The Luna’s Second Chance Mate

Larissa’s POV

I picked up the last piece of clothing from Declan’s bed while the toddler sat quietly by the small table in his room, playing with his toy soldiers he’d introduced me to once.

He looked engrossed in what he was doing, which was a good thing because I wasn’t anywhere near the mood to chase him around for him to stay put. His father was literally forcing me to have to be in the same space as them both. Declan, I could tolerate because the toddler had grown to be a part of me. His standoffish father…not so much. How insensitive could he be?

I was only going there because of Declan. If not, I’d rather face death a thousand times than be locked away somewhere with his father. Besides, the boy was already dressed up and eager to go with me.

Folding up the onesie in my hands, I tossed it into the yellow duffel back that sat with me in the bed and zipped it up before patting off a small speck of dust that had found its way onto the bag.

“Declan dear, come here.” I called out after I had finished, beckoning on him gently. He glanced at me for a second before rising to his feet, gathering his favorite soldier and some of his wooden knives before taking quick steps to where I sat. He soon climbed onto my laps while I helped pull him up.

“Issa, here.” He said I return, handing me one of his knives. I chuckled at his cuteness before taking it from him. He continued to play with his toys while I let my mind wander before there was a soft rap at the slightly ajar door. I turned towards the door, quickly catching the familiar auburn hair that was let down.

“Hey there, can I come in?”

“Do you need to ask me that?” I cackled in return at Gwen’s absurd request, earning a laugh from her as she took quick strides inside.

“You never know. Declan’s so fond of you now, I have to ask for both of your permissions to see any of you.” She teased back, taking a seat beside me. She tapped at the toddler’s hair, ruffling it a little and earning a string of giggles from him. She smiled at that before shifting her attention to me.

“Hey. Are you sure you’ll be okay? You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” She started softly, even her eyes had grown the softest I’d seen them in a long time.

I shook my head at that, forcing a tight lipped smile. The last thing I wanted to do now was overthink and hate myself for being in a position where I had to be obedient to…him.

“Even if I didn’t want to, you think he’d let me be?”

She sighed out, her shoulders slumping into what I believed was defeat before she nodded. “Fair enough then.”

There was another knock on the door that pulled my attention from Gwen and to the figure standing there. It was a guard, another one of the obnoxious looking ones who had his hands to his back as though he was there to march me to prison.

“The Alpha is calling for you and his son.” He spoke gruffly with no other expression on his face. I sighed at that, tapping at the toddler before pulling him up. He winced but said nothing, instead clinging to me with one hand and to his knives with the other

Gwen rose to her feet, passing me the yellow duffel bag she had picked up from the bed and giving me a knowing smile. “You’ll be fine.” She muttered, and I forced a small chuckle at that. Would I really be fine.

“Don’t keep him waiting.” The guard spoke again, this time impatiently before turning on his heels and stomping away. I let out a sigh before picking up my own bag that was filled with basic amenities, essentially clothes.

Smiling at Gwen one last time, I made my way out of Declan’s room and down the stairs witt heavy steps till I reached the front doors that were always thrown wide open. I glanced around, gripping onto both bags tightly in one hand and finally walked out of door. Only to meet him standing there with a small frown plastered on his forehead.

His appearance caught me off guard. He was standing beside a black truck in a simple white t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans. I could see his arm muscles strain against the fabric of the shirt, and how they appeared sweetly sun kissed.

He had a pair of sunglasses in his tousled hair, a vast contrast with his work appearance that consistef of fitting suits and perfect gelled hair. I mentally facepalmed when l met his eyes and looked away immediately. They were empty, just like his soul.

“Get inside, we don’t have all day.” He said after clearing his throat awkwardly and opened the door to the truck.

He quickly pulled the bags from my hand, making me gasp in surprise before letting go. He didn’t even spare me a glance as he made his way to the back of the truck. I could care less about whatever the hell it was that he was doing however.

Pulling Declan slowly, I walked to the passenger’s seat and got in. I picked him back up and placed him on my laps, biting back a chuckle when he reached for the steering wheel and mumbled a “wheeee.”

The drive was eerily quiet. Wantade it so much worse was that I had no idea where we were even going. What was his idea of a vacation? Hunting in the woods like the day I met him? I couldn’t figure it out.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

The roads were smooth yet awfully unfamiliar, plunging me into deeper wonder. The only words that were spoken throughout were either exchanged between Declan and I, or Declan and his father. A lot of it were incomprehensible words and beams of excitement, and I was happy for that. The air would otherwise have been so thick that I could cut through it with a knife.

I caught myself stealing glances at him, I couldn’t help it. I hated him, and I hated the fact that he could just sit there looking like that.

He drove until he made a turn and the truck jerked, forcing me out of my daze and gripped Declan’s shoulders in shock. The driver, the cocky narcissist broke a tiny smile instead, swerving the car into a road path in an unfamiliar forest.

He drove till we arrived at a black gate that was shut and he pulled up. Without a word, he alighted the truck, leaving me room to admire the intricacies of the gate’s architecture.

There were tree vines made out of metal that intertwined with themselves in a pretty fashion until they reached the sharp ridges of the tall gate. I found myself wondering what the blacksmith had thought when crafting this gate. No doubt that it was in line with the alpha’s persona, though awful.

I heard the gate rattle and creak and be pulled open to reveal a massive double deck cabin almost half the size of the mansion.

