The Omega’s Secret

Chapter 6 - After the Memories

* * * Amy's POV * * *

I’m laid comfortably in the land of nod, slightly aware of something pushing at my mind. Feeling the familiar mind presence of Aunt Dotty. My brave, very brave Aunt Dotty; shouldering this secret for so many years, watching over me as best she can. Not even having her own mate to turn to for support. I lower the barrier to my mind and let her in, while greeting her: good morning, Aunt Dotty.

How are you this morning? Did your memories return? She asks.

Yes, they returned, Keera had told me that there are more to come. But that she will filter them for me, so that I do not become overwhelmed. To be honest, I have mixed emotions right now. I am happy that I can now remember my parents and how loved I was. I am angry at Alpha James, angry at his lies and that he killed my people. And for what? To be an arranged mate for his son? Amber helped me through it. Do you know her? Can she be trusted? I answer honestly.

I know sweetheart, I am so very deeply sorry that I had to hide your memories, erase your knowledge of you. I didn't know what else to do to keep you safe. Yes, Amber can be trusted. We recognised each other straight away; she agreed to drink a truth serum and allowed me to question her. She is here to help you, Dotty tells me.

Please Dotty. Please believe me when I say that I do not blame you for anything. You did what you had to, to keep me and yourself safe. I think you are so very brave and selfless. Keera agrees with me. What is happening now? Do I challenge Alpha James? I ask her, wondering how I will do that.

No dear. At least not yet, anyway. We must carry on as normal until the council and other Alphas arrive. We must wait until the full moon. Can you do that, Amy? She asks me.

Can you tell me why? Why is it so important to wait? He is a liar and a murderer, I tell her.

Part of it is your destiny. Part of it is that it will mean that Alpha James will be held accountable for his actions in front of the council and the other Alphas. Otherwise, a different truth may be told to others. Please act normal today and make yourself available for mind-linking later and I will tell you all Dotty says.

Ok Aunt Dotty. Can I ask though? In my memories I was called Amethyst. Is that my name? I ask her.

Yes child. I am afraid that I was not very original. But I also couldn't completely remove the name your Mother gave you. You are Amethyst Rose Jones, Dotty told me. I feel a quiver of pure power when she says my full name.

What was that?

There is power in your name, my dear, because of who you are, what you will become and what you will do in this life, Dotty tells me, sensing what I had felt.

Tonight, really needs to hurry the hell up, I’m impatient to know more, I grumble, sounding like a child and not the she-wolf that’s predicted to change the world.

All in good time, Amy. We have waited so long, and events are going to happen quickly. I will leave you with this parting gift though. The lullaby your Mother used to sing to you when you were anxious or scared, Dotty said kindly, and then she begins to sing through the mind-link.

'Oh, the Spring it is a coming.

And the trees are softly blooming

And the wild mountain thyme blooms along the purple heather.

Will ye go, laddie, go? And we will all go together.

To pick wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather

Will ye go, laddie, go?

I shall build my love a bower over by yon crystal fountain.

And in it I shall pile all the treasures of the mountain.

Will ye go, laddie, go? And we will all go together.

To pick wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather

Will ye go, laddie, go?

Well, if my true love will not go, I shall surely find another

Who’ll pick wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather?

Will ye go, laddie, go? And we will all go together.

To pick wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather

Will ye go, laddie, go?'

I feel tears leaking from my closed eyes, the song triggers a memory. I’ve been woken by the thunder and lightning and have seen a shadow. I think there’s a monster in my room and run to my Mama crying. She holds me tightly, ' shall I sing you Wild Mountain Thyme?' she asks me. I nod and her sweet angelic voice carries my fears away and I fall to sleep in her arms as she hums another traditional Welsh lullaby.

Aunt Dotty, there was another song about the night, through the night or something like that. Do you know it? I feel something about it. Could you sing it for me please? I ask her.

As you wish child, it was usually sung as you were nodding off or already asleep. Your mother thought it would protect your dreams. Here we go.

