Live Fast || 𝗝. 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐞

XVI

"Who was it? Was it someone we know?" Carlisle asked. He and Esme had stayed at the house, waiting anxiously on the group to come back. And Bella trailed behind them.

"A stranger. We couldn't recognize the scent." Edward said. Jasper was sitting quietly, holding onto Ezra as he stared blankly at the floor.

"A nomad passing through?" Esme asked, sending a worried glance to the couple quietly sitting and staring off.

"A nomad wouldn't have left Quinn, Charlie or Finn alive." Ezra sucked in a breath, Jasper rubbing her back as some sort of comfort.

"Do you think Victoria's behind this?" Emmett asked. "We did kill her mate."

"It could be the Volturi." Edward offered, everyone ignoring Bella as she happily walked around. Alice shook her head.

"I don't think it's the Volturi either. I've been watching Aro's decisions, too." She informed them, leaving them at square one.

"All right." Carlisle sighed, rubbing his forehead. "We'll take shifts protecting them."

"Another protection detail? I'm all for protecting Charlie, Finn, Quinn, and Ez. But that thing?" Rosalie sneered as she pointed at Bella. "She can be sacrificed."

"No, she's right." Bella spoke up, everyone rolling their eyes. "You can't protect me, watch my dad, search for the intruder....and Victoria...and keep yourselves fed."

"Jasper's the only one who can do twenty-four-seven, since he can feed from Ezra." Carlisle said, Bella narrowing her eyes. Everyone nodded.

"I'm not gonna let the rest of you starve." Bella said, bringing the attention back to her. "And I wouldn't be unprotected, I have...."

"Nope, absolutely not." Ezra finally spoke, noticing how Bella was eyeing Jasper. "You can stop looking at him. He doesn't like you, and your blood makes him want to beat you to death."

Bella's jaw dropped, trying to find something to say as she looked around. She was hoping that last part was a lie.

"Why do you think he looked at you like that on your birthday? News flash, it wasn't the kind of bloodlust you were hoping for." Ezra said, Jasper propping his chin on her shoulder. "It was 'I kinda wanna beat this bitch to a pulp' bloodlust, idiot."

"You heard what they said in Italy! I will become a vampire whether you like it or not!" Bella hissed before storming out of the house, Jasper tightening his hold on Ezra as he stood up.

"We're going to bed." He tiredly mumbled, his family nodding as they watched them disappear.

"Nice to see you guys getting along." Ezra said, walking over with plates of food. Paul and Jasper leapt up to help her, Jacob smiling cheekily at her. They were all sitting by a tree near the edge of the forest.

"It's thanks to Quinn for talking some sense into the elders." Jacob said as he took his food, leaning back against the tree. Ezra laughed as she recalled having to calm her mother down, the woman arguing with one snobbish elder in particular.

"Yeah, I'm surprised she didn't get physical with him." Ezra said as she let Jasper eat off her plate. Quinn had talked the elders into lifting the treaty, saying that the Cullens had no intentions of harming any person.

"Aren't you guys supposed to be mortal enemies or something?" Bella's voice disrupted the peaceful and playful atmosphere, everyone ignoring her as they ate. "Hello?"

"Ez, wanna go for a ride?" Paul asked when he finished eating, Ezra excitedly nodding as she shoved her plate into Jasper's hands.

"Careful, now." Jasper said as he started eating again. Ezra saluted him as Paul shifted.