Alpha Deckard is my Second Chance Mate

1

Amica.

My mate’s fist slams into my cheek with such brutal force that I stumble back. I didn’t see it coming. One moment, I’m calmly carrying his morning tea; the next, the tray is knocked from my hands, and the scalding liquid splashes across my lap. Quickly, my skin turns red…one would think fire was seared into my skin.

I let out a scream, scrambling on the ground in pain.

“You worthless thing! Can’t even do one thing right, can you!?” His voice is venom, a far cry from the man I once knew.

I clutch at my lap, shifting my dress to try and ease the sting. Yet, before I can even breathe, his fingers dig into my arm, yanking me up from the floor. Dane towers over me and his hold is excruciating.

I don’t recognize him anymore. Where are those soft eyes that used to look at me with love? His golden-brown hair, always soft to the touch, is now dishevelled, like that of a wild animal. The jaw I used to kiss is clenched, and all the warmth I once felt from him is gone.

"Look at you, pathetic. I don't even know why I bother with you." he spits, pushing me away and I stumble into the table.

I am not going to cry today. I’ve shed enough tears over the past four months, hoping that this was all just a nightmare, clinging to the hope that one day I’d wake up and realize this was all a nightmare.

But it seems I would never wake up.

It all started when he couldn’t secure a spot for our pack in the Apex Circle, the elite coalition of werewolf packs in Blackwater City. Dane wanted us in that circle so badly, but no matter how hard he pushed, our pack was always overlooked.

At first, it was just frustration—anger at being excluded. Then, the whispers began—rumours that Dane was deep in debt, owing massive amounts of money to other pack leaders. The stress changed him or could it be that he was always like this but I failed to see it? He started drinking, shutting me out completely. And when I tried to talk to him, tried to help, he lashed out. His anger turned to violence.

He hit me. Again and again.

He promised my father that he’d protect me as his Luna, as his wife. But those promises are broken. Every single one of them. Today, I’ve made up my mind. I’m done. I’m walking away from this marriage, from this life.

I don’t know how long I have been gripping the edge of the table but my knuckles have turned white. Behind me, I feel Dane’s presence. His hands move to push my dress up.

“Stop it!” I gasp, twisting around to face him, trying to shove him away.

Still, he presses his need against me and a cruel smirk twists his lips. “Yeah…deny me sex. That’s fine. I’ll just get it from the omegas.”

My lips tremble as the truth sinks in—he’s been cheating on me, I suspected it when the female omegas began to look down on me too.

The door swings open, and Cameron, Dane’s beta, walks in, a paper and pen in his hands. The look in his eyes isn’t unfamiliar anymore. He used to regard me with respect, but now, like everyone else in the pack, he’s changed—following Dane’s lead like a shadow.

“Sign these,” Cameron says, flatly, as he hands me the documents.

My hands shake as I take them. I scan the paper and here, my worst fear is confirmed. It’s from the Council of Bonds, the werewolf legal system for mates. Divorce papers. Dane has already signed his part.

I swallow the lump in my throat, pulling the pen from Cameron’s hand. With one last glance at the man I once loved, I place the paper on the table and quickly scrawl my name.

As soon as the ink dries, a wave of finality washes over me, but before I can process it, Dane turns toward me, raising his hand in the air.

“I, Dane Union, Alpha of the Ironclaw Pack, reject you, Amica, daughter of the late Alaric, as my mate and Luna. You are no longer bound to me, and I release you from any claim or responsibility.”

His voice is so cold, so empty, it feels like a death sentence. The moment he utters those words, something inside me shatters. I feel the tear deep in my chest, a physical pain as my wolf withdraws, pulling away from him. Ezra, my wolf, lets go—silent, distant—and I’m left hollow, broken.

"Now, I require one simple thing from you..." Dane flicks his finger lazily.

He and Cameron exchange a look before they burst into laughter.

"I will leave the pack house immediately," I cut in, determined not to play whatever twisted game they’re planning.

Dane’s grin vanishes, and his eyes darken. "No, Amica. You’re not going anywhere. I may have divorced you, but I own you."

I freeze. "What in hell are you talking about!?"

Before I can process anything, two gammas enter the room, blocking the doorway—their presence is making it clear I won’t be leaving. Panic rises in my chest and I take a step back.

"What…what are you going to do to me?" My voice breaks despite an attempt to sound strong. "

Dane smirks with cruel delight. "You see, I owe a lot of debt. But one of the wolves I owe is someone I don’t ever want to mess with, ever. Therefore, I’ve made arrangements. I’ve sold you to the Alpha of the Bloodbane pack— Alpha Deckard."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut.

There is no one in Blackwater City who doesn’t know of Alpha Deckard. They call him the Alpha of the Emberhowl bloodline. These wolves are beings of fire and heat. Rumor has it they can play with flames—their claws and fangs ignite scorching heat, allowing them to bite down and leave a trail of fiery destruction in their wake.

They can walk through fire as if it were merely a warm breeze. It's these terrifying abilities that places them at the top of the hierarchy, the most feared and revered wolves in the city. They control the monuments and the very ground we walk on. To be associated with them is to invite death itself.

