Chapter 1 Chapter 1

In my previous life, my fate had been tampered with, and as a result, I died a gruesome death. When I got to live my life a second time, I vowed to get even with my mate and cousin. I would take back everything that was mine. … "Elena, I don't think I'm going to hold out much longer. You should pick one of these four werewolves to be your mate so that when I breathe my last, I can rest in peace under the radiant presence of the Moon Goddess." I stared blankly at my father, Sebastian Griffin. Realization suddenly hit me—I'd gotten reborn on the day I chose my mate. Noticing Dad's grayish hair, I felt the urge to cry. In my previous life, Dad's wounds miraculously healed after Leo Martinez and I formed our mate bond. But not long after that, I started going berserk frequently, and strange curse marks emerged all over my body. In order to look for a cure, Dad traveled through numerous werewolf packs. In the end, an avalanche swallowed him whole while he was traversing the Eternal Frost Range. Suppressing the surging hatred burning within me, I clenched my fists so tight that my nails bit into my palm. "Dad, I choose Aidan to be my mate." Although Aidan Rosales was not the strongest werewolf among the four candidates, he had quietly delivered herbs to me whenever I got injured. After my sudden death in my previous life, he was the only one who swore to the Moon Goddess beneath a full moon to unearth the truth behind my death, even though everyone else advised against it. On the night he discovered the conspiracy Leo and Sylvia Campbell were hatching, they ripped him apart. Dad's ears twitched. "Have you thought it through? I thought you've always been clinging to Leo ever since you were young. You'd always said you wanted to bond with him when you were grown up, hadn't you?""Selecting a mate is no light matter. I've now come to fully understand my own feelings." I looked up at him. In my previous life and the current one alike, Dad had always thought of the non-native werewolves as one of our own. However, he ended up dying without his remains ever being found. "As long as you're happy. Aidan is loyal and dependable. I can rest assured if you pick him as your mate." Dad sighed. Subconsciously, he rubbed his finger against the relief of the Moon Goddess on the side of the throne. When I left the meeting hall, I saw Aidan and the other three candidates walking toward me. Callum Stone teased, "Elena, did the Alpha King ask you to choose your mate today? Who did you choose?" I glanced at Leo. A cold glint flashed in his amber eyes. Theodore Gibson scoffed. "Do you even have to ask? Elena is always clinging to Leo. She must've been dying to form a bond with him, so he has no choice but to be with her." Leo's expression remained grim. His gaze was dripping with menace when he looked my way. I turned my gaze upon Aidan, who was crouching in the shadows. His drooped ears suddenly twitched. He always did that when he was nervous. I smirked. "On the night of the moon ritual, the Moon Goddess will reveal my choice."

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

With that, I headed for the training grounds. However, as I turned, I bumped into someone who was running toward me at full speed. Sylvia staggered backward and hit her leg against a pillar. She let out a groan. Before I could react, she started apologizing fervently. "I'm sorry, Elena. I didn't do it on purpose. Please don't chase me out of the pack." I narrowed my eyes. Sylvia had always behaved that way, even during my previous life. The same expression that invited pity. The same choked-up voice, pleading for mercy. By acting that way, she would always trigger Leo's anger without fail. Even though I'd never reprimanded her over these trivial matters, she could always make it seem like I was picking on her. I used to think it was because she felt insecure after losing her parents. That was why I did my best to provide her with only the best. Now that I thought of it, Sylvia probably had never even thought of me as family. Leo gently helped her up. Leaning close to her, he consoled her. "Don't worry. You didn't hurt Elena, so why let her walk all over you? Even if she chases you from the pack, I will protect you. The battle merits I've earned over the years are sufficient to get us a foothold in other packs." Then, he glared coldly at me. His tone was filled with contempt as he remarked, "Elena, do you think you can act recklessly just because we're on your turf? Behaving this way will only make me hate you more." Right after he said that, I swiftly swung a slap at Sylvia. Instantly, two bloody gashes appeared on her face. The Moon Goddess pendant hanging from her neck broke off at the impact. "Leo, see that? That's what you call 'reckless.'" My sudden move shocked him so much that he took a step back. His eyes widened in surprise. After all, if it were before, I would've already been begging for mercy in a panic. His body shook with anger. "Elena, how dare you hurt her?" Scornful, I shook the blood off my hand. "You're on my territory. If you're displeased, you're welcome to leave." Leo supported Sylvia to her feet. With an arm wrapped around her shoulders, he turned around. "Alright! Elena, don't you dare forget what happened today. Don't expect me to mark you after this!" Without casting a glance in their direction, I walked toward the training grounds. … That night, I returned to my residence after training. Through the gaps in the curtains, I saw Sylvia holding a Moon Goddess statue. The moon shone on the sinister smile on her lips, the same look she wore from my memory of her in my previous life. Her parents had lost their lives in an internal feud within their pack. Taking pity on her, Dad adopted her and brought her back to the Dark Hunters pack. Then, he enrolled both of us in Silvermoon Academy. Treating her like one of his own, he raised her as though she were his daughter. She was provided with the same combat resources I was given. Nevertheless, Sylvia had never shown an ounce of gratitude toward me. I abruptly swung the doors open and marched in. Upon noticing me, Sylvia frantically pulled the covers over the bed. Forcing herself to stay calm, she said, "Elena, Leo, and I were in the wrong earlier. I've come to apologize to you. I noticed your bed was a little messy, so I thought I could help you tidy it up." My cold gaze swept over her trembling body. With a fake smile, I nodded. "Thanks." I watched as she fled in relief. Then, I lifted the headboard. Beneath it was the Moon Goddess statue, gleaming with an eerie glow. Twisted ancient text was carved onto the back of the statue. It was my name. My nails dug into my palm as I burned with fury. Sylvia, you were always so wicked, be it in the previous life or the current one!

