Bracing myself, I square my shoulders and step around the tree and face my new mate. When I see him, my eyes widen. My goddess, he is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. I didn’t realize a man could look that good. He is all broad shoulders, muscles, and charisma. His hair is a little lighter than chestnut brown and his eyes are the most crystal blue I have ever seen. His skin is a light caramel tan. Much more attractive than Alpha Cullen. You can tell he works outside a lot. He has that rugged, working man look about him that is seriously sexy. I don’t know who this Alpha is, but goddess, my core is clenching at the thought of exploring the body of the man standing before me. ‘That’s not the only thing that’s making us hot and bothered.’ Roxie surprisingly says as she forces my line of sight to his very obvious bulge in his shorts. Apparently, seeing our mate is making her sass come back and it’s making me feel relief. ‘Don’t get too happy Rox, a man this handsome is likely to reject us. Let’s get this over with, okay?’ Roxie whimpers in my mind, because she knows what’s coming.
My mate, is looking at me intently. It almost feels indecent the way he keeps looking at me. It’s making me really self-conscious. I instinctively wrap my arms around myself and look down. “Would you mind waiting a few minutes for me to get some food in my system? My wolf has been running for well over an hour and she burns off energy faster than most wolves. We would just like to gain some strength before you reject us.”
“Reject you? Why the hell would I do that mate?” He looks at me like I’ve grown two heads.
“I know I’m not Luna material or beautiful. You don’t have to pretend Alpha.” I look down again. I can’t stand to look at this incredibly handsome man, knowing he will not want me.
Carefully, he steps closer to me lifting my gaze to meet his with his finger. I feel little jolts of electricity go straight to my core before he speaks, “First, I don’t know why you think you are not beautiful or who made you believe that you are not beautiful, when you are fucking gorgeous. You’re the most the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life darling. Second, you are MY mate. That makes you MY Luna. No one will dare challenge this fact or they forfeit their life.”
One, oh my goddess his southern draw! That has to be the sexiest voice I’ve ever heard. Two, I look at his eyes and I don’t see any lies coming from them. He seems to be sincere. ‘Roxie, what do you think?’ She’s great at sniffing out lies, it’s a gift the moon goddess gave her, so I want her opinion on what she thinks too. ‘He’s telling the truth Rebel. Not to mention his southern accent is hot and do you see his body? Yummy!’ I inwardly roll my eyes. She has always been a flirtatious wolf. ‘Focus Rox!’ I tell her exasperated.
‘Oh, believe me, I’m focused!’ She salivates and wiggles her eyebrows. I shake my head and turn my attention back to my mate. “So Alpha, what are you doing all the way over here in Ironclaw?”
He raises an eyebrow at me, god that’s a sexy look, “Darling, you are in Blackstone pack.”
“We are in Blackstone Pack?” I say thinking once again, my wonderful wolf has run too far again. Then the realization hits me. “Wait. You said you are the Alpha. We are in Blackstone. You are the Alpha? As in Alpha Austin?” I say my voice climbing a little higher with each question. My eyes widen and I start to panic. ‘Roxie! This is the meanest and cruelest Alpha of the southwestern region! He’s our mate?!’ Roxie rolls over in my mind practically purring, it didn’t take long for her to shake the fear. ‘Yes Rebel, and HE wants US. How blessed are we?’ she is almost purring the minx.
Amused, my mate smirks at me, “Where did you think you were little mate?”
“Clearly, not Blackstone but my pack, Ironclaw.” I said. Instantly, his expression hardened. “You are from Ironclaw? Your Alpha is Alpha Cullen?”
Why does that matter? “Yes, he is my Alpha, among other things, unfortunately.” Trying not to feel bitter about the rejection. Alpha Austin is way better looking than Alpha Cullen. So far, he hasn’t treated me badly at the sight of me either, so Alpha Cullen can kick rocks.
“What’s your name darling?” He asks me like if he is trying to decide something. “Rebel Lawson, did you change your mind about rejecting me because I’m from Ironclaw?” I ask. He says he wants me, so I don’t think he will reject me. Though when Alpha Cullen asked me for my name, it was to do precisely that, so maybe my mate is planning to do the same now.
“You seem like you have decided I am going to reject you any moment now. Why is that Rebel? What happened to you?” He asks as if he is catching on to the fact that I’m skeptical about him.
