Lyra's POV

“Nooo! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!” I jolted awake with a scream, shooting upright in bed. My chest heaved as I dragged in one breath after another. Sweat soaked my clothes, and my hands trembled against the sheets. I stared around my room, my heart pounding against my ribs. The familiar curtains, furniture, and decorations were all exactly where they should be.

I was in my room. But how? A cold shiver ran down my spine. Was this what the afterlife looked like? Or was I dreaming?

The door flew open, and my ladies-in-waiting rushed inside with Esther right behind them. Fear flashed across their faces as they hurried toward me.

“My lady!” Esther reached me first and pulled me into her arms.

“Esther…” My voice broke as I clung to her. “Please, help me. I don’t want to die. I can’t lose my baby either.” I pressed a trembling hand against my stomach, tears spilling down my cheeks. Esther suddenly pulled back, her brows drawing together.

“Which baby, my lady?” I froze.

“My baby…” I whispered, staring at her in confusion. “Remember?” My hand remained pressed against my stomach as I searched her face for any sign that she understood. Instead, Esther's worried expression only deepened. She slowly turned toward the other women and gave them a silent signal to leave. One by one, my ladies-in-waiting hurried out.

“What’s wrong, my lady?” Esther asked softly. She took my trembling hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You shouldn’t let your inability to have a child affect you this deeply.” I stared at her, my lips parting in disbelief.

“No.” I shook my head quickly. “You don’t understand. I’m pregnant. I am!” My voice rose with desperation. “You know about it. We went to the royal physician together. We had the test done. The nurse brought the results straight to my chamber.” The words tumbled from my mouth, faster and faster. I could barely breathe between them. “I saw the result. You saw it too. You were there!” Esther’s eyes filled with tears. She tightened her grip on my hand and shook her head slowly.

“My lady…” Her voice cracked. “No such thing happened.” I felt the blood drain from my face. “You’re not pregnant.”

Her face told me she wasn't joking. I slowly pulled my hands from hers and looked away. My eyes drifted around the room until they landed on the calendar hanging on the wall.

My breath caught as I stared at the calendar. One week until the Moon Goddess Festival.

My mind raced as I counted the days, and slowly, the truth began to sink in.

I wasn't dreaming.

I had returned to the past.

I had been given a second chance.

What was the point of being reborn at the expense of my own child? I bite my lips hard trying to hold back my tears.

Why moon goddess? Why?

A sharp ache spread through my chest. I pressed my palm against my heart, trying to calm the pain, but it only grew stronger.

I forced myself out of bed, grabbed a coat and draped it over my shoulders. I needed to clear my head.

“My lady, where are you going…”

“I'm going for a run. I just need to clear my head,” I said before Esther could finish.

“But you can't leave dressed like that. You don't look well,” she said worriedly. I gave her a small, tired smile.

“I'll be fine.” I didn't wait for her reply. I walked out of the room and headed toward the exit of the pack house.

The moment I stepped outside, I felt eyes following me. I couldn't bear their whispers, their curious looks, or the thought of facing anyone who had once watched me suffer. I needed somewhere no one could find me.

I ran deeper into the woods, the cold air cutting against my skin. But the faster I ran, the tighter the pain in my chest became. Then the memories came rushing back. My pregnancy. The kiss. Their laughter. My death. Each memory flashed through my mind like a cruel nightmare.

“Nooooooo!” I suddenly stopped and screamed, my voice echoing through the silent woods. Whatever strength I had left finally broke. Tears poured down my face as I stumbled forward and collapsed onto the cold ground. I curled into myself, pressing my hands against my chest as sobs tore through me.

I wiped my tears and clenched my fists. They had to pay for what they had done to me. There had to be a way to break them, just as they had broken me. A sudden rustle came from the trees. My head snapped toward the sound, but there was no one there. Only swaying branches. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. Then my eyes caught a strange mark carved into one of the trees. My heart dropped. Fuck. I knew that mark. I was in Lycan territory.

How had I wandered this far? I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't even realized I had crossed into enemy lands. I scrambled to my feet and quickly wiped the tears from my face.

I closed my eyes and reached for my wolf, expecting to feel her familiar presence.

Nothing.

No answering growl. No warmth. Not even the faintest stir of consciousness.

My heart began to race.

“Come on. Not now.”

I reached for her again, harder this time, but the silence remained.

With no time to figure out what was wrong, I decided to rely on my own strength. I turned and ran. I hadn't gone far when I heard heavy footsteps pounding behind me. Whatever had been watching me had finally revealed itself. I glanced over my shoulder.

A Lycan. My blood ran cold. There was no way I could outrun one of them.

But I refused to give up. I pushed my legs harder, forcing myself to run faster. My lungs burned, and branches scratched against my arms as I tore through the woods.

My foot landed on a slick stone and slipped out from under me.

“Ah!”

I crashed to the ground, my head striking something hard enough to send a burst of pain through my skull.

