Mirabelle had no opportunity to mentally prepare herself for any of it.

Immediately after breakfast, the Duchess gathered the young females and led them deeper into the estate until they reached a large inner courtyard.

Warm sunlight spilled across pale stone pathways that curved elegantly through the open space.

At the center stood a magnificent fountain carved from white marble, its waters cascading around the statue of an enormous fox with multiple flowing tails curled protectively around its body.

Thin streams of water shimmered down the sculpted fur, catching the morning light like liquid silver.

Around the fountain stretched a wide courtyard clearly designed for noble gatherings and celebrations.

Flowerbeds lined the outer edges beneath tall stone arches, overflowing with blooming vines, pale blue lilies, crimson roses, and delicate golden flowers Mirabelle didn’t recognize.

The scent of fresh water and flowers drifted softly through the air while servants moved quietly along the edges of the courtyard preparing tables, banners, and elegant seating areas.

The Beast males were already waiting on the opposite side of the fountain when the females arrived.

They stood behind the marble fox statue, expensive clothing and polished insignias gleaming beneath the morning sun.

There were noticeably fewer males than at the ball the night before.

Mirabelle assumed that most attendees were nobles from Zasar alongside several high-ranking houses from surrounding territories. Even so, the courtyard still felt overwhelmingly crowded.

There had to be at least a hundred people present.

The females were guided toward the opposite side of the courtyard while servants began carrying forward elegant silver bowls lined with embroidered cloth.

Mirabelle immediately distrusted the bowls.

The Duchess stepped gracefully beside the fountain, waiting until the conversations quieted.

"As you all know," she began calmly, "the bonding trials exist to encourage cooperation, compatibility, and familiarity between unmarried nobles."

Mirabelle already hated every single one of those words.

Each female was handed a decorative bowl.

The lynx female had little choice but to accept hers.

"The process is simple," the Duchess continued. "Any male interested in participating in an activity with a particular female may place his name into her bowl."

Around Mirabelle, several females visibly perked up.

Some looked excited.

Others looked calculating.

Nessa looked predatory.

"The females," the Duchess added smoothly, "will then draw one name to select their partner for the first activity. Afterward, they may decide whether to draw another name or continue spending time with the same male."

Mirabelle looked down at the empty bowl now resting in her hands.

Then she looked across the courtyard toward the hundred Beast males currently staring in their direction.

’Honestly, she would rather throw herself into the fountain.’

While the males were still reorganizing themselves into loose lines, Mirabelle’s gaze drifted across the courtyard toward Lucien and Silas.

...Both of them looked terrible.

Something deeply suspicious had clearly happened.

Silas stood with his usual composed posture.

A dark bruise had formed beneath one of his eyes.

He was dressed entirely in black again today, the sleeves of his shirt rolled to his forearms — which unfortunately only made the damage more obvious.

Faint healing scratches and bite marks lined his exposed skin before disappearing beneath the open collar of his shirt where she could glimpse additional marks scattered across his chest.

Along with the very unfair outline of lean muscle.

Mirabelle blinked.

Then immediately looked away.

Absolutely irrelevant information.

Lucien looked no better.

The fox Beastman had a small split in his lower lip, and every few steps revealed the subtle way he favored one leg.

Even worse, his usually immaculate tail looked slightly disheveled today, several strands of crimson fur sticking out in different directions as though someone had physically grabbed him recently...

...even though someone had clearly attempted to fix it beforehand.

Mirabelle slowly narrowed her eyes.

...These idiots had absolutely fought each other.

She hadn’t expected them to take her statement like a direct order.

Then her gaze drifted farther across the courtyard.

Kaelith stood several rows behind the other males, hands casually tucked into his pockets while watching the entire scene unfold with obvious amusement.

Unlike the others, he didn’t seem tense.

If anything, the hyena Beastman looked like someone attending an especially entertaining theater performance.

When he noticed her staring, one of his ears twitched and a lazy grin appeared on his face.

Somehow...

that expression calmed her slightly.

As though he was silently reminding her that the world wouldn’t end just because several testosterone infused Beast males had become obsessed with her.

Maybe she really should stop trying to control every possible outcome and simply see what happened.

At a single clap from the Duchess, movement spread through the courtyard.

The Beast males immediately began reorganizing themselves, stepping away from their previous formations and moving toward the females they were most interested in.

Very quickly, lines began forming in front of certain women.

Some females looked delighted by the attention.

Others looked a little overwhelmed.

Nessa looked like she had been waiting for this moment her entire life.

Mirabelle, meanwhile, stared in horror as several males immediately started moving toward her.

No.

Absolutely not.

The first to reach her was Lucien.

The fox Beastman moved effortlessly through the crowd, blood-red ears twitching slightly beneath his copper hair while several nearby females openly watched him pass.

Only the slight limp disrupted his elegant appearance.

When he stopped before Mirabelle, a faint flirtatious smile curved his lips.

Without saying a word, he placed his folded parchment into her bowl.

Then he leaned down slightly, just enough for his voice to reach only her.

"I hope victory tastes as sweet t

as last night did, Duchess."

Mirabelle’s entire face nearly caught fire.

Before she could even process what he meant, Lucien had already turned and walked away.

The second male approaching her was Kaelith.

Unlike Lucien’s elegant composure, the hyena Beastman looked openly entertained by the entire situation.

"Well," he drawled lazily while dropping his parchment into her bowl, "this is already getting interesting."

Mirabelle narrowed her eyes.

Kaelith only grinned wider before casually stepping aside.

Then came Silas.

The moment the panther Beastman approached, the atmosphere around her shifted noticeably.

Nearby conversations quieted.

Several males farther back visibly slowed.

Silas walked directly toward her with the calm confidence of someone fully aware of the effect he had on a room.

His dark gaze settled briefly on Mirabelle before he placed his parchment into her bowl.

Then he turned around.

And looked directly at the males standing behind him.

His expression remained perfectly calm.

"Anyone who dares approach her bowl," he said in a completely emotionless tone, "will have to go through me first."

Silence fell across the entire section of the courtyard.

Mirabelle stared at him.

Several Beast males immediately looked away.

Others appeared offended but didn’t dare protest.

One tiger male actually looked like he was considering the challenge.

Meanwhile, Silas simply stood there calmly in front of Mirabelle’s bowl like a guard dog personally sent from hell.

And so it happened that, by the time the females were instructed to draw their first name...

...only three slips rested inside Mirabelle’s bowl.