My mother had always favored my younger sister, Alora Caine.

In the previous timeline, Alora had acted first and selected the spirit deer that was far more compatible with me.

I had no choice but to settle for a carp that had not yet taken human form.

One day, the spirit deer suddenly went berserk and nearly killed Alora, turning her into a laughingstock within the school.

Meanwhile, my carp came across a rare opportunity and transformed into a lucky carp beloved by everyone.

In a fit of madness, Alora drove a blade into my stomach.

When I opened my eyes and saw Alora choosing the carp without hesitation, I immediately knew she had also returned to the past.

Little did she know that the carp’s transformation into a lucky carp had never been a matter of luck. I had gone to great lengths to set it down that path.

Upon coming of age, every student of the school had to choose a mate.

Each year, the mates sent in were selected in stages, beginning with the principal’s children.

A mate’s future potential greatly affected the person to whom it was bound.

“The heirs from the various tribes will enter shortly. Choose carefully. The bond you form with your mate will last a lifetime.”

My mother, Edith Caine, continued speaking. Her tone turned noticeably sharper. “Yvonne, although the elders believe that Roscoe, the Spirit Deer Tribe’s heir, is the most compatible with you, that doesn’t necessarily make him the best choice.

“As the older sister, you should let your younger sister have the nicer things. Do you understand?”

I stared at her in a daze. The memory of my death was still painfully vivid when I met her stern gaze once more.

That sternness had always been reserved for me alone. When it came to my younger sister, Alora Caine, Mother had always been nothing but gentle and indulgent.

“Yvonne Caine, answer me!” she snapped coldly.

I smiled ruefully. “Mother, what do you want me to say?”

In the previous timeline, I had argued my case.

Roscoe, the spirit deer, was clearly the better match for me. Yet, Mother had called me greedy. She said I lacked the generosity of an older sister and would never amount to anything.

In the end, he became Alora’s mate, and I had to settle for the carp.

Later, Roscoe nearly killed Alora when he went berserk during his advancement.

My carp, on the other hand, transformed into a lucky carp and earned the admiration of countless people.

Several elders even jointly recommended me as the successor to the school.

When Mother urgently summoned me in the middle of the night, I thought she had finally begun to see my worth.

Instead, I entered the room and was met with Alora’s blade.

I clutched my abdomen as blood spilled between my fingers.

Mother merely stood to the side, crying as she begged me to forgive Alora and insisting it had not been intentional.

So I just deserved to die?

Everything from the previous timeline flashed before my eyes like a flood of memories.

I used to believe Mother simply loved me less. Never did I imagine that even my life meant so little to her.

“Mother, let Yvonne have Roscoe. Don’t argue with her over me. I’m happy to take the Carp Tribe’s heir, Marin.”

Alora smiled sweetly and obediently as she cradled the carp in her arms.

Mother was too preoccupied to scold me. She frowned and asked, “Alora, are you sure you want Marin? Choosing a mate is not something to take lightly.”

She knew that Alora, proud and always demanding for the best, would never choose a carp over a spirit deer.

A flicker of disgust crossed Alora’s eyes. She understood just as well that Roscoe was the better choice.

‘In the previous timeline, choosing Roscoe nearly cost me my life. This time, I’ll let Yvonne suffer that fate instead,’ she thought.

“Mother, I want Marin.”

Alora glanced at me with a faint, mocking smile, as though she had already foreseen my death.

She never considered that if she had not forced Roscoe into advancement, a creature of his lineage would never have suffered a failure and fallen into madness.

Marin’s transformation into a lucky carp had never been a matter of luck; I had risked everything to secure that rare opportunity for him.

Yet that ungrateful carp had severed our bond using the power of the lucky carp while I was still alive.

Had he not taken that last thread of life, I would not have fallen to that blade.

Unable to sway Alora, Mother finally turned to me instead.

“Look how considerate Alora is to give up Roscoe for you. As her older sister, you should share half of your spirit treasures with her. The carp lineage needs careful nurturing.”

So Mother was well aware that the carp lineage required careful nurturing.

A dull ache settled in my chest.

Mother had never said anything like that in the previous timeline. Instead, she constantly insisted that the carp was useless and demanded that I give half of my spirit treasures to Alora.

I finally realized that Mother had never loved me, and choosing Roscoe or Marin would not change anything.

Since that was the case, I would choose neither of them.

I walked to the far end of the hall and picked up a black wolf that no one wanted.

I chose a mate who was loyal and ruthless, not an ungrateful carp that bonded with someone else before I was even dead.

Holding the black wolf in my arms, I said calmly, “Mother, I refuse to take what Alora rejected, and I won’t share my spirit treasures.”

“You used to share half of everything with Alora. Who taught you such selfishness? Have you no sense of sisterly affection?”

Mother never cared who was around when she reprimanded me.

Several students of the school nearby even snickered under their breaths.

I lifted the head I had always kept lowered in front of her. My normally gentle gaze hardened into something sharp.

“You did, Mother.”

She had taught me with my own death that blood relations amounted to nothing.

“Don’t regret this, Yvonne! One day, Marin will become a lucky carp. Mother, I’ll take good care of you then.”

Alora’s taunting voice rang out behind me as I carried the black wolf out of the hall.

I simply ignored her.

Just you wait and see. Without me carrying the burden, they would probably have to tighten their belts just to support Marin.

A carp would struggle just to leave the water without a good supply of spirit treasures. Even if a rare opportunity came, Alora would not have the chance to seize it.

