The Lycan King’s Second Chance Mate by Sumi

ASHANTI'S POV.

"Thank you." I mutter to the guard who just opened my car door as I step out of the car. A small sigh escapes my chest as I watch the towering building in front of me. Today is another competition and I'm here with my team to compete like the rest of the designers around here. The competition starts at twelve noon and always lasts three hours. We are only allowed to get into the hall and start preparing and organising our equipment from eleven am, so we usually have one hour to prepare before the contest starts.

"Another day to experience a spine chilling adrenaline rush." Ryan points out as he comes over to meet me. I flash him a small smile as I nod my head.

He's right.

The adrenaline rush that comes with designing and sewing outfits under such pressure is spine chilling. But I feel like I'm getting used to it.

"I pray they go easy on us today." Ryan's scoffs.

"Go easy on you?" He doesn't sound impressed by that statement. "You're competing for the greatest Fashion title in this world and you want the organisers to go easy on you? You've got to be kidding me!" "No need to take my words too seriously. That was just the future of speech." "It had better be!" He shakes his head and starts walking away from me.

He's such a brat! "I'm going to send you hto your parents soon." I murmur under my breath as I start heading into the banquet hall. As I walk on, I can't help but notice that almost all eyes are on me. Why's that? What did I do this taround? I get more alarmed when I step into the hall and the noise instantly dies down. Everyone turns their heads in my direction and a few seconds later, they go back to discussing, but in hushed tunes and on a different topic. And that topic is me.

"Did you hear? Alpha Reagan's first mate is back." "I did. At first I thought it was a joke but I later found out it isn't. She's indeed here." "Alpha Reagan has still not addressed the public to explain what really happened. Everyone is curious to know how she cback from the dead." "The big question is, what is Alpha Reagan going to do in this situation? This has never happened before. An Alpha having two mates? It's unheard of!" "He obviously has to choose one between the two. Question now is, who is he going to choose?" "His first mate, of course!" My head turns in the direction of the person who said that. I'm not even surprised to see that it's the blonde haired girls who's always talking shit to me. I roll my eyes at her. "And why would he choose her?" A man asks.

"Well, Selena was here first. She's his first and true mate. I don't know what caused her disappearance all these years, but if the Moon goddess has sent her back, she definitely has a reason. And I believe that reason is because the second mate chosen for Alpha Reagan is a total disappointment. I'm sure the Moon goddess was very wn disappointed. She probably saw that Ashanti would make a terrible Luna and decided to send Selena back to save Alpha Reagan and the rest of us." I can feel anger making its way to the forefront of my consciousness as I watch the girl spew those words to the others who are listening attentively.

I feel like marching over there and ripping her hair from her scalp, but I know better than to do such a thing.

It will only further prove her point ofbeing a terrible match for Alpha Reagan and worst, I could be disqualified from this competition and banned from ever participating in any.

I have so much to lose if I act on impulse right now.

"Well... that's just one way to look at it." One of the other guys in the group chimes in. They all look at him. I do too.

"What do you mean?" The others ask curiously and I thank them because I'm also curious.

I'm invested in this conversation.

"We all can agree to the fact that we have no idea what really happened to Selena. We have no idea where she has been these past years. Whether she was dead and has not been brought back to life or has been alive all this time, we do not know But what I think is, regardless of the situation, if Selena was the one true mate who had to end up with Alpha Reagan, the Moon goddess would not have sent Ashanti when Selena disappeared. She would have left Alpha Reagan mateless until Selena's return. If Ashanti was chosen, I think it's because she's the right Luna." "Or because she's the perfect person to play the part of a replacement." The blond haired girl fires back, destroying every hope the last guy's statement had tried to restore in my heart.

I haven't really thought of it, but what if she's right?

What if I was truly a replacement for Selena and now that she's backim hat have to step aside and let her take her place? God, this is drivingnuts.

"Guys. Even if we talk from now till tomorrow, we will never know the real story so suggest we drop this topic right now. It's too sensitive and we do not want to get into trouble with the Lycan King." He explains and the others nod in agreement except the blonde haired who keeps frowning. "Ashanti!" A voice calls my name. I quickly turn to look. It's Ryan and there's a worried look on his face.

"Ryan. Is something wrong? Why do you have such a worried look on?" "There's a problem" My heart skips a beat.

"Pro... problem? What problem?"

"Someone tampered with our equipment. All the machines have been ruined and ve have bar and we thirty minutes to get new ones before the competition starts." I feel the bones in my body melt at once. My life flashes before my eyes.

This is not good.

This is not good at all!