Maya's POV
I wake up screaming.
My body feels like it's being ripped apart from the inside. Every cell burns. Every nerve screams. It's worse than dying—at least death was quick.
Through the haze of pain, I see Kael jump up from across the den, his eyes wide with panic. "Maya! What's happening?"
I can't answer. Can't breathe. The glowing blue interface explodes across my vision, so bright it drowns out everything else.
[EMERGENCY SYSTEM PURGE IN PROGRESS: 3%]
[WARNING: HOST BODY CONTAINS LETHAL POISON]
[EXTRACTING TOXIN... PAIN LEVEL: CRITICAL]
"Make it stop!" I gasp, clutching my chest. It feels like something's crawling through my veins, tearing its way out.
Kael's beside me in an instant, his hands hovering over my body like he wants to help but doesn't know how. "The system said seventy-two hours. You've only been unconscious for ten minutes!"
Ten minutes? It felt like days.
The pain suddenly stops. I collapse back onto the furs, gasping for air. My whole body is drenched in sweat.
[PURGE PAUSED: HOST CONSCIOUSNESS REQUIRED]
[TUTORIAL MODE ACTIVATED]
New windows pop up around me, floating in the air like holographic screens. Kael clearly can't see them—his eyes are locked on my face, not the glowing interface surrounding us.
"I'm okay," I manage to say, even though I'm definitely not okay. "The system... it's showing me something."
A cheerful chime sounds in my head, making me want to punch whoever designed this thing.
[WELCOME TO THE CELESTIAL HEALING SYSTEM, MAYA BENNETT!]
[You have been chosen as the 47th Moon Bride. Your purpose is to heal the Beastworld and unite the strongest males under your power. Let's explore your abilities!]
The main screen expands, showing something that looks like a video game character sheet:
MAYA BENNETT - LEVEL 1 MOON BRIDE
Health: 45/100 (Poisoned - Purge in Progress)
Mana: 200/200 (Unusually High for Level 1!)
Bond Level: 1% (Kael Stormfang - Forced Bond)
Skills Unlocked:
Basic Healing Touch (Level 2)
Poison Detection (NEW!)
System Interface (Level 1)
I stare at the health bar. Less than half. I'm literally dying right now and this stupid system is acting like we're playing a game.
"What does it say?" Kael asks. He's trying to sound calm, but I can hear the edge in his voice. Through the weird mate bond connection, I feel his fear. He's terrified of losing me again.
Good. He should be scared after what he did to Lila.
"It says I'm poisoned," I tell him, focusing on the screen. "And that I'm only forty-five percent alive."
His face goes pale. "The system said Lila was poisoned before I—before she died. Who would poison a female? We protect them!"
"Maybe someone who wanted her dead?" I click on the Bond Level section, and a new window opens:
MATE BOND: KAEL STORMFANG
Bond Strength: 1% (Pathetic)
Status: He killed your predecessor but the fated mark forces connection. Current emotions: Guilty, protective, confused
Tips: Physical contact increases bond strength! Try touching him! (Warning: You probably want to stab him instead. We understand.)
I almost laugh. Even the system knows this situation is messed up.
I swipe to the next screen—a skill tree that branches out like a twisted tree of possibilities. Most of it is locked, covered in chains and question marks. But one section pulses with golden light:
AVAILABLE QUESTS
My stomach drops as I read the first one:
QUEST: SURVIVE THE PURGE
Objective: Allow system to remove poison from your body over 72 hours
Reward: +50 Health, Poison Immunity, 500 Experience Points
Failure: Death (Obviously)
Note: This will hurt. A lot. Sorry!
The second quest makes me want to throw up:
QUEST: ACCEPT YOUR FATE
Objective: Kiss Kael Stormfang willingly within 24 hours
Reward: Bond Level increases to 10%, Unlock "Healing Aura" ability
Failure: All healing powers disabled for 7 days
Current Timer: 23:47:19
"No way," I whisper. "Absolutely not."
"What?" Kael leans closer, trying to see what I'm seeing.
I shove him back. "The system wants me to kiss you. To 'accept my fate' and increase our bond level."
He freezes. "And if you don't?"
"Then I lose my healing powers for a week. Right when I'm being slowly purged of poison." I laugh bitterly. "It's trying to force me to play along."
I keep scrolling, desperate to find useful information instead of manipulation. Finally, I find a section labeled "Beastworld Information."
I click it.
The screen fills with text, and each sentence makes my blood run colder:
BEASTWORLD FACTS:
- Female to Male Ratio: 1:100
- Average males per female: 3-7 (depending on female's rank)
- Unmated females are considered clan property until claimed
- Females cannot own land, lead tribes, or refuse chosen mates in most territories
- Harming a female results in death penalty (Exception: Mates have discipline rights)
- A female who refuses bonding can be declared "defective" and exiled to die
"This is insane," I breathe. "You treat women like breeding stock!"
Kael's jaw tightens. "We protect females. They're precious—"
"We're not precious. We're prisoners!" I wave at the invisible screen. "It says males have 'discipline rights' over their mates. What does that mean?"
He won't meet my eyes. "It means... if a female disobeys, her mate can punish her. For her own safety."
"You mean hit her."
"Not—it's not like that—"
"Lila refused to accept more mates, so you killed her!" My voice cracks. "Was that discipline too?"
The den falls silent except for my ragged breathing.
Kael's fists clench. "That was different. I lost control. I—" He stops, struggling with words. "The old laws say a female who shames her alpha by refusing bonds can be executed. I enforced the law."
"Then your laws are evil."
Before he can respond, the system dings again.
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE!]
QUEST: DISCOVER THE TRAITOR
Objective: Identify who poisoned Lila's body before they strike again
Reward: Major Plot Information, 1000 Experience Points, Unlock "Truth Sense" ability
Failure: The traitor will poison you again within 48 hours
Hint: The poisoner is close to Kael. Someone he trusts completely.
My heart hammers against my ribs. Someone in this den? Someone in his inner circle?
I look at Kael, really look at him. His cousin Luca was here earlier. Vera, his political mate, led the mob that tried to execute me.
Who else has access to an Alpha's mate?
"The system says whoever poisoned Lila is going to try again," I tell him. "Someone close to you."
His expression hardens into something dangerous. "Then we find them."
"How? I don't even know who's in your clan—"
A sound outside makes us both freeze.
Footsteps. Multiple people approaching the den.
Then Luca's voice, urgent: "Kael! We have a problem!"
Kael moves to the entrance. "What is it?"
"It's Vera." Luca sounds shaken. "She's dead. We found her body in the forest, torn apart by shadow beasts. But Kael... the beasts are all dead. Maya destroyed them."
Ice floods my veins.
"So what killed Vera?" Kael asks slowly.
"That's the problem." Luca steps into view, his face pale. "The claw marks don't match shadow beasts. They match wolf claws. Big ones."
He looks directly at Kael.
"They match yours, Alpha."
The mate bond explodes with Kael's shock and horror. Through it, I feel the truth—he didn't kill Vera. He didn't even leave this den.
But someone wants everyone to think he did.
And they're framing him for murder while I lie here poisoned and powerless.
The system chimes one final time:
[PLOT TWIST ACTIVATED!]
[Good luck, Moon Bride. You're going to need it.]