Chapter 2 2

JENNA

I couldn't believe what was happening.

It just didn't make sense.

I stood there, in the grand hall, more like I was struck to the spot.

"Jen...Jen", I called, trying to mind-link my wolf.

Maybe she could reply.

But there was nothing.

Just utter silence..

A void where her presence should have been.

I glanced back at the window where I could see my reflection, trying to delude myself that it wasn't real.

That the reflection staring back at me wasn't real.

It couldn't be.

I blinked and Clara's wide brown eyes blinked back at me.

I touched my face and the cold feeling confirmed that it was real.

It was something I never imagined could happen.

"No, no, no," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Just a few minutes ago, I was Jenna. I was standing in the room, waiting for my coronation as Luna.

Damon was about to be mine forever...

And now this....

The crowd erupted into cheers again, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts. I turned sharply, my gaze locking onto the two people at the front of the hall.

Damon was there, his tall, broad-shouldered frame commanding attention as always. But he wasn't looking at me.

He was kissing her. The woman who wore my face, my body.

She was smiling so brightly, her lips moving against his like she had every right to be there.

Like she hadn't stolen everything from me.

I glanced at my Grandmother and I saw the widest smile I've ever seen on her face.

She looked so proud and happy.

I clenched my fist as I stared at them.

That was supposed to be me. Damon was mine.

The crown was mine.

Grandmother was supposed to be proud of me....not an imposter i knew nothing about.

But no one knew. No one could see the truth.

My soul had been ripped from my body and shoved into Clara's, and the only person I had as a close friend, my wolf -was gone also.

"Mia", I remembered the moment I thought about Jen.

She was the next person who could understand and probably bail me out.

I need to see her.

I looked around the hall, but I didn't see her.

"She had to be somewhere in this hall", I thought as I stood up, trying to look around for her.

I hadn't taken few steps when a hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me back...

Heat flared in my chest the moment I felt that hand behind me.

"What the hell", I said as I twisted away from the person's grip with a sharp jerk.

I turned to see Jeremy standing there, his dark eyes filled with concern.

Clara's boyfriend....of course.

Looking at his face alone didn't sit well with me.

Only if he knew i wasn't his girlfriend.

Clara," he said softly, his voice laced with worry.

"Are you okay? You still look pale though"

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile that felt unnatural on Clara's lips. "I'm fine," I lied.

"Just... overwhelmed."

Jeremy looked at me for almost a minute, staring into my eyes..

"You sure? You've been acting strange all day."

"I'm sure," I snapped, sharper than I meant to.

His eyes widened slightly, and guilt twisted in my gut. This wasn't his fault. He didn't know.

He stepped closer, his hand brushing against my arm. The touch sent a shiver down my spine, which I didn't like..

It was Clara's body reacting to his touch...not me.

It couldn't be.

"You know you can talk to me, right? Whatever's going on... you don't have to deal with it alone."

I stared at him, unsure of what to say.

Jeremy had always been... complicated. We'd known each other since school, but we'd never gotten along.

Too different, too stubborn. But now, looking at him through Clara's eyes, I saw something else. Concern. Genuine care. It made my chest ache.

"Jeremy," I started, my voice soft now. "I..."

But before I could say more, the crowd cheered again, drawing my attention back to the coronation.

Damon was lifting the crown, placing it on the imposter's head with a smile that made my heart shatter.

She was Luna now. Not me. Her.

Jeremy followed my gaze, his expression unreadable. "It's a big moment for the pack," he murmured.

"For Damon."

I nodded absently,"Yeah. Big moment."

He hesitated, then leaned in closer, his voice low. "You've been staring at him all night."

My heart skipped at the statement he made.

Did he suspect something?

He didn't seem sensitive.... Or was he just jealous?

I forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow even to my ears.

"Don't be ridiculous. Damon's my brother."

"Right," Jeremy said slowly, turning to look at me "Your brother."

I looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

My mind was a whirlwind of different thoughts, too many thoughts crashing together.

I needed to figure things out.

Why this happened and how to get my life back and that starts with me seeing Mia.

But for now, I was trapped in Clara's body, surrounded by people who didn't know me as Jenna but Clara, the Alpha's sister, including the man who was supposed to be my mate.

And Jeremy... Jeremy was watching me with a intensity that made me uncomfortable.

"Clara," he said again, his voice softer this time.

"Tell me what's wrong."

I opened my mouth, the words hovering on the tip of my tongue.

Could I trust him?

Would he even believe me if I told him the truth?

Who would?

"I..." I started, but before I could say more, Jeremy leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear.

"Whatever it is," he whispered, his breath warm against my skin, "we'll figure it out together."

My heart skipped a beat at the contact.

"Jeremy...", I started as I thought of a lie to tell him.

I needed to leave and with him on my neck.

Leaving was looking impossible.

"Come on", he said gently interrupting me as his hands slipped into mine.

"Let's get some air."

I hesitated for a moment then nodded wordlessly letting him guide me away from the crowd toward the doors leading outside.

As we were about to walk out his hands moved to my waist, as he walked behind me, his touch was firm yet gentle, as if he was trying to hold me in place as we walked through the crowd.

We got outside the hall, into the training ground and we both sat on the lawn.

My fingers grazed through the moist lawn as I played with the flowers.

"You really look like you needed a break from the noise, Clara", he said

And for the first time that night.

The name hit me.

No one was really going to call me Jenna.

Not until this whole thing was over.

I was probably not going to see Grandmother also.

The cheers of the crowd echoed in the background, loud and deafening, a cruel reminder of what I'd lost, what had been stolen from me. My crown, my mate, my life.

I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to call myself.

"Clara...Clara", the name came again and only then did I realize I had left him hanging.

"I'm really fine," I lied, my voice steadier this time. "Just... overwhelmed, I guess."

Jeremy tilted his head, his piercing gaze studying me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. "Overwhelmed? You're usually the one who thrives in the spotlight."

Of course Clara would.

I clenched my fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms. I needed to get out of here. I needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

But Jeremy was still standing there, blocking my path, his presence like a wall I couldn't climb.

"Yeah, well, today's different," I muttered, avoiding his eyes.

"Can I be alone for the night, I just want to stare at the sky and count the stars", I said, muffling whatever came into my head and at the same time, bit trying to push him away.

Clara loved me...but not me.

So I couldn't mess their relationship up.

His brows lifted in surprise, and for a moment, I worried I'd said something wrong.

Then that smirk returned, wider this time, and he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low, teasing tone.

"Alone? That's not like you, Clara, you never want to be alone, What's going on?"

I swallowed hard, trying to think of an answer to his question.

"Think fast", I screamed in my head.

"I just... need to clear my head," I said, forcing a small smile.

"Too much noise, you know?"

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze searching mine as if he could see right through me. Then he nodded, "Alright. I'd let you be, I'd text you later", he said placing kiss on my forehead while I stiffened in shock.

He turned to leave, his footsteps very loud and clear until it finally faded..

I stood up, but not to the hall, I was on a quest to find Mia.

I hadn't walked few steps when I saw the person walk into the hall.,

It was Mia...I was very sure.

It was the exact way I packed her way hours before the coronation.

"Has she been outside all these while", I thought as I walked closer to the person, calling her name.

"Mia..Mia", I called out, walking up to the person..