Chapter 1
654 Words
The women in our bloodline were born with a rare pheromone gland that released an unusual fragrance. That scent could pacify the savage instincts buried deep within werewolf heritage and hold back the curse.
The Cape family women had, across generations, been the living antidote of the Chase family.
In my previous life, I married Julian Chase. I suppressed his blood curse and kept him alive. In return, he forced an entire bottle of acid down my throat on our wedding night, all because he believed I had stopped at nothing, that I had killed his cherished love, Siana Cape, just to become his wife.
I died in unbearable pain on the wedding bed.
*****
In this life, I sat in the living room as Julian's parents rushed in. His mother, Mary Chase, seized my wrist and pleaded in tears.
"Serena, something's wrong with Julian! It must be the curse. He's lost control of his beast instincts. Only you can calm him! Your scent can suppress his beast urges! Come with me, please!"
I didn't move. The TV was still playing. The top trending topic on X read: #JulianChaseAssaultsAssistant.
On screen, the man I married in my past life, the man who also killed me, was screaming at the camera. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and grey-black wolf fur had started creeping over the back of his hands. The veins in his neck looked like they were about to explode. He looked absurd like that, nothing like the cold, refined movie star he once was.
Mary kept tugging at my wrist. "Did you hear me?"
I pulled my hand free. "I can't help. My scent won't calm him."
Mary didn't accept it. "How could that be? Your family…"
I cut her off. "Why don't you go to PR? Julian's PR team is the most expensive in Silverwood. They can spin any scandal into something clean. Just push the trending topic down."
Mary's face turned deathly pale.
The living room door was slammed open again. Julian entered holding Siana in his arms. "I don't believe this bullshit curse! The only person I'm marrying is Siana!"
The hatred in his eyes was painfully familiar. It was the exact same look he had when he killed me in my past life. I was sure of it now. Julian had also been reborn. Back when we were engaged, I had only met him a few times. He shouldn't have hated me this much.
Julian's father, Logan Chase, said angrily, "Julian, stop this nonsense. If I hadn't married your mother, I wouldn't have survived. You're almost 27. Without the soothing effect of the pheromone scent, you will die."
Julian snapped back, "Stop trying to scare me. The Chase family has been fine for 200 years. My great-grandfather, my grandfather, did either of them die at 27? What blood curse? It's just an excuse you made up to force me to marry that fat pig!"
Logan was rendered speechless. I looked at Julian's self-righteous expression and almost laughed out loud.
I used to not believe in the curse either, until I died in my previous life. As a wandering soul for three years, I saw everything inside the sealed Chase family manor. I watched Ethan Chase, Julian's half-brother, lose control of the blood curse on the night of his 27th birthday. He tore himself apart.
The Chase family buried the truth so deeply that even Julian never knew.
Logan said coldly, "You don't have the right to refuse."
Julian replied, "Then Siana is also a woman of the Cape family. She must have the pheromone gland too. I'm going to marry her. I will never marry Serena. A fat ugly woman like her makes me sick just looking at her."
Siana leaned into his arms and said softly, "I can smell Julian's scent. I can calm him."
I watched her clumsy act and almost couldn't hold back my laughter.
- Writer
