~A/N~

Let me just say this chapter kicked my ass. Goddess this was hard to write. Anyway I wanna give a shoutout to notsoordinary08 I see you love. I appreciate you taking the time to read and vote ☺️❤️

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I stare into his disbelieving brown eyes and feel three years' worth of unchecked emotions resurface. He rushes towards me knocking over a few pieces of furniture as he engulfs me in his arms. The foreign gesture causes me to freeze. Ancient feelings bubble over and threaten to cripple me. Clearing my throat, I lightly pat his back and awkwardly step out of his embrace. He looks at me in confusion and a tiny sliver of hurt.

"You look all grown up." He smiles to mask the hurt. "Had a rough day?" He gestures at my bloodied mouth. Apparently, I'm a messy half-vampire as Nick's blood was splattered all over my mouth and neck from when I drank from him.

I scoff and roll my eyes; A small smile gracing my face "That would be the understatement of the century." We chuckle and he caresses my face with a look of pure adoration. My smile disappears and I regain my seriousness while crossing my arms. His smile fades when I speak again. "You know what I am, don't you? You knew all along what would happen to me if I died."

His shoulders tense and he sighs as he perches himself on the edge of his desk. "I knew."

Two words. Those two words seemed to be enough to release three years worth of pent up anger.

"And you didn't think that was something that I should've been informed of? I have to hear it from my dead grandfather and creepy ancestor?" I say through gritted teeth. "How could you keep something so crucial to yourself? What else have you kept to yourself?"

"Alora, I'm sorry. I wanted to protect you. I thought not telling you was better for you. I didn't want you to grow up with that burden I-"

"I don't want to hear excuses father." I interrupt while shaking my head "I have the burden now and thanks to you I am in the dark about everything. I need answers and you said they lie in the Oasis. So here I am. Tell me what I need to know. What is this place? What is so important about this Kynda Crystal?"

His eyes flashed to my face and his expression morphed into what looks like... fear?

"Alora, what do you know of the Kynda? Are you in possession of it?" He asks in a hushed tone.

"Oh yes, it was a most gracious gift from dear old Emerson. What of it?" I retort.

"Sweetheart if you have it then you are in more danger than you realize." He says before pulling away. He begins pacing back and forth before muttering to himself, "It's beginning."

"What's beginning? Dad for once in your life can you tell me the truth?" I all but shout.

"I was scared." He sighs and my eyebrows furrow.

"Since when do you get afraid?"

"The day you came into this world was unlike any other." He says with a half-smile before it disappears as he continues "You came out of your mother's womb and time froze. Literally. Everything and everyone stood still. I remember feeling paralyzed. When you opened your eyes the skies thundered and the ground shook. I saw that fiery red color and immediately I knew you possessed the gene. The tales my father would tell me when I was a child came slamming back to me. I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to protect you from the world. To find some sort of safe haven for you, a place where nothing and no one could reach you."

"An Oasis..." I whispered as the dots began to connect.

"Precisely." He nodded and sighed in frustration "I spent the better half of your life searching for a way to do just that. I spent so much time away from you instead of being there for you. I'm so sorry Alora. I only wanted to protect you. It didn't work as well as I'd hoped."

I shook my head and leaned back against the wall, arms still crossed. "Tell me grandpa's stories."

He looked at me for a moment before sitting down on his chair and motioning me to sit. "You're going to want to sit down."

I look at him skeptically before plopping down on the chair across his desk.

"Since the day I was old enough to walk my father would tell me stories of our ancestors. Of course, I thought they were just that, stories. Something to keep me amused for a while. It wasn't until I was in my teens that he began to insist I take it seriously." He shook his head as regret took over his features "I should've taken him seriously." He whispered.

"And when did you?" I prompt as I cross my legs.

"When your eyes opened and the ground literally quaked." He answered, a sad look in his eyes. "That was the part of the story that always intrigued me. It was the part where "The Flame" was born."

"The Flame?" My interest peaked. "A vampire mentioned something about me being The Flame. What does it mean?"

"Yes." He nods "With the arrival of The Flame the skies will roar. When the ground shakes, the end begins." He quotes "The day you were born put the fear of Goddess into me. From that moment on, your grandfather and I did everything we could to try to save you from your fate. We practically turned the planet upside down looking for answers. We failed you... I failed you."

"Save me from what dad? What is going to happen to me?"

"Two years before those things attacked us... your grandfather and I followed a lead. We thought it was the missing piece we needed to finally find the Oasis. We were about to enter a cave when we were attacked."

"Attacked by who?" I ask.

He shakes his head "That's the thing. I can't remember. Every time I try to think about it I come up blank. Everything about that night is erased. Including your grandfather. After that night... I never saw him again."

"He died." I whisper as I bow my head. "If you had been honest about what you were doing then you could have taken some warriors with you. Instead you chose to keep it a secret that resulted in him dying." A fire festered in the pit of my stomach, oozing into my veins like a virus. "This insane obsession you've carried for my entire life and for what? At the end of the day you all died and I was left alone. My entire family wiped out in the blink of an eye. My home? Destroyed." I come to stand and back away from him.

