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
6. A Bad Day
Watching Old Quil's ashes being taken by the wind made me think that I was actually having what I usually called a shitty day. Claire was sobbing uncontrollably, clinging to her husband's shirt while he looked absently into the horizon where the ashes of his grandfather were slowly disappearing.
But Claire wasn't the only person crying on the beach that afternoon. My grandmother was being comforted by Charlie. Grandpa Billy was trying to keep his tears at bay but it was proving to be a hard task. That was the moment that everyone realized Old Quil was gone.
The sun would set in a couple of hours and the temperature was running cold. A few rows ahead of where I was standing, Jay was glaring at me, angry because I hadn't been replying his phone calls and text messages. But I was avoiding him for a good reason. And if what I had found out was true, he would thank me one day for making him stay out of it.
It all started when I left Jay's place after six in the morning. Instead of going home like I was supposed to, I got a little lost in the forest and I ended up listening to a really weird conversation between some of the Cullens and my parents: apparently I was supposed to join some sort of cult they referred to as 'the pack'. Before I could confront them or even think about the issue properly I passed out after seeing the blonde woman who had saved me ten years ago.
I could feel her presence right now. She was with the Cullens, watching the ceremony from afar, away from the crowd, protected by the shadows of the long tree branches. I had no idea why the presence of her family and the Cullens was keeping me on edge. I had never felt like this before.
Actually ever since that black out early this morning I wasn't feeling myself. After waking up alone on the forest floor, with ants crawling over me and rain drops hitting my face, it took me at least fifteen minutes to be able to stand and another fifteen to walk. My head was pounding, my vision was blurry and I could hear the tiniest sound for miles. While dragging myself back home, so no one could find out I was missing, I realized that despite all that symptoms my sense of direction had somehow improved because it took me only five minutes to reach my house.
Without making a noise, I got inside by the back door, I took two aspirins and I went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. By then I had noticed my temperature was rising and the cold water would help. Or so I hoped.
He's showing symptoms. I remembered Edward's words while I was in the shower and I was suddenly worried. Could all of this be the symptoms Edward had mentioned? Or was I just sick? It could be a mere cold, right?
Fortunately an hour later I was back to normal and I was able to meet with Jay in Forks at the Carol Frankis Library to collect some information based on what we had so far (which wasn't much). Jay thought that if by a small chance there were hairy monsters living in the forest, someone would have seen one of them at least once. So we searched the local newspapers and the information we collected a few hours later had raised new questions.
Jay didn't connect my dreams with the old Quileute legends probably because he hadn't heard them almost every year of his childhood like me, but now I finally had some theories.
When all of Old Quil's ashes were finally free to join his wife in the afterlife, people began to place flowers in the water and then one by one they left. Near the tree line, the Cullens and Denalis were announcing they were going to hunt before leaving permanently. That was my chance.
I accompanied Sarah and JJ home like Mum had asked me to but I didn't mean to stay babysitting them like I was instructed. I wanted answers and for that I would need to search for evidence that would corroborate my theories at the Cullen's mansion.
"I'll be back in a minute okay?" I told Sarah just before leaving the house. Since there was no one home, I figured it would be easy to sneak in and out of there. Fifteen minutes would do.
"Okay." Fortunately for me Sarah was too busy texting Jay and didn't question me about where I was actually going. JJ was too focused playing a videogame so he didn't even see me leave. I took the car only as a precaution since I could need to escape the fast and furious mode.
I was half way to the Cullen's mansion when my phone rang. It was a private number. I picked up the call because it could be one of my teachers at the University. I should be doing research for my thesis, not chasing after mythical creatures.
"Isaac Black?" A female unknown voice asked on the other side.
"Yes. Who is this?"
"I have a message for you. If you want to know what you really are, come and meet me tomorrow at a place called Real Graphics in Port Angeles by eight in the morning."
"Who's talking?"
"Meet me there Isaac, and I'll tell you everything. It's a promise."
She hung up leaving me utterly confused. Now that I had finally begun to link the dots, there was someone offering to tell me the truth. I could've just turned around and go back home to keep my sister and younger brother a company, but I decided to follow my original plan.
