Mirabelle was completely focused on reaching the finish line.

The decorated corridor leading toward the ballroom occupied all of her attention.

"NOW!"

The shout came from behind her.

Loud.

Sharp.

Commanding.

The lion Beastman, Cassian Valebane, lunged for the lynx female.

Before Mirabelle could even flinch in surprise, Silas reacted.

His shadows had warned him long before his ordinary senses had detected the approaching pair.

Long before he heard their footsteps.

Long before he caught their scent.

He had known they were no longer alone.

Known they were closing in.

Known they were heading straight toward them.

Nothing in his posture had revealed it.

He had continued walking calmly.

Continued listening to Mirabelle’s directions.

Continued carrying her as though nothing had changed.

But beneath the surface every muscle had been prepared to explode into motion.

Every available sense remained locked onto the pair behind them.

And so the moment Cassian moved—

Silas moved faster.

The panther dropped instantly.

One knee hit the floor.

His other leg shot sideways.

At the same time his hands tightened around Mirabelle’s legs, ensuring there was absolutely no chance her feet would touch the ground.

Cassian’s hand sliced through empty air.

Confusion flashed across the lion’s face.

His momentum carried him forward another step.

"Below you!" Nessa shrieked.

But she was already too late.

Silas’ extended leg swept backward.

The strike caught Cassian directly behind the knees.

The lion’s balance vanished instantly.

One moment he was charging forward.

The next his legs disappeared beneath him.

Because he had released one of the hands supporting Nessa in order to grab Mirabelle, the female skunk Beast was no longer secured properly in his arms.

She slipped.

A shadow tendril shot upward.

And gave her one final helpful nudge.

"AAAAAAH!"

Nessa went down with her lion.

For a brief moment all four limbs flailed in different directions.

Only Cassian’s reflexes prevented him from crushing her beneath his body.

The entire exchange lasted only seconds.

Mirabelle stared with wide eyes.

Silas had reacted before she had even understood there was danger.

Yet she had never felt unsafe.

Not for a single moment.

The panther rose in one smooth motion.

"You alright?"

His voice sounded calm.

But beneath it lurked something dangerous.

Something hardly controlled.

The kind of tone that suggested he was one scratch away from becoming a very serious problem.

"Why?" Mirabelle asked innocently. "Did something happen?"

The panther immediately understood the game.

Behind them Nessa was still yelling while Cassian desperately tried to calm her.

"I thought I heard something," Silas replied.

"Probably just vermin."

"Most likely."

Mirabelle: "Let’s keep going."

Nessa’s horrified screech echoed through the hall.

The lion had to physically restrain her as clawed fingers reached toward Mirabelle.

Neither Mirabelle nor Silas looked back.

_____

Of course Mirabelle won the Ballroom Endurance Trials.

Now she stood freshly bathed and dressed within the ballroom.

Lysandra had lent her a gown made of brilliant shades of orange and pink that flowed around her like a sunset captured in silk.

Behind her stood Silas and Kaelith.

Neither had discussed it.

Yet both had somehow positioned themselves in a way that shielded her from a large percentage of the room.

Mirabelle wore considerably more fabric than she had in the serpent dress.

Unfortunately that only seemed to make her more noticeable.

The colors made her glow.

Silas disliked it.

Kaelith disliked it.

Because the other Beastmen liked it far too much.

Across the room Lucien stood beside his sister near the throne on the platform.

Apparently receiving a favor from the High Duchess was considered a very serious matter.

Outside, night had fully fallen.

Lanterns hanging from the massive branches above illuminated the ballroom with warm golden light.

Beyond the dance floor, soft moss covered the ground.

Blue glowing insects driftedabove it through the darkness like wandering stars.

A cool evening breeze flowed through the hall.

The enormous leaves forming the ceiling rustled softly overhead.

The wind cooled flushed skin and stirred dresses, hair, and tails alike.

The metallic sheen woven into Mirabelle’s gown caught the lantern light.

Gold reflected across the fabric.

Her eyes seemed to glow with the same warmth.

Lucien found himself staring.

For one irrational moment it felt as though someone had brought the sun into the ballroom.

And it had chosen to stand among them.

The Duchess opened her arms:

"Congratulations on completing the Bonding Trials. I am certain all of you learned much from the experience."

Laughter answered her.

Most of the females looked relaxed now that the dirt, stress, and exhaustion had been washed away.

Most of them.

Only Nessa remained visibly bitter.

She accepted sympathy from her mouse friends while occasionally directing murderous looks toward Mirabelle.

Cassian remained beside her, speaking softly while drawing calming circles across her shoulder and back.

