Chapter 1

My words could have been a clap of thunder.

My father, still holding the Serpentkins' proposal letter, froze in the air.

My mother was left gaping, her tail bristling as she cried, "Have you lost your mind, Winnie?!

Ebony is born impotent and bloodthirsty! There were rumors that he almost bit through a servant's throat when he snapped! It's suicide!"

I was about to argue when my father cleared his throat. "You're right. Sirius and Lola have marked each other—what would happen to them if Winnie doesn't marry?"

A look of conflict briefly flashed in my mother's eyes, and she slowly let go of my hand.

My heart grew cold in turn.

Even though I was their biological daughter, they had always preferred Lola even though she was adopted, just because she knew how to sweet-talk and play the damsel-in-distresss.

Smirking, I said, "But on one condition. On the day I'm marrying, you will make Lola confess in public that she stole my potion."

My father was at once furious and struck the table as he bellowed, "How can you be so vile? You'll destroy your sister's reputation!"

Although my mother looked at me with disappointment too, I simply smirked. "It's like the letter says: the future head to the Serpentkins desires to marry the one who made the potion. She should learn not to be greedy—what does she want for the rest of her life? Fame or a happy marriage?"

My parents eventually gave in for Lola's sake.

I turned around and left without hesitation, only to run into Sirius stepping out of Lola's room down the hallway.

He was draped in a bathrobe with suggestive marks spread all over his chest, and the scent of Lola's rose perfume was pungent around him.

One could easily imagine what they had been doing for the past three days.

However, seeing me wrinkle my nose in disgust and starting to leave, Sirius promptly stopped me and sighed. "I know you're upset, but this is the only way I can save Lola. You know how obsessed the Serpentkins can get, but marking Lola would discourage even Ebony."

I smiled wryly. "And what about me?"

Sirius and I should've marked each other since I was twenty, but Lola would do something to delay us at every turn.

Now, I was almost twenty-five, and he had marked Lola at the very last possible moment.

As such, there were only two options waiting for me at this point: to marry a rogue or the future head of the Serpentkins.

The only dead ends before me were being matched with a wandering orc or marrying the young master of the snake tribe.

Even as Sirius blinked in guilt, he quickly grabbed my hands as he exclaimed, "It's okay, I won't let you marry some rogue! I'll mark you as my slave so you can live with me without needing to marry!

"Don't worry, it's just a formality. When you move in with me, I'll treat you the same as I do with Lola."

I laughed despite my rage—how could he be so despicable?!

Only exiled beastfolk who had committed heinous crimes would ever choose the slave mark, which was also a humiliation in itself.

They were no more than merchandise that could be sold at one's pleasure, and they would always remain inferior to other beastfolks for the rest of their lives. Even their children could only be slaves in the future.

I knocked his hand away. "Never!"

Sirius quickly hid his embarrassment by snapping at me, "What's your problem?! Don't you love me? Or is your dignity that much more important than being with me?!"

I retorted, "Really? Then why didn't you mark Lola as a slave? That would've saved her too."

Sirius bellowed before he knew it, "How could you even say that?! A slave?! A delicate maiden like her should be given all the world's affection and kindness, without an ounce of grief!"

Years of accumulated grievances left my eyes reddened.

Just because she was a delicate rabbitkin, while I was the only nine-tailed foxkin in my clan, blessed with nine lives and exuberance.

That was why our parents and even my own fiance favored her, while telling me I could endure all the grievances because of who I was.

The contempt in my eyes really stung Sirius just then, and he growled, "You had better reflect on that attitude soon. You have no other choice anyway."

After Sirius left, I headed downstairs, my mind in a daze.

That was when my parents handed me a gift from the Serpentkins—a love bracelet.

It was the same bracelet that I had failed to bid at an auction in the past, and my heart felt warm seeing it.

Perhaps marrying Ebony didn't necessarily mean my death…