The Lunas Second Chance Mate
Chapter 45

Dylan was in town, but I had not had the opportunity to see him yet. I was supposed to attend a party thrown by Clan Harris to celebrate the new trade of Blood's Bane, even if I would rather sneak off to see Ryan again.

I could not get him out of my head for even one full minute. After last night especially. I was caught up in the moment yesterday, and I had forgot to ask about Stephanie since she seemed to feel important to him. I wanted some clarification. But he had said he would love me always, so that was reassuring. He couldn't possibly even like her, but I still wanted to hear it from him.

A package arrived from Dylan with a note: This was made for you, Enjoy.

Apparently, he'd ordered me a new dress, and it was the most luxurious piece of attire I'd ever owned. It was a rich violet to match my eyes and the pendant that Ryan had gifted me. Shimmering shards of crystal covered the bodice and fine lace made up the sleeves and draped over the skirt.

I would dress like a fine noble she-wolf, I only wished Ryan would be able to see me.

Michelle put part of my hair up, but I wanted most of it down, as if having too much of my face exposed might make me too obvious. Even if she were a maid, I asked her to dress up in fine clothes and attend the party with me.

We entered the grand ball room. The room was filled with ladies in gowns, and tall gentlemen in their dapper suits, looking prim and contrary to the wolves we could become. This was Alexander society at its finest- they liked the contrast between man and wolf forms, since they were cursed and their wolves always a danger to take control if they weren't consuming pure blood of a Clan Clark, she-wolf.

I felt like eyes were on Michelle and I as we proceeded around. I could tell from the sinister gleam in some of the male's eyes which were Alexander. They could smell me, and I smelt good to them. At first, the party felt like I'd wandered into a nightmare. There were also plenty of Clan Clark she-wolves attending, so they should not be able to think it was only me that they smelled.

"Alyson!" Dylan's voice erupted merrily behind me. "You are gorgeous."

I whirled, my excitement at seeing him was too much to contain. I threw my arms around his shoulders and he lifted me into a brief hug before putting my feet back to the ground.

"I'm so glad to see you," I said.

"I heard all about the match. Ryan was invited tonight, of course, but it seems he can't come till the elders determine his rights as an Alexander." Dylan said.

I nodded, but I gazed around wearily aware of all the ears in this room, and how Ryan and I were a secret. Dylan picked up my caution. "We'll have to catch up more later on that. For now, let me introduce you to the world," He took my arm and spun me. I laughed a little, enjoying the motion which he'd done so smoothly.

I could feel the blush on my cheeks when Dylan brought me up on a platform and made a toast to the new trade between Clan Alexander and Clan Harris. At the end, he gestured to me, "And let me welcome, Alyson, Clan Harris' goddaughter. Please welcome her, she is very important to the clan."

I looked out at the sea of faces, they were all blurry in my mind as I hated that everyone was looking at me. But then, one stood out. In the middle of the room an imposing strict face with her wavy blonde hair piled high on her head. She wore a dark red gown and red lipstick to match. I knew the face that used to be mine too.

It was Jennifer.

Every fiber in my body flinched while I tried to remain calm and not focus on her, but I swear that our eyes met for a moment. She stared coldly.

Dylan noticed that something bothered me, and we stepped off the stage.

"What's going on? Was that too much," he tried to lighten my mood with a smile.

"Oh yes, It was just a little stage fright," I tried to downplay it.

Michelle was not on stage with us, but she found me now. Without words, she seemed to know how I needed her support and presence.

But I kept looking around at the crowded ball room, wondering where Jennifer was. Could she recognize me? There seemed to be too many people everywhere to locate her.

"Who are you looking for?" Michelle leaned in and whispered.

"Dylan Harris," a cold voice slid through the room. The red dress manifested in my peripheral.

Dylan was already giving a respectful bow towards the Luna who was approaching us.

"Alissa Clark, how lovely you look. Where's your mate?" Dylan said, greeting her like a friend, my old name on his voice cut threw me like a knife.

"Jacob couldn't come tonight, but he sends his best." Jennifer said, I knew her eyes were on me and I was afraid to meet them in case she recognized me.

Ariana burned with rage inside me, wanting to be released. I calmed her, and took a deep breath. I couldn't avoid it forever, so I looked straight into her purple eyes, which were so common in Clan Clark.

Taken aback at first, I wondered if she could recognize me again, but then she sneered,

"And you... Alyson, is it? Welcome to my pack." Her greeting sounded everything but welcoming.

I nodded to acknowledge my name. I needed to get a grip; I was acting weird, but it was hard with my traumas in the past to face my killer, the sister who'd betrayed me, and keep a straight face and act like everything was normal and fine. "Thank you," I said with a forced a polite smile. It reassured me that although she clearly didn't like me, she also didn't seem to recognize me either.

Dylan was looking between us. Everyone in the room seemed to be watching the interaction between the Luna and this new she-wolf. I tried not to think about that.

"I saw you at the games. I think you were the only one in the whole stadium cheering for the challenger, Ryan." She smiled slyly around at the room.

The room got tense. It was full of Alexanders, and I knew they did not support Ryan, they supported Jacob. But Jennifer could not expect me to forsake Ryan for anything. And what's more, why had she been watching me? Did she suspect me as his blood provider? "He was acting very noble. He followed the rules of Alexander," I said, not admitting any connection to him purposefully, but also with a slight jab at Jacob's actions. "How could anyone not cheer for that?"

Dylan interrupted, "Yes, as I would have too. Nothing against Jacob, of course." He cleared his throat awkwardly as Jennifer glared momentarily at him.

"Well," Jennifer said. "He's an abomination."

I knew my sister. She was testing me, trying to trap me into supporting Ryan. She had been watching me clearly, and I wasn't sure what she suspected, but I could not give myself away.

All the Alexanders in the room were watching, and she wanted them to hate me. Still, I could not let her call Ryan an abomination.

"He's pure Alexander. And clearly, his talents prove it." I said, losing myself a little in the combative stare between us.

"So, you support him over Jacob?" The gleam in her eyes were as if she had trapped me, and she looked gleefully around at the hostile Alexanders listening to our conversation.

"I'm only supporting the Alexander ways," I said. "I merely stand up for Ryan because he followed the rules of the match, and that deserves recognition."

My response broke the tension, and Jennifer looked sourly disappointed and put out. "We all support the Alexanders."

The crowd around us seemed suddenly less interested and hostile as if what I'd said had eased the tension.

"Yes," Dylan interjected again. "And our great trade relations. Forgive me, Luna, perhaps I did not make this introduction properly, but Alyson is valuable to Clan Harris, and she will likely be an important trade counterpart on our behalf." Jennifer's eyes narrowed at me. Whatever she was trying to figure out, or humiliate me had not worked, and she was frustrated.

Still, she acknowledged Dylan politely, "We do look forward to our new trade. The Harris Clan is welcome for this."

With one more condescending stare, she turned from us and walked away.

My whole body relaxed a little, I hadn't even realized how tight every muscle was. But in the next moment, I was seized with fear again. Jennifer suspected something with Ryan, and I knew her enough to predict that, but I could not imagine what she was thinking. While I knew that I needed to proceed with caution, I was too upset. Even though I should know better, I had to see Ryan. I finally was ready to tell him everything.