Devotion, Jasper Hale

Chapter 46

September 13th, 2006, Cullen Residence
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"Are you sure you don't wanna come with us?" Catherine asked, sliding on her boots as she looked at Bella.

Bella shook her head, still smiling nontheless. "I already hunted this morning, I think I'll be fine," the newborn replied, glancing at Renesmee in her arms before looking back at Catherine.

"There is no sating a newborn's hunger," Catherine hopefully told Bella, wanting to see her in action.

"I'm fine, thanks," Bella grinned.

Catherine smiled and stood up, shrugging her shoulders. "Next time. You guys have fun bonding as a family," she winked at Bella before joining the rest of her family, who were standing by the door, waiting for Catherine.

"Ready?" Jasper asked her, holding out his hand for her to take.

Catherine's smile grew into a grin as she took his hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Let's go," she said, wrapping the hand that wasn't holding his around his arm.

Carlisle and Esme led their children outside to hunt.

After the wolves retreated, leaving the Cullens free to stand where they wished, the first thing all of them did was go on an extravagant hunting spree.

Catherine did not feel that scolding burn at the back of her throat, torturing her constantly.

"Hey, Oliver?" Emmett suddenly spoke up, leaving Rosalie's side to nudge his brother.

Oliver looked up at Emmett with a questioning expression.

"I bet you twenty dollars that I'll catch more than you this hunt," Emmett confidently said, his walk turning into a cocky strut as he spoke.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Does everything always have to be a competition? Can't we just hunt like normal vampires?"

"I want in on this bet!" Jasper said from beside Catherine. Catherine whipped her head around to look at him.

"Alright, Jasper's in! Who else?" Emmett excitedly said, waving a twenty-dollar bill in the air.

"Fine, I suppose I could participate," Carlisle said with a smile.

"I wanna play along!" Alice happily exclaimed with a short squeal as she bounced next to Oliver.

Catherine sighed and then took off her hat. "Everyone, place your twenties in this hat, I shall hold onto them until the end of the competition. Winner wins eighty dollars," Catherine said, holding out her hat to the participants.

After collecting one hundres dollars in total, the family walked deep into the forest, finding a good spot where Esme, Rosalie and Catherine could wait.

"We can sit here," Esme said, pointing towards the ground with a smile on her face.

The ladies sat down and got comfortable as the contestants got ready to hunt.

"I'm gonna win you a mountain lion," Jasper romantically said, grinning at his wife over his shoulder.

Catherine grinned back and blew him a kiss as a good luck while playing with the rim of her hat.

"On your marks?" Rosalie boredly said from her place.

"Ready? Set. Go!" She yelled out.

All the participants were gone within the blink of an eye, disappearing deep into the dark forest.

The ladies all sat against a thick tree, laughing, gossiping and joking together.

"-but it was seriously so cute! I've never had a guy do something sweet like that for me!" Rosalie cooed with a giddy grin. She had just been explaining to her mother and sister how Emmett had showed up the other day with a flower crown he had made for her himself.