Rising from the ashes - Chapter 2

The tension in the small cabin was thick as Seraphina met Xander's piercing golden gaze.

She wasn't the weak, desperate woman he had rejected. The burning mate bond she once clung to had been severed, and in its place, a new fire burned a hunger for power, for revenge, for a destiny greater than any mate bond.

Xander's lips parted slightly, as if sensing the shift in her. His wolf, instinctual and dominant, could tell something was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be standing so boldly, so fearlessly.

"You're different," he said finally, his voice quieter but edged with curiosity.

Seraphina smirked. "Is that disappointment I hear?"

His eyes darkened. "Watch your tone."

She tilted her head. "Or what, Alpha? You already rejected me. I owe you nothing."

Silence stretched between them.

For the first time since she had woken up in this body, Seraphina felt a rush of satisfaction. Let him simmer. Let him wonder. Let him realize that the weak, rejected Luna was gone.

Finally, Xander exhaled sharply. "If you're well enough to talk back, then you're well enough to leave my pack's land."

Seraphina raised a brow. So, he still wants me gone.

Good.

The old Seraphina would have begged, pleaded for another chance. But the woman inside her now? She wouldn't waste another second on a man who discarded her.

She crossed her arms. "You want me gone? Fine. But I leave on my terms."

Xander narrowed his eyes. "And what makes you think you have a choice?"

She took a step forward, unafraid. "Because I'm not the weak Luna you threw away, Xander. And soon enough, you'll regret ever pushing me aside."

Something flickered in his expression a sliver of doubt, of confusion. He wasn't used to this version of her. And that made him uneasy.

Seraphina turned toward the door, her body still weak but her mind sharper than ever.

"You're making a mistake," Xander called after her.

She paused but didn't turn back. "No, Alpha. The only mistake here was yours."

And with that, she stepped into the cold night air, leaving behind the mate who had never truly seen her worth.

But soon… he would.

*****A Dangerous Proposition*********

The forest was vast, the cold wind biting at her skin. Every step was agony this body was still weak, still healing from a past she didn't fully remember.

But Seraphina had survived worse.

She needed to figure out what came next.

In her past life, she had clawed her way to the top with nothing but intelligence and ruthlessness. This world was different—more primal, ruled by strength and status. But power came in many forms.

And she knew exactly where to start.

A name burned in her mind, a fragment of memory she had inherited from this body:

Damien Draven.

The Vampire Lord.

If there was anyone who could give her an edge in this world, it was him.

The Vampire's Deal

Seraphina arrived at the gates of Raven's Hollow, the dark, gothic estate belonging to the infamous Damien Draven. The castle loomed before her, its iron gates twisted like shadows against the night sky.

The guards at the entrance tensed as she approached. One stepped forward, sneering. "No wolves allowed here."

Seraphina smirked. He had no idea who he was dealing with.

"Tell your master," she said coolly, "that Luna Seraphina has a proposal for him."

The guards exchanged uncertain glances, but before they could respond, a deep, silky voice echoed from the shadows.

"Let her in."

From the darkness, a man emerged. Damien Draven.

Tall, impossibly elegant, with sharp cheekbones and piercing red eyes that glowed like embers in the night. He was a predator wrapped in sophistication, dressed in black, his aura radiating danger and intrigue.

He studied her with amusement. "A wolf seeking help from a vampire? Now that's interesting."

Seraphina met his gaze without fear. "I need power, Damien. And I think you'll find it beneficial to give it to me."

His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. "Oh, little wolf… I do love a gamble."

He stepped closer, eyes gleaming. "Tell me, Luna. How far are you willing to go?"

Seraphina didn't hesitate.

"As far as it takes."

And with that, the real game began.