Chapter Two

Athan’s POV.

I walk out of the Red Zone with my fists closed tightly. I don’t understand why Ice didn’t accept my rejection. I’ve been treating her like a daughter, I can’t believe she harbors such nasty feelings for me. But then again, I don’t understand the intentions of the Moon Goddess to have Ice as my second chance mate. Is this her way of making up for everything that she takes from me? The thought makes me chuckle bitterly.

Ice will never be Isabella, my eternal love.

“Master! Wait up!” Flix catches up with me from the corner of the aisle. He was a student of mine but now he shoulders the responsibility as a trainer. I am proud of him being my right-hand man like a Beta. However, I don’t really want to interact with anyone after being in that incident with Ice. I am too angry for this.

“What do you want?” I ask without looking at him and head towards my office. He quickly updates me with some news flying around the pack next door, mainly about the dangers lurking in the Crescent Valley.

“Alpha Caleb of the Darkshadow Pack wants to meet with you regarding the rogues that have been found roaming around the territory. And his Beta asked if tomorrow afternoon will be a good time?” He asks for my opinion while putting his notepad facedown.

Honestly, before I make my side of the street clean, I don’t want to see anyone any time soon. Especially Caleb. The annoying old guy who is either asking for military backup from me or too keen to play matchmaker. But the situation is dire thanks to those annoying mutts.

“You know my calendar, Flix.” I resign, pausing on my track and reply dryly, “You tell me.”

With a sheepish look, he flips through a few pages on his notepad and answers, “You are scheduled to speak with the Omega representative tomorrow morning, but other than that, you are free.”

“Then send the confirmation of attendance.” I tell him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Anything else?” After a few seconds, I wait for him to utter something else because usually he would leave immediately. As a First Upper Moon Warrior in the academy, the title and the responsibility are heavy.

He clears his throat a few times while closing his notepad. “Master, I would like to talk about Ice-”

“No. I don’t want to talk about her.” I stop him abruptly and walk towards my seat in the office.

“Master, I...” He stutters. “I don’t know for sure why she did what she did, but Ice would never humiliate you like that. You know that!”

He doesn’t know that I and Ice are mates, which means that he doesn’t know that I rejected her during the Coming-of-Age Ball. Her response to thrashing the whole place was completely valid and not unreasonable. But still, she is not Isabella. I will never love her.

“But she did. End of story.” I shrug him off.

“But Master!” He calls out.

Now I’m really annoyed. I glare at him. Normally, he would simply tuck his tail between his feet and avoid my gaze as he tries to change the topic because he is afraid of me as his boss. But to my surprise, he doesn’t back down this time.

“It was a set up, or she was probably drugged! She’s innocent!” He gulps loudly. Out of all the years he has worked for me, Flix has never tried to stand up against me. Ever.

Seeing him this passionate about Ice irks something inside of me. An infuriated smirk crawls up before I slap him across his face.

Flix stumbles on the ground and stares up at me with pure terror. I cannot blame him because I would never hurt my employees. Never. But how dare he care for my mate?!

The same mate I rejected.

Frustrated, I hold my temper and pull myself together. He is innocent.

“Don’t forget rule 101, be emotionless.” I grab his collar and look at him in the eyes, “Emotionless, Flix. Or else it will affect your judgement.” Like how it affected me a few moments ago.

“Athan, put that young man down.” A familiar voice sounds from behind me.

I take orders from nobody. Not even from the Alpha of the Darkshadows pack due to reasons I don’t want to disclose. Not yet. My true identity will remain secret until I achieve what I want. But since Flix is here, I follow Caleb’s command and let Flix go.

“Go to your quarters.” Caleb tells him kindly. “Forgive your master. He’s just having his time of the month.” He jokes.

Despite Caleb’s humor, Flix shakes his head as he waits for my order, not following his command. Because although Caleb is an Alpha, Flix answers to me.

“Go.” I wave him off.

“Yes, Master.” He mutters silently and rushes out of my office the fastest I’ve ever seen him do it.

“What are you doing here? I thought you wanted to meet up tomorrow?” I face Caleb and ask.

“I’m not here for official Pack Affairs, Athan.” Caleb crosses his arms with a shrug while taking a seat on the couch. Then why is he here? Realization dawns on me when I see the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. He knows. An Ultimate fan of tidbits.

“This is ridiculous. How did you know?” I scoff, even the students in the academy are ill-informed. They just thought Miss Ice attempted to seduce me last night and thus was thrown into the dungeon.

“I take that it’s true then? Ice is your second chance mate?” He smiles playfully.

“Whose loose tongue must I cut?” I grit my teeth.

“How I got the information is irrelevant, Athan. You rejected her, didn’t you? That is why she threw a tantrum last night?” He deflects from my questions and rolls his eyes as if I was being overdramatic.

“Just leave me alone.” I furiously stand up.

“Athan, it’s been twelve years since she passed away. It’s time to move on. Ice is a nice girl.” He sighs, shaking his head. “She’s good enough for you.”

“I rejected her.” I say coldly.

“We all know Ice,” He shrugs his shoulders. “She has had affections for you for ages. She will not accept your rejection.”

As much as I don’t like admitting it, what he is saying might be true. I have always noticed her glances and her sudden blushes before. For the longest time, I keep on telling myself that it was just because she’s being shy. I guess it’s something else.

My gaze moves to the picture that is quietly lying in my drawer. My Isabella was everything to me. But way too soon she was made to take her place amongst the Moon Angels. And now, the Moon Goddess wants to play some type of joke where she gives me Ice, Isabella’s substitute, as my mate? In spite of having similar features to Isabella as she also has a rare white wolf, Ice is not Isabella. She will never be her.

Locking my drawer, I decide to do some actual work to ignore Caleb.

“You have to let her go.” His voice sounds again.

“I won’t. Not until she accepts my rejection.”

“Is there no other way?” He asks while leaning closer.

”None.”

A brief pause lingers between us, before he breaks it with a ridiculous suggestion. “Unless she completes the Impossible Mission.”

“Caleb.” I pause to look up at him. Has he finally lost his mind?

He avoids my gaze and continues, “As written in your rulebook, if the prisoner held in the Red Zone does not obey your condition to leave, then the only other alternative for them to be released is if they take on and succeed in doing the Impossible Mission.”

“She’s doomed to die.” I mutter silently. The mission is regarded as impossible because its difficulty can be fatal. I am unsure if her current level can manage that. I know every bit of her, after all, she’s brought up by me.

“Then so be it.” He says nonchalantly. “At least give her the option that grants her to choose her fate rather than make her rot with pain and humiliation.”

I look out through the window. Would this actually be a good thing? Whatever fate she will face after accepting the Impossible Mission will be beneficial for me. If she succeeds, then she will be forced to leave the Crescent Valley and marry somebody else happily. And if she doesn’t, then she will either remain in the Red Zone forever until she accepts the rejection. Either option will eliminate any existence of second chances. After all, my heart died the same day my Isabelle did twelve years ago.

I will never forgive the death of my beloved. I will take revenge on Moon Goddess in my own way.

Looking at my old friend’s eyes, I ask. “Do you have any target in mind?”