Sold To My Second-Chance Mate

Tonight was supposed to be a night of triumph. A night where I stood beside my mate, the man the Moon Goddess had fated me to, as he ascended to his rightful place as Alpha. Instead, I stood at the edge of the grand ballroom, my hands clenched at my sides, my throat tight with humiliation.

The hall was dazzling, chandeliers bathed the room in warm light, casting a golden glow over the guests who laughed, drank, and celebrated. It should have been a perfect night. But the moment my husband stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere stirred.

Damian looked every bit the Alpha in his tailored black suit, his piercing green eyes sweeping over the crowd with authority. His presence commanded attention, his dark hair perfectly styled, his lips curled in a smirk that made the she-wolves in the room sigh in admiration. And yet, despite being his Luna, the woman who had stood by his side through blood and sacrifice, he hadn't even looked at me.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat as an Elder raised a glass to toast him. "To the future of the Bloodthorn pack! To our new Alpha, Damian Stormborn!" The hall erupted in cheers, glasses clinking, voices chanting praises to him.

Tradition dictated that as the newly crowned Alpha, Damian would turn to me, and acknowledge my role together in leading the pack. But he didn't.

Instead, Damian, smirk widened, and he reached out-not for me, but for her.

Vivian.

The hall fell silent as he pulled her onto the stage, his arm wrapping around her waist with a possessiveness that he had never shown me in public. The blonde she-wolf's lips curled in satisfaction as she leaned into his touch, her violet dress clinging to her perfect figure.

"Damian-" My voice came out barely above a whisper, but he didn't even flinch.

Instead, he turned to the crowd, his voice strong and unwavering. "This night is about celebrating not just my leadership, but the people who have stood by me. The ones who truly matter." He glanced down at Vivian, staring at her with admiration.

"I wouldn't be standing here today without her, she has been my backbone and my greatest support"

A murmur rippled through the room. My heart twisted painfully as I stared at them, at how naturally she fit against his side, at how the pack accepted it.

Vivian lifted her chin, her smug gaze flickering to me for a split second before she turned back to Damian, feigning humility. "Damian, you give me too much credit."

He chuckled, tightening his grip on her waist. "Never, you deserve everything, you have been so helpful to me"

A sharp pain lanced through my chest as if our mate bond itself was splintering apart. It wasn't just the public humiliation, it was the realization that Damian had never planned to honor me. That I was merely an obligation to him, while Vivian was his choice.

The pack's Elder shifted uncomfortably, his gaze darting toward me as if expecting me to make a scene. But what was I supposed to do? Fight for a place at my own mate's side when he had just declared, in front of our entire pack, that someone else was more deserving?

My fingers trembled at my sides, but I refused to let my pain show.

Damian turned back to the pack, raising his glass. "To a new era. To strength, power, and the future of Silvercrest."

"To Silvercrest!" The pack echoed, unaware of the pain that tightened my chest.

I couldn't recognize Damian anymore, where were those soft eyes that had always looked at me with love?

How about the soft lips that had whispered lovely words of affirmation to me at night?

I couldn't find all of this, they were replaced with stern eyes and lips that sang praises to another woman.

And then, just when I thought the night couldn't get worse, Damian did something unforgivable.

"Lena Nightshade," Damian's voice boomed, echoing through the open-air arena. "You are a disgrace to this pack. A faithless, lying mate who doesn't deserve the title of my Luna."

A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd. I could feel the stares piercing my skin, the judgment, the whispers. My wolf weakened and barely responsive, curled into herself in my mind.

"Damian, please," I whispered, stepping closer. "Don't do this here. Whatever you want to say, we can... settle at home"

"Silence!" He snarled, eyes flashing with Alpha dominance, forcing my legs to tremble. He turned to the pack, his expression filled with contempt.

"You all know in this pack, we cherish loyalty. Our mates are supposed to be our fated halves, our destiny. And yet, this woman-" He lifted a trembling hand and pointed at me as if I were filth.

"This woman is a whore."

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

My stomach plummeted.

"Kieran-what are you-?"

And then the screen behind him flickered to life.

I turned just in time to see the worst moment of my life playing before hundreds of eyes.

It was me, stark naked and vulnerable, entangled in the arms of another man.