"Sold to Deckard." I whisper, it sounds like a cruel joke. But then, I speak up again.

“I am no one’s property. You cannot sell me to anyone!” I hiss.

“Goodluck telling that to Deckard when you meet him. At one point, I thought Deckard would kill me for my failure to pay the debts,” Dane says casually, like he’s discussing the weather.

“But then I heard he was looking for a pristine female bloodline of Wildthorn wolves. And I wondered, where could I find one of those... if I could, he would wipe out a large portion of my debt. I heard he’s paying millions for such a wolf. And then it struck me...your mother was never a native of the Ironclaw pack. She was a Wildthorn. She left her pack in the European leagues to be with your father. So now, I have what Deckard wants. And he doesn't care if you think you're your own property. All I have to do is tell him I have you.”

His words slam into me like a force I can’t process fast enough.

Tears—real, unstoppable tears—spill from my eyes.

With a cracked voice, I plead. "No, don’t do this to me, Dane. Please!"

My vision is blurred from the tears. "Dane! Have you forgotten the promise you made to me? You swore you’d protect me, that you’d love me until our last breath."

"Yeah, I used to love you, Amica! I have to say... I’m going to miss being with you, lying between your legs. There’s no woman in this pack who can compare to you when it comes to beauty. But, you see, I value my life a hell of a lot more than your body, your breasts... your face, and the part behind. Take her at once!” Dane orders.

His gammas latch onto my arms in a rough manner and they begin to drag me out.

*****

After three hours,

Tears blur everything around me but I can still make out the towering buildings. Around me are intimidating structures that loom above like shadows in the sun. This isn't the Ironclaw pack. No, it’s far bigger, more fortified than anything I’ve ever seen. High towers scrape the sky in imposing shapes, dominating a green landscape.

Is this the Bloodbane pack?

I am dragged out of the car by Cameron into a strange surrounding.

My head spins, and I can’t focus on much.

“If you know what is good for you, you will keep quiet!” Cameron threatens.

We enter into one of the buildings and there are gammas, escorting us in rigid formation, like soldiers awaiting orders. Their uniforms have the emblem of their pack stitched across their chests. After walking for what seems to be minutes, we are stopped at a particular point.

My ears ring, but I catch snippets of Dane’s voice.

"I have brought her for Alpha Deckard. She’s of Wildthorn bloodline."

A grand, dull-colored door opens in front of us. For the first time in hours, I stop crying, long enough to see a man step out.

Tall. Easily in the realm of 6’1. The fabric of his dark shirt clings to his chest, strained over hard muscles and his trousers—heavy, military-like—speak of a man used to command. He looks like a soldier, built for war.

His cheekbones are high, shadowed just enough to give his face an edge of ruthlessness, like the chisel of a master sculptor. And then there are his eyes, a piercing silver, flecked with shards of onyx, as if tiny fragments of night had settled within them. Everything about him screams control, power—someone who could break you with just a glance.

Once that gaze lands on me, the air becomes too thick to breathe.

"Alpha Deckard….” Dane begins and I gasp.

This is the Alpha of the Bloodbane pack!

“Thank you for taking the time to see me..." Dane continues with false sincerity.

But before he can finish, Deckard cuts him off sharply, his voice is a dark symphony of wicked tones.

"This is her? The Wildthorn offspring?"

"Yes," Dane quickly responds. "She was formerly the Luna of the Ironclaw pack, formerly my wife but….but she cheated on me with a bastard!" The lie is spat out as if it physically pains him.

I open my mouth to protest, to defend myself, but I’m silenced by the sudden, searing pain of Cameron’s claws digging into my arm.

“I’ll check for myself.” Deckard’s onyx-flecked eyes are on me and he begins to step closer.

It is in this moment that I realize no one is coming to save me. It’s just me. I have to save myself. I glance at the knife strapped to Cameron’s belt, remembering everything my father has ever taught me. My hand moves quickly, almost without thinking. I reach for the blade with a precision of desperation.

I hurl it across Deckard, but he slaps the knife from my hand as if it were nothing more than an annoyance, a mere inconvenience. His hand moves like lightning. Before I even realize what’s happening, he grasps a hold of my face, and his mouth is on my neck, sinking his teeth into me with terrifying ease.

This is the end. I am going to die.

I am expecting hot, searing pain.

Yet, the pain I expect never comes.

Instead, a strange, delicious heat blooms in my chest, spreading like a slow burn that fans out from my neck. It's not just my neck. The heat pools lower, settling deep in between my legs in waves of electric desire.

When he releases me, I watch the silver in his eye bleed into a deep obsidian. Veins of gold threading. The gold in his eyes are alive, molten.

And for wolves, it can only mean one thing.

A signal—a claim that he has found what he seeks.

“Mate.” The word falls from his lips like a command.

2

Deckard Blackthorn.

"The woman who carries the pure Wildthorn blood shall be your fated mate, Alpha Deckard. She alone will bear your seed. Her body will vessel your powerful heirs. None but she can endure your fire, and through her, your lineage will reign unchallenged, continuing the flame of your dynasty."

