Fantasy Reading

Reborn on the night my Alpha husband lost control of his heat, I chose to let my own sister be his remedy. In my past life, I fell in love with Nicholas, the Alpha of our pack. When I learned he’d been cursed by ancient dark magic and couldn’t control his heat, I helped him myself. A month later, I was pregnant. As an Alpha, he needed an heir, and the Council forced him to mark me. On the day of the ceremony, his true love, Leah, couldn’t accept it and ran away. Then, rogue wolves attacked her. When her body was brought back, Nicholas showed no emotion. But on our pup’s first full moon, he poisoned me with wolfsbane. Before I died, his voice was cold as ice: “If you hadn’t gotten pregnant, I wouldn’t have marked you. Leah wouldn’t have run away. Her death is on you—and you’ll pay for it.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the night Nicholas fell victim to the curse. This time, I only wanted to walk away from it all… but Nicholas finally fell to his knees, begging me to come back to him. *** Chapter 1 After being reborn, I had no time to adjust. The moment I regained consciousness, I heard a low, ragged gasp coming from the master bedroom. Then, a command—strained and desperate. "Alice—" His voice was thick with pain and barely restrained desire. I knew that sound too well. The dark magic inside Nicholas was spiraling out of control again. In my past life, when I heard him call my name like that, I opened the door almost on instinct. I knew what it meant. And I went in anyway. I soothed his heat. The memories flickered through my mind, but this time, I didn't hesitate. I stood in the hallway. I didn't go to the master bedroom. Instead, I turned and picked up the intercom on the wall. "Leah. The Alpha needs you. Come now." After I hung up, I walked to the door of the master bedroom. Inside, I heard something heavy slam into the bedpost. His breathing was erratic. I didn't go any closer. I just spoke through the door. "She'll be here in ten minutes." For a moment, everything inside went still. Then came another low, shuddering breath—like he was forcing something down. I didn't wait for a response. I stepped back to the other side of the hall. A few minutes later, the sharp click of Leah's heels echoed down the stone corridor. She stopped in front of me, eyes sharp as they swept over me from head to toe. When she saw I was fully dressed, with no sign of being marked, her tense shoulders relaxed just slightly. Before she opened the door, she glanced at me. Her voice was smug. "Go rest, Alice. I'll take it from here." I turned and left without a word, heading back to my room in the west tower. It wasn't until three in the morning that the sounds from the master bedroom finally died down. I sat by the window, staring out at the moonlit forest beyond the castle. In my past life, I loved Nicholas too much. Even knowing his heart belonged to Leah, I gave myself to him when he lost control. And I got pregnant. This time, I won't make the same mistake. I'm leaving. I'm done being a prisoner in this castle. The next day at noon, the butler knocked on my door. "Miss Alice, the Alpha is asking for you in the master bedroom." The door was half-open when I arrived. Leah was sitting on the edge of the bed. Nicholas stood by the window, his back to me. Leah looked up, her expression casual—too casual. "Alice, the Alpha mentioned you know healing." As she spoke, her fingers lightly pressed against the side of her neck. There was a faint red mark there, still fresh. "I'm a little sore from last night. Can you take a look and tell me if it needs treatment?" The room was silent. Nicholas didn't turn around. He didn't stop her either. I stepped closer, letting my gaze linger on her neck for only a second before I looked away. It didn't need treatment. She knew that. She just wanted to show off. I answered calmly. "No risk of infection. Just rest." Leah blinked, caught off guard. Nicholas's brow furrowed slightly. This wasn't how I used to act. The old me would've snapped at her by now. I bowed politely, made an excuse, and left. Half an hour later, I was sorting herbs in my room when the door opened. Nicholas walked in without waiting for permission. He'd changed into casual clothes. Those eyes I used to adore now looked at me with nothing but suspicion. Chapter 2 I took half a step back on instinct. Nicholas frowned and strode into the room, shutting the door behind him. The space was already small. His presence made it suffocating. "You're avoiding me." It wasn't a question. He stepped closer. His Alpha aura was reined in, but the pressure that lingered still made it hard to breathe. "Is it because of last night? Or because of me and Leah?" I forced myself to meet his eyes, keeping my voice as steady as I could. "Neither. I'm genuinely happy for you both." He let out a low, humorless laugh and suddenly reached out, tilting my chin up so I had no choice but to look at him. "Genuinely? Alice, did you forget what you did at the full moon gathering on your coming-of-age? You pinned your brooch to my coat. A courting gesture. You think I didn't notice?" "It was smart of you not to confess outright, because I would've rejected you on the spot. The Dark Moon Pack has always believed that Alpha should be with a strong she-wolf. An Omega, no matter how capable, could never be the Alpha's mate. You know that better than anyone." He let go and glanced around my room. His gaze landed on the wooden box on my desk. He walked over and