Her Second Chance Alpha

Taking a Chance

    Alpha Delian's voice trembled slightly, as though the thought of being without her was scaring him enough to affect his composure. Cassie hesitated. Did she want to give this a shot? It was exactly what she didn't want to have to deal with in life. The extreme opposite. Life would be so much calmer and easier if she just rejected Alpha Delian. She could take a chosen mate, live her life in the pack house, cleaning, cooking, with nothing more exciting than getting a day to explore the woods. She could see this life before her eyes, a life like her mother's, like her father's. Peaceful, surrounded by ones she loved who knew and loved her. But there was something that felt unfulfilling. If life had something to offer beyond the role she was raised for, wouldn't she be throwing away her one shot at something different?

    Life with Alpha Delian would be something she would never otherwise see. Cassie couldn't even imagine what that would entail. Political intrigue, planning defenses for their pack, offenses to others, determining the future of their way of life. She imagined running through the woods with Alpha Delian at her side, both in their wolf forms, a form she hadn't even had the chance to explore given how busy she had been preparing for Alpha Delian's party. Would they run together every day, checking out the border? Would they explore the woods with their pack behind them? Would she be able to bring her parents and June with her? Cassie hesitated, thinking about her family, her mother and father so happy in their roles so long as they had each other. Was that what she was willing to give up? The happiness a mate came with, the love and comfort?

    Cassie looked back at Alpha Delian and let herself nuzzle into his hand, relishing in the sparks flying off of their contact. "I -" she hesitated again, glancing into the eyes of her mate, seeing the fear rising in his eyes. "I do, I want to give it a go, that is."

Relief flooded his eyes and hope sparked in Cassie's heart. He seemed to really want her. Delian gave her a deep kiss, as though trying to savor every moment with her. She smiled at him. This could work out. But she didn't really know who they were to each other just yet. "I want to try," Cassie reiterated, "but is it ok if we kinda keep this to ourselves for now?"

Delian's eyes clouded over. Cassie tried to read them but couldn't make out what was going through his mind. She hastily added, "we don't know each other well and given that I'm an omega, there will likely be a lot of questions and poking and prodding and I don't want that getting in the way of us, or hurting our bond before we even have had a chance to form it. I want you, Delian," she insisted, putting a hand on his arm. He calmed when she said his name without the Alpha title. It was her way of showing him she felt comfortable enough in them to drop the formalities. "But I want you, not the politics yet. Is that ok?"

A flash of an emotion she couldn't quite recognize flitted across his face before he nodded. Was it irritation? Concern? "I want you to be comfortable, Cassie. That's most important to me. And if it takes a bit of time for us to get to where we can be out, I'm ok with that."

Cassie didn't realize she had been holding her breath until she let it out in a rush to show her gratitude. She kissed Delian gently and he held her just as softly. The world did not exist when they held each other in their arms, her mate cradling her as she rested against him, chin raised to bare herself to his kisses. He kissed her lightly, first on the lips, then a few short kisses on her nose, cheeks, and chin, drawing a laugh from Cassie. He smiled at that and just held her. "So, why were you in the library, Cassie?" he murmured to her, his voice low and sweet.

Cassie snuggled towards him further. "My mom told me to take a break, I'd been cleaning and cooking since early morning, so as soon as we finished the banquet, she told me to take a break to avoid the clean up."

The banquet. Cassie felt her wolf growl possessively. The banquet meant to find Delian a worthy Luna. A banquet full of smart, beautiful she-wolves, all drooling over her mate. "Do you come here often?" Delian interrupted.

"Hm?" Cassie started, "Oh, no, not so much anymore. But I used to come here with my friend and we would read all the stories. It was a really nice way to get away from a lot of the work that we had on our plates and kept us from getting underfoot."

Cassie glanced up at her mate and added quickly, "I know we should have done the work, and it's not that we avoided it! Sometimes younger kids just need a bit of a break, and Beta Melissa never really liked me so I'd get so much work - mmph!"

Delian had interrupted her tirade with a kiss. He placed his thumb under her chin and trailed his fingers towards her chest, raising her heart rate and drowning her in a bright red blush. "CASSANDRA!" Beta Melissa's voice echoed down the hall. She was approaching the library. The two sprang apart in a panic. "Where is that lazy no good she wolf... Cassandra!"

Delian kissed her on the cheek and murmured, "I'll distract her, you slip out while she's talking with me."

Cassie nodded trying to calm her flushed face, she pulled him to her quickly to confirm, "And it's a secret, for now?"

He winked at her, "you're my little secret."

Cassie's heart melted seeing him quickly straighten up. Her eyes traced his body from his beautifully sculpted cheekbones to his lips red and swollen from their kisses, down to his collarbone, barely visible below his blue button down, and lower... She gulped, averting her eyes before she could get further. She heard the door open and close and the familiar sound of Beta Melissa's brown nosing. "Oh, Alpha Delian. I didn't see you there. Apologies for the raised voice, Alpha. I was merely corralling some Omegas. How has your banquet been? To your taste?"

Cassie sunk to the floor, her head still swimming miles above the earth, relishing every moment of meeting Delian. She could not stop smiling, no matter how much she tried. Her cheeks almost hurt from the effort but she couldn't bring herself to care. Was this how everyone felt after meeting their mate? How could anyone turn them down? Her eyes roamed over the books in the library, ones she had reluctantly read with June as her best friend relished in the fairytale endings. And, in a most ironic twist of fate, here she was, the cynic, the non-believer, with an Alpha ready to swoop her to magical, fabled lands. It was almost enough to make her nauseous.

Cassie slowly stood up, still feeling like she was floating on air. She levitated her way down the halls, not needing to think where she was going. She knows these paths so well that in her dream state she could still find her way around the pack house. The rest of the evening had no meaning to her. Chores were done with no complaint as her head was in a different land, reliving the fleeting moment in the library. She barely snapped out of it when June prodded her.

"Hey, you ok?" June furrowed her brow.

Cassie nodded, a smile still tainting her lips.

"Ok cause you look weird. And you're acting weird. It's like someone gave you a lobotomy, I haven't heard you talk all day. Did something happen?"

For a moment, Cassie wanted to tell her best friend everything. About finding her mate, his rank, to describe the feeling of finding your perfect match. Then a pang of worry needled her. If she did tell June, everyone would know. June would want them to mark each other, start a life together. Her parents would advocate for her assuming the Luna position - her, Cassandra Alder, a Luna? Absolutely not. Cassie shook her head, guilt stabbing her heart. "Just tired, I think. I was up early today."

June held her gaze a moment longer. Cassie could read the skepticism there along with hurt. They were best friends, they told each other everything. Then she broke eye contact and gave Cassie a hug, "happy birthday, Cas."

The two headed to their respective bunks and Cassie grew slightly calmer. She would tell June, just when the time was right. She wrapped herself in blankets, and focused on the happy thoughts - Delian. But as she drifted off to sleep, a small doubt niggled her mind. Delian. D. Something so familiar, his black hair. Like she had seen it before in a dream.