From the moment I was born, I didn’t cry or make a sound.

Because this was my second time living.

I thought I was strange enough, but my twin sister, Alayah, was even stranger.

“We’re not real sisters,” she said, her voice soft but firm.

I froze, unsure how a one-year-old werewolf pup was supposed to react.

She continued, “Since I’ve taken your sister’s place, I’ll take care of you.”

My heart slowly settled back into place.

So that’s what she meant.

---

I often wondered if she could see things I couldn’t.

When we were alone in our shared room, she would sometimes stare into the air, her tiny fists clenched, her eyes wild with excitement.

“A huge bowl of spaghetti, I’m going to devour it,” she’d mutter.

“Oh, and a milkshake with whipped cream, I’ll slurp it all down.

“Wow, a juicy steak, burgers, fries, nachos, and a chocolate cake—come on, all of you, get in my mouth!”

At times like these, I’d instinctively scoot farther away.

Just in case she decided to eat me too.

My sister was lively, so our mother named her Joy.

I was more reserved, so she called me Grace.

Our parents were Omegas in the Evans Pack.

Our father, Cristian Cruz, a high-ranking Beta, died protecting the Alpha’s son during a pack training accident, his ribs crushed by a rogue’s attack. He didn’t last long after that.

My sister and I were born into servitude, destined to live under the Alpha’s rule. In this life, no one but the Alpha could decide our fate—not even a mate.

I was relieved I wouldn’t meet the same end as my past life, where my mate, a rogue, had betrayed me and left me for dead.

The cost of this relief was a lifetime of servitude, and the same fate for any children I might have.

From the moment we could walk, we were taught how to serve the Alpha’s family.

The first words our mother taught us weren’t “Mom” or “Dad,” but “Luna.”

“The Luna gives us everything. She is our moon, our guide.

“In the Evans Pack, we obey only her. If the Luna commands us to die, we die.

“If the Luna is in danger, you must protect her with your life, no matter the cost.”

Whenever she said this, my sister, Alayah, would roll her eyes behind her back.

I’d stifle a laugh, only to be met with our mother’s sharp glare.

During the day, I listened to our mother’s lectures. At night, Alayah whispered rebellious ideas into my ear.

“Don’t listen to Mom. If the Luna’s in trouble, the Deltas will protect her. Don’t throw your life away for nothing.

“Save as much money as you can. If we ever get a chance to leave the pack and live as rogues, that’s the best thing we could do.”

Mother was busy caring for the young pack heir, so it was just my sister Alayah and I, growing up side by side.

I often heard her muttering about "Wi-Fi" and "smartphones." I had no idea what a smartphone was, but I knew about nets.

In my past life, when times were hard, I’d gone hunting a few times. So, on our tenth birthday, I decided to make her a hunting trap as a gift.

At first, she didn’t understand what it was. After I explained, she burst into laughter, clutching her sides.

She pinched my cheeks, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "My little sister is just too adorable."

I frowned and swatted her hand away. If we were counting lifetimes, I was probably older than her.

With a flourish, she pulled out two meat pies from a bag. "You can’t have a birthday without a birthday treat," she declared.

I blinked at her, correcting her gently. "Those are just meat pies."

She stuck out her tongue at me and pulled out two candles she’d scavenged from somewhere. "I say it’s a treat, so it’s a treat," she said firmly, shoving the candles into the pies.

She then ordered me to close my eyes and make a wish. By now, I was used to her quirks, so I obeyed, closing my eyes with genuine sincerity. My wish was simple—I wanted my sister to always be happy and safe.

When I opened my eyes, she was grinning at me.

"Did you make a wish?" I asked.

She nodded, her smile softening. "My wish was to take you to my time," she said, her voice wistful. "Then I could take you to eat real birthday treats, go to pack runs, and enjoy the full moon feasts."

She listed off a string of things that sounded magical and delicious, her excitement infectious. But then her voice trailed off, and her expression grew somber.

"You’d love it there," she murmured, almost to herself.

I was hanging on her every word, so when she stopped, I nudged her. "Why’d you stop?"

"You really want to hear more?" Her eyes lit up again, and when I nodded, she launched into a detailed description of her world.

That night, she told me about things I could hardly imagine—pack gatherings, howling ceremonies, and so much more. It was as if she’d opened a door to a whole new world for me, one I could barely comprehend but desperately wanted to explore.