Ivy’s POV
The gentle click of the privacy spell settling around my father’s office seemed to create a bubble where time stood still. The familiar scent of leather and pine surrounded me, but the atmosphere had transformed with my father’s shocking words.
"What do you mean, ‘welcome to the club’?" My voice trembled as I searched his amber eyes—the same shade as mine—for any sign he was joking.
Alpha Cody leaned forward, his broad shoulders hunched slightly as if carrying an invisible weight. "Tell me everything first, Ivy. I need to understand what happened to you."
I took a deep breath, the memories I’d been keeping at bay rushing forward like a flood breaking through a dam. "In my first life, I met Warren when I was twenty. He was my mate—or so I thought." My hands began to shake. "We were happy at first. Or maybe I was just blind."
My father’s jaw tightened at Warren’s name, but he remained silent, letting me continue.
"Jade—she hated that I found my mate first. She started spreading rumors, planting evidence, making it look like I was unfaithful." The words tasted bitter on my tongue. "I got pregnant, and that’s when everything fell apart. Jade convinced Warren that the baby wasn’t his."
Grant muttered a curse, pushing off from the bookshelf where he’d been leaning.
"Warren believed her." My voice became hollow as I relived the memory. "He came to me in a rage. I thought he was just going to reject me, but—" My throat closed up.
"Take your time, Princess," Grant said softly.
I forced myself to continue. "He ordered the doctor to use silver scalpels. He said if I was going to betray him with another wolf, then neither of us deserved to live." A sob escaped me. "He killed me and our unborn pup. The last thing I saw was his face—how he looked so satisfied until he realized what he’d done. Then I woke up on my eighteenth birthday, six years in the past."
The office fell silent except for the sound of wood splintering. I looked up to see my father’s desk cracking beneath his grip, his eyes glowing Alpha red.
"I’ll kill him," he growled, his voice distorted as his wolf pushed forward. "I’ll tear him limb from limb."
Before I could respond, his body convulsed, bones cracking as he shifted. Where my father had stood moments before, a massive black wolf now snarled, hackles raised, muscles coiled to spring. Thorne—my father’s wolf—was legendary for his size and power. Seeing him in his full glory, teeth bared and ready to hunt, sent shivers down my spine.
Grant immediately positioned himself between the wolf and the door. "Cody, think! This isn’t the way." He turned to me. "Ivy, talk to him. His wolf is blinded by rage."
I approached Thorne carefully, dropping to my knees before him. "Daddy, please. Killing Warren now won’t change anything. He hasn’t done anything yet in this timeline."
The wolf growled, but I reached out slowly, placing my hand on his massive head. "I need your help, not your vengeance. Not yet."
Thorne’s eyes, still burning with rage, locked with mine. Gradually, the fury dimmed, replaced by a different emotion—grief. He lowered his muzzle to nuzzle my stomach gently, as if mourning the grandpup he never got to meet. A sob escaped me as I wrapped my arms around his thick neck, burying my face in his fur.
"I’m so scared," I whispered. "I don’t know how to stop it from happening again."
Thorne whined, then backed away. The shift back to human form was just as violent as the first, bones realigning until my father knelt before me, now draped in the emergency robe Grant had tossed him.
"You won’t have to," he said hoarsely, cupping my face. "I swear on my life, Ivy, history will not repeat itself."
Grant cleared his throat. "Cody, perhaps it’s time."
My father nodded slowly, helping me to my feet and leading me to the couch. "What I’m about to tell you… I’ve never shared with anyone except Grant."
I wiped my tears, trying to compose myself. "What is it?"
"My grandmother—your great-grandmother—wasn’t just any werewolf," he began. "She was descended from a powerful line of shamans. Magic flows in our veins, diluted but still potent."
I blinked in surprise. "Magic? Like… witches?"
"Something like that." He smiled sadly. "It manifests differently in each generation. In me, it showed as the power of a second chance."
The implication hit me like a physical blow. "You… you’ve lived twice too?"
He nodded grimly. "In my first life, I was too weak, too trusting. I believed in the goodness of others, in the sanctity of pack alliances." His eyes grew distant. "I was wrong. Our entire pack was slaughtered in a coordinated attack. You, your mother, everyone."
Horror crept through me as I processed his words. "Who would do that?"
"The same pack your mother fled to after I drove her away." His voice cracked. "The Farley."
"Warren’s pack," I whispered, pieces falling into place. "But wait—you drove Mom away? I always thought…"
"That I betrayed her?" He shook his head. "It was the only way to save you both. In my second chance, I knew what would happen if you stayed. So I made her hate me, made her take you and run."
Tears filled my eyes as I realized the sacrifice my father had made. "You let her think you were unfaithful. Let me grow up thinking you abandoned us."
"It was worth it," he said fiercely. "You lived. That’s all that mattered."
Grant stepped forward. "Your father has spent years building our pack’s defenses, making alliances, all to protect you from a fate you didn’t even know awaited you."
"But I still ended up dead," I said bitterly.
My father gripped my hands. "Because I couldn’t control all the variables. I didn’t anticipate your mate being from that cursed pack."
"So what do we do now?" I asked, a newfound determination rising within me.
"Now," he said, "we train you. The magic in your blood is strong—I’ve sensed it since you were born. Your rebirth has likely awakened abilities you don’t even realize you have."
"Is that why I came back? Because of magic?"
He nodded slowly. "Our family’s gift is rare—a second chance at life when faced with an unjust death. But it’s not unlimited. This is your one opportunity to rewrite fate."
I straightened my shoulders. "Then teach me. Teach me everything I need to know to survive."
"It won’t be easy," he warned. "To defeat your enemies, you’ll need to master your wolf, your magic, and learn to navigate pack politics better than they do."
"I don’t care how hard it is," I said firmly. "I won’t be a victim again."
My father smiled, pride shining in his eyes. "This summer will probably be the worst you have ever had, but it will save you in the long run."
"When will you tell Mom the truth?" I asked quietly.
His expression softened. "When the time is right. First, we need to make you strong enough that no one—not Warren, not anyone—can ever hurt you again."
Grant clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I hope you like early mornings, Princess. Your training starts at dawn."
For the first time since my rebirth, I felt something close to hope blooming in my chest. I wasn’t alone anymore. I had my father—a father who understood exactly what I was going through, who had lived through his own nightmare and emerged stronger.
"One more thing," I said, my voice steadier now. "Is Nancy still here?"
My father grinned. "She’s been bouncing off the walls since she heard you were coming. Said something about her soul sister finally returning."
A genuine smile spread across my face. With my father’s guidance, Grant’s protection, and Nancy’s friendship, I finally felt I had a fighting chance.
"I’m ready," I said, squaring my shoulders. "Let’s rewrite fate."