The howling wind outside the cave ripped Cora from her sleep.

She snapped her eyes open. Her body ached, a deep soreness settling into her hips and lower back. She looked down. Dax's heavy, muscular arm was still locked tightly around her waist. Her male had not let go, even in sleep. His body remained vigilant, guarding his female.

She held her breath. Moving inch by inch, she slid out from under his crushing grip. She moved like a ghost, terrified of waking the apex predator sleeping beside her.

Cora stood up. She pressed a hand to her lower back and stretched. In her mind, she called out to Kay Lake.

Open the Beginner Survival Pack.

A transparent blue screen materialized in front of her. She reached out and selected a small vial of Basic Cellular Healing Fluid. It was the most valuable medical item in the pack.

She looked down at Dax. His brow was covered in sweat. His chest heaved with rapid, uneven breaths. The fever was burning him alive. He had saved her life last night, even if he didn't know it. He had served his purpose perfectly. Now it was her duty as his female to ensure he survived. She owed him.

Cora knelt beside him. She pinched his strong jaw, forcing his mouth open. She carefully tipped the vial, letting the blue liquid drip onto his tongue. Almost instantly, the deep lines of pain on his forehead smoothed out. His breathing slowed to a steady rhythm. She let out a long breath.

A loud, hollow growl echoed in the cave.

Cora clutched her stomach. Acid churned in her gut. The healing process had consumed massive amounts of calories. If she didn't eat right now, she was going to pass out.

She grabbed Dax's discarded, blood-stained fur coat and draped it over his naked body. She picked up a sharp, jagged tree branch from the cave floor. Gripping it tightly, she crept out of the cave and into the freezing wasteland.

The biting wind slapped her face. Cora shivered violently. Relying on the rabbit-mutant's natural instincts, she dropped to her knees. She began digging frantically through the hard-packed snow, searching for cold-resistant tubers.

Thirty minutes passed. Her fingernails cracked and bled, staining the snow red. Finally, her fingers brushed against something hard. She pulled out three shriveled snow-potatoes. She shoved them into her torn pockets, her heart leaping with relief.

She stood up to keep searching.

A wet, sickening crunching sound drifted from behind a nearby snowbank.

Cora dropped flat onto her stomach. She held her breath and peered through a gap in the dead, frozen brush.

A mutated scavenger fox was tearing into the rotting carcass of a beast. Its fur was patchy, exposing skin covered in oozing, yellow blisters.

Suddenly, the scavenger stopped chewing. Its mangled nose twitched. It caught the scent of fresh blood dripping from Cora's torn cuticles.

The beast snapped its head around. Bloodshot, yellow eyes locked directly onto Cora's hiding spot. It let out a high-pitched, screeching roar and lunged.

Cora's heart slammed against her ribs. Adrenaline flooded her veins. She scrambled to her feet, clutching her pockets, and ran. The rabbit-mutant's agility kicked in, her legs pumping with terrifying speed.

The scavenger fox was right behind her. Its foul breath washed over her calves. Sharp claws swiped at her ankles, tearing the fabric of her pants and grazing her skin. She stumbled, nearly eating the snow.

Cora spotted a narrow fissure between two massive boulders. She threw herself sideways, sliding hard on the ice, and wedged her body into the crack just as the fox snapped its jaws where her leg had been.

The scavenger slammed into the rocks. Its massive body was too wide to fit. It roared in fury, thrashing and clawing at the stone. Loose gravel rained down on Cora's head.

Cora didn't freeze. She gripped the sharpened tree branch with both hands. She aimed straight for the gap. When the fox shoved its hideous face into the opening, she drove the branch forward with all her weight.

The jagged wood pierced the fox's yellow eye.

The beast let out an ear-piercing shriek. Blood sprayed across the snow as it yanked its head back, thrashing in agony.

Cora didn't wait. She scrambled out the other side of the fissure, slipping and sliding on the ice, and sprinted back to the cave like her life depended on it.

She threw herself into the dark cave, collapsing onto the stone floor. She gasped for air, her lungs burning. Her clothes were soaked in freezing sweat and melted snow. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

She looked up. Dax was no longer a man. He had shifted back into the giant white fox. His breathing was deep and even. The healing fluid had stabilized him.

