Chapter 1- Amara

Three months I’ve been rotting in this damn cell. Three months since the rogues attacked us. We were at a neighboring pack when it happened. Our Luna, Cheryl died trying to protect her daughter and I. Our Alpha, Matteo, blames me for his mate's death. He locked me up in the dungeons on our pack tertority. It wasn't my fault. I was protecting his daughter like Cheryl asked me too. The rogue was closer to her and that’s why she told me to protect her daughter. 

I worked for the Alpha and Luna as a nanny for their pup, Lana. Lana is a sweet girl, she’s six and I hate that she lost her mother. I miss Lana. I’ve been with her since she was about two. Cheryl was overwhelmed as a mother and Luna so she hired me. I was nineteen and was thrilled to get the job of a lifetime. Working for the Alpha’s family is a huge deal. I got to know the Alpha and Luna, well mostly the Luna. Alpha Matteo isn’t known for his bubbly personality. He's harsh, strict, and pure alpha male. Honestly, he’s always scared me a bit and I always find myself nervous around him. 

Cheryl was different. She was welcoming and nice, although I could tell she wasn’t truly happy. Rumors spread that Cheryl was in love with another wolf from her old pack. Matteo was her mate though. I’m not entirely sure what happened, but Cheryl ended up mated and marked by Matteo. They had Lana shortly after. I remember the day Matteo found his mate, everyone was so thrilled. Matteo was older and unmated, a bit rare for an alpha. He was in his late twenties at the time, now he’s in his early thirties and once again finds himself without a mate and only one heir. I’ve heard the guards talking that our pack hopes our Alpha finds his second chance mate. 

Second chance mates do happen especially for alphas, but no one wants to be a second chance mate. Second chance mates are looked at with pity from others. No one can compare to your first mate, or so I’ve heard. Ending up as someone’s second chance mate is a gamble. Sometimes you get lucky and they didn’t mate or mark their first mate before they died, others didn't really love their first mate, but sometimes they did love their first mate and the second mate is stuck living in the shadow of the first mate. It’s a shitty hand to be given and most look at it as some type of curse, like you did something wrong for the moon goddess to give such a fate. 

In some ways I hope Matteo finds his second chance mate so that maybe then he will take me out of this forsaken cell. I know he’s hurting and looking for someone to blame. I’m the one he’s blaming, the one he is punishing, and strangely I forgive him for it. I am more than sure Lana is fighting to see me and I know Matteo can’t handle her on his own. He’ll take me out of this cage just to appease his daughter because he might be heartless, but never when it comes to his daughter. That girl is his entire world and she is very much daddy’s little girl. 

The doors open, I’m being kept in a private room with in a cage so that when I shift I can’t leave. I’m a caged animal and I hate it. Matteo walks in and I stop breathing. I haven't seen him since he tossed me in this cage. Even when I was being questioned and beat because Matteo was convinced I was somehow working with the rogues, but I wasn’t. Still he was never there doing those moments. I haven't seen him and he’s as handsome as I remember. 

Alright, I shouldn't have been drooling over my alpha while he was mated, but he’s sexy and I never would have acted on my feelings or attraction to him. I was too loyal to Cheryl to ever think of betraying her in such a way. I was never blind to how Matteo would also look at me like he wanted me. In fact I always thought it strange that he looked at me with more lust and desire in his eyes than at his own mate. They definitely had a strange relationship and I think it was strand a lot because of Cheryl being in love with someone else. You could tell their relationship was about duty over love, yet they were close to one another. They had a special bond that was just theirs. 

Matteo stalks over to my cage. I’m curled in the corner not wanting to be near him with the deadly look on his face. Matteo is tall, muscular, with black hair to his shoulders that is currently pulled back in a man bun. I chuckle to myself at the term. Good old humans with their terms. Too bad most of them are gone now due to a virus killing off most of them. Sickness doesn’t affect werewolves the same way so we have higher chances of survival. Matteo has a light beard which adds to his mountain man and bad boy look. He’s in dark wash jeans and a long sleeve black shirt. Three months I’ve been down here. That means summer is over and we are in fall now. 

I slink back into the cage willing the bars to somehow melt open so I can get away from Matteo who is glaring at me as he unlocks the cage. In my fear something hits my senses. Matteo and both stare at each other as our wolves howl in our heads mate. No, please no. I think to myself. Matteo growls pissed off that I’m his second chance mate and right now I wish the ground would just swallow me whole. Anything to spare me from my fate. 

I’m not sure what's worse, him rejecting me, killing me, or actually accepting me. Matteo steps into the cage and bends down in front of you. “I’m not sure if the moon goddess is cursing me or you with us being mates. Ironically, the she wolf that gets my first mate killed ends up being my second chance mate. I should have never came down here. Should have just let them kill you, but no I had to do it myself. I guess that was a mistake.” 

“Please, Alpha.” I’m not sure what I’m begging him for exactly, but I’m begging. 

“Death would have been better than what I’ll do with you now. Unfortunately, for both of us, the council of Alphas is on my ass about either taking a chosen mate or finding my second chance mate. I guess my previous reputation of waiting so long to find my first mate has them concerned. I don’t have a choice other than to mate and mark you. You will get them off my back, but don’t think for one second this is going to be better than being in this fucking cage. You will take care of Lana as she is asking for you. I was prepared to tell her you died, succumbed to your injuries from the attack, but now I’ll have to tell her your her new step mom. Wonder if she will like you then. She doesn't want me to take a new mate, no one can replace her mother, so we’ll see if she wants you now.” He snarls. Oh I’m screwed. I think I’d prefer the cage. 

“Please, Alpha, don't be cruel. I didn’t make it so you were my mate, I know you hate me for what happened, but please. You’re my first mate which means I’m still a virgin, please I’m begging you.” 

“I’ll do whatever I want with you how I please because you're mine, for better or worse you’re now mine, Amara. Guards!” I swallow hard. The guards enter. “Get the prisoner out of here and have some omegas bathe and groom her. Bring her to my room when she is done. I will have a few council members to meet so I can mark and mate you tonight.” The last part is directed to me. 

Oh damn he’s going to do this tonight? I know alphas have to mate and mark their mates in front of at least two council members. It’s a little medieval in my opinion, but far be it from me to try and change our ancient laws. I’m not even caring about others watching us, I know it’s only once and from what I heard they don’t really watch it’s more or less they just have to be present. I don’t care about being naked either, werewolves embrace nudity, yes we wear clothes, but we don’t make a big deal over nudity. I won’t be focused on any of that. I’ll be focused on how rough and brutal Matteo is going to be with me. I’m a virgin. I am glad I decided to stay a virgin for my mate because he turned out to be an alpha and one that currently wishes I was dead. He said he was coming down here to kill me. What if he was, but me being his second chance mate spared me. Maybe death would have been better I think as the guards unlock my chains and forced me to stand.