Chapter 2 2

Lux Hollis

I felt wounded, not just by the betrayal but by the cruelty of my husband treating me like garbage. As I walked, I began to feel sharp contractions. Clutching my belly, I tried to walk quickly through the corridors in search of my maid. Feeling even stronger pains, I started screaming and sat down in the isolated hallway.

"Someone, please help me, the future Alpha is coming." I shouted, but there was no response.

Feeling the waves of contractions and the overwhelming loneliness, I clutched the fabric of my dress tightly and bit my tongue to control my despair. I was sweating more and more with every contraction.

"Ahhhh, someone help me. Heavens!" I kept calling for help until I heard footsteps approaching the hallway. A smile broke across my face; help was finally coming. But when I saw who it was, I tried to back away, though I had no strength. All I could do was groan and push.

My premature child was about to be born. Strangers, their faces hidden by cloths, advanced from the shadows.

I was defenseless and bleeding, unable to do anything to get away from them as I slid across the floor. Looking down at my blood-soaked dress, I started crying, begging for help. I couldn't die-not me, not my baby.

"I'll do whatever it takes to stay alive." I whispered to myself, staring at the figure closing in on me.

"Look who we've found-the Alpha's wife, alone and helpless. This is the perfect moment." The man smiled as he moved swiftly toward me, intent on completing his sinister plan.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see who it was. Cassius and his loyal werewolves had heard my screams. The intruders and the Fairfax wolves began to fight.

Alpha Cassius and the others battled fiercely to protect their territory. While they fought, I tried to get up but couldn't. The next wave of pain from the contractions hit, even stronger this time. I began to scream for help, calling out Cassius's name and searching for him in the darkness.

A jolt of fear shot through me when I felt a hand grabbing me. My body was lifted, and I locked eyes with the enemy, who smiled wickedly at me.

"Let me go." I tried to say, but with his other hand, he squeezed my throat.

I searched desperately for Cassius. When I found him, I fixed my gaze on him. My husband's eyes met mine, and in that instant, he froze, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Tears streamed down my face as the unbearable pain consumed me. I was out of breath, staring at him, silently begging for help. But it was too late.

I began to feel my throat being torn open, blood began to flow and my body fell to the ground.

I began to feel cold, and an agonizing pain took hold of me, until... I succumbed to the darkness, seeing nothing more.

***********

ELENA WINSLOW - LUX

The darkness enveloped me more and more until I slowly opened my eyes and saw a ray of light.

What is this? I tried to speak, but I couldn't hear my voice.

When I woke up, I felt an intense strangeness; I didn't know where I was or what was happening.

A tall woman approached me, sitting down in front of me.

"What is it, my love? Are you sleepy? You've slept so much, my dear Elena; it's time to wake up."

Mom? What do you mean? Where am I?

I tried to ask the tall woman with long hair and beautiful pink eyes, but my voice wouldn't come out.

Looking out the window, I noticed something strange... This wasn't my husband's castle, Fairfax; I was in a new place with a new family. Reality hadn't completely sunk in yet. I was still in the kingdom of Fenixia, but not in Alpha Cassius's castle.

Shaking my arms, I realized they were small, child-sized. My mind began to catch up.

It felt as though I had moved into a body that didn't belong to me. It took me a while to understand that I no longer controlled my old body but that of a child. Unable to speak, I underwent a process of relearning, guided by a woman who cradled me with a gentle melody, cherishing my simple existence.

"My beautiful Elena, let's enjoy the morning sun. It's such a lovely day; come with Mommy." She smiled at me, stroking the top of my head.

I had never felt so much affection before; in my past life, my mother had never been loving.

And now, in this new life, I felt the tenderness of this woman, and at that moment, Elena, my new identity, smiled at her.

"Oh, how adorable. Mommy loves it when you smile at me like that, my little one."

She hugged me and carried me to the balcony. Everything was different this time.

YEARS PASS...

Now known as Elena Winslow, I grew up in a powerful and loving family. I still carried the memories of my previous life, but I discovered that I had been born into a family that was enemies with Cassius's. This ignited the flame of vengeance in me, not just for the child I had carried in my previous life who never got the chance to be born, but for everything I had endured.

Over the years, I was treated with love and care by my parents, Alaric and Julie.

When I turned 18, I prepared to join other young people from influential families for the wolf awakening ritual, which took place in the sacred forest. I was a bit nervous, I admit.

"Are you ready, daughter?" my mother called, entering my room. I looked at her.

"Yes, Mom, I'm ready. I'm excited." She took my hand and encouraged me.

"Don't get too anxious; clear your mind. Too much excitement isn't good."

I nodded and hugged her, feeling my heart warm after this mother-daughter moment. We looked at each other after the embrace, and my mother said something before I left.

"I'll be waiting for you, sweetheart. See you soon!" I nodded, smiling at her.

But even with such loving parents, my heart ached. I always thought about what I had lost in my past life-my baby and my former life.