A piercing alarm suddenly rang out, shattering the silence. Haley Collins flinched awake, caught off guard by the noise. She pushed herself upright and stared in confusion at the cluttered surroundings. Her mind was blank. What was this place? How had she ended up here? Her last memory was of battling zombies. In the middle of the fight, her supposed closest friend, Katherine Smith, had betrayed her by pushing her straight into the swarm. The device strapped to her wrist continued to sound. Haley pressed her fingers against her aching temples before touching the screen. Somehow, her hands moved with a familiarity she couldn't explain, as though they already knew what to do. A notification from the Bonding Service Center appeared before her. "Dear Ms. Haley Collins, congratulations! The Bonding Service Center has selected eight suitable mates for you and they have been informed of your current address. Their profiles will be ready for you in five minutes, and the mate nearest to your location will reach you in fifteen minutes." Before Haley could make sense of the message, her vision blurred. A flood of scattered memories surged through her mind, piecing together the truth of her situation. She had somehow crossed into a world inhabited by werecreatures, occupying the body of a false princess of the Crescent Empire. Seven days earlier, the Empire's rightful heiress, Erika Collins, had returned to the imperial palace. Within that brief period, Erika had repeatedly shed tears and played the victim until the former Haley was accused of plotting to murder her. Empress Veronica Collins wasted no time passing judgment. She ordered Haley's immediate exile to the Desolation Planet, a remote world situated at the greatest possible distance from the Capital Planet. Crushed by the injustice and consumed by rage, the original Haley had eventually lost the will to remain alive, and her soul faded away. That was when another Haley Collins, a woman with the exact same name who died in another world, had awakened in this body. Another alert sounded from the communicator. Haley lowered her gaze to read the latest message. "Dear Ms. Collins, your eight compatible mates have been selected. Please review their details below. Tyler Jones, 24, werewolf. Esper abilities not yet awakened. Jordy Taylor, 23, werefox. Level 3 fire esper ability. Ethan Williams, 24, wereserpent. Level 2 plant esper ability. Brennan Brown, 22, merman. Level 2 water esper ability. Austin Douglas, 20, werehawk. Level 1 wind esper ability. Colton Evans, 21, werepanda. Level 1 earth esper ability. Dylan Gordon, 25, weretiger. Level 2 metal esper ability. Lucas Wilson, 22, werepeafowl. Level 5 water esper ability. All eight mates are required to report to Villa 66 in Veritia, located on the Desolation Planet, within fifteen days. Anyone who fails to appear before the deadline will incur a penalty of one million star coins and become ineligible for another domina match for the next three years." Haley couldn't help letting out a bitter chuckle. Before her transmigration, Haley had possessed a Level 8 plant esper ability, placing her among the most powerful individuals of her kind. Yet the men assigned to her were mostly Level 1 or Level 2. How could such weak partners possibly benefit her? She lifted one hand, willing her power to respond. A thin, frail tendril emerged from her palm, barely resembling the vines this body had once commanded. Haley's expression changed. What had happened to her Level 8 ability? She examined the miserable little shoot in disbelief. After several seconds, a humorless laugh escaped her lips. Fine. She might have lost nearly everything, but she was still breathing. That alone was enough. She would rebuild her strength, one step at a time, until she stood at the summit once more. The memories she had inherited from this body's original owner also revealed the unusual social order of this universe. Females enjoyed an exceptionally privileged position and were permitted to have several mates. When a match was confirmed, a spiritual bond was established by God. Unless the female chose to terminate the arrangement, the male's life remained intrinsically connected to that of his domina. Every pairing also came with a three-month trial period. If a male failed to develop a complete bond with his domina during that time, he could request to end the relationship once the trial expired. The rules became even more favorable to the female after a full bond was established. From that point onward, every asset legally registered under the male's name automatically became her property. In other words, Haley had gained control over eight men and everything they owned, including their money. Perhaps fate was offering her some compensation for all the suffering she had endured during the apocalypse. With renewed determination, Haley rose to her feet and approached the mirror. She studied her luminous eyes and the captivating charm reflected in them, noticing a subtle, lingering seductiveness in her gaze. A satisfied smile touched her lips. Her appearance remained unchanged after the transmigration. She was still the same breathtaking woman who could turn heads throughout