Chapter 03: Reborn

Chapter Three: Reborn

I shut my eyes tightly and called upon the Goddess of all Chosen Lunas. I refuse to die like this!

“I am not ready to die! Please hear my prayer, Goddess Lunaria! I beg you, I don’t deserve this tragic end! I was framed and condemned without justice!” I cried, my voice trembling with rage as I whispered a desperate prayer, chanting the words with all the strength left in my lungs.

“Oh, Goddess of the Moonlit Veil, Mother of Rebirth and Purity, Lunaria, heed my wail. By fang and claw, by blood and bone, Let me rise, though I am gone. Silver light, reshape my fate, Drown my love, ignite my hate. Banish mercy, steel my heart— From my ashes, tear me apart.”

A powerful thunderclap roared across the sky as my final word echoed into the void. But I didn’t stop. I continued chanting, even as my voice shook.

“Storm and shadow, heed my plea. Unshackle wrath and set it free. Let my howls tear through the night. Let my enemies quake in fright.”

I groaned as my body began to transform. Pain surged through me like fire. A howl of suffering burst from my throat. My bones cracked and shifted, and I screamed in pure agony as the transformation took hold.

“Lyra, what are you doing?!” Dracob’s voice rang out, filled with horror and disbelief. I saw him step forward, reaching toward me, but before he could take another step, a lightning bolt struck the ground at his feet, forcing him back.

I ignored him. I could not stop now. With my eyes clenched shut, I embraced the agony tearing through me as my rebirth continued.

“By fire’s kiss and midnight’s breath, Unchain my soul from silent death. Grant me flesh, fierce and new— A vessel strong, a heart untrue. With every scar, I claim my throne. No longer weak. No longer owned. I shall rise, fierce and blessed. Bring them to ruin—lay them to rest.”

I bit down hard, tasting blood as I choked on the final verse. The sky responded in fury. A thunderous cascade of deafening roars cracked through the heavens, followed by lightning strikes that tore through the trees around me. The earth shook beneath me. Then, my body glowed.

A searing, blinding light engulfed me. For a single breath, I felt weightless—reborn. But then came the final blow. A massive bolt of lightning struck me directly. As darkness closed in, I felt myself hit the ground with a sickening force, my bones shattering on impact.

***

As soon as I opened my eyes, I felt the earth above me rumble violently. Lightning struck the very spot where I lay, splintering the wood that had buried me. The debris shattered and flew away from the force of the impact.

I gasped for air, my lungs burned as I drew in a deep, ragged breath. Overhead, the pitch-black sky greeted me like a cold, hollow void.

Where am I? I asked myself, slowly sitting up with trembling limbs. I reached out, touching my body, and tears welled in my eyes. I’m alive.

I’m alive! The Goddess heard my prayers!

“Thank you… Goddess Lunaria,” I whispered, gratitude spilling from my lips in a quiet, reverent vow.

She had given me a second chance to make them pay. I examined myself. Even in the dark, my enhanced vision revealed bruises scattered across my arms and legs, deep and discolored, each one telling a tale of pain.

Then I tilted my head, truly seeing the body I now inhabited. My eyes widened. My lips parted in horror as a chilling realization struck me.

This wasn’t my body. This body belonged to an omega—a low-ranking wolf of our kind. Her name echoed faintly in my mind, Dredea Montaguez. She had been abused. Brutalized. Raped.

A heavy frown etched onto my face as a storm of memories—memories that weren’t mine—suddenly crashed over me. Four Alphas! They had overpowered Dredea with their pheromones, forcing her into submission, dragging her into this forest to commit the unthinkable. She couldn’t resist. Overwhelmed and suffocated by their potent scent, her body had given up. She died helplessly. Alone.

My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms as a deep rage began to boil inside me. Those bastards would pay!

I closed my eyes and whispered a solemn prayer, one final offering for the girl who had suffered so much.

“I swear... I will avenge you, Dredea,” I vowed quietly.

My gaze flickered through the dense forest. Even without light, my wolf vision made it easy to see through the shadows, and I could hear everything. Suddenly, distant voices echoed through the trees, growing louder every second.

My body tensed. I tried to stand, to flee, but the moment I put weight on my legs, they gave out beneath me, and I collapsed back onto the cold earth. And that was when they found me.

Fck! How far did they drug this poor omega to leave her like this?

My heart roared with fury. I memorized the faces that flickered through Dredea’s dying memories and swore I would kill each one the moment I sensed them again.

“Oh my God! See? I told you! Those bastards we saw earlier definitely did something horrible!” A horrified female voice cut through the air, and I saw her rush toward me.

“Wait! Hey, get back here! Candice!” A man’s voice shouted after her.

The moment his scent hit me, my body reacted violently, shaking uncontrollably, seized with a deep, primal fear. This body remembered a traumatic scent. Alpha Pheromones.

