Chapter 9....who are you?

When the rescue team brought Ana back to the Tiger Clan, the sun was already rising, marking the beginning of a new day.

Xander's mother Liana, being the clan leader's wife, had a duty to accommodate newcomers. She had already prepared a room for Ana in the Tiger Castle, where she could stay temporarily. Once Ana found a mate, she would move in with him.

After placing Ana in her room, Xander sent a man to call for the clan doctor—his friend, Mill.

In the beast world, there was a law: whoever rescued or captured a female had the right to pursue her as a mate, with her permission.

Xander stood before his parents, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Mom, Dad… I think I like Ana. So, I want to pursue her."

Though Xander was dominant, confident, and already a two-striped beast at such a young age, he was soft and somewhat immature when it came to his mother.

His mother gasped in delight, her eyes brimming with happy tears.

"Finally, my cub is going to mate and have babies!"

Xander flushed slightly at her enthusiasm.

She wiped her tears and beamed.

"Then, won't you take me to see your mate?"

He nodded and led her to Ana's room.

The moment his mother saw Ana, her face lit up.

But then—her gaze fell upon the feral's mark on Ana's body.

Her expression darkened.

"Cub… was she raped by that feral?"

Xander's jaw tightened, his golden eyes flickering with restrained fury. His voice was distant and cold.

"It seems so, Mom."

His father's voice was firm.

"It's best to remove that mark once she wakes up."

Liana, however, shook her head.

"No. I think it's best if we remove it before she wakes up. That way, when she sees it gone, she'll know she's finally free from whatever she endured with that monster." sob

At that moment, the doctor arrived.

Xander turned to him.

"Mill, please check her and make sure she's healthy. And… can you do something to free her from the mate bond?"

Mill, who had just stepped inside, paused for a second—momentarily stunned by Ana's beauty.

The silence was broken by a guard.

"My Queen, the girl has woken up twice but instantly fell unconscious again."

Xander's head snapped toward the guard, his eyes narrowing.

"Why the hell didn't you inform me the moment we arrived?"

The guard hesitated.

"You were all discussing something important about her… I thought it best not to interrupt. I apologize for my mistake."

Xander clicked his tongue but let it go.

After carefully inspecting Ana, Mill straightened and spoke.

"She needs to eat well and avoid any kind of physical exertion. It seems she has worked herself to exhaustion while barely consuming enough food to sustain herself."

Xander's face turned red—not from embarrassment, but from barely contained rage.

You see, bastard… Once I become strong enough to defeat you, I'll kill you. Oh, but not easily. I'll make you do endless chores, starve you until you feel the pain you inflicted on my mate.

In his mind, there was no doubt—Xavier was the reason for Ana's suffering.

Mill continued.

"As for breaking the bond, you can simply cut over the mark. The wound will bleed out the connection, and the bond will be severed. However…" he paused, his tone serious. "It will only work if the female has no feelings for the male who marked her."

A tense silence filled the room.

Mill then placed a small vial on the bedside table.

"Before doing anything, make sure she drinks this. It will prevent any possible pregnancy from the male who marked her. If that's all, I will take my leave."

Xander nodded.

"Thank you, Mill."

Once the doctor left, his father spoke again.

"It's not good for her to keep a reminder of her cruel days. Let's remove the mark soon."

Xander took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Ana's unconscious form.

"I don't want to remove her spousal mark now."

His father frowned.

"Why? That mark ties her to a feral."

Xander clenched his fists.

"I know, Dad. But… she's already weak. If we cut her mark now, it could be too much for her body to handle."

His mother let out a small sigh.

"Cub, you're acting as if we're going to cut open her flesh. It's just a long scratch, that's all."

Xander turned to her, his voice low and pleading.

"Please, Mom… Not now… Not when she's too weak to even stay conscious."

His mother hesitated, looking into his desperate eyes.

After a moment, both his parents relented with a nod.

Liana placed a gentle hand on Xander's shoulder, her voice soft yet firm.

"Okay, cub. Stay with her and take good care of her. We will be off now."

With that, his parents left the room, giving him space to watch over Ana.

"Please wake up soon, Bunny."

'I didn't even get to know your full name… just Ana, a girl is what the information given from the Bunny Clan. The feral called you that in the bunny clan… but who are you really?'

Xander sighed, his golden eyes never leaving her face. He had spent the entire day by her side, watching over her, hoping—praying—that she would wake up.

But as time stretched on, exhaustion wore him down because of the previous day travel and rescue.

Night fell, wrapping the room in darkness, and still, she remained unconscious.

His fingers tightened around hers, reluctant to let go.

And eventually, sleep claimed him, his body slumped forward, still holding Ana's hand.