The Alpha Begs for Second Chance

The more he looked at her, the more he wanted her. But he kept himself under control. They ate everything his mother prepared, which wasn’t much. Apparently.

After a few hours of light conversation, in which he told her things about the pack, the sun had gotten very hot against their skin. It must have been lunchtime already.

“Do you want to head back? Or stay a while longer?” Conrad asked her, and she contemplated.

“Can we come back here?” She liked this place.

“Of course. Any time you want. It’s not restricted. I can come with you if I’m not busy.”

Alice nodded. “Let’s go back, then.”

She helped in packing the basket, and they walked back.

“Do you want me to show you around?” Though he told her what she would find in the pack, it was not the same as seeing them.

Alice hesitated. “Can I rest for a while?”

He noticed the way she seemed to wince while asking. “Of course. I should’ve known you would be tired. How long has it been since you last had a fun run?”

“Almost a year?”

“Back in your pack?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t like her answer. It made him think of her situation. Could he probe now? They needed information from her, after all.

“Haven’t had the chance to run since you left?”

She shook her head as she pursed her lips.

“You managed to survive for months, though. That’s something. How did you do it?”

Alice sighed. She knew they would ask her these questions, but still . . .

“Do you want to rest first? I’m sorry if I’m making you remember those unpleasant memories.”

“It’s fine. I know you have to ask.”

Conrad remained silent as they continued to walk.

“We were still alright before I had my eighteenth birthday. He began to change then, the way he treated me and my mother. Although, in the last few years, a lot has already changed. My mother and I didn’t think much of it since he's almost the same towards us. Eventually, he stopped coming home and my mother started acting differently. My mother . . . she urged me to leave. It confused me. I didn’t listen to her. She wouldn’t say anything when I ask why. She explained nothing. Who would want to leave their pack? Alone? I don’t want to be a rogue. And so, I stayed. When he came back . . . he killed her.” Alice took a deep breath and stopped walking. It was horrible.

Conrad could feel her pain. He went to take her into his arms as she cried again. Alice found comfort, something she hadn’t felt in a long while. It was nice to be near him. To be with him. To be in this place. But could she really stay?

“I’m sorry about what you had to go through.” Conrad didn’t have the words. He tried to comfort her the way he knew, pressing kisses on her hair and rubbing her back.

Alice wanted to continue telling him what happened. There was an odd sense of relief that came from letting it all out. She clung to his arms as she told him the rest.

“He came home growling and almost in his wolf form. He trashed everything within his reach. Mother told me to go and run quickly. She managed to give me the bag she prepared. She’s still the pack’s Luna. She’s strong, but not as strong as the Alpha. She did manage to hold him off as I left. She must’ve put up a good fight, allowing me to stop for a minute and apply the potion she said I should use when I leave. I didn’t exactly see how she was killed, but I knew enough from what I’ve witnessed that . . . the Alpha was there to kill us. He must’ve learned something. I don’t know if the speculations were true. If it was, then who’s my father? How is it that . . . he believed I was his daughter all those years, and then it changed in an instant?”

Conrad switched to caressing her hair, not interrupting her.

“Later, when I came across other wolves, they said they heard about what happened in our pack. The Luna was murdered by the Alpha. He changed. He has tendencies to be unreasonable, but when it comes to my mother, he would usually listen to her. She was the one who . . . she . . .” Alice couldn’t find the right words, and Conrad patiently waited.

“If it wasn’t for her, he would’ve abused the whole pack already. I knew he could be arrogant and merciless, but . . . with my mother around, he was never like that in front of us. With her gone, I knew the pack would only get worse. What I heard from others, it was as much as I could imagine. He’s really . . . I won’t ever forgive him.”

Conrad had been in a few battles before, but he hadn’t experienced losing someone very close to him. Pack members that his father was currently responsible for, sure. But he hadn’t felt much from their deaths. He understood it would be different when deaths arose from his own decisions. It was something he would have to go through eventually, but he was not sure if he was already prepared for it.

“You’re here now. I would protect you. You would be safe here.” How many times had he told her this since yesterday? It was starting to sound empty, even to his own ears. How was he going to convince her to stay?

“Alice . . .” He pushed her back a little so they could look at each other in the eyes.

“I know we just met, but we have this bond between us. I hope you can trust me. You’ve experienced a betrayal, I understand that. But I hope you would give me a chance. Give us a chance to be together. You already have my heart. I waited for you for a long time. Now that you’re here, I wouldn’t be able to bear letting you go. So, please . . . please stay.”

Alice stared at him. She could sense his feelings. He was nervous. She could feel his sincerity. His words touched her deeply. She badly wanted to believe him, yes.

But this morning, didn’t she tell herself that she would leave?

Conrad didn’t press her for a reply. He kissed her forehead and they walked back to the house. There were people on the way, but she seemed distracted and not ready to meet anyone, so he excused themselves as he escorted her to his room. Well, their room.

He left her there after a while, telling her to think about what he said. He needed to see his father. What he learned wasn’t much, things they could’ve speculated based on the rumors going around.

His father was starting to gather more factual information about Alpha Walter of the Silver Crescent Pack. His past wasn’t good. There was a period of time when he seemed tame, but now he’s uncontrollable.

“We’re going to keep Alice here, right?” Conrad wanted a direct answer from his father and alpha.

“Of course. You’ll be in charge of her.” The situation they were in wasn’t pleasant, but they couldn’t turn the girl away. His son waited nine years for his mate. He refused to choose one of his own. He wanted the one the goddess had chosen for him.