Chapter 2

The only response I got was Luo Yao's vine whip cracking across my chest.

A searing line of pain spread from the point of impact.

I looked down, eyes blurring with tears.

The fur wrap I wore had split open, the pale skin of my chest showing through the gap.

A red welt blazed across my skin where the whip had landed.

My skin had always been sensitive. A small scratch was enough to make me cry. There was no way I could just endure this.

"Luo Yao, you've gone too far!"

But Luo Yao only looked at me with self-righteous certainty.

"You're the one who's gone too far. You're Cang Su's female — how dare you speak to him like that?"

My eyes burned red. The pain made my breath hitch in sharp little gasps. I stared at her in disbelief.

Cang Su heard her words, and something flickered across his face — just for a moment.

Then he turned on me with a sneer.

"Look at yourself. Useless. In this entire territory, who else would ever take you as their female besides me?"

"Luo Yao's right. Don't be so ungrateful."

He studied me with cold, impatient eyes, his gaze pausing on the curve of my waist with undisguised contempt.

I knew exactly what had changed. The moment Luo Yao arrived, he started resenting how fragile I was. I couldn't go out hunting with him the way she could.

He resented every little thing I needed. Heated water. Cooked meat. Soft furs to keep my skin from chapping.

Nothing like Luo Yao, who wore nothing but a grass skirt and walked into any situation without a second thought.

But I had tried, once. I'd actually tried to be more like her. The fever that followed nearly killed me, and only then did he see that I was different — and decide to accommodate me.

I thought about that, and something hardened in my chest. I clenched my fists.

"There are plenty of males in this world. I don't need you specifically. You clearly don't even like me anymore — so let's just end this."

Cang Su's expression didn't change. If anything, he looked more irritated.

"Enough. I only wanted you to learn half of what Yao knows before letting you go. But if you keep this up, don't blame me for what comes next."

He was completely sure my words were just an outburst. Sure that I couldn't leave him.

After all these years, I'd been difficult — but always obedient in front of him.

So he'd always believed I couldn't survive without him.

What he didn't understand was that when I'd first arrived in this strange world, I was utterly alone. No one. Nothing. Just fear.

He was the one who walked up to me and held out a handful of small sweet berries. He was the one who offered to be my beast husband.

That's why I'd held on to him so tightly. He was the only anchor I had in a world I didn't know.

But now he didn't want me. All he'd given me for a long time was pain and humiliation.

So fine. We could be done.

The coldness in his voice only made me more certain. I wiped my face and said it again.

"No. I told you — I don't want you anymore. I'm going to find someone new."

I pressed my hand over my torn top and turned to go.

Cang Su grabbed my arm.

The grip was immediate and brutal. My wrist went red in seconds, a deep ache radiating up through the bone.

He didn't seem to notice. He just glared at me.

"I've clearly spoiled you rotten."

"I had Yao train you for three years. Three years, so you could become a female worth having. I did that for you — and this is how you repay me?"

Luo Yao, who had been quiet up until now, stepped in right on cue.

"Cang Su, this is my fault. I just couldn't stand watching her disrespect you like that. Maybe I should leave."

She paused, then sighed with practiced exhaustion.

"I just didn't realize she was this fragile. When we go out hunting, we take hits far worse than this. Most of us don't even flinch. She just… she's never going to make it as a proper female at this rate."

Cang Su let out a cold sound of agreement.

"She's been pampered too long. No ability, no spine, and now she wants to speak to me like that. She needs to be corrected."

Before I could react, he shoved me down onto the stone bed beside us.

I panicked, twisting and fighting against his hold.

"Cang Su — what are you doing? Let go of me, please—"

It was useless. His grip locked my arms down without even straining.

When I stopped being able to move, Luo Yao smiled and stepped forward.

The vine in her hand this time was aimed between my legs.

"Exactly. Ruan Tang, the way you've been acting is a disgrace to every female in this territory."

"I'm going to teach you some manners."

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