Chapter 2

In my last life, the moonstone had never chosen Kael.

I had forced it to.

I had spilled half my life’s blood, invoking the forbidden lunar magic, to bend her will to mine.

I had condemned myself to a lifetime of burning agony, all for a man who would one day burn me alive.

Kael laughed, a cold, bitter sound that cut through the tension in the chamber.

“Is there any other heir left to test?” he sneered. “Since the great Seer doubts the Goddess’s will, I will prove it to her.”

The confidence in his step made me pause.

There was something different about him this time. The way he held himself, the way he looked at me like he already knew what I was going to say.

He was reborn too.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. But I didn’t let it show. I kept my face blank, my eyes cold.

He strode toward the moonstone, never taking his eyes off me.

He pricked his fingertip with a silver dagger, and let a single drop of blood fall onto the stone.

The white moonstone flared to life, turning a brilliant, blood-red.

Kael turned to me, a triumphant smirk on his face.

“There. Do you see now, Seer? I am the Goddess’s chosen. If you behave yourself, I might allow you to live in my den. But Lila will always be my Luna.”

My father’s face showed his conflict. Luna Elara placed a hand on his arm, her nails digging into his skin.

“You heard the moonstone, my Alpha. Kael is the next Alpha. For the sake of the pack, we must accept this.”

Lila stepped forward, her eyes glistening with tears. She clutched Kael’s arm like a lifeline, her body trembling.

“I am so grateful for your kindness, Kael,” she whispered. “I don’t deserve you. I will never ask for anything more than to be by your side. I will even serve Nova to the best of my ability.”

She turned to me, her voice trembling. “I know you hate me, Nova. But I promise I just want to love Kael.”

Kael pulled her into his arms, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked at me.

“How dare you make her cry! You call yourself the voice of the Goddess, but you are nothing but a jealous, petty witch! The Silvermoon bloodline has produced nothing but monsters!”

The entire chamber turned to look at me. Even my father’s gaze held a hint of disapproval.

I was the villain in their story, the cruel one trying to tear apart two star-crossed lovers.

I smiled.

“You are right, Father. Kael and Lila are clearly meant for each other. I will not stand in their way.”

Kael’s smirk faltered. He had expected me to scream, to beg, to throw a tantrum like I had in my past life. He had expected me to fight for him.

But I was done fighting.

I looked down at the moonstone, where black veins were already beginning to spread through the red.

The Goddess was speaking. She saw the darkness in his heart, the cruelty that lay beneath his handsome face.

“However,” I continued, “who Kael chooses to mate has nothing to do with—”

“Kael!” Lila gasped, clutching her head.

She staggered backward, her face pale as a sheet. “My head… it hurts so bad! It feels like a thousand needles are stabbing me!”

Kael’s face turned white with panic. He caught her before she fell, holding her tightly in his arms.

“Lila! What’s wrong? What happened?”

“I don’t know,” she whimpered, burying her face in his chest. “It just started hurting all of a sudden… it’s so bad, Kael. Make it stop.”

She shot me a venomous look over his shoulder. A look that said this is your fault.

Kael’s head snapped up. His golden eyes were filled with rage. He glowered at me like he wanted to tear my throat out.

“What did you do to her?” he snarled. “What kind of curse did you put on her, you witch?”

I said nothing. I just watched as he picked Lila up in his arms and ran out of the chamber, so desperate to get her to a healer that he didn’t even bother to say goodbye to my father.

The chamber fell silent. No one dared speak.

I looked down at the moonstone. It was now completely black. As black as the void. As black as Kael’s heart.

I turned to my father.

“The Goddess has spoken,” I said, holding up the blackened stone. “Kael is not her chosen. He is a monster. He will destroy our pack if we let him.”

Luna Elara screamed. “That’s a lie! You did that! You cursed the moonstone to make it black! You just don’t want Kael to be Alpha!”

My father ignored her. He stared at the black moonstone, his face grave.

“If Kael is not the chosen,” he said slowly, “then who is?”

I met his eyes. For the first time since I was reborn, I felt a flicker of hope in my chest.

“There is one more heir,” I said. “Elias Voss.”