Her Second Chance Mate

Each other's Mate

John’s eyes glazed over for a few minutes, mind-linking his Alpha. 

“Alpha Carson has no issues with you switching locations Alpha Connor, let’s go talk to the Silver Moon pack.” 

Connor nodded his head, looking towards me he turned on his heel and followed the Gamma over to the Alpha of Silver Moon. 

“Well, this should be interesting.” Max said looking between me and Connor.

“What will be interesting?” I asked.

“Watching the two of you pretend to not be mates.” Jake replied, sadness still in his voice. 

“Jake, can we talk?” I asked him, before turning around and walking back towards my tent. 

Once we entered my tent, I closed the door. I needed to talk to Jake in private. I had to make sure that as my Gamma he would be able to handle the change in our relationship going from s****l to that of strictly Alpha and Gamma. I was not going to take any chances.

“Jake…” I started.

“Whatever you think you need to say, you can save it.” I replied, his voice full of anger.

I arched an eyebrow at him, “care to tell me what your attitude is about?” 

“No attitude.” 

“Just pissed that I found a second mate, that’s not you? We knew this could happen…”

“No we knew I could find a mate, NOT you.”

“Oh, so this is my fault?”

“You have no idea how i’m feeling.”

I growled at him through my teeth, to keep it between us. “You forget who you’re talking to Gamma.” Rose was making her presence known. 

Jake has no choice but to submit to me as i released my aura. “Jake, don’t be like this. We were friends before we started fooling around. We knew this could happen. We prepared for it. We agreed. If you feel that you cannot act as my Gamma anymore, then say so. I don’t need a jealous, overly spoken male to try to measure d**k’s with Connor or anyone else to try to get under my nails.” 

Jake kept his head down. “I did not mean to Alpha. I am your Gamma, I will not step down. I respect you and this pack. I apologize. If I need to apologize to Alpha Connor, I will. But I will still be your Gamma and I will protect you from anyone and everyone, as it is part of my duties as your Gamma.” 

I nodded my head, “I know your duties Gamma, I assign them. While we’re here, I want you to mingle. Get to know the other packs. Figure out which packs are better for us to build stronger relationships with. Keep an eyes on the members of the Black Moon pack, we know who their Alpha is. How he operates. I’m not surprised that the she-wolves have very little freedom here. Let me know if you see any signs of abuse with anyone within his or any other pack.”

“Yes Alpha.” he said and headed towards the tent door.

“Jake…” i said before he could leave.”you really are a best friend to me. I know you’ll find your mate, she’ll be the luckiest girl in the world.”

“Thank you Alpha, I hope so. Alpha Connor is lucky.” 

I smiled towards him and let him leave the tent. Jack was my Gamma, a huge part to my team and someone I relied on. He was more to me than just a hook up. 

*Nikki, Silver Moon is moving their stuff. Red Moon is moving over. Alpha Connor wants to know if we want to just let our packs mingle and set up tents however they want.* Max’s voice filled my head.

Instead of answering him I walked out of the tent. “Alpha Connor, it’d be an honor to have our packs mingle and set up tents amongst each other.” i said with a smile. 

Connor smiled back at me. “Perfect Alpha Nikki. You heard her pack, let’s mingle amongst each other! Move your tents however you wish.”

Within the next hour tents were moved around and Connor set his tent right next to mine. 

“Well, well, well...what do we have here?” Suddenly my mother’s voice filled the air. 

“Seems like two Alphas are becoming acquainted with each other Nancy!” Stacey’s voice followed.

“Mother, Miss. Stacey” I said with an eye roll to my mother and a smile to Stacey. 

“Don’t mother me.” She replied “introduce me.”

I looked over at Connor, not use if I was ready to have him meet my mother. 

“Mom…” I started.

“Nikki, introduce me to the Alpha we are sharing this space with, it’d be rude not to.” 

“Oh yes dear, please introduce us. You know how we are…”

“Uh, yes, i do. That’s why i’m not sure i if I want to!” I laughed.

“Well you either introduce us, or we’ll introduce ourselves.”

“I actually think i’d like that instead.”

“Fine.” My mother said, grabbing onto Stacey’s arm and pulling her towards Connor and Seth.

I stood next to the fire pit that was set up, in front of our tents. He had literally put his tent right next to mine. 

“Oh hello there.: my mother started as soon as they close enough. My mother had one mate in life, my father. Whom she had and still does love with her whole heart and soul. But that woman could flirt with a stick.

I shook my head and stood back watching Connor smile towards my mother and shake her hand. 

“I am Nancy and this is Stacey. We’re part of the Blue Ridge Pack.” she said while batting her eyelashes.

“Mom’s putting it on thick huh?” Max asked while sliding up next to me to watch the show.

“Mmhmm, does she never?” I laughed. 

My laughter made Connor look towards me and i smiled at him.That’s when i knew i doomed. 

My mother and Stacey’s face both sported a huge smile, teeth and all. “Oh no.” I said rolling my eyes and getting up to walk over to them.

“I see you’re smiling at our Alpha.” Stacey commented. 

“She’s a real beauty.” My mother added. Hook line and sinker. They got him before he even knew it. 

“The most beautiful she-wolf I’ve ever seen.” He said, never looking away from as I walked up to him. 

It felt like the more I was around him, the harder it was to stay away. I wanted to be in his arms, to snuggle his neck. Rub my scent all over him and lay claim to him. Wowa, hold on. Take a step back. I needed to stay focused. I blinked and looked away from him, briefly catching his disappointment before I gave my full attention to my mother and Stacey. Both of whom caught on to what I was doing.