I was only seventeen when I became Alpha, a young age to take on a burden so heavy, but I carried it without complaint. According to the ways of the moon, my wolf, Canine, was supposed to choose my mate during the first mating season. He didn't. Not a single female in the pack stirred his interest, not even a flicker. Their scents? All useless. Forgettable.

As always, I did not care. Why would I? I am not in a rush. My rule is strong, my dominance unquestioned. I wield fear like a blade; no one can ever challenge that. This pack and every other pack in the city has bowed to me without needing a Luna by my side. Ten years passed, and it was still the same—Canine didn't so much as twitch for a single female. The silence from him was deafening.

The elders became restless and their incessant talks of tradition, of balance, of the need for a Luna began in full force.

But what I do need and cannot deny, are heirs. My pack needed my blood in their veins to survive beyond me. And so, when the elders finally brought the seers before me and relayed the prophecy, I listened. They spoke of a woman born of the Wildthorn lineage, of a mate who could take my fiery seed and bear the pups I needed to continue my legacy. That is all that mattered.

So, I spread the word: “every Wildthorn wolf or offspring of Wildthorns was to be brought before me.” Each one paraded before my eyes, each scent inspected by Canine, but nothing. Not even a spark of recognition. More than a hundred women, and none was the one. None had the power, the essence a Luna of Bloodbane must carry.

Until her.

She is ethereal—that was my first impression. And then, I saw her face, only to falter for breath. A perfect pale oval with brown eyes, an elegant nose, and rosebud mouth. For the first time, the Wildthorn that has been brought before me is a renaissance art in the flesh. In that span of a second, I take note of the black kohl and sheets of ice in her eyes.

She is furious—perhaps sorrowful. It shows. I have never seen hair that flows in this manner of waves, black as raven feathers. Heavens. I am a throne of pride yet; I can vouch that her beauty doesn’t need to speak to command attention. Every inch of her face, every lash, every contour, is a work of art that betrays nothing but the calm before a storm.

My wolf and heart betray me with an unwelcomed thud. She cannot possibly be my mate? Canine is just doing this because he wants some action. I clench my fists at the absurdity of it. I am Alpha. I do not bend for beauty.

Yet, what I first thought was mere beauty reveals itself as something far more dangerous—a woman who dares to raise a blade to me. My gammas? They themselves tremble at the idea of sharing a gym with me during training. But her? There’s a fire in her eyes that I could easily extinguish if I chose to. However, her temperament means little to me. My mate will never be a woman who has been touched by another man. Divorced or not, I refuse to accept what has already belonged to someone else.

My pride would never let me claim a woman who’s been claimed before. But worse, one that cheated on her former bond. The very idea grates against every inch of my being. But the moment I sank my teeth into her neck—everything shifted.

My blood roars, my eyes turn gold, and my heart pounds as if I were ablaze. I don’t know if anyone saw, but my fingers tremble as I release her. Canine rises within me, and he’s the one to speak the word I cannot deny: "Mate."

There is an audible gasp in the room. From the looks of it, the elders cannot believe that today’s submission would prove to be the woman who can vessel my seed. A fiery blush heats her cheeks as she stares at me with a mortified squeak. Her face is blotchy—it is horror and mortification.

“She is the Alpha’s mate!” One elder yells.

“She is the Luna!”

“The future Luna!”

“I b-beg your pardon?” She stammers, clutching her neck.

I take a step away from her to process this nonsense.

Me? The Alpha of the most powerful bloodline is a second chance mate? Is the moon goddess joking somewhere in the head!?

The wolves who brought her, are surprised. I don’t think they understood what they were bringing her into it.

“I—” Alpha Dane looks at me.

“Where are the certificates of your divorce?” I grit in annoyance.

Alpha Dane looks back and forth, looking at the woman he has brought to me.

“I sent my lawyers to the council of bonds to process it. The judge has already decreed it. We just needed to sign and submit.” He answers.

“Get me the certificate of finality tomorrow and all your debts will be cleared—”

“No!” A guttural scream comes from the female wolf who is my supposed mate. “I will play no part in any of this!”

She starts to back away, searching for an exit, but my gammas move in, surrounding her. I lift my hand, signaling them to stand down. One look from me is all it takes. I need her calm, not cornered.

I’ll explain everything. She doesn’t understand yet, but I can give her anything she wants, anything to make her stay. As Alpha of the Bloodbane pack, is there anything I wouldn’t give her? Well, except my heart and love.

I can see her legs trembling. It is due to the tension of my bite, coursing through her, even if it wasn’t meant to harm. It’s still poison to anyone who bears it. She won’t last on her feet much longer, and I know that.

I move closer, watching her carefully, ready to stop her fall.

Her shaking hand goes to her hair to understand what’s happening to her all at once.

A lot of things are happening, but also, the bond forming between our wolves is also taking hold. I can feel it too, the pull—her wolf linking to mine, merging. The connection is searing, inescapable.

"Stay back!" she shouts, but the panic in her voice only makes me move faster, closing in on her.

