Stolen Luna

Chapter 1 - The Discovery

18 Years Later

---

Amaryllis

---

It is the Saturday morning of my 18th Birthday. All I want to do is have at least a lazy lie in for a change but everyone else seems to think I should do otherwise.

My Mum suddenly bursts into my bedroom singing "Happy Birthday to You..." You know the rest of the song and there is a frantic knocking at the front door.

"I'll get it," my Dad shouts up the stairs. "Make sure Martin's up too," he carries on.

Martin is my older brother by a couple of years and we have a love / hate relationship at the moment. He shouldn't really still live at home but he takes advantage of mum.

"Uurhhgg it's only her Birthday!" I hear him moan. Obviously he doesn't want to wake up this early either and I don't blame him.

"Where is she then? Where's the Birthday girl? We have sooo much to do," I hear an excited voice.

Oh, it is Jennifer. My best and probably only friend in the whole coven. We are members of The Crescent Moon Circle that is totally hidden from the outside world. More on that later.

I put my head under my pillow and wish the day over before it even starts.

I hear her coming up the stairs, but I'm not prepared for the big friendly hug and shake that comes with it. Heaps of brown, straight hair, whips me in the face and a pair of brown eyes stare at me annoyed.

"Amaryllis! You need to get up! Now!" she virtually shouts in my ear making me jump.

"What's so da*n important that you've got to drag me out of bed?" I complain.

"Well besides your Birthday, we're actually being allowed to go shopping in the human town Loughton nearby on our own!" I can see how excited she is. Shopping is more Jennifer's thing but just spending the day out of the Circle will be heaven and with just Jennifer will be an added bonus.

"Ok, let me go and dress and I'll be down in a bit," I give in to her.

I wait until I hear her chatting away with my parents before I hit the bathroom. I have a refreshing cold shower that guaranteed to shake any last remaining sleep out of me.

I decide to dress in my favourite jeans and t-shirt even though I know I'm going to face criticism from Mum as soon as I hit the kitchen. I'm not wrong either.

"Why aren't you wearing a dress dear, it's your Birthday" my Mum clucks at me.

"She doesn't wear dresses," my brother sneers, completely refusing to comment either way.

"You look great," my bestie says grinning. She knows that this is my favourite.

"Besides, we can always change it," she carries on and winks at me.

More jeans and tshirts she knows and I secretly laugh and wink back.

"There will be no winking at this table," is all my Dad says but with humour in his eyes.

---

We are sent out with enough money to kit me out with an entire new wardrobe.

After I have bought a few dresses ( to please my Mother) and some tops and jeans for myself, I hand the rest to Jennifer.

"Go and choose yourself some things," I say.

"Really?" she asks cautiously.

" Yes really," I reply, smiling warmly at her.

"Oh, goodie," she squeels and now it is my turn to say what looks good and what doesn't.

We hang out until the shops have shut and then realise we are late for tea.

"Yikes, your Mum is going to murder me! I am under very strict orders to get you back fir tea!" Jennifer worries.

"Don't fret, Jen, it was my fault making you spend the rest of the money," I try to comfort her.

At least I know Mum can't throw a party as I don't have any other friends and we don't have any family in the Circle. My Mother would or could never explain why. I sigh.

"What's the matter birthday girl? It's your 18th, you're supposed to be happy."

"I am I guess, but you're supposed to be all grown up at 18 and I don't feel like it," I sigh again.

"Come on, I bet your Mum's made a cake for you!" Jen pleads.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," I say laughing putting my arm around her waist.

When we get back I see that Jen is right, I have a mental looking cake in the shape of 18. It is made as if it is a Christmas cake as that is my favourite kind. On top are 18 golden candles waiting to be lit. My Mum is sitting patiently at the table waiting to get the food out of the kitchen. My father is looking out of the window waiting for us. He visibly breaths a deep sigh of relief when we enter the house meaning Mum has been stressing.

"Sorry Mum, if you had told me we would have been back, but I insisted Jen did shopping too," I try to placate her.

She pauses and after what seems like an age she says softly, smiling up at me, " That's okay dear. I'm glad you had a lovely day."

"MARTIN!" My father yells up the stairs.

"WHAT?" he shouts back.

"YOUR SISTER'S HOME SO GET DOWN HERE NOW!"

