Chapter 2

Zara’s POV

I woke up feeling like my head was spinning. Every thought in my head felt cloudy, and my body felt so heavy it took every bit of strength just to sit up. “Where... am I?” I whispered, glancing around the unfamiliar room. The dim light sneaking through the thick curtains made everything look even stranger. I was wrapped up in heavy sheets, tangled around my legs like chains keeping me in place. Tugging myself free, I pushed the blankets off—and that’s when it hit me. I was completely naked.

“What the hell?” I muttered, my hand flying to cover my mouth. My eyes went wide as a strange shiver ran through me. Nothing about this made sense. I didn’t go to bed like this. My chest tightened as I looked around for answers—anything to explain what had happened.

Then, across the room, I saw it. A calendar hung on the wall. My legs wobbled as I stumbled over to it, staring at the circled date in bold red. My heart sank. It was today. The day Ashen found out I was his mate. The day he tore my heart apart with one word: Rejected.

My breathing turned shallow. I couldn’t believe it. I’d worked so hard to bury that memory, to forget the way his rejection shattered me. And now, here I was, in some strange room, on the exact day my life had fallen apart. “Why now?” I whispered, clutching my chest as the storm of that memory crashed over me again.

Then I heard it—soft but strong, a voice inside my mind. It’s been too long, but I’m here now.

It was her. My wolf. I hadn’t heard her voice since the day Theron poisoned me, stealing her voice and silencing that part of me.

I pulled my hand away from my mouth, my voice trembling but real. “K-Zara,” I whispered.

What was going on? I looked into the mirror, my reflection sharper than ever. That’s when the truth hit me—I’d been reborn.

Flashes of memory came back. The cliff. My sisters. Aria’s cold eyes as she smashed a rock into my skull before pushing me over the edge. They thought I was weak. So did Ashen.

I let the anger settle deep in my chest. “They tried to kill me. My own sisters. Ashen. They thought I was weak.” I touched my hair, my reflection staring back at me with fire in her eyes. “They’ll pay.”

Today was the Mating Ball. A day I used to dread year after year as my wolf remained silent. But not this time. I wore a black dress—low-cut, bold, daring. If they were expecting the old Zara, they were in for a surprise.

Before heading to the ballroom, I slipped a note in Aria’s handwriting under her door. When I walked in, my sisters stood by the Alpha, no place left for me. Aria sneered from across the room, but I just smiled, picking up a glass of wine.

As I neared the high table, Aria sneered again. “If I were anyone else, I’d have done worse. You’re lucky the Moon Goddess declared you special.”

Special wolf? My stomach turned. Did the Moon Goddess protect me? Why?

Before I could answer, the Alpha sneered. “Why are you here? You’re not going to find a mate.”

I smiled sweetly, remembering his exact words from before. “I just thought you’d like to know something... interesting.”

Suspicion flashed in his eyes. “What do you mean?”

I leaned closer. “If you check your mistress’s room, you’ll find something she’s been hiding.”

The Alpha stormed off, leaving Aria and the others confused. Aria called after him, panic flashing across her face. I stayed, my plan ticking into motion.

An hour later, Ashen was dragged into the hall, naked and furious. “I’m innocent!” he shouted, his voice breaking. I almost believed him, but my note had set him up perfectly.

Theron’s voice boomed, shaking the walls. “How dare you insult me like this?”

Aria’s face crumbled as she screamed, “Father, no! Don’t hurt him! I love him!”

Before anyone could react further, the room went silent as drums echoed through the air. The Lycan King had arrived.

I turned to leave, uninterested—until the doors swung open. My heart stopped. Four men stepped in, identical yet so different. The Standon quadruplets: Kade, Dax, Ryker, and Luca. They’d saved me once.

Their blue eyes locked onto mine, their voices rumbling in unison. “Mate.”

I blinked as they stepped closer, each more striking than I remembered. Kade’s intense gaze, Dax’s smirk, Ryker’s dangerous energy, and Luca’s warm eyes—they all had me frozen in place.

“It’s been a while,” Ryker said, his voice dripping with arrogance. He smirked, laying his hand on my shoulder. “You’ve been avoiding us, haven’t you?”

I stiffened, but I forced a smile. Inside, my mind raced. Why am I mated to all four of them? Then it hit me—this was perfect. The perfect tool for my revenge.

I straightened, my tone calm. “Maybe I’ve just been busy. Did you think about that?”

Ryker chuckled, his breath warm against my skin. “You won’t stay away forever, Zara. You’re ours.”

Ours. The word sent shivers through me. I wouldn’t deny the strange pull, but I didn’t want this. Or at least, I’d pretend not to.

“This is insane,” I whispered. “I don’t understand.”

Kade stepped forward, his voice low and commanding. “The Moon Goddess chose you for us.”

I shook my head, backing up a step. “People don’t have more than one mate!”

“You do,” Luca said softly. “You’re different, Zara. Special.”

“Special,” I muttered bitterly. But deep down, I knew they were right. I could feel it—the bond.

And as much as I wanted to run, I smiled. This was my chance. Ashen and Aria wouldn’t know what hit them.