The Lycan King’s Second Chance Mate (Ashanti) novel Chapter 4

ASHANTI'S POV.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask in annoyance the moment I walk into the living room and see Conrad sitting on one of the Sofas.

I have been miserable and heartbroken, but the Conrad I'm looking at right now doesn't look the least affected by everything that just happened.

I roll my eyes when he rises from the Sofa and inches closer to me. He even has the nerve to smile at me.

“Don't bother, I'm not here to beg you to take me back.”

“Not that I wanted you to do that.”

“Good, because this is all your fault in the first place.”

“What?” I asked harshly.

“Yeah” He answers with creased brows. “You know what, Ashanti? You were never ready for us to get intimate. Always talking about waiting for the right time. I got tired of waiting. Two years and all I ever got from you was a kiss. It became boring. I needed more so I went to someone who was ready to give it to me.” Pain stabs my heart like a thousand daggers as I listen to him talk.

He slept with my sister because I wouldn’t let him do that with me.

“But you said you were fine with us not having sex.”

“I only said that to please you. Which man would like to be in a relationship with a girl without getting intimate?”

“There are many men out there who…”

“Then go find them.”

“Why are you even saying this to me now, Conrad?” I literally can’t look at his face for another second.

“I’m saying this because this is all on you. If you weren't such an annoying self preserving person, we'd still be together. So you deal with it.”

I slap him.

I slap him hard as tears come flying down my cheeks.

“How dare you!”

“How dare I?” He chuckles like he’s amused about something. “You ruined our relationship first, and you ruined my reputation in front of the Alpha and elders. You even put our pack in danger only because you can’t take the fact that you are dumped.” He shakes his head and walks past me, making sure to bump into my shoulder, pushing me aside. Three steps later, he turns back to face me.

“And like Rhea rightly said, there are a lot of things she can offer me, which you can't. She has more value to me than you ever have. That's the main reason why I chose her. You are nothing! And to answer the question you asked a while ago, I'm here to see Rhea. So have a good day yourself.”

His words hit me like the worst form of physical pain.

Cold freezing water has been emptied on my head and it's pouring down and soaking every inch of my body. It's diffusing into my spine and making it go rigid. I am one pile of pain forged into being.

I run back to my own room and let my tears fall down my cheeks.

I don’t know why people I loved always turned their backs on me. First my dad, then my close friends, and now Conrad.

I always think it's a waste of time and I've gotten used to not caring about Rhea and her business anymore. But she provokes me again and again and takes away everything that used to belong to me.

I walk over to my nightstand and pick up a framed photo of my parents and I. I look at our smiles with tears shimmering in my eyes. Those were the old days when mum and dad were still together. We were the perfect family in the eyes of everyone.

I look a lot like my mum, that's why sometimes I wonder if that's the reason my father has been acting so cold to me since his new wife and child came into his life. Do I remind him of my mum or does he just love Rhea so much that he cannot treat me nicely?

I miss my mum so much.

I've always wanted to go out there and find her, but as days have gone by, I have become less sure about that idea.

Maybe leaving me behind was what she truly wanted because never for once did she come back to see me all these years.

If I appeared in her life right now, would she be happy? Would I be disrupting her life? And most importantly, will I even have the chance to search for her anymore?

I am still shaken by the news of resuming the Concordat Ritual. I had plans for my life, but never did I think serving men would be one of them. I have no idea what it's going to be like doing that.

Would I be deprived of my freedom forever?

Is my life ahead already ruined?

Going over to the Lycan pack sounds appalling, but then again I don't think I want to keep living here in my father's castle, in a place where I can no longer call home.

Dad changed so much since the day Rhea and her mother came into our lives. Whenever we had a fight, he would take Rhea's side even if she was on the wrong, which was always the case. He would always scold me to play the part of a big sister even when Rhea never respected me as one.

I let out a heavy sign.

***

The day finally comes.

A few servants carry my bags downstairs and I follow them where I meet the rest of the family in the living room.

Rhea is already here with her mother together with our father as well.

Conrad is nowhere to be found. That fact makes me let out a bitter laugh.

I'm sure he's too heartbroken to show his face here again.

"Rhea. Take good care of yourself, okay. I heard the young king is still very unstable from losing his mate. Try as much as you can not to go for him if you are not prepared. Keep your eyes open!" Rhea's mum cautions her and I'm not even surprised.