My sister and I were simultaneously chosen for a marriage alliance with the Beastkin Federation. In my previous life, Seraphina had rushed ahead of me, picking the stunningly handsome and noble Crown Prince of the Serpent Clan as her husband. I was left to marry the brutish and unsightly Prince of the Lycan Clan. But later, the handsome Serpent Crown Prince, frail in body, was tragically struck down by lightning and died during an attempt at full human transformation. Seraphina was reduced to a mere plaything for the Serpent Princes, stripped of all dignity. Meanwhile, the Lycan Prince I had chosen received a rare chance to transform early into a formidable and dominant Lycan King, becoming the rightful heir to his clan. I became the most esteemed woman in the Lycan Clan. The entire Beastkin Federation said the Lycan King adored me, or else I wouldn’t have borne him child after child. When I opened my eyes again, Seraphina and I were back on the day of the marriage discussions. This time, to my utter surprise, Seraphina chose the unsightly Lycan Prince. She gazed at me, utterly smug and triumphant, her eyes glinting with fierce ambition. It was then that I realized Seraphina, just like me, had been reborn. This couldn’t be better. I lowered my head, using feigned dejection to mask the exhilaration and tremor within me.
I am Anya, a princess of the Spirit Fox Clan. Our clan had lost the battle for territory against the Beastkin Federation. Father King decided that Seraphina and I would undertake a strategic marriage with the Beastkin to preserve the strength of our Spirit Fox Clan. At this very moment, in the great hall, Father King, just like in my previous life, had us choose our prospective husbands. On the enchanted scrying mirror sent by the Beastkin Federation, the proud and majestic Crown Prince of the Serpent Clan and the unsightly Prince of the Lycan Clan were clearly visible. I was still lost in the memories of my previous life when Seraphina, unable to contain her eagerness, spoke first: “Father King, I choose this fierce-looking Lycan Prince. Don’t let my little sister face such a terrifying Beastkin.” Seraphina’s demeanor seemed thoughtful and concerned, but her eyes subtly betrayed a steely resolve, as if she was absolutely certain of her choice. Seeing her like that, I knew my sister had been reborn, just like me. In my previous life, Seraphina chose the Serpent Crown Prince. But that seemingly distinguished and powerful Serpent Crown Prince was, in fact, frail. He tragically died after being struck by powerful lightning during his transformation. Seraphina was reduced to a mere plaything for the Serpent Princes, her life a living hell. Meanwhile, the Lycan Prince I had married unexpectedly received a rare chance to transform early into a formidable and dominant Lycan King, successfully becoming the leader of the Lycan Clan. I was revered as the Lycan Queen, bearing him eight children and living in unparalleled favor and prestige. So, in this life, she had completely changed her approach, choosing the Lycan Prince whom she had previously despised. Father King, hearing her profound and noble words, nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at me. Because of Seraphina’s long-term oppression, I always presented a fragile facade of meekness to others. At this moment, I feigned ignorance and lowered my head, ‘thanking’ my sister for her supposed generosity. But where no one could see, I trembled with excitement. As Seraphina walked past me, she whispered, just loud enough for only the two of us to hear: “Little sister, the Serpent men, uh… they really *value* their women. You’ll find quite the ‘blessing’ waiting for you there, little sister.” She watched my stunned expression, offered a mysterious smile, and walked away. But what she didn’t know was that I was practically dancing with joy inside.
