Semua Bab Snakes Over Wolves: Bab 1 - Bab 8

The next day, I went to the jewelry store to pick a return gift for Ebony's bracelet.I remembered that Ebony's beast form was a black snake with green pupils, so I picked a pair of snake-shaped cufflinks with emerald eyes.Even now, I thought to myself that since the Serpentskins had money and influence in space, what was there to be upset about?After I had paid and started to leave, I heard someone exclaiming in exaggerated surprise, "See, Sirius? Winnie's such a tsundere—she had refused your slave mark just yesterday, and now, she's buying you such an expensive present. I really lack her cunningness…"I turned to see Lola snuggling in Sirius's arms, while he was grinning gleefully at me. "And here I thought you were a strong, independent woman! But you'll really do anything so that you don't have to marry a rogue, will you?"That was when I remembered that it was Sirius's birthday, and they presumed I was buying a gift for Sirius.He snorted in disdain when he saw the cufflin

Sirius's eyes widened at the snake cufflinks that Ebony wore at his sleeves.Disbelief showed all over his face as he looked at Ebony's exceedingly handsome face, and he dropped the branding iron as he cried, "What are you talking about?! You're Ebony, aren't you?! You're trying to force Lola to marry you, aren't you?! Just so you know, we're marked!"He was only left all the more alarmed as he watched Ebony smile and take my hand, before finally regarding him in amusement. "I'd never once mentioned anything about marrying Lola—it was always Winnie, who had personally concocted the potion. Only fools like you would like a liar like Lola!"Sirius' heart skipped a beat—what was Ebony talking about?!The rest of the guests were in an uproar, some vocally doubting that Lola had made the winning potion.At the same time, Lola turned pale.Before she could burst into tears, I glared at my parents, who had just come downstairs. "We had a deal."My mother pursed her lips in embarrassmen

However, while we were convinced Sirius would have given up, he still waited at the front gates over the next few days.When I finally had enough and went out, I saw that he had lost a pound, and his clothes were draped loosely over him. His cheeks were deathly pale, while there were dark circles under his eyes.Still, as soon as he saw me, he opened his collar to reveal that Lola's mark had been removed, smiling sycophantically as he quickly said, "See? I had the mark surgically removed, and I'm clean now! We can be together again!"Removing a mark was a risky surgery and could prove lethal, as each mark ran deep beneath a beastfolk's skin and it meant removing every inch of flesh it reached.Virtually no beastfolk would risk it.I frowned. While I was surprised that Sirius would go that far, surprise was all there was to it.However, he took my silence as forgiveness and promptly pressed his advantage by shoving two woolly objects into my hands.It took me a while to realize t

Lola was obviously keen to make a scene and complain out loud without an ounce of dignity.Everyone in the event hall was at once silent, though whispers of disapproval could soon be heard.It was only then that I found out what had happened to Lola.After Sirius cut her tail and chased her out of his house, my parents also ignored her pleas for help now, after having grown utterly disappointed in her.As such, she was left wandering the streets, but she realized she was pregnant as her belly started to swell.Even if Sirius tried to tear her off himself in his rage, she clung on to his leg with a vice-like grip—the child was both her only leverage against him and the one chance she could use to turn things around.Still, Sirius's family was nothing more than a joke to everyone watching now.Even his father came running to the event hall when he heard and had to force Sirius take Lola home to save face.Still, before she left, Lola shot me a resentful glare, her face distorted