The Destiny Concept | Jasper Hale

Chapter 18 ✔️

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—Jasper
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"Jasper!" I hear Althea yell the second I stepped into the hotel lobby, her arms immediately wrapping around the back of my neck, hugging me, and I didn't hesitate wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer.

"It will be okay." I whispered against her skin. Her feeling of despair and self blame is suffocating. I'm surprised she has not yet burst into tears. "Where are the others?"

"Isaac and Alice left for the ballet studio the second the sun set." She spoke, her voice surprisingly steady, although her eyes wouldn't meet mine.

"I'm surprised you didn't go with them."

"Trust me, I would have if they let me. The only reason I'm not is because Isaac sedated me." I was surprised to hear that, but it does not surprise me. Althea is undeniably stubborn, and putting her to sleep was probably the only way to stop her that wouldn't cause her any harm.

"We should probably get you back up to the hotel room then. Sedatives take a while to wear off." I said, keeping a steady arm around her while I guided her over to the elevator and stepping inside.

"That is no mystery to me. It's not the first time Isaac has sedated me." She retorted, gently rubbing her forehead.

"Maybe if you were a little less stubborn, he would not need to." I pressed a kiss to her temple as the elevator began to move.

"You're supposed to defend me, not my brother." She glared playfully.

"I will not lie, sweetheart." To that, she rolled her eyes, leaning into me as we reached our floor and headed to the hotel room, keeping my arm around her the entire time.

Once inside, I sat on the couch, pulling Althea onto it with me, though making her lie down until she recovered from the after effects of the sedative.

As her head laid in my lap and my hand stroked her hair, all I could think about was how she'd acted on the phone, like she didn't want to speak with me, and even now, she seemed distant, even though she was with me.

I did not want to speak of it at this moment since she was already on edge because of Bella being missing and everyone risking their lives without her.

Her emotions had been concealed though by the time we had gotten out of the elevator, as though she fought against them, not wanting me to know what she was feeling.

She did not fall asleep while she laid on the couch with her head on my lap. I knew this because her entire body was stiff, like something else was bothering her. An internal struggle of her own that was not only self blame.

"What are you thinking?" She asked, not moving anything other than her mouth.

"What makes you think I am deep in thought?" I redirected, not wanting to worry her or start an unnecessary argument with her.

"I'm no idiot, Jas." She replied, sitting upright so that she could look at me, not an emotion visible on her face, though I can not say the same for me. "Your face is painted with questions."

I did not respond immediately. Instead my eyes looked everywhere but at her eyes.

She did not ask another question either, or persist, she just placed a hand on my face for a single moment, retracting her arm almost instantly, but not quick enough.