Reborn To Ruin The Alpha

Chapter 1

Keira

The cold was the first thing I felt. It was a liar. It promised numbness, a gentle sleep, but all it did was sharpen the pain.

Blood melted the snow beneath me, a single, stark splash of crimson on a world of white. It pulsed out of me, a rhythm counting down the final seconds of my life.

“Gavin,” I rasped. The name was a shard of ice in my throat. “Please.”

He stood just beyond the reach of the swirling blizzard, a dark shape against the storm. He wasn’t alone. Lila was there, clinging to his arm, her hand resting protectively on her swollen stomach. His true mate. His future.

My replacement.

One of the men surrounding me, dressed in the ragged furs of a rogue, shifted his weight. I knew his scent, even through the blood and the cold. Marcus. The head of Gavin’s personal guard.

They weren’t rogues. They were his soldiers. This wasn’t a random attack. It was an execution.

“Why?” I forced the word past my frozen lips. It was a pathetic sound, lost in the howling wind.

But he heard me. He took a few steps forward, leaving Lila sheltered behind a great pine. His face was a mask of indifference.

“You were a good Luna, Keira,” he said. His voice was calm, conversational, as if we were discussing pack finances over breakfast. “Efficient. Respected. The perfect partner.”

“Then why are you doing this?” I coughed, and fresh, hot blood spilled onto the snow.

“Because you were a partner, not a mate,” he replied, his words colder than the blizzard. “You were a contract. An alliance. Lila… she is my soul. The Moon Goddess gave her to me.”

Lila stepped out from behind the tree, her expression a sickening mix of pity and triumph. “He never loved you, you know. He was just waiting for me.”

“We couldn’t risk a scandal,” Gavin continued, his tone logical, chillingly so. “The pack loves you. A divorce, a rejection… it would have been messy. This is cleaner. A tragic attack by rogues. The pack will mourn their perfect Luna and rally behind their grieving Alpha.”

Marcus took a step forward, his blade glinting. “Should I finish it, Alpha? It would be a mercy.”

“No,” Gavin said, raising a hand. “Let the cold take her. It’s a fitting end for our Ice Queen.”

He turned his back on me then. He walked back to Lila, wrapped his arm around her, and they disappeared into the storm.

His last words echoed in my mind. Ice Queen. He called me that as an insult, but as my life bled out into the snow, I clung to it. Ice did not break. It shattered. It cut. It froze the very heart of your enemies.

My vision blurred, the white snow turning to gray, then to black. My heart stuttered, a final, frantic beat.

*I will have my revenge,* I swore to the uncaring moon, hidden behind the clouds. *If it takes an eternity, I will have my vengeance, Gavin.*

My eyes snapped open.

Sunlight, pale and white, streamed through a familiar window. I was warm. I was in a bed, tangled in soft linen sheets. My body was whole. There was no pain. No blood.

I sat up, my heart hammering against my ribs. I knew this room. It was my maiden suite in my father’s wing of the pack house. The room I had lived in until…

A frantic knock sounded at the door.

“My lady? Luna Keira, are you awake?”

The voice. It was Tara, my handmaiden. But Lila had accused her of theft and had her banished two years ago. My mind reeled.

“It’s your wedding day!” Tara’s cheerful voice called through the wood.

Wedding day.

The words hit me like a physical blow. My head swiveled to the corner of the room, where a dress form stood shrouded in a white garment bag.

My wedding dress.

The door creaked open, and Tara peeked inside, her young face bright with excitement. “My lady, forgive me for entering, but your mother is asking if you’ll be ready for the stylists soon.”

She looked exactly as I remembered her. Younger. Happier. Untouched by the cruelty that was to come.

“Tara,” I said. My voice was a croak. I cleared my throat and tried again. “What is today’s date?”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “It’s the fifth of winter, my lady. The most wonderful day of the year!”

I stared at her. The fifth of winter. The day I had bound myself to a monster. Three years ago. Exactly three years.

“Are you alright, my lady?” Tara asked, stepping closer. “You’re as pale as a ghost. Is it nerves? Every bride gets them. Even a Luna.”

“No,” I said. The word was sharp, clear. The fog of disbelief was receding, replaced by a glacial certainty. “I am not nervous.”

I swung my legs over the side of the bed. The polished wood floor was cool beneath my bare feet. It felt real. Everything felt terrifyingly real.

“I need a moment alone,” I told her. My tone was different from the one she was used to. It held an authority I hadn’t possessed back then.

“Of course, my lady,” she said, bobbing a quick curtsy. “I’ll let your mother know.”

“And Tara?” I called out just as she reached the door.

She turned. “Yes?”

