Chapter 1 Chapter 1

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day the arranged marriages were to be finalized. "Kevin and I are genuinely in love, Annabelle. Please, I'm begging you! You can't stop us from being together. We've already gone all the way! What do you expect me to do if I can't marry him? Are you forcing me to my death?" My sister, Meredith Singer, ducked into Dad's arms and started weeping as she spoke. However, her eyes gleamed with ambition. It was in that instant that I realized she'd been reborn, too. In fact, it had happened before I'd been reborn. That was how she'd gotten the opportunity to fall into bed with Kevin Walker so early on. Dad held Meredith protectively and consoled her. "Don't be upset, my darling. Annabelle, can you pick someone else to be your fiance? Your sister…" That was how he'd always been. Meredith had always been his favorite, and I was always the neglected one. I sneered at Meredith's dramatic act. She was so materialistic. Memories of my past life resurfaced. I remembered how my son, Tim Walker, had burned to death in my arms, his face contorted in pain. I clenched my fists, wanting nothing more than to kill Meredith. Still, I said, "I'm willing to marry someone else as long as Meredith can be happy, Dad." Meredith was taken aback, evidently not expecting me to give in so easily. "Hurry up and thank your sister, Meredith," Dad urged. He tried to put on a stern expression, but his body clearly sagged in relief. "Thanks, Annabelle," Meredith said half-heartedly. She ran out to tell everyone the news, seemingly afraid I'd go back on my word. "Meredith grows up so fast. Now that she has someone she loves, she can't wait to start a new life with him," Dad said fondly as he watched her skip away. However, when he turned back and saw the cold look on my face, his expression became awkward. "I'm pleased that you were willing to back down for Meredith's sake, Annabelle. Now, only Simon Lynch, the leader of the vampires, and Landon Zeller, the king of the zombies, are single among the leaders of the Otherkin. You can choose either of them to be your husband. "Before today, Meredith told me that Simon is a better match for you. He's handsome, and the vampires are wealthy. They're of higher status and more influential among the Otherkin, compared to the zombies," he said. Simon? In my past life, he was a notorious playboy who'd ultimately contracted an STD. I smiled coldly and replied, "I choose Landon, Dad." Rumor had it that the zombies were cold and heartless, and their appearances were lackluster. In the past millennia, no one had chosen to marry a zombie. And so, no zombie had ever held the role of being the Otherkin Alliance's chairman. Their numbers had dwindled over the years, and their status within the Otherkin Alliance had steadily sunk. Ultimately, they were reduced to the bottom of the pyramid, stripped even of the smallest share of resources by previous chairmen. If things continued like this, they were bound to face extinction. In my past life, on the brink of death, I'd seen a pair of green eyes so bright, they were like gems. They were beautiful, and I knew that Landon was the only one who had such eyes. He'd charged into the sea of flames without hesitation and tried his best to save me and Tim. Unfortunately, the fire had been too fierce, and he'd failed to do anything. In the end, he had died with us.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Dad frowned, evidently finding my decision a silly one. However, when he realized I was serious about it, he chose to respect my choice. It was clear he was disappointed in me, though. After all, to him, marrying a zombie, which was the lowest in status among the Otherkin, meant there was no chance of me having any children. There was also the fact that zombies generally couldn't reproduce. In turn, that meant that Landon would never become the chairman of the Otherkin Alliance. I knew Dad thought Meredith stood a better chance of making him proud and elevating his status. After all, the werewolves had always been known for their strong reproductive abilities. They were also some of the alliance's most powerful warriors. "Well, if that's what you want, so be it. Maybe you can ask Meredith for help if life after marriage gets too hard," he said. But later, when Meredith learned that I'd chosen to marry Landon, she blatantly mocked me. "I heard the zombies are so far gone that they're about to get kicked out of the Otherkin Alliance, Annabelle. They can't even feed themselves. Let's hope you don't starve to death before even getting pregnant! "Things are the opposite with the Whitefang pack. I heard they're so wealthy that they can afford to add precious herbs even when taking baths. Well, if you're willing to grovel at my feet and beg me, I'll consider giving you some of my leftovers." She covered her mouth and burst into laughter. The way she saw it, Alpha Kevin was faithful, loyal, and a passionate partner. More importantly, the Whitefang pack had abundant resources and wealth. She thought those were the reasons I was the first to have a child in our past lives. However, there was one thing she didn't understand. When humans and werewolves came together, it would take much longer to conceive. Kevin, desperate to have more power, had urgently wanted an heir so he could ascend to the position of the alliance's chairman. And so, when I'd failed to conceive a pup even after six months together, he'd become completely different. He was nothing like the devoted gentleman everyone thought he was. Kevin started blaming me for failing to produce a pup. He vented his depression and resentment at not being able to secure the chairman position on me, secretly tormenting me day and night. But on the outside, he still acted like he loved me deeply. He even told everyone that he didn't care whether or not I was the first to produce an Otherkin heir. He claimed that I wasn't a stepping stone for him to attain greater heights among the Otherkin. For a moment, everyone was jealous of me for having such a good mate. In