The Luna’s Second Chance Mate

Larissa’s POV

I roused in my sleep, twisting and turning in the unfamiliar bed. Not only was it unfamiliar, it felt stuffy beneath the sheets. They were heavy and pinned my body down to the bed, partially immobilising my legs.

Stretching uncomfortably across the length of the bed, I felt my legs hit something beneath the sheets. I let out an oblivious yawn before rolling over to my sides and fluttering my eyes open. And the sight in front of me was one of most beautiful things I’d seen in my life.

The alpha was lying beside me facing upwards, his eyes flipped shut in deep slumber. Light bounced off his skin like delicious hot chocolate milk, perhaps it was even better that he was still asleep.

Seeing him up close when he wasn’t speaking to me or dishing out others, I had to admit to myself the umpteenth time that he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. His tousled hair hung all over his face and I reached out to push out some of the hair from his face to show some of the skin on his forehead. A small sigh escaped his lips and I pulled away quickly, afraid that he would wake up.

I wasn’t ready to face him yet. Last night was something new, something different, and I was afraid of what he’d do to me when he woke up. Would he tell me to leave his bed like he’d always done? What even was last night? How on earth did I give in so easily to him? But then, his caresses were so soft, it would make anyone crumble in front of him.

Get a grip of yourself, woman!

I mentally facepalmed at my line of thought. What the hell was I even thinking? For all I knew, everything he said yesterday may have been a lie. If not, then this was some sick dream and I didn’t want to wake up from it.

I ran one hand through my hair to minimise the tangles that had formed in my hair from his grip last night. I found my mind drifting off to last night yet again, sweet tingles travelling down my spine till they settled down in my crotch. Only now did I feel the wave of soreness hit me like madness.

I was beginning to rethink my choices now…I’d never slept with anyone before, I half hoped I hadn’t thrown it all away for someone who was very fickle with his decisions. I propped myself up to rest my head weight on one elbow, watching as the light rays bounced off this skin and into his eyes that had begun fluttering now.

Seeing that, I quickly turned to face the other side of the bed. The next thing I felt was an arm finding it’s way around my waist and pulling me into a spoon. I let out a soft gasp in surprise, fisting both hands that served me as a makeshift pillow.

His breathing against my skin felt ticklish, sending goosebumps all over. Why was he even in such close proximity? Even when I tried to wriggle myself out his grip, it simply tightened. Tired, I gave up and closed my eyes. This was a dream, of course. There was no way in hell that there was a real grip around me, let alone this tight.

“You done squirming around? You were interrupting my sleep, Larissa.” He finally mumbled against my skin and I froze in place. He was awake all along? And for some reason, I liked the sound of his voice this morning. It was deep and raspy, and something about it send heat coursing through my bones.

I nodded in return like an idiot, unable to say anything. The words had gotten stuck at the back of my throat and I was afraid that I’d sound flustered. Not here, not now. Not in front of him.

“Mhm.” He grunted again and loosened his grip. “Turn around and look at me. I want to see what you look like in the mornings and keep it with me.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Turn around.” He groaned a little impatiently, physically pulling me as if that would automatically flip me around. “Alpha’s orders.”

I felt a small chuckle escape my lips and I turned around to meet his eyes closed again. Were his eyelashes always this long and beautiful? There were also small freckles littered on his face, how had I never noticed them? They must not be visible except from up close.

“You seem to enjoy staring at my face. Mesmerized much?”

There was teasing in his voice, but gentle teasing. I felt heat rush to my cheeks at his words and ducked away, facepalming in embarrassment. He stretched, small noises leaving his lips before he returned to holding me. His grip was loose now, just hanging there idly.

“Look at me.” He continued with a rasp and brought his free hand to my chin. Clearing my throat gently, I pulled my hands away and did as he instructed. Maybe I shouldn’t have, because damn it I could swear there was now an orange band between his emerald irises and chrome silver rings. He was illegal; those eyes were illegal.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Mhm.”

“That’s good then.” He replied with a soft snort and wrapped both arms around me. For a minute it was as though he’d fallen back into his sleep. But he soon roused again, and his eyes were open.

“About last night…”

Oh shit, no. Subconsciously I gripped the sheets, preparing myself for the worst. The absolute worst he could do to be right now was to ask me to leave. And leave I would, but I’d be the most broken I’ll ever be.

“You don’t have to be so tense, Larissa. I’m not going to bite you. All I wanted to say was that about last night, I had no idea that you were a virgin.” He stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, letting out a low rumble before returning to look at me. His eyes were wide in what looked like child-like wonder, something that I’d never seen before. It caught me off guard.

“Uh…uh yes. I’d never slept with anyone before.” I started, my voice losing its volume as it proceeded. “Never got the chance to.”

“That’s odd then. Not even your husband, ex-husband?”

I felt my eyes widen at that. How did he know about Stefan? I’d never mentioned him since I came, I made sure of it. He must have noticed it too, as all the wonder had drained from his eyes.

“How did you find out about him?” I half choked out in confusion.

