After I was sure my pack mates were all taken care of, inside and outside of the pack house, I made my way to the Alpha's Floor where the conference room was. I walked down the familiar hallways, scents I hadn't smelled in years flooding my nose. Reaching the correct door, I paused briefly hearing voices; all of them recognizable. Raising a fist I rapped my knuckles against the wooden door hearing how the conversation immediately dropped. The door was swung open by a fierce looking red head, one that I recognized immediately. The shit eating grin that spread across both of our faces was identical. She stood in sporting gear, hair lazily thrown up into a gun and the smell of sweat and dirt on her skin alerted me to her having been training.
"Clair," I greeted just as she spoke my name. "You've grown up." I teased, the tattoos littered her body, muscles coiled beneath her skin, she was a warrior through and through, the complete opposite of what she was in high school.
"The same could be said for you, Alpha." Her words teasing as she embraced me in a hug eagerly. "I'm still pissed you never called, but I understand why." Her tone turned bitter as she pulled away, shooting a glare behind her where I could only presume Ryker was. "Please come in." Opening the door wider she allowed me entrance, there I saw Ryker, his parents, a man I recognized as the old Beta's son, Bennet, as well as whom I vaguely believed to be the old Gamma's daughter, Victoria.
"Thank you for having us." I stated first and foremost, eyes meeting Ryker's. He didn't meet my gaze rather staring intently at the claiming mark on my neck. Nostrils flaring he jerked his chin and looked elsewhere, acting as a petulant child. "Now. I do believe before we can continue to work as adults together we should get some things cleared up." As I spoke I waked to a chair, languidly sliding into the empty seat, crossing my legs while looking around expectantly for them to follow my lead. Almost immediately everyone took a seat, Ryker reluctantly being the last to sit down across from me.
"We are grateful for what you are doing, but it is clear there is some unfinished business here." Ryker's dad, Frank, spoke while reaching for his wife's hand. Studying the graying hair on the woman's head I quickly recognized the look on her face to be hope. Hope for her son. Sighing I looked away and to Ryker, determined to get facts across.
"The business had concluded the day he rejected me, and whored around." I declare, narrowed gaze watching the male in question flinch. The corner of my lip curls up, matching Clair's smirk even as Bennet smacked her shoulder. I noticed how close they sat, the familiarity they had between each other and quickly made the connection that they had to be mates.
"Diana. Everyone makes mistakes." Ryker spoke through clenched teeth but before he could continue I slammed my hand against the table, silencing him.
"Until given explicit permission from me, you will refer to me as Alpha Sandalio. Understood?" I tilted my head, nostrils flaring as my wolf rose behind my eyes dating Ryker to challenge me. He backed down immediately, his gaze snapping away.
"Yes. I understand." His words were barely controlled, making the occupants of the room highly uncomfortable with the two alpha energies.
"Good. Now we may continue." I pointed one manicured nail his direction. "You and I were truly never meant to be. Our fate, our destiny, had been decided centuries ago back to the first lycanthrope created."
"What do you mean?" His mother, I believe if remembering correctly, was named Jessica.
"What I mean is, my life is a loose reenactment of an ancient lycanthrope named Leto. Every few hundred years he is reincarnated into a fated wolf. That wolf is doomed to relieve his very first life, just a loose version of it that would fit the time period born." I explained making sure everyone was on how, I'd had to explain it to my pack members two years ago as well.
"So if he were to have gotten seriously injured by a predator in his first life, you would receive that same injury or trauma through a similar if not same event in this life?" Clair questioned, eyes narrowing in deep thought.
"Yes. I am destined to relive his life. He was the first to be given a soul mate, but he was also the first to be rejected by a soul mate." With this piece of info I watch as it settles in. Ryker jerked upright, pointing an accusing finger at me.
"So it wasn't my fault! The moon goddess made me reject you!" Betrayal was heard in his voice, and for that alone was the only reason I didn't break his pointing finger. Gently I grab his hand and lower it until his palm is flat against the table, heart rate slowing. "You knew it was my my fault and you still claimed another man as your mate." Those words were whispered, anger replaced by sadness.
"No Ryker. Your rejection was your own decision. The Moon simply made sure I was mated to someone she knew would reject me based off of nativity." Realization sunk in his gaze at the truth of my words. "In your younger days you were shallow, a boy becoming a man who thought himself already to already be a man." Squeezing his hand I pulled away. "I will always recognize you as my Original Mate and my Second Chance will always recognize his as his Original Mate. But the bonds are no longer the same. They're stale. Broken. Perhaps another woman might've been able to repair the bonds, but I am fated to follow a life a part of me lived decades ago. And that means I'm given a rare opportunity of a Second Chance." He looked so heart broken, I allow the part of myself still angry with him to fade away.
"But how will Iâ I don't get a Second Chance." Ryker sent a terrified look to his parents, Jessica already had tears down her cheeks. Even Clair looked saddened for the broken looking man in front of her; Victoria only looked uncomfortable looking anywhere but at myself or Ryker.
