Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer not me.
Author/Note 1: This story is the sequel of Our Dawn 5. For the ones who don't know anything about Our Dawn Series, you can always read Our Dawn 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and Our Dawn Series Specials but if you don't want to bother I have a resume on my profile page. As it would be expected this is a next generation story and as such, it's focused on Jake and Leah's children.
A/Note 2: A huge thank you for everyone who reviewed Our Dawn Series so far.
A/Note 3: I'm not a native English speaker so I'm sorry for my grammar and spelling. Thank you for reading.
Alpha
Book I – The Third
Isaac Black
3. Friends and Foes
This had never happened to me before. In seventeen years I had always been the quiet kid. My quiet nature was the opposite of Harry's enthusiasm, Will's defiance, Sarah's passion and JJ's energy. My parents' had never been called to school because of me. I always behaved properly in classes, I never bullied anyone and I never complained while I was being bullied. I never had problems with the police. Basically I never had my parents frowning with their arms crossed over their chests staring intently at me.
"Is there anything you want to tell us?" My mother asked. I was aware she was not pleased with my late actions.
"What you did was… unacceptable." My father said. "You attacked a boy with no apparent reason. I want to know why."
If I told him the truth, Sarah would never talk to me again. So my only option was to lie.
"Jay mocked me." I replied, my eyes focused on my bedroom's floor.
"He said you went to him, not the other way around."
"So you believe in him and not me?"
"You hit that boy before the entire Reservation while we were carrying Old Quil's coffin because he mocked you?" Dad narrowed his eyes. "What did he say? That you don't look good in black? That you're a nerd? You're used to those stupid comments, Isaac."
"Okay." I rose. "I gave him an advice and he told me to mind my own business."
"You can't attack someone just because of that." My mother commented, clearly disappointed. "And that was not the place or time to fight with Jay."
I had been pretty upset when I left the Fire Department a few hours ago. The prospect that my parents had been playing me for a fool for ten years was still ringing on my head like a damn bell. I hated when people lied, and the fact that they were my parents, hurt even more.
When David and I arrived at Old Quil's house the walk of honor had already started. So we followed the procession behind Old Quil's coffin which was being carried by Uncle Embry, Uncle Paul, Uncle Seth, Sam, Dad and Quil.
The walk of honor was a ritual reserved only to important people of our community such as an Elder or a tribal Chief. Only men could join the procession and they had to be dressed in black. The procession would follow behind the coffin all around the Reservation so that women and children could also pay their respects to the dead.
I recognized a lot of people ahead of me. There was Jared Cameron, Brady Fuller, Collin Littlesea, Caleb Lowrey, Gary and Rick Groves, Justin Henley, Martin Indigo, Clayton Moon, Sullivan Longfree, Shane Davis, Ethan Raines, Denis Nawat, Josh Spears and Jason Morris, who came along with his oldest son Jay.
On the back of the procession, Jay walked side by side with his best friend Jerry. Will and Harry were two rows ahead of me with our cousins EJ and Daniel. Behind David were August Groves and Theo Raines, Rick and Ethan's sons. They were allowed to enter the procession because they were fifteen and sixteen years old.
When we were already half-way through the Reservation I decided to fall behind so I could have a word with Jay. I never mentioned my sister's name because Harry and Will could be listening but I told him to be careful and to save his soothing words for someone who actually cared. He played dumb at first but when he realized I knew about him and Sarah, he said he was not giving up on the girl he loved just because I was trying to intimidate him. He also reminded me he was older and stronger than me.
I was really upset by then and I started to see red. And then all of a sudden I was punching Jay. I felt his jaw cracking and I remember pushing him to the ground. After that everyone around us had noticed what was happening and my brothers pushed me off of him. Jason took his beaten son away and Dad brought me home for a small talk with my mother.
"I shouldn't have hit him during Old Quil's funeral ritual." I admitted.
"You shouldn't have hit him at all." My Dad announced firmly. "You never lost control like this. You're not your brothers. I expected something like this from them, not you."
"You wish I was like them, don't you?" I fought back. Dad shook his head and sighed.
"No, Isaac, I don't want you to be like Harry or Will."
"What do you want me to do then?" I asked.
"You have to apologize to Jay." My mother said.
"Seriously?"
"Well, it's the least you can do after breaking his jaw and nose." Mum glared at me.
"Fine!" I conceded. "I'll apologize to Jay." I wondered if I told them Sarah was dating Jay, they'd force me to apologize. I didn't think so but I still chose to keep my sister's secret.
"Sam and the others are expecting us to greet the Heiltsuks. As soon as you're done apologizing to Jay come and meet us at the Vacant House." Dad ordered.
"Why?"
"Because I'm telling you to."
"Why do you always have to consult with the Heiltsuks whenever the Cullens or the Denalis are involved?" I asked. Dad frowned and Mum looked at me intently.
