Chapter 2

I'd barely hung up when Blake burst back through the door, his face tight with irritation.

"Sophia, what kind of game are you playing?"

"I already explained everything. Why are you still jealous of Catherine? Why are you still giving me attitude?"

I kept my voice calm. "Blake, I'm not jealous. And I'm not giving you attitude."

"Look — I've already hidden the damaged strand of hair. I'm not holding a grudge against Catherine. I wouldn't dare."

He hadn't expected that. For a moment, he just stared.

He was about to say something when a call from Catherine pulled him away.

I locked the door behind him and closed my eyes.

Late that night, my encrypted phone kept buzzing.

Catherine had sent photos — Blake shirtless, leaning against her, with suspicious red marks on his shoulder.

Then came the taunts:

"Sophia, so what if you're married to him? One phone call from me and Blake comes running. If you're smart, you'll hand over the Luna title now."

This wasn't the first time Catherine had tried to push me out. But it was the first time I responded.

"Sure. He's all yours."

All I wanted was to get back to my father.

I wasn't going to make the same mistake — clinging to Blake's love like a fool.

I blocked Catherine's number and tried to sleep.

But when I closed my eyes, the memories of my past life flooded back.

Blake had saved me from rogues. I fell for him instantly.

But the curse made me look like an ordinary Omega, and Blake was the previous Alpha's hand-picked successor. We were separated by blood, status, and power. He was surrounded by gorgeous she-wolves.

So the night before my coming-of-age ceremony, I left a letter saying I wanted to leave Blue Lake Pack.

But Blake — the man who was always so composed — sent a dozen tracking hounds and his best scouts after me.

When he found me, his eyes were red. I'd never seen him look so vulnerable. He took my hand and whispered:

"I love you, Sophia. Please don't leave me."

Those words shattered every wall I had. I stood on my toes and kissed him.

After that, we were together.

He'd buy moonflowers before every date and wait for me.

He remembered everything I liked and made me handmade gifts.

Even though I was just an Omega, he overruled everyone and chose me as his Luna.

At the ceremony, he marked me in front of the entire pack, his face flushed.

That night, he held me close and whispered over and over:

"I swear to the Moon Goddess — nothing matters more than you. If anything happens to you, I won't live either. You're my only mate."

But at some point, everything changed.

He got busy. He had no time for me. We went from seeing each other every day, to once a week, to once a month.

Even without Catherine, we were already falling apart.

But I couldn't let go. I refused to give up on all those years.

So I fought. Again and again. Until my past life became a nightmare.

A tear slid from the corner of my eye.

When I opened my eyes, it was morning. The pillow was soaked.

Blake called.

"The Moon Ceremony is in seven days. Get ready."

Seven days. In my past life, that was the day my father came for me.

But I'd died the day before.

As a wandering spirit, I watched my father clutch my lifeless body, howling at the wolves around him:

"I will skin every last one of you and bury you with my daughter!"

Then he tore through Blue Lake Pack and stripped Blake of his Alpha power.

My chest ached. I kept my voice flat.

"The pack has never accepted me as Luna. Catherine — a pureblooded wolf from a respected bloodline — is who they want. Let her take my place."

I meant it. But Blake snapped.

"The Moon Ceremony is a serious matter, Sophia. Can you stop making everything about you?"

A bitter ache spread through my chest. So this was what love looked like when it was gone.

Before, if I'd talked about myself like that, he would've pulled me into his arms and coaxed me out of it.

Now he just thought I was being unreasonable.

On the other end of the line, Catherine's voice chimed in: "Blake, what's going on? You sound so scary."

His tone softened instantly. "Nothing. Did I wake you?"

I scoffed and hung up.