An Alpha Twice Removed

Meeting The Wolf 1994

               ***********  THURSDAY  1994 DIANES FLASH BACK   **********

Lisbon came into Diane's mind just 2 days before her moon day. It happened that night she was rescued from the castle when Tom and his friends chose to explore her icy fortress. Finding her all alone abandoned in that huge castle was heartbreaking. Finding out she was his mate made the situation even harder to ignore. He couldn't just go home without her, He wouldn't have been able to leave her alone again. Thomas and Diane spent that entire night laughing and getting to know one another while Albert and Isaac gathered wood for the fireplace, Trying to warm the castle for the long night ahead of them. Leaving them alone to break the ice ... And that they did. That was the night queen was conceived. By morning Diane woke up to a low sweet voice coaxing her awake. 

"Wake up! WAKE! UP!"  said an unfamiliar voice.

Stirring a little. still tucked in the warm embrace of her lover, her mate. Diane still hadn't woken.

"Wake up!!"

"Wake up!!!"

"For goddess sake, Diane get up!" the unknown voice said. 

Diane hopped up panicked wide-eyed and alert, what was that? she thought. Looking around the sitting room she noticed Albert and Isaac curled up by the fireplace still sound asleep. She continued to scan the room then down at her beloved Thomas still sound asleep. "I must be losing my mind," she thought.

"Maybe Or Maybe you aren't." said the voice. 

"Huh? said Diane looking around the room.

Scanning the room a second time still, there was no one else awake. She was starting to get upset.

"What's going on!" Diane shouted waking the room.

The boys hopped up alert and ready to fight! the only problem was no one could see an intruder. Scanning the room the boys looked back at Diane with a confused look. 

"They think your nuts. . ." the voice spoke again.

"What's wrong with her?" Albert asked tom.

"See told ya!" the voice added.

"WAIT!" Diane screamed out.

Causing Isaac Albert and tom to stop.

"I think your girlfriend's nuts bro," Albert said linking tom and Isaac.

"Cut it out AL!" Tom shot back. 

"Do ..do you guys hear that?." she spoke.

"Hear what?" tom said with concern.

"That voice!" she replied. 

"They can't hear me. only you silly child." the voice spoke again.

"Wait is it like a voice inside your head?" tom asked with worry in his voice. 

"Yeah I guess"

"Oooh .." the boys replied in unison.

"It's your wolf!" said Thomas.

"My what??" asked a shocked Diane. 

"I am Lisbon said the strong feminine voice emanating around Diane's head. I am your wolf and have been waiting quite a while to meet with you," she said.

"Meet with me?."

"Yes, child. I am Lisbon. I have waited centuries to meet you. Diane. you are ..WE ARE. special." 

Confusing Diane more than she was already. It's not like powers aren't cool or anything but Diane was not the only powerful wolf shifter to walk the earth. As you know her mother was the One true ice queen. Sarah was the first other than the all-powerful moon goddess we all hear so much about. But no one ever thought of Diane as special before.  Sure one has described her as "Fragile, unlucky, emotionally distant, cold, A loner, A weirdo, A Ghost " And such however special wasn't something one would speak when referring to Diane. Her mother thought of her as fragile something that could be broken but valuable so you keep it locked away never to be stolen. Her father on the other hand thought of her as a nuisance always getting in the way. Blocking his shine. Or so she felt. Dimitri thought of her to be kind and quiet always sitting around with her nose in a book. Some underestimated her for her love for reading thinking she was so lost in those books she was unaware of all that went on around her. They thought her to be innocent and naïve but Dimitri knew better. Staff ignored her. The only other person to truly know her was Ruth, she was the only one to break through her ice before Thomas arrived. Ruth thought of her as courageous and smart but no one has ever called Diane special before. 

"How am I special?" Diane asked.

"I can understand you have questions, and I have lots to tell you that is why I woke you up so early to speak alone. however, I maybe should have predicted you would freak out and wake the whole damn room!" Lisbon teased.

"Haha! yeah I'm sorry about that I just wasn't expecting to hear another voice in my head .And aren't you supposed to come on my 16th moon day?" Diane asked.

"Normally, yes. But you aren't normal Diane. We will talk more about that later and much more but I really think you should do something about the three confused wolves giving you weird looks right now. Including mate." 

Diane looks up from her deep trance to see three worried wolves staring back at her, Tom looked like his anxiety was getting the best of him. 

