Alyson's POV         My face was still swollen from crying all night. I'd not slept well. Michelle had slept in my room with me, making me feel a little less alone, but I still felt very secluded and unloved in the world.         This morning, I felt angrier at Ryan than ever. But also angry at myself for trusting him. He said that he would never hurt me, and last night he almost did. It scared me to my core. What was worse, was the memory that he'd handled me roughly another time. The pendant around my neck was proof of that. He hadn't even been drunk this time.         Had I said something wrong to make him act like that? I poured through my memory of our interaction. I had spoken of Jacob, but if Ryan had been listening at all, he would have known my feelings about him.  &

        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 w

I left Elder Fritz with chills running all over my body. I needed to see Ryan as soon as I could. My heart felt heavy in my chest, weighed down by this new information that the elders had picked out a mate for Ryan. Even my concerns that Diana was the secret blood provider to Jacob didn't seem important for the moment, and slipped to the back of my mind. I kept too distant with Ryan all the time. I could not do that anymore, he could pick another mate, and no one could blame him for how many times I had denied him. We shared love, but we kept it a secret so no one would know. Up to this point, I even delighted in the secrecy, but not when I'd just learned the elders had matched him with another. Even if I felt urgent, I still proceeded with caution. I could not forget how Jennifer had tried to trap me today, and that she was likely spying on me. He meets me at his door, whether it's from smell or som

Alyson's POV I received a note from Ryan: The Elders shared important news with me today. I need to see you and tell you everything. If I've learned anything from our history, it's that secrets create walls between us, and I want nothing between us. I clutched the letter to my heart as I paced around my apartment. I wished we could write to each other with love, but we always kept anything written short and to the point without any obvious romantic inclinations. I could not stop thinking about Diana, feeling sure that the Elders had called Ryan to tell him about her. The other night, when I'd been with Ryan, I felt more in-love than ever, more desperate to hold on to him. He made promises to love me always plenty of times, but I still fretted over what he might do if he could live as a full Alexander with a blood provider. He could have a Clan Clark she-wolf of his own and b

        A knock at the door surprised me. I doubted it was Ryan, and when I answered, to my delight, it was Dylan.         I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him.         He was grinning at me, squeezed me tight for one moment, then released me. I slid away from him, my hands lingering on his forearms for a second. "Dylan! I'm so happy to see you! What a great surprise," I said cheerily, inviting him into my apartment.         We wrote to each other often about business, but I had missed his happy demeanor. Even as he entered, the entire room lightened up by his aura.         He greeted Michelle kindly as I had him sit down at the table to serve him some tea and a bite to eat.