Chapter 2

Lyra’s POV

I woke up with a groan, clutching my throbbing head. I struggled to open my eyes, but when I finally did, the blinding rays of sunlight streaming through the window made me wince and snap them shut again. The light felt like it was burning into my eyes.

I slowly opened my eyes once more, using my hands to shield them from the harsh light. As I sat up in bed, my movements were sluggish, and my head pounded with a strong ache. Confusion took over my thoughts. What's going on? I wondered, as my vision gradually cleared, revealing my surroundings. "Where am I?" I muttered, my voice as low as a whisper. The room was big and luxurious compared to my room at home.

"Where is this?" I whispered again, my eyes darting around the space. The memories started to come back: running from my father, the blaring horn, the sudden impact of the car. I placed a hand over my chest, feeling my heart race as panic set in. How was I alive and feeling okay? I clenched my fists, trying to calm down my breathing, desperately searching my memory for answers.

"Princess Raven," a voice called out, catching me off guard. I turned to see a maid standing there. "Oh, thank heavens you are fine," she said, smiling as she walked towards me, her eyes scanning me as if checking for injuries. I stared back, feeling confused. Who was Princess Raven, and why was she calling me that?

"Who are you?" I asked, curiosity taking over. "Where am I?" I looked around, trying to piece together my surroundings, when I noticed something odd. My long black hair was now a light brown with gray streaks. I racked my brain but couldn't recall ever dyeing my hair. What the hell is going on? I also glanced at my hands, realizing that my skin was looking unusually pale compared to my usual tan.

"What the heck?" I muttered, shifting uncomfortably in bed. Confused  as the maid stared at me, her expression a blend of concern and confusion. "Is everything alright, Princess Raven?" she asked cautiously.

"Princess Raven? Who the heck is that?" I shot back, my voice rising. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, attempting to stand, but my legs felt weak, nearly giving out. I gripped the edge of the bed to steady myself. "Where am I? Why do I feel so different?" I asked, my voice shaking as I started panicking.

The maid's eyes widened in alarm. "I will get the doctor," she said hurriedly, backing away before turning and rushing out of the room, the door closing with a slam behind her. My breathing quickened, and I clenched my hands into fists, my knuckles whitening. My body doesn't feel like my own. Why was she calling me Princess Raven when that obviously isn't my name? I racked my brain, trying to make sense of it all.

Just then, my eyes caught a mirror mounted on the wall in the corner of the room. My heart was beating fast as I felt fear and curiosity pulling me towards it.

My mind raced as I walked closer to the mirror, my reflection startling me. I shook my head in disbelief. This can't be real; I must be dreaming because there's no way this is happening. The woman staring back at me was completely different from me, from her hair to her nails.

I tried to connect with the wolf inside me, but I felt nothing—it was dead silent. Is this really happening? I lifted my hand, and the reflection repeated the motion. My eyes widened in shock, and I stepped back. This was not me; the reflection was not me.

Unable to handle the situation, my head grew light, my vision blurred, and I collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Later, I woke to the sound of low voices, my vision blurry as I opened my eyes. I saw a man and a woman talking. My groan of pain seemed to catch their attention, and the man walked over, examining me and asking various questions. I felt too weak to respond properly or even understand him fully.

The man sighed and spoke to the woman before leaving the room, leaving us alone. As my vision cleared and my senses sharpened, I mumbled, "Where am I?" I looked at the woman, who glared down at me, arms crossed over her chest.

"Just a little punishment, and suddenly you have lost your memory," she said. From her tone, I could tell she didn't like me. Her words confused me. What was she talking about? What punishment? She sighed, her expression turning hard. "How I wish you had died falling off those stairs," she added, which only confused me further. What stairs?

She took a deep breath, still glaring at me, and continued, "I don't care if you have amnesia or if you are struggling to remember who you are and all that nonsense, but just know one thing: the Alpha is coming for you tonight, and you will do as he says.”

She didn't give me a chance to respond as she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. What a witch. She reminded me of my stepmother back home. But who is she to this woman whose body I seemed to be living in? And what was this "Princess Raven" business?