A scream tore from my throat. I grabbed the back of my head, blinking rapidly as the world spun around me. Then I felt a heavy presence above me. My breath caught.

I slowly opened my eyes, but everything was blurred. A dark figure hovered over me, blocking out the light. I could feel his warm breath against my face. A low growl rumbled through his chest.

“Mate.”

Draven's POV

I sat alone in my throne room, staring at the calendar across the room. One week. One week until the full moon, and another night of misery.

Every month, as the full moon approached, the same dread settled over me. It was the price of a choice I had made years ago, one that had given me power, strength, and immortality while taking something from me that could never be returned.

I was feared by every supernatural species. My name alone was enough to make even the strongest tremble. Yet none of them knew the weight I carried inside my chest. The throne room doors suddenly opened.

Mark, my Beta, stepped inside. Worry written all over his face. I let out a low hiss and turned my gaze away. He had failed again. For years, every full moon had brought me the same disappointing news.

“I tried. I discreetly checked every woman for the mark, both young and old,” he said quietly, staring at his feet. I had given my Beta a description of the woman I was searching for, and since I couldn’t see her myself, he was the only one I could rely on to find her.

“That’s what you say every fucking time!” I roared. My fist slammed against my thigh. The sound echoed through the throne room, but Mark didn’t flinch. He had grown used to my anger.

“It seems being my Beta has become too much for you.” I leaned forward, my voice turning cold. “You can’t even carry out a simple task properly anymore.”

“My lord.” Mark immediately dropped to one knee, his head bowed.

“Yes, I didn’t support your reason for doing this from the beginning,” he said carefully. “But I am bound by your orders. I’m trying my best to get this done.” His words were calm. I looked away, my jaw tightening.

Mark had always been good with words. His father had been the same, as had the generations before him. I had watched his family grow old and die, only for their sons to take their fathers’ place beside my throne. Yet I remained unchanged.

“Try harder,” I ordered coldly. “Or I might lose my patience and forget the promise I made to your father.” I glanced at him, letting my voice drop to a dangerous whisper. “And slit your throat.” Mark knew I wasn't joking. “Enough of that. Let’s go hunting.” I smiled faintly. “I’m craving blood.” The best way to clear this mood was to hunt, watch my prey frightened for their lives and die by my hands. He bowed, a smile appearing on his face. Mark had long since grown used to my unpredictable moods.

I rose from my throne and walked toward the doors, with Mark following close behind.

The moment I stepped into the corridor, everyone around us dropped to their knees, their heads bowing as I passed.

“My lord, may I speak freely?” Mark asked as we walked inside the woods. I gave him a small nod.

“When you find her, how will you know she’s the one?” I frowned.

“You see the world in black and white,” he said carefully. “You don't even have a heart beat, so how will you know when it skips at the sight of her? You’ve lost your sense of smell, so how will you recognize her scent? And if two women happen to fit the description you gave me, how will you know which one is your mate?” A smile slowly spread across my face.

“I don’t know how,” I said with a shrug. “But I believe whoever placed this curse on me must have a plan.” I laughed, and Mark joined me. But his question had stirred something inside me. “I just need to find her and make sure she does what she is meant to do.”

Mark’s smile disappeared. He knew exactly what I meant. He had never liked it, but he also knew we both had no power to change it. Suddenly, a faint sound came from the trees. I stopped.

“Do you hear that?” I whispered. Mark tilted his head and listened. A moment later, he nodded.

“I smell a wolf, my lord.” Excitement sparked in his eyes. A grin slowly spread across my face.

“What perfect timing.” I turned toward the direction of the sound. “Let’s teach that intruder a lesson.” I started walking toward the noise, anticipation quickening my steps.

Mark and I split up, moving in opposite directions to make sure the wolf had nowhere to escape.

Then I saw her.

A slow, sinister smile spread across my face. She was small, alone, and clearly terrified.

Prey.

She had no idea what had found her.

She must have sensed me because she suddenly turned in my direction.

I ducked behind a tree before she could see me.

I peeked around the trunk.

She was standing now, her entire body trembling. Her eyes darted from one side to another, repeatedly returning to the spot where I was hiding.

Then she ran. I watched her for a moment, confused. Why hadn't she shifted? Was she even a wolf? Could she be human?

Wolf or human, it didn’t matter. She had crossed into my territory, and trespassers didn’t leave alive. I stepped out from behind the tree and chased after her.

She ran as fast as she could, but fear made her movements clumsy. Suddenly, her foot caught on something, and she crashed to the ground. I was on her before she could recover. I pinned her beneath me, ready to finish the hunt.

Then I heard it, and my entire body went still.

A heartbeat echoed beneath me, followed by another, steady and unmistakable. My breath caught. For years, I had heard nothing but silence where a mate’s presence should have stirred something inside me. Yet now, one sound was enough to awaken something I thought had died long ago.

I stared down at the woman beneath me, disbelief slowly giving way to realization.

She was here.

The woman I had spent years searching for.

My mate.

“Mate!”

