Bloody Mary // J. Hale

Sleeping Beauty

After cleaning up, Jasper never strayed far from Jenna's side. She lay curled up on the sofa, her breathing steady, her face peaceful in sleep. He sat in the farthest chair, deliberately keeping his distance, yet his gaze never left her.

He was worried—more than he cared to admit.

What would happen when she woke? Would the fragile calm he'd carefully woven unravel in an instant? Would her fear return, undoing everything he'd done to keep her safe, to protect her from her own terror?

Jasper focused his powers on her, channelling a steady flow of soothing energy. Her even breaths reassured him, though the tension in his chest refused to ease. It was selfish, perhaps, but he needed her to stay like this—safe, sound, and blissfully unaware of the storm that churned within him.

He cared for her. Too much. The realization gnawed at him, relentless and sharp, sinking deeper with every passing moment.

"Jasper..." A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. Alice.

She perched on the arm of his chair, her delicate hand resting lightly on his shoulder. Her gaze was steady, her tone low, gentle.

"This isn't your fault," she murmured.

Jasper's jaw tightened, but he didn't reply. His eyes flicked back to Jenna, his heart warring between guilt and the undeniable pull of emotions he'd tried so hard to suppress.

"No, this is his fault," Rosalie said, her tone cutting through the quiet like a blade. She lingered near the bookcase, casually running her fingers over the spines of the books, her posture deceptively relaxed. "If he'd gotten rid of her before, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't be in this mess."

Jasper leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped tightly together as he pressed his chin against them. His fingers tensed until his knuckles whitened, his grip trembling slightly.

She's right. The thought clawed its way through his mind, settling like a stone in his chest.

But then his gaze drifted back to Jenna, and despite the weight of Rosalie's words, he couldn't shake the truth he'd tried so hard to deny.

He couldn't regret it.

Not her.

Never her.

"He was protecting her, Rose," Alice said softly, her gaze shifting to her sister. There was a calm insistence in her tone, but the edge of frustration was unmistakable. "If Jasper didn't show up, she could have died. Or worse..." Alice hesitated, the weight of her words lingering in the air. "Out of anyone, I thought you'd understand."

Rosalie let out a sharp, bitter laugh, the sound cutting through the room like glass. She slammed the book she'd been holding back into the shelf with enough force to make the entire bookcase shudder.

"You know that's not it, Alice!" she snapped, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. Her eyes blazed with anger as she turned on her sister. "He was supposed to stay away from her, and he didn't! Him killing those hooligans could put all of us in danger!"

She let out a huff of frustration, her fingers tangling briefly in her long, golden waves before she pushed the hair back over her shoulder.

"The Volturi are already keeping tabs on us because we're different—because we play by our own rules. And now this? What do you think they'll do if they find out this dumbass interfered with human affairs?"

"She was going to die, Rose!" Jasper cut in, his voice low but heated, his usual restraint fraying at the edges.

"We're all going to die because of you!" Rosalie shot back, her finger jabbing toward him like a blade. Her lips curled back, exposing the sharp edge of her teeth in a snarl. "Edward? Sure, I'd expect something this stupid from him! But you?" She shook her head, her glare narrowing. "I thought you were smarter than that, Jasper. Wake up!"