I sigh. I might as well rip the band aid. The sooner it’s known, the sooner he will feel the relief of not being the only one to have rejected me. “You are not mate first mate. I met my mate two months ago, and as soon as he saw me, he rejected me.” I saw his eyes darken. He was clearly upset. Who knows why? He wanted to know what happened to me. Now he knows and he’s upset with me?
“First, I’m glad he rejected you Rebel. Because now you are mine, and I’m not only happy, but I’m damn ecstatic you’re mine. Second, whoever your first mate was, he was a dumbass not to see how perfect you are. Either way, it’s his loss and my gain sweetheart. Was he part of Ironclaw?”
I stare at him, completely shocked. ‘Rebel, I told you, HE wants US. I can’t wait to meet his wolf. I bet he is as sexy as Austin.’ She’s purring in my mind with doe eyes, looking at our mate. Yeah, she’s a total minx and is already decidedly in love with this man. Apparently, she doesn’t waste time. He says he’s ecstatic I’m his. That’s never a word I thought someone would use to describe being with me. Not when everything ever said to me in my life was the complete opposite. “Yes, he is part of Ironclaw. Actually, he was the one who said I wasn’t Luna material.”
He looked down, shaking his head with his hands positioned sexily on his hips. With a smirk on his face, he asks, “Why would he tell you that you aren’t Luna material? Was your mate Alpha Cullen?” He chuckles.
I look down at the ground and in a very low voice I replied, “Yes.” I looked up slowly and saw rage rolling off of Alpha Austin’s aura.
Austin’s POV
I’m out checking our borders. Repairs were made recently. I wanted to make sure everything was in order since that fucker Cullen hasn’t been around to attack our pack in a few weeks. Not sure what happened, but it’s been quiet and that makes it a good time to secure the borders and get things fixed up.
Cronos has been restless all day, so going for a run to survey the area will be good for him. ‘Cronos man, what’s going on with you today?’
‘I don’t know. I feel like something is going to happen though. We need to keep our eyes and ears open.’ He tells me. It’s odd that he is behaving this way. He usually doesn’t worry about anything, and right now he’s…anxious. It’s making me anxious.
It’s getting dark. I’m about to tell Cronos to start heading back, but his ears perk up. He starts looking through the trees behind us. ‘What is it Cronos?’ I ask, ready to call my warriors. ‘I’m not sure human. We need to go there through those trees though.’ He responds to me with absolute certainty. ‘Okay, as soon as we get to the tree line, give me control and we will continue checking it out.’ Cronos moves towards the tree line. While he does that, I mind-link Renz to be on alert in case something happens.
When we reach the tree line, I pull the shift and reach for clothes hidden in one of the trees at the edge. I pull on some shorts and start moving into the trees quietly. I keep scanning the area but I don’t see or hear anything. Cronos is urging me to go further into the woods. After a little while, I tell Cronos we need to start heading back. I’m about to turn on my heel and leave when out of no where, the most delicious mixture of honeysuckle and jasmine fills my nostrils. My eyes go large and I turn around to follow the scent. It’s close, very close. I hear some soft ruffling of leaves on the ground, like soft foot steps. Then I see a beautiful wolf. She’s black with some red in her fur and she has these amazing green eyes. Her eyes look like some of the emerald gemstones from the mines, piercing and radiant. Cronos is losing his mind, clawing to get out. He says the one word I have been waiting twelve long years to hear, ‘MATE!’ 1
I think this she-wolf realizes she my mate too but something doesn’t seem right. She looks scared. Not scared like she thinks we will tear her to shreds. It’s more like scared of being mated. She lowers her head and her ears go back like she’s afraid of us. Then just as quickly she pivots to take off. I yell out, “MATE! STOP WHERE YOU ARE!”
She whimpers, but stops, much to my relief and Cronos’ relief. ‘Don’t let our mate leave human. Look how beautiful she is! I want her! I want our mates.’ He is telling me this as if he is warning me. Like I would let our mate leave after waiting all these years. ‘No way am I letting her leave buddy.’
