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Chapter 15

"I'm sorry a what now?" Alaya asked, confused by what he was trying to tell her. Noah's face was poker straight, showing her this wasn't some sort of joke or a case of making up random words to placate her. She searched her mind for something to do with the word, something familiar but came up empty. It's sounded pretty though, hopefully, something beautiful...not something to be feared.

"An Amaris. It translates to a child of the moon," Noah explained with a chuckle. His expression softened, no longer void of emotion, clearly finding her question a little funny.

"As opposed to a sun child? I'm still confused," she replied, tone a little clipped. Alaya did not appreciate the fact that Noah clearly found her confusion amusing as the smile remained strong on his face.

"You said you wanted your story. That's what you are," Neve chipped in, also being no help whatsoever. Alaya turned her attention briefly to her, sat next to Noah but with none of the laughter on her face. She seemed serious, thankfully finding none of this in the least bit funny either.

"Well, my story makes no sense. What in the hell is an Amaris? I'm a werewolf. Born a werewolf, an Omega for crying out loud. So how does that make me the protector of someplace I've never been? I'm not strong enough to protect myself," Alaya rambled out, feeling like nothing was making sense. What was the point in finding out what was going on with her if none of it helped her understand it? She fought the urge to pace, her wolf, just like herself getting anxious with only snippets of information.

"Shadow Moon," Neve interjected into her ramble, stalling her for a moment. Alaya looked at her with even more confusion wishing the two of them would quit throwing random words in her direction, expecting her to understand them. Her wolf paused inside of her though, Adolpha clearly finding interest in that particular word.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Shadow Moon. That's where we are from. Where you are meant to be," Neve continued, giving her yet more information she couldn't quite grasp. Alaya growled a little despite herself, wanting to get up and shout at them both, QUIT MAKING NO SENSE! Instead, she tried to calm herself and run through exactly what little information she had grasped right now.

"Ok, hold up just a second. You're telling me I'm some weird Amaris, moon child thing, that is meant to be at a place called Shadow Moon so that I can protect it? That about right?" Alaya rushed out, looking at both Noah and Neve for reassurance that she hadn't missed anything. They both nodded at her like everything she had just said didn't sound absolutely crazy and make no sense whatsoever. She had never heard of a place called Shadow Moon or an Amaris? Surely a place a few days hike from here she would know about? She knew about Shallows Keep run by Fredrick Connors. Also, Lavenders Fields four days from her community, run by Carmela Danvers and her small pack. Yet a place called Shadows Moon had somehow escaped their knowledge?

Doubtful...

"Ok someone is going to have to explain exactly what an Amaris is. Because I've never heard of this, any of this? And everything is starting to spin and I just need to know why this is all happening ok?" Alaya continued, emotion thick in her voice as she struggled to digest everything at once. Noah came towards her in one swift motion, cradling her knees as he crouched by where she sat. His gaze was full of emotion as he looked into her eyes. They were like a mirror image of her own, the silver seemed to twist and turn like liquid mercury. She kept ahold of his gaze as she breathed, using him as an anchor.

"Luna I know all of this seems crazy but I promise you, this will all work out ok. An Amaris is special. It means our Goddess Artemis has bestowed a gift, upon us both. There isn't rank at Shadow Moon because the Amaris are above it all. We have a power inside of us that makes even the strongest Alpha seem as weak as an Omega," he breathed out slowly, squeezing her knees, reassuring her he was still there and would be through all of it.

"But I was read as an Omega? If I'm this all-powerful wolf as you say, then how come Tunika read me as an Omega?"

"I'm not entirely sure as we don't have that custom where we are from. No one is read because it isn't needed. The chosen ones are born with eyes of the moon so we know our destiny from birth. It could be that you hadn't accepted your wolf yet or maybe because your power remained hidden from others around you because of the danger?" Noah explained as best he could, his brow furrowed, his gaze leaving hers as if deep in thought. At least that small fact made sense to Alaya. If rank wasn't important at Shadow Moon and the Amaris were obvious from birth then there would be no need for an Ascendants ceremony.