The cold was seeping into her bones, threatening to stop her heart. Fear vanished under the crushing need for heat. Cora crawled across the floor. She lifted the massive, heavy flap of his white belly fur and shoved herself underneath it. Her male's body was her shelter. This was his duty, and she claimed it without shame.

The heat radiating from his skin was like a blazing furnace. Cora let out a long, shuddering sigh. She curled into a tight ball, clutching her snow-potatoes to her chest, and let the exhaustion pull her under.

Hours passed. The faint light of dawn crept into the cave.

The giant white fox's ear twitched.

Dax slowly opened his ice-blue eyes. His brain was clouded with sleep and the lingering fog of his injuries. Instantly, his senses flared. There was a soft, foreign weight pressed directly against his vulnerable underbelly.

The apex predator's instinct hijacked his brain. A foolish, suicidal prey animal had snuck up on him while he was unconscious.

Dax moved with terrifying speed. He rolled over, his massive paw slamming down. He pinned the sleeping Cora to the stone floor. His razor-sharp claws pierced the fabric of her shirt, pressing directly against the fragile skin of her throat.

Cora woke up to a crushing weight and a sharp, stinging pain in her neck. She opened her eyes.

She was staring straight into a pair of feral, ice-blue, slit pupils. Pure, unadulterated killing intent rolled off the beast.

Dax stared down at the tiny prey trapped under his claws. She smelled like dirt, blood, and something incredibly sweet. A low, rumbling growl vibrated in his chest. He opened his massive jaws, exposing rows of deadly fangs, preparing to bite her head off for his first meal.

The stench of blood and wild beast washed over Cora's face. The freezing tips of Dax's fangs brushed against the pulse point on her neck.

Pure terror morphed instantly into explosive anger. She was a female of the Genesis Wasteland. A ruler by the laws of this world. This male—her male—dared to bare his fangs at her?

She slammed her hands against his massive, immovable paw. Ignoring the claws digging into her throat, she screamed in the Old World language, her voice cracking with fury.

"Stop! You ungrateful, stupid dog! How dare you threaten your female?!"

The sharp, furious female voice echoed off the stone walls.

The giant beast froze. His jaws snapped shut a millimeter from her jugular. The feral madness in his ice-blue eyes shattered. The voice of a dominant female struck something primal in his brain—an instinct deeper than hunger, older than rage. His body locked up in instant, biological submission.

Dax stared down at the dirt-covered, trembling creature beneath his paw. His brain finally processed the scent beneath the mud and the scavenger blood. It was the sweet, intoxicating scent of a high-tier female. His female. The same scent that had pulled him from the brink of death last night.

He yanked his paw back as if he had been burned. His massive body leaped backward, crashing into the cave wall and sending loose rocks clattering to the floor. What had he done? He had attacked his own female. The shame was immediate and crushing.

A blinding flash of silver light illuminated the cave.

The giant fox vanished. In its place stood a towering, heavily muscled man. He was completely naked, his broad chest heaving as he stared at her in horror.

Cora scrambled up, clutching her bleeding neck. She coughed violently, her eyes watering as she glared at the man who had just tried to eat her.

Dax saw the thin line of blood trickling down her pale throat. A violent flash of self-loathing twisted his sharp features. He dropped to one knee, his head bowing low in the unmistakable posture of a male begging his female's forgiveness. His voice was a rough, gravelly rasp. "I'm sorry. I thought you were..."

"Thought I was your breakfast?" Cora sneered, wiping the blood from her neck. "I am your female. I saved your life last night, and this is how you repay me? You kneel because you know you have failed in your duty."

At the words last night, fragments of hot, frantic memories slammed into Dax's mind. The soft skin. The desperate whimpers. The explosive release of his energy. The moment his female had claimed him as her first husband.

A dark, furious blush crept up his neck and burned the tips of his ears. His eyes darted away, unable to look at her. He had committed the gravest sin a male could commit—he had threatened the female he was bound to serve. He blindly grabbed the torn fur coat from the floor and wrapped it around his waist, his fingers fumbling. "I... my injuries. I lost my mind. I didn't know."

Cora watched the deadly predator turn into a flustered, blushing mess. The tight knot of panic in her chest loosened slightly. This was how males in this world behaved when confronted by an angry female. They submitted. They pleaded. They were not tyrants—they were servants.

