Chapter 42

Ryan's POV

"I want to be considered as an Alpha candidate," I had officially announced to the elders, claiming my prize, but ultimately, it was up to them. That was the way of Alexanders.

"Ryan is the winner!" The elders had announced my win, and it was still ringing in my head. I couldn't believe it, and I thought they had resisted, but they could not. I had thrown Jacob four times in the match, and he'd violated the rules by attacking me after it was called. If he hadn't done that, I was sure they might have reached a different verdict.

I had held firm to the rules till that last strike after the match had been called. I had won two of the three rounds. After my claim, they would need to deliberate my worthiness to be an Alpha candidate.

I had looked up towards Alyson in the stadium seats, trying not to be too obvious. I could smell my mate out of a crowd of a thousand. She had sent me blood twice under cover, and it had truly helped me. I couldn't deny that, but I also didn't want anyone to know about her. I couldn't know if she'd be safe or what they would do now that I'd defeated Jacob.

I was paraded through the town as the winner, even though I knew my family was against me, and I also didn't trust the crowd.

In the chaos, Alyson was able to approach me shadowed by a red-headed she-wolf that I didn't recognize. Stephanie elbowed her out of the way to run up to me.

"You're so amazing! Alpha Ryan!" She hugged me tightly around my torso, and I politely patted one of her shoulders, before nudging her aside. "I knew that you'd win, you had to win!"

Rage crossed Alyson's face. Was that jealousy? I enjoyed that a little, and badly wanted to take her into my arms, even though we shook hands like cold acquaintances, our longing gazes speaking more than the simple congratulations she shared with me. Her smell intoxicated me, and my injuries even ceased to throb.

I could read her well, and I knew she wanted to show affection, but I leaned down and whispered, "Let's keep us a secret for now. Till it might be safe." Then I surveyed around, there were so many people watching me right now, I had to keep this brief.

She nodded, but her hand touched mine, and her fingers wrapped into mine for a small and sweet moment.

I was swept away into the crowd, losing my brief interaction with the she-wolf I loved.

I still heard the crowd cheering against me. It seemed like even if I'd won, I might be a poor choice for an Alpha if the pack hated my existence. I really didn't know what they would decide. I was to be locked away for three days while the elders deliberated.

When I attempted to return to my fathers' home, the doors were locked to me, and the servants would not open them. I pounded my fist to the door.

"You've brought a shame to this family, and now you bring more problems," My father yelled out an opened window. "We want nothing to do with you."

"The shame was yours, I was born because of you," I spat back at him. "Let me in."

"You're no longer welcome here as a guest." He said.

An elder was passing by, and he interjected, "You should house your son. We have three days to deliberate if this challenger is viable to take the Alpha position someday."

My father's face moped in the window. "He can stay, but only in the dungeon."

"I will not be locked away," I said, and then turning to the elder who had stopped beside me, "I won, how should I live in the dungeon?"

He patted my arm, "I came to tell you that you should keep to yourself these next few days, do not cause any trouble. We need time to deliberate, and there is much hostility."

"Clearly," I glared at my father's locked door. This was why I hated my family.

That bastard Jacob had tried to kill me, and it had taken all my restraint to not give the Alexanders reason to destroy me. I knew that Alexanders valued their members with talents like treasures, so fighting to the death was always discouraged. It had been this mentality that had saved my life before as a pup. To prove I was a nobler Alexander, I had been trying to adhere to that and resist Rupert's urge to kill Jacob.

The elder shouted up towards my father, "As your son, you should let him stay here, and put a roof over his head. We elders want to know where he is during this important deliberation. Can we rely on you?"

"If I must," He agreed resentfully.

"I would not feel safe here." I said, considering if I was not given a guest room then I would stay in the unlocked room of the dungeon primed for imprisonment if the verdict was no in my favor. I'd followed the rules, and I was being punished.

The elder nodded, "We thought as much might happen." He turned away from the open window where my father hung his head out. "We will provide accommodation that is more neutral, but you must stay there, and not go anywhere or talk to anyone for the three days."

"Ok, but I will speak with my beta during those days," I said, although it seemed incredibly unfair as the victor to be isolated away. As I followed him, I added, "At the very least you could order the Alexanders to leave me alone if they won't let me claim my rights."

The elder nodded, "Yes, our concern is the other Alexanders." He led me away to one of the elder's mansions where I was set up in a suite. They indeed allowed Michael to come once a day, but no one else. I paced the room all day, infuriated by the injustice.

If they ruled against me, I would have no choice but to burn this place to the ground. I wanted to play by their rules, but as the time passed, I was remiss that I might be outside their rules anyway.

It was already driving me crazy. What was worse, I worried about Alyson, praying that she was staying out of trouble. As badly as I wanted to be with her, I also hoped she'd stay away from me for sake of her safety. Her face lingered on my mind after seeing her briefly that day.

Closing my eyes, I looked for her. She was easy to find as if we were bonded, no matter what she said about it. My eyelids flew open. She was looking to find me; she would come to me. How could I prevent her, no one was visiting me, it would be too obvious?

With my wolf mind, I sent her a mental image to make it clear that she should not come, but there was resistance on her end.

She was coming to me, and she was already almost here...