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.

years, Lycans would go to various packs to pick out girls for their Harem, but that ritual stopped when their previous Alpha, the father

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

does he mean by

willing to offer you our eldest daughter, Ashanti. She will be the perfect candidate because she is an intellectual and a very brave fighter. What I mean is, she always has 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 pack knows she's a brain box

awe, completely amazed by her ability

an amazing

I feel all of this funny. She was basically telling the

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

the Lycan Beta so he can

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 girl will be serving

between these two?" The Beta demands and my step mother quickly stretches her index finger in my

Ashanti." I nearly fall over when the Beta makes eye contact with me. I

breath when he looks away from me. His

Rhea's direction. All the color

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

Rhea blurts out and my eyes widen in shock. I snap my head to look in

not mated to

Yet!

quietly, giving her an intense look

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

many daring things before, but

Lycan Beta. That is an offense punishable by death

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