A strangled sob clawed up my throat.

"No-no, this isn't me"

The crowd's reaction was filled with shock and outrage.

"Disgusting!"

"A Luna should be pure!"

"She betrayed the Alpha!"

I stumbled back, shaking my head wildly.

"I didn't-this isn't real!" My voice cracked, but it didn't matter.

He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to Vivian's temple.

"Will you be my Luna?" He pulled a ring out and knelt before Vivian,

She beamed in excitement, her face filled with smug smiles as she stole victorious glances at me.

I clenched my fists tight as I struggled to keep the tears that flooded my eyes from dropping down.

I was not going to cry anymore, not after the countless times I had cried and begged him to start loving me the right way, the way I truly deserved.

The hall grew noisy from the shouts of pack members.

"Say yes, Say yes" their voices echoed, urging Vivian to accept the marriage proposal.

My chest tightened with despair as tears welled up my eyes. I knew Kieran had been cheating on me all these while but did he decide to openly disgrace me?

I couldn't believe he asked me to follow him here just to humiliate and make jest of me.

The people that are meant to protect me were also shoving me away?

Supporting Vivian, my husband's mistress, and rejecting me?

That was just too much for me to handle in a single day.

"I think I should leave, now" I whispered to myself as I made to turn back not until a hand gripped me.

It was Damian.

"You can't go now!" He commanded, his voice laced with authority. Just when I thought I had been tortured enough, Beta Aldric made his way through the crowd, a pack of files clasped tightly in his hands.

He handed over a file to me, as he stared directly into my face.

"Sign this!"

My heart skipped a beat as I glanced at the papers.

"Divorce?"

"Damian, what the hell is all this about?" I questioned, my voice cracking with pain.

"Haven't you tortured me enough?" I protested, causing the crowd to explode into murmurs.

"He is also divorcing her" a voice cut through the crowd, making my chest tighten.

"I knew she had always been a burden to him," another added.

"She is not fit to be Luna, I had always known that" they supported.

"You are just a pathetic burden to me, Lena, you aren't fit to be my Luna and today, I, Alpha Damian reject you, Lena Leon as my mate, your position as Luna has been denounced".

His words confirmed my fears, Damian had just rejected me and that was the end.

"You can sign the papers now" he ordered, his voice cold and icy, lacking no flicker of regret.

I took hold of the papers, it was from the Council of Elders, and seeing Damian's signature stamped on it, I knew that was the end.

There is no sort of reverse.

I gently scrawled my signature and name into it, my eyes burning with tears.

"Good" Damian nodded immediately, and I handed over the paper to Beta Aldric.

"Now, I need only one more thing from you" Damian flicks his finger lazily, Vivian bursting into a round of hysterical laughter.

"I will reject the mate bond and leave the pack"

"What else?" I queried, as I struggled to stay strong.

My knees buckled as though unable to carry my weight any longer.

"No, Lena you aren't going anywhere, I may have divorced you but I still own you" he stated.

Before I could make sense of the whole situation, two gammas gripped me from behind.

How they gripped me made it obvious that I wouldn't be escaping anytime soon.

"What the hell is going on, Damian?" I shouted, struggling against the iron grip of the two gammas holding me from behind. My heart pounded, and panic clawed at my chest.

Damian stood a few feet away, his gaze as cold and unreadable as ever.

The man I had once believed was my fated mate, now looked at me with nothing but indifference.

He exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples as if I were nothing more than a nuisance. "Don't make this harder than it has to be, Lena."

"Harder?"

My breath hitched. What the hell was he talking about?

I jerked against the gammas' hold, but their fingers dug into my arms.

"Let me go! What's happening?"

Damian's jaw clenched, but he didn't move to stop them. Instead, he tilted his head toward the looming figure beside him. A man I hadn't even noticed in my panic.

The man exuded an aura so commanding that the air in the room seemed to tremble around him. His presence sent a shiver down my spine before I even fully registered who he was.

His dark, calculating eyes met mine. A gaze so piercing it made my knees weak, his expression void of emotions.

I recognized him immediately.

Alpha Kyler.

The name alone sent fear lancing through my chest. The ruthless Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack. The man whose name was whispered in terror across the werewolf realm.

