Scarlett~

I thought my birthday had been chaotic, but graduation? Graduation topped the list. My soaked dress clung to me, and humiliation still burned from Clara’s little stunt. And then… the Alpha. The rumored cruel, dangerous, untouchable Alpha had not only offered me his jacket but was now escorting me back home in a luxurious car. I didn't know what to feel at the moment, I didn't know what to do. If I say something wrong, would this Alpha have my head on a stake? Or worse, my Mom's?

I wanted to scream, I really did. And then it hit me that I’d forgotten one tiny detail. He was my mate. My second-chance mate. Mate? I didn’t even know what to call him. Was that even possible?

On one hand, there was Leonard, who had rejected me with cold finality, and now…. him. It hadn't even been a month since I figured that Leonard was my mate and someone else appeared? What offense did I commit in my previous life to have Moon Goddess play ping pong with my life like this?

We stepped down from the car, and he followed. My instincts screamed at me to tell him to fuck off but who was I kidding? One wrong word and I’d probably end up as lunch for tigers. His presence was suffocating, his scowl…. not healthy for anyone. And his domineering presence was an added bonus. He could tell anyone to lay flat for him to walk on and they'd probably do it.

At the doorstep, I froze. Could I even breathe in front of him?

“Would you… mind coming in for tea?” I asked, forcing the words out, praying to the almighty for him to please, say no.

“Sure.” His calm response made my eyes widen. Wait… he wasn’t leaving?

I fidgeted with my nails. “I don’t know if our home would be conducive for you, Alpha.” I tried to reason, desperate for an out. Anyone else would have understood, right? But him? He was the Alpha, and he wasn’t going anywhere. Clearly , he has no tact.

“You don’t have to worry. You are my mate, after all, and we will be leaving together any moment now.” His smile was too eerie and sharp. Together? Together? My stomach twisted.

“About that…. I don’t know what you’re expecting, but thank you for the jacket and bringing me…” I trailed off, unable to keep the panic out of my voice.

“Come with me.” The command was cold and condescending. Exactly what I had feared.

“I…. I can’t leave my mother. I’d have to speak with her first,” I responded weakly, trying to stall, trying to think of a way out.

He didn’t budge, his stance unshakable. I didn’t want to leave with him either.

“I would be expecting you,” he said curtly before turning and walking away, his stride majestic.

I slammed the door shut behind me, letting out a shaky breath. My mother sat there on the couch, tea in hand, like she hadn’t moved an inch. She’d heard everything, no doubt about it.

“Mom,” I groaned, collapsing onto the couch. Eighteen and everything was spiraling out of control. I spilled everything from the car ride, his words. Clara’s little stunt, the jacket, the dominance in his eyes. She was my diary, my anchor, and I needed her calm voice now more than ever.

“I’ve heard of a few occasions where people are given second-chance mates,” she said, her voice soft, almost purring. “It means you’re special, Scarlett.”

“Special?” I scoffed, frustration bubbling over. “More like cursed by the omniscient moon goddess herself. I can’t deal with this, Mom. This Alpha… he’s… he’s dangerous! And he’s my mate! I… I can’t bear it.”

“You don’t run away from your battles, Scarlett. You fight them,” she said, calm as always. “Besides, although people say Alpha Kian is hot-tempered and cruel, I’m sure he’ll treat you right. No one treats their mates wrongly.”

“I don't know about that.” I offered, referencing Leonard and his escapade.

“Well, no sensible person treats their mates wrongly.”

Alpha Kian. That was his name. And did she just say he was sensible? Was she delusional? Crazy? Or just trying to reassure me? That man looked anything but sensible and judging from what the tabloid said about him — he was a nutcase through and through.

“I don’t think you heard me, Mom. He’s a rumored tyrant. Why would he care about me? Nobody cares about me, except you!”

“I heard you, Scarlett. But don’t you think there’s a reason this is happening?”

Yeah, sure. The reason this is happening is probably to send me to an early grave. And I wasn’t about to sit around and wait for it.

“Promise me you won’t try to run away,” she said, eyes sharp despite the calm tone.

I nodded, giving her the fakest smile I could manage. I wasn’t about to throw my life away to some Alpha who could snap my head off at any second. I wanted to stay with her, but I also knew… I couldn’t. If I ran, I would run alone.

I packed a single bag with the bare essentials, waiting for dusk. When I returned to the sitting room, my mother was still in the same spot she had been earlier… fast asleep, snoring softly. I pecked her forehead, a pang of longing tightening in my chest. I was going to miss her, but I had no choice.

Maybe, if I laid low long enough, Alpha Kian would forget about me, find another “second-chance mate,” whatever that meant.

I bolted out of the house, running as fast as my legs could carry me, heart hammering. But of course… things never went as planned.

The last thing I remember before everything went black was the heavy weight of a hand on my back. And then nothing.

Now… I wake up in a dark room, my mind blank, my heart pounding. Where was I? Don't tell me….

He caught me? Of course he did.