Chapter 4

Up in that mountain lived a man once known as the Beast King, the supreme ruler of the entire continent, yet long forgotten by everyone. His true name was Kael Stormwind.

In my past life, I'd heard countless versions of Kael's story. Some said he'd been confined to the palace on the mountain by Heaven for his tyrannical rule, forbidden to leave. Others said he should have died long ago, that the beastmen who'd gone missing over the years were all secretly killed by him, that he was surviving by stealing beast cores through dark magic. Plenty of theories, all of them negative.

But when I jumped off that cliff in my past life, I accidentally discovered Kael's secret. As I fell past the mountain palace, I saw him taking a group of young beastmen out for air. Those little ones were all disabled beast infants abandoned by their tribes, the kind that would normally be thrown off the mountain to die.

I refused to believe that a man with that much compassion could be the monster everyone claimed he was. More importantly, Kael's bloodline was said to accept all species. With him, I could birth any kind of beast, which would also help me cover up Lily's schemes against me.

That was why Kael would be my best mate in this life.

I walked quickly toward the mountain palace, and the beastmen followed behind me, jeering and cursing.

"Seraphina really has no other options left, going after the Beast King of all people."

"I heard that Kael doesn't even like women. That little body of hers wouldn't even be a mouthful for him."

"Maybe that's exactly her plan, using the title of queen to make it easier to run around behind closed doors."

I ignored them and soon reached the path leading up to the palace. The beastmen, however, were wary of Kael's lingering power and didn't dare follow any further.

I kept walking, and soon Tyron's voice rang out from behind me. "Seraphina, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you've hidden yourself in that mountain palace. Kael won't want you. If you don't want to die, come back with me now and serve your sister properly as a slave."

I stopped and turned to look at him. A faint, cold smile curled at the corner of my mouth. "We've only just met. What business of mine is any of your concern?"

Tyron froze. In my past life, I'd always felt so guilty about giving birth to those mixed beasts that I'd obeyed his every command, hoping he'd defend me. This was the first time I'd ever talked back to him. His face flushed with rage and he stomped his foot hard.

I didn't care how he reacted. I just kept walking.

Lily, on the other hand, raised her voice to a shrill pitch and shouted toward the mountain palace. "Kael! My little sister here says she wants to marry you! Make sure you keep a close eye on her, because in the blink of an eye, she might be carrying someone else's pup!"

Finally, I reached the palace gates. The moment I stepped through, a wave of pressure pushed me back. A cold voice followed. "Leave. Now."

I hurriedly said, "Lord Stormwind, I've been slandered and framed. There's nowhere left for me on the entire continent. Please take me in."

He said flatly, "I heard enough of your conversation. I'm not interested in you. Leave."

I couldn't back down. I pressed on. "I know you take care of abandoned beastmen. I'm not asking you to take me as your mate. I just want to help you look after them."

He paused for a moment, then finally said in that same cold tone, "Come in."