Aries
Chapter 8

Well, all I can say is that, the story is picking up.

When Rhaze used to train me, I had been under the impression that my sister was ruthless. But today I saw the title being handed to another person.

Rhaze begged Alioth for rest. We had been running for almost three days, without much break. For the first two days, Alioth and Miguel carried me. Today, after much persuasion, they allowed me to use my legs.

When I was able to keep with their speed, there was a proud glint in my sister’s eyes. My Beta.

There was nothing from Reece. She was not hurt nor was in any danger. All she sent was an emotion of warmth. Moreover, I felt at least five join our small pack through her. Gamma and Beta of a pack had that power.

“Please!” my sister said, crumbling to her knees. “Just one hour!”

Alioth paused for a second. “We are in Northern Magycs tribe. If anything, the West pack has good relation with this tribe. Their Zayin will not be kind to us.”

But I stopped and knelt next to my sister. “She needs rest. Before our run, she was tortured for three days. She has been pushing herself for six days without food or sleep. She needs this!”

Alioth was about to protest but Miguel glared at her. “I know you are grieving over Cathara’s death. But to take it on a girl who was not responsible is not fair, Alioth. I am a shifter, so I can keep up with you. But Rhaze here is a werewolf. Someone who was born in the era of the Curse. She cannot be pushed much.”

Alioth gritted her teeth but she nodded. She went a few steps ahead and began to mutter something.

“What is she doing?” I asked as I took my time to see the vast opening that surrounded us.

We were in Kaleth Grasslands. The grasslands that blended to marshes and finally have a way to the beach. This grassland was owned by the Magycs of Northern tribe. Their Zayin was Deanna.

“Protection,” Miguel muttered as he sat next to Rhaze. “She can protect us against Magycs.”

Rhaze leant against a rock as she plucked a young grass. The fragrance of lemon hit me hard. Silently shredding the poor grass in pieces, my sister looked up.

“If she can protect us, why did she not allow me to rest?”

“Because,” Alioth said as she came and sat on the rock against which Rhaze was leaning on. “I was just out of prison. I was not willing to do anything until we reached the neutral lands. This tribe... their Zayin is not someone we can to brush off. Deanna comes from a strong line.”

Rhaze huffed. “What difference was it going to make if we stop here or in neutral lands?”

Alioth closed her eyes. “Here, like an omicron or an Alpha, the Zayin of this Tribe will be able to detect my power. As this is a High Tribe, they have connections with the dungeons. I don’t want to cause problems.”

My sister nodded. “What do you mean by being born in the era of the Curse?”

Miguel gave my sister a levelled look. “Even we, the ones who spent the majority of their lives in the dungeons with no connections with the outside world knows this. How could you not?”

I frowned. “I have never heard of this.”

Miguel exasperated. “Can you believe them, Alioth?”

The star nodded after a minute. “Yes. The Nobles aren’t so noble, after all.”

The sky gathered its soldiers and stationed them perfectly. One command, they would show no mercy to the earth. We were stuck between their conversation. The conversation that was filled with words, glances and sometimes pure connection. Dialogues we sometimes used to soothe the ache in the soul. Words that we sometimes wielded to tear the heart apart. Glances and actions that could make or break us even more so that the words they said was deadly. And the connection that we living creatures simply craved.

Was it not the same thing the sky and the earth wanted sometimes? To have a connection? After all, while the earth bore the love, supported them, it was the sky and the stars who saw them.

“The Nobles... are powerful,” Rhaze said carefully.

Her brown hair was tangled with leaves and twigs. And her skin was dusted with sweat and dirt.

“Not as powerful as they were during my time,” Miguel grunted. “They aren’t fair as well.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, sitting on my heels.

“Ages ago,” Alioth said. “Right six hundred years to be precise, shifters began to choose the animal they wanted to shift to.”

Rhaze blinked. “We... we had a choice?”

“Yes,” Miguel said. “Well, not exactly. However, when you reach maturity, or you can say when your other half reaches maturity, you will shift for the first time. And whatever animal you shift into, that is the animal you will be recognised off. You can shift to other animals as well, whatever you preferred. For Vampires had gifts, and Magycs had magic. What did we shifters have? Speed and strength? The other two races have that too. Amaris gave us a choice to wear whatever skin we liked.”

I blinked. Even with my years of searching the deep web with Livvia, I never came across such vital information. While the rest of the world had their own internet and satellites, we the residents of Laukris had our own sources. Great Witches and Warlocks had put their power to conceal the artificial probes that we had sent from the others.

The technology was quite upgraded here.

Alioth must have noticed my expression. “Yes, what Miguel is saying is true. Shifters had that ability. I saw the designs Amaris had when she was going to create shifters.”

Rhaze gave her a blank look. “Who are you again?”

“A star,” she said simply. “I was born way before the Moon had his daughters. That’s why there was not a doubt who was going to guard Luna. It was Saiph and myself.”

I blinked at her again. How old was she anyway? Did those years in the dungeon was just a blink of an eye for her? Why did she decide to be stuck there?

Rhaze snapped before me. “Okay ancient one, can you continue?”

