Chapter 2 A Second Chance at Life as Olivia Gibson

• In the shabby ward of Saint Anne Hospital in Archenland...
• "My daughter has a concussion, and this is all the compensation you're offering? If she ends up with some sort of lasting damage and can't awaken her wolf, her life will be ruined! Who's going to take responsibility for that? I'm telling you, if we don't get at least several thousand today, we'll take this to the cops. I'll make sure every pack knows how your school handles things! Let's see how long you'll stay in business then!"
• "Do you hear yourself, Mrs. Gibson? Your daughter attends Alliance Middle School for adolescent werewolves going through development, not a nursery for your own pack's cubs. She's old enough now. Do you expect the teachers to watch her every second? And let's not forget, she fell down the stairs because of her own clumsiness from being overweight. The responsibility is on her. Us covering half her medical expenses is more than generous."
• They added, "Your daughter's behavior at school hasn't been great either. It's bad enough that she's always at the bottom of the class, but she's a distraction to other students as well. Her classmates have complained about her multiple times! Just the other day, she was harassing a boy from another pack. He made it clear he wasn't interested in her, but she wouldn't leave him alone, even invading his privacy. His parents came to see me about it."
• Melisenna Zuch put her paws on her hips, taking a confrontational stance. "So, you're saying the school doesn't want to pay, am I right?"
• The argument had gotten heated, with both sides red in the face.
• Suddenly, a cold, commanding voice cut through the noise. "Shut up!"
• Instantly, Mrs. Gibson, her husband, and the teachers all fell silent, turning to look at the heavy girl lying on the bed.
• Crimson Shadowblade pressed a hand to her throbbing temples and slowly sat up. The thin bed frame groaned under the strain of her weight.
• A sharp pain spread from the back of her head through her entire body, causing her to frown as she tried to adjust.
• Suddenly, she sensed something amiss. Her hand, which had been massaging her temple, froze mid-motion. A moment later, her eyes snapped open.
• Am I not dead?
• Her gaze quickly swept across the room, landing on the four ordinary werewolves standing at the foot of the bed while staring at her.
• "Who are you?"
• Her voice sounded unfamiliar, and her sharp gaze narrowed. This wasn't her voice. She immediately reached for her throat, only to notice the thick, fleshy arm that lifted in response.
• Her frown deepened.
• What the hell was going on?
• The girl's question left the four people in the room momentarily stunned.
• Melisenna immediately lunged at the teachers, her voice rising in a shrill wail. "Look at my daughter! She's lost her mind, but all your school's offering is a bit of medical compensation! You're a disgrace to the entire werewolf society! Aren't you afraid of Neoma's wrath?"
• A middle-aged teacher wearing thick glasses looked visibly rattled. "Mrs. Gibson, please calm down."
• "It's me, Olivia, your dad! Don't you recognize me?" her father pleaded, his voice filled with concern.
• "Olivia, please don't scare us. Perhaps you're still feeling wonky. Take a closer look! Don't you recognize us?"
• But the girl only stared at her thick, unfamiliar arm.
• Just then, the TV broadcast caught her attention.
• "Breaking news! Earlier this morning at ten past seven, a massive explosion occurred on an isolated island at Southport..."
• Crimson Shadowblade's eyes flicked toward the screen.
• It was the island, the very same one she had destroyed with her own paws.
• Meanwhile, Melisenna continued her loud argument over compensation with the teachers while her father fussed anxiously at his daughter's side, trying to gauge her condition.
• Crimson Shadowblade's head throbbed with unbearable pain, and finally, she snapped. "Get out. All of you."
• "Everyone, leave Olivia alone. She just woke up, so she needs plenty of rest. Let's take things outside." For once, her father took charge and ushered the quarrelsome Melisenna out of the room.
• Finally, silence settled in the ward. The faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air as Crimson Shadowblade remained unnervingly calm despite the bizarre situation.
