Chapter 1

Dozens of rogues had me completely surrounded, and every guard who came with me had been wiped out.

Sharp claws raked across my chest, and red blood soaked through my clothes.

The lead rogue's eyes glinted with a vicious green light.

"Where's Vivian Blake? She led her guards to raid our village and turned every last villager into a rogue."

"Today we've come to settle the score."

I knew nothing about Vivian raiding any village, let alone banishing that many innocent people.

As Luna and captain of the pack guard, she held enormous authority. She could act without my approval.

I watched the wolves close in and said through clenched teeth, "Vivian isn't here."

The rogue laughed. "Isn't Vivian the captain of the guard? Why not call her to save you?"

By then, I had nowhere left to run. My face drained of color, I sent Vivian a mind-link.

Silently, I hoped that in this second life, she might be different.

"I've been attacked by rogues on my way back. Bring the guards and come save me, quickly."

Even then I still clung to a shred of hope, but a second later, Vivian's cold voice plunged me into utter despair.

"Aren't you an Alpha? You expect me to believe a few rogues are too much for you?"

"Next time you lie, at least rehearse it first."

"I don't have time for you right now. Gavin wants to see me. If I don't go see him, he'll drink wolfsbane and kill himself."

Her words were every bit as icy as they had been in my past life.

The rogues had forced me to the edge of a cliff. One more step backward and I would fall to my death.

I refused to give up and begged her one more time.

"I'm really not lying to you, and I'm not trying to stop you from saving Gavin. If you don't believe me, just send two guards to take a look first..."

Vivian scoffed.

"I know exactly what you're up to. Even if I sent guards, all they'd find would be actors you hired."

"I don't have time for your games. I'm going to save Gavin. If anything happens to him, I will never forgive you."

With that, she cut the mind-link without mercy.

The rogues pressed closer, step by step, as if they meant to swallow me alive.

"Where's Vivian? If we can't see her, we'll start with you!"

It had been the same in my past life.

I was attacked by rogues.

Back then, I sent Vivian countless mind-links begging for help.

In the end, Vivian grudgingly brought the guards to save me.

Once I was safe, she rushed straight to Gavin's home without pausing for breath.

But it was too late. Gavin had already drunk the wolfsbane, missed the window for treatment, and died.

I thought the blow would devastate Vivian, but she carried on as if nothing had happened. She was even gentler and more attentive than before.

She never mentioned Gavin's name again.

I believed we could go on living happily like that.

But then Vivian led a horde of rogues and blocked the road I had to take home from the campaign.

"You're an Alpha. There's no way you couldn't beat a band of rogues. Calling me to save you that day was nothing but a lie."

"And I was stupid enough to give up my Gavin for you. I let him swallow wolfsbane and die in agony."

"Today I want to see for myself whether one Alpha can really beat this many rogues."

I explained what had happened that day, over and over.

She didn't believe a word.

At Vivian's command, the wolves shot toward me like arrows off a bowstring.

I fought for my life, but I never imagined their claws would be coated with wolfsbane.

So Vivian truly wanted me dead.

"This is the same wolfsbane Gavin drank when he died. I want you to feel his agony for yourself."

Vivian's eyes were scarlet, her face twisted, like a vengeful ghost come to drag me down into hell.

"This is the price for killing my Gavin."

The wolfsbane took hold, and I collapsed at the wolves' feet.

The starving wolves tore into my flesh bite by bite, baring white bone.

They ate me alive, and even my bones were left scattered in the dirt.

Even in this second life, remembering the despair of those final moments still sent a chill through me.

When they realized I couldn't summon Vivian, the rogues' eyes reddened, and they raked dozens more gashes across my body.

I lay dying at the cliff's edge when a brutal kick struck my abdomen.

"If Vivian won't come, we'll just send you to hell first!"

The lead rogue raised his foot, ready to kick me over the edge.

Just then, a familiar voice rang out from nearby.

"Stop, all of you!"