Chapter 2 SCOTT'S POV

Deucalion, my wolf, has been acting strangely for a while now, but he's not communicating with me, so I've let it slide. However, his unease is distracting me." I paused, focusing on the task at hand.

"Alpha!" Marcus, my beta and best friend, burst in, breathing heavily. I sprang up, alarm coursing through me. "What's happening, Marc?" I asked, concern etched in my voice.

"It's...Nathan," he stammered.

I rushed out of my office and up to my son's room, my heart racing. The sight before me made my breath catch. Nathan lay on the floor, eyes closed, looking lifeless. A wave of despair washed over me, and I sank to the floor beside him, cradling him in my lap. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.

Just as I was about to succumb to panic, I felt Nathan's heartbeat pounding strongly against my chest. I opened my eyes to find two mischievous doe eyes staring up at me, sparkling with amusement.

"Nathaniel, what the hell was that about?" I snapped at him.

"Language, Daddy," he said, grinning mischievously.

"Oh, Nathan," I sighed, shaking my head. "Did you know about this, Marcus?" I glared at my beta, who bowed his head but couldn't hide his smirk.

"You two," I pointed at them, exasperated, and carried Nathan to my office. "You're going to get punished for that, Champ."

"Aww, Daddy," Nathan pouted, widening his doe eyes. "I just wanted to cheer you up. You've been so down lately. "Cheer me up? You scared me half to death, Nathaniel! Never pull a stunt like that again, please," I pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," he said, looking remorseful. Marcus followed us into the office, and I placed Nathan on my lap, continuing to sign paperwork. My office, with it's dark wood paneling and comfortable leather chair, was my sanctuary

"Daddy, can you do something for me?" Nathan asked, looking up at me with a pout. "What is it, Champ?" I asked warily.

"First, promise you'll do it," he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"No, no, no. You're up to something," I said, shaking my head. "But, Daddy, you said you'd do anything for me," he reminded me, using his favorite card.

Alright, alright, I promise, Nathan," I conceded, defeated. "Go out tonight, Daddy!" Nathan exclaimed.

"Wait, what? No, I'm not doing that," I protested.

"Daddy, remember, you promised," Nathan said sternly, "and like you taught me, a man, especially a leader, should always keep his words and promises.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said, glaring at Marcus. "Did you put him up to this, Marc?" I asked, still glaring. Marcus avoided eye contact, scanning the room. "I'll kill you, Marcus," I threatened, furious.

"Alpha, please," Marcus implored, his eyes filled with genuine concern, "you've been down and out of character lately. As your best friend and beta, it's my duty to look after you."

"Is this your idea of looking after me?" I asked incredulously, despite sensing his good intentions. Sighing defeatedly, I instructed Marcus, "Inform some pack members we'll be going out tonight."

Nathan leapt from my lap, bouncing around the room. "Don't fall, Champ! Be careful."

....

We arrived at the party Marcus suggested, and upon entering, I was immediately overwhelmed by the cacophony of sounds and the putrid mix of alcohol, sweat, and arousal. I couldn't bear it, so I stepped outside and wandered into the woods, seeking solace.

A captivating scent wafted through the air, drawing me deeper into the forest. My heart racing, I felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. As I walked, the aroma grew stronger, guiding me to a clearing. The view took my breath away. That's when I saw her – the source of the intoxicating scent.

"Hey there," I said. She turned, and our eyes met. Her gaze was like a gentle breeze on a summer day, soothing and calming. Deucalion, my wolf, erupted in a frenzy of "mate, mate, mate" in my mind.

"How is this possible?" I wondered, stunned. "Is this why you've been acting strange, Deu? "She's exquisite, Scott," Deucalion said in my mind. "Her eyes are the most captivating I've ever seen."

"Yes, she is," I agreed, "but you still haven't answered my question. How is this possible? Did you know about her? Is this why you've been restless?"

"I don't know how this is possible, and I didn't know about her," Deucalion replied in my mind. "I just sensed something significant was about to happen, which explains my strange behavior."

I approached, extending my hand. "My name is Scott Edward, milady. What's your beautiful name?" I asked calmly. She shook my hand, and the familiar sparks flew between us. Deucalion growled softly in my head, acknowledging the mate bond.

But then, she spoke words that shattered my heart: "I, Jasmine Coker, reject you, Alpha Scott Edward, as my mate." Before I could process the rejection, she turned and left. I stood there, frozen in shock.

The loss of two mates in a lifetime were more than I could bear. First, Jocelyn, my first mate and Nathaniel's mother, passed away during childbirth. Now, my second chance mate, Jasmine, had rejected me seconds after we met. The pain was overwhelming. I let out a sorrowful howl, unable to contain my anguish. Memories of Jocelyn's passing flooded my mind and I couldn't help but wonder if I was destined for loneliness

JASMINE'S POV

I collapsed onto my bed, exhausted but my mind refused to be quiet. I couldn't shake off Scott's piercing gaze and the sparks that flew between us. My heart felt like it had been stabbed, and the pain was unbearable.

I didn't know if I regretted rejecting him or not, but it felt like the right decision at the time. I couldn't go through another hellish experience with an Alpha.

My phone's ringtone jolted me awake, and I was surprised to find tears streaming down my face. Raymond's frantic voice on the phone made me wince. "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED, JASMINE KATHERINE COKER?" he yelled.

"I told you I hate the name, Katherine, and nothing happened," I said, trying to calm him down. "The party just wasn't helping, and I felt sick, so I came home."

"AND YOU COULDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING?" he yelled again. I winced at the volume. "I searched for you everywhere, Raymond, and couldn't find you, which is why I sent you a message. Please stop yelling; I have a bad headache."

Raymond's tone softened. "I was worried, Jas. I thought something happened to you. Do you want me to come over?" It's late, Ray. You can come over later, alright?" I said weakly. Raymond hesitated before agreeing. "Alright, take care, Jas." He hung up.

Tears continued to fall, I felt a pang of sadness, wondering if I'd made a mistake by rejecting Scott Frustrated and overwhelmed, I let out a sob, surrendering to my emotions.