A few days later, Crown Prince Kaelen Serpentis of the Serpent Clan and Prince Jax Lycan of the Lycan Clan arrived together to escort us. Neither had fully transformed yet; their human torsos joined to their beast forms. Crown Prince Kaelen was tall, his face exquisitely handsome, with the proud aura of a born leader in his eyes. His lower body was a silvery serpent’s tail, shimmering with an iridescent sheen like scales, surprisingly beautiful and majestic. He knew I had chosen him and nodded slightly in my direction. I tucked in my fox tail and dutifully walked to his side. His eyes showed satisfaction, and he even reached out to stroke my fur. His touch was gentle, and suddenly, a pleasant shiver seemed to course through every cell of my body. I instinctively squinted my eyes. Next to us, Seraphina was excitedly hoisted onto Jax Lycan’s shoulder, who let out a loud howl. In my previous life, his rough demeanor had startled me too, but being naturally compliant, I had surprisingly gained his favor. Seraphina’s face turned pale green, and she nearly cursed out loud, but bit it back, forcing a terribly twisted smile instead. Jax Lycan carried her onto the carriage just like that, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Unexpectedly, Kaelen’s teasing voice came from above: “Little fox, what are you laughing at? Do you want me to carry you too?” When he smiled, it was like sunlight melting snow—so warm and captivating that I was stunned. While I was still dazed, a silver flash suddenly whipped past my eyes, wrapping itself around my waist. With a gentle tug, I was scooped up and delivered right into his arms. Feeling the icy chill of his embrace and the rapid thump of his heartbeat, I instantly blushed deeply, instinctively burying my face in his chest. His low chuckle rumbled in my ears, his trembling body making my heart pound and my cheeks flush. My sister in the previous life thought Crown Prince Kaelen was arrogant and rude. Was she insane? This was clearly my favorite kind of dominant alpha male, and my heart fluttered with a sweet, intoxicating sensation. In this dazed state, he carried me into the carriage. The carriage was lined with thick, soft fur blankets. As I lay on them, my fur even seemed to complement the color. It seemed my husband was quite fond of furry things. This was a good sign. Hehe, I started fantasizing about our married life. After entering the carriage, Kaelen coiled his tail into a neat bundle, resting on the blanket. He seemed especially sensitive to the cold, his body trembling slightly. Looking at his quiet, handsome face, I felt a pang of tenderness. I slowly moved closer to him, using my fur to warm him. We, the Spirit Fox Clan, possess an innate healing aura. When other Beastkin spend time with us, their spiritual energy slowly increases, and their minds become exceptionally peaceful. Kaelen visibly relaxed, spreading himself out. I could feel his entire body nestling under mine. A moment later, he actually drifted into a deep sleep. Bored, I started counting his serpent scales for fun. Before I knew it, I, too, had fallen asleep. When I woke up again, I found our bodies intertwined in a remarkably intimate way. Startled, I tried to get up, only to look up and meet Kaelen’s deep, piercing eyes. I flinched in fright, and he took a deep breath before finally pulling away from my body. “Little fox, you better not tempt me. I don’t want to touch you right now.” Hearing that, there was nothing left to misunderstand. My face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple, and I moved to sit far away from him. Seeing my pitiful expression, he chuckled softly, then helplessly waved me over. “Come here. I wasn’t scolding you; I was protecting you, silly.” At his words, I looked at him with wide, timid eyes. Steeling my resolve, I moved closer again. I had heard that shared spiritual practice was very effective for enhancing spiritual energy. Since I had decided to stand by him this lifetime, there was no turning back now. But to my surprise, he didn’t embrace me this time. Instead, he had me lie comfortably across his lap, and his hand gently stroked my fur. He smoothed my fur, stroke after stroke, like giving me a massage. I unconsciously closed my eyes in comfort. I heard him murmur beside my ear: “I don’t know why, but whenever I groom your fur, I feel more energized, my mind clears. Is it truly your Spirit Fox Clan’s healing aura?” Listening to him, I wondered, could it be that in my previous life, Seraphina didn’t help him enhance his spiritual energy, leading to his failed transformation? If so, it made sense. The Beastkin Federation agreed to end their conflicts through marriage alliances with us because of the unique bloodline of our Spirit Fox Clan. If Seraphina didn’t help Kaelen, he would naturally be too weak to withstand the lightning tribulation. Just then, the carriage suddenly halted. The guards and attendants outside reported that it was time for a meal. Only then did I realize I was a little hungry and looked at Kaelen with eager eyes. He let out a soft scoff, as if finding me utterly undignified, but immediately gave orders. His hand, however, continued to stroke my fur. “Prepare some of our specialty dishes for the Crown Princess, let her sample them.” The meal was quickly served. In front of me was a clean, roasted rabbit, glistening with oil and emanating an inviting aroma. I couldn’t help but take a deep breath, instantly enchanted. Kaelen watched me, amused, a hint of fondness in his eyes. He leaned forward, picked up a napkin, and gently wiped my furry paws. He even put a pair of hygienic gloves on me. “Look at you, my greedy little fox. Weren’t you fed enough back home?” He hit the mark. Father King had been starving us lately, only giving us a few wild fruits daily, to ensure we looked our best for Kaelen and Jax Lycan. I lowered my head, watching my paws being cleaned in his hands, and mumbled a dazed “Mmh.” A wave of warmth bloomed in my heart. A thoughtful and hygienic man, a little dominant, yes, but I absolutely loved it. Once everything was done, he said gently, “Eat.” I swallowed hard and eagerly began to eat. Having not eaten in ages, I was truly famished and completely forgot my usual etiquette. Only after I finished did I remember he hadn’t eaten yet, so I asked. But he simply said he was feeling unwell and would pass for now. Remembering how he had curled up earlier, a pang of pity struck me. I moved closer to him, enveloping him in my soft, blanket-like fox fur. He tensed for a moment, perhaps unsure of my intent. But moments later, his body relaxed, allowing me to comfortably settle around him. “You are my husband now. Let me heal you.” My voice, laced with tenderness, whispered in his ear. He remained silent, but I could feel something subtle shifting between us. And so, I held him, and we both drifted into a comfortable sleep.
