Chapter 1

The century-long war between werewolves, vampires, and humans was finally over. To keep the peace, the Council made a decree:

The first hybrid heir born would become the new world's Supreme Ruler.

In my past life, my sister Cora chose the powerful, untamable Werewolf Alpha.

I was given the frail, brooding Vampire Prince.

But Cora’s brutal mate drove her mad. She became the laughingstock of our world.

Meanwhile, the Prince spoiled me. I became pregnant with our hybrid child. The future King.

On the night I went into labor, Cora stabbed a dagger through my heart. She dragged me off the high tower with her.

Now, I’m reborn. This time, my sister snatched the blood-red rose from the Vampire Prince—the symbol of our betrothal. She smirked at me.

“Alina, this time, I will be the one to bear the future King.”

She thinks she stole my happy ending. She stole the vampire, remembering our last life. But she has no idea. Beneath that pale, elegant facade lies a brutal, bloodthirsty monster.

As for me? I am done being a breeding machine.

Last time, I sacrificed everything for my family. I gave up my passion for supernatural genetics. I willingly hid my talents.

This time, I won't put my hope in any man.

My destiny. My glory. I will claim it myself.

Chapter 1

“That's your sister's betrothal gift. How dare you touch it!”

The moment Cora’s fingers touched the blood-red rose, Father snatched the rose back and shoved it into my hand.

“Alina, you’re the sensible one. You can handle this. Prince Julian might be weak, but his position on the Vampire Council is untouchable. He's a perfect match for you.”

He turned to Cora. His tone instantly softened as he smoothed her messy hair.

“My Cora is too delicate. She can’t handle the vampires' twisted ways. Marrying the Werewolf Alpha… that’s where she’ll truly be happy.”

I looked down at the blood-red rose in my palm.

My nails dug into my flesh. A sharp pain shot through me.

The pain was real. It proved I was alive again.

In my last life, I did what my parents wanted. I let Cora, the "weaker" sister, have the stronger mate. I let her marry into the wolf pack.

I thought it was love.

Until the night I went into labor. She burst into my birthing chamber, covered in blood, a sharp dagger in her hand.

“Why do you get the heir?” Her scream sliced through the room. “I should be the future Queen!”

The blade pierced my chest. She grabbed my wrist, pulling me with her into the abyss.

In the final moment of our fall, she whispered in my ear. Her voice was full of manic glee.

“Alina, you were born to be beneath my feet.”

I snapped back to reality.

Suddenly, Cora snatched the rose from my hand.

She stared down at the flower. It looked like clotted blood. Her finger slowly traced each petal. A chilling smile crossed her lips.

“Father, I'm not marrying anyone else. I want Prince Julian.”

Just that one sentence. I understood instantly.

She was reborn, too.

Seeing her determination, my parents looked troubled. They both turned to me.

I knew that look.

For as long as I can remember, she competed with me for everything. I always had to let her win.

Even with the family’s honor on the line, they thought of Cora first. They wanted her to have the stronger, more powerful match.

“If Cora wants him, she can have him.” My voice was calm, emotionless. “The treaty only cares about who gives birth to the first hybrid heir. It doesn't matter who we marry.”

I reached out and calmly took the wooden box a servant held out.

Inside lay a moonstone pendant. It was carved with a wolf totem.

Outside, two cars were parked side by side.

One was a glossy black Bentley. A velvet runner covered in petals led to its door. Classic Julian.

The other was a deep black SUV with sharp, aggressive lines. It screamed raw power. That was Jaxson's.

Before we got into our separate cars, Cora turned back. She looked down her nose at the moonstone in my hand.

“Be careful, sister.” Her voice was filled with undisguised contempt. “Alpha Jaxson is a madman. He doesn't know the first thing about being gentle.”

“But my Prince...” she brought the rose to her nose, inhaling deeply, eyes closing in bliss. “Even the flowers he sends are as sweet as honey. So thoughtful.”

Under the envious gazes of the staff, she straightened her back and slid into the Bentley.

I took a half-step back.

“Then I hope you survive the nightmare you just stole, sister.”

Once I was in the SUV, I checked the moonstone again and again.

It was clean. No dark magic.

But the flower in Cora’s hand was far from perfect.

Those glowing petals weren't a blessing. They were a trap.

