Chapter 1

The Emperor card was placed before the Alpha.

His brow furrowed slightly. "Who does this card represent?"

"Evander." The same Tarot card — but this time, I gave a different answer.

Surprise flickered across the Alpha's face.

"Are you sure? He's just a... I thought you'd choose Theodore."

Every wolf in the Blood Moon Pack knew I'd fallen for the Alpha's younger son, Theodore, at first sight. I'd even taken a hunter's silver arrow for him — nearly died doing it.

Evander was nothing more than a bastard the Alpha had sired on some she-wolf from another pack after a drunken night. We'd never exchanged a single word.

I smiled at the Alpha, deliberately mysterious. "The Tarot has spoken."

The Abel family had wielded Tarot cards forged from bone as weapons for generations, sworn protectors of the Blood Moon Pack. And I, Seraphina Abel, was the most powerful diviner our bloodline had ever produced.

My readings could foresee danger. I'd saved the Alpha from hunter ambushes more times than I could count. Without me, he'd have died a dozen deaths over — from silver arrows or the schemes of his enemies.

The Alpha tucked the card away.

"Seraphina, I'll announce my heir at the banquet in two days. I hope you don't regret your choice."

A stab of pain shot through my chest. The memory of a dagger piercing my heart flooded back.

After I died in my previous life, my soul had lingered — drifting above my own corpse.

I watched Evander storm into that basement alone. He kicked the wooden door off its hinges and cradled my body in his arms.

He was covered in wounds, his eyes burning with pure hatred.

"I'll rip every one of your throats out and drag you all to hell to answer to Seraphina!"

He avenged me single-handedly, painting the entire basement in blood.

Only then did I understand. This brutal, cold-hearted man had loved me — more deeply than I'd ever imagined.

After my rebirth, the wolf inside me kept echoing in my chest:

*Choose him. He's the one.*

I left the Alpha's council chamber and headed for my quarters.

The moment I pushed the door open, a syrupy female voice drifted out:

"Theodore, this bracelet is so pretty — can I have it?"

Then came a man's low reply:

"Sure."

I shoved the door wide open. The scene inside sent white-hot fury exploding through my chest.

Sophia was draped across Theodore in barely-there clothes, her face flushed.

Fresh red scratch marks lined Theodore's collarbone.

My Tarot cards were scattered across the floor. Some of them were stained with suspicious moisture.

Anyone could tell what they'd been doing.

And there was Sophia — curled against him, toying with the bracelet my father had left me.

"Who said you could touch my things."

I crossed the room in three strides, snatched the bracelet from Sophia's hand, and fixed her with an ice-cold stare.

Theodore's expression darkened instantly.

"Seraphina! It's just a bracelet. Sophia liked it, so I gave it to her."

"This is the only thing my father left me!" My voice trembled. "You know exactly how much it means to me!"

My father had been one of the Blood Moon Pack's finest warriors. After he gave his life protecting the Alpha, this bracelet was all I had left of him.

Maybe it was the look on my face — something Theodore had never seen before. He froze.

But a second later, he ripped the bracelet from my hand, his eyes terrifyingly cold.

"So what? Don't forget — I'm the Alpha's chosen heir. Everything in this pack is mine to do with as I please."

His tone was so matter-of-fact, as if his succession was already carved in stone.

I lifted my head and met his golden eyes.

Then I laughed — low and quiet.

"Funny. The Alpha hasn't actually named you heir."

"That bracelet was my father's. Give it back. Now."

Theodore looked down at me. "Since you want it so badly — fine. Here."

He held the bracelet out. I reached for it, careful, gentle.

And then he let go.

"No!!!"

My body lunged forward on instinct, trying to catch it.

Too late.

The bracelet hit the cold stone floor and shattered into pieces.