"They're good friends." She said.
That I knew quite well. Over the last ten years, the Heiltsuks had been visiting us frequently. In fact they usually visited Uncle Seth and Aunt Gwen. Dominic Valens and his wife Nydia Reed were the ones who came to La Push the most, bringing along their three children so they could play and visit their cousins.
Dominic was nice but he was not trustworthy. Despite having three children with Nydia: Trevor, Terence and Thalia, he was also the father of two other boys, Talon and Thane, both of whom had different mothers.
Fourteen-year old Talon was the oldest of his children but he didn't live with Dominic, he lived with his mother and stepfather and didn't visit much. Thane was Trevor's age and usually came with the rest of the family.
Dominic was a lost cause; he was always flirting with other women whenever Nydia wasn't looking. It didn't surprise me he had more 'bastard' children back at Campbell.
But Dominic was not the only one who used to come to La Push every once in a while. There were also Lance Dunne, his wife Jena and their two children, Larkin and Rhett; Glenn Masters, his wife Megan and their son Miles; Cody Greyson, his wife Sylvia and their children Asia and Colton; and Kinley Burns.
Kinley didn't show up as much because Aunt Gwen was still angry after what happened between him and her sister Glenda. He had come to La Push only twice in the last five years or so. He didn't even bring his late wife Erin and their two kids, Willow and Gage to meet us.
As for Glenn and Megan they had given three-year old Miles, a baby sister last year. Her name was Mia.
"That's not an answer." I pointed out facing my mother.
"There are things you don't need to know." Dad stated. "All you need to know is that Lance, and the others will be here soon. They're also bringing one of their Council members along. I don't want one of my sons around hitting other people when we have guests. Alright?"
I nodded even though I knew Dad had just managed to evade my questions.
On their way to the Vacant House, I was left at Jay's grandparent's doorstep so I could go and humiliate myself after apologizing to the guy I had beaten early this afternoon. In fact I had never meant to hurt Jay, but he pushed me and I ended up reacting in the worst kind of way.
Violence is never the answer. My therapist used to say that often. Even though I was the nerd kind of guy and preferred to stay in my room studying than going to parties, it didn't mean I didn't get frustrated every once in a while. And it didn't mean I couldn't resort to violence some times.
I always avoided trouble at the University but there are stupid people everywhere you go and sometimes, even when you run, you end up finding yourself in a bad situation. Being the youngest student living at the Campus, I ended up finding myself in bad situations a few times mostly during my first year.
I had to deal with jealousy and mockery many times until I was fed up. No one could protect me back then and I wasn't one to complain to the Director or my parents, so I decided I should take martial arts' classes. A few months later no one dared to make fun of me anymore and when an idiot decided to provoke me, he usually ended up on the infirmary. Jay had just pushed me a bit too much for my liking.
Alva Morris, Jay's grandmother opened the door and glared at me for a few seconds. Her hard look made me realize that I'd have to be at my best behavior and not allow my emotions to take over me.
"What do you want Isaac? Haven't you done enough?"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Morris… I came to apologize to Jay but if he doesn't want to speak to me, I'll go."
She eyed me carefully and finally instructed me to walk inside.
"Despite what everyone might say, my Jay is a good kid." She said while we were walking down the hall.
A good boy who's dating a sixteen-year old girl. Jay can be a good boy in his grandmother's eyes but not mine.
"I will allow you to get inside but if you hit Jay again, I'll throw you out. I don't care if you're Billy's grandson or not. You hear me?"
I nodded. Jay's bedroom was small comparing to mine. Even at the Campus, bedrooms were larger than the one he was sleeping in right now. He woke up when I walked inside.
When Alva left us, we remained in silent for quite a while.
I could say I was sorry and leave but somehow I didn't.
"Don't you have a bedroom at Jason's?" I asked.
"Yes. But I rather stay with Grandma and Grandpa when Charlene and Preston are around."
Jason had met his current wife in Alaska where he had worked for about six years. During that time Jay stayed with his grandparents. When Drew Beaumont came to live in La Push with Jason she brought her two children from her first marriage with her. They didn't stay long for their father issued a court order against Drew and won Charlene and Preston's custody. After that they used to visit during the summer vacations. Until now.
Charlene was nineteen years old now and she was sick of living in Alaska. She had asked her mother and stepfather if she could come and live here and they accepted. Two months later Preston came along as well. It seemed that this time, their father wasn't interested in getting them back.
Sarah had told me that Jay's relationship with Charlene and Preston wasn't good but if they had made Jay come back to his old room at his grandparents' house, then I'd say their relationship wasn't good at all.
"I heard they'll be around for a long time." I said.
"Yeah… Well then I guess it's a good thing my Grandma kept my room untouched."
"Are you going to keep avoiding your family like this?"
