Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer, not me.

Author/Note 1: This story is the sequel to 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 to 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 II – The Protector

Harrison Black

65. Alone

This was actually the first time I was fighting alone. I had taken many vampires in a fight by myself but I was never completely alone on those occasions. Even if my pack brothers were not by my side, there was always someone inside my head, helping me, guiding me, encouraging me to finish off my opponent.

This time I had no one. Actually, I didn't even know if my pack brothers were alive. However I had a mission and I would not back down just because I was in a foreign country, miles away from my pack, with no assistance to take down three powerful vampires.

I had to kill them because if I didn't I would lose Season forever. That thought alone made me phase and dart off towards Serghei. I never thought I could run that fast or attack a vampire that way, but the next thing I knew, I was ripping Serghei's head off and dismembering his body savagely.

Contrary to what I was used to doing, I hadn't come up with any strategic plan to face those vampires. I was acting purely on instinct. I recalled my father's words whenever we would go to battle.

Form a line. He would roar to us. But today I didn't have anyone with me to form a line with.

Guard your partner's flanks. But today I didn't have a partner to guard my flanks nor I would need to guard someone else's.

Use your surroundings to your advantage. Now that was something I could do. The forest wasn't the same, the trees were smaller, the smells were all wrong too, but it was a forest nonetheless and I could use it to my advantage because I was used to fighting in similar backgrounds.

The trees provided me protection and could also work as a leverage to jump over the enemy. Vampires were aware of our speed and strength but they often ignored our agility. They took us for heavy creatures prone to ground battle, not for agile opponents.

So when Yuri came at me to avenge his dismembered friend, who I still had to light on fire in order to kill him off, I made sure to teach him that wolves could be as agile as vampires.

He did manage to knock me twice with powerful blows that left my lungs claiming for air, however, I regained the upper hand when I successfully bit and tore his right leg away. One of the first things I learned about vampires when I became a wolf was their weakest spots: feet, knees, legs, and head.

William and I had spent weeks training because before we were allowed to actually participate in a hunt we had to prove the pack that we knew how to take down a vamp by attacking their weaknesses like we practiced every day in our training.

Back then I had Will to back me up. I was stronger, and he was faster. I knew how to read the enemy's strength, and he knew how to plan a trap. We were the perfect team. Always in sync.

But not today. The silence in my head was starting to affect me, so I tried to focus on finishing off my opponents instead of worrying about being alone in this battle. After all, with or without a pack, with or without my brother, I was born to kill vampires and protect human lives.

I could hear Yuri cursing in a foreign language. With his arms lifted he was trying to avoid my teeth but since he was unable to stand it was easy for me to hold him down on the floor and rip his head off.

Now Valerya was the only vampire I had left to face. I was suddenly hit by fear when I realized that while facing Yuri, Valerya could have bitten Season but I didn't feel the smell of human blood.

I spun quickly when I heard the sound of footsteps behind me and lunged. Surprisingly it wasn't Valerya who stood in front of me, it was Scarlett. I halted immediately, not wanting to hit the vampire child.

"It's just me." She said putting her arms up in the air. "You better phase back." She said and turned around to give me some privacy. I didn't bother putting a shirt on, I just wanted to know if Season was okay. I found her knocked down on the forest ground.

"Was she bitten?" I asked nervously as I kneeled down and began inspecting her body.

"No. I stopped her on time." Scarlett replied motioning her head to the left. I followed her movement and saw Valerya leaning against an oak tree, paralyzed.

"Thanks."

"She was already unconscious when I got here," Scarlett said meaning Season.

"She probably fainted when I attacked Serghei," I said. "We need to burn them."

Scarlett nodded and took care of it. "What about the one in the car?"

"Burn him too."

"But he's not... I mean you didn't..."

"Ripped off his head?"

Scarlett nodded.

"Is that a problem?" I asked surprised.

"It feels a little awkward killing someone that doesn't look dead."

"I can dismember him if it's easier for you," I suggested.

"It's okay. It's not such a big deal. I'll just close my eyes."

In the next minutes, a dense smoke invaded the forest. Season was in my arms and Scarlett was now facing Valerya.

"Can you read her mind and find out more about the Romanians? What do they really want? What are they planning?"

"I already did that. She doesn't know anything."

"That's not possible, she's an Elder."

"They don't know much individually. She was ordered to capture your girlfriend, bring her here so they could use her to get rid of Corin's powers, kidnap Sulpicia and Athenodora, and make sure Marcus would meet Amelia. Then she had instructions to change Season into a vampire and take her to Nicholaj and Elle."

"Who the hell are they?"

"Two other Elders."

"And where are they?"

"She doesn't know. The Elders don't live together in the same place, for security measures. Vlad and Stefan know they have to be careful in case one or more Elders are captured by the enemy."

"So, let's summarize what we know..." I tried to form a sentence twice unsuccessfully. I had no idea where to start. Too much had happened at the same time.

