’Wow, so cool,’

Mirabelle clapped her hands internally. She had never expected to witness such a cinematic moment in real life.

’He’s giving off serious CEO mafia boss

vibes.’

Unconsciously, she licked her lips.

Somehow, he looked... tempting.

While Mirabelle only applauded inwardly, her mother actually did:

"True words." She raised her glass. "We should drink to that."

She lifted her glass, and everyone followed — except Kaelith, who hesitated for a moment.

Then he leaned toward Silas and whispered:

"And you’re saying that you’re that someone?"

Of course, he knew about Silas’ royal background. And that there was more to this beastman than the public seemed to know.

Still, he couldn’t — and wouldn’t — let that pass without comment.

The panther smiled at him.

Then he spoke so quietly that only the hyena beast could hear:

"Careful. Some beasts don’t survive being second."

He cast Kaelith a sideways glance that sent a cold shiver down his spine.

’Fuck.’

It felt as if invisible hands were reaching for him. They moved fast, sliding up his body, wrapping tighter and tighter around him.

Then they pulled him down... as if trying to drag him into the deepest abyss of the beast world.

The pressure increased until Kaelith gasped for air. His chair creaked under the strain.

It wasn’t imagination. It was real pressure. Raw, controlled power.

And then — suddenly — it was gone.

Mirabelle, who, like everyone else at the table, had not noticed the power struggle between the two, was talking to Leontis about the ball the next day and a few safety rules she absolutely needed to follow.

’You little...’

Kaelith bit his tongue to stop himself from saying something reckless.

He was well aware that, in this setting, he couldn’t compete with the panther.

He was physically inferior due to his lower cultivation level. He was outranked. And he couldn’t use his abilities here.

The hyena was intelligent enough to recognize that the panther was, on the surface, the better choice as a partner for the lynx female... and for her territory.

He could have leaned back and enjoyed the show. After all, he had always claimed that no one could tie him down so easily.

Too bad this female had sparked more than just his interest.

He didn’t want the panther to win.

Especially not after that subtle suggestion that he would be willing to accept Kaelith as a second male.

’Ha. How generous.

Just wait. I’ll show you what it feels like not to be first.

That will be a lesson you won’t forget.’

_____

With those thoughts in mind, Kaelith stood beneath Mirabelle’s windows once again that evening.

She wanted to be surprised? She would be.

Even if this turned into a repeat of the morning, he was certain that once he got close enough, his performance would quickly make that irrelevant.

He had spent the past few days observing the soldiers and servants of Luchsenstein from within. So he knew exactly where to stand and when to move in order to remain unnoticed.

Tonight, the sky was on his side as well. A thick layer of clouds had covered the moon, wrapping everything in a familiar darkness.

The sounds of the night — and the still-busy castle — did the rest to conceal him.

And so, without trouble, he made his way to Mirabelle’s balcony.

The doors were firmly shut, but they weren’t his target anyway.

With practiced ease, he jumped onto the ledge of the window closest to her bed.

A self-satisfied grin spread across his face — mixed with a hint of anticipation — as he prepared to climb inside.

Only to run straight into an invisible barrier.

BAMM 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

If his reflexes hadn’t been so sharp, he would have fallen three stories down.

It wouldn’t have killed him — but it definitely would have hurt.

Luckily, he caught himself just in time, pushing back toward the balcony and rolling to absorb the impact.

To the great annoyance of the hyena beast, he quickly realized what had happened.

The air within the window arches had been manipulated. Sealed so that nothing could pass through.

Kaelith: "..."

_____

The next morning broke with soft rays of sunlight filtering through the branches, gently waking the animals and plants.

The first birds began to sing, their melodies dancing between the trees.

The idyllic morning shimmered in the dew on the long blades of grass, scattering unreal rainbows across the landscape.

But Mirabelle noticed none of it.

Around her, absolute chaos had erupted.

The world outside was calm. Inside, it was war.

Tara, her mother, and her mother’s trusted maid Ana all rushed around her.

The tailor stood in the middle of it all, sweating and panting as he made last-minute adjustments to something Tara wasn’t satisfied with.

Mirabelle herself had been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night and thoroughly worked over.

Her skin had been scrubbed, her hair oiled, her teeth and claws polished.

After that, Tara had pinned up her hair, while Ana had somehow produced makeup from who-knows-where.

Mirabelle was actually quite pleased with her new face.

Thanks to the dark markings around her eyes, it looked as if she were already wearing kohl eyeliner. Her lashes were thick and black, and the lines along her cheeks gave her a slightly wild edge.

She had been happy not having to worry about makeup anymore.

Apparently, that hadn’t been entirely true.

So she let Ana do... whatever she was doing.

Now she stood in her main room, frowning as jewelry boxes were spread across every surface, fabrics and hats piled onto the bed, and countless pairs of shoes turned the floor into an obstacle course.

And all of that — without a single bite of food in her stomach.

A/N: ...I really wish I could give you more Chapters much faster.

But unfortunately, my health just doesn’t allow me to write more right now — my mind feels slow, and I often struggle to find the right words.

Keep your fingers crossed for both of us, so the story can keep growing fast.

And honestly... I appreciate every single reaction from you so much. ♡

It feels a bit like talking to a friend about something we both really enjoy. (〃▽〃)