There was still some distance to the Beastkin Federation, and our carriage traveled alongside Seraphina’s. The atmosphere in their carriage seemed vastly different from ours. Peculiar noises, mingled with Jax Lycan’s and Seraphina’s voices, made both Kaelen and me quite uncomfortable. Kaelen and I took the opportunity of a carriage stop to stretch our legs outside. Again, those odd sounds drifted from Seraphina’s carriage. I stole a glance at Kaelen, whose ears flushed a deep, telltale red, completely beyond his control. But he immediately turned to me, his face a patchy red, feigning annoyance. “Don’t listen in. You’re still too young.” Seeing his attempt at bravado, I lowered my head and stifled a laugh. A moment later, Seraphina was carried out by Jax Lycan. She seemed not to expect us to be there, and for a fleeting moment, she looked shy. But upon seeing me, an inexplicable smugness returned to her expression. I discreetly observed her, feigning ignorance and bewilderment. Jax Lycan set her down, then went off to hunt on his own. Lycans, before achieving full human form, had to eat wild game. Kaelen softly explained what he was going to do, then stroked my head and left. Seeing our intimacy firsthand, Seraphina’s eyes glinted with naked jealousy. She leaned closer to me. “Little sister, you and the Serpent Crown Prince seem very close, but there’s still a hint of distance, unlike Jax Lycan and me…” As she spoke, she seemed too shy to continue, her face flushed as she looked at me, the trace of desire not yet fully faded from her eyes. She thought I would envy her and the Lycan Prince’s early intimacy, believing it would secure her status within the Lycan Clan. She had no idea the endless captivity that awaited her. I sneered inwardly, but kept my expression neutral, my eyes wide and innocent as I sincerely congratulated her: “Congratulations, Sister, on your harmonious relationship with the Prince. May you soon be blessed with an heir.” Hearing my words, her face flushed even deeper, her eyes filled with the languid, sated contentment of one who’d had their fill. She cast a dismissive glance at me and returned to her carriage. As if she couldn’t be bothered with me anymore. Watching her retreating figure, many past memories surged through me. Good. She was still so arrogant and dismissive. People who are too proud sometimes pay a heavy price for it. Seraphina came from a noble background; her mother was from the White Feather Clan, one of the four great families of the Spirit Fox Clan. Both mother and daughter were immensely favored in the palace, which fostered her haughty and self-important personality. My birth mother, however, was merely a minor palace attendant. I was conceived during one of Father King’s drunken dalliances. Father King, naturally promiscuous, forgot about my mother as soon as he had taken his pleasure. We lived in a small, remote courtyard. In my memory, she would often lean against the doorway, hoping that unfeeling man would grace her with another glance. She developed a chronic illness after my birth and worried herself sick day in and day out, eventually falling ill within a few years. I cared for her while foraging for food everywhere. During our hardest times, we barely ate any meat every two days, which meant my fur was sparse and I looked rather homely even at five years old. Consequently, the princesses and princes of the palace often bullied me, Seraphina most of all. Her mother’s family held considerable power, so no one dared to defy her. I had survived all these years by playing naive and foolish. I held no expectations or affection for that royal family anymore; this strategic marriage was my farewell.
Seven days later, we arrived in the territory of the Beastkin Federation. The Beastkin Federation was formed by an alliance of many clans. The leader is chosen every four years through a fair and just contest of strength. The reigning monarch was currently King Oberon, the Serpent King, and Kaelen’s father. Therefore, Kaelen’s status was more esteemed than the Lycan Prince’s. As soon as we stepped out of the carriage, the welcoming procession arrived. Tall, handsome Serpent Clan members, already in their human forms, wore luxurious clothing. Behind them was an exquisitely elaborate and spacious carriage, its body gleaming with dazzling golden light. I looked at Kaelen with delight. He affectionately stroked my fur, then coiled his tail around me and carried me towards the carriage. In my previous life, when we arrived at the Beastkin Federation, Seraphina and Kaelen had somehow fallen out. Neither would back down, and Kaelen had simply left her behind and returned to the Royal City alone. I never had the chance to witness such a grand and luxurious scene. Without even turning back, I knew Seraphina’s face must be utterly grim right now, because I could hear the muffled, petulant sounds of her bickering with the Lycan Prince. “Husband, why aren’t our clan members here to greet us? Look how comfortable their carriage is. I’m the older sister, yet my younger sister’s procession has outdone mine!”
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