Her Second Chance Mate

S'mores & Tents

“Blue Ridge Pack.” I spoke out loud and clear for my members to hear me. They all shifted their attention to me. Even members of the Red Moon pack turned to listen. Connor and Seth stood in the back, all eyes on me. 

“Tomorrow starts the beginning of the tournament with our runners!” Members started to howl as I motioned for all of our competitors to stand and come to stand with me. 

They all stood in a circle, taking each other’s hands, with me and Max in the middle with the fire.

“What’s going on?” I heard Connor ask, only to be replied with a “shhh”.

“Moon Goddess Selene we call upon you.” I started, as Max pulled out a dagger. Connor let out a growl. I watched as Hannah walked over to him. “We ask that you watch over our pack and those participating in this week's challenges. I give you my blood as a sign of good faith. Protect them as they run, hunt, track, and fight.” I paused and looked at each member as Max took my hand in his and sliced my palm down the middle. “I call on you father, give us the strength to get through this week without any conflict, bless us with your strength and wisdom. Bless all of us that have found our mates and all of those that will soon. Blue Ridge Pack I am proud to be your Alpha, no matter how the tournament ends. You’re all badass in my eyes. Give it your all and don’t hold back.” 

I took a breath and looked towards Connor, “Because Goddess knows I won't when it comes time to fight my mate in the leader fights.” I raised my hand over the fire letting a couple drops of blood fall into the fire. The moment my blood hit the fire a puff of smoke went up and the fire grew in size. Embers floated up and around all of us in the circle. 

Members started to howl as the fire went back down to its original size. “Now, I believe we have a few pups and one very excited Female Beta that want S’mores?” I questioned. Everyone let out cheers as Hannah came running up. “You have one baffled mate.” She said to me. 

I looked over at Connor and smiled towards him before I walked to him. “Want a s’more?” I asked him holding up a bag of marshmallows.

“What was that?”!

“Just something we do before anything big with the pack.” 

“I’ve never seen fire react that way to someone's blood before.” He stated. 

“Oh, no?” I asked, tilting my head and trying to play it off.

“No.” He replied.

“Hmm…so you want one?” I lifted the bag again.

He smirked down at me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “How about we go have our own treat?” He whispered in my ear just as a pup came running up. 

“UNCLE CONNOR!!!” she yelled. “Mama said I can have a s’more!” she said jumping up and down. I smiled down at her.

“Awe, Uncle Connor!” I smiled up at him. 

“Please Uncle Connor!” She begged grabbing his hand.

I knelt down to her, “Hello.” I said to her while putting out my hand. 

She looked at me, then back up to Connor. He smiled and nodded at her as he knelt down beside me. 

“Lilly, this is my mate. Alpha Nikki.”

“Your MATE?!” She said with wide eyes.

“Yes, can you say hello to her?” he asked her. 

“Hi.” she said to me shyly as she walked into Connor’s embrace. “Nikki has all the s’more stuff for her pack...you have to ask her.” Connor said to her.

“I have enough s’more stuff to feed an army!” I stated while glancing at Hannah, “having a pregnant female beta who’s favorite food is s’mores means we’ll all be eating s’more every night this week.”

Lilly’s eye grew wild, “EVERY NIGHT?!?” 

“Every night.” I said to her, as i slid a marshmallow onto a stick and held it out to her. 

She took the stick with a big smile and grabbed Connor’s hand. Dragging him to the fire as he looked at me, his eyes full of love. I kissed the air towards him as more pups ran up to me to get a marshmallow. 

Soon each pup had had a s’more and many were being carried to their tents to sleep. 

“All members should turn in.” I stated towards Max and Jake, whom were both cuddled up with their mates at the fire. 

I stood up from the fire, Connor hot on my heels as i walked towards my tent, stopping as i got to the entrance. “Where do you think you’re going?” 

“Well, to finish what we started earlier.” He said with a duh look on his face.

“Blue Ridge, it’s lights out. We have a long day starting tomorrow. I want all warriors that aren’t taking part in the run tomorrow to be up and ready for training at 6am. That will give us plenty of time to get a couple hours in and maybe even do a practice run for the hunters and trackers.”

“Yes Alpha” My pack ran out, as lanterns were extinguished and a couple members put the fire out along with Max and Jake. 

“Connor, as much as I would love to share tents with you. Starting tomorrow our packs are against each other. Jake, say goodnight to Seth. Red Moon and Blue Ridge packs are still competing against each other.”

“Buzz-kill” Jake laughed, as he quickly gave a puzzled faced Seth a kiss.

“Goodnight Connor.” I quickly kissed his cheek and followed Jake into the tent. 

Jake and i were sharing a tent with Max and Hannah. 

“Wait a second!” Connor yelled from outside the tent. 

I poked my head out. “Yeah?” 

“You two are sharing a tent?!” He and Seth looked shocked and annoyed.

“The two of us, plus Max and Hannah.” I stated. “Is that an issue?”

“You two are ex’s.” Seth said, using air quotes when he said ex’s.

“We are not ex’s.” i stated, walking out of the tent.

“Ok, not in the sense that you two were dating. But s*x-ex’s…” Seth countered. 

Connor growled “You will NOT be sharing a tent with him.”

“Ok, incase you have forgotten...Seth and Jake are each other’s mates and I am yours. The second I realized we were mates, whatever was between Jake and I was over. Same for when he realized Seth was his mate.”

“As weird as this may sound.” Jake said, taking a step out behind me from the tent. “Even though I did not react the way I should have...the second I realized Seth was my mate, any feelings I had for Nikki disappeared. I couldn’t even think of having s*x with her, let alone kissing her without feeling disgusted with myself.”

“Well, that was a bit much.” i whispered to him.

“Meh.” He said with a shrug and smiled towards Seth. 

Connor still did not look happy with the sleeping arrangements, even with Jake declaring his disgust for me.

“Connor” I said as I walked towards him and put my hand on his chest. “I want to sleep in the same tent as you as well. Believe me, but I cannot get caught up in the mate pull and ignore my duties as Alpha. My pack trained hard, I promised to be by their sides. I don’t break promises.” I smiled up at him, “Now, i promise to see you every day and have one on one time with you when the challenges are done for the day.” 

He smirked down at me, “Promise?” 

I nodded my head, “Promise.” 

Giving him a kiss, I turned on my heels and went back into the tent. 

“You didn’t tell him about Carson requesting you to join him for breakfast.” Max whispered.

“I know.”