The Lunas Second Chance Mate
Chapter 24

Ryan's POV

I smelled them. There were Crowalt Pack members on my territory. They'd found where Starstream Pack resided after all these years. Michael and I had been chasing their scent all day, but I was on the edge of my territory. I had found no one in reality, but I had seen them through the witch's ability. I knew they were here somewhere.

Michael and I were covering a lot of ground as wolves. We split up occasionally communicating through mind images to keep in touch. He had not seen anyone either, but he also smelt them. He was the only one in the pack who knew about my indiscretions. I knew to expect trouble after killing Jacob's beta a few days ago. I had tried to ignore it after lashing out at Alyson, while I relished our sweet moments together, this reality hung forever on the back of my mind. I only felt reassured that I knew she was safe at home. Suddenly as we were out scouting. I sensed Alyson's distress. Something was terribly wrong, and I signaled to Michael that we return home immediately. Running as quickly as possible, I panted and the wind burned at my lungs. We shifted back to human form as soon as we saw the cabin.

"Alyson?" I was calling, expecting her to appear, to reassure me, but her scent seemed too faint. "Donna?" I ripped the door nearly off its hinges.

Donna was inside alone. My abrupt entrance surprised her and she nearly threw the food in her hands onto the floor. "Oh my! Alpha, what is wrong?" "Where's Alyson?" I raged.

"I don't know. I came back and she was gone. I don't know where she went, but I was hoping she'd be back soon." Donna looked terrified as her general optimism turned to terror. "Is she gone? Oh no! I'm sorry, I thought she must've just stepped out for a little while?" Donna was crying.

I was ripping apart the cabin as if she could be hiding in there, turning over tables and ripping apart the bedding. Then I ran back outside, my nose to the wind. I allowed Rupert to take control and smelt for her scent. It lingered faintly, but I saw tracks towards the forest. Michael was behind me, but I growled for him to stay put in case she came back, he could let me know.

I trotted out, following her scent and her tracks into the forest. Stupid girl, what was she thinking wandering around all alone like this? I was angry, but mostly scared for her. Especially since I knew Crowalt pack members had been sneaking onto my territory. Why hadn't I told her that? If I had told her, maybe she wouldn't have been stupid about it. I blamed myself.

I ran fast towards her scent. Then, I smelt someone else very familiar but I wasn't sure where I knew him from. I veered off a little, knowing it was no member of my pack, and that I should check it out.

Dylan Harris was walking on the road through the forest towards Starstream pack. He had a little entourage of servants with him and a carriage full of items.

"What the f**k are you doing here?" I shifted painfully back to my man form, entering the clearing, heated anger surging inside me. I wanted to kill him, but he was going in the wrong direction to be Alyson's kidnapper. Dylan looked taken aback to see me coming at him from the forest, my fists clenched, ready to fight, my eyes bulging with anger.

"I've come for my visit," Dylan said.

"Your what?" I was shocked, what did he mean by this. "Visit? I never invited you."

"Alyson invited me." Dylan said. He was smartly putting the carriage between us in response to my aggression, with his hands up in surrender. He smiled nervously, although more to appease me and my hostility. Under my breath, I cursed. How could she do that? Why did she? If I hadn't been so worried about her, I might have been much angrier.

"I don't have time to deal with this now, but you're not welcome here." I said, turning. "I have to replace Alyson."

Dylan was leaping around the carriage to follow me. "What do you mean replace Alyson?"

"She's missing, and I need to replace her."

"Let me help you." Dylan said.

I growled, "I don't want your help. I don't have time to babysit you."

"I don't want any trouble with you, I promise, but let me help." Dylan was saying, still taken aback by my severity.

Since I'd left Michael at the cabin, I realized two could cover more ground that just one. Alyson's safety was more important than my pride for the moment. "Ok, if you can keep up." I said, and I shifted.

Dylan shifted behind me, and as wolves we searched the forest for signs of Alyson. He was surprisingly more agile and quick than he looked, and I was grateful that I'd allowed him to help the moment I heard him howl. He'd found something.

I sprinted towards where he'd indicated. He was signaling me in a direction, but I was already ahead of him. Alyson's scent was stronger here, there were footprints. They'd taken her from this point, I could smell her distress and my body raged with fury. I would kill whoever did this to my mate. No question.

We ran our full wolf strides carrying us quickly. I could run like that all day if it were to bring me closer to Alyson, I barely felt the full length of my strides and my beating heart. Dylan kept up, but his breathing seemed more demanding.

There was something off with her smell, and I worried at what they'd done to her. I remembered that first day I'd found her and that faint trace of wolfs bane on her breath.

I signaled to Dylan to hurry, and I mustered more strength to pick up the pace. He struggled, and fell a little behind.

Up ahead, I saw them. There was a troop of men that walked around a strange wheeled capsule pulled by a donkey. They had another small wagon with them as well. I counted at least 10 of them when we arrived.

I did not hesitate. I knew Alyson was with them because I could smell her presence. I ripped into the throat of the first man I came upon, and I already killed three before the others realized what was happening.

A few had shifted to fight. I saw at least one flee. I snapped the neck of one wolf. Two men with knives came at me, and in my fury, I couldn't even feel the pain when they stabbed me. The man grabbed my fur as I tore back at his throat, soft human flesh was too easy to rip apart.

Another wolf was on my neck as I killed the man. He was strong enough to do damage, but Dylan arrived at the same moment. His jaws clamped down on the enemy's back while he tried to rip out my throat. Dylan's attack caused him to flinch, and I ripped his insides apart from his abdomen in the next moment.

I saw another one of them flee for his life into the forest. Eight dead bodies lay around us, and I was sure at least two had escaped me. If circumstances had been different, I would have hunted them each down one by one to make sure they were all dead. Dylan was huffing beside me. He hadn't even killed one of them, only helping out one time.

Where is Alyson? Was all I could think.

"I'm over here! Ryan!" I heard her.