opened it without hesitation. Inside were all the little things I'd collected over the years. Things tied to him. The tip of a deer antler he'd given me after a hunt. A button that had fallen off one of his old shirts. Even a broken pen I'd pestered him for until he gave in. Nicholas flipped the box over, letting everything spill onto the carpet. Then he ground one of the pieces under the toe of his boot. "Alice, I thought you were the most sensible one in this pack. But these feelings you've been holding onto? Pathetic." "You know my mate will be someone strong. Leah is the one I need. And yet you're still hoarding these scraps like they mean something. It's sad. You realize that, don't you?" He turned and left. The oak door clicked shut softly behind him. I crouched down and picked up the scattered items, one by one. Then I threw them all into the fireplace. They were broken anyway. No point keeping them. And the feelings I shouldn't have had? Time to kill those too. Three days later, I came back from gathering herbs in the forest and found that someone had been in my room. The blanket my mother left me was gone. In its place was an ordinary wool throw. I was about to ask the servants when I overheard them whispering in the hallway. "The Alpha really dotes on Miss Leah. One word from her and he took that beautiful blanket right off Miss Alice's bed." So that's what happened. I was about to go back to sorting my herbs when the door opened. Nicholas stood in the doorway, his tone matter-of-fact. "Leah's wolf has been unstable lately. Moonsilk has a calming effect on her, so I gave her the blanket. If you need one, you can have the butler order another wool throw." I kept my back to him and continued organizing the herbs I'd brought back. I hummed in acknowledgment. His footsteps drew closer. He stopped right behind me. "Alice, you've been too quiet lately." His voice dropped, carrying a note of warning. "Leah may already be carrying my heir. If you do anything you shouldn't, you know what the consequences will be." I finally turned around and met his eyes. "Alpha, I don't have any inappropriate thoughts. I've simply come to understand my place." "You've always wanted me to know my limits as an Omega. Now I do. You should be satisfied." Nicholas's lips pressed into a thin line. His throat bobbed. After a long pause, he forced out one word. "Good." Then he turned and left. In the past, when he walked away angry like that, I would've chased after him. I would've explained, apologized, done anything to make him stop being upset. Not anymore. Three days later, I submitted a petition to the Council of Elders to live independently. As an adult member of the pack, I had the right to leave the territory and live on my own. The request was approved quickly—especially after Leah hinted that my presence in the castle might affect her pregnancy. The Council stamped it without hesitation. I bought an old house with a garden in a small town near a human city down south. The climate was warm. Herbs grew in abundance. It was quiet enough for me to live in peace. I set my departure date for the same day as Nicholas and Leah's marking ceremony. Chapter 3 The day Leah's pregnancy was announced, I lost access to the west wing. No formal notice. No explanation. I was taking inventory in the apothecary when I noticed that several calming herbs I used regularly had been marked with red seals. I reached for them, but the guard on duty stopped me. "Sorry, Miss Alice. You're not permitted to use these." I froze. "These are part of my formulas." The guard just repeated himself. "Alpha's orders." That's when it truly hit me. I no longer had a place in this pack. That afternoon, I was summoned to the main hall. Nicholas stood at the desk, flipping through a ledger. I stood there for a long time before he finally looked up. "You've been moving assets around?" I nodded. Nicholas pressed his lips together. After a pause, he said, "You've been using funds from the herb revenue your mother left you. That was registered with the pack." I frowned. "I have the right to use it." He corrected me. "You used to. Not anymore." My head snapped up. "What does that mean?" Nicholas closed the ledger and looked at me. That look didn't seem like looking at a living person. it was more like dealing with a piece of trash that he couldn't figure out where to throw away. "Leah is pregnant. She needs a stable environment. And your recent behavior makes it hard not to read into things." I suddenly understood. It wasn't that I'd done something wrong. It was that I was still here at all. His tone grew colder. "Alice, you're being irrational. You've always had a skewed sense of where you stand." My throat tightened. "I never—" "You have." He cut me off. "You've always thought you had some kind of special place with me. But the truth is, you were just convenient. You stayed out of the way." The words hit like an axe to the chest. "Things are different now. Leah is carrying my pup. I won't tolerate anyone who might upset her." He looked at me, voice deliberate. "Including you." The air went cold. He let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Do you think if you leave, I'll regret it? Is that what this is?" My fingers clenched. "That's not what I'm thinking." "Then what do you want?" He stood and stepped closer. "You want me to abandon Leah while she's pregnant? Or do you want me to let your little drama ruin her emotional state right before the ceremony?" His voice wasn't loud, but