Chapter 534

Judy's PV

My eyes grew wide as I stared at Irene. I remembered Rachel asking Gavin what she should wear to the charity event on Sunday, the same event that Irene was talking about. I had been to a fair share of these events, and both my parents would probably be there, seeming they were Deltas of the Redmoon pack; the Cash family was most likely going to be there as well.

It wasn't something I was planning on intending, especially since Gavin and I had

a falling out now that Rachel, his one and only love, returned. But as I stare at Irene, I can see the worry and seriousness hidden in her blue gaze as she nibbles on her lower lip, waiting for my answer.

"The charity event?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded as she shifted Emalyn's position on her lap.

"Yes," she replied. "Nan and Chester agreed to babysit Emalyn while I'm at the event. I really don't want to go to this thing alone... especially if Ethan's family is going to be there. What if I break and bring up Emalyn?"

I raised my brows at her; I hadn't even thought about that. Despite Irene's nature

and what she did to her brother, Irene wasn't great at keeping secrets.

"And you expect me to help you keep this secret?" I asked her, eyeing her carefully.

She shrugged.

"I just need a friend there," she said softly. "I need some support."

"You know, I bet if you asked Chuck, he'd drop whatever he's doing to come help you,” I suggest, trying to get out of this because I could already feel myself caving.

She sighed and ran her fingers through her blonde, disheveled hair. The mom look on Irene was something I was starting to get used to. For a long time, I knew her as the girl with perfect clothing and perfect hair 24/7... but now she looked as if she hadn't showered in days and was wearing the same clothes, with the same stain, then the last time I saw her a few days ago.

"He lives on the other side of the country," she reminded me. "I don't want to make him come to me for something like this."

"Are you still in contact with him?" I asked.

I watched as her cheeks turned a shade of pink and she nibbled her lip nervously again before nodding.

"It's weird... I can't explain what's happening between us. But do you believe in second chance mates?"

I blinked at her question.

Pet

Second chancer mates were extremely rare and given to someone personally by the Moon Goddess herself if she found them worth of such a chance. But it was strange she was asking because Irene never even had a first mate.

"Of course I do," I told her. "I've heard stories of it happening, but never seen it with my own eyes. But Krene, you kind of need a first mate in order to have a second chance, mate."

"Well, duh. I know that," she told me, rolling her eyes, but there was no malice on

her face, only a slight smirk as she met my gaze again. "I think Chuck might be my first mate."

I blinked again, dumbstruck by her admittance.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

Her face turned a bright shade of red as she placed a sleeping Emalyn down in her carrier that sat on the floor in front of the couch.noveldrama

"You have to promise that you won't tell anyone about this," she told me, her face serious.

I nodded without hesitation.

"Yes, of course. I promise I won't say anything," I tell her with honesty.

She relaxed slightly and nodded. She stole herself, trying to figure out the best

way to explain it to me. I could see the inner turmoil in her eyes and the worry that creased her forehead.

"Okay, so..." she began. "My wolf recognized him as our mate the second we spotted him."

My eyes grew wide as I listened to her. That explains why she was so drawn to him; I should have known it was something like that.

"But it's clear that he doesn't recognize us," she whispered.

I wasn't sure why she was whispering; we were the only two in the living room.

Then again, this mansion was filled with staff. "Whispering Walls," Nan had always called it.

"Why wouldn't he recognize you?" I asked.

She sighed and leaned back on the couch.

"He had a mate once," she whispered. "But she died during a rogue attack."

Realization dawned on me; if you are granted a second chance, mate, you don't know.it until you mark them officially. It's the Moon Goddess's one condition. She wants us to be able to fall in love naturally and truly move on from our past; she doesn't want us to be influenced by the mate bond. She will bring us together by allowing us to feel that connection towards one another, but we are expected to make the relationship blossom and work on our own. Once we are marked and officially mated, our wolves will recognize each other as second chance mates, and that'll only bring us closer together and make our love that much stronger.