Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer not me. I would never make Bella get pregnant and Jacob would never imprint on a hybrid.

Author/Note 1: For the ones who know my previous stories, you'll understand everything quite rapidly, since Our Dawn 4 is the sequel from Our Dawn 3. For the ones who don't know anything about Our Dawn Series, you can always read Our Dawn 1, 2 and 3 or read the summaries I wrote in the first chapter.

A/Note 2: I'm not a native English speaker so I'm sorry for my grammar and spelling. Thank you for reading.

Alert: the characters in this story curse a lot. Some chapters are rated M.

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed: Teagann, ASH186, Rafaela, brankel1, TheSkeptic88, teamtorettosupporter, wolfman inc, Blackwater Crazziii, Isa Clearwater, AllieBlack16, Jada91, Jeakat, Christina Gordon, blackwater101, Huff-PuffI'llNeverBeBlownAway, piper9004, MelkiSihou, karji, Mrs. Noah Puckerman, miriamne, twilighter.

Our Dawn

Part IV

Book 1 – Dark Shadows

Jacob Black

Chapter 10 – Second Choice

I got home in a record time. Seth was downstairs with Isaac, checking if he was okay and Justin and Collin were patrolling around the house.

"Is he alright?" I asked buttoning up my shorts while storming in.

"Yeah…Isaac is fine. I've checked him carefully and there's not even one bruise. The leech didn't do anything to him."

"What about Sarah?"

"Leah is upstairs trying to get her to sleep again. And the twins are fine too."

"What the hell happened?" I asked while Seth put Isaac in my arms.

"Daddy home." Isaac giggled.

"Yes, dad's home baby…Don't worry." I kissed his hair and hugged him tightly trying to cope with the thought that I could've lost him that night.

"Leah said she didn't realise the leech was here until he was in the kids' bedroom. He covered up his scent this time. Then she went there and saw Fred holding Isaac. She called you and tried to attack Fred but she couldn't phase because she was afraid of hurting the children."

"How is she?"

"I don't know…She told me to check on Isaac to see if he was alright and didn't come downstairs ever since."

"Can you watch over Isaac while I speak to her?" I asked.

"Yes, sure."

I went upstairs and I checked on the twins first. They were both asleep which was a good thing because they would be suspicious if they'd seen Fred in the house.

"Leah?" I called from the hallway.

She opened the door for me and I got inside. Sarah was awake but she was silent.

"I didn't feel him getting inside." She whispered rocking Sarah's crib. I could see the tears' marks in her cheeks.

"It's okay Leah…It wasn't your fault."

And it wasn't. It was my fault.

"I heard our bedroom's door opening but he didn't smell like a leech, so I didn't really pay much attention."

"I know, Seth told me."

"He was holding our baby, Jacob. He could've done horrible things to Isaac."

I nodded and pulled her into my arms. I was trying to apologise in silence but I knew I would have to do it properly.

"Seth said Fred didn't do anything to Isaac. Everything's fine."

"I called you Jacob. When I saw Fred with our baby I called you and you didn't come."

"I'm sorry…Just tell me what happened..."

"I didn't phase because I could hurt the kids. When the leech saw me he dropped Isaac and left through the window. Seth arrived seconds later. He helped me with Harry and Will who came to check on me and then he took Isaac to see if the leech had hurt him. The others…"

"They're after Fred right now." I cut her off. "They'll do everything in their power to get him."

"What does he want?" She asked with a worried expression.

"I have no idea. He didn't hurt you and he wasn't after William, which means the Cullens were right, Fred isn't working for the Volturi."

"Guys…" Seth called.

Leah took Sarah from her crib and we went downstairs. It seemed that Fred had escaped again.

"Carlisle called. They're coming back as we speak. Fred left the state, he's in Montana now." Seth said handing me Isaac.

"We need to know what he wants from us." Leah said pacing back and forth.

"He left, Leah." I stated. "Right now we need to patrol."

"What if he comes back again? He wants Isaac…"

"We don't know that."

"Yes, we do. He was going to take him, I'm positive. The question is why? William is the one who has a power not Isaac."

Seth and I couldn't answer that question and I doubted someone could except for Fred himself of course. But there was definitely something strange abut this. Fred had the opportunity to take or kill my family twice and he had left voluntarily without doing a thing. His actions didn't make any sense.