“You didn’t expect that I’d let a total stranger waltz into my pack just like that, did you?” He chuckled and stretched again beneath the sheets, deliberately entangling our bare legs. He looked at me for a brief second and let out a sigh.

“I had Jackson do some digging about you. Larissa Tokenmoon, former Luna of the Tokenmoon pack who was divorced and rejected by her mate on accounts of cheating.”

“I no longer want to use or be addressed by that name. It’s like bile in my throat.” I answered sharply, feeling my throat tighten at the mention of that pack I’d made up my mind to rid from my memory. With a bitter laugh, memories of that day came rushing in like uncontrollable tides.

“That’s what Stefan wanted everyone to think. In reality, it was far from the truth.”

He cocked a brow in question, and I was more than willing to clear his confusion.

“I thought I was getting married to the loveliest man in the world, a man who would love me, one with whom I would rule the pack with fairness and justice. If I’d known what awaited me after my wedding night, I never would have gotten married.” I forced out with a bitter smile, taking in his micro expression. His eyes were trained on mine, only moving to my forehead and back.

“On the night of my wedding, he called me a whore, showing me pictures of me with several different men. How had he even believed that? The sight was disgusting.”

“Pictures?”

“Photoshopped. Katya. She’s my stepsister.” I sniffled after that, gently wiping at my eyes. He also reached out to wipe them. I didn’t want to continue, but I’d come so far already. “My wedding night would forever be day I wish could disappear…He slept with Katya that night, right in front of me as though she was the one who’d gotten married and I was reduced to a spectator.”

“He did that to you?” There was disbelief in his voice.

“That was only the beginning.” I let out another painful chuckle. “The next two years were hell, simply put. I was a servant in my own house, but I had to pretend for my parents and the entire pack. It hurt like hell to have no one to tell about my struggles. Until one day Stefan had decided that he was tired of the charade and wanted a divorce. Of course, it wouldn’t be a worthy rejection if he didn’t make a huge deal out of it and publicly reject me as his mate in front of my family and the whole pack for ‘cheating’. Where I come from, a rejection like that ends in slavery.”

At this point, I could see the alpha seething in silence. He glanced down at me, running his fingers gently through my hair before bringing them to wipe at my eyes.

“He’s a bastard, through and through.” He said through gritted teeth, caressing my tear stained cheeks. For the first time I saw compassion in the way he looked at me. “And to think that was the reason I wanted nothing to do with you…

“Do you know why I needed a housekeeper even when I have a lot of servants at my disposal? You’ve never asked me once.” He asked again, eyes softened. I shook my head, biting back to snicker.

“I don’t think it was in my place to ask.”

“You must have heard the rumors at least. My pack members aren’t exactly scared of death.”

“What do you mean?”

He let out a harsh sigh and pulled his arms away, resting both arms on the blankets covering his lower torso.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Before now, I used to be married.” He chuckled again and turned to look at the ceiling like it was the most important thing in the world. “Amaya? You must have heard her name once or twice.”

“I heard she died, but her name was forbidden from being mentioned.”

“Died? I would be overjoyed if that was the case.”

“Wasn’t she your wife?”

“I wouldn’t regard the woman who abandoned my son in the middle of a battle just to satisfy her fantasies, my wife.”

I looked up at him in confusion, and a sudden realization set in. Gwen’s words that day…My eyes widened in slight horror, and his scoff was more than enough confirmation.

“She cheated, broke my heart and left my son and me…I’d kill her if I ever found her.” He finished with a sadness in his eyes, the most painful kind that I’d only ever seen in the face of betrayal or death. He must have loved her so much, it must have killed him inside when she’d betrayed him like that.

“You loved her, didn’t you?” I piped lowly, knowing the answer already. He shook his head however and finally turned to look at me with a small smile playing on his lips.

“Once upon a time, I swore to give her the world. But there’s someone else whom I’d rather have the world with.” He answered before reaching for my forehead and planting a soft kiss on it. “Second chances are non-existent to me. Even I didn’t deserve a second chance. But I finally got lucky once. My second chance is right here in front of me, and I’d no longer be in denial.”

“You have no idea what you put me through.” I fought back some tears that had made their way out of their haven. I was feeling so many emotions at once. On one hand I felt overjoyed that he felt like I did, but I felt more relief than happiness.

On the other hand, I loved him so much that I hated him for everything. I understood his hurt however, we fell down the rabbit hole with our mates and met horrible fates. But he had me now. He had someone who would remain by his side in the face of death.

“I’m sorry, Larissa.” He cooed gently, pulling me into a warm embrace. Warm not from the warmth of his bare chest, but warmth emanating from all of the bottled up feeling for so long already. His scent was calming; a freshness that was intoxicating to no end.

“Please let me love you, Alpha.” I choked out against his chest, sniffling as I spoke. “I will stand by you no matter what, even with a claw to my eyes.”

“I’m sorry.” He spoke again, pulling me away to create just enough space for his big hands to cup my cheeks. His eyes had a twinkle, one that has been so evident since last night as he searched my eyes for something. And he pressed his lips to mine, kissing me tenderly.