The Vengeful Luna

Chapter 2 ‘A Gift From the Goddess’

Celeste’s POV

How did this happen? I’ve gone three years in the past, three years before I get executed.

My mind is racing, I’m suddenly starting to get flooded with memories, they’re old, my memories from three years ago. Little things long since forgotten, but now they’re coming back to me. I can remember what I ate for dinner last night, or I suppose it wasn’t my real last night it was a dinner I ate three years ago, and yet it’s as fresh in my mind as if it were six hours ago. How is this possible? I have all of the knowledge and memories of the past three years, but I also have old memories mixed in. Or maybe they’re new? I’m starting to get a headache trying to sort this all out.

“Celeste? Are you alright?” Clara says, breaking me out of my thoughts.

“I- I’m fine Clara.” I decide not to tell her about any of this until I can get a firmer grasp on what’s going on.

“Did you sleep okay? Are you having bad dreams again?” Clara asks. I instinctively touch my throat and swallow hard, recalling the pain of my execution.

“Uhh, yeah something like that.” I answer. I walk over to my bed and sit down on the edge. I glance around my room and breathe while trying to take everything in. Clara starts to pick up my fallen bed sheets and blankets. I can remember some things but not everything.

“Clara, are there any important events coming up?” I ask.

“Hmm, odd question. Well the only thing I can think of is your cousin Annabelle’s arrival party in about a month. Well the Alpha does have a meeting coming up with a few other Alphas. That’s in just a few days. Oh, and then there’s the Luna visiting with Luna Grady from that small pack up north. Hmm I can’t quite remember the name..”

Clara continues talking, but I’m no longer listening. The second she said her name my body froze. I can feel the blood drain from my face as I think about her grin and her laugh as she looked down at me.

Annabelle.

The girl who stole my fiancé. The girl who pretended to be my friend. The girl who ruined my life.

My whole body begins to shake, and I can feel tears of betrayal, sadness, anger, and fury start to form in my eyelids.

“My goodness Celeste! What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Clara rushes over and ushers me to lay down in bed.

“Breathe Celeste, just calm down and breathe.” Clara says. I close my eyes and match the exaggerated inhales and exhales that Clara’s coaching me through. I feel my tears dissipate, and my heartbeat slow. “That’s it, that’s right. Just keep breathing.” Clara says.

Suddenly, we hear a knock at the door.

“Miss? Will has come to see you.” I hear the maid call out from the other side of the door.

Oh no. I can’t face him. Not now, I still don’t even understand what’s going on. Clara goes to open the door but I grab on to her for dear life.

“Miss?”

“Send him away. Clara PLEASE.” I say pleading.

“Are you sure?” She looks at me concerned. As she should. If this is a month before Annabelle arrives, then Will and I have been engaged for almost two years now. Will and I have grown up together. I’ve loved him ever since I could remember he and I have been destined to marry since I was 10. I can feel the rush of memories from my old life. Memories of Will that were once clouded with love and affection are now wiped clean of any positive emotions. I can’t love him, not after what he did to me, and I’m not ready to fake it either.

“I uhh.. don’t want him to see me looking like this.” I tell Clara quickly. “And would you call for a doctor.” I add. This seems to satisfy her.

“Yes of course Miss. Here let my fluff your pillow. You lay down and I’ll send him away.”

“Thanks Clara. Just tell him I’ll see him once I’m feeling better.” I say.

“Of course. I’ll be back with some broth and the pack doctor.”

“Could you pull the curtains before you leave.” I add.

“Of course miss.” Clara pulls the curtains and then leaves the room. I pull the covers over my head and touch my neck again. I don’t feel any pain or discomfort. And there’s no way the past three years of life could have been a dream. If I’ve really gone back in time. How? And why? How can this be possible? Why me? Am I destined to relive that horror again?

NO! I sit up in my bed. No. I’m not going to let that happen to me again. Annabelle ruined my life and got me killed. I grip my blanket in anger. She killed Clara, she turned everyone against me, she took my place, she took everything from me. I can’t let her do that again. I won’t! I need to map this out. I throw off my covers and rush over to my desk. I grab paper and pen.