Kyler chuckled a low and dangerous sound that made the hair on the back of my neck rise. "Did you think you could stay in this pack forever, unwanted?" His voice was smooth filled with mockery.

"Your pack is owing me and you are the price" he thundered, with a voice laced with finality.

My pulse thundered. "I am not some object to be traded! You can't do this to me!"

But my protest was useless. The gammas tightened their grip as I thrashed, my nails scraping against their skin. One of them growled and yanked my arms behind my back, forcing me still.

Kyler took a step closer, his gaze raked over me, as though assessing me.

"You're not in a position to negotiate, Lena."

I turned back to Damian, my vision blurring with unshed tears. "Please, don't do this." I hated how my voice shook, how weak I sounded. But I wasn't begging for myself. I was begging for the life I was about to lose.

For a fleeting moment, something flickered in Damian's eyes, regret? Guilt? But it was gone just as quickly, replaced with the same detached expression he always wore when looking at me.

"This is for the best,"

"The pack is owing a lot of debts so I decided to do this, Kyler would be needing you, he needs a she-wolf from the Bloodthorn pack to bear him pups and you are the perfect fit," he said flatly.

I let out a strangled laugh, hysteria bubbling in my chest. "You rejected me, and now you're selling me off like cattle?" My voice dripped with disbelief and venom.

Kyler smirked, clearly enjoying my outburst. "If it's any consolation, Lena, I paid a high price for you."

His words made my blood turn to ice.

"Take her," Kyler ordered.

The gammas didn't hesitate. They began dragging me toward the exit, my feet stumbling as I fought against their hold. "No! You can't do this! I belong here!"

"You belong to me now," Kyler corrected smoothly.

I twisted my head back, one last desperate glance at Damian."Damian, don't do this! Please.."

But he didn't move, neither did he say a word. He just stood there, watching as I was dragged away.

And that silence shattered me more than anything else.

*****

After three hours...

I scanned the room thoroughly immediately, my eyes snapped open.

I was not in the Silvermoon pack. The walls were a testament to that. My heart still raced from the brutal reality that I had been sold like a piece of property.

The gammas who had dragged me here hadn't even bothered to be gentle. They shoved me inside before slamming the door shut, the finality of the sound ringing in my ears.

I had no idea where I was, no idea what he planned to do with me.

And worst of all, I had no idea how the hell to escape.

I paced the room, scanning for anything that could help me. But there was nothing except for a large bed, a single window that was bolted shut, and a dresser with a few objects scattered on top.

I clenched my fists, swallowing down the lump in my throat. I wouldn't let Alpha Kyler, that monster, think I was weak.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, the door creaked open.

And he walked in.

His presence sucked all the air out of the room, and I hated how my body tensed in response.

"You're finally awake," Kyler said smoothly, his lips curving into a smirk. He stepped closer, his every move deliberate, calculated.

"Welcome home, little puppet."

The word sent a violent shiver through me. My entire body stiffened as anger surged in my veins. "I am not your puppet," I spat, my voice laced with defiance.

Kyler chuckled, the sound low and amused. "You are exactly what I say you are."

My eyes flickered with anger. I wouldn't let him control me nor be his plaything

My gaze darted to the dresser, and before I could think twice, my fingers closed around the sharp letter opener resting on top.

With one swift motion, I turned and lunged.

I aimed straight for his chest, my heart pounding so hard I thought I might burst. But Kyler was too fast to catch the object.

The moment our bodies collided, everything stopped.

A shockwave rippled through me, and an unfamiliar scent crashed into my senses, My fingers slackened around the weapon, my entire body trembling as warmth spread through my skin, as if the universe itself had branded me with an undeniable truth.

Kyler inhaled sharply. His hands were on my wrists now, holding me still, his grip bruising but not cruel. His smirk had vanished.

We both stared at each other, realization sinking in.

" No, this couldn't be true" I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Mate.." he whispered and before I could say jack, my vision went blurred as though all the blood had been drained out of me and then slowly, I gave into darkness.

****

A dull ache pulsed at the back of my skull as I stirred awake. My body felt heavy, my limbs sluggish, as if I had been drugged.

