Beyond Death's Door

"I'm going to kill myself." Beatrice's voice was barely above a whisper with a broken bottle in her hand, she was about to slit her wrist when a fellow worker's voice interrupted her.

"What do you think you are doing?" Kate's voice startled her, sharp and unsympathetic.

''Do you think I want to continue to live like this for the rest of my life? I would rather die than live like this," her eyes hollowed as she responded.

"Get it together!" Kate's pragmatic voice showed no mercy, "Do you think someone will bat an eye if a worthless slave like you dies? Don't be ridiculous. In this world, people that are more miserable than you die every day," she leaned closer, with a piercing gaze "There are tons of people everywhere who are far more unfortunate than you. I'll say this again, your death won't change a thing. Don't seek a way out with a meaningless death. Try to stay alive until the end. Do you understand?"

Beatrice was silent, with millions of thoughts as she watched Kate leave.

Life had not been easy in the Wolfsburg Pack for her-She was never given fair treatment in the pack, and this is because she was found at the brink of the river by Lord Damon. It would have been better if he had left her there to drown or to be eaten by the fishes in the river, instead of bringing her to the pack where she is being treated worse than an outcast. Lord Damon's family's treatment of her worsened when Alpha Derek, the son-in-law of Lord Damon began to show interest in her.

"You rootless, fatherless, sluggish, and lazy swine!" Lord Damon's voice was venomous and had caused her heart to skip a beat. "I told you earlier that I wanted this place sparkling clean. We are expecting an important visitor today. And there you are, walking sluggishly about. If you don't come here this instance, I'll have my boys beat you to a pulp. I'm tired of using my hands on your wretched body."

She trembled and was about to go back to cleaning when a worker rushed into the room.

"Lord Damon,'' with his head bowed, "Your visitor has arrived," he said with a firm voice.

Immediately he heard that, his demeanor changed, a sweet smile spread across his face, and he gestured for her to take her filthy self out of the dining hall with a stern warning.

"Listen to me and listen very well. I don't want to see you anywhere around, Alpha Derek must not set his eyes on you. Understood?" His tone was commanding.

"Yes my lord," she whispered, as she hurriedly left.

Alpha Derek had shown great interest in her and was unapologetic about it, she was his Fated mate, and that explains the attraction between them, but he couldn't marry her because she was wolfless, and an Alpha king can't be seen married to a wolfless woman, it would deprive him of the throne, and so he continued enduring his loveless marriage.

Beatrice's face lit with excitement as not wanting to see her around was a perfect opportunity for her to carry out her plan- Her plan toward freedom.

"Where is Beatrice? I haven't seen her anywhere, and it's unlike her," his voice laced with genuine concern as his eyes darted around the dining hall.

"Alpha, just eat your food first, you can ask about her when we finish eating," Lord Damon said dismissively.

He had a hidden agenda for his visit- to meet Beatrice, and that's why he didn't bring his wife along this time, unlike the other times.

"No, I just thought to ask about her. Where is she, is she alright?" He pressed, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Alpha, she is no longer with us. She has run away with one of her boyfriends." Zoe, the second daughter of Lord Damon scoffed.

"Her boyfriends?" Derek's tone was sharp, doubt creeping into his mind. He knew how much they hated her and how much his in-laws despised her because of his growing fondness for her.

Trying to hide his true feelings he asked if they had searched for her or at least called her.

"You shouldn't worry about her, she's probably enjoying herself wherever she is. Once she's tired, she'll come back home," Josh replied dismissively, "if you'll excuse me, I have a place I need to be."

But Beatrice wasn't coming back, Hope filled Beatrice's heart, confident that she had found her way out. She began to plan how she could get out of the house unseen. Being very thin and very fit was a great help when climbing out of a tiny window at the back of her room. It was already getting dark. The window was high off the ground, but Beatrice hung from her fingertips and dropped the last couple of feet. She was dressed entirely in dark clothes, jeans, and a long-sleeved sweater, her hair hidden beneath a dark-haired scarf.

She stayed very still until her eyes had become accustomed to the dark. Far down at the entrance to the hallway, she thought she saw a figure outlined against the dim light, which meant that the way was probably barred to her, but she had spent enough time looking out of her room window to know the layout of the buildings all around.

