Orlando's second chance mate

THORNE ROSE CLAN ASTRA Astra ran so fast she barely felt the leaves and thorns tearing at her skin. Beta Landon was in a mood to see her struggle, and his chosen entertainment was to make her prey for the feral wolves—the most dangerous of their kind. Wolves went feral when they lost their fated mates or never found one in time, losing their humanity forever. If Beta Landon had chosen this punishment, he didn't just want her hurt; he wanted her dead. She ran, ignoring the sharp twist in her ankle when she tripped over a log. The pain would be crippling later, but now, she had to run for her life. Grinding her teeth, she forced herself to go faster. It was only a dense silence and the sound of chirping birds that made her realize she was alone. The growls had stopped. Taking a risk, she turned back. Seeing nothing, she ducked behind a "scent tree" to mask her trail and inspect her ankle. It was swollen and, without a doubt, dislocated. Releasing a heavy breath, she began plucking the rose thorns from her arms, wincing at the new bruises marring her beautiful brown skin. How long must I endure this? She barely had time to think when another growl pierced the silence, sending birds scattering into the sky. A shiver ran down her spine. They had found her, even through the scent-masking tree. She didn't think twice before she started running again. A quick glance back confirmed her worst fear: three huge wolves with glowing red eyes were closing in. Shifting into her own wolf was out of the question; they would see it as a challenge and tear her apart. Her only hope was to make it to the pack's central yard. She stumbled into the clearing, collapsing in a heap before the very people who had sent her to die. She looked pleadingly at Beta Landon. Instead of calling off the beasts, he sat immobile, a smirk on his face as the largest wolf pinned her to the ground. She screamed as claws slashed her abdomen. The sound seemed to fuel the crowd's excitement. Tears of pain and betrayal filled her eyes. Was she going to survive this? Seven years. For seven years, since she was twelve, Astra had lived in hell, accused of a crime she couldn't remember. The story was that she’d used a forbidden magic on a camping trip, a trick that killed her twin sister's wolf and sent their friends into a deep coma. She remembered none of it. The only witnesses were her twin, Lia, and Lia's best friend, Elsa. Their testimony wasn't enough to condemn her under pack law, but it was more than enough to brand her as the pack's abomination. Now, at nineteen, she was still paying for a crime committed at twelve. Every single day in the Thorne Rose Clan, she was reminded of what she was. From her family to the lowest pack member, no one missed a chance to make her pay. The punishments were so severe she was slowly losing her wolf, Adolphina. Ignoring the searing pain in her abdomen, her palm found sand. She grabbed a handful and hurled it into the closest glowing red eye. The wolf snarled, but the retaliation was worse. A massive paw swatted her, sending her flying across the yard. She slammed into a wall, the sickening c***k of her ribs echoing in her ears. This was the third time this week. Adolphina was fading, and soon, her healing would be gone forever. The crowd's laughter rang in her ears as her vision blurred. "Stop!" Beta Landon's voice cut through the noise, and everything stilled. She lay broken, watching as he stood and walked towards her, warriors finally leashing the feral wolves and dragging them away. "Astra Lina," he called in a mocking tone, using her full name as an insult. "You could kill other wolves, yet you can't defend yourself? How pathetic." Another wave of laughter followed. As the crowd dispersed, Astra remained on the ground, her heart thumping weakly. All she hoped for now was to avoid any more bullies. Dragging herself to her feet, she limped toward home. The delicious scent of roasted meat offered a fleeting moment of hope. But it died the moment she saw her family. Her father, Beta Norton Lina, sat at the head of the table. Originally from a northern African pack, Astra had inherited his brown skin, curly hair, and brown eyes. Then there was his mate, Louisa Morel—her mother, and the woman who hated her most. Around the table sat her siblings: Donal, the eldest, who most resembled their mother; her twin, Lia; and finally her little sister, Elena, the spitting image of Astra. "Come sit down and have your meal," her mother said dryly. Ignoring the stares, Astra eagerly sat, her mouth watering at the smell of roasted rabbit. Her father, as usual, ignored her. The peace was short-lived. A searing, metallic pain shot through her body with her first bite. Tears springing to her eyes, her gaze snapped to Lia, who smirked back. Forgetting her injuries, Astra lunged. She was effortlessly pinned to the wall by her brother, Donal. "What do you think you are doing?" he snarled. "She poisoned me!" "And so what? Didn't you kill her wolf?" her mother argued, her words turning Astra's blood to ice. "We have had enough of your drama," Donal spat. "If you're not bullying Lia, you're humiliating Father. Haven't you humiliated this family enough?" "But how am I supposed to avoid them if they won't let me be?" she whispered. The resounding slap from Donal made her whole world still. "I've had enough. Get out of my face," he ordered, releasing her. With nothing left to say, she stood up weakly and limped toward the stairs. But her father's voice stopped her cold. "Pack law may protect you from a formal condemnation, but it does not give you the right to humiliate me. I have always been an honest Beta. But if I must end the life of my murderous daughter to protect this pack, I will not hesitate. I will kill you myself. Stay away from the future Alpha and the Beta, or I will deal with you." Silence. "Are we clear?" She didn't reply. She just limped her way upstairs. What a day.