Eva's POV

“Eva, Eva –”

The sensation of weightlessness came over me and my eyes snapped open. I closed my eyes again, momentarily blinding by the hanging chandelier. Vaguely, I realized I was laying in my room and the wind carried the sound of celebration outside.

I froze.

Wasn’t I dead already? Was I not executed after four years of wrongful imprisonment, left to rot in the gallows with no one to rely on but myself? I glanced down at my hands, pinching myself on both wrists to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

Did I fall into a coma?

Throwing up the covers, I rushed to the mirror, taking in my reflection. I was a young girl again, with long, red curls, and bright green eyes. Oh goddess. I pinched my cheek one more time just to be sure.

It was real! I was alive!

My heart raced, and tears immediately welled up in my eyes. the goddess must have been watching, sending me back to – when was this? Still, my body was untouched, free of the scars from prison. My face wasn’t marred and I still looked vibrant and happy.

I laughed and cried at the same time, wondering how something like this could have happened. I could hardly believe it. I was alive and unharmed. However, once the initial shock and elation died down, embers of hatred ignited in my heart.

In my previous life, I had been trapped by my misguided longing for acceptance and love, only to end up abandoned and executed. However, now that everything was reset, I would never let myself be that helpless lamb to be slaughtered.

As I wiped my tears, I glanced at myself in the mirror, noticing how my eyes grew dark and cold. The earlier light in my eyes dimmed considerably. Satisfied, I smiled coldly before calmly walking to the closed door.

Before I got to the door, my father’s voice came through. “Eva, come on out. You’re going to miss the red moon.”

I froze mid-step, then threw the door open as I suddenly realized what time I was in. At this time in my past life, I just turned eighteen and my father was coming to get me so I could attend the red moon.

How could I forget? It was on this night that I met my wolf. The night everything fell apart when my father chose his step-daughter over his biological daughter.

“Come on out, little wolf.” My father’s voice dripped with anticipation. “Were you still sleeping just now? You don’t want to miss the red moon.”

Without missing a beat, he stepped into the room, pushing me aside. “Go get ready, I’ll wait.”

My face was devoid of any emotion when I said. “What about Layla? She can’t go on her own. How about you go escort her and I’ll meet you guys down there?”

My father frowned, his eyes roaming over my body, then as if realizing himself, he shook his head. “Is that what you want?” he stepped closer. “I don’t mind escorting you out there. Your mother can walk with Layla.”

I took a step away from him, going to my closet to pick out a random dress. “Don’t mind me.” I pushed harder. “Besides, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss seeing her wolf, right? And Percy will be there. You know how he always favors Layla.”

Hearing how reasonable I sounded, he nodded. In his mind, he thought, this was the perfect opportunity to Pitt two of them together. He could use it to talk to the Alpha King and make him consider blessing their union if they turn out to be mates.

Hesitantly, he stepped towards the door, giving me one final look before asking, “Are you sure you’re going to be alright?”

Allowing the corners of my lips to curl up in a small smile, I answered. “You bet.”

Nodding, he crossed the threshold of my door and was gone. I heaved an audible sigh of relief as he left. In my previous life, when he came to my room that night to bring me to the ceremony down stairs, I had been so happy and eager to please him.

Now though, all that I felt for him was hatred. Endless hatred. If not for him, my life wouldn’t have plummeted the way it did. I wouldn’t have lost the last shred of dignity I had just because he wanted Layla to maintain hers.

Rushing to my bathroom, I took a quick shower before changing into an evening dinner dress and tied my hair up in a ponytail. By the time I emerged from my room, the whole house was quiet.

I smiled and stepped out of the house. Just as I did so, I felt the prickly sensation run through my spine. It was as though someone was watching me. After darting my eyes around, I saw nothing and no one out of place and decided to leave it be.

I rushed quickly to the bonfire, glancing around frantically for my father and step-sister but there was no sign of them. Just as I had expected, he took her straight to the pack house.

I smiled to myself and just then, a plan formed in my head.

In my previous life, my father had stayed with me up until the point where I met my wolf and then when he saw Layla’s wolf, he had instructed that I kept my own wolf a secret so as not o hurt her.

Now, without him here, there was no one stopping me from announcing my wolf to everyone. What would he do then? When everyone saw that I was superior to her?

I almost laughed as I thought about the outcome of my plan.

Under the pull of the full moon, I slowly began to feel a bond forming inside me, then the bond shifted shapes and now felt like another being sharing my body with me.

I retreated to the canopy of the trees, separating myself from the crowd of people gathered around the fire. I didn’t stop walking until I was far enough from everyone.

In my previous life, my father had done this as well. With interesting stories, he had led me away from the bonfire, trudging deeper into the forest until it was just us two.

Then he had asked, “Do you feel it yet?”

I had simply nodded with a large smile on my face. I couldn’t forget the way my heart had warmed up when I saw the pride in his eyes. Since it was my first time, he had guided me patiently, telling me to lead my wolf up to the surface.

When I finally changed into an enormous white wolf, he had been shocked to the point where he fell flat on his bum. White wolf was extremely rare and only those with pure Alpha blood could have a white wolf, even then, it wasn’t guaranteed.

But there I was.

“Magnificent.” He had sung, expressing his shock, joy and pride in one word. “I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. Eva, you’re special.”

I had been elated beyond anything else. Only to fall from the clouds when he announced to everyone that my wolf was grey. That I was an omega. A weakling.

This time, I was going to take matters into my own hands.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in, listening as the wind ruffled the trees. Cold air washed over me and I clenched my fist, recalling all the lessons my father had thought me in my previous life on how to pull my wolf up to the surface.

I felt my bones crack and reform. My skin stretch and pull. I closed my eyes, listening to the snap of my bones and the rush of my blood. Then suddenly everything was still. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the world in different colors.

My wolf was here.