Elisa's POV: If someone had warned me that the happiest day of my life would end with my death, I would have laughed in their face. ............ A sharp pain suddenly seared through my chest when I saw the TV screen. >>"Breaking news. After leading his Ice Moon team to victory in this year's Marvian Ice Tournament Championship, future Alpha Ethan Rawcrest has officially announced his Luna before the world...Miss Maria Smith." The familiar tightness, this suffocating pressure...I could immediately recognize that the attack was beginning. Following the announcer's cheerful voice, when Ethan lifted the Championship Trophy, right next to him, cheering, stood Maria. My best friend. My soul sister. The woman I had donated my blood for ten years. And now, she was kissing my chosen mate, who was about to mark me tonight. Panickedly, I ran over to the counter to search for my inhaler. I desperately searched through the drawers, but cold sweat broke out across my back when I realized it was missing. Where was it? Being the Beta's daughter, I had loved Ethan Rawcrest since my childhood. I joined the cheerleader squad for him, danced until my ankles swelled, worked countless part-time jobs, and ignored my worsening asthma while supporting his dream. And Maria? After her parents died, my father took her in. She had a rare blood disease, so I donated my blood for ten years whenever her disease flared up. Both of them were my family. And now, they had stabbed me in the back. My vision blurred with tears and every breath now felt like knives scraping through my throat. But suddenly, my room door flung open. I froze, yet the pain in my chest couldn't compare to the sight of Ethan holding Maria's hand. Maria glanced at the TV screen once, which was still telecasting about them, and then shuffled her gaze towards me. Her smile grew eerie when she raised something between her fingers. "Oh? Sweetie, are you looking for this?" My eyes rolled in shock, when I saw she was holding my blue-capped inhaler, proudly showing it off to my face. . "Why do you have that in the first place!?" I lunged toward her desperately, as my life truly depended on it at that moment. But Ethan stepped forward and blocked me with a push. As I stumbled onto the floor, I glared at him with my bloodshot eyes. "Ethan...give me back the inhaler, hurry." Every word cost me precious air, but Ethan only narrowed his cold eyes before he snarled, "Has jealousy finally driven you insane? You were about to push Maria." Through my tears, the man I had loved all my life suddenly looked like a stranger. I gritted my jaw, "You bastard...How could you betray me after everything I did for you?" "Who skipped meals for your new skates every time you blew up your savings? Who stayed up all night nursing you every time your shoulder was injured? Who cheered for you until I lost my voice? "And Maria..." My breaths became shorter as every wheeze scraped painfully through my throat, "Who donated blood every time your disease flared up?" However, Ethan frowned impatiently, clicking his tongue. "Elisa, stop acting like a victim. Did I ever ask you to do those things for me? No! You chose to." As if invisible chains were wrapping around my ribs, my chest ached, "Didn't you promise me to mark me after winning the tournament? Even this morning, you had promised to come back with a ring, Ethan." I could see his eyes shift slightly with a hint of remorse in them, but before he could utter a word, Maria hugged his arm, "Elisa, why are you making things difficult? We have tolerated you long enough." "She's right." Ethan agreed in a flash, suddenly curling his lips with disdain, "Besides, did you really think I would choose a wolfless runt over my precious fated mate?" Wait...what? Just when I thought the night couldn't get any worse, his sudden declaration tore me apart. Maria tossed a cruel smirk towards me as my pupils shrank, "Oh dear, looks like I forgot to tell you, Elisa. We have been mates long before entering the ceremony. "But my blood disease wasn't cured yet. So I needed your blood, and for that, Ethan had to humor you for the time being. But mate bonds can never be erased, Elisa. Besides..." When her words trailed off, Ethan's expression softened as he looked at Maria, resting his hand on her stomach. "She's healthy now. And our pack doctor confirmed yesterday that I am going to be a father. Naturally, Maria will become our pack's Luna. "So, tell me...why would I keep you around anymore?" Dark spots started appearing before my eyes. My fingers shook as his words echoed in my ears. But for the first time that night, apart from fear, hatred no longer mattered. I desperately wanted to breathe. My body was already reaching its limit, and if I