The day I went to the Shifter Mating Registry, I discovered my wolf-shifter boyfriend, Liam, hadn't registered me as his mate. He wrote Maya’s—his sister-in-law.

Seeing me freeze in disbelief, he just chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"Don't overthink it. Maya is pregnant with my dead brother's pup. The pup needs a legal guardian for the bloodline records."

"It's just a temporary mating contract. In three months, once the pup's lineage is certified, I'll break the bond and marry you."

He assumed a powerless human girl like me had no choice but to wait for him.

But he was wrong.

In the system, his highest compatibility match was indeed me.

But my highest match wasn't him.

That very night, I accepted a mating request from a Dragon shifter with a 100% match rate, and I left the city for good.

Three years later, my mother fell ill, forcing me back to North City.

My mate—Kaelan, the Supreme Dragon Chancellor—was delayed by a meeting. He contacted the local Shifter Guards to pick me up first.

I didn't expect to run into Liam.

He took one look at the crystal key in my hand and scoffed.

"I heard the Dragon Chancellor gave his mate the key to his treasure vault. There's only one in the world. Yours is a convincing fake, I'll give you that."

"Alright, three years of throwing a tantrum is enough. Maya's health is failing, and the pup is a handful. You're just in time to come back and help her."

I looked down at the crystal key in my palm.

A fake?

This key? It only unlocked the North City branch—the smallest of Kaelan's many private vaults.

The day I went to the Shifter Mating Registry, I discovered my wolf-shifter boyfriend, Liam, hadn't registered me as his mate. He wrote Maya’s—his sister-in-law.

Seeing me freeze in disbelief, he just chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"Don't overthink it. Maya is pregnant with my dead brother's pup. The pup needs a legal guardian for the bloodline records."

"It's just a temporary mating contract. In three months, once the pup's lineage is certified, I'll break the bond and marry you."

He assumed a powerless human girl like me had no choice but to wait for him.

But he was wrong.

In the system, his highest compatibility match was indeed me.

But my highest match wasn't him.

That very night, I accepted a mating request from a Dragon shifter with a 100% match rate, and I left the city for good.

Three years later, my mother fell ill, forcing me back to North City.

My mate—Kaelan, the Supreme Dragon Chancellor—was delayed by a meeting. He contacted the local Shifter Guards to pick me up first.

I didn't expect to run into Liam.

He took one look at the crystal key in my hand and scoffed.

"I heard the Dragon Chancellor gave his mate the key to his treasure vault. There's only one in the world. Yours is a convincing fake, I'll give you that."

"Alright, three years of throwing a tantrum is enough. Maya's health is failing, and the pup is a handful. You're just in time to come back and help her."

I looked down at the crystal key in my palm.

A fake?

This key? It only unlocked the North City branch—the smallest of Kaelan's many private vaults.

...

As soon as I walked into the arrival hall, I spotted a gold-plated sign in the distance: "A Grand Welcome to the Wife of the Supreme Dragon Chancellor."

I walked toward it but suddenly stopped in my tracks.

Standing at the very front of the Shifter Guards was my ex-boyfriend, Liam.

I hadn't changed my number, but he never reached out in three years. Let alone apologize.

And now, here he was, an arm wrapped casually around Maya’s waist.

Behind them were no longer just a pack of young wolves, but a squad of burly Shifter Guards in uniform. They stood lazily, but that suffocating predator aura was undeniable.

A guard built like a grizzly bear spotted me and grinned, his voice rough. "Hey, Liam... isn't that your little human pet from back in the day? What was her name? Chloe?"

Liam’s pupils shrank. He was clearly shocked to see me.

But he quickly slipped on his arrogant Commander persona.

A slow, mocking smirk crept onto his face. "I told you she couldn't survive without me. I knew she'd come crawling back eventually."

Crude laughter erupted from the squad.

"Chloe Miller ran off without a word. Now that our Liam is the most promising officer in the North City Guards, she must realize she messed up. Bet she's regretting it now," a hawk-nosed shifter chimed in.

"Come on, Chloe. If you're going to fake running into us, at least put some effort into it. What is that potato sack you're wearing? You look like a strong breeze could knock you over."

None of them knew.

The dress I was wearing was custom-made by a top-tier designer Kaelan hired specifically for my pregnancy.

The fabric was woven from ultra-rare Dragon Scale Silk, designed to block any psychic attacks from other shifters.

Since getting pregnant, I didn't bother with makeup.

But in their eyes, I was still that pathetic human from three years ago, wearing cheap lipstick and desperate for Liam’s affection.

They had no idea that three years ago, I mated with the most powerful shifter in the world.

Kaelan Vance, the Supreme Dragon Chancellor. He never despised me for being human. He practically laid the world at my feet.

And the VIP they were all waiting for—"Mrs. Vance"—was me.

Obviously, they hadn't put two and two together.

Seeing my silence, a leopard shifter I vaguely recognized tried to smooth things over. "It's good you're back, Chloe. Liam's actually been looking for you. Asking around about where you went."

His lie exposed in public, Liam’s smile froze.

To salvage his fragile male ego, he scoffed, tilting his chin at me from his high horse.

"Since you clearly couldn't make it out there doing cheap labor, I'll throw you a bone. For the sake of our seven years together."

He pointed at Maya, who was leaning against his chest.

"Maya’s pup is almost three. He's a handful. Since you're back, you can come to my estate and be her nanny."

Same arrogant bastard. But I was no longer the girl who swallowed her pride for him.

Looking at him now, I felt nothing but a deep, bone-chilling disgust.

Before I could speak, Maya leaned harder into Liam and let out a fake, delicate laugh.

"Yeah, Chloe. Look at you, all shabby... Even if Liam got you a job in logistics, you'd embarrass him. But don't worry. As long as you take good care of my son, we can save a spot for you in the servant’s quarters."

Her eyes were full of a condescending, mean-girl superiority, offering me a job like she was tossing pennies to a beggar.

I raised an eyebrow.

My hand rested casually on my baby bump. I said nothing.

I really wanted to see how delusional this trashy pair could get.

To Liam, my silence looked like heartbreak and jealousy.

"Enough. You're clearly broke and came running back with your tail between your legs. You should be grateful I'm even offering you a job. Just take care of the pup and don't cause trouble. Know your place as a human."

The squad burst into nastier laughter.

Maya touched her fake diamond earring and added maliciously, "Don't worry, Chloe. Wolf pups do have a temper, though. If he misbehaves and bites you, I'll be merciful enough to patch you up myself. As the lady of the house."

Liam sneered, glaring at me. "She has no right to complain. She ran off over a tiny thing like my temporary mating contract. Since she crawled back, she deserves to suffer a little."

A tiny thing?

I frowned. I couldn't believe people this shameless actually existed.

The boy who once swore under the stars to give me the world was dead and gone.

The man standing in front of me was just a vain, sickening piece of garbage.

I stood there quietly, watching their pathetic performance with cold eyes. My heart was completely dead.

Seven years of bending over backward vanished into thin air.

It was for the best. That toxic chapter was over.

After all, I was already carrying my precious dragon pup with Kaelan.

I took a deep breath. I was done arguing with idiots.

"Alright then," I said, playing along. "Aren't you supposed to be escorting me to the hotel? Let's go."

The entire hall erupted into deafening, mocking laughter.

Maya laughed so hard there were tears in her eyes. She looked at me like I was insane.

"The hotel? Chloe, are you actually delusional?"

She pointed at the gold sign in Liam's hand, her voice dripping with venom. "Read the sign! We are waiting for the Wife of the Supreme Dragon Chancellor! You think this VIP treatment is for some broke human like you?"

The Shifter Guards snorted in agreement.

"Yeah right! Chancellor Vance is worth hundreds of billions. He's the apex of this continent. One hair on his head is worth more than your entire life!"

At the mention of Kaelan, Maya’s eyes filled with raw jealousy and longing.

"I heard Mr. Vance is a cold-blooded tyrant, but he spoils his mate rotten. Rumor has it, he dropped twenty million dollars at a top-tier auction without blinking, just to buy her the only 'Dragon Scale Crystal Key' in the world!"

Listening to them gossip about my husband, I lowered my eyes.

A soft, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

That key was indeed my first-anniversary gift from Kaelan. It was full of that cold man's clumsy but direct love.

Just then, Maya’s eyes locked onto my hand like a viper.

"Oh my god!" she let out a piercing screech. "What is that in your hand?!"

The hall fell dead silent.

Every single eye locked onto my fingertips.

I was casually playing with a deep blue crystal key that gave off a cold glow.

Liam lunged forward, grabbing my wrist in a death grip. He let out a nasty, wicked sneer.

"You've got some nerve, Chloe! Buying a cheap knockoff just to pretend you're rich?"

I yanked my hand back with force, keeping my smile as I lightly traced the crystal.

Seeing that I wasn't panicked or embarrassed about being "exposed," Liam’s pupils shrank.

My absolute calm pissed him off.

Without warning, he violently snatched the crystal key right out of my hand.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I scowled.

"Let me see!" Maya snatched it from him, absolute jealousy flashing in her eyes.

"The cutting technique is pretty good. It almost fooled me," she mocked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Too bad. Using a fake to act like high society? You're a joke!"

"Or... Chloe, are you trying to tell us that you are the legendary woman beside the Chancellor?"

The crowd erupted into harsh laughter again. To them, it was the most absurd joke in the world.

Kaelan was a legendary Dragon who controlled life and death. And I was just the lowly human ex-girlfriend Liam dumped three years ago.

She held the key high in the air, treating it like a circus prop.

"A bottom-feeder human like you could never be the Chancellor's woman! Tell you what, I'll pay double to buy this piece of trash off you for a laugh. At least you can skip a month of manual labor."

I stepped forward, worried she'd break it. "Give it back. Kaelan gave that to me—"

Before I could finish, Liam shoved me hard.

Caught off guard, my back slammed heavily into a luggage cart. The back of my hand scraped against the metal, immediately drawing blood.

"Who the hell do you think you are, calling Mr. Vance by his first name?" Liam warned viciously, looking down at my pathetic state.

"The Commander is right! Are you trying to cause a scene and ruin our pack's chance with the Dragons, you bitch?" his lackeys chimed in.

A sharp spike of pain shot through my injured hand, but I bit the inside of my cheek, swallowing my gasp of agony.

Instead of showing weakness, I slowly rose to my feet, my posture stiff as I forced myself to endure the stinging.

Then, I looked up and locked eyes with Liam.

No anger. No hysteria. Just the freezing, dead calm of an apex predator looking at a corpse.

That suffocating gaze sent a wave of inexplicable panic through Liam. He subconsciously took half a step back.

To cover up his ridiculous guilt, Maya immediately jumped in.

"You ungrateful bitch! Liam was nice enough to offer you a place, and you dare look at him like that?"

"She's always been a bitter, jealous woman. Same as three years ago. Trash stays trash."

Liam agreed. Desperate to regain control, he pulled out his checkbook.

He scribbled a number, tore out a check for $200,000, and shoved it in my face.

"Here’s two hundred grand." He looked at me like he was feeding a stray dog. "Take it, go buy some decent clothes, and stop embarrassing yourself here."

Every shifter in the room watched with amusement, waiting for me to cry tears of gratitude and snatch the check.

But instead, under their shocked stares—

I slowly raised my hand, batted the pathetic check away, and snatched my crystal key right back from Maya’s frozen grip.

"Keep your money," I said coldly. "I have no need for your charity."

I couldn't be bothered to look at his rage-reddened face anymore. I turned to leave.

But before I could take a step, Liam reached out and clamped his hand tightly around my wrist.

