Chapter 2 Kill Me If You Can

Avani's breath hitched. Her feigned sobs died in her throat as she spun around, eyes wide with shock. The tall young woman, drenched in blood, stepped out from beneath the tree. Though her appearance was disheveled, not a single wound marred her body. As she approached, an oppressive aura radiated from her, suffocating in its intensity. “You... you're not dead?” Avani blurted out, instinctively recoiling. Impossible! I had lured three wolves—how could Karina still be standing? Karina's lips curled into a teasing smirk. “What's wrong? Were you that eager for my demise?” “W-What are you talking about? We're best friends! I was just worried about you,” Avani stammered, forcing a look of concern. “I was terrified when I saw all this blood... I thought you'd been attacked...” Desperate to regain control, she quickly shifted the conversation. “Then what about this body?” Karina stepped forward, kicking aside the grey wolf carcass. The movement revealed a gaping, fatal wound torn into its throat. A stunned silence fell over the group. Then, as if drawn by some unspoken realization, their eyes flickered toward Karina's lips. They were bright red, stained with blood. “You killed this wolf?” Avani's voice pitched higher in disbelief. “That's impossible!” How could Karina—weak and talentless—possibly take down such a ferocious beast? And with her teeth no less? Had she gone mad? The beastmen turned to Avani. Only then did she realize she had lost her composure. She clenched her palm, forcing a concerned smile onto her face. Softening her tone, she quickly amended, “What I meant was... are you unharmed, Rina? You can't be reckless like this. Even if Xelrik refuses to be with you, you mustn't give up on life!” Karina blinked at her in disbelief before letting out a sharp laugh. “Are you an idiot? If I wanted to die, why would I feed myself to wolves when there are far quicker ways?” Avani's smile stiffened, a flicker of unease flashing in her eyes. Before she could react, Xelrik stepped in front of her, his towering figure shielding her as he glared at Karina with open hostility. “What's gotten into you? Ava is just worried about you—don't be ungrateful.” Karina lifted her gaze, taking in the sight of the despicable pair. In her past life, she had been utterly devoted to Xelrik, blind to his deceit. He played her like a fool, stringing her along while getting involved with Avani behind her back. Yet, he had no qualms about accepting Karina's kindness, all while belittling her. He had stripped her of everything—taking the high-level beast crystal left behind by her parents, exploiting the resources her elder brother, Corvus, had sacrificed his life for. And in the end, instead of gratitude, he repaid her with torment, turning her life into a living hell. Then there was Avani—the snake who had whispered lies into her ear, convincing her that Xelrik admired strong, resilient women who could endure hardship. Believing those words, Karina had starved herself until she was skin and bone, darkened her once-fair complexion under the sun, all in a desperate bid to win his favor. Instead, she was shunned by the entire tribe. Worse still, she had handed over every resource Corvus had sent her to Avani, only to watch as Xelrik turned his affections toward Avani, who played the perfect role of a gentle, understanding, and considerate woman. Karina had thought it was her fault, that she simply wasn't good enough. She had spent years feeling inferior. Then came that fateful moment—the moment she learned of Xelrik's feelings for Avani. Enraged and heartbroken, she had stormed out of the tribe, only to be ambushed by wolves. She didn't die that day, but she might as well have. Her leg had been shattered, her face disfigured beyond recognition, and worst of all—her ability to bear children was forever lost. From that moment on, she was a pariah. A monster despised by all. Karina lifted her gaze, her lips curling into a smirk, her voice laced with mockery. “So what? If you have the guts, go ahead—kill me.” Xelrik's expression darkened, his patience wearing thin. “Karina, don't think your crazed antics will change anything. In this lifetime, I will only choose Ava. I would never take you as my partner.” Karina said, “I have to admit... I'm truly envious of you.” Xelrik faltered for a moment before Karina continued, her tone dead serious. “You're so ugly, yet you have such boundless confidence in yourself. It's truly inspiring.” “You!” Xelrik's face twisted with rage. “Xelrik, don't be upset,” Avani interjected in a soothing voice, gently pulling him back as if to calm him. She turned to Karina with a look of feigned heartache. “Rina must have been frightened out of her wits. That's why she's behaving like this.” Avani sighed, her voice dripping with false sympathy. “Rina, even if you're unable to reproduce, don't lose hope. The chief has arranged for you to be with Zareth Everwyn, a Level-One Beastman. He has no