“Bring me tea. Black. No sugar, no cream.”

“Right away.” She scurried out, closing the door softly behind her.

Alone, I walked to the full-length mirror. The woman who stared back was me, but not me. Her face was softer, unlined by years of quiet disappointment and brutal betrayal. Her eyes, however… her eyes were ancient. They held the memory of blood on snow.

I was back.

The Moon Goddess, in some cruel or merciful twist of fate, had heard my dying wish.

I crossed the room and unzipped the garment bag. The dress was just as I remembered. White silk, delicate pearls, a symbol of purity and hope.

I remembered the joy I had felt when I first put it on. The naive love I had for the man waiting for me at the altar.

That girl was dead. She had frozen to death in a blizzard, betrayed by her Alpha.

I reached out and touched the cold silk. A slow, dangerous smile spread across my face. Gavin wanted his perfect Luna. Oh, I would give him a performance he would never forget.

This time, the wedding wasn't an ending. It was a beginning.

And this time, the Ice Queen would rule.

Chapter 2

Keira

My mother fussed with a stray pearl on the bodice of my gown. Her hands trembled slightly, a stark contrast to the absolute stillness of my own.

“Darling, you look like a queen,” she whispered, her eyes shimmering with tears. “But you’re so quiet. Are you feeling alright?”

I met her gaze in the mirror. My reflection was a stranger in white, a woman I was supposed to have been three years ago. A naive girl, giddy with love.

“I am perfectly well, Mother,” I said. My voice was even, without a hint of the bride’s traditional flutter. “A wedding is a serious ceremony. I am giving it the gravity it deserves.”

Tara, my handmaiden, hovered by the door. “The stylists said they’ve never worked with a bride so composed. You sat like a statue carved from moonlight.”

“It’s nerves, of course,” my mother insisted, smoothing a non-existent wrinkle on my sleeve. “Every bride feels them. Even my Keira. It’s a big day.”

“I am not nervous,” I corrected her gently, but with a firmness that made her pause. “I am ready.”

My father was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. He was a proud Alpha, his chest puffed out in his ceremonial uniform. He took my arm, his hand warm over my silk glove.

“Your hands are ice, my daughter,” he murmured as we began the slow walk toward the great hall. “Is your heart sure?”

I thought of blood melting in the snow. Of Gavin’s cold eyes as he left me to die.

“My heart has never been more certain of its path,” I replied. The words were true, just not in the way he understood.

We entered the hall. Hundreds of pack members stood, their faces turned toward us. At the end of the aisle, standing before the ancient Heartwood tree, was Gavin.

He looked exactly as I remembered from that first, foolish time. Handsome. Confident. A golden Alpha, beloved by all. He smiled at me, a dazzling, possessive smile that once made my knees weak. Now, it only made the ice in my veins harden.

He was not my future. He was my target.

My father placed my hand in Gavin’s. His touch was warm, but it felt like a brand. I did not flinch. I simply looked at him, my expression placid, a perfect mask of bridal serenity.

Elder Maeve began the rites, her voice a low, calming hum that filled the cavernous space. I tuned it out, focusing only on the promises I was about to break.

“Do you, Gavin of the Silver Moon Pack, take this woman, Keira of the Northern Ridge, to be your Luna and wife?” Maeve asked. “Do you swear to protect her, to provide for her, and to lead her with the strength of the moon?”

“I do,” Gavin said, his voice booming with pride. He squeezed my hand, his eyes promising a future he had already stolen from me once.

Maeve turned to me. Her old, wise eyes seemed to search my face, perhaps sensing the change in me. “And do you, Keira of the Northern Ridge, take this man, Gavin of the Silver Moon Pack, to be your Alpha and husband? Do you swear to honor him, to cherish him, and to obey him in all things as his loyal Luna?”

This was the moment. The first crack in the foundation of his perfect life.

I met Gavin’s expectant gaze. I let a small, serene smile touch my lips.

“I take this man to be my husband,” I said, my voice clear and carrying through the silent hall. “I will honor him and I will cherish him, as the Luna of this pack.”

I stopped. The silence stretched for a beat too long. Elder Maeve’s brow furrowed. She knew the words. She knew one was missing.

But Gavin, in his arrogance, noticed nothing. He was too lost in his victory, in the sight of me standing before him, his prize. Before Maeve could prompt me, he leaned forward.

“You may now kiss your Luna,” Maeve declared, her voice tight with a hint of confusion.

Gavin’s lips met mine. It was not the passionate kiss I remembered from my first life. It was a kiss of ownership, hard and brief. I felt nothing. I simply stood there, a beautiful, cold statue, until he pulled away.