I watch her stumble with tears streaking her face. The sight of it twists something deep inside me, but I can’t help the dark chuckle that escapes. How am I supposed to accept her as my mate? A destined partner. She is not even of my bloodline. Worse, she’s a divorced woman who cheated on her former mate. Destiny really is a fucking joke.

"I said stay back, you viper!" she cries out but is losing control.

I see the dizziness take her. I sprint towards her and my long limbs stretches out as I catch her just before she collapses. She fights against me, weakly at first, but the mate bite is too strong for her to fight.

“What the hell is her name!?” I growl, squirming her weightless body in my arms.

“Amica.” My wolf answers before Alpha Dane can ever do so.

I scoff at the voice of Canine who lives in the depths of my soul.

“She is our vessel. She is our mate.”

“I am not accepting her.” I stubbornly seethe.

“You must! You will!” Canine contends.

“When have you ever forced me to do something I do not want to do?” I evoke, believing Canine won’t speak back.

“This time, I will…” He speaks back.

He most definitely, speaks back.

******

“She just needs rest. In a few hours, she’ll be able to stand before you,” Mary, the pack’s healer, my childhood friend and exclusive sexbuddy, says as she joins us in the receiving room of the pack house. I am facing three elders of the pack. Alpha Dane and his entourage have left, leaving his ex-wife in our hands.

“When she wakes, we’ll speak with her,” Carl, the oldest elder of the Bloodbane pack, mutters. There are more than a million elders in our pack, but these elders are the only chosen ones. I respect them enough to tolerate their advice.

“No,” I cut in, my voice is firm, like iron. “I’ll speak to her. Alone.”

“Deckard,” I turn to my right to acknowledge Mary’s voice “she’s afraid of you.” She says.

“She’s not the first. Fear follows me, it’s nothing new.” I snap.

“She’s right, Alpha—” another elder begins, but I don’t let him finish.

“I’m not choosing her.”

“What!?” The elders speak in unison, shock rippling through them.

“We all witnessed it. She’s your mate!” Elder Bria, the strictest among them, hisses, locking eyes with me, daring me to defy the truth.

“And?” I throw back. “How do you expect me to bond with a woman who wasn’t loyal to her last mate? She cheated on Alpha Dane, and he threw her out like trash. He rejected her! And now you’re asking me to take another man’s discarded filth?” My words ring out like a war drum.

“You have no choice.” Bria snaps back. Her eyes burn—she is not just speaking to me as an elder but as a teacher.

“I am alpha. I am the law. I will not be a second chance mate for a woman unworthy of me!” I growl, regardless of what position Bria is taking to advise me.

“You need a Luna.” Gustain, the quietest of the elders, speaks up, even though his voice is tight with discomfort.

“Fine. Then, I choose Mary.” I say and it warrants a gasp.

I don’t look at Mary. I feel no shame in saying it. Mary and I have known each other intimately for years. We’ve explored each other’s bodies since we were teenagers. I could have made her Luna easily, but the elders of the Bloodbane pack are strict about who must become Luna. The Alpha must have a fated Luna—that’s one of the oldest laws.

“You blaspheme!” Bria screams, her outrage shakes the room.

"Blasphemy? Who have I blasphemed against, Bria?" I snarl, eyes blazing. "What about the Moon Goddess who cursed me with an unworthy mate? Is that not the insult here? To bind me to someone tainted—used—by another man?"

Bria remains unfazed but her lips tightens. "You and Mary can indulge in your little affair for all I care. But as for the seat of Luna, it will be claimed by the Wildthorn—unless you're ready to battle the entire pack for it. We have waited ten long years for this moment, Deckard. Do you think we will bend so easily now that we’ve found her?" She warns, like a threat coiled in the air.

I exhale slowly but anger is truly simmering. “I’m telling you, Bria—this woman you all shove in my face will bring nothing but shame to this pack. And when it happens—sooner than you expect—your precious laws will crumble alongside her.”

Yet, Bria declares with finality. "Until then, there will be a bonding ceremony.”

I don’t respond. I simply walk past Mary. I pause beside her and quietly, I speak.

“See me. Tonight.” I whisper.

I've got a plan. I’m going to make this “so-called mate of mine,” reject me. She’ll walk away on her own, and when she does, I won’t have to lift a finger to be rid of her.

3

Amica.

I wake with a sharp gasp, snapping my head left, then right. This isn't my room.

I blink rapidly, trying to ground myself, but nothing here is familiar—the bed, the furniture, even the air is different. It's not Iron Claw.

I push the sheets off me, throwing them aside in a rush until my feet hits the floor—it is harder than I expect. I leap out. Almost immediately, I begin to pace the room, desperately searching for something—anything—that makes sense. My eyes catch on a small clock whose numbers are glaring back at me, confirming my fears.

Six hours. I was asleep for six hours!

Dane... Did he really leave me here?

No, it can't be true. It can’t. My breath comes faster, my chest tightens as I spin, looking frantically for a way out of this strange room. Tears sting my eyes, wetting my cheeks despite my will to hold them back and think of a way out. I dash past corridors—there must be a way. The hallway of the bedroom stretches endlessly, every turn leads to another unfamiliar space. Where’s the damn exit?

