned Peter, his forehead pressed against my shoulder blade as his thrusts became more erratic.

"Don't." he growled, using one hand to yank Peter's head back hard enough that the stinging of his scalp must have slowed his impending orgasm, if his grunt of frustration was of any indication.

"Are you close?" he asked me, eyes pitch black as he studied my face.

I could do little more than nod, my eyes falling closed as my fingers tore the sheets from how hard I was clenching them in my hands.

Both men sped up, hitting the perfect spot inside me that had me seeing stars.

And then they were biting me, Jasper on the left side of my neck and Peter on the right, and I knew I hadn't ever come harder in my life. The feeling of both of them spilling inside me, their fangs in my neck, their venom running through my veins - god.

My whole body was shaking, unintelligible words tumbling from my mouth as my orgasm just kept going.

Just as I thought I couldn't take it anymore, they pulled back, tongues flicking out over the marks they'd made as their thrusts slowed.

I collapsed, utterly boneless against Jasper's chest while Peter fell against my back.

The overwhelming feeling of love that covered every bit of my soul was better than I ever could've managed the bond being. It was like I could feel them. I somehow knew the minute differences between their emotions, and that alone was mind blowing.

"I love you." said, Jasper, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

"I love you too." murmured Peter, kissing my shoulder before slowly rolling off me.

I flopped to the side between them, throwing one leg around Jasper's waist and putting one hand over Peter's on my waist as I said, "I love both of you. So, so much."

"What do you mean you have a bad feelin'?" snapped Jasper, yanking a hand through his hair as the three of us sat on the couch.

"I don't know, Major. You know as well as I do that it ain't that simple."

"Do you think it's Edward or Alice?" I asked, looking between both of them.

Peter shook his head, "No...this is...I don't know...a bigger threat, maybe."

"Then we need to move." said Jasper, starting to stand from the couch, but I pulled him back down.

"We don't even know what the threat is." I argued.

"Plus, I don't think runnin's gonna do any good." admitted Peter, a frown on his face. He was clearly trying to figure out if he had any other information.

Things had been quiet for about a month, but this morning Peter had just got that feeling.

It hadn't been wrong yet, according to Jasper.

"So you just wanna sit here and wait? You're not trained well enough to -"

"Then train me." I interrupted, "We can't always run because I'm too weak."

"You're not weak." he growled.

"We just don't want anythin' to happen to you." added Peter, squeezing my hand.

"What if it's Victoria? I won't run from her. Not anymore." I said adamantly.

Jasper opened his mouth, but Peter beat him to it.

"Well then we better amp up your trainin', sugar."

Jasper frowned but nodded nonetheless, "If this is what you want...we're behind you."

With my mates by my side, Victoria and whatever plan she'd concocted, didn't stand a chance.

Don't hate me for the ending haha. I couldn't help myself.