The Lunas Second Chance Mate
Chapter 53

A servant answered the door. "The Luna is expecting you upstairs if you would please follow me." She bowed, and led us up the stairs.

I swallowed a lump in my throat, looking towards the dark stairs that led to the basement. I remember before when I'd expected to proceed upstairs towards luxury, but they'd dosed me with blood's bane. The fear in those memories was a force inside me that I had to ignore.

I looked upwards towards the beautiful furniture laced with gold and the finest paintings of all the Alexander Alphas over the generations. At the end of the hallway was one painted of Jacob standing in his imposing stature with Jennifer sitting beside him on a gold and velvet throne. It was strange like seeing the life I should have had, the face I used to have only colder and crueler looking back at me from that wretched work of art.

We followed the servant around a corner to a lavish room with a small circular table. Jennifer sat beside another she-wolf. The table was made with a purple table cloth, and a fine tea set lined with gold.

When Jennifer saw us enter, she remained seated, smiling she beckoned us to take our seats.

"Welcome, Alyson, I'm so glad that you could join us." Her smile made me feel sick because it was too sweet and completely fake.

I glanced at the other she-wolf at the table who hardly looked at me. I recognized her, although I hadn't seen her in years.

It was our younger cousin, Diana. She must be about sixteen by now, I thought, considering how she was a couple years younger than I was. She looked a little ill, and I hoped that she wasn't getting the poisoned Blood's Bane instead of Jacob. But what was she doing here anyway?

Jennifer must have noticed that I was staring at her, because she added, "This is my cousin, Diana Clark. She's an honored resident here, my companion and very important to the Alpha and I."

My eyes narrowed for a second, but I had to pretend. "Nice to meet you, Diana." I had never heard of another Clan Clark she-wolf living with the Luna as her companion. "This is my maid, Michelle. She's joined me today." I introduced.

"Oh, how quaint. You include your maids like companions." Her fake friendliness dripped with a subtle slight as if pointing out that I wasn't aware that werewolves of status didn't really include their maids in social gatherings. I couldn't care less.

Michelle curtsied to show respect. In my heart, I wished I could tell her she didn't have to show respect to the worst Luna in existence. But obviously, it was all in good taste. We finally sat down, me across from Jennifer and Michelle across from Diana. Servants presented hot tea, pouring it into our cups. There were an assortment of sweet breads and miniature bites of desserts. Diana filled her plate and kept quiet as I tried to focus on Jennifer.

We stared at each other for a minute. My purple eyes still looked almost exactly like hers to a point I looked away in case she could discover me if she looked into them for too long.

"Thank you for this kind invitation, Luna." I said, finally grabbing some bread to have something to do with my hands. "To what do we owe this honor?"

"I like when a she-wolf wastes no time with pleasantries," Jennifer smiled but it never touched her eyes. "I've invited you here to make friends, and I have a proposal for you."

"Is it about our trade? Are you enjoying the herb?"

"Very much. It's the utmost quality, isn't that right, Diana?"

The sad girl nodded and hiccupped. For her age, she should not have such terrible bags under her eyes, nor such pasty skin. I noticed a scar on her wrist before she hid it in her sleeves.

"I'm sure you know of the Pact between Clan Clark and Clan Alexander?" Jennifer said.

"Yes, I've heard about it." I pried my eyes away from Diana since I was still trying to confirm that I had seen a scar, or maybe it was a birthmark.

"You have lovely purple eyes," Jennifer surprised me with a compliment that sounded sincere. "It's common in Clan Clark but rare out in other clans."

My throat tightened and a tingle ran up my neck. "My mother had purple eyes," I shrugged. "Does your mother have them?"

Jennifer leaned back, I hoped she would say something to confirm even if my mother was still alive. "Yes, she did." My heart fell in my chest- past tense like maybe she was no longer alive. "But I'm wondering if you have any relation to Clan Clark."

I did not want to admit that. She was trying to figure out if I was the blood provider to Ryan since she was hot on that trail. "The purple eyes must be a coincidence," I said. "I am not a Clan Clark she-wolf."

"If I could persuade you, we could test your blood to know for certain," She asked politely. "It's a great honor if you have pure blood with the magic to soothe the curse of Alexander."

"And you suspect this merely from my eye color?" I questioned. "Surely, not every Clan Clark she-wolf with purple eyes has the quality blood." I knew that for a fact since she did not have quality blood.