didn't get the inhaler, I was really going to die. I coughed violently before forcing myself to crawl on the ground towards Ethan's feet, clutching his denim, "E-Ethan...Please...I'll leave. I promise... "I'll take my mother and leave the pack forever. I won't ruin your lives. You know...my mother only has me. Please...give me the inhaler..." But his grimace remained cold when Ethan took a step back from me, "The world will simply know that Elisa Ashford died from an asthma attack tonight." "E-Ethan!?" My broken cry echoed through the walls as I watched him walk away. All this time...was I just a blood bank for his beloved mate? On the other hand, Maria stood still briefly and then suddenly tossed that inhaler towards me on the ground. A fleeting hope rose in me, believing maybe Maria would grant me one last chance to live. 'CRACK!' The moment I tried to reach my arm, her heels crushed the inhaler. "N-No..." I cried out, but with the bare minimum strength still left in my dying body, I crawled towards the broken pieces of the inhaler, wheezing painfully. Blood dripped from my nails as I scraped the ground, but I didn't care about anything. While Maria crouched beside me on the ground, as she broke the intense silence, "Elisa...Do you know why I developed that blood disease?" Suddenly, her smile darkened as she narrowed her orbs at me, "Because I had poisoned myself." "W-What?" I rolled my tearful eyes while her smile deepened, "I had cursed you, that's why...I needed your blood. Or, did you believe you were truly wolfless?" My body trembled violently, hearing her brutal confession. "Every time you gave me your blood...The curse grew stronger. You fed it with your own hands." That means...I had never been wolfless. She was the one who stole everything from me. "Farewell, best friend." "M-Maria...?" She stood up and walked out while I called out one last time, with pure hatred filling my dying heart. I was murdered tonight, but no one in the pack would know this. Not even my Mom. "Moon Goddess..." A helpless wish escaped from me one last time, "If you truly exist, please give me one more chance. And I swear...I will make them pay..." And then...darkness prevailed before my eyes. ............. "Now we will begin the cheerleader squad selection for each hockey team." A loud voice suddenly made me blink open my eyes, as I saw the familiar auditorium hall. Countless girls were lined up around me, chatting excitedly while clutching application forms. And in my own hands...I was holding that same application form. This place was the Marvian Academy hall, and two years ago, the day when I enrolled here...I stood in this exact place to join the cheerleader team. I lowered my head and stared at my fingers. My nails weren't blood-stained, and I wasn't holding any broken pieces of the inhaler either. Most importantly, I could breathe. There was no suffocating pain in my chest. Tears welled in my eyes when I realized...I was reborn exactly two years ago, before my asthma worsened. Moon Goddess...You truly heard and granted me a second chance. When my turn came, I stared at the cards of each hockey team spread on the table. Ice Moon...Last time, I gave it my all to support Ethan Rawcrest's team, only to end up with a brutal death. Right next to it was the card of Blood Fang...the team belonging to the lycans. And their captain was the lycan prince, Kael Blackthorn...Ethan's greatest rival. In my previous life, I didn't pay any attention to Kael, but this time, a bitter smile tugged at my lips. I was ready to become Ethan and Maria's worst nightmare. I stepped forward and picked up the Blood Fang card when I declared, "I choose this team."

Elisa's POV: Hearing my answer, the teacher nearly dropped the registration card and raised her brow, "Miss Ashford? Are you sure about this? Once you choose a team, you can't reverse the decision until the end." I knew the rules of this academy very well. But before I could speak, I heard the faint whispers echo around me. >>"Did she just choose Blood Fang?" >>"Didn't she arrive together with Ethan Rawcrest? I heard she's him. >>"Lol, she must've lost her mind. Blood Fang and Ice Moon are sworn enemies. >> "A werewolf cheering for the lycan team? As if Blood Fang would want her... " Most of the girls laughed at me. Their mocking voices filled the air, but none of that mattered to me. Unlike them, I have already died once. And this time, I have to use my sworn enemy...I would make Ethan and Maria pay for their sins. I smiled faintly and tightened my grip on the card, "Yes, I still choose the Blood Fang team." ........................... By the time I returned to my dorm, the sun had already set. It was time for the official welcome party for all the hockey