Her eyes fluttered open after what felt like hours of sleep. Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. Her last memories flooded back—her attack and her impending death.
She moved her trembling hands to her stomach and chest, expecting to feel pain, but she felt nothing—no wounds, no blood. It was as if the attack had never even happened.
She was supposed to be in a cave, that much she remembered. However, now she was in an unfamiliar room, sleeping on the floor. She jolted upright.
She stumbled toward the window, cautiously pulled the curtain, and peeked outside. She froze, her eyes going wide.
"What is happening? What... is this place?" she murmured, her gaze scanning the unrecognizable surroundings.
She had never seen a place like this before. Outside the window were wooden mansions with unfamiliar people roaming around.
"You are not Nala!" A ferocious voice pierced through the eerie silence.
Immediately, she turned her head. But strangely, there was no one inside.
"You evil witch! Why are you in Nala's body? What have you done to her? Where is she?!"
The voice was impossible to ignore, especially with its venomous tone.
The situation of not seeing the one who spoke wasn't strange to her because there were spells like that, but the fact that someone had the guts to play with her frustrated her.
She walked toward the door and waved her hand, expecting it to open with her magic. However, nothing happened. She slowly raised her hands, looking at them.
"No," she murmured, looking down at her trembling fingers. "That's not possible."
Her heart pounded as realization started to trickle in. She had lost her powers.
She moved to the lock, but it wouldn't budge. She had to find a way outside, so she walked to the dressing table and grabbed a hairpin.
She was about to leave, but she stopped when she noticed something. Her gaze shifted to the mirror.
The reflection of the girl stared back with a furrowed brow. The striking green eyes and long black hair. The only semblance of familiarity was her golden-brown skin.
Her eyes widened more than ever as the realization hit her harder. She was in someone else's body.
"What is this? Why am I her?"
Then, using the hairpin, she slammed it into the mirror, breaking it and injuring her hand. She gritted her teeth as she glared at the broken mirror, which showed part of her face.
Before she could comprehend the situation, the door swung open with a loud bang. A girl around her age stood in the doorway, her hair pulled back in a neat bun.
Three other girls followed, each carrying trays with garments. One girl went straight to the window and pulled the curtains open, flooding the room with harsh sunlight.
Another headed to the bathroom, while the third began arranging makeup on the dressing table. The girl in the lead approached her with a smile.
She frowned slightly when she noticed the situation.
"Luna," the leader called. "We're here under Madam Viola's orders to prepare you for the ceremony. The Eon Realm guests will arrive soon."
Her heart quickened with fury. The Eon Realm—the domain of the supernatural werewolves who had led to her downfall.
Seeing her in a daze, the leader of the maids chuckled softly. "Two weeks outside the pack, and you've forgotten everything? Luna, shall we begin?"
"Leave," she ordered.
"Are you defying Madam Viola's orders?" the leader asked, her tone hardening.
"I told you to leave."
The leader's frown deepened. "You may have been born an Alpha's daughter, but without your wolf, you're nothing. Don't think being called Luna puts your status above us Omegas."
Alpha? Wolf? Luna? Eons? Where the heck am I? Werewolf pack? It can't be.
Her frustration boiled over. "Get lost. Now."
The maid's face contorted with anger, but she said nothing. Turning on her heel, she stormed out, the other girls quickly following.
Alone again, she tried to gather her thoughts. She was in a werewolf pack, inside someone else's body—a werewolf queen. Nala's body. But she was no werewolf. She was Radella, a witch. Not just any witch—the queen of witches.
She sat on the floor, burying her face in her hands.
A mocking voice rang out in her mind. "You thought having this body would bring you power? Foolish witch. Your life will be more miserable than you realize."
She raised her head, her voice trembling with anger. "Who are you?"
The voice answered darkly. "I'm Elaine. Nala's wolf. Or what's left of her."
Radella's heart raced. "Her wolf?"
"I'll make sure you regret what you've done."
"How did this happen?" Radella sternly asked
Elaine's tone turned icy. "That's the question, What did you do to her?"
Her gaze darted to the window again. Escape was her only option. Maybe she could just leave. All she needed was a simple spell, and she could be gone.
Muttering the words under her breath, she closed her eyes as she tried harder for her spell to work. When she opened them, she was in the middle of a garden, surrounded by tall grass and blossoming flowers.
"What?" She had expected to return to Netha, to her kingdom.
"Did you just teleport?" the voice asked in disbelief. "I hate witches. Stop using spells with this body"
She broke into a run, hoping to find her real body and escape this strange situation. But suddenly, she found herself back in the same room. The force of her return sent her crashing into a cupboard.
Pain shot through her knee as she fell, hissing through clenched teeth. Panic gripped her. What was happening? Why couldn't she leave? She raised her hands, trying to summon her staff, her magic—anything.
Nothing came.
Her worst fears were confirmed. She was powerless in this body. Memories of her kingdom's destruction filled her, her hands shaking. How was she supposed to exact revenge if she was trapped like this—weak?
Radella's hands clenched into fists as a single thought ran through her mind: she had to regain her powers. Whatever it took.