The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. Chapter 325: Ancient Secrets

Ramsey

Earlier that morning

I sat in my office, going through the docunts my father had left about Alpha Logan's research on the Aureans and Moonsingers. My grandfather had retrieved them from his private restricted archives as promised.

The first entries detailed Neriah, the first Moonsinger. Of course, she was an Aurean, and her people had similar abilities to her, but the only difference was her unique powers, which superseded those of an ordinary Aurean.

First, Ferals had long existed before a Moonsinger was created. It was said that it was created because these Ferals were corrupting werewolves from around the world and turning them into Ferals.

So, Neriah was born under the Blood Moon and given the ability to fight these Ferals with her voice and heal with it, too.

The research also discussed her lovers, one nad Rian and the other Thas. Rian was a son of the Lycan from the White Moon Pack and the first offspring from the White Moon Pack that the White Moon Throne had chosen.

Thas was an Aurean and the next Alpha of the Northern Forests because Neriah's father had given birth to three daughters, and his wife was constantly sick. An asterisked part talked about how the Alpha loved his wife and his mate so much that he was ready to do anything for her to be fine and, as such, had entered an alliance with the Lycan from the White Moon Throne.

In exchange for his daughter Neriah to marry his son Rian, they would send skilled Healers from the White Mountains – healers who could heal anything to tend to her.

My eyes narrowed as I read about Corvus, a shadowblader and a rogue Lycan – who knew Lycans could be rogues too.

Corvus had burned down the Moon Temple and killed countless people after discovering so terrible secret. The text didn't reveal what secret he had stumbled upon, leaving frustrated.

The story grew darker. After Rian and Thas died fighting for Neriah, Neriah tried to revive them. She expended massive energy, inadvertently killing her own people in the process. The power unleashed razed the entire Northern Forest, automatically transforming the dead Aureans into Ferals.

I paused, considering this. The research explained that these Ferals weren't rely savage beasts like other Ferals; The research said that Neriah's power had conflicted with their abilities and caused them to beco Ferals.

So, the Ferals in the Northern Forest turned Ferals because they combined Neriah's powers with their own, becoming neither werewolf nor human, creatures who lost the ability to reason but gained frightening intelligence and adaptability.

The docunts stated that these Ferals from the Northern Forest were different, could procreate, and outlive any weather condition. More importantly, they could only be broken by the sa powers that made them Ferals.

I nodded to myself. Lyla had proven this true by converting 350 Ferals back to normal werewolves.

Then I read sothing that chilled my bones: "When the massacre happened and the Aureans beca Feral, the Moon Goddess twisted the blood moon oath that bound Corvus, the rogue lycan and forr Shadowblader, against him, binding him to eternal suffering and creating him as their enemy."

Corvus—could this be the Dark One? An ancient being bound to eternal tornt, now returned to exact revenge? Was it even revenge that he'd co from? The research was a lot of hurriedly scribbled theories, so there was no follow-up on this Corvus.

I tried to read more, but excitent and dread made concentration difficult. I decided to close the research when my eyes caught sothing penned in small script at the lower edge of the page:

"To kill a Dark One, a Moonsinger must die alongside him to break the cycle of grief and vengeance and to rid our world of the abnormality created by Neriah. That or soone that..."

There was a knock on the door, and imdiately I slamd the research shut and shoved it inside my drawer. Why was I acting like I had been caught doing sothing I shouldn't be doing?

"Co in," I called, hoping my voice sounded normal.

Caius entered. "Sorry, I ca late, I was checking the patrol teams for today and…" he paused as his eyes raked over . "Is it my eyes or sothing? You look flustered. Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," I said quickly, moving to the window to calm my racing thoughts. The words from the research still echoed in my mind—a Moonsinger must die to kill the Dark One. I took several breaths, trying to ground myself in the present.

After several seconds, I turned back to Caius. "I'm going to lure Elder Thorne in for the eting and arrest him."

Caius stared for a mont, then nodded slowly. "I agree with you."

