Alpha's reclaimed mate

chapter 3

"You're going to need to stay here until I get the rumors down!" Bruno said moving to the window that held an elegant view of the garden.

His phone rang for the hundredth time that morning, he chose to ignore it.

"I can't, I have shifts to cover! Maggie is short on staff and it wouldn't be fair to leave everything for her." Her breath caught at the sight of his disheveled red spikes.

Bruno stared out the window, his bare back on her.

Her wolf purred, sending flashes of last night. Moans, groans, sucking biting. To her horror, he'd marked her.

Her eyes widened as a hand flew to her neck, feeling the mark on the crook of her neck.

No!

"You marked me?" She whispered.

He snapped out of whatever dazed him and strode to her side on the king-sized bed. His red eyes scanned her body with a flash of lust long enough before she pulled the sheets over her bare chest.

"For f**k sake!" He kicked the bedside table causing the hue lamp to waver. His breath became ragged as he frantically moved away from her.

"Calm down Bruno, I am not mad!"

A couple of seconds later his breath became normal. Her wolf was ecstatic that she was able to calm the ferocious Alpha.

"No one should ever know what happened last night!" He spoke calmly.

"Of course, I don't kiss and tell!"

"I mean the damn rituals. One scandal is enough at a time."

"Why is the entire pack freaking out over footage of you and me kissing outside the restaurant?" She fought the smile that twitched on her lips.

"It's humiliating to be involved with a f*****g Omega!"

"But you did anyway! I'm your second chance mate!" The smiles left her lips.

His eyes flamed up a dangerous red, his jaws tightened in sudden rage causing her and her wolf to tremble.

"I don't want you!" He looked away, dreading the look of horror on her face.

"Then you marked me?"

"Kiara would show you to a room where you'll be staying until I've figured this out!" He moved back to the window.

As if on cue Kiara his secretary walked into the vast bedroom in an elegant emerald dress. Bruno grabbed a shirt and moved out of the room.

Monica took out the anger and frustration on the pizza dough. Maggie watched her from the pot.

Footsteps approaching the kitchen, with giggles accompanying alerted them.

As they stepped in, Monica caught a whiff of her cologne, something citrus.

Ophelia walked across the counter to Monica.

"Hey, guys! Look what we have here," Ophelia spoke in a slow drawl. Her warm tanned manicured hand found its way under her chin, forcing her to look up into her blue eyes.

Monica balled her fingers into a fist, trying to contend her anger.

Seeing her clenched fingers, Alara, Ophelia's friend, spoke up. "Someone's pretty angry!" pointing to her fist.

"Whoo!"

Ophelia traced her temple condescendingly.

"Are You going to fight back?" A fake and exaggerated pout curled on her cherry lips. "Honey, that's not a good option!"

Monica cringed away, causing a claw to dig into her soft flesh.

"Oops! Tried to warn you! Now I've got blood on my well-polished claw! Look what a mess you made, what is Alpha Bruno going to say when he sees my claws messed up?" She wailed dramatically, taking her nails closer to her eyes for inspection.

Monica felt warm blood trail down her cheek and a burning sensation from the deep cut. Glancing up at Ophelia's sleek face, seeing her silky blonde hair brushed to perfection, draped above her slip dress, icy blue eyes and her lips now turned into a scowl.

"Pathetic w***e!" Ophelia scowled. "I'm going to teach you how not to be a slut with another girl's mate!"

A punch to the gut knocked out all the air from her lungs, dropping to the floor in a desperate gasp for air.

"Pathetic w***e!" She enunciated, as she began kicking harshly and repeatedly. Reaching for the bowl on the counter, Maggie jerked away from the pour.

"This is so gold!" Alara taking out her phone beamed at Ophelia.

"This is the s**t your Alpha rejected me for!" Ophelia spoke into the camera.

"I think you're taking this too far!" Kendall frightfully reasoned.

"No, I want the pack to see what a weakling Alpha Bruno has chosen as his mate as their Luna!"

"I'm not a part of this! Ophelia stop! Alara stop recording, Alpha Bruno would kill us for this!" Kendall panicked.

"Why don't you go be a loser somewhere else?" Ophelia asked.

"I'm out!" Kendall left the kitchen.

Letting the warm shower heal her, Monica stood numbly under the soothing spray.

Changing into something comfy, she ran a finger over the cut on her cheek which was taking time to heal. Ray was never a quick healer.

Brushing her hair into a bun, she curled up on her bed in the tiny room she had in the pack house.

Kiara led the way through wings of doors later that day.

"Quickly get ready!" Kiara said, Finally stopping at a door before pushing it open.