'Sleep my child, and peace attend thee,

All through the night

Guardian angels God will send thee,

All through the night

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,

Hill and dale in slumber sleeping

I my loved ones' watch am keeping,

All through the night

Angels watching, e'er around thee,

All through the night

Midnight slumber close surround thee,

All through the night

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,

Hill and dale in slumber sleeping

I my loved ones' watch am keeping,

All through the night

While the moon, her watch is keeping

All through the night

While the weary world is sleeping

All through the night

O'er thy spirit gently stealing

Visions of delight revealing

Breathes a pure and holy feeling

All through the night

Angels watching ever round thee

All through the night

In thy slumbers close surround thee

All through the night

They will, of all fears, disarm thee,

No forebodings should alarm thee,

They will let no peril harm thee

All through the night.

Though I roam a minstrel lonely

All through the night

My true harp shall praise sing only

All through the night

Love's young dream, alas, is over.

Yet my strains of love shall hover

Near the presence of my lover

All through the night

Hark, a solemn bell is ringing

Clear through the night

Thou, my love, art heavenward winging

Home through the night

Earthly dust from off thee shaken

Soul immortal shalt thou awaken

With thy last dim journey taken

Home through the night'

There it is, the memory of my Mama, cradling my tiny frame. Singing me to sleep with this lullaby, some part of me remembers her singing even when I was asleep. How strange.

That is my memory, Amy. I have been with you all along. I have seen and heard what you have seen and heard.

Thank you Aunt Dottyyou, Aunt Dotty, before we part. What happened to the Alpha’s son? I do not recall seeing him.

He was sent to be a part of the nights' watch. It is located on the edges of the Blood Eclipse pack. He was sent there when he was 11 years old. Some say a war is brewing between wolves, vampires and witches and wizards. Not to mention the human hunters. If a war breaks out, it could end life as we know it. Those on the night watch are supposedly helping to keep the peace. Or at least that is what Alpha James says. However, given his lies already, I am not so sure.

Thank you, Aunt Dotty, I will get ready for the day. Please let me know what time we are mind-linking later, I say, and cut off the mind-link.

Keera and I are singing the lullabies while we shower, wash our hair, and then get dried and dressed. They bring about a sense of calm I have not felt since after my memories were taken. "Amber, could you braid my hair please? I want to look presentable when we present Alpha with the menu."

"Of course, if you try to do mine" Amber answers, smiling.

"How are you after last night?" she adds.

"Confused, but Dotty has said for us to mind link this evening and she will explain it all" I reply.

The next half hour is spent braiding each other’s hair and applying the make-up that Amber had brought with her, when she had joined the pack. Looking in the mirror, I hardly recognise myself, she had contoured my face, I look grown up, sophisticated, maybe even ladylike, even if I’m a little underweight due to the food restrictions. We go through the menu again, one last time, preparing to explain it to Alpha James. Then we make our way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the pack.

Because no wolves arrive there until breakfast is served, I’m able to use my wolf speed to help Amber get the breakfast ready. Once we were satisfied it was all prepared correctly, we asked two other omega'somegas to monitor the self-serve and contact Amber via mind link if any more food was required, while we were with the Alpha. We then make our way to Alpha's office. As we get there, we tap on the door three times. "Come in", Alpha James barks.

We slowly open the door, "Alpha, we have come as requested to discuss the menu for our guests", I state.

"Ahh yes, very prompt. Come in, come in. I do not have all day, so many things to prepare"

I enter the room and feel myself tremble, I want to shift, to tear his throat out for what he has done. The pain and the suffering. The deaths he caused were so unnecessary. Before my train of thought could continue and before I lose control, I feel Amber stumble into me and knock me over. "I'm so sorry. I lost my footing" she says. Watch yourself Amy, control yourself while we are here. She mind- links me.

"That's ok Amber. It was a very longan exceptionally long night, wasn't it? Please accept our apologies, Alpha" I say. Thank you, I mind-link her.

"OK, well get on with it then" he snaps. If I didn’t know any better, I would say he was flustered and worried about the upcoming arrivals.

"Yes Sir, may I place them on your desk?" I ask. When he nods, I proceed to place the menus on his desk.

"So, the guests will be arriving from late Friday morning, yes? So, I thought we would begin with Friday lunch if that is ok. If you have any problems as we go through, please let me know and we can amend them", I say.

"Friday lunch we thought it could be a brunch menu for the guests, as some may have eaten very early, or recently, depending on where they have travelled from, so they can pick a meal that is appropriate for their appetite. So, we thought we could serve Eggs Benedict, Eggs Creole, Blueberry Lemon Crepes, Quiche Lorraine, freshly-baked muffins and pastries, freshly made waffles and pancakes with a range of toppings, and Avocado breakfast toast. What are your thoughts?"

