CHAPTER 1

VALERIE'S POV

I woke up to a sharp pain that coursed through my entire body and I gasped and curled up in a tight ball. I tried to remember what had happened, but my mind was a blur of confusing images and memories that refused to come into focus. I groaned and opened my eyes, wincing at the bright light that flooded into my vision as I tried to look around my surroundings.

I am Valerie, a stunningly gorgeous lady with captivating looks that always leaves my onlookers in awe. I don't want to brag or anything but I am an embodiment of beauty and charm. I am also kind and empathetic.

I realized that I was lying on a bed in a strange room, surrounded by unfamiliar objects and furniture. It took me a moment to realize that I was not in my room but in someone else's. Panic set in and I tried to sit up, but the pain was too intense, and I collapsed back onto the bed with a groan.

"Valerie, are you okay??" a voice said from the doorway.

I turned my head to see a man standing there, watching me with a mixture of concern and anger in his eyes. It was Ezra, I suppose that he was the man who was meant to be my mate. But something didn't feel right – I was missing something.

"Ezra?" I croaked with a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"Yes. What's wrong?" he asked, crossing the room to stand beside the bed.

He reached out to touch my face and tried to kiss me but I flinched away from him because I was scared and confused.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked with anger in his voice.

"I don't…. Nothing," I stammered. I was still trying to understand what was happening because everything felt so strange.

Immediately, Ezra's expression darkened, and he stepped back from me with his hands clenched into fists.

"Valerie, you are acting strange and it's pissing me off." he spat. "I thought you wanted this, that you wanted to be here with me. Now I try to touch you or kiss you, but you resist. Do you still want to leave me?"

I was terrified by his anger so I immediately shook my head frantically and said, "No, no, I do..n't want to le..ave you."

Ezra reached out again to brush a strand of hair from my face and this time I didn't flinch as he touched me. He stared intently at me as though he wanted to say something but stopped himself. I could feel his anger radiating off him in waves, but still, he said nothing. His piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into my soul, trying to unravel the truth behind my strange behavior.

I fidgeted under his intense gaze and my mind raced as I tried to remember what had brought us to this point. I had a nagging feeling that this scene was familiar, that I had been here before, but I couldn't quite place it – I was confused, totally confused.

Just as I was about to speak, a sharp pain exploded in my head, and suddenly everything came flooding back. I had been reborn, and this exact scene had happened before in my previous life. I let out a gasp and held my head, trying to process the overwhelming information that was now a part of my consciousness.

I remembered that day when everything changed. The day when I eloped with Ian and left behind everything I knew – I left Ezra. That day when Ezra found out about Ian and me, he was so furious that he grabbed my hands and dragged me back forcefully. He ripped my clothes apart when we got home and wanted to have sex with me. But I couldn't let him, I did everything I could to stop him from having his way because I was already in love with Ian. I recalled telling Ezra that I would rather die than let him mark me as his. He was enraged to the point of losing his mind that he overpowered me and had sex with me but he didn't mark me.

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked as he noticed my discomfort.

I rubbed my temples as I tried to relieve the pressure that still lingered there. "Yes, I'm… I'm fine," I stammered.

Ezra stood up from the bed with a sudden jolt and his piercing gaze fixated on me. I cowered under his scrutiny, shrinking back against the bed covers. He took a step closer, looming over me. "Listen to me, and listen well Valerie," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Never, ever run away from me again. Do you understand?"

I just nodded because I was too scared to do anything else. He didn't wait for a response but he turned on his heel and stomped out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I took a deep breath and tried to steady my nerves. I looked around the room, taking in my surroundings again. And then, it really dawned on me that this was not my first life. I had been reborn!! A sense of déjà vu washed over me, and I knew exactly what was going to happen next.

Sure enough, within moments, the door to the room burst open, and Chelsea stormed in. I could see her eyes blazing with jealousy and shock as she stared at me.

"Valerie!! Oh my goodness!! I heard what happened. Are you okay?? Did Ezra hurt you?" she asked with her voice high and shrill.

I tried to compose myself and push aside the fear that was threatening to consume me. "I'm… I'm fine," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

Chelsea's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer to me. "You don't look so good to me," she said. "Are you sure you are okay?"

I nodded and excused myself. Her pretense was suffocating and I needed space to breathe. I went into the bathroom and tried to piece together the fragments of memories that were slowly coming back to me.