Chapter 2

In my last life, Lucio and I got together.

I couldn't accept being driven out of the pack, so I wanted to find a witch to brew me a potion.

He kept trying to talk me out of it, saying witches' potions weren't as reliable as we'd believed.

He said chasing a cure like that would only give me false hope.

I refused to believe him and insisted he find a witch to brew one for me.

In the end, we wasted our money, and my health only got worse.

He scolded me even as he took care of my every need.

It made me feel guilty and touched at the same time.

After that, I believed him.

I stopped pinning my hopes on witches.

Instead, I started praying to the Moon Goddess day and night.

I took care of myself and waited for a miracle.

Eventually, my health recovered.

I had just started thinking about returning to my usual training.

That was when he pulled me into his arms.

"I regret agreeing to wait before having pups. Lisa, I want us to have pups soon."

He sounded sincere, but I pushed him away, annoyed.

"You promised we'd at least wait until after my wolf awakened. I don't want to be separated from our baby the moment it's born."

I was a rogue, but his child wouldn't be.

And my wolf still hadn't awakened.

Until then, I wouldn't be allowed to see my own child every day.

That was too cruel for me to bear.

But he moved closer and held me tight.

"I don't want to wait anymore, Lisa. You may be a rogue, but I'll bring our baby to see you every single day.

"Just say yes this once, okay? Once we have a baby, we can finally have our bonding ceremony."

That day, I clung to him and cried for a long time.

In the end, I gave in and agreed to have a baby with him.

But years went by, and I never got pregnant.

Now, the truth finally hit me.

My relationship with Lucio had been planned from the start.

They had been after my bloodline all along.

They were also afraid I might one day awaken a wolf of my own.

If I did, I'd stand in Elizabeth's way.

Lucio was the spy they'd sent to watch me every day.

Back in the classroom, I was just about to leave.

Noah told me Lucio had come by looking for me.

I gave a noncommittal response. Clearly, they weren't done with me yet.

I packed up my things and went home.

My parents spent most of the year away and didn't live with me.

They sent me an allowance every month like clockwork.

A housekeeper looked after me day to day.

I saw my parents once a year.

In my last life, I only learned the truth at the very end.

They'd been living with Elizabeth the whole time.

The three of them were one big happy family.

You'd think I was the adopted daughter.

I didn't care about the fitness test, but someone else clearly did.

That evening, I went out for a run and bumped into Lucio.

When he saw me, he smiled.

"Lisa, what are the odds of running into you here?"

I asked, "Don't you live on the south side of town?"

He shrugged.

"My mom sent me out on an errand. I didn't expect to run into you. Are you out for a night run? Want some company?"

I turned him down flat. "No thanks. I like running alone."

He froze.

"Lisa, do you hate me?"

I looked him in the eye.

"Yes. I hate you. You disgust me. Stay out of my sight."

He shook his head in disbelief.

"Why don't you like me? Can you at least give me a reason?"

I couldn't blame Lucio for being shocked. He was Coach Hale's son and the school heartthrob, and plenty of she-wolves at school had a crush on him.

No one had ever turned him down before, and he clearly hadn't expected me to be the first.

"Lucio, what are you doing here?"

It was Elizabeth. She'd spotted him and walked over, slipping her arm through his as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

This was my first close look at Elizabeth, the girl my family and Lucio's family had protected so carefully.

Elizabeth noticed me. "Who are you?"

I introduced myself without missing a beat. "I'm Lisa, Lucio's classmate."

Elizabeth's fingers tightened on Lucio's sleeve.

"Didn't you say you were going to buy me ice cream?"

So we really had run into each other by chance.

Lucio answered smoothly. "Go home. I'll pick some up for you on my way back."

Elizabeth didn't say anything. She just turned and left.

He immediately tried to explain. "Don't get the wrong idea. She's my mom's friend's daughter. She's like a little sister to me."

"Why do you care if I get the wrong idea?"

"Because I like you, and I don't want you to misunderstand."

I fought back a wave of nausea. "I don't like you. Stop bothering me."

He asked seriously, "What don't you like about me?"

"You look too boyish."

And he was far too calculating.

I ignored him after that and kept walking.

Behind me, he kept shouting that he wouldn't give up.

I sneered to myself.

All I had to do was keep pretending to be weak until my wolf awakened.

That way, they'd never know how strong I really was.

When the time came, I'd make sure my wolf awakened somewhere with plenty of wolves around.

With witnesses there, they'd have no way to steal my bloodline.