"Is it your wolf?" Tom asked.

"Yes. She replied."

"Would you like a minute?" Tom asks in a knowing voice. 

"Yes," Diane replied.

Thomas turned on his heel and the three-headed out the door, giving Diane and Lisbon some much-needed time alone.

"Now where were we". Lisbon continued.

" ..Special" you were saying.  Diane said clearly annoyed with Lisbon's theatrics.

"Ah yes. We have much to discuss child. Some about you and a lot to do with your mother."

-My? My mother? Diane asked.

"CORRECT child. as she too was truly special. If you'd just calm down for a second so I could explain everything then maybe we could get somewhere. you have to relax child, let go of your fears. You're really starting to make me anxious. And trust me a powerful one as yourself coming into your wolf your first time YOU DO NOT WANT US TO BE ANXIOUS. You can hardly control your self let alone control ME!. Diane, you must relax." Said Lisbon.

"I'm trying to . . . It's just. this is all so new, EVERYTHINGS happened so fast! I just don't understand.." Diane trailed off. 

"Understand what? child" Lisbon asked.  

"Why me?" Diane replied. 

"Why me? why? why am I so special?! I found my mate without even leaving this castle my mom held me in like some porcelain doll too fragile to play with others too useless to help with anything! so why! why me?" Diane shouted as tears poured down her face. 

"HUSH! child. where did you ever learn such foolishness? they warned you would be difficult but goddess knows you'd be at this level of difficulty. Listen to me, Diane. you are incredibly special, you hold the heart and soul of the royal ice queen herself. You truly mustn't know the power you hold my dear, you are the most powerful wolf to walk this earth since your mother drew her last breath. You are the next queen the next ice queen, should you ever learn to control the powers you possess."  Lisbon told her. 

"Bu ..but that's impossible. Besides, how would you know this" Diane stated.

"Because child I am your mother's wolf, just as I was your grandmother and now I am yours," Lisbon replied. 

"Lies!" Diane screamed. unwilling to accept Lisbon's words.

"NO! DIANE! listen there are things your mother never told you despite my best attempts to change her mind, she was stubborn. She refused to teach you. She always argued you weren't ready. Even after you prolonged winter 3 whole months one time. You scared the villagers into thinking the end of the world was coming. All because your mother left off to battle some rogue king way uphill. OR the time you froze your guards simply because they tried to stop you from barging into a really important alpha and beta meeting. Remember when you froze your first bath...Oh of course not . . You were just a small pup then I suppose." 

"How? how could one wolf be shared between us all? it's impossible." 

"Not impossible. You see when your grandmother was younger, her mother cloaked her and her wolf with a spell that would keep them bonded for the rest of their lives and forever in eternity. She originally sought out to cast a spell giving her daughter the protection and guidance of a mother a best friend and a loyal companion (wolf). You see your great-grandmother had a long road ahead of her,  but that road didn't include life on earth. She has fated the duties of the Guardian of the moon, with that being so she knew her time with her child would be limited. so she cast a spell to bind the two spirits together hoping her daughter would never be or feel alone or abandoned in her wake. But your great-grandmother's magic was stronger than she knew. Not only was I bound to her daughter but I awoke in her daughter's eyes too after her death also. Over the years I have learned so much from your grandmother, mother, and even you Diane. You are the 4th generation Ice Witch. The most powerful of them all. Diane, you hold within you the greatest powers to ever be unleashed. It is your destiny. you are the one who bears the power of three within you. BUT you aren't to live long enough for your body to keep it".

"What? how? why!? wait what do you mean I won't live long enough to keep it?" Diane asked with fear lacing her voice.

"IT IS YOUR DESTINY! you are the only witch to hold that much power at one time. not even your great-grandmother was strong enough to hold such power. But you Diane, you will not only hold such power but you will also Birth it . Not once but Three times over. Diane, you are more than special you are the creator of something bigger than we will ever know. And I am here to guide you through it all so when the time comes for you to create the power of three you will be more than ready. Diane, it is of extreme importance that you and Thomas raise your pups right, or else the power of three will fall into the wrong hands."  Lisbon warned.

"Wrong hands? what do you mean the wrong hands ??" Diane asked worriedly.

"The power of three was created to save mankind from a great evil. however, legend has it that the power of three can also be used to implement a great Evil over the world if falls into the wrong hands. It is said that the creator must raise the trio in love and teach them the lessons of trust, loyalty, courage, bravery, humility, and empathy so they may become great leaders when it becomes their time. You see Diane you are special. You are the only one who could succeed in this type of mission. You were created just for this. This power was created for you, Diane." Lisbon told.

