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.

Lycans would go to various packs to pick out

the honor of presenting young maidens for the ritual." I

does he mean

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 and for her fighting skills... oh, they are impeccable. She's so strong and brave! She is a daughter I am very proud of." My stepmother praises me with a smile tha doesn't reach

staring at her in awe, completely amazed by her ability to lie through her

is an

She was basically telling the truth except for the

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

she's only making me look perfect in the eyes of the Lycan Beta so he can choose me and

admit it. When a girl is picked from a pack, the pack receives a fortune and protection from Rogues and other enemies from the

The Beta demands and my step mother quickly

nearly fall over when the Beta makes eye

my breath when he looks away from me.

Rhea's direction. All

stepmother stutters nervously. She turns to look at my father, but he kept his eyes on the Beta and mouth tightly

widen in shock. I snap my head to look in her direction and the serious look she's

mated

Yet!

giving her an intense look

I have. The guy sitting over 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

done so many daring things before, but this

is an

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