My sleep was incredibly deep, but I began to hear noisy voices around me, slowly dragging me out of my dream.
My consciousness returned bit by bit, though my eyes remained closed as I tried to listen more clearly.
"{£€^¢^€£¥™€°¢"
"A£^|√¢"
I didn't understand a single thing they were saying. Their voices grew louder and louder, completely ruining my sleep.
"SHUT UP!!!" I yelled and jolted awake.
All the voices around me fell silent in shock.
I looked around. Where am I? My mind struggled to process what was happening.
Humans— or rather something like humans— with wolf ears on their heads and tails behind them surrounded me.
Am I dreaming? I tried to recall what happened. I remembered being at home. I had just finished bathing, soaking comfortably in warm water after a tiring day at work. And then I fell asleep.
Gasp! Don't tell me… Did I die in the bathtub?! Are you kidding me?!
I tried to move, but my arms and legs were tied up. That was when I realized I was currently strapped to a long stone slab, completely surrounded by what I could only guess were werewolf beastmen.
This has to be fake. Why are there so many werewolves here?
I recognized their appearances— just like the ones in novels or myths. Panic crept in. I was tied down, on display, and they kept staring at me, exchanging confused looks. Some even reached out to touch me with innocent curiosity.
Panic tightened in my chest. I desperately tried to loosen the ropes binding my wrists.
While I was struggling for dear life— suddenly the entire atmosphere froze and—
Ding!!!
[System active]
A transparent screen appeared in front of me.
[System detected host. Linked to host.]
A progress bar filled to 100%.
Relief washed through me. Finally! A system window! Just like in dramas, manhwa, or novels— the kind that helps the MC get strong or live a beautiful new life. I smiled, opening my mouth to ask the system for help.
But then… I actually read the system message.
I froze.
Then read it again.
Because I refused to believe it.
[Host must remain here and is not allowed to run. If host attempts to escape, host will be struck by lightning: 1 million volts.]
"WHAT??!!! WTF?!!!" I cursed.
What even is this?! What kind of system is THIS?!
This isn't like the ones from dramas or novels at all!
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" I protested loudly at the screen.
The system ignored me.
[Skill: Translator — active]
My ears and mouth suddenly warmed, as if they were being modified, then cooled down as the sensation faded.
[Skill: Resonance — active]
This time, my whole body glowed faintly. Warm energy flowed through my limbs.
[Host Mission: Get eaten by the Alpha]
"WHAT??!!! YOU WANT ME TO BE EATEN BY THE ALPHA?! ARE YOU CRAZY?! I JUST DIED AND YOU WANT ME TO DIE AGAIN?!!"
Pure rage exploded inside me.
But once again, the system completely ignored me and then went offline.
Time resumed. And for the first time, I could finally understand their words.
"What do we do with her?" a werewolf whispered.
"No idea. We should hand her over to the Alpha," another replied.
They continued bickering while I kept desperately tugging at the ropes— only managing to injure my wrists.
"What is going on here?"
A deep, authoritative voice came from behind the crowd.
Everyone bowed immediately and explained the situation to him.
Is that the Alpha? No. No no NO. I'm dead. He's going to eat me. I need to escape! But HOW?!
My brain turned into a full-on war conference.
After listening to the explanation, the Alpha walked toward me— still struggling on the stone slab like a worm.
Suddenly—
Ding!!!
[Skill: Resonance — active]
Huh?
Heat surged through me again— an aura spilling out of my body and wrapping around the Alpha.
He froze. His eyes closed as if savoring something. Then he snapped them open— startled— and suddenly bit my neck.
"Ugh! What the—?!" I cried out.
"You're mine. I will devour you," he growled, licking my blood and neck.
Before I could react, he lifted me— still tied— and tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of rice.
"Put me down!!!" I yelled and thrashed.
He didn't care— his arm tightened around my waist as he carried me away, while the other werewolves whispered among themselves.
He brought me into a hut and threw me onto a long wooden platform covered with dried grass and cloth.
"Ugh!!! That hurts!!!" I protested as pain shot up my back and hips.
Without a word, his eyes glowed red. He ripped my clothes and held down my still-tied wrists.
He bit my neck again… and my shoulder.
"HEY!! STOP!! THAT HURTS, YOU IDIOT!!"
But he didn't listen.
He just kept "devouring" me— in a very, very different meaning from what I feared.
Damn system…
I cursed internally.
And all I could do was endure my fate.
-----
End of chapter one.