Page 77 of A Chance at Redemption for the Alpha

“Same,” he says to my surprise. “I was the alpha’s son in my old pack. He was an abusive asshole, and I became a bully to please him. But that was on me. I could have done better; other people have it bad and make better decisions.”

His honesty shocks me. “And what now?” I ask.

“I am not going to reject you, ever!” he says, blushing slightly. “I actually can’t believe my luck to have a third-chance mate. Who the fuck gets three chances? I am so lucky. I will do everything to win you over!”

He sounds sincere. My last mate sounded honest, too, but then just dropped me like a hot potato. He did have some red flags, though, things I ignored because I wanted so badly to belong and to be loved. I don’t know Benjamin yet. I don’t know what kind of person he is, and if he is going to toy with me like the other guys.

But I can’t reject him either. He is my second chance. Either the goddess wants to completely break me or genuinely give me another chance.

“How about we get to know each other?” he offers. “You don’t need to make a decision immediately. Just, please give me a chance!”

I can’t believe he is the one begging me for a chance. It should be the other way round. “Promise me that the moment you realize you don’t want me, you will be honest,” I say quietly.

“Lori-“

“No, please, promise. I need to know you won’t play with me.”

“I promise not to play with you,” he says, looking at me through sad, worried eyes. “But your fears are unfounded. I have fucked up enough already. I won’t do it again.”

“What did you do exactly?” I ask. “You mentioned that I am your third chance.”

“I will tell you everything,” he says, smiling shyly. “If you promise to meet me again.”

“I guess I could need some help here with rebuilding the cottage,” I say, feeling a twinge of hope in my body. I am going to get fucked over again, I know it, but I just can’t help myself. “That is if you want to-“

“Yes!” he exclaims before I can even finish my sentence. “I have training now, but I will come later this afternoon, and we can make plans on how to renovate the place to your liking.”

As I watch him hurry off, I am not sure if I did the right thing. I just signed myself up for more heartbreak. Benji turns around and waves at me excitedly, his handsome face lights up with a smile when I wave back.

Goddess, what am I doing here?

twenty-seven

The Past

*BENJAMIN*

Ihurry back home the moment training is wrapped up. I have no time to linger around and chat with anyone, I have a beautiful mate and awesome date to get to. When I rush into the house, both Silas and Marcellus are already there, eyeing me in surprise.

“Didn’t you just have your first training with Lucian?” Silas asks. “How come you can still move?”

“Oh, it wasn’t that bad,” I beam, rushing upstairs to my bedroom. I don’t hear what else either of them has to say, instead, I wriggle out of my clothes and jump into the shower. I want to smell and look good. Lori is so beautiful. She has chestnut-colored hair with a hint of red in, a beautiful heart-shaped face, and blue eyes, and she has the cutest mole ever, right above her eyebrow. I don’t know how I deserve such a stunning and gifted woman as my mate. I know she is very talented in handiworks, and I just suck at it. Actually, I am pretty bad at almost everything, while she seems to be amazing.

She has to be so bummed to be mated to me, though. After her history of assault, she is mated to yet another bully. I can’t fuck this up. I will be honest with her all the way and answer all her questions, so she knows what she is getting into. I will give her all the time she needs, and I certainly won’t judge her for what her former pack did to her. They used her. I had a feeling, with what Marcellus had hinted at, and her words just verified it.

A sudden wave of anger fills me, and I feel my wolf stir, too. Whoever hurt her, they’d better stay far away from me, or I will rip their sleazy dicks off their bodies!

I need to prove to her that I am not like them, that I respect and value her.

I grab a pair of jeans, swiftly putting them on, but I have no idea what type of shirt to wear. “Say, Marcellus,” I ask, leaning over the balustrade of the staircase. “Which shirt do you think looks better?”

I hold out the two shirts I picked, a blue one that looks slightly fancy and a white one with a V-neck.

“What are you going for?” he asks.

“Attractive, approachable, capable, but not like a sleazy asshole,” I say.

“Why are you asking Marc and not me?” Silas asks with a frown.