11. The Weight of Second Chance

“W-What?”

He sighed, then reached out. “This is the only—”

I didn’t mean to push Dominic away.

It just happened.

The moment his hand touched my skin, that strange energy surged through me. My chest tightened, and before I could stop it, my wolf howled in my head.

‘It’s him.’

My eyes widened in disbelief. “W-What?” I whispered to myself, shaken.

‘He’s your second chance mate,’ my wolf confirmed.

My heart dropped.

No.

That’s impossible! I refused to accept it. I didn’t want it to be true. How could Dominic—of all people—be my second chance mate?

I stared at him. My head began to throb, and I couldn’t think straight. This couldn’t be real. I shook my head repeatedly, trying to deny it. I could barely breathe as panic rushed through my chest.

Then Dominic spoke.

“You're not his official Luna yet. This will help you.”

He looked at me with those unreadable eyes. “I’m giving you this chance.”

I stepped back, trying to steady my breathing. “But… you felt it too, didn’t you?” I asked, my voice trembling.

His expression changed for a split second. His eyes blinked fast, like he was trying to process what I said—or maybe pretending not to understand.

“You felt it,” I repeated, louder this time. “Don’t act like you didn’t feel it. You felt the bond. You felt our bond!”

He narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying?” he asked, defensive now.

“Don’t play dumb, Dominic!” I snapped. “You felt it the moment we touched. The bond… it’s real. I know you felt it too.”

A heavy silence followed. Neither of us said a word, but the air between us was thick with tension. My heart pounded as I waited for him to say something—anything.

But he didn’t.

He just stood up.

“You need to rest,” he said, his voice distant now. “You need to get your strength back. You still have training.”

I swallowed hard, still stunned.

“Think about it carefully. It’s for your own good too.”

He turned his back on me and walked away without another word, leaving me there alone.

As soon as he was gone, I collapsed onto the edge of the bed, clutching my abdomen where my baby was growing. My breathing was shallow, and my thoughts were spiraling out of control.

What the hell was happening to my life?

First, Lance cheated on me—shattering my heart into pieces. Then I learned about my brother, the truth behind my family, and this strange power awakening inside of me. And now… Dominic. The man who had always been cold, distant, and complicated—suddenly revealed to be my second chance mate?

It was too much.

It felt like everything was crashing down on me all at once. No warning. No break. No time to breathe. One revelation after another, like waves that kept pulling me under before I could reach the surface.

I gripped my stomach tighter, desperate to hold onto something real. Something that made sense. This baby… it was the only thing keeping me grounded. But even that scared me. How was I supposed to raise a child in the middle of this mess? I was losing control, and it terrified me.

My wolf was quiet now, but I could still feel her presence. She wasn’t panicked like me. She was calm—too calm. She believed in the bond. She wanted it.

But I wasn’t ready.

I crawled into bed and pulled the blanket over my body. I turned my back to the door Dominic had just walked out of and closed my eyes tightly.

Maybe if I slept, everything would go back to normal.

Maybe when I woke up, this nightmare would be over.

But deep down, I already knew the truth.

Nothing would ever be the same again.

I woke up feeling fingers gently brushing through my hair. My body stiffened for a second, but when I opened my eyes, I saw that it was my brother.

“Adrian?” I mumbled, sitting up slowly. “When did you get here?”

“Just now. I only arrived a few minutes ago,” he said. Then his expression grew serious. “And I heard about… everything. About Alpha Dominic’s plan.”

I stared at him, still groggy from sleep. “What about it?”

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said plainly.

I blinked at him, completely stunned. “Wait… what?” I said, trying to process his words. “You agree with it? You’re okay with me faking a marriage with Dominic just so Lance will leave me alone?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “It’s a smart move. Alpha Dominic is our leader. He’s powerful, respected, and known for his strength, wealth, and leadership. People don’t cross him. Lance won’t dare bother you again. He’ll back off for good.”

I stared at my brother like I didn’t recognize him. “I can’t believe this,” I whispered, getting out of bed. “It feels like all of you are trying to control me. No one’s even asking me how I feel about any of this.”

Adrian looked genuinely confused. “Control? That’s not what this is.”

I shook my head, frustrated. “Then what do you call it? You’re all making decisions for me without letting me breathe! Without giving me a say!”

“We’re trying to give you freedom,” he argued. “You just don’t see it right now.”

“No!” I said firmly, my voice rising. “You don’t understand.”

“Then help me understand,” Adrian said, standing his ground. “Talk to me. What are you really feeling?”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I looked at him, and I knew my eyes looked tired. Exhausted. Like I had been carrying a weight no one else could see.

“Dominic…” I began softly, “he’s my second chance mate.”

Adrian’s eyes widened in shock. “What? How? Did he tell you that?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I felt it. When we touched, when our eyes met… I felt the energy. The pull. It was too intense to be anything else. And then my wolf—she confirmed it.”

He looked at me in silence, clearly trying to absorb what I’d just said.

“But Dominic?” I continued. “He’s acting like he doesn’t feel it. He’s ignoring the bond. Pretending it doesn’t exist. And that’s what’s killing me.”

I looked away, biting my lip. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with all this. I just found out about everything—my family and now this. Dominic being my mate? It’s too much.”

Adrian lowered his gaze, processing everything I had said.

“I’m still heartbroken over what Lance did to me. He betrayed me, and I haven’t even healed from that. And now I’m supposed to just accept another mate? Pretend to be with Dominic—even if it’s fake?”

Silence fell between us. It was the kind of silence that said more than words ever could. My chest tightened, and I tried not to break down in front of him. But I felt the cracks forming.

Then, Adrian walked toward me and pulled me into a hug.

“I understand,” he murmured. “I really do. But Cassie… think about this. Alpha Dominic—he’s not as cold as he pretends to be. He’s doing this because he’s trying to protect us."

"He’s trying to protect you.”