Sherry’s POV:
“Was I the Alpha’s mate?” That question went through my mind over and over again. I couldn’t understand why he treated me well and spoke to me in a gentle voice. Also, the fact that he was apologizing more than he should came as a shock to me. No matter how I looked at it, he was acting like a mate should. If only I had my wolf, I would have known. Weeks ago, I thought a second chance mate was a myth. But then I saw that woman who stood next to Neo, and I realized that they really did exist. If the Moon Goddess gave second chances, then was she giving me him in order to let me redeem my past sins?. Either way, I was very scared of everything and couldn’t seem to accept it.
How would he react if he found out that I wasn’t human?. Would he still want me with my rotten past?.
Would he reject me if he knew how I had almost killed an Alpha due to wanting more power? I was scared, very scared of having him as a second chance mate.
“You can rest for a bit,” Maggie said. I quickly shook my head and stood up from the bed I was sitting on.
“No, you can’t leave me. Please stay beside me,” I pleaded.
A few seconds of silence went by, then she responded. “Honey, I need to fix something for you to eat. I’m sure you are hungry and thirsty. I would love to take you with me to the kitchen, but I can’t. Some men are there dining, and I’m sure it would make you feel uncomfortable. This room is the leader’s room, so no matter what, no one can ever walk in without his permission,” she answered.
She was right in thinking it would make me uncomfortable to be in the presence of men, but that didn’t mean I was okay with being in the Alpha’s room.
“At least allow me to rest in your bedroom,” I said in a low tone.
“I can’t do that, honey, because my room has no privacy. A lot of she-wolves… I mean women and men come there a lot to either ask for help or to seek advice, so they would only end up disturbing you,” she answered.
So she was exactly like Nana. Nana was the mother of the pack who everyone looked up to and cherished so much. Her bedroom was like a counseling room that everyone looked forward to visiting.
“Please don’t take long. I know I’m asking for too much, but please don’t leave me here for a long time,” I begged.
“Of course, dear. I’ll just prepare you a quick meal and come right back. So calm down and sit down,” she said, then touched my hands and helped me to sit down.
When she let go of my hands, I tensed.
“I’ll be right back,” she whispered.
I heard her footsteps, then the sound of the door opening and closing.
I moved my hands on the bed to feel the texture of the blankets, then moved back a bit and relaxed.
The silence of the room made me sad, and all I could do was think back on how I had first met Neo.
I was too selfish not to see how much he loved and worshipped me. He even changed his behavior and hair color just to impress me.
If I knew what the present and future held, I could have gone against my wolf in all possible ways just to be with him.
I sniffed as tears rolled down my cheeks.
They both had someone whom they loved in the pack, while I had no one.
Ian had an Alpha queen whom he treated with respect, love that he had never shown me his whole life, while Neo had a young mate whom he adored and loved.
I was sure they both cared less if I were alive or dead. Yet here I was in my misery, feeling lonely and having a painful heartbreak.
When I heard the sound of the door opening, I quickly raised my hands and wiped away my tears.
“That was quick,” I said in a husky voice.
No response came, only footsteps were heard approaching me, and that made me stand up.
I froze when large arms went around me, pulling me forward.
I moved my hands on the hard chest in front of me and tried to pull back.
“Please, just let me hold you for a second,” the alpha’s voice came through.
I wanted to say no and put up a fight, but something in me just broke, and I found myself sobbing silently and hugging him back.
It had been a long time since I had received a hug from someone. He was a stranger, yet his kindness was rubbing off on me.
“You are so strong, and I am proud of you,” he said, then brushed his large hand through my hair as my sobs got louder.
“You endured so much alone, I’m sure of that. That’s why I’m so sorry for not being there to hold your hand,” he said as I felt my heart ache even worse.
It wasn’t his problem, and he didn’t have to say that to me, be it my mate or not. Why was he so kind?. It made me want to accept him.
“Sherry, I want you to know that you can stay here for as long as you need because we are happy to have you be a part of our family. Whenever you want to leave, you can tell me, and I’ll make sure you go safely wherever you want to go,” he said softly.
I pulled back and raised my head, although I couldn’t see anything.
“Why?” I asked in a cracked voice.
“Why are you so kind to me, a stranger?” I asked, wanting to hear his confirmation.
His warm hand touched my wet cheek gently.
“Because that’s what mates do. They care with every fiber of their being, even if they are scared of being hurt again. No matter how they fight against their instinct, they can’t easily let go or not love their partner,” he answered, then cleared his throat.
I wanted to tell him the truth that I understood everything he had said, yet words couldn’t come from my lips.
“Because I can never look away when someone is in need of my help,” he forced the words out.
Without thinking, I moved my hand and touched his face. A cold silk material covered his face.
My mind screamed at me to drop my hand and mind my own business, but my heart urged me to remove the material and touch his face. That’s exactly what I did.
I grabbed the side of the material that felt like a mask and tried to pull it off him. His hand quickly touched mine for a second before letting go.
“I’m not comfortable with you touching my face,” he whispered, and I could hear the pain in his voice.
I ignored his words and continued to pull the material off him and threw it to the ground.
“I want to touch your face, please,” I whispered back.
He touched my hand and moved it to the side of his face without a word. As I traced my fingers over his face, tears rolled down my cheeks.
The scars I felt with my fingertips were the same ones I had felt before in my previous pack. They were burn scars, and his were larger. No matter what, he had endured so much pain, and just that thought made my sobs turn into loud cries.
“It must have hurt so much,” I said in a labored breath.
I felt a trail of warm tears touch my fingertips, and my heart broke knowing that he was crying.
I tiptoed and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, hoping it would comfort him, even if it was just for a minute.