Chapter 2

In my last life, Lily never gave up on Jasper.

My wolf begged me almost every day, but I never had time, or maybe I just didn't have the courage.

I kept telling myself I'd go tomorrow, or next week.

Then one afternoon, I collapsed.

I woke up in the pack clinic, dizzy, my body heavy like lead.

The healer looked at me with pity in her eyes and said, "You've only got a few days, Lydia. Rest, if you can."

A few days. That was it.

I finally asked the Luna for leave.

She didn't ask why, maybe she saw it in my face.

I packed what little I owned, shifted into my wolf form, and ran.

My paws tore across dirt, rock, and snow, chasing a scent I could never forget.

I didn't know if it was a week or a month before I finally reached the Shadowfang border.

My fur was matted, my legs ached, but I could hear music.

Smell roasted meat.

They were celebrating.

I realized, with a punch to the gut, it was Liam's coming-of-age.

I saw him in the crowd, tall now, wearing the Shadowfang colors.

My heart jumped. I called out, "Liam! Liam, it's me!"

He turned, and frowned. His eyes didn't light up. They narrowed.

The guards stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

One growled, "No rogues allowed."

"I'm not a rogue!" I shouted. "That's my son!"

But before I could explain, Liam's voice cut through the air, cold as ice. "I don't know her."

It felt like claws tearing through my chest.

I looked past the guards, desperate to find Jasper.

And there he was, not coming toward me, not looking at me.

He was wiping tears from Amelia's face.

I had no idea what she was crying about, but I knew one thing: she had his full attention.

The next second, a soldier slammed into me.

Pain exploded across my ribs. I hit the ground, my vision going black.

The last thing I saw before the darkness swallowed me was Amelia's flushed face and Jasper looking at her like she was the only wolf in the world.

That was the end of my last life.

***

And then… I woke up.

I was back in the moment when Luna handed me that rare pearl necklace.

Her smile was warm, her voice soft: "For your hard work, Lydia."

Last time, I'd run to show it to Jasper. This time, I held it tighter and kept my mouth shut.

I knew where that path led.

Instead, I went straight to Tera, a poor Omega girl about Liam's age.

She was an orphan, but she had a spine of steel.

Never bowed to anyone, not even the Alpha.

She'd always been kind to me, and most importantly, she never sold her soul to power.

When I held the necklace out to her, her eyes widened. "Lydia… this is beautiful. Why are you giving it to me?"

"It's a gift," I said, loud enough for Liam to hear.

Sure enough, Liam stormed over, his brows knit. "Why are you giving Tera a gift? She's just an Omega."

I turned and looked him dead in the eyes. "Because she's just like me. I'm an Omega too."

That made him falter.

For the first time in a long time, he looked embarrassed. But he wasn't done.

He turned to Tera and snapped, "That's my mom's stuff. You have no right to keep it."

It startled me, he hadn't called me "mom" in ages.

But I stood my ground. "Yeah, it's mine. Which means I can give it to whoever I want."

He clenched his fists, his voice rising. "Fine! Amelia will give me gifts better than this stupid necklace!" He stormed off.

Jasper went after him, then turned back to me with a frown.

"Why are you embarrassing Liam like that? Are you mad at me, Lydia?"

I gave a little shrug. "Mad for what?"

He didn't even hesitate. "For me being too close to Amelia, right?"

I just stared at him.

So he knew. He knew, and he didn't care.

The next day, it happened, the same scene I remembered.

The Alpha King visited, his soldiers behind him like a wall of steel. He scanned the crowd, spotted Amelia, and pointed. "Is this your mate?"

Before Jasper could answer, I stepped forward.

My voice was loud and steady. "No. I am Jasper's mate."

The Alpha King's face darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line.

He didn't like that answer one bit.

His mood only lifted when Liam, my own son, and Jasper insisted on bringing Amelia with them to the Shadowfang pack.

My blood ran cold, because I knew this story already.

I knew how it ended.

Last time, I'd been left with nothing but a broken heart and an empty house.

This time… I wasn't going to sit and wait for the end.

I'd been quietly saving money.

Not enough yet, but more than before.

I knew my body.

I knew that one day the sickness would come for me again.

But this time, I was going to be ready.

Before that day came, I was going to learn some medical skills and to survive on my own.

And when the time came, I wouldn't be running toward Jasper.

I'd be running far, far away from him.