My blood approves

“He hates me.” Just saying it aloud made it hurt, but it didn’t change any of the facts. “Or if you prefer, he hates the way he feels about me. That’s not gonna change when he comes home, is it?”

“We don’t really understand what’s happening with the two of you. I can’t answer that,” Ezra explained sadly.

“What are you trying to find out?” Mae asked.

“If Peter doesn’t want me, then what’s the point of me turning?” Again, they exchanged looks, but didn’t immediately answer me. “Are you expecting that he’ll magically change his mind when he gets back?”

“Not really, no,” Ezra admitted honestly.

“Then what is the point of all of this?” I gestured to everything around me, wondering what they were getting out of putting me up and hanging around me like this.

“All of what?” Jack bounded down the stairs and into the living room, running a hand through his damp hair, and I grimaced inwardly. Part of the reason I had decided to have this talk now was because I knew he wouldn’t be around. Like Milo, he had a way of making me feel guilty if I even suggested not being around him.

“She wants to know what’s going to happen once Peter comes back,” Ezra explained when it appeared that I wouldn’t. I shifted uneasily and looked over Jack, who had suddenly become very nervous.

His blue eyes flitted over me, then he turned to Ezra and Mae for help.

Ezra had discarded his book on the chaise and rested a hand gently on Mae’s shoulder. She smiled helplessly towards us, and I knew they didn’t have a good answer. Things had been set in motion, and while they didn’t really have any plans to change them, there was no real reason for them to move forward anymore.

“He’s not gonna want me, Jack,” I pointed out miserably. “What’s the point of me turning?”

“What’s the point of anyone turning?” Jack blustered incredulously. He scoffed and looked away from me. “Come on, Alice. There isn’t a point to any of this!”

“There has to be point!” I shouted, surprised by the quavering in my voice. It was just starting to hit me what I was saying, what I was rejecting, and I could tell by the stunned, hurt expression on his face that it was sinking in too.

“If I’m going to destroy my brother’s life, it has to be for a reason!”

“You’re not going to destroy his life!” Jack rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes like it hurt too much keep them open. “So what if Peter doesn’t ever change his mind? Good! I hope he doesn’t! They want you here! I want you here!”

“Doesn’t that give me even more of a reason not to turn?” I gave him a hard look. The kiss wanted to replay itself in my mind, but I couldn’t let it, or Jack might react to my heartbeat.

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

He tried to pretend like he didn’t understand, but the quick movement of his eyes led me to believe he got it completely. That kiss had been incredible, and the risk of us doing it again was too great. He would’ve bit me if Mae hadn’t walked in, and we couldn’t count on her to walk in at just the right moment every time we were alone.

“Jack, it’s not good for either of us for me to stay around,” I told him softly with tears in my eyes.

“No!” Jack insisted fiercely. “That’s just stupid! I don’t know what went wrong. I don’t know why your blood is for him, but it’s a mistake! Okay? You’re not supposed to be for him! And there’s gotta be a way around it! It may take time, but we have all of eternity to figure it out! You really wanna throw that away just because I don’t have the answer right now?”

“Why did you even introduce me to him?” I blurted out. “If I had never met him, this wouldn’t have happened! This wouldn’t have mattered! Why did you push me on him?”

“I never pushed you on him, never!” He took a step towards me, then changed his mind, and took a step back. Shaking his head, he breathed deeply.

“I didn’t know any of this. I wasn’t reacting right to you, and they thought that you were for Peter. And I didn’t realize what I…” He trailed off, looking despondently at the floor.

“You two had bonded in a way that none of had realized,” Ezra offered helpfully. “It wasn’t until he started feeling threatened by Peter that we appreciated what was happening, and by then it was too late.” Slowly, he got up and walked over to us, attempting to relieve some of the tension. “None of us are trying to pressure you into a decision, but Jack has made valid points. You turning isn’t about Peter, and it shouldn’t be. You have a future with us, if you choose it.” He nodded once at me, then made an imperceptible motion towards Mae. She rose quickly and they left the room, leaving Jack and I alone.