Chapter 04

Penelope's POV 

I was not sure what heaven was supposed to look or feel like, but I knew that it definitely did not come with nagging headaches and that incessant beeping sound that tested my sanity.

I opened my eyes after what felt like hours, daring to survey around as I stared at the machine.

What happened? I thought I was dead?

The more I thought, the more my head banged in protest until finally, everything came flowing in like a gush of wind.

Dax hitting me, Laura's pretense, Mina, and that person....that willowy shadow that I had seen picked me up just when I thought death had arrived.

Who was he?

" I can see you are awake" a voice said, startling me nearly out of my wits as I turned to look at the direction of the voice quickly.

It was a doctor, I could tell that much from his coat and the tired smile he tried to keep on his face.

" So anything? Headaches, pains, whatever? Please tell me as it would be useful for the evaluation" 

I groaned.

" I have a headache and my shoulder feels like it's dislocated" I muttered, still wary of where I was and who this man really was.

He nodded, jotting down a few things while mumbling some incoherent words to himself.

Then it hit me. My baby.

I felt around my stomach desperately, wanting to feel a movement so badly. Did she survive?

" Doctor, how is my baby?" I finally asked, my voice choking, dried throat frying me.

He paused his scribbling, looking up at me, his eyes sympathetic.

Somehow I knew what he wanted to say before he even did, but I wanted him to say it, to confirm my suspicions.

" I'm so sorry, we lost the baby. We tried to save her, but it was too late."

I choked back a scream as bloody murder yelled in my mind.

Dax killed my baby. I was going to make him pay so dearly for this if this was the last thing I did.

" I'm so sorry miss, I understand that this is a whole to bear and I was not going to break the news to you until I was sure you are absolutely fine, but I assumed it will help to tell you now."

His words were now a clutter of letters and sounds that my brain could not quite process, all of them floating around my brain as I remembered my child. I had a room decorated at the pack for her arrival.

I even had cute little outfits picked up. An old woman gave me a shawl she swore was soft for a baby. I made so many preparations. But Dax....

I did not notice that the room door already opened and someone walked in, until the scent engulfed me and my wolf began to go haywire, the grief that we once grieved now forgotten as she paced in my head.

I had only felt my wolf a few times in my life. She had the idea that she was useless to me, I presumed, because she never tried to stay and talk to me, always at the back of my head.

The second time I had felt her way when we met Dax...and now, this was the third time.

I looked up, my eyes coming in contact with this man, dashing in not only dressing but in face. He had such nice proportions, quite tall too, with an aura that showed he was one to be revered.

I felt the urge to cower in front of him, to seek succor in those big arms and to let go of all my worries and trouble and trust that he would take care of them.

And then his eyes met mine. He did not let go of my eyes for a minute, drinking in my expression when I finally realized the shocking truth, this man was my mate. 

It was not impossible, but it was extremely rare. Somehow, the moon goddess has decided that I was suitable enough to be given a second chance, and she has brought this man to my table, this god of a man.

" How do you feel now?" He asked, his body so close to mine now, his scent overwhelming me.

I was too stunned to speak, in fact, I did not dare speak. Instead, I chose to drink up his features in awe, this man that I had now to call mine.

" Doctor how is she?" He asked instead, turning to the man that still stood beside me.

" She is better now, not fully healed yet and we still have to keep her here to monitor her progress for a few days, but she is basically good to move around now. 

We will administer some more herbs and drugs to strengthen her system and that should be all." He said.

This mystery man just stood there, nodding his head and listening to the man talk.

The doctor cleared his throat, loud and awkward.

" Well I will excuse you both as I have a lot of patients to go look after, just call me if you need anything"

When the door slammed behind him, the air grew tense.

I was not dumb, I knew it was this man that had saved me now, brought me here and given me treatment, but come as I tried to talk, to appreciate him, my voice did not feel ready enough.

" My name is Lucas maltric, alpha of the Southern territory pack. I was going home yesterday when I saw you, I'm so sorry that happened"

Shit. Alpha of the Southern pack! 

I knew him, every wolf knew him. He ruled the southern packs including the pack that dax owned. How did I manage to get someone so powerful as a second chance mate?

His voice was calmer when he spoke to me, like I was a child he was scared to scare away.

" Thank you for saving me. I don't know how to repay you yet, but I will definitely repay you" I finally managed to croak out, my voice scratching.

" You don't have to repay me for anything, I did what anyone would have done...I know that by now you already know that we are..." He trailed off.

I gulped.

" I understand if you want to reject me too. I get that and I know that I deserve that, so you don't have to hold back."

His face turned perplexed as he stared at me in surprise.

" Reject you?? Why would I want to do that? You are my mate. I would never reject you" 

I choked back a scoff.

" You don't have to say that...I'm just a defenseless omega, and I had a mate before.  I know no one as powerful as you would like to have used products as a mate. It's okay, I totally understand "

He did not let me finish.

" No. Don't say that, who the hell told you that? Don't say that about yourself. I have waited so long to meet you, to meet the one that completes me and I already know it's you. I will love to take you back to my pack when you feel better, that is if you will allow me.

You are mine. Mine to protect and mine to keep. And no one is changing that".

I was speechless, dumbfounded even, with zero words left in my mouth.

He knew his words had the effect that he had hoped they would on me, because now he sighed, leaning into me gently, so close to me and yet, so far.

" What's your name?" He asked softly.

" Penelope" I muttered, shy, flustered, unable to wrap my head around it.

" I want you to tell me who did this to you. Every single detail."