Chapter 417

Chapter 417 Chapter 417 42%

+53 The moment the firework burst, sealed memories flooded back like a tide. He was just wondering how to tell Nyx when she saw right through him.

Nyx looked dazed, cheeks flushed, staying quiet. A young, tender partner was different from a mature male–subtle shifts in his gaze and presence. She had her own way of knowing.

Urgent footsteps climbed the tower, heading straight for her. Nyx looked up and saw Pale Wolf, clearly with his memories back too.

If the young general was a sharp sword, now Erik was a towering mountain–just standing there, endlessly dependable. Even Grayball, who usually ignored him, tucked its tail cautiously, trailing behind like he was the wolf king.

Nyx crouched down, hugged the wolf cub she’d raised from a pup, and kissed its head. It was huge now but still loved to act cute like when it was little.

“Goodbye, Grayball,” Nyx whispered her farewell.

She was glad she could leave a projection behind to keep this clingy wolf company after she left, sparing its feelings. Behind her, Erik watched her cuddle the gray cub, his expression unreadable.

The oblivious Nyx said bye to the world, closed her eyes, and let Heavenly Law pull her and her successful partners out of the test. A test lasting three or four years felt like a long work trip. Back home, seeing a house full of males, Nyx felt an odd, shy distance.

“Tired, Nyx?” Zayne poured her a hot drink, taking her hand as he did.

A spark shot from her fingertips through her whole body. Nyx trembled slightly, sipped the drink, and hid her unease.

Back in her real body, her sharp sight, smell, and hearing all returned. She was hyper–aware. Even with her eyes lowered, she could feel those beastly stares locked on her alone.

A drop of drink lingered on her lip. All the males swallowed hard, tension brewing, like they were vying to lick it off.

Nyx quickly grabbed a handkerchief, wiped her mouth, sat up straight, coughed lightly, and got to business. “This time, I did the test with Aurelius and Pale Wolf together.”

“Two? Together?” The males all turned to Aurelius and Erik, eyes probing.

Theon and Felix had tested with Nyx together too, but they shared a beast form and were uncle and nephew, so it wasn’t a shock.

But Aurelius and Erik were always at each other’s throat. Everyone went quiet. The ones yet to test exchanged looks, their expressions growing wary and complicated.

Under one roof, they were all territorial, aggressive males. Fighting and jealousy were par for the course. If Heavenly Law paired them up for a test too, without memories, there would be all sorts of chaos.

“Did it go well?” Jaws asked, smiling calmly, though his heart wasn’t.

Erik didn’t waste words. He ripped open his shirt, showing the changed mark on his chest to everyone.

Compared to him, Aurelius was more refined, nodding. “Everything went smoothly.”

Even sworn enemies like them didn’t fail. The others instantly felt more at ease.

They sat and chatted for a bit, then rolled around on the carpet with the males‘ gorgeous beast forms. Nyx’s awkwardness 1/4 16:15 Mon, 17 Mar M Chapter 417 melted away. She stood, brushing off imaginary dust from her skirt. “I’m going to take a shower.”

It was daytime now. She could nap if she wanted.

༥ 12 ི 42-

Star Alliance’s technology beat ancient times by miles. Back in a high–tech world, Nyx felt light, showering in hot water for ages, then slipping into bed with steam still rising off her.

Suddenly, she kicked something furry. She yanked the blanket back, eyes wide in shock.

“Ash?” she asked, then she thought, ‘No, no–wait. Ash is grown, a big, mighty wolf like his dad. What is this tiny gray floppy thing?

In a flash. Nyx’s mind spun wild ideas–like Ash sneaking a secret cub back for her to raise.

The little gray ball stirred, lifting its head, revealing deep blue eyes. “It’s me.”

That mature voice–she knew it too well. “Pale Wolf?” She leaned in, stunned. “How’d you turn into this?”

He was so small–just a cub.

“Zayne’s lab made a new potion. Drink it, and you shrink back to cub form for a bit, Erik said, clearly not used to his tiny body. He stumbled a few steps and crashed into Nyx’s chest.

His fluffy fur felt amazing. Nyx couldn’t resist, took a deep breath, and reached out with guilty hands. She guessed Pale Wolf »

did this to cheer her up after saying bye to Grayball.

“Any side effects?” she asked, touched but worried.

Erik shook his head. “Nope. Got it straight from Zayne.”

Zayne was steady and reliable. Nyx relaxed, scooping the cub–form partner to her chest, kissing and petting him until little Pale Wolf’s tail wagged like crazy, blurring with excitement.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a shadow by the window. She froze, slowly turning to look. A white kitty with a tiger–stripe forehead crouched there, blue eyes full of resentment, staring at them for who–knows–how–long-

Nyx stiffened. Alarm bells ringing, she crept to the window, opened it, and scooped the white cat in, striking first. “Why didn’t you knock to let me know you were here?”

The little white cat drooped its head. “Didn’t want to interrupt you.”

Sun shone bright outside, but he looked like a soggy, helpless kitten, curling into a ball on the sill. She smelled jealousy. He looked so pitiful–so she didn’t call him out.

She gave in, pulling him into her arms. “Alright, you both can keep me company.”

One in her left arm, one in her right–prime fluffiness. Nyx flopped onto the bed happily, rolling side to side, feeling like a life winner.

