The Lycan King’s Second Chance Mate by Sumi

ASHANTI'S POV.

Eerie, pin-dropping silence has been the state of this office ever since Rhea, Conrad and I walked in and greeted the Beta of the Lunar Crescent Pack.

Everyone is well-behaved, including my stepmom who never knows when to shut up. Even my father doesn't have the right to say a word unless permitted by the Lycan Beta. Everyone acts respectfully in the presence of him and the other Lycan soldiers he came along with.

The tension in this room is suffocating.

"Alpha Anderson." The Beta's thunderous voice sounds throughout the room and everyone looks at him. My heart starts beating fast.

"Yes, Beta Ronald." Father bows to him and I cringe.

It feels weird to see my father acting like a subordinate and not a leader to a Beta.

"Is everyone who's supposed to be part of this meeting, present?" His voice is calm, but carries so much power and authority.

If the Lycan Beta makes me tremble as such, I'm surely going to faint the day I'll meet face to face with their Alpha.

I hope that day never comes.

"Yes, Beta. We are all present." Father replies humbly.

"Good. I'm going to go straight into introducing the purpose of my visit." He looks around with searching eyes. I keep making sure my eyes never meet with his. "I am here to enforce the Concordat Ritual." He announces and my mind goes into a frenzy.

The Concordat Ritual.

pick out girls for their Harem, but that ritual stopped when their previous

honor of presenting young maidens for the ritual." I glance at Rhea and she looks as

does he mean

very high grades in school and takes first position in her class every academic year. She has won many academic awards and competitions Everyone in our

by her ability to

an

was basically telling the truth except for the last

been ignoring my achievements all the time. My stepmom always tried to prove Rhea is the smarter one through her own fabricated narratives even

look perfect in the eyes of the Lycan Beta so he can choose me and she'll finally get rid of me like she

knows this Concordat is no honourable Ritual even though people are too afraid to admit it. When a girl is picked from a pack, the pack receives a fortune and protection from Rogues and other enemies from the Lycans. However, the chosen

demands and my step mother quickly

the

I release my breath when

her?" He nods in Rhea's direction. All the color drains

My stepmother stutters nervously. She turns to look at my father,

eyes widen in shock. I snap my head to look in her

mated

Yet!

asks quietly, giving her an intense look and she

there." She points over to Conrad. My soul walks out of my body. "His name is Conrad and he's my mate." The office is filled with gasps and murmurs from other elders who are aware of the fact that I'm the one who's in a relationship

so many daring things

lied to the Lycan Beta. That is an offense punishable by death if she's

millisecond, I see a flicker of nervousness in his eyes. The expression on my stepmother turns from