The vampire's enchantment magic would take full effect in three days. It would cloud the wearer's mind. It would make them lose control in public.

Soon, all the guests would see the esteemed future Queen utterly humiliated.

And all Julian would need to say is, "Her mind is unstable, her bloodline is flawed." He could tear up the betrothal. He could even demote her to a blood slave.

In my last life, that trap was meant for me.

This life, it’s her turn.

Chapter 2

I arrived at the Pack House. The elevator doors opened.

Suddenly, a pair of thick arms clamped around my waist from behind.

He lifted me off my feet and carried me straight toward the center of the main hall.

The room erupted in wolf whistles and shouts. “Make way! Let's see the new Luna's face!”

Through my thin veil, I saw the man holding me wore a black tank top. His muscles were huge. His arms were covered in old claw marks.

He leaned in close, his fingers hooking the edge of my veil.

I didn't struggle. Instead, I reached up and ripped the veil off myself.

Our eyes met. I spoke coldly. “You're not Jaxson Thorne.”

One sentence. The entire room went dead silent.

Every wolf's expression changed.

The man was just a bulky Beta. He grinned, showing two sharp canines. His hand moved unapologetically toward my neck.

“Little human, don't be nervous. It's the Alpha's rule. You want to be our Luna? First, we see if you're tough enough to survive in a den of beasts.”

I was done talking.

I flicked my wrist. A silver scalpel hidden in my sleeve slid into my palm.

As he leaned in, I plunged the blade precisely into a nerve cluster on the inside of his forearm.

“Aargh—!”

A scream tore through the hall. Blood splattered the polished floor.

A silver-laced blade. His arm went completely dead.

He staggered and collapsed, his face pale.

The rowdy hall fell completely silent.

Slow, deliberate clapping came from the spiral staircase.

A man stepped out of the shadows. He looked down on the hall.

His suffocating Alpha aura made every wolf drop their head in absolute submission.

He walked down the stairs and sat on the sofa opposite me, crossing his long legs. His eyes held unconcealed amusement.

“Vicious little thing,” he said, looking me over. A mocking smile played on his lips. “I guess not all humans are fragile porcelain dolls.”

“A girl has to protect herself,” I met his gaze, my voice cold. “Your welcoming committee is more barbaric than the rumors say.”

His shirt hung loosely on his shoulders, revealing a defined, bronze chest.

This was Jaxson Thorne.

I’d seen him from a distance a few times at Council galas in my past life.

The rumors said this Alpha was cold and calculating. He was fiercely territorial.

He lazily raised a hand and flicked his fingers.

The hall emptied in an instant. The wolves vanished like a receding tide. Even the groaning Beta was dragged away. The doors closed with a heavy thud.

Just the two of us.

I scoffed. “Jaxson, let's make a deal.”

He finally raised his eyes. They were filled with pure contempt.

“A deal?” He sized me up. “What gives you the right to make a deal with me? You're a reject. A replacement your own family didn't want.”

I didn't get angry.

In the eyes of these supernatural bloodlines, humans were just breeding stock.

Last time, I accepted that fate.

I hid my fangs. I gave up my PhD in supernatural genetics. I locked myself in the Prince's castle and became a broodmare.

But this time, I take back control.

I walked right up to him. I leaned down, my fingertip hovering over his heart.

“Because you have poison… right here.”

I knew it. It was a long-lost alchemical toxin, designed to corrode a wolf's sanity. It makes an Alpha lose control. It forces them into a bloodthirsty rage.

“A cycle of losing control every three days.” I stared into his eyes. “You can't suppress it anymore. Once it fully takes over, your pack will see what their Alpha has really become.”

Jaxson froze.

The next second, crack. The crystal glass shattered in his bare hand.

He lunged forward. One hand seized my chin. The force was nearly enough to crush the bone.

My back slammed against the cold wall. My head rang.

His scorching breath washed over my face.

His deep eyes churned with murderous intent. His dark scent and suffocating Alpha aura completely enveloped me.

“Little human, knowing my secrets is a death sentence. Give me one reason not to snap your neck right now.”

Chapter 3

I was forced to tilt my head back. My nose almost touched his jaw.

“I can cure you.”

The moment I said it, Jaxson’s eyes darkened. His fingers clamped around my throat.

