Chapter 2

Gabriel spent the night with Isabelle at the healing center.

I changed into a black outfit from head to toe so that I could easily sneak in and out of the night. I also sprayed myself with a special scent-masking spray to hide my scent. Then, I recalled the memories from my past life and silently sneaked into the villa that Gabriel had specifically prepared for Isabelle—their love nest.

Everything here was just as I remembered it to be.

I easily evaded all of the maids in the villa and carefully made my way to the nursery on the second floor.

Inside the room, the nanny was humming a lullaby while putting a little pup of about two years old to sleep.

The pup, Leon Blackhound, looked a lot like Gabriel—maybe even 70% alike. I hid in the shadows outside the window, glaring at the pup in her arms.

In my past life, Gabriel told me that Leon had been left behind by his Beta who died defending the territory, and he asked me to adopt the poor pup and raise him as our own.

I had believed every word he said.

I gave Leon all of the maternal love I had to offer, raising him as one of my own. Only at my deathbed did I learn that Leon was the love child of his affair with Isabelle.

I dug my nails deeply into my palm, letting the sharp pain keep me awake and aloof.

I then sneaked my way into the master bedroom and the living room, installing a couple of miniature pinhole cameras in the chandelier, behind picture frames, and in other hidden corners of the rooms.

After I was done, I sneaked back out of the house again.

I went back home, changed out of my black clothing, and went to bed. I'd only just lain down when Gabriel pushed the door open and came in, looking completely exhausted.

He sat down next to the bed and took my hands as usual, looking at me with a guilty expression on his face while he began fabricating his ridiculous lies.

"You must have had such a shock today, Ellie. Isabelle got hurt while opening the jewelry box that was meant for you. I had to stay behind to get to the bottom of this incident. I needed to give both you and her an explanation for all of this."

He said it so sincerely as though he was doing everything for my own good.

I suppressed the disgust welling in my stomach and feigned concern and asked about Isabelle.

"Is she okay? Can her eyes be healed?"

Gabriel's eyes flickered for a moment, a little too obviously. He avoided the question and said perfunctorily, "The healer said that it was fortunate that Isabelle was brought there in time. Her vision will be affected, but she won't lose her sight after all.

"But, it's just an accident. You don't have to blame yourself for it."

I sneered coldly in my heart.

In my past life, he had delayed treatment for me until I was permanently blinded. And yet, he was willing to spend a fortune to save his true love as quickly as possible.

Gabriel didn't stay for long. He got up in a hurry after briefly reassuring me that everything was fine.

"I still have some urgent matters I need to settle in the pack, and I need to handle them personally. Don't wait up for me and just go to sleep first."

I watched him leave, knowing very well that he wasn't really attending to any "urgent matters" as he was attending to his love child and side chick in that secret villa of theirs.

I lay sprawled out on the large, cold bed, and thought of my past life—how I'd been literally blinded by my love for him while staying in this room the entire time.

I had spent my entire life raising his love child for him. I had solidified his position as Alpha of the pack for him. And yet, he had discarded me like a used rag as soon as he was done using me.

The excruciating pain from back then had now become fuel for my revenge, and it burned fiercely in my chest.

I bolted upright and pulled out a spare, encrypted phone I'd prepared from a long time ago from under my bed. I dialled a number that I'd almost forgotten.

I was calling Kael Talbot, the Alpha of Frostmoon Pack and the sworn enemy of Gabriel's Eclipse Pack.

Kael picked up the call fairly quickly. He said, "Greetings, Ms. Eleanor Clawe, Luna of the Eclipse Pack. Why are you suddenly calling me in the middle of the night? Aren't you worried that your Alpha is going to get jealous?"

I ignored his teasing and took a deep breath. I made my voice firm and resolute.

"I can help you annex the Eclipse Pack. However, I need a small favor in return, as a token of our alliance."

There was a pregnant pause on the other side of the line. Kael then chuckled, sounding interested as he asked, "Oh? And what's the favor?"

"Help me get the dissolving potion that can break the bond between bonded mates. In exchange, I'll give you the core defense map of Eclipse Pack."