Hopeless Devotion ~ A Jasper Hale Story

Chapter Twenty-Two - The Quiet Before

June 13, 2006

The meadow felt different tonight.
It wasn't just the scent of churned-up earth or the faint metallic tang of shattered granite dust from Emmett's last dramatic throw. It was the quiet—too heavy, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

We trudged back to the house in silence. My boots squelched with every step through the mossy ground. Emmett had mud on his sleeve; Rosalie kept swiping at it with sharp, efficient flicks as if the stain personally offended her. Even he didn't joke about it.

Training was officially over. Tomorrow was for rest, and then—battle.

I let my eyes drift to Bella. She stayed close to Edward, her expression unreadable under the hood of her rain-spotted jacket. Jacob had left hours ago, stalking off into the woods with Sam's pack after the last round of sparring. Bella hadn't said much since.

I didn't blame her. The air smelled of wet cedar and unspoken worries.

As soon as the porch came into view, Alice clapped her hands, the sound unnaturally bright in the damp night.
"All right," she announced, "before any of you track half the forest into Esme's clean floors, I'm off to hunt. The girls are staying here tonight—no sneaking off. I'll be back before morning."

Her eyes lingered on me for half a second, sparkling with something unspoken.

"Where are you going?" Bella asked, trying not to sound worried.

"North," Alice answered lightly. "I'll be fine. Besides, you all smell like wet dog and rain. Someone has to bring back some dignity to this household."

She winked at Bella—playful, breezy, as if she were simply avoiding mud-splattered shoes. But I'd known her too long to miss the faint tension around her smile.

"Be careful," I told her quietly.

"Always," she chirped back, and in the next heartbeat she was gone—slipping into the dark woods, fast and silent.

The others headed inside. I lingered on the porch a moment, listening to the rain patter against the roof's edge, until I felt a presence at my shoulder.

Jasper joined me, his expression as calm as ever, but I caught the flicker of his gaze—past me, toward Edward. A barely-there motion: the briefest wink.

Edward's lips curved, almost imperceptibly. Bella was busy peeling her damp sleeve from her wrist and didn't notice.

I did.

I arched a brow at Jasper in silent question. He only tilted his head a fraction toward the driveway, that subtle not now gesture of his.

Fine. I'd wait. But I wasn't going to forget.

Inside, Esme had laid out dry towels. The scent of her lavender detergent wrapped around the room like a blanket. For a fleeting moment, it felt almost normal—like the night before a family road trip instead of a fight to the death.

Bella and Edward disappeared toward the kitchen, murmuring quietly. I could hear Bella's soft laugh drift back, low and surprised.

Jasper caught my eye and gave a slight nod toward the door.
"Come on," he said in a voice just above a whisper. "I've got a surprise for you."

I followed him outside, curiosity piqued.
"Should I be nervous?" I asked as we reached his car.

"Only if you hate surprises." The corner of his mouth lifted in that not-quite smile that always softened his drawl.

The car smelled faintly of pine and damp leather. We pulled out of the driveway, tires crunching against the wet gravel, headlights slicing through the mist that hovered low over the road.