Chapter 2: The Awakening

Serena's POV

Voices.

Soft, feminine and way too cheerful.

"...the dress is absolutely stunning..."

"...I heard the Supreme Alpha himself chose the design..."

"...such a lucky bride..."

Bride?

I forced my eyes open and immediately regretted it. Bright light stabbed my retinas like tiny daggers and I groaned, squinting against the assault.

"My lady! You're awake!"

A face appeared above me. Round cheeks, bright eyes and a smile so wide it looked painful.

"Who..." My voice came out scratchy. "Where am I?"

"In your chambers, my lady," the maid said, confused. "Are you feeling unwell? Should I call the healer?"

My chambers?

I sat up slowly and the world tilted for a second before settling. I was in a bed. A massive, luxurious bed with silk sheets and entirely too many pillows. The room around me screamed wealth with gold-trimmed furniture, thick carpets and windows draped in velvet.

This wasn't my room.

This wasn't even my pack.

"The wedding starts in an hour, my lady," another maid chirped. "We must get you ready!"

"Wedding?" I blinked. "What wedding?"

The maids exchanged glances.

"Your wedding, my lady," the first one said slowly, like I was a child. "To Alpha Kael. The Supreme Alpha of the North Pack?"

My brain short-circuited.

Alpha Kael. The Supreme Alpha. The most powerful wolf in the entire supernatural world and I was supposed to marry him?

"I need a mirror," I croaked.

"Of course!" A maid rushed to bring one over.

I looked into it and my breath caught.

That wasn't my face.

The woman staring back at me was beautiful but she wasn't me. Sharp cheekbones, full lips, emerald green eyes and hair so dark it was almost black. I lifted my hand and the woman in the mirror did the same.

"What the hell..."

"My lady?" The maid looked worried. "Are you alright?"

I am not alright. I died. I fell off a cliff and died and now I was in someone else's body about to marry a man I'd never met.

But the memories... my memories were intact. I remembered everything. Dominic. Vivian. The betrayal. The fall.

Moon Goddess, you actually listened.

A second chance.

I touched my face again, tracing the unfamiliar features. This body... it was mine now. Somehow, someway, I'd been given another life.

"My lady, we really must hurry," the maid urged. "The Supreme Alpha doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Right. The wedding.

I stood on shaky legs and let the maids swarm me. They stripped my nightgown and dressed me in layers of white silk and lace. The wedding gown was gorgeous but heavy and I felt like I was wearing a cloud made of diamonds.

"What's my name?" I asked suddenly.

The maids froze.

"My lady?"

"My name," I repeated. "What is it?"

They looked at each other like I'd grown a second head.

"Serena Hayden, my lady," one whispered. "Daughter of Beta Marcus of the West Pack."

Serena. I was still Serena. Same name, different face, different life.

And apparently, I was about to become the Luna of the North Pack.

The most powerful pack in the world.

I almost laughed. Almost. But then the reality sank in. If I was Serena Hayden now, what happened to the real Serena Hayden? Who was she? What kind of life had she lived?

"Tell me," I said carefully, "what kind of person am I?"

The maids went silent.

One of them cleared her throat.

"You are... strong-willed, my lady."

"Ambitious," another added.

"Very ambitious," a third muttered under her breath.

Oh.

So the original Serena was a piece of work. Great.

Before I could ask more, the door burst open.

A woman swept in and her presence immediately commanded attention. She was tall, elegant and moved like she owned every room she entered. Her sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe.

"Finally awake, I see," she said coolly.

"And you are?" I asked.

Her eyebrow lifted.

"Your memory failing you already, Serena? I'm Lady Cordelia. The Supreme Alpha's advisor."

Right. Act normal. Don't blow your cover.

"Of course," I said smoothly. "Forgive me. I'm just... nervous."

"Nervous." She said it like it was a foreign concept. "How quaint."

She circled me like a predator sizing up prey.

"You know what's expected of you today, yes?"

"Marry the Supreme Alpha," I said.

"And?"

I hesitated.

"And... be a good Luna?"

Lady Cordelia's smile was sharp.

"And secure your position. The Supreme Alpha has many... distractions. You're the fourth woman to hold his interest this year. Don't disappoint him."

Fourth?

My stomach dropped.

"What do you mean, fourth?"

She waved a hand dismissively.

"The Supreme Alpha has three mistresses. Elara, Morgana and Isla. You'll meet them soon enough. Try not to make enemies immediately. It reflects poorly on the pack."

Three mistresses.

I was marrying a man with three other women already warming his bed.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Before I could process that delightful piece of information, Lady Cordelia turned on her heel.

"Come. It's time."

The maids arranged my veil and I followed Lady Cordelia out of the room. The hallways were massive with high ceilings and walls lined with portraits of stern-looking wolves. Guards stood at every corner, watching silently.

We reached a grand hall where hundreds of wolves waited. The air buzzed with anticipation and I felt every eye turn toward me as I stepped inside.

At the front of the hall, standing beside an ornate altar, was him.

Alpha Kael.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. His presence was magnetic in a way that made my wolf sit up and take notice. Dark hair, sharp jaw and eyes that looked like molten gold in the candlelight.

He watched me approach with an expression I couldn't read. Not warm. Not cold. Just... calculating.

I reached the altar and he extended his hand.

I took it.

His grip was firm and warm and for a split second, something flickered in his eyes. Surprise? Confusion?

But it was gone before I could be sure.

The ceremony began. Words were spoken. Vows were exchanged. I said "I do" and so did he.

And just like that, I became Luna Serena of the North Pack.

As soon as the ceremony ended, wolves congratulated us but Alpha Kael barely acknowledged them. His attention was fixed on me.

"You're different today," he said quietly.

My heart skipped.

"Different how?"

"I don't know yet." His eyes narrowed slightly. "But I'll figure it out."

Before I could respond, a guard approached and whispered something in Kael's ear. His expression darkened.

"Interesting," he muttered.

He turned to me.

"I've invited a guest to our reception. Someone I think you'll be... pleased to see."

The way he said it made my stomach twist.

"Who?"

His smile was cold.

"Alpha Dominic of the East Pack."

The world stopped.

Dominic. Here.

"And he's bringing his new mate," Kael continued, watching my reaction closely. "A lovely woman named Vivian, I believe."

My hands clenched into fists. Those traitors!

Kael leaned close, his breath hot against my ear.

"Tell me, Serena," he whispered, "why do you look like you want to kill them?"

My blood ran cold.

He knew. Somehow, he knew something was wrong.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said evenly.

"Liar." His hand gripped my waist, possessive and firm. "I don't know what game you're playing, little mate, but I'm going to enjoy breaking you all over again."