The Princess's Unwanted Mate (Book 8 of the Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

12

"Her second chance is in your pack."

This was getting worse and worse by the second for him. He felt an ache in his chest over it and stiffled a sigh. "Who is it?"

Daniel shrugged. "At the moment, I don't know." He grew quiet for a moment, linking someone. "She hasn't come across whoever it is yet. I'm not sure she's mentally ready for it either, but given what happened to my daughter when her first mate rejected her, finding her second chance really eased her heartache."

Axel wanted to ask about that but he didn't. He figured if the Alpha King wanted him to know, he'd tell him. He'd already divulged more than Axel had expected. "I understand." Not really but it seemed like the appropriate response. He'd never found his own mate.

Daniel raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't respond to that comment. "So, about food."

Axel smiled. "Of course, Alpha." He stood and walked over to the door, and opened it up. The most devine scent hit him in the face, startling him, and he stopped, breathing it in and forgetting for a moment that the Alpha King was behind him.

"Alpha?" Daniel said from behind him.

It brought him to his senses and he moved. "Sorry. Something.." he stopped.

The King looked at him. "Something?"

"It's nothing. Something smells good," he said softly.

"Really."

Axel glanced at Daniel. "What am I missing?"

Daniel shrugged. 'Lets go."

Axel nodded and headed down the hall, following the Alpha King. The scent was getting stronger the further along they went. They walked around the corner, and he stopped as the scent hit him full force.

Gabrielle turned to look at him and gasped. His eyes met hers and he forgot for a moment where he was as he looked at her. Mate! He heard it clearly in his mind.

He wasn't sure what to think at that point. He was thrilled to death that she was his, but at the same time, she'd just gone through a rejection and she was immortal. He was .. a bit deflated. He didn't even know what to say at that point. "Um.." He'd never been speechless before but now he was and it didn't help that both her father and brother were standing there watching. Both the Alpha King and former Alpha King.

Both men suddenly turned and left, leaving Gabby and Axel alone. She was just staring at him now, a bit shocked at the turn of events.

"Gabby?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. It was very unexpected," she said.

"You're telling me." Was this why he'd always found her so attractive? Why he'd fallen in love with her?

"I can have a second chance mate," she murmured.

"I'm aware. Your brother filled me in." Not that he'd dared to think he'd be it.

"Did you know it was you?"

"No. He just told me that somebody in the pack was your second chance," he said.

"Okay."

"Gabby, I'll understand if you want to reject me. I know you'll have to give up your immortality for me." It killed him to say that to her.

"Is that what you want?" She frowned.

"No, it's not. I wanted you before I had any idea that you were my mate. I want you now probably worse. But I will go with whatever you want."

"You won't get a second chance," she reminded him.

"I know."

She stared at him for a long moment thinking. The bond was already there between them easing her heartache. She felt like she could breathe again. She couldn't expect him to give up his pack for her. And if she wanted to be with him, she would have to give up her immortality for him. It wasn't a big deal. Not really.

"Gabby."

"Yes?"

"I'll walk away from my pack for you. My brother can take over as Alpha. He's only a year younger than me and he's been trained to be Alpha as well. He's already mated." His brother would be fine with it too.

"You'd do that?" She seemed startled.

"Yes I would. I've wanted you for a while now, ever since I first laid eyes on you. I thought you were the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said softly.

She blushed. "I thought you just wanted me for my title."

"Nope, I don't care about that." He never had.

"I need some time. Not a lot because this has eased my heartache." She looked away from him.

"I'm going to need a little bit of time to talk to my brother and get everything situated here before I can leave." His mind was already working in over drive.

"Will your brother be upset?"

"No. It actually kind of makes sense for me to go to your pack since you're higher ranking than me. Will your brother be okay with that?"

"Yeah he'll be fine with it," she said, flashing him a smile.

He reached out to take her hand in his, then stopped, not sure how she'd feel about it. But she reached out to him and he took her hand carefully. The tingles were there, and he smiled at the feel of them. She smiled back. "Come on. I'll get you something to eat."