Second Chance To Love Again

Issahil

"Mother of the Moon!"

I exclaimed in horror as I watched my grandfather's most prized possession - an antique vase - hit the floor and shattered before I could save it. I was dead. I just knew it. Nothing could save me now. Tears welled my eyes and fear shook my whole being. What could I do? Oh! Why me? Why this?

"What happened?"

Another maid who had been cleaning his inner chamber came running. She halted as her eyes fell on the broken-beyond-repair vase on the floor, its shards were over the place.

"Issa, how did this happen?"

She whisper yelled.

"I...I don't know."

I struggled to talk amidst choking tears. My grandfather would kill me. I was done for. The rag I'd been using to clean were being wrung nervously.

"The Alpha will have your head for this, Issa. You know him."

"What do I do, Phena? I'm not ready for one of his punishments today."

Phena stood and observed the situation. She hurried to lock the door.

"Let's hope he doesn't need to use his room soon."

Grandfather had gone out. No one knew when he would be back, but I hoped not soon enough for him to see this. The more I thought of the situation, the more hopelessness and despair twisted my insides. I crumbled to the ground when my legs couldn't carry my weight anymore. Fear had seized every part of my body and taken control.

"Issa, stand up and let's look for a solution to this."

Phena felt pity for me but I was beginning to realize that even she couldn't save me from this one.

"What solution, Phena?"

"Solution to this"

As if in a spell, my gaze followed the direction of her hands and when they fell on the broken shards, more tears blurred my vision and fell onto the just cleaned floor. Then I looked back at her.

"I am dead, Phena. I am truly dead. My grandfather's been looking for a way to get rid of me, I have just provided him the right opportunity. He'll get rid of me for sure, he'll kill me Phena."

The maid looked at me in helplessness and sympathy. It was no news that my grandfather, Elihas Morbelle, the stoic Alpha of Moonville pack hated me, Issahil Morbelle his granddaughter. He blamed me for a circumstance that was beyond my power.

"He might be hard, but you're still his blood Issa, he can't kill you."

"You don't know him."

"I do know him. And we all know how creatively ruthless he can be with his punishments, but he'll never do anything drastic to his own blood."

I just stared at her. She would not understand. She would not understand how wicked Alpha Elihas could be. The man hated me. He loathed my very existence. Breaking his prized possession had given him the excuse to do with me whatever he'd always wanted to.

"Phena, you won't understand."

She stared at me for several seconds, then spoke.

"That may be true. But I certainly understand that sitting there and crying your eyes out will not proffer any solution. Stand up and be strong, Issa. Let's try to find a way around this."

I decided to do as she'd instructed. I had no solutions and she was providing one, even though I was yet to know how this would save me from whatever punishment my grandfather would have for me if he found out about this.

"What do you suggest?"

I sniffled and hopelessly walked closer to her.

She didn't say anything. Just stared at the broken pieces. I also stared with her, the more I stared, the more I felt like disappearing from this world.

"Well?"

I swiped at tears. I was now looking at her, hoping she would tell me she had magical powers that could fix this, but she didn't. Then slowly she raised her gaze to my face. I saw it on her face before she'd even said it.

"I just realized there is no way to piece them together. They are irreparably broken."

I already knew that was the case but her confirmation just broke me more.

"Stop crying."

"I...I...I'm.."

She came and wrapped me in an embrace. I was a very emotional person and too soft-hearted. I wish I was more like Lillian, my cousin. She was strong, I have never seen her show weakness. I wish I was more like her. I could already envision her pretending all was well and even daring to challenge even though she was at fault. But what gave me the guts to stand up to my grandfather? A man who saw me as his enemy.

"It's okay, Issa. Let's just accept it has happened. There's nothing anyone can do about it. Let's just clean up this mess and finish tidying up his place before he gets back."

I nodded, accepting defeat and pensively await my punishment. I picked up the broom and started gathering the shards. I was just done when I heard someone trying to open the door from outside. My heart flew and my eyes became saucer-wide with alarm and fear.

"Phena"

I whisper-yelled, suddenly needing her by my side.

"Phena."

I walked closer to the entrance of the chamber, but she was already coming out.

"What is it?"

"Someone is at the door."

"Who?"

Her eyes darted to the door and came back on me.

"I don't know."

"Let's go find out."

"What if he's the one?"

"We've already been through this, Issa. There's nothing we can do. Let's just hope for the best. I'm sorry."

I understood her. There was nothing to do, really.

"Who locked this door?"

My chest constricted immediately and my hands went cold with nerves.

"He's the one."

Phena was scared too but she was trying not to show it.

"We can't keep him waiting, it will only get worse."

I couldn't go near the door so Phena went and opened it. And true enough, there was my grandfather, the tall, strong Alpha of Moonville, his eyes as vicious as they were sharp. They landed on me and I didn't miss the hatred I saw in them.

