Chapter 29

Amaris thought she heard Anna wrong. Werewolves?! “What do you mean?” Amaris was about to laugh. She thought that Anna was trying to lighten the mood with a joke, but one look at her face and Amaris knew that she wasn’t.

“When there is a full moon, when there is danger, when we are protecting our pack. We turn into wolves. The dogs that you heard howling here and the ones at the hotel were a rival pack. They are the ones that are trying to stop you from coming to power. Since they think that you are the chosen one from the moon goddess that the legends talk about they want you for their own. Their leader most likely wants to make you his mate to form an alliance, so that the two of you will rule together over all the packs.”

Amaris just sat and stared. What Anna was saying did not make sense and yet it fit all the weird stuff that had been happening. Anna and her family were werewolves, and that would also make her a werewolf. Amaris suddenly sat down on the lower side of the pile of logs. “I’m a werewolf too? How? Wouldn’t I know it?” She looked at Anna is disbelief.

“You don’t change until the first full moon after your 17th birthday. However some of us will start to have some minor changes before. Better hearing, better eyesight, better sense of smell, craving meat more, wanting to be outdoors all the time. Things like that. The first time you turn it is very painful. You have no control over it and it will happen faster if you are directly in the moon light, but it will happen even if it is cloudy. It just takes longer.”

Amaris took a moment to absorb all this. Then it dawned on her. “Tonight is the full moon!” Amaris burst out standing up. Anna came over to put her arm around Amaris’ shoulders and sat her down once more. “Now you know why I have been trying to get the adults to tell you. It is better that you know what is happening. No one here wants to say anything because they are all afraid that they are going to interfere with the moon goddess. They all seem to believe all the crazy old stories and believe that you are the daughter of the moon goddess come here to unite the packs and rid us of our enemies.”

“I am not some moon goddess, or moon goddess’ daughter, or whatever. I’m not even sure that I am a werewolf. All of this sounds so fantastical.” Amaris was reeling now. Anna grabbed another stump that was nearby and moved it closer to sit down on in front of Amaris. She leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, “Mari, there is a lot more that you need to know. I do not know everything, but you are supposed to have abilities beyond the regular wolf. You are also supposed to have a special mate. He will inherit some of your abilities by your marking him. I guess that is why there are leaders of other packs after you, and I also suspect that is why Adam was hitting on you back in the kitchen. Watch out for him. I don’t trust him. I saw the look on his face when you moved away from him and it was pure anger, before he hid it away and put on his fake smile.” Anna looked at her friend worried that Amaris would not believe her. “Mari, I will stick as close to you as I can to help you through this. Tonight will be tough. It was for me the first time. There is a lot to learn about being a werewolf, and about werewolves in general. I really wish that Gran was here to tell you everything that you need to know because I feel like she knows more than any of us. “

One of the adults had come out and was now hearding the teenagers in from the campfire and putting it out. Anna grabbed Amaris’ hand.”Come on Mari. Let’s introduce you to your pack.”

The two girls walked inside and found that it was standing room only at the very back of the room. The girls were both on the shorter side, so they were not really able to see the front very well. There were several very tall men at the back of the room in front of them. Amaris was very aware of the smell of all the bodies in the room. She could tell the men from the women. The teenagers, from the adults, and she could even tell that there were no children in the room. There was one scent that she could not place. It smell so enticing she felt drawn to it. She could not place the scent but knew it was vaguely familiar. She felt a strong urge to seek it out but knew the meeting was starting and she needed to stay put. She still found herself sliding over in the direction of the aisle to try and find the source of it. Anna put her hand on Amaris’ arm and shook her head as she pointed with her other hand at the front of the room. Amaris got a hold of herself and tried hard to stay still and pay attention, as someone began to speak up front. She recognized the voice as Adam’s. Then she remembered that in Lyle’s absence, Adam has been acting as the leader of the village.

“It’s good to see you all here. Our village, and all the people of this mountain have been waiting for this night for a long time. Tonight is the night that we welcome the daughter of the goddess at her first full moon. And tonight is the night that she will choose her life mate.” Many of the people that were standing at the back of the room turned around and looked directly at Amaris. Anna and Amaris stared at one another. Amaris mouthed to Anna ‘choose a life mate!’

“Since the ceremony comes on the heels of the tragedy that happened in our village these last few days, I would like to take a moment to remember the wolves who gave their lives to protect us. Damon will you please read out the names of our brave lost protectors.” Adam stepped back and allowed an older man to move to the center. He began to read out name after name from a list. Amaris felt guilty and that guilt grew with each new name that was read. All these people would be alive today. Almost everyone standing in this room would have a home to goto tonight if it were not for her. Amaris began to cry. She suddenly found that she could not stay and hear any more names read from the list. She turned before Anna could grab her arm and ran out the door that they were standing near. As she ran down the steps she went around the house heading to the wood pile that she and Anna sat and talked at before. She came around the side of the house and ran right into a person. Amaris reached out and grabbed this person before they could fall over. She saw the long grey hair first. Then realized that the person she had just run into was Gran.