Suddenly, I stop—staring at my reflection in a mirror at one of the rooms. My breath hitches again. There it is. The bite. Deep and dark, etched into my skin like a curse. I gasp, my trembling fingers reaches up to trace it. How...? Why?

Why did he do this to me?

"Ezra?" I call out, shaking, desperate for answers from my wolf.

“Ezra!?” I yell, this time around but she doesn’t respond.

“I know you can hear me.” I whisper, more to myself, than to her.

Still, she disregards me.

I bolt from the room which seems to be a walk-in closet. I begin to scramble away and finally, at the end of the bedroom, there is a larger door—an exit. I throw it open, into a main hallway. The space stretches before me, lined with multiple doors leading to more unknown rooms. I pause, biting my lip, thinking.

I can't use the front door. The gammas—I saw them earlier. They’d catch me in an instant if I were to make a run for it like that. No. I need another way out.

One by one, I begin to open the doors in the hallway, searching for something—a large window, a gap, an exit—anything that could lead me out. My hands tremble as I turn each handle but they do not reveal anything nothing useful. Until—there. A window. Large enough to slip through.

I enter into the room and I rush to the window. The cool glass presses against my fingers as I peer outside, desperate for an escape. But when I look down, my stomach drops. There’s nothing to stand on, no ledge, no foothold—just an endless drop. I’m in some sort of mansion tower, far higher than I’d imagined. This place, this Bloodbane house, is more massive than any mansion I’ve ever seen.

I scan the surroundings frantically, until my eyes catch on something—off to the left, there is a huge tree growing close to the outer wall. It’s thick branches look sturdy enough to climb. If I could just get to a window closer to it, I might have a chance.

Night cloaks the world outside, offering some cover. The gammas won’t spot me easily in the dark. With that thought, I tear myself away from the window and rush out of what appears to be a receiving area. The space smells of mint and leather, but I barely register it.

As I step into the muted corridor, I pause. It’s faint at first, but with each step, it grows clearer—moaning. The unmistakable sounds of intimacy.

“Ah, yes… take me…”

A woman's voice cuts through the silence. Next, it is followed by deep, guttural groans from a man. I freeze, horrified, my body instinctively presses against the wall. I am filled with curiosity—or is it panic—one of those pushes me forward. I inch closer, peering through the slightly ajar door.

Inside, I see her—straddling him. Her body moves in a slow, grinding rhythm over him, her head thrown back, moaning in ecstasy. His hands grip her thighs, his eyes shut as she rides him.

I gasp, too loudly.

The man’s eyes snap open, and for a second, everything stops. It is him, Deckard! Panic floods through me, and before I know it, I’m sprinting away, as fast as my legs will carry me.

As quickly as a second, I can feel him close behind. Just knowing that he is somewhere behind makes the hairs on my neck rise. Before I can take another step, Deckard’s hand latches onto me—stronger than anything I have ever felt.

I freeze, staring up at him, wondering how the hell he caught me so fast. How did he manage to put on his pants in such seconds?

“Don’t—don’t touch me,” I whimper, stepping back. He runs a hand through his tousled hair, devoid of any real emotion.

“Do not be dismayed,” he says with a grim edge to his voice. “We haven’t even started…”

Am I supposed to feel better that he and the woman in the room didn’t begin their acts yet?

I watch him fasten his belt; his titan chest is still exposed. His body is marred with scars—evidence of scuffle, death wounds and more. Jagged lines cross his chest and abdomen, each one is a reminder of his brutal nature as it has been rumoured.

“You marked me!” My voice is raw.

His gaze sharpens. “We are mates. Do I need to reshuffle your memory?” There’s a bitter mockery in his tone, as if he’s amused by my defiance.

“I don’t need or want a second chance mate! You cannot keep me here and force me to become what you want!” I crack.

His grin fades into something darker when I speak up for myself. “It’s been spread far and wide that you cheated on your…ex-husband, and that you’ve been stripped of your title as Luna of the Ironclaw pack. I don’t think you belong there anymore. Tell me, what is your plan?” His voice is cold, matter-of-fact, as if he’s discussing the weather.

He digs his fingers into his thighs and he steps closer to me, to continue his smoky, sardonic snarled voice.

“If you don’t want me as your second chance mate, reject me.” His eye burns with an unholy amber fire despite being depths of silver, holding me in a glower that is better suited to hell.

As I stare at him, my courage falters and my gaze falls away. I want to flee. I want to scream. He is a beast.

Deckard draws a mocking hand down his person, with lips twisting in distaste. “I am sure you do not wish to bond with a waking nightmare like me. So, raise a hand say those words.”

With a shaky breath, I raise my hands but my wolf screams on the inside.

“No. Do not reject him! Amica, we need him to protect us.”

“He is all we have. You need him.”

I don’t need anyone to protect me. I interact, gritting my teeth and swallowing the lump in my throat.