Lyra’s POV

I opened my eyes slowly. For a moment, everything around me was a blur. White walls. Faint shadows. The soft movement of someone beside me. Then a sharp pain shot through my head. I winced and instinctively raised a hand to my temple.

“My lady, you’re awake.”Esther’s voice reached me, trembling with relief. Her fingers tightened around mine as though she was afraid to let go. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain to ease. My head felt unbearably heavy, as if someone had filled it with stones. I tried to sit up. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I swayed.

“Careful, my lady.” Esther quickly slipped an arm behind my back and helped me upright before arranging a pillow behind me.

I took a slow breath and opened my eyes again. That was when I recognized the room. The pack’s royal treatment room. My fingers tightened around the blanket.

“How am I here?” I asked in a weak tone.

“The parole guards found you just close to the pack 's border.” She said, “What happened in the woods, my lady?” Esther’s question hung in the air. I stared at her without answering.

The woods. Something stirred at the back of my mind. The sound of my own hurried footsteps, the fear I felt.

A lycan. I had seen one. I was sure of it. The memory flashed through my mind so suddenly that I flinched. I remembered its terrifying presence, but everything after that was nothing but a blur. What had happened? How was I still alive? I lowered my gaze to my trembling hands.

I tried to force myself to remember, searching through the broken pieces of my memory. Pain exploded behind my eyes.

“Mate.” The word echoed inside my head. My breath caught. A sharp pain suddenly stabbed through my skull, and I winced, clutching my head as the memory surfaced again.

Mate. How is that possible? Could it have been a mistake? How could a lycan be my mate when I was still married to Mason? And besides, lycans and werewolves weren't supposed to mate. It was forbidden. Against nature itself. So why had he called me his mate?

“My lady.” Esther's hand touched my shoulder. I jerked, snapped my eyes open and looked at her. Her brows drew together as she studied my face. “Why are you crying?”

Crying? I lifted a hand to my cheek. My fingertips came away wet. I hadn't even realized I was crying. I quickly wiped the tears away and looked down, refusing to let Esther see what was happening inside my head.

“Good morning, Luna.” A deep male voice came from somewhere across the room. I turned sharply. A man in a white coat stood near the table, a stack of papers in his hands. Doctor Richard. The pack's royal physician.

“We're relieved to see that you're finally awake,” he said, giving me a small smile. “You've been in and out of consciousness for…”

“How long have I been unconscious?” I asked with a frown on my face. Doctor Richard glanced at his papers.

“A week.” My stomach tightened. “You were conscious for a few minutes on some days, but you would lose consciousness again. You don't remember any of it?” I shook my head. Then something flickered through my mind. Mason. He was sitting beside my bed. His fingers were gently rubbing ointment against my head.

The old me would have smiled and felt loved instead my blood ran cold. That same man had been the one stabbing me. How dare he come close to me? Using my emotions to keep a good husband's reputation. I forced the memory away before my anger betrayed me.

“Surprisingly, I couldn't sense your wolf's energy,” Doctor Richard continued. “And your wounds weren't healing as quickly as they should have.” My heart tightened remembering the absence of my wolf. “But thankfully, you didn't suffer any permanent memory loss. The blow to your head could have caused much worse damage.” He scribbled something on the paper. “Regarding your wolf, I can give you an energy-restoring herb. Perhaps the fall and everything you went through traumatized her.” I nodded slowly.

“Thank you, Doctor.” My fingers tightened around the blanket. I couldn't tell him the truth. I couldn't tell anyone, not even Esther. My rebirth story wouldn’t make sense or convincing to her. I have to figure this alone. And if the pack discovered that their Luna was without a wolf, I would become vulnerable overnight. My enemies would smell weakness. Mason would know. I couldn't afford that. Not now. I had survived too much to let my secret destroy me. I needed to find a way to bring my wolf back.

“The Alpha will be so happy to hear that you're awake. He has been beside himself with worry. He hasn't even left his room since he heard about your condition.” Esther's cheerful voice pulled me from my thoughts. I slowly turned to her.

“Mason hasn't come to see me?” The words barely left my lips. Esther shook her head.

“No, my lady.” I stared at her.

“But…” The rest of my sentence died in my throat. I had seen him. I was certain of it. I could still remember his arms around me. His fingers gently rubbing ointment over the wound on my head.

It had felt so real. My hand moved to the back of my head. My fingers brushed over the stitches. A shiver ran through me. Was I hallucinating? My heart began to pound. I looked around the room, suddenly feeling as though the walls were closing in on me.

Too many things weren't making sense. Without saying another word, I pushed the blanket aside and carefully climbed out of the bed. My legs trembled beneath me, but I forced myself to stand as I walked to my room. I couldn't help but think, why are so many things happening at once? What should be my next step? What am I missing? How could I carry out my revenge when I couldn't even trust my own memories? I needed to know what had happened in those woods. Who was the lycan? Why did he call me his mate? Who had been beside me when I woke up in that memory?