Maria is dead.
Mothers spat her name into the well as if it would poison the water. Fathers let it foam out with beer, a bitter laugh chasing the words. Children flung it like a dare, as though death itself lingered on their tongues.
To them, her death was no tragedy. It was proof that a girl who loved another girl could never escape her shame.
...
A hiss...Maria heard the sound.
Something cold and damp coiled tightly around the neck, pressing against the skin. Am I supposed to be dead...?Where am I...?
Maria slowly opened her eyes. The chamber was dim, stone-lined, with faint traces of old runes carved into the walls. Arms were chained at the edges of a binding slab, stretched and secured. Drops of blood trailed from wounds, dark against the cold surface of the slab. She noticed the candles placed around the room, their flames casting flickering shadows on the walls.
A voice trembled in her head, pained and strained. I can't let my parents down. I can't let my people down. You...you must complete this mission. I have tried, I have given everything, but I cannot finish it myself...please...Each word carried the weight of duty and desperation.
The wind stirred the flames of the candles, causing them to flicker and dance across the stone walls.
The chains at the edges of the slab shifted and snapped, clattering against the stone floor as if breaking under unseen force.
Maria was in confusion, thoughts racing. Where was she? She looked around the dim chamber, trying to make sense of the voice in her mind just now, pledging...promising...
Something uncoiled from her neck. She gazed down and saw a silver viper resting loosely on her shoulders. She gasped at its beauty. For a brief instant, she forgot everything else and focused solely on the serpent.
She stretched her arm, signaling it to slither onto her hand. It moved smoothly and coiled around her wrist.
Maria raised her arm. The serpent lifted its head.
"Damn, you're so beautiful," she whispered.
The serpent responded, flicking its tongue out once, smooth and deliberate, acknowledging her presence.
A knock echoed on the door.
A deep male voice called out, "Alpha Adriana, are you done? You're needed at the park now within thirty minutes."
Maria froze, shocked. She murmured, "Alpha...A-dri-a-na..."
Her eyes drifted to the stone mirror. The reflection staring back was striking. A tall, handsome Alpha, her face sharp and composed, cold eyes fixed and unreadable. Her chest was fuller than in her previous life, her hips curvier.
Glancing at the stone mirror opposite, she saw her back. A snake tattoo traced along her spine, twisting elegantly from shoulders to lower back, resembling the silver serpent that had coiled on her wrist.
Have I transmigrated into Alpha Adriana? Maria wondered. Was she the one pledging in my head earlier to compete the mission...?
The knock continued. The deep male voice called again, "Master...are you okay? Should I enter?"
Startled, Maria snapped out of her thoughts, she realized she was naked. "No...wait, five minutes. I'll be out," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
She noticed with surprise that the wounds banded at her wrists had disappeared even in the body she had seen earlier. How was that possible? Curiosity surged. She decided to find out what she had become.
Maria picked up scattered clothes; a black suit with heels, which she guessed belonged to Alpha Adriana and had been removed during the soul ritual.
Maria opened the door.
Flashes in her mind confirmed it; this was Phillip, Adriana's trustworthy driver and bodyguard. He immediately bowed. "Alpha Adriana."
Maria raised a hand, signaling him to lift his head. Curiosity flickered in her eyes. "May I ask...what are we going to do at the park?"
Phillip shook his head innocently. "I don't know, Alpha."
Maria shifted uncomfortably in Adriana's body. The heels were unfamiliar and unbalanced, a sensation she had never experienced in her previous life.
"I...I need a change," she said to Phillip.
"Should I take you to your apartment or your parents' house?" he asked.
Maria paused, realizing that in this new life she had an apartment; a stark contrast to her previous life, where she had slept in a mud house beside the goats. She smiled softly. "My apartment will do better."
...
Venomfang Park exuded wealth and power manicured lawns, sleek fountains, and towering sculptures hinted at its billionaire owner.
At the gates, a mix of Betas, Omegas, and lower-ranking Alphas milled about, appearing crowded and restless. Five black convoys arrived, slicing through the crowd with precision. The third car among them was a black Bugatti, gleaming as it rolled forward.
Phillip moved swiftly from the driver's seat, opening the back door. Bodyguards from the other vehicles formed a tight rectangle clearing a path.
Those nearby glanced at the unfolding spectacle. Some discreetly slid their masks up onto their noses, as if shielding themselves from the presence of someone extraordinary.
Black, shining loafers stepped out first, landing firmly on the smooth pavement. Maria followed, clad in a sharp purple suit. A silver serpent coiled gracefully on her shoulders, lifting its head and flicking its tongue, moving in perfect sync with her.
A faint shimmer of silver pheromones seemed to radiate from her, drifting over her skin, subtly commanding attention. Her presence exuded a quiet yet undeniable power, the aura of someone both dangerous and in complete control.
Voices stirred among the crowd. An Alpha muttered, "Among the two S-ranked Alphas still alive..." An Omega whispered, "...she looks even more handsome with her natural look." Another Beta murmured, "...too hot...and those loafers..."
Whispers ran through the gathering, the atmosphere tense, the crowd visibly wary.
The gate swung open. Maria stepped forward, Phillip just behind her, flanked by the other bodyguards. They walked down the path with measured precision. Two bodyguards at the front bowed slightly as they opened the next set of doors.
Alphas, Betas, and Omegas lined up on opposite sides, maintaining strict order. The announcement rang out, clear and commanding:
"Alpha Adriana has arrived."
The air pressed heavy; Alphas straightened, Betas lowered their heads, and Omegas shrank before the sheer weight of power.
Maria stepped forward alone, Phillip and the bodyguards halting behind. At the end of the hall, Adriana's parents sat upon twin thrones. Her father's obsidian crown gleamed, tall and magnificent, while her mother's smaller, jeweled circlet reflected quiet grace.
Serpent symbols coiled across the black marble pillars, golden banners draped high, and above the throne a crest shone; a snake wound around a sword.
Maria finally reached the dais and bowed deeply.
"Father, Mother...I am here as you requested."
Adriana's father lifted a hand, signaling her to rise. She straightened with composure, only for Adriana's mother's voice to cut in.
"But you are late."
Adriana's father chuckled, glancing at his wife. "Don't be harsh, darling. It was only five minutes."
Then, with a commanding presence, he rose to his feet. His gaze swept across the gathered Alphas, Betas, and Omegas who still stood at attention.
"Today, I want to officially introduce my daughter, Alpha Adriana, as my successor and your future Queen to be within two months from now."