Seraphina Caldwell ran herself into the ground that day, rushing to find her father amid the elder clan members’ cold stares and interrogations, leaving her utterly drained.
Leaning against Isaac Vaughn’s chest, she fell into a deep breath within two minutes.
When she completely quieted down, Wyatt Yardley abruptly moved, violently yanking Seraphina Caldwell from Isaac Vaughn’s arms.
His arm swiftly tightened, firmly embracing that slender, soft body into his own.
Isaac Vaughn’s eyes snapped open.
His voice barely held back.
"Wyatt Yardley, what are you trying to do?"
Wyatt Yardley abruptly turned his head.
His blood-red eyes stared intently at Isaac Vaughn.
"Silas Shaw has set his sights on her. You know, he’s no ordinary Beastfolk, he’s at the Peak of Green Rank, just a step away from entering the Blue Rank. In terms of strength, status, bloodline, he surpasses any of us. If this drags on, Seraphina will eventually be taken by him."
His Adam’s apple moved slightly.
"Rather than let her cry when someone else takes her away in the future, why not bond now? At least... she’ll be somewhere we can see, and won’t be able to escape."
Isaac Vaughn’s expression changed instantly.
He knew once a female drips blood to bond, the contract truly takes effect.
As long as the body remains unharmed and the will unbroken, even if the male uses brute force to establish the bonding, the Beast Seal will not backfire on its master.
This was originally a privilege fought over in the male tribes, a symbol of power and control.
At this moment, Isaac Vaughn looked at the unconscious Seraphina Caldwell.
He clenched his teeth tightly, his eyes locked on Wyatt Yardley without blinking.
"Don’t act recklessly. Have you forgotten what she said? This afternoon, she personally said she dislikes Silas Shaw, said we’re troublesome but ’pretty good,’ and doesn’t want to be involved with outsiders at all."
The moment those words came out, he himself faltered.
Because ultimately, those words were "now" heartfelt.
Who can guarantee that won’t change in the future?
Especially when her father has already chosen Silas Shaw, overtly and covertly expressing distrust to these "Beast Husbands" before him.
When initially choosing a partner, her father coldly swept over a few of them.
"These ones now are unreliable."
Wyatt Yardley still didn’t relax his grip, instead, he held Seraphina tighter.
"Just because you don’t feel it now doesn’t mean you won’t like it in the future."
He spoke coldly.
"Silas Shaw’s about to level up, his aura stabilizing every day, his bloodline becoming purer. He’s the one her father recognized, the rightful candidate. Don’t you think fate has already written the ending? She’ll eventually accept, even if unwilling, she’ll be pushed by family, by duty, by the entire clan."
Finally, he turned his face, his gaze piercing Isaac Vaughn.
"You know very well. The reason she hasn’t pushed us away now is because she still has some feelings. But once she bonds with Silas Shaw, the first thing she’ll do is find every way to break the contract between us. Is that what you want? Watch her cross out our names from her fate and walk away without looking back?"
Isaac Vaughn’s body suddenly stiffened.
His brows furrowed tightly into a knot.
How could he want to break the contract? How could he?
These past days, Seraphina Caldwell remembered their hunger, remembered who had nightmares recently.
When the mating season arrived, she would gently pat their backs and soothe them softly.
Such a her made him unable to bear even letting her step out the door.
But now...
Wyatt Yardley wanted to use the most brutal method to twist this tenderness into captivity.
Isaac Vaughn remained silent, his lips pressed into a line.
Wyatt Yardley saw his demeanor, knowing he was wavering and acquiescing.
"I won’t let her fall into Silas Shaw’s hands. I know the moment of bonding she’ll hate me, yell, struggle, curse us while crying. But at least she’ll be by my side."
"As long as she’s here, as long as I can see her wake up in my arms every day, after long enough, she’ll get used to it. That’s just how human hearts are, no matter how resistant, if repeated day after day, it becomes a matter of course."
"You’re forcing her!"
Isaac Vaughn couldn’t stand it.
His fists clenched tightly, fingertips embedded into his palm.
"If she knows you’re forcing her this way, in her heart, she’ll only hate you more. Even if you forcefully bond, her heart has already gone, her soul isn’t here, what meaning does the contract have? It’s just an empty shell."
Wyatt Yardley didn’t respond, nor did he lift his head, simply holding it low, his gaze settling on Seraphina’s peaceful face.
He knew everything he did at this moment would only make her wake up angrier, pushing her further away.
But compared to her rage, he feared losing her more.
Afraid one day she’d turn away completely, never looking back.
Isaac Vaughn watched Wyatt Yardley like this, his chest tightening suddenly.
He understood, truly understood Wyatt Yardley’s fear that cuts to the bone.
But he knew better that what truly mattered wasn’t keeping someone with brute force.
It was Seraphina choosing from the bottom of her heart, without reluctance, to stay.
Wyatt Yardley saw Isaac Vaughn silent for a long time, assuming he agreed to his approach.
He lowered his head again, his gaze settling on Seraphina’s calm sleeping face.
Soon, he leaned down, his lips lightly pressing on her warm lips, leaving a nearly reverent kiss.
His hand slid down her arm, slowly reaching the Beast Skin belt tied around her waist.
Suddenly, his hand was suddenly grabbed by a hand that appeared out of nowhere.
Wyatt Yardley’s whole body shook, his head snapped up.
Evan Orwell had silently crouched at his side.
"Let go."
Wyatt Yardley laughed coldly.
"You have no right to stop me. She’s not your mate, won’t ever be."
Evan Orwell didn’t let go, instead, tightening his grip around Wyatt Yardley’s wrist.
"I’m just like you, her bonded mate. You say I don’t have rights? Then tell me, why do you have the right to touch her when I don’t?"
"You?"
Wyatt Yardley sneered, raising an eyebrow.
"Don’t you want to break the contract with her day and night? Once the contract is broken, you’re no longer her mate, what are you? And you dare to stop me?"
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly exerted force, trying to shake off Evan Orwell’s hand.
But Evan Orwell was prepared, reversing his grip, pressing forward, locking Wyatt Yardley’s arm tightly.
Evan Orwell lowered his voice.
"Wyatt Yardley, I advise you not to risk death. You think when she wakes she’ll just be angry? Ha... with her temper, she might take a knife and scrape off your Beast Seal first."
This sentence instantly doused all of Wyatt Yardley’s obsession.
Of course, he knew what would happen if the Beast Seal was scraped.
Before the contract fully settled, a female can sever all ties by shedding blood.
Even if bonded, if she’s determined enough to personally scrape off the mark from her skin, she can still cut the contract clean.
But everyone knows, scraping a Beast Seal, how painful it is.
It’s not an ordinary injury but pain from soul and bloodline being torn apart.
Once scraped, the consequences for the female are extremely severe, and the male can forget about ever bonding with her again.
Not only can they not establish a soul connection, but more frighteningly, the male’s strength will directly fall by three whole ranks.
Equivalent to falling from the peak into the abyss, such a cost is unbearable for anyone.