Issahil

"What is going on here? And why was I locked outside my own room?"

That question was meant for the both of us, but his eyes were solely stationed on me. I shivered at his angry glares. He was always angry and rough with me, and it usually scared me. But today, because of what I'd unintentionally done, the fear was crippling. I was almost tempted to find a wall for support and my eyes were stinging with tears I was struggling to contain.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. It was a mistake on my part."

Phena spoke. I could barely form a sentence.

"A mistake?"

"Yes, Alpha. I had gone out to ease myself and when I came back, I closed the door without even realizing it. And you had just come in few minutes after I came in. I'm sorry, my Alpha."

He said nothing more to her.

"You!"

He pointed to me.

I swallowed.

"Yes, Alpha?"

He had ordered I give him the same respect like every one of his subjects. But that wasn't the case for Lillian, she called him grandfather.

"What are you still doing cleaning here? I thought you'd be done by now and tend to trimming the gardens outside."

"I'm sorry, Alpha. I..I.."

I became tongue-tied. My brain was in a scramble. Fear was not letting me think straight.

"Yes?"

Then I felt his move from my face to the oak-wood table behind me. My stomach lurched. Please, don't let me see. Please, don't let him see. Please, don't let him see. But even as I chanted those words, it was futile because he would see.

"Where is my vase?"

And he had seen. Tears flowed limitlessly, and I didn't bother to stop them.

"And why are you crying? Who whipped you?"

A rock type of hardness edged his voice.

"No...no one Alpha."

I quickly cleaned my face with the hem of my dress.

"I ask again, where is my vase?"

Phena and I exchanged nervous looks. Phena didn't look like she wanted to say anything about it. She'd helped me enough by lying about the reason why she'd closed the door.

"Where is my vase?!"

I flinched, and wordlessly shifted to give him a better view. His gaze landed on the floor and they became murderous.

"Is that my vase? What in the world happened to it?!"

He roared thunderously. His grey orbs darkened in great fury. I could swear I almost saw fire burning in his eyes.

"I broke it by mistake, Alpha." I went on my knees immediately. "I'm sorry Alpha, it was a mistake. I was cleaning and then, I didn't know how it toppled off the table and before I could get to it, it had landed and shattered to piece. Oh please, have mercy on my Alpha. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."

I begged as if my life depended on those pleas, and in a every sense, my life did depend on my pleas.

"You broke my vase? How dare you touch it what belongs to me? Everything that gets connected to you gets destroyed."

His words tortured me. I knew what he was referring to. He had always blamed me for my mother's death. She was his beloved daughter and ever since she died giving birth to me, he'd always blamed me for it.

"Alpha please, it wasn't intentional."

But he wasn't listening to me and he no longer cared that Phena was there.

"Shut up, you stupid girl. You are of no use to me here in my pack. You are as useless as the man who impregnated my daughter with an evil that killed her."

Oh Mother of the Moon, what have I done to have warranted these heartbreaking words? My heart crumbled. Because of a vase? It wasn't even intentional.

"Grandfather, why? What did I do to deserve these mean utterances?"

"What did you just call me?!"

But I was no longer paying attention to his words. I was broken. Just then, I heard some people rush in.

"What's wrong, father?"

That was Duncan Morbelle. My uncle and the only son of my grandfather rushed in.

"What's wrong, grandfather?"

Lillian was here too. Just perfect. Family embarrassment. I was the outcast of the family.

"She broke my vase."

He growled.

"What? Where?"

Lillian asked, then she saw the pieces on the floor. The she let her gaze roam to where I was.

"You broke grandfather's most expensive vase?"

"It was a mistake."

My voice was low and defeated.

"No, it wasn't. You were just careless. You always have been careless."

I wasn't careless but when you're the whole family's rejected, anything goes. I didn't reply her. I was two years older than Lillian but she spoke to me rudely and treated me bad too.

"How could you be so careless, Issahil?"

My uncle Duncan asked. His voice was calm but I could clearly hear the accusation in his tone.

I didn't say any word.

"Answer me!"

He raised his voice, obviously upset that I had ignored him.

"It was a mistake, uncle."

"That was my father's vase, and you know he loved that vase."

"It wasn't intentional, I swear it uncle."

"Shut up, you careless girl."

My grandfather admonished, anger could still be detected heavily in his tone. I wasn't sure it the vase any longer, he just looked for reasons to always torment me. Treating me like a slave wasn't enough for him, he had to make sure I was constantly humiliated and insulted. I wish I knew where my father was. I would have ran to him, left this place of unhappiness and agony. This pack was a nightmare to me. My family made sure they drained anything that had the smallest possibility of making me smile.

"I know what to do."

My grandfather spoke.

"What do you plan to do, grandfather?"

Lillian was always looking forward to my period of humiliation and punishment, she enjoyed it and used it as an opportunity to constantly remind me that I was the family's rejected.

