After the "Great Unveiling" of supernatural creatures, the powerful werewolves rose to prominence.

An ancient "Blood Moon Prophecy" swept through the great Packs: if the Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack were to unite with his fated mate, their offspring would possess the power to unify all supernatural communities.

In my past life, I was Ronan's mate. I gave birth to Cain, the prophesied pure-white wolf pup, and was revered for it.

My sister, Corinne, married a philandering vampire noble. Unable to bear children, she was cast aside, forced to live in my shadow.

Consumed by jealousy, she colluded with rival forces and used an unquenchable "cursed fire" to burn me and my pup alive.

When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn on the day of my engagement party with Ronan.

But my sister, Corinne, had also been reborn—and she'd already beaten me to Ronan's bed.

Watching my sister, so desperate to steal my destiny, ice formed in my veins. She had no idea Ronan's obsession with his mate was nothing more than a desperate need for an heir. Once she failed to produce one, his "affection" would become the sharpest of blades.

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1

"Aveline, Ronan and I are truly in love. Please, just let us be together. We've already… slept together. If I don't marry him, my reputation will be ruined."

In a daze, I heard my sister Corinne's pleas.

My father stood beside her, ever her defender. "Aveline, perhaps you could choose another mate-to-be. Corinne was just confused. It was a mistake."

He had always favored Corinne. After all, she was the daughter of his wife, while I was merely the illegitimate child from an affair.

I gazed at Corinne kneeling on the floor. Though her face was tear-streaked and she looked pitiful, the ambition and excitement in her eyes were unmistakable.

It was then I knew: she had been reborn, too. And this time, she had climbed into Ronan's bed before I could.

In my past life, I chose Ronan, the Alpha heir of the Silvermoon Pack, as my mate-to-be. I naively believed that vampires were cold and ruthless, the Fae frivolous and fickle, and dragons arrogant and conceited. Only the werewolves, known for their loyalty and devotion, seemed worthy of my trust.

Six months after our bonding ceremony, I conceived. I later gave birth to our son, Cain—a pup with a pure-white coat.

As the pure-blooded heir of the prophecy, Cain was hailed as the future leader destined to unite all supernatural communities.

Corinne, on the other hand, was infatuated with the beauty of the vampire nobility and chose their heir. But she never expected him to be a shameless philanderer, constantly entangled with other lovers.

In the end, she contracted a blood-borne disease from him—an illness that left her unable to bear children and cast out by his vampire family.

She blamed her misfortune on me, consumed by jealousy for everything I had. One night, she conspired with rival forces and burned me and Cain alive with cursed fire.

The moment the memory surfaced, hatred surged through me. I wanted nothing more than to kill Corinne right then and there, to avenge Cain.

I clenched my fists, hidden beneath my gown, the bite of my nails into my palms pulling me back to my senses.

Then I nodded slowly, masking my fury with a facade of understanding.

"If Corinne and Ronan are truly in love, I will not stand in their way."

Corinne hadn't expected me to agree so readily. The tears she'd forced out hung awkwardly at the corners of her eyes.

"Corinne, get up. Hurry and thank Aveline for being so understanding," my father urged, clearly relieved.

"Thank you, Aveline!"

Corinne beamed and rushed out, eager to tell Ronan and the Silvermoon Pack the good news.

"She can't wait a single moment," my father mused. But when he turned and saw the cold expression on my face, his voice faltered.

"Aveline, among the eligible heirs, there are several wealthy human families to choose from. I think they are more worthy of you—of equal status, with impeccable backgrounds, clearly superior to those... non-human families."

"Besides, Corinne once said—"

I cut him off. "Father, I choose to marry the leader of the Viperian Clan, Cassian Valerius."

To most, Gorgons are cold-blooded, ruthless monsters—a stigma their descendants still carry.

For thousands of years, no human had ever chosen to marry into the Viperian Clan. As a result, they never held a place in the supernatural world's inner circles of power.

Eventually, they were ostracized from mainstream society, seen as an outdated, sinister clan of "monsters" who weren't even afforded basic respect.

Yet, in my past life, as the cursed fire consumed me, I saw a pair of golden, slitted pupils—Cassian's.

He had tried to save me.

But the cursed fire was too overpowering. He shielded me with his body and, in the end, was gravely injured for his efforts.

Although my father disapproved of my decision, he said no more when he saw the resolve on my face.

He just sighed and tried to comfort me. "If your life in the Viperian Clan becomes too difficult... perhaps you can ask Corinne for help."

But when Corinne found out I chose to marry into the Viperian Clan, she couldn't resist mocking me to my face.

"Aveline, even if you couldn't marry Ronan, you don't have to stoop to marrying into an outdated, sinister family of 'monsters,' do you? Don't let that gloomy atmosphere make you sick before you can even have a baby. I hear they can barely integrate into modern society anymore."

