Chapter 60 The Autumn Moonlight Pack : A Lupa Family Reunion

(Alexander POV)

"That's the home of your grandmother," Alpha Aira pointed out. "Come on. She has been waiting for you."

Hope was shocked to see the condition of her grandmother's house. It was dilapidated and no amount of renovation could repair it. If I were a home contractor, I'd demolish the house and just build a new one from the foundation going up.

"My grandmother lives in there?" Hope asked, the question addressed more to herself. "Something isn't right, Alexander," she mind linked me.

"I know. Don't worry. I've come prepared," I mind linked her back.

I had called Lucas after I gave the ring to Mark to put in the dungeon vault. He said he doesn't know what the High Elder has told us, but Autumn Moonlight Pack isn't what it used to be.

"Alexander, Autumn Moonlight made an alliance with Black Shadow Pack a while back and Hope's so-called grandmother is The Great Shadow's alter ego. Hope's grandmother's betrayal to the bloodline of Lupa cost her her golden eyes," Lucas told me. "The Great Shadow is in league with The Rogue Lord and The Great Shadow's apprentice is The Rogue Lord's Dark Witch."

"Damn. Hope gave the Autumn Moonlight Pack a hefty sum to do whatever they want with. That money apparently isn't going to where Hope thinks it's going to," I told Lucas.

"It's probably going to the enhanced wolves project of theirs. They take care of little girls and whip them to submission. When they're old enough, they inject male hormones to make them stronger. We've killed a few of those when the wander into our territory," Lucas told me. "I hear even the Alpha is being injected with male hormones."

"Well, I'll be sending some of my men there if you don't mind. Just in case this is a trap," I said.

"Sure. I'll ask Yuri the bear to make a trip here. I know he loves to rip rogues apart," Lucas said enthusiastically, before we ended our conversation.

Alpha Aira knocked on the door of the dilapidated house. I motioned to my mother and the rest to stay back.

The door creaked open and the smell emanating from the house had a foul stench. Hope wrinkled her nose and shot me a look of panic. I knew what she was thinking. Clearly this couldn't be the grandmother she had hoped to find.

A white haired old woman with cataracts came out. She was frail looking, with a walking stick to help keep her upright. Time was not kind to the mother of Adella if she was truly her. She no longer had the use of her golden eyes...the white of her cataracts had covered her eyes.

"Daughter of Adella, you have returned." She hobbled towards Hope. "I see your bright aura. You are indeed my grandchild."

"Yes, Grandmother. I have also brought Aunt Cecilia with me," Hope said and motioned for Cecilia to come closer.

The old woman nodded her head. "Come in, come in. I apologize for my home. After Adella left, the fates have not been kind to me or my pack."

The house was a mess and cloudy with smoke. Jim and Mirasol had to hold a hanky to their noses. My mother looked at me. She wanted to tell me something, but couldn't muster the courage. She stopped Jim and Mirasol from entering the house. "Let's just stay here for now, okay?" Jim and Mirasol nodded. Jim was looking around. He also knew something wasn't right.

"Where is Cecilia?" The old woman asked.

"I am here, Mother," Cecilia answered.

"You have done well my child. You have brought the first daughter of Lupa back. We will become strong again." The old woman laughed. " Do you have the ring?" She asked Cecilia. Hope was about to answer, but she closed her mouth after she saw me shaking my head.

"No, Mother. They have hidden the ring. I went through their room and vault. I could not find it." Cecilia answered, scorn evident in her voice.

"Where is the ring, daughter of Adella? Where have you hidden it?" The old woman sneered at Hope. "That ring should have never been given to Adella if I had known she would leave."

"I do not have it. I have left it with the High Elder," Hope lied.

"Mark, we have trouble," I mind linked Mark. "Keep the ring hidden unless Hope asks you to give it to her."

"Copy. Lucas and his men and our men are in the vicinity. Yuri and Alarick are here too." Mark mind linked me back.

"You lie! You have the ring! The ring is not yours to have. I am still a first daughter of Lupa. The ring belongs to me!" The old woman screamed at Hope.

"No Mother. The ring belongs to me. That was our agreement for keeping the daughter of Adella safe," Cecilia said. Hope turned to her.

"Aunt Cecilia, why? Why do this? All that kindness was an act? I trusted you. I had plans for us." Hope gazed at her. I could see the hurt in her eyes.

"I have always despised Adella. She was always the one who came first. My mother here made the mistake of not annointing me as a Priestess of the ring. Instead, she gave it to Maria and Julia! I am also a daughter of Lupa! I deserve the power it has. Not you! A mere human!" Cecilia yelled at Hope. "That ring and to be anointed as a priestess was all I ever wanted. Now, give me the ring, Hope and oh, that locket too." Cecilia pointed at the locket that hung beneath Hope's neck.

"Aunt Cecilia, did you ever ask my mother for the ring?" Hope asked, wanting some answers.

"Yes, however she said it was not mine to have, it is the birthright of a first daughter of Lupa. When she hid the ring with the High Elder, I knew I had to keep my promise to keep you safe. I have done my part. It is time for the ring to belong to me." Cecilia spat her words at Hope.