Keeping to the shadows, she crept down the alley, a short way, then into the yard of another building, crossed it, and climbed over another wall into an alley on the far side. A cat meowed suddenly and ran from almost under her feet, frightening Beatrice to death, she stood very still, pressed against the wall, afraid to move until she was sure that no one had taken any notice. Then she went on again, heading through the back alleys towards the road.

She had made quite good progress, trying to curb the constant need to look over her shoulder to see if she was being followed.

But as she reached the main street, a car turned into the main street, going slowly as if it was looking for someone. Panic-stricken Beatrice scuttled behind a pile of crates and hid until she was sure the car had left. But as she stepped out to continue her journey a speeding vehicle came out of nowhere and slammed into her with great force, her head hit the pavement, and the earth spun around her.

"Help me," she muttered weakly, with tears streaming down her face, but the driver didn't stop, and she watched as the car sped off, leaving her bleeding.

She had thought of killing herself earlier that morning, and now that she was being run over by a vehicle, she didn't want to die. It was only the most natural and rational thing to do, the desire to live- She was not ashamed of it, so she looked to the moon and called for help.

"Goddess Selene, I had begged you my whole life to take me out of the miserable life I was living, but you didn't listen," she whispered with her voice growing weaker with each word, "I beg you now again to please save me," She said as she closed her eyes, and darkness enveloped her with her body giving in to the pain.

"Wake up!" A soothing voice called unto her, but it sounded so distant, and had no effect on her.

"It's time to wake up child," The voice called out again, and this time it echoed loudly in her ears that she slowly opened her eyes.

But the illumination that came from the woman who was talking pierced her eyes like a thousand needles, and sent a shooting pain through her skull- it was like staring directly at the heart of the moon.

"Where am I?" Beatrice asked groggily, avoiding a direct gaze with the mysterious luminous figure that stood before her.

"This is the spirit world, and you're here because of your plea to the moon, shortly before your death," The woman replied, her voice gentle yet firm.

"So I... died," a pang of sadness washed through her, "But who are you and how come you have so much information about spirits? Are you also a spirit?"

"I go by many names, but in your plea you mentioned Goddess Selene, so here I am to save you." her lips curving in a cryptic smile.

"Goddesses do not exist, and if they do, you ought to have saved me since I cried out to you a thousand times to save me from the mysterious life I was living-But how come you are here only after I am dead?" Beatrice muttered bitterly.

"You called me to save you, and I am here to give you a second chance," she sounded soft yet unyielding.

"How is that possible? I am dead already. How can you possibly give me a second chance?" Beatrice responded curiously, her mind swirling with doubt and desperation.

"Child, Have you ever heard of reincarnation?" Goddess Selene asked, her glowing eyes now on Beatrice.

"Again, that is something we read in fictional books. There is nothing like reincarnation." She scoffed.

"Okay. It is up to you to believe. But since you summoned me, I am here to help you live again, Only if you abide by some conditions."

This time, Beatrice's eyes lit with excitement, hope flickered within her, slowly but persistent.

"What are the conditions? Please tell me. I'll gladly abide by them. No matter what they are, I'll abide by them," she asked hurriedly.

"A lot of people have said so in the past, but they usually don't fulfill the conditions.

Anyway, the only condition is to gather three teardrops from people who genuinely love you, people who are not related to you by blood," her gaze turned dark with caution as she spoke.

Beatrice spirit lifted instantly, and elated by the seemingly simple task, Beatrice jumped at it.

"That's easy! I can do it. I accept the conditions," .

"That is not all. You have a time frame for this condition- you have 100 days to get the teardrops, and you also have to be discreet about everything that has happened here today. You must not divulge this information to anyone unless you want to Disappear before you have the chance to fulfill the condition," Goddess Selene warns with a somber tone.

"I understand, and I accept all your conditions. Can I go back to the world of the living now?" she nodded quickly.

"Just close your eyes and say 'I accept to live by the conditions' after which you are going to go back to being alive,"

She hesitated a moment before letting out the thought that was bothering her "A quick question, If I go back to living, I hope I'm not going back to Lord Damon's house? You can just take me to another pack entirely or another kingdom- I never want to come across Lord Damon and his family ever again,"

"That is not in my place to choose. Your fate is the one that will choose for you," Selene said softly.

