Artemis // Jasper Hale

the secret he needed to know

Artemis smiled as she sat with Edward. He told her stupid jokes and told stories that made him sound like a fool just to cheer her up, yet the smile she wore was fake. Edward was her best friend. He really was, along with Rosalie and if Jackson hadn't of said what he did he would be on the list too. Though, if he was really her friend, she doubted he would have said any of that. Edward stared at her, reading her thoughts easily.

" You know, you could always talk to jasper "

Artemis looked up as Edward spoke to her. He sounded so gentle, as though she was fragile and he didn't want to hurt her. He still didn't know.

" What don't I know? "

Artemis looked up at Edward, with an apologetic smile on her face. That was a story for another time. Edward stood, with Artemis following his lead. She had intended to ignore his remark about jasper but as they walked in to the living room, she couldn't help herself. She made a beeline for jasper and Edward spoke just in time.

" Jasper "

He spoke quietly making sure jasper's attention was on Artemis. Just before she reached him Edward spoke again.

"stand up"

Jasper realised what was going on and stood up just in time. Artemis all but crashed in to him. Her arms wrapped around his cold body and he held on to her slender frame with so much care, it was as if they were in love already.

The family looked on as jasper comforted the girl, even though he had no idea what had happened to her. He whispered sweet nothings in her and made promises she thought he wouldn't keep. Though he intended to keep all of them.
Once Artemis finally let go she felt so much better.

"I think that Artemis should stay here for a while"

Everyone's eyes went to Edwards in confusion, including Artemis'. She didn't want to burden them, and why would Edward just say that? She could stay with Jackson, she would move out eventually.

" Jackson is the reason she's like this, the reason she's so upset. I really don't feel comfortable with her staying there. He called her a wrench"

Esme smiled at her.

" of course she can stay "

Emmett scoffed from the other couch.

" Yeah, as long as her room isn't anywhere near Jaspers"

He laughed a little, and even Edward cracked a smile. Artemis stood hesitantly.

" As long as I'm here with you, I want to change back to my old name. I want to be myself again "

Artemis had spent so long resenting what the gods had done to her, but she realised without this she would never have met the Cullens. He best friends, and jasper. Everything here was wonderful, and they deserved to know the truth about her.

" My name is Alpha, Lady Alpha, and I want to accept this as part of me, I want to be who I am. "

They all smiled, some whistles went up before realisation dawned on Rosalie. Her family had a lot of money when she was human, and she had learnt all about mythology. She knew all kinds, she knew legends and myths and gods. She knew Greek and Roman. She knew that lady alpha wasn't just a name. It was a position, a place.

Rosalie bent down and did a swift curtsy, the Cullens thought that Rosalie was just being silly, playing, the girls were best friends after all. Then alpha's reaction made them doubt it. She furrowed her brows and told Rosalie to get up, she seemed rather distraught.

" You never need to curtsy to me, I am no hero, nor someone you should look up to "

Rosalie nodded her head once before embracing alpha in the tightest hug imaginable.

" Have faith "

Rosalie whispered in her ear before the two sat down together. This was sure to be fun.

••••

Jasper wandered through the halls with Edward by his side. Jasper saw Alpha coming towards them, though he was to call her Artemis at school. A look came across his face, Edward knew it as fear but Alpha thought it was repulsion. Towards her.

" You've got to stop doing that man, she thinks you hate her, but then sometimes you're really nice to her. The mixed signals really aren't helping her "

Jasper looked over at Edward, an amused look on his face. Repulsed by her? He could never be. Not in a million years. Not even when she's old and wrinkly, though something about last night told him she wasn't exactly human, or there was something she was hiding. Maybe she would never get old.

Jasper looked past Alpha only to see Jackson hurrying towards her. Jasper took a few step towards her protectively, making the girl turn around to see what he saw.

Jackson caught up to her just as she turned around. Her face twisted in to one of pain, an expression that showed she didn't want to talk to him. Jackson pleaded with her, desperately trying to get her to listen. Alpha had enough.

" What did you think would happen, Artemis? You have left me for a group of vampires! "

Alpha all but hissed at him.

" Shut up, people could hear you, and I never left you! "

Jackson narrowed his eyes at her.

" Yes you have! You've been distant ever since you met them. You hardly spoke to me, what should I have done? "

Alpha glared, her anger overtook her.

"You should have stayed by my side, like I would have done for you. I'm leaving Jackson, for good. I moving out of our house. Bring whoever you want home, you think I don't know about you're night visitors? You aren't exactly quiet!"

With those as her final words alpha whirled around and stalked out the doors. Edward and jasper stared after the young girl who had disappeared from their view. Edward knew that she was hiding something, ever since she had thought about him not knowing yet. Whatever it was Edward was sure that Jackson knew. Jackson seemed to know everything about the smallest girl, and so with that thought he chased after Jackson who had begun to trail down the hallway. He wanted to know.

He needed to know.