The pack erupted in cheers. I was his.

For now.

The reception was a blur of smiling faces and well wishes. I played my part with terrifying precision. I smiled. I accepted congratulations. I danced the first dance with my new husband, my body moving with a grace that felt disconnected from the vengeful spirit housed within it.

“You are breathtaking tonight, my love,” Gavin murmured into my ear as he spun me around the dance floor. “But so serious. I can’t wait to get you alone and see you truly smile.”

“Patience, my Alpha,” I said, my voice a silken promise I had no intention of keeping. “The night is still young.”

But eventually, the night did end. We bid farewell to the last of our guests and made our way to the Alpha’s chambers. The suite was filled with flowers, their scent cloying and sweet. A fire crackled in the hearth.

Gavin closed the door, the sound of the latch clicking into place echoing like a prison cell locking.

“Finally,” he breathed, turning to me with a hunger in his eyes. He reached for the ties on the back of my dress. “Alone at last, my beautiful wife.”

I took a single, deliberate step back, out of his reach. His hands fell to his sides.

“Gavin,” I began, my tone calm and factual. “There is something you should know.”

His smile faltered. “Can it not wait? I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life.”

“I’m afraid it is a matter of biology,” I said smoothly, my expression one of polite regret. “It seems the Moon Goddess has a strange sense of timing.”

He stared at me, his brow creasing in confusion. “What are you talking about, Keira?”

“My cycle,” I stated, as if discussing the weather. “It began this afternoon. A most unfortunate development, I agree.”

His face went from confusion to disbelief, then settled on a deep, simmering annoyance. “You cannot be serious. On our wedding night?”

“I assure you, I find no humor in the situation,” I replied coolly. “It is merely a fact. We cannot consummate our union tonight. Or for several nights to come.”

He took a step toward me, his Alpha presence flaring slightly, an old tactic that no longer had any effect on me. “This is ridiculous. It’s our wedding night.”

“Indeed,” I said, not backing down. “Which is why I will not dishonor it, or you, by engaging in the consummation ceremony during an impure time. It would be a bad omen for the pack.”

He was trapped. He couldn’t argue against tradition and superstition without looking like a brute. He couldn’t force me. He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration palpable.

“So what do you suggest we do?” he bit out.

“I have already had the guest suite prepared,” I said, walking toward the adjoining door. “I will sleep there. It is the proper thing to do.”

“The guest suite?” he sputtered. “On our wedding night? What will the staff say?”

I paused with my hand on the doorknob and looked back at him. My face was a perfect mask of sympathy and logic.

“They will say nothing,” I said, my voice leaving no room for argument. “Because their Alpha will not mention it. We would not want rumors to start, would we? Goodnight, husband.”

I didn't wait for a reply. I slipped into the adjoining room and closed the door firmly behind me, leaving him standing alone in his flower-filled chamber.

Leaning against the cool wood of the door, I allowed myself the smallest, coldest of smiles. The first wall was built. The first stone in his prison was laid. He thought he had married a devoted bride. He had no idea he had just welcomed his executioner home.

Chapter 3

Keira

The first week of our marriage was a study in polite distance. I slept in the adjoining guest suite, citing tradition and purity until my cycle had passed. Gavin was a storm cloud of frustration, but he could not argue with customs older than our pack itself. He was an Alpha; appearance was everything.

On the eighth morning, I found him waiting for me in the sitting room connecting our chambers. He was dressed in his training leathers, a possessive smile on his face.

“Good morning, wife,” he said, his voice a low purr. “I trust your… inconvenience… has passed?”

“It has,” I replied, moving past him toward the main door. “I am glad. I have a great deal of work to attend to.”

He caught my arm. His grip was firm, expectant. “The only work that matters today is here. With your husband.”

I looked down at his hand on my arm, then back up at his face. My expression was perfectly neutral. “The consummation is a formality, Gavin. A necessary ritual. But it can wait. The pack’s finances cannot.”

I pulled my arm free with a smooth, undeniable motion. His jaw tightened.

“The finances? What are you talking about? That’s Elias’s job.”

“Elias is the pack treasurer. He manages the accounts. I am the Luna. I own the strategy,” I said. “I am on my way to the treasury office now. You may join me if you wish.”

I did not wait for his answer. I swept out of the room, leaving him standing there in a stunned silence. This was not the blushing, eager bride he had expected to finally claim. I was his business partner. And it was time for a hostile takeover.

The treasury was a small, dusty office in the west wing of the pack house. Elias, a graying wolf who had served my husband’s father, looked up in surprise as I entered.

“Luna Keira. This is an honor. Is there something you need?”

