The Alpha's Secret Luna

14.A SECOND CHANCE

Penny didn’t say anything. She just stood there and stared at me. I could hear children laughing, the wind blow through the trees, and the faint sound of laughter. It seemed an eternity before she spoke.

“Why?”

“Why what?” I spat, still bitter at her anger at me.

“Why did you kill him?” She didn’t retaliate to my ire, she simply looked at the ground.

“I…” I began, before letting out a heavy sigh and sitting next to her. “Short version, he used me and hurt me, and I lashed out. Put a blade straight through his heart… like he did to me.”

“Does Harrison know the whole story?”

“As much as I could tell him or wanted to. It’s not a time of my life I look back on with fond memories.” I let out a slight chuckle.

“Goddess Cora… you should’ve told me. It explains so much about you.” She gently brushed her hand against mine, a simple gesture that she was soon forgiving me. As hurt as she was, she knew I didn’t keep it from her deliberately.

“I know. I can only remember so much from when I was younger, and what I can remember is painful. Iain was supposed to be a good moment of my life, and he was for a few years.” I couldn’t tell her the whole truth, not about my heritage, but I could at least tell her some. “I know I’m a stronger Lycan than usual, and Iain wanted us to start our own pack as Alpha and Luna. I didn’t want that role, to have so many people dependant on me.”

“Ironic being that you’re a Gamma now.” A laugh escaped her lips.

“Yeah, I suppose having the right people around you changes your view.” A smile flashed across her face and just as quickly disappeared. “Things got complicated with Marc taking an interest in me.”

“I thought you said—”

“I wasn’t one of Marc’s women. As loathed as I am to admit it when I was younger, I had a crush on him, and initially loved the attention. Then Iain arrived, I was barely 17 but instantly knew he was my mate. Marc didn’t take it well, as you can see, he still hasn’t found his mate. He was a gentleman to begin with and stopped his advances towards me but shortly after my 18th birthday it started again and got worse and worse. I knew it was because I was an unmarked Lycan and before you ask, it’s because Iain isn’t a Lycan, he’s a warlock.”

“Bloody hell.” Penny put her head in her hands. “They are nasty pieces of work Cora.”

“Tell me about it. So, there I was an unmarked, but mated, Lycan. Dangerous position for anyone, let alone someone who has a warlock as a mate.”

“Marc saw it as an opportunity.”

“Yes.” My palms were sweaty as the events of that time jolted into my brain. “Marc kept finding excuses to get me alone, paid close attention to my warrior training, even tried to become my personal instructor. He would come into my room unannounced, corner me in the hallways of the manor house, at parties he would get so drunk and try to kiss me. I wanted to leave but Alicia and Odessa were here, the only ones I could call family. The worst was when Marc called me into his office for some reason or other, I can’t remember. He locked the door. And as strong a warrior I was then I was powerless against an Alpha prince…” My voice started shaking.

“Cora, stop.”

“No, if I don’t tell you now I never will.” I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing. “He spouted some crap about Iain saying Marc could have me, as a gift for creating a new partnership. He bullshitted about being my true mate and Iain was just using a charm spell. Of course I called him out on it, called him a weak, fragile, egotistical little boy who couldn’t get it up unless he was paying for it.” Penny was listening intently, only a small laugh about my stupid bravery. “He was livid and hit me, hard. I blacked out. When I came too, the door was smashed in, Iain’s arm was broken but Marc had a hole in his chest and was floating in the air clutching his throat.”

“Seems he came to your rescue.”

“Yes, it did. Iain warned Marc to leave me alone and all was well for a few months.”

“So, what happened?”

“After that incident with Marc, Iain didn’t trust me. He watched my every move, even put a tracker spell on me to see where I was at every minute of the day. It got controlling, obsessive. Then the fire happened. Iain had used his spell to create the illusion that I was somewhere else, and created the lie that I started it. He was the reason I was banished.”

“But he was your mate, why would he do that?”

“When it all first happened, and I left, Iain came after me. Said we could start our life anew now that I had nowhere to go. Something felt off to me, so I asked him about that day, if he truly did offer me up on a silver platter to Marc. He admitted he did, and the fight between them was all a ruse, it was needed to usurp Marc and take control of Shadow Bane pack to begin with, but Iain had grander plans to use me to lure in other Alphas. There was something about me that was intoxicating to Alphas in particular.” That something was me being a Natural Luna, but this wasn’t the time to bring up that lie. “When I rejected Marc, Iain thought that the next best thing was to get me banished from the pack, with Alicia and Odessa dead and no home to speak of I would only have him to rely on.”

“Explains why you are hesitant with Harrison, if you put truth to his words.”

“I’ve only ever met a handful of Alphas but all of them seem to just be that little extra around me. I was, and still am, not sure if what is between me and Harrison is real or just a byproduct of whatever is special about me.” That part was true, was he really my second chance mate or just under the Luna attraction?

“There is something special about you Cora, but I see the way Harrison looks at you, and the way others have in the past. Theirs is a look of lust, his is a look of love.”

“Thank you.” I looked deeply into her eyes; this was a woman I could trust with my whole life. It felt good to finally talk about it openly, and to get a different view. Harrison would always say the ‘right’ things, as someone who loves you would say. Only people outside of that couple would see it from a different angle, to know that it was seen by others that he loved me, truly, made my heart leap with joy.

“Aside from all that, as Iain is your mate and still alive that would be the reason you never found a second mate bond. It should have been broken when he died so how did he survive?”

“I don’t know, I saw him die. When I refused to leave with him, he lashed out, it’s where I got my arm ripped apart.” The only distinctive feature about me that I couldn’t hide easily was 5 deep, s***h scars on my right arm between my shoulder and elbow. I would not wear vests or strappy dresses outside of Twin Falls security for fear of people’s glances. “As he lunged towards me, I took my sword and plunged it through his heart. I saw the light leave his eyes, his body grow heavy, and the last breath escape his soul. He died Penny.” I was confused, scared and angry all at once. How did the slippery little devil escape deaths grasp? “I had no choice but to run, took odd jobs here and there before Carlos found me in that back alley of a town. And the rest is history.”

“Wizards are nasty creatures Cora. They can get their powers naturally or supernaturally and can even increase their strength by making deals with demons and devils. If Iain had made a deal he could be brought back from the dead, and depending on who he made the deal with he may not be able to be killed unless we kill his demon.”

“Kill a demon? The only one in history who has ever managed that was the Goddess when she threw them into hell.”

“The other option is to get him to reject the mate bond, but I think killing a demon may be easier.” Penny laughed, a half-panicked laugh. “Let’s reconvene with Carlos, and you must speak to Harrison. I would not want him to arrive here and be surprised by all this, as that would not be a pretty sight to see.” Penny didn’t have to explain further, Harrison would go to kill Iain and be prepared to fight to the death for me. A ridiculous gesture, but a somewhat romantic one to my eyes.

“I’ll speak to him tonight, he’s busy today preparing for his journey here.” I was not looking forward to that conversation.

“Very well.” She stood up abruptly, wiped her face down and patted her dress. “We will sort it all out Cora, I promise. I’m just glad you told me the truth.” She pulled me into a tight hug, I wanted to tell her everything at that moment. “And I want you by my side, safe, at all times, am I clear Cora Evergreen?” She held my shoulders facing her, and she had that look in her eye again. “Just to be safe…” She looked around her before muttering something and I felt a warm rain fall through me. “A little safety spell, if ever you are in danger this will warn me, and I’ll be there in an instant.” She clicked her fingers to emphasise her point. “Now then, we have a party to prepare.”