What if the woman who had just called was an imposter? What if I went to her and found out she knew nothing about what was really going on? I couldn't risk being taken by a fool again. Besides I needed answers now.
Assuming the legends were true, my parents were warrior spirits, shapeshifters, protectors that could morph into giant wolves. And the Cullens and the Denalis were Cold Ones. In modern days, they were called vampires. Werewolves were not mentioned in our legends, only the wolf-warriors that protected La Push from the vampires. But they existed. I knew they were real for I had been attacked by one.
I felt like a crazy person. There must be a rational explanation for all of this. Part of my brain kept insisting. Feel free to explain it then, I'm all ears. Said the part that was clinging to the supernatural theories.
Part of me wanted to be right because that meant I wasn't a looney. It meant that all of my suspicions weren't just the ideas of someone mentally disturbed. The other part however was mortified that I'd been able to conjure such idiotic theories and wanted nothing more than to prove that those theories were wrong. Especially because that would mean that I could go on having a normal life and that my family and friends were just normal people.
If I'm dreaming all of this now would be a good time to wake up because if someone catches me inside the Cullen's house, I'm dead. I thought while I was leaving the car, parked behind a few trees.
The house was empty, like it was supposed to be. All of the family was out hunting, even though I had no idea what they could possibly be hunting. The Cullens never seemed keen on violence, but then again, they could all belong to a bloodthirsty vampire coven. I guess you should never judge a book by its cover.
Before reaching the house, I prayed that they didn't have set on the alarm. The last thing I needed was to get a criminal record for private property invasion. Fortunately one of the glass windows was unlocked and I made my move. I wasn't thrilled about what I had just done, but there wasn't any other way to know the truth.
I hope this is worth it. I need to know if they're really not human.
I had been in that house a few times in the past. The mahogany furniture seemed to have been pretty expensive as well as the carpets and the chandeliers. I could remember the black piano in the living room and the spotless kitchen, always shining clean. I could also remember the stairs and the paintings on the walls. But back then I had never paid attention to details. Today I had to be especially thorough. I didn't know exactly what to look for but I realized eventually that the evidence I needed was right before my eyes.
In the first floor I found a small room with shelves decorated entirely with portraits. Mostly of the pictures showed the family together. It was not a surprise for me to find a room like that. I didn't know a person that didn't keep a photograph of someone dear to him or her. Family photos were also quite popular. It was almost mandatory having one of those in some part of the house. The Cullens weren't an exception.
My mother for example had a picture of her father on her bedside table and many others in albums she religiously kept in a closet. My father also had a picture of his mother in one of his drawers.
But somehow this was different. From the oldest picture until the most recent one, the Cullens remained untouched by time. The pictures showed them with clothes from different decades, but their beautiful and pale faces remained the same.
The Cullens didn't seem to get old which meant they weren't human. Could they be the cold people that our legends talked about? Was this for real? Could they be vampires?
One of the photographs showed the day Grandma Sue and Charlie got married. The bride and groom were surrounded by Bella, Uncle Seth and Mum. That day was long ago. Nowadays my uncle and my mother looked younger than their real age but they did look even younger on that photo. Bella though was exactly the same.
As if she had heard my thoughts or something, Bella Cullen showed up unexpectedly. I could tell she was surprised to see me there. She didn't seem comfortable on my presence but she hid it weel enough and pretended everything was fine.
I should be the one fearing for my life. If she's a vampire, a real vampire, I'm as good as dead.
"Isaac... why are you here? Did something happen?" She asked quietly. I noticed how she tried to remain in the dark but it was useless. I guess she was trying to hide her youthful appearance but even in those baggy clothes she was wearing, I could see she looked exactly like the picture I had been staring at.
"Maybe you should tell me Bella." I stated walking forward. A sweet and nauseous smell hit me then. Her perfume was way too strong. "Over the years I've heard things about you, your family... but I guess someone forgot to tell me that you don't age. Now I know there are many good plastic surgeons around the world, but somehow I don't think you went to see one... So tell me Bella, how is it possible that all of you are still so young?"