an entire survivor base. She turned toward the wardrobe and swung its doors open, expecting to find at least a few outfits. Instead, she was greeted by nothing but empty shelves. Haley drummed her fingers against the wooden door, deep in thought. The previous owner of this body had been a princess, yet she had been reduced to such poverty that she couldn't even afford a spare set of clothes. There was no clothing to speak of, and not a single weapon in sight. After leaving the room, Haley wandered into the yard and picked up a small gardening trowel. With that as her only equipment, she decided to venture beyond the city and see what she could find. But the instant she swung open the front gate, she stopped dead. A female dressed entirely in white stood on the other side. Haley's fingers curled into her palms until her nails bit painfully into her skin. An overwhelming wave of hatred rose within her, so fierce that she struggled to contain it. She forced the female's name through clenched teeth. "Erika." There was a faint resemblance between the two females, though Haley's expression hardened the moment she recognized the visitor. Erika looked at her with timid, watery eyes, already wearing an expression of sorrow. "Haley... How are you supposed to live somewhere like this?" Haley drew in a slow breath, struggling to keep the urge to kill her from taking over. Then she curved her lips into a pleasant smile that concealed none of the coldness in her eyes. "Are you worried about me?" Erika dabbed at the corners of her eyes before nodding softly. "I've been through plenty of hardships myself over the years, so I'm used to living under difficult conditions. But you've spent your entire life in the palace, Haley. How could you possibly adjust to a place like this?" A laugh escaped Haley's lips. Under the brilliant sunlight, her beautiful features seemed to glow. "You make a good point. Since you're so concerned, why don't we trade places?" Before Erika could respond, her communicator rang. She glanced at the incoming call and answered, lowering her gaze as though she were too distressed to look anyone in the eye. "Kate, I... I'm with Haley at the moment. I'll come over to see you as soon as I return." The caller's face and voice emerged from the communicator's projection. Haley instinctively stumbled backward, her eyes widening in shock. What did Erika just call her? Why did this woman have Katherine's face and voice? And even her nickname? Haley could never mistake that face. It belonged to the one person whose betrayal had haunted her final moments in the apocalypse, someone she would recognize even if she were standing at death's door.

It was the same face that had smiled so sweetly while Haley was swallowed by the zombie horde. Katherine's last words still echoed in her head. "Haley, I won't have to put up with you stealing all the attention at the base anymore. From now on, I'll be the strongest!" Haley advanced a step, her gaze burning with fury. Kate. Katherine. Kaitlyn. Even their names sounded eerily alike. Before Haley could utter a word, Erika abruptly cut off the call. A tall male with snow-white hair approached from outside, his strides brisk and purposeful. Dressed in a pristine white uniform, he carried himself with rigid formality. The moment his eyes landed on Haley, he raised his chin and regarded her with undisguised contempt. "How dare you treat Erika that way, Haley?" he barked. "You're nothing but a worthless Level 2 esper. You took her place for twenty years and made her suffer because of it. Now you're finally paying for what you've done!" Haley suppressed the murderous rage threatening to consume her. She needed to regain her former strength first. If Kaitlyn Taylor—that black fox from the Taylor family—truly was Katherine, she would personally tear the woman's head off. Haley took a deep breath to calm herself and examined the white-haired male's features, searching through the memories she had inherited until his identity came to her. Liam Thomas. A Level 6 white werefox. Only three days earlier, he had nervously vowed to remain by the original Haley's side for the rest of his life. Now, he stood beside Erika, addressing her with nauseating tenderness as though Haley had never existed. "Liam, are you seriously suggesting that I deliberately stole Erika's position twenty years ago? I was a newborn, for heaven's sake! Do you even hear yourself? Thank goodness our engagement has been called off. I'd never recover from the humiliation of being associated with an imbecile like yourself." Liam's face turned crimson with anger. His mouth opened, and his lips quivered, but no response came out. Haley was preparing to deliver another cutting remark when a composed, slightly husky voice sounded from behind Liam. "Domina." She turned toward the speaker. The male had closely cropped blond hair and strikingly defined features. His black shirt was casually rolled up to his elbows, exposing the powerful muscles running along his forearms. He raised his eyes to meet hers. His brown gaze was cold and unreadable as he spoke. "Dylan Gordon. I'm your mate." The moment Liam heard the name, he stiffened in disbelief. "Commander