Under the Oak Tree (Web Novel KR) - Chapter 9: Damsel in Distress (1)

WARNING: MATURE CONTENTI was eight when my world burned. My family was slaughtered; my home was reduced to ash. And the ones responsible? Gone. All they left behind was a black bandana embroidered with a nightshade thorn—a symbol of death.For ten years, I trained in the shadows. I became a weapon. Now, my hunt leads me to Prestige Supernatural Academy (PSA), the most elite werewolf school in the world—a place ruled by four Alpha heirs with too much power, arrogance, and dark desires.The night I arrive, I cross paths with Dristan, Kai, and Axel—heirs to the East, North, and West Alpha Kings.Arrogant. Vicious. Gods among wolves.They see me as nothing. A weak, powerless stray. They humiliate me, taunt me, overpower me— making me want to rip them apart.So, I make a vow: I’ll destroy them before they ever get the chance to destroy me.Then, on the eve of my 18th birthday, the Blood Moon rises. My wolf awakens. My power surges. And fate? That cruel, twisted bitch shackles me to all three of them.Mates.I want to reject them.I burn for them instead.And when I meet Xade, the wicked, silver-tongued heir to the Middle Belt Alpha King, the final bond snaps into place.Four possessive, dominant, and dangerously irresistible alphas.One vengeful, unbreakable wolf.And a deadly secret tying them to my past.Loving them could destroy me.Hating them could kill me.But in the end… who will ruin whom?And, fuck—why does my traitorous body want all four of them to do it?***************“Say it.”Dristan’s voice was smooth and controlled in a way that promised devastation underneath.I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering as he cornered me against the desk. Kai was behind me, his warmth pressing into my back, his breath teasing my neck.Axel leaned in, lips curved in a sinful smirk, his hazel green eyes dark with amusement. “Say it, sweetheart. Say you don’t want us and we’ll let you be—maybe.”I clenched my fists. I wanted to tell them to fuck off—but my traitorous body? It was already betraying me. My skin burned. My heart raced. My thighs clenched against the insufferable ache they caused just by existing.I lifted my chin, ignoring the heat curling low in my stomach. “I don’t—”“Liar.”The single word came from Xade, who had been silent until now. He was sitting in the professor’s chair, his crystal blue eyes burning into mine. He didn’t have to touch me. His voice alone was enough to undo me.He smirked, tilting his head. “You can fight it all you want, little wolf. But we can smell it.”Axel’s fingers traced the pulse at my throat. “Your heart’s pounding.”Kai’s lips brushed my ear. “Your body’s betraying you, love.”Dristan exhaled slowly, his gaze locked onto mine like a predator savouring its prey. “Your scent doesn’t lie, mate.”Fuck.My entire body was on fire. My legs trembled. My wolf purred in my head, eager to submit.I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.So, I did the only thing I could—I shoved Axel back, spun around, and tried to escape.I didn’t make it.Kai grabbed my wrist, yanking me back into his chest. I gasped, my palms slamming against his rock-solid torso.His golden eyes burned into mine. “Where do you think you’re going?”Axel was behind me now, his fingers sliding under my jaw, forcing my head up. “We’re not done with you, sweetheart.”Dristan smirked. “Not even close, mate.”“We're just getting started,” Xade drawled.I was trapped. Caged.And the worst part?I didn’t want to run.

Qiao Yue was a premature baby. Her mother died early, while her father’s identity was unknown. Later, she was adopted by a mysterious big shot who created a mysterious multinational group for her with all the finance and material resources he had. The businesses under her name spanned various industries, and her assets were countless. Her subordinates were also famous big shots in their respective industries. As the person who had all of this behind the scenes, Qiao Yue had just turned eighteen and was about to return to her grandfather’s house. In fact, Qiao Yue’s mother was only the old man’s goddaughter, yet he treated her like his real daughter and brought her up as one.

Because her grandfather couldn’t accept her mother’s relationship, she ran away from home with her lover and finally died outside. Before her mother died, she asked Qiao Yue to return to the Qiao family to repay their kindness, which was the reason for Qiao Yue to head back now. However, what awaited her was not a warm welcome ceremony, but four max-level big-shot elder brothers who extremely disliked her. The eldest brother was proficient in medicine. With a scalpel in hand, he could wrestle a person’s life back from death’s doors. The second brother had supernatural powers and was worth hundreds of billions.

He had a creed all his life — there was nothing one couldn’t solve with money. If there was, then it meant you simply didn’t have enough money! The third brother was a celebrity superstar. Any action he made could go viral online. He was an artist whom everyone wanted to work with, and was also beloved by the entire nation! The fourth brother was the god of learning. With a smart brain and charming face, he was acknowledged as Prince Charming of the campus! At first, when the four brothers saw their “younger brother”, they were unhappy. Until… Eldest: “What? It’s a sister, not a brother?!” Second: “What? The world e-sports champion is actually Yueyue?!”Third: “What? Yueyue was the one who started my favorite sports car company?!”Fourth: “What? Yueyue has no blood relation to us?!”When they found out there were people pursuing Qiao Yue, her second brother’s face darkened. “Get lost! Yueyue is mine!” All her other brothers: ???

This is a time of great powers: The vast Persia, Sparta that was founded by force, Athens with its trade and business, Thebes the rising star, The ambitious Macedonia, The twin heroes of the Western Mediterranean, The rising Rome and so on.

This is an era of brilliant stars: Agesilaus II – the last king of Sparta, Epaminondas – the Rising General of Thebes, Philip II – the founder of Macedonian’s hegemon, Dionysius – the tyrant of Syracuse, Camillus – the Roman dictator and savior…

This is an era of contention among a hundred schools of thought: Plato – the great philosopher, Antisthenes – founder of cynicism, Pythagoras – school of number, Democritus – the encyclopedia scholar, Hippocrates – the father of western medicine, Aristophanes – the great dramatist…

What will the hero bring to the world when he comes to this age as a humble mercenary through rebirth?

Five years ago, humanity’s strongest Tower Climber was betrayed at the peak of his conquest.Rael Arden, known only by his codename Phantom, was the silent genius who cleared impossible floors, crushed monsters with forbidden magic, and shaped the rules of Tower exploration. No one had ever seen his real face—yet his legend was feared across the world.But at the Tower’s summit, the teammates he carried to glory stabbed him in the back. For power. For godhood. For fear of what he might become.They thought he died.They were wrong.Reincarnated in secret, Rael awakens in a modern world that’s on the edge of collapse. Dungeons bleed into cities. Monsters evolve. The Tower is no longer just a gate—it’s infecting the world. And the very ones who betrayed him now rule from the shadows, hiding behind titles, guilds, and lies.But Rael isn’t alone. His soul split across hidden clone bodies, each designed to infiltrate, gather information, and prepare for war. As each clone reawakens, his power grows—and so does his rage.With him are three women tied to his fate:Selene, the shadow rogue who never betrayed him.Lyra, a curious researcher drawn to the legend of the Phantom.Aeris, the sword saint who still mourns his death… and may not be as loyal to the enemy as she seems.Now, Rael hunts the seven betrayers who destroyed his past.One by one, they will fall.But revenge is just the beginning.Because deep within the Tower, something else is waking—an ancient force that even Rael feared. And this time, the world may not survive unless the Phantom reigns again.