"I am going to sell her off as a slave to the Alpha of Nightshade pack."

Issahil

Tears uncontrollably fell as the carriage pulled up in front of the pack's manor. I couldn't believe he would do this. That he would go this extreme just to show how much he hated me.

"At least, you'll take your ill-luck away from me."

My grandfather hatefully whispered in my ear.

"Grandfather, please."

"Don't call me that, you evil thing."

"Alpha please, I'll do anything you want. You can throw me in the cell, have the guards flog me. Anything. But please don't make me go with him."

"You leave me no choice. I am tired of seeing you in my pack. I want you gone."

He spat in disgust.

The Alpha of Nightshade pack, Logan Night was the known enemy of Moonville's pack. And though it was speculated that he and my grandfather had signed a peace treaty and were now allies, the authenticity of their alliance was still in question. My grandfather was known to be strict, powerful and ruthless, but compared to Alpha Logan, he was considered nice. Alpha Logan was more powerful, extremely ruthless and high-handed. I watched my grandfather go meet him as he stepped down from his big carriage. They both walked up to me.

"This is the girl."

My grandfather introduced me.

"Hm."

The younger Alpha studied me, giving me a once-over, unsmiling. There was this mean streak about him, and it terrified me. This was the devil my grandfather was willing to sell me to, just to get rid of me. Tears of self-pity poured and I hastily wiped them so the young Alpha wouldn't see. My grandfather had warned me not to do anything that might make the young Alpha angry.

"Who is she to you?"

He had this deep voice had contained authority and iciness.

"She's someone irrelevant to me. I just need you to take her away as your slave. Do with her whatever you want."

"Hm."

Another long, expressionless scrutiny. I was almost tempted to run back to the room I shared with the servants and stay locked in till I was sure he was gone, but I knew better than to do such.

"Any issue?"

"Not at all, Alpha Elihas."

"Then why the hesitation and silence?"

"Just taking a look at what I'm buying."

Oh my goodness, I was more or less a commodity now. A common thing to be sold and bought at whim. I surreptitiously blinked back tears threatening to well.

"She's going to be worth your time."

Alpha Elihas Morbelle was that desperate to give me, his granddaughter away to his greatest, most wicked foe. The pain that hit my chest was choking but I held it in. Pretended to be unfazed, though it was quite difficult.

"I can see that already."

Alpha Logan replied, his gaze on my face.

"So what do you say?"

"It's a done deal."

The younger Alpha signaled one of his men to come forward with the price they'd agreed on. Within minutes, the exchange was made and I was put in the carriage. My silent pleas to my grandfather one more time didn't change his mind, I had no choice but to follow my new master. Broken and betrayed, as the carriage started its journey back to Alpha Logan's pack, I wondered what lay ahead for me in this new place that was going to be home for a long, long period of time.

"Are you crying?"

The Alpha's voice was mocking. I hadn't even realized that tears had escaped and were effortlessly trailing down my cheeks, dropping on my dress.

I didn't reply him. I just quickly wiped them.

"Did you just ignore an Alpha?"

I whipped my head to pay him attention at the growing anger in his tone.

"I'm sorry, Alpha."

I bowed my head as a sign of respect and acknowledgement to his status as an Alpha king.

"Look at me."

I did, he looked angry still. My heart thudded. Had I offended him already? It was too early for me to be on his bad side.

"I...I'm sorry."

I tried apologizing again.

"Listen to me!"

I jolted in fear from the harsh commanding tone. I blinked away tears.

"There are some things you need to learn if you're going to be living with me as my slave."

I swallowed and waited for him to continue.

"One, you must never ignore me. Two, you must never speak unless I ask you too. Three, you must always respect me as your Alpha."

I listened to him as he went on and on about things I should and should not do if I was to never be on his side. I listened with rapt attention as though my life depended on it. He was brutal than my grandfather and if a family could do what he had done to me, a stranger whom I had no ties with would definitely do worse. The very thought made me hold on to each word that came from his lips tightly.

"Do you understand me?"

He inquired when he was done. His brows quirked and his expression daring as if he was expecting me to falter or make any silly mistakes.

"Yes, Alpha."

"Good."

He gave a stiff nod, and I was a bit relieved when he left me alone after that. I allowed my wallow in depressing thoughts, why me? What would this new life offer me? Would I live out my life being his slave?

"Who is Alpha Elihas to you?"

"He's my grandfather."

His eyes widened a bit in shock, but the expression was gone before I could get a good grasp of it.

"Really? Interesting."

I didn't know how to reply that, so I just twiddled the hem of my gown.

"Why would Alpha Elihas sell his own granddaughter? Are you that bad?"

I still have no reply to that but he looked at me as if he was expecting a reply.

"I...I don't know, Alpha."

I had to save myself from any punishment.

"We're here, Alpha."

The driver of the carriage announced and when I looked, we had arrived in Nightshade pack.