Mirabelle paid them little attention.

Karma seemed surprisingly efficient in the Beast World.

The Duchess continued.

"Now it is time to reward the winner of the Ballroom Endurance Trials."

She extended both hands toward Mirabelle.

"Mirabelle of Luchsenstein. What do you wish of me?"

As instructed, Mirabelle stepped forward.

She climbed the five steps leading to the throne platform.

Behind Mirabelle, the females had already begun whispering among themselves.

"What do you think she’ll ask for?"

"I don’t know what you would ask for, but I certainly wouldn’t mind a few pieces from the Duchess’ treasury. Jewelry. Dresses. Maybe both."

The female beside her snorted.

"That’s such a short-term way of thinking. If I had the chance, I’d ask for information. Secrets. Something that would give me an advantage over other nobles."

A third female shook her head.

"You’re both thinking too small. A cooperation agreement between the Duchess and my territory. That’s the kind of request that benefits generations. That’s how you recognize a true ruler."

Several nearby females hummed thoughtfully.

Then another joined the discussion.

"I’d be more interested in rare cultivation resources for my mates."

That immediately sparked another debate.

"Oh, that’s actually smart."

"It depends on the resource."

"No, it depends on the mate."

The females laughed.

"If you’re going to invest in cultivation resources, you’d better be sure the male is worth it."

"Imagine wasting a favor from the High Duchess on a male who can’t even break through afterward."

"Now that’s a terrifying thought."

More laughter followed.

Mirabelle heard every word.

Every single suggestion had crossed her mind.

Jewels.

Political advantages.

Information.

Alliances.

Cultivation resources.

Any of them would have been valuable.

Any of them would have strengthened her future position.

But after everything that had happened over the past days...

she had chosen something else.

"Thank you for this generous gift."

She paused.

Her gaze drifted past the Duchess’ shoulder.

Straight toward Lucien.

The fox Beastman caught her eyes instantly.

Cause his eyes had followed her. They always did.

His heartbeat accelerated immediately.

Mirabelle turned back toward the High Duchess.

When she spoke again, her voice was steady.

"I wish to take Lucien of Rotwald with me to Luchsenstein."

Silence.

Shock flashed across the Duchess’ face.

Only briefly.

Then satisfaction appeared.

The expression of someone watching a plan unfold exactly as intended.

Lucien stopped thinking.

Completely.

Every carefully cultivated thought vanished.

Every strategy.

Every calculation.

Gone.

His heart seized command.

A violent surge of hope slammed through him so hard he nearly took a step forward.

His ears rang.

The ballroom blurred.

He heard nothing except the pounding inside his chest.

Mirabelle had chosen him.

Not a resource.

Not political leverage.

Not wealth.

Him.

Hundreds of voices exploded throughout the ballroom.

Everyone had something to say.

"What?!"

"She chose a mate?!"

"I thought she’d ask for resources!"

"A political favor would’ve been worth far more."

"No, this is much better."

"Yoe mean: Much better for him!"

Several males groaned openly.

"How is that fox so lucky?"

"Should’ve been me."

"Absolutely not, she has standards."

That earned a few laughs.

Nearby, several females were already dissecting the situation.

"Actually, it’s quite romantic."

"It’s strategic."

"It’s both."

"Did you see the way he looks at her?"

Across the room, more voices joined in.

"The Duchess is going to approve."

"Of course she is."

"The fox clan will celebrate for weeks."

"Months."

Meanwhile, only Silas and Kealith remained silent. They exchanged a look.

Utterly defeated.

Resigned to their fate.

Almost simultaneously, a deep sigh escaped both of them.

What were they supposed to do?

Mirabelle was free to choose.

And they would accept whatever she decided.

Even if they didn’t particularly enjoy it.

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

The herald eventually had to strike the floor several times with his heavy ceremonial staff before silence finally returned to the ballroom.

Only then could the Duchess answer.

She turned halfway around and extended her hand toward her son.

Lucien stepped forward immediately.

His excitement was visible in every movement.

His tail betrayed him completely.

The elegant composure.

The carefully cultivated charm.

The sophisticated self-control.

All of it had abandoned him.

His tail wagged shamelessly behind him.

The Duchess smiled fondly.

Then she took Lucien’s hand.

And placed it into Mirabelle’s.

"May your bond be blessed by the Beast Goddess."

...

Wait.

What?

Mirabelle blinked.

Once. Twice. Three times.

Lucien’s hand remained warm in hers.

She had only asked to take Lucien with her to Luchsenstein.

Nobody had said anything about choosing him as a mate!

A/N: Please join the Win-Win Event with me.

(*_ _)人