"My lovely mate," he whispered, his husky voice weaving a spell around her weakened form. "After our union tonight, no matter where you may flee, I will always find you. Our lives will be intertwined, and neither of us can meet our end," he vowed.
"W-why me?" Chantal asked, her voice quivering.
"Because the moon goddess blessed us to be together," he replied, his words echoing within the darkness.
The tearing of fabric reverberated through the room, blending with the rhythmic intertwining of lips and the gentle moans of pleasure. The bed creaked and sank beneath the weight of their union, enveloping the room in a special aura, as if bearing witness to a supernatural convergence of fates.
As the morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, Chantal slowly opened her eyes, only to discover a completely unfamiliar sight—a naked man peacefully slumbering beside her. The immediate reaction for most would be one of shock and alarm, perhaps even a scream, but Chantal, with remarkable composure, refrained from such reactions. Instead, she remained motionless, mastering her breath to avoid waking the mysterious man.
Extricating herself from the bed without disturbing his slumber, Chantal navigated her way through the room, opting for discretion over confrontation. After a refreshing shower, she donned her military uniform, the crisp fabric a stark contrast to the bizarre circumstances surrounding her morning.
Despite the strangeness of the situation, a lingering soreness in her muscles reminded her of physical exertion. Seated on a couch, she sipped from a vial containing a healing potion, hoping to alleviate the residual discomfort. Her gaze shifted towards the still-sleeping man, attempting to unravel the mystery of his presence.
As an hour passed and the man showed no signs of waking, a sudden urgency invaded Chantal's solitude. A persistent knocking at her door heralded an unexpected visitor, whose distress became evident in their urgent tone.
"Good morning, Dean Qin! We have a big problem!"
Concern etched across her face, Chantal inquired, "What's wrong?"
"Major General Yunho was sick yesterday. We could not find traces of him today! He's gone missing!"
The revelation left Chantal momentarily speechless. Internal thoughts raced, questioning the logic of undertaking a mission while unwell. She thought, 'Why would he go on a mission when sick?'
"Dean Qin, please help us!"
Before she could formulate a response, a voice from behind interrupted the conversation.
"No need!" A man's voice responded beside Chantal.
"Major! You spent a night with Dean Qin?" The newcomer's astonishment was noticeable, weaving an additional layer of intrigue into the unfolding events.
Chantal never expected the man to wake up at this time of the day, much less meet the battalion commander who gossiped so loudly. Yet fate had a peculiar way of intertwining their paths, thrusting them into the spotlight. Before she could control what was happening, the news of her relationship with Major General Yunho spread throughout the galaxy's corners.
The flood of events unfolded when an anonymous passerby stealthily captured and shared a photo of Chantal and Major General Yunho on Starnet, triggering a whirlwind of speculation and intrigue. The fact that two prominent Major Generals from opposing factions were romantically involved became the talk of every corner of the galaxy.
In a matter of mere hours, the Luminara Empire's royal family officially announced the engagement, linking Chantal's destiny with the military house of Zhou, the strongest and noblest werewolf clan in the Federation.
What was more shocking was the disclosure that both parties had been engaged for a very long time, but it wasn't announced publicly. The diligent netizens delved into the accomplishments and virtues of the involved parties, and surprisingly, the arrangement encountered no opposition.
"If there's nothing else, Commander Shen can safely return to his post." Yunho slowly closed the door and locked it.
Chantal found herself in a surreal situation, her emotions an explosive blend of surprise, anxiety, and a touch of awe. Despite the unexpected exposure, she confronted the gravity of the moment without betraying her emotions.
Yunho's cheeks deepened into a darker shade of red. His lips quivered, and he couldn't muster the courage to meet Chantal's gaze. He bit his lower lip and sighed before expressing his heartfelt apology.
"I sincerely apologize for what happened last night. If you want to blame me, torture me, or punish me, please feel free. I acknowledge that I am responsible for coercing you to become my mate. However, I was unconscious last night due to the dominance of my wolf. But I am willing to take responsibility! Please marry me!"
Chantal could not describe what she was feeling right now. Hearing his voice alone made her heart beat rapidly. Her shoulders were tense, but seeing the man kneeling before her made her mind blank. She did not know how to answer such a proposal.
"For the sake of our children, we must get married!" Yunho declared, surprising Chantal with the mention of children.
"Children? What children?" Chantal felt incredible hearing him mention them having children together. "Stop kneeling. Let's talk in the living room."
"No, I will never allow myself to get up until I earn forgiveness." Yunho persisted.
"Then, I forgive you." Chantal responded with a blend of compassion and confusion in her voice.
"Wait! Before you forgive me, I need to tell you about the process of bearing children in the werewolf clan. Kneeling does not affect me much, but I am more worried about you when you hear the truth about pregnancy in mates after mating is completed."
"But I feel uncomfortable looking at you like that." Chantal admitted, trying to shift the conversation away from the awkward position Yunho maintained.
"Don't worry about me. Now, please hear me out. Among all other tribes in the galaxy, the Werewolf clan is the only clan destined to have mate pairs. When males find their mates, it does not matter who she is or where she came from. As long as she's single and free, she will be married to him."
"I thought we were going to talk about childbearing here."
"Right, for childbearing, the opportunity for the woman to experience what we call "in heat" will arise once the man has fully branded her on the night of a full moon. The woman's body would be ready to receive the man's genes, and a child would automatically be formed."
"You're talking as if bearing a child is like magic and miracles."