Martin appears 5 seconds later.

"Food. Yay! Oh Happy birthday Sis!" came out his mouth all at once.

"Thanks, Bro," I laugh at him.

All of a sudden there is a knock at the door.

"Are you expecting anyone my dear?" my Mother asks me.

"No one," I answer.

"Well go and answer the door then," my Mum tells my Dad.

Grumbling under his breath he opens the door and the head of our Circle Galahad Nox enters the house. His black hair is pulled back in a ponytail and he's wearing his usual black cape.

----

Galahad

----

"What are you doing here?" Damion mumbles to me as I enter his house.

"I'm here to see Amaryllis," I state completely ignoring him.

"Well where is she?" I demand. I have to know. I have to see for myself. The child won't be able to hide her wolf from me.

"I'm here Galahad," comes a small voice sitting at the table.

I turn and my yellow eyes look intensely at her. No, it seems that her wolf may have been permanently suppressed.

"Happy Birthday Amaryllis," I give her the best smile I can muster.

"Thank-you," she sweetly replies.

I turn and study her Mother.

"I have to go now. See me out Damion." I c**k my eyes to the door.

"She doesn't know about her wolf and the truth. Keep your eyes open and ears to the ground as that could change at any time," I warn him. "No one will be safe if she finds out! Your wife still looks loving too, which is very good news"

----

Amaryllis

----

After Galahad leaves, my father's temperament changes.

"What's the matter Dad?" I ask going and giving him a bear hug.

"Oh, nothing pumpkin, nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over," he replies hesitantly.

My Mum, forever the savor in a crisis grabs Martin.

"Come, let's get rid of the left over food in the kitchen."

"Yes!" He happily replies, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding tense atmosphere. Unless it was all in my head and for a reason I can't fathom, I know it's real.

"I'm going upstairs all, thanks for everything and my tea and cake Mum," I say and I step into the kitchen to give Mum a loving hug and laugh at Martin.

I go up the circular stairs to my bedroom (yes the house is round) and approach my bedroom door with the 'KEEP OUT' sign on the front. Entering I walk over to my bed and swing my legs up. My room is all decorated in different shades of purple. Lilac walls, plum bedding, purple carpet, dark purple curtains. I do have a white ceiling though. I have to smile at myself, maybe I'd gone slightly overboard.

"No I love it," came a voice from inside my head.

"What the fu*k?" I think back.

"My name is Raven and I am your wolf," the voice continues.

"What do you mean by my wolf?" the voice is beginning to scare me.

"As in werewolf Amaryllis. I will try and help.  Look into your mirror and tell me what you see."

I sit up off the bed and go and look in my mirror on the wall and audibly gasp. I see a pair of violet eyes staring back at me.

"What, what, what.." I can't finish the sentence.

"My eyes are violet, Amaryllis, that is I," Raven states.

"Are, Are Are my eyes going to stay that colour?" I ask suddenly worrying about what everyone will say.

"No, your eyes will look normal to everybody else.  This is a witches coven.  You must not tell ANYONE of my existence," she carries on.

"But how? " I ask frustratedly. "I'm  a witch."

"I'm not sure how but you're a werewolf too. I'll find someone to tell us," Raven tries to placate me.

I sit back down on the bed. Wow now this is an 18th Birthday present and a half. Someone must be playing tricks on me and with that thought I fall asleep.

When I wake up the next morning I recollect what happened just before I closed my eyes. I quickly check in the mirror and they are mine again, an ocean blue colour. Definitely not violet.

Was this why Galahad had come round? Everybody is scared of him. He doesn't usually do Birthday visits and he had looked at me strange.

"I felt him looking," says the voice inside my head. "He was checking to see if I had shown myself to you.  He cannot be trusted. That is why I waited."

Oh my, she is still there!

"Of course  I'm still here, I'm not going anywhere," Raven replies.

Time to do a bit of research

I quickly texted Jen:

Hey, you wanna come to the library with me I could use your help

10 seconds later I got:

Give me 5 minutes

True to her word, 5 minutes she is.

"What do you need my help for at the library then?" Jen asks dubiously.

"Well....I know you did your witch work experience here and I was wondering whether you might know whether there is anything about werewolves in there," I ask, looking at her cautiously.