“I'd rather silence you forever than bet on a human.”

His knuckles tightened. My breath was cut off.

I clawed at his wrist, forcing out broken words. “Three days… I’ll show you results… cough…”

“If I fail… you can kill me then… You have nothing to lose.”

We stood there, locked in a stalemate for a full minute. Finally, the hand on my throat let go.

I collapsed to the floor, coughing violently. Tears stung my eyes.

For a second, I really thought I was going to die.

I made the bet because I knew my worth.

I am a top researcher in supernatural genetics. In my last life, Julian was a hundred times more difficult than Jaxson, and I survived by his side until the end.

It wasn't luck. I was irreplaceable.

Back then, I followed my parents' orders to hide my strengths. The world only knew it took me a full year to help the sickly Julian recover.

No one knew he had once been under a similar curse.

It took me over a month of brutal treatment just to get him healthy enough to sire an heir.

I forced my breathing to even out. I grabbed Jaxson's wrist, feeling the chaotic rhythm of his pulse.

Good.

The poison's structure matched my research data. It wouldn't be hard to cure.

“How did you know about the poison?” A flash of murderous intent crossed his eyes again. His grip tightened.

I smiled, completely fearless. “As your future Luna, I need to know my Alpha won't go feral and tear me apart in his sleep.”

His feral episodes weren't a total secret in my last life.

My sister had tried everything to conceive, but failed. Furious, she drugged him and had a doctor run a full examination.

The results showed the strange poison. She even witnessed him lose control and was almost killed.

When Jaxson woke up, he was enraged. He locked down all information and threw my sister straight into the dungeons.

After my explanation, his eyes narrowed. His deep gaze swept over my face.

“You knew all this… and you still chose me over Julian?”

Jaxson was easier to persuade than I expected.

I gave him a complete formula for a serum.

The condition: if the serum worked, he would escort me to the Inter-species Peace Gala in three days.

On the night of the gala, I stood at the manor gates until the very last moment. Jaxson never showed. I had to walk into the glittering ballroom alone.

The air filled with hushed whispers. Everyone looked at me with mocking pity.

Clearly, I was the human fiancée, abandoned by her Alpha.

The moment I stepped inside, I heard Cora’s shrill voice.

“Father, Julian and I picked out this vintage blood-wine just for you. And this black pearl necklace is for Mother.”

My parents beamed, showering her with praise.

Seeing me alone, Cora smirked. “Sister, did your Alpha make you come alone? Is he so disgusted by your human blood that he wouldn't even escort you?”

“Your Prince isn't with you either,” I shot back coolly.

She scoffed, flashing a massive black diamond ring. “You wouldn't understand. Julian is the Lord of the Vampire Council. He is busy. Not like your Alpha, who's just a brute with nothing but muscle.”

As she lifted her hand, her dress sleeve slid down. It revealed a small, glaring silver burn mark on her wrist.

Julian was a master of keeping up appearances.

In my past life, his temper was so dark it was pathological. Late at night, he liked to use an enchanted leather whip to strike me. He burned my skin for his own amusement.

I endured it for a long time.

Seeing her so pleased with herself now, I couldn't be bothered to burst her bubble. I walked past her towards the powder room.

But she followed me, relentless.

“Sister, don't tell me your Alpha didn't even get you a gift?”

I ignored her. Her eyes went cold. She lifted her glass and splashed the crimson cocktail straight into my face.

The next second, as if she'd tripped on her own high heel, she shrieked and fell hard to the floor.

Her cry instantly drew my parents and a crowd of guests.

She clutched her stomach and started sobbing, expertly playing the victim.

“Father! Alina pushed me! She's jealous! She wants to ruin my body so I can never bear the hybrid heir!”

“Sob… She can't stand to see me happy…”

I was about to defend myself.

But after her performance, my father's face turned to stone.

In front of everyone, needing to save face for the Vampires, he didn't even ask a question. He raised his arm and swung at me with a merciless slap.

“It's bad enough you showed up alone and embarrassed us! Now you dare attack the future Vampire Queen?!”

“Are you insane?!”

The slap never landed.

A strong, heavily scarred arm shot out, clamping down on my father's wrist in mid-air.

A deep, primal voice, heavy with Alpha authority, cut through the noise.

“Who said she was alone?”