The training field buzzed with the usual morning chaos—wolves sparring, warriors shouting instructions, dust rising under heavy boots. But the moment I stepped onto the grounds, conversations muffled. A strange hush rippled outward.
Eyes landed on me.
Not with curiosity.
With confusion.
Because this wasn't the same Aura they were used to—soft, quiet, always standing behind Vivienne, always overshadowed.
I walked straight toward the sparring ring, unbothered by the stares. My mind kept replaying one thing:
Kai noticed the change in me.
He shouldn't have—not this early.
Last life, he didn't look at me twice unless Vivienne was beside him wearing her innocent mask.
This time… he walked to my room first thing in the morning.
And even worse—he looked almost frustrated when I didn't react to him.
Good.
Let him be confused.
Let him wonder what changed.
But not for too long. That attention was dangerous if I wanted to avoid the exact future that killed me.
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
Kai.
He walked across the field with the commanding confidence only an Alpha had—broad shoulders, dark hair tied back, sharp eyes scanning the crowd like he owned everything they touched.
Which, unfortunately, he did.
His gaze locked onto me instantly.
Something flickered in his expression—something warm, something searching.
"Aura."
He said my name like it tasted different today.
Vivienne drifted behind him like a shadow, wearing a bright, fake smile.
"Aura, be careful not to hurt yourself," she chirped.
That was funny.
Last life, I never passed training. My wolf was slow to awaken, clumsy compared to others. I was the weak mate.
But this life… the mark on my wrist pulsed.
A reminder:
I wasn't powerless anymore.
Kai stepped closer, his eyes dragging over me in a way that made nearby warriors pause their fights.
"You look… different today," he said again, softer this time.
I shrugged. "I slept well."
His jaw twitched. That answer annoyed him more than it should've.
He motioned toward the center of the ring. "Show me your stance."
I stepped into the sparring circle. Wolves gathered around us eagerly—Alpha Kai training someone always drew a crowd.
Kai stood in front of me, arms folded, studying every movement I made like he was reading a book written only for him.
In my past life, this moment never happened. He never personally trained me.
"Your feet are too close," Kai murmured, stepping behind me.
I froze.
His hands brushed my waist as he adjusted my posture—firm, warm, lingering one second too long. My breath hitched, not from shyness but from the sharp hit of déjà vu.
Not this time.
I didn't want his touch.
Not when I knew the coldness he was capable of.
I stepped away.
Kai's eyes narrowed a little, as if that retreat stung him.
Before he could speak, a warrior entered the ring.
"Alpha, I'll spar with her."
Whispers rippled.
Aura? Sparring?
She'd get crushed.
Vivienne let out a gentle laugh. "Oh, Kai, don't let her hurt herself—"
"I didn't ask you," Kai said without looking at her.
Her smile stiffened, but she hid it quickly.
I faced the warrior. I remembered him—Rafe. He used to mock me behind my back. He was also one of Vivienne's secret admirers in the last timeline.
Perfect warm-up.
"Ready?" he smirked.
I didn't answer.
The fight started fast.
He lunged—predictable. Strength over strategy.
I dodged, slid under his arm, twisted, and swept his feet from beneath him.
He hit the ground hard.
Gasps erupted.
Rafe got up, embarrassed, and attacked again—sloppy, angry.
I used his momentum, grabbed his arm, and flipped him cleanly onto his back.
The shock on his face was priceless.
Kai stared at me like he was seeing a ghost.
Vivienne's smile had vanished completely.
I stepped away from Rafe, calm, steady, breathing barely elevated.
"Aura," Kai said slowly. "When did you learn that move?"
I met his gaze evenly.
"Just now."
His eyes darkened—not with anger.
With fascination.
And something hotter.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Before he could step closer, a powerful, bone-deep growl echoed across the field—cold, kingly, commanding.
Every wolf dropped their gaze instantly.
The Lycan King had arrived.
Raven Drakos.
His presence rolled across the field like a dark storm, suffocating and overwhelming. The very air bowed to him.
And when his eyes lifted—
They landed on me.
Sharp. Piercing.
Like he remembered me from another life.
My blood chilled.
This wasn't part of my original timeline.
Why was the king here… and why was he looking at me like I'd just awakened something dangerous?