“Sean? What’s wrong with you today? You’re hurting me.”

Kinley Taylor rubbed her reddened wrist, her voice tinged with irritation. I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white as I fought to suppress the surge of anger rising in my chest.

“Kinley… do you really hate her that much?”

At my words, Kinley’s head snapped up. The jealousy in her eyes burned like a wildfire, ready to consume everything in its path.

“Of course! Everyone knows the Herrera family has the perfect daughter, the brilliant Isabel. Who ever notices the one hiding in the shadows?”

“From the time I was a child, the Omegas always told me to behave, to not compete—but why?”

“Just because my mother was an Omega? Just because I was born two years later?”

She grabbed my hand, her eyes desperate for validation.

“Sean, don’t you hate her too? That wretch was your mate for three years, yet she still treated you like a Rogue!”

“Even though you’re at a crucial point in your career as Alpha… she kept the gold mine a secret. My father was such a fool, refusing to say anything before he died.”

She suddenly let out a low, mocking laugh.

“But it doesn’t matter now… I’m the one who won in the end… You’re mine… Ah!”

Her laughter cut off abruptly as my hand closed around her throat. Her perfectly painted face twisted in terror.

“Let… go…”

Her choked plea was barely audible as her legs kicked uselessly in the air. With just a little more pressure, Kinley would be gone forever.

But as her eyes began to glaze over, I released my grip. Kinley crumpled to the floor like a broken doll.

“Cough… cough…”

She clutched her neck, gasping for air, tears and smeared makeup streaking her face. I crouched down, gripping her chin and forcing her to look at me.

“So, you were the one who set the Herrera pack on fire?”

Kinley’s coughing stopped. She stared at me with wide, horrified eyes, as if I were a monster.

“Sean… have you lost your mind?”

Her voice was hoarse.

“That night… wasn’t it you who led the warriors to start the fire? You said… you wanted to make my father talk in the flames…”

Her words struck me like a thunderbolt. The night the Herrera pack burned, when Sean returned “drunk,” the dark stains on his clothes—they weren’t from alcohol.

It was fire oil.

And I, the fool, had been busy brewing him a healing potion…

Kinley Taylor scrambled toward the door while I was momentarily distracted. Just as her fingers brushed the threshold, I seized her ankle and dragged her back across the floor.

"Ah!" she screamed, her pregnant belly scraping against the rough surface, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.

I hauled her onto the bed and placed my hand gently on her swollen stomach, feeling the violent kicks beneath my palm. The pup inside seemed to sense the danger, thrashing in fear. I wiped away the tears streaming down her terrified face.

"Kinley," I murmured softly, "you played a part in the pack’s destruction, didn’t you?"

Her entire body shuddered, and she let out a piercing scream. "You’re not Sean! Who are you?!"

Her panic only intensified the pup’s movements, its tiny feet visibly pressing against her skin. I glanced down at my hands, now strong and powerful. Being an Alpha—being the pack leader—felt incredible. The sheer strength at my fingertips was intoxicating.

"I am your Sean," I whispered, my voice tender. "Your mate." My fingers tightened around her throat, cutting off any further words. She didn’t deserve to speak. She deserved to die.

Kinley’s eyes widened in terror, her hands clawing desperately at my arms before finally falling limp.

Tch. Killing her was easier than I’d imagined.

The candlelight flickered violently, casting my shadow like a ghostly specter. I turned for one last look at Kinley Taylor. Her eyes were wide open, filled with fear and resentment. She had died with her eyes wide open, unable to close them in peace. With a wave of my hand, I tilted the candleholder. The flames instantly engulfed the bed curtains embroidered with wolves.

Tripp Cooper, the loyal beta, was already waiting with the car at the side gate. His eyes flickered with surprise, but he wisely held his tongue, asking no questions. I glanced back one final time. Thick, black smoke was already billowing from Kinley's quarters.

"Tripp, take me back to the pack house," I ordered as I climbed into the car. With a rev of the engine, we sped forward.

At the Herrera pack house, Calliope Sullivan, one of the omegas, rushed out to meet me in a panic. "Alpha, you're finally back! Luna, she—" Before she could finish, a loud crash of shattering glass erupted from inside the house, followed by the shrill, hysterical screams of a woman.

I pushed the door open. The room was in complete disarray. "Isabel! Thank the Moon Goddess you're here!" A figure stumbled toward me, tripping over their own feet. It was Sean Herrera—or rather, the version of him currently trapped in my body. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes were wide with panic. "Isabel, what in the name of the Moon Goddess is going on? Why did our bodies switch? You have to fix this! It’s madness!"

I sidestepped neatly as he reached for me, my voice calm and measured. "Why would I want to fix it? Being a man suits me just fine."

His gaze froze on my collar, as though he had just realized something horrifying. His voice trembled uncontrollably. "Isabel, where… where did you come from?" A slow, deliberate smile curved my lips. "Guess."