When I opened my eyes again, the Lycan was sleeping soundly beside me.

Did I succeed? Did I get his seed?

I slowly moved his paw from my body, terrified of waking him. The Moonpetal Pollen should keep him unconscious for a while. I had to get out of here before he woke up.

“I’m sorry. I had no other choice but to borrow a seed from you. Please don’t hold it against me.”

After whispering my apology, I quickly left the Moonlit Core.

My body felt light and refreshed, the fire of my heat finally quenched. The journey down the mountain was much easier.

The trees that were dead and withered yesterday were now sprouting new buds. But it wasn’t spring.

As I descended, I saw more and more withered trees coming back to life. I could feel life force slowly returning to the mountain.

But I had no time to linger and observe these strange phenomena. I ran all the way home.

“You wretched thing! Where have you been sneaking off to these past two days?”

I ran right into my father at the gate. I quickly bowed my head in respect.

“Father, I was just out for a walk to clear my head. I wasn’t sneaking around.”

I tried to butter him up by massaging his shoulders.

“Alright, alright.”

“You don’t need to be so sad anymore. The council of elders has made arrangements for your marriage.”

“Arrangements? What arrangements?”

I stopped what I was doing.

“Ahem, you’re not getting any younger. The elders have selected a few Omega black wolves for you to meet.”

“What? You want me to go on blind dates?”

The werewolf population was dwindling, so marriage and childbirth were taken very seriously.

“Their bloodlines might not match yours, but given your current situation, you can’t afford to be picky.”

My father sighed.

“No! I won’t do it.”

I refused flatly.

“It’s not up to you! You are not to go anywhere for the next two days. You will behave and wait for them to arrive!”

My father snorted, flicked his sleeves, and stormed off. The guards at the side then “escorted” me inside.

“What the hell is this shit?”

Staring at the barred gates of the courtyard, I slumped onto the stone steps in frustration.

“You’re back?”

Lilith sprouted from the ground, stretching her vine-like limbs.

“You were gone so long, I thought I’d never see you again.”

“It was a close call.”

I grabbed one of Lilith’s vines and gave it a little shake.

“Hey, stop shaking me! I’m getting dizzy! Did you see the Golden Lycan?”

“I did. And it was a success.”

“A suc-success? Did you eat my fertility leaf?”

“I ate it. Do you think I’ll get pregnant?”

I touched my stomach.

“Are you doubting me? That leaf is pure magic! You probably have a little wolf pup in there already.”

“Sigh.”

I let out a long breath and lay back on the stone steps.

“Why aren’t you happy? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“It is, but the Alliance elders want me to pick a mate and marry as soon as possible. If I’m really pregnant, how can I get married?”

Seeing the frown on my face, Lilith extended a long leaf and gently stroked my forehead.

“This could be a perfect opportunity, couldn’t it? The child needs a proper identity to be born, right?”

Lilith and I fell into a contemplative silence.

Two days later, the council of elders summoned me.

Inside the Pack Hall, several elders sat in the seats of honor. My father and stepmother were there, as were that insufferable werewolf couple.

“Elara, this is Kaelen Stone. Although he is a low-ranking Omega black wolf, his family is wealthy, and he has no living elders. Marrying him wouldn’t be a slight to your status. Such conditions are rare among Omegas.”

An elder spoke.

“Just one?”

My father had clearly said there would be several for me to choose from. The moment the words left my mouth, I heard a snicker.

“Hahaha, Elara, in your current situation, who would want to marry you? You should be grateful there’s even one. You think you can still be picky?” Chloe covered her mouth, exchanging a look with her husband. My father shot them a glare, and they fell silent.

“Elara, as your mother, I must say something. Omegas may not be the most handsome, but if he’s suitable, you should just accept it.”

My stepmother adopted a tone of deep concern, acting as if she were my real mother. She never showed any care for me on normal days, only putting on this act in front of my father and the elders.

Omegas were not only the weakest in power, but their appearances were generally less striking than Alphas.

“Where is he?”

As I spoke, a familiar aura washed over me.

A man stepped out from behind a screen.

He was shockingly handsome, but it was a raw, untamed sort of beauty.

Messy black hair fell across his forehead, casting shadows over his stormy grey eyes. His features were sharp—high cheekbones, a straight nose, a strong jaw—and the slight upturn at the corners of his eyes made him look both defiant and challenging.