Chapter 1 Olivia was reborn

"If I were Luna's son, do you think I'd marry you? I would've married Mia ages ago."

Aiden Brown, Olivia Brown's husband, said it as if it were a joke.

But Olivia remembered that line for the rest of her life.

Aiden's fated mate was Mia Taylor. Anytime he got near Mia, his wolf went wild.

But his status wasn't good enough for Mia.

Aiden was the son of the Brown Wolfpack Alpha's mistress. Mia, on the other hand, was the niece of the Brown Wolfpack Luna. Socially, he didn't stand a chance.

Olivia, however, was his chosen mate - because he had no other option.

As the son of a mistress, Aiden didn't have much money to his name. Desperate for a better life, he forced Olivia to sell her pharmacy - the most valuable piece of property her grandfather had left her - right when the business hit trouble.

Shortly after they got married, Mia left for a werewolf boarding school abroad.

Olivia had been saving up, and when she trusted Aiden to deposit that money into the bank, she thought nothing of it.

Three years later, when their son fell ill and Olivia needed to withdraw the funds, she found out Aiden had sent it all to Mia.

"She's all alone at that school. I just wanted to make sure she's comfortable," he told her.

Their son was in the hospital, hanging by a thread. Olivia didn't have the energy to argue. Instead, she pawned a set of diamond jewelry to cover the expensive medical bills.

When their son was discharged two weeks later, Aiden shrugged.

"You worry too much. A few herbs would've been enough. Waste of money," he said casually.

Olivia then scraped together what little she had left and opened a new pharmacy from scratch.

Everyone laughed at her.

But Olivia was determined to make it work.

She was the daughter of the Smith Wolfpack - a renowned family of healers. Every few generations, one wolf in the family would inherit a rare medical gift. Her grandfather had been the last one. In this generation, it was her.

Her skills were exceptional, both in medicine and potion-making.

Those years nearly broke her.

She worked herself to the bone. Miscarried twice. By her early thirties, she already had wrinkles.

But the pharmacy thrived. She made good money.

Still, because she was always busy - because she couldn't carry a pregnancy to term - Aiden found two mistresses and fathered several more children, all while continuing to spend Olivia's hard-earned money.

That's when Mia returned from boarding school.

She was stunning, graceful, and married into high society, becoming the chosen mate of the Alpha Committee Chairman.

Mia even helped Aiden land a cushy job as the Chairman's aide. The pay was excellent.

Aiden gazed at Mia, utterly captivated.

"She's brilliant. Only someone like her deserves this," he said dreamily.

Olivia scoffed.

"She wouldn't have even gotten an education without my money."

Mia wasn't fond of Olivia.

When she visited Olivia's pharmacy, she looked around dismissively and said, "You should just close this place down."

Olivia refused, and things escalated.

By then, her son was already fifteen.

"Mom, even if you don't care about Dad's career, think about me. Isn't it better to be the son of the Alpha Committee Chairman's aide than the son of some random pharmacist?" he said.

He had grown up accustomed to his mother's sacrifices. Her well-being never crossed his mind.

Olivia was so furious that she fell ill.

And that was the moment she lost the ability to shift.

To Aiden and their son, she was now useless.

"I regret ever having you," Olivia whispered weakly.

Her son just looked at her and said, "All your sisters married well. You're the only one who married the son of a mistress. Mom, I regret being born to you, too."

Olivia's chest tightened, and she passed out.

When she opened her eyes again...

She saw Aiden.

But he was younger.

"Are you okay?" His concern felt shallow, empty. "Why'd you faint out of nowhere?"

Olivia stared at him, wide-eyed.

Her husband - almost forty - now looked barely twenty.

Olivia was reborn.

Reborn on the fifth day of her marriage.

"Madam Olivia, Mr. Aiden will be staying in the study again tonight. He's still recovering from his cold and doesn't want to pass it to you," said an Omega from the Brown Wolfpack. There was a trace of disdain in her eyes.

Aiden never loved Olivia. His wolf didn't even react to her presence.

In her past life, he begrudgingly slept with her once, about a month after their wedding. After that, he preferred the study over their bedroom.

