CHAPTER TWO: Reborn
1632 Words
Reborn
Pain.
That was the first thing Seraphina expected when she opened her eyes.
Pain from the freezing abyss.
Pain from shattered bones.
Pain from dying alone beneath the palace.
Instead,
Warmth touched her skin.
Soft blankets tangled around her legs, and the faint scent of moon lilies drifted through the air.
Seraphina’s eyes flew open.
She froze.
Above her stretched a familiar ceiling painted with silver constellations. White curtains swayed beside tall windows glowing with early evening light.
Her room.
No.
Impossible.
Seraphina sat upright so quickly that dizziness crashed through her head. Her breathing turned uneven as she stared around the chamber.
The royal Luna suite.
Exactly as it had looked years ago.
Before the execution.
Before the betrayal.
Before everything fell apart.
Her trembling hands moved across her body.
No chains.
No bruises.
No blood.
A soft knock sounded at the door before it opened carefully.
“Lady Seraphina?”
A young maid stepped inside carrying folded gowns.
Lina.
Seraphina’s chest tightened painfully.
In her previous life, Lina died protecting her during imprisonment. Yet now the girl stood alive, staring at her with concern.
“My lady, are you alright?”
Seraphina swallowed hard.
“What day is it?”
Lina blinked in confusion.
“The Winter Moon Banquet, my lady.”
The room spun.
Tonight.
The night everything began.
The first time Lucien publicly humiliated her.
The first time Evelina entered the palace.
The night Seraphina started losing herself piece by piece.
A cold chill slid down her spine.
She remembered dying.
Remembered the ice swallowing her whole.
So why was she here?
Her wolf stirred suddenly inside her soul.
Awake.
Strong.
For years it had been weakened by hidden poison inside the palace medicines. But now Seraphina could feel it clearly.
Alive.
Tears nearly burned her eyes.
She pressed a hand against her chest.
“I’m alive,” she whispered.
“My lady?” Lina asked nervously.
Seraphina forced herself to be calm.
“Prepare a bath.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The maid hurried away.
The moment the doors closed, Seraphina climbed from the bed and walked toward the tall mirror across the room.
Her reflection stared back at her.
Younger.
Unbroken.
Silver-white hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, and her moonlight-blue eyes still carried warmth instead of the emptiness they once held before her death.
This woman still believed in love.
Seraphina touched the mirror slowly.
You died because you loved the wrong man.
Her expression hardened.
Never again.
Another knock interrupted her thoughts.
“His Highness sent jewelry for tonight,” Lina said carefully as she entered.
A velvet box rested in her hands.
Seraphina recognized it instantly.
The diamond necklace Lucien once gifted her publicly during the banquet.
In her previous life, she cried from happiness when he placed it around her neck.
Now it only made her sick.
“Throw it away.”
Lina nearly dropped the box.
“My lady?”
“You heard me.”
The maid looked horrified but nodded quickly.
“Yes, my lady.”
Good.
Fear was useful.
Kindness had earned Seraphina nothing except betrayal.
By the time she finished bathing, the palace buzzed with excitement outside. Nobles from every major pack had gathered for the Winter Moon Banquet.
Tonight Lucien would announce political alliances.
And introduce Evelina Thorne to court.
Seraphina dressed slowly.
Not in the pale gowns Lucien preferred.
But in black.
The servants stared when she emerged from behind the dressing screen.
Black silk wrapped elegantly around her figure, embroidered with silver moon patterns that shimmered beneath candlelight.
Powerful.
Cold.
Nothing like the gentle Luna the kingdom remembered.
“My lady…” Lina whispered carefully. “His Highness dislikes dark colors.”
“I know.”
That was precisely the point.
When Seraphina reached the grand staircase overlooking the ballroom, music echoed through the palace below.
Laughter filled the air.
And somewhere inside that room,
Lucien waited.
Her heartbeat quickened painfully.
You survived death, she reminded herself.
You can survive him.
A royal attendant spotted her immediately.
“Lady Seraphina Vale!”
The ballroom quieted.
Hundreds of eyes lifted toward the staircase.
Whispers spread instantly.
“She’s wearing black…”
“She looks different.”
“Beautiful.”
Seraphina descended slowly, her heels clicking softly against marble.
At the bottom stood Lucien Draven.
And for a moment—
Her breath caught.
Memories could never fully capture him.
Tall.
Golden-eyed.
Devastatingly handsome.
Power radiated from him naturally, forcing weaker wolves nearby into submission.
Once upon a time, Seraphina loved that strength.
Now she only saw the cruelty hidden beneath it.
Lucien stared at her in surprise.
His gaze traveled slowly across the black gown before narrowing.
“You’re late.”
Not hello.
Not you look beautiful.
Just criticism.
Some things never changed.
Seraphina smiled faintly.
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
The formal title immediately caught his attention.
Lucien stepped closer.
“What is this supposed to mean?”
“What is what?”
“The dress. The attitude.”
There he was.
The controlling edge beneath the charming prince.