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

At dawn, I picked up the statue and headed for the woods, where the oldest witch, Hannah Franklin, resided. The moment I stepped into her cave, Hannah's wrinkled face tensed up. "Elena, there's black magic on you!" She reached out with her wiry arm and snatched the Moon Goddess statue I was holding. When she came in contact with it, the statue let out a high-pitched scream and started thrashing wildly on the ground. Hannah's eyes widened. She hammered on a bell made of bone hanging on the cave wall. Immediately, silver arcane markings appeared on the ground. Chains made of solidified moonlight wrapped around the statue, which let out another piercing shriek. After thrashing around for a bit more, it lay still. After taking care of the cursed object, Hannah pulled me into her chamber. "Elena, what was that about? Why are you dabbling with a forbidden spell?" I told her everything I'd encountered after my rebirth, including the conspiracy Leo and Sylvia were planning. When she heard about my horrible death, her murky eyes lit up. "This statue was an offering to the Alpha King from a non-native witch years ago. I sensed something was wrong with it and proceeded to look into it. "Once a target's hair is inserted into the statue, the caster and the target will have their fates switched." My hair stood on end. In my previous life, Sylvia had always been sickly and was constantly coughing. After Dad took her in, her health improved significantly. Now I understand why. Meanwhile, despite being in my prime, my health deteriorated after forming the mate bond. No wonder I'd always blundered during the trials. I had trained hard day and night, yet to no avail. On the other hand, Sylvia, who experienced difficulty in a basic shift, had passed the toughest examination along with Leo. Hannah patted me on the back with her weathered hand. "Elena, it's fortunate you came here in time. Once the switch begins, it would be impossible to reverse the effects—that's the darkest nature of the cursed statue. "You'll have to bear the fate of the other party. If Sylvia gets injured, the same wound would be inflicted on you, but worse." I took a deep breath as I remembered the weird wounds that appeared out of nowhere in my previous life. Now I knew the truth. "What would happen if we embed an animal's fur into the statue in an attempt to switch fates?" Hannah's cloudy eyes widened. Then, a look of understanding crossed her face. "It works the same for any being alive. If one switches fate with an animal, they will adopt the ways of said animal, becoming a half-human, half-beast creature." Smiling, I kept the statue in a sack. After a short discussion with Hannah, I returned to the pack. I happened to spot a newly captured stray dog in the beast enclosure. I swiftly pluck a strand of its hair. Under the cover of the night, I sneaked into Sylvia's cave and placed the statue under her bed. Then, I slipped away into the night. Next, I wanted to focus on preparing for the pack's trials. It was an important trial that would determine the pack's line of authority for the next decade. In my previous life, I painstakingly prepared for two years, only for myself to lose my ability to shift into my wolf at a crucial moment. Back then, Leo had consoled me, saying, "Elena, she-wolves aren't skilled in combat in nature. You should just stay in the pack and take care of logistics. After I pass the trials, we can then proceed with the bonding ceremony. When I become Alpha King, I will make you my Luna Queen." However, I recalled that in the past hunting competitions, I'd always surpassed him in terms of speed and strength. Now that I thought about it, I was so deeply in love with Leo that I believed his nonsense and poured my energy into developing the pack. In the end, I could do nothing but watch them use the resources I'd accumulated to slowly take over the pack. However, in this life, I would no longer let anyone control my fate. The Moon Goddess would eventually shine her blessings on the true werewolf.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