teams. Tonight, the leader of the cheer squad for each team will also be chosen through a lottery. Last time, I was chosen as the leader of Ethan's Ice Moon cheer squad. I attended the party proudly by his side, wearing a silver-white gown that matched the color of his jersey. But until now, I never realized how his eyes kept drifting to Maria. Back then, I had convinced myself that I must've been overthinking, but...I was such a fool. A bitter smile tugged at my lips when I opened my wardrobe. My fingers brushed against the black and red backless dress Ethan had gifted me on my 17th birthday. I had always avoided this dress like the plague because it was too revealing and bold, unlike me. Just when I finished curling my hair, I heard a knock on my door. But as soon as I opened it, my smile almost disappeared. Maria stood there, wearing that exact white mini skirt and a bold silver crop top, while forging an innocent, sweet smile on her face. Looking at the smile that had watched me die made my stomach twist. But on the outside, I retained a calm expression. However, her gaze swept over my dress, and for a second, her smile faltered. While glancing at her own outfit, a hint of jealousy appeared quickly in her eyes, which I didn't miss this time. But soon it was replaced with a stiff smile when she mumbled, "Wow, I thought you hated revealing clothes, Elisa?" "Ethan brought this for me, so of course I had to wear it for him." I smiled sweetly, watching her face darken as she forced another fake smile, "Oh, how thoughtful of Ethan." ..................... The spacious courtyard was selected as the party venue where music thundered through the speakers. The night sky was clearly visible above, and the stage where the cheerleaders would be announced was decorated with bright lights, ribbons, and team banners. Round tables placed throughout the yard were filled with food and drinks where thousands of students, including Alphas, betas, and omegas, were present along with the cheerleaders who had chosen their teams. But I noticed there was a separate section designed for the lycan team in this yard, probably because the lycans weren't interested in mingling with the werewolves anyway. My eyes instinctively searched for the Captain of Blood Fang. But all of a sudden, strong arms wrapped around my waist, halting my steps when a kiss landed on my cheek. "Baby." I recognized the familiar voice in a flash, but it made my stomach twist. On the other hand, Ethan grinned, wrapping me in his embrace, completely unaware of the fury gushing in my chest. "Wow...never knew I would actually see you wearing this dress someday," he teased me with another kiss, "I thought you used to hate sexy clothes." I could clearly sense his gaze scanning me from head to toe, holding a satisfied grin, "Did you dress up because you wanted to impress me that badly?" Not long ago, his smile used to make my heart race. But now, I despised his existence so much that I wanted to scrub his touch off my skin, after slapping his smug face. "Yeah. Of course." I smiled tenderly. His eyes visibly brightened as if his wolf practically purred with pride. Leaning closer, his hand wrapped possessively around my waist as he whispered, "I knew that, right? My Elisa finally learned how to dress up for her Alpha." He chuckled softly, looking ridiculously pleased around me while every touch of his fingers almost made me barf. As always, he acted as if he owned me, but tonight...things weren't about to go his way. "By the way, there will be a tradition tonight. The leader of the cheer squad will kiss her hockey captain after the announcements." His eyes sparkled mischievously as he added, "Shall we go public tonight? And after that... "We will spend the night together." He winked at me, but hearing those words, I clenched my fingers so tight that the nails almost pierced my skin. But at that moment, suddenly, someone caught my attention when my gaze landed on him. In the separate area allotted for the Blood Fang team, a striking, handsome man, almost impossible to ignore, stood tall. Wearing a tailored black shirt and denim, even surrounded by his teammates, his broad frame and relaxed posture naturally drew everyone's attention. He was Kael Blackthorn, future Lycan King and the Captain of Blood Fang Team. And just from a glance, his emerald eyes looked sharp but a bit too beautiful. I had seen Kael countless times before. But perhaps because I had spent my past life chasing Ethan, I never truly looked at him. Now...I finally understood why most of the academy girls were obsessed with the lycan prince. And why Ethan despised him so much. Because Kael omitted a domineering aura that made him stand above everyone. According to the Pack