My Second Chance Mate Is An Alpha

~ Eleanor ~

"With the power bestowed on me as the high priest of the Moonshadow Pack, I now declare you both husband and wife. Applause to the new couple," the priest announced.

The large, crowded hall was instantly filled with deafening cheering as Beta Victor and Isabella shared a kiss.

I trembled wordlessly. My expression stiffened in shock.

I still couldn't figure out what was happening. Everything was just fine before I passed out after the rituals.

Why can't I remember doing anything wrong? Beta himself had marked me. He even suggested that we consummate before the final ceremony, and I agreed.

So why am I not standing beside him at the altar? I have been waiting for this moment my entire life.

I secretly loved him and wished to be with him. I even prayed to the Moon Goddess in the hopes of becoming his mate.

Everything was going smoothly when I discovered my life partner was the Beta I've always had a crush on.

What went wrong, and why? What kind of tricks did Isabella Ashford use to take my place as Beta's wife?

Various thoughts kept running through my mind. I still could not figure out what was happening. We have already marked each other and spent days curled up under a sheet in bed.

He is supposed to be my beta, mate, and husband. Why is everything moving in the opposite direction?

I staggered backward as Isabella Ashford and Beta Victor walked forward hand in hand.

Isabella is my fiercest rival and the biological daughter of my adoptive father.

Her victorious expression made me feel uneasy.

Isabella chuckled at me, and I realized she was mocking my confusion and vulnerability.

"You have lost Eleanor. Beta Victor is mine, now and always," she sneered.

Isabella sauntered away with her hands in Victor's-something I should be doing.

I felt discomfort, with hatred brewing in me. My stomach churned as tears brimmed in my eyes. I despise his silence. He looked as if he didn't care, and everything was fine with him.

"Stop right there!" I said, ignoring the questioning and mocking stares directed at me as I fought back tears.

"Why did you choose to marry her? I am your mate. We've gone through the rituals, and you've marked me as your mate. So why did you get married to her?" I questioned, pointing fearlessly at our Moonshadow Pack's respected young beta.

I heard gasps from the crowd. Beta Victor turned around, staring deeply into my gray eyes.

"I choose whoever I want as my mate. And today, I choose Isabella Ashford," he declared without batting an eyelash.

"But you've marked me and even dared to sleep with me. This means you've accepted me," I retorted, not caring about the heavy tension in the ballroom.

"Then, I, Victor Darkmore, Beta of the Moonshadow Pack, reject you, Eleanor Sinclair, as my beta and my mate.

"Consider what happened between us to be a three-night stand. Now, accept my rejection," he ordered, locking eyes with me.

I took several steps back in shock. Isabella smirked, walking towards me in calculated steps.

"Don't you understand? Accept his rejection. After all, it's your beta's commands," she taunted.

I frowned, thinking of how to retort, but I couldn't find any words. My brain seems to have gone completely blank.

I haven't even comprehended the entire situation; how am I now supposed to give a perfect face-slapping reply to my most dreaded beauty rival?

I wanted to wipe away the pleasant smirk on her face. Gosh, Eleanor, when did you become so helpless and pathetic?

I needed to give a befitting reply to my two-faced step-sister and this betraying Beta in front of me.

"I, Eleanor Sinclair, accept your rejection," I said through gritted teeth, trying to keep my tears from flowing.

Murmurs erupted once again. I knew at this point, my entire life had just taken a turn for the worse.

****

I walked quietly into the pack house, with several maidens and unmated she-wolves snorting and pointing fingers at me.

These were the same people who always curry favors from me. But today, they've all turned against me.

Without replying to the criticism, I strode inside the chamber, which was specifically built for my father.

"Father, tell me all this is not happening to me. This is all a bad dream," I mumbled helplessly.

My face was dry, with not a single tear, but my eyes were red and puffy, shadowed with pain, hatred, and confusion.

My father stared at me as I tried my best to hold back my tears.

I remember he would always say, "Eleanor, only the weak shed tears."

Father sighed as he approached the doorway, pulling me into his arms as he closed it.

Those protective arms are something I desperately crave.

"Let it out, dear daughter. You don't have to act strong in front of me. I am your father, and I understand you better than anyone. So let it all out. My shoulders are for you to lean on when you feel like crying," he cajoled, gently patting my back.