“Mother, Stacey…” I started and say the shock in Connor’s face. Looks like mother didn’t tell him who she really was...surprise surprise.

“Alpha Connor,” 

“Connor.” 

“What?” I asked tilting my head towards him.

“We are a tent community and…” he paused and looked at me “with us living like this...for a week...i think it’d be best if we became informal with each other.”

“Oh, you do?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

My mother and Stacey stood there, taking in our conversation.

“You’ll never make it.” My mother suddenly said.

“Excuse me?” 

“She’s gonna eat you alive.” Stacey commented.

“Stacey! Mom!” I quickly objected.

“Not in a bad way dear.” My mother reassured me. “I just can tell, you two are...pretending to be “friendly…”

“We’re not pretending.” I retorted.

“No you’re fighting against the bond.” Stacey replied.

My mouth fell open. 

“You, you...what are you talking about?” 

“We might be old, but we’re not stupid. Plus we’re your mothers.”

“Mothers?” Connor questioned. 

“Connor, my mother Nancy, and Stacey, they both have had a huge part in raising me. Stacey was our Beta’s Wife. She has become like a mother to me. And i am honored to be able to say that.” I said to her with a smile. She smiled back at me, tears in her eyes.

“So...as we were saying!” My mother continued. “Good try on distracting us...but we knew the second we saw the two of you look at each other back at the pack house that you were mates.” She turned and looked at me.

“He is your second chance mate...isn’t he? Should i not have said that outloud?” My mother put her hand to her face and shown a face of worry, worry that she gave away the fact that he would be my second chance mate.

“He is.” I stated and put my hand on her shoulder, “but, i’m not fully comfortable with everyone knowing.” I said to her and looked towards Connor.

“And I 100% support her and whatever she wants.” He quickly added, making my mom and Stacey laugh.

“Good boy.” Stacey added and patted his shoulder. 

“So, how are you going to handle this? And why are you hiding it?” 

“I don’t know if i’m hiding it..” i thought, it was getting harder to remember why i didn’t want everyone to know. He was mine. 

“I do.” Stacey said, “Carson,” She paused. “Does Connor know who Carson is...to all of us?” 

I nodded my head. 

“Well, I have a feeling that even though you’ve found your second chance mate, you are worried that announcing the mating while at the games, being hosted by Carson and his new pack, you will in as sense rub it in his face.” 

I stood there, shock written on my face, was she right?

“You rejected him Nikki, and named Max your beta all in the same day. You know I’ve fully supported you and your choices since you made them. Since we all knew how he treated you as his mate to begin with. But maybe all those years together as Alpha and Beta, has made you not want to hurt him any more than what’s already been done.”

Stacey’s voice was full of sadness as she talked about her son.

“I want to make sure my pack is okay. That they know they are my number one. They’ve all trained so hard the past few months for these games and I don’t want to overshadow their efforts with me announcing finding my mate. Then they’d start to worry about what is going to happen with our packs. When we haven’t even talked about it."

“I think you don’t give your pack enough credit.” My mother stated, making me shocked.

“Stacey and I saw you from the fourth floor at the pack house, you don’t think others saw you? The pack has always had your back and never questioned your judgement before. Don’t hold yourself back because of them. They would be proud and excited for you to find your second chance mate. There’s a reason you found him, it’s very rare for it to happen. I wonder...Connor, is Nikki your first mate?”

“Yes, ma’am she is.” 

“Oh don’t ma’am me, i may be older than you but i’m still younger than a ma’am” She laughed and I shock my head.

“And how do you think you’re pack would react to knowing their Alpha found his mate?” Stacey asked.

“Oh, they’d be over joyed and would welcome her and the entire pack and would be fine with doing whatever the two of us decide.” Connor smiled and melted my heart. 

“See, so Nikki...I guess it’s really up to you and when you feel comfortable to let everyone know you found your mate. Don’t hold back for everyone.”

“Okay.” I said to her, staring up to Connor.

Don’t hold back Nikki.

I don’t know what to do Rose, i want our pack to know, f**k i want every one to know. Connor is ours and no she-wolf can have him.

Well, then….act it…

What do you mean?

Kiss him.

KISS HIM!? That’s extreme…

It’ll let everyone know…

“Excuse me, Alpha’s.” Gamma John’s voice broke my talk with Rose.

“Yes?” Connor replied and I turned towards John.

“The ceremony is going to begin in an hour, I’ve been asked to have packs and their members to start getting ready and head over to behind the pack house where everything is set up.”

“Okay.” Connor replied.

“Oh,uh...John?” I quickly grabbed his attention before he could walk away.

“Yes, Alpha Nikki?”

“How many people fit at one table tonight?”

“Ten.”

“Could you please put Alpha Connor, myself and our respected pack leaders together at one table?”

“You want to mix your packs at tonight’s ceremony?”

“Yes..well actually…” I started

This is it!  I said to Rose

“At every ceremony from here on out.” I said taking Connor’s hand, feeling the sparks light up between us. Turning towards him, “we are each other’s mates.” I smiled up at Connor and reached up onto my tippy toes and kissed his check. 

His check, really Nikki!

Rose hush!

The next thing I knew Connor had let go of my hand and was holding my face, sealing my lips with his. He took my breath away, as my hands went up around his neck and his slid down my body to around my waist, pulling me towards him. 

We separated, breathless, when John coughed letting us know he was still there. “Oh this is exciting!! Yes, of course I will have our Omega’s move things around right away. 

“Thank you.” I said with a smile as Connor held me by the waist and rested his chin on my shoulder.