LITTLE LUNA: Alpha's second chance mate.(THE REDEMPTION SERIES)

Chapter Three

LILITH’S POV:

The next day, I found out why Ace was so gracious to send me to the healer. He’s holding a banquet party to find his mate. The mating season had approached and it was the best time to find your mate.

Here’s the thing, when a werewolf turns eighteen, they meet their mate. Some lucky ones find theirs when they turn sixteen. So, the standard age range to find a mate was from sixteen to eighteen years.

Ace was taking no chances this year and invited other packs (neighboring and far) to join in the party. It was likely for him and every other unmated wolf to find their mates.

The banquet would hold in a week’s time so all hands needed to be on deck. That’s why someone as irrelevant and weak as me became needed. I wondered what Silvera’s fate would be since Ace was not planning on having her as his Luna. It would be a show to look on to.

Over the week, the work had doubled and I had no time to visit Racheal. She’d insisted I meet with her sometime to figure out more about my roots. I guess meeting her would now be till the banquet was done. I was grateful to be distracted with work. At least I could avoid the alpha and thus, avoid punishments. I was grateful to have been healed by Racheal. For the first time in months, I wasn’t walking around bruised and swollen. Though I’d gone back to my rationed meal and stale bread, I was grateful for that food experience I had at Racheal’s.

Sometime during the week, I’d realized that my eighteenth birthday was coming. It actually fell on the night of the banquet and I couldn’t wait to meet my mate. I hoped he would accept me and not be disgusted by my weak appearance. The worst thing that could ever happen to a werewolf, was to be rejected by your mate. It’s like being separated from that one being that was meant to be a part of you. It was a very painful experience and some wolves were rumored to have lost their sanity turning into wild rogues. I hoped I wouldn’t have to go through such pain at all. I don’t know how painful it’d be for someone like me who didn’t have a wolf.

But who’d want a weak mate with no wolf?

Wasn’t that asking for trouble?

*

CAYENNE’S POV:

“Alpha” I lift my head as I hear my beta, Cole, call out before entering. He held a new stack of documents and I mentally groan at the sight of it. Just when I’d thought I was done with the heap on my desk.

“Who’s responsible for the creative team? These projects are becoming too much. Can’t they give their alpha a break?” I nag, my hands reaching for my head. I felt a headache coming. Cole laughed at my expression.

“Your sister. You know how creative she can be. It’s one thing she’s damn good at.” He says with love in his eyes for his mate as he speaks with pride.

I feel a spark of jealousy course through me. I used to have that look too, used to have someone to love and brag about…

I stop my thoughts in track not wanting to go down that painful memory lane. Instead, I spoke with a knowing smile: “Yeah, that’s Red for you.”

“By the way, this just came in this afternoon.” He said handing me an invite.

It was from the MOONLIGHT pack. My expression turned serious. “Alpha Ace is holding a banquet in a few days. He’s invited most of the packs around. Rumor has it that he’s in search of his mate.” Cole reports as I take a glance at the invite.

A knock came, followed by: “Alpha”. It was Bethram. My chief Warlock.

“Come in” I say and he enters with his bowed respectfully.

“Alpha, Beta Cole.” He greets respectfully.

“Speak” I permit, knowing why he was here.

“Our suspicions were right. Alpha Ace is involved with the Nyx coven. They’ve been a lot of secret transactions going on between them. Either he’s trying to gain more power or he’s after something else. We can’t seem to get a grip of what is truly going on.” He says his expression serious.

I see Cole frown and I’m sure it mirrors my own. I glance at the invitation card in my hand, a plan forming. “I guess we’ll just have to find out.”

*

LILITH’S POV:

I finish setting the rest of the dishes. The rooms had been prepared, and soon most Alpha’s and some of their pack members would be arriving. Today was the banquet’s eve. And Ace was holding a welcome party for his esteemed guests. The Alphas would stay in the grand packhouse where they’d be attended to 24-7. The pack members would either stay in the town or the normal pack house; whichever they wanted.

I was nervous. Meeting new people wasn’t my thing and I the fact that my mate would be here made me even nervous. Thankfully, I wasn’t going to be on duty tonight. My shift was tomorrow at the banquet. Setting the dishes was my last duty tonight.

I hurriedly take my supposed dinner and hurry back to my tiny room. I don’t lay down immediately on my make-shift bed; which was nothing more than hay stacked together. I walk to my small window and stare at the stars above. The night was beautiful and calm.

Tomorrow was my birthday. Another year without my mom. I sigh as happy memories flood me. I recall how she would always wake early to bake the biggest cake for me, how she would use the largest candle, how she always had so many gifts for me. But those had been taken away by Ace. I was still grateful I had a lot of happy moments with her. “I miss you mom.” I whisper to the night, loneliness eating my insides out. One disadvantage of having those memories is the pain of knowing that you can never have it again. And the longing for someone you’ll never see again.

I take a deep breath in and out. I turned ready to sleep. I glance at the new uniform hanging on the wall by the corner. Ace actually meant business with this banquet. He even had us maids get new uniforms. His words had been: “so you all don’t reflect me badly to my guests.”

I laid down on my bed, my thoughts running. I was turning eighteen, if I was any other wolf, I’d be free to leave the pack if I wanted to. But my case was different. I didn’t know how to bring it up to Ace, I was scared of being punished. How would I even survive leaving the pack? The only option was to find my mate and leave with him.