"The Silvermoon Pack is wealthier than a kingdom; they mix their drinking water with water from the Moon Well just to strengthen their bodies. If your life gets too miserable, I can pack up some of our leftovers and send them your way!"

She covered her mouth and burst out laughing, completely ignoring the awkward stares of the surrounding servants.

Corinne was clearly convinced that with the Silvermoon Pack's vast resources and Ronan's obsession, she would get pregnant quickly. She was certain she had stolen my chance to bear the child of prophecy.

But she had no idea how difficult it was for a human to conceive with a werewolf, nor did she understand just how obsessed Ronan was with having an heir.

When I showed no signs of pregnancy after six months in my past life, his frustration had boiled over. He tormented me day and night with the silent treatment and psychological abuse.

It wasn't until I activated my sealed bloodline to conceive Cain, solidifying the Silvermoon Pack's power, that Ronan finally relented.

I gave Corinne a calm smile. "You don't need to worry about me, Corinne. I've made my choice, and I will live with it."

"What's there to be proud of? You're marrying a monster nobody wants!" My composure infuriated Corinne. She slammed her hand on the table, scattering pastries onto the floor. "I will be the first to get pregnant! And my child will be the one to unify all supernatural communities!"

I ignored her tantrum and focused on preparing for my bonding ceremony in three days.

She wasn't wrong about one thing—the Viperian Clan was intensely private. I worried they wouldn't have a human-style wedding gown, so I'd made plans to find my own.

Unexpectedly, that very evening, Cassian delivered my wedding gown himself.

It was the first time I had truly seen his face clearly.

His skin was pale, almost bloodless. His narrow eyes held a quiet dignity, their golden, slitted pupils containing an ancient and mysterious depth. However, a beauty mark at the corner of his eye added a subtle touch of gentleness to his otherwise stern expression.

Inside the box was a handcrafted, custom-made wedding gown by a legendary designer, fashioned from a rare, shimmering fabric. The hem was adorned with tiny diamonds that glittered in the light.

I had never seen such an exquisite dress. For a moment, I was utterly captivated.

"Aveline," Cassian said calmly, "this gown was chosen by our entire clan. Every detail is a blessing from our people."

His gaze held a deliberate distance, as if he believed I had chosen him only as a reluctant, retaliatory act.

"This is the first time the Viperian Clan has bonded with a human. If anything is not to your liking, please do not hesitate to tell me."

"Thank you," I replied. "I really love it."

Just as I was about to put the dress away, Corinne walked in on Ronan's arm, a look of smug triumph on her face.

"Aveline, don't tell me this is your only gown? Ronan had a whole collection of priceless wedding dresses made for me! This is the treatment the true mate of an Alpha deserves!"

Ronan looked down at Corinne, his eyes filled with adoration.

Corinne only saw the loyalty werewolves were famous for; she didn't see the truth beneath it—an intense obsession with powerful offspring, especially the "child of prophecy."

If she couldn't give him that child, would Ronan still be so gentle with her?

Cassian's hand tightened on his cane. Then he raised his eyes to meet mine.

"If my clan ever causes you grief, Aveline, I promise you this—I, Cassian Valerius, swear a Gorgon blood oath: I will be loyal to you for all my life and never betray you."

Corinne snorted. "Anyone can say pretty words. If you're so capable, why don't you try having a child first!"

Right now, her mind was consumed with having a child. Her infertility in our past life had become a thorn in her side, and now she was desperate to get pregnant. She had even moved into the Silvermoon Pack before her bonding ceremony with Ronan.

In that sense, she and Ronan were a perfect match—both had a paranoid desire for an heir.

"Corinne, you should be more concerned with your own wedding. Otherwise, people might think you have your eye on my mate-to-be."

I gave a faint smile and, under the furious glares of Corinne and Ronan, took Cassian's hand and left.

Behind me, I could still hear Corinne's shrill voice pestering Ronan. Most of her words were indistinct, but phrases like "blood moon cycle," "mate's child," and "unify all supernatural communities" cut through the noise.

Oh, my foolish sister. Even after being reborn, she still believed a child was her only path to power.

Cassian's cool voice murmured beside me.

"Aveline, I know you chose me out of spite. But I promise you, the Viperian Clan's wealth is more than enough for you to live any life you desire."

Hearing his voice, I turned instinctively and accidentally bumped into his chest.

A strange yet pleasant scent of fir and stone washed over me.

I looked up at him, enunciating each word clearly. "Cassian, I chose you willingly."

A flicker of an unreadable emotion crossed Cassian's golden, slitted pupils. "…Alright, Aveline."

Three days later, the bonding ceremony took place as scheduled.

Both weddings were held in different ballrooms of the same luxury hotel.

The werewolf Pack's celebration was even more extravagant than in my past life. They even invited the reclusive Fae royalty to perform, and all the major North American Packs and supernatural families were in attendance.