As Beatrice closed her eyes, she spoke the words, "I accept to live by the conditions," Immediately, The world seemed to spin, and she felt as though she was thrown off from a ten-story building.

When Her eyes fluttered open again, the bright lights above her pierced through her eyes like hundreds of needles, and she quickly shielded her eyes with her arm. She felt disoriented as she looked around, trying to figure out where she was. She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through her head, forcing her back to bed.

She didn't know where she was, the smell of antiseptics and machines beeping filled her head- A hospital room. But how did she get here? She was just talking to the Goddess and now she wakes up in a hospital bed.

She gazed down at her body and noticed the IV tube inserted into her wrist and the hospital gown she had on. She tried to talk but her voice was not audible enough, so she cleared her throat and tried again.

''Where am I?'' she said as fear and confusion gripped her soul, but she got no response.

''Where am I? Damn it!'' she exclaimed, with a surge of desperation. She had used all the strength she had left to say that, and it worked, because the door busted open, and a doctor hurried in.

She understood that the goddess had told her that she was going to be reincarnated. But she was not specific about the body in which she would reincarnate as. And so, she wondered whose body she now possessed.

"Please doctor, what happened? and how come I'm in the hospital?"

The Doctor didn't respond until he made a phone call, and he was done checking the beeping machines beside her.

"My Queen, thank goodness you are awake, you were rushed in here three days ago after you were involved in a ghastly car crash that made you hit your head hard on the steering wheel, and you passed out," The Doctor explained calmly, his face etched with concern.

"Queen?" Beatrice repeated. She thought within herself, could she have reincarnated as a powerful Queen? If so, the Queen of which kingdom, and how powerful was this Queen? Does this Queen have a Wolf? Or was it just a wolf less Queen? These were the questions she needed answers to, but she knew she couldn't ask anyone.

She was running out of patience, she needed to see her new body, she needed to know who this Queen was, but she was too scared to ask the doctor the flood of questions swirling in her mind, for fear of being discovered.

But a man walked in and jolted her from her thoughts. She froze at the sight of the man, the shivers that went through her felt like ice, she blinked rapidly to ensure that she could see properly, she pinched herself again to confirm that she was not dreaming, what could he possibly be doing at the hospital?

As he came in, the doctor excused himself leaving her alone with the sight that made her heart pound: The sight of Alpha King Derek Dumbledore of Moonhaven Kingdom startled her, and she couldn't help but wonder within her what he was doing in the hospital at that moment.

She gasped for breath as she thought What happened? I thought I would be reincarnated to another kingdom entirely? How come I am still seeing this man? But the name Alpha Derek called her now shocked her more than his presence.

''Daphne, how are you feeling?" He asked, his deep voice filling the room as he gently took her hands in his "I came as soon as the Doctor called. Your Father and siblings were really worried about you"

"Daphne?" The word felt strange on her lips, but she had no choice now-The owner of the body she now possessed belonged to Queen Daphne, The wife to the Alpha King Derek: The same Derek she had admired from afar.

Beatrice's heart raced as realization struck- Was this some sort of joke that fate was playing on her? She wondered, why she was reincarnated into the body of a person she thought of as her enemy? What was supposed to be the correlation?

"Daphne, are you sure you are okay?" he asked, his voice growing with concern.

"Yes I'm... I'm fine she stuttered, but..."

"But what?" He interrupted cutting her off with a sharp gaze

"No, it's nothing," She tried to fake a smile, but it felt wrong.

But she wished she could be alone, with time to come to terms with this sudden upsurge of emotion. She fancied him. Her libido had risen to slap her in the face and had drawn her to the man that definitely wasn't interested in her- In Daphne. But maybe she should be happy about possessing this body. She could use that as a medium to get close to Derek. But then she thought again. Was it a blessing or a curse to be in this body?

"I have called Josh and Zoe. Immediately I heard that you were awake. They would be here any time soon, they have been worried sick about you," Derek said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

It was normal for him to have called them. At least they were worried about their sister. But she didn't know how to act when they finally got there, how could she pretend that she was their beloved sister?

"Okay, but I need to tell you something before Josh and Zoe get here," she said carefully.

"Okay, what is it? You don't seem to be yourself. You have been acting strange since I got here. Are you sure you are okay?" He frowned, his brows furrowing.

