CHAPTER 3: BACK TO THE PAST

A high-pitched ringing began in Serena's head, her sight black and her head foggy.

She followed the sound, surrendering herself to it. The darkness was thick and suffocating but she embraced it, happy to be swallowed by it.

Suddenly a beam of light pierced through. She raised her hand to shield her eyes but the light only grew larger and it felt like a hand seized her and threw her out of the darkness towards the light.

Her eyelids fluttered open, her hands shielding her face once more from the sunlight that streamed through the open windows.

Serena looked around, her eyes catching the stars that decorated the ceiling, her mind jumbled.

Where was she?

She rose slightly from the bed, her gaze darting to her appearance; a silk creamy gown with a floral print.

A wedding gown.

What's going on?

“Zora?” She called out to her wolf only to be met with silence.

Serena looked around, her mind more muddled than ever as she took in the familiar appearance of her bedroom.

Her place of solace before she got married.

Married!

She sat up at once, her foggy memory clearing up. Ashton! Anya! Her mother! Uncle Leon.

Her baby.

She trembled as she checked her body; no scars, no blood. Like everything that happened in the cell had just been a nightmare.

Serena's breath turned heavy as her bedroom door was flung open and a young girl walked in, dressed in a lilac gown.

Wasn't that the bridesmaids dress from her own wedding?

“Hey sis, it's almost—”

“You swine!” Serena growled and launched herself on Anya, slapping her cheeks until they reddened and pulling her hair.

“Ahh, what are you doing?” Anya wailed, struggling against Serena's tight grip on her dress.

“You two-faced bitch! Where is my baby? Where is he?” She screamed as Anya continued to struggle, her face slick with tears.

“What baby?” Anya managed to croak.

“Serena, get off your sister!” An imposing voice commanded as a hand reached out to pull her away.

She shrugged the hand off, staring into the cold and raging eyes of her father, Alpha Lucas.

She let go of Anya's dress and stepped back, her mind churning. Something was different. This whole situation seemed very familiar.

She felt a wave of bile rushing in her throat as a figure rushed forward, dressed in a black suit with a lily tucked into his lapel and his hair slicked back.

Ashton pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped Anya's face, his hand around her shoulders.

“Why did you hit your sister Serena?” Her father barked.

She remained silent, her mind putting the pieces together.

“I...I don't know what's gotten into her father. She just started hitting me as I walked in demanding for some baby.

Is she pregnant?” Anya sniffed, her eyes fixed on Ashton.

“Of course not.” He snapped, gathering her into his arms.

Serena speared them no glance as it finally clicked. She had gone back in time. Reborn on her wedding day.

“Why did you do that to your sister, Serena? What did she do to you?” Ashton chided, carrying Anya while she snuggled deeper into his arms.

How did she not see it in her last life? Anya always showed up whenever Ashton did, even on their dates!

She had believed Anya's nonsense about “knowing my sister's husband better for her own good.”

She had to make them pay. This must be why she was reborn; to send those demons back to hell!

Serena snorted, eyeing them with a bored and loathing look.

“Did you ask if she did anything wrong to provoke me?” She shot back.

“Anya will never hurt a fly talkless of provoking you. Apologize to her,” Alpha Lucas barked.

Serena stared at each of them unblinking, the memory of their final act replaying in her mind.

The sound of her baby's skull cracking and the trail of blood that ran from it and mixed with hers.

She felt her temperature rise, her palms clenched hard, the panic returning to her chest like they were about to do it again.

This was different. She was back and wouldn't make the same mistake.

“I owe her no apology!” She spat coldly, watching as they behaved intimately.

If she was indeed back to the past, then the same events will repeat itself.

This day, Anya had accidentally torn her wedding dress forcing her to spend ages fixing it which led to her father scolding her and the guests growing impatient.

Her eyes darted to the tail of the dress, to see the hem unraveling. Perfect. Just like last time.

“Today is your wedding day Serena. You should treat your sister kindly!” Ashton growled, moving towards the doorway.

“ You took sides with my sister without letting your fiancée explain herself. What do I need to apologize for?” Serena snorted, enjoying the look of horror that crossed their faces.