"Do you think it's safe to keep the children here?" Leah asked.

"I believe we should stay together." I said. "That's the only way we can protect them."

We tried to relax for the next minutes while we were waiting for the pack to arrive. The Cullens didn't have a suitable explanation for what was happening so they stayed patrolling their own territory.

Sam, who had been in charge of Fred's pursuit didn't have news either. We ended up agreeing that my children were Fred's target this time and we decided that we would have to keep an eye on them twenty-four hours a day at least for now. Harry and William would be escorted on their way to school and back home by me or another wolf. Isaac and Sarah would have a team protecting them even when they'd stay at Sue's place.

Quil, Sullivan and Shane volunteered to stay outside our house for the rest of the night and the others went home. In a few minutes all went silent and for the first time since Leah and I were married, I was afraid of being alone with her. I was scared of her questions.

After locking all the doors and windows I joined Leah in our bedroom. She was sitting down on the bed.

"Everyone's sleeping." I told her.

"I know…" She hesitated before talking again. "Where were you?"

I thought about my options at that moment. No one knew about my secret encounter with Bella. I could delete her text from my cell phone and lie to my wife. I could make up a story. I could tell her I had heard noises outside or that I had felt the leech near by.

On the other hand a lie could make things even worse for me and lie to Leah Clearwater had never been a good choice. I would never get away with it besides it would make me look guiltier.

"I was in the forest. Bella texted me…she wanted to talk."

"About what?" Leah inquired.

"Stuff…Edward…the Denali…"

"Bella called you at three in the morning to talk about Edward Cullen?" She didn't sound convinced.

"Yes."

"So while I was here facing that leech who was threatening to take one of our children you were in the forest talking to Bella?"

I saw her face changing from anger to disappointment and to anger again. I knew I was in trouble.

"She's having a few problems with Edward. She thinks he's cheating on her with Tanya."

"Do you swear you were just talking to her?"

"Yes, I was talking to her."

That had been my only intention and the kiss wasn't my idea, so I wasn't lying.

"So why do I smell her all over you? Do you actually think I'm stupid?"

"No, you're not stupid."

"I know you Jacob. I know when you're nervous…and I'm going to ask you this one more time. For your own sake don't lie to me."

"Leah…please don't do this." I begged. We had just been surprised by a leech trying to take one of our kids. It wasn't the time to argue.

"What were you doing with Bella?" She insisted.

"Bella is upset. She thinks Edward is going to leave her. She told me Edward and Alice are coming home and they're bringing the Denali coven with them…"

Now I didn't sound nervous anymore, I sounded desperate. I was searching for a way out that would allow me to apologise to Leah without telling her the whole truth.

"That's not what I asked." She said firmly. "I don't care what she told you, I want to know what you were doing…I can smell her in you. I didn't say anything before because we were busy with the leech and all that but I need you to tell me the truth now."

"I shouldn't have met her. I'm sorry. I should've stayed here with you."

"Why did you go then?"

"She sounded desperate. I got…worried."

Leah came to stand right in front of me and looked me straight in the eyes. She was reading me and I was sure that at this point she already knew what had happened.

"You kissed her." She said clenching her fists.

I waited for some kind of verbal bashing or even something more physical but she was in silence for a few moments.

"I didn't…"

"I can tell. I'm not an idiot." She didn't let me finish.

"I didn't kiss her. She kissed me."

Leah gasped and then turned around hiding her face from me.

"Okay…" She whispered and I knew she was fighting really hard to keep herself together.

"Okay?"

"I knew this day would come." She confessed.

"What day?"

I was a bit lost because I didn't expect Leah to act so quietly after having discovered Bella had kissed me.

"The day you'd realise you're not happy with me and the day she would notice she did the wrong choice."

"No, no, no…You're getting all wrong Leah. I don't want Bella. I love you and only you."

"How can you say that when you kissed her not even an hour ago?"

Her anger was starting to surface now.

"Come on Leah…You know I don't care about her anymore. She chose Edward and I chose you."

"You never stopped loving her Jacob. That's the truth. I was just a distraction…I guess I always knew that, I just kept pretending for the sake of our kids that we were good together."

