Chapter 3: Reborn

I peeled my eyes open and gasped for air. My chest rose up and down as I suddenly reminded myself that I was near death from Caroline poisoning me from the tea she prepared for me but... 

"H-Huh?" Why was I outside? Wasn't the sky supposed to be engulfed with the starry night sky since I was locked up in my room yet for being punished and poisoned by my sister? Then why was I seeing the sky with a shade of yellow, orange, and red?

It was as if I was staring at the dawn right now.

Hold on... Why had I seen this scenario before? I felt like I had been in this place... lying on the ground... I even smelled a stench of and was covered with... blood?

"Wait? Blood? My blood?" I was horrified and touched myself. "Hold on... I am alive?" I asked myself, knowing I couldn't find myself having difficulty breathing. 

I was panting since I did not know what was happening. I knew I was on the verge of my death. I knew it. I even felt it... I knew what I saw. Caroline was there in my chamber to feed me and serve the tea that contained a high-concentration poison.

But... I was alive? And... What was I doing in this familiar vast grass place? It really was familiar... I knew it...

"My lady, have you rested well?"

I stiffened upon hearing a familiar voice that I hadn't heard for a very long time. It was a male voice. And if I was right, that was...

"You must not disturb Lady Dominixe, Eric."

"Eh? But you are really no fun, Jude... I am just asking."

My jaw dropped upon seeing my two henchmen, that were long dead.

"You two are alive..." I couldn't believe that they were standing in front of me. I got up, uncertain of what was happening. "You two are alive..." I couldn't help getting teary-eyed.

"Um..." Eric and Jude exchanged glances, perplexed. "My lady... Are you... alright?"

I nodded, covering my mouth with my hands. Papa slaughtered them since I faltered from my mission to kill my Alpha mate before. Papa did that as a form of punishment. I begged at him but I couldn't save them.

But... What was really happening? Was this a dream? But they were really in front of me as if they were alive. Or were they alive?

"I-I think we must bring Her Ladyship back to the carriage, Jude."

"Yes." Jude looked at me, worried. "It must have been hard to kill the Alpha of the Dusk Moon pack, isn't it, my lady?"

What he said had made me alarmed. "W-Wait... Did you say Dusk Moon pack? You mean Hudson Roly who I killed?" Please, no... Please do not confirm what I had on my mind.

Eric was the one who answered. "Yes, my lady. You had finished killing their Alpha before the daybreak, as you proclaimed last night."

That was the moment I inhaled sharply. I was indeed horrified when I learned this.

Hudson Roly... Alpha of the Dusk Moon pack...

I had already killed him two years ago...

Did I... regress to the moment before Valerian was killed and Caroline poisoned me? Was that it? Did I confirm it, right?

Or was I really dreaming?

"Pinch me. I think I'm dreaming..." I muttered out of nowhere. But as soon as the two pinched my cheeks, I screamed in pain. "That hurts!" I glared at them.

"But Lady Dominixe... You said we should pinch you..." they said in unison, smiling wryly. "P-Please do not punish us," they said again when they saw that I was not reacting. They even knelt before me.

I touched my cheeks. "So this is a reality..." I stroked my chin in shock. Then I looked at Eric and Jude before my eyes got misty. With that, I couldn't help crying in front of them.

"L-Lady Dominixe...!" The two were panicking when they saw the tears brimming in my eyes.

But I instantly wiped them and put up a big smile. "I must have been exhausted from today's event. Shall we get going?"

Though they looked bewildered at how I acted a while ago, they all agreed. "Yes, my lady."

While I was in the carriage alone, I couldn't help contemplating right now.

I couldn't believe this... Did the Moon Goddess grant me a second life? Did I cling to the possibility of getting revenge against those people who had hurt me?

But what I had on my mind by the time I had my last breath was thinking of meeting Valerian in the afterlife. I knew that since the last person I was with... with...

"Huh? Who is with me by that time?" I couldn't help bursting out what was on my mind.

I was even with someone. A male one who kept pestering my life. Wait... How couldn't I remember that person? Even the name?

All I knew was that he was the...

"Rogue Alpha...?" That was the only thing I could remember. But I did not know who that was. 

I remembered all of the people I met in the past, even Caroline, who poisoned me with the tea she served to me. However, only one person I couldn't remember the name, even what that man looked like.

My memory of him was fuzzy, so I was not certain if I really met him or what. But I was confident that he was a man who kept pestering my life and would be Britanny's pet.

"Who is he again?" I tried to think about the name but it was futile no matter what I thought. My head was spinning as if something was preventing me from remembering his name.

I was contemplating deeply when the carriage door opened by Jude. "Lady Dominixe, we have arrived at the Cantavalle state."

