The Lunas Second Chance Mate
Chapter 39

Ryan's

POV

Jacob had left before dinner the other night, after his threats to me. He was unwilling to dine with an enemy, and I was glad to be rid of him.

I had been at my father's house for a day, preparing for the match. It was odd how coming back to the Alexander's territory had strengthened my powers, I needed Clark blood, and I could smell that there were many Clan Clark she-wolves nearby. Not that I would take from them, but their presence seemed to enliven the witch's abilities. It made sense that once Alyson had come into my life, I had a resurgence of the talents and the curse. Michael walked into the room, he had joined me yesterday, making the journey after me as planned.

"Will you be ready, Alpha Ryan? What can I do for you?" He asked.

Jacob was a big wolf, but I was confident that I could overpower him physically. I had never lost a match since I'd grown to full-strength. Unfortunately, that was a tie-breaking match.

"I will have to call on abilities I've never been properly instructed on, and I doubt you know much about, so I'm not sure if I can replace out," I said.

Michael glowered submissively, but then responded, "Maybe I could replace someone who knows more, would there be any tips that could help you?"

I did not really trust any of the Alexanders, so anyone in my family was out of the question. I knew the elders had wanted me to live, but they could not instruct me, and would not as that would be against the rules.

"I'm not sure," I said. "I'm out of touch with any one here." It wasn't a bad idea if I could think of someone. "The first round, Jacob and I will read people's past lives. The elders will judge who saw it most accurately. As long as they aren't setting me up for failure, it should be someone neither Jacob nor I know. The second round is predicting the future. If a third round is needed, our wolves will fight." I told him.

"You can do that?" He asked.

I shrugged, "I see visions, but it's hard to tell sometimes if it's past or future, that's what I'm worried about. Maybe I will predict a future instead of tell their past, and I might not know the difference. I think there are markers to tell, but I never learned them. They never taught me anything." I ended with resentment.

"Do only Alexanders know about the markers?"

"The elders know."

"Do you know any elders that might help you before the games?" He asked.

I slammed my fist into the table. "No, and to ask might make them accuse me of cheating. I will not do that. I must stick to their rules if this challenge might serve me and Alyson."

Michael looked at me slyly. "I met a rather pretty young she-wolf who was lurking around, she was a bit starry eyed and silly, but she claimed an acquaintance with you."

"What?" I said, "Who?" I could think of no one.

"I believe she said her name was Stephanie. Ring any bells?" He asked.

"Stephanie?" I repeated, memories flooding back to my childhood. There had been an elder's granddaughter who followed me around all the time as a pup. I was always trying to get rid of her, never knowing what she wanted from me when everyone else ignored me at best. "Does she remember me?"

I wondered what could be wrong with this girl who was lurking and looking for me ten years later, she must be practically grown by now.

"Do you know her?" Michael asked, "Could she be of any use?"

"I do know her, but I haven't seen her in ten years at least. I could count her as my only friend back in childhood, although it was more like a girlish crush that I found a little annoying. She would never leave me alone, and I was sulky." I admitted. "She could be a great source of information and she isn't an elder, so it would not be an issue to ask her," Michael said.

"That's true, but I shouldn't do anything that could be in question." I refuted.

"There's a lot at stake, think of Alyson. Other Alexanders learn all this growing up, and you're just trying to catch up a bit. It's not cheating if that's what you're concerned about," Michael tried to persuade me.

I still hesitated. Alexanders lived and died by the rules. That was how my mother ended up killed.

"Please, Ryan, do this for yourself. I read the rules, and seeking help from the elders is not allowed, but there's nothing about friends. Besides, you haven't had a Clan Clark blood provider since you were ten, so this challenge was never really fair to begin with." He made a good point, and I nodded in recognition of it.

As if on cue, Michael opened the door, and was inviting someone in.

"Ryan! You're here!" A she-wolf shrieked excitedly and ran in to grip me in a tight hug around my torso. Her long golden locks were curled at the ends and springy. While she practically looked fully grown and tall, she was lanky as if she still needed to grow more into her body to move less awkwardly.

Her enthusiasm nearly knocked the wind right out of me. I tried to free my arms from her embrace as she was burying her face into my abdomen shamelessly.

