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 I – The Third
Isaac Black
81. Stupid Plan
My brother chickened out in the end. So when the taxi came, he just stood there watching Season and her siblings leave without a word. William tried to lift up his spirit but Harry was inconsolable. Before mom and dad arrived, he said he needed some time alone and left to the woods. We couldn't know for sure how he was feeling but Will did his best to describe it.
"Shit. He must be feeling like shit."
William, the eloquent. I thought. My brother had an amazing way with words. William was that kind of person who never sugarcoated things. That was one of the reasons why he was always in trouble. Because he spoke his mind without thinking about the consequences, and because he acted on impulse without care.
"How did you know about Season's condition?" I asked Sarah. She was quietly standing between William and me on the back porch.
"It was a hunch... I didn't know... but my wolf sensed it." She explained.
I believed her. For the past few days, we had noticed that Sarah, although controlled by her animal spirit was always around Season as if she knew something was going on with Harry's wife.
"Did you tell anyone?" Will questioned. "Because I don't think Harry can cope with more bullshit right now."
Our sister shook her head negatively.
"I haven't told anyone."
"Is it safe to leave Harry alone?" I asked not hiding my worries. Harry didn't share his twin brother's explosive temper but he was upset with Season's departure.
"Harry is not William," Sarah said and William glared at her. "He won't do anything stupid."
William ruffled our sister's long hair.
"You're going to have to cut it." He said. "You'll look like a cute little boy after that.." He teased her.
"It's not mandatory." She argued.
My brother and sister started an argument about haircuts.
I felt bad for Harry however I knew there was nothing we could do or say that would help him right now. Only time. Maybe Season could forgive him and take him back. Or maybe he would act and go after her. Either way, we'd have to wait.
"Hey, we could beat the crap out of EJ," William spoke out. Apparently the discussion about Sarah's haircut was over.
"What?" I asked. I knew my brother well enough to know he was serious about this. Needless to say, I didn't think to beat up our cousin would benefit us or Harry.
"Harry already did that yesterday," Sarah recalled.
"That was just a punch. I'm talking about teaching that asshole a real lesson. He should've kept his mouth shut."
"Actually I think this whole situation is Harry's fault, not EJ's," Sarah commented. "I warned him about this. When he got married, I told him that one day he would have to explain Season all about imprinting and mating. He chose not to do it and now he's paying for it."
"I can't believe you are on EJ's side," Will said accusingly.
"I'm not on his side! I'm just saying that Harry should have talked to Season as soon as he decided to get married because now... let's just say that I wouldn't be surprised if she never came back. Who the hell wants to be with someone who will abandon her when he finds his mate?"
"It's not mandatory." William copied Sarah's words from earlier.
"I think it is. That's why he's not doing anything to get Season back. He knows he messed up and he knows their marriage has a time limit."
"You know what? I think this whole wolf-turning thing wasn't good for you. First, you spend a whole week throwing yourself at Levi Uley and now you're siding with EJ and rooting for Harry's divorce!"
Sarah was not pleased with Will's comment. She clenched her fists trying to control her anger but she ultimately failed.
"I was not throwing myself at Levi!" She yelled at Will.
"You ran away to his house in the middle of the night and slept in his bed! More than once!"
"I was on wolf mode! I didn't know what I was doing!"
If that argument escalated we would have two giant wolves destroying the porch very soon so I placed myself between them.
"I'm sure William is just joking. He's not serious."
"I'm dead serious, Isaac," William said. "Dad didn't even want Levi and Sarah in the same room because he was afraid she would jump him and start making out." William had decided to push Sarah to the limit. And he was succeeding. "She looked like one of those annoying fangirls stalking their idols, trying to sit down on their laps, wanting to rub against them and feel the smell of their sweat..."
"Shut the fuck up, William!" Sarah growled. "If you keep saying I was throwing myself at Levi, I will kill you! I hate him and I hate you and I'm not surprised the Whites want you away from Rhea because you are a major asshole!"
That said, Sarah turned around and entered the house swinging the door with such force that it fell off.
