Luna’s Second Chance

Chapter 00008

Vera's pov

"Protect your core at all costs," Drew told me as he tried to launch a punch at my abdomen but I blocked it.

"Better" He nodded in approval as we continued to spar.

"Let's take a break," he said after a while. I immediately plopped down to the floor, my breathing ragged.

We had been training for more than two hours and to say I was exhausted was an understatement.

Drew was one of the warriors in Phil's Pack who agreed to train me and teach me how to fight. It had been over two weeks since Phil left for the southern moon block and I was proud of what I had achieved in such a short period.

My days were no longer dull with my only hobby being cooking, now I had my whole day planned out starting from a long morning jog and then training with Drew. I had met several Pack members and I could proudly say they held an ounce of respect towards me, it shone in their eyes the more I interacted with them.

"If care is not taken the student will become the master" I teased as Drew stood in front of me with his hands resting on either side of his waist.

"I'd like to see you try" he smirked cockily and I had to admit he had a boyish charm to him.

"I have a question though Luna" His expression turned sober.

"What is it?" I c****d my head to the side.

"How come you've never changed into your wolf or followed us for runs?" He asked and my heart dropped.

I wasn't expecting that.

"There has been speculation that you are unable to transform" he continued and my eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. I had stayed for merely seven months and already people had begun to ask questions.

"I apologize if I have offended you or spoken out of turn," he said when I remained silent.

"No, it's alright. I guess everyone would be curious" I shrugged, looking anywhere but at him as heat clawed up my face.

"We would still respect you, you know" he commented when I remained silent.

"What?" My brows furrowed in confusion.

"We would still respect you even if you didn't have a wolf," he divulged.

"I don't think it is as easy as you think it is. People would want to challenge me and my ability to rule a Pack without a wolf of my own" I explained, recalling how I was treated in my Pack with a wince.

"We kind of knew something was up when Alpha Phil returned suddenly with a new mate. Everyone knew he hadn't moved on from his mate's rejection" he shrugged.

"His mate rejected him?" My eyes widened.

"I would think you would know a lot more about your Alpha and husband" he tilted his head to the side before sitting on the ground in front of me.

"He doesn't like to talk about the past" I said lamely as a blush of embarrassment stained my cheeks.

Drew looked at me intently for several moments, almost as if he was trying to c***k a code that was me before he sighed.

"It isn't really my story to tell but Alpha Phil was excited when he found his mate. Lucy, she was a member of our Pack who loved to go on adventures at a very young age. She left when she was sixteen and returned on her twentieth birthday" he divulged as I listened aptly.

"That was when they found out they were mates. Alpha Phil wanted to claim her on the spot but she rejected him with a look of horror in her eyes" he finished.

"Why did she reject him though?" I couldn't keep the curiosity out of my voice. Phil was unwilling to speak to me much less divulge his past so this was a welcome chance to get to know the man I was married to. Maybe then I could understand him better.

"She was a free spirit, she still is and she said being mated to someone, especially an Alpha, would tie her down and she wasn't ready to give up her life of adventure" he explained and I nodded slowly.

"How did Phil take the rejection?" I inquired.

"More graciously than anyone imagined. He became closed off and refused to leave his house for a full month. No one could get to him, not even his beta. The Pack began to fall apart slowly and a rumor started flying around that the grand Pack committee was considering stripping him of his alpha title. It was only then he snapped out of his melancholy and started working towards building the Pack back" he told me.

"They could do that?" I questioned to which he nodded.

"I never realized they had so much power," I muttered.

Now I understood why Phil was under so much pressure to have an heir, his title depended on it.

"We see the way he treats you" Drew commented, his lips turned downwards and heat clawed up my cheeks. Phil made no effort hiding his displeasure at the fact that I was yet to give him an heir, it didn't matter to him whether we were alone or in front of his Pack members.

"He just has a lot on his plate right now, he's under a lot of stress and I still haven't given him an heir" I tried to defend Phil but Drew wasn't buying it.

"You don't deserve to be treated that way" his features softened and it was then I saw it.

Subtle signs I had been ignoring in the past week. The way his eyes were tender as he slowly regarded me with appreciation and the way he always tried to touch me while we were training.

"I have a meeting with Adeline. I should probably get going" I cleared my throat and jumped to my feet, my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

"Same time tomorrow?" He looked at me hopefully and I cringed.

How blind could I have been not to see the signs earlier, they were right there staring at me as plain as day.

"I might be too busy, Phil is set to return any day now. I think we should give it a rest, I've learned the basics and that's what's important" I told him. His eyes flashed at the mention of Phil's name before he masked his features.

"Thank you, for all your help Drew" I held out a hand to him.

"Are my affections written on my face?" His hand raked down his face as I remained silent.

He grabbed my hand in a firm grip and pulled me closer to himself.

"I'm always here if you need anything" his eyes searched mine with hope.

"I don't think I need anything. I'm good" I muttered.

Just as I was about to draw away a throat cleared and I jerked away from him.

"I doubt Alpha Phil would be pleased to see you standing so close to his Luna Drew" Phil's beta stared daggers at the other man.

"Caleb, we were just rounding up with training" I said in a way of explanation but the man looked at me with an unimpressed look.

"See you around Drew" I waved at him before making my way out of the gym.

"Alpha Phil would kill that man if he catches a whiff of what is going on between you too" Caleb gritted out.

"What is going on between us?" I stopped walking and turned to him with a quirk on my brow.

Caleb had become my shadow for the last two weeks, it was almost as if he was reporting my every move back to Phil.

"I can only advise you to tread with caution, Luna," he said, bowing his head with respect.

"I'm not doing anything wrong Caleb and I won't have you insinuating otherwise" I announced before walking away.