secret, however, I was left hanging in the balance from Kevin's torment and almost died. After all, my death was the only way for him to choose another human woman to be his mate. It was only until I used a secret art to conceive and help him become the chairman of the Otherkin Alliance that he finally stopped his insane abuse. I was calmer than ever before when I saw Meredith's mocking smile. I smiled faintly in return and said, "Don't worry about me, Meredith. Landon is a responsible partner, and I doubt I'll regret my decision. I hope you don't, either." When she saw that I was calm instead of flying off the handle as she'd expected, she felt like a pathetic clown. After all, in the past, we would start arguing whenever she gloated about something to my face. Then, she would play the victim to garner pity and make people despise me, thinking I was too selfish to care about my sister. That day, however, her plan failed. That infuriated her, and she swept the pastries off the table to the floor, screaming, "What do you have to be smug about, Annabelle? Landon Zeller is broke and pathetic! He can't even put food on the table! "I'll be the first to get pregnant and produce an heir! I'll be the chairman's wife! You, on the other hand, will end up begging on the streets for food!" I didn't want to argue with a lunatic, so I turned and walked away. I focused on preparing for my wedding in three days. Meredith was right about one thing—the zombies were poor. I was worried they wouldn't even have money to get me a wedding dress, so I decided to prepare my own. To my surprise, Landon came to me the following night to deliver my wedding gown. That was my first time seeing him properly. He wasn't as ugly as the rumors made him out to be. He was only rather pale because zombies were nocturnal creatures that only moved around in the night. He also didn't smell bad. In fact, there was something oddly fragrant about him. He had a pair of deep green eyes that gleamed like gemstones, and a mole at the corner of his eye accentuated his good looks. He was well-built and had broad shoulders. I could even vaguely make out a toned chest and abs through his white shirt. Landon opened the box he held. I was instantly captivated by what was inside. It was a green floor-length gown with scales on it that shimmered underneath the moonlight. It looked like a flowing galaxy. "Annabelle." He sounded so calm that it was as if he were talking to a stranger, not the woman he would soon be marrying. "The best zombie tailor made this gown. Each scale on this was picked from the abyss by all of us. "This is zombies' first time entering into a marriage alliance with the humans, so it is of great importance to us. If there's anything I've done that doesn't meet your expectations, please let me know immediately." I finally tore my eyes away from the gown. "Thank you. It's breathtaking, and I love it." I put the gown back into the box and was about to put it away when Meredith barged into my room, her arm in Kevin's. "Is that the only gown you have, Annabelle? It doesn't have any diamonds or gems on it at all!" She covered her mouth in feigned shock. "Kevin prepared ten gowns for me, you know. Each one has the most expensive sapphires embroidered on it." Kevin looked at her, his gaze filled with love and devotion. Meredith had only heard rumors about Kevin being faithful and devoted. She had no idea how manic he could be when it came to becoming the chairman of the alliance. I wondered whether he would continue being gentle with her if she failed to conceive. Landon looked up at Meredith's words. Then, he turned to me and said seriously, "I won't deny that we're struggling now. However, I vow that I, the zombie king, will never betray you in this lifetime. You will be my only queen." Meredith snorted at that and tightened her grip on Kevin's arm. "That's just lip service. The point here is which one of us will have a child first and help our husbands become the chairman of the Otherkin Alliance." It seemed the inability to conceive in her past life had traumatized her. She was so obsessed with getting pregnant that she'd already moved in with Kevin. She'd done it the day she'd announced that she was choosing Kevin as her partner. I smiled, thinking that Meredith and Kevin made a good match. They were equally fervent about being the first to produce an heir. "Perhaps you should focus on preparing for your wedding instead of staring at my fiance, Meredith. Otherwise, people might think you have ulterior motives," I said. Then, I held Landon's hand and pulled him away as Meredith and Kevin watched me awkwardly. Meredith was dumb. Even though she was lucky enough to get a second chance at life, she still firmly believed that having a child was her only path to power.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

"Annabelle, I know you only picked me because you didn't have a choice. Still, I promise to do the best within my abilities to provide you with a good life," Landon said seriously. I turned to face him, but we were closer than I expected. I was pressed flush against his chest. I looked up into his green eyes and slowly enunciated, "You're wrong, Landon. I willingly chose you to be my husband, so you should also think of me as your future partner." A trace of complexity flickered in his eyes. Then, he said, "I understand." … My wedding day soon arrived. The wedding that the Whitefang pack threw for Meredith was even grander than it had been in my past life. They even managed to invite the previous alliance chairman to act as an officiant. And so, all Otherkin attended the wedding. Meanwhile, the zombie clan's wedding was on a much smaller scale. It was cozy and private. There weren't any VIP guests or Otherkin present, but I saw genuine joy on the faces of all the zombies. They all gave Landon and me their sincerest blessings. I ran into Meredith after the ceremony. She held her head high, displaying the mark on her neck. She said, "I never would've expected Kevin to be so… voracious for me. If things continue like this, I think I'll soon