Chapter 30

Amaris let out a squeal of delight and then wrapped her arms around Gran and gave her a big hug. “Your here. How did you get away? Are you okay?” Amaris was now holding Gran at arms length, afraid to let go of her.

“I’m fine child. Lyle found me and got me out of there. We had to hurry to get back here before moon rise. We almost didn’t make it.” Gran took Amaris’ hand and led her over to the stumps from the circle around the firepit. “Sit down we need to talk.” Gran took a seat on one of the stumps and motioned for Amaris to take the one next to her.

“Gran, Anna told me all about the werewolves. She told me just before we went into the meeting. I’m not sure what to make of it all. And do you know anything about what Adam said in there? He said that I need to choose my life mate tonight?”

Gran’s face looked very worried. “This was why I did not want you to come here until after the first full moon. I was afraid they would try and force you to choose.” Gran shook her head with a look of frustration. “There are more forces at work here than I think that we know. I think there maybe a few individuals that are trying to influence you. We need to tread very carefully. I think that you should stay away from Adam for the moment..” Gran looked Amaris over from head to toe.

“I know. He tried to kiss me earlier this evening I think.” Amaris felt like she had a close call. as she sat with Gran she could faintly smell the same scent that she had smelled earlier. It was intoxicating.

“You did not kiss him did you?” Gran asked seriously. Amaris was having a hard time concentrating on what gran said. She shook her head. Gran breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. We need to talk about a lot. I think we will try to stay away from the meeting. Adam is just trying to put you on display and use you as a show of power. There are other pack leaders here tonight as well.” Amaris got worried. “Gran, Adam told everyone in there that they were doing some sort of ceremony with me. I may have slipped out for the moment, but they will come and find me.”

Gran thought for a moment. “Very well. It is important that we talk undisturbed for a while. I did not want to go indoors, but if we have to then that is what we do. Did anyone give you a cell phone or anything trackable?”

Amaris thought about this “No. The clothes are new, but other than that I don’t even have a watch.” Gran nodded and took a good look at her and then stood and took off her coat. “Take off all your clothes girl. Now. Quickly.” She held out her coat. Amaris was confused but Gran was wise and knew what she talking about usually, so Amaris quickly took off her clothes and folded them on the stump. She took the coat from Gran which was long on Gran but thigh length on Amaris. Gran began to walk, not towards the house as Amaris expected, but towards the woods. “Gran, where are we going? I thought we were going back into the meeting.” Gran turned around and made a shushing sign to Amaris, and then continued walking into the woods. Amaris wasn’t sure where they were going, but she was fairly sure that there was only trees this way, and it was only outdoors not indoors.

Gran walked for a distance into the woods. At a certain point she stopped, looked back and listened. “Do you hear anything?”

Amaris looked around she could hear only the woodland sounds. “No. I don’t hear anything but the woods.” Gran immediately bent down brushed a few leaves aside. There was another trap door. It seems even the woods had hidden tunnels. Amaris bent and helped gran lift the heavy door. When it came up Amaris realized that the leaves that were on the door stayed attached to it. Gran waved Amaris down the ladder and then followed behind her. When Gran closed the trap door the leaves all settled over it so that you would never know that the door was there. On the inside, an overhead light came on. Amaris looked around and realized that they were in some kind of underground bunker. At the back of the main room, were what appeared to be jail cells with thick metal bars. Gran finished climbing down into the room. She walked past Amaris and sat at the table in the far chair. Gran pointed to the nearest chair for Amaris to sit.

“My dear there is much to tell you and not much time to do it. First, I must ask you to promise me this. When I tell you to go in the cell, you go into the cell and stay there. No questions asked.” Gran reached over and put her hand over Amaris’ that was resting on the table. Amaris had no idea why Gran was asking this, but Amaris trusted Gran. Amaris looked around nervously but nodded.

