CHAPTER 5

CHARLENE'S POV

Numb. I couldn't move any part of my body other than my eyes, which were clouded to the point that I thought I was blind. Everything was black, and all that I used to see wasn't here. It's like I'm trapped in a small box where I won't be able to find an exit.

My ears were clogged with a deafening static vibration as my surroundings weren't making a single sound, just like my voice, which couldn't escape from my mouth.

I could still clearly remember what occurred. The way that my heart shattered, which was mostly the effect of being betrayed, and as much as I want to forget how Chandler's father got rid of my child, its pain was unable to get away from my soul.

"Where am I?" I questioned myself, hoping that I'd at least get a response from anyone, but there wasn't.

If I were to consider all of the possibilities, then this might be what they call the afterlife. There might still be a chance for me to be reborn, though I'm not sure if I can be born with the same identity or if I would be reborn into someone else's mind and body.

A faint voice that seemed to be calling me disturbed my inner thoughts. I can't completely recognize whose voice it was, but I'm sure that it might be a lead for me to return to our world.

"Let's end today's discussion so that you can use the vacant time for your training session," announced a man who was in his mid-20s before he left the room.

My lips parted when I realized that I was inside a classroom that was filled with rowdy students who were all keeping up with their respective tasks.

"How am I alive..?"

"Huh?" One of my classmates approached me with a curious expression. "Are you still half-asleep, Charlene?" he further asked, and this time he was genuinely smiling.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I carefully examined the surroundings; it wasn't a dream, that's for certain. The thoughts that I had earlier might have actually come true—I was reincarnated in the same space and time.

"What day is it today?"

He pressed the power button of his phone to check today's date. "It's the 13th day of June, Charlene. How could you even forget your own birthday?" he replied to me with a worried tone.

If today is June 13, then that only means one thing: that man would surely visit me in my house, which he has regularly done since we were pups.

I packed up my stuff and hurriedly went out of the room, but I halted my movements when someone called me. "Where are you going? We still have two hours before class is totally dismissed," he said.

Confused about what to say, I made up an excuse. "My mom is calling me; there's an emergency."

"Seriously, what's wrong with you today, Charlene?"

He stepped forward without removing his gaze from me. I didn't notice how quickly he managed to hold me by my wrist, just to make sure that I wouldn't be able to run away without an explanation.

"My mind's a complete mess right now; can you please let go?" I politely asked; however, it only made him tighten his grip on me.

"You seem to not know who I am judging by the way you talk to me." He sighed, then pulled me until we reached the edge of this floor's hallway. 

Fortunately, there weren't a lot of students in this area.

"Did something occur in your dream? No one may have paid attention to you, but I did. I observed each and every heavy breath that you had back there since you looked like you were begging for someone to help you. You were even sweating a lot despite the cold breeze."

"Why would you bother watching me during lecture hours? Are you perhaps interested in me?" I asked, trying my best to avoid his continuous inquiries about myself.

The boy's cheeks and ears were as red as tomatoes after he heard what I said: I've hit the bulls-eye.

Instead of giving me a response, he chose to introduce himself as Xavier. He told me that he was the only one that I was close with among all of the students at Snow Academy. He even said that I didn't want to have anyone else as my partner in any training sessions since I only had faith in his abilities.

I didn't want to believe him at first, but he showed me a contract that was signed by the two of us, agreeing that we would prioritize our practices and wouldn't engage in any intimate acts. It was submitted to the head of the academy, which I couldn't remember.

"So where did you really plan to go in such a hurry earlier? I doubt that your mother called you in the middle of all the commotions circulating in your pack."

I just remembered that Xavier wasn't the type of person who'd easily give up unless his curiosity was solved. And that thought alone made me shake my head.

"I was about to go home and verify something, but..." I paused for a while to take a glance outside our academy through the window. "What commotion are you talking about?"

"Haven't you heard yet? The Alpha of the Vicious Shadow Pack and one of the Omegas of the Mystic Moon Pack were blessed by the moon goddess as mates. They didn't even need to search for one another as soon as the full moon came," he explained, which terribly made my heart ache.

"Please don't tell me that you're referring to Alpha Jaxton..." I mumbled at the same time that my eyes turned hot.

"It is Alpha Jaxton, why?"

I don't want to assume, but my gut was eagerly telling me that if ever Xavier's story wasn't made up, then there's a high probability that the omega that he mentioned was none other than the woman I despise the most...

Chandler.