THE ALPHA'S REBORN

Chapter Seven: The Blood Awakens

Aria’s POV

I couldn't sleep.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Cassian standing in the flames.

Your own family.

His words had followed me all the way back to the pack house.

They were still following me now.

I stood before the bedroom window, staring at the moon.

Seven days.

Only seven days before one of us would die.

Again.

I touched my chest.

Something felt different.

There was a strange warmth beneath my skin, almost like a second heartbeat.

I pressed my palm against it.

The warmth suddenly spread through my body.

I gasped.

A sharp pain tore through my chest.

I fell to my knees.

Images flashed through my mind.

A woman wearing a silver crown.

A palace surrounded by snow.

Hundreds of wolves kneeling before her.

Then blood.

So much blood.

The woman screamed.

Someone plunged a blade into her chest.

And then I heard a voice.

Run, little moon.

I covered my ears.

“Stop!”

The vision disappeared.

I remained on the floor, trembling.

The bedroom door suddenly opened.

Damien rushed inside.

“Aria!”

He dropped beside me.

“What happened?”

I pushed him away.

“Don't touch me.”

He froze.

I regretted the words immediately, but I couldn't control the fear inside me.

“I saw something.”

“What?”

“A woman.”

His expression changed.

“Who?”

“I don't know.”

I swallowed.

“She was wearing a silver crown.”

Damien stared at me.

“Aria…”

“What?”

“My father told me stories about a woman like that.”

My heart stopped.

“Who was she?”

He hesitated.

“The Moon Queen.”

I stared at him.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

“Then why did I see her?”

“I don't know.”

“You're lying.”

His eyes widened.

“I swear I'm not.”

“You knew something about my bloodline.”

“No.”

“Cassian said my family was involved in my death.”

Damien's expression hardened.

“He was trying to manipulate you.”

“What if he wasn't?”

He became silent.

I stood.

“What aren't you telling me?”

“Nothing.”

“Damien.”

He looked away.

That was enough.

“You are hiding something.”

“I found something after Selena died.”

My heart began pounding.

“What?”

He reached inside his coat and pulled out a small black box.

He placed it on the table.

“I found this in Selena's room.”

I slowly approached it.

There was a symbol carved into the lid.

A crescent moon surrounded by three drops of blood.

The moment I touched it, the box opened by itself.

Damien stepped back.

Inside was a single letter.

My name was written across it.

ARIA.

My hands trembled as I picked it up.

I opened the letter.

Only one sentence was written inside.

If you are reading this, then the first life failed.

My breath caught.

Damien moved closer.

“What does it say?”

I handed him the letter.

He read it.

His face went pale.

Below the sentence was another line.

The Luna must never remember who she truly is.

I looked at him.

“Who am I?”

Before he could answer, a scream came from outside.

Damien immediately ran toward the door.

I followed.

The pack courtyard was chaos.

Wolves were running everywhere.

Guards were shouting.

Then I saw them.

Three bodies lay on the ground.

Dead.

Their throats had been torn open.

Damien rushed toward them.

I stopped.

Something about the bodies felt familiar.

The same silver symbol from the box had been burned into their chests.

My stomach twisted.

“They weren't killed by wolves.”

Damien looked at me.

“How do you know?”

“I can feel it.”

He stared at me.

“What?”

I didn't know how to explain it.

I could feel the death around them.

Not just see it.

Feel it.

Like their final moments were somehow inside my mind.

I closed my eyes.

And suddenly I saw everything.

Three men entering the courtyard.

A masked woman following them.

Her hands covered in blood.

Then she turned.

Even though I couldn't see her face, I knew her.

I opened my eyes.

“Selena.”

Damien went still.

“That's impossible.”

“She is alive.”

The courtyard fell silent.

Then a voice came from the darkness.

“You're finally remembering.”

Everyone turned.

A woman stepped out from behind the trees.

She wasn't Selena.

But she looked exactly like her.

Same face.

Same eyes.

Same smile.

My heart nearly stopped.

Damien whispered,

“Who are you?”

The woman smiled.

“My name is Seraphina.”

She looked directly at me.

“And I am your sister.”

I couldn't breathe.

“My… sister?”

She nodded.

“The sister you killed in your first life.”

Damien stepped between us.

“Stay away from her.”

Seraphina laughed softly.

“You still protect her?”

Her eyes moved to him.

“How touching.”

Then she looked at me again.

“But he doesn't know the truth.”

“What truth?”

Her smile disappeared.

“You weren't reborn by accident, Aria.”

She stepped closer.

“You were brought back.”

“By who?”

Seraphina's eyes filled with something that looked like hatred.

“By the person who killed you.”

The world seemed to stop.

Damien grabbed my hand.

“Don't listen to her.”

Seraphina laughed.

“You really should ask your Alpha why your rebirth required his blood.”

I turned slowly toward Damien.

His face had gone completely pale.

“Damien?”

He said nothing.

My heart cracked.

“What does she mean?”

Still nothing.

“Damien!”

He finally looked at me.

And the guilt in his eyes told me everything.

“You were involved?”

His voice broke.

“I didn't know.”

I stepped backward.

“Didn't know what?”

“That your rebirth would bring you back to me.”

My eyes filled with tears.

“What did you do?”

He moved toward me.

“I was desperate.”

“For what?”

“To save you.”

I shook my head.

“No.”

He reached for me.

I stepped away.

“You don't get to keep secrets from me anymore.”

Seraphina smiled.

“Now you understand.”

Then she whispered something that made my blood run cold.

“Your seven days have already begun.”

A sudden pain exploded inside my chest.

I screamed.

The moon above us turned completely red.

And every wolf in the courtyard dropped to its knees.

Damien stared at me in horror.

Because beneath my skin, silver light had begun to glow.

My eyes burned.

And a voice that wasn't mine whispered through my mind.

The Moon Queen has awakened.