Ella’s POV | don’t think any of us could really process what had happened. It all happened all at once and soon howls were coming from the house. Alex looked as if he had been shot in the chest as he staggered backward. Alpha Jonathan had released him, no longer posing him as a threat.
| thought he was going to fall over.
Brianna stared at him without any remorse on her face; tears welled in my eyes. | was beyond proud of her. She had finally stood her ground and stood up for herself. I'm sure a lot of it was her wolf, but Brianna was strong enough to pull through.
She did exactly what she needed to do; she trusted her wolf.
Alpha Jonathan motioned for sof his warriors to cand escort Alex off his property. They did so without hesitation.
My father released Ethan once Alex was out of sight. Bri was now looking at him and | could see the pure fear in Ethan's eyes. He was no longer whimpering or growling, but his body trembled slightly. | had never seen Ethan appear so weak before; he was a strong Beta and fighter. He fought and worked alongside my mate... an Alpha.
Seeing him weak like this, maderealize that he was also just a man. He was tentative; he didn’t want to speak because | knew he was worried. He was worried that she might reject him as well.
There was a part ofthat wondered if she was going to. | think | and everyone aroundwas holding our breaths, waiting for the second rejection of the night.
She swallowed audibly as she stepped toward him. | knew he wanted to close the gap and wrap his arms around her, but he remained still.
“Mate...” she whispered, staring up at him. Then her next word changed everything. “Mine...” With that word being said, she was the one who closed the cap and threw herself into his arms. Ethan seemed to have unfrosted at that point and closed her into her embrace.
| hadn't realized | was crying until the howls echoed throughout the house and this time, my friends and family joined in on the howl. My vision becblurry, and | blinked away the tears as | too howled my congratulations to my best friend and her mate, Beta Ethan.
| wanted more than anything to call Colton and tell him of this incredible news, but it was going to have to wait until later when Alpha Jonathan wasn’t around.
| looked at Ethan and he looked as if he never wanted to let her go. | couldn't blhim; he cclose to finding his mate and losing her all in the sday. I'm sure it wasn’t easy for him to see that she was already mated to someone else.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtSecond-chance mates were incredibly rare, especially when the mate bond was still technically active even after the rejection, but my best friend was blessed by the goddess herself and given her second chance mate. The goddess didn’t want Brianna to suffer anymore and took away her pain by giving her someone else.
Beta Ethan was perfect for her in every way and my heart soared for them both.
Brianna finally untangled herself from his arms and happy tears ran down her face. He ran his thumb across her face to wipe away the tears before kissing her head gently.
“I'm never letting you out of my sight...” he whispered.
She smiled up at him and sniffled away her runny nose.
“What is even your name?” She asked, making all of us laugh.
| forgot that Bri had never met him before, and this was their first actual conversation.
“I am Ethan Holland,” he said, bowing his head slightly at her.
“Ethan Holland...?” She asked, her eyes wide. She glanced at me, and | smiled, biting my lower lip to keep from laughing at her dumbfounded expression. “He’s Alpha Colton’s beta?” | nodded before she looked back up at Ethan. She stepped away from him, causing the corner of his lips to fall.
“This can’t be right... a beta?” She said, her voice becoming shaky.
Now it was my turn to frown; I didn’t understand what was wrong with a Beta. They were high-ranking wolves; of course, not as high ranking as Alpha’s, but they were higher ranking than Gamma'’s. Alex is a gamma warrior, not even the head gamma. So, | wasn’t sure what was wrong with being mated to a beta.
“Is something wrong?” He asked, worry returning to his voice.
His breathing becheavy, and | thought she was about to have a panic attack.
“I wasn’t even good enough for a gamma...” she said, her voice cracking. “How could | be good enough for a beta.” That's when we all realized at the stwhat was running through her head. She was terrified of being rejected again. She thought she wasn’t good enough to have a mate, let alone a mate with a high ranking.
Ethan's eyes softened as he stepped toward her, once again closing the gap between them.
“You were always good enough,” he said gently, running his fingers down the side of his face. “That man-child wasn’t good enough for you. But you never have to worry about something like that happening again,” he assured her, giving her a small smile to add to his reassurance.
Her body relaxed and her eyes remained on his.
“I would never reject you,” he continued, pressing his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in her scent. “I will always protect you... you are mine.” My heart was pounding heavily against my chest; this was such a beautiful thing to be a witness to. There wasn’t a dry eye around here; well, maybe Alpha Jonathan, but he hardly counts.
“And you are mine... “ Brianna whispered in return.
On that note, Ethan's kissed her deeply on the lips and Branna let him.
This was no longer a banquet to honor my victory, this was now a celebration to honor new love and new beginnings.
We were all so caught up in the moment, that | didn’t even notice a petite woman running out of the packhouse and toward Alpha Jonathan. She whispered something into his ear before returning to the packhouse.
He cleared his throat loudly, getting everybody's attention.
“If everyone could head to the dining hall. Our dinner for the evening is about to be served,” he announced, his Alph voice booming across his yard. No doubt that everyone in his pack had heard him.
Everybody turned to walk inside, | stayed behind because | wanted to walk in with Brianna. She walked over towith Ethan's arm protectively draped around her shoulder. She grabbed my hands eagerly and | saw the excitement in her eyes.
“I have a mate,” she cooed. | hugged her, even with Ethan’s arm still around her petite shoulders. “I can’t believe this,” she cried.
“I can,” | told her, pulling away so | could look at her glowing face. “You deserve this, Bri. I'm so happy for you.” “Thank you,” she said in return, her smile growing as she looked up at a very pleased Beta Ethan.
“You better take care of her,” | said, narrowing my eyes at him. “She’s my best friend and my uncle Donovan's niece. We will both kick your ass if you hurt her.” Bri chuckled, and Ethan's face reddened.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Gamma Donovan?” He asked, raising his brows and looking down at her.
She blushed and nodded.
“Yes,” she answered.
“I guess | have a lot to learn,” he laughed.
“And we have our whole lives,” she assured him, nuzzling herself against him.
Ethan then looked atand smiled brightly.
“As the future Luna of the calypso pack and the mate to my Alpha, you'll always be around to keepin check,” he told me. “But | don’t ever intend to hurt her.” I nodded, smiling from ear to ear.
“I know,” | said in return. “Now can we go inside and eat? I'm starving.” Through laughter and tears, we all headed inside to join the others and feast.
Third person POV Hours prior.
“I don’t feel comfortable going to this thing,” Rachel breathed once she finished dressing in the red dress that her father had gotten her.
“You don’t have a choice,” he growled. “I signed your release papers from this hospital and now we are leaving.” Rachel's heart was heavy in her chest. She hadn’t heard the voice in her head in the last 24 hours, but she knew it was still there, listening. It was always listening.
Her father rummaged through his bag and pulled out a long syringe with a mysterious green liquid. He tapped the liquid, and it moved like Jello. It made Rache’s stomach turn.
“What is that?” She asked, stepping away from her father.
“Wolfsbane,” he said, walking over to her. “A lethal dosage. It could kill an entire wolf... but not a Volana. It only knocks them out.” Rachel’s breathing got caught in her throat. Her father reached his hand out, forcing Rachel to take the syringe from him.
“What am | supposed to do with this?”