"You're going to fix the door!" William shouted to our sister.
"You fix the fucking door!" She shouted back angrily. William laughed, proud of what he had achieved.
"She could have phased, Will," I warned him. "New wolves are extremely volatile."
"She's too easy to tease..." He kept laughing. I simply shook my head. William would never learn.
"I'm glad you're in such a good mood." Mom said. She and dad had just arrived. Dad entered the kitchen and came back with two cups of coffee. He gave one to mom who thanked him with a small peck on the cheek.
"Thank you, dad, for bringing a cup of coffee for your sons," William said with irony. Once again he was just teasing. This time dad was his target.
"My sons are all grown up. They can walk to the kitchen and pour a cup of coffee for themselves if they want to." Dad replied.
"It's the gesture that counts."
"What happened to the door?" Mom asked interrupting the argument.
"Sarah got angry," William said. "So what's the damn verdict?"
"You have a week to leave the Reservation," Dad announced.
"For how long?"
Our parents exchanged a look. I guess William wasn't going to like the answer.
"Two months."
"You have got to be kidding me! They can't do that, can they?" William asked. His fists were clenched. He was tense now and obviously upset.
"Yes, they can," Mom confirmed. "And trust me when I say that this is the best punishment you could ask for considering all the other suggestions the Whites made."
"Vanessa suggested you and Rhea should only get together after the birth of your son or daughter and it would depend on your ability to provide income which means you have to find a job," Dad informed.
"I had a fucking job! I can still be a pilot..."
"The job has to be nearby. They want you to help to raise the baby." Dad added. "Luckily for you, I need a new mechanic."
"I hate them!" William growled. "One of these days I'm going to kill them." He said. We all knew he wasn't serious but he was angry.
"And you don't know half of it," Mom whispered.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The Whites want guarantees."
"What guarantees?"
"They want to be one hundred percent sure that Will is the one who leaves the Reservation and Harry is the one who stays," Dad explained. "But because no one can tell you apart they want you to have a tattoo made. Something that will help them to identify you."
Will snapped.
"They want what? I'm really gonna kill those fuckers! The nerve of those people! What the fuck do they think I am? A fucking bull to be marked with a blazing iron? I'm not their pet! I'm not having any tattoo!"
"You have to. If you don't, they will impose more conditions. Conditions impossible to accept. And then because we won't agree with their terms, they will turn people against us. There's a tribal law that isn't used in more than two hundred years... but if they invoke that law we can lose the Council. All of us. The Blacks, the Atearas, the Uleys, the Clearwaters." Dad explained.
"Hal's in the Small Council," I recalled.
"That's not what he wants. He wants more." Mom growled. She hated the man. Hal was conceited and he loved to use the victim card. Initially, mom only had issues with Hal's youngest daughter, Vanessa but now the whole family seemed to antagonize mom and dad in every opportunity they had.
"So, you want me to tattoo my forehead so the Whites can recognize me. Is that it?"
Our parents lowered their eyes to the floor. That's not what they wanted but they probably considered it a sacrifice worth making.
"Your father bargained with them and he managed to get you a free pass inside the Reservation. You can choose six days during the time you'll be in exile, to come here and visit. And the tattoo... you can have on your wrist instead of your forehead. It will look nicer."
"Haha." William laughed dryly. "Will I be able to visit Rhea?"
"They never said you couldn't visit," Dad replied.
William took a deep breath.
"Okay, I'll have the damn tattoo." He finally conceded.
"They never said you should be the only one to have a tattoo," Dad informed with a grin.
William's grin matched dad's in a matter of seconds understanding that he was giving him a chance to overrule the White family's demand.
"In that case I'll get Harry." He said leaving immediately.
"This will get him in trouble, Jacob. You shouldn't have told him that," Mom finished her coffee and started examining the broken door.
"I don't hate the Whites as you do, but they're not going to mess with my kids," Dad said. "Everything will be fine. They just have to have different tattoos."
"Where is Will supposed to go during his exile?" I asked.
"Well, I think it would be nice for him to go and spend some time with the White pack." Mom said.
