Chapter 2
CHANGE OF FATE
She was dead. Never in a million years would Tanin have believed her sister could kill her, but Kita had, and now—she was dead.
Her weightless form floated above the funeral house, her soul filled with anguish as she watched the black palace cars arrive. They were here.
Her birth father, Alpha Thiam and his wife, Luna Emily. They were here to celebrate the passing of their pregnant daughter.
Did they mourn for her? Did they feel any sorrow at the grandchild that had been stolen from them?
Tannin realized she didn't want to know. The answer might break her even worse.
She moved into the funeral house, watching as the pack elder arranged flowers around her picture. The air smelled of burning incense and perfume. Chanel perfume.
Before turning, she knew who she would see.
Her heart broke as she watched Luna Emily hobble into the funeral home, supported by a weeping Kitana.
"Shh Mami, it's okay," Kitana sobbed softly as she pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and rubbed Luna Emily's back slowly.
Tanin's mother looked broken. She didn't speak, but her eyes were red, the twin dark circles betraying how much Tanin's death had affected her.
So her parents loved her after all. Tannin felt relief and then sadness. Why had they never shown it when she was alive?
She knew the answer— Kitana.
24 years ago, two baby girls had been swapped in the birthing house. A princess, the daughter of Luna Emily, and a commoner, the daughter of the Luna's ladiesmaid.
Tannin, despite being the real princess, had grown up bullied as the only daughter of a palace guard and maid. While Kitana had taken her place, growing up as the golden princess of the pack alpha and Luna.
Well, until they were thirteen.
A chill went down Tanin's spine and she was sure if she still had her body, she would have shivered. Now she just floated, unable to swallow her sadness as memories enveloped her.
The day her parents had died.
She was young, unable to fully understand why her parents, who had followed the royal entourage for a summer vacation, couldn't come back to her.
The screams of panic, the sound of footsteps as everyone in the palace rushed about in fear.
The entourage was back and they had gotten into an accident. Many died; Princess Kitana was fighting for her life.
Tanin had almost gone crazy. Scared, crying, and unable to find anyone to give her information when everyone was focused on Kitana. She eventually found out her mother was in the infirmary.
Her young feet had taken her swiftly over the cobbled stones of the palace grounds as she raced, her heart pounding in her ears. Her father was gone; her mother couldn't go too.
And then the hands that held her back as she reached the infirmary hallways.
"What's happening?! Where's my mom?!" Her voice reverberated through the walls as she screamed over and over again.
No one would tell her then, but later she found out.
Princess Kitana was dying, but neither the Luna nor the Alpha were a match to save the girl. In the midst of the chaos, the dying palace maid, Liyana— Tanin's mother, had opted to donate.
She spent her last breaths donating blood to her real child and telling the Luna the truth. The girl everyone loved and adored belonged to her, while her own quiet daughter was the real princess.
Overnight, Tanin's life changed.
She became a princess.
Her parents were too attached to Kitana to let her go, instead, they opted to take in their real child and raise the two girls like sisters.
Except they weren't sisters. Not really.
Not when Kitana never failed to remind Tanin who their parents loved more.
Not when Kitana constantly strived to make their parents hate Tanin.
Not when their awakening came and Kitana blossomed with the strength of a beta while Tanin's wolf was an omega.
Her parents never seemed to forgive her for being weaker.
Growing up in the palace had been hard; marriage to Damian was the only thing that brought her happiness, but even that...
Tannin's chest tightened as she watched the door of the funeral home open and her in-laws trailed inside.
Amelie, her mother-in-law, and the girls—Lyra and Antara. None of them could even be bothered to fake sadness. They all wore equally bored expressions on their faces as they crossed their arms and moved to the back of the room.
Why was she here? She was dead, wasn't she? Couldn't she find peace in death? Why was she forced to watch these people who held no affection for her?
At that exact moment, the funeral home went silent as the door opened once more and her husband stepped inside.
He was pale. His grey eyes bleak and red-rimmed. Despite everything she had endured, Tannin still felt her heart ache for him.
She made to float over to him when Kitana broke away from their mother and glided over to his side.
