“You really think you can outsmart me, Sabrina?”

I said this as I walked back and forth in the room, my hands shaking with anger. This was not just about the past; it was about survival. Every night since I returned, I focused on making the potion that could help me regain my position as the pack’s lead healer.

But whenever I tried to relax, memories flooded my mind—the betrayal, the accusations, and how Sabrina had humiliated me. I wouldn’t let that happen again.

On the seventh night, a soft knock interrupted my thoughts. The door opened, revealing my mother. She smiled warmly and placed a bowl of soup on my desk.

“Jade, you’re working too hard,” she said gently, her eyes full of concern. “You’ve been at this for days. It’s not good for you.”

I glanced at the piles of notes and herbs scattered across the desk. “I’m fine, Mom. I need to finish this.”

She shook her head softly and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You’re stronger than you think, sweetheart. Just don’t lose yourself in it.”

Her words felt like a splash of cold water. For the first time in days, I took a deep breath. Why hadn’t I thought of this before? I didn’t have to rush. I could create this potion in peace, away from prying eyes. This time, no one, not even Sabrina, would be able to steal it.

I kissed my mom on the cheek, thankful for her support. “Get some rest, Mom. I’ll handle the rest.”

Once she left, I grabbed a pen and began writing the new formula for the elixir by hand. This time, I wouldn’t leave any digital files for anyone to copy. I would perfect every ingredient and step in secret.

By morning, I had finished the first draft of the potion's formula. I felt proud. This elixir was my chance to restore my honor, and I wouldn’t let Sabrina ruin it again.

But as the sun came through the window, doubt crept in. I remembered how, in my past life, Sabrina had stood before the entire pack, accusing me of treason. She claimed I had stolen her family’s ancient healing formula, and her tears made everyone believe her.

Sabrina Voss, with her perfect looks and manipulative charm, had turned the entire pack against me. They called me a traitor, saying I had endangered their lives with a stolen potion.

The whispers and accusations came rushing back.

“I heard Jade’s been up to something shady. She shouldn’t even be allowed near the pack’s archives.”

“Sabrina’s family trusted her with that formula for generations, and Jade stole it? What a disgrace!”

My anger flared as I remembered my packmates' cruel words. They didn’t hesitate to turn against me and exile my family because of her lies. Even Samuel, my mate, had chosen her over me.

I clenched my fists at the memory of Samuel looking at her like she was the only one that mattered.

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away. This time would be different. I wouldn’t let Sabrina ruin my life again.

As I finished my preparations, I heard whispers outside my window. The pack was already talking.

“Did you see Sabrina’s latest post? She said someone’s trying to steal her family’s formula again.”

“No way. Is that true? Who could it be?”

“Sabrina’s been working on a new elixir for the pack. Whoever it is will get themselves exiled for this. You know how Alpha Samuel cares for his childhood friend.”

The gossip felt like a punch to the gut. My instincts screamed at me to confront her, but I knew better. I needed proof. I couldn’t rush into this without a plan, not again.

My heart raced as I pulled up my phone. There it was—Sabrina’s post, timestamped early that morning. She claimed someone had stolen her work again, hinting at my name.

She was doing it again. Stealing my work and twisting it into her own. But this time, I wouldn’t let her get away with it.

I scrolled through her post, narrowing my eyes at the details. She mentioned working on a healing potion—my potion. The one I had been perfecting for weeks. How could she know? I hadn’t shared it with anyone.

My mind raced, piecing it together. Someone must have leaked my work to her. But who?

Suddenly, it hit me. Samuel.

Of course. He had always defended her, always found ways to praise her, even at my expense. Was he feeding her information? Was he helping her sabotage me again?

My heart pounded as I stared at my phone, the weight of betrayal settling in. Samuel was my mate, the one person who was supposed to protect me. But he had let me down before, and now it looked like he was doing it again.

I couldn’t trust anyone—not even him.

But I wasn’t the same Jade I had been in my past life. This time, I had a plan. I wouldn’t let them take everything from me again. And when the time came, I would expose Sabrina for the fraud she was.

For now, I needed to be smart. I couldn’t let them know what I was planning.

I grabbed my notes and headed to the pack’s training grounds, where I knew I could work without interruption.

As I stepped into the clearing, the familiar scent of pine and earth filled my senses. The pack was gathered, sparring and training under the watchful eye of the beta, Lucian. He had serious eyes, and then suddenly, he glanced my way. I looked away immediately, feeling a chill run down my spine.

I spotted Samuel and Sabrina near the edge of the group, laughing together as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

My blood boiled, but I kept my face neutral and minded my own business.

‘She’s doing it again, isn’t she?’

The thought echoed in my mind as I looked at my phone, watching the pack’s group chat fill with messages. My heart raced. Sabrina had just posted another update—this time, her face was red and puffy from crying as she addressed the whole pack.

“Someone has stolen my family’s ancient healing formula again,” her voice shook with emotion. “I’ve worked so hard, and I won’t let anyone take credit for my work.”

Her words hit me like a knife. The formula she was referring to was mine—the one I had been secretly perfecting. Anger bubbled inside me.

Suddenly, another message appeared in the chat, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Someone shared a rumor that Sabrina was depressed from the stress and had taken a leave of absence from her healer duties. The chat erupted with sympathy for her.

“She needs time to recover,” one wolf said.

“She’s too pure for this world,” another added, clearly falling for her act.

Then Samuel chimed in, “This needs to be investigated! We must find the wolf responsible and ensure they can never practice as a healer again!”

I clenched my jaw. Samuel had always been her biggest supporter, pushing her stories and fueling the anger against me. His loyalty to her made me sick.

But what came next made my stomach churn.

“Thanks, Samuel. I miss your stew,” she replied, her message dripping with false warmth.

He quickly responded, “Whenever you’re feeling better, just come over. I’ll make it for you anytime.”

Reading those words made me realize I had made the right choice to distance myself from him. His betrayal was clear as day now.

The rest of the pack seemed to rally around Sabrina, offering their support while I was left in the shadows. Within minutes, someone started a petition demanding that the alpha and beta investigate the “plagiarism” and punish whoever was guilty. The signatures piled up quickly, each one like a stab to my heart. Memories from my past life overwhelmed me.

I remembered the hate-filled messages, the threats, and how the pack turned against me because of her lies.

“Watch your back, Jade. The shadows are waiting for you.”

“You’re poison, and we’ll make sure the pack knows.”

The worst one haunted me still: “Your family will pay for what you’ve done.”

That curse had come true. My parents had died because of me.

The pain of losing them struck me hard, my fists tightening until my nails dug into my palms, drawing blood. I wouldn’t let history repeat itself. This time, I would protect myself and those I loved.

As I stared at my phone, lost in thought, someone in the chat tagged me.

“I heard Jade is working on a potion similar to Sabrina’s. Could she be the one stealing from her?”

More messages flooded in.

“Jade? She’s the top healer in the pack, right? Would she even need to steal?”

“You never know. People hide their true selves. Maybe she’s been faking it this whole time.”

The rumors spread like wildfire, and there was Samuel, watching it all unfold. He could have defended me, could have spoken up, but he stayed silent. Not a single word.

Frustration boiled over inside me. I wanted to leave the chat, disconnect from the chaos, and clear my head. But just as I was about to exit, a new post appeared from Sabrina.

“To protect my work, I’m sharing the latest draft of my healing formula. Please help me if anyone tries to steal it again.”

Her message was followed by screenshots of her potion’s formula. My heart sank.

With shaking hands, I clicked through the screenshots of Sabrina’s formula. My anger grew with every line I read.