Third Chance Mate

Prologue

A third Chance Mate is incredibly rare in the werewolf world, and it had never been heard of before.

Astrid is a young girl who has been abused by her parents, and her pack may be treated worse than enslaved people, while her brothers are lavished with everything.

Astrid had always wanted to marry the son of her pack's Alpha. She has been drawn to him since they were children.

Astrid grows up hoping to be his Mate one day.

Fate conspires in her favor, and they are fated to be mates, but he rejects Astrid as soon as he learns of the circumstance.

Astrid is distraught and believes she has no way out of her situation. There is still hope that she will find her second chance partner, but after a few days, she begins to feel misery, the kind of grief that only comes when a mate dies.

She loses all faith in ever finding happiness and accepts all of the calamities thrown at her, believing she deserves everything.

She becomes aware of the approach of something peculiar one day. She feels a connection with someone who is facing away from her and realizes he is her third chance mate.

She wants to approach him, but she is afraid of being rejected again, so she runs before her Mate even realizes who she is. Was her decision to depart the right one? Is it feasible that this may turn out to be her worst mistake? Because she had been assigned the Vampire King as her 'Third Chance Mate.'

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As his finger traveled down my throat and down to my chest, I swallowed.

I backed up against the wall even further.

"You have no idea how badly I want your blood right now," he huskily muttered in my ear, causing chills to appear on my skin.

"Then why don't you try it?" I asked, turning away from him.

"I don't want to hurt you. I don't know why I want your blood. I should be disgusted by my Mate's blood. It's against my nature to want thirst for your blood," he said, but he seemed to be holding himself back from approaching me.

I entwined his hands with mine, placed one hand on his exposed chest, and held it there.

"You feel like I don't have a heartbeat," he continued, peering into my eyes, which had turned crimson from staring at me.

"But you make me feel things that I can't even put into words; you make me feel alive," he added, admiringly looking at me.

I was drawn to him all of a sudden.

"Are you trying to persuade me?" I inquired.

"No, my queen, I wouldn't do that," he responded, irritated. "I can compel everyone around me," he said, "but my compulsion will not work on you."

"Please," I pleaded.

"Please what?" he asked, his palm resting on my throat.

"Feed from me," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking at me with skepticism.

"Yes," I said, nodding.

He stared me in the eyes and began to descend towards me.

He absorbed my aroma as he buried his head in the nook of my neck.

I cocked my head to allow him better access. He licked my delicate place and brushed his fangs on my neck.

I was startled to feel his teeth pierce my skin.

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I shook as I felt agonizing pain coursing through my body as if I were on fire.

I felt as though I had been teleported to an unknown location. I felt as if bits of coal were being rained on my body.

Suddenly, I felt a chilling sensation rush through my arm, which really calmed me down.

Then I noticed him, holding me in his arms and beaming at me.

"You can do it, Astrid. There is nothing you can't accomplish," he encouraged me, and I felt like I was being teleported back to reality, but the pain wasn't going away.

I noticed my brown hair going yellow and then white, and tattoos began to develop on my arms. They were strange designs that I couldn't comprehend, but they seemed to tell a tale.

I'll figure it out later, but right now isn't the time for me to worry about my partner, who I don't even know if he's alive or not.

I stood up with my limping form.

"No, this cannot happen. Our King cannot die," everyone around me exclaimed.

I pushed everyone aside and hurried over to my Mate, who was lifeless on the ground.

I tried shaking him, but he wouldn't get up.

I screamed and called his name, but it was in vain.

I became enraged and let out a snarl that shook the surrounding area.

"You can't die on me," I yelled, and everyone covered their ears because the ferocity was too much for them.

I was in denial about how much pain I was in. Instead, I was focused on my dead Mate.

Everyone gasped in horror and fled from me when I opened my eyes.

I felt a surge of energy within me. As I looked around, I saw that I was emitting an ombré of light that surrounded my Mate and me separating us from the rest of the world.

It seemed to drain my energies, and I felt as if my life was being pulled out of my soul.

I soon sank beside him on the ground.