"That's not for me to tell you." She replied. I shivered slightly. I wasn't afraid of her but I was restless. Something inside of me was demanding more space between us. Her scent was horrible and her eyes were different.
"Really? How convenient."
"I promised your parents I wouldn't interfere with their children." She explained. Somehow she didn't seem affected by my presence anymore. "I almost lost their friendship once for interfering so this time I'm not going to risk it. Jacob and Leah are important to me so you should talk to them."
"They tell me nothing!" I exclaimed. "They're hiding things from me for years and you were the only one to try and convince them to tell me what's going on."
"You heard us this morning?" She seemed surprised.
"Yes." I confessed. Why deny it? It was not like I had done it on purpose.
"How? That's not possible. We would've noticed. Edward should be able to read your thoughts unless..."
"Hear my thoughts?" What the hell did she mean by that?
"Look Isaac... You have to go home. I won't be able to help you. Go see your parents and ask them whatever you want to know."
"Why all this secrecy? What is this cult you're all involved in? Why did my parents lie to me for ten years?"
"No one lied to you. They were just protecting you and your siblings."
"That's a lie! Harry and Will know about everything!"
"Harry and Will are different."
"You don't need to tell me how special they are. I know that very well." It was time to throw in the bait. "And I know about you too... I know when and where you were born, who your parents are. I know you came here when you were seventeen to live with Charlie and I know you married Edward Cullen a few years later. I also know that your husband and his family are not so easily investigated. There are only a few information about them."
"You don't need to investigate us Isaac. We've been friends of your family for many years."
That was something I still didn't understand. If this supernatural crap was real, my family and the Cullens should be sworn enemies.
"According to your birth certificate you're old enough to be my mother but you look like a 20-year old girl. So tell me again why shouldn't I be suspicious of you and your family?"
"I've been in your shoes once. I also wanted to know the truth..." Bella confessed remaining completely still. Her eyes were now black, which was weird because as far as I could remember Bella used to have brown eyes. "What you're dealing with isn't easy to understand but I promise you that it will be alright. I just don't have permission to tell you everything."
"I know you want me to speak to my parents but I can't. I'm sure they'll end up sending me away again."
"If that's their decision, we have to respect it."
"No, we don't! It's my life we're talking about!"
"They're trying to protect you Isaac."
"From what?" In a rapid movement I grabbed her wrist and realized my suspicions were right. "You're a Cold One." She noticed it wasn't a question.
Bella lowered her eyes and pushed me back. She was stronger than she seemed.
"You know the legends." She whispered. "Carlisle was right about you." She smiled. "He always said you'd figure it out but we never thought it would be this soon."
"If you are a Cold One, then that means my parents are... shapeshifters..." It was weird to vocalize that idea. "And I saw a werewolf when I was a kid..."
"You remember?" Her black orbs met mine and I felt uneasy. Bella hadn't denied my accusations. She wasn't surprised by what I was saying.
"The medication that Doctor Cullen gave me when I was young made forget about it for a while, but I have been having nightmares and when I stopped taking the meds, I remembered everything."
"You should've gone to Jacob." She told me.
"What am I?" I asked. "What were the symptoms Edward was talking about this morning? Why is everyone thinking that I'm dangerous?"
"I think you know that already Isaac. You know what's going on. It's hard to believe but deep inside you know it's true."
I wanted a full confession but Bella was dodging it.
"I've searched some local newspaper records and found a lot of interesting things. Did you know that in 2006 three mountain bikers saw a wolf of a size of a horse in this area and that same year Emily Young was attacked by a bear... though no bear was ever found? Did you know that at least four people were found dead in a month period? Did you know that the same happened in 1933? Though there was only one dead person back then and she was a Quileute girl. Her name was Amy Uley."
"You're a smart kid Isaac. I give you that." Bella smiled at me but I didn't feel proud. "However there are things you need to know before you start jumping into conclusions."
