The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. - Chapter 247

Chapter 247: Neriah – Lyla III
Lyla

The moment I drove the sword into Nymeris, the world around me shattered like a mirror struck by a hammer. A violent wave of energy surged through me, crackling in the air like a storm trapped inside a glass cage. My body convulsed as pain and power coiled through my veins and suddenly, I wasn’t standing in the present anymore.

I was falling.

Not through space, but through time.

Memories, not mine but mine, exploded in my mind. The fragmented pieces of the past, the truths hidden beneath centuries of deception, wrapped around my soul like a second skin. I saw – not as an observer, but as Neriah.

I was Neriah.

***

The Beginning of the End

The Northern Forest hummed with scattered laughter, children playing, birds chirping in the trees and a group of men talking amongst themselves.

Somewhere, there was a cluster of women by a big fireplace – some of them were grinding some seeds on stones lined up not too far from the fireplace. Others were stirring something in the pot with big wooden spoons. Occasionally, the women would whisper something to themselves and then throw their heads back with laughter before they continued.

I smiled with relish as I stared at the people – my people.

My father was the Alpha of the Auréans – we were beings blessed with the Moon’s favour. Our power was tied to the stars and our voices carried echoes of the divine. We weren’t just warriors; we were guardians of balance and our voices were our weapons.

We were not exactly what you’d call a werewolf as we weren’t born with wolves. We were called Auréans. Here, the only structure we had and held was the worship of the Moon and the star. We were liberal beings – we rarely marry outside our tribe.

Everyone here was related to everyone because we married amongst ourselves. The Moon Goddess was faithful enough to always provide fated mates amongst ourselves. But I wanted more.

I’ve often caught glimpses of werewolves and lycans from other packs around us – they were unique and different from us. They only worshipped the goddess when it was necessary. They didn’t have a structured and well-tabled lifestyle like us. Their women were always allowed a little exploration now and again and they always had large gatherings.

I’ve tried to talk my father into allowing us such frivolities but he wouldn’t hear of it. Since my mother became sick without any treatment and no sign of getting better, he has become more difficult to reason with. He’d always shout at me and drown himself each night with the strong liquor.

“Hey, my love!” Thames whispered from behind me, giving me a quick kiss on my neck. I smiled automatically, leaning into him as he hugged me from behind, rubbing his hands at the sides of my breasts.

Open affection was a thing here which was seen as rude in the world of the other werewolf packs. They do not have open mating galore like we did. They had houses – made with strange materials but not like our own. They also had a lot of human inventions and had things called Cart and other delightful things.

Aside from maybe kissing, they do their business in the confines of their houses, away from the eyes of others.

I sighed inwardly, trying to forget how the last two days I had spent with them were the best days of my life. I and father had gone up to the White Moon Throne for some cleansing, that’s how I know.

I moved away from his hold, still maintaining my smile. “I was about to come look for you.”

“No worries, I’m here now. I missed you so much. How did it go with the people? I heard my father telling my dad that those werewolves…”

“They’re Lycans, T…” I rolled my eyes. “They’re different from werewolves.”

“Lycans… werewolves… whatever but my dad was telling my dad that they’re beginning to embrace the ways of the humans and he’s worried that soon they will not have an identity and will ignore the worship of the Moon Goddess.”

“As long as the Moon Temple is, we would never have to worry about that and maybe these human inventions are not so bad. They move around with something called a cart.”

“Like horses?” Thames asked.

“No!” I shook my head, feeling a surge of instant excitement. I’ve been dying to talk about my entire experience. “It’s like a small box with four wheels.”

“That’s a carriage, my love. A cart is driven by a horse,” Thames said quietly with a fond smile on his face.

Embarrassment clouded my features as I turned to him surprised. “How do you know all of these?”

“They teach us at the learning centre. The Wise Man thinks it is important we learn everything about humans… he believes one day we might have to deal with them and so…”

“You always make me look stupid,” I interrupted him fighting back tears. “Of course, I forgot you’re the perfect, Thames. The man everyone wants while I’m the bumbling idiot, without brains who was not accepted into the learning centre… the one time I had to shine, you still want to take that away from me.”

“Neriah!” Thames’s eyes widened with shock as his arms came around my shoulders. “C’mon dear, you’re taking it all wrong. I was only trying to correct…”

“Yeah, so that I won’t disgrace you next time in front of your friends like the other night…”

“I told you I wasn’t ashamed that you couldn’t pass the reading test. I stood up and read for you. No one gets to laugh at you. Just because you weren’t accepted into the learning centre doesn’t mean you’re not unique. You’re unique, Neriah. You had what the Wise woman said… your powers will last through generations and…”

“I don’t want to hear a recital of things I would never be, Thames. I have such powers but I’m stupid. I cannot read like the rest of you. I don’t know how to keep things in my head. My sisters… the little one Aurelia can read, can write… I’m the only one in this pack who cannot read nor write…”

“I understand, Neriah…”

“You understand nothing!” I yelled, my voice echoing loud enough to make everyone stop what they were doing to turn and stare at us.

“What’s wrong, Thames?” Thames’s mother Ferida called out from the fireplace.

“It’s nothing mom…” Thames sighed, growling inwardly as he turned to everyone staring at us curiously. “It’s nothing guys, continue with what you were doing.”

I didn’t wait again… I couldn’t bear their judgemental gaze, especially Ferida who has been vocal about me not being right for her son. Since my father didn’t have a son I was next in line to succeed him. Thames – when we finally get joined will become the next Alpha instead of me.

Thames was perfect. He was smart, intelligent, was a good warrior – the perfect Moonsinger through and through. The only thing I had to my name was my father’s title.

I darted into the small bush around the pack, ignoring, Thames’s pleas for me to stop running. He caught up with me and yanked me backwards so I fell on his chest in a flurry.

“Neriah, we’ve talked about this, severally. I love you and your imperfections. That is what is unique about you. The Moon Goddess paired us together… I can be your strength in your weakness and you mine. We’re perfect together. You’re perfect too. Just the way you are.”

“Right!” I cackled dryly. “You have no imperfections, Thames and you love that you can always correct me. You love that you put me down every time…”

“I do not put you down. Maybe if you take some of these corrections you might improve. The problem with you is you think less of yourself. You’re suspicious of kind gestures and warm words. To you, the entire world is laughing behind your back…”

“Because they are. I’ve heard your mom talk about how she wished, Eugenia was your mate. I’ve heard the girls whisper about how unlucky you are…”

“Are you going to live your entire life on people’s opinion? Am I with Eugenia? No! Do I talk to other girls? No! I love you so much, Neriah. You’re my world. I worship the sand you walk on. I want you and you alone. I’ve always boasted that if the Moon Goddess had not paired us together, I would have been with you the same. I’ve loved you since the day you were born and I will love you forever…”

Tears gathered in my heart as my conscience pricked. All Thames has ever done is love me and put up with my thousand tantrums, yet I always gave him a hard time.

I went to him, collapsing against his chest. “I’m so sorry… it’s just that…”

“It’s fine!” he murmured against my head, pulling me closer. “Cart, carriage… it doesn’t matter. You’re perfect just like this and I wouldn’t have it another way…”

His lips hovered over mine. I could feel his arousal pressing on my thigh. Just as his lips made to claim mine, he stilled for a second – he was getting a mind-link from my father.

“Shit!” he murmured when the mindlink ended. “Your father wants me now. I’ll walk you…”

“No worries,” I shook my head. “I’ll take a walk and go back later.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. My father’s mindlink came again.

“I am,” I smiled at him. “Run along now before my father comes here.”