“I was just trying to help her. She's injured!” Ashton countered.

“There are other ways to help without your bodies touching.” She drawled, looking pleased at their discomfort.

“Sister it's not—”

“Just save it, Anya. Get out!” She ordered, gesturing towards the door.

Ashton turned away, red-faced from embarrassment, and walked out, mumbling a curse under his breath.

“Why are you so hell-bent on bringing disgrace to this family? Why would you accuse your fiancé like that?” Her father growled, his fingers tapping menacingly against the headboard.

Serena gazed at him, her face void of emotions.

He was probably aware of all that happened to her in her past life. She won't be surprised if he even gave the go-ahead for them to carry out their atrocities.

He looked at her the same way he had done for twenty-three years; with disdain, with loathing, like an abomination that should never have been committed.

And now she knows why.

Serena took a deep breath. She had come up with a way to escape her marriage. Telling her father outrightly that she didn't want to marry wouldn't work.

“ I overreacted. Anya made me so angry. I'll look for her and apologize and also talk to Ashton,”

“ Do that now and make sure you're at the wedding hall on time!” He growled.

Serena shot up from the bed, rushing towards her father and taking his arms gently.

She cringed at the act but forced a gentle smile to remain on her lips.

“ I'll do that but first I’ll assure the guest that the ceremony will start soon.

I won't like them to grow impatient,” she spoke.

Alpha Lucas gave her a look over, not convinced by her words but nodded anyway and exited the room.

Serena walked into her closet, catching her reflection in the mirror.

How did she ever agree to get married in this?

The dress was the ugliest gown she had ever seen, with puffy arms and an unflattering neckline.

She looked like an old maid about to be married off to an old man.

Well, not anymore!

She picked out a bold red gown with ruffles sewn around it and a low neckline she complimented with a pearl necklace.

She applied dark red lipstick to her lips and combed through her full, long black hair before pinning a side up to show off her long and pale neck.

She was the perfect description of a walking revenge and the first on the list was to call off this sham of a wedding!

Recalling Anya’s confession of sleeping with Ashton today, she took slow and deliberate steps towards the dressing room and sure enough the faint sound of voices came through.

“ Are you sure?”

“Yes, it's fine. No one will come in here. Not even Serena, she is probably fixing her torn dress now.”

Serena snickered and walked into the wedding hall, making her way towards the guests who were seated.

She walked around, greeting a few of them with a polite smile before making her way to the podium.

“ Hello everyone,” she began, gaining their attention as the crowd turned to her.

Amidst the guests, she could make out her father cradling a glass of champagne, laughing wildly with his friends while some paces behind him stood a figure with her head bowed.

Her mother.

Serena's eyes watered, her heart feeling like it was being squeezed as she recalled the pitiful death her mother went through to save her.

Blinking back the tears she continued. “ Thank you all for coming to grace this beautiful union between not just two individuals, but two souls and two hearts.

I can't just begin to describe how full my heart is today.”

A murmur of awws went up from the crowd at her words as Serena pushed down the urge to snort and the rush of anger creeping up her chest.

“Ashton and I met at a party some months back and it was love at first sight. And when we found out we were mates, it was like the universe ordained this union,”

Yeah, ordained it to perish!

She took in a deep breath, relishing the last seconds of peace before she unleashed chaos on the cheating pair.

“To show my intended, Ashton and you all how much I love and care for him, I have prepared a surprise”

Please can everyone come forward?”

She dropped the mic, her hand waving in the direction of the dressing room and in seconds the area surrounding it was filled up.

Her father stood at the front of the crowd, nodding his head approvingly to whatever was being said by the elder near him, his lips spread in a throaty laugh.

Serena scoffed, eager to wipe that smirk off his face, and gracefully walked over.

She flashed a brilliant smile at the guests before gripping the door handle

“I shall unveil the surprise in 3…2…1,”

She pulled it open and as she did, a gasp echoed through the crowd, followed by the sound of cameras clicking.

Inside, tangled between silk sheets was Ashton and Anya completely naked in each other's arms.