Chapter 1

"...Hmm."

The cold air naturally made his eyes open.

When Kinaine opened his eyes, he sat up immediately without any laziness. It was one of his old habits from his time on the battlefield.

With each blink of his obsidian-black eyes, the remnants of sleep were cut away piece by piece.

He had grown accustomed to waking up to the cold wind by now.

The walls with mold stains, windows hastily patched with wooden boards, and floors that creaked with every step.

This palace assigned to Kinaine was little more than ruins. Though it had improved somewhat since he first arrived, it was still old and drafty, with cold wind constantly blowing through the gaps in the walls.

The other three "bride candidates" had been horrified at the sight of this palace.

'So this is a storage room, right? Now show us the palace you were assigned! ...What? This is it? You're lying!'

'Good heavens. Even the beasts I raise wouldn't sleep in a place like this.'

'Oh my, it's so cramped in here I can barely breathe. I need to get out right now.'

They wondered what Kinaine could have possibly done to earn such hatred from "him."

However, Kinaine had never once complained about this place.

Rather, wasn't it something to be grateful for? To have a place with a roof and walls.

During his wandering days, he had been kicked out and chased away while trying to sleep under eaves to avoid the rain. So how could he have any complaints about this place?

Of course, there had been a time when Kinaine was an innocent prince who didn't even know such places existed. A time when he wore elaborate clothes and strolled through well-maintained gardens, pretending to know everything about the world.

But now that time felt as distant as a past life to him.

These days, he was more accustomed to practical and sturdy clothes than soft silk, medicinal herbs than beautiful flowers, and stews made with whatever ingredients were available than juicy meat.

However, if there was one thing he couldn't get used to...

"Ugh."

Kinaine flinched. The movement caused his blanket to slide down, revealing his bare upper body.

His skin, pale as if it had never seen sunlight, was covered in all sorts of scars. It looked less like a human body and more like a rag doll that had been stitched together multiple times.

It was such a terrible sight that anyone who saw it would furrow their brows.

What made it even more unsightly were the reddish marks and bite marks that had risen like a rash.

"Hah."

Finally checking the state of his body, Kinaine swallowed a sigh.

So, this was what he couldn't get used to.

The red marks all over his body.

...Or rather, the pain in places embarrassing to mention.

Though he was well-versed in enduring pain, the discomfort in such intimate areas was mentally difficult to bear.

Especially since he had once been an alpha himself.

As he recalled the events of last night, a pink flush began to rise on his previously colorless, pale skin.

'Stop. What kind of indecent thoughts are these so early in the morning.'

Kinaine shook his head and tried to get out of bed.

"Ugh!"

That's when it happened. A white, delicate hand with strength unbefitting its appearance knocked him back onto the bed.

"Where are you going?"

A low voice whispered.

Kinaine, now lying down, stared up at the large man who had suddenly claimed the space above him.

He was a beautiful man with silver hair that looked as if it were made from moonlight. His sculptural beauty might make even the god of beauty sigh, but it was well known that inside that gorgeous shell was a personality so broken that even gods would run away.

Or more precisely, a 'dragon.'

Kinaine blinked slowly before responding a beat late.

"I'm thirsty."

"Ha, humans can't even endure mere thirst?"

Cold golden eyes looked down at Kinaine as if observing some primitive creature.

However, Kinaine's gaze had already shifted to the cup floating in mid-air.

The dragon irritably snatched the cup from the air, sat Kinaine in front of him, and brought the cup to his lips.

'...I could drink it myself.'

Instead of pointing this out, Kinaine let the dragon do as he pleased.

"You woke me from my sweet sleep with your restless moving. How will you take responsibility?"

Ignoring the dragon's grumbling, Kinaine emptied the cup in one go. It wasn't intentional disregard - his attention had simply been completely drawn to the sight of the swirling water.

The dragon's dissatisfied gaze fixed on Kinaine's Adam's apple as it bobbed with each swallow.

"How greedy."

The dragon tapped the cup with his index finger. Immediately, the empty cup refilled with clean water.

Kinaine forgot his thirst and stared blankly at the sight. It was a marvelous scene no matter how many times he witnessed it.

As befitting a being called the source of magic, the dragon performed such miracles without a second thought. This must be why everyone so desperately yearned for and revered dragons.

His daze was broken when a drop of water trickled down from his lips to his chin.

Just as he raised his hand to wipe it away, a cold reprimand came.

"How filthy. Can't you even drink properly?"

"I'm sorr-"

The words weren't allowed to finish. The dragon had begun licking along the trail the water had left on his chin.

"Spilling water everywhere, here and there."

The dragon placed a light kiss beside Kinaine's lips while irritably muttering.

"I really can't stand a vulgar omega like you."

A hot tongue suddenly invaded Kinaine's mouth, parting his lips. It was a skilled kiss that made last night's awkwardness seem like a lie.

Were dragons such quick learners? The surprise was brief - as soon as Kinaine realized what was happening, he clenched his fist.

Thud! He struck the dragon's chest with all his might. It would have left a bruise on anyone else, but the dragon, with his physique incomparable to other species, merely flinched slightly.

"What's this?"

Golden eyes like burning suns glared at Kinaine. It was a fierce look that would have made others' knees weak, but Kinaine knew. That what the dragon felt towards him wasn't just displeasure.

As if proving it wasn't his imagination, he felt a hot pressure near his hips. Having suffered intensely during the dragon's rut, Kinaine knew well what this signaled the start of.

However, he could no longer give the dragon what he wanted.

It wasn't because he disliked this beautiful, ill-tempered dragon. Rather, it was the opposite.

'This body' was weaker than before and had major flaws.

If he were to overexert himself and cough up blood...

He didn't want to show such an unsightly appearance, at least not to the one he loved.

"Your rut has ended now, hasn't it?"

Whatever his inner feelings, his outward tone and expression remained utterly indifferent. In moments like these, Kinaine was grateful for being born into the royal family. He had learned from childhood how to hide his emotions.

That had proven more helpful than anything else.

"It would be better if you returned to your true form now."

"...Are you giving me orders?"

The voice turned instantly cold, like frost forming. The dragon felt that Kinaine was rejecting him. As this thought occurred, his vision went white and his heart began to race.

The dragon labeled this emotion as anger. He was angry because a mere human dared to give him orders.

Sparks flew in the dragon's golden eyes.

"How dare you, mere human."

"Ugh."

A large hand tangled in his hair and grabbed Kinaine's nape, pulling him back.

With his head tilted back, Kinaine stared into those eyes flickering with rage.

"Humans are nothing more than insects that could die at any moment without consequence."

The dragon growled.

"Don't mistake spending my rut with you as meaning I'll take you as my mate. A human like you is nothing more than a passing amusement."

"I know."

"That's why I hope you'll find a proper mate soon."

A dragon must take a mate to become a true adult.

Though the dragon before him appeared to anyone's eyes as a strong adult male, as a dragon, he was still an incomplete being.

Wasn't that why he had opened the mate selection? To become a complete being as soon as possible.

Kinaine sincerely hoped the dragon would meet a good mate and find happiness. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that was his only wish in what little remained of his life.

But why did it feel like the dragon's killing intent was growing even stronger?

'I suppose he dislikes a human telling him what to do.'

Perhaps this was for the best? If the dragon had actually liked him, it would have been even more painful than now.

This body didn't have much time left. So what was there to hope for? It was enough just to spend what little time remained by his loved one's side. Even if that person hated him.

"...Find a mate quickly?"

Along with the scornful voice, Kinaine was suddenly pushed down onto the bed.

"Then you-"

"Ah, wait!"

Resistance was futile. An omega's body was helpless before an alpha's pheromones. The strength gradually left Kinaine's hands as they pushed against the dragon's chest.

"Stop..."

"Are you planning to leave here and lure some other alpha?"

The dragon gripped Kinaine's wrist so tightly it might break, whispering in a low, ominous voice:

"No, that won't happen. Even if I take a mate, you'll stay here... forever."

"What do you-"

"You may be a disgusting human, but your body isn't bad."

Unlike his cruel words, the touch that wiped away Kinaine's involuntary tears was surprisingly gentle.

"So instead of having useless thoughts, pray that I don't tire of you."

Though he wanted to object, his mind gradually turned blank from the alpha pheromones pouring over him.

Breathing heavily, Kinaine recalled how all of this had begun.