chapter 3

Aquadome, Thalassian Palace.

The throne glittered like a dragon's hoard, stacked high with gems that threw off sparks of every color. A dark-haired male lounged across it as if the universe itself belonged to him, half-buried in treasure. His gaze drifted lazily toward the subordinate kneeling at his feet.

"What was that? Congratulations? On what exactly?" His voice carried the weight of indifference.

The subordinate trembled under the weight of his aura. "Your Majesty, the Imperial Female Consort Pavilion just sent word. You've been matched."

He thought, Perfect! His Majesty just advanced, and his mental power's going off the rails. If a female can give him mental comfort now, it'll settle fast. Without that… he might lose control completely.

"A female?" The male's slender fingers clenched. With a sharp snap, a rose-colored gem shattered into dust between his hands.

"I don't need one." His lip curled, voice heavy with disdain. Females only get in the way. They'd drag me down before I've even begun uniting the stars.

The Grand Elder, Sebastian Varun, stood stiffly at the edge of the throne room, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. He forced his voice steady. "Your Majesty, I know you don't want to be bound to anyone. Still, your mental power is unstable. A female could anchor your mind."

The lazy, menacing gaze shifted toward him.

Cold sweat immediately traced a line down Sebastian's neck. Every instinct screamed at him to shut his mouth, yet silence was even more dangerous.

Everyone in the palace knew the truth: their lord despised females and hated the Beastmate System. Still, possessing strong mental power came at a cost—the higher the rank, the more volatile the mind. Without a female's balance, even the strongest male could break down and become a mindless beast.

Sebastian braced himself. "Your Majesty, you don't have to keep her. There's a three-month trial. Let her stabilize you, then dissolve the match."

The male tilted his head, considering. "You think she'll just agree to that?"

Females are fragile, greedy creatures, he thought. Once she learns who I am, will she really let go?

Sebastian's faint smile reappeared as his confidence steadied. "This one will, Your Majesty. Her name is Emma Tibarn, currently on F-268, Rank 4. She's twenty-three, with no family or wealth. She burned through everything just to level up. Offer her enough star coins, and she'll walk away."

Wealth meant nothing to the Drakonids. Star coins and treasure were as common as air.

When the male didn't object, Sebastian pressed further, "Your Majesty, your mental power has been slipping for weeks. If you'll allow it, I'll make arrangements now. We should head to F-268 immediately."

They could not simply abduct the girl. Females were the Beast God's chosen—untouchable. To take one by force was to invite divine punishment, anything from the loss of power to death itself. Even a matched female couldn't be dragged to the palace against her will. They would have to play nice... at least at first.

If negotiations failed, well, that was another matter.

...

Central Planet—NexusPrime Tech, The Starrift.

On the top floor of a palace built from wealth, a white-haired male stretched his arms wide. His cunning eyes sparkled with pride as he looked at mountains of beast cores stacked in sparkling heaps. Below him, the floors shone with tiles of pure star coins.

The Starrift was the Empire's latest marvel of spatial engineering—an artificial fortress the size of a small asteroid. It was vast, portable, and forged from the rarest ores in the galaxy. Even the most advanced warships couldn't put a scratch on it.

"Ahh," Damian sighed with delight. "That's the smell of money."

Ding. A sharp tone from his lightcore shattered the moment. He glanced down.

"Matched? With a female?" His laugh cracked through the room. D*mn it, the Beast God's really got jokes. Think I'm going to let some woman bleed me dry? Not a chance. Over my dead body.

He strode out and summoned his assistant. "Find this Emma Tibarn, Ryan."

The Beastmate System might restrict information, but restrictions meant nothing to the richest male in the interstellar.

…

Five minutes later, Ryan returned. "Mr. Voss, I found her. Rank 4, living on F-268."

Damian flicked his fiery hair back, sneering. "F-268? That backwater? Figures. Beast God matched me with a broke female."

He clenched his jaw. Not a single star coin of mine is going to some no-name nobody.

Ryan tread carefully. "Mr. Voss, will you go to her? The system states that if you're late or if you break the match, you'll be fined five million star coins and banned from future matches for a hundred years."

He thought, Five million? That's pocket lint to Mr. Voss. What'll really matter is the ban—no matches for a century. Now that's a punishment.

Still, knowing him, he'll throw a fit anyway. The man clutches his star coins like they're his firstborn. Yank five million straight out of his account, and he'll act like someone just gutted him alive.

"Of course I'm going." His cunning eyes sparkled with mischief. "Otherwise, she'll think she's getting her hands on my star coins. Dream on."

Ryan hesitated. "Mr. Voss, if you bond with her, all your assets will transfer to her account."

Damian barked a laugh. "Bond? With her? Not a chance."

He already had the plan lined up in his head. I'll play nice and let her think she has a chance. Then, I'll make her dump me herself. Once she does it willingly, not even the Beast God can punish me.

He smirked. "No rush, though. I'll string her along through lightcore first."

...

Over at F-268, Emma parked the Gravicar and tucked it away into her band. Before she could even head inside, Laura Jones appeared next door, leaning into her mate's arms as they walked over.

"Emma!" Laura's voice was full of warmth. "I just woke up and it hit me—today's your twenty-third birthday. That means your big day is finally here!"

She slipped gently out of her mate's embrace and went straight to Emma, her pale fingers curling around Emma's thin arm. Her silver eyes shone with affection, a smile softening her face as though she were looking at a younger sister she adored.

Emma beamed. "Laura, I just came back from there."

She squeezed Laura's hand, excitement bubbling inside her. Laura appeared stunning—her lavender dress flowing smoothly, her hair neatly pinned up, her soft beauty shining through. Emma loved her deeply, feeling as though she had found the sister she had always wanted.

"The system matched me with nine males."

Just saying it made her grin widen. Nine! I actually get nine.

Laura couldn't help but laugh along, her chest feeling warm at Emma's joy.

They first met three years ago, shortly after Laura and her mate moved in. That day remained vivid in Laura's memory—she and her mate ventured into Astralis Forest to hunt a Level 6 beast, and everything went disastrously.

Her mate was seriously injured while shielding her, their supplies were exhausted, and fear was mounting. Just when she believed it was over, Emma appeared and provided a healing potion that saved his life.

Since then, Laura's gratitude never waned. Over time, the bond between them deepened until Emma wasn't just a neighbor anymore—she was like the little sister Laura never had. She understood the hardships Emma had faced and the resilience she had shown, and all Laura wished was to see her truly happy.

Now, watching Emma embark on this new chapter, Laura's heart brimmed with pride and joy. "I'm so glad for you," she stated. "The system already added them to your contacts, right? Did any of them message you yet?"

Emma pulled up her lightcore. Nine names sat in her friends list, silent. She shook her head. "Not yet."

Laura's brow furrowed. That's odd. The system always pings the males right away, and the males usually reach out first. Sure, maybe one or two get tied up with something. But all nine stay silent? Rude, at best.

She gave Emma's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. Maybe the alerts are delayed. Give them until tonight. If they still don't contact you, send the first message. Remember, you're the one in charge now. You set the pace. Don't let them slack."

Inside, Laura's patience was thin. How do they not make the first move? It isn't just careless—it's plain disrespect.

So that's how it works? Emma blinked, realization dawning. She nodded, grinning. "Got it. Thanks, Laura."