The next day, Olivia went back to the Smith Wolfpack house

Her grandmother, Amelia Smith, looked surprised to see her alone.

"Something happened?" she asked.

"No," Olivia replied softly, leaning against her. "I just wanted to see you."

Amelia gently stroked Olivia's hair.

"If the Brown Wolfpack treats you poorly, tell me. I'll stand up for you,"

Olivia smiled. "I'm fine, Grandma. I just missed you."

Olivia's mother died in childbirth, so her grandparents had raised her, treating her like a treasure.

Her grandfather had passed away last year.

In her previous life, Amelia died by the end of this year. Olivia was determined to spend more time with her.

"Grandma, where are Chloe and Zoey? The Omegas who used to serve me?" Olivia asked.

"They're still around, helping with housework," Amelia replied.

"I want to bring them with me," Olivia said firmly. "I'll make arrangements when I get back. Chloe and Zoey should continue working for me."

Amelia patted her head affectionately.

"It's good to have people you can trust."

Olivia leaned into her embrace.

"Grandma, take care of yourself. I'll be back to stay with you soon."

The Smith Wolfpack house was bustling. The front gate was being repainted and the garden meticulously pruned.

"What's all this for?" Olivia asked.

Amelia chuckled.

"Did you forget? Aria's engagement."

Ah. Olivia remembered now.

Her half-sister, Aria Smith.

In her past life, Aria had mated to Alexander Clark, the future Alpha of the Clark Wolfpack.

This continent used to be ruled by the Lycan King. After the Lycans fell, the land fractured, and powerful Wolfpacks carved it up.

Tensions simmered, with each faction vying for dominance. Everyone wanted to rise as the next Lycan King, but for now, the Wolfpacks maintained a fragile balance.

Clark Wolfpack was the strongest of them all – with the most formidable army and the greatest wealth.

They rose from Miracleburg, the same city where Smith and Brown Wolfpacks resided. The entire southern region of the continent was under their control.

In Olivia's previous life, Clark Wolfpack expanded even further, eventually pulling the strings behind the Alpha Committee.

The Chairman was nothing more than a puppet for Clark's growing power.

And Olivia remembered that almost at the same time of her wedding, Aria had returned from a trip to Goldvale City... overweight.

People laughed, saying she'd never find a husband. But then Alexander Clark appeared, proposing marriage.

Aria became his chosen mate.

The engagement and wedding were held with the highest honors.

Later, Alexander rose to Alpha, and Aria became one of the most powerful Lunas in existence.

Since childhood, Aria had envied Olivia's beauty and her talent for medicine.

Before Olivia's marriage, Aria had even stolen several of her medical cases, claiming credit and earning the title of "Perfect Doctor."

After marrying Alexander, Aria worked tirelessly to sabotage Olivia's pharmacy – terrified that Olivia's success would expose her lies.

In truth, it was Aria who orchestrated the trouble with Olivia's pharmacy and even caused her miscarriages.

Now, in this life, Aria was set to marry Alexander once again.

Olivia's fingers curled into a fist.

Can I destroy her marriage?

If Aria's engagement fell apart, Olivia could avenge her unborn children – and avoid most of the trouble ahead.

But how? I've never even met Alexander.

Oddly enough, despite all her boasting, Aria had never introduced Olivia to Alexander.

She flaunted everything – her jewels, fine dresses, servants – yet kept her husband hidden.

Strange. Wouldn't Alexander be the thing she brags about the most?

Was Alexander... ugly?

Without knowing him or the dynamics of their relationship, Olivia had no idea how to interfere.

Olivia sighed inwardly.

The path of rebirth was full of hidden dangers.

After spending some time with her grandma, Olivia left, her mind preoccupied.

On the way back, she passed by a pastry shop selling fresh Chestnut Cake – a new item on the menu.

Curious, Olivia stepped inside, but something felt... off.

When she asked for the cake, the shop boy's hands trembled slightly as he packed it.

She paid, and just as she was about to leave the shop – she was grabbed.

Thrown straight into a cell.

-Turns out, she had unknowingly walked into the middle of a Clark Wolfpack military sting. They were hunting spies.

The code word? Chestnut Cake.