"True, but perhaps it is distantly in your bloodlines, and the Moon Goddess blessed you. Occasionally, members of Clan Clark do leave the pack after all. It's not impossible."

I noticed that she had not sipped any tea, nor eaten a single treat. Her plate was still empty. Suddenly, I grew suspicious in case she was poisoning us. So far, I felt fine, but I set down my bread and only pretended to sip after that.

I gazed at Michelle, but I could think of no way to warn her without drawing attention to my suspicions. Even without words, she seemed to pick up on my concern with one glance at her since she was a dear and sensitive soul. She took a fake sip of her tea. Jennifer was leaning towards me, trying to look charming and friendly. "If you consent, then we could test your blood, and see if you have the quality worthy to help the Alpha."

My whole body shuddered while I tried to remain calm. Ariana was anything but reeling inside me, she wanted to rip the face off Jennifer right then. She wanted to kill her and flee, but I was sure that we could not do that without terrible consequences. We have to think of life after revenge.

We both wanted to live life free of these burdens someday.

Jennifer continued, "Obviously, you could have it all. You could join us here at the lair, or have your own mansion. You could choose any mate of your liking, have all the riches, the highest social status- perhaps Duchess? If that tempts you. All this if your blood tests of high quality and you honor the Alpha with it."

I could not smile back, I knew my face was too serious, but I could not make it show any emotion for fear that I would break down in front of her. "I will not test my blood. I am not of Clan Clark." I said.

"Not for the chance at the greatest status and riches, not for freedom to live here like a Duchess and be honored?" Jennifer said.

"Isn't this a violation to the Pact?" I sounded angry, and I didn't care. Each Alexander was supposed to have one blood provider assigned, and he should honor her as his mate.

Jennifer scoffed, "Not if you agree willingly, besides, you even said yourself you're not technically of Clan Clark, so this is the perfect chance to get my mate more quality blood. He's getting so powerful; he always deserves more."

"It doesn't seem right. Doesn't he have a blood provider?" I asked, gazing at her up and down, even though I knew it was not her. Perhaps, I could replace out right then what they were doing.

"Of course, he has a blood provider." she scorned me, but with no indication of who, probably assuming I'd think it was her. "But, what could more blood of more than one she-wolf do for an Alexander? And if you're truly outside the Pact like you claim, then I can't think of a better prospect for this deal. Jacob could be even more powerful, and don't you support the Alpha?"

I felt my guts twisting inside me with disgust. I might become nauseous. I would never do anything to help Jacob-not for anything in the entire world. This was getting progressively harder to contain my feelings, and I wondered how quickly we could get out of this. "I support the ways of Clan Alexander. I am living in Crowalt Pack," I said. What could I say to keep us safe without swearing allegiance to that dreadful werewolf?

"Will you accept my offer?" She tried again. "I have an inclination you'll test very well, and you can have whatever you want."

"No, thank you for your offer," I said politely even though I hated to thank her for anything. "But I like my life as it is now. It's simple and it's enough for me. I have a job, and a place to live." I said. "I do not need riches or status." Jennifer's smile was fading. Her frustration as evident, she thought I would accept this offer? "What would you want? Everyone wants something, Surely, I can tempt you. It begins with the test, perhaps you're not even eligible." Obviously, I could never admit that my greatest desires were revenge.

"It all sounds too complicated for me," I rejected again, resenting her coercive ways. "I will keep my life simple. Besides, I'm an important trade counterpart with Clan Harris."

"Oh well, I don't see why you can't do both if you like." She didn't sound nearly as pleasant any more as it was hitting her that I would not accept.

"You're wasting your efforts. I'm not a distant relation to Clan Clark."

"Why not test it and see?" She leered at me as if she were the one who wanted my blood for herself. "I can't help but wonder if you won't test your blood, that you're hiding something."

"No," I said flatly, really staring her in the eyes till Ariana burned with rage inside me. "I reject this offer, and I won't be testing my blood. I do not need to make up fancy reasons for wanting a simple life. There is nothing that I could want that you could offer me." I had been pretty polite till this point. Her eyes narrowed at my firm words; she suddenly didn't have any issue showing how she never liked me after all.

"Think about it," Jennifer said. "The offer will stand; you are allowed some time to make the appropriate decision. I could complicate your life in other ways if you do not accept."