Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Chapter Two

Anthony's POV:

I was exhausted from the relentless search for my mate. The disappearance of the woman destined to be my other half had left me hopeless, and I began to believe the rumors that she might be dead. Unable to continue my duties as Alpha, I decided to take a break and escape to the human world, where I could be anonymous. My daughter, understanding my pain, agreed to join me there, and I entrusted my brother with the responsibility of leading our pack.

But life had other plans in store for me. Fate granted me a second chance at finding my mate, but this time, it wasn't just anyone; it was my daughter's friend, who was still a minor. I knew I couldn't take advantage of the mate pull between us, even though it was strong. She was beautiful, and any man would be fortunate to have her, but I couldn't accept her as my mate without causing complications, especially in my relationship with my daughter, who remained unaware of our werewolf heritage.

Although I tried to resist the attraction, my wolf was drawn to her like a magnet. I found myself taking long showers after being around her, trying to cool the desire that burned within me. Her birthday was approaching, and I had initially been against her celebrating it at my house. Mia, Daisy’s sister, had feelings for me, and she had made her intentions clear before. While she was tempting, it was her sister, Daisy, who held my heart's true desire.

On the day of Daisy's birthday, I left home early to avoid her. But as I received an unexpected call, I knew it was Mia on the other end. Her voice filled me with disgust. She tried to seduce me again, but my heart was already taken by someone else.

"Hey handsome," she purred through the phone.

"What do you want?" I replied, my irritation evident.

"Come on, don't pretend you don't want me," she teased.

"I don't want you. Get to the point," I snapped.

"If I tell you it's you I want, will you give yourself to me?" she flirted.

"That's enough. I'm ending this call," I told her firmly.

Before I could hang up, she quickly said, "My sister is on her way to your house." "I know. She's celebrating her birthday at my house," I responded.

"Do you know she's planning to confess her feelings for you tonight? So, better pick me. I know you're not dumb; it's going to be me," she declared.

I was stunned, everything around me freezing for a moment. "What do you mean?" I finally managed to ask.

"She's going to tell you she loves you tonight. So, you better make the right choice, and I know that choice is me," she said confidently.

"Goodbye, Mia," I said, ending the call abruptly. My mind was in turmoil, torn between my true feelings and the potential consequences of accepting Daisy as my mate. I needed time to sort out my emotions, but tonight, her confession would change everything, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it.

My wolf was thrilled to hear that his mate was going to confess her feelings tonight, but I couldn't share his excitement. I wasn't comfortable with the situation, and my initial plan had been to avoid going home altogether to spare Daisy the awkwardness. However, that wouldn't be a viable long-term solution.

As the evening approached, I made the decision to go home, preparing myself for the crowded house and the inevitable encounter with Daisy. When our eyes met, I could see the joy in hers, confirming what Mia had told me earlier. Daisy was indeed planning to confess her feelings for me tonight.

I sought out Mia and quickly pulled her into one of the rooms to talk. "I can see that you've made your choice," she said with happiness in her voice.

But instead of responding, I focused on the scent that surrounded us - a mixture of lavender and rose. It was Daisy's scent, one that had become my wolf and my favorite. I even bought perfumes with the same scent to keep us calm. Without hesitation, I kissed Mia, and she responded just as I expected her to, and at that moment the door opened and Daisy was staring back at us. My wolf whine at the sight of our mate, he could feel her heart shattering and sadness all through her.

She called her sister’s name and that was when she noticed her. The way she acted; I knew she was being dramatic as if she wasn’t throwing herself at me.

I wanted to run after Daisy when she bolts out of the room but I couldn’t as I watched her sister run after her

You hurt our mate," my wolf cried in my head, his protective instincts taking over.

"You know it's the right thing to do," I reminded him, trying to stay rational despite the pain in my heart.

"She already loves us," my wolf growled, feeling angry and torn.

“My wolf kept trying to convince me to pursue Daisy, insisting that she wouldn't reject us if she knew who we were. But deep down, I knew the truth. Revealing our true nature as werewolves to her could jeopardize everything, and I couldn't bear the thought of being rejected by her.

"She doesn't know who we are," I countered, seeking any excuse to protect both her and myself from the pain that would come with the truth.

"She won't reject us. You made our mate cry," he whined, his protective instincts clashing with my desire to shield her from the complexities of our bond.