"Well, I won't ask any questions," she smiles warmly at me. "Yes, there is and I'll be more than happy to help."

"Thanks Jen," I say hugging her. She was the best friend any witch could ever ask for.

The library is a tall building, located in the middle of our coven. It is hexagonal in shape and made out of ancient bricks. It is full from floor to ceiling of all kinds of books but mainly that of sorcery and witchcraft of one form or another. It is overseen by an old wizard at the front checking books in and out.

"Hi Raymond," Jen chirps to him as we enter. She gets a grunt in response.

"He's a teddy bear underneath," she says by way of explanation when she sees me staring at her.

Jen leads me to one corner near the back and proceeds to climb up the ladder to a section that looked to be covered with cobwebs. I silently watch as Jen pulls a few books out and then comes gingerly back down.

"Here, I've got some from the paranormal side," she says.

"The what side?" I reply puzzled.

She sighs. "All information on werewolves, vampires, the fae, lycons and more," she tries to explain. "But I have only retrieved ones on werewolves," she says, shutting me up so I wouldn't ask her anymore questions.

"Let's get started then," I say eagerly. I sit down at an old oak table and blow the dust off an old book, so old you could just make out Werewolves on it. It's obvious it hasn't been opened in ages.

"Well what are we looking for then?" Jen asks me curiously.

"I guess I'll know when I see it," I reply.

"Just tell her you want some general facts," Raven helps out.

"Just some general facts really," I pass on to Jennifer.

After perusing all the books I had some basic facts:

An Alpha is the male head of a 'pack' a Luna is his female counterpart.

Then there was the Beta, Gamma and Delta with Gamma being the strongest after the Alpha.

Different werewolves have been known for different abilities, even immortality but the main abilities:

Super senses,

Werewolves can hear a greater distance away and pick through layers of sound to isolate the one needed.

They have extra sharp vision and can see in the dark.

Their scent of smell will pick up the faintest scent.

They can read each others minds.

They can heal fast.

They are extremely agile and fast, especially once fully evolved.

"I wonder what fully evolved means," Jen wonders out loud seeming to get in the mood of things.

"Look at this bit.... when two werewolves get together..."

"Go on," I say excitedly.

"Each werewolf has a destined mate given by the Moon Goddess and no I don't think it's the same as our Triple Moon Goddess. They can reject their mates but that will cause pain and the Moon Goddess hardly ever gives out second chances. If a werewolf dies the whole pack feel it and sometimes the partner dies from the pain they get. If a werewolf chooses to have a chosen werewolf partner rather than wait for their true mate, then that union will never be as happy or fulfilling and they will never find their true mate.....Wow, that's sad," Jen says.

"They shift into their wolf form mainly on a full moon as that is what gives them the most energy. They are capable of speaking to each other through their minds and mates feel everything the other does," she continues amazed.

"Do werewolves ever mate another breed, like a human or a vampire," I ask. I am trying to keep it as far away from me as possible.

"It's not in these books but I know there is another up there that explains hybrids, as that's what they're called. A supernatural cross. Listen Ama, I've got to get back now."

"Oh, not to worry we can check another day, " I say giving her a big grin.

"Do you want to take these books out, you can always read more then.

"Okay, if you think we can do it without getting stopped, I don't want any awkward questions," I reply gratefully.

"Just leave it to me," she claps happily back.

I make my way outside whilst she checks the books out for me. Oh, I so want to look in whatever book Jen said was about Hybrids.

"That's the book we need to read," Raven pipes up.

"Well thanks for letting me know sooner," I feel myself growl with frustration.

"What the hell was that?" I ask, scaring myself.

"You're part me, you will need to be careful with your temper otherwise I will show mine.  I'm not as patient as you are," Raven responds almost menacingly.

"You okay Ama?" I jump. I had forgotten about Jen for a moment.

"Yeah sure, thanks for that Jen," I reply thankfully.

We chat until we get to her house. She lives alone with her Mother, her Dad disappeared when she was young. Nobody will tell her why or what happened, not even her Mum. I made a promise to her when we met at 5 years old at school that I will find out for her. We've been BFF ever since.

"See you tomorrow Amaryllis," Jen says waving goodbye cheerily.

"Yes, see you then. Take care," I wave back as I carry on further to my home.

I get in the door and am grateful to see no one is downstairs. I think I am safe, but all of a sudden Martin exits his bedroom.

"Oh hi sis, what you got there then? Show me, show me, show me!"

He can be so irritating. "NO!"

Martin stands still and stares at me. " O..o..k A..a..amaryllis," and turns and hurries back into his bedroom again.

I make it into mine.

"Look in your mirror,"  Raven orders.

"See what happens when you get worked up now."

I look and see violet eyes in replace of my ocean blue ones glaring back at me.

"You need to learn control, but at the same time I need to let off steam."

"What are you suggesting Raven?"

"Do you think that you can get us out of this coven cage?  It won't be as easy now I've shown myself to you."

"Well I've been friends with the Fae for as long as I can remember and  they guard the entrance/exit at night," I answer dubiously.

"Well, we are fated to start with the fae and it's a full moon tonight," Raven says excitedly.

"Calm down, calm down.  I have to get out of the house yet," I say harshly, starting to get annoyed with her.

I could feel her whimpering, but I put her in the back of my mind.

I spent the rest of the afternoon dozing until the faint smell of food hits my nose.

"Mum, why haven't you called me for dinner? I yell down the stairs.

"It's not ready yet Amaryllis, I've not long started," she calls back up.

It's then that I remember about the extra sensitive smell. That must be it.

At dinner my Mum frowns at me and whispers, "Are you using a different soap? You smell different?"

"No," I answer, rather too quickly.

Mum carries on frowning then looks away.

"Be careful, we can't let your Mum know," Raven invades my brain.

"Why not?"

"Because this will affect her too.  Do your research first." Raven replies.

I sigh as she made sense. Once I finish my dinner I excuse myself and go back upstairs.

Looking out my bedroom window, I can see the moon large and full in the sky. There is absolutely no way I was going to get out the front door.

"Use your window," Raven says.

"I'll break every bone in my body if I do," I reply, in shock that she could even think of such an idea.

"Werewolves heal fast," Raven states calmly. " Do you remember at 15 when you fell down these stairs and you thought you had a broken leg?"

I nod in response.

"Well I healed you."

I am gobsmacked.

"Thankyou Raven," was all I could bring myself to say.

We wait until it is dark and the coven has become quiet before we jump out of my window. Raven is right, the pain I can feel soon disappears.

I keep hidden in the shadows as I gradually move my way along our main through route to the exit. My main concern is passing the school incase there is anybody doing night work there. There appears to be no lights on, so I carry on past urgently.

Then I spy the exit, our magical ash tree that acts as a portal, protected by the Fae, that keeps us safe from the outside world.

If you don't know the tree in the forest in the world below, the fae will never show themselves. The tree will look just like any other part of the forest. It has smooth bark. The fairy door is painted a dark green and is hidden in moss around the base of the trunk. There are little square windows hidden underneath green leaves on branches.

I am expecting to just be let out as I am obviously a member of the coven, but unexpectedly a fairy flies out infront of me.

"You need to stop Amaryllis before I let you through," she says as she puts her little hand up at me. She is in a yellow and white dress with short, curly blonde hair. Shining white light surrounds her as she flies around me. Her name is Willow and I am used to her being friendly.

"Hey? What's the matter? Please don't tell my parents," I find myself almost begging her.

"I believe your wolf has shown herself to you hasn't she?" she asks.

"How do you mean my wolf?" I ask dubiously.

"Oh come now! You have the smell of a werewolf!"

"We can trust her," Raven says in my head.

Suddenly I remember what my Mum had said.

"No! Don't mention your Mum at all, I can hear your thoughts!!!!!"

My mouth changes the words that are starting to come out of it.

"What, I mean how can I have a smell? My wolf has only just appeared and no one has noticed. More to the point, why the hell have I got a wolf? My Mother is a Witch who teaches the final years at the school and my Father is a Wizard who works with Galahad our Warlock. It doesn't make sense," I say frustratedly.

"Oh but it does Amaryllis. You are a hybrid a WitchWolf. Your Mother is a powerful witch and your Father a True Alpha Werewolf. That's it for tonight. Your wolf wishes to go out under the full moon. Come back tomorrow and I will tell you more." Then Willow pulls out a vile of blue liquid. "Drink this and it will hide your scent."

I do as she asks and she grants me access through the portal.