"Lycan,"
Tannin paused in shock as Kitana burst into fresh tears.
Everyone around the room watched her with pitying eyes, and even Damian seemed affected. He held her arm as she clung to him and sobbed. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry, I couldn't save her," She continued to hiccup and cry.
Tannin wanted to scream and shout. Put out the lights or do some ghost things to shake things up but she was helpless.
Watching as Damian wiped Kitana's tears and shook his head.
"No Kitana, it wasn't your fault. Nothing that happened was your fault."
Kitana paused, looking up at him with wide eyes, "B But—"
"Shh darling," Tanin felt bitter as her mother glided up to Damian and Kitana. "Tanin's death had nothing to do with you. I know you loved your sister; she would have wanted you to be happy,"
Kitana gave a solemn nod, sniffling as she turned back to Damian. "We all loved her so much a… and tried hard to be there for her. I'm sure she didn't mean to, but… sometimes it felt like she didn't want to be part of the family."
Kitana's eyes filled with fresh tears as she whispered, " I just wish I had done more... helped her more,"
She paused, glancing down as her cheeks pinkened. "Maybe then she would have been more open,"
Tannin's mother paused, her face crumbling as she looked to Damian for an explanation.
Damian sighed, a vein at the side of his head ticking as he cleared his throat. "We had doubts about the child,"
Even in her spirit form, Tannin felt an overwhelming sense of shame.
The funeral home burst into uproar. Alpha Thiam sank his head into his hands as Tanin's in-laws attacked.
They hurled insults at her photo, Antara going as far as throwing down one of the flower bouquets.
"ENOUGH! Everybody," Kitana's voice broke as she began to cry again, "Please." Her voice was a pained whisper as she sank to the floor.
Guilty looks went around the room as Damian bent down beside her and began to help her up.
"You're such a good sister. Tanin was lucky to have you." Lyra praised Kitana as she and Antara came to help Damian raise Kitana up.
"No, I'm not perfect," Kitana ducked her head, blushing furiously. "I can never measure up to the position of a high Luna. I'm not like Tanin,"
"Nonsense!" It was Damian's mother who spoke this time around as she nudged Damian.
Dread filled Tanin; her entire form began to tremble as she shook her head. Before he said the words, she already knew what was coming.
"Kitana," Damian held Kitana's hand. Encouraged by his smiling family members. Never mind that they were here to mourn Tanin.
Never mind, they stood in front of her funeral picture, they all clapped encouragingly with matching smiles of peace as Damian whispered.
"Will you marry me? Will you be my High Luna?"
Tanin wished she could die twice.
"You can change it, you know."
Tanin jerked, her form in shock as a beautiful woman appeared beside her.
She didn't need to ask who the woman was; she instinctively knew.
"Goddess Selene." The words left her lips as she tried to bow.
A huge part of her revered the moon goddess but a tiny part was angry. How could this woman weave such a terrible fate for her?
"Don't be angry with me, child." The goddess seemed to read Tanin's mind. "Greater forces than you realise are at play."
Tanin shook her head in disagreement. "It's simple. I'm a weak Omega, so my parents prefer Kitana. She's not their real child but she's stronger,"
The goddess cocked her head in amusement. "Is that really what you think?"
Just then, something flashed before Tanin's eyes. It was a memory from another world. A vision of her shifting into her wolf and its fur— was gold.
She gasped softly, unable to properly understand. "My wolf is a lycan."
The goddess's voice softened as she reached for Tanin's hands. " You can change your destiny. This time with your real wolf by your side,"
Tanin was confused; she could barely make sense of what was happening. If her wolf had the strength of a Lycan, then why had she awakened as a weak Omega all those years ago?
"Well?" The goddess probed.
It wasn't a question she needed to be asked twice.
One look at the funeral home, watching them bow to Kitana and celebrate her engagement; Tanin's funeral, totally forgotten.
She knew she would give anything to change her fate.
"Yes, I am."
When Tanin woke up, she was sure of two things.
One she was alive, and two, it was the morning after her wedding night.
She had gone back in time.