I hiccupped and burst into tears as I vented all of my grief and disappointment. Until now, I could not believe everything was happening.

"I am truly sorry, dear daughter," he said in a shaking voice.

"But I do not have a mate and will never have one. In a few days, I will be thrown into the dungeon for being an undeserving rejected mate. Father, you tell me, what kind of cruel fate is this? Why did Isabella have to do this to me?"

I sobbed harder, hitting his chest with my balled fist, and I could feel his body stiffening as he tightened his grip on me.

****

I could say that the last few days have been the most difficult of my life. People mock and shoo me everywhere I go, and they use all kinds of foul language against me.

As the saying goes, 'A flying phoenix that falls is worse than a chicken that never flew,' the same word now applies to me.

~Eleanor~

I chewed silently on the roasted meat, but it did not taste as delicious as it usually did.

Everything tastes bland and raw in my mouth. All I can think about is what Isabella and Victor are doing. Did they already consummate their marriage?

That would be strange if they didn't, as the Darkmore Family of Moonshadow Pack required an heir.

But, most importantly, Isabella would do anything to ensure that he spent the night with her, and the Beta was also hot-blooded.

"Eleanor," I heard Father's voice deep within my mind.

What is happening? Am I starting to imagine things? How is this even possible?

"Dear daughter, please stop thinking about Isabella; she betrayed and shamed our family." His voice echoed in my mind.

I snapped out of the awful thought and turned my head to the side, only to see Father staring at me.

"Are you alright, dear daughter? I have been calling out to you, but you have not responded," he said, patting my head.

The bubbles of hope that had amassed in my heart shattered into several pieces.

"I'm okay, Father!" I mumbled, feeling disgruntled.

Except for Isabella and Father, no one is aware that I am still unable to communicate with my wolf.

Most werewolves can shapeshift, but I can't. No matter how hard I try, I'm just unable to do all that the supernatural does. I feel even more vulnerable than the omegas in the pack.

Father always says that one day I will be able to, but when is that going to happen, with only four days until the Pack sentences me to live forever in their forsaken dungeon?

Yes, I will be sentenced. The Moonshadow Pack has a tradition of sentencing any she-wolf who is marked before being rejected in public. They must spend the rest of their lives in the dungeon on the seventh day after their rejection to keep evil from affecting the rest of the pack.

Did the beta learn about my weakness? Is that why he rejected me as his mate? The realization struck me. I snapped my head around and stared at my father.

"I will go see the beta," I announced unexpectedly, surprising Father.

"Do you want to see the beta? Daughter, do you not remember how he humiliated you? He ruined your life. I wish he was never your mate." Father frowned, dismissing my decision to meet the Beta.

"No, it was not just him; Isabella was also involved. She has stolen my mate, and you are doing nothing. All you do is talk nonstop about Beta Victor's disappointment. You are not saying anything about Isabella.

"Why? Because she is not an adopted child like me. Because she deserves the Beta more than I do, who is his destined mate? I just want to know why they did all of this to me. He rejected me without a valid reason, and I want to know why. I want to know what gives them the right to ruin my life. I do not want responses from you; I will go get all of them myself."

My lips quivered as I mumbled the words buried deep within my heart.

I could feel the anger and frustration rising within me, fueling my determination to confront Beta and Isabella. I needed answers and was not going to let anyone stand in my way.

Without waiting for Father to respond, I stood up and stormed out of the room. The familiar hallways of the pack's mansion blurred as I walked purposefully toward the beta's quarters.

I stepped inside Beta Victor's chamber, under the watchful gaze of everyone in the pack house.

For several minutes, I repeatedly knocked on the massive wooden door, but nobody answered. What's happening? I have no idea.

I knocked until my knuckles hurt. Tired of waiting, I pushed open the door, only to be met with the biggest shock of my life.

Isabella was sitting on the lap of a shirtless Beta Victor, naked and smooching him.

His pants' zipper was undone, and he appeared to be enjoying whatever she was doing as he closed his eyes and sweat formed on his brow.

The smell emanating from the room is enough to explain what happened. Beta Victor's eyes flew open at the sudden interruption.

His gaze shifted to the door, and when he realized I was the one standing there, he howled in rage at my unexpected intrusion.