The soft feel suddenly changed. The kitty stretched out fast, turning into a 6’3” male with shoulders too broad to hug with one arm Back in the Star Alliance, he could’ve dressed instantly, but he seemed to forget that.

Nyx felt her hands burn. She tried pulling back, but he grabbed her wrist without a word, kissing her fingertips. Memories of painted nails rushed back, unshakable.

Aurelius remembered that day too and didn’t mind deepening it again.

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Still half–conscious, Nyx turned to Erik, catching his shocked, furious eyes. The gray cub spun in frantic circles, like Ash as at kid struggling to shift to human form, failing and fuming.

A wild but plausible guess hit Nyx. ‘Can’t shift back during the potion’s effect, can he?‘

Knowing Zayne’s sneaky streak, even if he got along with Pale Wolf, he’d totally prank him. Pale Wolf, being so dense, probably didn’t ask for details. It wasn’t really a side effect–if he didn’t ask, Zayne wouldn’t tell.

Seeing the gray fluff ball seething, Nyx couldn’t hold it in. Her shoulders shook with stifled laughter.

Next second, someone pinned her shoulders. Aurelius’s gentle voice carried a threat. “What’s so funny, Nyx?”

Nyx stopped laughing real quick. Aurelius wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb, glancing at his rival wordlessly, oozing provocation. Couldn’t even turn human–he had no chance against him.

Maybe the rage sped things up. What should’ve lasted five hours wore off fast. The gray cub grew into a giant wolf, then regained human form.

Nyx was dozing off when she fell into a scorching embrace. Eyes still closed, she cooed instinctively. “Aurelius.”

A gentle, amused voice answered from ahead. “I’m right here, Nyx.”

She jolted awake, realizing something was off. Turning, she met a pair of ferocious wolf eyes.

After paying double for one stifled laugh, Nyx genuinely repented. She’d never mock her partners as dummies again. At least, not to their faces so obviously.

For days, she dodged Aurelius and Erik, hiding with the other males for safety. Dealing with one was easier than two competitive jerks. As for the culprit behind it all, she couldn’t muster a friendly face for him.

Zayne took some effort to catch Nyx. Looking a bit hurt, he gazed up at her. “Erik said you told him he’s the best wolf.”

That made Nyx grind her teeth. At that moment, if she hadn’t sweet–talked Pale Wolf, not only would he have broken, she’d have shattered too. But seeing his tail wagging like crazy after she coaxed him, she realized later–he was jealous of Grayball.

Turning into a cub with the potion was partly to cheer her up, partly to prove he could replace Grayball. The goofy male was so easy to please. Even wronged, a couple sweet words had him dizzy with joy, obeying her every whim, stopping when she said stop.

“Pale Wolf is the best wolf.” Nyx nodded firmly. And Zayne was a bad wolf.

“Why?” Zayne asked, playing dumb despite knowing, kneeling half–up to look at her, all submissive. “Because he took the cub potion?”

“If you like it, I can too,” he said, pulling a vial from his Space Button, clearly prepared.

Nyx loved cubs, and turning into a cub beast form did bring her something fresh. When he acted this meek, he didn’t seem so bad.

Nyx squinted, an idea sparking. “Any side effects from taking it back–to–back?”

Getting a no, she grinned wide, clapping happily. “Then stay a cub and keep me company for a month, and I’ll forgive you.”

Zayne’s face froze, a rare crack. He caught her drift. For a month, he couldn’t turn human around her meaning no action.

Even when others got some, he’d be stuck watching, tortured. Even the toughest male couldn’t handle that. Zayne nearly begged for mercy right then.

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But he held it together, downed the potion, turned into a little white pup, and whimpered, rubbing her ankle to butter her up.

Sucking up now might get him forgiven faster, or he could drag everyone else into it as well.

That night, Nyx came out of the bathroom in a great mood, heading to bed. She lifted the blanket to climb in and froze.

Her big, soft bed was a mess of cubs sprawled everywhere, like she’d stumbled into a Beastmen cub kindergarten. Her real cubs spanned ages–never this uniform chaos.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Only Seafarion didn’t join in. He stood aside, looking guilty, like he felt bad his beast form couldn’t join the matron–pleasing party.

He’d tried the potion too, but his unique beast form made it useless. Same went for Aurelius. He didn’t need potions–He mewed once and nailed the cub act, a pro at luring people in.

Nyx was speechless. No need to ask–she knew who set this up. Knowing she loved cubs, even the less–dumb males didn’t turn down Zayne’s idea.

With so many cubs staring at her, Nyx couldn’t bear to shoo any away. Knowing the risk, she let them all stay, even sad–sack Seafarion.

Late that night, the potion wore off, and things got predictably wild. Even Zayne snuck back to human form in the mess, and Nyx didn’t have the energy to call him out. No comparison, no pain.

She’d thought handling Pale Wolf and the kitty together was a headache, but now, two males felt like a vacation. She didn’t even want more rest. Fresh off surviving, she gritted her teeth and told Heavenly Law to start the next test.

“Nyx?”

“Nyx!”

“Damn it! Where’d she go?”

Her consciousness settled into a body, and Nyx heard someone yelling her name, sounding frantic, with stomping steps and cursing.

After absorbing the world’s memories, her face turned green. Last time’s Cinderella stand–in plot was cheesy enough–she didn’t expect this one to be even cheesier.