Chapter 3: Chapter 2: The Awakening
"Do you remember the feeling of drowning?"
Selene jolted awake, gasping for air as if she had been submerged in icy waters. Her vision blurred, her lungs burned, and her heart thudded erratically in her chest. She clawed at the silk sheets beneath her, confusion slicing through her mind like shards of broken glass.
She was alive.
But how?
Selene sat up slowly, her senses overloaded. The faint scent of lavender lingered in the air—her favorite fragrance—and sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, bathing her room in a warm golden hue. This was her bedroom in the Caelum estate, perfectly preserved as though nothing had changed. As though her death had been nothing but a nightmare.
Her trembling hands reached for her neck, expecting to feel the jagged scars of Rowan's betrayal. Instead, her skin was smooth, untouched. Panic gripped her as she looked down at herself. She was dressed in a soft, white nightgown, her body free of the bruises and cuts she remembered so vividly.
"What… is happening?" she whispered to the empty room, her voice hoarse.
She stumbled out of bed, her legs weak and unsteady. Her mind raced, replaying the events of the night before—Rowan's cruel smirk as he exposed her as a fraud, the way the pack turned on her without hesitation, and the excruciating pain as she was thrown into the pit. She could still feel the sharpness of the claws that tore into her flesh, the darkness that consumed her as life slipped away.
Yet here she was, whole and unharmed.
Selene caught sight of herself in the ornate mirror above her vanity. Her reflection stared back at her—a younger version of herself. Her face was softer, her features unmarred by the anguish and fear she had carried in her final moments. She took a step closer, her breath hitching as realization struck her like a thunderclap.
This wasn't her present. This was the past.
---
The heavy oak door creaked open, and Selene turned sharply, her heart pounding. A familiar figure stepped into the room, his presence commanding even in the early morning light. Lucian Caelum, her adoptive father, stood tall and composed, his sharp blue eyes scanning her with a mixture of concern and authority.
"You're awake," he said, his deep voice calm but firm.
Selene stared at him, unable to find her words. Lucian looked exactly as she remembered—his silver-streaked hair neatly combed, his tailored suit impeccable. But it was the worry etched into his face that caught her off guard. In her previous life, Lucian had always been a man of few emotions, his stoicism unyielding.
"Father," she managed to say, her voice trembling.
Lucian's gaze softened at the sound of her voice. He stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You fainted during dinner last night. You've been unwell. The doctor said it was nothing serious, but you gave us all quite a scare."
Dinner last night? Selene's mind raced. That couldn't be right. She had been at the mating ceremony. Rowan had...
She froze, the pieces falling into place with terrifying clarity. This wasn't just the past—it was a specific moment she remembered vividly. This was the week leading up to her engagement to Rowan.
"I'm fine," she said quickly, brushing past Lucian and heading toward the window. Her hands gripped the windowsill as she looked out over the sprawling estate grounds, her thoughts spinning like a storm.
If this was real, then she had been sent back in time.
Her hands tightened into fists as memories of her betrayal resurfaced, vivid and raw. The pain, the humiliation, the anger—all of it surged within her like a tidal wave. She had trusted Rowan. She had loved him. And he had used her, throwing her away without a second thought.
But this time, she wouldn't be so naive.
---
Lucian lingered in the doorway, his expression unreadable. "Selene," he said after a long pause, "if there's something on your mind, you can tell me."
She turned to face him, her gaze steady despite the chaos inside her. "I'm fine," she repeated, forcing a small smile.
He didn't look convinced, but he nodded and left the room, the door closing softly behind him.
As soon as he was gone, Selene let out a shaky breath. She sank onto the edge of her bed, her mind buzzing with possibilities. Was this some kind of punishment? A second chance? Or was it something more sinister?
Her fingers brushed against the pendant around her neck—a silver moonstone necklace that had been a gift from Lucian on her eighteenth birthday. She hadn't noticed it until now, but the stone seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive.
Selene clenched the pendant tightly, her resolve hardening.
If she was back in time, she wouldn't let history repeat itself. She would uncover the truth about her lineage, protect herself from Rowan's schemes, and ensure her survival.
No one would betray her again.
---
The morning passed in a blur as Selene went through the motions of her daily routine, her mind always a step ahead. She avoided Lucian and Astrid, unwilling to answer questions she wasn't ready for. Instead, she focused on gathering information, piecing together the timeline in her head.
It was only when she was alone in the library, flipping through a dusty tome on werewolf history, that she heard the faint creak of the door.
"Skipping breakfast again?"
The voice was smooth, laced with amusement, and Selene's heart sank.
Rowan Vance stood in the doorway, his dark eyes glinting with that familiar mix of charm and arrogance. He leaned casually against the frame, his presence filling the room.
"Rowan," she said, her tone carefully neutral.
He smirked, stepping closer. "You look surprised to see me. Did I catch you off guard?"
Selene forced a smile, her nails digging into the pages of the book she held. "Not at all. I was just... lost in thought."
Rowan tilted his head, studying her with an intensity that made her skin crawl. "You've been acting strange lately," he said, his voice dropping slightly. "Is something wrong, Selene?"
The concern in his tone was almost convincing, but Selene knew better.
"Nothing's wrong," she replied smoothly, closing the book and rising to her feet. She met his gaze, her expression calm but unyielding. "I'm just tired. Perhaps you should focus on your own affairs instead of worrying about me."
Rowan's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before returning, sharper this time. "As you wish," he said, stepping aside to let her pass. "But don't forget, Selene—we're in this together. Always."
Selene walked past him without a word, her heart pounding in her chest.
No, she thought bitterly. Not this time.
Rowan Vance would learn the hard way that she was no longer the naive girl he thought he could manipulate.
This time, she would be the one pulling the strings.
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