Chapter 1: The end

Valerie 

‘So, this is how it ends’

I felt faint despite the noises surrounding me. The only sensations I had was blinding pain, the warm wetness on my hand and the knowledge that I was shot.

Colors filled my vision before everything became clearer. I was on the ground, hands surrounding me that I recognized as Mina, my maid's.

“Luna Valerie,” she cried. The memory of what happened moments before filtered in my mind.

A simple meeting regarding the pack when a maid suddenly aimed a gun at him. Nobody else noticed.

“Alpha Alistair sends his regards,” I heard the assassin say,

Before I knew it, I ran to block him and now…I was here.

I shifted to the side to find him.

My husband, mate and only love, Tristan was dragging Alyn, my sister away from the scene, pulling her back as she tried to reach me. Not once had his eyes crossed here.

I sacrificed myself for him, yet he couldn't even look at me or pay attention to me. His eyes, just like his heart and attention, had solely been on my sister.

A tear slipped from my eye as I felt my warm belly warm from blood. Our baby. Gone. 

I was already five months pregnant, even though it didn't show, thanks to the one drunken night we'd spent together. Nobody knew, especially not him. I was hoping to reveal it in time but it would never happen now.

I was hoisted away and soon found myself in a cold room as the pack Doctor looked over me.

“We're sorry Alpha, but the injury is too deep and the blood is already lost. We cannot help her at this stage.” he said. 

I already expected those words, yet hearing them felt even more damning.

It was official. There was no saving me.

I couldn't hear what was said next, but the Pack doctor left. I wanted to reach out to Tristan but he'd also left the room, leaving Alyn alone with me as she sat at my bedside.

Seconds passed and the sound of my breathing filled my ears. I could feel her presence beside me but she didn't say anything.

Until she did.

“Now that you're in this state, should I tell you a secret sister?” she whispered.

Confusion filled my blurred senses. I forced my eyes to open and saw a horrific glimpse. 

She was smiling.

“The truth is, I'm glad you're dying.”

A chill pricked my senses from her words.

“From the moment I came into this pack and family, I couldn't stand you. Not the attention you received or the privileges you had. So I made sure to take everything away.”

Horror filled me. I understood what she meant.

Once upon a time I was the only daughter of the Beta's family until one day my parents found her as a little girl. I had taken her in as my sister, ready to care for her when the world around me twisted.

Suddenly, my parents paid no attention to me and even the pack seemed to favor her. I'd tried to protest and fight against it, yet no matter what I was compared as second best to everyone, including my own mate.

She laughed, and the sound that everyone compared to a goddess felt like the devil.

“There's nothing you can do about it now, so I'll confess everything.” she said

And she did. I was helpless, motionless and unable to do anything but listen to every word she said. Every machination and pretense, how she played herself to be the victim putting me in the forefront. How she'd slipped lies and rumors against me while appearing innocent. It went on for years, dating back to when we were children.

I was horrified. No matter how much I wanted to hate her in the past I always held back, believing it was just my bad luck. To think that it was all on purpose…

I didn't know how much time had passed, whether it was minutes or hours when she finished, sighing mockingly.

“You don't have to worry about the family or the pack anymore. They never cared much about you anyways. In no time, they'll forget all about you and your sacrifice and I'll take your place. The same applies for Tristan.” She giggled as if she'd told a joke,

“You saw how he acted earlier. Even though he's the reason you're in this state, he only cares for me. You might have been his mate, but I'm the one he really loves. He isn't even here to watch you die. Don't worry. I'll take care of him as the next Luna.”

“Who knows?” She hummed, “maybe one day when I birth his child I'll name her after you as a trophy. People will think I am so kind and sentimental but only I will know the truth. The truth being that I won.”

I wanted to jolt, to scream and rage, but I'd grown too weak to fight back. Life was seeping out of me and I knew I was hanging on by a thread that was thinning itself with every second.

Sadness and resignation filled me. All of my love, my efforts, my sacrifices, and they were for what?

For a man who didn't love me. Who spurned me and despised me at every given turn. For a sister who betrayed me, constructing my downfall. For a family who hadn't cared for me for a long time. For a pack who never valued my efforts and looked down on me.

My baby and I were dying and I couldn't even find comfort in my last moments. None of the people I loved were here. Nobody cared.

My last moments were witnessed by Alyn and her cold malicious truth.

I felt a tear slip from my eyes, but the sensation quickly disappeared.

I'm

If I could do it all again…

“Goodbye Valerie.” Alys’ voice echoed. It was getting harder to breathe as the cold took over. I let out one shuddered breath and…

….

It felt like I was swimming in darkness for what felt like an eternity when a sharp sound suddenly ruined the serene peace. I tried to ignore it until I felt something tickling against me. My eyes fluttered open to meet bright light. 

Was this what heaven felt like?

“Luna, wake up.” I looked to find Mina facing me.

“What?” I gasped, dumbfounded.

She smiled, “are you still sleepy Luna? Unfortunately there's no time and Goddess knows you won't allow it when you're in your full senses. “

My heart raced as I sat up, looking around.

This was my bed and my room. 

“How…” I trailed off in shock,

“Are you alright Luna?”

I met her confused face. On reflex, I collected myself, holding back my shock.

“Y-Yes,” I stuttered out, “I'll need some time to recover.”

“Of course,”  she smiled, turning away. I waited until she'd left the room before standing up. 

Was this a dream?  I pinched myself and my heart stopped at the pain I felt. Everything felt so real. 

I'd died so how was I back here? On instinct I grabbed my phone, looking at the date.

30th of April. 

That didn't make sense. This was months ago, far before I…

I gasped as it came to me. My last thought…

‘If I could do it all again…’

I pinched myself again to make sure that it was real.

It was something I'd never thought possible, something only in folktales and children’s stories. 

‘I was reborn!’

This was nearly three months ago, a week towards the anniversary of my mating ceremony. I had been Luna for a year already and was eager to have something work out that wouldn't give me criticism, yet it did. I remembered the rumors that marked the entire party. How I was plagued with stares, humiliated and gossiped about for many things, including my barrenness.

 ‘Wait…’

I gasped, gripping my belly. If I was back here then it meant that my baby was back too.

Tears pricked my eyes. Even if my belly remained flat, as it did for the months of my cryptic pregnancy I could feel it.

What did I do now?

Before I could think a loud bang made me turn. It was none other than my mate and husband, Tristan who barged in.