An Alpha's Duty

Chapter 29

Feeling a hard mass press against his back, Ryan realised he was now lying down. Opening his eyes he blinked up at the bright sunlight and sat up. He'd somehow ended up in a field. There was nothing around him but blue skies and wilderness. He was sure that he'd never been here before and yet it felt familiar to him.

He could hear children laughing and playing somewhere close to him. Turning, he spotted two small kids playing in the grass not far from where he was. There was an older man rolling around in the grass with them causing their shrieks of happiness.

He watched them quietly for awhile, absorbing everything he was seeing before he made the decision to approach them. He walked quietly towards them so as not to disturb their fun but with enough noise so they wouldn't be frightened by his sudden appearance.

When he was close enough to really see the two children he gasped at the black swirls that covered the little boy from head to toe. There was no doubt that this little boy was a shadow walker but he'd never known shadow walkers be male. Lenah had always told him they were female.

"They're something aren't they." Ryan's gaze slid to the man who was getting to his feet as the two children ran away from him laughing.

As the man turned to face him Ryan almost collapsed in shock. The man looked almost exactly like his father only younger, it took Ryan a few seconds to realise he was in fact looking at an older version of himself.

The man just chuckled and clapped Ryan on the back.

"Try not to think about it too much it'll just hurt your head." He smiled kindly at Ryan before motioning for Ryan to walk with him.

After a few moments of comfortable silence Ryan looked at his older self and voiced his thoughts.

"You're me, right." The man nodded his head and waited for Ryan to continue. "But that doesn't make sense, how can you be me when I'm in Lenah's memories." Ryan just couldn't understand.

His older version looked at him and smiled. He was about to speak when the two kids from earlier burst through the trees in front of them.

"Come on grandpa. Nanna's waiting and she brought cookies." The serious expression on the two kids' faces had both men crackling up.

"Oh Goddess help us if we're late for cookies. Lead the way." He winked over at Ryan and whispered to him. "Besides my mate can explain better than me." Ryan wanted answers now but he found himself being dragged by the little boy who suddenly grabbed his hand.

Ryan couldn't explain the feelings coursing through him as he held that little boy's hand. The wave of protectiveness and longing he felt had his wolf howling in his head. He couldn't understand these feelings and he desperately wanted to know what was happening. He'd thought he understood what being in Lenah's head would entail but this was something else. He could see himself looking at him in sympathy as they made their way towards a picnic blanket laden down with food.

Although Ryan was sure that his future self had meant Lenah when he'd mentioned his mate it still didn't prepare him for the woman in front of him.

It was Lenah but it wasn't. This woman seemed so sure of herself, comfortable in her own skin, as she wore her markings proudly. He could see she was older, her body more rounded from carrying pups but it was still the woman he loved.

"Please sit with us Ryan." The two children had already ransacked the food and had sped off to continue their game. He knew they weren't his children but maybe his grandchildren or possibly his great-grandchildren, given Lenah's long life span that could definitely be a possibility. He'd never thought about how long he would live but as soon as he mated with Lenah he'd gain her longevity.