"The White pack? In Canada?" I believed Will would not like to go there.
"The White pack can use some help with Alex and Adam."
Dominic's older sons had just joined the pack and were still adjusting. Currently they were spending some time in La Push but apparently, dad was going to send them both home very soon. And recently the White pack had lost a member. Kinley had decided to leave the pack and resume his life with his wife and children. With one less wolf, Lance would definitely welcome an extra pair of hands or paws to deal with the younger members of his pack.
"He hates babysitting the younger wolves," I added.
Mom and dad rolled their eyes.
"Your brother hates everything we tell him to do. Plus it's temporary." Dad commented. And he was right.
"Two months. That's all we ask of him."
"So, who damaged the door?" Mom asked.
"Sarah," I replied. "Will was teasing her... she lost her temper."
Mom nodded and entered the house. For some reason, I doubted that Sarah would be the one fixing the back door. Fifteen minutes later, dad brought his toolbox.
Sarah was winning.
xxxxxxxxxx
Later that afternoon dad called me to check the perimeter with him. Ten minutes after we changed into our wolf forms he asked me to change back so we could talk.
"I didn't want to burden you more than you already are but there's no other way." He told me, fixing his shirt. "Your mother and I always knew our kids would be different. In a good kind of way, of course, but to be honest we were not ready to deal with Sarah's... condition so soon."
It wasn't a secret that dad had taken the news about Sarah's transformation like a blow in the guts. I think he and mom and always believed that one of their children would be able to have a normal life outside the supernatural world.
After the incident with the werewolf, I guess they had hopes that at least Sarah could somehow escape our destiny. After all female wolves were rare. But now, she was one of us and nothing indicated she was going to stop being a wolf anytime soon.
"I want you to stay by your sister's side every minute of the day." He said. "She doesn't trust me or mom the same way she trusts you."
"Sarah's stubborn. She'll notice what I'm doing and she'll get angry."
"Then let her get angry. You can control a wolf better when they're impulsive because they're sloppy. They make stupid mistakes that you can take advantage of."
"You want me to make her submit? To me?" I asked surprised.
"Yes, I do." He confessed. Dad has always sported freedom of choice so it was rather strange hearing him say that.
"Sarah's an alpha. She won't submit to me." I pointed out. Dad knew more than anyone that alphas are born leaders. They don't just submit to other alphas.
"She's not an alpha without a pack. Plus we can try."
"What's going on, dad? Why are you asking this?"
"Because I trust you. You're a lot more responsible than Harry and William. Besides they're in the middle of their own crisis right now. All I'm asking you is to protect your sister even if that means that you'll have to force her to submit to you."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"It's the only idea, Isaac. The only one that will guarantee her safety."
"What do you mean?"
"She's in heat." Dad lowered his voice though we were too far from the closest houses. "Even though her transformation only happened a week ago, she's entering the mating season that's why Alex and Adam said she was smelling different last night. You know what this means, Isaac. You've been studying the packs. Every wolf in this Reservation will feel attracted to her. They'll want to mate with her. And they won't stop until they have what they want."
"You and mom went through the same, right?"
"No, not the same. Leah got pregnant before she entered the first mating season."
"And after the twins were born?"
"Imprinted wolves didn't feel the attraction. At least not like the others. But even the others knew she was with me so they never tried anything. After you were born, I claimed her. Leah officially became the alpha female of our pack. Now mating seasons are just a period of time that implies a constant need to be with each other and the ability to conceive."
Sarah, JJ, and I were born in September, October, and November, respectively, which meant we were all products of the mating season. It wasn't relevant but it was a detail to retain about the alpha pair mating habits.
"But with Sarah everything's different. She was not supposed to get into heat so soon. Carlisle thinks female shapeshifters only reach sexual maturity after two years. Besides she's an alpha female by birthright, which means we are not completely sure that imprinted wolves will be immune to her condition." Dad continued.
"I don't feel anything."
