Alpha's Legacy (Black Moon Saga Book 3)

3. What's in a Name

“You know, Tian is right. I should have seen this coming,” my father speaks into the silence once we’re alone in Uncle Pete’s bedroom. “I know better than anyone the nature of warlocks. Once our magic begins to manifest, there’s this agitated feeling that accompanies it. It becomes impossible to fight the urge to use that magic as much and as often as possible, and warlocks are rarely given natural abilities that are suitable for anything other than mischief and mayhem. The pull to the darker elements of magic is strong for a young warlock.”

This is nothing new for me to learn, and I’ve seen it happening firsthand with Emerick. Gaining his magic made him practically a whole other person. It didn’t happen overnight, and yet it still felt like it came out of nowhere. I wasn’t ready to lose him so soon.

“I had hoped it would be different for my son, considering the inherent light and goodness of his mother. She’s no caster, but her power is strong and influential,” he goes on.

Our mother is a bit of an anomaly among werewolves. She’s the first Alpha female in centuries to rise to becoming Alpha of her own pack, and it’s because she was blessed by the Moon Goddess with many extraordinary abilities. The things she can do are not magic, but she still has powers that other werewolves do not. And when he says she’s inherently good, he isn’t kidding about that. It can even be felt through her powerful aura.

“I hoped it would somehow insulate and protect Emerick from following the usual blueprint for a warlock, in much the same way that the darkness of our childhood prevented your aunt from becoming the light caster she was meant to be,” he continues explaining himself. “It’s not that I didn’t see the potential for Emerick to turn on you, it’s more that I let that hope overpower my better sense. And I’m sorry for that, Anna Jade. We should have taken him away from here sooner. He needs specialized training from warlock mentors who can help him temper his darker nature.”

“Is that what you meant when you said he will be ‘dealt with’ while we stay here? You’re sending him away?” I question him.

“In part, yes. But first, your mother intends to learn what she can from him about this business with the secret club and the beatings.”

A cold chill shoots up my spine, making my skin crawl with anxious anticipation.

Questioning Emerick about the club means he’ll know I ratted him out after all. He’s clever and crafty, and I don’t trust that they’ll be able to keep him in custody for long. Eventually, he’ll be coming after me for this. I just know it.

“Don’t worry. Your mother won’t tell him how she found out, and she won’t let him get to you,” he assures me, as if he can sense my anxiety and knows what I’m thinking. “Then once he leaves for the academy, he’ll be restricted to its grounds. It’s a place that’s used to dealing with troublesome warlocks. He won’t be going anywhere until the headmaster is satisfied that he’s gotten control of himself and learned to fight his darker urges and impulses.”

“How long does that take?” I can’t help wondering. As much as I don’t like the person Emerick has become, I also hate the idea of him being locked up in some sort of magical reform school.

“Depends on the warlock. For some, it’s only a few months, but others may take decades or more to commit to controlling themselves. There’s a curriculum, but completing it doesn’t ensure release. So, the answer to that will depend on Emerick.”

“It doesn’t bother you to send your son away to a magical prison just because he was born a warlock?”

“It bothers me beyond measure,” he answers softly. “In fact, I quite hate it. But I do prefer it to the alternative.”

I think I know what he’s alluding to. He and his twin sister were menaces when they were young, and they only narrowly avoided the death penalty for their crimes. Instead, he and Aunt Lizaine spent two hundred years under house arrest after they were detained by The Council of Supernaturals, which is basically the governmental body and police force for the entire supernatural community. It makes and enforces the laws we all have to live by, and finding yourself on The Council’s wanted list is never a good situation. Allowing a warlock to follow his base nature and live how he pleases is only asking for trouble with The Council.

“And I couldn’t live with myself if my inaction results in more innocent people getting hurt,” he adds after a moment. “Especially when one of those people is my own daughter.”

He turns and looks directly at me, letting the full weight of his troubled and remorseful gaze settle on my face.

“Do you know how it is that casters get their names?” he asks me, catching me off-guard because it seems so sudden of a change in subject.

“From their parents?” I answer uncertainly.

If it’s really that simple, then I suspect he wouldn’t be asking me, but no one has ever told me about a special naming process for casters, so it’s the only answer I have.

“Well, yes. But not in the way you mean. We don’t search through baby naming books until we find one that we like the sound of.”

“Then what do you do?”

“We dream,” he answers simply, as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. “It happened for me early on, before your mother even had a chance to tell me she was pregnant. I knew she was, and I knew it was with twins, a boy and a girl. Your names were given to me, Anna Jade. Both of them. And do you know how rare it is for a caster to be given two names like that?”