"For me?" Diane asked in utter disbelief.

"Diane when your mother and I met I told her of her mission as well, she was to serve and protect this kingdom alongside her one true mate. Lead his pack into battles and emerge victorious in the battle of the Rouge king on the tip of the tallest mountain in the greenest land, she was to emerge victorious yet again for the last time and return to birth the savior of the power of three. Although at the time we thought it to mean Sarah would Birth three children assuming they would be the power of three. However, fate had other intentions. Sarah gave birth to 1 single pup during her reign. And that pup was you princess. You are the savior of the power of three. When you found your mate something inside of you awoke me early and it was then I knew it was time. And all that I needed to know to help you became clear. I must warn you we haven't much time. You see just like your mother and your grandmother before her, you will not live a full life. I am sorry but it just isn't in the cards for us Diane." Lisbon confessed.

"But why? how is that fair?!! why do I have to die? WAIT! you'll die again too?." Diane asked.

Lisbon simply replied "Yes."

"BUT WHEN YOU DIE YOU GET TO COME BACK OVER AND OVER AGAIN?".

"That is true child However it isn't the same coming back into a new mind every time dealing with new fears and new emotions to share with my human part each time new memories are added to the old ones. A new mate each time. To never have an ever-lasting eternal love with my one true mate. For a wolf that is a horrible fate to live each time with someone else emotions pulling you into a new love each time whilst still stuck with the memories and the hurt from missing my one true mate."  Lisbon said as she was cut off. 

"Your one true mate? So you've had a mate before? ..I mean well of course you've had a mate before well mates?.. Oh I guess I didn't even consider that you've had to remate each and every time you come back. I'm so sorry Lisbon I can't even imagine how much that must hurt." Diane said apologetically.

"Thanks, child, really I can't remember the last time anyone's acknowledged my feelings in a very long long time. You truly are one of a kind." 

"Lisbon ?."

"Yes, Child?."

"You said you met your one true mate.. who was he?"

"My mate was the same just like any wolf, the moon goddess chooses the one perfect for you to be mated and marked. And just like any wolf, I met mine and we fell in love... We were happy so very happy. Until .." Lisbon trailed off. 

 (I could tell she was holding back. But I spoke up anyway in fear she could hear my thought. )

"I can child. haha, you really mustn't know anything about how this works do you, child? .."

"Well, no. My mother kept me isolated in this castle for as long as I can remember and when my dad thee alpha king Charles had hired me the perfect teacher to come in and home school me so I can keep up with my studies, one afternoon I was studying in the library room with my instructor Mr. Arnold. We were going over the effects of the mate bond and how it will affect your wolf. Mr. Arnold was bickering on and on, and for a while, I was lost in deep thought .. That was until Mr. know it all had to go and spread such rumors about my mother and father. He said that my parents were never mated by the gods but instead, they chose each other for power. He lied! he lied! he did. And I just got so mad before I could control it Mr. Arnold was frozen solid with this know it all look on his smug face. Mother immediately burst through the library's double doors sensing the use of my magic. She had already known what I had done. I at 6 years old took my first innocent life. From that moment on I was too dangerous to be homeschooled by outsiders and confined to these castle walls. Deemed too fragile to be left unmonitored."

"Ah yes, I remember how out of control you once were. I see nothing changed much since, either, judging on the state of this castle now. You must really have lost control, Dia. I can imagine how alone you must have felt here in this cold and abandoned castle." 

*Diane sobs *

"Your mother was stubborn, I told her you would need more guidance I pleaded with her over and over again but she just shut me out. You don't know how many times I've sat there in the dark corners of her mind just watching you through her eyes. You know ..I've always felt your pain ..It was like we were connected as one, all three of us when you were still in Sarah's womb. I always knew when you were hungry or restless in there, up to the moment you were born we had this connection. If you ever felt scared or upset I always felt your emotions pulsing through me like a shock of cold electricity. Forcing me to take over and come running to your side." 

 "You mean all this time I thought my mother and I was connected in some mystical way and all the while it. It was you!?"

"Yes, Dia. You were made to be my last soul. My last form. We were connected from the first heartbeat you ever took. From that moment on I felt every emotion every cut and scrape until the day your mother and I died. But dia there is something I must tell you about that unfortunate day."

