3rd POV
Layla Heelie paces her study as the exam begins. Three daughters that all want to be Alpha. As triplets they all become eligible to train at the same time, two moons after their fifteen birthday. They must pass the Marking Exam after their sixteen birthday to continue training.
She knows the phsycal portion will be a breeze Lyra. Kyra will exceed on the Histroy portion though suffer on the magic casting, while Emrie will exceed the basic combat match unless the match is drawn out to long.
Layla sighs, "I don't need to retire yet." She mutters, "I'm still young."
Laylas first Beta Mark Olando walks in, "they haven't shifted. I don't have to start training them so soon either."
"They're almost twenty Alex they should be preparing," Layla responds back.
"All three are still immature, they need more time," Alex plops down on the sofa with second Beta Alazami.
"It's them who want to do the Alpha training. With Amoura gone they want to step up," Alazami and Alex share a look.
"Them wanting to train is a good sign that they want to mature," Layla retorts.
"Wanting power doesn't equate to maturity Layla," Alex retorts.
"They're still young. Let them take the Alpha training once they Shifted. They'd mature by then. Get them to shadow you so until then, mentor them but Training will give them the wrong encouragement. They're power won't come from power. They will not suceed the way Amoura does," Alazami responds to her.
Layla sighs, "no one will suceed the way Amoura does."
Them failing wasn't what she's worried about, if anything one failing would make the choice easier. Having three daughters who all do well makes it hard to pick one without being bias.
"How much longer was left on exam?" Layla asks as she stops pacing.
"Not much. They were at the end of it when I left," Alex speaks casually.
"Have them train with everyone, seperate them even, and maybe their individual personalities and skills will come out," Alex suggests as he refills his cup.
"Postpone the Training Layla. They are not ready for it," Beta Brenda walks in seconds later.
"They aren't mature enough. Not to mention for Alphas they are average," Brenda hands Layla the paperwork of the triples results.
"They aren't above average. One is better than the other at something but none exceeds the other. They're second forms will be what sets them apart," Layla sighs.
"Most Lycans would die for a Lycan female and yet I'm here unimpressed by my three daughters," Layla sighs as she joins the Betas on the sofas.
"They need more preparation," Layla sighs as she puts the paperwork down.
"Who wants to tell the girls?" Layla asks as the door opens.
The triplets walk in, "Tell us what?"
Layla dismisses the Betas and asks the girls to sit, "you're exam results favor the same results, good in some places, better than the other one in other places. None of you outshines the other. Which in its own is impressive as three females who haven't shifted to fair this well is a feat in its own, be proud of that girls."
"That said?" Kyra speaks first.
"That said we won't be doing the Alpha Training after all. We will be doing mentoring instead," the words take a few moments to sink in.
They explode in questions and Layla allows them to bagger on for a few moments before hashing them down.
"You're skills average out that the training won't do anything to set you all apart. Instead we will focus on the other attributes to leadership and as you Shift you can begin the Training."
"Thats it? We don't even get a say?"
"A say? We only started the Exam because you three wanted it. You're not ready. I was wrong to encourage you this way. Instead to start you off properly we will do things another way, we will start you all training with your age group."
"Wrong to encourage us? You never encourage what we want? And why are we training with everyone? You'll train Amoura but you wont train us," Kyras words get to Layla.
"Never? We have three different temepature underground pools because of you all. We have two trampoline parks and three pink, glow in the dark meadows right off the house cause of your encouragements. You sister wasnt at the liberty to train with everyone else, she could have killed them. She needed to work alone, she had to be alone. The three of you could have started training last year, you all weren't interested, you you are now then you'll start training with everyone and once you Shift you'll start the Alpha Training," Layla snaps back.
"Not when it counts. If it had been Amoura asking you'd make the impossible happen. If you don't want us to be your successor just say it mom," Kyra splats.
"I don't need to do anything Amoura can make the impossible happen all on her own, she just needs reminders SHE has no limits. And what I want is a viable successor Kyra and the three of you aren't ready yet. You're still young and immature," Layla gets up and begins to pace.
"You three need more guidance. More experience and far more knowledge. I started the process wrong. Got carried away that you all were interested in training," Layla speaks calmly.
"Started wrong? How Training is the first step," Emrie speaks up then.
"For shifted Lycans yes. None of you have shifted or shown signs of a second form years after your fifteenth birth year. It's been a year since your ninetheeth year we can wait until you Shift," Layla responds.
"Most Lycans don't shifted till after their twenty first birthday. I'm sorry we aren't your first borns mate who shifted at the age of seven! We can't all be perfect Lycans," Kyra snaps.
"What happens if we don't Shift?" Kyra asks calmly.
"You already know only a Lycan can be Alpha of a Lycan pack," Layla states calmly.
"'What?!'" They shout in unison.
"You already know the rules. Amoura doesn't qualify as Alpha even though she's the first born. She's not a Lycan, this pack is a Lycan pack. You can become a district Mayor but to lead this Pack you will need to have Shifted. This will stay a Lycan Pack," Layla states.
"If we can't be your Alpha then who will?" Emrie questions her mother.
She sighs in resignation, "despite their protests the next Alpha will Heminsworth. After everything settles I doubt the Blackhart twins will want to try for the Alpha Trails much less Training."
"The Blackharts have a chance? Sorry we aren't good enough you want Be-," Layla growls at her daughter.
"This pack was lead by Lisa as much as me the agreement we held when finalized our packs was OUR children would have a chance at being the next Alpha. Amoura - Amoura should have been Alpha."
"Sorry we can't make up for your disqualified perfect first born," Kyra rushes out and her sisters join behind her.
