Chapter3
1148 Words
Lena's POV
Angel stared at me like I was a ghost. In a way, I was. She had sat with Rose on the bed looking at me with disbelief.
I had told them everything—the betrayal, the stoning, the moment I took my last breath. And now, I stood before them in a body that wasn’t mine.
"This is insane," Rose muttered, pacing the room. "You’re saying you died, and now you’re here? In Anna’s body?"
I nodded. "You are very correct."
Angel clenched her fists, her face pale. "Then where is Anna as you are occupying her body?"
Silence.
The question had been hanging in the air, unspoken, but now it hit me like a punch to the gut. Where was Anna? If I was here, in her body, then what had happened to her?
"I… I don’t know," I admitted, my throat tight. Unable to say what I was suspecting.
Angel inhaled sharply, looking at me with something close to horror.
"What if she’s gone?" Her voice trembled. "What if—"
Rose grabbed her shoulder. "Angel, stop. We don’t know that."
Angel’s lips parted, but no words came.
"Think about it," Rose continued, voice steady as if she was sure of her answer. "Lena’s soul was strong enough to take over. That means Anna’s probably still in there. Just… sleeping."
Angel swallowed hard, searching my face. "And if she never wakes up?"
I had no answer.
Angel exhaled shakily and looked away.
Rose sighed. "Look, we can figure that part out later. Right now, we have something bigger to deal with." Her eyes locked onto mine. "Ryker."
At his name, rage burned through me. My hands curled into fists at my sides.
"He took everything from me," I whispered. "And he didn’t even hesitate."
"Then let’s make him regret it," Rose said, her voice sharp. I gave her a side eye of confusion.
Angel hesitated. "Lena… what do you want?"
What did I want? I wanted a lot of things for Ryker and none of it was good.
I met her gaze. "I want him to suffer like I did. I want him to lose everything, just like I did."
Angel inhaled deeply, then nodded. "Then we’ll help you."
I wasn’t alone. This time, I wouldn’t fight this battle on my own.
But just as I opened my mouth to speak, pain lashed through my chest like a burning knife.
I gasped, clutching at my ribs as my knees buckled.
"Lena!" Angel caught me before I hit the floor.
A searing, unbearable agony twisted through my insides, tearing me apart from the inside out. It felt like something was ripping me, like my soul was unraveling.
"It’s him," I choked out, clutching my chest as tears welled up in my eyes.
"Ryker," Rose whispered.
I gasped for breath as the pain intensified. My vision blurred. I could feel it—him. His pleasure. His intimacy. With her.
A sob caught in my throat. "I still have a bond with him."
Angel’s jaw clenched. "That bastard."
Rose knelt beside me, gripping my hand. "Then we’ll use it against him."
Through the pain, I met her eyes.
"How?"
Rose’s lips curled into a dangerous smile.
"We make him fall for you. And then, we break him."
Rose wasted no time. The moment I could breathe without feeling like I was being torn apart, she started planning.
"If we want him to fall for you, we need to make sure he sees you," she said, pacing the room. "Not just as some random girl, but as someone who can shake his world."
Angel crossed her arms, still looking unsettled. "She already shook his world. Did you see the way he looked at her? Like he saw an obstruction to his grand rule as Alpha."
"Exactly." Rose smirked. "Which means we have an advantage. He doesn’t know why he feels drawn to her in that manner, but we’ll make sure he can’t look away, an attraction he won't expect."
I shifted uncomfortably. "I don’t need to make him fall for me. I just need to destroy him."
Rose tilted her head. "And the best way to do that? Make him want you. Make him suffer the way you did."
Angel sighed. "This is insane but I support you, Rose."
Rose shrugged. "But it’s necessary."
Before we could continue, the front door opened downstairs.
We all froze.
"Angel dear, we're home." We heard Angel's mom yell from downstairs.
"She mentioned that she was going to hang out with Rose." Her Dad replied.
Angel’s eyes widened. "My parents."
Panic shot through me. I wasn’t Anna. What if they noticed? What if they knew just by looking at me?
Heavy footsteps approached. A moment later, the door swung open.
Her mother gasped. "Anna?"
Before I could react, she rushed forward and cupped my face in her trembling hands. Tears welled in her eyes.
"Oh, my baby," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You’re awake."
I stood frozen, my mind blank. I should have said something. I should have acted. But then her father stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
Then, suddenly, he wrapped his arms around me.
I stiffened.
"You’re standing," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "My little girl… you’re strong enough to stand."
Guilt crashed over me like a tidal wave.
I wasn’t Anna.
I wasn’t their daughter.
But to them, this was a miracle.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to lean into his embrace. What else could I do?
Angel’s gaze met mine over her father’s shoulder. She looked conflicted—torn between joy for her parents and the truth she now knew.
"Why didn't you notify us that Anna was awake?" Her mum asked, still in the embrace.
Rose, ever the sharp observer, quickly stepped in. "She just woke up earlier today," she said smoothly. "We were so shocked, we didn’t even know how to tell you."
Angel’s mother pulled back, still crying. "How do you feel, sweetheart?"
Angel stepped in. "She’s still weak, Mom. We were actually just helping her freshen up a bit."
"You'll squish her, Mr. Fadell." Rose laughed.
Her mother nodded quickly, as if afraid I’d collapse at any second. "Of course, of course! You should rest, my love. We’ll make you something to eat."
Her father cupped my cheek. "I can’t believe it… my little girl is awake."
I forced a small smile, my heart twisting.
I wasn’t their little girl.
But I would protect her body as if she were.
"Rest up dear, if you are healthy enough, you can start the alpha college at the beginning of the semester." Mr. Fadell said.
"Alpha college?"
"I hear that Alpha Ryker would be attending this year." Mrs. Fadell winked.
"Oh, Anna. You need a makeover so bad!" Rose squealed partaking in the excitement with the parents.
But, why was Ryker attending the college?
- Writer