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Please comment down and let me know your thoughts. I hope you are enjoying it. <3

1. Frustrated Life

Astrid's POV:

"Astrid, get up." Someone sprayed water on my face.

I know exactly who it is. I moaned in my sleep, wanting nothing more than to be alone.

My blanket was removed from me, and I noticed a draft of cold air coming from the door beside the dining room.

It was my mother, disturbed by my eight o'clock morning slumber. Despite my repeated explanations about my pack duty at night, she insisted I get up. She argued that I was a girl and had already brought them enough embarrassment; they couldn't afford further tardiness. I'd mentioned countless times that I'd only slept at 4 a.m., but my mother scolded me, claiming I'd already had enough sleep

I exhaled and opened my eyes. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs because if I keep going at this rate, I'm sure I'll go nuts from a lack of sleep and rest.

I wouldn't even have the luxury of adjusting to my new surroundings. I was about to plunge into a list of errands before heading to school.

"Get up and tidy the whole house. I want you to do it before you go to school," Mom said as she exited the dining hall.

I am Astrid Stephnie Jones, and this is how I spend my early mornings. Being the only daughter brought me nothing but exhaustion and managing everything on my own.

I don't sleep in the living room because I'm treated like a maid, but because it's my choice.. Because there are only three bedrooms in the house, one of which is inhabited by my parents and the other two by my elder brothers, I was forced to sleep in the living room. I wouldn't say I liked it there, so I asked to use the dining room, which was gratefully approved.

It was big enough to contain everything while still leaving enough space to roam around freely.

Furthermore, I was never appreciated for all of the hard work I put into my entire day, and if I slept a little late, I was subjected to ridicule.

On the other hand, my two brothers, who work a little late and are not disturbed for an eternity. It made me wonder why they got special treatment while I felt neglected. My mother said it was because they were tired from their hard work the previous day and deserved rest. But, that same mother couldn't see her daughter's struggle, balancing school, housework, and working as a waitress at night in a restaurant and not to mention the pack duties.

It breaks my heart to see the woman who brought me into this world treat me this way. I adore her because I know how much she loves her children. She used to shower me with affection until a few years ago, and I don't know what happened all of a sudden that changed for her to treat me so coldly.

I know my brothers work hard as well, with pack chores and their own work to attend to, and they need to rest, but why are others so insensitive to me?

Once I finished my chores, I would head to school, knowing that new challenges awaited me there. After school, I would go to the restaurant to work, without which I couldn't manage my expenses. Then again, I was responsible for my own costs. I never liked depending on anyone, not even my parents.

But I'm not complaining. After all, I enjoy the feeling of taking responsibility for myself.

I've never liked to rely on anyone, including my parents, to give it to me, but it hurts at times not to receive the love they show to others, but I guess it's not in my fate.

I got up from my bed and did everything, packed my bag, and left for school.

I was walking aimlessly when I fell against a stone and was about to drop face-first on the ground when a soothing aroma overwhelmed me, accompanied by a pair of arms securely wrapped around my waist.

I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief that I was at least rescued. Still, I dreaded having to turn around and face him because I was afraid I'd lose myself looking into those blue eyes.

"Astrid, are you all right?" he asked, clutching my waist.

I gathered my courage and stood up, embracing myself before turning around to face him.

I pursed my lips in a thin line, cursing myself internally for being careless, which had left me in this situation.

I summoned all of my courage and told myself mentally not to act stupidly.

"Oh, Edward, hello," I said, smiling at my crush.

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2. Werewolf realm

Astrid's POV:

"Oh, Edward, hello," I said, a smile gracing my lips as I greeted my long-time crush.

"I believe someone preoccupied your mind, which resulted in you stumbling," he smirked at me.

He was the most charming young man I'd ever met, but I reminded myself that his chivalry wasn't exclusive to me. My heart, however, couldn't help but flutter at his boyish grin.

"Umm... no, I'm okay?" I replied, my words sounding more like a question. My mind had once again drifted off into the memories of our childhood days.

Back in kindergarten, Edward and I were inseparable, but as time passed, he seemed to grow distant.. Still, I was still holding on to the promise he made at the time. His words echoed in my mind, and my thoughts wandered down memory lane.

