Chapter 2: Gasps and Golden Halls

Daisy’s Pov

I woke up with a loud, terrified gasp, my lungs burning as if the air itself was made of fire. My hands flew straight to my neck, my fingers clawing at my skin in a blind panic. I was shaking violently, a breathless sob tearing from my throat as I searched for the deep cut, the thick rush of hot blood, and the freezing bite of the silver blade.

There was nothing. My skin was completely dry, smooth, and warm.

I sat up fast, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. I wasn't bleeding to death in the freezing mud under the cruel, mocking stares of Cassian and Victoria. I was in my own bedroom inside the Vanecrest estate.

The morning sun was streaming through the high windows, painting the soft white carpet in a warm, golden light. In the deep corners of my mind, my inner wolf gave a faint, whimpering cry, slowly waking up from the nightmare. She was alive. We were alive. The sheer shock of it hit me like a blow.

With trembling hands, I reached out and snatched my phone from the nightstand. I swiped it open, my eyes blurry with tears as I stared at the numbers at the top.

The date on the screen was exactly three years ago. It was the morning of the grand Pack Union gala, the exact day my life had started to spiral down into hell.

I stared at the screen, my chest heaving as the truth began to sink in. I didn't know how this was possible, but as the pain of Cassian's knife slowly faded from my throat, a dark, suffocating rage took its place. The deep heartbreak that had shattered my soul in the woods hardened into a cold, lethal focus.

If the Moon Goddess gave me a second chance, I wasn't going to spend it crying over the monster who slaughtered my unborn pup. I was going to make them bleed for every single drop of blood they spilled.

The sound of the door clicking open made me flinch, my muscles instantly freezing.

My father, Xaden Vanecrest, walked into the room with a gentle smile on his face. Seeing him standing there—healthy, whole, and looking at me with nothing but pure love—made my eyes fill with sudden, stinging tears.

In my past life, my blind, pathetic devotion to Cassian had broken this man's spirit, stripped our pack of its wealth, and left my father to die alone.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he said softly, walking over to the side of my bed. "The designers are already downstairs with the final adjustments, and the Golden Halls are completely booked. Are you excited for tonight?"

I couldn't even speak. I threw the blankets aside, stood up, and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. I buried my face in his shoulder, squeezing him so hard my arms ached as I breathed in his familiar, comforting scent of rain and cedar wood.

A heavy sob caught in my throat, and I had to bite my inner lip until I tasted copper just to keep from breaking down completely.

"Whoa, Daisy," he laughed gently, his arms wrapping around me protectively as he patted my back. "What is all this? You're acting like you haven't seen me in years."

"I just... I had a really horrible dream, Dad," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. I pulled back just enough to look at his kind face, my hands gripping his arms. "A really bad dream where I lost you because I was too stupid to see what was right in front of me."

My father smiled softly, brushing a strand of my silver-blonde hair behind my ear. "It was just a dream, Daisy. You're safe here. Tonight is the biggest night of your life. You're sealing the alliance between our family and the Blackwood lineage. I only want your happiness, sweetheart."

My happiness. The words felt like a twist of a knife in my gut. Cassian didn't care about my happiness. He wanted our land and our shares.

"Today is going to be a very memorable night, Dad. I promise you that," I said, forcing my voice to steady out, though my emerald eyes flashed with a dark fire.

I looked straight into his eyes, making a silent vow to his soul. I will protect you this time. I will let them tear me apart before I let them touch a single hair on your head.

"That's my girl," he beamed. "Get dressed and come downstairs when you're ready. The elders are already calling my phone every five minutes."

Once he left the room to check on the catering arrangements, the sadness evaporated, leaving only pure, burning fury. I went straight to my closet. In my past life, I wore a soft pastel dress just to look sweet and submissive for Cassian.

I had been so desperate to please that bastard. Not anymore. I pulled out a sleek, stunning crimson dress that fit perfectly, making my emerald eyes look fierce and predatory against my silver-blonde hair. I looked at myself in the mirror and didn't see a victim anymore. I saw a hunter.

To destroy Cassian, I had to completely shatter his pride in front of the entire high-society elite. I needed a weapon so powerful, an alpha so terrifyingly dominant, that Cassian would crawl in fear.

By evening, the limousine was waiting for me in the driveway. I rode to the grand Vanecrest venue alone, watching the city lights pass by the window. My hands were perfectly still now.

The nervousness was completely gone from my chest. There was only the cold focus of a woman about to start a pack war.

The car pulled up to the main entrance of the Golden Halls. Flashlights were blinking everywhere as the high-society alpha families and rich corporate guests walked up the red carpet. The chauffeur opened my door, and I stepped out, holding the long skirt of my red dress so I wouldn't trip under the bright lights.

Suddenly, a strange, suffocating pressure filled the air. The crowd grew dead silent. The reporters stopped looking at me, their instincts instantly kicking in as a powerful pressure rolled over the pavement.

The air felt thick, making it hard to breathe. They turned their cameras away from the entrance and pointed them toward the street.

A massive black vehicle pulled up to the entrance. It looked like a predatory beast compared to the luxury sports cars around it. The door opened, and a man stepped out into the bright lights.

He was incredibly good looking, his broad shoulders easily filling out a tailored dark suit. He had midnight-black hair and lethal, glowing amber eyes that swept over the crowd with absolute boredom.

A faint, rugged scar ran along his jawline, a reminder of his dangerous time ruling the lawless offshore networks. It was Killian Blackwood—Cassian's exiled older brother, the true, feared Lycan Alpha of the Shadowlands.

My heart skipped a beat, a wicked smile finally touching my lips. My perfect weapon, and my true fated match, had just arrived.