Chapter 2

Mom could only offer an awkward, apologetic laugh. "Lucian, I'm so sorry. I can't force my daughters. Perhaps you should seek an alliance with another family."

Lucian, probably feeling his pride wounded, had kept a calm facade until now, but his expression finally tightened.

He blurted out. "No! My father, Alpha Marcus, insisted I marry one of your daughters!"

He then slammed the engagement agreement onto the table and turned to leave.

As he walked away, he left us with a single chilling threat.

"You have three days to decide. If you can't make up your minds, I'll just pick one of you myself!"

After Lucian left, Mom, frantic, nudged us both. "If you two don't want to marry Lucian, then hurry up and find your own mates!"

Selene and I just stared at each other, utterly bewildered.

For years, we'd been locked in a bitter struggle over Lucian, barely giving any other man a second glance.

How were we supposed to know where our mates were?

Mom noticed our unusual behavior, her brows furrowed. "Didn't you two just say you'd already found your mates?"

Seeing we couldn't keep it a secret any longer, we finally told Mom everything about our rebirths.

At first, Mom didn't believe us, but as we recounted the details so vividly, she eventually accepted it. She concluded that the Moon Goddess must have given us a second chance, allowing us to be reborn.

Then, Mom frowned.

"So, who does Lucian actually love?" She asked."If he already has someone in mind, why is he so determined to marry one of you?"

I shook my head, feeling lost and guilty. "I died too quickly in my last life; I didn't hear him finish."

I looked at Selene.

She looked equally helpless. "I have no idea either. Lucian never spoke a word of it to me."

After hours of frantic brainstorming and chaotic discussions, we finally decided to split up and uncover the truth.

Mom would help us search for our true mates.

Selene would scout all the females in the pack, looking for anyone connected to Lucian.

And I, knowing him best, would go to read his intentions directly.

When I saw Lucian again, he was painting in his study.

I saw a portrait of a woman, but it was only her back. Her face was missing.

I leaned closer to ask. "Who is this woman you're painting?"

He calmly put down his brush.

"Can't you tell? Of course, I'm painting you."

A pang shot through my heart. I remembered how much Lucian loved to paint in my first life.

He used to tell me he couldn't capture my beauty on canvas because it was beyond any brushstroke, that I was too perfect in his heart. Now I know it was just another lie.

I looked closely at the painting and noticed a small mole on the right side of the woman's neck. I didn't have one.

I asked him directly, "Lucian, this isn't me. I don't have a mole on my right neck."

Lucian froze for a moment.

When he recovered, he finally looked up at me, asking, "Aria, do you really want to know who she is?"