Back in my room, the instant an orb of light sank into my forehead, Ralph, the black wolf, shook out his fur and transformed into a handsome man.

His luminous green eyes locked onto me, and I briefly forgot how to breathe.

Had I known he was this handsome, I would have brought him home in the previous timeline.

“D-Do you want something to eat?”

I swallowed hard, trying to hide my improper thoughts.

Ralph narrowed his eyes slightly, and I could not help drawing in a breath.

Somehow, he looked even more handsome than before.

Could I handle someone like him with that brooding, domineering presence?

“Don’t move.”

I instinctively held my breath as he suddenly leaned closer.

“We wolves only choose one mate in a lifetime. It’s a bond of life and death. I will etch you into my memory so I never forget you.”

“In that case, you should take it seriously.”

With that, I pinned him down onto the bed.

As expected of the black wolf lineage. They were all extremely strong and well-built. The sensation was exhilarating.

“W-What are you doing?”

Ralph’s face flushed deep red. His wolf ears popped out on top of his head, twitching slightly.

I let out a mischievous smile and tugged at his wolf ears. “Call me darling.”

“Darling,” he blurted out.

With a soft pop, he turned back into his small black wolf form.

I burst out laughing and buried my face in his chest fur.

At first, he tried to push me off. But he did not exert his real strength out of fear that he might hurt me.

I refused to get up. When he realized he could not push me off, he tilted his head back and simply gave up.

I had only ever heard that the black wolf lineage was the most loyal to their mates, but I had not expected it to be this appealing.

He looked so fierce, yet he was surprisingly mild-mannered.

In the previous timeline, I had chosen Marin and spent several days persuading him before he finally agreed to form a bond.

That ungrateful carp had a foul temper and was extremely spoiled.

Alora would never have the patience to deal with him, so I had no idea how the two of them got along.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I had struck gold.

I hugged Ralph and rubbed against him again, as if I could wear him down entirely.

“Ah!”

A sudden scream echoed outside, followed by a loud crash.

Alora’s cottage had collapsed, and Marin was still in the pond inside.

She stood beside the pond, soaked from head to toe, pointing at Marin as she furiously berated him.

She turned around just as I was stepping out of my cottage, and our eyes met.

Alora let out a shrill scream and pointed at me angrily.

“You did that on purpose just to laugh at me, didn’t you, Yvonne? I’m telling Mother you’re picking on me!”

Normally, I would back down the moment she threatened to tell Mother.

That had changed. I merely crossed my arms and leaned against the doorway with an amused smile.

“Go ahead. I’m not the one whose cottage collapsed, and I’m not the one whose mate rejected me.”

Alora let out a shriek and charged at me.

It was not that I could not beat her. I had only been yielding to her because I could not bear to upset Mother.

But I was done yielding.

My expression turned cold. Before I could even raise a hand against Alora, a black blur shot past me and knocked her to the ground.

I froze. “Ralph!”

A series of low growls rumbled from his throat as he locked his jaws around her throat.

At that moment, Alora could not even scream; she could barely make a sound.

“Alora, my Alora!”

Mother had rushed over at this point.

“Tell him to let her go at once! Are you set on killing your sister?”

Even though I no longer expected maternal love, her anxious expression still left my heart aching with a cold chill.

I had already sensed her presence earlier.

Had I been the one attacked instead of Alora, she would have waited until Alora had vented her anger before stepping out and telling me to be more forgiving.

“Mother, Ralph won’t go too far. This is just siblings fooling around. You don’t need to take it so seriously.”

I lowered my gaze as I repeated the very words she had once used on me.

Mother swung her hand at me, but I nimbly dodged it.

I stared at her. “Mother, if you take another step, I’ll have Ralph end her life.”

In the end, Mother backed down. She was afraid Alora might get hurt.

I could not help but sneer. We were both her daughters, yet she clearly valued us differently.

“Mother, I can get Ralph to release her, but you must promise you won’t hold him responsible or seek revenge. If anything happens to him afterward, it’ll be on you.”

Mother’s face went pale with fury.

“Is this how you speak to your elders? Are you demanding accountability from your own mother?”

I gave a bitter smile.

“I didn’t want this either. But you’ve always favored Alora. She made the first move today, and you didn’t even bother to ask before attacking me. You can do whatever you want with me, but Ralph is my mate. I won’t let him suffer for my sake.”

My expression of swallowed grievance and bitterness was not meant solely for Mother’s eyes.

Alora had caused quite a commotion.

At that point, the students had already gathered around, whispering among themselves.

Regardless of whether Mother accepted my terms on that day, she would still leave them with the impression of favoritism.

Hearing their murmurs, Mother ultimately relented.

Ralph released Alora and slowly walked back to me. His eyes were fixed warily on Mother as he stood protectively in front of me.

I stroked his head gently, calming him down.

Mother was too preoccupied to care about me. She frantically poured spirit elixirs into Alora’s mouth as if they cost nothing.

Alora slowly regained consciousness and pointed at me. “You despicable woman! Just you wait until Marin becomes a lucky carp. I’ll make you regret this. You’ll see. My carp will definitely transform into a lucky carp. When he does, I’ll have him end your life!”

I smirked. “I’ll be waiting.”

Did she really think a carp turning into a lucky carp was a blessing?

I had no obligation to tell her. She could cling to that dream and die with it for all I cared.

After that day, I asked Ralph about it, wondering if he had ever feared that Mother might, in a moment of ruthlessness, kill him outright.