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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Jasper Hale stood in the middle of the clearing that they had designated for training. A new threat hanging above them, marring his plans of going to look for Ellie the second he could. He had a duty to his family to fight alongside them at the newborn army coming their way, his previous knowledge in the area coinciding perfectly with the situation.
The rest of his family prepared nearby, Edward and Bella soon joining them, everyone giving him a bit of space. Everyone wanted to go search for Ellie immediately but it was best to lead the newborn army straight to Forks instead of someone else, hopefully preventing any other casualties or destruction such as the ones that had drawn so much attention in Seattle.
Jasper stepped away from the rest of the group for a second, raising his phone to his ear, pressing a Caller ID he had pressed too many times over the last few days, his call almost immediately going to message bank.
"Hey, it's Ellie! I'm not available at the moment, but please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
Jasper waited until Ellie's voice faded away, the beep startling him from his reverie at hearing her voice again before he removed the phone from his ear once more. As the days passed calling her phone always yielded the same result. He had long given up leaving messages as her voicemail told him too, calling her with a slight chance that she would eventually pick up as well as to just hear her voice, although he had done it so many times that her voicemail greeting was practically ingrained in his memory.
He was forced out of his thoughts once more at the sound of the werewolves of Forks entering the clearing for training. Stepping forward so that he fell back in line with the rest of his family.
"They don't trust us enough to be in their human forms," Edward explained, looking over to Carlisle.
"They came, that's what matters." Carlisle returned stepping forward, glancing back at his adoptive son. "Will you translate?" He continued before turning back to the wolves. "Welcome, Jasper has experience with newborns, he'll teach us how to defeat them."
"They want to know how the newborns differ from us." Edward translated.
"They're a great deal stronger than us because their own human blood lingers in their tissues. Our kind is never more physically powerful than in our first several months of this life." Carlisle explained, looking back at Jasper who nodded his head in response.
"Carlisle's right. That's why they are created. A newborn army doesn't need thousands like a human army. But no human army could stand against them." He explained. "Now the two most important things to remember are, first, never let them get their arms around you, they'll crush you instantly. The second, never go for the obvious kill, they'll be expecting that and you will lose." Jasper instructed, before turning to Emmett. "Emmett."
The two walked into the clearing, everyone turning to observe them as Jasper officially commenced the training session.
"Don't hold back," Jasper instructed.
"Not in my nature," Emmett answered with a smirk before sprinting at Jasper.
Jasper didn't move, a slight smirk on his face as Emmett pushed him backward, before throwing the blonde over his shoulders. Jasper briefly spun in the air before landing gracefully, running back at Emmett, meeting each other halfway, Emmett swinging a fist that Jasper dodged before sending Emmett to the floor.
"Never lose focus," Jasper added, looking down at Emmett, before calling Carlisle and Edward forward.
The two exchanged brief looks before Carlisle nodded his head, Edward running at him moments later. Edward jumped as Carlisle slid under his feet, turning back around to face him. The two lunged at each other once more, grabbing each other before Edward finally slammed the blonde doctor into the ground, turning back to look at Jasper.
"One more thing." Jasper started, as Carlisle suddenly stood up taking Edward down. "Never turn your back on your enemy."
Rosalie was next as Jasper beckoned her forward. The blonde stepped forward sending a punch towards Jasper which he quickly dodged, Rosalie, sending another one straight away, which was dodged once more, sending Rosalie spiralling into the air before gracefully landing.
Jasper and Alice stood up next, easily trading punches as Alice easily dodged each one sent her way. Her small stature easily allowing her to dodge. It was easy for anyone to see how comfortable the two of them were with each other and their individual fighting styles, after years spent in the other's company.
"That's all for today. Thank you for coming." Carlisle announced to the wolves as they dispersed into the trees at the words.
Jasper stepping back away from the group, passing Bella sitting on the jeep who called out to him, distracting him for the moment.
"Jasper, are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?" Bella asked.
"Your presence alone, your scent will distract the newborns. Their hunting instinct will take over, drive them crazy."
"Good, I'm glad," Bella answered. "Hey, how do you know so much about this?"
"I didn't have quite the same upbringing as my adopted siblings," Jasper informed the brunette, pulling off his jacket and showing his arms. The first time he had told Ellie his rather tragic backstory crossing his mind. "Battle scars. All the training the Confederate Army gave me was useless against the newborns. Still, I've never lost a fight."
"Hey, this happened during the civil war?" Bella continued to question.
"I was the youngest Major in the Texas Cavalry. All without having seen any real battle."
"Until. . ." Bella prompted.
"Until I met a certain immortal. . .Maria. I was riding back to Galveston after evacuating a colony of women and children when I saw them. I immediately offered my aid."
"Maria was creating an army?" Bella questioned.
"They were very common in the south. Constant brutal battles for territory. Maria won 'em all. She was smart, careful and she had me. I was her second in command, my ability to control emotions served her well. I trained her newborns, but in this occupation, since she never let them live beyond the first year, it was my job to dispose of them. I could feel everything they felt."
"Woah," Bella breathed.
"I thought about what Maria and I had was love. But I was her puppet, she pulled the strings. I didn't know there was another way, till I found Alice. Introduced me to the diet, and we joined the rest. Then I found Ellie and she found me. She pushed me out of my own darkness and I helped her out of her own and met someone that I immediately knew that I would love for the rest of my life."
"Are you worried about her?" Bella asked softly.
"Of course. She's been in my thoughts all the time since she disappeared. But we'll find her, we have to."
