Sign Of The Times || Jasper Hale

chapter 85

The party inside is still booming but most of the Cullens, the three wolves and Alex are outside.

"How long?" Edward asks his sister as Alex sits down and lights a cigarette. She had been smoking more since a few weeks.

"They'll be here in four days."

Carlisle's face turns grave. "This could turn into a blood bath."

"There aren't enough of us to protect the town." Jasper tells Carlisle and Alex shrugs.

"I mean, you all got me." Alex raises her hand and Jasper purses his lips. She was in no shape to fight. He knew that if she let herself loose, she'd see red and there was no telling what she would do.

"Someone's going to attack Forks?" Jacob asks but Edward ignores him and turns to Alice.

"Who's behind it?"

"I didn't sees anyone familiar - maybe one-.."

Edward starts reading her mind. "Yes, I've seen his face - he's local. Riley Biers." He catches Bella's eye as she recognizes the name. "But he didn't start this."

"Whoever did is staying out of the action."

"So someone's playing with spots in your vision." Carlisle deduces.

"Only the Volturi could know how Alice's gift works. Aro would have found out, when he read Alice's mind..." Edward mutters and he notices the tension in Alex before she lights up another cigarette and takes a sip of her flask, the one that she probably refilled seeing how many times she takes a sip.

"Either way," Jasper quickly turns the conversation. He knew that his fiancee was not in a good mood. "The army is coming and our odds aren't good."

"Alright, hold up! What damn army?" Everyone suddenly turns to look at Jacob and he looks as if he is about to explode. Carlisle and Edward share a look. Edward shakes his head no, but Carlisle decides differently.

"Our kind. Newborns."

"How many?" Quill asks and Jasper gives a simple answer.

"Enough."

"What are they after?"

"That's what he was doing at my house-.." Bella suddenly says, her face filled with fear. What about Charlie?

"Okay, what the hell does this mean?"

Carlisle's voice sounds anguished when he answers. "It means an ugly fight. With lives lost." The weight of it lands on all of them. Jacob shares a sober look with Embry an Quil. An imperceptible nod.

"We're in."

"What? No, you'll get yourself killed!" Alex raises an eyebrow. Had she not learned anything from the bonfire night.

"Please, it's what we were made for."

"Forget it."

Jacob turns to Edward and narrows his eyes. "Wasn't asking permission."

"Alright." The guys back off and Carlisle turns to Jacob. "You believe Sam will agree to this.. understanding?"

"If that's a fancy word for fighting together, yeah. We happen to live here too." Edward looks at Carlisle who's still weighing it.

"Jasper?"

"They'll give us the numbers." Alex notices the small change in Jasper. He wasn't the man in agony, he was the man in charge. "And the newborns won't know werewolves even exist. That'll give us an edge."

"Carlisle, don't. They'll get hurt." Jacob scoffs. They all look to Carlisle. Finally, he nods.

"We'll have to coordinate." Edward does not look happy but resigns himself. "Fighting newborns requires knowledge that Jasper has. We were already planning a strategic meeting. You're welcome to join us."

"Name the time and place."

After a while, Jacob, Quil and Embry head for the door and Bella catches Jacob.

"Jake, wait - you don't know what you're getting into."

"It's what we do." He sounds a bit bored. "You should be happy. Look at us, working together. You're the one who wanted us to get along." And with that, Jacob strides out leaving her.

▪︎

"Here." Alex looks up and sees that Esme pushes a plate in front of her.

The party goers had gone home and peace had come back to the Cullen household.

"No thanks." Alex gives a small smile to the woman and the latter frowns.

"You need to eat something." Alex raises an eyebrow. "You haven't eaten all day and you do drink-.."

"I'm mourning." Alex stands up and the chair she sat on falls down. Emmett looks up from where he is sitting and tenses a little, keeping a close eye on the situation. "No. I don't want to eat." Esme looks a little taken aback by the situation but nods.

"I just.."

"I know you mean well." Alex quickly says, she knew that she could get angry fast. Faster than before. "I just don't need that right now." Esme's face softens.

"What do you need?" She asks and Alex shakes her head.

"I need.. I don't know." She suddenly snaps and rushes out of the house. Halfway towards her house she realises where she is going and a burning starts in her chest as she remembers that Pietro would not be there to calm her down.

Alex starts to scream and falls down to her knees. She feels arm around her and wants to growl and fight until she smells Jasper's scent.

"My heart hurts so much." She says and tries to hold back the sobs but tears already start to form. Jasper starts to rub her back. He sits down on the dirty ground and pulls her closer to him.

"I know." He simply says and let's her cry until she is too tired to make any sound. He lifts her up and carries her to his room, before placing her on his bed and laying down beside her as she starts to cry silently in her sleep.