Page 46 of Eat Me

"Good morning, little bird," he says, his voice low and teasing. "I hope you slept well. We've got a big day ahead of us."

I stay silent as I process his words, “I take it the…’complication’has been fixed?” I guess it’s better to get this over and done with…but I’d silently hoped for some time alone.

Jasper's grin widens, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Oh yes, we've taken care of that little... hiccup. Everything's ready for your final test."

I swallow hard, dread pooling in my stomach. "And what exactly does this test entail?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

Jasper tsks, wagging a finger at me playfully. "Now, now, little bird, you know we can't spoil the surprise. That’s cheating, and we don’t like cheaters.”

I glare at him, frustration and fear warring inside me. "This isn't a game, Jasper. My life is on the line here."

His expression darkens slightly, all traces of playfulness vanishing. "Oh, I'm well aware of that, Victoria. Trust me when I say, we all take this very seriously."

Jasper stands up, moving towards me with a fluid and predatory grace. I tense as he approaches, my heart racing as he stands directly in front of me. His imposing presence makes me shrink back slightly. I have to crane my neck to look up at him, feeling small and vulnerable under his intense gaze.

"This test will determine your future," he says, his voice low and intense. "Whether you become a true member of our family or..." He trails off, letting the unspoken threat hang in the air.

I swallow hard, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Or you kill me," I finish for him.

Jasper's eyes flash dangerously. "That's not an option, little bird. You're ours now, whether you've fully accepted that yet or not."

He reaches out, gripping my chin firmly, tilting my face up and keeping me in place. "But don't worry. We'll make sure you pass this test. We've invested too much in you to let you fail now.”

I open my mouth to say something, but he shakes his head, making me snap my mouth shut again. Frustration running through me at not letting me speak.

“You are the only person who has meshed well with my brothers and myself…and is able to pass these tests. We will make you pass this last test even if we have to give you a hand.” He tells me as he lets go of my face, but he stays where he’s standing with a cold expression on his face.

I stare up at Jasper, a mix of fear and defiance in my eyes. "What do you mean, 'give me a hand'? I thought these tests were supposed to prove whether I was worthy or not. If you help me cheat, doesn't that defeat the purpose?"

Jasper's lips curved into a cold smile. "Oh, little bird. You still don't understand, do you? These tests aren't just about provingyour worth. They're about breaking you down and rebuilding you into what we need you to be."

He reaches out, running a finger along my jawline. I suppress a shudder at his touch. "And we've decided that you're exactly what we need. We're not about to let you slip through our fingers now."

I stared up at Jasper, a chill running down my spine at his words. The intensity in his eyes, the possessive way he speaks about me - is both terrifying and strangely thrilling. I hate how part of me responds to his dominance, even as I try to cling to my anger and fear.

"What if I don't want to pass?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "What if I'd rather die than become part of... this?" I gesture vaguely, encompassing him and the whole twisted situation.

Jasper's eyes flash dangerously, his hand shooting out to grip my throat. Not hard enough to choke me, but firm enough to remind me of his strength and control. "That's not an option, little bird," he growls. "You don't get to choose death over us. We won't allow it."

“And you don’t get to decide if I want to live or die. That is my choice” I snap back at him, using my arms to push him away. I’m at my breakpoint and I can see the look of surprise on Jasper’s face as a dangerous expression flashes over his face. I stand up, keeping my glaring expression on my face. I’m tired…..tired of playing this game…tired of all my conflicting emotions.

Jasper's eyes flash angrily as he stands there for a second, titling his head to the side. He steps forward, pushing me down on the bed, a yelp escaping my lips as my body sinks into the mattress, hands pulled over my head and being held by one of his strong hands. I can feel the coldness of his rings pressing into my skin and making me flinch at the feeling. I open my mouth to say something before his hand’s back around my throat,squeezing it as if he’s warning me to stay silent, but not enough to make breathing hard.

"You don't seem to understand your position here, little bird," he growls, his face inches from mine. "Your choices, your autonomy - those are privileges we can grant or take away as we see fit."

I glare up at him, anger overriding my fear for a moment. "So, what am I then? Just a puppet for you to control? A toy to play with until you get bored? I thought you didn’t want me to be a doll!"

Jasper's lips curve into a cold smile. "I don’t want a doll…but I also don’t want someone who will fight me the whole time. I want you to make good memories with us, laugh, cry and eventually have a family. I very much want that for us…” His grip on my throat tightens slightly. "But make no mistake, if we have to teach you some things before that can happen…. wewill.”

Taking a slow and shuttering breath, I can feel his body press more into mine before he speaks again, “You will be good with us. I just need you to give in.”

I give a laugh, “Just give in? As if it’s that easy.” It really wasn’t. I would have to throw away some of my morals and maybe some of my humanity if I did that.

“I don’t want to give in. I don’t…” I start but can feel the shift in the air as I look at the emotions flashing over Jasper’s face. They went through a couple, before settling on anger.

"You don't get it, do you, Victoria?" he snarls, his face inches from mine. "Your choices ended the moment we chose you. Your life belongs to us now."

Jasper's grip tightens for a moment before loosening, allowing me to take in a deep breath in relief. His eyes bore into mine, intense and unyielding. "You can fight all you want, little bird. But in the end, you'll submit. You'll beg for our touch, as well as our approval."

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