"Because you share her blood. Me, you, the twins, and Uncle Seth won't feel attracted to her. But the rest of the wolves might. I can't have my daughter be chased around and raped by some I know, just because this supernatural shit is happening too soon. If you can't make her submit, we won't have any other option but to take her out of here."
"Where will you take her?"
"We don't know yet. Probably we'll ask Dana's help and then we'll decide what to do and where to take her."
"Wait... did you say that a female shapeshifter only reaches sexual maturity after two years?"
"Yes, why?"
"Because I just remembered something Odessa said, and you're not going to like it."
There was an emergency meeting later that night. Usually, we didn't meet with the tribal Council that late but it was important. Dad informed everyone about Doctor Cullen's theories and then he told me to tell the Council what I had remembered from Sarah's ritual.
"Her words were 'Let's just say that I can't wait two years for your sister to enter the mating season. This is just a boost'. And then she forced Sarah to drink something." I still had trouble recalling everything but I was one hundred percent sure about this. "I blacked out afterward."
"What's happening it's Odessa's fault. She wants us to take Sarah to the Makah Reservation." My mom said.
"If we ask her to fix things, will she do it?" Grandma Sue asked.
"Not without having something in return. That's how that old witch works."
"And what will that be? What can she possibly want from a 17-year-old girl?"
"She wants Sarah to stay in the Makah Reservation and marry a local boy. Then she wants them to have children. Those children will have the wolf gene and they'll guarantee the Makah people's future safety by having their own pack of wolf warriors."
The Elders didn't like what they heard but they were unable to provide a solution. Granddad Billy and Grandma Sue wanted Sarah protected. They suggested that she should never be left alone in our house and shouldn't wander out alone in the Reservation. They also suggested alpha commands be given to those who posed a threat so they wouldn't go anywhere near Sarah.
"Alpha commands are to be used in situations we can't control." Dad was against the Elders. Harry and I were not pleased about issuing alpha commands either.
"You can't control this, Jake," Granddad said.
"Are you suggesting I can't protect my own daughter?"
"No, Jake, that's not what Billy is trying to say." Grandma Sue came forward. "I think just like everyone in this room, Billy knows that what's happening is something new. We never had an alpha female like Sarah before. And I think we all agree with Doctor Cullen's theories about the effect this will have on the other wolves. can you imagine what might happen if they all feel the pull?"
"If we count with the imprinted ones we have sixteen wolves who can try to mate with your daughter," Sam said and moved uncomfortably in his seat. "Not to mention the rest of the White pack."
"The young wolves, I'm positive you can handle but... what about Paul or Jared? What about Sam, Josh, Denis, Collin?" Granddad Billy questioned. "What will you do if they go after Sarah? Kill them?"
"There's also the problem with direct confrontations. Males are brutal when they fight for the right to mate." Sam said. "If Rosalie Hale hadn't killed Jack Russell, you would have done it because you would never allow him to touch Leah."
"So what can we actually do to solve this mess?" Grandma Sue asked impatiently.
xxxxxxxxxxx
A strict set of rules was presented to Sarah after the Council's meeting and if she disrespected the rules, she would be sent off to a secluded location where the Cullens would monitor her 24/7.
She didn't take the news lightly. She felt that our parents didn't want her to be a protector of the tribe.
I hate every fucking one of you. Those were her last words that morning before closing herself in her bedroom. With Harry and William gone, I was left behind to make sure Sarah didn't leave the house. Apparently we had to protect her from herself the same way we would have to protect her from the other wolves.
Alex and Adam had been sent home two days ago. They would come back later to resume their training. The other wolves had been warned to stay away from my sister too. She didn't know what was happening yet. Our parents didn't want to tell her. Despite disagreeing with them, I respected their decision. Until now.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to ask someone else?" Sarah asked me after a long period of silence while we were eating lunch together.
"You know what's going on. Mom and dad don't want you to phase in public. You're too volatile."
"If that's true why did dad send Alex and Adam away?"
She was cornering me.
"Why did mom send JJ to Aunt Gwen's?"
Again I didn't have an answer.
"Why are you here babysitting me when you could be trying to talk things out with Sophia?"
