“aarrgghh”
I wake up feeling disoriented. I look at my surroundings. It's unfamiliar. I shift the sheets and start to stand up from the bed and move to stretch when I feel eyes on me from across the room.
“Arrrghhh!!!”
I thought I was alone. He sat quietly at the far end of the dark room like a creep. It's unnerving.
“Hey it's okay. I'm sorry to startle you. I've been waiting for you to wake up for a while now.”
“How long have I been out”
“Two days”
TWO DAYS!! was I drugged or something. What if he did something to me in my weak state? The panic must show on my face.
“Don't panic. You are safe here”
The most magnetic voice says slowly, pacifyingly. I sniff the air and smell spice. I realise the room is covered in it too and so am I and it was not the most uncomfortable smell. I actually liked it.
“Mate”
Athena whispers weakly in my mind. She's recuperating after her fight with those rogues. I register what she says then.
“WHAT?! MATE? Athena don't spout nonsense. W-We already have a mate and he rejected us, remember?. I know you want another mate but you just can't go making assumptions.”
I scold Athena in my mind. I'm not one to give false hope. I mean I've heard stories of second chance mates. I just never thought I'd have one.
“Hello mate”
The magnetic voice spoke again. Wait, did he just say mate. I'm HIS mate!. He must have seen the confusion on my face.
“Hi, I'm Jason. This is crescent pack. I am your mate and you are currently in my room”
He offers me a smile after his little introduction. He has a dimpled cheek. I want to keep a smile on his face.
“I'm Ares.”
“That’s a beautiful name.”
He offers me another megawatt smile. I love his smile and I love that it's directed at me. I send him a small smile of my own.
“Why were you wandering in the woods? Are you lost or something”
“I was sent out of my pack. Former pack.”
I correct myself. I am no longer a member of the moonstone pack. Maverick made sure of it.
“I had a mate”
I say with pain as I recall Maverick and Ashley's betrayal. Maverick might be a tool, but he made it for me.
“What happened to him?”
He must have taken my pain for something else.
“He rejected me for my adoptive sister and got me sent off from the pack.”
I answer with clenched teeth. I should have ripped their hearts out when I had the chance.
“He is a fool. His lost, my gain”
He offers me a full smile now. He has a perfect set of teeth and the most beautiful smile. I take in his full face. He was hand moulded perfectly by the moon goddess herself.
He has the strongest jawline and most kissable lips. He stands proudly at 6’4 inches if I'm not mistaken. I'm tall but he's taller. His hands look like they were made to hold mine.
His eyes are my favourite. They look at me the way Dad looks at Mum. I'm almost too scared to see if this is real. He doesn't look the least bothered that I'm checking him out openly, instead he looked pleased.
The little one. I panic. He must have sensed my panic.
“Where is she? The little cub that was with me. Who took her?”
“Adriana is fine. She's playing downstairs with her pairs. You did a good job protecting her. Thank you.”
I breathe easy when I hear she's fine.
“It's nothing”
“I don't know what I would have done if I lost her”
“What do you mean if you lost her?”
“Adriana is my daughter”
A beat passes. Another. I don't speak. There it was, the other shoe dropping. Of course he's not perfect. He has a daughter.
“Your daughter?”
I whisper. I'm almost too afraid to hear his answer.
“I found her when I was looking for my mate during a pack attack. She was crying in a ruined building in my mate's arms. My mate died protecting her”
I sense the pain in his voice. He lost his mate. He's a good person, he raised a child that wasn't his because his mate died protecting her.
“I’m sorry for your loss. No one deserves to lose a mate.”
I really was. I was rejected but he lost his before they could build a life together. Wait!. That means we are each other's second chance mate.
“I’m your second mate as you are mine”
I say and he nods at me.
We're interrupted by the sound of knocking. I see his eyes glaze over. He's probably talking to the person at the door through the pack link.
Few seconds later, he returned his attention back to me.
“Are you hungry, Ares?”