I snapped back and nodded. Jude helped me to mount down from the carriage. The moment I saw the familiar mansion I grew up with, I just noticed that the mansion seemed like a flamboyant place but on the inside of the manor, it was dark and menacing.

I always had to look up to admire it before looking straight and masking my face with a deadpan expression. I remember realizing this was a sickening feeling and that we should never show our emotions and remain emotionless.

Inhaling and exhaling, I must now do the usual routine after finishing my mission.

That was... to report that the mission was successful.

It felt bizarre that I had to repeat what I did in the past. It felt nostalgic but the reality was here.

I returned to the past which made me think over and over.

I took strides to the hallway, feeling tired for today. I was still bewildered as to what was happening. I handed out my daggers, smeared with stench blood to Orion, the head butler.

Orion would always take the weapon we used so he could hand them out to be cleaned. He knew exactly what to do and was one of Papa's most trusted people. I remember how he was so annoying, even in the past. 

Even now, my blood was still boiling whenever I looked at him.

"Where's Papa?" I asked when he handed me out a face towel so I could wipe my face drenched with blood. "Is he still asleep?"

Orion shook his head. The next words he would say was, "Lord Harchier is in his study room, young mistress. He is waiting for your arrival."

I knew it. 

I nodded my head and left him. I leaned against the wall when I felt my head spinning around. I even felt my stomach churning upside down as well.

"I pushed my abilities to an extent again..." I murmured. Those were the exact words I uttered back then and I even uttered them again.

However, for some reason, I was more dreadful since I couldn't believe that I had returned to the past.

I pushed myself to my limits, which made me so dizzy. I did everything I could to finish my task after three-month careful planning. It was no easy task since I had been there. I knew how tiring and exhausting it was even if I said that I had returned to the past.

I knocked on the door before I entered. I held my breath since the last time I saw my father was the time he was furious when my fiance, Warren, tried to force himself on me and I almost beat him to a pulp.

Just like what I remember in the past, I was greeted by the mint leaves used as an air freshener in Papa's study room. "I have arrived, Papa," I announced.

Spotting him in his usual seat and desk, Papa lifted his gaze to dart at me. Seeing him again... I felt this enrage feeling seeping inside me. 

He was the reason why I was being unhappy ever since Valerian died. Perhaps, this second chance at life that the Moon Goddess bestowed on me must be a blessing in disguise to finally see the true colors of my father. No, I had already realized it beforehand.

He never treated us as his children but as a prize possession, he wanted to boast about.

"Domi, you are showing yourself to me means good news. Correct?" he asked in a bitterly cold tone. He even clasped his hands and placed his elbows on his desk.

"Yes, Papa." I bowed my head before him. "I have finished my task and killed Hudson Roly, the Alpha of the Dusk Moon pack," I said, lingering my tone with solemnity. I fished out the small bottle that had Hudson's eye inside with formalin. 

"I gouged it out as a noble prize, as a promise." I placed it on his desk.

Now, that I remember. As proof that we killed the Alpha we meant to kill, we must take something valuable from them. Even if that was an eye or other parts of that Alpha's body.

That was how I should make him impressed. A noble prize to make him, please.

Papa's lips drew out into a big smirk. "Hmm... Impressive." He was eyeing it and looked satisfied. 

I felt disgusted now that he was like this. I did not know how he became my father. No, it was worst that he became my father. 

"You may dismiss."

"I want to ask for a boon, Papa. If possible..." Since I had already gasped at what was happening, I would use the same event that happened in the past and use it as a present.

"What is it?"

I blinked a little, wanting to rest right now but I must say this at once. "I wish to have a one-month vacation. I have utilized my ability for fighting Hudson Roly if you know what I mean." I believed Papa would grant me a boon since I was very special to him.

Ah, yes, of course. I was his favorite child. I was his first pup. I was the firstborn amongst the 11 children he had.

Papa kept the bottle inside the drawer of his desk. "Very well. Do as you wish." He nodded in approval. "I shall reckon for your next errand. Rest now."

That was a relief when he approved it. "Thank you, Papa. I shall take my leave now then." Bowing my head, I left his study room.

I used my wolf speed to scurry to my chamber and collapsed on my bed as soon as I arrived. I touched my head, feeling dizzy.

I felt like I had used my abilities for long-term use, which wasn't supposed to happen.

"I need to settle for making things right.." I murmured. "I must rethink and make plans..."

I would be decisive this time and avoid being unhappy again. Since I grasped what was happening, I knew I had returned to the past. 

This was making me exhausted so I must rest to think of some new plans. 

But one thing was for certain. I would make things right this time. I wouldn't waste the opportunity the Moon Goddess had bestowed on me.

Everyone who has hurt me... I would make sure that they would pay a big time. They couldn't escape the wrath I would send to this family. 

I slowly closed my eyes while muttering the name of the person I had longed for.