Amanda's POV

After we got back, Shelby and James started their game of hide and seek, I gave Carli a lengthy reminder that she was not to share any more secrets with Shelby. Though the girl was my best friend, she was also a loose cannon, and no one ever knew what she was going to do until she did it. Just when I finished my lecture, Shelby's mother came up to me and asked if I could talk for a bit.

"You are very powerful; I can see why Fate made you the lock. It is unfair though, my sister sure knows how to pull a cruel trick," Mrs. Scarlet said.

"Mrs. Scarlet, what do you mean sister?" I asked politely.

"Well, I don't think that you are quite ready for that secret, and please call me Clara," she insisted.

"Ok, but to be a sister to fate would make you either the moon Goddess or the sun Goddess. From what I know about Shelby the sun would make sense, but you oppose shelby in almost every way. I mean no disrespect, Shelby is my best friend and I love her like a sister, but..." I started.

"She has quite the temper I know," Clara finished. "I am sure that some of it came from that lock you put inside her head, but I suppose I am to blame too. If I had stayed, I could have raised her properly, but I could not interfere with the prophecy,"

"You are the moon Goddess, aren't you?" I asked but I was almost sure of the answer.

"You are a smart girl," Clara smiled. "Yes, I am," She started, and I opened my mouth to cut her off. "Don't worry, I know you won't tell anyone my secret, I know yours too," She looked over and smiled. "You should not worry so much, I have seen how this will end and it will all turn out well for you," She reassured me. I sat down on a nearby bench and relaxed a little bit.

"What about for Shelby?" I asked. I was unable to protect her from my previous Alpha and Trevor, but maybe I could protect her now. I know how this is supposed to end for her, and I will do everything in my power to change it.

Clara hesitated and I saw sadness flash in her eyes "Well," she took a second to compose her answer, but I already knew what it was.

"HOW COULD YOU? THAT IS YOUR DAUGHTER DON'T YOU CARE AT ALL! IF EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECY SHE WILL DIE! AND YOU DON'T CARE? WHAT KIND OF HEARTLESS MONSTER COULD NOT CARE ABOUT HER OWN FLESH AND BLOOD DYING?" I screamed, tears freely flowing from my eyes.

After a few moments of silence Clara spoke up, "I want to protect her too," her voice was barely louder than a whisper. I looked up to see her looking down with white hair falling over her eyes in an attempt to conceal the tears falling from her eyes. "As I told you before I can not interfere with Fate's plan because it was my fault, to begin with," I felt sympathy for her only a little, but as disgusted as I was with her, I needed to know the story.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She took a shaky breath and started to explain everything, "When father gave us free rein over this world, we each created a variety of creatures that lived peacefully, in harmony with one another. Fate created witches, fairies, and oracles, Stella created humans, angels, and mermaids. As I am sure you know, I created werewolves, vampires, and phoenixes, but I also created the evil in this world. The only one who is as old as the Earth itself, Fate refused to give him a mate and Stella made sure that father found out. I had not meant to do it, I was just trying to create something better than Stella, we were always in competition with each other. I wanted something that was just as pure as her angels and just as impressionable as her humans, but I created Diabolus. Father, Fate, and Stella made sure to come up with a fitting punishment, fate gave me a mate, Stella gave me a timeline and Father just sat back and watched. Fate was extra cruel making me leave my child with a man that was not my mate," I gasped interrupting her story.

"Wait the former Beta isn't?" I had to make sure I was hearing correctly.

"No, that man is horrible. I know what he did to her the second I left and Fate reminded me every day that it was all my fault. Anyway, when I met her father, I could not help but fall madly in love as mates are meant to be." I could see the smile on her face, it was bittersweet. "The decision was his. One day Fate came to us and made me confess everything to him, when I finished my explanation, she looked at him and made him decide who would pay for my mistake. He was livid with his options and I begged my sister for a couple of days to discuss everything. When she left, I could not look him in the eye, but he gently lifted my chin and all I saw was love, 'we will overcome this. I am sure we will think of the right answer,' he said with a big smile on his face. Our grim options were me, my mate, or our child, but there was a catch. As there always is with Fate, if we had chosen either of us, we would die for sure, but if we saved ourselves and put our child's life on the line, she would have a chance to live," Clara paused and looked at me with sorrow in her eyes. "My mate called Fate the next day without me knowing, he had chosen to put our daughter's life on the line. He reasoned that no one would have to die for the mistakes of my youth, but he did not know my sister as I did. I called later begging her to change the answer, but she said it was a done deal. So, we came to the strongest pack after she was born and begged them to train her until she could beat even their Alpha. We wanted to give her the best fighting chance that we could," Clara finished her story.

