Chapter 31
I opened my eyes and saw Xander beside me. “Aurora,” he breathed, relief flooding his features. “You’re awake. How do you feel?”
I tried to get up, but I winced because pain was running through my body. “Am fine,” I groaned. “What happened?”
Xander gently pushed me back onto the pillows. “There was an explosion in the clearing. We found you unconscious. Do you remember anything?”
The memories came rushing back the battle, chasing the red-eyed wolf into the forest, and then… “Ryder Storm,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “The Rogue King.”
Xander’s expression darkened. “What did he say to you, Aurora?”
I recounted my encounter with Ryder, trying to remember every detail. As I spoke, I could see the concern in Xander’s eyes growing.
“He said I’ve been lied to my entire life,” I finished, my voice shaking slightly. “That there’s some truth about my heritage that’s been hidden from me. And he… he mentioned my mother. Said he knew her better than anyone.”
Xander was silent for a while, his brow furrowed in thought. Finally, he said, The name Ryder Storm does appear in some of our older pack records. He is known as the ‘Rogue King’.
I sat up, ignoring the pain I felt. “We need to find out more. If there’s any truth to what he said…”
Xander nodded, determination replacing the worry in his eyes. “I agree. Once you’re feeling up to it, we’ll start with the pack’s historical records. Maybe we can find something the previous alphas overlooked.”
Two days later, after I had persuaded the pack’s doctor that I was healthy enough to leave the medical area, Xander and I ended up in the pack’s old library. We were surrounded by rows and rows of old books and scrolls, and the air smelled like old paper.
“Where do we even begin?” I wondered out loud, feeling a bit lost because there was so much to look through.
Xander took a big, leather-covered book from a shelf close by. “Let’s begin with the chronicles of past alphas. If Ryder Storm was once as powerful as he claims, there might be some mention of him here.”
We spent hours looking at old records, our eyes getting tired in the not-so-bright light. Just when I was going to say we should rest for a while, I noticed something. A brick that wasn’t in place in the wall behind one of the bookshelves.
“Xander, look,” I said, pointing it out. He helped me move the heavy shelf aside, and I carefully removed the brick. Hidden behind it lay a tiny bundle wrapped in fabric.
Shakily, I unfolded it to uncover an old leather notebook. When I flipped it open, a piece of paper dropped out. I was shocked when I saw the tidy writing on it:
“Property of Emily Nightshade.”
“This… this was my mother’s,” I whispered, my heart pounding.
Xander squeezed my shoulder supportively. “What does it say?”
I started to read. Most of the entries were mundane pack business, personal reflections. But then I came across a name that made my blood run cold:
“Ryder visited again today. His ideas are becoming more radical, more dangerous. I fear the path he’s heading down, but he won’t listen to reason. How did my oldest friend become someone I barely recognize?”
“Xander,” I said, my voice shaking, “my mother knew Ryder Storm. They were friends.”
We exchanged a look of shock before I continued reading. The journal painted a picture of a complex relationship, one that had soured over time. Ryder Storm, once a respected alpha and ally, had become increasingly obsessed with power and ancient prophecies.
As I turned a page, a small sketch fell out. The picture showed a cabin in the forest, and as soon as I looked at it, a clear memory came back to me. I remembered being a little kid, hiding under a bed in that same cabin, hearing scary voices fighting in the room next door.
I gasped, dropping the journal. “I… I remember something. A cabin, just like this one. I think… I think I was there as a child.”
Xander’s expression was grim. “It seems there’s more to your past than either of us realized. We need more information, Aurora. And I think I know where we might find it.”
He explained that he had connections with a neighboring pack, whose elder was known for his vast knowledge of werewolf history. With a few calls, Xander arranged a meeting.
The following morning, we headed towards the nearby pack’s land. While we were driving through the thick woods, I had a persistent sense that someone was observing us.
“Xander,” I mentioned, my voice showing my concern, “I think there’s something wrong.”
As soon as I spoke, several rogue wolves suddenly appeared from the trees and surrounded our vehicle. Xander quickly turned the wheel, almost crashing into a tree as he attempted to dodge them.