"Chloe, what the hell is your problem? Why are you pushing me away?"

I violently shook off his grip, staring straight into his eyes without flinching.

"What else should I do?" I looked at him with ice in my veins. "We were done three years ago. Since we broke up, it's best we cut all ties. I don't want my mate getting the wrong idea."

My mind flashed to Kaelan’s handsome but ruthless face. That insanely possessive dragon.

If he smelled another male shifter's scent on me, he would instantly go feral.

I didn't need that kind of trouble.

I pulled out a wet wipe and cleaned the wrist he had just touched, right in front of his face.

But to Liam, my disgust was just a cheap "playing hard to get" act.

He glanced at Maya, then let out a self-righteous scoff, acting like he had me all figured out.

"Alright, stop playing the saint. You're just pissed I chose Maya over you back then, aren't you?"

He adjusted his collar, slipping right back into his arrogant savior routine.

"In three days, the North City Wolf Alpha is hosting a top-tier welcome banquet for the Dragon Chancellor. For the sake of the seven years we shared, I can take you. Show you what real high society looks like."

He looked me up and down, his eyes full of disdain.

"On one condition: you change out of those pathetic rags. Don't embarrass me."

I didn't hesitate for a single second. I shattered his delusion instantly. "No thanks."

Liam’s face darkened like a thundercloud.

"Ungrateful bitch!" He gritted his teeth, his wounded pride making his true colors bleed through. "Three years on your own and your temper got worse. But you're still cheap to the bone!"

With that, he turned and wrapped his arm around Maya.

"Since she doesn't know what's good for her, I'll take you to the banquet."

Maya was thrilled. She immediately chimed in, "Liam, I'll be so good. I promise I won't embarrass you."

I had zero interest in their pathetic drama. I turned and walked away, leaving them with one final shot.

"I hope you're still this confident in three days."

Stepping out of the hall, I took a deep breath, finally leaving those sickening faces behind.

But the memories from three years ago flashed through my mind, completely uninvited.

I had swallowed my pride for seven whole years for that relationship. I even proposed to him.

And my reward? Walking into the Mating Center and seeing him holding his freshly widowed sister-in-law, Maya.

"It's just a formality. Maya’s carrying my dead brother's pup, it needs a legal guardian. It's just a temporary mating for the bloodline registry."

That was his excuse.

At that moment, my heart completely died.

I opened the registry database and, without hesitation, accepted the mysterious application that showed a 100% compatibility match.

That night, I married Kaelan. The supreme, untouchable Dragon Chancellor who treated me like his absolute treasure.

Even though shifter lore said Dragon offspring were incredibly rare, I was finally carrying our first precious dragon pup.

If my mother hadn't gotten sick, I would never have crossed paths with Liam again.

…

Three days flew by.

Wearing light makeup and a low-key haute couture gown, I walked into the banquet hall alone.

Due to a delayed international conference, Kaelan was running a little late.

The moment Liam saw me, a flash of undeniable awe crossed his face.

But he quickly fixed his face, swaggering over with a smug look.

"Said you weren't coming, but you still blew all your savings renting that dress just to sneak in and see me?"

His sheer narcissism actually made me laugh.

"You're delusional. Move."

I ignored him and walked right past, looking for a quiet place to sit.

But before I could take two steps, Liam angrily grabbed my arm. "Chloe, I am talking to you! Where do you think you're going? Our seats are over here."

I shook him off and answered calmly, "Those are your seats. In the common section. Mine," I said, pointing, "is over there."

Following my gaze, Liam looked at the Chancellor’s main table—reserved only for the most elite VIPs. His face instantly turned ugly.

Just then, Maya, who had been glaring at me from a distance, charged over.

She shot me a venomous look, then pointed at the crystal key in my hand and screamed, "Chloe, how did you sneak in?! Are you here to ruin everything? You actually brought that fake key?!"

Her shrill voice instantly drew the attention of every elite in the room.