Chapter 2

• “Where am I?” Amara wondered as her gaze wandered around the unfamiliar surroundings. She was in a garden, but not just any garden. This place was beyond anything she had ever seen: lush, vibrant, and so serene that it could calm the most troubled souls. The flowers seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, their colors more vibrant than any she had encountered in the real world. Each petal was perfect, and the air smelled sweeter than any perfume she had ever known.
• The garden's peacefulness should have soothed her, but Amara felt unsettled. She had been sure she was dead. ‘I should be dead,’ she thought, touching the place on her body where Lucy had stabbed her. Her fingers brushed against her skin, but there was no wound, no pain. It was as if it had never happened.
• Amara’s heart raced as memories came flooding back. ‘Lucy.‘ The betrayal. The ambush. ‘Xander.‘ Her husband, the Alpha King, had died trying to protect her. And the years she had spent believing he was her enemy, the cause of her suffering.
• She clenched her fists, anger rising inside her like a storm. How could she have been so blind? For two years, she had treated Xander with contempt, pushing him away and blaming him for her pain. All along, it had been her family, Lucy, her stepsister, and her accomplices who had staged her misery.
• ‘I was a fool.‘ Amara thought bitterly. She closed her eyes, letting the painful memories wash over her. ‘If only I had known. If only I could turn back time, I would make them all pay. I would make Lucy suffer for what she’s done. And Xander... I would tell him how sorry I am.‘
• The weight of her regret was suffocating. She couldn’t shake the image of Xander’s lifeless body from her mind. He had died protecting her, even after everything she had done to push him away. She had been so focused on her own pain that she hadn’t seen the truth until it was too late.
• Amara stood up and wandered aimlessly through the garden, her heart heavy with sorrow and anger. She approached a water fountain in the center of the garden and leaned against it, staring at her reflection in the rippling water.
• “If only I could turn back time,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
• Suddenly, a soft, soothing voice spoke behind her. “My child, stop crying.”
• Amara’s head snapped up, her breath catching in her throat. She turned around slowly, and standing before her was a woman unlike anyone she had ever seen. The woman’s skin was pale and flawless, her long white hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of silk. She was dressed in a magnificent white lace gown that shimmered in the light, resembling a wedding gown. Upon her head sat a crystal crown adorned with wolves of every color, each one intricately designed.
• Amara blinked in astonishment. ‘Who is this woman? And where did she come from?‘
• “Do not be afraid, my child,” the woman said, her voice as soft as a lullaby. “I am not here to harm you.”
• Amara swallowed hard, her mind racing with questions. “Who are you? Where is this place? Why am I here?” Her voice trembled with confusion and uncertainty. ‘I’m supposed to be dead,‘ she thought again, yet here she was, standing in this beautiful garden with no sign of the wound that had killed her.
• The woman smiled gently and extended her hand. “Be calm, my child. I will answer all your questions. Come, let us sit.”
• Amara hesitated for a moment, but something about the woman’s presence reassured her. There was a warmth, a peace that radiated from her, soothing Amara’s troubled heart. Tentatively, she reached out and took the woman’s hand.
• As soon as their hands touched, a wave of calm washed over Amara, and the heaviness in her chest began to lift. The woman led her to a nearby stone bench surrounded by blooming flowers. They sat down, and Amara couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of the garden once again. It felt like a place beyond the realm of mortals, a place of the gods.
• “I am Selena, the Moon Goddess,” the woman said, her voice soft but filled with authority.
• Amara’s breath caught in her throat, and she leapt to her feet, staring at Selena in awe. ‘The Moon Goddess?‘ The mother of all werewolves? The deity who watched over their kind? She had heard the stories, of course, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined meeting the goddess in person.
• “Please, sit,” Selena said, her smile never wavering. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
• Amara hesitated for a moment longer before sitting back down, her heart still racing with disbelief. She was in the presence of the Moon Goddess herself. How could this be?
• As if sensing her confusion, Selena placed a comforting hand on Amara’s shoulder. “You have been through much, my child. I know the pain you carry in your heart.”
• Amara’s eyes filled with tears, and she lowered her gaze, unable to meet the goddess’s eyes. “I was so foolish,” she whispered. “I believed all the lies. I hurt the one person who truly loved me, and now... now he’s gone.”
• Selena’s expression softened with sympathy. “It is true, you have suffered greatly. But you were not entirely at fault. You were deceived by those you trusted.”
• Amara nodded, her chest tightening. “My family... Lucy... she betrayed me. She destroyed everything. And I... I let her.”
• Selena gently lifted Amara’s chin, forcing her to meet her gaze. “Do not be too hard on yourself, child. The heart is often clouded by pain, and the mind follows where the heart leads. But your journey is not over.”
• Amara’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean? Xander is dead. I’m dead. There’s nothing left.”
• The Moon Goddess smiled, and there was a glimmer of something hopeful in her eyes. “That is where you are wrong. I have brought you here for a reason, Amara.”
• Amara blinked, trying to understand. “Why? Why am I here?”
• Selena’s smile widened, and she stood, the light of the garden reflecting off her crystal crown. “I am giving you a chance, my child. A chance to go back.”
• Amara’s heart skipped a beat. “Go back?”
• “To two years ago, before all of this happened. Before the betrayal. Before the pain,” Selena explained, her voice filled with warmth.
• Amara’s eyes widened in shock. “You mean... I can go back and change everything?”
• The Moon Goddess nodded. “Yes. You can undo the mistakes of the past. You can protect Xander, reveal the truth, and prevent the tragedy that has befallen you. But you must act wisely, Amara. The path ahead will not be easy, and your enemies will still seek to destroy you.”
• Tears filled Amara’s eyes, but this time, they were tears of hope. ‘A second chance.‘ She could fix everything. She could save Xander, expose Lucy, and make things right.
• “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “Thank you so much.”
• Selena smiled and gently touched Amara’s forehead. “Be strong, my child. Remember, the future is shaped by the choices you make. Choose wisely.”
• With that, a bright light enveloped Amara, and the garden began to fade around her. She closed her eyes, feeling a strange warmth and peace settle over her as the world around her shifted.