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

71. Second Imprint

Yesterday I hadn't told dad the whole truth about why Hannah had left La Push in such a hurry with the children so when I told him that she had seen the younger wolves having an argument and phasing, he kind of snapped.

"Stupid kids! I'm going to ground every single one of them! And you can't leave until this mess is solved, do you hear me?"

Those were dad's orders and I didn't have any choice but follow them. The plan was to take Hannah back to La Push no matter what, and that was the reason why I was now standing in front of Peter Millson's house again.

I had tried to convince Josh to come with me so that he would beg Hannah to return for the sake of his children but I wasn't successful. Josh was busy trying to find out a way to stay sober.

Hannah was on the phone with Peter when I arrived.

"You said you'd be back last night. Where are you? Where are the things I asked you to buy?" Hannah questioned her boyfriend.

"I got stuck, babe, I'm really sorry."

I could tell the indifference in Peter's voice.

"Stuck where? I gave you forty dollars to go the damn grocery store! My kids need to eat!"

"I had to go and help a friend. You know Vivien, don't you? Since Harmon left she's been having problems in her plumbing... and I'm helping her. Cleaning up her pipes take time because they're too tight and I need them to loosen up a bit..."

I heard a woman moaning on the other side of the line and I was sure that Hannah had heard it as well which made it clear that Peter wasn't fixing anyone's plumbing. He was probably with a new girlfriend.

"You're a son of a..."

"Look, babe... I'm busy right now. Viv needs me to rub her pipes some more." Peter cut her off. He was mocking her. "If you're hungry there's plenty of dog food in the house, I'm sure Almond and Rock won't mind sharing some biscuits with you, you fucking bitch! Oh, and don't wait for me for lunch. I've always enjoyed Vivien's delicious food." There were laughs and then the line went dead.

Peter Millson was an asshole and he was having a laugh at Hannah's expenses. I had didn't know what his idea was but I was sure he was a lousy boyfriend and an even worse father to Hannah's unborn child. Just like his uncle, Peter deserved a few punches in the face but I would have to leave that for later.

Hannah was crying when she opened the door after I knocked twice. She was surprised to see me.

"What are you doing here again, William? Why can't you just leave me alone?" She walked outside closing the door behind her. The three children inside were sleeping and she didn't want to disturb them.

"I was worried," I told her deciding that it would be better if she thought I was my brother. "And I made a promise to watch over you and the kids."

"You have nothing to worry about."

"You don't have to be alone, Hannah."

"I'm not alone."

"Oh, really? So where's your boyfriend? Because I've heard you talking on the phone. I know he's not here." Hannah glared at me but said nothing. "Didn't we help you before?"

"Yes, you did! But now I'm wondering why... because ever since I've seen those boys turning into monsters, I can't stop thinking that you wanted to kill me and my kids too!"

"Kill you? Why would we do such a thing?"

"Because you're all monsters!"

"Monsters? You know who's a monster? A boyfriend who tells his pregnant girlfriend to eat dog food! A mother who's too stoned to care for her children and doesn't even care if her oldest daughter is dead or alive! A guy who drinks and tries to rape his fourteen-year-old step-daughter! And a woman who prefers to watch her children starving than accepting help!"

"Shut up!"

"I'm not going to shut up, Hannah. There are no monsters in La Push."

"I've seen them with my own eyes." She interrupted me.

"So did I." She was taken aback by my statement. "The wolf is a sacred animal to my tribe. Some people have the ability to change forms in order to protect others." I didn't tell her I was one of those people because I didn't want to scare her.

"Like a trickster?"

"No, not like that." I sighed. "Look, the boys you saw turning into wolves were having an argument about... a girl. Usually, they don't lose control this easily but they're young and immature. They only change forms when it's absolutely necessary. And there are rules. They're going to be punished for what they did."

"Punished?"

"Grounded. Probably for life." I informed. "We just want to help you, Hannah. And we also need you to help Josh taking care of his kids. They're heartbroken since you left. They have just lost their mother and their father..."

"Is a good for nothing piece of shit?"

"He's not so bad... when he's sober." I tried to defend Josh.

"I've been living in his house, taking care of his children and he never looked at me or even spoke to me. Actually, we have never even been in the same room because he's always drunk and..." Hannah stopped talking and took a deep breath. Then she turned around and walked to the house. "You're right." She said in a whisper. "Peter won't help me, he'll probably hurt me and my children. And I wish I could just leave this shit hole and go back to La Push because I also want to help those little girls but... I'm can't do that when I don't feel safe."

"I'll protect you." A voice came from behind and I turned to see Josh walking towards us. He was just half-dressed which meant he had run as a wolf all the way from La Push. "Aileen and Aimee need you more than they need me so I'm ready to beg if I have to. And by the way... I am a good for nothing piece of shit, but I'm going to change that... if you accept to help me. Please..."