"Hello, Stephanie, it's been a long time," I was surprised how difficult it was to break free.

Michael stood in the doorway, leaning on the entry with a smug smirk of amusement.

She looked up at me with an adoring face, there were even tears in her eyes. "You do remember me."

She had grown up to be quite pretty, like Michael said, although it was strange how I still thought of her like a kid. I still saw a pup before I blinked and forced myself to see that she was now a developing young woman. As a child, she had always had a knack for hanging around where she wasn't supposed to be and eavesdropping. She always knew what was going on and would warn me what the elders were saying about me.

I was trying to pull away my hand, which she was holding, but she didn't want to let it go.

She sang, "Your beta said that you might need a little help. I'm your girl, I'll help in any way I can." She swayed a little, finally releasing my hand, she put hers behind her back and said, "I would do anything for you, Ryan."

Michael mocked her proclamation silently behind her. I shot him a warning look.

I was a little reluctant to include her, but Michael had made some good points. I was only learning what I should have already known at my age. And I was certainly not asking an Elder. "Have you heard anything about how the Alexanders tell the difference between a vision of the past or of the future?"

"I'm not an Alexander," She smiled ear to ear.

"Yes, but this is serious. Have you ever heard anything? Can you keep a secret?" I felt obligated to tell a little something of Alyson since she still seemed really into me.

"For you, I can do anything."

Her adoration made me uncomfortable. I certainly didn't want to lead her on, especially with how she was acting and she could offer assistance to me and then feel slighted and betray me later.

"I need to be honest with you, Stephanie." I said seriously. "I have found my mate. I am asking for your help but only as friends."

The smile fell right off her face. "Are you married?"

"No," I said.

That seemed to temper her reaction a little. I withheld my irritation as I could see she still thought that she had a chance.

"I've heard that for Alexanders, when the see the future the visions glow more white, and when they see the past, there is the sun and shadows like real life. It looks darker." She said. "If that makes sense."

It did make sense, the visions I'd seen had different glows to them, but I had just never heard anyone point out this distinguishing factor. I felt a great sense of relief since she knew it already without having to seek this information, it felt a lot more above-board. "I will do it. You can trust me!" She beamed again, trying to come over to me and take my hand, which I hid behind myself.

All of the sudden, out of nowhere, I smelt Alyson. I sniffed again, was it another Clan Clark she-wolf that only smelled like her. But no, Rupert was sure, Mate! He was calling inside me, needing me to go to her. I swallowed.

Closing my eyes, I sought her through my visions. I knew it was past because there was natural light around the scene. She was with others who I didn't recognize, making me angry at Dylan. Wasn't he supposed to be taking care of her! She had arrived in Crowalt territory.

Fury gripped my insides, followed by terror. I hadn't wanted her to come here. They had already kidnapped her once, and I didn't want anyone to confirm that she was important to me. I worried that Jacob would imprison and torture her like in those visions, had my future prediction of her started its fruition. I didn't even want to send Michael.

"MIchael!" I called out, opening my eyes.

"What, Alpha?"

"She's here." I said, rubbing my face with worry. Someone should watch out for her, but sending Michael would make her connection to me obvious.

"Who's here?" Stephanie jumped at my urgency. "What's wrong? Is there anything I can do?

I looked at her, she had already helped me. I hated to ask, but then I thought of Alyson. I needed to protect her.

"There's a very important she-wolf that I need help with. Neither I nor Michael should be seen with her; can you help her?" I knew it might be risky. "Please, I would never ask if it weren't important."

"Of course," she said. "I can watch out for her." But she looked saddened as if she recognized my love for another.

"Can you also keep it a secret?" Michael added.

While she turned to him without the adoration for me, she nodded. "I'll keep it a secret."

"Thank you, Stephanie," I said kindly. "You've been there for me more than once in life, and I remember that." A few times, she'd warned me when she heard I was in danger as children.

She smiled at me, and I could tell she wanted to hug me again. I allowed her one brief hug, but then I sent her off.

I could not believe that Alyson had come, and put herself in danger. At the same time, I badly wanted to see her even if I shouldn't acknowledge her importance to me.