Regardless of what my wolf says, I won’t accept. I do not know this man. And from what I can see, he doesn’t want me too. How can I feel protected when I don’t even feel safe around him? Maybe Ezra is wrong about this. Maybe its because she feels so broken hearted about Dane—she must be speaking from pain not logic. How is it possible that I get a second chance mate when I haven’t even been rejected for up to 24 hours? Is this some cruel fate to be tossed from one wolf to another?

My hands tremble uncontrollably, but I force them to steady as I raise them. Deckard waits, watching me closely, almost expectantly. Just as I part my lips, ready to reject him, a voice from behind stops me in my tracks.

"Amica, wait!"

I turn sharply and see an older woman I recognize—one of the elders who determined my fate. Instinctively, I take a step back. I don’t trust anyone here.

"Don't let him fool you! You’re making a mistake." she says, her voice is full of concern, though she's from the Bloodbane pack.

Maybe, just maybe, I could have believed her if she weren't one of them.

“This…this is all a mistake.” I pulse.

"I know how you feel," she continues gently. "You feel as though your choices were stripped away. Dragged from one mate to another, with no say, and now, you’re trapped. But I promise you, there’s more freedom here than you can imagine—if you let me show you."

"Bria, that’s enough!" Deckard snaps. His expression doesn’t shift, cold-blooded.

"Why would you throw away the chance of becoming Luna to the Bloodbane pack?" she asks, completely ignoring Deckard’s command. "If you leave, you’ll be branded as the ex-mate of Alpha Dane, and the world will mock you for your mistakes. But here, you will be worshipped, despite your mistakes.”

Her words hit harder than I want them to. For the first time, I hesitate. I think of the lies Dane spread about me, and reality sinks in. I’ve been branded as a disgrace, an outcast. Dane has already ensured that I won’t be able to step foot near my family’s home. The pack was already turning against me before I left. Now, I have no place there anymore.

"Being Luna of the Bloodbane pack means ruling, not just over Blackwater City but the entire country. Your word could become law.”

She reaches for my trembling hands, lowering them gently. Her gaze holds mine, and in that moment, it has become clear to me. This is the only choice I have. I could wallow in my pain, sulk, and let despair consume me. But what good would that do?

Isn’t it better to feel shattered yet wield power—the kind of power that ensures I’ll never be treated as I was before? Never humiliated, never cast aside again.

Can I do this, though? Can I bond with a second-chance mate—a man I didn’t ask for, a man who holds no love for me? A man whose gaze sears a hole in my chest. Even now, as I think about it, I can feel his shadow upon me, prowling soundlessly in his large frame, carefully studying the decision that I will come to make.

I have chosen. I don’t care about love this time. I just wanted to be protected.

“I—I will stay.” I choose.

4

Alpha Deckard.

Bria. Damn fucking Bria had to sink her opinions into the girl's head. I had Amica right where I wanted her. I could feel her teetering on the edge of a decision—until Bria swooped in, filling her head with all the doubts about what it means to be Luna of the Bloodbane pack. If Bria weren't an elder, someone the pack respects—and if I didn't begrudgingly respect her as a teacher—I’d have clawed her out of the pack by now, influence and all.

As I dress for the day, my eyes shuns the emerald ring on the dresser. My mother’s ring. It’s meant to find the finger of the next Luna, but there’s no way in hell I’ll let it fall into the hands of someone as unworthy as Amica. My mother’s legacy deserves better. If the Moon Goddess weren’t sitting smugly in the sky, I’d drag her down myself and force her to take back this ridiculous bond that gnaws at my chest.

Yes, Amica is outrageously beautiful—but is that enough? Is it enough to ignore the fact that she cheated on her past mate? I’m not that desperate. Not for an heir, not for a mate.

Behind me, I catch a glimpse of Mary’s reflection in the mirror. She adjusts a towel wrapped around her body after spending the night in my bedroom.

“Morning…” she whispers, taking a look at the ring I’m holding.

“Join me for breakfast?” I mutter, barely acknowledging her.

She hesitates. “Are you sure? Bria wouldn’t want that, especially now that Amica is…”

“Is Bria the Alpha now? Do I not make the rules anymore?” I snap.

I look at her through the mirror and her throat bobs. After all these years of being my bed partner, Mary knows better than to push me too far. There's always a line, and she understands what happens when it's crossed.

“You know I’ll always do what you say. But I’m thinking about what the elders said—” Mary starts to pacify, her hands rests on my shoulders.

“Don’t think!” I cut her off. “The only thing that’s going to happen is me frustrating that girl until she rejects me, breaks the bond, and sets me free from it.” I look at my reflection in the mirror, spitting the words out just to rile my wolf. And as expected, Canine huffs.

“Fine. I’ll get dressed and join you for breakfast. My love, do you think she saw us yesterday?”

A smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth. “Yes, and she’ll see us again today.”

Mary presses a kiss to my shoulder before walking away, but her touch leaves me cold. I’ll do whatever it takes to push Amica away, and I’ll do it without a shred of remorse. Why would I feel any? She’s nothing more than a cheater, and now, a gold digger. What does she want? Power? Status? It’s pathetic.