“Definitely, embryo,” Alioth said, smiling sweetly. “Soon, there was a battle for power and lands and Vampires and Magycs left the shifters to fight on their own. They did not find a need to intervene. Their indifference led to bloodshed and loss of lives. When Luna saw her sister’s creation die, all the bonds she created wither away, she could no longer bear it.”

“She went ahead and begged her sister to take care of her creation.” Miguel took over. “Amaris came down and saw the extent of destruction herself. She was not pleased. The war began when an Alpha challenged another one for not having shifted into a wolf the first time. The second Alpha had shifted to a panther. When the feud broke because of this silly reason, she cursed the shifters to have only two skins: the human skin and a wolf skin.”

This was the first time I was hearing this story. Although our legends did say that shifters with other animal skins existed, Miguel was the first I had met.

Livvia had been so much into this portion of genetics that she had once said that werewolves had the gene to shift to other animals, but they were overpowered by the gene that gave the werewolves to shift to a wolf.

So, it all depended on how the gene was activated? When your friend made you write the thesis paper, I was sure you would know what it was about.

“Liv was right,” Rhaze whispered. “She was right about us having the genes.”

Alioth nodded. “In your language, Amaris suppressed the gene that coded your other transformations and left only the gene that coded your wolf transformation.”

I stared at her in awe. How did she know?

Alioth smiled seeing me. “We stars have advanced in science way ahead of humans and you guys. We travel at the speed of light and have the taste of immortality. What drugs did you think we were on?”

“Meth,” Rhaze blurted. When the star gave her a ridiculous look, she cleared her throat. “I meant, if you took a drug we knew, it would be easy for us.”

Alioth laughed. “The drug will be compatible with your body. Trust me. All of Moon’s daughters’ creations are.”

Miguel gaped at her. “What are you trying to say?”

Alioth sighed. “When someone is punished severely in their pack, coven or tribe for a mistake that was not theirs, Moon takes them to be a part of his court. How does he achieve that?”

Rhaze slumped. “This is overwhelming.”

The star shot up from her seat and settled next to my sister. “It is not. Your genes are just suppressed. That’s all.”

Winds brushed against the shield Alioth had cast around us. Dried grass and flowers swirled with it until the breeze fell to a stupor. The veil was drawn and the awakening moon hid behind the clouds that brought a colour with it.

“That’s all?” I asked. “That is a great deal! Next to no one knows about this.”

“And who’s fault is that?” Alioth fired. “Ours? It was the Nobles who hid this from you.”

“Why would they do that?” Rhaze whispered.

“Because they want this curse to persist.” Miguel rose to his feet. “They want the shifters to have only wolf as a second skin. It is easier to control. An Alpha does not need to prove that he can morph many animals. Just one beast is enough.”

Rhaze gasped. “That’s unfair!”

Alioth scoffed. “But I do think there was another reason for this curse.”

“What another?” I asked.

Alioth shrugged. “I wish I knew.”

“That’s why all who knew about this Curse was hunter down, killed or silenced,” the shifter said, giving Alioth a long look. “I escaped because I was in the dungeon.”

“What is yours?”

“I shifted to a Phoenix,” Miguel smiled as if he recollected his memory. “My mother was so scared, as she was a raven and my dad was so proud. Phoenix is quite rare among shifters. It was one skin that gave the shifter to wild its power in their human form.”

I frowned and I got up. Something was not right. There was a subtle shift in the air. A burning feeling raced up my blood.

“It means,” he said proudly. “That I can call fire if I wish to in this form of mine.”

Rhaze nodded. “This curse. How long will it persist?”

“Until a shifter is born,” Alioth shrugged.

“If the curse persists,” Rhaze asked. “How can a shifter be born?”

“They can be,” Alioth smiled. “When a child born to two werewolves never shifted in the age werewolves shift, I think that child might be the key.”

I momentarily ignored my restlessness. “What?”

Miguel laughed. “Are you naive or do you wish not to consider that possibility?”

“You mean to say that,” Rhaze began and looked at me with shock. “That Lyra is a shifter?”

Alioth nodded and stood up. “Her body, mind and soul are beginning to align. When they are one, she will shift. Banishment tried to force shift her. Thank the Moon, Cathara prevented that. Had she shifted without the maturity, she would have gone insane enough to demolish the entire West Pack.”

I shook my head and took a few steps back. “I am not a shifter!”

“You are,” Miguel said with certainty. “You are a shifter. And I believe that’s why the dungeon let us go. Amaris wanted us to protect you.”

Then I sensed a presence. It was a female. From her aura, I was sure she held a rank. But what?

Alioth grinned at me. “What are your Alpha senses telling you?”

That was my Alpha senses?

“Someone is close by,” I muttered.

As soon as the words left my lips, Rhaze shot up. Her eyes were alert and her instinct to protect me, rose.

“I thought so,” Alioth said. “So... what are we going to do?”

“Run obviously,” I said.

Alioth shook her head. “No. We are still in this tribe’s territory. We cannot outrun them. Let the which come. You will talk your way through.”

I gaped at her. “Me?”