"Bitch! Do you even know what you are doing? How dare you barge into Beta's chamber?" Isabella growled fiercely at me.

She smirked, standing up and wrapping herself in a robe. The victorious look on her face was enough to clear up every illusional misunderstanding I created in my heart. I just had to believe all this was happening for real.

"Are you deaf?" his loud baritone voice echoed in the chamber.

"No, I am not deaf," I fearlessly riposted with an equal fit of rage.

Although mine could not overpower the ruthless and deathly aura around him, I at least did not hide timidly.

"Why are you here?" he questioned, standing up from the chair.

I would have gawked and drooled over his firm, sturdy, and handsome looks, but right now, I'm not in the mood for that.

"I'm here to get answers to my questions," I replied with a firm stance, strolling inside the room as though it belonged to me. And I have to admit, his chamber is like no other.

The rosewood and mahogany used in the room were luxurious. And the bed was huge, with everything in its appropriate place.

Isabella gasped at my boldness and lack of respect. She raised her brows at the Beta, whose eyes had been on me ever since I stepped foot inside the place, but got ignored.

"Answers to your questions? What right do you think you have to ask for answers from the beta?" she spat mockingly.

She twirled the loose strand of her hair, hugging Beta Victor's hand. My pupils constricted, and I clenched my fist. 'Don't get overwhelmed by your emotions,' I reminded myself.

"I wasn't talking to a 'fake and used' product like you. I'm here to get answers from the beta of the pack. It will be best if thieves don't interfere," I spat out coldly. My eyes were sharply focused on her, not giving her a chance to overwhelm me with her dignified and elegant aura.

My brazen insult shocked Isabella, the same as Beta Victor. He growled, and as if on cue, the guards that usually stand by his side to protect him strutted in.

"Call for a general meeting. Make sure every single member of the pack is present," Beta Victor ordered. The four guards bowed before exiting the room.

He then turned towards me and said, "Don't you want answers? You'll ask your questions in the presence of the entire pack!" his husky voice resounded, shattering my insides.

I want to have a private talk with him, but all he has in mind is how to insult and humiliate me.

How did I fall in love with such a heartless creature? How blind was I?

"Sure, I don't mind," I replied haughtily, despite the churning pain in my stomach.

~Eleanor~

Isabella was gritting her teeth nonstop. I could already see how nervous she was.

Tsk, stupid thing! I snickered as we walked towards the massive hall.

****

"In the presence of everyone in this pack, I, Beta Victor Darkmore, shall answer all questions posed to me by Eleanor Sinclair, my rejected mate," Beta Victor declared openly the moment he got to the meeting room.

I felt my legs weaken, and my earlier conviction almost flew out the window.

This is another weakness of mine: the crowd. I rarely have the confidence to stand in front of a crowd.

"Don't you understand what it means to be rejected? Why are you still bothering Beta Victor and Beta Isabella's relationship?" Someone in the crowd gloated, and my breath hitched in discomfort.

"I have no idea as to how she thinks," another spat without regard to how I felt.

"I agree with you, dear. She's so stupid to be doing what she's doing," a red-eyed omega added.

"I am wondering what she wants to ask now."

"What else? She's here to question the beta's decision to reject her," Isabella replied, glaring disdainfully at me.

Hearing all of the side comments made my heart twist in misery.

Why does no one understand what I am going through? Why are they unable to simply imagine how horrible it feels and place themselves in my position?

I lowered my head to the side and wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. I could not allow them to think less of me.

I sniffed gently before turning and looking directly into Beta Victor's eyes, free of fear or embarrassment.

"I would like to know why you rejected me after you marked me. I am curious as to why. You could have done it before the marking ceremony, but you did not.

"You choose to mark, defile, and then reject me, despite knowing the consequences. Why would you choose to ruin my life despite everything I have done for this pack? That too with my sister." I questioned, feeling relieved as the tension in my heart finally subsided.

Beta Victor cracked up, staring mockingly at me.

"You want to know why?" he asked, still chuckling. Seeing that I said no words, he continued this time, pointing at me and then at himself.

"I, Beta Victor Darkmore, will never accept a mate who is not strong enough to stand by me. I will reject any mate who is not confident enough to stand in front of a large crowd. And most importantly, I shall reject every mate who cannot communicate with her wolf and cannot use her abilities. That's the difference between you and your sister, Isabella." He proclaimed this proudly to the pack members who were present.

