Chapter 2

When I woke up the next morning, my entire body was covered in Zane's scent.

What this meant in the beast world, I still had no idea.

The group of wolf beauties in the courtyard huddled together, their eyes practically shooting flames at me.

In just one night, I seemed to have become the target of everyone's resentment.

I was assigned to a special room.

It was said to be designed specifically for humans, with strange charms hanging on the walls.

This place was very close to Zane's chambers, but guards were posted everywhere.

But Grandma Leopard was right after all.

After sleeping with the wolf prince, I no longer had to go hungry, and no wolf dared to threaten to tear me apart.

Zane was very good to me, sending me all kinds of cooked food and desserts every day.

Although some things were indeed strange and exotic, it was better than having nothing to eat.

People outside all said Zane was aloof and disliked women, but I now had first-hand experience—

Those words were utter nonsense!

Since that night, he seemed to be addicted, grabbing me as soon as he returned to his chambers.

From the bed to the bath to the desk, nowhere was spared. Every time I came to my senses, it was already dawn outside.

Even when he was handling official business, he often held me on his lap, kissing and nibbling.

I was sore all over from his treatment, but didn't dare to speak up.

In the end, I could only secretly go to the kind Grandma Leopard to complain.

After hearing my description, a knowing smile immediately appeared on Grandma Leopard's face.

She patted my hand and said earnestly,

"Silly girl, the prince is marking you! In our beast clan, this is a huge blessing!"

"When you become pregnant with wolf cubs, you'll have a bright future ahead! By then, you'll be a great contributor to the wolf clan, and never have to worry about food or drink for the rest of your life."

I listened in a daze, suddenly thinking of a serious question.

"What if I give birth to a human baby?"

This time it was Grandma Leopard's turn to be troubled. She frowned in deep thought.

That night, curled up in Zane's arms, I mustered up the courage to ask him.

"Prince... if we have a baby, will it be a little wolf cub or a little human?"

Zane's hand paused in my hair, then he casually said,

"You're still young. Don't think about children yet."

But from the next day on, after every time we were intimate, he would feed me a strange fruit.

He said it was good for my body, so I didn't think much of it and just swallowed it.

It wasn't until much later that I understood - it was a contraceptive fruit used by the beast clan.

Clearly, Zane had never intended for me to bear his heir.

On normal days, as long as Zane was in the territory, he liked to keep me by his side.

In his leisure time, he would teach me the beast language and beast writing.

I have to say, the beast clan's writing was even harder than human writing. My characters looked like they had been chewed by dogs.

But Zane was very patient, always guiding my hand as he taught me.

I loved writing his name in beast script the most, stroke by stroke, feeling sweet in my heart.

Zane understood my tastes well. Every time he came back from a trip, he would bring me some strange and exotic beast clan delicacies.

Sometimes it was glowing berries, sometimes mushrooms with peculiar textures, and even the legendary "beast god's nectar".

Without realizing it, my heart grew stranger and stranger.

When I couldn't see Zane, I was always thinking about him; when he was by my side, even if he was busy with official duties, I would just quietly stay nearby, my heart full of happiness.

Soon it was time for the beast clan's annual "Full Moon Festival", which required a journey to a distant holy land.

As the wolf prince, Zane had to attend.

The night before he left, he pinned me down in various places, frantically taking his fill, as if trying to make up for a month's worth.

I was also upset, not wanting him to go.

That night I was unusually proactive, exciting Zane so much that his beast tail materialized.

The big fluffy tail swayed back and forth, showing he was in a good mood.

After he left, I wilted completely. Even my favorite roast chicken wings didn't taste good anymore.

Suddenly I remembered a beast clan proverb Zane had taught me.

"A lone wolf gazes at the moon, its solitary shadow unable to sleep."

I didn't understand it at the time, but now I could relate.

I, who had been single since birth, only now realized that this must be love. Without noticing, it had already been etched into my bones.

The day Zane returned, he dragged me into the room without a word.

I thought he wanted me, but he mysteriously pulled out a glowing fruit from his robes.

"Try this. It's a fruit from the Beast God Tree. I managed to secretly pick it."

I was so moved that tears almost fell.

The Beast God fruit was a treasure of the beast clan. It was said that even the Wolf King was reluctant to eat it, yet Zane had secretly brought one back for me.

Taking a bite, a strange energy immediately flowed through my entire body.

I felt light as a feather, as if I could fly.

At that moment, I even thought that if I could stay with Zane like this forever, it wouldn't be so bad to never return to the real world.

Unfortunately, I forgot that I was just a "surrogate", how could I dream of growing old together with the wolf king?

Not long after, news of the wolf clan's alliance marriage with the tiger clan spread throughout the beast world.

The tiger clan's young lady was coming to stay in wolf territory, with all the airs of a future queen.