Chapter 2

"Peter, please," I begged, grabbing his arm. He turned to me, staring at me with those pitch black eyes. "Just let him go."

He continued to stare at me as I felt all other eyes on me as well. I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew that he would never hurt me. A small part of my brain was telling me to get out of there and run. Of course, that was only a tiny sliver. The larger part of my brain was telling me to stay where I was so Peter could make sure that I was okay. That was the part of my brain I was listening to because, of course, I didn't want a pissed off vampire on my tail. No, I'd had enough of that when I had first met Edward.

All of a sudden, I felt a lot more confident and ordered, "Peter, put Edward down. Right." Hesitation made its way back inside of me. "N-now."

I turned to Jasper and glared at him, getting a shrug in reply. I heard something hit the ground and whipped back around to find that Edward was on the ground. Peter walked back over to me and moved his hands all over my body. His eyes were still black and no one was moving an inch. I was hesitant and afraid of what he was doing, but I knew that it wasn't anything bad.

Instead, I turned to Alice, who explained, "He's just checking that you're not hurt. He's not trying to fill you up or anything." I heard the yet clear in her voice. "Just let him finish."

We stayed like that for only a few more minutes until Peter's eyes turned back to red. He held me close, pressing his face to my hair and sniffing me. I could see Edward glaring at us, but I guess he didn't want to get attacked again. He wasn't foolish enough and I have a feeling that there was something about Peter that no one was telling me. I couldn't wait to find out as much about him as I could.

I wondered if I could get away with sneaking him to my house. I mean, Charlie wasn't going to be home and if we really were mates, he wouldn't refuse to sleep with me like Edward had been doing. He would also probably change me if I asked, which I definitely would as soon as Edward wasn't being stupid and getting attacked by Peter.

"Peter, I want to show you how we hunt," Alice said, smiling. I felt Peter stiffen around me. "Jasper and the others will stay with Bella."

I smiled, putting a hand on his cheek, feeling the soft, yet hard skin. "I'll be okay," I assured him. "I promise, I'll be safe. Go with Alice."

He stared at me before Jasper walked over. They exchanged a nod before he left with Alice, leaving me to face Edward and try to figure out what happened.

That feeling that I'd had when Jasper first pulled me away from Peter was back, only it hurt ten times more. I wanted his cold arms around me and his sweet breath to assure me that he was fine. I may not be a vampire, but I still wanted to know that my...whatever he was to me was safe. It was obvious that Jasper was feeling my anxiousness and nervousness, but I couldn't turn them off and I didn't want to.

"It's perfectly normal," he assured me, smiling as he was the first one besides Alice to move. He sat down on the couch and motioned for me to sit as well, which I did. "Peter's reaction to everything was normal. I knew better than to attempt to remove you from the situation."

"Bella?" My attention turned towards Edward. "Can we go upstairs?"

Jasper stiffened and I could hear a warning growl from him. He was taking protecting me to a whole new level, not that I really minded. I knew that I had to talk to Edward and if any time was good it was now, but I had a feeling I knew what it was going to be about. He was going to accuse Peter of using some sort of vampire mojo on me. I mean, it's completely insane, though if he did, I wasn't really going to complain.

"You can say whatever you want down here," I told him. "I don't think Peter or Jasper would want me going with you." I saw an angry look cross his face. "Besides, whatever you want to say can be said in front of your family."

He walked towards me, causing Jasper to stand up. He wasn't going to take any chances with Edward, which was probably a smart thing as Edward had pushed Peter over the edge a few minutes ago. Seriously, how could he be so stupid, especially when he's not only a vampire, but a mind reader! I wish I was a vampire then I wouldn't have to be protected and if I slapped Edward, I wouldn't hurt myself. I never realized before how childish he was.

"How do you know that Peter wasn't controlling you?" he questioned. "He could be using his power on you and you wouldn't even know it."

"You mean like you've been doing since I met you?" I snapped, finally at my breaking point with him. "Alice told me how your dazzling works. I'm fed up with you trying to treat me like I'm a porcelain doll." I could feel Jasper trying to calm me down. "Stop it, Jasper." He gave me an apologetic look, but I didn't care at the moment. I wanted to be angry and I wanted to give Edward a piece of my mind. "I want you to leave me alone, Edward. Go the fucking hell away and never darken my fucking doorstep again."

