Chapter 2

Wind swept across the Beast Platform like knives.

Two strong lion males pinned me against the sacrificial post. My wrists were slashed open, blood dripping down the rough stone grooves into the stone bowl below.

Drip. Drip.

My blood was almost drained. My whole body trembled from the cold.

"Emmett..." My cracked lips moved as I looked toward the man standing on the high platform.

The man I'd loved for seven years, served for seven years, and even sacrificed my heart's blood to cure. He wore the crimson tiger fur I'd sewn with my own hands, looking majestic and imposing. But in his arms, he held a petite, delicate white rabbit female.

"Don't call my name. It disgusts me." Emmett looked down at me with only revulsion in his eyes.

His mother, the tribe's old witch doctor, hobbled over with her cane and picked up the stone bowl filled with my blood.

"Bah! Useless trash who can't bear children!" The old witch doctor spat a thick glob of phlegm at my feet. "Seven years! Eating our Lion Tribe's food, drinking our Lion Tribe's water, and not even a shadow of a cub! Today, draining a bowl of your blood to nourish Grace's bloodline is the last bit of value you have!"

Grace leaned against Emmett's chest, saying timidly, "Emmett, she's lost so much blood. Will she die? I'm scared."

Emmett tenderly covered her eyes. "Good girl, don't look at this filthy thing. Trash like her isn't worth pitying even if she dies."

Filthy thing.

I laughed.

Seven years ago, he knelt before my father, swearing he'd treasure me like his own eyes for life. Seven years later, I'd become the filthy thing in his mouth.

"Emmett, what did you promise my brother?" I gritted my teeth, staring at him intently.

When I mentioned my brother, Emmett's expression changed, guilt flashing in his eyes before quickly turning to anger.

"You dare mention your brother? If he hadn't traded his eye to make me marry you, you think I'd want a useless woman who can't bear cubs?" Emmett suddenly drew the bone knife from his waist, pointing it at my nose. "Today, I announce before the entire tribe -- I'm stripping Sophia of her position as Chief's wife! From now on, whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with our Lion Tribe!"

The entire crowd cheered.

"Should've gotten rid of her long ago!"

"Exactly! Occupying the position without producing cubs, she's caused our Lion Tribe's fortune to decline!"

"Throw her off Sin Beast Cliff! Let her die!"

Sin Beast Cliff. The tribe's forbidden land, where poisonous mist lingered year-round at the bottom, filled with disabled, crazed beasts abandoned by the tribe. Fall down there, and not even bone fragments would remain.

Emmett walked up to me, his gaze as cold as if looking at a corpse.

"Sophia, for old times' sake, I'll personally send you off."

With that, he lifted his foot and kicked hard into my chest.

Searing pain struck. My body flew like a kite with a cut string, plummeting straight into the bottomless abyss. Wind howled in my ears. I closed my eyes.

If there's a next life, I'll never be anyone's stepping stone again.