“Good. Ok. Let me start with happy birthday Amaris. I know that you were told that they thought you were the one in the prophecies. Your parents were also the subjects of a prophecy and that was why they went into hiding. Many wanted to keep you from being born because they thought you were a threat to their status. Your parents thought that they could get you away from here to keep you safe. They were set up. The phone call that your parents got that your grandfather was on his deathbed and asked for your mother was a fake. The men that were waiting on the mountain were there to ambush them. We still do not know who it was that set them up. Lyle has tried to find out over the years, but he did not have any luck. Right now it is very important that you trust no one but myself and Lyle. We are the only two left who can be trusted. “. Gran was sincere but also very sad.

“How did you know my parents were betrayed?” Amaris asked curiously. “Because your grandfather had died 3 days before. No one had told your mother because she was in hiding. We only know what they were told because your father left a message on his Beta’s answering machine the morning before their drive up the mountain. Lyle’s father was Beta then and he had patrols out at the village gate, but not further down the mountain. Who ever gave them the info, knew where the patrols would be. It was Grover in fact who had heard the message on the Beta’s machine in his office. He could not get in touch with the Beta so he told a trusted lieutenant who was near at hand.” Amaris had been afraid more for Gran all this time, but now that she was back and sitting safely before her, Amaris was now beginning to feel afraid for herself. “I contacted Grover after the hunters found you out on the mountain. He told me what I have just told you. He also advised me to not tell anyone. He said that he did completely trust a few people in the pack, but that he would only tell one other that was on the council at the time, that you were alive, and that was it. I was charged with the care of you by that member of the council and Grover with your protection.” Gran lowered her head “Grover was a good man and a good friend.” Amaris got up and walked around the table and hugged Gran. “It’s fine. I will be fine. I made my piece with Grover’s fate as well as my own. Now there are several things that you do need to know.” Gran quickly pulled herself together, and trudged on. “I assume Anna told you what you are?”  Gran Search Amaris’ face.  She nodded.  “You are a werewolf, but more than that you are the rightful Luna of this pack. Alpha blood runs in your veins. Blood of the house of Shadow.  A powerful werewolf family going back many generations.  They will be asking you to take your place as leader and take over leadership of this pack. I believe that is what Adam meant to do at the meeting this evening. Since you disappeared, I am sure that he has the whole pack out there looking for you. He will also try to force you to choose your mate. Werewolves mate for life. They can either choose a mate on their own or find their chosen mate. When you find your chosen mate the bond is much stronger and as a result the two of you are much stronger. This is something that you will feel very powerfully when you first see them. And you will only be able to find them after you come of age. The more powerful bonds sometimes can detect each other a little sooner.  They may be able to smell their mate. Detect a spark between them when they touch, even feel a strange pull drawing them to each other. However, all that is gone for them if they choose a mate on their own before they find their chosen wolf. The other wolf in that chosen pairing will still know their true mate, but also feel the loss like that mate died because they have found them and they are already mated to another. Most wolves do not survive long if this happens. This is why they want to force you to choose before you find your chosen mate. It is said that the two of you together will be unstoppable.” Amaris had a strange feeling coming over her. It was like her skin was crawling. Every inch of it itched and moved of its own accord. She started scratching at it everywhere. Her mind was still able to focus somewhat on this important conversation. She was finally getting her answers. She knew there was more, but one important thing came to mind about what Gran had just said.

“Gran, I think he is here. I smelled the most incredible and alluring scent tonight when I walked into the meeting. I was drawn to it, but Anna held me back. I stayed where I was, because I did not know what it was. If I had known I would have pursued it.”

“So you know that he is here. Good. Hold on to that. Now it looks like it is time for you to go into one of those cells and lock yourself in.” Amaris was surprised. She had so many more questions, and knew that there must be much more that Gran had to tell her, but she had made a promise. Amaris did as Gran said and got up from the table and walked across the room to the first cell she walked in and closed the door behind her. It shut with and clang and a click. She was now locked in.