“Hold on!” he shouted, accelerating down the bumpy forest road.
But the thieves were quick, matching the speed of the car. One jumped onto the front, his sharp nails scratching the metal. Without hesitating, I pushed my hand out, sensing a rush of power within me.
A burst of strong light shot from my hand, knocking the rogues back. I stared at my hand in shock, then at Xander, who looked equally surprised.
“Since when could you do that?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“I… I don’t know, It just happened.” I whispered.
Using my newfound power, we managed to fight off the remaining rogues and continue our journey, though the unexpected attack left us both shaken.
We arrived at the neighboring pack’s territory late in the afternoon. The elder, Orion, was a wizened old werewolf with silver hair and keen eyes that seemed to look right through me.
“So,” he said, his voice rough from years, “you’ve come asking about Ryder Storm.”
His voice showed he was worried, and I could feel he didn’t want to talk about it.
“Please,” I said, moving closer. “We need to know. He’s threatening my pack, and he claims to know things about my past about my mother.”
Orion sighed heavily, seeming to age years in a matter of seconds. “Ryder Storm,” he began, “was once one of the most respected alphas in werewolf history. Powerful, charismatic, visionary. But power corrupts, and Ryder… Ryder became obsessed with ancient prophecies and forbidden magics.”
“What kind of prophecies?” Xander inquired, his hand reaching for mine and giving it a comforting squeeze.
Orion’s eyes moved from one to the other, like he was thinking about how much to tell us. Finally, he said, “There’s an old story that talks about the ‘Daughter of the Moon’ and the ‘King of Rogues.’ It is said their clash will determine the fate of all werewolves.”
My heart raced. Could this be what Ryder was referring to? He raised his hand before I could ask any more questions.
“That is all I have to say about it. There are some things that should remain memories. Now, I feel it’s time you left.”
He would not say another word on the matter, no matter how much we persisted. Leaving his house, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something vital that we didn’t understand, something very crucial.
“Someone’s following us,” Xander whispered as we walked back to our car. I nodded, having sensed the presence of unknown werewolves tailing us since we left Orion’s.
“I have an idea,” I whispered back. Quickly, I outlined a plan to trap our pursuers and hopefully gain more information.
We pretended to have car trouble, pulling over in a secluded area. As we feigned working on the engine, I used my heightened senses to track the movements of our followers. When they were close enough, Xander and I sprang into action.
Using a combination of physical prowess and my lunar powers, we managed to subdue most of the group. One young werewolf, however, we captured alive.
“P-please, don’t hurt me,” he whispered fearfully while Xander held him down. “I’m only following orders!”
“Whose orders?” I demanded, my hands glowing with lunar energy.
“R-Ryder Storm,” the young wolf stuttered. “My name is Liam. He asked us to watch you and report back on your activities.”
I squatted beside him, looking into his scared eyes. As I did, I had a funny feeling, like I would know if he was lying or not.
“He’s not lying,” I told Xander, shocked by my new ability
Liam quickly agreed. “I promise, I’m being honest! But I don’t know anything about Ryder’s plans. We’re just small-time helpers, asked to watch and report back.”
I trusted him, but I also felt like there was something he wasn’t saying. “What are you not telling us, Liam?”
He swallowed hard. “It’s just… Ryder is obsessed with you, Aurora. He talks about you like you’re the key to everything. But I don’t know what he means by that, I swear!”
Xander and I exchanged worried glances. It seemed that every solution we discovered just brought up more inquiries.
Once we got Liam to agree not to bother us anymore-with Xander’s not-so-subtle warning supporting our request-we allowed him to leave and carried on with our trip.
“So, what do we do next?” I inquired while we were driving, feeling the burden of the day’s happenings on my thoughts.
Xander’s hold on the steering wheel became firmer. “We keep digging. There’s more to this story your mother’s journal, the prophecy Orion mentioned, Ryder’s obsession with you. It’s all connected somehow.”
I nodded, determination replacing my earlier uncertainty. You’re right. Whatever Ryder is planning, whatever secrets are hidden in my past, we will find out together.