Without thinking, I pushed the door to the truck open and alighted, putting Declan down. I let him run into the compound, chucking lightly when he picked up his small steps and was reaching for what I thought was the front door.

I followed him through the gates to where the alpha was standing by a fountain that was akin to the one at the mansion. Declan had run to my sides again, glancing at the fountain before reaching to scoop out some water.

“Declan darling.” I called out with reprimand and crouched to his height, smiling nonetheless. “Don’t do that. The water would get dirty, don’t you think?”

“Let him.” The alpha finally spoke up, and I looked up to see him with a half smile plastered on his face. I cleared my throat at that and rose to my feet, watching him walk to where the front door stood. Tapping at the toddler, we followed him through the door to meet a pleasant surprise.

I knew that the alpha was a sucker for a blend of architectural designs, but the cabin interior screamed “family cottage.”

The door opened to a cozy living room painted with warm shades of brown and beige. There was a single couch sitting opposite a fireplace, the same soft beige as the drapes.

The ceilings were not very high, compared to the mansion. Neither were there chandeliers hanging from every corner. Instead the living room was lit with lights embedded in the ceilings. I glanced around to see a framed picture of Declan and the one who’d caused me to hurt so much by the window pane just against the fireplace. He was smiling widely, holding the then baby in his arms. Upon a closer look, I could see manicured fingers holding Declan also, whose body had been cut away.

That must have been his wife, it was a painful reminder. Amaya. I shook my head to snap myself out of my thoughts. I shouldn’t have agreed to come here. I should have stayed back.

“Larissa? Larissa!”

“Huh?” I whipped up my head quickly to see him staring down at me. He had a brow cocked in question, but I said nothing. Instead picked Declan up and moved to the couch, setting him down before running a hand through his fluffy hair. I rose to my feet again, turning to meet his father.

“I need some air.” I croaked out, pushing some of the hair that had unsatisfactorily clung to the beads of sweat on my face.

I saw his eyes shift and then go blank again, but I walked out before he could say anything. I didn’t want to hear it to begin with. It was bad enough that he practically forced me to be here. The best he could do was to let me be.

I continued into the woods, unknowingly letting out a small smile. I could really use this to clear my head. I liked the smell of the trees and grasses here, something about it made me at peace with my troubled soul. Without thinking, I plopped down beside one of the tall trees and closed my eyes, letting myself relish in my own thoughts.

Suddenly, I felt the hairs at the back of my neck raise and I shot off the ground at the sudden queasy feeling. Almost immediately, I could hear some rustling in the trees and my blood ran cold at that. Was there an animal in these woods? I couldn’t fight!

“Who-who’s t-there?” I called out weakly, making a small fist. The shuffling worsened, making me gulp harshly. “Who’s t-there?!”

There was a sharp thud behind me, bringing an end to the shuffling. If fear was a person, in that instant it had killed me. My first instinct was to speed back to the cabin. Anything would be better than staying here with the uncertain. But I couldn’t will my feet to move.

I heard a light cackle and forced myself to turn on my heels. Ever so slowly, I spun around to come face to face with the most sinister pair of eyes I’d ever seen, perhaps next to Stefan’s.

The figure dressed in cargo pants and combat boots had a bow slung across his broad torso, and both arms swung behind his back. He cracked a smile that contrasted the look in his eyes, yet complemented it somehow. His hair the shade of platinum grey was dishevelled and framed his face, enhancing his dangerous appearance by a thousand notches.

“Hey there, Larissa, was it?” He drawled, clucking his tongue before letting out a smirk.

“How do you know my name?”

“Pardon my manners, love. The name’s Dolph. Last time we met, Kaden was going to chew my head off. Too bad your prince charming isn’t here, isn’t it?” He continued, inching closer to me. even as I took several steps back to put some space between us.

I could feel my heart beating out of my chest in frantic fashion. It came back all too quickly. That day at the study, he was the one present with Hunter and Kaden. He looked like a whore that day, today might just be the dangerous side of him I’d never wish to see.

Gripping the hem of my dress tightly, I gulped while taking several steps backwards. He took a step for every step I took back, and I could see myself breaking into a cold sweat.

I needed to get out of there, and I needed to get out fast. I looked around and decided to make a run for it. I wouldn’t stay here until my death met me. I looked up to meet his amused eyes and dashed away, but the sounds of shuffling startled me again. I couldn’t see them, but I could hear several figures jump down from the trees behind me.

My whole body was shaking at this point. Slowly, I looked around only to realize that I was surrounded. And the sounds of familiar cackling drew me back to reality. I was in serious trouble now. And the only thing that I could think of was Declan. I couldn’t bear to leave him alone just like that. I couldn’t bear to leave his father just like that either.

“You’re surrounded, honey. Don’t make this any more difficult for yourself. Kaden doesn’t even have to know a thing that’ll happen here, hmm?” He continued, closing the distance between us and despite the terror that coursed through my veins, I wasn’t about to give in to his scheme.

“Fuck you.” I spat back and turned sharply on my heels when he grabbed my arm and pulled it back, slapping me hard.

“No, fuck you, you bastard.” He growled angrily and slapped me again before yanking my hair and harshly pulling me towards a tree. The men who’d jumped down from the trees had gathered round to mock me while the blonde haired man was in rage. He looked at me with death in his eyes and slapped me a third time before latching his lips onto my neck.

And in that instant, I could do the only thing I could. Please, I’m begging you…. Don’t let me down this time…Help me this once again…

“Kaden!!!”