Princess Raven? The memories started flooding back. I have heard of her but could I really be in her body? Princess Raven was the princess of the Cremstone pack, and I had heard about her engagement to the Alpha of the Silverwolf pack, Alpha Orion, just before the incident that happened to me. Alpha Orion was known for his power and ruthlessness, a figure both feared and respected. The thought of meeting someone like him terrified me. How could Princess Raven be engaged to him? How was that even possible?

But then a chilling thought crossed my mind: how was I in Princess Raven's body? Or had I been Princess Raven all along, and my previous life was just a figment of my imagination or perhaps a dream when I passed out?  The confusion was too much for me, and I couldn't make sense of anything.

Just then, a knock on the door broke my thoughts. A group of maids entered the room, their expressions pleased as they bowed slightly. "The lady of the house has asked us to help you get dressed," one of them said. "The Alpha will be arriving soon, so you need to be ready for his arrival.”

I didn't know how to react or what to say. I simply watched as the maids went about their work, rifling through a collection of clothes I had never seen before. They dressed me in the finest, high-end designers, transforming me into something out of a fairy tale. When they finally finished, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I had to admit, Princess Raven was stunning, but how was I trapped in her body? Why couldn’t I connect with a wolf of hers?

"The woman of the house requests that you stay here until his arrival," the maids said, bowing respectfully before exiting the room and leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts.

Who was that woman? I tried to recall but then it hit me. She was the mistress of the Alpha before he died, and now, for some reason, she was in charge of the house instead of Princess Ravenna. What could she be plotting? I could tell she was in trouble.

As I sat in the room, contemplating my next move, a maid arrived to inform me that the Alpha had arrived. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the encounter. The maid escorted me out of the room and down the stairs. My heart pounded in my chest, but I couldn’t help but admire the house’s beauty. The interior was nothing short of extravagant.

As I made my way down the stairs, the mistress of the house shot me a glare. "Wait and sit here. The Alpha will join you shortly. And remember what I said—you will do everything he asks of you." I nodded, settling into the couch and glancing around the lavish interior, still questioning whether this was all a dream or if it was real. My mind raced, struggling to understand the situation.

I clasped my nervous hands together, waiting for the Alpha's arrival. A maid walked towards with a smile, offering me a glass of water. "Do you want some water?" she asked, extending the glass toward me. I was about to politely decline when I noticed her smile fade immediately. Her eyes locked on something behind me, and fear took over her. She stepped back quickly, abandoning the water without a word.

Curious, I turned toward the direction she had looked, my heart racing as I wondered who or what could have frightened her so much that she had to run away. My gaze met his cold, silver eyes, making my heart almost leap from my chest. He sat on a couch opposite me, relaxed and confident, studying me from head to toe. This had to be him. The aura around him was very cold, radiating nothing but danger despite him not saying a word. Was this what Alpha Orion looked like? I had never seen him before, as he rarely made public appearances. But one thing was certain: he was ruthless in the stories I have heard about him, and the way he looked at that moment confirmed the stories. Danger was all I could think of the more I stare at him. 

Then something surprising happened: I felt my wolf stirring within me, a feeling that was very familiar. It was my same wolf I had grown up with “Nara”, not a different one. This definitely meant that the body I was in wasn't my own; it belonged to someone else. I wasn’t crazy—I had indeed had a life of my own before. If Nara was with me then this isn't my body and this isn't my life I am living.

At first, relief came over me as I felt the comforting feeling of having my wolf again. But then, as his stirrings grew more strong, I understood what it meant when she reacted like this. Suddenly, in a whisper as soft as a breath, she said, "Mate..." 

The word hit me very hard. Could he really be my mate? Was it possible to have another mate besides the man who had abandoned me? Was he my second chance mate? I had heard that some people were lucky enough to find such a thing, but I never thought it would happen to me. Now, it seemed the moon goddess had decided to toy with my fate, and I was left battling with this new, shocking twist in my life.

“You’re my mate?” the man I assumed to be Alpha Orion asked, his shock written all of over his face. But if he had been with Princess Raven before, he must have known she was his mate—so why was he suddenly acting surprised? The next question he asked sent a shiver down my spine. “Why do you smell different? The last time we met, there was no mate bond between us.” He paused, a frown growing on his face before adding, “Why are you suddenly my mate? Who are you?”