"Bella," he hissed as he walked towards me. "You do not talk like that to me. Not in front of our family." I rolled my eyes at him. "What has come over you?"

I smirked as I answered, "I finally get it, Edward. You just think I'm some stupid toy that you can throw the hell away when you're tired of me." I could see the rest of the Cullen's all shifting around, but at the moment I could care less. "If I want to hang around a human-drinking vampire then that's my own fucking choice. You don't know what's better for me, I do. I finally get why Charlie and everyone else hates you. You're just some spoiled little fucking brat who happens to know how to find a new shiny toy."

His hand shot out, causing me to flinch, but before I could feed anything, Jasper had his wrist. Jasper was quickly becoming my favorite person in the world--besides Peter--for standing up for me against Edward. Peter and Jasper must've been close if he was willing to go against his family for me. Then again, I had a feeling that he was just holding this off until Peter had the chance to take Edward on again.

"Wanna try that again?" Jasper asked, a southern accent that I'd never heard before slipping in there. "I promised my brother I'd watch her and I hold true to him."

So Peter was Jasper's brother. Now that made perfect sense about why Peter would only let Jasper near me.

"Why don't we calm down and discuss this?" Carlisle suggested. Jasper hesitated before I grabbed his arm and pulled him back onto the couch with me. "Edward?"

I stared at Edward, getting a glare in return before he turned away and leaned against the wall opposite of me. He was turning back into the angry vampire I had originally met when I moved to Forks. Did he seriously think that I was his for eternity just because we were dating? It didn't work out like that, but I guess he didn't know that, me being his first girlfriend. If it was because I was his singer...I didn't even want to know the answer to that.

There was way too much tension in the room, but I wasn't going to leave if Edward was going to be the possessive asshole he was being. The only reason I didn't swear all the time was for his and Charlie's sakes, but I was done with it. I didn't want to be treated like some stupid doll, I wanted to be treated like an equal.

"What's the difference between pink and purple?" Emmett randomly blurted out, making me giggle.

Edward growled out, "Not funny, Emmett."

I opened my mouth to answer, only to get a glare from Edward. "Seriously?" I questioned, resisting the urge to go over and smack him. "He's just trying to ease the fucking tension." I turned to Emmett and smiled. "The grip."

Emmett whooped as everyone stared at me in shock. "I like this new Bella," he laughed. "Where have you been hiding?"

I shrugged as Carlisle sighed and asked, "Alright, who wants to start?"

"I will," I volunteered.

Before I could say anything, Jasper put a hand over my mouth and stated, "You've said enough."

"Just one thing?" I asked, getting a nod from everyone. "Hey Emmett, why does a squirrel swim on its back?"

My big bear of a brother looked completely lost, but before I could tell him the answer, Jasper put his hand back over my mouth. I folded my arms and sat back on the couch, sulking that I couldn't tell the answer. Granted, from the smirk on Jasper's face, he knew the answer, but I wasn't going to be able to answer my own joke.

"Why are you acting so different?" Rosalie asked me. "I mean, I like the new Bella, but you've never sworn or talked back to Edward."

I shrugged, explaining, "I've always done this shit. I've only been keeping it in because of Charlie and Edward."

"I have one," Edward stated, getting looks from everyone. "What were you doing with a human-drinking vampire when you are a human?"

That just started pissing me off. "Oh, are you talking about yourself?" I heard Emmett snicker and could even see Rosalie holding back a laugh. "Seriously, Edward. You aren't my parent and you have no say on who I do or don't spend time with. If I want to spend time with Peter, I will. If I want to go find some drunk college frat boys, I will. It's my life to control, not yours."

I stood up and walked outside so they wouldn't see me start crying. I couldn't believe that Edward was trying to act like he could control everything about me. Was I just some stupid toy that he would toss when he was done? Was I just some pet that he would eventually get bored with and either kill or leave with no second thought? I was so confused and didn't know who I could talk to about any of it.

"Hey Bells?" I turned to see Emmett walking out. "Why exactly does a squirrel swim on its back?"

I smiled over and answered, "To keep its nuts dry."

He started laughing for a bit before calming down and turning to me, looking all big brotherly. "Edward's just being Edward. C'mon, I'll show you how to play Halo while we wait for Peter and Alice to come home."

I nodded and followed him inside, wondering if anyone would take my side over this or if they would all be on Edward's.