A huge thank you to my editor Tex Beethoven for another amazing job and collaboration, thank you Tex you rock!!!
Book 1
Chapter 32
The lycans were seated in a conference room at the Four Seasons after they had eaten dinner and gathered for the meeting. In attendance were Alpha Thomas of the Crater Moon Pack with his mate and Betas, Alpha Jerome of the Yellowstone Pack with his mate and Betas, Alpha Lisette with her mate Raphael, her Top Beta Sebastian and three other Betas, and finally the wolves of the O'Connor Pack, including Odin and Victoria, Lily and Dante, Ben and Sara and two other Betas. Everyone looked to Lisette, waiting for her to start. Once she had everyone's attention, she began.
"As we all know, thousands of years ago when our Mistress the Goddess Luna witnessed humans encroaching on our forests and reducing our numbers, She empowered her Great Champion to push back the advance and destruction of man. He roamed far and wide, defending the wolves and the wilds for many years. Eventually Luna selected another wolf to become lycan and to serve as his Great Love, to share his burdens and responsibilities, as well as of course, their mutual love. Together they fought and misdirected the humans on behalf of Luna and Her vision, achieving many successes before Luna in Her great Wisdom gifted them with the very first lycan Pack. It is from these wolves that all lycans are descended.
"The original Champion and his Great Love became the first Alpha Pair and began the Royal Line that governed our race for millennia. The line was cruelly taken from our race over 1000 years ago, and was thought to be lost. Our society fractured and has remained broken ever since.
"However, there was an oracle near the time of our split after the death of the Royal Line, and she prophesied the return of our hope and the reestablishment of our Royal Bloodline. Over the centuries most have forgotten this prophesy, but some still remember. Our Pack immigrated to America from the Grand Est region of France and we always remained true to the old ways, and passed down the prophesy as a hope for our people. I was just a little girl when I first heard it, but I have always remembered.
"The prophesy is as follows;
'When the hearts of men and wolves turn blacker than the moonless night sky, a beacon will shine once again like the silver light of Luna herself. The Royal Bloodline of the First Champion will once again walk the land, guarding those wolves who have kept in their hearts their faith and their love for their Goddess. A new Guardian will be born to rejection and raised in exile and suffering, yet Luna's blessing will be placed upon his heart, for her blessing will shine like silver moonlight from his soul, so that all may know of the Silver Guardian and his great task. The burning fires of pain and suffering will consume him in a fierce blaze, but from the ashes he will be tempered and forged with a heart of steel that can never be broken. Like the First Champion before him, he will walk alone for years before he first comes home to his destined place and finds his other half. Heir to the Patron of Warriors, his Great Love will be born again, and with her he will reside, and together they will unite the wolves under Luna's love and care. She will be his sheath and comfort, for he will face pain and suffering before his task is even begun. The blackness lying upon the land will recede when the Holy Light of Luna shines as he walks where shadows lie, as the Silver Guardian will unite the wolves and the wilds once more. In his gaze will be reflected the Judgment of our Mistress, as his Great Love will be the only one able to calm the storm that he will bring.
Only she will be sufficient to restore him and bring him home when the rage of battle has consumed him. May Luna have mercy upon the wicked, for the Silver Guardian will not.'"
Every single person's eyes were wide as they absorbed the ancient saga just lain at their feet. Lily was holding onto Dante tightly and Dante was staring at his lap with his eyes closed tightly and his hand wrapped around Lily's, while yes, she soothed him with her touch. Everyone in the room had tears streaming down their faces as words sounding so legendary made so much sense as they awakened so many long-lost dreams. Even the implacable Alpha Odin and his mate held each other closely as they sobbed together.
Alpha Lisette had managed to contain herself barely long enough to complete her recitation before she too had broken down in her sobbing mate's arms, and it was many minutes before she was able to compose herself sufficiently to speak again, and the rest were able to listen.
"Judging from everyone's heartfelt responses, I take it that we all now understand the implications of what we witnessed today. Nevertheless, I'll explain a little more.
"When I first met Dante, there were several things that gave me pause and tickled the back of my mind, but I couldn't put my finger on what they were. After what we all shared today, and how well everything matches the prophesy, there can be no doubt any longer. With Dante, the Royal Bloodline has returned to our people, and he is the Silver Guardian, sent to us by Luna. His eyes are the liquid silver of the moon, he has the warrior mark of Luna with his twin crossed swords and the moon branded upon his chest by Luna Herself. We all saw the glow of the silver-blue moonlight shining from him today, and his Great Love Lily is an O'Connor, which means 'Patron of Warriors' in the Gaelic tongue."
She turned her gaze to Dante and Lily. "My dears, your children will be the first of the Royal Bloodline to return your birthright to our people, and the light of the Champion will shine upon us all again. In the fullness of time you and Lily will lead us, and unite our people once again to be blessed under Luna's gaze and thrive under Her Love for Her children."
Everyone absorbed the gravity of Lisette's pronouncements before they all turned to look at Lily and Dante. Each Pack had been communicating through their bond, sorting through this revelation and what it meant, before they saw Dante and Lily nod to each other.
Finally Dante spoke having been silent the entire time up to now, "Prophetess Lisette, I will accept this responsibility and burden as I must. In time when I am called upon to do so I will lead our people, but only with Lily at my side. We will always act together, and we will defend our family and ourselves against our enemies without mercy and with extreme prejudice. We shall not be slain. History will not repeat itself with us.