I leave the room and step into the private elevator that leads to the outer reserves. As Alpha of the Bloodbane pack, we aren’t just the largest—we’re the wealthiest. Our pack’s influence spreads across the Apex Circle, and the whole of Blackwater City bows to us. \our pack has got the most elite families, the most powerful bloodlines, and a legacy of fire that can’t be touched.

When the elevator doors open, I step out into the elusive hall.

“Alpha…”

“Alpha…”

The pack members quickly step aside, parting like the sea as I make my way into the room. They know better than to get in my way.

Omen, the head of house facilities, joins me, silently tending to my needs as I take a seat. He places a newspaper beside me as usual and pours my coffee. I take a look at the feast sprawled on the table before me—just like every morning, it is a banquet worthy of the Bloodbane Alpha.

I roll my eyes as the headline stares back at me: “Ex-Luna of the Ironclaw Pack Found Guilty of Adultery!”

The newspaper crumples in my fists, and Omen instinctively pulls apart.

“Who the hell gave the media this damned information!?” I roar.

“I’ll look into it, Alpha—”

“This is exactly what I didn’t want! How am I supposed to show her to the world with that disgusting stain on her name? Find out who leaked this, and fix it. I want the idiot who let this news out dealt with!”

“Find Bria and get her here, now!” I snap, watching Omen rush out of the room in a blur. My hands hit the table hard enough to send the silverware rattling.

Mary rushes in, heels clicking.

“I saw Omen run out. What’s going on?”

“The headlines are plastered with that damned news about Amica!” I growl.

Mary glances at the crumpled paper in my hand. “Bria will fix it… She always does.”

The door opens, and I expect Bria to stride in and offer some solution to this disaster. But instead, it’s Amica who enters.

It looks like an angel has walked through those doors, wrapped in grace and silk. She is wearing a cream gown, cinched at the waist, along with a corset that shows off the elegant slope of her collarbones. Bria must’ve spent hours on this look, yet it wouldn’t matter for Amica could wear rags and still make the world stop. It isn’t just the fairness of her skin, the earth in her eyes and how her hands rest on each other.

Who would know she’s nothing but a cheater? How can a woman this beautiful, this perfect, commit such a crime? Her beauty and her betrayal are opposites, two things that shouldn’t exist in the same universe.

She begins to walk towards us and my chest tightens in a way I hate to admit. I could stare at her all day and never find a flaw in that face. Not one. And those lips...Heaven, there’s no sin in them.

Mary picks up a piece of fruit and places it in my mouth, as if to remind Amica of the game we’re playing.

Amica freezes when she spots the scene—the berry in my mouth, Mary’s hand lingering on my shoulder. I chew slowly, not bothering to hide the smugness on my face.

“I hope you didn’t come here for breakfast. This is my private dining room. Since Bria is in charge of your stay, she’ll tell you where you’re supposed to eat.” I utter in ire.

“I was told this is the pack house dining room…” Amica’s voice is soft, too soft—like cotton candy, dissolving before you can taste it. It lacks the pretense or venom I expected. But I remind myself—there’s evil beneath it. There has to be.

“Who’s the idiot that told you that?” I bark, and her shoulders tremble slightly. Ah, good. She’s scared of me.

“I’ll simply say what I need and leave. You don’t need to be angry because of my presence.”

Her voice is almost disarming. Almost.

“You don’t get to tell me what I should or shouldn’t be angry about. Now, say whatever the hell you need to and get out.”

Amica fingers fidget at her side. I see her glance at Mary, probably wishing she would leave so we could talk privately. But no, I won’t give her anything.

“Can we speak privately, please?” she asks.

“No. State what you have to, here and now.” Mary’s hand tightens on my shoulder as she rises, and Amica’s eyes follow her briefly before landing back on me.

“As it has been established… we are mates.” she begins, “But I didn’t ask for a second chance mate.”

“I am not a second chance mate!” With a snap, I break the mug in my hands and the embers of my wolf's power darkens the fragments.

Quickly, Amica steps back, afraid.

“I just…”

“I just wanted to set some boundaries for this union. I know you don’t want me. I’m not here to feign love or loyalty. You and your… mistress, are free to continue your activities. I…”

I rise from my seat and let out a chuckle. “Boundaries?”

Does she really think she can dictate terms to me? The Alpha of the Bloodbane pack?

“What boundaries, Amica? You think you can tell me what this union is going to be? Did you think I brought you here to be protected and esteemed?" I snarl, threatening as I step closer to her.

The girl’s feet takes her far away, her neck tilts away from me, exposing the mark I left on her—my bite, my claim.

"No," I continue"I brought you here because your Wildthorn bloodline can give me pups. Do not, for a moment, think that you have the power to dictate whether I continue my outside… frivolities. I decide that. I am the bloody Alpha!"

I close the distance between us, towering over her. She shuffles back again. Canine, my wolf, tethers me, urging restraint.

"Stop scaring her!" Canine growls but I push his voice aside.