family, no status, and no support. He may not compare to Xelrik, but his strength lies in his honesty and hard work. If you both live well together, who knows? A miracle might happen, and you might bear a child! Even if you truly can't have children, Zareth will still take care of you.” She lowered her gaze, feigning concern. But inwardly, she was smirking. This fool is hopelessly in love with Xelrik. After hearing this, she'll surely grow to despise Zareth even more, refusing to mate with him. Avani was determined to strip Karina of everything. If she could manipulate Karina into rejecting Zareth, then claiming him for herself would be effortless. And once Zareth was under her control, eliminating Karina would be even easier. To handle Karina, the chief—wary of her resistance—had already forced Zareth to consume a Myndrel fruit, rendering him docile. The moment Karina walked away, Avani could swoop in and take him for herself. Karina let out a sharp laugh, exasperation laced in her voice. “Just yesterday, we had our fertility tests, and the chief hasn't even announced the results yet. How could you possibly know the outcome? Anyone who didn't know better might assume you're the chief's daughter!” In her past life, Avani had played the same game—pretending to care while insidiously poisoning Karina's thoughts, leading her to despise Zareth and vow never to mate with him. And when she did, Avani wasted no time making him her beast slave. Karina, in her naivety, had once allowed Xelrik and Avani to exploit her, leeching off her like parasites. She had even handed over every last resource her parents had left her, emboldening them further. There was no way she would let history repeat itself. A flicker of panic flashed through Avani's eyes. “I was just guessing. Rina, you're so exceptional, yet the chief only chose a Level-One beastman for you...” Could this b*tch have discovered something? “Only?” Karina cut in, narrowing her eyes. “Just a moment ago, you were singing Zareth's praises. Now, all of a sudden, he's not good enough? Or is it that you were hoping I'd be the one to look down on him?” “I... I...” Avani stammered, visibly flustered. No matter how she responded, she had already trapped herself in her own words. The beastmen surrounding them exchanged puzzled glances, murmuring among themselves. “Enough!” Xelrik's voice cut through the whispers like a blade. His expression twisted in anger as he glared at Karina. “Ava was only trying to help you! If you can't appreciate that, fine—but how dare you slander her? You're becoming more and more repulsive!” In the past, Karina would've panicked and apologized. But this time, she merely looked at him with cold disdain. “Good. I hope you're disgusted,” she said smoothly. “I'd hate for you to be too comfortable.” Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she turned to Avani with a mocking smile. “Actually, you reminded me of something—Zareth is my beast husband, not this worthless man. I'll leave him to you.” With that, she lightly patted Avani's face before turning on her heel and striding toward Zareth's house. She had already failed him once. This time, she would not let history repeat itself. Avani remained frozen in place, her mind racing. What's going on? Why does Karina seem like a completely different person? Karina loved Xelrik more than anything and despised Zareth. Meanwhile, Karina had already returned to the tribe, stopping in front of a modest wooden cabin. In her past life, Zareth had been reduced to Avani's beast slave, yet he had never truly mated with her. In the beginning, his heart had belonged to Karina, but she wondered if after everything—after all the hurt, the rejection—would he still accept her. Creak! Hesitation gripped her as she slowly pushed open the wooden door. Before she could take another breath, her feet left the ground. A pair of strong arms swept her up effortlessly, carrying her toward the wooden bed. The scent of wilderness and raw strength surrounded her, and a powerful, primal presence loomed over her. Her beast skin skirt slipped down to her waist in an instant. Karina let out a soft gasp, a sudden chill brushing against her skin. But instead of scrambling to fix it, she remained still. A deep, husky voice, thick with restraint, rumbled above her. “What are you doing here?” She met his piercing gaze, her tone steady, utterly sincere. “You are the beast husband chosen for me by the chief. Naturally, I've come to seek you for mating.” As she spoke, her hands began to wander, tracing tentative paths across his body. She had come to apologize, and she was determined to let Zareth see her sincerity. But before her fingers could make contact, a pair of strong hands caught hers, holding her firmly in place. Zareth bit down on his lip until the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth, grounding him in reality. His voice came low and rough, laced with bitterness. “Karina, how else do you plan to humiliate me now?”