Chapter 2

I left the bar right after the incident with the Panther shifters. I hadn’t even caught the name of the strange guy who saved me. Because Jess had stepped out to look for me, and when I turned to introduce her, he was gone. And she didn’t even remember seeing anyone there.

But honestly, that didn’t matter right now. I had been abducted by my boyfriend of eight months, then I fell to my death, and suddenly I found myself sent back into the Past.

When we first met in the past, on May 12th—exactly eight days from now—he came into the bar for a quick drink and flirted with me while I took his order. We hit it off, and within a week, I was his girlfriend. We stayed together until January 12th, the very day I died and was Reborn.

This second chance must be my last opportunity to avoid him. I just need to ensure I didn’t cross paths with him on that very day.

“Thank you, Moon Goddess, for this second chance. I promise to make the best of it,” I prayed aloud, my hands clasped together as I gazed at the moon.

As I turned onto my street, I spotted a group of men in black loitering around a dark van, patiently waiting for someone. Taking a deep breath, I did my best to avoid their gaze and quickened my pace. 

The tallest man stepped in front of me. “You’re that bitch’s daughter, aren’t you?” He asked, hovering over me.

I stuttered. “I... uh, don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But I did know, my Crazy Ass Bitch of a  mother had either stolen or borrowed a huge amount of money from these men.

“Hand me the picture,” He commanded one of his associates. The man stepped forward and handed him a photo. He studied it for a moment before his gaze shifted to my face. 

I quickly turned away, my heart racing. “How the hell do I get out of here?” I muttered to myself, suddenly I thought of an idea.

I turned back to him, and his eyes widened as he recognized me from the picture. He reached out to grab me, but I bolted. With no option to run forward, I sprinted back down the road I’d come from. I had lived on this street for years and knew every shortcut, but the only path to my house was extremely long. So, I needed to run as fast as I could to escape them.

“Where the hell is she? You’d better find her; she couldn’t have gone too far.” I heard them shout as I ran past buildings, ducking into alleys and hiding behind walls until I finally reached my house.

Once I stepped through the gate, I quickly scanned the area before heading toward my mom's and my apartment. The last person I wanted to run into was Ma. Flora. I had just escaped a group of debt collectors; encountering someone else I owed money to would only add to my stress. 

When I reached the apartment door, just as I expected, my mother was inside, so I didn’t need to use my key.  As I stepped inside, I heard strange sounds, gasps and muffled breathing. I followed the sounds to my mom's door and pressed my ear against it.

“Oh my goodness, Tom. You are so good…. yes there…. right there….. hit it right there.” I heard my mother moan.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself before turning to head to my room, but my feet suddenly froze.

When my father left, my entire life turned upside down. My mother and I were banished from the Pack because I didn’t have a Wolf. So, we moved to WolfsBane, also known as the Town of Others. From the moment we arrived in WolfsBane, my mother changed. She became a drug addict, constantly drinking, smoking, and partying. For someone her age, she sure knew how to pull a crowd. And why wouldn’t she? With her beautiful face, curvy body, and pretty eyes, she could attract anyone—and I mean anyone. 

We looked so much alike that people often mistook us for twins, but that resemblance wasn’t exactly a good thing for either of us. 

My mother despised me as much as I hated her. Sharing the same face only made me hate myself as well. To her, I was nothing but bad luck—the reason my dad left, the reason we became homeless, and the reason she now lived as a slut who brings different men home to fuck her up.

I guess this is why I fell for Roman so easily; he offered a kind of love that felt genuine. For once, I believed I had someone who loved me because he wanted to, not because he had to. Of course there’s Jess, although I know she truly cares for me, I can’t shake the feeling that her concern is partly a form of payback for everything I’ve done for her and her little boy.

But today, I’ve had enough. I was given a second chance—not only to avoid falling into Roman’s grasp, but also to save myself from internal death. I refuse to fund my mother’s reckless lifestyle, pay off her overwhelming loans, or sit quietly while she hurls insults at me.

Not anymore!

I turned and walked over to my mom's door, pushing it open with a forceful shove that sent it slamming against the wall with a loud bang. The noise alerted both her and her lover of my presence. The man quickly got off her, wrapping a blanket around his naked body, leaving my mother’s naked body exposed.

As I entered the room, I gathered every piece of clothing I suspected belonged to the man and tossed them onto him. “Get out?” I said firmly, the clothes landing on his face.

“What right do you have to chase my guest away?” My mother demanded.

I held back a laugh. “Your guest?” I replied, raising an eyebrow. “This is my goddamn house, I pay the fucking rent and I bought that bed you are doing your shit on. So, make a choice: either he goes, or you do. Pick one.” 

Turning to the man, she said. “Just go home, Tom. We’ll see each other another time.”

“Great, now leave.” I pressed.

“Can you at least give him a moment to get dressed? Jeez.” She insisted.

“Fine. You have five minutes to put on your fucking clothes and get the hell out of my house.” I turned to leave but paused and glanced back. “Oh, and Caitlyn, if you want the freedom to do whatever the fuck you want in this house, maybe you should start paying your share of the rent.” With that, I slammed the door shut and walked away.

As I was about to enter my room, I suddenly heard someone knocking on the main door. What the hell is it this time? Letting out a sigh, I went to open it. There he stood before me—my greatest fear.

“Roman?” I called out.