Chapter 2

Raven:

The first thing I noticed was the pain.

It was not physical.

Not the sharp, splintering pain I expected from being thrown off a cliff, but a dull ache deep in my bones, like I had been trapped inside a body not my own for far too long.

And no matter how hard I try to understand what was going on, I couldn't. I just found myself being completely lost.

Then came the heaviness, the weight of limbs that didn’t move the way they should. My fingers curled instinctively, my breath stuttering in my chest. My chest rising and falling with each breath.

I was… breathing.

How?

I opened my eyes trying to process what was going on, trying to understand where I was, trying to find it in myself to adjust to the lighting that was in the room that I was in.

The darkness that had once surrounded me began to peel away, replaced by a golden light filtering through silk curtains. Curtains that I knew for a fact that I don't remember having a room itself that was unfamiliar to me.

This was a dream. I knew that it was. It was impossible for something like this to be real anyway.

I blinked. Once. Twice. Only to process that this was real.

I sat upright, looking around me. I stared at the room around me, trying to allow myself to take in everything that I was in.

The room was unfamiliar, massive, and impossibly elegant. Pillars lined the far wall, and heavy drapes framed tall windows that overlooked snow-covered mountains. The bed beneath me was soft as clouds, the scent of sandalwood and power clinging to the air like smoke.

I frowned in confusion, allowing myself to digest, allowing myself to breathe. My breathing came easy. It was as if it was the most normal thing that could happen. How?

This wasn’t the cliff. This wasn’t the packhouse and this definitely wasn't my body.

This was not a place that I knew. Even the scent was different.

I looked down at my hands, long, graceful fingers tipped with polished nails. My skin was paler, smoother, untouched by the scars I had once carried. It was untouched by the pain that I was in, the tone that I had, the soft and small hairs that were growing needing to be shaved. Everything was just different now. This was not me.

Panic twisted in my stomach. I stumbled to the edge of the bed, rushing to the full-length mirror across the room. Amir, that I knew for a fact that was not mine. This whole room was not mine.

The reflection staring back at me wasn’t mine.

She was beautiful. Sharp cheekbones, full lips, icy blue eyes rimmed with lashes that could cut. Her hair was long and silver-blonde, cascading down her back in waves.

And I knew her.

Everyone knew her.

Not personally, but I had heard the name whispered before in pack gossip.

Astrid Vale.

I had heard her name more times than I could count. I had heard the envious vows and the envious comments coming from women who wanted nothing more than to get rid of her.

The cold-hearted daughter of a noble Lycan house. Feared. Powerful. Hated. Rumors had painted her as cruel, manipulative, and vain. She had been promised to the Lycan King, Damian Nightbane, but their union had been volatile. Everyone said he despised her.

Rumour also has it that he has a lot of concubines except from her I wondered how things were really going to be tough especially living in her body.

Everyone said that he wanted nothing more than to get rid of her, that he would stop at nothing then to find himself pushing her.

And I was inside her body.

It seemed to me that I was going to be thrown out of a second Cliff.

“What the hell…?” I whispered, the voice that came out far smoother, sultrier than my own had ever been. “What was going on?”

The door burst open.

A maid rushed in, her eyes wide the moment she saw me out of bed. It was as if this was something that they've been waiting for, something that they've been looking after and seeing me. I found her wondering how it happened so casually. “Lady Astrid, you’re awake!”

I blinked. “I, yes. I guess I am.”

She rushed forward, hands fluttering nervously. “You’ve been unconscious for two days. The healer said you’d hit your head after collapsing near the court’s south wing. We thought…”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, my voice a little too firm. The words came naturally, but the panic inside me surged. “You needn't worry.”

Two days.

How long had it been since Selena pushed me? Since I… died?

The maid bowed, clearly unused to kindness. Or maybe Astrid never offered it. “I’ll inform Lord Damian. He’s been waiting to speak with you. You know he did not like seeing you falling down. He might want to know that you are awake. He might want to be the first to find out. He has given us instructions.”

“No!” I snapped. Too fast. Too loud. The maid froze. I forced myself to breathe. “I mean… not yet. I need to get cleaned up first. After two days of being unconscious, I would rather I shower and clean up before I allowed myself to see him.”

She hesitated, then bowed again. “As you wish, my lady. Would you like us to help you out? You know your body might still be weak from the impact and you don't want to end up exhausting yourself. The doctors will come and check on you. Also, as you may know, the last thing that they would want is for the Lycan King’s betrothed to end up being harmed.”

“Will freshen up myself and then you can send in the doctors. I can speak to them and once they have said that I'm okay, I will speak to Damian.” Even the idea of speaking his name was one that I did not picture was one that I did not have in mind. The maid looked at me for a moment, as if hesitating, before she nodded as she took a step back, leaving me alone.

As the door clicked shut behind her, I staggered back toward the bed, my legs barely supporting me.

This was real. This wasn’t a dream.

I had prayed for a second chance, and the Moon Goddess answered.

But why Astrid Vale? Why her body?

I didn’t know why I had been brought here. Or how. But I had no doubt in my heart; this wasn’t just about survival anymore.

This was a path. A door.

A gift.

I was given a chance to at least try and fix something. I was given a chance to get the revenge that I needed, the revenge that I wanted nothing more than to climb.

Damian Nightbane might hate me, hate Astrid, but I wouldn’t let that stop me. I had to keep the truth hidden. Had to stay alive in this body long enough to get stronger. Smarter.

I have to make sure that he did not end up killing me just as fast as I ended up coming here. I needed to make sure that I managed to keep myself here.

Long enough to return.

Long enough to be strong, long enough to grow stronger, to learn the way of things. I needed to find this in myself to allow myself to stand strong.

Or destroy the ones who took everything from me.

This was a given opportunity, even though it felt unreal. I needed to make good use of it.