Host, Kay Lake's mechanical voice chimed in. You must establish a Beast Mark Contract immediately. System energy requires a stable anchor. Formalizing the husband bond will strengthen your authority.

Cora took a deep breath. She straightened her spine, ignoring the pain in her back. She locked her eyes onto his, her tone shifting into a cold, business-like cadence. She was a dominant female negotiating terms with her male. This was her right.

"Since you feel so guilty, let's make a deal."

Dax's head snapped up. In the wasteland, females were absolute rulers. They commanded. Males obeyed. But he had never seen a female look at him with such calculating, fearless eyes. This was not a fragile creature. This was a woman stepping fully into her biological destiny.

"My name is Cora Hickman," she stated. "I need a strong protector. You will be the first of my husbands. And you need a female to stabilize your volatile energy."

Dax's breath hitched. She was right. The violent, burning agony that usually tore through his veins was completely gone. His core was perfectly calm, anchored by the lingering trace of her scent on his skin. She had already claimed him. Her energy was already taming his.

Cora took a step closer. She didn't flinch. "I propose we sign a Beast Mark Contract. Right now. You will be my first husband, Dax. The foundation male of my future household. "

The words hit Dax like a physical blow. A Beast Mark Contract with a female. The highest honor any male could receive. To be chosen as a female's first husband—the position of greatest trust and authority among her males. The pride of a Tier-9 predator screamed at him to reject being tied down. But his heart hammered violently against his ribs. This was what every male secretly craved. To be chosen. To belong.

He frowned, his jaw tightening as he tried to regain control of the situation. "A contract? Do you even know who I am? I am a-"

"I don't care who you are," Cora cut him off, her voice sharp. "You are a male. You need a female to survive. Out here in the wasteland, without me, you'll eventually die from energy deviation. And without you, I'll be eaten by the next scavenger that walks by. You will protect me. That is your purpose."

She pointed a dirt-stained finger at the massive, jagged scar healing on his abdomen. "This deal is a win-win for you. I am offering you the position of first husband. Do not make me reconsider. "

Dax stared into her clear, unwavering eyes. There was no greed in them. No manipulation. Just a raw, burning will to survive—and the unmistakable authority of a female who knew exactly what she was worth.

A low, vibrating chuckle started deep in his chest. The sound filled the cave. The instinct to resist vanished, replaced by a dark, possessive thrill. His female was fierce. She would lead, and he would follow.

Dax lunged forward. His large hand wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her flush against his hard chest. He leaned down, his lips hovering inches from hers. His voice dropped to a dangerous, silken whisper. "I accept. But understand this, my female—my contract lasts until death. I will be your first husband, and I will kill any male who tries to take my place."

Cora's breath caught in her throat. The sheer force of his male pheromones made her head spin. But she tilted her chin up, refusing to back down. "Deal. You are mine now, Dax. Do not forget it."

Dax lifted his free hand. A single drop of glowing, ice-blue blood materialized on his fingertip. It was the core essence of his power. He offered it freely—a male surrendering his strength to his female.

He pressed his finger against her collarbone.

A searing, burning pain shot through Cora's skin. She gasped, her fingers digging into his biceps. The glowing blood sank into her flesh, blooming into an intricate, ice-blue tattoo of a fox tail. The mark of her first husband. Visible proof of her status as a claimed female.

Beast Mark Contract established, the system chimed. Host vitals permanently stabilized. First husband bond formalized. Female authority recognized and anchored. Next phase initiated.

The glowing blue tattoo on Cora's collarbone slowly faded into her skin. She rubbed the spot, the skin still hot to the touch. She took a deep breath, deciding to shatter the heavy silence in the cave.

She looked at Dax, who was adjusting the fur pelt around his waist. She kept her voice as casual as if she were commenting on the weather. "Since we're officially contracted partners now, there's something you need to know."

Dax stopped moving. He turned to face her, his ice-blue eyes entirely focused on her face. His female was about to give him a command. He was ready to obey. "What is it?"

Cora's hands instinctively dropped to her flat stomach. Her throat tightened. "I'm... pregnant. With triplets."

The words sucked all the oxygen out of the cave. Dax's massive body locked up. It was as if someone had driven a steel spike through his spine.

His pupils dilated wildly. His gaze dropped to her stomach, his brain misfiring as it tried to process the information.

