Chapter 1

"Aurora, Amber, only one of you can be sent to serve the Beast King."

The moment I heard that line, I knew I had come back to life.

I was right back on the day the human race lost, and my sister Amber Whitaker was to be handed over to the Beast King, Theron Olson.

In our previous life, the beastfolk crushed our armies, took our cities, and turned the survivors into property.

Amber, the crown princess, was born beautiful and handed over to Theron as his concubine.

Compared to her, I was ordinary, so they sent me to the breeding quarters, where beastmen fought over me and used me like a breeding machine.

However, Amber didn't fare well either. She was too soft for palace schemes, and before long, she was framed by the other concubines and died.

I struggled on for longer. When the news of Amber's death reached me, I was lying beneath a beastman.

Pregnancy after pregnancy drained what little strength I had, and in the end, I died exhausted and full of rage.

This time, I refused to let our story run the same course!

My father, King Rowan Whitaker, waited for our answer.

Amber pressed her lips together, ready to give the same answer as before.

I quickly caught her hand. "Let me serve the Beast King this time!"

She stared at me, stunned.

I held her gaze. "You're too kind, and you don't know how to win his heart. The palace will eat you alive. I may not be beautiful, but I know how to survive. Let us switch places. Maybe that's how we break this dead end."

"But…" she hesitated, fear crowding her voice.

I clasped her hands firmly and gave her a reassuring look.

Amber had been raised like a crown jewel, taught to rule rather than to vie for a man's heart. Even if she were reborn, she would still be the same.

I grew up on scraps and palace schemes. Years in the breeding quarters had taught me exactly how beastmen thought and what they desired, even if I wasn't pretty.

Amber saw I wouldn't bend and finally nodded. "If you go to him, promise me you'll stay alert. Don't fall into someone else's schemes like I did!"

I nodded. "Don't worry, I won't. But it means you may have to go to the breeding quarters."

She looked like she wanted to say something, but I cut her off with a tilt of my head toward the fox pelt on the wall.

"Beastfolk are sharp to scent. When you get there, rub fox musk under your arms. They can't stand the smell. It'll keep them away and kill their interest."

Amber's eyes became red-rimmed at my words. "This time, we must change our fate!"