"The Volturi's reign is in danger," Scarlett informed. "This time the threat is real and it will lie within the coven."

"How?"

"Amelia was telling the truth. Everything she said... really happened."

"So, Aro killed his sister and pretended she was killed in battle?"

"Yes. He lied to Marcus. The Elders' relationship is based on trust and now... let's just say that Marcus doesn't trust Aro more than he trusts a werewolf."

"What will happen now?"

"I don't know. I couldn't read Marcus's mind. I know he's going back to Volterra but I don't know what he's going to do. If he forces Aro into admitting the truth, he might meet the same fate that his wife met. Ever since he turned Jane and Alec, Aro doesn't need Marcus's gift. I mean ever since he turned Jane and Alec, he doesn't need most of the vampires with gifts. He only keeps them in his coven because he likes collecting gifted vampires."

"So what you're saying is that Marcus might end up dead." Somehow that idea was not so bad. It would mean one less leech in the world. One less vampire for me to worry about. However, right now, Marcus was not the vampire that worried me the most.

"Yes, but I think he's too smart to go to Volterra and force Aro to admit that he killed Didyme. I think he's going to get revenge. That's what mates do for each other."

"You think he's going to try to kill Aro?"

"Definitely."

"Great... I mean that's pretty convenient for the Romanians." With Aro dead, they would have the path cleared to seize the power from the Italians.

Probably that had been the Romanians' goal all along. The vampire named Amelia knew the truth behind Didyme's death and the motives that had led the Volturi leader to actually kill his own sister. Like Vladimir and Stefan, Amelia was also a survivor of the ancient Romanian coven and now she had not only successfully stripped Corin of her powers but also taken Sulpicia and Athenodora hostages while turning Marcus against Aro. I had to accept that this time, the Romanians actually had a chance of getting rid of the Volturi for good.

The problem was that they were no better. Quite frankly having the Romanians as leaders of the vampire community would probably be worse. At least we knew what to expect from the Volturi, at least Aro had rules and tried to make sure that vampires didn't interact much with humans and that their existence remained a secret.

"I need to go back. I have to find Marcus and Corin before Aro and the others return."

"What will you do when you find them?"

"I don't know yet. I have to know about Marcus intentions first."

"You should come with me. Aro will have too much to deal with when he gets back and the Cullens would definitely help you. You can forge your death."

"Aro is a resourceful man and I'm his crown jewel. I appreciate your concern but I'll be of better use to everyone if I get back and pretend that I don't know anything that happened today." Scarlett watched Season's sleeping form on my arms. "You have to leave too. The Romanians will come searching for their friends and for your girlfriend. She's the weapon they need to strip away Aro of his powerful army. They won't stop until they find her and turn her into one of them. Besides, you killed two Elders... their mates will want your head on a plate."

"We can't go home then." I realized all of a sudden. That would be the first place the Romanians would search and our presence in La Push would put anyone who lived there in danger.

"Take this." Scarlett gave me a considerable amount of money that she took from a small purse she carried around her waist under the black robe.

"What's this for?"

"You need money to travel. Leave the forest and go the city... any city will do. As long as you remain in a populated place, the Romanians won't be able to get you during the day. At night remain indoors. Don't ever assume you're safe and never take your eyes off of her." She pointed to Season.

"Did you absorb her powers too?"

"No. It doesn't work like that. I can only absorb powers from other vampires. Season is still human."

I nodded. "I feel bad about leaving you here. Maybe we should go with you to Volterra. Just to make sure you'll reach the town safely?"

"I'm a vampire, Harry. A powerful one at that. You have no idea how many powers I absorbed over the years." She laughed. "Don't worry about me. Just don't let the Romanians take Season."

"I won't," I promised.

We burned Valerya's body before cleaning the area of our tracks. Scarlett had told me to go north to a city located on the coast because that would offer us better chances of escaping.

"You're a decent vampire, Scarlett Dale. Don't give up on hope just yet."

She smiled.

"You're a decent shapeshifter too, Harrison Black. I'll see what I can do."

And then she was gone.

xxxxxxxxxx

I had done what Scarlett had told me to do and reached a small town where I had paid for a room with two beds and a private bathroom in a modest guesthouse. I was getting out of the shower when Season finally woke up.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her sitting on the edge of the bed.

She slowly sat down and looked around trying to figure out where we were. then all of a sudden her eyes were filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around my neck. A jolt of electricity ran through my body when I felt her body so close to mine. Besides, I was suddenly aware that I was only wearing a towel around my waist.

"I thought I'd never see you again. I thought you were dead." She sobbed.

"I told you I'd find you, didn't I?" I tried to put some space between us but she held on to me even tighter.

"Please don't leave me again, Harry." She begged me.

"I won't. I promise."

"Are they gone?"

"For now."

"I want to go home."

