The house of the Cullen Family was quieter than usual.

Not silent—never silent with a telepath in the room—but quieter.

Earlier that evening, tension had snapped like a stretched wire.

You had only been thinking. Not speaking. Not even looking at him.

But your thoughts had been loud.

Too loud for Edward Cullen.

And he had finally lost his patience.

“Would you just shut up?” he’d snapped sharply.

The room had gone still.

Bella Swan froze on the couch. Alice Cullen blinked in surprise. Even Emmett Cullen stopped mid-sentence.

You hadn’t said a word.

But your thoughts—your worry for Bella, your frustration, your fear—had been echoing through Edward’s mind like a drum.

And beside you, Jasper Hale had felt everything.

Your confusion.

Your embarrassment.

The sharp sting of being snapped at when you hadn’t done anything wrong.

Jasper hadn’t reacted in the moment. Not outwardly.

But the room had suddenly filled with something colder than usual calm.

His calm.

He simply stood, gently placing a hand at the small of your back.

“Alright,” he said quietly, his Southern drawl smooth as velvet. “I think that’s enough for tonight.”

No one argued.

No one stopped him as he guided you out of the house.

⸻

Now, hours later, the forest behind the Cullen home was dark and still.

Edward stood at the edge of the trees, arms crossed loosely as he watched Jasper approach.

He had already heard the thoughts coming.

Already knew why his brother wanted to talk.

Jasper stopped a few feet away.

His posture was relaxed. Shoulders loose. Hands resting at his sides.

Calm.

Always calm.

But Edward’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Because Jasper’s calm was never just calm.

It was control.

“The next time you lose your cool with her,” Jasper said evenly, voice quiet in the night air, “I suggest you find a different approach.”

There was no anger in his tone.

No raised voice.

But his golden eyes were sharp enough to cut glass.

Edward raised an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah?” he replied coolly. “Why’s that?”

Jasper didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

The forest itself seemed to hold its breath.

“Because,” Jasper said slowly, “if you don’t… it’s gonna put me and you in a position where things will definitely go south.”

Edward heard it then.

Not a threat.

Not exactly.

Just certainty.

Jasper didn’t have to say what he meant.

Edward could see it in his mind—the quiet promise behind those deadly eyes.

Jasper Hale had been a soldier long before he was a vampire.

And mates were not something he compromised on.

Edward tilted his head slightly, studying him.

“You’re serious.”

Jasper’s expression didn’t change.

Dead calm.

“Dead serious.”

The silence stretched between them.

Edward exhaled slowly, tension leaving his shoulders.

Then, after a moment, he gave a small nod.

“Noted.”

Jasper held his gaze for another second.

Then turned and walked back toward the house.

The conversation was over.

But the message had been received loud and clear.

No one—not even Edward—

snapped at Jasper Hale’s mate and walked away from it twice.