As soon as Bella spoke, everyone present finally understood the truth.Had she followed the instructions properly, she might've had a healthy child. But her greed had doomed her.The scandal made the wolf clan a laughingstock yet again. Rumors spread that Jacob was impotent, and that his wife had not only cheated on him but even resorted to using a crude fertility folk remedy from the lowly rat clan.Jacob, already in a foul mood, would only grow more cruel to Bella after this humiliation.A month later, just as I was shopping for cloth to make clothes for my babies and preparing to head home, I saw Bella cradling a basket to her chest and sneaking into a secluded alley.Word on the street was that Bella had lost her mind. She was said to be snatching children from around the wolf clan.I didn't give it much thought. With a cheerful heart, I returned home, eager to welcome my soon-to-hatch little ones.But the door to my room stood wide open, and the incubator was empty.All th
When I woke, three eggs lay nestled in the incubator beside me. Draco sat at my side, gently wiping the sweat from my brow with a soft towel.I was just about to speak when a scream pierced the air—it was Bella."I can't do this! I don't want to give birth anymore! Just kill me, please! Kill me now!""Bella, hold on! You're almost there!"Her sobbing and the midwife's encouragement overlapped in a chaotic chorus. Our birthing rooms were separated by only a single wall. She was still in the middle of labor."Clarice, you've been through so much," Draco murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead. His gaze held concern, guilt, and overwhelming tenderness."Is it too noisy here? Should I take you and the little ones home so you can rest properly?"In my past life, after I gave birth, Jacob had eyes only for the child. He didn't care that I'd labored for an entire day and night. He shoved the baby into my arms and demanded I start nursing immediately.To him, I was nothing more than a
Before I could even finish speaking, Draco leapt out of bed, dressed, and bolted out the door to fetch the physician.Less than fifteen minutes later, the doctor arrived in our room.He placed his fingers on my wrist and began to examine my pulse, his brow furrowing deeply as he alternated between shaking and nodding his head.The room was oppressively quiet. Draco sat beside me, his face etched with concern.Finally, the physician stood and offered us a congratulatory bow."Congratulations, Draco. Clarice is two months pregnant. Judging by the signs, she should be ready to lay her egg in just a few days!"I had remained calm until that last part."Wait, what? Lay an egg?" I blinked. "Aren't we talking about having a baby?"Draco chuckled and gently stroked my head, explaining, "The snake clan is a bit different from the others. We lay eggs, then hatch our young."From the moment we confirmed the pregnancy, Draco wouldn't let me lift a finger. He followed me around all day, tr
The fox and dragon clan leaders immediately stepped in to challenge Bella's claim."We do not recognize this half-beast. The original agreement clearly stated the child must be born of a union between a human and the firstborn son of a beast clan household.""If the wolves start bending the rules like this, what happens to bloodline purity? Who knows what kind of monsters we'd end up with?""Hmph. This matter requires the unanimous consent of the remaining four clans. As far as the fox and dragon clans are concerned, we firmly disagree."The phoenix clan, standing quietly to the side, also voiced their stance."Our clan has long withdrawn from worldly affairs. We will not participate in these political decisions."Four clans. One abstained. Two objected. As for the lowly snake clan… no one even bothered to ask their opinion.Whatever sliver of hope Jacob had felt after hearing Bella's words instantly vanished. Rage consumed him once more."Bella, look at what you've done! You'v
"This is Jacob's child! Isn't a color mutation in wolf fur completely normal?"Bella clung stubbornly to the claim that the red-furred pup was Jacob's. But what she didn't know was that Jacob was a purebred white wolf. His bloodline had never carried the gene for red wolves.Jacob's expression was stormy, his entire body radiating fury."Bella, whose bastard is this? Who did you sleep with behind my back? If you don't tell me the truth right now, I'll kill this mongrel myself."Our father, pale with fear, rushed to intervene. "Jacob, calm down. This must be some kind of misunderstanding. Bella loves you so much. How could she possibly betray you?"Encouraged by Father's support, Bella quickly brought the child to Jacob, her voice soft and coaxing. "Look, he looks just like you—his eyes are identical."Jacob coldly took the red pup from her arms. The small wolf pup, who had been sleeping soundly, burst into loud, terrified wails the moment it saw Jacob's face.That heart-wrenchin
Draco's cool voice sounded beside my ear."Clarice, I know you chose me because you had no other option. But I promise, within my power, I will never let you suffer."I turned instinctively at the sound of his voice and accidentally stumbled into his chest.A strange yet pleasant scent drifted into my nose.I looked up at him and said slowly, with deliberate clarity, "Draco, I chose you willingly."A flicker of something unreadable passed through Draco's eyes. "…Alright. Clarice."Three days later, the wedding arrived as scheduled.Both ceremonies were held in the same grand restaurant.The wolf clan's wedding was even more extravagant than in my previous life. They had gone so far as to invite the reclusive phoenix clan to perform, and all the major noble houses attended in full force.Meanwhile, the serpent clan's celebration was quieter, with no distinguished guests, yet the clan members beamed with genuine joy. After all, this was their first marriage to a human—a sign the