Margaret Allie Brandon (Jasper's Mate Story)

Chapter 26

Chapter 26 (Nov. 10th)
Margaret's POV:

The anger that was flowing off Randy was almost tangible as I heard him walk back into the kitchen after saying goodnight to Carly. Dinner had gone as it had each time she was here, surprisingly smooth, but I could tell by his anger now that I hadn't been energetic or happy enough to suite him. I was just finishing up the dishes, placing them all in the drying rack before I turned to come face to face with him. I didn't even have time to ask what I did wrong as he grabbed my arm and flung me down to the ground.

"Are you trying to ruin my relationship with Carly you little bitch?!?" (Randy)

I shook my head, knowing that a verbal answer wasn't what he actually wanted, tears starting to form in my eyes as I heard the tell-tell sound of his belt rattling as he took it off. I heard it whoosh through the air before I felt it strike against my back and sides. A cry left my mouth as he went to seven strikes. I was then again brought within inches of his face as he sneered at me before he spoke in an angry almost seething voice.

"Next time she asks you something you better act interested and answer her with a fucking smile you little bitch!" (Randy)

"Y-yes sir." (Mag)

He threw me down on the floor again before he left the room followed by the house, and I knew he was most likely headed down to the bar for the night. I felt tears continue to leave my eyes as I made my way up off the floor and into my room, turning off the kitchen lights as I went. I stayed in my room only long enough to get some pjs before I headed into the bathroom to take a shower. Another soft cry left my mouth as the warm water went over my back, and I saw trace amounts of blood disappear down the drain with the water.

I could only hope that the bleeding would stop soon, otherwise I risked getting blood all over my sheets by bleeding through my shirt. I made my way back into my room, my hair wet but up in a bun, before I crawled onto my bed. Each movement of my body seemed to send shockwaves of pain through me. I wished for a brief moment that Jasper was here to hold me in his arms, but then was very glad that he wasn't tonight because then he might have seen the blood threatening to come through my t-shirt, or the fresh bruises forming on my upper arms.

As I was sleeping I dreamed of my mom, but not in the crash as I often did. No this time I saw her smiling at me from the back porch of Granny Cynthia's house. I felt tears fall from my eyes as i ran up to her on the porch and she took me in her arms, her hand carding through my curls just as she used to when I was small. I never wanted to leave her again, but as I heard what I knew was my alarm clock the dream began to fade. I looked at my mom wanting only to stay with her, but she just smiled and shook her head as if she knew what I wanted.

"No baby, you can't stay here. Be strong, don't let him break you Maggie. Be strong for you and for your handsome beau." (Sam)

I went to argue with her but was forced awake by my alarm having finally reached full volume. I felt tears start to flood my eyes again before I wiped them away, slowly standing from the bed feeling my back and sides voice their complaints as pain seemed to vibrate through me. I started getting dressed, having to gently shrug my way into a t-shirt and then a thick hoody, taking a few moments to adjust to the pain that was once a familiar sensation but had become all too new after going a week or two without a beating.

I grabbed my bag before walking out the door, grateful that Randy didn't come back home last night and take more of his anger out on me. I wasn't sure I would be able to make it to school today had he done that. I was halfway to school before a familiar car pulled up next to me, and I was greeted by a smiling Alice and a concerned Jasper with Edward driving.

"Good morning Margaret! Get in!" (Alice)

I forced a smile on my face, hoping that I could keep my face well-trained despite the pain. I slide in the backseat, only to be greeted with a concerned look from Jasper. I avoided looking him in the eyes, as it often seemed he could tell what I thinking all too often. Though I often thought that about Edward as well. I felt myself flinch some as Jasper wrapped his arm around me, before I felt myself relax back into his chest as his cold temperature seemed to soothe my back.

I was listening to Alice talk excitedly about school, nodding and smiling when needed but otherwise she barely stopped talking long enough to breathe. I felt Jasper place a gently kiss on my temple before I looked at him, seeing concern in his eyes as he stared at me. He leaned closer and spoke in a whisper in my ear, his cool breathe blowing across my neck as he did.

"Are you alright Margaret?" (J)

"I'm fine Jasper, I promise. Just tired." (Mag)

I found my smile was genuine as I looked at him, and I was happy it wasn't as forced as it was when they first pulled up beside me. I was surprised when Alice and Edward both got out of the car, until I realized that we were in the school parking lot. I saw Jasper about to say something and worried he would ask me more questions that I wouldn't be good at lying about, I closed my eyes and kissed him.

I felt him freeze against me for only a second before his hand was on my cheek, his other still placed gently on my lower back. The kiss ended quicker than I think I would ever be ready for it to end, but we needed to breathe unfortunately. I opened my eyes to find him still staring at me in concern but smiling nonetheless.

"Well darlin, I have to say I would love for one of these every morning." (J)

"I think I can agree to that." (Mag)

I smiled even as a flash of pain rain through me as he opened his door and got out of the car. He held his hand out and helped me out of the car, carrying my bag in addition to his own. His arm found its way around my waist again as we walked into class, and for once the whispers and stares and even the pain in my back didn't worry as much as they once seemed to while in school.

Alice's POV:

I came out of the vision of our brother coming back home in the next day or so. A smile came across my face, knowing we had all missed Elliot, but we also knew that he yearned for his mate more than anyone else in the family ever had. After my last vision of him meeting her in a rainy looking town he spent of the last year in England.

It was after all the place of his birth and he assumed it would be that if his mates as well. However he was once again coming home alone, but in my vision he seemed in high spirits. I felt Edward wrap an arm around my shoulders before he whispered to avoid being overheard by the rest of our siblings.

"How does he react to Margaret?" (Ed)

I show him the vision from earlier, Margaret meeting our "older brother" though he was by human age only 18.  He liked her, seemed drawn to her kindness, even though she was a bit quiet around him at first she too seemed to warm to him. I looked up to see Edward smiling at me, both of us excited to have our brother back home again and that he appears to get along with Margaret after meeting her.