“For your own protection, Amica, you will submit to and give me pups! I’ll hide your sins from the rest of the world. I’ll give you recognition better than what you deserve. And I don’t want just one or two. I want multiple pups! Are you willing to surrender to my demands, or will you leave my pack?”

Her lips part, but no words come. For moment, I think I’ve cornered her. This is it—maybe this is where she runs. Maybe she’ll finally flee, and I’ll be free of her. But before she can answer, the door swings open.

Bria enters the room, and I hiss. I walk away from Amica, snatching the newspaper off the table and shove it into Bria’s hands.

"Fix this!" I order.

Bria takes a quick glance at the paper. "I will take care of it."

Then, she looks at Amica. Before I can think much of it, another figure enters—Stephan, one of the gammas of the pack house.

I wouldn’t have paid him any mind if I hadn’t caught the fleeting recognition between him and Amica. The way they stare at each other—it’s not casual. It’s almost like they’re shocked to see each other.

“I’ve been looking for you.” Bria says to Amica. “This is Stephan. He’s going to give you a tour of the pack house and show you everything you need to know.”

Amica’s hand releases the tight grip she had on her gown, and without an answer to my question, she walks out of the dining room.

But it's fine. I saw the look between her and that gamma. And with that, I’ve got a new way to trap her once again.

5

Amica

Alpha Deckard is a dictator, and it’s carved into every prestige of his face. With jaws that speaks of hollow things, and stern lips that have uttered nothing but sling slander my way. And yet, his eyes speak of something beautiful, something deeper. But I am not willing to explore that. Especially not when he towers over me like a garrison. If I ever thought Dane was intimidating, I was a complete fool. Deckard is the very embodiment of disaster. How could I ever be bound to a man like him? An advanced werewolf, an Emberhowl.

To him, I am less than an omega, a mere inconvenience.

I don’t need to search too hard to understand—this man despises me. It’s in the manner at which he speaks, looks at me, strips me down to nothing. The way he defines me with his words, his anger. But I can’t even blame him. Who would want a second-chance mate with a past as tarnished as mine? Who would willingly claim a wolf branded as a cheater, a woman who broke her former bond?

The truth of what happened between me and Dane—what really happened—will forever be buried. No one will ever know that I am innocent. No one will care. Dane has likely spread his lies to every corner of Blackwater City, and to them, I am the adulterous Luna, the woman who betrayed her mate.

And because of the need for protection, I can’t even leave. I’m trapped here, forced to watch this wolf—my new mate—belittle me in front of another woman. If not for the fact that he marked me, my wolf wouldn’t even feel the searing pain in my chest. How is it possible to grieve one mate and fall into the hands of another so quickly? The difference between Alpha Deckard and Dane is stark. Deckard doesn’t even pretend to care. The one who once promised me those things has severed any trust I had left, cut me off completely. The truth is, I’ve been falling out of love with Dane for a long time. I was simply trying to mentally prepare Ezra, my wolf, to finally break free. But she clung to him, to the bond, far longer than I did.

My first impression of Alpha Deckard was that he was complete, a wolf who needed nothing and no one—not even his fated mate. In his cold eyes, I found a man who knew no loyalty. And with every passing second, it becomes clearer—he’s just looking for an excuse to throw me out.

But what truly shattered something inside me was when he spoke of pups. Once upon a time, I had wanted children with Dane. I dreamed of it, but that dream slowly died as Dane changed. I pulled away from him, unable to bear the thought of bringing a child into a life where their father was so cruel, so distant. And now, am I truly meant to give pups to a mate I barely know? A man who despises me?

No, I cannot be so selfish. I couldn’t give Deckard an answer because I haven’t decided the fate of my life. Do I stay here, remain his Luna, and accept this protection—knowing it comes with chains? Because the moment I step outside these walls, I will be a rogue, hunted and vulnerable. Or do I take the risk and run, knowing that Dane is out there, waiting to exert his fleeting power over me? Both paths feel like a prison, but which one will suffocate me less?

Amid the chaos of everything happening, I never expected to see Stephan Magna—my childhood friend. Before I joined my father in the Ironclaw pack, I lived with my mother in the European leagues. That’s where Stephan and I met. We were inseparable for three years. He taught me how to ride a bicycle, and I still remember the heartbreak when we were forced apart due to the war that tore through the leagues. A war that took my mother’s life.

Once I step out of the dining room and lay my eyes on Stephan, memories flood me—memories of her, of a time when I still had hope, when the world was a little kinder. With a heart of vulnerability, I reach out and hug him. I embrace him tightly, closing my eyes, and for just a second, I allow some of the burdens I’ve been carrying to fall away. But then, I feel Stephan stiffen.

He pulls back and the warmth of that reunion disappears almost as quickly as it arrived.

“Luna…” Stephan murmurs, and I open my eyes, catching the hesitation on his face. But worse, I meet Deckard’s gaze as he comes out—there is silent fury, carved into his sculpted features. If I were within his reach, I swear he would strangle me with the intensity of those eyes.

“Amica, you are not allowed to hug another man, especially not in front of your mate and Alpha!” Bria says and I jump.