So when the poisoned shifters began to
convulse, gasping for breath, Roc had already
returned with the antidote.
The revived shifters looked at me, their eyes
filled with utter submission.
Kiera and her mates, who had resorted to using
poison, became outcasts, despised by the
entire shifter continent.
Kiera’s face was ashen.
Her dream of being the Alpha Queen was
shattered.
Amidst the roars of condemnation from the
crowd, the three males and one female fled in
disgrace.
But I knew Kiera wouldn’t give up. She was like
a viper, lying in wait in the shadows.
To lure the snake from its hole, I shifted into my
human form.
The shifters had only seen a glimpse of me
before. Now, as they took in my full
appearance, they gasped.
Sure enough, near the very same poison bog
from our past life, Kiera lunged out from her
hiding spot.
How stupid could she be, to think the same
trick would work on me twice?
I was a She–Shifter now. Her attack was like
watching a film in slow motion.
I dodged her easily.
She lost her balance and tumbled awkwardly
into the bog.
The bog’s waters were corrosive. She struggled
desperately, but she only sank faster.
“Save me, sister! I’m sorry, I was wrong!”
I just watched her, my face a cold mask. I had
no intention of saving her.
Across two lifetimes, my debt to her was paid.
I had learned the story of the farmer and the
snake by heart.
Seeing that I wouldn’t move, Kiera started
screaming curses. “Why, Elara? Why?”
“Why is your life better than mine! You stole
everything from me!”
“You’re the one who should be dying!”
I looked down at her, my eyes filled with pity
and scorn.
“I owe you nothing, Kiera.”
“It wasn’t my fault you were switched at birth. It
was our parents‘ mistake.”
“And besides, I was just an adopted child. How
could I have stolen what was never mine to begin with?”