• Outside, Melisenna's loud voice echoed down the hallway.
• The girl slipped into the bathroom, where she stared unblinkingly at the reflection in the mirror to find an unfamiliar face staring back. Her features were delicate, but her expression was still somewhat sharp.
• Also, her face remained unblemished, and her clear, pale skin gave off a youthful glow despite her overweight figure.
• Suddenly, a flood of memories that did not belong to her surged through her mind. She furrowed her brows tightly, overwhelmed by the influx of foreign thoughts.
• It turned out that Crimson Shadowblade, the elite werewolf warrior, had indeed perished. But she had been reborn in the body of an omega girl from Ravenscroft Pack.
• Ravenscroft Pack?
• Crimson Shadowblade frowned. She had never heard of them. It was a pack too small to be of note.
• The largest pack on the continent was the Shadowfang Pack, primarily located in the west. It was the very pack she had once pledged her loyalty to, only for them to betray her and try to kill her in the end.
• The second largest was Midnight Pack, a powerful yet secretive force located in the east. Even the ambitious alpha of Shadowfang Pack dared not provoke them easily.
• Besides these two behemoths, there were over a dozen other large packs and countless medium and small packs.
• Many of these smaller packs had formed alliances to defend themselves against the dominance of the larger packs. Ravenscroft Pack was one such member of the alliance, and the original owner of this body had been a student at Alliance Middle School.
• "Vali?"
• Blood Shadow gazed at the unfamiliar face in the mirror and softly called out.
• She felt a strange mix of hope and anxiety stirring within her.
• According to the memories she now possessed, this body had yet to awaken its wolf. She had no idea if her own wolf, Vali, was still with her.
• She waited for a moment, but there was no response.
• "Vali, are you still there?" she called again.
• Suddenly, a majestic white wolf appeared in the mirror.
• Its fur shimmered as though caught in a breeze, though the air remained still. The wolf stood tall and proud, exuding an aura of overwhelming power and command.
• It was her wolf, Vali.
• "Crimson Shadowblade!" Vali exclaimed in relief.
• "Vali, it's wonderful you're still here!" The girl's usually cool voice wavered slightly, and she glanced down at her unfamiliar body. "Do you know what happened? Why am I like this?"
• "We've been reborn!" Vali's voice carried a barely contained excitement. "Neoma heard our prayers and granted us a second chance! This time, you can choose to live a new life that's free from the burdens of the past or continue your quest for revenge. The choice is yours."
• The girl slowly extended her unfamiliar, pudgy hand, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips. "After what Shadowfang Pack did to me, I can't not have revenge. But…"
• Her gaze shifted back to the mirror, focusing on Vali as she voiced another question, "Since Neoma heard our prayers and gave me this new life, does that mean the original owner of this body is truly gone?"
• Vali's answer was firm. "Yes. You have inherited her memories and can see the pain and suffering she endured. She didn't want to live anymore and hoped someone stronger would take over. Neoma also heard her plea and granted her wish, giving this body to someone powerful enough, which is you."
• The girl fell silent for a moment, her gaze dropping as if lost in thought.
• "Regardless of everything, Crimson Shadowblade, congratulations on your second life," Vali said with a gentle smile. "This new body may be of omega rank, but to avoid any unnecessary attention, I will conceal myself for now. Good luck." With that, Vali faded from sight, though Crimson Shadowblade knew her wolf was still with her.
• The girl stared at her reflection in the mirror and whispered, "Olivia Gibson."
• It sounded good. Anyhow, it seemed more human than her own name.
• She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she had fully embraced her new body and identity.
• "Don't worry, Olivia. I won't let those who hurt you off the hook. I'll also protect the ones you love."
• Once Olivia's wishes were fulfilled, she would return to Shadowfang Pack and make those who wronged her pay with their blood.
• In just ten minutes, Crimson Shadowblade had crafted an elaborate plan for revenge. But there was one problem she hadn't accounted for…