"You made a decision, and you must live with the consequences." I respond with a small shrug. "Part of those consequences is that you will live without a Moon given mate, but that does not mean you cannot find happiness with another women." Sending him a small smile I wave around the room. "The world his huge Ryker, and you are no longer the shallow boy I knew years ago. You are an Alpha Male." I saw him subtly puff his chest out making me grin wider. "Think about it, a love chosen is almost as powerful as the Moon's choice." Again I reach across the table and grasp his hands tightly. "The strength and passion you'll have in such a relationship would be unique to only you. Not many have the power of choice, and not many wish to stick it through. But I promise you the Moom hasn't abandoned you, you are her child and she will help guide the right woman to you but it'll be up to you and the shewolf to make it work. To recognize the hidden bond you will create." Squeezing his hands I continue. "I think it might be even more powerful, knowing you chose her and she chose you. That means something, doesn't it?"
//\\//\\//\\
Ryker's POV
She was beautiful, not just physically, but inside and out. Sitting across from her, hearing her words, even as someone who hurt her she had the compassion to try and comfort me. Comfort the man that brought her near death, the man that slept with every willing female whilst trying to forget her, the man who up until this point had been scheming to destroy the bond between her and the other male. I had been a dark place in her past, someone that had brought her pain and misery yet in my moment of darkness she is here to be a light.
"You truly believe that?" I question, not giving a damn about my vulnerability. Looking at the hands she clasped I realized once again the bond was nearly nonexistent all that was left was mere admiration and fondness.
"I do Ryker." Finally she removed her hands, eyes snapping to my mother's. Following her gaze I saw the awe in my mom's face. Looking to Diana as if she was an angel, which I don't blame her. Even with the dull bond I recognized the pure beauty Diana held within her.
Most importantly I understood she was no longer mine. Due to my own accord I had lost her the day I rejected her, and now it was time to be and adult and move on.
//\\//\\//\\
"I understand you all must be very confused." Ryker's voice filtered in. He spoke to his pack in the giant ballroom most pack houses had. It was used for large pack meetings or gatherings, plus an excuse to dress up on occasion. "But I've called you here so that I can offer some source of explanation." Ryker looked over his shoulder and motioned me forward, with calm steps I approached where he stood.
"Two years ago a neighboring pack of my own home, was attacked by a group of rogues that numbered well over one hundred strong." I held my next words, waiting as the crowd erupted in shock and dismay.
"That's unheard of!" One female declared, cradling a child to her chest.
"They don't survive in packs once their Lone Wolf is poisoned and turned Rogue." Another male, warrior like, held his wife and children to him as if they were already in danger. Holding up a hand I quieted them down until once again I could speak.
"I understand but I witnessed their numbers personally. They are controlled by a man I have yet to discover his true identity. He comes to the Oracle in visions but always shrouded in darkness." I let them hear my frustrations, let them understand the true depth of what was happening right now, that not even I could understand who and what was truly happening. "He has also recruited another group, a group we know well." Bitterness now in my tone as I clench my fists in anger. "The Hunters have aligned themselves with this unknown enemy as well." Motioning to the side the projector lit up against the wall and the picture of the warning flickered to life. "The translation, 'Moon Warriors, I will cross the veil and then nothing will be able to stop the plague I bring to this world' this is the closest English translation I could get."
The new set of information shocked them into silence, as the idea of Hunters and Rogue's teaming up was impossible. The people that hated our kind the most, working hand in hand with the very things they swore to kill. Anger swelled within the room and once again shouts of outrage tried to overpower the next shout in order to get the answers they deserved. But they were answers I could not give for I did not know them myself.
"The best I can give you for now is that we are working tirelessly to discover who is behind this, and I can assure you that this pack, our kind, will survive what comes our way." I motioned to my pack along the sides of the crowd, they had already been debriefed. "My pack and I have already decided we will help train your warriors and anyone else willing."
//\\//\\//\\
"Yes. Good. Now roll with it don't try to resist the hit, if you move with it and transfer the energy into your own counter attack you'll be able to bounce back stronger than your opponent." I advise, circling the mat where two college age students sparred. All around there were groups paired up, some in their wolf others in their human body. The scent of grass, dirt, sweat and even blood filled the air meaning the training sessions were underway in full swing. These warriors were doing well, they weren't quite on the level of my pack yet they held their own. "I want you all to shift into the form you are least comfortable in, now face your partner andâ"
"Diana." That one word stopped me mid step. Spinning on a heel, I spot the tall surefooted male I hadn't seen in a month. Grinning I kick into action, running full speed into his arms picking me up off the ground he held me tightly, breathing my scent in deeply as I too took him in. "Goddess I missed you."
"And I you." I reply, a slight shiver cascading down my spine as I listened to the deep Scottish accent. "Did you find them?" I questioned, pulling back, hands moving from his shoulders to frame his face, my thumbs running over the stubble.
"Aye. But they didn't speak of anything. In fact most killed themselves before we had the chance to even interrogate." His frustrations mirrored my own. "And you? Have you found your connection to Leto?" One of his own hands leaving my waist to cup my cheek, which I lean into turning to kiss his palm before reluctantly shaking my head no.
"No." I sigh, head falling down in disappointment. He catches my chin pulling me back up so our eyes met. "I'm failing."
"No. Youâ" Before he could continue, a throat being cleared brought us back to reality. Looking over his shoulder I see the rest of the pack looking over my own back with raised brows. Turning I see Ryker, hands folded in front of him as he tensely stood facing Zander clearly uncomfortable with the situation at hand. Zander having caught on quirked a brow. "Alpha Seghar I presume."
//\\//\\//\\
A/N: rewritten but un edited ðð» slowly but surely making my way through the chapters lol