Gordon?" Dylan paid him no attention, lowering his gaze as though the interruption meant nothing to him. Haley briefly studied her new mate before nodding. "Guest rooms are upstairs on the second floor. Choose whichever one you like." Those well-built arms suggested he was physically capable. Haley decided on the spot to bring him along when she went hunting aberrant beasts later. Liam finally recovered from his shock and stared at Dylan in disbelief. "Commander Gordon, you're actually matched with Haley? Your spiritual power is practically on the verge of collapse, and you've fallen to Level 2. How could the Bonding Service Center possibly assign you to a domina?" Haley's expression darkened as a dangerous chill crept into her eyes. Suddenly, Erika burst into tears. "Oh, Haley, why are you so unfortunate?" she cried. "Having someone like him around you could put you in grave danger!" Dylan caught the coldness in Haley's expression. Whatever fragile hope he had secretly entertained slowly vanished. No domina would willingly keep a werecreature who might lose control and go berserk at any moment. Haley's fingers tightened around the little gardening trowel and sneered. "Erika, you must have worked pretty hard to arrange for all these troublesome men to end up with me, didn't you?" She stared into Erika's tearful eyes, feeling sick at the sight of her feigned innocence. Erika shook her head vigorously, her expression filled with bewilderment. "Haley, I have no idea what you're talking about. Why would you accuse me of something like that?" Liam immediately moved to shield Erika, wrapping an arm around her as though she needed his protection. "Erika would never do anything so despicable! She's kind and delicate, unlike you. You're the one with a twisted heart, so stop dragging her into your mess!" Kind and delicate? Haley scoffed. "Get out." She slammed the door shut before either of them could say another word. From the other side, Erika's tearful voice drifted through the wood. "Haley, I brought you a few supplies. I left the storage device outside the entrance, so remember to collect it. I'll be leaving now. If there's anything else you need, please tell me." Haley remained motionless behind the closed door, her head lowered. The hand wrapped around the gardening trowel shook ever so slightly. The resentment left behind by the body's former owner began to merge with Haley's own hatred. The two emotions intertwined until a sinister chuckle slipped from her throat. Dylan sat on the steps leading up to the house, his long legs stretched out before him. The moment he heard that chilling sound, the hairs on the back of his neck rose. He swallowed hard, abandoning whatever he had intended to say. Without warning, Haley raised the gardening trowel and pointed its blade straight at his head.

"Let's get moving," Haley ordered. Dylan lifted his head, his golden-brown eyes as cold and lifeless as ever. "I see. Please file the paperwork to dissolve our bond, then." Haley tilted her head, examining him with interest. Her crimson lips curved into a dazzling smile beneath the sunlight. "You want to break off our bond? What's wrong? I'm penniless, and now that I've angered the new princess, you're eager to abandon me too to save your own ass?" Dylan looked genuinely bewildered. "You're penniless? You have eight mates. The Bonding Service Center should provide you with a household allowance. If they haven't paid you, I can lodge a formal complaint for you." Haley stared at him and blinked. Was he deliberately missing the point, or was he really this clueless? "I haven't received a single coin from them, so go ahead and complain if you want. But for now, I'm leaving the city to hunt aberrant beasts, and you're coming along." Dylan pushed himself up and rolled his sleeves higher. "I'm staying here." Haley inhaled slowly, narrowing her eyes at him. "Are you actually refusing to obey me?" Instead of answering, Dylan stretched out on the ground beside the entrance, making himself comfortable right there. "My spiritual power is only two points away from collapsing and going completely berserk. If that happens, nobody in Veritia will be strong enough to restrain me. Innocent people could lose their lives." By then, Haley had opened the door and spotted the storage device Erika had left outside. She picked it up, examined what was inside, and gave a contemptuous snort. Dylan's brows drew together at the sound. Before his spiritual power had deteriorated, he had served as the Empire's Supreme Commander. His foremost responsibility had always been protecting ordinary werecreature citizens. Even if he was to lose control and die any moment, he would rather find an isolated wasteland far from civilization than endanger a single innocent soul. Yet his new domina appeared completely unconcerned about the danger he posed or the principle he stood by. "I know I'm practically useless in my current condition, and I can tell you despise me," Dylan stated plainly. "There's no point dragging this out. Let's terminate the bond tight now. I have two hundred thousand star coins in my account. Take every last one as compensation." Haley's eyebrows shot up. "Two hundred