During that period, Sylvia stopped appearing before me. She hadn't realized that whenever she saw an object whizzing past, she would instinctively give chase. She'd also unintentionally sniff at others. I smiled. Within two weeks, Sylvia would behave completely like a dog. However, that was only the beginning. I wanted her to pay a painful price for everything she'd done. I trained hard every day. However, as it had been a long time since I trained, I couldn't keep up. After giving it some thought, I decided to ask Aidan to help me train. In my previous life, Aidan came out first in the trials and joined the Silvermoon Strike Force. He was more than qualified to help me with the trials. When I entered their house, Leo and Sylvia were sitting next to the moonstone, whispering to each other. Sylvia's ears were red as she gently hit Leo on the chest. Seeing that, I smirked. Callum and Theodore turned to look at me. Theodore asked, "What's wrong, Elena? Callum and I were just betting on how long you could refrain from coming to meet Leo. It has only been a few days. Have you decided to give in?" Leo glanced at the "Elements in Combat" I was holding. His eyes grew colder. In the past, whenever we had a fight, I would always approach Leo with precious herbs on the same day to make peace. Despite showing disdain, he'd always pocket the herbs when no one was looking. As he saw that I'd come empty-handed, his expression became even more grim. He barked, "Elena, if you want me to forgive you, you should apologize to Sylvia now!" Sylvia cowered behind him, tugging the hem of his shirt. "Leo, forget it. It's my bad. I'll leave the pack after the trials so that I won't be an eyesore to all of you.""Sylvia, don't say that! You're one of us too, so what right does she have to bully you?" Leo turned toward me, growling. "Elena, this is your last chance. Apologize to Sylvia now and share half of your spoils during the hunt this year with her. Otherwise, don't expect me to forgive you!" My gaze coolly swept across them as I headed deeper inside. Furious, Leo lunged at me. Before his hand could reach my neck, a gray silhouette streaked past me. Aidan caught his wrist in a firm grasp. He looked down condescendingly at Leo, his eyes filled with frost. "Step back." It was the first time anyone had ever treated Leo that way. He glared intently at Aidan. "Who are you to fight back against me?" Without giving Leo any time to react, I slapped him right across the face. Then, I walked to Aidan's side, eyeing Leo coldly. He was stunned. I mocked, "Who said I'm here for you?" With that, I pulled Aidan toward his room. The others took some time to register all that had happened before they started yelling insults at me. I closed the door, keeping the noise at bay. I opened the combat manual and solemnly looked toward Aidan. "Aidan, could you teach me combat skills before the pack trials?" Aidan gently nodded. He agreed without so much as a moment of hesitation. He was no doubt a genius. He only had to offer me a word or two of advice, and it helped clear the doubts I had. Since that day, I had put in all my effort to prepare for the trials. My combat skills improved as time went by. Leo finally left me alone. He knew it wouldn't benefit him if he angered me at that point in time. The pack trials soon took place under the moonlit sky. After it ended, I felt as though a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Before the results came out, Sylvia kept eyeing me with a strange gaze. She was still relying on the cursed statue to change my fate. I wasn't in a hurry to tell her the truth. After all, it was best to embarrass someone publicly. Before the results were announced, she started boasting to the pack that she was about to join Silvermoon Strike Force. The other werewolves didn't want to talk to her because she was giving off a disgusting stench. Sometimes, she'd even pee while standing out in the open. She was oblivious to that, though. Finally, the day came when the results would be announced. Sylvia got up early and changed into her newly bought combat attire. She knocked on my door. "Elena, it's time to check the results. Hurry up and come with us." I smiled faintly as I left the house with them. Werewolves crowded before the announcement board. Smiling, Callum teased, "Elena, you're truly lucky. Even if you don't pass the trials, you still have Leo to look after you." He sighed and continued, "That's the benefit of being a she-wolf. They don't have to put in any effort, yet are able to live comfortable lives." Sylvia glared at him coyly. "Callum, what are you saying? Elena worked so hard for this. I'm sure she can pass the trials this time." Right after she said that, her smile froze on her lips as she saw my name on the second row of the announcement board. "Elena, overall rating—S+" Sylvia glared at my name, her nails biting into her palm. She staggered backward, mumbling, "Impossible, that witch said as long as I cast a curse on the statue, I can switch fates with you…"