"Will you listen to me?" I raised my voice. "I didn't kiss her back. Her kiss can't be compared to yours besides she was just trying to use me to make the mind rapist jealous. It wasn't a real kiss."

I walked towards her and hugged her body from behind. She fought for a second but then she just put her hands on top of mine and stood still.

"Baby, please trust me. I don't love Bella…I'm over her. It's been eight years since we're married Leah and I promised I would never cheat on you. Nothing happened between me and Bella and it never will."

"I want to believe you Jacob…I really do but I don't think I can do it right now."

"Why not?"

"Because just like I chose you instead of Josh during the mating season, I want you to have a choice too. I'm not going to force you to choose me now that Bella realised the mind rapist isn't the one for her. I'm sure she's going to claim you back and I won't be surprised if you go back to her. That's what you always wished for, wasn't it?"

"Once upon a time I wished Bella would see that but she didn't and now she lost her chance."

"You're saying that because you're feeling guilty."

"No…I'm not."

"Yes, you are but it's okay. You once told Bella that you'd wait for her until her heart stopped beating and maybe even after that…I remember and I don't hold a grudge against you because back then I would say the same if I were you. Don't feel guilty Jacob…You know I can handle it. I've done it before."

"I don't want to leave you and the kids."

"And I don't want you to stay with me because of the kids. That's not fair on me, you or even them. I will let you see them if you like."

I spun her around and cupped her face.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked. "Why aren't you yelling at me and throwing me heavy objects? Why are you telling me to go back to Bella?"

"Because I won't be anyone's second choice." She said firmly with a fire in her eyes I didn't see in years.

Leah released herself from my hands and walked to the bed again. She handed me my pillow and a blanket.

"Let me show you what happened. We can phase and you'll see Bella caught me off guard. She didn't give me time to react. Please Leah." I begged.

"There's no point. You're confused and we both need to think about this."

"I see…and you want me to think on the couch, right?"

"Yeah…"

"I'm not changing my mind Leah. I want you. You were not a replacement for Bella during all these years. Our kids weren't mistakes. I don't care about mating seasons or imprinting anymore. I chose you because of who you are and because of how you make me feel when we're together."

"People change Jacob…and I don't want to live a lie."

"Fine…I'll prove it to you even if I have to sleep my whole life on that couch."

I closed the door behind me and went downstairs. I guess she needed some time to think about this and forcing her to accept my apologies wouldn't make any difference. I was going to prove her she was wrong but I was worried too.

What if she never trusted me again? Could that stupid and meaningless kiss with Bella have ruined my whole life? I fell asleep hearing Leah crying on our bedroom. I blamed me for her pain but if someone was going down for this it would be Bella. I had to find a way to get her to tell Leah the truth.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Why is dad sleeping on the couch?" I heard Harry asking Leah in the kitchen when I woke up the next morning.

"He wanted to watch some TV." She lied.

"You have a TV in your bedroom." Will pointed out.

"I was tired, I needed to have some sleep. Now eat your breakfast."

"But it's Saturday, we always have breakfast watching the cartoons." Harry complained.

"Fine…your dad is awake anyways." Leah stated.

I got up immediately and Harry and Will came to join me on the couch.

"Move dad, mum's in the kitchen and we want to watch TV." William said motioning me to leave.

"That's no way to treat your father." I told him and ruffled his black hair on my way to the kitchen leaving the twins with their bowls of cereals in the living room.

Leah was preparing Isaac and Sarah's breakfast.

"There's coffee on the table." She told me emotionless.

"Thanks…"

I sat down and watched her for a few moments. She ignored me the whole time.

"Do you need help?" I offered.

"No. I need to get used to do things alone in case you…"

"I'm not going anywhere Leah." I said immediately. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. Were you really expecting me to run into Bella's arms?"

She shrugged.

"I guess things would be easier if you'd go. Better now than in a few months…or a year."

"Why do you think I still love Bella?"

"I always knew you would love her forever."

"If that's the case why are you still my wife? Is it because of the mating season? Because you need to forget about Sam? Because we have kids?"

Leah glared at me.

"No, Jacob…I'm still your wife because apparently I'm an idiot, because I fucking believed everything you said to me. I don't love Sam anymore so stop mentioning his name and stop changing the damn subject. This isn't about me, this is about you and that bimbo."