"Danger? What danger? I’ve never been in danger here," Alaya stated, even though the dread in her gut told her a different story. Luther hadn’t been an issue before the Ascendants ceremony so she would have had no reason to fear him back then. Unfortunately, some wolves were obnoxious, feeling as though Omegas were a stain upon their kind. And Luther's family were one such family. But that didn't explain why her true nature had been hidden from everyone including herself?

"There was a time before shadow moon. Before the Amaris. When there were only 3 ranks of wolf and packs grew in numbers and strength. Every rank had a purpose, each equally as important as the other. Like a tree, the roots are the foundation, without them the tree would die."

Alaya loved the way he explained a pack and she felt the exact same way. Each rank held importance. Without the Alphas to keep control the pack would fall into chaos but without the others there would be no pack in the first place, just a bunch of Alphas at each others throats, vying for control.

"Artemis was pleased with how her children grew and loved, but over time she saw how the Alphas started to disregard the Omegas, punishing them for their weakness instead of using their own strength to protect them. Some packs even killed those who were Omega instead of letting them stay in the pack, thinking it would make their pack weak. But then Amara was born." Noah continued, pausing for a moment. Alaya didn't like the silence, the heaviness that tried to settle over her skin because of it.

"Who is Amara?" Alaya interjected, feeling she would be important, the name feeling like a whisper, part of a fairytale she had yet to understand.

"She was the very first Amaris and was the daughter of Damien, one of the strongest Alphas of all time. As she grew, her father noticed how little his commands affected her, how she brushed them off. He believed her to be a strong Alpha, much like himself. Amara saw the tyranny her father raged down on the others in their pack and she wanted to show him there could be another way. She had dreamt of packs with no ranks, all werewolves living as one. She claimed Artemis herself had instructed her to bring forth a change, for one pack to rule over all and none all at once. Her father laughed at her notions and disregarded her pleas for change," Noah explained, his lips becoming a tight line as if the next few words would be painful ones. Alaya leaned closer to him, like a child eager for their bedtime story, something in the pit of her feeling increasingly familiar with the words he was saying.

"As the years passed Amara grew in beauty and hidden strength. But when it was time for Amara to have her calling, to call forth her wolf, she refused. She called to her pack to stand against their Alpha, to be free. Damien, in a fit of rage, sentenced her to death. But when the time came for him to carry out his punishment she called out to the pack around her, once again asking for their help, promising them freedom. Her wolf came forward, protecting the pack from his Alpha influence and together they stood up against Damien, he had no power without his pack behind him. He was a tree with no roots. An Alpha with no pack to control. He had finally fallen.”

The thought of a wolf being separated like that from his pack made a chill run down Alaya's spine. Bad guy or not a loss like that must of been devastating, for all included. No one should have that kind of power really, the ability to wreck families, wreck homes and live’s within a split second. Alaya didn’t voice her concern though, allowing Noah to continue the story.

“Amara banished him and started the first Shadow Moon. A pack that held no ranks, that all were equal and not forced under the control of an Alpha. Even though she had the power to control all she did not, using her strength purely to protect others. She started to create the pack Artemis had shown to her."

"Wow. That sounds like a sanctuary. Where ranks do not matter and everyone is equal. How have I not heard of an Amaris before? Oh a shadow moon. Every wolf should have the chance to join this pack."

"Because that story did not have a happy ending," Noah said, his voice low, " Damian gained quite a following, convinced others that his daughter wanted to take over all packs, that she was trying to build an army of her followers to kill every single Alpha that remained. Spreading lies, painting himself as the victim, an Alpha whose own daughter had stolen his pack from under him he started to gather a following. And after a few failed attempts from others to gain control of Shadow Moon, no Alpha strong enough to defeat Amara, more started to listen to what Damien had to say."

"Oh god. I'm not going to like what comes next am I?" Alaya breathed as fear tingled down her arms as if she was living this story.

"No, you definitely will not."

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