He hesitated because he had probably forgotten her name. He looked at me silently asking for help.

"Hannah," I whispered.

"Please, Hannah. I really need your help."

Hannah turned around slowly to meet Josh and that's when it happened. I didn't know what happened to a wolf when he imprinted on a girl but I felt the power of that bond being forged right there on the porch of Peter Millson's house. Both Hannah and Josh were frozen. They stared at each other for a minute though it probably felt like hours.

When they finally came back to their senses, everything was different. And I realized that Hannah was no longer a problem to the pack.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Did Josh really set his house on fire?" Sarah asked me while I drove.

Two hours ago I thought all my problems were solved. Hannah had finally accepted to return to La Push, though her decision had been made by the imprint bond that now linked her to Josh who had become the first wolf to ever imprint twice.

And now that Hannah was Josh's imprint we would be able to reveal the truth about the pack and vampires without breaking the Council's rules.

"It was an accident," I answered my sister. "He was just trying to get rid of liquor he had in the house."

Before setting his head straight and run to the Makah Reservation to help me out with Hannah, Josh had decided to quit drinking. So he gathered all of the liquor he had in the house and made a fire outside, using the bottles as fuel. While he was gone, the wind carried the flames to the house which caught fire rather quickly. When the neighbors realized what was going on it was already too late to save the house.

"I don't know if setting a place on fire is the best way to achieve that."

"Look, Josh's having a rough time. He lost his wife only a month ago. His mother-in-law is trying to take his kids away from him."

"Because he started drinking." Sarah pointed out.

"Because he lost Cristine," I added.

"And now he's homeless. So tell me how did his situation improve?"

Sarah was overreacting. Josh wasn't homeless because as a pack we were used to taking care of each other. So Josh was moving into the Vacant House with Hannah, her children, and Quinn. Josh's plans for the future didn't include only remaining sober and getting Aileen and Aimee back but also making amends with his eldest son.

In the meantime, Rhea and EJ were going to live with Granddad Billy. It would be temporary. As soon as Josh's house was completely remodeled, they would move back to the Vacant House.

"He imprinted," I stated.

"So I've heard." Sarah looked at me with a serious expression. "On a woman who's expecting another man's child. And he already had an imprint."

I shrugged because I didn't know what to say to that.

"So that means that Josh and Julia's imprint broke, right?" Sarah insisted and I knew what she was thinking.

"Don't set your hopes too high, Sarah," I told her. "The imprint bond is unpredictable. Josh doesn't know when or why his first imprint broke. And I think no one will ever manage to explain that."

The pack had been reunited after helping to salvage what was left of Josh's belongings to discuss his imprint bond with Hannah Marsh. As Julia's father, Jared was the most interested person in the matter. He was relieved that at least one of his twin daughters was free from the imprint shackles. He questioned Josh thoroughly with no success.

"But it's possible. I mean to get rid of an imprint."

"Josh didn't get rid of it. The imprint bond disappeared by itself. It's different."

"How come?"

"Neither Josh nor Julia fought against it. It simply... faded away naturally, or so it seems."

"Is that all you have?"

"What we have are theories that can't be proved," I informed.

"Like what?"

I glanced over the back seat and Sarah followed my eyes. We weren't traveling alone so we had to be careful.

"They've been sleeping ever since we left." She said referring to Ryan and Norah.

"We believe that it's possible Josh and Julia's imprint bond faded away when he stopped phasing. Julia was just a baby when he imprinted on her. There's a twenty-year gap between them. At first, Josh was content being Julia's protector, just like Quil was with Claire. But he decided to stop phasing and that decision probably affected the imprint bond that became weaker over the years, and allowed Josh to marry Cristine and have a normal life."

"But now he's a wolf again. Why didn't the imprint bond with Julia return?"

"No one knows. Maybe it's because Josh is a different person now and his needs changed. Maybe it's because Julia doesn't need him anymore." I paused to contemplate my next words. "Anyway, this doesn't mean that Jay and Ella's imprint will die."

"Unless he stops phasing."

"We don't know that. As far as the imprint bond is concerned, it's the wolf inside of us that's in charge." I told her. "Why do you think the older wolves are still phasing?"

Sam, Quil, Jared, Embry, and Paul had thought about leaving the pack several times but they were afraid that once they stopped being wolves, the imprint bond would disappear and their families would crumble down like a castle made of cards.

Sarah looked through the window and fell silent.

"Are you going to ask him?" I questioned her. "To stop phasing," I added.

"No. I can't do that." She answered quietly. "He enjoys being a wolf. He never said it out loud and he never admitted it to me but I know he does. Isaac asked him to be his second-in-command and his relationship with his father improved a lot since he became a wolf. He's even starting to get along with Charlene and Preston."

"You turning into a wolf won't change anything either," I warned her.

"That's debatable."