Council elders, the Ice Hockey tournament would decide the balance of power between wolves and lycans. If the Lycans win, every werewolf territory would fall under their protection. And if the Alphas win, they would maintain their independence, ending the generational war between lycans and wolves. And within a few minutes, the announcement began regarding the leaders of each cheer squad through a lottery. I held my heart with anticipation until my name was announced. "Elisa Ashford." Ethan looked pleased as his smile widened when he stretched his hand to bring me to the stage along with him, "Let's go, baby-" "...Leader of Blood Fang's Cheersquad." All of a sudden, a dreadful silence fell across the party, as the music seemed to disappear. Thousands of students stared at me with confused faces as they whispered among each other. "What?" Ethan's smile froze. The hand he had extended towards me remained still in the air as disbelief flashed on his face. But at that moment, I felt a sharp gaze watching over me from across the room. And indeed, it was Kael. His emerald eyes were locked on me while one of his brows slowly rose. Surprise flickered in his gaze, then, unexpectedly, the corner of his lips curved with a small smile. It wasn't a smile of mockery or arrogance, but pure amusement. As if he had stumbled upon something unexpectedly entertaining despite the chaos that erupted around us. To be honest, I hated lycans. Five years ago, my father died protecting our border from one of their attacks. And now...I was willing to walk into their territory. The irony almost made me laugh. "Elisa!" Ethan suddenly grabbed my wrist, and the color of his face drained as if he had watched me looking at Kael. "What the hell is this? Tell me...is this some prank?" I stared at his desperate hand grabbing me, with a faint smile that curved my lips. Carefully, I unleashed my arm as I murmured, "I don't know what happened either...But I guess, the tradition needs to be followed." "But why?" His pupils shrank, "You're my girlfriend." Girlfriend? Hearing that word almost made me laugh with a bitter heartache. If only you had cherished our relationship instead of cheating on me with your fated mate, would I have to resort to such means? I saw Ethan dart his eyes between Kael and me nervously. "No...Elisa, stop joking. It's not funny anymore." His voice seemed to have lost all confidence, as if he was unsure if he let me go, whether I would be back to him. But behind him, Maria bit her lower lip as I saw her nails dig into her palm. When she saw me turning around, her entire face paled, as if she knew exactly that after tonight, everything between Ethan and me wouldn't remain the same anymore. Tonight, the entire academy would witness Ethan Rawcrest being abandoned. I took a step back from them and chugged down an entire glass of whiskey. I needed that fire to muster my inner strength. Without another glance at either of them, I turned around with each step echoing in the silent hall. I could feel countless gazes lingering on my back, along with Ethan's furious stare or Maria's shocked gaze. Yet I didn't stop. For the first time in my life, it felt liberating to walk away from Ethan Rawcrest. Until I stood before Kael Blackthorn. From up close, he looked even taller than I had expected. Tilting my head slightly when I met his emerald eyes, I noticed his teammates also looked equally flabbergasted. Whereas Kael...looked visibly amused, as his dark eyebrow rose. His smile widened slightly as if he was curious to see how far I had intended to go. "Captain Blackthorn," I greeted him first, breaking the awkward silence when he let out a soft mumble. "Yes, Elisa Ashford?" Hearing my name from his deep voice sent an unexpected shiver down my spine, as for some reason, my heart skipped a beat. Keeping a calm demeanor, I lowered my voice. "So...Do you prefer a kiss or a light peck?"

Kael's POV I firmly believed there were only three things in the world worth my time. Glory of the Lycan Kingdom. Victory of Blood Fang Team. And absolute, Crushing Destruction of Ethan Rawcrest. The rest of everything else was a waste of energy to me, including women. Though I had my fair share of hookups and flings, all of them were short-lived, devoid of complicated emotions like love. But I have always particularly avoided getting involved with wolf maidens, not because I was prejudiced, but in the world of lycans, something like their sacred 'mate bond' didn't exist. But on the entrance day, I first noticed a shy, timid-looking girl standing at the iron gates of the academy. She wasn't breathtaking, unlike the typical omega girls from rich families who hovered around me, craving my attention. But for some damn reason, her