The Lunas Second Chance Mate
Chapter 36

Ryan's POV

I had traveled for days, making time to rest so that I wouldn't be in terrible shape by the time I arrived at Crowalt. They should expect me with their predictions of the future, and I was sending mental images towards my father so that he'd know my return. I considered sending something to Alyson, but I decided it might only encourage her to leave Dylan's protection, so I ultimately left her in the dark.

I also knew that Jacob would know, with my messaging and his level of powers, he could persuade others that I was not coming, and try to take care of me unofficially. I was on high alert at every moment once I crossed onto Crowalt territory. I sensed that Alyson had been terribly upset, but Dylan had persuaded her as we planned, that she not follow me. I knew that she'd try to, and I was relieved I would not have to rescue her from wandering or other dangers she could encounter out there alone. I sensed the awareness of the other Alexanders. Jacob would not be able to go against the elders' wishes that I remain safe, at least not for a while. They wanted to know why I'd come back.

I was pretty tired, but I had also paced myself relatively well on the trip back. I knew the smells guiding me home, I knew the shapes of the houses, and the bend of the river here, the place of my childhood seemed like from a distant dream turned to nightmare. The part of the Crowalt territory where the Alexanders resided was like a village of mansions with a few more like castles including the Alpha's lair.

As expected, servants welcomed me to my father's mansion. They proclaimed that I was invited to dine with him that evening, but I had the afternoon. I cleaned up and rested, hardly prepared to face my father and whoever else he might invite to this dinner. This large house contrasted my life- I was an Alpha with plenty of fortune that I'd made myself. I lived in a small cabin and I spent most of my days outside of it. Here, the Alexanders lived in luxury and large houses, they spent a lot of time as men so that their wolves would not take over-, they also all had blood provider mates to help them.

I was in a guest room even as a son returning home, my father had apparently not kept a room for me.

A servant came for me at dinner time. They provided me with fine clothing, tailored pants and a dress shirt that was definitely not practical or like anything I typically wore. The sleeves were long and billowy and it was dyed purple. The pants were tight and fitted around my waist. I wondered if this were the style now, or they meant to make a mockery out of me.

I stepped into the dining room sure that I would replace out, and confident that I would play it off as not a problem.

I had not seen my father since I was ten years old. He looked a lot more aged, but he was still alive. His face was like mine, but older and his hair was fully gray now. His eyes were the same golden tawny and wolfish even as a man.

He cleared his throat, "Ryan, this is a surprise." He sat along at the long table that had only three out of twenty places set. We were expecting another.

"You knew I was coming," I said as a servant pulled out the chair for me to sit beside the head of the table. "Who else will be joining us?"

My father eyed me expectably. "I'm sure you can predict."

Jacob, I knew. He was almost there. "In that case, I'm sure you can predict why I've come. Someone knows."

"I'm sure Jacob does, you know that my talents are not as strong as yours." Father said. His voice had such coldness, this was not the tone of a father greeting a long-lost son. In fact, it was more like a distant acquittance greeting someone after years that they never particularly liked.

"I'm here to challenge Jacob. He's been sending wolves onto my territory, and I know it's him."

"A challenge?" A new voice slithered into the room. I rose from the chair, turning as Jacob entered. "Hello, Ryan. I haven't seen you since you were just a small pup, look at you now."

Jacob traipsed into the room with a high brow and perfect posture. It was not as if he were that much older than me, but when I was banished at ten, he was fifteen. Now we were both grown.

"Jacob," I acknowledge without his title, or a nod of my head.

He sat down as if I could never pose a threat. "What a pleasure to have you come all this way for dinner, and to be welcomed by my older brother to his house after being cast out."

Slowly, I sat back down to look directly into Jacob's reddish mahogany eyes. "I'm come to challenge you, as you've challenged me by sending wolves on my territory."

He waved his hand as if it were nothing. "Oh please, you could never win. Besides, how could I not after you killed my beta."

Father said, "Jacob has incredible talents, there's no way that your talents are as strong if you've been away, still lived, and have not even had any blood provider. If the curse was strong in you, you should be dead by now."

An infuriating gleam caught the torch light in Jacob's eyes. I wanted to wipe away his smug self-satisfaction forever. I thought of my vision of Alyson tortured by his hand, and grew in my conviction. I didn't want them to know that she was so important to me, or that I considered her my mate. I could never let her fall into his hands, and I was glad she was far away from here.

Worst case scenario, I would die in this challenge, but Alyson would still be safe with Dylan. It hurt me to think of her with another man, but at least she'd be safe.

"I'm still here to challenge you," I said. "Will you not accept it?"

"Oh," Jacob snickered, "I'll accept it. I'm giving you fair warning that there is no way to beat me, but I love that you've delivered yourself to me in this way."

I knew that he had been trying to provoke me for years to get ground to destroy me, and this time I'd come to him. If he killed me, he would win. A low growl started in my throat and I had to gain a firm grip on Rupert.

Jacob sneered, "I look forward to it even." He gazed at my father, who was listening intently.

He responded to his Alpha's expectation and bumbled, "There's no way for you to win, surely, Ryan, you could give up and retreat. Keep your life. Make a deal so that you do not die. This is very reckless." "Hush," Jacob said. "I relish in this challenge."

"Sorry, Alpha," My father lowered his gave submissively.

I had already hated my father, but any inkling of possible respect for him vanished.

"I hear your concern, but Jacob had been messing with me, and I need to end this somehow. I take all risk."

"Great, I will announce it to the elders tomorrow, and we will be in touch." Jacob pushed his chair back and rose to his perfect poised stance. "I plan to be rid of you once and for all." He sneered.

I gripped the table cloth, every fiber of my body wanting to shift to Rupert and tear him apart right there.

My father sensed it, he stood up, and called guards. We were surrounded by twenty guards, and Jacob was already shifting to a large black wolf faster than any Alexander should be able.

The dining room was swarming with guards- and I knew they had to be from Jacob. Even if it appeared my father had summoned them, there was no way he had so many at his disposal.

I growled low in my throat, and the black wolf leapt onto the table. He was the closest in size to Rupert that I'd ever seen, his mahogany eyes looked almost reddish black.

I remained a man. I thought of Alyson, and seeing her again to calm me down. Jacob would like nothing better than fight me right now before the challenge if I made any motions to attack him, he'd have reason to kill me. I could also kill him, and I wanted to more than anything, but that would render me a criminal to the Alexanders, and it would not help my cause.

"I will fight you on the third trial," I said slowly, staring the wolf right in the face.

My father cleared his throat behind us, but I did not blink or avert my gaze from Jacob's wolf. He rose his head, looking down at me, wanting me to submit, but I would not.

I hid it as best I could, but I was ready to shift and fight for my life.

Jacob had expected me to react more, with one final snarl, he shifted back to the man, his body shifted and contorted painfully. He was still standing tall on the table, and squatted down to look me more in the face, his foot was nearly on the empty plate in from of "I will accept your challenge, but only because I want the world to know how pathetic you are. You cannot win, and the world will know that I am still the legitimate Alpha."

me.