Layla plops back onto the chair behind her desk, this wouldn't be necessary if the rules were different. If only Amoura had been born a Lycan.
Alex walks back in,"you think they'll understand?"
"Would you be able to comprehend if your older siblings was short of a God and trying to compare will leave you feeling insignificant," Layla comments in resignation.
"You think Amoura would ever magically become a Lycan?" Alex huffs.
"Maybe the day will come where she won't need to be a Lycan to rule," Layla huffs.
"Amoura won't stray, she'll do what Bixi wants," Layla responds on defeat.
"Things are changing Layla. Amoura would have never left here without Bixis blessing, but she walked out of here before the end of her twenty fifth birthday. She didn't even begin the tethering this year. She's been disconnected from the land all year. She was plotting before she left Layla you got to trust you raised her right."
"Why would she just leave? What would sway her from everything?" The lights begin to twitch and Layla recalls the day Amoura is born.
The study door slams shut, the wood begins to glow and trasform into a portal.
Lisa rushes thru the second the portal connects.
"What are you doing here? Where's Amoura?" Layla panics.
"I am here to switch places with you. The triplets need you, well tough love you," Lisa speaks frankly.
"But right now -" Lisa places an opal stone on the bookshelf. A bubble encases the room and seeps into the walls.
"So we've tried helping but we can't think like Amoura. Something is keeping her back. So I'll deal with your preteens and you handle the child who thinks she can do everything alone," Lisa hands her a small stone and Layla feels the magic seep thru her body and seconds later Lisa becomes a carbon copy of Layla.
"If it weren't for Amoura three average non shifted females. They'll be amazing once they Shift and mature. I'll hand them. Olivia and Marsui will catch you up," Lisa shoves Layla thru the portal.
"Can you update me before you pretend to know nothing?" Alex asks amused.
"Amoura is having a very special child. His abilities rivals Bixis. Amoura fears giving birth here because Bixi will want to absorb him. And she is afraid Bixi will use her to do it."
Alex eyes go wide as he process Lisa's words,"She's awakening."
"Wait who do we say came thru the portal?" Alex asks focusing on the moment again.
"Amoura sent a message about her extending stay at the Stone Estate before joining the B.O.M.A. She wants to unsealed the ocean," Lisa pulls out an envelope for them.
"Wait what!" Alex gets to his feet as the door opens once more.
"Who was the portal from?" Kyra asks as she walks onto the room, "we saw the door slams shut and felt the Magic. Who was it?"
"It was a message from Amoura. She changed her plans again. She's staying at the Stone estate to help with an ocean seal."
"Oh so Amoura is doing something great and we can't even do the Alpha Training without being a shifter."
"Amoura is a full Grade Magic Weilder who is working within her limit. But you're right I don't encourage you enough. You three say you're ready to take the next step let's do it."
"Uh Layla. We are supposed to go the guiding route," Alex reminds her with a look.
"We will after they see being the daughters of an Alpha isn't what makes you great. Let's go."
On the other side of the portal is Layla arriving to front foyer. The waterfall catches her attention. Olivia and Marsui rush to her when noticing her stumbling.
"Where's Amoura?" Layla asks the ladies help ground her. Portal travel always left her disoriented for a good minute or two.
"She's downstairs in the birthing suite, we need to talk before you see her," they lead me outside.
"Why are we going anywhere else-" she stops when she sees the land before her. The land is suppose to be baren.
"I thought she was kidding about breaking the ocean seal. The canyons were waterfalls. This place is amazing. Who's magic is this? It's not Amouras and it doesn't feel aquatic but it's not unfamiliar either."
"This magic is your grandchilds magic. Since the beginning he has produced massive amounts of Magic. All of us have helped Amoura create a Magic system for the barren Landa and its prospered. We don't get why Amoura is afraid. Here Bixi and her son can't interact," Layla looks at the land before her.
"You know what Amoura is right. You're aware of what she is soul or no soul," Olivia nods.
"I know, she doesn't realize it's not just that she wants to raise her son as a Wrathstone. Layla, he has no bond to Bixi. This is entirely his magic, everything was created with his magic. Bixi will have everything if he gets a hold of them. He magic prospered the land. It's his magic that overtook the waterfall," She gives Layla a sympothised look, "I see why Bixi picked her," Olivia leads her back inside.
"Amoura did that not the child. It's Amoura who has the power of control. Bixi would use the child as a power source, but it needs Amoura to control it. How certain are you the child has any control of his magic?"
"We don't."
Layla rushes thru the birthing suite and sitting on a giant soft ball was a very pregnant Amoura.
"Mother. Took you a while," Layla observes her daughter.
"I was being given a tour. The amount of Magic the child produces. He's an Emmulator isn't he Amoura."
I smile at her, "yes. And he produces far more magic than I imagined a born Emmulator could do."
"It's why you fled. Tell me you're not actually joining the B.O.M.A." She asks ecstatic.
"No I still am. Just later than planned."
"You once told me there is Bixi and there is me and one day I would have to choose. I have always been prepared to die for Bixi," I pause as I get another contraction.
She approaches me and starts massaging my back lower back, helping ease the pain.
"Your child and Bixi can't co-exist. No one allows Emmulators to thrive," I nod as I beg to sob.
"I know its why he will stay here. Away from any and all other Magic. I'm preparing a weapon to help with that. So his magic stays his own and filters here to this land. If I let Bixi win she will use my child. If I follow the rules he becomes a Magical battery. And if i follow Bixi he gets sealed and becomes a magic beacon. FHe's never be free," I begin so sob apologies.
She hugged me and told me she understood, I know she would. And I know she'll help me.
"I will destroy Bixi mother."