"Are you really going to risk the thin balance between the packs just to try to get Jay away from his imprint?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "I'm still trying to adapt to everything. That's why I need some time away from La Push."

Two hours ago, when I was packing my bags, Sarah had walked into my room with her own bag all packed. She said she wanted to come with me and the kids. I refused immediately. Sarah meant trouble and I had too much on my mind as it was.

I had a bad feeling about leaving the Reservation this time. That feeling had intensified in the hours prior to my departure. Mom and William were not on good terms, and it was just a matter of time until the whole Reservation knew about Rhea's pregnancy. The Whites were going to have a fit. Especially Vanessa and Rhonda. I was also expecting some trouble coming from Peter Millson. Plus dad had just agreed to receive Alex Summers and Adam Locke in the next weeks to train them with the members of Isaac's pack.

Sarah cried and told me that she needed a break especially after everything she had gone through trying to protect William and Rhea's secret. She also promised she would talk to me about the Spirits that had been talking to her. And then I caved. She was my sister after all, and she had had a rough time in school lately.

"Can we talk about the Spirits now? The ones that talk to you?"

"There are no Spirits, Harry," Sarah confessed.

"Really? Then you just happened to guess that Rhea was pregnant?"

"She complained about being tired a couple of times, she was eating a lot and she once told me she couldn't stand the scent of weed coming from EJ's room. That's why I suggested a pregnancy test."

"What about all the stuff you know about mating?" I questioned not totally convinced. I didn't believe that Spirits were talking to my sister, but someone was. She was definitely hiding something.

"Isaac's been studying the packs with Carlisle. He loves to talk about it. I've been learning a lot about the packs' dynamics. Carlisle says I'm special because unlike mom, Aunt Gwen, and Rhea, I'm an alpha female by birthright. So when I phase, I'll be the only true alpha female that has ever existed."

God help us if that ever happens. I shivered.

xxxxxxxxxxx

We traveled more than two thousand miles and it took us about 27 hours to reach our destiny. If I had traveled alone in wolf form I would've reached Chicago in only a few hours but instead, it took us more than a day.

We were tired and hungry when we arrived yesterday and it was nearly dark as we entered Edward's old mansion. My tiredness was merely psychological for spending too many hours behind the wheel so, opposite my sister and Season's siblings, I didn't stumble into the bed and fell asleep after our light meal.

Instead, I stumbled into the bed with Season for the most pleasurable welcome of my entire life.

I kept myself awake after sleep claimed Season realizing that my father's words held some truth. If Rhea was gone, I could live with it. Actually, Rhea was going to be my sister-in-law, and I was okay with that. I had finally realized that it wasn't Rhea who was binding me to La Push, it was my family.

Season was the one I wanted. I didn't know what the future held but I knew I couldn't be without her.

As the first beams of sunlight entered through the window on that sunny morning, I made a promise to myself that I would never leave her alone again.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" Season asked. She had her back pressed into my chest and our hands were intertwined. I couldn't see her face but I knew she was smiling.

"No, you're not," I replied, smiling too.

"You came back."

"I did."

Season turned so she could face me.

"What happened in La Push?" She asked.

"Nothing much. Just the usual."

I wasn't being totally honest but right now I didn't want to tell her what had happened during the weekend.

Though my only purpose was to attend my youngest brother's birthday party, a lot of things had happened. Rhea's pregnancy had been confirmed, and both Will and Rhea had been forced to tell the truth about her condition. Mom and William had an argument. Sarah was being influenced by someone or something to keep up with her plan of turning into a wolf.

Hannah Marsh had found out about the existence of wolves and fled La Push. On our last attempt to solve the problem, Josh had imprinted on her, leaving the pack and the tribal elders confused because sixteen years ago he had imprinted on Jared's daughter, Julia.

And in three days a deadly war between the two most powerful vampire clans could start.

"I missed you." She kissed my neck. "I know it was only just a few days, but I really missed you."

"I can tell." I grinned. "We need to be careful now that there are more people in the house," I said when she guided her hands down my stomach.

"You know that once they wake up, we won't have time for this probably for as long as they stay here, right?" She whispered suggestively.

"If you put it that way..." I flipped us over so I could be on top.

Then I kissed her, taking the lead and leaving a path of kisses down her neck. Her hands went automatically into my hair. She managed to remain quiet during the preliminaries but once things got heated, Season was unable to control her moans.

Since I didn't want her to wake up the whole house, I kissed her until she was breathless. Season was so beautiful that I could hardly breathe myself.

I was now realizing how we fit perfectly. I could picture us having a life together, with kids and normal jobs. She wasn't a wolf, but she was a good match for me. I didn't need a mate. I needed an anchor. Someone who could keep me grounded and loved me for what I was.

"I missed you too," I said. And it was true. "I need to... I need to ask you something."

"Okay... What?" Season asked still breathless.

"Will you marry me?"

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