"It's just that," she paused and hesitated a bit, she had to be careful not to reveal much, she took a deep breath, "I don't seem to remember anything at all," she said in a low tone, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't worry, I'm sure with time you will recover your memory, when you recover completely," his voice sounded cold and detached. He had said that with no emotion at all, his expression was flat, as if he didn't believe her.

He knew Daphne was always up to no good. She would use any trick to keep him by her side at all times, and he was not ready to buy into any of that for now. He was already burdened with the sad news of Beatrice's death, and he wouldn't want Daphne to add to his burden, and so he just threw that off.

"Josh and Zoe will be here any time, I'm sure you'll be happy to see them. But right now I have to head back to the castle. I have so many things to do. Take care of yourself," He said abruptly and left, his departure was swift.

He should be happy that his wife who was involved in an accident had woken up, but his expression showed nothing but sadness, Could he be mourning me? Beatrice heart sank at this possibility, she felt trapped between two lives- was she doomed to be in a loveless marriage even after her previous life was filled with chaos?

Now that he had gone, she wondered how she would act in front of Josh and Zoe. Should she tell them that she had lost her memory, since she had no memory of Daphne? She thought, but those two are always up to no good, including Daphne.

They have always been mischievous, all their lives, and she thought that when they arrived, she would know exactly what to do. After a few hours, the both of them came into the hospital room. She was already prepared, and she had braced herself up. She knew she had to act flawlessly, so that they would not know that she was somebody else.

"Sis, we were so worried about you," Zoe said, giving her a warm hug, "Are you sure you are okay? Does your head still hurt?" she asked hurriedly, the excitement to see her sister was evident in her expression.

"No, I'm fine. How is father?" Beatrice said, trying hard to suppress the confusion clawing at her.

"Father is fine. He said he would come to check on you later," Zoe responded.

"I have good news for you," Josh interrupted their conversation, grinning from ear to ear.

"What is the good news?" she managed a smile, but she knew that whatever good news Josh had, could have nothing to do with Beatrice.

"We finally did it," his grin widened "We got rid of Beatrice, your husband's fated mate," he said with a hysterical laugh.

With this revelation, her heart skipped a bit.

"You got rid of Beatrice? How? she asked as her heart pounded so hard in her chest.

"Yes, we did. It went smoothly," he said as his voice tinged with excitement, "But what do you mean by how? You knew this was the plan all along" He asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

"I mean, I thought she was killed in an accident- by a speeding vehicle," she stammered.

"How did you know that?" Josh's eyes narrowed.

"The Alpha must have told her," Zoe replied in her defense, "isn't it?" she asked, turning her gaze towards Daphne trying to confirm what she had just said.

Beatrice realized she needed to be more careful, she couldn't say things that would reveal her true identity.

"Yes, you're right," she nodded gently, "it was Derek that told me about it," she lied.

This sudden revelation has set a fire of fury within her, but she needed to be careful so as not to reveal her true identity.

"Alright, she's gone now and we have gotten rid of the only thing that's taking Derek's attention," he replied.

"Has she been buried?" Beatrice asked, trying to submerge the anger fuming in her.

"No, and why do you suddenly care?" Zoe asked curiously.

"The thing is, I don't care. I just want us to avert all forms of suspicion. Let's hold a funeral service for her," her voice tight with suppressed rage

"That will be a total waste of time and money," Josh snapped.

"I think Sis is right, it'll be the last thing we are doing for her, and who knows if we'll finally win Derek's heart with this act," she responded.

Josh's eyes narrowed with suspicion. He knew something was not right about Daphne but he couldn't place his hands on what was wrong. He knew how much Daphne hated Beatrice since they were little, she had even tried to poison her but she failed. The sudden compassion baffled him and made his mind unsettled.

"Daphne, you don't sound like yourself, Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, more concerned than surprised.

"I am fine, I already told you that I want us to avert all suspicion, it'll keep Derek from getting suspicious," she replied smoothly.

So they had killed her because of Derek's interest in her, but she was an ordinary slave, why was she a threat to them? She had thought that it was an accident but she was wrong. It was indeed planned. She will be needing all the patience in the world to discover more of their heinous plan.

They were a deadly family filled with vicious people, and now Fate had made her part of the family- The family that caused her death. She wondered what it was that she had done to deserve such a cruel fate.

But one thing is certain: She needed to unravel their secrets before they unraveled her.