Fionna's eyelids fluttered open, her head throbbing like she'd been hit by a truck. She blinked against the soft light filtering through unfamiliar curtains, realizing she was lying on a bed that wasn't hers.
The sheets were crisp, the room sparse,a simple wooden dresser, a lamp on the nightstand, nothing personal. Panic surged through her as fragments of the night before crashed back: the park, the scarred man growling "little Alpha," the fight and the blackout.
She bolted upright, her feet hitting the cool hardwood floor. Where the hell was she? Heart pounding, she crept to the door and eased it open, peeking down a narrow staircase. Voices? No, just the hum of a fridge.
She tiptoed down, each step creaking under her weight, until she reached the bottom and stepped into a cozy sitting room. There he was,David Phillip, lounging on a worn couch with a book in his lap. He looked up immediately, his blue eyes sharpening with concern as he set the book aside and stood.
"Fionna? Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?"
His voice was gentle, like he was talking to a spooked animal.
She froze in the doorway, her mind racing.
"What... What happened? Where am I? How did I get here?"
The questions tumbled out in a rush, her voice rising with each one.
"Who were those guys in the park? Why did they call me 'Alpha'? And you,you fought them like it was nothing! What the hell is going on, David?"
He held up his hands, his palms out like he was surrendering.
"Whoa, slow down. You're safe. This is my place,I rented it when I moved to town. Those creeps jumped you last night, but I got you out. You passed out from the adrenaline crash, I think. Sit down, and I'll explain everything. I Promise."
Fionna didn't move, crossing her arms tight over her chest.
"Explain? Start talking, then. Because none of this makes sense. And those dreams I've been having,the fire, the betrayal, some kingdom crap,they're getting worse. Are you part of that too?"
David sighed, running a hand through his chocolate-brown hair. He gestured to the couch again, but when she stayed put, he leaned against the wall instead.
"Okay, here goes. Your name isn't just Fionna Ramos. Or at least, it wasn't always. In another life, you were Iris Dwayne, daughter of Alpha Dewayne Bloodmoon, leader of the Angel Grove pack. Werewolves, Fionna. Real ones. Your family ruled a kingdom hidden from humans, full of packs and ancient laws."
She stared at him, her mouth hanging open.
"Werewolves? Are you high? This is some prank, right?"
He shook his head, his expression dead serious.
"No prank. Your siblings,Zero, Cero, Sierra,died in a war. Your mom, Luna Aisha, passed from illness. Your dad remarried this snake named Elizabeth, and boom, he was stabbed in his sleep. They framed you for it, tied you up, and burned you alive as punishment. But the Moon Goddess,or whatever you want to call that mysterious force,gave you a second chance."
"You were reborn here, in the human world, as Fionna. No memories until you hit a certain age. Those dreams? They're not dreams. They're your past life knocking, like the entity promised. It's all coming back now because it's time."
Fionna's knees felt weak, but she locked them in place. Her mind reeled,flashes of flames licking her skin, a father's kind eyes turning cold in death, a woman's sly smile as ropes bit into her wrists.
"This is crazy. You're saying I'm... what, a reincarnated werewolf princess? And those guys last night?"
"Assassins from the kingdom. Luna Elizabeth and your uncle Vlartues,they took over after you 'died.' They're scared you'll remember and come back for the throne. I'm Grotius Ironclaw, son of your dad's beta. My father sent me to find you, protect you and bring you home."
She let out a shaky laugh and backed up a step.
"Home? To a pack of wolves? And that voice in my head,the one that whispers stuff like 'fight' or 'mate',what, is that my imaginary friend?"
David's eyes softened as he spoke.
"That's your wolf, Fionna. Her name's Starlight. She's part of you, she is your inner strength and she has been waiting for you to wake up."
Laughter bubbled out of her, sharp and disbelieving.
"My wolf? Starlight? Oh, come on. You're lying. This is some cult crap or a bad joke. Stay away from me!"
"I'm not lying."
He said quietly, taking a step forward.
"Let me show you…"
Instinct kicked in. She thrust her hand out to push him away, but no contact. An invisible force slammed into him, shoving him back against the couch with a thud. Her eyes widened in shock, staring at her own palm like it belonged to someone else.
David straightened, gazing at her with a mix of awe and pride. She met his eyes, confusion swirling in her green ones, her breath coming in gasps.
"What... what did I just do?"
Her voice was laced with whispers.
But she didn't wait for an answer. Panic overtook her,she spun on her heel and bolted out the front door, slamming it behind her. The cool morning air hit her face as she ran down the street, her mind a whirlwind. Werewolves? Past lives? It couldn't be real. But that push... that felt real.
By the time school rolled around the next day, Fionna had shoved it all down deep. She met Cynthia at their usual spot by the lockers, forcing a smile as they walked to class together.
"You look like crap, Fi."
Cynthia said, looping her arm through Fionna's.
"Everything okay? After that cafeteria drama yesterday, and you are bailing early... I was worried."
"I'm good."
Fionna lied, her voice steadier than she felt.
"Just a headache and I slept it off."
Cynthia eyed her skeptically but let it go.
"If you say so. But if Rose pulls any more shit, we're reporting her ass."
They slipped into their seats just as the bell rang for class to start. The teacher droned on about history,ironic, given the "past life" bomb David had dropped,but Fionna barely heard a word. Her mind kept replaying the morning, Starlight's voice echoing faintly now, like a distant howl.
A few minutes in, Cynthia's phone buzzed in silence. She glanced at it, frowning.
"Weird. It's my dad. Says he's outside and needs to talk to me quickly. Be right back, okay?"
Fionna nodded absently.
"Alright. Tell him hi."
As Cynthia slipped out, the seat next to Fionna creaked. She jumped, her heart leaping into her throat as David slid in, his expression urgent.
"Jesus, David! You scared the crap out of me."
She hissed, glancing around to make sure no one noticed.
He leaned in close, his voice a low whisper.
"That's not your friend's dad calling her."
Fionna's stomach dropped.
"What do you mean?"
"They're here. The same guys from the park or more like them. It's a trap. They're gonna kidnap Cynthia to get to you."
Her eyes widened in shock, fear gripping her chest like ice. She shot to he
r feet, ignoring the teacher's confused call, and dashed for the door. But as she burst into the hallway, a chilling howl echoed in her mind,Starlight, warning her it was already too late.