Chapter Two - Second Chance Mate

Valeria's POV

We've been traveling for days. Well, me and the men I was handed over to. I could barely breathe as I was in a box, gagged and bounded by silver chains. Fucking silver chains that dug into my skin and hurt me more than my betrayal did. With each jolt of the box, my head hit the cover and tears escaped my eyes at the pain.

I was still naked and covered in dirt.

'Leila... Leila if you're listening then this would be a right time to help. I... I have to get out of here, Leila.'

It seemed she had disappeared. And with no word from my wolf, I felt truly alone for the first time since I left Nightingale. Maybe it was because I thought I still had my wolf... Leila was gone.

Where were they taking me? Why did we have to travel for so long to get there? From Vincenzo's words... I'd been sold to a Lycan King.

If the stories where true then this was bad. Really bad. The Lycan King was rumored and penned to be a deadly beast. A viscous one who maimed and killed, ripped people apart and was the devil himself.

Vincenzo really sold me to a devil?

The name... Vincenzo... My mouth turned bitter by just saying his name. He betrayed me, took the one thing I was clinging to and made my wolf disappear.

Yes. It was his fault Leila wasn't out here and comforting me. That bastard! I sniffed and whimpered softly as the box hit my head again. I'm sure a large bruise would have formed.

Werewolves had the ability to heal faster than the average human. But then the chains on my hands and legs prevented whatever healing I was supposed to undergo.

I stopped moving. I strained my ears to hear the voices speaking. I could clearly hear them but then they were speaking in a foreign language that I did not understand.

Then the box was opened and as I was pulled out like an animal, the chains were removed. I didn't fight the hands that purposely brushed over my breasts. Dries tears stuck to my face. That's right. I wouldn't cry. I couldn't give these people the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"Is she the one?" A man clad in blue robes, too feminine to be for a male spoke.

"Yes. What do you think? Is she good enough for the King?"

What King? I wanted to scream but I kept my lips shut.

"We'll know, Sam. He's waiting for the peace offering. Get her cleaned up and waiting for him."

The man in the blue robes turned and left. I was left alone with the one who had pulled me out of the box. I turned around and registered my surroundings. The leaves were green and lush and nothing like the brown ones back at home.

Home? The fuck was I thinking calling Nightingale my home? I'd rejected them. The Alpha... his bastard son and then my parents who couldn't care less about my safety.

A cool fabric was wrapped around my body and I held it closer, covering my dirty skin and nakedness. I was dragged through the garden and into a massive building. Inside of it, the man pushed me toward a lady who stepped backward and I fell to the ground, hurting my arm in the process.

"Argh!" I screamed at the pain.

"Oh, come on... It didn't hurt like you're making it sound like. Get up, bitch." The lady grabbed me by my hair and pulled me up.

I had tears in my eyes before I could stop them. "Please... It hurts..." I whimpered.

She regarded me with cold, detached eyes before scoffing and releasing my hair. "If you think that hurts... then try this."

I didn't see her foot coming and I was back, sprawled on the floor again. I cried softly, nursing my elbow when she ordered for me to get up.

I sniffed and managed to stand.

"Oh, you poor thing. I am not cruel, okay. I am just... I am just giving you a taste of what you'd get when you get into the palace. The palace is no place for a softie like you."

I wiped my face and nodded.

"What's your name?"

"V... Valeria."

"Oh, what's your story?" She raised a brow.

My story? She didn't seriously think I'd launch into a story while I stood with weak knees and in pains, right? Five seconds of silence passed and she rolled her yellow eyes.

"I was only ordered to get you ready for the King. Come on, you stink."

I followed the lady into the deeper parts of the room where there was a bathroom. She proceeded to bathing me, washing my body and my hair with a softness that made me question her brutality earlier.

When she was done, she had me dressed in weird clothes. Who still dressed in Saris? Who where these people? Did they live back in time...?

"So... Rule 001, the king likes to be called Alpha and not... King. And he prefers his whores brown haired so you'd probably have to put some paint on your hair for tonight."

My jaw fell open. Whore? Paint? Alpha? I was having hard time process what she was saying. So technically, I was in a kingdom where the Lycan King ruled. But the part about the whores? Did Vincenzo sell me to be a whore for the mad king?

"I'm... I'm going to be a whore?" I asked.

"What were you in the place were you came from? Cause only whores are being sent to the King."

I rubbed my forehead and nodded. "Right. So... I'll have sex with him... I'll have sex... again," I murmured the last part but she heard my words because she raised a brow.

"Wait... If you're not a whore then... Where do you come from?"

I hesitated. "Nightingale Pack." I murmured.

Her eyebrows shot up and she grabbed my hands. "Come on, I'm getting you out of here, right now. Shit. How did you even get here? Where you sold or caught trespassing?"

"Um... I don't wanna go back."