"I rebuilt the Ember Pack from the ground up. Constantly under attack by werewolves and vampires alike. Do you have any idea what I've been through in the last twenty four hours alone? I've been shot straight through the chest and killed by a bloodsucker that I've come to find out I am related to. I died and met the father of said bloodsucker who I am told is the greatest evil to walk the Earth. Oh and surprise surprise I'm related to him too. I've had a hell of a day and I'm tired of story time. So let's cut to the chase and tell me what I need to do to end this mess and get back to my life." I spit out anger coursing through my veins.

He stares at me for a moment, analyzing me "You're right. This is all my fault and I'm sorry."

"I don't have time for this dad. I have responsibilities and things that I need to take care of. What is the importance of this crystal and what does it have to do with me?"

He clears his throat and nods "How much time has passed in your world?"

"Three wonderful years." I say through gritted teeth.

"And the day?"

"September 20th. Why?"

His face paled "The blood moon is in three days."

"And?" I asked impatiently.

"That is when the hybrids will attack again."

"So you knew they were hybrids all along." I say in an emotionless tone. "You knew we were all going to die and you did nothing but lead them all into a slaughter. You failed to train the pack to fight against them and their abilities." The look of guilt on his face said it all. I scoff and shake my head in disappointment.

"They were looking for the Kynda." He continues as he rubs a hand down his face "They knew that only the The Flame would be able to get access to it. That's why they attacked that night. I knew they would sense the gene in you even if it hadn't been triggered yet. They would know that you were The Flame that's why I told you to run."

"Is that why we're under constant attack? This stupid Kynda is what they want? It seems like everyone on the planet knows what it's for except for me. If I am risking my life and my pack's safety for it I deserve to know what the hell it's for." I spit out as I shake my head at the revelation. Everything suddenly falls into place. Like the missing piece of a puzzle. They're after me.

"Alora, I understand that keeping you in the dark like this may not have been the right way to go about it. But now that you know, you must find that cave. You are going to need all the help you can get. You can't do this alone. I believe what lies within the cave holds the key to you winning this war."

I scoff as his words sink in. "You realize that I am no longer that sixteen year old girl right? I have busted my ass every day for the past three years to provide safety for my pack and I've done it alone. Now if a war is coming tell me what I need to know so that I can go and protect them."

He stares at me for a moment before sighing "No. You aren't sixteen anymore. There is a war coming. The hybrids want their leader back. They need The Flame to use the Kynda and release Emerson. You can't let this happen. You must find the cave Alora. It could be your only hope."

"For the love of Goddess dad, you don't even remember where it is. I will not spend the days before war on some wild goose-chase while the Werepires grow larger each day." I sigh in annoyance.

He looks at me puzzled and snorts "Werepires?"

I groan and roll my eyes "That's what Emerson calls them, us... whatever. Look I'm not going to keep wasting time. I have to get back before it's too late."

"Time moves differently here than it does in the outside world. Three hours here will have only been five minutes out there." He explains before sighing. "It's not a wild goose-chase. Whatever is in that cave is strong enough to wipe away the memories of your alpha father and your werepire grandfather." He smirks before getting serious again "Promise me you will find the cave."

"Dad, to be quite honest I have no desire to see what lies within the cave. The only thing that I care about is my pack's safety." I state and he sighs before standing up and going behind him. He rummages for a moment through the shelves. When he finds what he's searching for he comes back and slides a crystal bottle towards me. It was sealed shut with an old worn out and delicate yellow cloth inside.

Curious, I open the bottle and pull it out. Unrolling it slowly, careful not to tear the withered cloth I read the note in elegant penmanship.

I am the key, but also the lock

I am bound to nature, while others are not

Strong and fearless, endlessly divine

Evil and wicked as portrayed through time.

I look up at my father and he crosses his arms over his chest. "Whatever the hell is in that cave is the key to winning the coming war. It might be the only thing that can kill 'Werepires.' So it will do you good to locate it."

I suddenly feel my heart constrict in my chest and I gasp as blood comes spewing out. My father rushes to my side and grabs my shoulders as I choke on my blood.

"What the hell is happening now." I groan out in annoyance as I gush blood onto the floor.

"You're being pulled out." He says wide eyed.

"Pulled out?"

"Someone is forcibly pulling your soul back to its body. Quite violently might I add. Sweetheart, I fear whoever has found your body knows about you and this Oasis. You mustn't trust anyone. You mustn't let anyone get their hands on the Kynda. Protect it with your life Alora!"

"I thought— you said... That I am in more danger now because of it." I try to speak through the gushing blood. My feet slide backward as I am harshly pulled back by an invisible force.

"The Kynda belongs to The Flame. It was intended for you and only you. Its power's too great. You mustn't let it out of your sight Alora." He warns as I go flying backward. I disappear behind the shelf and feel myself get slammed back into my body.

With a loud gasp my eyes flash open only to squint against the harsh bright light above me.

"Rise and fucking shine." Growls a deep voice as his face comes into view and I glare into his blue eyes. "Remember me princess?"