Frustrated, I blocked him out of my mind, not wanting to add more torment to the pain I was already feeling. I needed to distract myself, to numb the ache in my heart. I made my way to where the drinks were kept and poured myself a generous amount. I decided to drink until I couldn't think about Daisy anymore, even if it was only temporary relief.

Suddenly, I received a mind link from Brianna, my daughter. She sensed something was wrong. "What happened? I just saw Daisy storm off, and she looked like she had been crying," she asked, concerned.

"I don't know what happened. I've been in my room," I replied, pretending not to understand what she meant.

I didn’t hear any more replies from her as I drowned myself with the alcohol.

In the following days, I immersed myself in work, deliberately ignoring Mia's persistent calls. I had made up my mind—I no longer wanted her in my life, and she needed to understand that. Amidst the daily routine, one morning, I took the opportunity to check in on my daughter and inquire about her best friend.

"Have you heard from or seen your friend?" I asked casually.

"No, she hasn't been picking up my calls," my daughter replied with a hint of concern.

"Are you two fighting?" I tried to act nonchalant.

"No, I don't think so. Something must have happened on the night of her birthday, but she won't tell me anything," she sighed.

"She's your friend; I'm sure she'll come around eventually," I reassured her before saying, "See you later, pumpkin."

As I was about to leave, my daughter raised a concern, "Don't you think you should take a break today? You've been working a lot lately."

"It's nothing I can't handle. Don't forget, I'm a werewolf," I teased, and we both laughed. I planted a kiss on her forehead and left the house.

When I returned, I found Brianna looking visibly upset. Since her mother's disappearance, I had vowed to take care of her with all my heart. "What's wrong, my pumpkin pie?" I asked, my concern evident in my voice.

“Brianna clung to me, tears streaming down her cheeks. "She left, father. I thought we were friends, but she left," she sobbed, seeking comfort in my arms.

"Who left?" I asked, praying it wasn't what I feared.

"Daisy, Dad. She made it sound like she's never coming back," she replied, gazing into my eyes with a mix of sadness and frustration. "Someone hurt her on her birthday."

My heart sank, and my wolf felt the pain too, knowing that our mate had left us. "Did she tell you that?" I inquired, hoping for a glimmer of hope.

"No, but I just know," she answered resolutely.

"Did she mention where she was going?" I asked, grasping at any thread of information.

"No, but she mentioned accepting another school application," Brianna said.

"Perhaps she's just going away for the holidays. She's only been going to school there," I tried to reassure her.

"No, she said she's never coming back again," she replied adamantly.

"Pumpkin, you don't have to jump to conclusions. We don't know for sure. She might come back," I tried to calm her, but her tears seemed endless. When she finally fell asleep, exhausted from the emotional turmoil, I carefully left her room.

Alone with my thoughts, I found it impossible to calm down. Losing my second mate weighed heavily on my heart, and my wolf kept crying and whining, blaming me for everything. Regret gnawed at me for kissing her sister; it was a mistake I deeply regretted.

As I brooded over my actions, a text message notification popped up on my phone. Hope surged within me, wishing it was Daisy ready to give me another chance. However, my hope turned to annoyance when I saw that the message was from Mia. Without even reading its content, I hissed in frustration and flung the phone away. Right now, my mind was consumed with thoughts of Daisy, and Mia was the last person I wanted to deal with.

The next morning, the sound of the lock turning caught my attention. I listened as my daughter went to open the door and then shouted, "Dad, someone is here to see you!" Although she knew it wasn't necessary to announce it so loudly, I understood her excitement. Being werewolves, we possessed exceptional hearing, and I could already tell that the visitor was Mia.

Stepping outside the house, I smiled at my daughter and said, "Thank you, pumpkin. I've got it from here." She graciously excused herself, leaving Mia and me to talk privately.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" she demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I denied her accusation.

"You can't kiss me one moment and then ignore me the next," she said, her anger palpable.

"I'm not interested in you, and I never will be," I sighed.

"But you kissed me," she retorted.

"I only did that to get your sister off my back," I confessed.

"That doesn't make sense unless you also have feelings for her," she challenged, searching my eyes for the truth, “you are in love with her, aren’t you?” she scoffed.

It has nothing to do with whether I want you or not," I replied firmly.

"She's your daughter's age; what are you thinking?" Mia asked, clearly irritated.

"That's why I kissed you—to get her off my back. But I don't want to see you again," I declared, leaving her standing there with a shocked expression.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter