Damian’s low, icy voice sounded behind me. With one arm wrapped possessively around Chloe, he shoved past me and left first.

At the dinner table, he doted on her relentlessly, serving her food, wiping the corner of her lips, and treating her with tenderness. Even Father, who had been upset by Damian’s earlier behavior, gradually softened when he saw the two of them acting so “in love.”

In my last life, Damian had treated me gently enough, but he had never done this. In his eyes, my status was beneath his, so I was the one who should serve him. Now, he was flaunting all this care for Chloe just to spite me.

Whatever. There were plenty of Golden Lycans in the world besides him. If I really wanted a pup of a Golden Lycan bloodline, all I had to do was find a donor.

In fact, finding a donor wasn’t a bad idea. There’d be no marriage and no strings attached. I could give birth to a Golden Lycan pup, infuriate Damian, and maybe even make up for the regret of never becoming a mother in my last life.

However, right now, every Golden Lycan in sight was either too old or far too young. Where was I supposed to find a young one in his prime?

“You’re looking for a young Golden Lycan?”

I nearly jumped and slapped my hand over Lilith’s mouth, saying, “Not so loud!”

Lilith, a tree spirit born from a thousand-year-old oak, was my non-werewolf friend.

“Mm– Let go, let go!” she protested.

I removed my hand, and she lowered her voice dramatically.

“Actually, I do know an absolutely extraordinary Golden Lycan.”

“You do?”

“Legend says that in Moonshine Heart on Silent Peak, there lives a Primordial Golden Lycan, the purest bloodline your Werewolf Alliance has seen in a hundred years. Even your council elders would bow to him.”

“That’s how strong he is?”

I wasn’t sure whether to believe her. After all, Lilith loved exaggerating.

“Of course! They say any werewolf who’s ever seen him was blinded by his golden aura. But ever since he went up Silent Peak, he’s never come down, and no one can go up either. The mountain basically became forbidden.”

I frowned, deep in thought. It was true. Since childhood, the council elders had always warned us to stay far from that mountain.

“How do you know more than me, and I’m the werewolf here?”

“I’ve lived nearly a thousand years. How could I not know?” She rolled her leafy eyes at me.

“So… let’s say, hypothetically… hypothetically I want him to be my donor. Is that possible?”

“Huh? What!”

There came another scream, and I had to slap a hand over her mouth again.

“Quiet! Don’t let anyone hear you!”

“You can’t be serious,” she said as soon as I released her. “First of all, no one can even get up that mountain. Second, no one knows what the situation is up there after a hundred years. And you want a Primordial Golden Lycan to be your donor? Do you have a death wish?”

“How would I know unless I try? And what if I get lucky? I could use a little moonpetal pollen, sleep with him for one night, and by sunrise, he’ll forget everything.”

Lilith stared at me, her jaw on the floor. However, I wasn’t joking. I knew exactly how to enter the mountain.

In my last life, Damian had spent years searching for forbidden rituals to hide his Omega identity. He had collected countless ancient texts, and one of them described how the golden-glow herb on Silent Peak could be crushed into juice and applied to fur to make one’s entire body shimmer gold permanently.

To search for that herb, Damian had searched through hundreds of ancient scrolls to find a way into the mountain. There was a rune stone at the mountain’s southwest base, unbreakable and ancient. It was only by using the blood of a high-ranking Alpha and a specific sigil that one could unlock the barrier.

I could still remember the sigil clearly. Back then, Damian had drained half a bowl of my blood to draw it, but he returned empty-handed and with severe injuries. When I asked what happened, he never answered.

“You’re insane,” Lilith whispered, waving two leaf-hands dramatically. “That’s a Primordial Lycan! If he finds out a lowly werewolf like you dares set your sights on him, he’ll tear you apart.”

“Lowly? I’m a high-ranking Silvermoon Alpha, thank you very much.”

“Are you actually serious?”

“I am.”

Lilith resigned. “Fine. I’ve heard all about what happened to you in the Alliance. And since you’ve watered me with so much spirit spring water, I can help you… but only a little.”

She reached into the center of her oak trunk and plucked her most tender leaf, handing it to me.

“I’m actually a ‘fertility tree’. Eat this, and you’ll definitely get pregnant.”

“So that’s your real function. And all this time you lied, telling me your leaves would double my strength and grant eternal youth.” I couldn’t help laughing as I took the leaf.

“Don’t make fun of me!”

“Okay, okay.” I stifled another laugh.

“You'd better come back safe,” she said seriously. “I’ll be waiting for you to water me.”

“I know, I know.”

Waving over my shoulder, I began walking toward Silent Peak.

Following the instructions, I unlocked the barrier, and in the next moment, Silent Peak finally appeared before me in its true form.

From the outside, the mountain had always looked mystical, with mists surrounding the cliffs like something out of a dream. However, now that I stood before it, I saw the truth. The entire peak was shrouded in death—dark, heavy, and suffocating.

The trail wound upward, covered in brittle leaves and shattered stones. No creatures wandered the slopes, not even a flicker of life or a whisper of wind. Only an unnatural silence spread.

“There’s no sunlight at all, so how is it getting hotter?”

I muttered under my breath as I wiped the sweat from my forehead. The elders always said Silent Peak brimmed with primal life energy, a sacred place where a werewolf’s power could grow. However, this was nothing but decay.

Finding that Lycan could wait. Right now, if I didn’t find water soon, I was going to die of thirst.

The moment I entered the mountain, my body started burning up, and my head grew foggy. A creeping dread that something bad might happen tightened in my chest. Thankfully, after a while, I heard the faint sound of running water. I followed it, only to find a serene pool tucked between the rocks.

At that point, danger didn’t matter anymore. My body felt like it was on fire, my thoughts too blurred to process anything. I shifted straight into my wolf form and leapt into the water. However, the coolness barely soothed me. The heat deep inside refused to fade, and a burning ache twisted low in my body.

Perfect. Of course, my heat cycle decided to show up now.

I gathered my strength, trying to calm myself down, but it barely helped. Even as a Silvermoon Alpha, nothing could rewrite that biological instinct. That was why our kind sought mates once we reached maturity. Without one, some werewolves really would suffer to death.

If only there were a male werewolf around.

Annoyed, I glanced around and paused. There was a cave hidden deep within the pool, where its entrance faintly glowed gold.

Could that be Moonshine Heart? And inside was…

Holding my breath, I swam inside where, atop a stone pillar, curled a Golden Lycan far larger and more impressive than any I’d ever seen—a perfect specimen of our race. However, his eyes were closed.

I didn’t dare make a sound. I landed beside him carefully, my body trembling as I pulled out the moonpetal pollen and placed it near his nose. Unfortunately, standing so close only worsened the heat tearing through me.

Soon, the Lycan’s eyes snapped open. In one explosive movement, he leapt down from the pillar. The entire structure cracked and collapsed behind him.

Startled, I stumbled back, but the werewolf lunged toward me, his gaze sharp enough to pierce straight through bone. Did the moonpetal pollen not work?

I tried to run, but my legs had already given out. I collapsed onto the ground, helpless.

The Lycan roared, brushing past me before launching himself out of the cave. The pool outside erupted as his power churned the water violently. Then, he returned, charging back inside.

Just as I thought he was going to tear me apart, he spoke, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

The Lycan began circling me, over and over, before nudging me upright with his massive body. His skin was just as hot and fevered as mine. Our breaths grew heavy and uneven. When our eyes met, the hunger in them was unmistakable.

He lifted a claw, but instead of striking, he pulled me gently into his arms. His hold tightened, wrapping around me until I could barely think at all. My vision blurred as I looked down at our entwined bodies.

“Oh god. That… that size is unreal.”

The symbol of his power pulsed with heat and intent. My heart seized, and I swallowed hard, instinctively wanting to flee. However, my body—lost to the frenzy of heat—refused to move. All I could do was surrender to the Lycan’s touch.

He knew exactly what he was doing. Every brush of his claws sent waves of pleasure rolling through me. I couldn’t even tell whether the moonpetal pollen had affected him.

“Do you like it?”

His voice was low and rough. This was only the second thing he’d said.

Then, his body pressed against mine again, pulling me deeper, stealing the final remnants of my sanity.

When I opened my eyes again, the Lycan was fast asleep beside me.

Did I really succeed in using him as my donor?

Carefully, I lifted the heavy front paw he’d draped over my body, terrified of waking him. The moonpetal pollen would keep him knocked out for a while, but I still had to leave before he came to.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I only used you because I had no other choice. Please don’t hold it against me.”

With that apology, I slipped out of there as fast as I could, leaving Moonshine Heart.

The moment the tension left my body, I felt lighter. Even the mountain path felt easier. However, just yesterday, these trees had been withered and lifeless, yet now they were sprouting fresh buds. We weren’t even in spring.

As I continued down the path, more dead trees revived around me, blooming back to life. I could feel the energy of the land slowly returning, but I didn’t have time to stop and investigate. I sprinted all the way home.

“You little brat! Where did you run off to for the past two days?”

I had barely reached the doorway when Father appeared, making me jump.

I quickly explained myself, “Father, I only went out to clear my head. I wasn’t doing anything improper.”

Trying to placate him, I began massaging his shoulders.

“Alright, alright. You don’t need to stay upset about the bonding ceremony anymore,” he added. “The council has sorted it out.”

“Sorted what out?”

My hands stopped.

He cleared his throat. “You’re not getting any younger. The council has selected a few Omega Black Werewolves for you to meet.”

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

Werewolves were scarce, so the Alliance prioritized pairing and producing heirs.

“Your bloodline may not match theirs,” Father admitted, “but with the situation you’re in, you can’t afford to be picky.”

“No. I’m not doing it.”

“That’s not up to you!” he barked. “You’re not leaving this house. You’ll wait here until they arrive.”

He stormed off, and the guards “escorted” me inside.

“What is happening to my life…”

I groaned and plopped down on the stone steps as the gate slammed shut.

“You’re back?” Lilith poked up from the soil, stretching lazily. “You were gone so long, I thought you died.”

“It came really close to that,” I muttered, grabbing her vine and giving it a shake.

“Ow! Stop shaking me! I’m getting dizzy. So? Did you see the Golden Lycan?”

“Yup, and everything went smoothly.”

“S-Smoothly? Did you take my fertility leaf?”

“I did. Do you think I’ll actually get pregnant?” I placed a hand over my stomach.

“Are you doubting me?” Lilith huffed. “My leaves are potent! You might already have a little werewolf pup in there.”

I sighed and lay back on the steps.

“What’s wrong? Isn’t this what you wanted?” she asked.

“It is… but the council wants me to pick a mate and get married soon. If I really am pregnant, there’s no way I can marry someone else.”

Lilith saw my furrowed brows and smoothed a leaf over my forehead.

“Isn’t this the perfect opportunity? A child like that needs a proper identity before it can be born.”

We both fell silent.

Two days later, the council summoned me. Inside the ancestral hall, several council elders sat at the head. Father and Stepmother were there too, along with that annoying werewolf couple who never liked me.

“Elara,” one of the council elders said, “this is Kaelen Stone. He may be a low-rank Omega Black Werewolf, but his family is wealthy. Marrying into that household wouldn’t be beneath you. For an Omega, he has excellent conditions.”

“He’s all?” I asked. Father had said several to choose from.

Before the council elder could answer, mocking laughter burst out beside me.

“Hahaha! Elara, in your situation, who would even want to marry you? One is already more than you deserve.”

Chloe covered her mouth, exchanging smug looks with her husband, until Father shot her a murderous glare. She immediately quieted down.

“Elara,” Stepmother added in a soft, concerned tone, “as your mother, I must say. An Omega may not be handsome, but if he’s suitable, you should accept it.”

She always acted like a loving mother in front of Father and the council elders, but she never cared about me when no one was watching.

Omegas lacked strength and rarely possessed the striking looks of Alphas. Their appearances were usually plain at best.

“Where is he?” I asked.

The moment the words left my mouth, a familiar aura washed over me.

A figure stepped out from behind the screen. He was breathtakingly handsome but in a wild, untamed way. His messy black hair fell over his forehead, casting shadows across storm-gray eyes. His features were sharp—high cheekbones, straight nose, a firm jawline—and the slight upward tilt of his eyes gave him a rebellious, challenging air.