I knew how stupid I sounded at the moment. I was literally about to be sent to satisfy a mad King and yet I chose to stay... I couldn't go back to Nightingale. Not after I rejected them and certainly not after Vincenzo's betrayal and humiliation. The place held so many memories for me. I lost Leila there and I lost my virginity as well.

Going back wasn't in the books for me.

"You'd rather stay and be a whore to the King? Have you heard the stories about Alpha Diego?" The lady regarded me with a confused look.

Diego? So the beast had a name? I shook my head. If she was trying to get me to be scared, it was working. "You mean the rumors?" I asked her.

"Well, sorry to burst your perfect bubbles, but they are not rumors. Everything is true. He's ruthless. He kills and doesn't think twice, Valeria. One time he beheaded a maid who tried seducing him."

A chill ran down my spine. "Then... Then I won't try seducing him." I told her.

"You think this is a joke? He'll take a look at you and if he doesn't like you... you're end game. Tell me, tell me what you'd be running from that you'd chose possible death over freedom to meet your people?"

"I rejected the pack. I lost Leila and my virginity and I can't go back. Nobody wants me over there." I said, my voice cracking slightly.

"My name is... Oana. I'm a witch."

I looked at her, not sure why she was suddenly telling me that. What good was that piece of information... But... Witch? She was a witch? And they let her stay here?

"How... how are you here?" I asked.

"Because my coven is here, duh. Ever heard of the Celestial Coven?" When I shook my head in disapproval she continued. "It's one of the most powerful Covens in the world. We are here in Frostwind Pack because it's one of the very few who tolerates us. Look... I'm probably boring you by making you listen to my history. Why don't you eat something so you can go present yourself to the King."

I nodded, my stomach rumbling loudly at the mention of food. I didn't know how long I'd been in that box, or what today was... but I knew I needed food.

Oana served me a strange white meal that looked like a birds dropping. It surprisingly smelled nice and I took a taste and dug into it.

"You poor thing... why don't you come with me."

After eating to my hearts desire, I followed Oana out of the room and into the halls with too many pillars and brick walls. On the walls were hung photos of armies and different faces. I was curious as to whether Alpha Diego's photo was hung among these but I kept my mouth shut and didn't dare ask Oana. It was a good thing she was talking to me now. I mean... I didn't want her to get pissed off and go back to being mean like she was when I first met her.

"You know... For someone who just entered the palace, you're doing a pretty good job holding it together." Oana said.

"What? What do you mean?"

"When I came here, I was too curious and my instructor slapped me twice for asking too many questions."

If I wasn't walking to my doom... I mean the mad King who preferred to be called Alpha... I'd have probably laughed. I couldn't picture Oana being slapped by anyone.

"So, another tip. When we see the King, bow and do not look him directly in the eyes or he'll parboil you to death."

I stopped walking, all the color draining from my face.

Parboil?

"Come on, just don't look him in the eyes. He hates it. It means disrespect, challenge." Oana was standing in front of a huge oak door and she lifted a brow, a silent question to ask if I was ready.

Was I ready to meet this mystery mad king?

"I guess..." I said and she pushed the doors open with a small move of her fingers.

I held my breath as we walked into the room. Throne room, actually. It looked too big and too imposing. The pillars in here were made of fine gold and the curtains were red and pure velvet. It smelled earthy... homey... and lavender... I sniffed the air and smiled.

Beside me, Oana frowned. "What... what are you doing?" She asked.

I shrugged. "I smell something. It's... It's so good."

"You've got to be kidding me." She mouthed.

"What... I..."

"Mine."

My head snapped to the centre of the room to the owner of the voice. A growl escaped the lips of the man seated on the the throne. I caught his eyes... They were blue, blue like polished sapphires. I couldn't stop looking into them and getting lost in there enthralling depths. But then Oana nudged me again.

"Look down, now."

I tore my gaze away from the man and then looked at Oana. "I... I... He..." I stammered, not knowing what or how to say the words.

A second chance mate? In the ruthless lycan king? The one who beheaded, parboiled and maimed souls? No... No... Goddess... This had to be a joke.

"Mine." I heard him growl again, loud enough this time for Oana and the other people in the throne room to hear.

Oana looked at me. "You're the King's mate?"

"I... I am not. This has to be a mistake. I... I mean I have a mate and he's..."

"You are mine." The man left the throne and was now walking straight for me.

With each step he took toward me, I walked backwards. My breath had been stolen by his physique. The Lycan King couldn't be ice cream weather hot... He couldn't have all these killer abs... He couldn't look this young and enticing...

He had to have horns. He had to have red eyes so I'd hate him and reject him as well.

"There's something wrong, sir." I started, my throat dry. The words were out before I remembered. Shit... Oana said to address him as... Alpha. What now? Would he kill me? I'd already broken a rule by looking into his eyes.

He tilted his head to the side, studying me with mesmerizing eyes.

"Diego." He finally spoke.

What? I was dumbfounded by the sexiness oozing from his voice.

"Call me, Diego."