But what if my mate didn’t want me?

I furrowed my brows and tightened my eyes shut, ready to force myself to sleep so I wouldn’t be tormented by these thoughts. But before I sleep, I say a prayer to the moon goddess, asking that I met my mate tomorrow and that he wanted me.

The next day, I didn’t see Alpha Ace until noon. I’d just finished with the dishes from the welcome party last night when I was sent with his lunch to his office.

Balancing the tray in one hand, I knocked on the door. “Come in” I hear his commanding voice and for some reason, I shiver. Strangely, not in fear. Why was his voice sounding so attractive today?

I go into the office and was dumbfounded for some seconds. Ace looked so gorgeous with his blond hair in perfect order, his handsome face and his beautiful hazel eyes that seemed to be staring at me. I could tell he was annoyed and strangely I wasn’t scared this time. He looked so handsome he took my breath away and made my heart beat fast against my rib cage. At this point, I’d forgotten the monster he was and how much he’d hurt me in the past. I just saw him as an angel and I loved him.

Shock filled my system and the tray of food I held in my hands collapsed on the floor as my eyes widened in realization. The moon goddess must be playing jokes on me because this couldn’t be happening. I could see then, the red rope that seem to connect my heart to his, a proof of what we were.

In my moment of daze, I watch Ace walk up to me. My heart pounded and various emotions filled my body as he came to me. Tears flooded my vision. This man that started my nightmare and found every means to hurt me was none other than my…

“MATE!!”

I startle as he growled out the word. The tears fall and I see his eyes had gone all black. His wolf had taken over. He pulled me into his arms and at the point all I could feel was electric sparks where he held me. He was way taller than me and had to lean down to place his head in the crook of my neck as he sniffed in my sent; something I knew all wolves did with their mates. I heard the scent of a mate was like a d**g to keep them calm.

One minute he was holding my tight and sniffing me, the next I was pushed away so hard I fell on the food waste below me. The plates had already shattered and some pieces pierced through the flesh of my palms. I never knew fate could be so cruel. Why did the moon goddess have to make the man of my nightmares my mate? More tears fell and soon I was a sobbing mess.

I watched him struggle with his wolf.

Then he uttered the words that shattered whatever hope I had left. “I, Ace Knave, Alpha of the MOONLIGHT pack, reject you Lilith as my mate.”

Pain seared through me in an instance. It was like my insides were being set on fire. I felt the heat engulf the mating bond we shared. I knew that there was no chance of him accepting me. This was Ace and there was no way he would want someone weak. “I-I, Lilith, accept your rejection.” I stutter through the pain. The red rope, our mating bond, cut in an instance and the stopped.

I was still sobbing as I dragged myself up on my feet. He looked a bit surprised that I accepted it. He probably expected me to beg him.at the same time, the look of relieve was evident on his face. He was no longer handsome to me; that was the effect of the bond. Now, he looked exactly like the monster I saw him to be.

Then the after effect of rejecting the bond kicked in. you see, when a bond is formed between two wolves, it takes about a week for the mating heat to start. During the mating heat, the mated wolves have s*x with each other and finally mark themselves (by biting into each other’s neck and can be very s****l which is why it’s done during the mating heat.); showing that they have been mated. The mating Heat lasts for like a week. So, it’s usually like a honeymoon for the mates.

Here’s the twist, when a mating bond is rejected, the mating heat is initiated, stronger than it should be to force the two wolves to stay together and initiate the mating bond again. The two wolves will be in heat, wanting to f*ck each other. The more they try to avoid it, the more pain they’d be in unless they found a way to ease it. Either by having s*x with each other and initiating the mating bond or they do it with someone else, destroying the bond forever. This heat lasts for 24 hours.

So, for the next 24 hours, I’d be nothing but a mess of a horny wolf. That meant I was a prey to the unmated male wolves. Wolves have keen senses and are particularly carnal creatures especially the unmated male wolves. So, right then, I was in danger of being r***d by any unmated wolf who smell my heat. And that’s one thing they have to their advantage, smell.

Both our bodies reacted and I let out a soft moan as heat rose in my body. I clenched my teeth as I resisted the urge to rub my legs together. The more I resisted, the more heat rose in me and I felt unbearably hot. I let out another soft moan and Ace’s face darkened. He was fighting with his wolf, fighting for self-control.

I finally gave in and rubbed my legs together. A jolt passed through me and I moaned the third time. Ace growled softly making me wet instantly. He stiffened as he smelt my arousal. His eyes turned black. For a moment, I thought he would jump on me…hoped he would.

“GET OUT!” he growled and turned away from me. Fear gripped me and I dragged my horny a*s out of his office. I was grateful that he had used his alpha will on me. I wasn’t going to lose my innocence to a monster like him.

I run as fast as I could towards my room. I could feel the heated gazes of males that smelt my arousal. I evaded those that reached out for me. I reached my room and locked the door behind me.

That wouldn’t be enough to keep whoever tried to barge in out. I pushed the table in the corner to wedge the door and ran into my tiny bathroom. Locking the door behind me, I quickly shed my clothes and turned on the shower. I was skipping the banquet tonight and that was sure. I stood under the cold shower knowing that the next twenty four hours would be nothing but brutal t*****e.