Second Chance Luna

Chapter 1 - Storm

Flashback to 5 hours ago Alyssa's POV:

I awoke with a painful jolt in my chest. I frantically reached over to wake my mate, realizing the bed was not only empty but the covers on his side hadn't even been pulled back. What the hell was going on? Where was he? My mind was still thick with sleep, and panic was beginning to set in.

Pain ripped through me once more. I cried out into the dark room as I clutched my chest again. Suddenly my mind became filled with images of my mate in bed with another woman... He'd let his guard down and I could see, and feel, everything, even through the one sided bond. My mate was with another woman… And as if the atmosphere could feel my anguish, a crack of lightning flooded the room. A storm brewing outside, and within me...

Current Alyssa's POV

It was 9:30 in the morning and I lay in the middle of an open field. In the past hour, I had dropped my sweet girl off at the pack preschool (giving her extra hugs and squeezes) and clocked into work. I truly had tried to be strong. I had tried to go on about my normal routine, but what everyone said was absolutely true. A damaged mate bond would simply drive even the best of us to insanity. It's not even like Dalton and I had the storybook mateship, but yet here I am...laying in a secluded field with an almost empty bottle of silver in my right hand, a picture of my daughter gripped in my left.

I am a nurse, well.. was a nurse, at the pack hospital so I knew I had already drunk enough to break the connection with my wolf. She was still here though, fighting for control and fighting to keep our connection. Clawing, jumping, begging me to mind link for help, but I just couldn't…I had one last sip of silver in the bottle, that I fully intended to drink, and then I should be gone soon after.

I simply could not stand this pain. I had tried talking myself out of this, but I guess I am just too weak. Maybe that's why Dalton had been so indifferent toward me and eventually cheated on me because I was too weak… Dalton had been a terrible mate. I put up with so much abuse, but this was too much for my soul to bare. I’m sure he would be thrilled that I was gone. The Moon Goddess was an evil mistress for pairing me with such a monster.

My daughter deserved better than this. Better than a mother who couldn’t even pull herself together for her. Better than a mother who allowed herself to get pushed around daily. I had left a several page letter for her to read once she is older. Goddess, I hope she doesn't hate me. How I wish I had been strong enough to endure. I had put up with Dalton's verbal abuse that had eventually turned physical, but I could not shake this and as the hours wore on, the pain continued to get worse. I squeezed her picture tighter as another tear slipped out.

"Moon Goddess, protect my girl. Let those around her know how much I loved her. Help her to grow into a beautiful and strong young woman, stronger than her mother ever could be." I may be angry with the Moon Goddess, but I needed something to cling to in hopes that Tenley would be okay.

My thoughts returned to my mate. I hadn't even spoken to him. I didn't care to, clearly. I knew all I needed to know. What was the point? There was no use in even discussing this, he would have figured out how to make it my fault, just as he had always done with any other issue in our mateship. At first, I chalked it up to him being a Gamma and being so incredibly busy with his duties. I told myself that eventually, we'd find our groove, but as the months and years wore on I quickly learned this was just him.

Goddess I was growing tired, becoming weaker and weaker by the moment. I tried to lift my hand in a feeble attempt to down the last of the bottle’s contents, but I was just simply too weak. I was a small woman. Maybe I hadn't needed the whole bottle after all. My subconscious told me that body weight did not matter. I learned this in school. However, I ignored my knowledge, much too tired to dwell on it. Closing my eyes, and feeling the wind blow through my hair, I let my body and mind sink further away as small raindrops fell on my cheeks. Before completely succumbing to the darkness I muttered, "I, Alyssa Pembrook of Wolf Moon pack, reject Gamma Dalton Pembrook of Wolf Moon pack as my mate."

I could hear something, but just barely. Was that shouting? No, surely not, I reassured myself. I specifically came here so that I wouldn't be found. I used all of my strength to roll my head to the side. I strained, but without my wolf hearing, it was no use. Just as the sound came closer, my wolf whined softly one last time and then the connection broke as I began to slip further away...

I felt so at peace. I felt as though I was being carried, but knew that was impossible. I was buzzing with a warmth I had never felt before. It felt foreign but safe. Was this what dying felt like? The debate in my mind washed away as I gave into the cocoon of warmth and safety...and fully into the darkness.