presence had definitely burned a hole into my memory. The moment I came across her in the hallway, my heart raced faster at the strange, intoxicating sweet scent that had drifted past me. The scent mimicked the essence of honey, and peony flowers dripped in morning dew. A scent so soft and warm yet dangerously alluring for me. When I looked into her a little, I found her name...Elisa Ashford, a pretty one indeed. But I knew it very well, no Lycan should have been able to perceive such a mysterious scent from a mere werewolf maiden, and certainly not from a wolfless girl. However, Thunder, my lycan, growled restlessly inside me when he first sensed her sweet scent, "Kael, something about this girl feels strange." And without realizing it myself, I found my eyes following that girl around everywhere on that day. But, my curiosity died soon. The way her ocean eyes filled with love glistened around Ethan, it didn't take me long to realize she belonged to him. Ethan Rawcrest, my greatest rival and the bastard I loathed more than any other wolf in this world. A pathetic coward who wouldn't think twice before hurting an innocent being with his selfish and cruel tactics. I could never digest how a heinous man like him was supposed to become the future Alpha of the werewolf territories. Every time our eyes met, my murderous wrath flared as I wanted to make him suffer a slow, painful death. But even that wouldn't partly satiate my rage for what he had done to my sister. Since physical fights were off-limits in this academy, I was already determined to crush his Ice Moon team in the game. And as far as I was concerned, anything that Ethan had touched would end up tainted, including his woman. For the past week, I had erased her existence from my memory and hoped our paths would never cross again. But tonight, my plans failed yet again. Without paying attention to the announcements or anyone else in the party, I chose to drift my mind towards the strategy for our first match with my teammates, until the announcement carrying her name hit me like a physical blow. "Elisa Ashford...Leader of Blood Fang's cheer squad." A brief silence fell around us, only carrying gasps. But then, it transformed into absolute chaos. >>"What?" >>"No way... Elisa Ashford? Cheerleader for the lycan team?" Even I was taken aback by the announcement, my heart almost skipped a beat. I could feel Thunder purring inside me, 'Now this is interesting.' And right next to me, my childhood best friend Rex nearly choked on his drink, coughing violently as he stared at the stage. He was already aware of my brief curiosity towards her. But this time, he sounded baffled, darting his gaze towards me, "Wait...what?" I quickly turned my glance towards her, only to see that her eyes were already glued on me. She wore a black and crimson backless dress that hugged every curve of her petite frame. Her long, wavy, brown hair cascaded down her shoulders like silk. But her eyes... Unlike before, those enchanting ocean eyes held no hesitation in them. They didn't even show a flicker of fear or a blush of embarrassment. She rather looked as though she had stepped out of a foolish, love-blinded dream into a war zone, as if she was prepared for it. However, the moment our eyes met, she quickly turned her head away...leaving me amused as I couldn't stop my smile. "Hey, Kael," Rex grabbed me by my arm, narrowing his orbs as he lowered his voice, "I don't know what's happening, but you didn't plan any of this, did you?" "Of course not." I shrugged, being equally confused by the sudden turn of events. "Then let's not make it more complicated." He rubbed his forehead, quietly glancing at her once before he murmured, "A hockey team captain can reject the leader of their cheer squad and appoint someone else. There are plenty of lycan maidens...choose one among them. "We shouldn't get involved with these damn wolves." Before I could pay much heed to his words, Elisa started walking towards me, and somehow, the world around us seemed to slow down. And unlike earlier, I didn't catch the faint trace of her scent. Rather this time, it hit my nerves like a tidal wave, almost edging my lycan. I could feel Thunder abruptly rose inside me, his golden eyes narrowed like a predator when he growled, "Kael..." I frowned, "What is it?" 