Luna's Rebirth, Leaving Her Fate

The realization that Aiden remembered our past life should have terrified me. Instead, as I walked through the corridors of the pack house, I found myself almost... relieved.

His rejection, while it stung with familiar pain, was actually the key to my freedom.

I paused by a window overlooking the gardens, watching servants scurry about preparing for tonight's welcome feast. In my previous life, I had spent weeks agonizing over what Aiden's arrival meant, dreaming foolish dreams about fate and destiny. Now I could see the situation with crystal clarity.

If Aiden pursued Seraphine—which his lingering gaze at her had already confirmed he would—then the political marriage my family was orchestrating would fall apart naturally. Alpha Thorne couldn't very well force me into a union with a man who was publicly courting my half-sister. It would be a humiliation he'd never recover from.

Aiden's obsession with Seraphine was my ticket out of this place.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. "Come in," I called, turning from the window.

To my surprise, it wasn't a servant who entered, but Seraphine herself. Her golden hair was perfectly arranged, her silk dress the color of summer roses, but her expression was anything but serene.

"We need to talk," she said, closing the door behind her with more force than necessary.

I kept my face carefully neutral. "Of course. What about?"

Her green eyes narrowed as she studied me. "I saw you."

"Saw me doing what?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Elara." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I saw Aiden seeking you out after the introductions. I saw the way he looked at you."

My heart skipped, but I forced myself to remain calm. She must have been watching from somewhere when Aiden had cornered me in the empty corridor, when he'd made his demands and threats. But she couldn't have heard what was said—if she had, she'd know there was nothing for her to worry about.

"I don't know what you think you saw—"

"I saw enough." Her voice turned sharp as broken glass. "You're trying to steal him from me."

The accusation was so absurd I almost laughed. If only she knew that Aiden had spent those precious minutes warning me to stay away from him, threatening me with consequences if I interfered with his pursuit of her.

"Seraphine, I would never—"

"Wouldn't you?" She circled me like a predator, her silk skirts rustling. "You've always been jealous of me. Always wanted what I had. And now the most eligible Alpha heir in the southern territories is here, and you think this is your chance."

I met her gaze steadily. "Aiden Vale came here for you. Everyone knows that."

"Then why was he talking to you privately? Why did he look at you like..." She trailed off, her jaw clenching.

Like he knew me, I finished silently. Like he remembered.

"I don't know what you think you saw," I repeated, "but I assure you, I have no interest in interfering with your courtship."

It was the truth, but Seraphine's expression only grew more suspicious.

"Good," she said finally. "Because I won't let you ruin this for me. I won't let you take what's mine."

After she left, I sank into the chair by my window, my hands trembling slightly. I had forgotten how paranoid Seraphine could be, how her jealousy could twist even innocent interactions into threats. In my past life, her suspicion had made my existence miserable even before the mate bond ceremony.

This time, I would have to be even more careful.

The evening feast was a grand affair. The great hall had been transformed with silk banners in the Vale colors, and the long tables groaned under the weight of roasted meats, fresh bread, and delicacies imported from across the territory. The air hummed with conversation and laughter as pack members mingled with their distinguished guests.

I had chosen my outfit carefully—a simple green dress that complemented my dark hair without being flashy enough to draw attention. I took my assigned seat at the far end of the high table, safely away from the center of attention where Seraphine held court beside Aiden.

From my vantage point, I could watch the elaborate dance of courtship playing out exactly as it had before. Seraphine was radiant, her laughter musical as she charmed the visiting Alpha heir. Aiden seemed genuinely captivated, his dark eyes following her every movement.

Perfect.

The evening progressed smoothly until the dancing began. As was traditional, Alpha Thorne opened the floor with his mate, followed by the other ranking members of both packs. I remained seated, content to observe from the sidelines.

That's when I noticed the servant approaching with a tray of wine glasses.

"For you, miss," the young woman said, offering me a crystal goblet filled with deep red wine.

I started to decline—I rarely drank at formal functions—but something in her nervous demeanor made me pause. Her hands shook slightly as she held the tray, and she avoided meeting my eyes.

"Thank you," I said, accepting the glass.

As the servant hurried away, I caught sight of Seraphine watching me from across the room. There was something in her expression—a anticipation that made my stomach clench with sudden dread.

I looked down at the wine in my hands, the deep red liquid catching the candlelight. It looked normal, smelled normal, but...

A memory surfaced from my past life. Not of this exact moment, but of other times when Seraphine's cruelty had been disguised as accidents or coincidences. The way she could orchestrate humiliation while keeping her own hands clean.

I should have set the glass down. Should have trusted my instincts.

Instead, habit and social conditioning won out. When Alpha Marcus Vale approached our table and raised his own glass in a toast to the alliance between our packs, I lifted mine along with everyone else.

The wine hit my tongue with a bitter aftertaste that definitely hadn't been there when I'd smelled it. By then, it was too late.

The world tilted sideways almost immediately. My vision blurred, and when I tried to stand, my legs betrayed me. The crystal goblet slipped from my suddenly nerveless fingers, and I watched in slow-motion horror as it tumbled toward my white dress.

The red wine splashed across the pristine fabric like blood, staining the silk beyond redemption. But worse than the ruined dress was the way I stumbled, my drug-addled reflexes failing me as I crashed into the table behind me, sending plates and glasses clattering to the floor.

The great hall fell silent.

Every eye turned toward me as I stood there swaying, wine dripping from my dress, my face burning with humiliation. The whispers started immediately—cruel, cutting observations about my clumsiness, my inability to handle her drink, my obvious attempt to draw attention to myself.

Through the haze of whatever Seraphine had slipped into my wine, I saw Aiden watching from the dance floor. For a moment, our eyes met across the crowded room. I saw recognition there—not just of who I was, but of what was happening. He knew this was deliberate. He knew Seraphine was behind it.

And he did nothing.

He simply turned away, leading Seraphine back into the dance as if I didn't exist.

Just like before. Just like it had always been.

I stood there in the center of the ballroom, wine staining my dress and dignity in tatters, while the pack that should have protected me laughed at my downfall.

But this time, instead of tears, I felt only cold, crystalline resolve.

Let them laugh. Let Seraphine have her moment of triumph.

I would remember this. And when the time came to leave this place forever, I would remember exactly why I could never look back.