"I know... I know..." I whispered. I wanted to go home too but right now that was impossible. We had enough money to buy plane tickets to the United States but we had no documents with us. Besides my priority right was to make sure the Romanians didn't find us. "You should go take a shower and then I'll order some food. Okay?"

"Okay." She replied. A minute passed and she didn't move.

"Season?"

"Yes?"

"You need to let go of me so you go to the shower."

"Right."

Season released me then and finally went to the bathroom. Somehow being with her, without the presence of vampires, alone in the same bedroom was more stressful than I had anticipated. I knew there was a lot of sexual tension between us. William had advised me more than once to do something about it but I was scared.

Not about the physical part. The physical I could handle. Although my experience was limited in that department because I had never slept with a girl, I knew a few things about women. Let's just say that you can learn a lot when you share minds with a pack. What worried me the most was that when it comes to someone you're falling in love with, everything you know, goes to shit and you're in the dark again.

Besides, I was confused. I knew I felt something about Season. She was the prettiest girl I had ever met and she was funny and nice to be around. It was easy to talk to her and even though I had hated Alice's plan, in the beginning, I didn't regret passing for her boyfriend now.

I wanted her safe, I wanted her happy, and I would definitely risk my life for her anytime. But only a few months ago I had the same feelings about Rhea White, who was currently dating my brother.

Was I letting Rhea go? I still felt a bit angry whenever I thought about Will and Rhea together but that anger was now easier to handle. After all, William had claimed Rhea eight years ago. She was meant to be his alpha female. One day she would be my sister-in-law. Maybe my feelings for Season were finally getting stronger. Maybe this was fate giving me a chance to let go of the past and concentrate in the future and I really wanted Season to be a part of my future.

After our meal, Season asked me to tell her everything that had happened from the moment the Romanians took her to Volterra without me. I complied. She had the right to know everything and she needed to know that we couldn't go home right away.

"You're saying that I took away her powers when I touched her hand?" Season asked me when I was telling her about Corin.

"Yes."

"Are you sure? Because I didn't feel anything... I mean I felt normal and it was just a handshake."

"I'm pretty sure."

"This power you say I've got... is it forever?"

"Probably."

"You said it was triggered when a vampire bit me, right?"

"Yes."

"Can it disappear if I get bitten again?"

"I don't know but I don't think it's wise to try that. If you're bitten, you'll turn into a vampire."

"I wish I could stop having this power. They're after us because of me."

"Not just because of you. I killed four of them." Actually, I had killed only two, Valerya and Victor had been killed by Scarlett but the Romanians didn't know about Scarlett's involvement in the battle so they would blame me for their deaths. "Valerya and Serghei's mates will come for me, not you."

Season trembled slightly when I said that and she joined me on the bed. Curled in my arms, Season rested her head on my chest and clinging to me.

She's scared of losing me. I realized and I held her back as strongly because it was nice to be there with her. I missed my family but at least I had Season. We dozed off quickly, comfortable in each other's arms.

The TV was on when I woke up suddenly. I was having a bad dream. The Volturi had killed all of my family and friends because they couldn't give them what they wanted.

"Harry? Are you all right?" Season asked me. "You're sweating... are you sick?"

"No..." I grabbed the water bottle and drank it all. "It's nothing."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"Sort of."

"What was it about?"

"My family and friends," I said. "They were all dead."

A few seconds passed before Season spoke. "I'm sure they're fine. It was just a bad dream."

"I couldn't connect with Will."

"What?"

Will and I had been in touch frequently. Whenever we were asleep we could talk to each other but tonight Will hadn't established contact. I could only assume that something was wrong in La Push. Maybe my dream wasn't just a dream. Maybe something bad had happened.

"Do you want to call them to be sure they're all right?" Season picked up the phone and gave it to me but I put it back in its place.

"We can't contact anyone. The Romanians can be tracing calls or something like that. You're right... it was just a bad dream. Go back to sleep."

"What about you?"

I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anytime soon after a nightmare like that. I could still see the mangled bodies of my pack brothers on La Push's forest floor. Just as I was about to revive my nightmare a second time, a jolt of electricity invaded my senses.

Pressed up against me, Season's lips had found mine and suddenly I was feeling impossibly hot. She readjusted her position so that she could sit on my lap while we kissed. Her skin was incredibly soft to the touch and I wondered if this was actually real. My unspoken question was answered when she bit my bottom lip.

"Season... Uh... I don't think we should..."

"Do you want me to stop?"

She pushed me back onto the mattress and straddled me. I didn't reply because I really didn't know what to say. I didn't want her to stop. I wanted to kiss her and make love to her until we were both too tired to keep going.

"Don't think about anything else, Harry. Just me. Just us... Okay?"

Her green eyes were mesmerizing and I let myself drown in them. The nightmare from before was a just a distant memory when our clothes started to come off of our bodies. And it was completely gone when I took her, making her finally mine. Then, together, we found the perfect rhythm and we enjoyed every second of it.

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Merry Christmas everyone. :)