MTL NOVEL Chapter 8: Chapter 8: A Twist of Trust and a Push Toward Jacob
Chapter 8: A Twist of Trust and a Push Toward Jacob
Caspian Swan strode away from the encounter with Alice and Rosalie, the crunch of leaves under his boots a satisfying counterpoint to the irritation simmering in his chest. The system pinged softly in his mind—*"Quest Progress: Maintain Independence from Soulmate Bond. Progress: 40%"*—and he allowed himself a tight smirk. Rejecting the Cullens outright felt good, like reclaiming a piece of control the universe kept trying to yank away. He wasn't here for their drama, their bonds, or their sparkling nonsense. He had bigger plans, and they started with Bella.
He found her later that afternoon at the Swan house, sprawled on the living room couch with her nose buried in a dog-eared copy of *Jane Eyre*. The TV droned in the background, some old western Charlie liked, but Bella's focus was all on the pages. Caspian dropped into the armchair across from her, kicking his boots up onto the coffee table. "Hey, Bells," he said, his tone casual but edged with intent. "You hear from that Cullen guy today?"
Bella glanced up, her brown eyes narrowing slightly. "Edward? No. Why?"
"Just checking," he said, shrugging. "He's been hovering since the van thing. Don't like it."
She rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of unease in her expression. "He's… intense, I guess. But he saved me, Cas. I don't get why you hate him so much."
"I don't hate him," Caspian lied smoothly, leaning back. "I just don't trust him. You've got better options than some brooding rich kid who thinks he's a hero." He paused, then grinned—a spark of mischief lighting his golden eyes. "Speaking of options, guess who I ran into earlier? Jacob Black."
Bella's head snapped up fully this time, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "Jake? Really?"
"Yeah," Caspian said, his grin widening. "He was tinkering with that old Rabbit of his down by the rez. Looked like he was waiting for someone to stop by. You should go say hi."
Bella fidgeted with the corner of her book, her voice dropping. "I haven't seen him in forever. We used to be close, but…"
"But nothing," Caspian cut in, sitting forward now. "He's still the same Jake—goofy, solid, way better than half the clowns around here. You two were tight as kids. Remember that time he built you that mud castle on the beach? Took him hours, and you just stomped it flat to mess with him?"
She laughed, a soft, genuine sound that lit up her face. "He was so mad. Kept chasing me with seaweed until I hid behind you."
"Exactly," Caspian said, pointing at her. "That's worth something. Go talk to him, Bells. Catch up. You don't need to be stuck with creepy Cullen when you've got a friend like Jake."
Bella hesitated, but the idea clearly tugged at her. Jacob Black had always been a bright spot in her choppy childhood—before Renee dragged her to Phoenix, before Forks became her reality again. Caspian saw it in her eyes: the nostalgia, the quiet fondness. And he knew the story—how Jacob could've been her anchor, her real shot at something normal and good, if Edward hadn't swooped in with his tragic charm. Caspian hated that part of the fanfics, the way they'd ditch Jacob like he was nothing. To him, it was dumb—Jake was loyal, grounded, everything Bella actually needed. Edward? Edward was a walking red flag with fangs.
"Fine," Bella said finally, setting her book aside. "But you're coming with me. I'm not showing up alone like some weirdo."
"Deal," Caspian said, standing with a stretch. "Let's go now. Charlie won't care—he's on shift 'til late."
Twenty minutes later, they were rumbling down the road to La Push in Bella's truck, the familiar roar of the engine filling the silence. Caspian kept it light, tossing out old stories about their summers with Jacob—fishing trips, bonfires, the time Jake accidentally set his hair on fire with a sparkler. Bella loosened up, her laughter easing the tension she'd carried since the van incident.
When they pulled up to the Black's small red house, Jacob was exactly where Caspian had seen him earlier—half-buried under the hood of his Rabbit, grease smeared across his forearms. He straightened as the truck rolled to a stop, his dark eyes lighting up when he spotted Bella climbing out. "Bella?" he called, a grin splitting his face. "No way. What're you doing here?"
"Came to see if you're still a gearhead," she teased, her shy smile breaking through. "Guess some things don't change."
Jacob laughed, wiping his hands on a rag. "And you're still a klutz, I bet. Hey, Caspian—good to see you too, man."
"Likewise," Caspian said, leaning against the truck with a nod. He watched as Bella and Jacob fell into easy chatter—cars, old memories, the kind of effortless rhythm that only came from years of knowing someone. It was better than he'd hoped. Bella relaxed, her guarded edges softening, and Jacob's warmth drew her out in a way Edward's brooding never could.
Caspian hung back, letting them talk, his mind ticking over the plot twist he'd just engineered. He'd always hated how the story sidelined Jacob—how the fanfics especially trashed him for no reason, like his loyalty and heart didn't matter. *"Screw that,"* he thought. *"Bella deserves better, and Jake's it."* He didn't care about Edward's soulmate claim or Alice and Rosalie's bond nonsense. This was his move—pushing Bella toward Jacob, rewriting the love story into something real, something that made sense.
The system pinged quietly: *"Quest Triggered: Foster Bella's Connection with Jacob Black. Reward: +200 XP, Relationship Stability Bonus."* Caspian's smirk returned. *"Perfect."* He glanced at Bella, now laughing as Jacob mimed an exaggerated wrench swing, and felt a surge of satisfaction. Edward could sulk all he wanted—this was checkmate, and Caspian was just getting started.
Back in the Cullen house, Alice's latest vision hit like a jolt—Bella with Jacob, laughing, a thread of connection growing stronger, and Caspian standing apart, smirking like he'd won. She gasped, her eyes wide as she turned to the family. "He's changing it," she whispered. "He's pushing her away from Edward—toward Jacob. He's doing it on purpose." The room erupted in questions, but Caspian was already miles ahead, rewriting the game one bold move at a time.