The Alpha’s Second Chance

Celeste’s “To Alpha Lucian and his dearest Luna, Celeste” Cheers erupt, toasts are raised, and applause fills the air. My gaze locks onto Lucian, my heart pounding as I take in every detail of him. Butterflies stir in my stomach, and my eyes shimmer with emotion, unable to look away. Dark tousled locks cascades over his forehead, partially veiling his piercing gray eyes. His chiseled jawline frames his face, casting shadows that highlight the sharpness of his features. A faint smile tugs at my lips as I admire the figure before me. This breathtaking soul is mine. I am his Luna, and he is my Alpha. I smile to myself as I watch Lucian interact with the guests. Though strict and cold, he rarely smiles as he greets them, yet his presence commands the attention of everyone in the hall. His mere presence makes the other men seem inferior in comparison. “Happy birthday Luna” Someone greets me, snapping me out of my daze and I smile in response when I see a couple of ladies in front of me. “You are really lucky, the Alpha did all this for you” One of them said, gesturing to the decorated and lavish hall. “Alpha really love the Luna of course he will celebrate a grand party like this for her” "Ah, how I wish my husband were like the Alpha." Voices echo around me, but I remain silent, forcing a smile to keep up the facade of happiness. I am the only one who knows—despite how deeply I love Lucian, his heart isn’t mine. It belongs to someone else. I am the only one who knows that behind this facade, I mean nothing to Alpha Lucian. How could he love me when I wasn’t meant to be the one at the altar that day? Yet… even knowing all of this, I choose to stay by his side. If staying with him means ignoring the truth, then I’ll embrace this illusion and cling to our false bond. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom,” I say with a polite smile to the ladies around me. I don’t want to stay with them right now, knowing that despite their sweet words, their thoughts tell a different story. “Have you seen Lucian?” I ask Elijah, Lucian’s beta, when I realize I can’t find him. He shakes his head, then pauses before responding, “I saw him heading to the study, so he’s probably there.” Murmuring a quick thank you, I make my way to his office, my heart fluttering with each step. As I draw closer, the familiar flutter of butterflies fills my stomach. Lucian is the only one who has ever made me feel this way—the mere thought of him, even a glance, sends warmth coursing through me. Earlier today, he told me he wanted to talk about something after the celebration. He sounded serious and when I asked him what it was, he didn't reply. I am nervous because I do not know what it’s about, but I would do anything to make him happy. My heart races as I stop at the door to his study. Laughter spills from inside, and my breath catches when I hear her voice. I stand there, frozen, staring at the door in silence. All the joy and anticipation I felt earlier instantly vanishes, replaced by a sharp pang of pain that tightens around my heart. I recognize that voice, it is the voice of the woman that Lucian loves. Lucian is cold and strict with everyone, but there is only one person who can make him genuinely smile—and that person is not me. In the five years I’ve been with Lucian, I’ve never heard him laugh so sweetly as he does now with Liora, my younger sister and his first love. Liora is the one who should have been at the altar that day, but on the day of their wedding, she ran away, leaving only a letter behind. In it, she said she wanted nothing to do with the Alpha of our pack because she was still too young to get married. But the Alpha needed a Luna, and to avoid angering him, my father—an elder of the pack—forced me to marry him in Liora’s place. For five years, despite knowing that Lucian was never truly satisfied with me, I believed I could make him love me. I gave up everything—my job at the hospital, the things I loved—to become the perfect Luna. I made no mistakes, and did everything I could to make him happy. Yet, I’ve always lived in the shadow of my sister, his one true love. It hurts. It really does hurt, knowing I can never take her place in his heart. The laughter in the office dies down, and I feel my breath hitch when I hear her voice. Thoughts of what they might be doing swirl in my mind, and I brace myself for the truth I don’t want to face. Everything in me screams that I should turn back and act like I didn't hear anything but before I realize, my hands had reacted before my brain. I gently push open the door to the study, and what I see takes my breath away. Liora is sitting on Lucian's lap, his lips pressed against hers. One hand is on her waist, the other behind her head, as he kisses her with an intensity he’s never shown me. When was the last time he kissed me like that? I clutch the fabric of my dress as tears fall silently down my cheeks. I can’t move, can’t tear my eyes away, even as the ache in my chest grows unbearable. Lucian’s gaze snaps to me, and for a brief moment, our eyes lock. But he doesn’t stop what he’s doing. He stares at me, challenging me, as if daring me to react and I want to. I want to barge in and demand an explanation or even an apology for this but I can only close my eyes, unable to watch any longer. Quietly, I close the door behind me and walk away, my head spinning. My body feels weak, like I might collapse, but I lean against the wall and try to steady my breath. Breathe, Celeste, breathe. “Luna,” a voice calls, and I open my eyes to see a maid standing before me. “The guests are looking for you and the Alpha. Is he in his study? Should I call for him?” I push myself off the wall, forcing a smile to cover the pain. “I’ll go. Lucian is busy with something, but he’ll be done soon.” If pretending will keep me by his side, then I’ll do it.