'This girl is strange. There is no way she is wolfless. I can smell it. Something is sleeping inside her but I can't sense it... She must be hiding something." My expression darkened when I heard his impatient grunt. I knew werewolves couldn't hide their wolves from lycans because our sensory instincts were hundreds of times sharper than any ordinary Alpha. Yet, the confusion is Thunder's voice made me dubious. By the time I had snapped out of my thoughts, she had already reached me, standing just inches away. And the moment we stood facing each other, it hit me just how tiny she actually was in front of a 6'4" lycan prince. She barely reached up to my shoulders, but as I looked down, I didn't miss a flicker of something dangerous in those ocean eyes locked in me. I could also sense a profound sadness hidden in them, but she was trying her best to mask it with an utterly captivating determination written on her face. She tossed a small smile, and it wasn't shy one...but rather a challenging smile. "So, Captain Blackwood..." Her voice was a soft echo in the night breeze when she lowered her tone. "Do you prefer a kiss or a light peck?" But the moment she spoke those words, I caught her eyes shimmering with a hint of mischief. I stared blankly at her round oval face before I burst out laughing. While I ignored Rex constantly nudging me with his elbow, my laugh was a loud, genuine one, unlike the kind my teammates rarely heard. The entire party arena froze, even Rex, who held a horrified expression written on his grimace, while whisper shouting at me, "Don't! Don't do it, Kael." But I had already lost all of my restraint to stop anymore. Did she even realize she dared to play with fire? Quickly, my gaze shifted past her, and I found something even more amusing, watching Ethan Rawcrest's expression. The bastard looked like he was about to combust holding a grimace of fiery rage, while glowering at me. His fists clenched so tight his knuckles had turned white. And the aura of his aggression was so strong that I could sense his wolf was barely restrained from attacking me. How pathetic of him. Yet still, suddenly, a dark, thrilling desire surged through me. I wanted to see him suffer just like this by snatching away every single thing he had desired, starting with his woman. Who, not long ago, used to look at him as if her entire world comprised of him. Without warning, I reached out and wrapped my arm around her waist, jerking her petite body against my chest. She gasped at my quick movement, but her entire body stiffened against me. I could feel the rapid thumping of her heart beating against my ribs, creating a frantic, synchronized rhythm that drove my sudden spike in adrenaline. Thunder purred, a deep, possessive sound, 'Yes...do that, Kael.' ' Tilting my head closer to her face, my lips brushed against the shell of her ear, making her body suddenly tremble a little. This time, sensing that tantalizing scent radiating off her skin from so close almost drove me insane as I whispered, "Since you're offering so generously," my voice dripping lower, "it would be rude of me to refuse. I choose a kiss." Before she could breathe or blink, I tilted her chin up and pressed my lips to hers. It wasn't just a kiss to spite Ethan...it rather turned into an explosion. The moment our lips met, as if a spark of raw electricity had surged through my veins, ignited a fire I never knew I was capable of feeling. What the hell? I had kissed countless women before, yet none of them had ever made Thunder purr like this. And none of them had ever made my heart pound so violently. She tasted alarmingly sweet, almost enough to turn me into an addict. I felt her trembling hands soon climbed up to my chest, first to push me away and then, to her own surprise, clenching my shirt tightly. As if she was melting from the kiss, a soft moan escaped her lips that sounded like a surrender. The entire crowd exploded with cheers, whistles, and screams. Someone even opened bottles of champagne. But for a second, I opened my eyes just to look over her shoulder, and my smile deepened. Ethan Rawcrest's eyes were bloodshot, along with his face twisted in a grimace of maddening jealousy and rage. Not only me, but he was glaring at the girl in my arms, with a look of absolute devastation washed over him. And for some reason, watching him lose his mind made me want to deepen our kiss. Only when I felt her faintly pushing against my chest did I realize she was struggling to breathe. Reluctantly, I parted my lips away and saw Elisa was shivering a little, her cheeks turning flushed crimson red. Those beautiful ocean eyes stared up at me in shock, her lips swollen and glistening from my saliva. How divinely beautiful... "CRANK!" But all of a sudden, the noise around us paused at the unusual sound. Curiously, we both turned around, but my emerald orbs narrowed with a wicked smile when I saw Ethan had crushed the glass of whiskey in his hands, and it disintegrated into shards, cutting into his palm. Blood dripped onto the floor, painting it red, but he didn't even flinch. His brown eyes changed into dark red, flaring his death glare towards me.