Episode 16

...Kyra Merson...

Atop the hillside cabin, Kyra gazed at the moon through her bedroom window, furrowing her brow as the giant celestial orb suddenly blushed crimson. A trembling vibration sent a chill down her spine; she'd never witnessed such a phenomenon before. With questions burning inside her, there was only one person who could possibly hold the answers—Ravena, her mother.

"Mother, did you feel that?" Kyra inquired, her face etched with concern.

Ravena sighed heavily, nodding affirmatively to the anxious daughter before her.

"Why is the moon red?"

"It's a blood moon. The last time the moon took on this hue, it was over a millennium ago."

"What does it mean?"

"It signifies that fate has been cast, the chess pieces are now in motion, and the one who can alter the course of humanity has embarked on her quest."

"Mother, I'm not following."

"You're only making me more perplexed. What was that vibration? I felt a powerful magic in the air."

"The ancient holy seal has been breached, and a formidable being has been released.

Amara Follen has finally begun her journey.

May the Moon Goddess guide her steps.

[...]

Mist hovered over the forest, bestowing upon it a spectral air. The night was colder than usual, nocturnal creatures utterly silent; the quietitude so profound, it felt as though Amara were traversing through her own soul.

She could sense the presence of a new entity within her. Plagued by unanswered queries, she couldn't comprehend how she, who'd lived her entire existence believing herself to be an ordinary omega without her wolf, had suddenly inherited a vampire's spirit. Her whole life, now chaos, seemed nothing but an elaborate falsehood. Seeking truths, she approached the one individual who might divulge them.

Slipping to the pack's border where her father patrolled, upon sighting him alone, she approached.

"Father?"

Lian, stricken with shock at the sight of his daughter, could scarcely believe his eyes. Grabbing her by the wrist, he led her away to privacy, seeking to avoid drawing attention. His heart sank at the sight of her forlorn state, recognizing the moment of revelation had arrived.

"Father? Please, gaze into my eyes and tell me, why am I unlike you and mother?" Amara implored with a choked voice.

"Amara..."

Taking a deep breath, Lian scrutinized the girl before him. He could see her features had morphed into a vampiric visage; her crimson eyes capable of piercing someone's soul. With profound sadness, he disclosed to his daughter a secret he'd harbored in his heart.

"My child, know that no matter what, you will always be my daughter."

"I'm not truly your daughter, am I? Just tell me—how did I come to be within a werewolf pack?"

"I cannot explain how it came to pass, only that you were left at our old doorstep. I recall that night vividly. Returning from the castle, I found a basket at our door, with you inside, so small and defenseless. Your mother had lost our baby during childbirth, still recovering when you arrived. We believed the Moon Goddess had sent you to alleviate our sorrow. Thus, we raised you as our own. The sole memento left by your birth family was this necklace around your neck, which your mother safeguarded for years. Before succumbing in my arms during the battle with the vampires, she made me vow to give it to you. That is the entire tale."

Amara absorbed each uttered word, feeling as though the ground had crumbled beneath her feet, leaving her in freefall. Her life, her lineage—all a grand deception.

"Daughter, I swear, I had no inkling you belonged to the vampire clan."

"Had you known, would you have loved me?"

"My love for you extends far beyond your origins," Lian affirmed, planting a kiss on his daughter's forehead.

"Tell me, has anyone seen you in this state?"

"Yes, the alpha Brandon."

"You need to leave; by now, they'll be searching for you. I lack the answers you seek, but perhaps you may find them among the vampire clan.

Go now, before it's too late."

Amara bid her father farewell and set out toward the vampire clan.

...Brandon Scott...

Brandon strained to comprehend the recent events. The vision of Amara's vampiric form haunted him; he felt betrayed by her concealment of this truth. Grappling with how his mate bond could be tethered to a creature of another species was overwhelming.

In secrecy, he dispatched Linkon and a trusty few of his werewolves to hunt Amara while ordering Lian's imprisonment on charges of conspiring with vampires.

[...]

...Amara Follen...

Three days had passed since Amara's parting with her father. Weary and famished, she roamed the forest, weakened of body and mind. After so much wandering, she reached her limit. Her steps grew leaden, her surroundings spun, and heaviness overwhelmed her eyelids until darkness enveloped her.

When her eyes cracked open with effort, they took in her surroundings—a rustic cabin where logs crackled in the hearth, a round table flanked by four chairs tucked in a cozy corner, an antiquated stove alongside a second single bed. The place was clean and orderly, the air fragranced with the sweet scent of lavender. As she surveyed the room, the creak of the wooden door beckoned her attention. A woman with long silver hair flowing down her back entered. Amara couldn't discern the woman's age but felt the magic she radiated.

"You've awoken at last, child. Fear not, I mean you no harm," the woman reassured, noting the wary gaze of the girl.

"Where am I? And who are you?"

"We are concealed from all creatures' eyes.

And as for who I am—some once named me the ancient witch, but you can call me Violet."

Shock widened Amara's eyes, recognizing before her was Kyra's grandmother, presumed dead.

"I thought you were deceased; your family believes you're dead, as does everyone."

"Yes, I know. It was necessary," Violet replied without regret.

"It's been a while—it's been twenty years since we last met."

"You know me?"

"Indeed, I assisted your mother in bringing you into this world.

I've often wondered when our paths would cross again."

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