“Where did it all start?” I say to myself.

She arrived in September and the first big thing I remember going wrong after that was the omega appreciation breakfast.

..But then even before that, I noticed the omegas started distancing themselves from me.. Could it have been Connie’s doing? Could Annabelle’s maid really have been poisoning them against me from the very start? If she’d stoop to murder then I suppose a little gossip would be easy. I can’t believe I let them do this to me. I spent too much of my time hidden in my room, studying to be a great Luna. I was always shy and quiet, but I can’t afford to be that way anymore. I can’t be who I was before. I can’t let her get what she wants. I can’t let her be the end of me.

I write down all the major events that Annabelle used to contribute to my undoing. When I finish mapping everything out I take one final look at my sheet of paper.

For reasons I can’t explain I’ve been given a second chance. A gift from the goddess. And I won’t let it go to waste. I’ll turn the tables on them. If I’m going to take Annabelle down, then I’ll need to take away her ally, just how she took away mine. After I get rid of Connie then I can set my eyes on Annabelle.

I hear a soft knock at my door. I shove the papers into my desk.

“One moment.” I say before rushing over to the bed and covering up.

“Come in.” I call out. Clara walks in with the pack doctor behind her.

“Miss Celeste. Good morning. How are you feeling?” The doctor asks. He comes over and checks my pulse.

“Your heart beat seems a bit elevated. If what Clara told me about your behavior this morning is true, then you may be fighting off a virus of some kind.” The doctor says.

Yeah, sure a virus, it’s not that I rushed across the room and dashed under the blanket. But whatever works.

“You look a bit pale. Do you have any pain anywhere?” He asks.

“I have a headache, but other than that no pain.” I answer.

“Alright. We’ll give you some pain killers and antibiotics. Make sure you get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. I’ll come check on you tomorrow.” He looks over at Clara.

“If she gets worse let me know right away.” The doctor says. But before Clara can respond the door to my bedroom flies open and my brother and father both walk in without knocking.

“My lord.” The doctor greets my father with a bow of his head. My father is the beta of the pack and it is said my brother Austin will take over for him when he’s ready.

“How is she?” My father asks, not even sparing a passing glance in my direction. My father is a cold man and has always kept his distance from me. When Annabelle came to live with us, I remember the way he changed around her. He seemed to favor her over me, and I can guess he’ll probably do the same thing again. Austin cares for me, but he would never rock his position and go against father.

Austin and I used to be closer, but ever since I got back from Luna school, things have been different. Two years ago, after Will and I became engaged, my father sent me away to Luna school. I spent two years there, and only recently came back to live at my pack. After I came back, I spent all of time studying and focusing on my Luna training. I guess I made it easy for Annabelle to win favor in my pack. My past self always fought for my father’s love and approval. I pushed myself to be the best so he would acknowledge me, but by doing that I alienated myself from the people around me. I was too busy studying instead of socializing. I didn’t make friends and was blind to what was going around me. I wasted my life for his love, only to be rejected in the end. I won’t make that mistake in this life. I need to get out from under all these people trying to control me.

“She has a virus, but nothing too serious. With rest and medication she should be fine.” The doctor says.

“You don’t need to waste your time on me father.” I chime in. I notice everyone’s eyes look at me peculiarly, which I understand. Up until now, I’ve craved my father’s attention and it’s not as though it’s a hidden fact. And now I’m acting coldly and indifferent, they are bound to notice.

“Very well. Let’s go to training Austin.” My father turns to leave and Austin follows closely behind.

“Miss.” Clara starts.

“You may both leave now. I need to rest.” I say.

Clara and the doctor leave. Annabelle isn’t the only one who’s done me wrong. I have to figure how I’m going to deal with everyone. This whole pack turned their backs on me and let me be executed. Not one of them was on my side at the end. They stood by and spat at me. I used to love everyone in this pack. I gave them my whole life. But I was given a second chance, and this time I’m not going to sit back and give them my everything. I’m going to take back my life. Annabelle can’t be my only target, no, that list is much longer. I’ll get my revenge on all of them