Chapter 3

The mate bond had just taken effect.

Camilla wasted no time walking toward the three Alpha King's heirs she had chosen: Kael Dorne, Lucien Vire, and Soren Hale. They closed in around her, their eyes filled with raw desire.

All around the camp, other male wolves clearly wanted to compete, but they were intimidated by the pressure of royal blood and didn’t dare step forward.

Surrounded by them, she looked like some kind of saint in a chaotic world.

By contrast, at my side stood only three broken outcasts, abandoned by the pack.

I lowered my gaze, examining this newly fused body. Layers of fat wrapped around me. My face was covered in sores and twisted growths. In a pack that valued mates for reproduction and appearance, this body earned me nothing but contempt from every direction.

Camilla seemed to enjoy the contrast. Nestled in Soren’s arms, she cast a mocking glance at me through the crowd.

I ignored her, turned, and led the three werewolves toward the edge of the camp.

Once we were away from the others, the footsteps behind me grew noticeably restrained.

The three wolves were clearly afraid of me. Their heads were lowered, and their breathing carefully controlled. To them, I was a beast that could snap at any moment.

We walked in silence.

When we reached the cave assigned to me, I stopped.

No sunlight reached inside. The air was damp and carried a sour, moldy smell. Moss grew thick across the rocks beneath our feet.

The hygiene ingrained in my bones made me instinctively reject this place.

"Stay here. I’m going out to find something."

The three of them shrank back, lowering their heads. Not one of them dared to respond.

With that, I turned and disappeared into the forest.

The moment I stepped into the woods, I finally had the chance to unleash the potential of this body.

And it did not disappoint.

With a single step, I could crush rock beneath my feet. With a swing of my arm, I could snap a tree in half.

I had pure destructive power alone. I could easily pin those three down and crush them.

Before long, I returned, dragging a wild boar with one hand and carrying a bundle of firewood under my arm.

The moment I stepped into the cave, I paused slightly.

The filthy mess from before had already been cleaned. A layer of dry grass had been laid over the stone floor. There were even a few bunches of wildflowers arranged by the stone bed.

It looked far better than before. My mood lifted instantly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them.

Cael Ardent and the other two were huddled in the corner, sneaking glances at me, their eyes filled with both fear and expectation.

I said nothing. I tore off a chunk of meat from the boar and tossed it over.

"Eat. Don’t hold back."

Then I turned, built a fire with the wood, and skewered a piece of meat on a branch, holding it over the flames.

The cave fell into deathly silence. They stared at the meat in their hands, eyes nearly bulging, throats bobbing as they swallowed.

They were starving, yet under the weight of their fear, not one of them dared to take a bite.

On this land, the rules were simple. I was the master of this territory; thus, by custom, they could only eat whatever scraps I left behind.

But now I had handed them the first portion.

The smell of roasting meat slowly filled the cave. Seeing them still frozen in place, I thought maybe it didn’t suit their taste, so I held out the half-cooked piece in my hand.

"Want it cooked instead?"

The three of them flinched violently.

"N-No…" Zephyr Noct, the blind priest, suddenly dropped to one knee, his voice dry. "You are the noble Alpha Female. This prey is your trophy. By the rules, we must wait until you have finished eating completely before we are allowed to take what remains."

I frowned. "What kind of bullshit rule is that?"

Without hesitation, I tossed the meat straight into their arms. They scrambled to catch it, then froze again, unsure what to do.

"In my territory, I make the rules. If you want to stay by my side, you eat your fill."

As I bit into the meat, I added casually, "I’ll need you for labor and hunting. And my name is Seraphina. From now on, speak up when you have something to say. Stop acting like you’re afraid of your own shadows."

The three of them stiffened, shock flashing through their eyes.

After a moment, Zephyr reached out, gesturing toward the other two. "I am Zephyr… and they are Cael Ardent and Lorian Crest. We all suffered fatal injuries in the past, so each of us carries… certain defects. If you have any orders, Alpha Seraphina, you may give them directly."

I nodded, not asking further.

Perhaps this body was simply too heavy. After eating my fill, sleepiness crashed over me, impossible to resist.

"I’m going to sleep and recover. After you’re done eating, keep an eye on the fire."

The moment the words left my mouth, I could no longer hold on. I fell into a deep sleep.

At the very instant I lost consciousness, the omega, Cael Ardent, and the healer, Lorian Crest, both lifted their heads.

In that moment, all traces of fear vanished from their eyes. All that remained was venom and killing intent.

The two exchanged a glance, claws flashing out as they lunged straight at me.

At the last possible second, Zephyr moved. Relying on his extraordinary hearing, he stepped in front of me, blocking their path.

"Zephyr! Have you lost your mind? Why are you stopping us?!" Cael’s eyes were bloodshot as he snarled through gritted teeth. "In the last life, she kicked us into the enemy pack as shields. Have you already forgotten that? Move! I’m going to tear her apart!"

"Be quiet. Don’t move." Though blind, Zephyr’s senses were sharper than anyone else’s.

His unfocused eyes seemed to fix on my sleeping face as he spoke calmly, "Put your claws away. The scent on her… is wrong.

"The soul inside this body is not the same as the one who got us killed in the last life."