My breathing became ragged as my weakened body instinctively responded to the overwhelming pheromones radiating from him. The scent struck me like a tidal wave, unleashing a deep, primal fear buried within this fragile body.

The woman, Candice, rushed to my side, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of my battered, naked form. “Miss, are you okay?” she asked, but gasped audibly as she took in the full extent of my condition.

“Aries, don’t come any closer!” she shouted at the man approaching behind her.

“W-What? Why? What’s wrong? Shouldn’t you be the one stepping away from her?” Aries asked, his voice full of

confusion.

“Just shut up and take off your jacket! Toss it to me and turn around!” Candice snapped with urgency.

I wanted to speak, to explain, but no words came out. My throat felt swollen and raw, as though something had

sealed my voice away.

“Huh?” Aries hesitated.

“Stop asking so many damn questions! Just do as I say—hurry up!” Candice barked, her tone sharp and commanding.

“Fine! Here! Make sure you’re safe over there!” Aries grumbled, but his scent grew stronger the closer he got, washing over me like a suffocating wave.

My body trembled uncontrollably.

“Miss! What’s happening? Why are you shaking?” Candice moved closer, her arms gently wrapping around me.

“P-Phero… mones,” I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper. It came out hoarse and broken.

“What? Pheromones—oh shit, you’re allergic to Alpha pheromones?” Candice’s voice shifted from alarm to concern.

I gave a weak nod. “Mm.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” she murmured sincerely, then quickly turned toward the man.

“Aries, she’s allergic to your pheromones. Go back to the car and grab the spare clothes I left there.”

“What? No way! I’m not leaving you alone with her. What if she’s faking and attacks you the second I’m gone?”

Aries protested, his tone stubborn and suspicious.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Aries. Look at her, she’s a bruised, broken omega who can’t even stand, much less fight.

She’s terrified of your scent. What do you think she’s going to do?” Candice shot back sharply.

Aries fell silent, though I could feel his hesitation lingering. But in the end, he said nothing more. Candice held me tighter, sitting down beside me, her warmth gently seeping into my aching, frozen body.

And for a moment, I felt… safe. A strange feeling bloomed in my chest. Cold at first. Unfamiliar. Kindness. Aries had a point. He had no reason to trust me. But Candice trusted her eyes, not her fears.

“Okay, fine. I’ll be quick,” Aries muttered at last. A moment later, I heard his footsteps fading into the distance.

“T-Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“Don’t force yourself to talk or move just yet. Sht, you’re a mess!” Candice muttered, her voice laced with anger. “I had a bad feeling about those assholes the moment I saw them earlier.”

She paused, then asked gently, “Do you know them? Blink twice for no, once for yes.”

I blinked twice. There was nothing in Dredea’s memories that identified them, only the moment she’d accidentally bumped into one of them. That was all it took for them to decide to ruin her.

“Those fckers,” Candice hissed. “Can you remember their faces?”

I blinked once. Yes, I remembered them clearly—their twisted smirks, cruel eyes, and disgusting, overpowering scents. I will never forget them and ensure they pay for what they did to Dredea.

Candice didn’t release me, keeping her arm around me as we waited for Aries to return. When he did, he tossed her the spare clothes, and she helped me get dressed with careful hands.

Then she turned to me gently. “Can you stand? Don’t worry, I’ll help you, okay?”

I nodded faintly. If I were still in my former body, healing would’ve been easier. But this body… it was weak. Violated and drenched in dominant Alpha pheromones that had nearly broken it.

The moment I took a step, a sharp, searing pain tore through me. A strangled cry slipped past my lips as I instinctively clutched Candice’s arm.

She noticed immediately. “This won’t do,” she muttered, then turned to Aries.

“Aries, can you carry her? Uh… what’s your name?” she asked me softly.

I drew in a breath. “L-Lyra,” I whispered.

“My name’s Candice and that stubborn guy is Aries,” she introduced with a small smile. “Carry her, Aries. And please, control your pheromones.”

“Alright,” Aries agreed, stepping forward with caution. His eyes met mine. “Hi. I’m Aries. Is it okay if I carry you?”

I gave him a slight nod.

He moved carefully, gently scooping me into his arms. Despite his strength, his touch was surprisingly tender as if he understood how fragile I was at that moment.

I closed my eyes again, whispering another silent prayer to the Goddess. A prayer of gratitude, for this second chance at life… and these two kind souls who chose to help me when I needed it most.

But this time, I won’t waste it. I will make them pay. I’ll drag them into the same darkness they buried Dredea in one by one. I’ll tear them apart until there’s nothing left.

Just wait. You’ll regret the day you betrayed me. And when I’m done… you’ll remember why they feared the wrath of a Luna!