"A brunch, as you say, the times that people will have eaten will vary and there is enough there to please everyone. Just make some of the itemsitem’s fancy, such as your pastries, the egg dishes. Presentation is key. But yes, I like it" he responds after giving it some thought. "And for the evening meal?"

"Thank you, Sir. For the evening meal, we thought the first course could be cherry tomato salad, pickled onion and yuzu basil aioli focaccia and breadsticks, rolls and flatbread. The second course is paella Royale with seafood, chorizo, chicken, white wine, and saffron rice. The main meal would be smoked beef brisket with whiskey barbecue sauce, or seafood pot pie with a medley of fresh vegetables and potatoes, or linguine with fresh herbs, olive oil, shaved parmesan, cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, and crack pepper" I pause, waiting for his input.

"Very good, I think I am tempted to have the beef brisket. What about dessert?"

"For dessert, we have molten lava cake, bourbon blueberry cobbler, white chocolate chip cookie cheesecake and red velvet cupcakes", I tell him.

"Friday's menu is fine. What about Saturday?"

"Saturday's breakfast would be pretty standard restaurant breakfast foods, Sir, so we would have, made to order, but the option of porridge, scrambled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, eggs benedict, pancakes with bacon, sausages or syrup, French toast, a full English breakfast and then a range of cereals", I explain. Alpha James simply nods his head, so I continue to the lunch menu.

"For lunch, we thought of a taster menu. We would start with crab meat with citrus fruits and pumpkin seeds, then warm goat's cheese, tomato, beetroot, melon, and smoked almond, and finally tomato and basil soup. We would then serve cod with a bouillabaisse sauce, chorizo, fried mussels, artichoke, and baby potatoes, followed by chicken with broad beans, green asparagus, garden peas and goat's cheese gnocchi, then onto lamb with wild garlic risotto. We would then serve a melting chocolate sphere and then follow it up with a tasting of rhubarb; vanilla and rhubarb panacottapanna cotta, poached rhubarb and rhubarb jelly and apply and gainer puree. We would then serve a lemon curd with mixed berries and granola crumbs. Once that has settled, we will serve tea and coffee with a cheese board, sir". I hold my breath hoping that he appreciates Amber's efforts. This is a menu I would love to taste.

"Very good indeed, you have put some effort into this. And the evening meal?" he y.

"We thought, perhaps a little less elegant, but a chance for bonding. How about a barbecue, sir? For the main course, we would then retire to the dance hall for dessert and an evening ball. A chance for the packs to socialise before the harvest moon rises, sir. We could then do a multi-pack run under the harvest moon", I pause hopefully. Truthfully, we had not run out of ideas, but we wanted to go to bed for the return of my memories.

"That is actually a particularly good idea. I will get Luna Louise to prepare a party for after the barbecue". He pauses, stuck in thought, "You girls have done well. Provide a shopping list for Gamma Walt if you please."

"But sir, there is Sunday to run through."

I hit the floor before I feel the sting across my face. Alpha James had struck me. “Do not question me, do you understand me?” He shouts at me.

“Yes sir, I am sorry sir. Please forgive me. I just got carried away with the planning” I mumble, while rubbing my cheek. It stings terribly. I haven’t been hit in some time, I forgot how much it hurt.

"No need to go through Sunday. Based on tomorrow and Saturday I am happy. Now ask Walt for a laptop to type these menus up fancy for display on the tables. Oh, and Amy. Make sure to wear more make-up. I know you do not have your wolf yet and that is sure to bruise. I will see you at lunch" and with that we are dismissed from the Alpha's office.

Keera, you need to delay the healing process so that I still appear somewhat wolf-less.

OK, but once this is all done. I will not be letting you walk around bruised and in pain ever again. She snaps at me. I am sorry. We are one and it pains me to let you feel pain, she adds lovingly.

The rest of the day passes by in a blur. Amber has already prepared the shopping list, so we stop off to give that to Walt. We then prepare lunch, type the menus and ask Walt to print them and bring us the menu holders once they arrive.

We’ve provided our clothing sizes for the new uniforms, prepared dinner and then eagerly retired to our room, ready for our mind-link with Dotty.