"Lisbon please, I can't take any more stories about a mother I barely even knew!" 

Diane feeling overloaded and defeated just couldn't take another word. 

"But I must Diane. it's important you know the truth in order to save the power of three!"

"F**k the power of three!" Diane screamed. falling to her knees clutching her head in her hands.

"Diane!  you are stronger than this. I know it. And if I do say so myself dia this isn't princess behavior. It's actually quite childish."

"CHILDISH!!! OH, YOU HAVE SOME NERVE! after abandoning me here! a child! with no one! no one stayed here but Ruth!"

"Actually that isn't true," Lisbon replied. 

Diane lost it. She started cussing and yelling. Pain clearly taking over her emotional state.

"How could you possibly say that! HOW COULD YOU KNOW!" Diane shouted. 

"Because, Diane, I was still here stuck in limbo forced to watch you from a distance not able to warm you when your cold hug you when you felt alone, but I was still here. Just as I was there when your father lost his mind."

"What do you mean he lost his mind? Diane finally asked."

"This is what I've been trying to tell you, child! I swear you and your mother are stubborn as mules". 

Hey! -Diane shot back.

"That night in the music room, your mother and your uncle Dimitri came up with a plan to overthrow your father's reign over the crescent ice wolves. I know it seems crazy and a bit rash. But your father was suffering from the loss of his true mate. causing him to become more aggressive paranoid and so much stronger than we anticipated. We kept it hidden well, At first, it started to become hard to cover up when your father started to suspect your mother of an affair she was not having. Every day he found new ways to inspect her close relationship with Dimitri. Even after so much evidence that they were nothing more than friends and packmates Still he believed there was much more between the two. He had convinced himself you weren't of his blood. Went so far as to have your hairbrushes tested. Well, that night your father put his trust into the wrong wolf. He sent out his third in command to go out and retrieve the hair samples and bring them back to him with the results. But what your father hadn't anticipated is that his own soldier would betray him. The soldier knew of the king's jealous behavior and took his chance to eliminate the competition and replace the test results before he returned with the altered DNA test. With that, he handed an alpha blinded by jealousy a smoking gun. The test was all he needed, a sliver of proof that his suspicions are true. With that information, he went mad ending both the lives of your mother and your uncle way before their time. And in doing that, your mother was never able to complete her final mission. Dia. It's really important that you listen to me."

"Yea I'm hearing you Lisbon. Freaking out but I'm hearing you."

"Diane your mother was supposed to lead her pack into battle one last time in the battle of the rogue king, but when your mother was murdered everything changed leaving your pack to go their separate ways .. Diane your duty is to bring the crescent ice pack back together for one last final battle of rogues. Diane, it is impeditive that you get the crescent ice wolves. Only a crescent wolf can feed off power as great as yours.  You must be the ice queen leading them into battle this time around. No one else has the power to defeat him other than you. With Thomas at your side, you will stop the wars until the powers of three can be born." 

"But how?"

"You and Thomas are the creators of the power of three. And until the birth of the savior, you two will act as guardians to the power of three a power shared between the mate bond. But you must be careful because with the powers of three come the seeds of jealousy and greed."  

"What do you mean it comes with seeds?"

"You shall soon find out in due time, my child in due time."

Diane had much to think about. Having a peek into your future isn't all that one would usually expect. Especially when you find out you will die young instead of old age in bed with your loved one. This wasn't something you could overlook and destiny isn't one to change its mind on such matters. She would die young that's for sure. But what she does with the time spent here on earth, that's what truly matters. Her destiny was written in stone, decided long before she was ever born. She was meant to be the creator of the power of three. the creator of those rumored to be the strongest most powerful super-beings to ever walk the planet. Let alone the only one's powers great enough to save the werewolf race from being wiped off the face of the earth when the rogues return to kill the rest of the remaining packs off.  And how exactly she's going to pull all this off … After all, she is just simply Diane. Diane of the frozen ice castle last living royal family member of the crescent ice pack wolves. Powers of ice or not Diane wasn't ready to take on all the new responsibilities and the people.

"Oh, goddess! the people!. I have to leave here at some point."  Diane thought.

(she wasn't yet over her fears of actually leaving the castle )

"What's that..? Lisbon asked?"