My plan to infuriate Leah was working; she was starting to get really pissed off. I needed to make her realise that she wanted me to stay, I needed her to blame Bella about this, I needed her to trust me again, to trust my feelings for her.

"I never lied to you. I told you what happened between me and Bella and you chose to believe that I still want her…that I'm a liar and a cheater…that all of this is my fault."

"It doesn't matter whose fault it is! It happened! You kissed that bitch!"

That was my girl. She was pissed off as hell right now. I could seriously lose a limb if I pissed her off some more.

"She kissed me!" I yelled back. "She has Edward but she still wants to claim me. I was there to give her advice but Bella decided she wanted more. It wasn't my damn fault!"

"If you want to see your friend again you better stop talking Jacob because right now I'm really tempted to go over to her house and rip her head off."

"Fine…go."

"What?" She asked surprised.

"Go. Tell her exactly what you think of her. I don't care…I told her she was selfish and spoiled too. I told her I would never trade your love for hers but she still tried to seduce me."

I was overreacting a little bit and I knew that Leah was pretty much capable of going over to the Cullens and beat the crap out of Edward's wife but right now I couldn't worry about Bella's safety anymore. I needed to find a way to fix my mistake. Actually it had been Bella's mistake so it was only fair that she suffered a little too.

"Are you serious? Would you let me go over there and kill her?"

"Why not? She tried to destroy my marriage, didn't she?"

I just hoped that Leah's killing instincts would fade away before it was too late. Or maybe Bella could pull the "victim card" and Leah would pity her and decide not to kill her right away.

"Why don't you take care of Isaac and Sarah and then we go to the Cullens?" I suggested.

"Fine. Let's do it."

An hour later we left the kids at home with Embry, Justin and Collin and went to the forest. I insisted that we should phase and as soon as we did it I made sure to replay my encounter with Bella to show Leah I was innocent.

'I should've killed her a long time ago.' Leah's thoughts shouted in anger.

'You believe me now?'

'I'm still deciding…She started the kiss alright but you let her kiss you…besides you were the one who left our house in the middle of the night to meet your precious backstabbing leech.'

'I was worried. She could do something stupid. Pain does that to people…you should know that.'

I remembered the times I picked up Leah's suicidal thoughts after she became a wolf and she learned that Sam would be tied up to Emily forever.

'First Bella is not a person, she's a bloodsucker and second what could she possibly do? Cut her wrists? Jump from the cliffs? She tried that once when she was human and didn't work so I doubt it would work now.'

I could almost taste the venom in Leah's words.

'Venom? You haven't seen half of it yet, Jacob. You just wait until I see her.'

'What are you planning on doing?'

'I will make her understand that no one touches my man.'

I mentally smiled. I kind of liked when Leah was possessive about me.

'Now it's not the time to be turned on you asshole!' Leah scolded. 'I'm about to kick that stupid leech's sparkling ass.'

'You know we could take care of all that anger right now…'

'In your dreams! I'm dying to see Bella begging me for her…existence or whatever they call it.'

'Whatever you do just remember the treaty.'

'Are you serious? She tried to take you away from your family and you're worried about the treaty?'

'Actually I'm more worried about one of the Cullens ripping your head off after you kill Bella.'

'They won't stand a chance. You got my back, right?'

'I will…but they're five and we're just two.'

Leah's thoughts were now less focused on killing Bella which was a good thing if we wanted to remain alive. We were about to reach the border when sixteen more wolves phased.

'Wait for us at the border.' Seth said.

'What the hell is happening?' I asked. 'Why did you leave our kids?'

'They're with Billy, Sue and Charlie.' Embry announced. 'Carlisle called us. Edward and Alice are coming…the Denali coven is here too.'

'So?' Leah inquired.

'They required our presence at the border. They want to talk to all of us.' Sam explained.

A/Note 3: The first book of this story (Book 1 - Dark Shadows) is almost over. I'll try to finish it until the 25th of December, which means there are going to be just two more chapters. After that I'll post Book 2 - White Sun in other character's POV (I don't know who yet).

Twilighter: Thanks for reviewing. Have a nice Christmas and a Happy New Year too.

Take care

Karisan