In the wasteland, conception was a miracle. Triplets were a myth. More importantly, last night was their first time. There was absolutely no way she could know she was pregnant from him this fast. His female was carrying cubs—and he had not fathered them.

Dax's mind raced down a dark, twisted path. He reached the only logical conclusion his wasteland brain could form: She was already pregnant before they met. His female had another male before him. A male who should have been her first husband.

The image burned into his mind. A fragile, pregnant Cora, abandoned by some worthless male, left to freeze to death in the snow. A male who had failed in the most fundamental duty—protecting his female. That was why she was so desperate for a protector. That was why she forced the contract. She had been betrayed by the male who should have knelt at her feet.

A wave of pure, homicidal rage erupted in Dax's chest. The muscles in his arms bulged, his veins pressing against his skin. The fury wasn't directed at Cora. It was directed at the phantom male who had left her to die. Any male who abandoned his female deserved a slow, agonizing death.

He closed the distance between them in one stride. His large hands gripped her shoulders. His grip was tight, his knuckles turning white. His voice was a low, terrifying snarl. "Who is the bastard?! Tell me his name so I can tear him apart! "

Cora flinched, startled by the sudden explosion of violence. She stared at him, completely lost. "Huh? What bastard?"

Dax saw the confusion in her eyes. To him, it looked like the dazed trauma of a broken heart. His female had been wounded by a worthless male. It was his duty now to heal that wound. A fierce, overwhelming wave of protectiveness crushed his anger.

He loosened his grip instantly. He pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a crushing hug. His large hand stroked her hair. "Don't be afraid. I'm here now. I will be the husband he failed to be. No one will ever hurt you or the cubs again. These children will be mine to protect."

Cora's cheek was smashed against his pectoral muscle. She listened to his fierce, solemn vow, and her brain finally caught up to his logic. He thought she was carrying her ex's babies. He thought he was stepping into another male's place—and he was embracing it with absolute devotion.

She opened her mouth to tell him the truth. But the words died on her tongue. How could she explain the system? How could she explain a twenty-four-hour forced pregnancy? She would sound completely insane.

Cora snapped her mouth shut. She chose the path of least resistance. She let out a soft, pathetic sigh and buried her face deeper into his chest, playing the role of the tragic victim. Let him believe what he wanted. His protectiveness was useful.

System prompt: Host's deception tactics have a 98% success rate on males of this intelligence level, the mechanical voice chimed in her head. Cora mentally crushed the system's voice.

A glowing interface popped up in her vision. Hidden Objective Completed: Confess Pregnancy. Reward: 50 Survival Points. New Quest Unlocked: Expand Household. Additional husbands required for optimal cub development.

Cora read the system prompt. Survival points could be exchanged for Old World supplies. She also quickly scanned the biological data. As a rabbit-mutant, her gestation period was terrifyingly short. The system wanted her to find more husbands. More males to protect and provide. The thought was still strange, but in this world, it was as natural as breathing.

Her stomach let out a loud, embarrassing rumble, shattering the dramatic tension.

Dax pulled back immediately. His face was dead serious. "You need to eat. Stay right here. I'm going to hunt. A husband who cannot feed his pregnant female is worthless. "

Without waiting for a reply, he turned, shifted into the giant white fox, and bolted out of the cave into the snowstorm. He was a male on a mission to provide for his tragic little female.

The second he was gone, Cora opened the system store. She spent her 50 points immediately.

A flash of light illuminated the cave. A steaming, hot paper bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup appeared in her hands.

The rich, salty aroma of chicken broth and herbs filled the damp cave. Cora's eyes watered. It was the smell of the modern world.

She grabbed the plastic fork and shoved the noodles into her mouth. She ate like a starving animal. The scalding broth burned her tongue, but she didn't care. The warmth spread down her throat, thawing the ice in her veins.

She swallowed the last drop of soup and let out a loud burp. A warm, pulsing energy settled in her lower abdomen.

Nutrients successfully converted for fetal development, the system chimed. Host stamina restored to 60%. First husband's hunting efforts will supplement future caloric needs.

Cora quickly tossed the empty bowl and fork into the system's digital incinerator. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, slumped against the stone wall, and arranged her face into an expression of weak exhaustion, waiting for Dax to return. Her first husband was hunting for her. It was a strange, warm thought. In her old world, she had been alone. Here, males competed to serve. The difference was staggering.