desiderium- Jasper Hale

Pt 54: shock revelations

"I need to talk to you," Bella exclaims as she barges into the living room, interrupting Jaspers and my conversation. 

"Um, rude," I sass looking over my shoulder at her. "Did you just ignore the lectures Mum would give us about interrupting people?" 

"Please!" Bella begs desperately, ignoring my comment as she gestures for me to follow her.

Rolling my eyes, I follow Bella out of the room. 

"What is so desperate?" I ask, bewildered at her attitude. "You realise it's too late now to change plans for the fight..."

"No, it's not about the fight," She urges. "Can we go somewhere else, I don't want anyone to hear us..."

"Ah, okay," I say, both very confused and concerned about Bella's obvious worry. "Jump on," I tell her, as she, without a second thought, jumps on my back before I turn towards the open window, leaving the house in my dust.

"Seriously, what is wrong?" I ask, coming to a halt as Bella jumps down from where she was only a moment ago, clinging onto me for dear life. 

"Have you and Jasper slept together?" She asks desperately. 

"Really?" I ask her, frustrated. "Did you seriously just want to ask about my sex life? We didn't have to leave the house for that..."

"Just answer my question," She says, rolling her eyes at my remark. 

"Yes, of course," I tell her. "Why? Did you and Edward sleep together?"

"But you're not married?" Bella asks again, as I stare at her in shock.

"Since when have you been a traditionalist?" I ask her, once again bewildered at her behaviour. "Jasper and I are vampires, Bella. I really don't think not waiting until marriage is going to be what sends us to hell..."

"No, of course not," Bella says with a huff. "But, Edward doesn't want to have sex until we're married because he wants to protect my soul or whatever. I don't know why, but I figured it was a Cullen thing, not an Edward thing."

"Well, it's definitely not a Jasper thing," I smirk, taking a seat on a fallen log as I watch Bella pace before me. "When did this topic even come up?"

"Last night, whilst everyone went hunting..." She whispers, embarrassed. 

"Classic," I laugh. "You're more like me than I originally thought."

"I need help, Soph, not sassy remarks linking me to your rebellious past," She snaps.

"Okay, bloody hell," I tell her, putting my hands up in defence. "Real talk, we didn't have sex whilst I was still human. Apparently, it's quite dangerous... Either way though, there are other things you can do..."

"Edward mentioned that it's dangerous, but even so, he even feels uncomfortable with just making out," She tells me. "There's no way that I can push those boundaries without being disrespectful."

"You're right," I tell her seriously. "You love Edward, it's as clear as day, and you have to understand that when Edward says that he wants to wait, it's because he's aligning his love for you with values that he believes most respects you as a woman... And I'm sure it's not a matter of him not wanting to..."

"Yeah, I know," She says as silence fills the space around us. "There's one other thing..."

"Oh, God, what?" I ask with a wink as an embarrassed blush rushes over Bella's face, before focusing on the ground. 

"Edward proposed and I said yes," She whispers as my jaw drops. 

My mind went blank for a moment as her words echoed in my mind. 

"Are you angry?" She asks me, filling the silence anxiously. 

"Ah..." My mind struggled to articulate its feelings as her words continued to register in my mind. 

"Soph?" She asks quietly, reaching out to take my hand. "What do you think?"

"Woah, B," I whisper as my jaw slackens. "That's big."

"It is, I know," She whispers. "And of course, marriage probably wouldn't be my first choice, but it's Edward's dream and seeing as though I'll be changed eventually, I figure I'm not losing anything... You don't disapprove do you?"

"What? Disapprove? Of course not," I tell her with a big smile as I reach over to wrap my arms around my baby sisters shoulders. "I am really happy for you, and as you said, it's just happening a little earlier than expected... Have you told anyone else yet?"

"No, you're the first I've told," She says with a smile. "Of course, Alice would already know and has probably already told everyone..."

"Of course," I laugh, reaching once again for a hug from Bella. "All I've got to say is that we're not having a double wedding, no matter what Alice tries to say."

"Are you sure she's safe?" I ask, turning to face Carlisle, from where I stood in front of the window.

Alice was right when she predicted a storm coming. It was raging and I knew that it would be ten times worse up in the mountains where Bella was. 

"She's with Edward and Jacob," Carlisle replies with a small smile. "Other than yourself, there's no one that would be safer for her to be with right now."

"Remind me again why I'm not with her right now," I whisper, my heart aching with anxiety for the safety of my sister.

"Because you will be able to protect her more on the ground with us," Jasper says as he moves over to me, pulling me into his chest.

"Are you sure it's not just so you can keep an eye on me?" I smirk softly, my eyes leaving the window as I stare up at my mate. 

"Although it's a comforting thought, most of the time, I won't even be able to see you," He whispers back with a smile. 

"That's true," I whisper, turning my eyes back out the window. 

I was going to do everything in my power to keep my family safe.