Cassandra kept a proper little smile on her face, but the jealousy in her eyes gave her away.
"Hilda's always been the lucky one. That top-tier wolf king looks strong just standing there. My Vermilion Phoenix isn't much of a fighter, after all."
Same trick as always. Whenever Cassandra wanted something, she never asked straight out. She talked in circles, then let Mom and Dad step in and put the pressure on me.
And right on cue, the moment she said it, they took her side.
"Hildegarde, show a little sense. Your sister summoned that beast. If she has two top-tier beasts she can win the arena matches, and this family's life will only get better and better."
Neither of them had a refresh left, and here they were, trying to take mine with a straight face.
In my last life this was the favoritism I refused to swallow. The world was already falling apart, and the two of them still wanted to force me to give up everything for Cassandra.
So last time I did the opposite of what they wanted. I bonded the ice wolf fast, and they cursed me over it for days.
"Fine."
Dad, who'd been getting ready to back Mom up, froze. Clearly he hadn't expected me to fall in line before he even had to push.
"If my sister wants him, she can have him."
I walked over to Cassandra, took her hand, and got ready to transfer my ice wolf to her.
Maybe he could hear us. On the screen in the wristband, the ice wolf went wild, howling without stop.
"See, Cassie? He likes you so much he's jumping around, happy just to know he's bonding with you."
Cassandra noticed the screen too and lifted her chin, pleased with herself.
The transfer was quick. In a few seconds she'd bonded the ice wolf.
I let out a long breath. My old partner from the last life. However well the two of us used to fight together, he'd betrayed me. I didn't want him.
The instant the bond formed, the ice wolf leapt out of Cassandra's wristband, and the moment his feet hit the ground he changed into human form.
He didn't spare Cassandra a single glance. He walked straight up to me, grabbed my hand, and demanded through a frown,
"Hildegarde, why won't you bond with me? Why are you giving me away?"
That was all it took for me to understand. This wolf had come back with his memories too.
I gave a cold little laugh and threw off his hand.
"Frostgale, you actually have the nerve to ask me? You betrayed me. Why would I choose you again? So you can kill me a second time?"
He rushed to explain.
"It wasn't like that. Cassie needed that win. The reward from that match could cure her heart condition."
Yes, Cassandra had a heart condition. But that heart condition was a lie she'd told to compete for Mom and Dad's affection at home.
I was the one who'd actually taken a grave wound protecting Frostgale, one that left lasting damage. That reward was really my lifesaving medicine.
But so Cassandra could have that victory all to herself, once the enemy was dead he'd walked me by the hand straight into the harm array the enemy had left behind, and taken us both to a mutual death.
"So, since you can't stop thinking about her, this time I'll grant your wish. I'm sending you to her side. What else could you possibly have to complain about?"
Cassandra and my parents stood watching us argue, lost, unable to work out how the two of us even knew each other.
"I had no idea you and Frostgale already knew each other, Hilda. If I'd known, I'd never have taken what was yours."
Cassandra's face was all guilt, though she'd already started hating me inside.
I rolled my eyes.
"Please, don't. You two are already bonded. Locked together for life."
