A Second Chance Mate

(Leonard's Point of View)

Leonard Blackwell had long believed that fate had abandoned him.

Thirty-six years of life had taught him one lesson above all: expect nothing from the Moon Goddess, and she will not disappoint you.

He had felt his mate once—just a whisper of a bond—before it was cruelly ripped away. A hollow ache had settled in his chest that day, one that had never fully faded. He had buried himself in duty, in wealth, in carefully constructed walls of silence and solitude.

Women threw themselves at him, but none mattered. None could. He had accepted that he would live and die alone.

And yet…

Tonight, standing under the silver glow of the full moon, everything shattered.

The moment that girl—Eila Johnson—had shifted, his world tilted off its axis.

His wolf, dormant for years, roared to life inside him.

Mate.

Leonard stiffened, ice spreading through his veins.

No. This was impossible.

He clenched his fists at his sides, locking his body in place. He did not move toward her. Did not react.

But the bond did not care for his resistance.

The pull between them was suffocating, undeniable, a force of nature that defied all logic. It wrapped around his soul like a vice, demanding recognition, demanding submission.

And Eila—Goddess above, she was just a girl.

A child compared to him.

Sixteen. Innocent. The daughter of a housemaid.

Leonard's throat tightened.

He barely knew her. He had seen Celena's children in passing, knew them only as the pack's lesser families—the struggling, the unnoticed, the ones who worked to keep the powerful comfortable. He had never spared them a second thought.

And yet, here she stood, staring back at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Her wolf, a shimmering silver with eyes that burned violet, was like nothing he had ever seen. She was special. Blessed.

Whispers rippled through the gathered wolves.

"Did she just—look at Beta Leonard?"

"The poor girl…"

"She's just a child!"

The weight of their gazes pressed down on him.

Leonard forced himself to breathe. To think.

This was a mistake. The Moon Goddess had already made a mistake once when it came to him. Surely, this was another.

A second mate? After all these years?

Why her?

Why now?

His jaw tightened. He could already predict what would come next.

Alpha Magnus, his oldest friend, would demand an answer. The pack would talk—rumors would spread like wildfire. The girl's life would change forever.

And Leonard would be forced to make a choice.

He took a slow, deliberate step backward.

The bond screamed in protest.

Eila flinched, hurt flickering across her delicate features.

Leonard forced his expression to remain cold, unreadable. He could not afford to show weakness.

He turned away.

And for the first time in years, his carefully controlled world spun completely out of his grasp.

Leonard barely made it back to his estate before his control began to crack.

His wolf raged inside him, demanding that he turn back. Demanding that he go to her.

To Eila.

The name alone sent a pulse of warmth through his chest, an undeniable sense of mine that he had no business feeling.

His mate. His second mate.

Leonard dragged a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. He could not afford to lose himself in this. Not now.

And yet, even as he paced his study, trying to regain some semblance of order, he felt the inevitable coming.

The knock on his door was sharp, demanding.

Alpha Magnus Baldwin never waited for an invitation.

The moment Leonard unlocked the door, Magnus strode in, his imposing figure filling the room. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp green eyes gleamed with interest.

"So, it's true." Magnus closed the door behind him, his arms folding over his chest. "You found a mate."

Leonard didn't answer. He walked to the liquor cabinet in the corner, pouring himself a drink with measured precision. He didn't offer one to Magnus.

The Alpha was never one to waste time.

"Eila Johnson." Magnus leaned against the desk, watching him. "Didn't think you'd end up mated to a housemaid's daughter."

Leonard's grip on the glass tightened, but he kept his expression blank. "I never thought I'd end up mated again at all."

Magnus hummed, studying him. "And yet, here we are."

Silence stretched between them.

Leonard knew what the Alpha was thinking. Knew the calculations already running through his mind.

Eila was young. Untrained. Poor.

She was not the kind of woman expected to stand beside a Beta of his rank.

"I assume you plan to reject her?" Magnus said after a moment, his tone casual. Too casual.

Leonard exhaled slowly, setting his glass down. "I haven't decided."

Magnus's brows lifted slightly. "You haven't decided?"

Leonard met his gaze evenly. "I need time to think."

Magnus scoffed. "Time? You've had a lifetime to decide what you want, Leonard. And I know you. You don't believe in second chances. You don't believe the Moon Goddess makes mistakes—so why hesitate now?"

Leonard clenched his jaw. He wished he had an answer.

Everything in him screamed to walk away. To push her from his mind.

And yet.

He had seen the way she looked at him.

Confused. Hopeful. Hurt.

It had been years since anything had moved him like that.

Magnus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His voice was softer now, but no less calculating. "Leonard, if you don't want her, say the word. I'll make sure she's taken care of."

Leonard's wolf snarled at the mere suggestion.

His vision darkened, his fingers twitching at his sides.

Magnus noticed. He smirked. "So you do care."

Leonard scowled, turning away. "I don't know what I feel."

Magnus chuckled. "That's a first."

Leonard exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Magnus was right. He had spent years mastering control over every aspect of his life. Over his emotions. Over his desires.

But this.

This was chaos.

And he had never been good at dealing with chaos.

Magnus rose to his feet, rolling his shoulders. "I won't push you. Yet. But if you're not claiming her, you need to let her go. And if you are…" He smirked, clapping a hand on Leonard's shoulder. "Then the pack is about to witness something truly entertaining."

Leonard said nothing as the Alpha left.

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, Leonard pressed his hands against the desk, his head bowing.

Eila.

His mate.

His second chance.

But could he take it?