"I suggest you talk to mom and dad once they arrive. They can tell you everything you want to know."
"Where are they?"
"They went to the Makah Res."
Mom and dad had decided to go and ask Odessa Clearview to reverse what she had done. They didn't know if that was possible but they felt they had to try.
"You are all so pathetic," Sarah said with some disdain. William was right about her. Turning into a wolf had made my sister a different person. Or maybe it was the imprint bond between the man she loved and our cousin that had made her cold and vicious. But whatever it was, I hoped she could become the old Sarah again.
"What are you talking about?"
"How didn't you realize that I know."
"Know what?"
"Everything, dummy. I know why you're keeping me company. And I know why I'm a fucking prisoner in this house."
"You know?" I wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or just making this up to see my reaction.
She nodded.
"There were others, you know?" She said with a huge grin.
"Others?" I asked not knowing what she meant.
"Female wolves. There were others before me, and before mom."
"What do you mean?"
"Odessa told me. Things were chaotic in the beginning. Once the mating season started wolves were in a frenzy to mate with the female wolf. It was always the alpha that had more chances of mating due to his status within the pack but when he wasn't around, the female could mate with other wolves. She said that it doesn't matter what your human part wants, only what your wolf desires."
"Are you serious? You knew about it all along!"
"Of course I did. This was why I wanted to phase in the first place."
"Why?"
"It hurt when I realized I wasn't good enough for Jay. I wasn't imprinting material." Sarah's voice was laced with something more than sadness. "Now that I'm a wolf just like you and the others, I don't need to feel that way anymore. I'm special. A rarity. I'm better than any imprint out there. I'm an alpha female because I'm the daughter of La Push's alpha pair which means I can start my own pack and I can choose my mate. Once I claim Jay as my mate, he'll be free from Ella and from your pack. He'll be with me, forever."
"Do you have any idea of what you're saying?"
"Yes."
"Then you know you can't claim Jay!"
"I'm an alpha. I can claim whoever I want!"
"You're not strong enough to claim a male wolf! He'll claim you instead and he'll strip you of your position as an alpha!"
"How do you know that?"
"I don't... it's just a theory." I confessed.
"Then I guess I'll just have to prove you wrong."
Sarah stood up from the kitchen's table and started to tie a change of clothes to her ankle.
"Where are you going?"
"Where do you think?"
"Don't-"
I tried to follow her but my legs trembled and I fell hard on the kitchen's cold floor.
"I'm sorry about that, Boo. I truly am."
"What did you give me?"
"It will make you sleep for a few hours. In the meantime, I'm going to find Jay. I'll tell mom and dad that it wasn't your fault."
"If you leave this house, bad things can happen! You can be raped! Your plan is stupid!"
"Have some faith in me, Isaac." She turned around and left.
"Sarah!" I called. "Sarah, come back!"
I fought against the thing that was numbing my body but in the end, Sarah won.
Thanks for the reviews: Guest(s), CentaurPrincess, brankel1, Mel9kiSihou, Island Mama, Weave the Magic, Kary G, almondbutter, rocklesson86, TheSlytherinQueenbee, nikkieowens, nene82743, Deadman'sGun, bonzgirl, Jazzmatazz30, sia-gomo01, FangsandDaggers, Sagal Farah, chemistrykim, Daughter of the earth, Gizmo60, EvangellaAkriti, Sarah Blackwater, lory77, Beauty Eclipsed, tcpg02, Aiyanna Clearwater, Ebble, riskingit, Ella Tremaine, shadoxwolfpaw, Jaybeecee, MammaNita4, daniela, Candie Marie, etforreal.
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Take care,
Karisan.
Answer to the question "Is the thing with Aro and Didyme canon in S. Meyer story?" - I don't remember much from Breaking Dawn because I hated the book. But I think someone at some point hints that Aro could have murdered his sister. In Meyer's website, she explains the whole thing though: Didyme and Marcus wanted to leave the coven and when Aro found out he didn't like it, so he murdered Didyme without anyone knowing hence stopping Marcus from leaving the Volturi. It's never mentioned how he did it. ;)