THE WALKING NIGHTMARE

The smell of wet iron and cold mud was the last thing Serena remembered. She remembered lying in a dark ditch under the pouring rain, her lungs bleeding out, and Chloe standing over her with a smoking gun. She remembered Julian turning his back on her to save Chloe first, leaving Serena to die like a stray dog.

Then, a sharp, burning gasp racked her chest.

Serena sat up fast. Air rushed into her lungs like liquid fire. She clutched her throat, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. But there was no blood. No rain. No bullet hole in her chest.

She was sitting in a massive, king-sized bed. The silky sheets were cold and rumpled beside her, smelling faintly of cedarwood and winter frost—Julian’s signature scent. Sunlight filtered through the heavy velvet curtains of the Lockford Estate.

Serena looked down at her hands. They were pale, soft, and unscarred. She turned her head toward the nightstand. The digital clock glowed red: October 14th.

Her breathing stopped.

October 14th was the morning after the "scandal." In her past life, this was the exact day her living hell had officially started. 

In that past life, Serena had woken up in this very bed consumed by shame and tears. She had loved Julian Lockford since they were teenagers. When they were drugged and set up in a room together, she foolishly believed it was a twist of fate—a chance to finally win his cold heart. She had cried, apologized for a trap she didn't set, and begged him to marry her to save her dignity, just as her greedy adoptive parents instructed.

What a blind, pathetic fool she had been.

The bedroom door creaked open. 

Serena didn't flinch. She didn't pull the duvet over her shoulders to hide herself like she did three years ago. She sat up straight, her icy blue eyes fixed on the three people walking through the door.

Her adoptive parents, Sarah and Thomas Vance, rushed in with fake panic on their faces. Behind them walked Chloe—Serena’s cousin and Julian’s self-proclaimed Beta. Chloe was dressed in a sharp designer suit, her golden blonde hair immaculate. She forced a sad expression, but her hazel eyes danced with hidden victory.

"Serena! Oh, my poor baby!" Sarah gasped, dramatically clutching her chest. "What on earth happened? The Alpha... in your bed?"

"This is a disaster!" Thomas boomed, though his eyes gleamed with undisguised greed. "The entire pack house is whispering. Julian has ruined your honor. He has no choice but to take responsibility and marry you!"

Serena looked at them with chilling detachment. In her past life, she had seen loving family members trying to protect her. Now, she saw ravenous wolves smelling money. They didn't care about her honor; they wanted Julian’s wealth and power.

"Where is he?" Serena asked. Her voice was quiet, raspy, but entirely steady. 

Chloe stepped forward, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. "Julian is downstairs in his office, Serena. He’s furious. He thinks... well, he believes you drugged him to trap him into marriage."

"And did I?" Serena tilted her head, locking her gaze directly onto Chloe’s eyes.

Chloe blinked, taken aback. She was used to Serena being shy, timid, and eager to please. "Of course not! We all know you’re too... simple to plan something like that. But the elder council is already here. They demand a wedding to avoid a scandal. You know the pack rules."

Serena felt a ghost of pain throb right where Chloe’s bullet had pierced her heart in her past life.

"Get out," Serena said softly.

Thomas frowned, his brow furrowing. "What did you say?"

"I said get out. All of you. I need to get dressed."

The three of them exchanged confused looks, but Serena’s cold tone left no room for argument. Assuming she was simply in shock, they turned and walked out, closing the door behind them.

The moment the door latched, Serena swung her legs out of bed. She walked up to the full-length mirror and stared at her reflection. At twenty-three, she possessed a breathtaking face and striking blue eyes, but she had spent her whole life hiding in oversized clothes, acting as a wolfless Omega in a world that only respected strength.

"Never again," she whispered to her reflection. "This time, I play the game."

Ten minutes later, Serena walked into Julian’s private study downstairs. The room was heavy with the oppressive weight of his Alpha aura. Julian sat behind his massive mahogany desk, looking like an untouchable king. He was dangerously handsome, with sharp jawlines, dark hair, and grey eyes as cold as a frozen lake.

When Serena entered, his grey eyes swept over her with sheer disgust.

"Serena," Julian said, his voice flat and harsh. "Your parents have finished their dramatic performance downstairs. Are you here to cry and beg now?"

"No," Serena replied calmly. She stopped in the middle of the room, keeping her posture tall. She did not bow her head.

Julian leaned back in his leather chair. "The council wants a quick wedding. An Alpha cannot be caught in bed with an Omega without consequence. So congratulations. You got what you wanted. We marry at the end of the week."

In her previous life, Serena had cried tears of relief and said 'Thank you.'

She looked at Sarah and Thomas peeking through the cracked door. She looked at Chloe, who was standing right next to Julian’s chair, her hand casually resting on the edge of his desk. Chloe wanted Julian. She wanted Serena’s life.

"No," Serena said clearly.

The room fell dead silent.

Julian’s dark eyebrows pulled together. "No? What do you mean, no?"

"I mean I am not marrying you," Serena stated, her voice echoing in the large room. "Not this week. Not ever."

"Serena!" Sarah hissed, rushing into the room. "Have you lost your mind? You're ruining everything!"

"I am thinking clearly for the first time in my life," Serena snapped, cutting her adoptive mother off. "You want this wedding because your business is bankrupt. You want Julian’s money, and you’re using me as the trade."

"How dare you speak to us like that!" Thomas roared.

Serena ignored him and looked directly at Julian. For the first time, Julian looked genuinely stunned.

"You think I drugged you?" Serena asked him.

Julian stood up slowly, his tall, broad frame towering over her. "The wine was spiked with wolfsbane, Serena. You were the one who brought it to my study last night."

"I brought it because Chloe told me it was a gift from the elders for you," Serena said smoothly.