I sucked in a breath, my heart racing. How long had I been out?

My gaze flicked to the ornate clock on the far wall. Four hours. I had wasted four hours sleeping while trapped in my enemy's den.

I sat up quickly, ignoring the headache pounding behind my temples. My pulse hammered as I scanned the room. I need to get out now.

I shoved the blankets off me and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. My bare feet met cold wooden floors, sending a shiver up my spine but there was no time to hesitate.

I rushed toward the door and twisted the knob but it was locked. I gritted my teeth, yanking harder, but it wouldn't budge.

I spun on my heels, searching for another way. Then my gaze caught the windows.

I dashed toward the heavy curtains and yanked them apart. My stomach twisted as I stared at it. Reinforced glass. No hinges. No way to pry it open.

Damn it.

I turned to the closet, it was empty and then the bathroom? No vents big enough to crawl through. Every possible exit had been designed to keep me trapped. Kyler had planned this but I refuse to be caged.

The moon goddess must have been playing an expensive joke to mate with a ruthless Alpha.

Desperation fueled me as I searched again, my hands skimming over every corner. Then I spotted a vent near the ceiling. It was small, but big enough for me.

I grabbed a nearby chair and climbed onto it, pushing at the cover. It was screwed in tight, but I kept prying, forcing my fingers into the edges. The metal bent slightly, and with one last shove, it popped loose.

I didn't hesitate.

I squeezed into the narrow space, my breath shallow as I crawled forward. The air inside was thick with dust, making it hard to breathe, but I pushed on.

After what felt like forever, I reached an opening. I peeked through, scanning the hallway below it was empty.

I slipped out carefully, landing softly on the floor. My heart thundered in my chest as I crept forward, every muscle in my body coiled tight with fear.

Then I heard it. It was faint at first but as I drew closer, it became louder.

The moans from intimacy.

"Take me,"

"Harder, ahh..ahh, deeper"

My stomach clenched in disgust.

The sounds were coming from behind a set of double doors down the hall which I detected to be Kyler's room.

A sharp, bitter taste filled my mouth. Of course, he was in there with someone else, already entertaining another woman while I was locked away.

I shouldn't care but I wondered why I was beginning to feel hurt.

"He can do whatever he wishes for all I care, I have bigger things to worry about" I muttered under my breath, consoling myself.

I forced my legs to move, swallowing the lump in my throat. I wasn't about to waste another second.

Finally, I reached another opening. I peeked through. The hallway below was empty, perfect the way I wanted.

I slipped out, landing softly on the floor. My heart pounded with adrenaline as I crept forward, carefully and quietly.

I was a few meters away from the entrance door when I heard a voice.

"Going somewhere, little wolf?"

My body froze in shock.

"Going somewhere, little wolf?" My voice cut through the silence, making her freeze.

For a moment, she didn't move. Then, slowly, she turned to face me, her breath unsteady, her dark eyes locking onto mine.

She didn't look afraid. If anything, she looked defiant.

"Does it matter to you?" she asked, her voice steady.

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I just smiled, because, for the first time, I couldn't deny the fact that Lena was ethereal.

The way her dark hair spilled over her shoulders, wild and unkempt, and her lips were slightly parted as if she was daring me to stop her made my wolf restless.

I shook my head, regaining defiance.

I was an Alpha, and I shouldn't be moved by beauty.

If it was about beauty, then she wouldn't stand a chance with Alison or other she-wolves in the pack.

She was here on a duty and that was to bear me pups owing to the prophecy.

And as for the mate bond, that was just a cruel joke.

She definitely can't be my mate, a divorced Luna?

Hell, No!

My gaze dropped lower, and something in me went deadly still.

The mark on the back of her neck, the mark from our mate bond. It sat on her skin like a scar, a faded reminder of our mate bond.

My hands raced over the mark on her skin and with a force so fast, she shoved them away, her eyes burning with fury.

"Make sure you don't lay those filthy hands on me again" she roared, her voice so loud, shattering my confidence.

"I am sure you should know me by now, no one talks to me in such a manner, little kitten" I growled, my eyes widened.

She let out a cruel smirk.

"From where I am coming from, no one touches me with their sinful hands, the hands that cheated on their mates" she reiterated, breaking every iota of defense I had left.

