Chapter 1

My words hit everyone like a bolt of lightning, freezing my dad's hand in mid-air as he clutched the marriage paper.

My mom's eyes popped, and her tail fluffed up. "James, are you crazy? Chloe is mean, ugly, and can't have kids. People say that when she loses it, she can come close to ripping your throat out. Marrying her is like jumping into hell!"

Before I could say anything, my dad cleared his throat.

"If he doesn't marry her, what about Hank? He's already magically bonded with Rowena..."

My mom looked torn for a second, then let go of my hand.

My heart froze over. I was their biological son, but they always took the side of my foster brother, Hank Morris, who was good at acting sweet and helpless.

I smirked. "I'll do it, but on one condition: on my wedding day, Hank has to tell everyone he stole my potion."

"How could you? You just want to ruin your brother's reputation!" Dad was so mad he smacked the table, and Mom just looked at me, so disappointed.

I just smiled slyly.

"The one the serpent clan's young princess wants to marry is the beastman who made that potion. Reputation or happiness, your choice!"

In the end, they all gave in for Hank's sake.

I did not think twice before I turned and walked away. However, in the hallway, I ran into Rowena Carter leaving Hank's room.

She was in a bathrobe. There were tell-tale red marks on her chest and the overpowering smell of Hank's cologne all over her.

They had clearly been wrapped up in each other for days.

Rowena saw me pinch my nose and try to leave, so she quickly blocked my way.

"James, I know you're upset, but I had to do this to save Hank. The serpent clan has a strong possessiveness. Bonding with Hank was the only way I could push her away for good."

I managed a sad smile.

"And what about me?"

I was supposed to bond with Rowena when I was twenty, but she kept putting it off because of Hank's fits. Now that I was nearly twenty-five, she bonded with him at the worst possible time.

I was stuck between two terrible choices: getting matched with a nomad beastwoman or marrying the serpent clan's princess.

Rowena looked at me, guilt in her eyes, and grabbed my hand urgently.

"James! I won't let you end up with a nomad beastwoman! Wait. I can brand you with the beast slave mark, and you can stay at my place as a beast slave. Then, you won't have to marry anyone.

"Don't worry, it's just for show. Once you're with the Carters, I'll treat you just like Hank."

I could not help but laugh at her audacity. How could she be so brazen?

Only a beastman with no other choice, branded by his crimes, would accept the disgrace of the beast slave mark.

In a world where beast slaves were sold by their masters and looked down on by everyone, even their children would be destined to the same lowly fate.

I jerked my hand away from hers. "Rowena, no matter who I marry, I won't be a beast slave!"

Rowena's face clouded over with anger.

"James! Don't you love me? Is your good name more important than us being together?"

I shot back, "Really? Then why didn't you suggest Hank become a beast slave so you could save him?"

Rowena gasped. "Hank can't be a beast slave! He's too weak and needs to be taken care of. He can't handle any hardship."

I felt a rush of anger, my eyes burning. This was just because he was a fragile rabbit beastman, while I was the clan’s only strong Spirit Fox with nine lives.

My parents preferred him, and even my fiancée felt sorry for him. I was the one who had to shoulder all their grievances.

Stung by the scorn in my eyes, Rowena snapped, "Just think about what you've done. You don't have any other choice, anyway."

After she left, I wandered downstairs, lost in thought. Suddenly, I received a love token from the serpent clan.

It was a crystal flute from an auction I had not won.

Warmth filled me.

Maybe marrying Chloe Douglas would not be such a bad thing after all.