Chloe’s face drained of color. "That’s a lie! Julian, she’s framing me to save herself!"

Serena didn't bother arguing. She didn't have physical proof yet, but she didn't need it today. "Believe whatever you want, Julian. But I won't be your pawn. If you want a scandal, I’ll give you a real one."

Serena turned toward the door, but before she could take a step, Julian’s large hand clamped around her wrist. 

A sharp spark of electricity shot through her arm right to her chest. It was the mate bond—the invisible thread connecting their souls. Julian had always assumed she was too weak to feel it, but right now, the bond hummed loudly. His grey eyes widened slightly as he caught the sudden, rich scent of blooming lavender radiating from her skin. Usually, her scent was faint, but now it filled the entire room.

"You aren't walking out of here until this is settled," Julian growled, his voice thick with suppressed power.

Serena leaned in close to his ear, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You are so busy hating me, Julian, that you haven't noticed the snakes sleeping in your bed. Keep your title. Keep Chloe. I’m going to build a life you can’t control."

She pulled her wrist out of his grip with sudden force and walked straight out the front doors of the estate.

Two hours later, the entire pack gathered at the central plaza for an emergency announcement. Julian stood on the high podium, looking imposing and powerful. Sarah and Thomas stood nearby, trying to look proud, while Chloe kept her posture regal next to the guards.

"The Alpha has an announcement regarding the pack's future!" the herald bellowed.

Julian stepped up to the microphone. His cold eyes swept over the massive crowd, eventually spotting Serena standing in the very back, wearing a simple jacket and dark jeans. He held her gaze, expecting her to look remorseful.

"To maintain honor and unit within our territory," Julian announced, his deep voice carrying through the speakers, "I will be taking Serena Vance as my Luna."

"Actually," a clear, ringing voice cut across the plaza.

The crowd gasped and parted as Serena walked straight down the center aisle toward the stage. She climbed the wooden stairs without hesitation and grabbed the secondary microphone.

"Alpha Julian is lying," Serena said into the mic, her voice booming across the entire pack.

Pandemonium broke out. Sarah looked as if she was going to faint, while Thomas shouted for guards.

"He wants to marry me to cover up his own humiliating failure," Serena continued, her tone dripping with calm confidence. "He claims he was drugged last night, but the truth is much simpler. The great Alpha couldn't perform. He’s completely incompetent in bed."

She leaned slightly into the microphone and added four sharp words: "He has erectile dysfunction."

A deafening silence fell over the thousands of pack members. Then, explosive gasps and furious whispers erupted like wildfire. 

Julian’s face went from pale shock to a dangerous, fiery red. His grey eyes flashed golden as his inner wolf clawed at the surface in absolute fury. He stepped toward her, his breath coming in heavy, lethal ragged gasps.

"Serena," he hissed, his voice vibrating with dangerous kill-intent. "What do you think you are doing?"

Serena looked him straight in the eyes, a cold, mocking smile touching her lips. "I am rejecting you, Julian. Before you get the chance to reject me."

She dropped the microphone onto the floor with a loud thud, turned her back on the furious Alpha, and walked away into the chaotic crowd.

She took a private cab straight to the border of the neighboring territory—the Pinewood Pack.

Pinewood was modern, filled with high-rise glass skyscrapers and elite corporate centers. It was ruled by Brandon Gilbert, Julian’s fiercest corporate and pack rival. 

Serena walked into the marble lobby of Gilbert Enterprises. She was wolfless, broke, and exhausted, but she held her head high like a queen.

"I need to see Brandon Gilbert," Serena told the receptionist. "Tell him I have a recipe that will double his company's value by tomorrow morning."

Within five minutes, Serena was escorted into the top-floor corner office. Brandon Gilbert stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows. He was tall, remarkably handsome, with warm amber eyes and a refined, powerful presence. Unlike Julian’s dark, crushing aura, Brandon felt steady and gentle.

"Serena Vance," Brandon said, looking at her with genuine intrigue. "The news from Mystic Falls is spreading fast. They say you publicly humiliated the most powerful Alpha in the state and walked out."

"I did," Serena said, taking a seat across from his desk. "And now I want a contract. You need a head chef for your luxury food division. I am the best you will ever find."

Brandon smiled, leaning against his desk. "You’re an Omega without a wolf. Why should I trust you over Chloe, who has been begging for this position for months?"

"Because Chloe steals recipes, while I create them," Serena said calmly. "Give me one hour in your kitchen. If you don't like what I cook, I will leave and never bother you again."

One hour later, in the private testing kitchen, Brandon took a bite of Serena’s dish—a complex, silver-herb glazed steak that combined rare forest herbs with high-end culinary science. 

The moment the meat hit his tongue, Brandon’s eyes widened in total shock. "This is incredible... I’ve never tasted anything like this in my life. The balance is absolute perfection."

"It’s yours," Serena said. "If you sign me today."

Brandon stared at her with deep respect. "Consider yourself hired, Serena."

"One condition," Serena added. "I am changing my name. I will no longer be a Vance. From today on, I am Serena Sterling."

"Done," Brandon said, extending his hand.

As Serena shook his hand, a strange, burning heat flared on her left shoulder blade. It was her birthmark—a unique, moon-shaped mark she had carried since infancy. Brandon glanced down at her shoulder as her collar shifted slightly, and his entire body froze. His breath hitched, his amber eyes wide with sudden, overwhelming disbelief.

"That mark..." Brandon whispered, his voice trembling. "Where did you get that mark?"

Before Serena could answer, the glass door of the kitchen shattered inward with a violent crash. 

Julian stood in the doorway, surrounded by broken glass, his grey eyes pitch black with lethal rage, looking directly at Brandon’s hand on Serena.