I could see the rage in her eyes but I was uncertain who it was aimed at. "Shelby is without a doubt the strongest member of our pack, but her powers are unstable," I admitted trying to give her mother some confidence.

She looked over to me and smiled, "and that my child is why I am here. I am sure you know of the mole among the pack. The one who leads you Alpha to believe that if her powers were not suppressed that she would destroy the world. It is partially true, if not properly trained Shelby does possess the power to end the world. Stella blessed her with her gifts, as Fate blessed you with yours,"

"What?" I asked not really sure what she meant by any of it.

Clara let out a laugh, "When Shelby was born, Stella took pity on her, knowing that I wanted to be the one who died. Stella had forgiven me by then and also wished for Shelby to live saying 'She has the potential to make the world a brighter place,'. However, Fate's motives are unknown, she gave you the ability to read people's blood and minds. You are able to find records with your mind and all you need is to see the person; it is a truly remarkable gift. I know that you are sad thinking that you are not a true hybrid, but you are. You go beyond werewolf; your mother is human, and your father is a werewolf. That is a common pairing I know, but in the pack where you belong it is not, your compassion is your gift," Clara looked as if she was looking through me.

"How did you know all of that?"

"My sisters and I all share our gifts to some extent, just as you can read people's blood types and pack ties, I can read people's emotions. I find the cause of them, especially among the species I created. It is why you pray to a moon Goddess, instead of the sun Goddess," Clara explained happily.

I hesitated before speaking, "Will Shelby live?"

"Not even Fate knows that yet," Clara answered honestly. "Now, if I am not mistaken Shelby and James should be finishing their game soon and you have a girl's night planned?"

I smiled and shook my head. "It does not make sense to go now, we should be training and doing everything we can to prepare for..."

"Nonsense," Clara cut me off. "It is important to have fun and relax. If you need I can mute this memory for now and you will not think of it until tomorrow," she offered.

I thought about it for a minute, maybe a night out before all of this really starts would be a good breather for all of us. We never did celebrate Shelby coming back or our mission going so well. I looked up at Clara and nodded, I wanted to forget this, for now, I needed Shelby to believe there was nothing wrong. Clara smiled and put her hand against my forehead and just like that I looked around and asked, "What just happened?"
Clara laughed and simply said "You were bringing me up to speed on pack life. Now go have fun and remind everyone of training starting tomorrow afternoon," I stood up and nodded before running off to find Shelby, we needed to start getting ready for girls' night.

I ran into Carli in the foyer, she was sitting on the stairs looking at the main door. "Still waiting for them to come back?" I asked as I stood beside her facing the door.

"Yep, they have been at it for an hour," Carli sighed. "What did we expect though? Shelby is the Queen of hiding and her scent has changed over the past couple of months. We need to start getting ready though," Carli pouted looking at the bag of dresses over the railing.

"Yea, when Shelby decides to play a game it could take hours for it to end," Just as I said that the front doors open, and James walked in with Shelby over his shoulder.

"I won," he proudly stated setting Shelby down on the stairs. The pout on her face told us that he had in fact won, Carli and I looked at each other with expressions of disbelief.

"Congratulations Alpha," I bowed slightly. I heard Shelby mumble something about him cheating.

"I think that this calls for a celebration!" Carli said with a sly smirk on her face. Shelby threw her a 'don't you dare glare, which Carli happily ignored.

"What did you have in mind?" James asked.

"We are going to a club if you and the guys would like to join," Carli explained.

"Sounds like fun," James agreed.

"Great! We will meet back here around 8?" Carli asked but pulled Shelby up the stairs before she could hear the answer.

"This is not going to end well is it?" I looked at James.

"It will be fine. It is good for us to have some fun after all of the training that we do," James said.

"I better go up there before Shelby kills Carli for getting you to come with us,"

"I was going to go whether Carli invited me or not. I just got her back, she won't be out of my sight for a while," James said as I turned to walk up the stairs.

I nodded "See you later,"

"Nothing too inappropriate for her," James half-ordered.

I laughed and walked up to Carli's room, to see Shelby beating Carli up with a pillow. "You knew that it was supposed to be girls' night! How could you invite him?"

"Because I want you to deny that he is your mate while you are pushed up against him on the dance floor," Carli declared causing Shelby to blush. Carli took the opportunity to shove Shelby off and free herself.

"Well, now that is over. Shelby goes shower and Carli gets started on hair and makeup," I told them.

"But..." Shelby started.

"No buts. Get your ass in the shower now red or do I have to call James?" I threatened.

"I'm going," Shelby gave in.