Second Chance Luna Mated to Ex's Uncle (Amber and Ethan) novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Amber’s Scarred Past

(Dominic’s POV)

+25 Points

I noticed Amber’s trembling hands as she nervously played with her dessert. Despite her brave

words about handling rumors and mockery, her body betrayed her true feelings.

“You mentioned being bullied in high school,” I said carefully, watching her reaction.

Her amber eyes darkened, and she set down her fork with deliberate precision.

“It was more than bullying,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “What happened to

me… it nearly destroyed me.”

I remained silent, giving her space to continue if she wished. After a moment, she did.

“That’s when Cora emerged-prematurely. My wolf transformation completed under… extreme

conditions.”

I nodded slowly. “I heard about it. I was abroad then, training for my Alpha responsibilities.”

The rumors had reached me even there-malicious speculation about Amber Chase, the troubled daughter of Harrison Chase. I had refused to believe most of it.

“Ryan Quinn told me the truth,” I said. “That you ran away after a fight with your parents.”

Amber’s eyes widened slightly. “You know about that?”

“I know you were kidnapped and sold to a stray wolf pack,” I continued. “And that you escaped after half a month, going straight to the territorial enforcers.”

Her hands clenched into fists on the table. “I was covered in injuries. Some… some exposed bone.

Cora couldn’t heal me fast enough.”

I fought to keep my expression neutral while Leo, my wolf, raged inside me. The thought of Amber -young, vulnerable-suffering such brutality made my blood boil.

“You maintained that Victoria was behind it,” I said.

Amber nodded sharply. “I heard them mention my family’s adopted daughter before I lost

consciousness. But there was never any proof.”

“The kidnappers were caught,” I recalled. “Sentenced to ten years plus whipping. They denied knowing Victoria.”

“Of course they did,” Amber said bitterly. “And everyone believed them over me.”

I hesitated before admitting, “I believed you.”

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Her eyes snapped to mine, surprise evident in their amber depths.

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“But I couldn’t do anything about it,” I continued. “As the future Alpha King, my position wasn’t

secure. Any involvement with you would have brought more attention from my rivals-attention you didn’t need.”

“So you asked Ryan to investigate instead,” she surmised.

I nodded. “His findings were… inconclusive. The kidnappers’ story never made sense to him. Why

kidnap a wealthy pack member to sell to strays for a small fortune when ransom would be more

lucrative?”

“And Victoria’s alibi was airtight,” Amber added. “Mourning her biological father’s death when I was

taken.”

A heavy silence fell between us. I knew what came next in her story-the ugliest part.

“The rumors that followed were worse than the captivity,” she finally said, her voice hollow.

“Everyone speculating that I’d been… violated. That I was ruined for any future mate.”

I reached across the table and took her hand. “Those rumors were cruel mate.”

baseless.”

“My own parents believed them,” Amber whispered “Even Ethan, who claimed to love me, had

doubts. The way they looked at me, the questions they asked without asking…”

Her voice broke, and she took a shuddering breath.

“I went to Crescent Hospital,” she continued. “I demanded a gynecological exam to prove I hadn’t

been harmed that way.”

I tightened my grip on her hand. I couldn’t imagine her desperation-the immense pressure she must have felt to prove her “innocence” to a world eager to condemn her.

“Even with medical proof, the gossip continued,” she said. “Some questioned the results. Others accused me of faking the whole kidnapping for attention.”

“The malice of the members of the wolf pack was just so senseless,” I recalled.” They were

relentless.”

Amber nodded.” It wasn’t until my family sent me overseas to ‘learn how to control my

uncontrollable wolf’ that I got away from all that. But I realized that really they just wanted me

gone until the scandal died down so as not to affect the pack’s reputation.”

Her expression remained grim at the mention of it, and I just stayed quiet with her and didn’t say

anything. I remembered my car accident – I was 25 years old when it happened – an attack planned against me by my older brother.

Before the car accident, I had considered withdrawing from the Blackwood Pack power struggle

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Chapter 18. Amber’s Scarred Past

altogether and returning to Europe to live a life of leisure on the estate my mother left me.

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But then Amber saved my life on the Ravenclaw Bridge. Her actions that day changed everything

for me.

