Impudent [Jasper Hale]

twenty one; the power of love

For the first time in my whole entire life, I was envious of Isabella Swan.

I watched her and Edward leaning onto each other as I half-minded Super Fun Night on TV. Why did they work together? What was different between me and Bella? And Jasper and Edward? 

Was it me that wasn't good enough?

It must've been. 

"Bella!" Charlie called, "come on, I need to take you to check up on your leg!" she sighed, giving Edward a pleading look, and he simply shrugged.

"Go ahead, Bella, I'll be there when you come back."

"At least come with me?"

"Oh, for God's sake, you are not attached by the freaking hip," I found myself saying, as I set down the remote and walked off.

I slammed the door to my room, plopping on my bed and replying to some messages that Jacob, Mike, Paul and Angela sent me. I decided to ask Tyler what's up, since it's been over thirteen hours since we've spoken last.

I set down my phone, looking at the ceiling, hearing the front door closing and realizing I've been left alone with Edward in the house. 

A knock on the door made me sigh.

"Yes, Edward?" I asked brightly, faking whatever cheerfulness was in my voice. He opened the door.

"May I?"

"Dude, what do you want?"

"Well, I wanna talk to you. Sister's boyfriend to sister."

"Whatever man, what is it?" I asked as Paul texted me back. 

So wanna come over to the rez tomorrow? 

Sure, only if you give a warm welcome.

"So first of all,  I know you don't like me. And I'm not sure why, but I just want to let you know,  I'm doing my best to make Bella's life as good as possible."

"I don't care, I hate Bella too." he gave me an amused smile, but let this one go.

"And Jasper loves you, more than you love him, I assure you of that."

I sighed, irritated, checking my phone.

Is a Tricolad cake good enough?

And then I almost broke my thumb sending him hearts. "Well, great pep talk, see you around?"

"Ashley, I'm saying it because Jasper is torturing himself every time he's near you, and mopes around the house when he isn't near you. He just doesn't want to hurt you, he knows you've been hurt enough by now, and until he is certain he can give you a perfect life, he doesn't want you to be with him."

"Tell him that; I don't want a perfect life-- I want him."

►

But I couldn't have him yet, so I went to Paul's house to eat a Tricolad the next day, first thing in the morning (my morning started at one p.m.).

After the two of us ate half of the cake together, we decided to walk around the beach. Paul kept some distance that wasn't present the week before when we were at Jacob's house, and the two of us joked around as we neared the forest and the cliffs.

"Hey, have you ever went like, cliff-diving?"

"No, but let me guess; it involves a cliff and diving?"

"You must be a genius."

The two of us laughed and he grabbed my hand in his, and I stopped in my tracks.

"Paul, your hand is like... super duper hot."

"Hmm?" he wondered, "yeah, I guess I'm feeling kind of off lately. But it's all good, come on! Cliff diving is super fun!" I smiled at Paul's happiness and excitement, following him with a grin.

We stopped once more when we heard a howl and the sound of animal's footsteps coming closer, making Paul shove me behind his back a tad too roughly. 

"Paul, do you have a lot of wolves around here?"

"Not even one."

"So what was it?"

"I have no fucking clue," he said at the footsteps came even closer, and I froze behind his back as a brown gigantic wolf walked into the scene, snarling at us. I automatically took a step back, and felt my eyes widen as Paul snarled an animalistic snarl.

A black wolf, taller than the one that walked in before, sauntered closer, steps light and calm. He made a single snarl, and the brown wolf roared as his front paws failed him. I took another step back, and apparently, just in time, since Paul's clothes were torn as he too became a giant silver wolf.

And by then, my legs failed me too, and everything went black.

►

When my eyes opened again, I see a beautiful woman with glossy black hair and satiny copper skin, and for a moment I truly think I have died and that this is an angel.

"Hell, I've never even gotten around to travel to Europe!" was the first thing I thought of, and accidentally spluttered out. The woman gave me an amused smile, as she set down a towel.

"Well, you've got plenty of time to actually do it."

I sat up, confused, my head throbbing in pain. A familiar face stood in front of me, and I raced my mind to remember his name.

"Sam, was it?" I wondered, making the woman turn to look at him.

"Yes," he said simply, "this is Emily, my..." he trailed off. "I have some explanations to do here."

"Uh, sure, but... where are the wolves? What happened with them?"

"Well, I am the black wolf, and Jared is trying to make Paul shift back."

"What."

"Sam," Emily spoke, mouth in a thin line. "I will explain it to her, you go be with Jared and Paul, make sure nothing happens."

Sam hesitated, before nodding silently, leaving the room. I stayed with Emily, looking at her, expecting a damn good explanation.

"Well, it might sound odd... but, have you ever heard about the legends of the tribe? The cold ones and the wolves?" I nodded, surprising her. One time Jasper told me about a legend of wolf-people that met with Carlisle before he and Alice joined them, but I couldn't see the relevance to the story. "Okay, so, it isn't a legend, and I know it might sound weird but--"

"Holy hell," I mumbled. "I should've fucking known."

"Uh, excuse me?"

"I-- just--" I blinked my eyes, "I know the cold ones-- the vampires. The Cullen family, my sister is dating one of them, and I... I have a thing going on with another one. I just... never realized that the wolves are actually true stories."

"Well, they are."

"And Sam is one."

"And Jared, and now..."

"Paul."