“You are the Alpha, are you not?” She smiled slyly. “You are the threat. You should be the one to speak.”

The presence closed on us. While I kept glaring at the star, Miguel whistled. I knew he took her side. He would not help me. If anything, he would be the one to cause more trouble.

Rhaze was being torn apart. While she wanted to protect her Alpha, she knew Alioth’s words rang true. It should be the Alpha who spoke. But she could not bear to see her little sister do it.

“An Alpha,” a witch drawled behind me. “Rogue Alpha nonetheless. What brings you here?”

When I turned I was stunned to see her. She was a Northern Witch, but the brand on her shoulder said she was from the Summer Tribe, ruled by one Noble. What was she doing here? Next, to her, two witches and a warlock stood.

“Reish Kaina,” she said her green eyes glinting. “Of the Northern Tribe.”

Words were stuck in my throat. I had never been the one to initiate conversations. I was left alone in my lab and I was content with that. Who knew it would be a hindrance one day?

“Since I introduced myself,” Reish Kaina said, taking just one step further. “I expect you to do the same, Alpha.”

Was she addressing to me? When I glanced around, Alioth was smirking and Miguel was yawning. Rhaze was the only one who was alert.

“I-I am Alpha Lyra Throne,” I said, putting an effort in my voice. “I just want to pass.”

“Alpha?” the witch behind Reish Kaina sniggered. “You have a small pack. If I did not look carefully, I would have passed you for a Gamma. And Alpha? What a joke!”

“Tzade Vessa,” Reish Kaina said, turning her head slightly. “It would be nice if you could keep your opinions to yourself. I am investigating, aren’t I?”

The blonde witch snorted. “Investigating, my ass. You are going to throw them in the dungeon anyway, sister. This is the Lyra, Alpha Ethan informed us off.”

I could not help but gasp at their relation. The Tzade and the Reish of the Tribe did not have an ounce of similarity. But the third witch had Tzade Vessa’s blonde hair and Reish Kaina’s electrifying green eyes.

At her words, something in me snapped. I was not going to allow anyone to touch the three people behind me and walk out alive. A certain streak of possessiveness ran through me.

“I would like to hear her story too,” Reish Kaina said, smiling at us. “After all, a story is not complete when only one side of it is known.”

I took a step further. In my peripheral vision, I saw Alioth giving me a slight nod. But I could feel her edge. She would definitely not go easy on this tribe as she had gone with the West Pack. She had lost her friend by going a little easy.

“Tell us the truth child,” the third witch said in a soft voice. “Tell us and we might consider.”

“Consider not to give us up?” Rhaze asked sharply.

“No need to get tensed, Beta,” Reish Kaina said. “Zayin Deanna here.” She gestured at the witch who shared her eyes. “Is quite considerate.”

Slowly, I felt the concealed aura of the Northern Tribe’s Zayin. When I did, Zayin Deanna smiled, a smile that was warm and comforting. What was this Zayin doing?

I must admit, suddenly coming into politics and power play was exhausting.

“Zayin.” My sister bowed a little before straightening herself. “As my Alpha said, we just wish to pass.”

Reish Kaina rose an eyebrow. “But your former Alpha said otherwise. Alpha Verir said that you broke out of the Dungeon built by the Moon and you are to be sent back.”

Alioth stepped forward and flicked her wrist. Seeing her, the Magycs froze.

“We did not break out,” the star said with a degree of coldness that even had the Zayin of Northern Tribe motionless. “The dungeon let us out.”

“Who are you?” Tzade Vessa breathed.

“A star,” Zayin Deanna said before Alioth could. “A warrior star.”

Alioth smirked. “Indeed, a warrior star I am. I am here to aid my friend, Lyra who was thrown in the dungeon by the new female Alpha Harper because Lyra is the true mate of Alpha Ethan. Ethan rejected her and marked a female, dishonouring the Moon and Luna! We need to pass.”

Reish Kaina blinked and licked her lips. “Rejected? And Alpha’s mate? How is she alive?”

“An Omicron gave Lyra her life essence to survive,” Miguel said. “Anymore, doll?”

Zayin Deanna sighed and nodded. “We will allow you to pass, but only once. Come another time, we have to report you.”

With that, the Zayin and the Tzade of the Tribe left. The warlock stayed silently behind Reish Kaina.

“Why?” Rhaze asked. “Why let us go?”

Reish Kaina smiled. “Zayins, like Alphas and Omicrons can detect lies. She sensed no malice from you. Only the truth. And rejection is not a trifle thing. She must have not thought you as a threat to our tribe. And did you not say that you only need to pass?”

I nodded slowly. “Yes.”

Her eyes suddenly flashed silver. “Then leave. Don’t step in our lands again without an invite. We are risking the treaty we have with the West pack. Leave before any patrol witch or warlock sees you.”

A minute after the Reish and her companion left, Alioth chuckled softly next to me.

“What is it?” I asked, annoyed.

“Just wait,” the star smiled as though knew a secret. “The invite Reish Kaina spoke about? You will receive it soon.”

What do you think about the witches? About Kaina and Deanna?

Leave your thoughts below!

Until then,

~Quill

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