My stomach takes that as his clue to make itself known. I don't remember the last meal I had. I don't think my name has ever sounded better. It rolls off his tongue.
“Starving”
“Let me get you something to eat”
He offers me his hand. I don't take it. I see his face fall but he lets it go.
“You'll warm up to me eventually.”
I want to take his hand but I don't think I trust him yet. A repeat of Maverick might kill me. I survived one rejection doesn't mean I can survive a second.
He opens the door for me and asks me to step out first. I hear noises the moment I step out. I give him a questioning look.
“Sound-proofed room”
“Ahhhh”
I know I said I haven't had company in days. The unfamiliar voices make me miss the quiet. This must be the pack house. I smell different people and hear several footsteps.
As I headed downstairs with him, looks were thrown my way. He leads us to the kitchen.
“What do you want to eat?”
“ Anything would do”
“Okay. Give me a few minutes”
He leads me to sit at the dining table while he goes back to the kitchen. I hear the sound of approaching footsteps before it reaches me.
“Who are you?”
A voice rang out behind me. I don't turn to see who before I reply. “Just because we are part animals doesn't mean we should act like one. Where are your manners?”“Coming from someone who doesn't smell like a rogue,but also doesn't belong to my pack” she sassily replies as moves to stand in front of me.“Who are you?” I asked her as she settled in front of me.“I should be asking you that. What do you want? Why is Alpha being so nice to you? What makes you special?” she asked each question and moved threateningly towards meAthena wasn't having this wolf pup challenge her. Although she felt weak, she accepted the challenge.I stared at her until she submitted. I could feel her wolf whimpering in fear at Athena's strength. Her wolf submitted soon after and Athena went back to resting.“Who are you?” It was my turn to ask now, considering she just challenged me.“N-none of your business” she huffs at me. Her wolf must have warned her with the strength of mine.“Okay. Well, unless you a
“Hey” I snap my finger in front of her eyes to wake her up.“Sorry, I think I heard you wrong. You said you're his mate?” She asks again for confirmation.“Yes I am” I nod in reply“But the legend of having a second chance mate is as rare as meeting the moon goddess herself!.” She exclaimed“I know. I can't explain it myself” I sigh and sit on the chair he sat on when I was sleeping.“Alpha had a mate before. Maybe the moon goddess is giving him a second chance mate because he lost his too soon” Madison said trying to explain the bizarre situationI mull over what she said. Maybe she took pity on me too for giving me Maverick. He wasn't exactly the best mate to me. I wait for the stab of pain that Athena feels each time I think of him. A beat passes. Another. It doesn't come. It's good he doesn't have an effect on her anymore.“I had a mate too.” I say and she looks up at me“Oh honey, I'm sorry for your loss” she tries to hold my hand to offer comfort, but I move it away before it l
Jason turned to me and asked “Do you know him?” “No. I don't think I do.”I replied, shaking my head at Jason. I turned to the stranger “I'm sorry, who are you?”His next words shock me “It's quite alright you don't recognize me your highness. You were a baby when we got separated”“Baby? H-highness?!” I said in panic. Jason quickly moves to my side and rub my back soothingly “breathe beautiful” he whisperedI'm too far gone in my panic to focus on what he just called me.“I'm sorry for laying it all on you like that. Perhaps when you are ready. I can come find you or you can ask Alpha to send for me” Josh said bowing. To me.I figured the beads must have some important qualities and good origin story, but Royalty!. That wasn't never part of the equation.“Sure, Josh. I'll send for you when she's ready.” Jason said calmly. If this was a shock to him, he hid it well. “Do you want to sit down?” He said leading me to a chairI'm still in shock as I sit. “Let me get you something to drink