My doubts turned out to be correct. He knows my deepest and darkest secret, and now everyone knows it.

I turned to look at Isabella, my breathing getting heavier with each passing second.

It was her, she had told Beta Victor everything about me, despite knowing he was my mate.

I wish I could rip their hearts out to see which nasty bug is rotten in them. Wait, what am I even thinking? I don't believe they both have hearts.

Gasps and murmurs erupted from the gathering. All had judgmental expressions. Even the omegas were staring at me with disdain.

Beta Victor snarled, and a glimpse of evil and wickedness seemed to have flashed through his deep irises.

"I announce that Eleanor Sinclair will not be sentenced to life in the dungeon in two days. Instead, she's cursed to become a lone wolf for the rest of her life. And that starts right now," he once again declared.

It feels like someone crushed my brain. A lone wolf-did he just curse me to be a lone wolf for the rest of my life? Or am I misunderstanding something?

"That can never happen. I will never watch you curse my daughter to a lonely fate." Father's angry voice resounded in the entire hall.

The place instantly went calm, and everyone was silent, not saying a single word.

Beta Victor raised his brows at Father. There was not a single sign of respect in his expression.

"Ooh! I just cursed her, and you were watching," he said, laughing amusingly.

"I give you no right to speak to my father like that. Say all you want to me, but don't you dare cross the line? I admit I have made myself a tool for you, but beware; no one has the right to speak to my father rudely. Not even you, Victor Darkmore."

To everyone's amazement, I shrieked, pointing fingers at him. My voice held an uncontrollable fury. Father might indeed have irked me with his silence, but I realized he must have been in a difficult situation; after all, Isabella was his biological daughter. And I was just someone he had picked up from the slave auction.

Beta Victor's pupils constricted. He sent a sign to his guards, and before I could understand what was happening, they seized Father with a shimmering silver sword pointed at his neck.

"Father!" I yelled, about to rush over, when two guards suddenly blocked my way.

"Get out of my way, you loyal losers," I roared, but they didn't even budge.

I turned to face the beta, staring daggers at him.

"Don't you dare point a finger at my father? Now order your brainless, loyal dog guards to get their swords away from his neck." I requested.

"Don't you feel ashamed to ask your guards to point a sword at your wife's father?"

Beta Victor gawked at me, not saying a word, for a complete minute. Isabella rolled her eyes at me as she proceeded to sit on the stool that was brought by one of the guards.

"Accept your fate as a cursed, lone wolf for life, at the expense of your father's life and freedom," Beta Victor suddenly declared as he dropped the bombshell.

I looked at the heartless man in front of me. All I could feel for him was hatred, disgust, and disappointment.

I've never done anything to make him hate me, but today he has proven to me that not all men are like Cyrus, my childhood sweetheart. Sadly, he's out of town to search for his mate.

I gulped hard, looking over at Father, who kept shaking his head pathetically at me. I could imagine him saying,

"Don't force this, dear daughter; I'm old now. It's not a big crime if I die. But you are still young. You have yet to see anything. I've accompanied you for ten years. It's time I go meet my wife."

Although I might be imagining things, I won't let that happen. How am I going to survive without my father? How will I sleep peacefully, knowing I'm alive at the expense of my father's death?

What guarantee do I have to be sure that Beta Victor won't kill me after killing my father? No, I don't want that.

"I, Eleanor Sinclair, accept to be cursed as a lone wolf who shall remain alone for the rest of my life," I answered, turning around and walking away.

I halted when I got to the door and turned behind to see a grinning Isabella.

I rolled my eyes at the beta and said, "Maybe because you grew up without your father, you do not understand what it is to experience a father's love.

"Separating me from the man who had treated me like my father never did and threatening me with his life is the biggest mistake you should not have committed. I'll make sure I remember this day for the rest of my life. Also, you've now officially made me an enemy in your pack. The day I get my chance for revenge..."

I paused again, my eyes scanning the entire hall filled with heartless people, and I clasped my fist.

"...I'll make you suffer the worst humiliation," I concluded, and without looking behind me or paying attention to the people's outburst, I left the meeting hall looking dejected.