Chapter 002

SELENE

I wake up with a jolt, gasping for breath. My heart races as I sit up and look around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The familiar walls of my bedroom greet me, and for a moment, I wonder if everything I just experienced was a nightmare. But the vividness of the betrayal, the pain in my heart, tells me it was real. 

My eyes catch the calendar on the nightstand, and I feel a jolt of confusion. It read two years ago. I blink and rub my eyes, but the date remains the same. The Moon Goddess’s words echo in my mind: "I will send you back in time, two years, with all your memories intact."

Before I can process everything, Damon steps out of the bathroom, towel-drying his hair. He looks at me with a casual smile, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me.

"Good morning, my love," he says, his voice warm and affectionate. "You should hurry up. We have a meeting with the Alpha King today. We don't want to be late."

I swallow hard, forcing myself to stay calm. I can't let him know that I remember everything, that I know his plans. That I have gone back in time. "Of course," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'll be ready in a minute."

Damon nods and walks out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. I have been given a second chance, the moon goddess heard my cries for help and I will need to use this opportunity wisely. 

I jump out of bed and rush to the mirror, needing to see for myself. My reflection stares back at me, younger and unmarred by the trauma of betrayal and death. My fingers brush against the smooth, unlined skin of my face, I place my hand to where I had been stabbed and I release a shaky breath. It's real. 

I'm alive. 

The bedroom door creaks open, and Damon steps in, fully dressed in his formal attire, ready for the meeting with the Alpha King. He pauses, noticing me standing there, wide-eyed and disoriented.

"Selene, are you alright?" he asks, concern etching his features. "The meeting with the Alpha King won't wait. We need to leave soon," he says, checking the time on his wristwatch. 

My mind races. I remember how this day played out the first time around—the meeting, the lies, the hidden agendas. Damon was so convincing back then, his deceit so well-hidden. I was stupid enough to organize the pack meeting in my house, I wanted them to see Damon in a good light, and I ended up speaking so well of him in front of the other Alpha. 

But now, with all my memories intact, I see him in a different light. The warmth in his voice feels like a cruel joke, a façade masking his true intentions.

I force a smile, hoping it doesn't look as strained as it feels. "Yes, I'm fine. Just... a strange dream, that's all. I'll be ready in a moment."

Damon gives me a curious look but doesn't press further. "You should wear the gown I bought for you last week," he says, walking to the wardrobe. He pulls out the gown, a garish pink thing with too many frills, and hands it to me. "You'll look beautiful in it. Pink has always been your favorite color," he adds with a smile.

He plants a kiss on my forehead, and I fight the urge to recoil. The touch of his lips, once comforting, now fills me with disgust. But I endure it, keeping my expression neutral.

"Thank you," I manage to say, smiling at him and taking the gown from him.

Satisfied, Damon leaves the room, probably to check on the final preparations for the meeting. From what I remember, the Alphas and Alpha King had arrived earlier than we planned.

As soon as he's gone, I look at the gown in my hands and feel a wave of revulsion. How foolish I had been, back then, to wear such hideous clothing just to please him. The gown was not only hideous, it made me look and feel ridiculous. I try to wrap my head around how naive I had been wearing such ridiculous gowns in the house and to social events with him. 

Pink isn't even my favorite color, I only accepted it because Damon would always buy me things in Pink. But not anymore. I won't sacrifice my dignity for his approval this time around. 

I put the gown aside and open the wardrobe again, searching for something that reflects who I truly am. It takes a while as I run through all the ridiculous gowns and clothes Damon had bought for me over the month.

I soon find a simple, elegant red dress that I used to love but had stopped wearing because Damon didn't like it. Today, I will wear it and even wear a pair of heels to match them. 

Today, I will be true to myself. 

After putting on the red dress, I decide to do something I haven't done since I married Damon: apply makeup. I find my old makeup bag, hidden away and forgotten. A swipe of lipstick, a touch of mascara, and a bit of blush. Looking at myself in the mirror, I feel like I am looking at the old version of me when I was genuinely happy. 

A smile finds its way to my lips.

I head downstairs afterward, ready to face whatever comes next. As I descend the stairs, I find Damon waiting in the foyer, looking impatient. The moment he sees me, his eyes widen in shock. He takes in the elegant dress I’ve chosen, his mouth opening and closing as he struggles to find words.

"Selene, what are you wearing?" he says, trying to keep his voice calm but failing to hide his irritation. "Everyone has arrived."

I steel myself forward, determined not to back down like I used to. "Don't you like it? I think it suits the occasion just fine."

His eyes narrow, and he steps closer, lowering his voice. "I mean I like it, but this is a meeting, Selene. This... This is inappropriate."

He tries to soften his tone, probably thinking he can still sway me. "You know I only want what's best for you. The pink gown looks so lovely on you. Don't you want to make a good first impression?"

His sweet words, once enough to sway me, now only annoy me. How did I ever fall for this?

I force a smile, hoping it doesn't show how upset I am. I stand firm, ready to argue, but before I can, a voice interrupts us.

"I disagree, Beta Damon. The gown suits the occasion."

We both turn to see Alpha Rafe standing at the doorway. His presence commands attention, his eyes locking onto mine with a stoic expression plastered on his face. He had never been one to smile, and when he did one couldn't tell if he was happy or about to do something sinister. 

Rafe is the Alpha of the Blood Moon pack, a rival pack that has been a thorn in our side for years. I never liked him, and always considered him a threat, but his demeanor today is different. There's a warmth in his eyes that wasn't there before, as he stares at me. 

It catches me off guard and I find myself staring longer into his amber eyes. Damon pulls me closer by the waist, dragging my attention back to him, a possessive gesture that makes my skin crawl. He tries to maintain his composure, but I can feel the tension radiating off him. 

Rafe extends a handshake to Damon, who reluctantly lets go of me to accept it.

"Good to see you again, Beta Damon," Rafe says, his voice steady. He had always been one to remind Damon that he was a Beta despite his marriage to me. 

"Likewise," Damon replies, his smile tight. I know without a doubt he despises Rafe the most out of the other Alpha's. 

Rafe then turns to me, his expression still emotionless. "Our Luna," he says, offering his hand. "It's a pleasure."

As I take his hand, a strange sensation washes over me. His grip is firm yet gentle, his eyes locked on mine with such intensity that I find myself swallowing nervously.

Suddenly, a sweet scent hits my nose, a vanilla-like scent and it's coming from him. Why does he smell like vanilla? That doesn't make sense.

My wolf stirs inside me, and I hear her voice in my head for the first time in ages. 'Mate.'