empathy

FOUR

„Hey, Jake," Bella means when the wolves finally arrive, looking at a rusty orang-y one. Alice goes to stand next to her, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. Carlisle is at the front, welcoming the dogs whilst Edward functions as a translator.

Anastasia is leaned against Jasper's chest, holding the glare one of the wolves is sending her way.

"Welcome," Carlisle starts before turning to point at them, or well, Jasper. "Jasper has experience with newborns. He'll teach us how to defeat them."

For a second there is silence and Ana quietly wonders why they didn't simply send one of them in as a human. To hold an actual conversation instead of whatever the hell is going on right now.

"They wanna know how the newborns differ from us," Edward eventually points out. "They're a great deal stronger than us. 'Cause their own human blood lingers in their tissues. Our kind is never more physically powerful than in our first several months of this life," Carlisle answers and turns to let Jasper leave, the two of them sharing a nod as he does.

Jasper, whose arms are still wrapped around Anastasia, turns his focus on the wolves. Though, he's not necessarily excited to.

"Carlisle's right. That's why they're created. A newborn army doesn't need thousands like a human army and no human army could stand against them. Now the two most important things to remember are first, never let them get their arms around you 'cause they'll crush you instantly. And second, never go for the obvious kill. They'll be expecting that. And you will lose," Jasper's voice is... intense.

The way he says things goes straight to your core and the tone indicates the utter and dangerous truth behind his words. Though, for Anastasia, it's simply hot.

"Not now," Jasper tells her as quietly as possible and kisses the back of her head before letting go off her.

"Emmett!"

Anastasia sighs and heads over to her car while Emmett joins Jasper in the small empty field between the two species. She hops onto the hood and watches them curiously as they begin to fight.

"Don't hold back," Emmett smirks. He is really excited for this, has been for the last few days. "Not in my nature."

Emmett is the first to attack, running straight at Jasper with full trust in his strength to beat him. Though, Jasper expects it. Everything about the move is foreseeable and the major digs his feet into the ground and widens his arms, almost welcoming the obvious attack. Emmett pushes him for a few meters before throwing him over his shoulder; a fall Jasper easily recovers from. This time, it's him, who runs toward Emmett, ducking before the latter can throw a punch and throwing one himself. Emmett falls to the ground, leaving Jasper to wink at Ana quite smugly. "Never lose focus."

Edward and Carlisle are up next and Anastasia rather enjoys seeing the mind rapist get beaten despite his lack for privacy. Though, nothing is more entertaining to her than hearing Jasper's next words. Like scolding a child, even the hidden eye roll is there.

Rosalie takes a different approach. Instead of running at jasper, she walks calmy toward him, trying a surprise attack. Which clearly doesn't work. Jasper once again dodges the thrown punches easily, before throwing one himself. Although, it's not really a punch, he merely pushes her shoulder hard enough to throw her back a few feet, winning the match.

Anastasia is next and she swiftly jumps off her car to go and stand in front of Jasper with a small smirk on her face. An expression mirrored by him. She has one advantage to the others, she knows him and she can tell when he plans to do something and especially, what he will be doing.

The two of them stare at each other for a few seconds and he curls to fingers, inviting her to attack him.

She starts off like Emmett, running straight at him. Instead of pushing him back, though, she waits for him to widen his legs to dig his feet into the ground before sliding in between his legs and using the shortest moment of surprise on his side to gather herself and kick the becks of his knees, watching them give out beneath him.

Hurriedly getting back up, Ana watches him catch himself on one hand and push himself back up as well, a dangerous expression now clouding his face.

Licking his lips, he grins for the split of a second before running past her, successfully confusing her. Anastasia twirls around just in time to see the hand moving toward her shoulder and she quickly moves out of the way and grabs his wrist. Turning their bodies until his front is pressed against her back, his wrist still in her hand, she leans forward and gladly takes him with her, smiling down at him when he crashes on the ground in front of her.

Though, the small moment of victory turns to be her downfall the moment he reaches up to grab her ankles and pull her feet from beneath her before getting up.

"Never lose focus," he repeats what he said to Emmett earlier and holds a hand out to help her get up. She glares up at him but lets him pull her up either way. And the moment his lips meet hers, she can feel her glare morph into a smile. "Not too bad, though."