Our mate pulls a shift with her back to me. I suck in a breath as all the blood in my body goes straight to my cock. She has the most perfect ass I have ever seen. Her hips are wide and definitely something I want to grab on to while I bury myself in her. Pulling my head out of my thoughts, she asks me to let her change so we can talk. “Of course mate, I’m not going anywhere.” I’m happy as fuck right now. My mate. Finally, the moon goddess has blessed me with this gorgeous she-wolf and she is PERFECT.
She comes from behind the tree and it’s taking everything in me not to lift her against that tree and bury myself in her. The clothes she is wearing look old but they fit her like a damn glove and I see cleavage peaking out of her shirt. My goddess, she has some nice breasts and I haven’t even seen her without her shirt, though that thought is making me hard again. Then she crossed her arms over her chest to hide herself. That’s odd. Why would she hide herself from her mate?
Never in a million years did I think I would hear what she had to say next. She asked me to let her regain her energy before I reject her. What the fuck? Reject her? I want to bury myself in this woman and she thinks I want to reject her? No way in hell! She’s mine. I’m not letting her go. Not now, not ever.
‘Her wolf isn’t talking to me either Austin. Something happened to our mate!’ Cronos is growling in my head, clearly becoming as possessive as me.
She tells me I don’t have to pretend with her. She knows she isn’t Luna material or beautiful. Clearly, someone has screwed with her confidence. But who hurt her? She almost looks like a wounded animal that’s been kicked in a corner. It’s making me angry that someone has hurt her. I tell her she is fucking gorgeous, because she is, without question. Then I tell her anyone questioning her as My Luna is forfeiting their life, and I mean it. No one better try to hurt my mate. ‘We will find out who hurt our mate and destroy them human. Every last person will die.’ Cronos is ready for blood to avenge our mate.
She looks at me like she is trying to decide if I’m telling the truth. I see her shoulders relax a little. Then very casually she asks me what I’m doing here. I want to laugh, but instead I tell her that she is in Blackstone. Then I see the realization hit her. If there was ever a time I wished my reputation didn’t precede me, it was now. Now she looked terrified that I’m Alpha Austin, the cruelest and meanest Alpha in the southwestern region.
I try to lighten the mood by smirking and asking her where she thought she was. “Clearly, not Blackstone, but my pack, Ironclaw.”
I should have known that bastard Cullen was her Alpha. But there was something she said that caught my attention. She said Cullen was her Alpha among other things, unfortunately. The unfortunate part isn’t a stretch. That asshole can leave a bad taste in a corpse’s mouth. But what ‘among other things’ is she talking about?
I realize during this entire conversation, I don’t know my mate’s name. When she tells me her name is Rebel Lawson, I thought it was as beautiful and as different as her. She seems hell bent in thinking I’m going to reject her though. I’m really getting furious at whoever hurt her. I decide to just ask her what happened to her. Curiosity is killing me at this point.
What she says next explains a whole lot. I’m her second chance mate. Her first mate rejected her and didn’t want anything to do with her. He is the one who told her she wasn’t beautiful, told her she wasn’t worthy. I’ll fucking choke the life out of the prick who told her that and made her feel bad. Now she thinks I’m going to reject her. I have to make sure she understands I’m not going any fucking where. “First, I’m glad he rejected you Rebel. Because now you are mine, and I’m not only happy, but I’m damn ecstatic you’re mine. Second, whoever your first mate was, he was a dumbass not to see how perfect you are. Either way, it’s his loss and my gain sweetheart.” Then I wanted to know where to find this fucker. So I ask, “Was he part of Ironclaw?”
Not only was that fucker in Ironclaw, he told her she wasn’t Luna material. So I jokingly asked if her first mate was Alpha Cullen. Her demeanor changed and I saw her going back inside herself as she looked down and softly answered, “Yes.”
RED. All I saw is red. Cronos only saw red. We are both on the same page. That fucker already had a death wish, but now he has signed and sealed his fate. I will make that fucker pay for hurting her. He is an Alpha who should have cherished the moon goddess’ blessing. He threw her away like nothing. ‘We won’t be making that mistake human. I want both our mates. She is perfect and beautiful and everything we could have asked for and more!’ Cronos says with a finality, that would make you think we were not in alignment when we are, ‘Damn straight buddy. That fucker just sealed his fate and we are going to enjoy ours.’ I tell him.
I see Rebel looking at me with fear. ‘Calm your aura down human! You our scaring mate!’ With that, I snap out of it. I need to calm her down and assure her. 1
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