Chapter 5

Amelia's POV

This wasn't how I expected my day to go.

The plan had been simple — run away from the pack and from Johnson. No complications. No drama. Just freedom.

But somehow, everything had spiraled out of control.

I hadn't expected this. Not the confrontation, and definitely not a second chance mate. And not just any second chance — one tied to my ex's uncle.

The thought alone made my chest tighten.

A low growl rumbled through the air, sending chills racing down my spine. It was enough to make even Johnson hesitate. For a moment, tension crackled between them, thick and suffocating.

Then Johnson exhaled sharply.

"Let's go," he muttered, turning his back without another word. His guards followed immediately, retreating into the shadows as if nothing had happened.

I stood there, frozen.

Slowly, Duncan shifted back into his human form, the transformation both mesmerizing and terrifying. I couldn't move. Couldn't think. I must have looked like a lost soul, caught between fear and something I didn't want to name.

I shifted my weight slightly, trying to steady myself. It was useless.

I couldn't withstand his gaze.

It burned.

"Where are you headed?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge that made my heart skip.

The question hung in the air between us.

My throat went dry. The words I wanted to say refused to come out, as if something deep inside me had swallowed them whole.

He was still watching me.

His gaze pressed against my skin like heat.

"I believe you can say something," he said.

"I have nowhere!" The words came out before I could stop them.

He let out a slow sigh and looked away.

My entire body had been shaking just from his stare.

"You're my mate," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "That means you're my responsibility. Follow me."

My feet were unsteady, my whole body still not cooperating with the reality of what was happening. But I didn't hesitate. I followed him almost immediately, closing the gap between us. His steps were faster than I had imagined. I had to push myself just to keep up.

In less than an hour, my legs were already giving out. I was tired and exhausted from the walk, my mouth so dry I could barely form a word. Then he turned slowly, and his gaze met mine. I couldn't move. My feet felt glued to the ground.

"Why are you stopping?" he asked. "Are you exhausted already?"

I nodded. My mouth felt as tired as the rest of me.

He let out a sigh and walked closer. "I didn't plan for you to be my mate, nor did I plan on taking you to my pack. But here we are. I need you to work with me."

I nodded again, too exhausted to do anything else.

Then he reached out and took my hand, pulling me forward. My feet moved almost immediately, as if his grip alone gave them new life. In less than five minutes, we were standing at the edge of a cliff, and he told me to sit.

I couldn't say no to him. I sat.

He walked away without another word.

I let my gaze travel around the place. It was empty — felt almost unalive. The cool breeze came in waves, cold enough to sting. I wrapped both arms around my shoulders, shivering against the chill.

My mind still couldn't piece together everything that had happened. I tried replaying the events, but they refused to line up properly. Johnson. Running. Duncan. The bond that snapped into place without warning.

Duncan.

Everyone knew who Duncan was. He hadn't left the pack quietly — he left because of what he did. He was Johnson's uncle. And now, I had been claimed by my ex-husband's uncle.

My life could not have gotten worse than this.

Then something stirred from deep within me. My wolf. She churned and pressed against my ribs, restless and insistent.

Second chance mate, she whispered inside me. Something that barely happens.

I felt the faint flicker of what she was trying to tell me — something that should have been a reason to hope. But my mind was still tangled in everything that had just happened, even as she pushed back against my fear.

Quiet footsteps broke through my thoughts.

I turned quickly, and there he was — approaching me, something in his hand I hadn't noticed before. He walked close, still not looking at my face, and said flatly, "Stand up. We have to go. It's almost dusk."

I stood immediately. I wasn't ready to challenge any of his words.

He walked, took two steps forward, then stopped and turned back.

"Don't you talk?" he asked. This time, there was no neutrality in his voice. It was edged with something colder — not quite anger, but close.

I let out a small grin. He kept staring, waiting.

"I talk," I finally said.

He held my gaze for a moment, then turned back around without responding, as if my answer had barely registered.

We walked. Forward and forward, deeper into unfamiliar territory. My body grew heavier with every step, but I couldn't say a word to him. Then, without warning, I found myself standing before a large gate — wide and tall, like something that had never once been questioned.

"Where are we?" I finally asked.

"My place," he replied, his voice grim.

He didn't look back. Didn't look at me at all. He just reached forward and pushed the gate open.

And standing there behind him, staring into what lay beyond, I said to myself — my new life just started.