His Mate The Teacher (Carlisle Cullen Love Story)

31: Jasper's Story and New Plan

*Marissa's POV*

The wolves had just left and we were all beginning to leave, Bella was sitting on the jeep just fiddling with her fingernails when Jasper and I walked passed her whispering, "Jasper," she called quietly, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Jasper stared at her for a second, "Your presence alone, your scent will distract the newborns, their hunting instincts will take over, drive them crazy," he smirked as his arms crossed over his chest, holding his jacket.

Bella pursed her lips, "Good. I'm glad," she drawled sadly, "How do you know so much about all this?"

Jasper tensed slightly, I laid my hand on his arm and gently rubbed up and down to calm him, reluctantly he answered, "I didn't have quite the same...fine upbringing as my adopted siblings," he uncrossed his arms and held his jacket in one hand, showing Bella his rolled-up sleeves and the many scars along his forearms. Bite marks.

Bella gasped and jumped down from the jeep, "Those bites are like mine," she whispered and gently grabbed his arm.

Jasper smirked, "Battle scars," he drawled, "All the training the Confederate Army gave me was useless against newborns. Still I never lost a fight," he proudly stated.

"This was during the Civil war?" Bella asked

We started walking away with me holding his elbow to steady myself, Bella kept pace with us, "I was the youngest major in the Texas calvary. All withing having seen any real combat, until..." he trailed off.

"It's okay sweetie," I assured him.

"Until..." Bella prompted, wanting to know more, I glared subtly at her.

"I crossed paths with a certain immortal. Maria..." Jasper stated with a hard face.

We came to a smaller clearing just off the one we had trained in, Bella sat on a log as Jasper and I stood on a small boulder, "I was riding back to Galveston after evacuating a column of women and children when I saw her...southern gentleman that I was, I immediately offered her aid. She was creating an army. I became her second in command. Back then, armies were common in the south. They were constant...brutal battles for territory...Maria won every battle. She was smart and careful. And she had me. My ability to control emotions served her well. I trained her newborns – an endless occupation since she never let them live beyond their first year...It was my job to dispose of them. I could feel...everything they felt. I thought what Maria and I had was love. But I was her puppet. She pulled the strings. I didn't know there was another way...until I found Alice," Jasper chuckled, "She'd seen me coming, of course."

Alice appeared next to us, I smiled and gently pet her head, "Kept me waiting long enough," she joked with a bright smile.

Tipping his head, "My apologies ma'am,' he turned back to stare ahead, "I don't know what I'd have become without her."

Alice shushed him and turned him to face her, "Ssh. You'll never have to be that again," Jasper smirked at her while she pulled him in for a gentle kiss, trying to scare away the ghost of his past.

Bella uncomfortably looked away, "Bella," I called causing her head to snap to me, "Go find Edward and get home please," she nodded and scurried off.

I sighed slightly, "Momma," Jasper called causing me to turn to him, "I also wanted to thank you."

My brows furrowed, "Why sweetie?"

Jasper smiled, "Because you made me feel more loved than anyone, you brought back a smile that I missed dearly, I always wondered if my birth mother would've been upset about all this, about my leaving..." he trailed off as venom brimmed his eyes, "You gave me back the love I wanted the most, my mother's. I'm so glad you're here Momma, I don't what would've happened had I lost you because of the accident."