The Return Of The Luna

02 And It All Came Back

Aspen,

It all came to me in a rush, and I watched Luna Dahlia stare at me with confusion. She and her lover had plotted against me and killed me to hide their secret. I felt rage rising, but I knew I had to be careful. I realized I had been sent back in time, to the very moment I was arrested for trespassing. Everything was just as it had been before.

"Behave, Aspen, we are on a clock," my wolf, Sage, warned me, and I bowed my head. Sage sounded cold, and I felt just as dead inside as she did. There was no time for emotions now. My mind wasn’t foggy anymore; it was clear, and I knew exactly what needed to be done. I needed to expose this b***h and her lover and save the alpha. I had been given a second chance, a one-year period to succeed. I did not plan to fail this time.

"Look at me," Luna Dahlia commanded, her voice dripping with authority. I looked up at her, trying to control the growl threatening to escape. She had taken everything away from me, including my life, to keep her secret. I was about to speak when another voice interrupted.

"Don't hurt her," he said, and that familiar scent filled my senses, overwhelming me with memories and emotions.

Fate had sent me back to save his life so I could redeem my soul and my wolf. I had one year to accomplish this task. How the f**k was I going to succeed? I was a nobody. Aiden, my fated mate, was the strongest werewolf Alpha and commanded a large army. Dahlia, his luna, was a werewolf princess. Other than the Lycan king, her father was at the top of our world. He was the most influential werewolf, and Dahlia was manipulative, conniving, and pure evil. But her people loved her, and Aiden would never believe she could do anything wrong. Exposing her seemed impossible.

I looked at them, trying to figure out what had gone wrong between them that had led her to kill him. My heart raced as Alpha Aiden approached, knowing exactly what was about to happen. I braced myself for it. The universe had ensured I would relive every moment again.

"Why did you run?" Aiden asked me sternly. I dared not look into my mate's eyes.

"Are you dumb?" Dahlia sneered at me, and before I could respond, a guard struck the back of my head, causing me to fall forward, hitting the ground hard. There was malice in the blow. I guessed they were angry I had made them run.

"Don't do that again," Aiden warned the guard, who quickly apologized to his alpha. Aiden could be kind at times, and this was the extent of his kindness in this situation.

"Why did you run?" he asked me again. I managed to get back on my knees, my head bowed.

"I was afraid," I replied, my voice trembling. There was a silence that followed. I fought against the mate bond's scent, locking away the longing in my heart. It was the bane of my life, and I knew I would have to live without it to survive.

"Very well then. What is your name, and why did you trespass?" Aiden asked the same question he had asked in the past. I knew I had to answer correctly to avoid angering him. My running had not altered much in the timeline.

"My name is Aspen Brooks. I am a lone wolf. I was traveling with my mother when Lycans attacked us. She was killed, but I managed to escape," I said, and gasps echoed around us at the mention of Lycans. Werewolves hated and feared Lycans. They were faster, stronger, and more domineering than werewolves, like siblings who had received the better genes.

"She is trouble, Alpha. We have to throw her out," a voice I never wanted to hear again said. It was the treacherous Beta Martin Knight, Dahlia's lover and the bastard who had sealed my fate.

"No, we can't leave a defenseless lone wolf to survive on her own," Alpha Aiden responded, repeating the same things he had said in my past life. His tone was firm, but there was a hint of compassion.

"After here is the werewolf King's kingdom. Unless you return the way you came, and I doubt you want to. There is no need for you to be afraid. I will give you refuge here as long as you swear your loyalty to me, keep our laws, and follow our way of life. Otherwise, I might have to execute you for trespassing," he said, making the decision for me. It was obvious what my choice had to be. I was determined to expose Dahlia and Martin. I was determined to succeed and redeem myself. I looked at the alpha and accepted the only choice available. I would try again.