"When we grow up, Astrid, we're going to be mates," he said as we both built a sandcastle.

"Really, Edward?" I asked, my eyes wide with amazement.

"Yes, and look, I'll build a castle like this for you, where we can both play all day," Edward replied, taking my hand in his.

"Wow, so I'm going to be Luna?" I asked, and he nodded. "But I don't have a wolf like you."

"But I have one," Edward exclaimed, leaping to his feet and transforming into his brown wolf, even though he was still a pup.

I stood up and clapped as I saw him wag his tail at me, and then he licked me.

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"Astrid, are you still with me?"Edward asked, snapping his fingers in front of my face.

"Huh?" I gave him a sidelong glance.

"Wired, you zone out a lot," he muttered to himself.

"Thanks for saving me, Edward. I swear, I'm getting clumsier by the day," I said, scratching the back of my neck..

"It's okay, Astrid," he said, looking at his wristwatch and then at me. "Can I catch up with you later? I have a class to attend," he asked, his face strained from the time constraint.

He is in his senior year, and exams are just around the corner.

I'm in my senior year too, but it's due to my outstanding grades. I am the youngest in the class, although Edward and I only shared one subject.

"Oh, okay, see you later then," I said as I nodded and watched him walk away.

I grumbled and turned to walk inside the school, but I still had about an hour until my classes began.

Instead of going straight to school, I opted for a different route and ended up in a nearby park. I settled onto a bench, my thoughts drifting towards the young man I'd just spoken to, Edward Hudson.

If it isn't evident, I've had feelings for him since we were kids. He is the sweetest, calmest, and most humble person I have ever encountered, but that attitude isn't reserved solely for me; he treated everyone with the same kindness.

Even though we don't talk much, I have a great attraction to him, and the only thing I ask the moon goddess is for him to be my mate.

I wasn't sure if my prayers would be answered because I still hadn't awakened my wolf.

Humans have an erroneous belief that our wolves appear when we are adolescents. Still, the truth is that we, as werewolves, are born with our wolves, who remain in our heads until we reach the age of three, at which point they appear as pups.

The period can sometimes be extended, but the deadline for our wolf to appear is by the age of ten, although I am an exception.

Everyone says they start talking to their wolves as infants and grow up with the feeling of having someone inside you. Everything appears biological, and their body adapts to it like an organ, but I don't know what that feels like because again, I don't have a wolf.

While everyone my age had their wolves appear at the age of three, and in some rare cases, infants as young as one are said to change into their wolf form, Still, I haven't witnessed that yet, but here I was, even after ten years of waiting, and my wolf didn't appear, and when I informed my mother about it, she was shocked. She questioned me about how I hadn't had a conversation with my wolf. When I denied it, she repeatedly questioned me about whether this had been the case since I was a kid. I didn't feel any of those things, so I denied everything.

My mother was distraught when she found I didn't have a wolf, which is a shame and disgrace coming from a werewolf family. She couldn't believe that I had never communicated with my wolf, even as a child..

Maybe that's why my mother dislikes me; after all, she is the daughter of an alpha who was mated to an omega.

Being an Omega didn't mean being inferior; it was the third rank in our world, and it was a position of respect and honor.

Alpha is the superior of all, followed by Beta, who is second in command, and Omega, who is third in charge.

Actually, it is a revered position, and everyone except Alpha and Beta admires and appreciates Omega. So, I am no less than royalty in terms of family relationships.

Skylar Jones and Lance Jones are my two brothers.

As I pondered my situation, I couldn't help but question why I didn't have a wolf while my brothers did.

My phone rang, a reminder that my class was about to start. I clung to one last hope-that my misery would end when Edward chose me as his mate.

Werewolves find their partners on the 'Red Moon Night,' which occurs only once a year. Anyone over the age of nineteen will discover their partners on that night.

Though I am not yet nineteen, I have one more year until I reach that age, and I hope to experience the mate link once Edward makes me his mate.

I hoisted my bag off the bench and headed back towards school.

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