Reborn to Escape My Mate Who Watched Me Die

I, Rachel Dawson, opened my eyes to find myself standing in the grand foyer of our villa. Sunlight streamed through the windows, so bright it left me a little dazed. I could've sworn I was dead-bleeding out on the operating table, my life slipping away as Nicholas Grant stood outside, cold as ice, ordering them to shove my pup back inside me.

"Rachel."

His voice hit me like a freight train. I froze, then slowly turned around. There he was, Nicholas, in a sharp black suit, his deep-set eyes as aloof and refined as ever. Next to him stood a she-wolf in a white dress, her head bowed, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her skirt.

"This is Kayla Monroe," Nicholas said, his tone flat. "The pack's been sponsoring her. She just lost her parents and has nowhere to go. She'll be staying with us. Look after her, will you?"

Kayla looked up, her eyes wet and pleading. "Hi, Rachel. Thanks for having me..."

My gaze drifted to her neck, where a faint kiss mark lingered, barely hidden. I laughed softly. So, I was back-reborn on the very day Nicholas brought Kayla home.

"Got it," I said, nodding calmly.

Nicholas's brow furrowed, like he was caught off guard. "You're not mad?"

I smiled, but it was cold, empty. "She's in a tough spot. Why would I be mad?" All the anger I had to give burned out in my last life.

In that life, Nicholas and I had been childhood sweethearts, bound for seven years in a love that felt unbreakable. He once flew across three countries overnight just to get me a necklace. When I had a fever, he never left my bedside. When I couldn't sleep, he'd skip pack-wide conference calls to watch the stars with me until dawn. Most wolves in our elite circle kept mates at home while chasing others on the side, but I was certain Nicholas was different-the only one who'd never betray me.

Until Kayla. Until that kiss mark on her neck.

That night, I stayed up, torn apart, and eventually paid Kayla to leave the pack. But her plane crashed. After that, Nicholas changed. He forgot every promise, every vow to love me forever. Kayla became the ghost he worshipped, and to punish me, he brought home she-wolves who looked like her, night after night. The worst came when I gave birth. He stood there, eyes like stone, ordering the healers to shove our pup back, killing us both.

Now, given a second chance, I'd let them have each other.

"Rachel?" Nicholas's voice snapped me back. "You really don't mind?"

"Nope." I pulled a document from my bag, folding it so only the signature line showed, and handed it to him. "I love this house. Buy it for me, and I'll take good care of Kayla."

He blinked, then chuckled. "That's it?" Without even glancing at the papers, he signed.

I tucked the bond-breaking agreement away, a wave of relief washing over me. Turning to leave, I was stopped by his hand on my arm.

"Where are you going?" he asked, frowning. "You just said you're fine with Kayla staying, so why storm out now?"

I shook him off, keeping my voice steady. "You asked me to look after her, didn't you? I'm going to pick up some things for her."

His expression softened, and he leaned down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You always think of everything."

Then he rattled off Kayla's preferences. "She loves jasmine scents, can't handle lactose, and her nightclothes need to be silk. Don't get it wrong."

My heart twisted. He'd never memorized details about me with such care, not even as his mate. So, he was already this deep in love with her, even now. I'd been too blind to see it last time.

"Got it," I said, nodding.

I headed straight to the pack's legal den. "Rachel, the bond-breaking agreement is in effect," the lawyer said, adjusting his glasses. "After a one-month cooling-off period, you and Nicholas will be officially unbound."

I nodded. One month, and I'd be free of him.

As I left, my hand drifted to my stomach. In my last life, this was when I found out I was carrying a pup. The memory hit like a chill-blood pooling in the birthing den, Nicholas's cold stare as I screamed, begging for our pup's life, getting nothing but silence.

"This pup..." I whispered, "won't suffer again."

I flagged a car and went straight to the healer's den. After the exam, the healer handed me an ultrasound. "Rachel, you're pregnant. Eight weeks. The pup's developing well."

I stared at the tiny blur on the screen, my fingers trembling. "I know. I want to end it."

The healer's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I said softly, but firm. "This pup doesn't deserve to come into a world of pain."

On the operating table, the harsh lights blinded me. As the cold clink of tools echoed, my phone buzzed. Nicholas's name flashed on the screen. I turned away, closing my eyes. The anesthetic coursed through my veins, and my mind blurred.

I remembered Nicholas kneeling by our bed, pressing his ear to my flat stomach, grinning about hearing our pup's heartbeat. Him staying up late, flipping through name books, promising to give our pup the best one. Him holding me, swearing he'd be a good father.

He kept none of those promises.

So, I was done with him. And our pup? I was done with that too.

An hour later, the procedure was over. I opened my eyes, weak, as the healer asked, "Rachel, what do you want to do with the embryo?"

A cold smile curved my lips. "Freeze it for a month, please."

In thirty days, I'd send it to Nicholas, along with the bond-breaking papers. Let him feel a fraction of the pain he caused me when he sees the pup I gave up.