Chapter 2

Ialsabella’s POV 

"Yes, my Luna, it is I," Vanessa taunted as a smug smile danced on her lips.

Her glance had changed starkly from the naive, at the mercy look from the banquet, and now she looked down on me with malice in her eyes.

Her hair was no longer that beautiful chestnut color, but for now, it had been mysteriously altered into an audacious shade of red. 

Damn! Was Vanessa really a witch?! The red wine! She had to have laced the red wine with poison earlier.

"What are you up to? What do you want from me?" I questioned faintly, attempting frantically to connect with Aurora.

Obviously the toxin that had affected her had affected her too because I couldn’t get a hold of her whatsoever.

Even as much as I wanted to deny it, I was helpless. I was completely at Vanessa's mercy.

“Dear, weak little Luna! Did you truly never think it would happen to you?!” Vanessa was laughing on command now as she pulled a knife from its sheath at her hip and beckoned me closer.

"Don't go on, Vanessa. Damien will never forgive you if you kill me."

Vanessa burst into laughter, and as she threw her head back, she caught her breath for a moment.

“Oh, you’re so funny.” Maybe you should’ve been a comic instead of being Damien’s Luna.” 

She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and looked at me again, with a sneer on her face and the fire of hatred in her eyes.

 “I am Damien’s destined mate,’ she hisses, burning me with her anger. Everything that was once yours is mine now.”

She snarled as she pressed the tip of the dagger to my face, she was allowing it to cut into my skin.

I felt the flesh rip agonizingly beneath the pressure and slow trickle of blood running down my cheek, but I was powerless to do anything, I couldn’t even drag my hands up to push her away. 

"I'll share something else, Miss Isabella Brown: this bond between Damien and me... everybody was aware," She grinned viciously as my heart broke, "His Beta, every pack member... they've known for ages. You were the only one clueless."

The venomous curd and smile in her voice stabbed me in the heart right as she raised the blade high with a wicked glint in her eye.

Fear ran through my spine as I understood her plan, looking up at her with amazed and scared eyes while she pushed the knife down, slicing the skin of my chest, breaking the sternum as the cold blade stabbed into my heart. 

"Everyone you ever cherished and valued left you for me, Isabella."

The surreal scene before me appeared to dissolve, leaving me desensitized.

I had never imagined dying like this.

My anger boiled over at the injustice, and I promised that if the Moon Goddess gave me another chance, I’d make Damien and Vanessa pay for their treachery with their lives.

I was aimlessly walking in a foggy forest, not knowing which way to go.

“Wait a moment,” I said as suddenly a bright light shone on the trees in front of us, breaking through the mist while playing on my face with its gentle rays. 

Was I deceased? Was this the beyond?

I advanced toward the light, arm extended, striving to contact it, but suddenly, a deafening sound blasted in my ears.

"Luna! Please, it's time to rise!"

"What?" I shouted in astonishment, bolting upright in bed in a very familiar chamber. 

I blinked at the Omega Amy sitting in front of me in disbelief, attempting to process what I was seeing. 

from the Government Collapse Module Sets "I'm so happy to see you awake at last, you were out like a light!" she laughed. 

"Today, there's more than enough work for you on your third wedding anniversary with Damien tomorrow, and the banquet layouts." 

"Hold on... what? You're saying the banquet is tomorrow?"

"Yes, of course don't you recall?"

I placed my hand on the spot on my chest where the dagger had mercilessly pierced, but there was no wound.

Could all the things that happened be just a dream?

I sprang out of bed and headed straight to my desk to pull my diary out of the drawer.This diary was crucial for me to keep my daily routine in order. 

 I noted my emotions each day and a recap of events, plus official duties and pack matters to avoid forgetting anything. Each day I would write a to-do list for that day.

I had turned to the page that was supposed to have the list I distinctly remembered writing on the eve of my anniversary, but there was nothing there.

Confused, I flipped backward through previous entries, but they corresponded to what I'd remembered. 

Might the Moon Goddess have truly fulfilled my plea?

Naively, anticipating a change this round, I accompanied Amy to the banquet prep as visions of Vanessa and Damien hugging replayed in my mind. Her last words to me resounded painfully.

"Everyone you ever cherished and valued left you for me,"

Was it only a dream, or did it truly happen? If just a dream, why did the heartache feel so genuine?

"My esteemed pack members, I greet you all today and appreciate your prompt attendance. It is with immense joy that I formally declare today that my destined mate, Vanessa, will join our pack. I truly hope both Vanessa and Luna Isabella receive equal respect."

The banquet unfolded precisely as in my dream, with Damien reciting his speech verbatim.

Could the Moon Goddess have genuinely heeded my plea for retribution and granted me a second chance?

"Isabella! Isabella!"

"Yes... is that you, Aurora?"

"Oh, praise the goddess, I can communicate with you once more!"

"Aurora, what on earth is happening? We..." I stuttered in utter shock.

"Hear me out, dear; I'm as baffled as you, but I'm certain we perished before. It wasn't a dream."

"Then why didn't you respond when I summoned you?"

"Because of that slut! We must proceed cautiously, Isabella."

Before I could sort my thoughts, Damien proactively nudged Vanessa toward me this time.

"Isabella, meet Vanessa. I regret this, but I must admit... I've discovered my true mate."

I watched Vanessa closely as she took the wine glass from the table and came up to me with a warm smile, standing at a respectful distance."My Luna, I beg you, have mercy and let me stay in your home. Please, accept my gratitude with this red wine glass."

I examined the glass before me after taking it gingerly, narrowing my eyes at the contents, but it seemed like regular red wine.

No evident tampering signs existed, and without prior knowledge of her killing me with this ploy, I'd never suspect such a deadly poison inside.

I shook my head and returned the glass to her grasp.

"No. You've already touched this glass with your dirty hands, I'm not going to drink out of it."

Vanessa briefly seemed to tense, as if taken aback by my refusal, and for an instant, anger flickered across her face. 

The rage instantly softened, replaced by her practiced innocent, sorrowful face complete with tear filled eyes.

"You're right, Luna." My position is much inferior to yours; I shouldn't have..."

"Enough, Vanessa. No need to say sorry," Damien murmured softly before facing me with an enraged look, "Mind your tongue, Isabella!"

I couldn't comprehend this two-faced little slut! If I hadn't seen what she was really like, I'd have been completely fooled by this compassionate, tender, and delicate disguise she was now wearing.

I narrowed my eyes at Damien, ready to reply with a cutting remark, but Vanessa suddenly raised the glass to her lips, looking at me with a slight smirk curving on her lips and drained the red wine I had just offered her.

I looked at her in amazement.

Had she not poisoned the wine now? 

Within moments, Vanessa collapsed to the ground, hacking up blood, and I retreated in terror as gasps of shock echoed around.

Damien reached her side immediately, panic carved into his attractive face.

"Vanessa! What's wrong?!"

As Vanessa slumped into Damien's embrace, she regarded me with flawless feigned anguish, her lower lip quivering as she uttered,

"Luna, I truly didn't aim to wreck your union... why would you harm me like this?!"

Damien's head snapped toward me,

and his eyes locked on mine in frozen rage. He drew Vanessa nearer into his protective hold as his eyes narrowed threateningly.

"Guards! Seize the Luna and escort her to the dungeon!"

"Damien?!”