Before you read the summary of this book I would like you all to know that there is a NEW VERSION of this book that has a better plotline, more original characters, and better character development.
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"She blames herself for not relieving you of thi...
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Alex's P.O.V (Her Outfit ^^)
Hayley, Jackson, Aiden, and I were all outside of Jackson's trailer, discussing our current problems. "The wolves are freaking out. They know it had to be an insider who took down Vincent last night, seeing as no one could have been anywhere near him." Aidan said.
"Did anyone suspect it was you?" Jackson asked and he shook his head.
"No, not yet. But, they're gonna figure it out, which pretty much means I'm screwed unless we come up with a plan." He explained.
"Call a meeting. The whole pack, tonight. If they're so scared, now's the perfect time to convince them they need to ditch Esther." I said to them. Aiden held up his hand were he wore his moon-light ring.
"She gave them moonlight rings." Aidan said and I sighed.
"Well, those rings make you slaves." Hayley said to him.
"No! They make us powerful. We were exiles before, but now we run the city! The vampires are scared of us, and nobody, including me, is just gonna walk away from that because -"
"Set the damn meeting." Jackson said annoyed with Aidan and walked away. I gave Aidan a look before I caught up with Jackson near the dock of the pond, where he had just opened a can of beer.
"So, are you gonna work on a rousing speech, or just get day-drunk?" I asked him.
"Little bit of both." Jackson answered. I snatched the beer from him and looked at him in concern.
"Jack, it's ten A.M." Even Damon doesn't drink this early. Jackson turned away from me and went to lean against the boat house. Next to him was a small table covered in books, and he grabbed a brown, leather-bound journal off the top of the pile.
"You know, for months, I wrote down every single word Ansel said. The entire history of our people. If only I'd known he was Klaus' father, I would have asked him a hell of a lot more. You know, I was up all night looking through this, trying to find something, anything that will help me figure out how to get our people back together." Jackson said and tossed the book back onto the table.
"Let me guess - no such luck?" I asked and he sighed.
"Nothing viable. And now, Ansel's dead... along with Ollie. So, forgive me if I need a beer, 'cause right now, I can use all the help I can get." Jackson said, grabbed his drink from me and walked away. Once he was out of sight, I grabbed the brown leather journal so I could read it.
~
"You wanna stop playing mountain-man and explain why you kept this from me?" I asked him and held up the brown leather journal. Jackson look at me and sighed before dropping his axe.
"Why don't I jog your memory?" I started to read from the journal. "The werewolves' power can be traced back to the myth of the Unification Ceremony, a ritual that bestowed certain unique abilities onto every member of the pack." Jackson looked guilty, but remained silent. "Do you believe this?"
"I didn't at first. And then Ansel swore he saw it with his own eyes. And then he dies, and I found out he was resurrected from a thousand years ago, which means he was alive to see it!" Jackson said to me.
"How did I not know about this?"
"You didn't grow up out here. Yeah, every kid grows up hearing the stories. Back in the day, werewolf bloodlines were all distinct, right? Some had speed, some had strength, some could sense enemies from miles away. Now, to evolve, we would perform a ritual. A shaman would marry the alphas of each bloodline, and then the special abilities of each would be... inherited, mystically, by everyone who participated in the ritual. See, after a few centuries, everybody had the same abilities, so alpha marriages became political. They became about... power, about territory." Jackson explained to me. I took a moment to silently consider this information.
"But I have a unique ability. Because I'm a hybrid, I can control when I change! So, if this mystical marriage thing works, then - then our people get my power, and they can ditch the rings!" I said happily, but Jackson looked torn. "Which means Esther no longer has a hold over them!" Jackson nodded silently. "Jack, this is exactly the answer that we've been looking for! Let's find a shaman, I'll say some vows. Hell, I'll make it a party!"
"It ain't just a party. It's a marriage. If the vows ain't honored, it doesn't work." My face fell when I realized that I had to marry someone. "It's gotta be a real marriage, in every way, for the rest of your life. Are you up for that?" Jackson asked me. "And I know you don't want to marry me." Sadly he's right. I don't want to because I know Hayley likes you. "So, you don't even have an Alpha to marry."
"Yeah actually there is." I said and Jackson stared at me.
"Who?" Jackson asked.
"Well, Ansel was an Alpha. Then he died and Klaus is his son...so that makes Klaus an Alpha." I explained to him.
"Well are you ready to marry him?" Jackson asked me and I didn't answer him. I know I wanted to marry him one day, but I didn't know if I really wanted to marry him right now. "Didn't think so." He returned to chopping firewood, leaving me alone to think.
~
Cami and I were looking through Kieran's files. Cami groaned again and rubbed her forehead as she leaned over the desk. I looked at her in concern. "You sure you're okay?" I asked her and she sighed.
"Yeah, I must be coming down with something." She said.
"I'm sorry to drag you out of bed for this."
"Please. You just discovered an ancient marriage ritual with pretty drastic supernatural and personal implications. The least I can do is get out of bed." Cami said and I smiled back at her. She gestured toward a pile of files and books on the desk. "So, this is everything I found in my uncle's files about werewolf ceremonies and rituals. Mostly, it sounds like old folklore and fables." I nodded silently. Cami looked at me sympathetically. "...But, I'm guessing you're not here looking for some kind of proof." I shook my head.
"I don't know what I'm looking for."
"Not to pry, but... does Jackson have any answers?"
"He doesn't even want to talk about it. He doesn't want to put me in this position. He's a good, decent guy, if those even exist anymore. Plus, if I do, do this. I have to marry Klaus." I explained and Cami smiled at me.
"And, I'm assuming he knows?" Cami asked and I shook my head again.
"I've barely spoken to him today. I don't know what to do Cami? I mean should I marry Klaus? Because I can't marry Jackson." I said and Cami looked confused.
"Why not?"
"Because he's in love with Hayley." I said and Cami looked away. "Yeah."
"Well, there's no right answer to this." Cami said and I chuckled as she started to pull her hair back into a ponytail. "You just have to figure out what's best for you, and think long and hard about your decision, because you're the one who's going to have to live with it. Also, talk to Klaus." I sighed.
"No pressure on that last one." I said and Cami turned to start putting the files away, and I noticed a vertical line of what looked like large pin-pricks that ran down the length of her spine, which was visible through a small slit in the back of her shirt. I looked worried. "Hey, what's that on your back?"
Cami, concerned, walked over to a nearby mirror and turned so that she can see it for herself. She then looked at me in horror.
