Chapter 192

Amaris sat back and looked at Gran who had a big grin on her face. Anna walked over and squeezed in between Lyle and Amaris. "Sorry Romeo, but we need to get this meeting moving, and you just can't help yourself." She said patting Lyle on the shoulder at his disappointed look. Lyle rubbed the back of his neck again and smiled raising his hands in the air. "Got me." There were a few laughs and then everyone turned back to Gran. "Well, as I was saying. We will be splitting up." Everyone gathered around her nodded. Gran had presented this idea already, and no one seemed to disagree with her. "Lyle you will be taking Amaris and hiding. NONE of us is to know where you are." Amaris' eyes grew wide and worry now crept in. Up to this point she had been able to stay safe because she had the help of a lot of people. She did not want anyone else to die, and she was afraid that she would get Lyle killed if he felt that he was her only line of defense. Gran pointed a finger at Amaris. "Don't you worry about the rest of us, and do not worry that Lyle is risking his life. You two were meant to be together, you are mates after all. You will look out for each other." Gran nodded as if that was all there was to be said on the subject. "As for the rest of us. I will be breaking us up into teams. We will be laying several false trails for the King to follow. Hopefully one of these will draw him out. Andreas and Alexis, I am splitting you two up. I want you each to captain a separate strike squad. You will divvy the men as you would like, but you will each go with one of the diversion groups. Christos, Marco, Jason, Persia, Nicholas, Giorgos, and I will be in one group. Emily, Ben, Nikos, Michalis, Anna, and Taji will be in the other. You will coordinate with Alexis and my group will work with Andreas' group. Team one, you will head west out to France. Emily and Ben you know where to go. Anna, you will help as your decoy for Amaris. Persia, you will do the same with our team in England. You will not be in any danger, just laying a false trail." Everyone was very quiet around the room as Gran laid out the plan. "That is it for the big stuff. I suggest that we all eat, and coordinate within each team, and then get some sleep. I want everyone out of here by 8am tomorrow. No exceptions." She said looking at Lyle. He nodded, and then said. "I was actually thinking of getting her out of here tonight. I have a plan and I think we should start moving as soon as possible." He said to the group at large. Everyone took that as their cues to start gathering their things and leaving. There were many hand shakes, hugs, and good lucks, as everyone started to leave the living room and prepare to head out. Anna spun in her seat and gave Amaris a big hug. "I am going to miss you honey! We will have to see how far this mental link actually works." Anna looked as if she did not want to let Amaris go. Gran walked up to the girls. "I am afraid Anna dear, that you will not be using the mind link except in dire most need. That would be too easy a way to use you to lure Amaris and Lyle into a trap." Gran said putting her hand on Anna's shoulder. There was a sadness in Anna's eyes, but she silently nodded and then gave Amaris' hand one last squeeze and stood and gave first Gran and then Lyle hugs good bye. "You take care of my best friend or I will hunt you down and kick your ass." Lyle chuckled "Yes Ma'am." he said as he let go of Anna's arms and watched her walk away. There were tears glistening in her eyes now. Taji was waiting for her at the doorway. He waived goodbye and wrapped his arm aroung Anna and placed a kiss on the top of her head before leading her away.

The only people left in the room were Amaris, Lyle and Gran. She pulled the rocking chair closer to the couch and sat leaning in conspiratorially toward the pair who had sat back down. Gran reached out each of her hands and took one of each of theirs and held it. She looked down at their connected hands as if to memorize them. Gran looked Amaris in the eye. "You two need to stay safe, stay out of sight. It will not be easy. You are being hunted, and this time there will be no mercy." Amaris saw the tremendous sadness and guilt in Gran's eyes. Amaris put her free hand on top of Gran's that was grasping hers. "Amaris dear, you have so many new things to live for. Remeber that. You have already done so much, and you will do still more for werewolves. I am sorry that I was not able to tell you about all this sooner. If I had told you before your birthday, they would have found you sooner. You are very special, and the things that you bring to this life will out weigh the many trials that you will have." Gran's eyes shifted to Lyle. He was looking away as if he felt like he was intruding on their private moment. "Lyle, I know that you love my girl, and you will do everything to keep your family safe. You will need to keep moving no matter what, or they WILL find you. You will need all of your wolf skills to keep you both alive." Gran looked into the air behind them. " You both will need to keep those little ones safe. Before and after they get here. They too will be hunted." Amaris' eyebrows knitted together in confusion and Lyle stared at Gran with his mouth slightly open in surprise. Amaris seemed to process and reject what she heard. With an incredulous look she squeezed Gran's hand. "What are you talking about? Little ones? Lyle and I aren't going to have any children for a long time. We need to get out of this mess first." Amaris looked to Lyle to back up what she had said. Lyle was still sitting there stunned. He slowly moved his frozen eyes to Gran. "Then the tapestry is true?" He asked the old woman. A small, sad smile played on her lips. "Yes, I am afraid so." Lyle sat back contemplating and deflated somehow. Amaris looked from one to the other who sat in silence. Neither said a word. Gran looked at Lyle seeming to wait for him. Lyle took a deep breath, his adam's apple bobbing noticably with the swallowing of what seemed to be a bitter pill from the look on his face. "Okay. I know what I must do then." Amaris pulled her hands free and started to protest, but Gran cut her off. "Love her, make the most of the time you have together, and most of all keep them safe." Gran reached up and rubbed Lyle's upper arm. Ignoring Amaris' protests about being left out of the loop again, Gran stood. Amaris stood also. Gran reached forward and wrapped her in an embrace. "I love you my girl. I hate leaving you now, but it is our time to part." Gran released Amaris and walked out of the room.