Chapter 54

"Are you threatening me?" I asked, deciding that it was best to call it out to test what Jennifer might say.

Finally, Jennifer took a sip of her tea, setting down the cup carefully on the saucer. She looked thoughtful and pleasant again. "Of course not, I'm offering you an unbelievable chance to rise through ranks and riches… and for what? A little blood that you can spare, unless you've been lying to me, and you're already a blood provider to someone."

My sister always did know how to suck the air from the room. My breath grew short for a second, and I realized her gaze had lifted straight to mine. She sniffed the air slightly to catch my reaction in all her senses.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to make the fear spreading over my face turn to agitation. "I already told you I'm no distant relation to Clan Clark."

"To your knowledge," She corrected me, "But you also won't even test your blood, so why is that? Unless you already know, and you're already giving it to someone else."

I already knew who she might expect. Ryan had told me she had been sleuthing around to find out who was Ryan's Blood Provider.

While I had given Ryan tastes of my blood, he never accepted enough for me to be considered a true blood provider. It wasn't even a lie when I said, "I'm not a blood provider to anyone. Who would I be to anyway? It seems you already suspect me."

Michelle fidgeted beside me nervously.

"Ryan Alexander," Jennifer said coolly, still watching me with those sharp purple eyes. "I know that someone must be, and it must be very good blood if he beat my Jacob. So, as you see my offer is also an opportunity to right wrongs against the Alpha."

Thankfully, Ryan and my relationship was still a secret. She was trapping me into a corner, but I knew that I did not have to accept this offer. Even if I lived in Crowalt, it was as an associate of Clan Harris. "Why Ryan Alexander? Because I cheered at the games? Have you seen us together any other time?"

"No," she looked disappointed and cross as if she thought I hoped that I might weep and plea to her when she caught me.

"Thank you again for your offer, but I do not need to accept it. I'm an associate of Clan Harris, their goddaughter, and I have an important part in the trade of Blood's Bane. While I respect your Alexanders, and your alpha, I will not be pressured into this. Do not try me, I will leave this pack, and take the Blood's Bane trade with me."

"You wouldn't," she said. "Clan Harris would not allow..."

"I doubt they would like to hear how you've accused me and threatened me today." I said more forcefully.

Jennifer glared.

I pushed back my seat. "Thank you for the tea. I think that we're done here."

As Michele and I left, I looked once more at Diana, her sad eyes were empty and her face so gaunt. I had suspicions that she might be the blood provider to Jacob. She was too young to have already been mated and blood providing to anyone, but if her blood tested well enough, she should already be promised to an Alexander.

Why would she be staying at the Alpha's lair? Even if it were under the pretext that she was Jennifer's companion. Then again, she seemed to be there on her free will, and Ryan had not been able to see anyone chained in their basement, it just didn't make sense.

I needed to find out more about her. Jennifer had said a few things in our conversation as if they were looking for an additional blood provider for Jacob.

Michelle and I marched away from the boulevards of Alexander mansions towards the elders. I trusted Stephanie enough as Ryan's friend that I could ask to consult wither grandfather if he would see me. I knew he was most supportive of Ryan, and therefore my favorite of all the elders.

I would find out more about Diana today. It was the missing puzzle piece if I was able to confirm my suspicions somehow, and yet, I doubted an elder would be aware of Jacob and Jennifer's breaking the pact.

I knocked on the door of a large mansion. When a servant answered, I asked for Stephanie first.

She came waltzing out of the front door in a few minutes, throwing her bouncy curls over her shoulder. "Hello? Isn't Ryan here? I was hoping he'd visit me." She pouted and did not hide her disappointment.

"Remember," I warned her discreetly, "Ryan and I do not acknowledge each other publicly."

"Huh? Oh, right." She said waving her hand at me as if I were the silly one. "That again."

I sighed, but kept my expression friendly. "I'm wondering if you could do me a favor. I'd like to speak to your grandfather about something, but I don't really have any acquaintance with him."

She stared at me, blinking too many times again.

More quietly, I said, "Ryan calls you a friend, and he mentioned that you offered to help. Please, I would not be asking if it weren't important."

"He talks about me?" She sang with delight. "Ok, if it helps Ryan. I can ask if grandfather is available."

The door shut in my face, and this time with her no longer there, I rolled my eyes.

Stephanie did not come back, instead she sent a servant to take me into her grandfather's study. It was a large room with a desk and statues of wolves everywhere.

A parrot swooped by my face as I entered the room, and flew over to land on a perch mounted on the desk. Elder Fritz welcomed, "Come in. Alyson, is it? My granddaughter claims an acquaintance with you. To what do I owe this visit?"

Bowing a little first, I entered and sat down in the seat across from him. "I'm not sure if you know that I'm a trade associate for Clan Harris, so I'm new around here."

He was nodding as if he knew all about it. That would make things easier.

"Since I'm new, I'm curious to know more about the ways of Alexander, and this Pact with Clan Clark. I met Diana Clark today, and she did not look well. I'm trading Blood's Bane, and I hope that she is receiving what she needs if she is the blood provider to someone."

He sat back in his seat and folded his hands behind his bald head thoughtfully. "Diana Clark tested very well for her blood. The best in Clan Clark at this time. Too well for any of the eligible Alexanders- none have suit her yet. She has not been promised to anyone, and she is also not providing blood."

He eyed me curiously. I felt like I should add more to make my questions seem like they actually relate to me.

"Our Blood's Bane is the highest quality. I hope that she is getting what she needs in any case. I was concerned when I met her for her health, and it didn't seem like she was providing blood openly, but I wondered if this happens in secret sometimes."

"Never," he said flatly. "That would be against the Pact. I appreciate your concern. I will look into Diana's health. She is very important to us now with her quality of blood. I believe the Luna herself is watching over her carefully in the meantime."

The lingering tightness in my chest from my conversation with Jennifer was winding up even tighter. I was happy that this elder had concern for Clan Clark even if we had often been treated as possessions, at least the Pact protected us. But Diana was under the worst possible care.

Elder Fritz continued, "Yes, indeed." Before Ryan Alexander's arrival, we had no Alexander of high-enough ranking to match Diana with, but that has all changed now."

My heart stopped. "Ryan?" I asked, but my voice broke a little.

"Why yes," Elder Fritz looked incredibly pleased. "Taking Diana as a mate would increase his status as well, and powers to have a true blood provider and mate from Clan Clark. She would match to him so well, and help him with the Alpha candidate status that I believe he deserves."

It was the first time I wanted to shout to the world that I was Clan Clark, but I could not, not after being so firm with Jennifer that I was not. Confused, hurt and frightened by this news, I sat dumbly in that chair without words or response.

"Thank you, Elder." I said. "This information has been helpful." I muttered even if his words had just broken my heart.

Under the ways of Alexander, Ryan should accept Diana, but I hated it. I did not want to be Ryan's mate, but I didn't want him to mate with anyone else either. Seeing that would kill me. Even now, I could scarcely breathe.