In contrast, the Viperian Clan's celebration was much more low-key and mysterious. There were no distinguished guests, but the clan members were filled with sincere joy. After all, this was their first time bonding with a human—a sign that they might finally have a chance to integrate into mainstream society.

After the ceremony, I ran into Corinne. She deliberately lifted her chin so I could see the hickey on her neck.

"Aveline, I never knew an Alpha had so much stamina. At this rate, I'll be able to give them an heir very soon."

I smiled politely. "Then I sincerely wish you the best of luck."

Corinne had severely underestimated the difficulty of a human conceiving with a werewolf. Our biologies were fundamentally different. Even under the best conditions, natural conception would take at least a year.

She thought my pregnancy in our past life was easy, so she believed she could do it just as effortlessly. She even boasted to the Silvermoon Pack that she would get pregnant soon, and the news spread quickly.

Seeing her so confident, Ronan didn't even doubt it.

But to Corinne, my composure was a form of provocation.

"Forget it, you wouldn't understand anyway. You married into a den of snake-monsters hiding in the shadows."

She shot a disdainful glance at the nearby Viperian Clan members, lifted her skirt, and swept past me.

I grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Corinne, apologize. Apologize to the Viperian Clan."

Her face darkened. She violently wrenched her arm free and shouted, "Aveline, have you gone mad?!"

The remaining guests in the hall stopped, their eyes following our argument with blatant amusement.

In the end, it was our father who stepped in. After learning what happened, he forced Corinne to apologize to the Viperian Clan.

Although the Viperian Clan was marginalized within the supernatural world, they would still stand united in the face of a human's insult.

Before leaving, Corinne shot me a vicious glare and muttered a curse, "Aveline, I will win this time. You just wait."

On our wedding night, I froze as I stared at Cassian's body, his non-human features emerging as he grew aroused.

No one had ever told me that fine scales would appear on the skin of a Gorgon descendant, or that their pupils would transform into mesmerizing, golden slits…

Seeing me motionless on the bed, Cassian misunderstood. He paled, bent down to pick up his clothes, and started to put them on.

"What are you doing?" I snatched the clothes from his hands, a frown on my face.

"I… I thought you didn't want to…" he stammered, standing awkwardly by the bed as the gold in his eyes faded.

If he wouldn't make a move, then I would.

I took a step forward, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him down onto the bed. As our bodies touched, that subtle and familiar scent of fir and stone enveloped me once more.

"Cassian… you smell so good," I murmured.

He froze for a moment, then the tips of his ears turned a faint pink. The next moment, his kisses deepened, trailing down from my forehead with an undeniable possessiveness.

With our fingers intertwined, the night descended into a passionate blur.

I had once thought that the strength of the Gorgons would make them the best in bed.

But Gorgon descendants have their own unique stamina. Cassian didn't stop until dawn, and I practically had to beg him to rest.

Three months later, news arrived: Corinne was pregnant.

I was stunned. In thousands of years, no human had ever conceived a werewolf's child in just three months.

If I hadn't seen her swollen belly with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.

The Silvermoon Pack held a grand celebration for the unborn pup, inviting all the supernatural families to share in their joy.

"The Moon Goddess must be blessing us! To conceive a child in just three months—it's a miracle!" Ronan raised his glass, his face beaming with pride.

Many guests came forward to flatter him, eager to win the Silvermoon Pack's favor. Everyone believed the child of prophecy would undoubtedly come from the Silvermoon Pack. Now was the perfect time to curry favor.

By rank, Cassian and I should have been seated at the far end of the banquet hall.

But Corinne had insisted to Ronan that I sit next to her. She couldn't pass up any opportunity to show off.

She stroked her belly and gave me a smug look. "Aveline, it's been three months and your belly is still flat? It seems you're not up to the task. You're such a disappointment."

A werewolf pup develops quickly. They are born after only a few months. Judging by the size of her belly, her child was due next month.

But she didn't know how large a werewolf pup could be. If she didn't control her diet, she would suffer terribly during childbirth.

In my past life, I had carefully controlled my weight, but giving birth still took a full day and night, and the pain was so excruciating it almost killed me.

But when I saw my Cain born safely, sleeping peacefully in my arms, I knew I had no regrets.

I took a sip of wine and said flatly, "Historically, the fastest conception between a human and a werewolf took a full year. You managed it in three months. One can only imagine what… methods you used."

Corinne whipped her head toward me, a flash of guilty panic in her eyes. "Aveline, what are you implying?"

She couldn't even handle a simple question. Corinne was still as hot-headed as ever.

"I wish you a smooth delivery, Corinne." I raised my glass to her, then took my leave with Cassian.

A month later, Corinne went through the standard three days and nights of labor for a werewolf before finally giving birth.

But seven days passed, and the Silvermoon Pack still hadn't announced the birth of the new heir. Even when our father wanted to visit, they refused, citing that the "pup needed to rest quietly."

Without a doubt—something was wrong with the child.