"Get ready for?" Monica asked her as they stepped into the vast bedroom.

"The revival ceremony." Kiara raised a brow, "Alpha Bruno wants you ready I'll serve your lunch in this room."

"Thank you, Kiara!" She smiled at her.

She dropped onto the bed as Kiara left. It didn't make sense that things were unfolding quite faster, her second chance was with the Alpha of the greatest Lycan Pack. What exactly did the Goddess want from her?

He'd said he didn't want her, yet he'd made love to her, he'd marked her.

Selecting an outfit from the racks of branded dresses in the walk-in closet. She settled for a turtle-neck black cotton dress. Brushing down her hair to conceal the cut.

Monica momentarily stopped breathing when Bruno walked into the room straight to her in a white shirt and some faded denim jeans.

Holding her gaze, he lifted her chin, pulling her hair back to expose the cut.

"You're always making rash decisions!" He muttered.

"It wasn't my intention to get in a twist."

"You should've stayed right where I instructed you to!"

His thumb trailed her jawline, lightly brushing against her lips feeling them quiver at his touch. Closing the gap, his lips ardently crashed hers in a gentle but wild kiss.

"What I need you to do here is pretty simple, it's the revival..." Bruno began as they approached the sacred fountain. "You stir the fountain after Keegan fortifies it."

"I'll do just as you say, my Alpha!" Monica bowed curtly.

"What are you doing? Strength is vital and that's all we seek for our warriors. We can't attract strength with the energy of an Omega." Aiden argued.

"Someone's gotta stir the fountain!" Axel, Beta of the pack reminded.

"A she-wolf of a royal bloodline! Ophelia is the best option here! She's Gamma-female."

"You know, darling, just the right thing to do!" Ophelia pouted. Seeing the undone button on his shirt she offered, "Oh, let me fix this."

"Thanks!" Was all Bruno said as she did the button on his shirt.

Glaring at Monica she added, "We don't need any assistance, I'll notify you when I need assistance!"

"Excuse me!" Monica withdrew silently, heading back to the bedroom.

"I'm dead! Bruno, you should have called me if you needed a quick lay! Not like I'm a quickie but it makes sense since we're fated and... "

"What are you even saying?" Aiden glared at her. She instantly grew silent.

"Ophelia stirs the fountain today!" Bruno instructed through clenched Jaws and a boring gaze.

When the last of the warriors was refreshed from the tepid water, Alpha Bruno retired to his office. His mind clouded by the thoughts of his cruel fate.

If he accepted Monica as his mate, then what was going to be the fate of Crescent Pack?

"We shifted for the first time in our lives on our tenth birthdays." Bruno searched Axel's face, looking for an opening to voice his clouded mind.

"You flamed up, red wolf. Your father was so proud." Axel responded absently, his gaze on his phone.

"If it happens your mate is an Omega..."

"The Goddess isn't that cruel. She gave me a mate as beautiful and strong as Courtney. But if it happened, I think the goddess knows better."

"I'm beginning to doubt that!"

"Shots of tequila would definitely clear those doubts. Are you down tonight man?"

"Rain check, I need to speak to her, with a clear head."

"Who? What's going on with you? You almost swallowed that girl at the parking lot." Axel hysterical laugh fumed Bruno up making him hurl a stepler at Axel

Axel let out a fake wince. "Is that what all this is about?"

"Supposed, I reject my second chance mate..."

"Picky ass! Reject her for?"

Ophelia stormed into the vast office with Alara following. "I need to have a word with you!" Her gaze regarded Axel's, "in private!" When Axel didn't budge, she added "or not!"

"What's this about, Ophelia?" Bruno asked, mentally exhausted.

"That lowlife you blindly let into your life, Bruno I thought you were smarter than this. Are you already telling her Crescent Pack's top secret? She'll turn on you..."

"What did you find out?" Bruno gave her the satisfaction.

Ophelia smiles broadened, winging her tablet his way. Bruno stared at the screen.

"Appearing from no where, now claiming her position as your Luna it was safe I had that slut searched. There's a lot to that scrub than we know. She could be a spy from the Outlanders."

"What nonsense is this?"

"Bruno, Ophelia is actually rational. Don't think with your heart!"

"Get lost!" Bruno growled, his tone dangerous.

Ophelia scurried out the door with Alara on tow.

"Aiden knows exactly what to do. Call him." Axel strolled out of the office.

Hesitantly, Bruno dialed Aiden's number. When his rich deep tone came through, Bruno quietly commanded, "Aiden, prepare the interrogation room. There's a possibility of a spy amongst us."

Bruno knew in his heart, things were about to change. Drastically.