Chapter 1

The lingering chill in my bones wasn't just from the fever. It was the residual heartbreak of a girl who no longer existed.

Over a month ago, the original owner of this body had foolishly confessed her love to her dazzling cousin, Alpha Heir Greyson Hayes. His rejection had been absolute, smelling sharply of sea breeze and cold oak. *"My Luna must possess a formidable Inner Wolf. I cannot mate with a Wolfless."* The humiliation had shattered her fragile spirit, leaving an empty, dying vessel for my modern soul to occupy.

But that heartbreak was nothing compared to the sheer terror of knowing exactly *where* I was.

I was trapped inside a werewolf romance novel, cast as the doomed, wicked villainess. Last night, the memories of the book's plot had triggered a violent fever. In my delirium, I felt the phantom fangs of feral Rogues tearing my flesh apart-my destined execution ordered by the novel's ruthless male lead, Alpha Jaden Livingston. The mere thought of his scent, a violent mix of blackthorn and blood, made my stomach churn. If my loyal Omega maid, Emelie, hadn't fetched the Healer in the dead of night, I would have died from the fever before the story even began.

Now, near noon, my bedroom felt suffocating. The heavy velvet curtains blocked the spring sunlight, and the pungent stench of the Healer's herbal brew completely masked my natural White Jasmine scent.

The heavy oak door clicked open. Luna Charlotte Hayes stepped in, the rich, suffocating scent of blooming peonies rolling off her. Her sharp eyes darted from my pale face to the untouched mug of medicine on the nightstand.

"Is this how you care for your mistress?" Charlotte's voice was dangerously low.

Suddenly, the air in the room grew impossibly heavy. It was the *Luna's aura*-a crushing, invisible weight that commanded absolute submission from lower-ranking wolves. Emelie let out a choked gasp, her knees hitting the hardwood floor instantly. Trembling violently, she bared her fragile neck, her Inner Wolf completely subjugated by the Luna's dominance.

I couldn't let Emelie suffer for my stubbornness. She had saved my life last night. Gripping the bedsheets, I forced my weak, Wolfless body to sit up, fighting the dizziness.

"Stop, Aunt Charlotte. Please," I rasped, my voice dry. "It wasn't Emelie's fault. I refused to drink it. The herbal stench makes me nauseous."

Charlotte's aura snapped back, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. The thick layer of makeup couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes or the unusual pallor of her skin.

"Leave us," she ordered the servants, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Emelie scrambled to her feet, bowing deeply before rushing out. Once the door clicked shut, Charlotte paced the room, her usual pristine elegance unraveling. She closed her eyes for a second, likely checking the perimeter to ensure no one was eavesdropping through the pack's Mind-Link.

When she finally looked at me, her hands were trembling slightly against the fabric of her custom lilac dress.

"Elaina is gone," Charlotte whispered, her voice cracking with a terror I had never heard from a Luna. "She rejected the Mating ceremony. She ran away."