produce the very first heir." I smiled politely. "Good luck with that." She was too naive. She didn't understand that humans and werewolves were two different species. It wouldn't be easy to conceive, and it would take longer than usual. She had naively thought that since I'd gotten pregnant so quickly in my past life, she would naturally have everything I'd once had after stealing the man to whom I'd been married. She'd even assured the Whitefang pack's elders that she would get pregnant within six months. Thanks to her bragging, almost everyone was aware of this. Even Kevin believed her claims and showered her with more love and affection than before. Meredith seemed to already see the day she would become the wife of the alliance's chairman. She stuck her nose in the air and looked at me contemptuously as she said, "Forget it. I know you won't understand. You've married into squalor, after all. Maybe the next time we run into each other will be when you're begging on the streets." To her surprise, I grabbed her arm and snarled, "Apologize, Meredith. Apologize to the zombies now!" That angered her. She shook me off and snapped, "Have you lost your mind, Annabelle? Don't touch me, you scum!" The guests in the hall stopped and crowded around to watch us argue. Soon, Dad was also attracted by the ruckus. After finding out what had happened, he forced Meredith to apologize to the zombies. Even if the zombies were on the lowest rung of the Otherkin's social ladder, that didn't mean they would allow a mere human to insult them. Before leaving, Meredith glared at me and hissed, "Just wait, Annabelle. I'll take away everything you once had! This time, I'll be the chairman's wife!" … That night was my and Landon's wedding night. I froze as I stared at his body. His toned chest and defined abs made for a more delectable body than I'd imagined. However, what surprised me was that no one had ever said he would be so well-endowed in certain aspects… nine inches, to be exact. That realization instantly made me heat up. Landon misunderstood my reaction, and his face, which was slightly flushed in embarrassment, turned ashen. He picked up his clothes from beside the bed and started pulling them on. "What are you doing?" I swiped the clothes from him and threw them away, looking at him in displeasure. He lowered his head awkwardly, not daring to meet my eyes. His green eyes dulled. "I thought… you were unwilling…" Instead of saying anything, I used my actions to prove myself to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed myself against his body, kissing him passionately. His familiar fragrance enveloped me. I murmured, "Landon, you smell amazing…" That made his ears turn bright red. The next thing I knew, he captured my lips in an even more searing kiss. In between kisses, he whispered, "A zombie's fated partner is the only one who can see what we truly look like and smell the fragrance unique to us. I'm a lucky man, Annabelle." Our bodies remained pressed together as we shared a passionate night. It wasn't until dawn, when the first light of day slowly crept over the horizon, that Landon stopped as I begged for mercy in exhaustion. He'd lasted way too long… That was my final thought before passing out. … Three months later, I received news that Meredith was pregnant. I was stunned. Over the past millennia, no one had ever conceived an Otherkin's child in such a short time. The Whitefang pack even had a special ceremony to celebrate the imminent arrival of a new life. Everyone was invited to attend. "This must be a blessing from the Moon Goddess! Having an heir in just three months is nothing short of a miracle!" Kevin held up his wine glass as he proudly announced the good news. It was almost as if there was no doubt that he would be the next alliance chairman. Everyone started flattering and currying favor with him. They all thought that he would surely be the next chairman, and that this was their best opportunity to suck up to him. Per Meredith's request, I was seated beside her. Her belly was already swollen, and she caressed it while gloating in my face. "It's been three months, Annabelle. Why isn't there any news of you being pregnant? You can't do it, right? It's such a shame," she said, her tone tinged with mockery. A human and Otherkin child grew rapidly, so five months was enough to carry it to term. I glanced at her belly, figuring she would have her child in another three months. However, Meredith evidently wasn't aware that she would be in for a rough ride when giving birth to her pup if she didn't control her diet. I'd followed a strict diet in my past life, but the pain of labor had still tormented me for a day and night. I'd almost died before giving birth to Tim. I said calmly, "Historically, the fastest an Otherkin has ever impregnated a human is a year, yet you've only taken three months. What exactly did you do to get pregnant? That's a question that only you can answer." Meredith's eyes widened in horror, and her voice became shrill. "What are you talking about, Annabelle?" She was still as easily goaded as always. "I wish you luck for when you're in labor, Meredith." I held up my champagne flute and left the celebration with my arm in Landon's. … Three months later, Meredith endured the pain of labor for three days and nights before finally giving birth. However, the Whitefang pack didn't spread the good news about the birth even after a week had passed. They'd even turned Dad away when he'd gone to visit. There was no doubt that something had gone wrong with the baby. Late one night, Dad summoned me home. Landon went with me. Meredith wept in Dad's arms as she held a baby with red eyes. He smiled when he saw us, revealing his sharp fangs. He was clearly a vampire's child! Meredith was still trying to make excuses for herself. "This is our child! It's just that… something's gone wrong!" Kevin's expression was hideous, and he clenched his fists tightly, clearly enraged. "You're a whore, Meredith! Who did you sleep with behind my back? Tell me who the asshole is, or I'll kill this bastard right now!"