Control ▸ Jasper Hale [3]

IV

FOUR; INFORMATION OVERLOAD

"I know you're here." Cassadee called as she stood in the middle of the forest, looking around at the trees and bushes surrounding her. "I can smell you." The brunette turned when she heard a low growl from behind her. "You're not intimidating me. Cut the crap, Samuel."

Sam growled and bared his canines at Cassadee before turning and going behind a tree, shifting from his wolf form and putting on the shirts he always had stashed behind bushes by the tree. "What do you want?" The alpha asked once he came out from behind the tree with his usual jean shorts on.

"'Well, it's nice to see you, too, Cass, how are you?'" Cassadee sassed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You can't seriously still be mad at me."

"Guess again." Sam said begrudgingly as he mimicked Cassadee's actions. "You can't seriously think I'm not over it."

"I said I was sorry at least twenty times!" Cassadee threw her arms up in annoyance before dropping them to her sides. "You can't be that mad about me breaking your ribs. You were fine within a week!"

"I'm not mad about the ribs, Cassie." Sam shook his head at the Equalizer. "I'm mad that you protected that vampire, especially after everything he's put you through."

"Okay, I know I'm a vengeful person but I would never go as far as wishing death on someone." Cassadee pointed out with a glare. "I may hate him but I still love him."

"He broke the treaty, Cassadee!" Sam shouted in annoyance. "I can't just let him get away with that!"

"And I won't let anything happen to him!" Cassadee snapped back with a glare. "I refuse to let anything bad happen to anyone I care about if I can help it."

"I thought you cared about me." Sam spoke softly as he watched Cassadee closely. "I was obviously wrong."

"I do care about you, Sam, and the rest of the wolves. Whether it's because I'm part werewolf or just because I enjoy your company, I couldn't tell you, but I do care." The brunette sighed and ran a hand through her curly hair before taking a step closer to Sam. "But you have to understand that the Cullen's are my family and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to any of them, especially Jasper."

"And you need to understand how important the treaty is." The alpha told the Equalizer. "If we let Jasper get away with biting a human then other vampires will think they can get away with it."

"Then I guess they'll be in for a rude awakening when the wolves kill them." Cassadee pointed out.

"Shouldn't you be on my side?" Sam questioned, "Aren't you the one that keeps the supernatural world in balance?"

"Keeping Jasper alive doesn't bother the supernatural world." Cassadee put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot on the soft forest ground, her irritation growing. "What if it were Emily?"

Sam paused, looking at Cassadee in confusion. "What?"

"What if the roles were reversed and Emily broke the treaty?" Cassadee questioned the alpha with a raised brow. "Wouldn't you rather die than have something happen to her?"

Sam sighed, seeing Cassadee's point. "I still don't agree with what you did." He grumbled as he looked down at the ground, kicking a nearby rock.

A smile grew on Cassadee's face, one that wasn't forced for the first time in months. "Is that your way of saying I was right? Because that's totally how I'm taking that."

Sam rolled his eyes at the brunette. "Yes, you were right." He said before turning and walking away. "Don't let it get to your head!" The alpha called back to her.