The Lycan King’s Second Chance Mate by Sumi

ASHANTI'S POV.

"Alpha Reagan." My voice comes out as a miserable whisper. Tears well up in my eyes as I turn to face him fully.

He's here.

It's seven am in the morning and he's here.

"Ashanti." His voice is almost inaudible. He looks so sad, so broken. The devastation in his tone is almost palpable. Just the sight of him has triggered my tearglands to start producing tears.

God, I hate that he has the power to make me so emotional.

"Good morning, Alpha Reagan." Tessa's quiet greeting breaks the awkward silence in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Tessa." He returns her greetings.

Tessa bows to him before turning to face me again.

"I'll give you two some privacy." I start shaking my head and holding her back.

"No." I whisper with a shaky voice. "I don't want to be left in here alone with him. Please don't go."

"I have to." She gives a gentle pat on my hands. "You two have to talk. I'll be right outside." I try to hold her back, but she peels my hands off her arm and walks out of the kitchen, leaving just Alpha Reagan, me and my ragged breaths.

I don't know why I'm so nervous, but God I'm nervous. I run haphazard fingers through my hair. It's useless. I'm standing there like a lump of nonsense. I flush a glance at him. I'd like to die a little. My heart jumps in my chest when he darts towards me. Soon, we are standing barely inches apart, facing each other. My heart is pounding in my ears. My knees are about to break.

"Ashanti." His baritone voice utters the letters of my name again. I feel oddly warm and numb at the same time.

This is a man I know inside out. I have slept with him. Spent good times with him. We've had our ups and downs in our past relationships. The last thing he is to me is a stranger and I should not be feeling all these things I'm feeling now, but I am anyway.

stern look and pray in my heart for my facial muscles not to betray me and keep that serious

comes out like a nervous, pathetic sound that mocks

His voice is low. His usual powerful and domineering demeanour is nowhere to be found. He looks broken... devastated and there is something lurking in his deep brown eyes. Some emotion I cannot even begin

can see, I'm doing alright. You

am not going to

Selena. She surely needs you." At the mention of the name Selena, he exhales so hard

rises and so do my shoulders. "This is

is no sign. We're still carrying out

caused you nothing but problems, I even left you at a very crucial time. I went out of sight for two good years. That certainly angered the Moon goddess. It got her to understand that I was not a good match for you, that's why

the sound of his ringtone. He shoots a glance at

"That's not important."

know that. Answer

"Ashanti it's not..."

answers the call. I know I shouldn't pay attention to

and she's crying again. Nothing we do or say to her has succeeded in getting her to calm down.

quickly ends the call and looks at me. His expression is

Those words slice my heart in two halves as they burrow their way out of

She needs you.

That sounds ridiculous!

don't want to

you to either,

to. She's your mate and you have obligations towards her. Go fulfil them, lest you anger

"Ashanti please..."

his gaze as I say that word. I couldn't. It hurts

what