thousand star coins? You're an imperial commander, and that's your entire fortune? A single Level 5 aberrant beast can fetch more than a hundred thousand coins!" Dylan felt his temper fraying with every word she uttered. At this rate, he would soon be one point away from a complete rampage. His jaw tightened. "If you think I'm that worthless, why don't you simply let me go?" Haley tossed the storage device into his hands. "We'll dissolve the bond when the three-month trial period is over. But now, sell everything inside on the Star Net. Surely handling such a simple errand won't push you into a rampage?" With a gloomy expression, Dylan rose and walked into the living room. Haley remained in the yard, releasing a quiet sigh. What a miserable situation she was stuck in! Her new life had barely begun, and she was already saddled with a walking disaster. With her abilities reduced to almost nothing, she had somehow ended up with a ticking bomb that could explode into a deadly rampage at any moment. This new world certainly had a peculiar sense of humor in welcoming her. Still, Haley wasn't about to abandon her plans. Grabbing her little gardening trowel, she headed out to investigate the aberrant beasts beyond the city. At this point, she could only hope that the other seven mates Erika had so carefully arranged for her wouldn't turn out to be a complete burden. Haley closed the gate behind her and continued down the street, her fingers wrapped firmly around the trowel. A wave of murderous intent suddenly washed over her. This time, it wasn't her imagination. She kept walking without showing the slightest reaction. Only after reaching the far end of the street did she stop and speak in an even tone. "Come out." A figure with fiery red hair emerged slowly from the shadows around the corner. "Are you Haley Collins, my domina?" The unfamiliar male's voice was clear and steady, carrying not a trace of nervousness. His vivid red hair and matching eyes immediately caught her attention. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested neatly on his nose, complementing his handsome, refined features and the air of an intellectual. Yet his gaze remained strangely unfocused behind the lenses, as though he couldn't see the person standing before him. "My name is Jordy Taylor. The Bonding Service Center assigned me to you as a mate." Haley approached cautiously and waved her hand in front of his face, testing his reaction. Jordy smiled faintly, the corners of his lips lifting with quiet amusement. "I'm blind. Didn't you know that?" Haley retreated a step. "No, I didn't. If moving around is difficult for you, why didn't you stay home instead of following me?" Years of surviving brutal battles in the apocalypse had sharpened Haley's instincts to an extraordinary degree. She could recognize hostility long before it became an outright attack. And she was certain that the murderous aura she'd sensed moments earlier had come from this male. "I... I wasn't sure whether you'd accept someone like me." Jordy's lips pressed together as his composure began to crumble. For the first time, he appeared nervous and uncertain. His unfocused eyes shifted aimlessly through the space around him as he added hastily, "But I can still help you. I promise I won't become a burden." Haley chuckled softly. "In that case, I'm going out to hunt aberrant beasts. Will you come with me?" Jordy froze, clearly taken aback by the invitation. "How could a noble domina like yourself go hunt aberrant beasts alone? Besides, I'm blind. Taking me along would probably only cause trouble." Haley raised an eyebrow and scrutinized him for a moment. "You just promised that you wouldn't hold me back. Now you're making it awfully difficult for me." Her voice carried a note of genuine frustration, as though she were struggling to decide what to do with him. If Jordy had been able to see, however, he would have noticed the cheerful smile spreading across her face. There wasn't the slightest hint of distress in her expression. Haley then let out a heavy sigh and added in mock empathy, "Never mind. Perhaps we should just end this bond. I'm not good at looking after others, and if something happened to you while you were with me, I'd be held responsible." Jordy's gentle smile disappeared. His shoulders drooped, and the corners of his mouth fell. He did want to dissolve the bond, but not yet. There were things he needed to settle first. "So you don't want me simply because I'm blind?" he murmured. Haley moved closer, lowering her voice until it became a gentle whisper. "Your blindness isn't the problem here. I'm simply afraid." Jordy turned his face toward the sound, his expression momentarily blank with confusion. Haley laughed under her breath before continuing, "I'm afraid you'll wait until I'm fast asleep and then plunge a knife into me. After all, this is the first time we've ever met, isn't it? So where is this hostility coming from?" Jordy's hands curled into tight fists, his fingers trembling slightly. "You really have no idea what happened?" Haley stared at him in confusion. She was just about to ask what he meant when her communicator suddenly erupted into a rapid series of beeps.