Chapter 3

(ISOLDE)

Bryan gestured for me to come to him. 

Just like before, I obediently got up from my seat without complaint and followed him out of the classroom, my eyes tracing every movement of his. 

I needed to know if he was different, if he was the one that had been reborn with me.

He held the classroom door open for me. The same easy smile that had fooled me, plastered on his face.

The moment we got out of the class, he covered the distance between us.

"You look distracted today," he said, tilting his head at me. "Everything alright?"

I studied him a moment longer. Nothing in his eyes gave him away. Bryan was just Bryan. His face housed exactly that air of arrogance he had always carried. 

It seemed he wasn't the one who came back with me. But I didn't let my guard down, I kept watching him, attentive as ever.

"I'm fine," I said, keeping my voice light. Side stepping him, I walked away but he grabbed my arm, glancing around the hallway before pulling me outside.

We reached the courtyard. Bryan stopped walking, finally letting go of my arm and turned to face me, that familiar entitlement settling over his features.

"The Claiming Moon Ceremony is coming up soon," he said. "I expect you've already started preparing my gift."

There it was. The same demand from my past life, delivered with the same certainty that I would simply obey. 

In my previous life, I'd spent weeks agonizing over what to get him, spending my father’s money on gifts he’d rejected over and over and when I found the perfect gift he wanted, he merely glanced at it before putting it aside.

I almost laughed at how ridiculous his request sounded now. The past me would have immediately asked what he wanted and scurried off to get it ready. But the present Isolde was no fool anymore.

"I haven't prepared anything," I said, my voice calm. I kept watching him carefully.

His brow furrowed, confusion flashing across his face like I'd spoken a foreign language. "What do you mean you haven't prepared anything? The ceremony is in two weeks."

"I mean exactly what I said." I held his gaze. "I haven't gotten you a gift, and I don't plan to."

"Isolde." My name came out sharp, warning. "Do you understand what you're saying? Everyone will be watching who gives gifts to who at the ceremony. It reflects on both of us."

"Then it should reflect well on you," I said, "Freya already has something prepared. You can go take it from her.”

For one second, just one, something cracked in his composed expression. His eyes widened, panic flashing his features before he smoothed it away, replacing it with practiced calm. But I'd already seen it. 

He recovered quickly, his jaw tightening. 

"Fine. If you don't want to give me anything, then who exactly do you plan on giving your gift to?"

There was an edge to his voice now. In my past life, that tone would have made me shrink, made me rush to soothe him, to prove my loyalty to him.

Not this time.

I let a smile curve my lips into a slow and genuine smile. 

"Maybe I'll give it to the new transfer student, Kairo.”

His face went rigid. Whatever he wanted to say next, he swallowed it down, turning on his heel and walking away without another word.

He'd pulled this stunt in the past, I'd rush over to him to soothe him and get him to talk to me again. But this time, I merely watched him go, before turning around and walking away.

When classes ended that day, I didn't bother waiting to go back to the Alpha house with him or Freya. I simply got into the car and found my way home. 

Since I’d been reborn, it meant my family were still alive in this life. I couldn't contain my excitement the whole ride back home.

I burst through the door, startling the guards and the maids. It was absolutely out of character for me to act this way, but who cares.

I knew exactly where to find my family. My father would be in his open study now, close to the kitchen, watching my mother make his meal and my younger brother would be sitting by the kitchen counter doing his homework. 

The moment I burst into the kitchen my mother's laugh welcomed me. Her bubbly laughter paused me on my tracks. 

They were all here. All alive. 

My eyes watered before I could stop them.

In my past life, I never saw my mother's face again after the week Freya's mother accused her of betraying my father. 

Never got to explain to my brother why he'd been dragged out of the only home he'd known, branded a bastard child before he'd even understood what the word meant. 

My father believed the lie without hesitation, and banished my mother and brother.

I walked over to where my mother stood in the kitchen, stirring the dish over the stove. I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around her from behind, pressing my face into her shoulder.

"Isolde?" She turned in my arms, cupping my face with flour-dusted hands. "What's this about?"

"Nothing," I said, my voice breaking. "I just missed you."

She studied me for a moment, something soft passing over her face.

“My baby,” she whispered, hugging me back before pulling away and kissing my forehead. 

She reached up and unclasped the necklace resting against her collarbone. It was her Luna necklace, passed down through generations of our family, the one only the pack's Luna was ever allowed to wear.

"Here," she said, pressing it into my palm. "Give this to Bryan for the ceremony. Let him put it around your neck at your wedding one day."

I closed my fingers around it, feeling the familiar ornament. My heart shattered to pieces as I thought of how I'd given away this exact necklace once before, only for Bryan to complain later that it was an old, useless thing not worth the trouble.

Not again. Never again would I let this necklace, or my mother, fall into the hands of people who didn't deserve either.

I would prove her innocence. I would keep my family whole this time, whatever it cost me.

Before I could stop myself, tears rolled down my cheeks.

“I'll take good care of it, mother,” I whispered, snuggling into my confused mother's arms.

My brother dropped his homework just then, tugging at my sleeve, a mischievous grin on his face.

"You really can't live without me, Isolde. I'd only gone to school for a few hours yet you're already crying about it.” He shook his head.

“It's so hard raising an elder sister.”

My lips pulled up in a smile. I pulled away from my mum's arms, grabbed his head and pressed a quick kiss to his hair before he could dodge away.

“Hey!” He growled.

I giggled, side stepping him and scurrying away.

“Dad, she stole a kiss from me!”

“Hi, dad!” I called out to my dad, momentarily pausing to take in his face before hurrying past with Gilead hot on my tail.

“Is something up? You're acting out of character,” came my father's voice from behind me.