Rebooted Fate: The Beast–Human
Marriage Contract
Chapter 1
After the Beast Wars, a pact was forged. The
shapeshifters would rule the world.
Every century, a human and a shifter would
marry. The first to bear a half–breed child
would determine the next ruler.
Last time around, I chose to marry the wolf
clan’s eldest son, notorious for his devotion,
and beat everyone to the punch by birthing a
white wolf hybrid.
Our kid became the next big cheese in the human–shifter alliance, and my husband, Blake,
naturally snagged immense power.
My sister, Bethany, however, blinded by the fox clan’s pretty faces, married their eldest son, only to find him a total player. She caught a
<
nasty disease and lost her ability to have kids.
Jealousy festered in Bethany’s heart, and she
set me and my baby wolf on fire. Roasted us
alive.
I woke up, and it was the day of the big
marriage pact all over again. Bethany was
already climbing into Blake’s bed.
I knew she remembered everything too.
But what Bethany didn’t know was that Blake
was a savage at heart, a real power–hungry
animal.
“Scarlett, Blake and I are truly in love. Can’t you
just let us be happy?”
“We’ve already sealed the deal, if I don’t marry
Blake, who else would want me?”
I heard Bethany’s fake sobs, like nails on a
My dad chimed in, always on her side.
“Scarlett, maybe you could find another fiancé?
Bethany just got carried away, made a
mistake.”
Dad always played favorites with Bethany. I was
the bastard child he had on the side, while
Bethany was the legitimate daughter.
I glanced at Bethany kneeling on the floor.
Tears streamed down her face, a mask of
feigned distress, but her eyes blazed with
ambition and excitement.
I knew it. She remembered everything too. And
she’d made her move first.
Last time, I’d chosen Blake, the wolf clan’s heir.
Snakes were cold–blooded jerks, foxes were
horny bastards, and dragons were stuck–up
horny bastards, and dragons were stuck–up pricks.
Wolves were loyal, devoted–the best bet.
Six months after marrying Blake, I popped out a half–wolf, whom we named Talon.
Being the first hybrid born, Talon was crowned the next ruler of the alliance.
Bethany, lusting after the fox clan’s looks, went after their eldest son, only to find him screwing everything that moved.
She ended up catching some disease,
becoming barren, and was shunned by the fox
clan.
But she blamed me for her misery, jealous of my good fortune, and slipped me a mickey, then burned Talon and me to a crisp.
<
A surge of hatred boiled inside me. I wanted to
rip Bethany’s throat out for what she did to
Talon.
My fists clenched in my sleeves, the pain in my
palms grounding me.
I nodded, putting on a knowing face.
“If you and Blake are so smitten with each
other, I wouldn’t dream of standing in your
way.”
Bethany didn’t expect me to cave so easily. The
tears she’d squeezed out hung awkwardly on
her cheeks.
“Bethany, get up. Thank your sister for being so understanding.”
Dad breathed a sigh of relief.
“Th–thank you, Scarlett.”
<
Bethany bounced up and skipped off to tell
Blake the good news.
“She’s gone boy crazy.”
Dad chuckled, then caught my cold stare and
stammered.
“Scarlett, the only eligible shifter bachelors left are Xavier from the snake clan and Lance from the fox clan.”
“I think the fox clan isn’t bad, whether it’s
appearance or status, it must be much higher
than the snake clan.”
“And Bethany said before…”
I cut him off.
“Dad, I’ll marry Xavier from the snake clan.”
Humans always saw snakes as cold–blooded
<
For millennia, no human had ever married into
the snake clan, so they’d never produced a ruler
for the alliance.
As a result, the snake clan was kicked to the
curb by the big five shifter families, reduced to
the bottom of the food chain, not getting a
damn thing.
When I was burning alive last time, I saw a pair
of emerald eyes–Xavier.
