Chapter 11

Alyson's POV

I was very afraid. But I wanted to try. "Donna, could you leave for a moment?"

"What?" She spluttered through tears.

"I think I might be able to help, but I'd prefer if you leave."

She looked a little baffled. "If you can help. Anything is worth a try." Unlike Michael, she was trusting. Nothing in her face held any suspicions of me.

As soon as she stepped out of the cabin. I took some warm water in a cup. I poked at the cut on my wrist till I could get a few drops of blood into the water. I entered Ryan's room.

It smelt like him there. I hesitated in the doorway, wondering if this might be a mistake. I worried that he would change after he tasted the blood. Even if he'd been kind up to now, what if this changed how he was with me. What if we stopped training and spending all the time together because he would lock me away as an imprisoned blood provider?

Life was about taking chances. I decided, and I stepped up to his bed. I propped him up a little more on a pillow, and let him get a smell of the blood tea.

"No…I can't… my mate." He muttered. The smell of the blood waking him enough to produce words, so I became surer that it would help him.

But what did he mean by mate? Did he have one? Why would he never mention her? I got a little annoyed that he wouldn't have told me and wanted to know who she was the moment he would wake. But why did it matter to me anyway? I was supposed to be mateless in this life.

The moment my blood touched his lips, he woke, grabbing the cup and downing the liquid greedily. His piercing tawny eyes stared for a moment; the color returned to his skin. "I'm very tired," he said, rolling over and falling back to sleep.

The next morning, he came out of his room. Donna was out running errands, so it was just me there. I jolted as he came out, not expecting him to be awake, or walking around.

"Oh, my goodness, Ryan!" I leapt up wanting to hug him, but I remained across the room, hesitating that he might go into a craze.

But he didn't, instead he sat down on a chair near me without a word. Still looking like he wasn't fully awake yet. But normal rosy color was back to his skin, no more veins popping from his neck.

It was my chance to clear the air.

"You are one of the Clan Alexander from the Crowalt Pack, aren't you?" I asked, feeling comfortable to sit beside him.

"Yes," he admitted. "How do you know about that? "

I didn't answer that part, but I asked, "How come you don't need the blood of the she wolves of the Clan Clark?"

He tilted his head, his unwavering attention on me. "I haven't since I was ten. Are you a Clark she-wolf?"

"I just know all about the Crowalt Pack. What happened to you? How are you of Clan Alexander but live without the blood?"

"I was cast out of my clan because my parents were brother and sister. Even my father wanted me dead to hide his shame. I was a disgrace. The pack killed my mom, tortured her to death for the sins of them both."

I shuttered thinking of my own death, feeling as if I knew better than anyone what his mother might have gone through. "Your parents were brother and sister? But what of their mates? They could not have bonded like that…"

"They were mates, rare to Alexanders. As you know they usually marry a she-wolf of Clan Clark to strength the blood bond. It's the only way to remedy the curse, and protect both Clan Alexander from the curse and Clan Clark from the Alexanders.

The elders of the pack were also ashamed of my parents, but you know the witch's ability? They saw my strength. They thought the Moon Goddess might have made me for a reason, so they protected me, and banished me instead of killing me."

It sounded terrible. And it was strange to hear all about the pact between Clan Alexander and Clan Clark when I was so far from that life. "How could you live? I thought you'd die early and possibly lose the ability to shift back to a man without the blood."

"We are short-lived. Out here, as a Rogue. I struggled since I was ten, but I found ways to survive. I'm strong enough, and it seems the Moon Goddess must've blessed me."

I knew what it meant to be blessed by the Moon Goddess, we had that in common. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. The Moon Goddess did a lot for us, and yet, she allowed the cruelest treatment.

"You were gone. The doctors said you might not wake up."

"It happens sometimes. If I feel the curse, when I smelt your…. and then shifting back to a man can make me pass out. Rupert didn't want to give me control, but I took it anyway. It weakened both of us."

I was afraid to say put, but I forced the words from my mouth, "You knew I was from Clan Clark when you saved me."

He nodded.

"Was it for my blood?" I finally asked, needing to know.

He looked deep into my eyes. My body was shaking because I did not want him to only want me for my blood. I felt vulnerable. I felt like I would run for my life if need be.

But instead of answering that question, he said, "Alyson, do you feel nothing?"