Jason's Pov “Daddy. Wake up.. wake up.. wake up!” Adriana shouted with each jump on my bed I was already up after the first shout, but decided not to get up to rile her “Daddy! Please get up” she said in frustration “Hello bean. Why are you up so early?” I said turning to face her “I want to make pancakes, but I can't reach the counter” she said sheepishly “Is that your only problem, bean?” I tease “I can't make pancakes and I can't do the flipping thing” she said with a quiver in her voice. One wrong word from me and she'll burst into tears. I try to avoid making her cry as much as possible. “Come here” I open my arms wide for her and she jumps into my arms for a hug. “Let's go make pancakes” “Yay!” “Wait!” I said placing her down and putting on some shoes. “Why do you want to make pancakes?” “I want to give it to the pretty wolf that did rawwr and save Adi” she said referring to Ares That makes the pancakes a little more special. “Okay,” I clap “let's do it” I lift her a
Ares PovI shower and change into my own clothes and head back downstairs. There's movement all around me. Everyone was up.I spot Josh in the living room easily. And walk towards him.“Hi” I said“Your h–” he starts to say when I immediately cover his mouth. I received looks for my strange action. I signal him with my eyes to keep it down. Before I let go of his mouth.“Where can we talk?” I asked“Alpha said we can use his office. It's soundproof and away from straying ears.” He replied. I nodded and he led the way to the office.“This is all going to sound a bit much, but I promise to explain everything in detail” he said“I want to know” I said in determination“I will start at the beginning” he said and tapped something on his own beads and a voice rang out, telling the story…The moon hung low in the dark sky, blessing us with its ethereal glow. The palace was filled with joyous noise at the celebration of the birth of the princess. The king and queen had had her for a while, b
I stay afloat for the next five minutes as my body absorbs all of the power before I descend. I feel the power within me with every inhale and exhale.“What just happened?” Jason asked, looking between me and Josh.“She activated one third of her powers” Josh replied like it was an everyday sight “now we just need to find her mate to complete the activation.” He continued“I am her mate.” He said. “Ohh” Josh muttered. “What activation are we talking about?” Jason asked perplexed“We are not sure, but if the seer was right and if what his dad said was true, there's more to come.” I answeredI feel Athena rise in my mind.“Ask for an open ground. We need to shift. Fast.” she said in a hurry“Is there an open ground? Away from others if possible. I need to shift” I said to JasonHe thinks for a moment before he replies “there might be, come with me.” He said and led us both outside“Josh, this might come out offensive, but I need you to leave. The bead halts my shift everytime I'm in the
I test the limits of my powers for the rest of the day. I realise I can touch the surface of a person's thought if I visualise their face and name in mind, but it took a toll on me to do that.The next day, I look for Madison to ask for her help. She comes along with another friend of hers.“Hi Ares. I've heard so much about you from Madison” the stranger said to meI look at Madison in confusion. I haven't heard a word about the stranger and I wasn't sure what she had heard of me.“She knows about how you saved Adi. She was away for some pack business at the time” Madison clarifies. “Ohh” I said and finally nodded in greeting to her.“This is Isabelle” she said pointing to her friend who waved at the mention of her name“Hi,” I said to her. “I need your help,” I said, turning back to Madison.The urgency in my voice makes her respond seriously. “Sure. What do you need?” She said“I need new clothes. Can you show me to the store to get some things? I noticed I don't have the proper a
He opened the car boot and brought out the equipment. He came along with a dumbbell, battle ropes, a stop-watch, a whistle and jump ropes.He hung the whistle around his neck and held the timer to his chest. “You see that tree with the markings over there?” He said pointing at a tree five hundred metres away “you are going to run there and back. I want to check out your speed.”I stretch out my muscles and feel the adrenaline rush. My heart starts to race in anticipation. At the sound of the whistle, I take off running.I run a minute slower than I would in my wolf form, but I manage to impress him with the time.“You did better than I expected” he said, his demeanor towards me changing. “You were better than most of the guys I train. Since your speed is good, we will be focusing on your other aspects”“Such as?” I asked, eager to learn more.“Your strength, agility, core training, stance and self defence” he listed off his fingers “let's start with the core training. We’ll use runnin