Chapter 3

When they got to the pack house, it was already evening. Izan showed her to her room and then left her alone without a word.

For a very big house, it was quite sparse of people and unlike her former pack house, this pack house smelled fresh which was unusual. There were no lingering scents of pack members and everywhere was extra tidy. Even her room was basic, it had white walls and smelled of laundry soap and disinfectants.

Izan went to his office, his beta following him behind.

"Who's she?" He wasted no time in asking.

"Who?" Izan played dumb as he opened the long scroll and began to read thoroughly.

"You will be saving both of us a lot of time if you just say the truth now." The beta scowled.

Izan sighed and looked at him. "She's my mate."

The beta shook his head. "No, that can't be. You can't have a second chance mate," he frowned.

"Apparently I do." The alpha went back to reading.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Get her to leave me."

"Why? there must be a reason for having a second mate, maybe love?" These few words seemed to have irritated the alpha as he spoke once more, voice hard.

"You have overstayed your welcome Adam, please leave," Izan said in a cold voice without looking up. Adam bit the inside of his cheek and left the alpha alone.

Meanwhile, Astra was settling in quite well hoping to decorate the room to her taste very soon. This was her new home so we were going to be comfortable.

When she was done arranging, she decided to go and look for food as she was starving. She found the kitchen and went inside. It was fairly large with a white ceiling and butter-colored floor and long rows of cupboards.

She furrowed her eyebrows in surprise when she saw three people in the kitchen because when she arrived earlier, she was sure the house was empty. The three females all turned to her when they noticed someone walk in.

"Who are you?" Someone demanded.

"I'm Ast–"

"You don't smell like us."

"Please let me talk." Astra resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Go ahead then."

"I'm Astra, Alpha Izan's mate."

They stared at her before they burst into hysterical laughs which made Astra frown.

"And I'm his girlfriend." One of them japed.

"You wish," another snorted.

"His mate is dead."

Astra only looked on as she allowed them to display their foolishness and rudeness.

"What she just said is true, ladies," a man appeared behind Astra. She turned around to look at the person who winked at her before turning to the others.

"This is Izan's second chance mate and that means to treat her with respect. Is that understood?"

"Yes beta," they mellowed, bowing in respect.

"Hi, my name is Adam."

"I'm Astra."

"So what are you doing here? in the kitchen I mean."

Astra's stomach answered for her by rumbling low and the beta chuckled. "One plate of one of the finest meals please." Adam beckoned.

"Poison free please," Astra mumbled incoherently.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she gave him a sweet smile.

She went to wait at the dining table with the beta, striking up a small conversation. "Do they live here?"

The beta shook his head. "No one lives in the pack house except Izan, me, and our top epsilon, Dre."

"No one else?" Astra was baffled.

"Actually, people can spend the whole day here but no one is allowed to sleep overnight, they all have to go home even the ones in the kitchen will go home when they're done. They only came to prepare our dinner. You see, Izan is frightened of people, especially at night."

Astra tsked. "What does he think people are? Wendigos?"

Adam laughed loudly. "You're a funny one, I like that."

Then his voice became serious. "He needs you, you know. He may not act like it but he needs you more than ever. The pack needs you and I feel like you're the missing piece that has finally come to complete us."

"Thank you?" She didn't know what to say.

"And he can be bipolar. It has something to do with what has happened to him so please, be really patient," he whispered that last part.

"I'll try." Astra smiled.

Adam made sure she was eating before he left her. She was almost done with her food when Izan came to join her in the dining room.

"Who said you could eat here and without me?" He glared at her.

Just looking at her, Izan wanted to eat with her for some unknown reason even if it was to taunt and hurt her.

"I'm not a slave, the dining room is the proper place to eat and I didn't know I was supposed to eat with you considering the fact that you've been avoiding me the whole evening." She replied without looking up.

Izan rolled his eyes. "Your mouth is uncouth."

"And your manners are misplaced," she tapped the plate with her fork and someone came to clear her dishes.

She stood up to go to her room when a strong hand gripped her and stopped her. Blood-red eyes shot daggers at her. "Stay out of my sight. Pretend I don't exist." He scowled.

Not a very nice for your mate to say to you but then, It wasn't like Astra cared. She just nodded and his grip tightened.

"Words." He growled.

"You're hurting me," she winced in pain.

He let go of her hand and she ran to her room, fuming. Who does he think he is?

"Our mate," Aine replied.

Astra rolled her eyes at her wolf's reply and took a nice bath before drifting off to sleep, the arrogant alpha off her mind.

The next morning, something shook her awake.

"Luna, please wake up before the alpha gets upset."

Astra opened her eyes and then looked at the maid shaking her. The maid bowed her head as she greeted her.

"I have to help you get ready, you're twenty minutes late to breakfast and the alpha hates tardiness."

Astra nodded and went to bathe as the maid picked her clothes. After her bath, Astra put on the clothes and went downstairs to eat.

When Izan's eyes landed on her, he began growling lowly.

Why does he growl around me? She thought to herself.

She kept quiet and sat down. "Don't you know how to greet?" He scowled.

"You told me to pretend you don't exist which also makes me wonder why you called me for breakfast." She shot back.

"Why are you up late? you think this is your house where you can just do whatever you want?"

She sighed and ignored him as she focused her attention on her food.

"I brought you here to save you from that scum you used to live and now, you want to act like a queen?"

What scum? Astra thought to herself.

She gently placed her fork down and looked at him. "I came here willingly so you wouldn't die of loneliness or succumb to darkness but I guess that's debatable."

She stood up and turned to leave but she turned back again to look at him, "By the way, I am the luna of this pack and your queen whether you like it or not. Enjoy the rest of your meal." Then, she walked away.

"You can be replaced!" He shouted after her.

"You will have to kill me first and even if I die, I doubt the moon goddess is wicked enough to give someone like you another mate!" She shouted back.

"Astra!" He yelled in anger.

Astra smiled to herself and she could feel her wolf rolling her eyes. "He's hiding something, his wolf is very guarded," Aine said.

"I don't care."

Stupid bipolar arrogant alpha, Astra thought.