The stench of blood and wild beast washed over Cora's face. The freezing tips of Dax's fangs brushed against the pulse point on her neck.
Pure terror morphed instantly into explosive anger. She was a female of the Genesis Wasteland. A ruler by the laws of this world. This male—her male—dared to bare his fangs at her?
She slammed her hands against his massive, immovable paw. Ignoring the claws digging into her throat, she screamed in the Old World language, her voice cracking with fury.
"Stop! You ungrateful, stupid dog! How dare you threaten your female?!"
The sharp, furious female voice echoed off the stone walls.
The giant beast froze. His jaws snapped shut a millimeter from her jugular. The feral madness in his ice-blue eyes shattered. The voice of a dominant female struck something primal in his brain—an instinct deeper than hunger, older than rage. His body locked up in instant, biological submission.
Dax stared down at the dirt-covered, trembling creature beneath his paw. His brain finally processed the scent beneath the mud and the scavenger blood. It was the sweet, intoxicating scent of a high-tier female. His female. The same scent that had pulled him from the brink of death last night.
He yanked his paw back as if he had been burned. His massive body leaped backward, crashing into the cave wall and sending loose rocks clattering to the floor. What had he done? He had attacked his own female. The shame was immediate and crushing.
A blinding flash of silver light illuminated the cave.
The giant fox vanished. In its place stood a towering, heavily muscled man. He was completely naked, his broad chest heaving as he stared at her in horror.
Cora scrambled up, clutching her bleeding neck. She coughed violently, her eyes watering as she glared at the man who had just tried to eat her.
Dax saw the thin line of blood trickling down her pale throat. A violent flash of self-loathing twisted his sharp features. He dropped to one knee, his head bowing low in the unmistakable posture of a male begging his female's forgiveness. His voice was a rough, gravelly rasp. "I'm sorry. I thought you were..."
"Thought I was your breakfast?" Cora sneered, wiping the blood from her neck. "I am your female. I saved your life last night, and this is how you repay me? You kneel because you know you have failed in your duty."
At the words last night, fragments of hot, frantic memories slammed into Dax's mind. The soft skin. The desperate whimpers. The explosive release of his energy. The moment his female had claimed him as her first husband.
A dark, furious blush crept up his neck and burned the tips of his ears. His eyes darted away, unable to look at her. He had committed the gravest sin a male could commit—he had threatened the female he was bound to serve. He blindly grabbed the torn fur coat from the floor and wrapped it around his waist, his fingers fumbling. "I... my injuries. I lost my mind. I didn't know."
Cora watched the deadly predator turn into a flustered, blushing mess. The tight knot of panic in her chest loosened slightly. This was how males in this world behaved when confronted by an angry female. They submitted. They pleaded. They were not tyrants—they were servants.
Host, Kay Lake's mechanical voice chimed in. You must establish a Beast Mark Contract immediately. System energy requires a stable anchor. Formalizing the husband bond will strengthen your authority.
Cora took a deep breath. She straightened her spine, ignoring the pain in her back. She locked her eyes onto his, her tone shifting into a cold, business-like cadence. She was a dominant female negotiating terms with her male. This was her right.
"Since you feel so guilty, let's make a deal."
Dax's head snapped up. In the wasteland, females were absolute rulers. They commanded. Males obeyed. But he had never seen a female look at him with such calculating, fearless eyes. This was not a fragile creature. This was a woman stepping fully into her biological destiny.
"My name is Cora Hickman," she stated. "I need a strong protector. You will be the first of my husbands. And you need a female to stabilize your volatile energy."
Dax's breath hitched. She was right. The violent, burning agony that usually tore through his veins was completely gone. His core was perfectly calm, anchored by the lingering trace of her scent on his skin. She had already claimed him. Her energy was already taming his.
Cora took a step closer. She didn't flinch. "I propose we sign a Beast Mark Contract. Right now. You will be my first husband, Dax. The foundation male of my future household. "
The words hit Dax like a physical blow. A Beast Mark Contract with a female. The highest honor any male could receive. To be chosen as a female's first husband—the position of greatest trust and authority among her males. The pride of a Tier-9 predator screamed at him to reject being tied down. But his heart hammered violently against his ribs. This was what every male secretly craved. To be chosen. To belong.
He frowned, his jaw tightening as he tried to regain control of the situation. "A contract? Do you even know who I am? I am a-"
"I don't care who you are," Cora cut him off, her voice sharp. "You are a male. You need a female to survive. Out here in the wasteland, without me, you'll eventually die from energy deviation. And without you, I'll be eaten by the next scavenger that walks by. You will protect me. That is your purpose."
She pointed a dirt-stained finger at the massive, jagged scar healing on his abdomen. "This deal is a win-win for you. I am offering you the position of first husband. Do not make me reconsider. "
Dax stared into her clear, unwavering eyes. There was no greed in them. No manipulation. Just a raw, burning will to survive—and the unmistakable authority of a female who knew exactly what she was worth.
A low, vibrating chuckle started deep in his chest. The sound filled the cave. The instinct to resist vanished, replaced by a dark, possessive thrill. His female was fierce. She would lead, and he would follow.
Dax lunged forward. His large hand wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her flush against his hard chest. He leaned down, his lips hovering inches from hers. His voice dropped to a dangerous, silken whisper. "I accept. But understand this, my female—my contract lasts until death. I will be your first husband, and I will kill any male who tries to take my place."
Cora's breath caught in her throat. The sheer force of his male pheromones made her head spin. But she tilted her chin up, refusing to back down. "Deal. You are mine now, Dax. Do not forget it."
Dax lifted his free hand. A single drop of glowing, ice-blue blood materialized on his fingertip. It was the core essence of his power. He offered it freely—a male surrendering his strength to his female.
He pressed his finger against her collarbone.
A searing, burning pain shot through Cora's skin. She gasped, her fingers digging into his biceps. The glowing blood sank into her flesh, blooming into an intricate, ice-blue tattoo of a fox tail. The mark of her first husband. Visible proof of her status as a claimed female.
Beast Mark Contract established, the system chimed. Host vitals permanently stabilized. First husband bond formalized. Female authority recognized and anchored. Next phase initiated.