“Good morning, Elias,” I said, my voice pleasant but firm. “I need the primary ledgers for the last three fiscal years, all investment portfolios, and the records of the Alpha’s discretionary accounts.”

Elias blinked, his pen hovering over a column of figures. “My lady? The Alpha usually reviews those himself. Privately.”

“And he will continue to do so,” I assured him. “I am simply compiling a comprehensive overview to identify opportunities for growth. My father’s pack saw a fifteen percent increase in assets when I managed our trade agreements. I intend to bring the same prosperity here.”

Before he could protest further, the door swung open. Gavin stood there, his arms crossed over his chest. His initial anger had been replaced by a patronizing amusement.

“Keira, darling. You don’t need to trouble yourself with these boring numbers. This is no place for a Luna.”

“On the contrary,” I said without looking up from the first ledger Elias had handed me. “It is exactly the place for a Luna. A pack’s strength is not just in its warriors, but in its coffers. Or did you think my duties extended only to producing heirs and hosting teas?”

The barb hit its mark. A faint flush crept up his neck.

“Of course not,” he said stiffly. “I just want you to enjoy your new life. To settle in.”

“I am settling in,” I replied, turning a page. My finger traced a line. “This is how I contribute. This is how I ensure the Silver Moon pack is the strongest in the region.”

My words soothed his bruised ego. He liked the idea of his pack being the strongest. He liked the idea of me, his perfect wife, making it so. It reflected well on him.

“Very well,” he said, pulling up a chair. “Show me what you’ve found.” He was trying to reassert his dominance, to show that he was still in charge.

I let him. For now. An hour passed. I worked in silence, my focus absolute. Gavin grew bored, shifting in his seat and tapping his fingers on the table. Elias watched me with a growing sense of awe. In my first life, I had been too timid to ever step foot in this room. I had trusted Gavin completely.

Then I found it. Tucked away, disguised as agricultural investments. A series of large, regular payments to an account based in the Shadowclaw territory. A territory known for one thing: its high stakes gambling dens.

“Elias,” I said calmly. “Can you please bring me the charter for the Shadowclaw agricultural fund?”

“There is no such fund, Luna,” he said, confused.

I looked up at Gavin. My face was a mask of gentle inquiry. “Gavin, what are these payments? They’re draining nearly ten percent of our monthly surplus.”

He stiffened. “Those are strategic investments. A private venture.”

“I see,” I said, my voice still light. I made a note on a separate piece of parchment. “So they are personal, not pack business?”

“Yes,” he snapped. “It’s a personal matter. A bit of bad luck at the tables. I was going to pay it back.”

In my past life, I had cried when I found this. I had begged him to be more careful. I had used my own dowry to secretly pay it off, to protect his reputation. This time, I felt nothing but a cold, sharp satisfaction.

“Of course you were,” I said with a serene smile. “But we must keep the books clean. It would be a disaster if the Elders saw pack funds being used for personal debts. It suggests a weakness in leadership.”

His eyes narrowed. “What are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting a simple solution,” I said, my tone as helpful as if I were planning a dinner menu. “We will classify this as an internal loan from the pack to its Alpha. I will draft the paperwork. We will set a reasonable interest rate, say, five percent, and arrange a repayment schedule deducted directly from your personal stipend. It’s the only responsible way to handle it. For the good of the pack.”

Gavin stared at me. He was speechless. I was treating him not as my Alpha, my husband, but as a financially irresponsible subordinate. I was using the logic of pack law and fiscal responsibility against him, and he was trapped.

“I will handle it,” he finally managed to say, his voice tight with fury.

“Excellent,” I said, already writing. “I will have the documents ready for your signature by this evening. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Elias and I have two more years of ledgers to review. I want a full picture of our financial health.”

He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the stone floor. He was looking at me as if he’d never seen me before. He saw the efficiency, the competence. He was pleased by it, by the value I brought. But he was also seeing the ice, the utter lack of wifely deference or romantic softness. He was confused.

Good. Let him be confused.

He stormed out of the office without another word. Elias looked from the closed door back to me, his expression unreadable.

“My Luna,” he began slowly. “The Alpha has never allowed anyone to…”

“The Alpha is very busy,” I interrupted smoothly. “He has warriors to train and borders to patrol. He needs a Luna who can manage the internal affairs of this pack with strength and precision. That is what I am doing.”

I gave him a small, reassuring smile. “Now, about that lumber contract with the Red Creek pack. I believe their terms are no longer favorable. Let’s draft a new proposal, shall we?”

Elias stared at me for a moment longer, then a slow grin spread across his face. He pushed a fresh ledger across the desk.

“As you wish, Luna. As you wish.”