“But being hurt, you still kept your pure, kind heart, remember? You saved me.” I looked at Amber

tenderly, and she looked at me quietly, not saying anything. I wasn’t saying anything more.

The day she saved me, her bright eyes lit up my heart like moonlight. After I recovered from my

injuries I investigated her specifically, and from them on my life plan changed. I regrouped and

began to fight for control of the Blackwood Pack, and I succeeded.

After successfully controlling the wolves, I had my treatment center develop a number of

treatments for wolves that shapeshifted early, although by the time the research was successful,

she no longer needed them.

If she married Ethan, I would be her backer in the Blackwood Pack, and now that she’s married to

me, I won’t let any more harm come to her, I vowed in my heart.

“I recognized that your outward pride and arrogance were masks,” I continued. “Shields to hide

your vulnerability. I knew you were unhappy, that you hadn’t moved past the trauma.”

I didn’t mention how I understood that the humiliation of having to obtain that medical certificate

was a source of deep shame and fear for her. Some wounds were too raw to acknowledge

directly.

“Leo has been waiting,” I said softly. “Waiting for you to trust us enough to share these burdens.”

The music in the restaurant shifted from saxophone to violin, the melancholy notes matching the

mood at our table.

I noticed Amber’s hands trembling again as she absently picked at her brownie dessert. I covered

them with my own, my touch warm and steady.

“Don’t you like brownies?” I asked gently.

She startled, seemingly unaware she’d been destroying her dessert. Cora, her wolf, was likely fretting over the painful memories we’d unearthed.

“No, I like it,” she insisted, embarrassed.

Without comment, I exchanged my untouched brownie for hers and calmly ate the one she’d been

picking apart. I felt her watching me, confusion and warmth battling in her expression. I pretended

not to notice she’d already taken a bite.

Outside the restaurant, standing in the cool evening air, Amber turned to me once more.

“Please,” she said, amber eyes meeting mine with rare vulnerability. “Let me pretend I’m courting

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Chapter 18 Amber’s Scarred Past

you because of my memory loss. Just for a little while.”

+25 Points

Leo protested within me, but I understood her need for this shield, this time to heal and prepare.

After a long silence, I nodded. “Alright.”

Her relief was palpable.

“But don’t make a habit of it,” I added firmly.

(Ethan’s POV)

The rumors were everywhere after the New Year’s holiday. Amber Chase had fallen from the second floor. Amber Chase had amnesia. Amber Chase was pursuing Dominic Blackwood with the same intensity she’d once pursued me.

Noah, my wolf, paced restlessly within me, irritated and suspicious. He didn’t believe for a second that Amber was genuinely memory-impaired.

“She’s faking it to get back at us,” I muttered to myself, scrolling through yet another message about Amber’s bizarre behavior.

Some in Silvercrest’s upper-class supernatural circles bought her act completely. They recalled similar incidents where falls caused brain damage, affecting the bond between wolves and

humans. They believed her condition was sincere the result of loving me deeply and being

emotionally traumatized by our broken engagement.

Others expressed sympathy for Dominic, believing him trapped by the life-debt he owed Amber for

saving him years ago.

I knew better. This was classic Amber-dramatic, attention-seeking, and vengeful.

I tried calling her to warn her to stop this ridiculous charade. No answer. Text messages went

undelivered. sss bounced back.

“She’s blocked me,” I realized with growing anger. “On everything.”

After that humiliating scene at Ryan’s birthday party, Amber had cut me off completely. The

memory still burned-her public rejection, the witnesses, Dominic’s interference.

A week later, my phone rang. It was Marcus, a pack brother I occasionally drank with.

“You need to come to the Moonlight Club,” he said without preamble. “Right now.”

“I’m busy,” I replied, though I was merely lounging in my apartment, brooding.

“Trust me,” Marcus insisted. “You’ll want to see this

Something in his tone convinced me. Twenty minutes later, I pushed through the crowded club, finding Marcus at the bar.

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“What’s so urgent?” I demanded.

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He grinned and pointed toward the dance floor. “Aren’t you looking for Amber? She’s right over

there.”

I turned, and my heart nearly stopped.

There she was-the most beautiful woman in the room, drawing every eye as she moved with

sensual grace. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, and her amber eyes seemed to glow

in the club’s dim lighting.

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