13
Celeste just laughed, a sound so smug and vile it made my stomach turn. “You always thought you were better than me, didn’t you? Always the perfect one. Well, look at you now.”
I glared at her, my vision blurring. “You’re pathetic, Celeste. This is madness!”
Her grin widened, her voice dripping with malice. “Call it what you want, but soon, I’ll be the one everyone loves. The one everyone fears. And you? You’ll just be… gone.”
The old woman’s voice reached a crescendo, and suddenly, a blinding light erupted in the room. I screamed as a searing pain ripped through me, like my very soul was being torn apart.
My vision went dark for what felt like an eternity, and when I opened my eyes again, everything felt… wrong.
I blinked, disoriented, and tried to move, but my body felt foreign, heavy in a way I couldn’t explain. My hands trembled as I looked down at them–slender, pale, with nails painted in a garish red.
No. No, no, no.
I stumbled toward the cracked mirror on the wall, and my stomach dropped. Staring back at me wasn’t my
reflection. It was hers.
“Welcome to your new life, sister,” came a sickeningly familiar voice.
I spun around, my legs shaky, and saw… me. Celeste, in my body, smirking like she’d won the lottery.
“Give it back,” I croaked, my voice weak and trembling.
She laughed, the sound cruel and mocking. “Why would I do that? This feels incredible. Strong. Powerful. No wonder everyone wanted a piece of you.”
I stumbled toward her, my fists clenched. “You can’t do this! You can’t-”
“Can’t?” she interrupted, stepping closer, her smirk widening. “Pff! I’m going to use this power to take over Xavier’s pack. I can become the Alpha myself.”
“Bitch!”
She leaned in, her breath hot against my face. “Maybe. But I’m a bitch in your body. And that makes me
unstoppable.”
Before I could react, the old woman stepped forward, her gnarled hand gripping my arm. “Time to go.”
“Where are you taking me?” I demanded, struggling against her hold.
G
D
12:55 PM
Banished and Betrayed, But She Walked Again–And Rejected Him
Celeste shrugged, waving me off like I was nothing. “Somewhere far away. I can’t have you running around,
ruining my fun. Goodbye, sister.”
I thrashed and screamed as the old woman dragged me out of the room, down a narrow hallway that reeked of damp and decay.
Eventually, she shoved me into a pitch–black cell, the door slamming shut behind me.
“Enjoy your stay,” she let out a cruel chuckle before walking away.
The air in the cold, dark cell felt heavier than ever. My neck ached as I leaned back against the damp wall, and
that’s when I noticed it–a faint, persistent itch at the base of my neck. Something felt… off.
Then it hit me.
I’d felt this before, ever since the car accident months ago. My fingers brushed over the spot, and then the door creaked open, and in came Celeste–wearing my face. She looked smug as ever, her heels clicking against the
concrete floor.
“Well, how’s the body swap treating you, dear sister?” she said mockingly, crossing her arms.
I glared at her. “What did you do to me?”
She smirked, tilting her head. “Oh, you mean the little tracker in your neck? A brilliant idea, wasn’t it? I had it
implanted after the accident. How else would I have known exactly where you were all these months? You’ve always been so predictable, Lyra.”
My stomach churned as her words sank in. “The accident…” I whispered, my voice shaky.
Her grin widened. “Yes, the accident. I planned it all. The broken seatbelt, the faulty airbag… And your baby? That
was no accident either.”
A sharp pain stabbed my chest, tears welling up in my eyes. “You killed my child,” I hissed, my voice trembling with rage.
“Of course,” she said with a cruel laugh. “I couldn’t let you live your perfect little life, could I? You always had
everything. It was my turn.”
My hands balled into fists. Every ounce of pain, grief, and anger boiled inside me. I wasn’t going to let her win.
I waited until she turned her back to me, smugly admiring herself in the cracked mirror on the wall. That’s when I lunged, using every bit of strength I had.
We struggled, her shrieks echoing through the room. I grabbed a nearby shard of broken glass and pointed it at her throat.
“Undo the spell,” I growled, pressing the shard closer.
But before I could push further, the old woman barged in, muttering another spell. The air around me felt thick again, and my grip faltered.
Thinking fast, I grabbed a chair and swung it at her, knocking her to the ground. I didn’t wait to see if she’d get back up–Iran.
I ran through the winding halls of the old building until I found an exit, bursting out into the night. My heart pounded as I spotted a train station in the distance. Without looking back, I ran toward it, desperate to escape.
When I finally boarded the train, my legs gave out, and I collapsed into a seat, gasping for breath.
Then I saw him.
Zephyr.
