The Hockey Alpha's Second Chance Slave Mate

Rival Hearts

"Luna," Marcus whispered, his voice gentle but full of desire. "We can't keep doing this." I can't keep pretending that I don't feel it. "It's real, the bond."

When she turned to face him, the pain in his eyes caught her off guard. He moved closer, closing the space between them.

"I don't want to fight it anymore, Luna," he said, his voice raspy. "I'm not going to go. No, I can't. I don't care what your family thinks. This... this is something we can't ignore.

When Luna stepped back, her heart raced in her chest. “I can’t do this, Marcus,” she said in a shaky voice. "I'm not... I don't deserve the love you're giving me.

Marcus's eyes darkened, and a flash of rage crossed his face. But when he spoke again, his voice was soft and full of pain. "You are." You need to see that.

She shook her head, and tears welled up in her eyes. "No, you don't get it. My family has always thought I was second-rate. And now... I'm stuck between you and them. I can't pick one.

Marcus leaned out and touched her arm, which made her jump. "You don't have to make the choice by yourself. Luna, you're not a bother to me. Not ever.

Luna pulled away quickly, trying to hold back the wave of feelings that were about to break free. "I can't, Marcus." "I'm sorry."

Marcus was motionless for a moment, still reaching out to Luna, but she had already moved away. She could feel his eyes on her, breaking down her shields, as the weight of his words pushed on her chest like a physical force.

Marcus remarked in a low voice, "You don't have to push me away." His voice was full of anger. "I'm here for you, Luna. I'll always be here for you, no matter what happens or how bad it gets. You don't have to deal with this by yourself.

Luna's breath froze in her throat as she turned away from him. She gripped her blouse's fabric with trembling fingers. "Marcus, I don't want to hurt you." But I'm terrified. I can't keep living in this limbo, split between you and my family. I don't know who I am anymore.

His voice became softer, full of empathy. "You are still you, Luna. That won't alter. Not even this link. We are both trying to figure things out. But that doesn't mean I won't let you go.

She put her hand on her forehead and tried to calm down. The link was a continual hum in the background that got louder and more persistent every day. There was no denying the bond between them, but she was too scared to lose everything.

She murmured in a voice that was almost a whisper, "I'm not ready for this, Marcus." "I'm not ready for the work that comes with it."

"Then let me help you," Marcus said, getting closer. "Let me show you what we could have."

But she couldn't answer right away because she heard footsteps in the distance. She turned, and her heart sank. She couldn't put off the inevitable forever.

As she walked next to Marcus, the woods felt colder. The weight of Luna's choice was heavy on her. She attempted to focus on the road ahead, but the connection between them was too strong. It flowed through her like an electric current, wrapping around her heart and pushing her closer to him with every second that passed.

Marcus replied in a low voice, almost apologetically, "I didn't mean to push you, Luna." "I don't want you to think you have to deal with this by yourself."

Luna could feel his eyes on her, and the heat of his body made her think of everything she had to lose. "I don't want to hurt anyone," she murmured softly, her voice full of feeling. "But when I'm with you, I feel like I'm going against everything I've ever known."

Marcus stopped walking and turned to look at her. "You aren't betraying anyone." You're just doing what your heart says.

She muttered, "I don't know what my heart wants," and her voice broke. "All I know is that I'm afraid." I'm scared of what this link signifies. "I'm scared of what will happen if I pick you."

The words hung in the air between them, thick with the anxiety she felt. Marcus moved closer, and his eyes were dark with a mix of worry and want. "I don't want you to be scared, Luna." I can't just stand by and let you let this go. Not when we both know how we feel.

Luna's heart raced as she glanced up at him. The bond was so powerful that it felt like it was killing her. But the worry and doubt were just as bad.

At that moment, Marcus had to leave because of his pack business. Luna watched him go, and the hole in her chest where he had been felt like it was there. She attempted to ignore the relationship, but it was clear that he had left a hole in her life.

Luna went across the pack grounds, but the smell of pine and dirt didn't help her relax. It felt like every step was harder than the last. She could still feel Marcus's touch and hear his words in her head. But he was gone now, and she had to deal with the emptiness that was left behind.

She stopped by the ancient oak tree, which was where they had their first real moment together. The memories came flooding back to her: the warmth of his hug and the pull of the relationship that had only gotten stronger. But the worry and doubt stayed with her like a shadow she couldn't shake off.

She felt bad for him and for them. But what did she have to give? Her family's expectations were too much for her to handle, and every time she thought of Marcus, she wondered of what might happen. Their link was more than just love; it was a danger to everything she had ever known.

Someone with a soothing voice broke into her thoughts. "Luna, we need to talk."

Her heart stopped. She didn't need to look back to know it was her dad's voice. He stood behind her with a harsh look on his face. "What did you do?" he yelled.

Luna tensed up, wanting to stay strong. "I haven't done anything."

Her father's eyes got smaller. "You've been seeing him, haven't you?" The foreigner, the Alpha of a competing pack.

Luna's heart started to race. "I'm not doing anything wrong."

The voice of her father become colder. "Bernard is working harder than ever." Marcus is a problem. "You are putting us all in danger if you keep this up."

Luna's stomach dropped. Marcus was more than simply a danger. He was becoming a part of her, something she couldn't ignore. "I'll do what's best for the pack," she answered softly.

Her father's eyes narrowed. "You should."

Luna sat in her room by herself, starring at the wall and thinking about a lot of things. She couldn't get the image of Marcus's eyes and the raw emotion in his voice when he told her how he felt out of her head. Every time they were together, it seemed like a promise, a pull she couldn't ignore. But every time he pulled, a knot of shame tightened in her chest.

She had been taught to respect the pack and put family first. But every time she thought of Marcus, the relationship between them felt like a magnet pulling her in. But if she accepted it, she would lose everything: her family, her place in the pack, and the life she had always known.

She suddenly got up and started pacing the room. She was shaking and her heart was racing. It got harder and harder for her to shove him away. The bond's pull, the desire, and the urge to be close to him were all-consuming.

A gentle rap on the door brought her back to reality. "Luna?"

Her heart skipped a beat when she turned to see her mother. "What is it?"

Her mother came in slowly, and her face was blank. "We need to talk about what's next for you."

Luna felt a shiver go down her back. "What's the matter?"

"You're not a kid anymore," her mother replied in a stern voice. "Your acts have effects. This link with Marcus could end us all.

Luna's breath stopped in her throat. "I don't want to hurt anyone." But I can't stop this.

Her mother's gaze softened, but only for a second. "You'll have to make a choice shortly. And when you do, you need to be ready for what will happen.

Luna's pulse beat as her mother went, and the heaviness of what she had said stayed in the air.