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I sat down on my bed, afraid to sleep, for I didn't know if I would wake up the next morning. I dozed off yet fought it, put my legs in cold water, even went to the window, but my fight was nothing.

Suddenly, the opened window closed, and it became too windy— a little too windy for my liking. Then I felt it— a sudden shift of air, the spirit of death. Then someone started to sing in the shadows, a lullaby.

“Hush little baby, don't you cry, Mama's here, just close your eyes and dream of snow!” the song repeated as sleep became a tough song for me to fight.

“Spare me, please!” I spoke defeatedly as sleep covered my eyes.

“I thought you were the chosen one?” the spirit whispered as the old woman I saw earlier appeared out of the shadows.

As I wiped my eyes to see her clearly, she quickly changed into something dark and tall, looking like a shadow, her claws long enough to pierce a lion.

“Alpha Kade doesn't deserve you,” it whispered, shifting position in the room as I struggled not to sleep.

But all my efforts were in vain as her lullaby felt like a drug, yet soothing enough to make me sleep. So I gave up and fell on the ground and slept.

But my sleep took me to another land— a cave. It looked magical yet scary; other she-wolf bones could stand as a testament to the tortures the others passed through.

“We have another one,” someone whispered.

“She’s different,” another one whispered.

Then she came out, the woman— her presence commanded attention.

“Your story was written before your birth,” she started, getting close to me. She creepily touched my face, smelling every part of me.

“What do you mean!” I said, not understanding.

“You were supposed to be, but you changed destiny with your escape attempt,” she spoke, smelling behind my back.

“Please spare me!” I said, but a loud laugh was heard.

“No one can save you, Luna!” she spoke, taking the same figure I saw in the room. She led a sing while touching my hair and the other voices followed. But then the witches’ words echoed in my head.

‘Qartesh lun’val. Ka’reth monai. I return what death seeks.’ The words played in my head, but my mouth was too heavy to speak any word.

I struggled, started chanting it in my head, then my mouth slowly opened after the struggle. As the shadow spun over me, rendering me dizzy,

“Qartesh lun’val. Ka’reth monai. I return what death seeks,” I repeated and started chanting it. Then my body started rising off the ground, and just like a bang, I disappeared.

And immediately opened my eyes, seeing myself back in the room but with pain in my right palm— like a writing with fire. I checked my hand, realizing there were two lines.

I remembered Linda's words— that I could only use it thrice. I'd used it the first time, giving me only two chances to redeem my life, but I was too weak to stand up, so I just laid on the ground.

“Do you think she's alive?”

“Can’t be. None of them did!”

“The third one lasted a night.”

“Yes, but died when we came to pick her up.”

I could hear whispers at the door as I stood up, finally getting my strength.

I woke up and went straight to the mirror to look at myself, though I couldn't recognize myself— from a happy person to a cursed one.

The door opened as Kade's men entered the room, and when they saw me, they ran away, scared. I understood them, but my parents' safety was all I could think of.

I rushed to the room only to find it empty— execution— probably what the Alpha wanted after my disobedience last night. His lack of humanity could push him into doing something like that.

I rushed outside the compound, everyone watching me in horror and fear, whispering among themselves, while some in awe that I had cheated death.

“You will be rewarded handsomely for the demise of your daughter,” I heard Kade's voice, and I quickly rushed to them.

“Azren!” my mom whispered, looking in awe and shock while crying. She looked at the Alpha for approval. When she got it, she immediately rushed to hug me while crying.

My father, tied to a chair too, couldn't hold his tears. I figured maybe he wanted a fight and was tied because he went rogue. I reached down to him, allowing him to kiss my forehead.

“How’s this possible?” my father asked, looking both happy and confused in my eyes.

The Alpha stood me up with one of his hands, but I craved closure with my family, so I fought him, but it was no use, he could control me with one of his arms, he placed me on his right shoulder, ready to lift me up.

“So the tales are true,” my father whispered!