"We need to consider stronger asures," Caius continued. "Elder Thorne is unpredictable."

I nodded. "Arresting him will shock him. For the first ti, I will exercise my right as Lycan Leader. I'll accuse him of treason."

Caius seed relieved to have a concrete plan. "I've gathered information from our warriors who are friendly with White Lake forces, and word is they wouldn't give their lives for the Thorne family—they don't treat them well. Not like how warriors in White Moon are treated."

"Explain," I prompted.

"Our warriors get bonuses, high pay, free housing," Caius elaborated. "White Lake warriors get basic pay and have to find their own accommodations. The younger generation especially resents this treatnt."

That explained a lot about the potential disloyalty among Thorne's ranks.

"There's sothing else," Caius added. "White Lake warriors have a strange oath. Unlike our warriors, who are bound to the pack, White Lake warriors during their final inauguration as warriors are bound to the White Mountain Region and the Lycan Leader, not their pack, White Lake, nor their Lycan-Elder Thorne's family specifically. It's been this way for generations."

I nodded. "It's because they're the strongest of all the Warriors in the region. But, do you think they'd turn on him?"

"If presented with the choice between loyalty to one man or loyalty to the region and their oaths?" Caius nodded firmly. "Yes. Most would choose you."

I considered this developnt. The research had revealed horrifying truths—the Dark One might be the ancient Corvus, cursed to eternal suffering. And defeating him required a sacrifice I refused to accept.

But the political situation with White Lake offered an unexpected opportunity. If I could turn Thorne's warriors to our side, we'd gain the strength needed to fight the coming war.

I moved back to my desk, the drawer containing the research seeming to burn with unspoken secrets. "Set everything in motion, Caius. Reconfirm the eting with Elder Thorne imdiately. Ask him to pick any venue of his choice."

"To make him think we're about to beg him?" Caius chuckled.

"He's a very proud man, and I know how to massage the egos of proud, old n. anwhile, ask Lyla's Elite Force to hang around the venue. At my signal, they'll co in and arrest him. In the anti, find a way to get to his warriors…"

"Already did that," Caius grinned. "We sent out food packs and water, plus a supply of snacks, a while ago, courtesy of the Lycan Leader, who doesn't believe that allied packs should fight. That already has given us a headstart."

"Smart thinking," I nodded. After the eting, we should go see Lenny. He'll be wondering if we'd forgotten about him."

"Understood, Alpha. I went there earlier, but he was still resting. She wouldn't even let see him."

As Caius left to arrange the details, I pulled out the research again, rereading that haunting line. The text had been cut off—"That or soone that..." Soone who? Was there another way to defeat the Dark One without sacrificing a Moonsinger?

I had to find out for Lyla's sake and the future of our pack. There's no way I would let my mate walk into fire because she needed to kill The Dark One.

The Dark One—Corvus— Xander had waited centuries for revenge. He'd built armies, corrupted leaders, and engineered wars. The cycle of grief and vengeance had consud too many lives already.

This was the reason why none of the other Moonsingers could kill him. He was fated to Neriah, and Lyla was a reincarnation of the first Moonsinger. He knows this, too, that's why he's all over the place, looking for a ans to pull Lyla close.

But sothing else was strange. Why did he want her so bad? I didn't think he wanted to put an end to the cycle, nor was it to hasten his death. He wanted sothing from Lyla.

Present

Outside, I found Caius waiting with additional warriors. "How many of White Lake's forces are willing to switch allegiance?"

"About two-thirds, based on preliminary conversations," Caius reported. "The younger warriors, especially, are eager to fight the Dark One. They see it as their true duty."

"And the others?"

"Those loyal to the Thorne family personally. Maybe fifty warriors."

I nodded. "Offer them a choice—return to White Lake Territory or fight with us. If they choose neither and beco hostile, treat them as enemies."

"What should we do with Elder Thorne's family?" Caius asked.

"Let his converted warriors prove their loyalty by going to arrest and bring every mber of Elder Thorne's family. That will be their true test. I'll be waiting for you in my office."