"I couldn't. I just... I guess I didn't even think about it. With everything going on I didn't even stop to think about the fact that id even have to leave, I mean I just got so caught up in meeting Thomas I.. I got so lost in those big beautiful hazel eyes. Oh, goddess Liz what will I tell Thomas? "

"What is there to be afraid of?"

"I don't know! maybe that fact that I can't control my powers!! . I could freeze anyone!"

"Well if you put it that way ..Then I must ask you, Diane. when you met mate.. Did you freeze our mate?" 

"Well no..." 

"And what about the short and stubby boy with the curly hair?"

"Albert? No .."

"And what of the taller boy with the dirt blonde hair?"

"Isaac? No... I haven't frozen any of my friends." *a little irritated this time*

 "But when they broke into your castle and you didn't know them, Diane .. Did you freeze anyone?"

"NO!" *In a more irritated tone*

"Hmm.. seems under control to me.." She said with a knowing voice.

Diane knew she was right but still, she stood with her stubborn ways. She waltzed over to the big heavy doors leading to the hall pulling it open. Revealing thee clearly eavesdropping Isaac Albert followed by  Thomas with a worried look painted over his face. 

 Are you okay? *he asked in a voice laced with worry *

"Yes," Diane replied back. *Pushing past them*

Once out in the hall passed the boys she bolted straight down the hall and to the right ending at a tall white door with a large brass handle. It took a minute for the boys to catch up to her at the end of the long hallway only to find her just standing there starring at this peculiar large white door with a large brass knob. Thomas took a step closer towards his mate. Breaking her from her thoughts. 

* Diane's pov*

This is it. The last time I stepped foot in this room it was filled with sorrow and haunting memories. And as much as I don't want to open up this door, I have to. I have to know what happened to my dad. I can't just leave here, leave them all behind without knowing why they had to die. Who was this soldier and why would a crescent soldier turn on his alpha? Lisbon couldn't be telling me everything. And I just have to know, NO! I need to know. She decided. Reaching up she grabbed the brass doorknob closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and turned the handle. walking into the room. Immediately met with the harsh aroma of stale blood and a stuffy storage smell lingering around the abandoned office. Diane walked over to the tall black file cabinet behind her father's desk and began rummaging through the important documents and papers. She searched the whole cabinet and moved on to the desk. The boys stood in the doorway confused but staying out of her way. As Diane continued searching the room she looked through the whole office before giving up her efforts. On her way out the office door, Diane took one last glance back at the old cramped office. Memories of her parents spending long hours holding meetings and planning wars in that now old creepy office room. Just before shutting the big white door did Diane notice the crumbled-up paper at the bottom of the empty waste bin beside the alpha's desk.  Diane swung the door open racing over to the waste bin reaching in and pulling the piece of paper out from the bottom. She straightened it out to reveal it was indeed the DNA test results Lisbon told her the alpha received that night. Upon reading the letter and further investigation she discovered the paper was not only a fake but listed the child born to the alphas sample as a sample from a male child. 

"That's strange," Diane thought. Why would my father's loyal comrades turn on him in the end? why couldn't he see the betrayal coming? it just makes no sense. My father was the smartest alpha around, he was truly brilliant. He'd never fall for such a trick like that. No, not my father ..No ..He wouldn't ..He couldn't have been betrayed. His packmates would never do that. They were loyal trustworthy, we ice crescent wolves stuck together like..Like a family! we would never betray one of our own. It's even in our oath. The very same one all pack mates had to swear to in order to become a crescent wolf. It just makes no sense. Who would do such a thing? everyone in the crescent pack loved my mother and my father. They'd give their lives for them time and time again. Not that they ever had to, moms magic kept us all strong and safe. No one ever got sick or even died around here. It was like mom gave them eternal life, who would want to harm them? betrayal like that just doesn't happen around here. Not to a crescent wolf pack. it's just unheard of. right?.. right?? ugh something must have happened, this couldn't be the true story! I refuse to believe my father would be wronged by his own people. they loved us. They loved my mother more honestly they'd follow her into hell and back. That kind of divine loyalty wouldn't just go away! not ever 

"Well they did leave you behind to starve, didn't they.. Loyalty only goes so far with people sometimes you never even know they'll betray you until the knives stab you in your back. Trust me I've seen it. Way more times than I can even count.. You know multiple lives and all"

"This one mind 2 souls.. thing is getting pretty tired already I can't even have a private thought to myself anymore."

"Alright, alright ill hush. Someone clearly pissed in your cereal this morning huh?!.."