every word pressed down on me. "Everything you're doing right now—it all points to one thing." "You're trying to force me to choose between you and Leah." My throat felt dry. "But that choice never existed in the first place." His words cut slow and deep, like a dull blade carving into me. "Alice, you should know better than anyone. The only reason you're still standing here is because you've always known your place." "Not because you matter." I stood frozen. He looked at me, as if checking to make sure I understood. "I let you stay out of duty and order. Not affection." "So what you're doing now just tells me one thing—" He paused, and his tone turned ice-cold. "You're getting out of line." My fingers trembled. Even though I'd already decided to leave him for good, having him strip away my very existence like this—it still hurt so much I could barely breathe. I heard myself speak, my voice eerily calm. "So I should disappear. Is that it?" Nicholas hesitated, then looked away with a frown. "Enough with the tantrum. Go back to your room and stay put for a few days." I let out a cold laugh and walked out. Good thing I'd already made plans to leave. Chapter 4 The next day, when I was called to the infirmary, the first thing I saw was Nicholas's back. He was standing beside the bed, leaning down slightly and speaking to Leah in a low voice. His tone held a patience I hadn't heard from him in a long time. Leah was propped against the headboard, pale but unable to hide the smugness in her eyes. One hand rested on her stomach. The other was extended toward the healer for examination. "The pregnancy is stable, but emotional state still requires close attention." "Additionally, she should avoid stress for the time being." Every time the healer spoke, his eyes flicked instinctively toward Nicholas. Nicholas nodded and gave his order. "Everything is to prioritize Leah." That's when Leah looked up and noticed me. She blinked, as if just realizing I was there, then gave a perfectly timed smile. "Alice. You came." "I wasn't feeling well last night. The Alpha said you're the best with calming remedies, so I asked him to call you. I hope I'm not interrupting?" Before I could answer, Nicholas spoke for me. "She's fine. Leah, you're the one who matters right now." Leah hummed softly, as if thinking. "It's nothing serious. I just feel anxious sometimes. And if I smell anything unfamiliar, it makes me uncomfortable." Her gaze drifted back to me. "I'm probably just being sensitive." I stepped forward and gave her a quick examination. Just as I was about to speak, Leah cut in. "Everything's fine, right?" There was something eager in her tone—like she was hoping I'd say something was wrong. "You're doing well. The baby's healthy." Leah's expression faltered for half a second. All the vulnerability and distress she'd prepared went to waste. But she recovered quickly and let out a soft laugh. She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "Did you think I called you here to upset you?" "No." "I just wanted you to see it for yourself." Her hand pressed against her stomach, eyes locked on mine. "Everything you used to dream about? I have it now. And I didn't have to do a thing." I still didn't say anything. She added, more urgently, "The Alpha spends almost all his time with me now. He even postponed the Council meeting last night." "He said the baby comes first." Nicholas stroked her hair and glanced at the healer. "Is the exam done?" The healer nodded immediately. "Yes, Alpha." Nicholas finally looked at me. His gaze lingered on my face for a moment. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but it took him a while to get it out. "Leah needs rest. From now on, try not to appear in front of her." I nodded. "Don't worry. I understand." As I turned to leave, I could feel his gaze follow me briefly. But it was quickly replaced by another voice. "Nick, I'm cold." The curtain fell. The sound was cut off. When I walked out of the castle with my luggage, my heart was strangely calm. I wasn't going to look back. Third Person POV: On the day of the marking ceremony, Nicholas ordered extra guards stationed near the west wing. He didn't say it outright, but everyone understood. Today was Leah's most important day. No disruptions could be allowed. Especially not from Alice. Her recent silence was too unusual. Nicholas didn't believe she'd calmly watch him bond with someone else. Before heading to the ceremony grounds, his eyes swept over the crowd without thinking. He didn't see her. For a moment, he felt relief. Then, just as quickly, an uncomfortable hollowness followed. He brushed it off. Just nerves before the ceremony. That's all. Once the ceremony began, he focused entirely on Leah. She stood at his side, smiling brightly, her arm wrapped affectionately around his. Everything went perfectly. When it ended, cheers erupted from the pack members. Nicholas stood at the center. He should have felt satisfied. But in that moment, a thought flickered through his mind. Alice really didn't come. The realization made his chest tighten slightly. He shoved it down. Wasn't it better that she didn't show up? This was how it should be. Still, Nicholas couldn't stop himself from remembering the way her eyes used to glisten with unshed tears. Back at the main hall, he asked casually, "Was there any activity in the west wing today?" The butler hesitated before answering quietly. "No, Alpha." "Miss Alice has left the territory." Nicholas's fingers stilled. "Left?" ...