Chapter 5: The Second Chance
1213 Words
Camilla's pov
I woke up suddenly, letting out a loud gasp. My body was soaked with sweat, and my hands shook as I held my chest. My breath was fast and uneven.
I realized I was *alive.
My heart raced as all the memories flooded back to me in a rush—Hilda betraying me, Malakai being cruel, and how I died.
But now, I was back.
I had a second chance.
A chance to stop Hilda for good.
A chance to change everything that had happened to me.
I took a shaky breath and ran my fingers through my damp hair. I didn’t know how or why I was given this new chance at life, but I was determined not to waste it.
This time, Hilda would not win.
I looked around my room, trying to wrap my head around all of this. Everything looked just like I remembered it—the soft light from the lanterns, the familiar scent of lavender oil that I loved, and the slight chill in the air that meant winter was coming.
It was the day before my eighteenth birthday.
I clenched my fists tightly.
This meant that I hadn’t shifted into my wolf form yet.
And it also meant that... Malakai and I didn’t know we were meant to be together yet.
I swallowed hard as my stomach twisted in knots.
I really hoped that when I finally did shift, it wouldn't be him. I didn’t want him at all. I didn’t want the man who had discarded me as if I didn’t matter. The man who let Hilda control him so easily.
I took a deep breath to calm myself down.
For now, I needed to pretend everything was normal.
I couldn’t let anyone find out that I remembered my past life.
I had to keep a close eye on Hilda and see if she had already started making her plans. Most importantly, I needed to find out who was helping her because I knew she wasn’t doing this alone.
The next few days were agonizing for me.
Just seeing Hilda filled me with a strong desire to hurt her.
But I had to be careful.
I had to wait.
And then there was Malakai.
He had begun to notice the changes in me.
“Camilla,” he called one evening, his voice filled with concern.
I ignored him, pretending not to hear as I continued folding my clothes.
He stepped closer. “You’ve been… different lately.”
I didn’t respond.
“You barely talk to me anymore,” he continued. “Or to Hilda. You won’t even look at me.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping at him.
How ironic.
The same man who had tossed me away like trash in my past life was suddenly concerned about my coldness.
But I couldn’t afford to let my emotions slip.
So, I simply shrugged and turned away from him.
Malakai frowned. “Did I do something wrong?”
I let out a dry chuckle. If only he knew.
“No,” I said flatly.
He studied me for a moment, his piercing golden eyes filled with confusion and… pain?
It didn’t matter.
I turned and walked away.
I was not falling for him again.
I refused to.
---
The night before my birthday, I lay awake in bed, my mind racing.
I was terrified.
Terrified that fate would be cruel enough to make Malakai my mate **again.**
"Please, please let it be someone else."
The thought of being bound to him after everything he had done made my stomach turn.
I needed to be free.
But deep down, I already knew the truth.
There was only one wolf I had ever been drawn to.
And it was him.
I squeezed my eyes shut and forced the thoughts away.
Tomorrow, I would finally shift.
And then I would know.
---
Pain.
White-hot pain tore through me as I collapsed onto the forest floor, my body convulsing violently.
I could feel my bones breaking and reshaping, my muscles stretching and twisting.
It was agonizing.
But beneath the pain, there was something else—power.
I could feel it surging through me, growing stronger with every second.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped.
I opened my eyes, and the world seemed… different.
Brighter. Sharper.
I could hear the wind whispering through the trees, the distant hoot of an owl, the rapid heartbeat of a rabbit hiding nearby.
Slowly, I stood on shaky legs and glanced down at myself.
A white wolf.
I was beautiful.
My fur gleamed in the moonlight, a striking contrast against the darkness of the woods.
For the first time in a long while, I felt free
So I ran.
I ran deeper into the forest, letting the wind rush past me, letting the cool earth soothe my aching paws.
For the first time since coming back, I felt… happy.
But my peace was short-lived.
Because the moment I stopped to catch my breath, a familiar scent filled the air.
Malakai.
And then—he was there.
His tall, broad frame stood before me, his piercing eyes locked onto mine.
I felt my heart drop.
No. No, no, no.
I shifted back into my human form, wrapping my arms around myself.
Malakai stepped forward. “It’s you,” he murmured, his voice filled with awe.
I took a shaky step back.
He smiled. “Camilla… You’re my mate.”
I sucked in a sharp breath.
It was happening again.
The past was repeating itself.
I shook my head furiously. “No.”
His brows furrowed. “Camilla—”
“Reject me.”
The words spilled from my lips before I could stop them.
Malakai’s face hardened. “What?”
“Reject me,” I repeated, my voice breaking. “I don’t want this. I don’t want you.”
Shock flickered in his eyes, quickly replaced by hurt.
“I can’t do that,” he said firmly.
“Why not?” I snapped.
“Because,” he took a step closer, his voice filled with conviction. “I love you, Camilla.”
My breath hitched.
He was serious.
In this life, he hadn’t rejected me. He hadn’t thrown me away. He… wanted me.
But I didn’t trust him.
I couldn’t.
Tears burned my eyes. “Please,” I whispered. “Please just let me go.”
Malakai clenched his jaw. “Never.”
I turned away, unable to look at him.
“Fine,” I said finally. “But promise me something.”
He hesitated. “What?”
I swallowed hard. “Keep this a secret.”
His brows furrowed. “Camilla—”
“Please,” I begged. “I need time.”
I needed time to watch Hilda.
Time to figure out who was helping her.
Time to **stop her.**
Malakai exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair.
Finally, he nodded. “Oka
y.”
Relief flooded through me.
But as I turned to leave, I could feel his gaze on me.
I knew he wouldn’t give up.
He would try to make me love him.
But I wasn’t the same girl anymore.
And this time, I wouldn’t be fooled.
- Writer