“Considering that you’re asking me like that, I’m guessing it’s pretty rare.”

“You’d be right,” he laughs, his eyes sparkling with humor as he regards me fondly.

He reaches out to stroke my hair, thick and blonde just like my mother’s. I’m her only child who inherited that trait. Emerick has our father’s dark chocolaty curls, and Adam’s children all have his inky black hair.

“I had a lot of free time to study up on my history, so I’m fairly confident when I tell you it’s only happened twice before,” he informs me.

“What does it mean then, to be given two names?”

“It has meant something different each time,” he tells me. “What it means will only be revealed to us in time, as the world waits and watches to see what sort of caster you become. But I figure there are some pretty good clues in your names.”

“What do you mean by that?” I question him impatiently. It’s actually getting a little annoying that he won’t just tell me the point he’s driving at.

“Well, you have Anna, the gracious one. Someone who is charitable and giving,” he begins to explain. “And then you have Jade, the precious one, the powerful healer. I knew you’d turn out to be exactly who you are ever since the moment that I had that dream, Anna Jade. And truthfully, there’s a lot more that I know about you and the life you will lead that I can’t share with you yet, but I can tell you I’m proud of you. I’m proud of you now, and I’m proud of the person you will become.”

Though it feels good to hear him say things like that, and when he offers me his hand I’m more than happy to take it, I’m beginning to suspect that this conversation is more than it seems. He still hasn’t gotten to his point, the real reason why we’re having this discussion. There’s more. I can feel it.

“Why are you telling me all this?” I ask, both curious and suspicious of his motives.

“Because, my precious, gracious, sweet girl, this time and this place are not your whole story,” he answers, giving me a soft, wistful smile. “In much the same way that your brother’s path will soon be taking a turn, so will yours. And I want to be sure that you know who you are as well as I do. You need to know it, and to remember it, in all the days ahead of you. Emerick may be the first person to test your sense of yourself, but he won’t be the last.”

Ah. This is his long-winded means of turning my brother’s bullying into a life lesson. There’s no experience in the world that’s safe from my parents, who always like to pounce on the potential for teachable moments. He doesn’t like that I chose to run away to Uncle Pete’s house instead of coming straight to my parents when I began to suspect something was amiss.

“You mean because he almost convinced me to stay quiet about the beatings,” I state, demonstrating that I get it. I know I messed up.

He nods, once again meeting my gaze.

“But the important thing is that you eventually remembered who you are. You’re not the sort of person who stays silent about people getting hurt and being taken advantage of, so you spoke up. And you’re just now starting to learn that there’s more inside you than you realized. You don’t have to be the meek, cowardly girl unless you choose to be. The truth is there’s a powerful caster locked away in there. In fact, there’s a strong woman locked away inside there, magic or not. Wolf or not. You know what you value and what is important to you, and you’re finally learning to stand up for yourself and what you believe. People like Emerick, they can only bully and push you around if you let them.”

I don’t know why he’s saying all that, though. I was definitely still the cowardly girl hiding under the covers when I thought there was an intruder in the house. Just because I told them about Emerick and the secret club doesn’t mean I’m suddenly some other person now.

“You know right from wrong, and you have one of the strongest internal compasses I have ever seen,” he continues, despite my doubts about what he’s saying. “You take after your mother in that way, and it’s a good thing. You only have to keep in mind that when there is a decision to be made, that gut instinct of yours should never be ignored. Remember who you are, daughter of mine. You are Anna Jade, a witch with two given names, someone who has been special since the day you were born.”

This is all pretty intense, and he’s laying it on thick. I appreciate it, though I think he’s giving me more credit than is due. I’m not a bad person, that much I know, but I’m not as confident about the rest of what he’s saying about me.

Regardless, it feels like the right moment to scootch down the bed and give him a hug. I know he’s worried about Emerick and battling with his own demons and regrets right now, and I’m not as eloquent about the grand speeches and reassurances. A hug I can do, though.

There’s just one thing I’m left wondering. When he had that dream and was given my names, he said he knew we were twins. That means my brother was part of his vision too.

“And Emerick?” I feel the need to ask, since he has yet to say anything about what insights he was given about him.

He sighs, turning his face away from me, probably hoping that I can’t see the pain in his expression.

“He’s destined to be powerful, but it remains to be seen whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Let’s just hope that academy lives up to its reputation.”

And that’s all it takes to bring those anxious chills right back. It’s a good thing I slept all day, because I don’t think I’ll be sleeping a single wink tonight, not without knowing what’s going on with my twin brother.