Seraphina met his gaze calmly.
“Do I require permission to choose my own clothes?”
Several nearby nobles looked horrified.
No one spoke to Lucien that way.
Especially not her.
Lucien’s jaw tightened.
“You’re being childish.”
The words struck like an echo from another life.
Childish for crying.
Childish to question him.
Childish for hurting while he comforted another woman.
Seraphina nearly laughed.
“And you are being rude,” she replied softly.
Shock flashed across his face.
Before he could answer, another voice interrupted.
“Your Highness.”
Seraphina turned.
Evelina Thorne stood near the ballroom entrance dressed in pale blue silk.
Beautiful.
Delicate.
Deadly.
The sight of her nearly shattered Seraphina’s composure.
Because she remembered those innocent hands stained with blood.
Lucien’s expression softened instantly when he saw Evelina.
That tiny change stabbed harder than expected.
“Lady Evelina,” he greeted warmly.
Warmly.
Not coldly like moments ago with Seraphina.
Evelina curtsied gracefully.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Liar.
Seraphina already saw the manipulation behind her sweet smile.
In her previous life, she welcomed Evelina personally.
Protected her.
Trusted her.
What a fool she had been.
Evelina looked toward Seraphina kindly.
“You look stunning tonight.”
Seraphina smiled back.
“And you look ambitious.”
Silence crashed across the nearby crowd.
Lucien frowned sharply.
“What is wrong with you tonight?”
Everything.
Everything was wrong.
But Seraphina only tilted her head slightly.
“Perhaps I’m tired.”
Lucien studied her carefully now.
As if realizing something had changed.
Good.
Let him wonder.
Music suddenly swelled through the ballroom as nobles moved toward the dance floor.
Lucien extended his hand toward Seraphina automatically.
The traditional first dance.
In her previous life, she accepted instantly.
Tonight she stared at his hand without moving.
A flicker of irritation crossed his face.
“Seraphina.”
“No.”
The word fell softly between them.
Lucien went still.
“You refuse me?” he asked dangerously.
“Yes.”
The ballroom tension thickened immediately.
“You are embarrassing me,” Lucien said quietly.
Something dark inside her smiled.
Good.
“Then consider us even.”
Lucien grabbed her wrist suddenly.
The touch sent panic flashing through her body.
For one horrifying second she remembered chains, blood, and his voice sentencing her to death.
Seraphina tore her arm away violently.
Lucien froze.
Because fear had crossed her face.
Real fear.
Confusion flickered in his expression.
Before he could speak again, a palace guard hurried into the ballroom.
“Your Highness!”
Lucien turned sharply.
“What?”
“The Northern delegation has arrived.”
The room instantly changed.
Nobles exchanged uneasy looks.
Even Evelina looked nervous.
Seraphina’s pulse stopped.
No.
It couldn’t be—
“The Lycan King requests entrance.”
Silence swallowed the ballroom.
Only one man ruled the North.
Kael Vortigern.
Monster.
Butcher.
The cursed Lycan King.
In Seraphina’s previous life, Kael never attended this banquet.
They weren’t supposed to meet yet.
The ballroom doors slowly opened.
Cold wind swept inside.
Then he entered.
Everything inside Seraphina went still.
Kael Vortigern walked into the ballroom dressed entirely in black, snow melting across the dark fur draped over his shoulders.
Tall.
Terrifying.
Beautiful in a way that felt dangerous.
Silver eyes scanned the room lazily.
Predatory.
Ancient.
Even powerful Alphas lowered their gazes instinctively.
Kael’s reputation was written in blood across kingdoms.
He destroyed armies.
Killed kings.
Burned entire bloodlines.
And now he stood beneath Lucien’s roof smiling faintly like a wolf entering prey territory.
Lucien stepped forward immediately.
“Vortigern.”
“Draven.”
The greeting sounded more like a threat.
Kael’s silver eyes drifted carelessly across the ballroom.
Then landed on Seraphina.
And stopped.
The world changed.
A violent pulse of energy crashed through the room.
Several wolves gasped.
Kael went completely motionless.
His eyes locked onto hers with frightening intensity.
Recognition.
Seraphina’s breath caught painfully.
No.
Impossible.
Because she knew that feeling.
The Moon Bond.
The connection between destined mates.
Kael took one slow step forward.
Then another.
Lucien noticed immediately.
His expression darkened.
“Kael,” he warned sharply.
But the Lycan King ignored him completely.
Seraphina’s wolf surged wildly beneath her skin.
Not fear.
Something hotter.
Older.
Dangerous.
Kael finally stopped directly before her.
Up close he looked even more lethal.
Scars lined the edge of his throat, and his silver eyes glowed unnaturally bright beneath the ballroom chandeliers.
Yet his expression shocked her most.
He looked shaken.
As if seeing someone returned from the dead.
The Lycan King lowered his head slightly toward her.
Then, in a rough voice that sent chills down her spine, he whispered,
“…You’re alive.”
- Writer