I left out a sarcastic laugh in response.

"Cheated on my mate?"

"Tell me more of how delusional you think?" I glared at her with a hateful sneer.

"If we are to talk of cheats, you are the real cheat here, you cheated on your mate a few days before his coronation ceremony, doesn't that tell you how shameless you are" My words dropped like an octave.

As though struck with a hard truth, she quietly struggled to keep her mouth closed.

I loved the way my words put her in her rightful place. She was acting so stubborn to my liking. No one had ever dared me how she did

"You seem so stubborn but I think I like your type, they bend at the end" I muttered slowly, gripping her arms in low tones, impossible for her to break free

She struggled with my grip but my hands overpowered her.

"And listen to me, little puppet, let me make this clear"

"You are not my mate, I own you and you would do as I choose, you add give me pups and that's your role"

"Am I clear?" My words were interrupted by a sudden knock on the door, one of the pack guards followed in shortly.

"The Council of Elders are in the meeting already, they are waiting for you" he informed as he bowed down his head and walked away.

I let go of Lena, stealing the last glance at her before walking away.

The Pack Elders were already gathered when I arrived.

Their expressions were as rigid as stone, eyes sharp and expectant, following his every movement. The air crackled with tension as I walked in.

I knew why they were here.

They had come for one purpose - to remind me of the prophecy. To urge me, yet again, to accept the mate bond.

I clenched my jaw, striding toward the head of the long table without acknowledging their murmured greetings. My wolf stirred restlessly beneath me but I pushed the agitation down, gripping the back of the chair with white-knuckled hands.

Elder Marcus, the eldest of the council, cleared his throat.

"The Alpha of Shadowfang shall rise with unmatched strength, yet his fate is bound to the she-wolf of Bloodthorn. Only she shall bear his heir, the key to his legacy. Should their bond be broken, a curse shall awaken-his power shall wane, his wolf shall wither, and Shadowfang shall fall into ruin." He quoted the prophecy to everyone's hearing and I could feel his intense gaze on me, waiting for my reaction.

"Alpha Kyler, the signs are undeniable. The omega you purchased is not just a slave, she is your fated mate."

"You should accept the mate bond, she is from the Bloodthorn pack and the one fated to bear your pups"

My lips curled, a bitter laugh scraping from my throat.

"Fate doesn't control me."

"The prophecy is just a mere historical myth used to frighten pups"

"I am an Alpha with a strong bloodline, I have ruled this pack since I was seventeen without a mate and I can still rule the pack"

"My fate is not tied to an omega, a divorced Luna at that" I protested.

"And however how am I sure she is my true mate, I am sure the Moon Goddess wouldn't be so cruel to mate me with a weak wolf, a divorced Luna"

"She is treacherous, doesn't that drive my point home?"

My patience was already wearing thin and I just wanted to leave their presence.

"You cannot outrun destiny," Elder Elijah interjected.

"The prophecy foretold an omega who would either break your curse or bring ruin to the pack. Rejecting her risks everything."

"Lena bears the mark, the crescent moon at the back of her neck, that alone is a testament of the prophecy, what other proof do you need?

His words hit me hard. I slammed my hand against the table, the sound echoing like a gunshot.

"I have a lover already, I don't think I need a mate and my choice is valid"

Elder Elijah let out a low chuckle as he remained unfazed.

"You can continue with whatever affairs you have with Alison but that doesn't disrupt the fact that Lena is taking over as Luna"

"The mating ceremony would be on a full moon and remember the next full moon is sooner than you think, just a month away" he warned, like a threat coiled in the air.

"I didn't ask for a mate, and I'm sure as well I don't need a fragile omega to save me." My chest heaved, the memory of Lena flashing through my mind.

"She's weak. She wouldn't survive me."

One of the elders leaned forward, fingers interlocking.

"Or maybe you fear she will."

My heart thundered, the words hitting too close to the truth. I turned away, stalking toward the window as the rain raged outside, mirroring the chaos within him.

Because deep down, a part of me knew the elders were right.

And that terrified me more than anything.

"But I am going to make her reject the mate bond, this way I won't be pressured to make her my Luna," I promised myself.