Chapter 2: In Another Body

My eyes fluttered open. A sharp pain shot through my head, making me wince. Everything was blurry at first.

I was supposed to be dead. The last thing I remembered was the flames eating at my skin and the screams as I burned alive with my unborn child.

I blinked several times until my vision cleared. This wasn't the pack grounds where they had executed me. I was lying in an enormous bed with silk sheets that felt softer than anything I had ever touched. The room was beautiful, with expensive furniture.

Where was I?

A girl with reddish-brown hair was curled up in a chair beside the bed, fast asleep. She looked young, and I had never seen her before in my life.

When I tried to sit up, pain shot through my chest, and I gasped. The sound woke the girl immediately.

"Elena!" she screamed, jumping to her feet. "Oh my goddess, you're awake! I thought you were going to die!"

Elena? That wasn't my name. My name was Sera.

"You're alive," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "The healers said you wouldn't make it through the night. You lost so much blood."

I looked down at myself, confused. My hands were different. These weren't my hands.

"I'm Sera," I said weakly. "Not Elena."

The girl stared at me like I had grown two heads. "What? No, you're Elena Ashford. I'm Celia, your maid. I've been taking care of you since you were twelve."

"I don't understand," I whispered. "Where am I?"

"You're home, in the Ashford mansion. Your father has been worried sick about you." Celia poured water. "Here, drink this. You must be thirsty."

I accepted the water gratefully. My throat felt raw, like I had been screaming for hours. As I drank, memories that weren't mine began flashing through my head.

A young woman standing in front of a mirror, tears streaming down her beautiful face. She was holding a silver knife, pressing the blade to her wrist.

"I can't do this," the woman sobbed. "I can't marry him. I'd rather die than become his wife."

The knife cut deep, and blood poured onto the marble floor as she collapsed.

I gasped, nearly dropping the glass. These weren't my memories. They belonged to someone else. Someone named Elena.

"You scared everyone," Celia continued. "When your father found you in your room yesterday, there was blood everywhere. You had cut yourself with that old knife from your collection."

"Yesterday was your wedding day," Celia said softly, as if reading my thoughts. "You were supposed to marry Alpha Kieran at sunset."

Everyone in the region knew about Alpha Kieran of the Bloodmoon Pack. He was ruthless and had killed more wolves than anyone could count. They said he had gone through three wives already, and none of them had lived past their first year of marriage.

"Your parents are devastated," Celia went on. "They think you tried to kill yourself because you didn't want to marry the Alpha."

"I need to tell everyone you're awake," Celia said, heading for the door. "They'll want to see you immediately."

Before I could stop her, she was gone. I sat alone, trying to make sense of what had happened to me.

The door burst open, and a middle-aged man strode in, followed by an elegant woman in expensive robes.

"Elena!" The woman rushed to my bedside, throwing her arms around me. "Thank the goddess you're alive."

"We were so frightened," the man said. "The healers weren't sure you would survive the blood loss."

"Are you feeling better, sweetheart?" the woman asked.

"Yes... Mother," I said carefully. The word felt foreign on my tongue.

"Good. Because we need to discuss what happened yesterday."

My father said, "What you did was incredibly selfish. Do you have any idea how much you've embarrassed our family?"

"Robert," my mother warned.

"No, Margaret. She needs to hear this." He turned back to me. "Alpha Kieran was furious when you didn't show up for the ceremony. His men searched the entire mansion until they found you bleeding on your bedroom floor."

My stomach clenched. "I'm sorry, Father."

"Sorry isn't enough. This marriage alliance is crucial for our pack's survival. Without Alpha Kieran's protection, we'll be destroyed by our enemies within months."

"I don't want to marry him," I said quietly.

My father's face hardened. "What you want is irrelevant. You will marry Alpha Kieran, and you will do your duty as his wife."

"But Father—"

"Enough!" He slammed his fist on the table, making me jump. "The wedding has been postponed, not cancelled. You have one week to recover, and then you will marry him."

After my parents left, I was alone again, which felt like my past life. Making sacrifices for the sake of the pack.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

A young woman who looked exactly like me entered the room. My twin sister.

"Hello, Elena," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm so glad you're alive."

Something about her tone made me uneasy. "Thank you... sister."

"I was so worried when Father found you yesterday, though I have to admit, I was surprised. I never thought you'd try to kill yourself."

The way she said it sounded almost... disappointed.

Before I could ask what she meant, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway.

"He's here," she whispered, fear creeping into her voice.

The door opened, and a man stepped inside. He was huge, with black hair and cruel, dark eyes. Scars covered his arms and neck. When he looked at me, I felt like a mouse being stared at by a wolf.

Alpha Kieran.

Everyone bowed their heads, including my mother and sister. I stayed sitting in bed, too shocked to move.

"So," he said, his voice deep. "My runaway bride finally decides to wake up."

"I hope you're feeling better," he continued, moving closer to the bed. "Because we have unfinished business to discuss."

"Alpha Kieran," I managed to whisper. "I—"

"You embarrassed me," he cut me off. "Made me look like a fool in front of every pack leader in the region. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

I shook my head, not trusting my voice.

"Angry," he said simply. "Very, very angry."

He reached out and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look directly into his terrifying eyes. His grip was firm but not quite painful.

"The wedding has been rescheduled for next week," he said. "And this time, you will be there. You will say your vows. You will become my wife. Are we clear?"