"Yes." He admitted.
"I thought you had accepted Drew a long time ago."
"And I did. I like Drew well enough… but not Charlene or Preston. They're idiots and I can't stand them. If Dad wants them in his house that's his problem… I prefer to stay here."
"What about Jordan?"
I saw Jay's eyes flying to the ceiling to avoid my own. Jordan was only three years old and was Jay's half-brother. If there was someone in the world that Jay really loved was his baby brother.
"If you leave him there on his own, they'll turn him against you."
"You didn't come all the way here to ask me about my live, did you?" He smirked.
"No, I didn't." The smug look on his face was making hard for me to do what I was supposed to do. "My parents think I should apologize to you… I disagree."
"But you will do it anyways because you don't want to upset them." He grinned.
"I shouldn't have hit you like that. I should've told my father about you and Sarah and let him handle everything." It was my time to grin. "That's what I'm going to do if you don't leave Sarah alone."
Jay let go of the frozen peas' bag that he was pressing into his jaw and turned almost white.
"I know you think I'm a bastard but I love your sister."
"She's sixteen!" I almost yelled.
"Quil and Claire…"
"I know about Quil and Claire!" I cut him off. "But they have nothing to do with this. If you're a smart guy, you'll break up with her before it's too late."
"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm in love with her."
"In that case you're not as smart as I thought you were."
"Look, if it's her honor that you're worried about, you can relax. I said I'd wait until she's ready and I'll keep my promise."
"Are you willing to wait two or three years?"
"As long as it takes." He replied. Surprisingly he seemed honest enough for me to believe his words.
"If you're willing to wait why don't you leave her be and then when she's old enough, you can go and talk to my Dad."
Jay picked up the peas' bag that was still on the floor and sighed heavily.
"It was your idea." I stated, realizing why Jay had kept his mouth closed. "Leaving the Reservation… Sarah told me but I always assumed it was her idea."
"Yes, it was my idea. She picked the place though. She figured she'd be more comfortable in Tucson since you're there too."
"Why do you want to leave? The last time I checked you were pretty happy here. You have a family."
He shrugged. "Believe it or not, I'm doing this for Sarah."
"Sarah?" I was surprised.
"She can't stay here."
"You're full of crap, Jay. You want to leave because you're jealous of your stepsiblings. You want to leave because you want to meet your biological mother because somehow you found out she's in Austin. You want to leave because you're scared of facing my father and the rest of the Reservation when they find out you have been dating a sixteen-year old girl."
"No." He simply said. "You're right about me wanting to meet my mother. But I don't want to stay with her. She abandoned me… I just want to know why. But other than that you're wrong. I'm doing this because I fear for your sister."
"Fear?" Now I was utterly confused.
"I'll make a deal with you." He started. "You keep quiet about me and Sarah and I'll tell you all I know about the secrets your family hides from you."
Our eyes met. He wasn't joking.
"My family doesn't have secrets." I tested him.
He laughed. "Really? So you never noticed your father leaving the house at night and coming home at the break of dawn? And you never questioned why he treats your older brothers so differently? You never once wondered why your parents and their closest friends look younger than they really are?"
"How do you kwon about that?" I was still in shock because I never thought someone else could have the same suspicions.
"It took me years to put things together." He said. "You would've know the truth too if you didn't spend most of the year in Arizona."
"Cut to the chase." I ordered.
"That's not how it works." He smirked again. "Are you going to keep quiet and help me see Sarah?"
"I might consider keeping my mouth close about you two, but helping you so you can see my sister… I don't think so."
"In that case, forget about it. You can find the truth on your own."
I felt my body trembling again and I had to count to ten to calm down.
"Make sure you close the door when you leave Isaac." He added. I took a few steps towards the door but I halted when I touch the doorknob.
"What else do you know?" I asked him turning around to see a smiling Jay.
"I know that ten years ago the fire that consumed your house wasn't an accident. I know that somehow the Cullens, the Denalis and those guys from the Heiltsuk Reservation are involved. And I know that once I tell you what I know, you'll never be the same again."
"Fine! I accept your deal." I decided.
"Great. Meet me tomorrow after lunch." He said.
"People will think it's weird if they see us talking friendly after what happened." I pointed out.
"I'll tell everyone I accepted your profound apologies."
I nodded in agreement and headed for the door.
"Isaac?" He called before I could leave. "You have a powerful left hook… but if you use it again on me the deal is off, got it?"
"Sure, sure…" I agreed. You should see my right one. I thought to myself. He had only mentioned my left hook which meant if he pissed me off again, his face would meet my right hook, and this time I'd break more than just his jaw and nose.
For now I would tolerate Jay's insolence and be friends with him. I was too interested in the truth to pass down his deal. If he knew what had happened ten years ago, this stupid deal would be worth it.
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