Before The Storm | J. Hale & A. Cullen

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All the talking seemed to come to a stop the second the two brunettes entered the family room. Michael’s breathing started to pick up again as his gaze remained on the floor. He felt a wave of calmness pace over him, causing his gaze to snap up to meet Jasper's topaz eyes. The blue-eyed male sent him a harsh glare as a warning.

As the taller male flinched under his heated glare, Michael let out a breath of relief when he felt Jasper’s influence on his emotions vanish. The panic had dulled on its own accord. The dull feeling seemed to settle under his breastbone as he gripped tightly onto Bella’s hand. She briefly squeezed his hand once more before letting go and moving across the room to sit with her husband.

Michael took a deep breath before the panic could return to him, allowing his emotionless facade to take its place throughout his body and his mind. He remained standing in the doorway, no longer comfortable with being so relaxed and casual amongst the Cullen family.

Renesmee got up from her spot to go to Michael, but she was quickly stopped by Jacob as he pulled her into his lap with a quiet growl. No one missed the flash of hurt that covered the brunet’s features. Michael turned and walked out of the room before anyone could process his reaction. He climbed up the different flights of stairs, taking them two stairs at a time.

He walked into the room he had been given for his stay, packing up all of his items back into his duffel bag before making sure everything was as it had been when he had first arrived there. By the time he was finished, he had caught a glimpse of himself in the windows many times. His eyes were faintly red and his irises were black, tears dried onto his tan face. He didn’t even have it in him to remain stoic like he usually did, his emotions ruling over his every thought.

He sniffled quietly as he tried to gather himself, but he knew it was no use as the signs of his distress were obvious. Letting out a shaky breath, Mykie threw on one of his leather jackets to hide the bareness of his torso before opening the bedroom door and walking out. He headed back all the way down the stairs, not bothering to look back in the family room as he passed it.

He heard someone get up and follow after him, but Michael didn’t care enough to figure out who it was. He picked up his pace as he got outside, Opening the door to the backseat of his car, he tossed his bag in. He ignored Bella as she asked why he was suddenly leaving, though he tensed as he heard someone call out his full name. He knew who it was instantly, the southern tang in the male’s voice quite easy to recognize.

Much to Bella’s surprise, the brunet actually stopped what he was doing as Jasper addressed him. The second Jasper reached the bottom of the stairs, he was in front of Michael. He shoved the shorter male up against the side of his car, keeping him pinned there. Alice came over to Bella, her bubbly personality nowhere to be detected. She didn’t know what was going to happen next, nor how the two men seemed to know each other.

Sensing that this was a private matter, Isabella headed back inside, pulling Alice along with her. Before Jasper could utter another word, Michael shoved him back harshly as he glared at him heatedly. He growled low enough to make Jasper freeze in his tracks, the unhuman sound chilling him to his bones. 

“Don’t you dare touch me, Whitlock. You lost that right a long time ago.”

Jasper flinched back at the heat that filled Michael’s words. The anger and distress that rolled off the younger male were strong enough to make Jasper take an involuntary step back. Inhaling slowly, Michael willed back his emotions before making them go away. He once more became stoic as he gazed silently at Jasper. Jasper stared right back at the man before him, shock underlining his features as he felt the sudden lack of emotions from Michael.