"Alexander, take my parents and your mother back into the car. This is a family matter." Hope looked at me her eyes green with anger.

I looked at where our parents stood. The wind was picking up. I could see the lightning from the distance. "Come on let's get you guys to safety."

"What about Hope?" Mirasol asked me, clearly afraid for her daughter.

"She can handle this. As she said, this is a..family matter." I turned Mirasol around and grabbed my mother's hand so, I could walk them back to the limousine.

"Alpha, we got some she-rogues. IT'S THIS PACK THAT'S CREATING THE ENHANCED SHE-WOLVES," Mark said through mind link.

"I know. There are more of our men with Lucas. Have some men escort the limousine out."

"Where do you think you're going with my food?" A woman's voice from behind us snarled menacingly.

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(Hope POV)

I can't believe my own biological family would betray me. They kept me alive all these years for a ring. A ring! I am related to them by blood, a bloodline which was just as important, yet the ring was more valuable to them. That and power.

Well, let's see how powerful these two women are. Two against one in their homecourt. I may not have had the experience these two have, but I have a few tricks up my sleeves as well. I held their arms to their sides with one hand so they would not be able to conjure magic. My Aunt Cecilia was trying to wriggle her way out of my hold screaming in frustration while my grandmother, shook, and with every movement, I could see black clouds spring out from her.

I heard my mother scream. I turned my head and I saw Alpha Aira with her fangs out, snarling at them. I flicked my fingers with my other hand and up in the air she went. I moved my hand and threw her all the way into the roof of her packhouse. Alexander glanced at me and nodded his head in appreciation. He took our parents to the limousine.

"For the greater good, that is the mantra of the Priestesses of Lupa. How dare you be so selfish?" I told my Aunt and my grandmother.

"You are not a Priestess! You will never be one," my grandmother screamed at me.

"Being a Priestess is my birthright, something I did not ask for, but have. A gift. I want to be a doctor maybe even a pilot. As for you, you have squandered your gift just for power. You should have used your years to make something useful of yourself. Look at you, Grandmother, wasting your way in this hell hole. I could have given you a better life." I flicked my fingers and lifted my aunt and grandmother into the air. "Aunt Cecilia, I banish you from Crescent Moon. You will never be able to set foot in my territory unless you beg for my forgiveness. As for you Grandmother, now I know why my mother left you. She probably couldn't wait to leave you."

"Alpha Hope, there are she-rogues. We need to leave the territory now!" Grace mind linked me.

"She-rogues? You are in league with The Rogue Lord? No wonder this place smells of rot. You are doing black magic." The small tornado I conjured outside rips the roof of my grandmother's house open. A flash of lightning hits the house and it erupts in flames. I moved my fingers and a piece of rope hanging on the wall moves. I used my other hand to move the both of them to a post and I directed the rope to twirl around them. I flicked my fingers and tied them to the post.

"When you are ready to ask for my forgiveness, I will be waiting. Goodbye Aunt Cecilia, Grandmother. " I turned around, my heart heavy from their betrayal.

I stepped outside the house and I saw, through my aural vision, scraggly wolves fighting it off with wolves with glistening marks of the pack's they belonged to. I raised my hands to the sky and directed the lightning to the scraggly wolves. One by one, they fell down like dominos as lightning struck them. The lightning moved throughout the forest, hitting the rogues, in a spectacular light display.

Torrents of rain began to fall. I turned around and saw the fire that had started at my grandmother's house had been put out by the rain. I will forgive both of you one day. Just not right now.

"The evil in this territory should end." I heard a women's voice. I nodded in agreement. "But it should end with a change in their hearts." I whispered back.

I saw Echo and Mark running towards me. Alexander shifted back, wearing clothes. My spell works. I should be happy my spell works, but all I feel is sadness.

"Hope, your spell works. We have clothes when we shift back." Alexander came to me with a blanket. He wrapped me in it. "Here. This is yours." He took the ring from Mark and puts the ring on my finger.

The ring refitted itself on my finger. If it was big before, it fit perfectly now. A bright light emitted from it carrying me into the air.

"Hope, my love, what's happening?" I could hear Alexander saying. Then the light bursts in front of my eyes blinding me while a woman's voice chanted:

"High Priestess of Lupa, the power of your ancestors embraces you. May you use this power for the greater good for all beings. The power of the ring is yours and yours alone."

"To complete the Ring of Lupa, two Priestesses will hear your call. They will aid you in your endeavors and will make you stronger. However, if you betray the power of the ring, death will come."

"Bear in mind, the power you wield reflects the goodness of your heart. It wanes when used in selfishness, greed or self-preservation. Look into the goodness of your heart. Be blessed, first daughter of Lupa.

The light vanished into the ring and I floated back to the ground feet first. It was raining around me but, I was no longer getting wet. I think of the rain stopping and the rain stopped on cue with the sun shining on me.

I wished I felt as warm as the sun.