The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. - Chapter 113

Chapter 113: Doomed!!!
Lyla

“No,” I said carefully. “Except for the attack by Feral wolves years ago, I haven’t met anyone like that.”

“You were attacked by Ferals?” the Priestess arched her brow “And nothing unusual has happened since then?”

“No,” I lied again.

She studied me for a moment, her eyes seeming to look right through me. For a soul-stopping second, I was certain she would call me out on my lie.

But then she nodded slowly repeating her earlier statement. “The Dark One is the only one with the ability to completely strip a Moonsinger of her powers,” she said almost to herself. “Interesting.”

Nathan stepped closer to me, his hand brushing against mine. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“It means,” the priestess replied. “That Lyla might have met the Dark One somehow and maybe she didn’t know and gods help us, if he took her powers then we’re in for a bumpy ride.”

Elder Eldric, who had been silent until now, spoke up. “What bumpy ride? Explain!”

She turned to address the council. “The Dark One doesn’t just steal powers. He collects them. Removes them strategically. Always with a purpose and with Lyla being Neriah’s reincarnation – she was the most powerful Moonsinger ever lived I can’t help but wonder that there’s more to it than what we’re just seeing.”

I fought to keep my expression neutral. My heart was racing and my brain was running in circles, trying to figure out when Xander had taken my powers. Was it that night of the ceremony? That was the only time we did something that made me feel strange.

I opened my mouth to tell them the truth but Nanny’s warning rang in my mind. Just before we had parted ways and she went to her pack she had warned me:

“Don’t let anyone know you’re the Moonsinger and if they manage to find out, don’t ever let them know about Xander. It’ll do you more harm than good.”

“We need to understand what happened,” the priestess continued. “Every detail could be crucial.”

Nathan squeezed my hands, a gesture of support. But to me, it felt like another form of pressure, another reason to keep my secrets to myself.

“I’m telling you everything I know,” I said quietly. “The Feral attack. Nothing more.”

The Moon Priestess didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press further. Instead, she turned to the council. “We must prepare her with or without her powers right now she’s vulnerable.”

“And why should that be our responsibility?” The elder who was a woman asked. “She lost her powers… she has a pack, I’m sure they can make provisions for her to be safe. Because of her, now we are doomed entirely.”

“Elder Mira!” Ramsey growled, his eyes flashing with annoyance. “What is wrong with everyone today? We weren’t doomed before the Moonsinger showed up, what has changed?”

“Everything,” Elder Mira sighed. “At least we had hopes that once we find the Moonsinger, everything would be fine. She or he would lead our warriors and conquer the Dark One to fight those dreadful Ferals. Do you know how people will panic if they hear that our so-called saviour does not have powers anymore? Do you know the implication?”

“This is not time to panic,” Ramsey gritted his teeth.

“It is,” Elder Mira scoffed. “We are doomed, Lycan Leader. You heard the High Priestess, no one can defeat the Feral except with the help of the Moonsinger. Isn’t it concerning to you all? Or am I the only one who sees a bleak future?”

“There is no bleak future, Elder Mira,” the priestess said quietly. “I know you’re afraid but there is no bleak future. Although I cannot reveal everything, the Moonsinger will get her powers back. Now, if you all will excuse us, I need to have a word with the Lycan Leader and the Moonsinger privately.”

The council exchanged puzzled looks before one by one, they rose to their feet and started leaving. When the hall was empty, Ramsey came down from his seat and walked towards us. His gaze rested for a second on me and Nathan’s joined hands before resting on Priestess.

“You wanted to see me?” Ramsey asked.

“Yes, Alpha,” she nodded. “I see that you and Alpha Nathan are connected to Lyla that’s why I allowed you two to stay. The thing is, I think Lyla is worried about coming clean with everyone present, I hope this is a better approach.”

The woman turned kind eyes to me. “You’re lying.” She said flatly.

I froze. My mouth went dry immediately and my heart resumed its racing. “I – I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stammered, but my words sounded weak even to my ears.

“No,” the priestess pressed. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, Lyla Woodland,” she chuckled softly. “Just like Neriah, you lied about getting involved with the Dark One, I guess history has a way of repeating itself and for the sake of our world, I hope you do not repeat Neriah’s mistakes too.”

I didn’t say anything, I just shifted my weight from one foot to another. I needed to be sure that we were both talking about the same thing. I didn’t want to be thrown under the bus.

“You have met the Dark One, Lyla. I can see it in your eyes, in the way you hold yourself. Stop hiding the truth.”

Nathan and Ramsey exchanged concerned glances. “Lyla?” Nathan’s voice was gentle, questioning.

But I couldn’t answer. I was frozen, my mind was reeling. How could the priestess know? I had been so careful with my responses and my emotions.

“Let me tell you something again,” the Moon Priestess continued, her tone dropping further. “Neriah – your reincarnation and the first Moonsinger was a woman of incredible power she was the only one that was able to lock down the Dark One and take away a lot of his abilities too which most Moonsingers are not gifted with. Anyways, one of the ways, the Dark One stripped her of her power was through the most intimate method possible…”

She paused, as if to let the words sink.

“…By having sex with her.”