"The Cullens were here in 2006. That was also the year you came to live with Charlie, the year Emily got hurt, the year people saw giant wolves, the year mountain bikers died. And guess what? The Cullens were also here in 1933. There's a request note regarding the construction of a house right in these lands by a C. Cullen in early 1933. I'm guessing it was Carlisle who made the request to the City Hall to build this mansion... the same Carlisle Cullen who is here today, hunting. Am I wrong?"
"Humanly speaking that would be impossible." Bella said. This time her tone was serious.
"In 1899, 1913, 1933 and 1959 Quileute hunters complained to the City Mayor that there weren't animals to hunt in the forest. Not even wolves. It was like all the wildlife in La Push and Forks had disappeared."
"We were not here in 1899 and 1913." She stated.
"You're right. In 1899 and 1913 there were no records of the Cullen family being here but there was a doctor called Carlisle Winchester in 1899 who lived in Forks for almost a year, and in 1913 there was another doctor, Carlisle Morrison, who helped setting the first medical center in the city. Whenever your family or one of its members is around, people die."
"We never hurt anyone."
"Then who did? The legends say that shapeshifters are protectors, they don't kill innocent people. I assume that somehow you have some sort of agreement with my people... that's probably the only explanation for my parents to accept your presence here. I just can't seem to find a reasonable explanation for the werewolves though."
"Children of the Moon..." Bella mentioned looking at me intently. Her voice was so low that I was surprised I had heard her at all. "That's an excellent investigation job you made there. Jacob will be proud. He'll be quite furious first, but then he'll be proud. Tell me Isaac, did you tell anyone what you know?"
If I tell her that I investigated this on my own will she kill me so I won't tell anyone the truth? I wondered. She said that she's friends with my family for years but now that their secret is out, will this friendship end because I found out the truth? Did I just ruin the agreement between our families?
"It seems to me that you might have had help." She added, her black eyes piercing into me. "Sarah maybe?"
"No." I replied immediately. "Sarah would never believe me. She would think I'm crazy."
"So you didn't tell her?"
"No."
"Good. Jacob and Leah would throw a fit if you had."
"So... Are you going to kill me now?"
She laughed. "Kill you? I've told you we don't hurt people. I've watched you and your brothers and sister growing up. I love you all as if you're my nephews and niece. My father is married to your grandmother. We're practically family."
"If we're that close, why can't you tell me the whole story?"
"Because I can't."
"The night my house was set on fire ten years ago, three other people died. All three were Quileutes. Jonathan Greyson, Marion Tristifer and Ruth Longtree."
"I know their names."
"Their families need to know what happened."
"Knowing the truth won't bring them back."
"An eye witness saw a huge monster, half-man, half-wolf. His statements were dismissed because he was drunk that night." I paused and saw that Bella knew what I was implying. "He saw a werewolf."
"No one believes him."
"I do. And I can prove things now."
"Is that a threat?"
"Tell me the truth and I'll keep quiet about you and your family."
"What exactly do you want to know Isaac?"
I took a deep breath.
"What the hell am I? Am I a danger to other people?"
If my parents were shapeshifters, I should be one as well. But I had been attacked and scratched by a werewolf.
"Well that's the problem. No one knows what you are." For once she looked sincere. "But I think we'll find out pretty soon."
"What do you mean?"
"You're burning and shaking. I think you're going to phase."
It really is the worst day ever. I thought as I felt myself shaking uncontrollably.
A/Note: Good Gods, this chapter took me forever to write because I couldn't seem to find a decent ending. I think that soon I'll have to use someone else's POV, I'm not quite sure who I should use though.
Thanks for the reviews: Guest(s), CentaurPrincess, brankel1, MelkiSihou, Island Mama, Weave the Magic, Kary G, almondbutter, rocklesson86, TheSlytherinQueenbee, nikkie owens, nene82743.
I'd also like to thank all the followers of this story: Arian Eripmav, CentaurPrincess, Gabby-Paige, Honiahaka02, MelkiSihou, MyFunHouse, Shadows of Darkness, SilverAngel1234, TheSlytherinQueenbee, almondbutter, missartey2012, rocklesson86, nikkie owens, nene82743, JDMirkwood.
Until next time, Karisan