Chapter 1

The Golden Scale werewolf clan was cursed centuries ago for an ancient sin. Every full moon, our blood ignited with a searing, agonizing fire that guaranteed a short, miserable life.

Our only salvation was to leap through the Celestial Gate, evolve into a divine dragon shifter, and ascend to the heavens to lift the curse.

When my twin sister was born, a phoenix cried out in the sky, marking her as the chosen savior of our pack.

I was born right after her, frail, sickly, and clinging to life with every breath.

Everyone wanted me dead―until they discovered that my scales held miraculous healing power. My flesh and blood could mend fatal wounds and soothe the horrifying agony of the full moon burn.

From that moment on, tearing off my scales became the sole reason for my existence.

When my sister failed her trial at the Celestial Gate, my own mate tore out my sacred beast core with his bare hands. "Kira, your sister is our pack's only hope. Just endure it for a little while."

I bled to death in the cold dirt. But when a true primordial dragon awakened in wrath, the entire coastal realm turned into a sea of blood.

1.

The excruciating agony still lingered in my bones when I opened my eyes. A colossal crimson dragon was gazing down at me in absolute silence.

"Is this what the afterlife looks like?" I murmured.

"You are not dead," a commanding voice echoed directly inside my mind, though the beast's mouth never moved.

"That is impossible. I felt my life slip away…"

Three days ago, my twin sister attempted to leap through the Celestial Gate. Divine lightning struck her down, leaving her battered and on the brink of death.

My mate, Kaelen, ripped every golden scale from my body and tore out my inner core.

"Kira, once your sister ascends, she will find a way to save you," he had whispered coldly. "Our pack has waited for this moment for far too long."

I watched my lifeblood pool around me, enduring the gut-wrenching pain of being flayed alive. I crawled toward Mother's royal tent, desperate for a shred of mercy.

Inside, my sister sobbed softly. "It is all Kira's fault. Her cursed aura brought me down!"

An ancient omen plagued our pack: twins were born under opposing stars, and only one could survive to rule.

When we were born, Father had intended to slaughter me to ensure my sister's glory.

Then they realized my scales possessed divine restorative powers. Whenever my sister injured herself during training, my harvested scales numbed her pain and cured our pack during the brutal full moon trials.

My scales could regenerate every single night. Even if my flesh was ripped to shreds, smooth new skin would grow back by morning.

I was allowed to live, but only to endure daily torture.

Who would have guessed that after surviving years of torment, I would still die for her sake?

I snapped out of my memories, numb and hollow. "I am already dead."

The Crimson Dragon sighed deeply. "You are not dead. Your soul has merely detached from your broken shell. I can forge you an immortal celestial body, but a stray fragment of your soul remains trapped in the pack territory. You must retrieve it yourself."

With a gentle sweep of her massive tail, a cosmic wind rose beneath me.

My spirit drifted helplessly across the skies, descending back to the cold waters of my pack's coastal realm.

Down below, Father was roaring with fury before the grand altar. "Lorelei failed her ascension entirely because of Kira! They were twins, yet our foolish mercy allowed that wretched parasite to live, draining Lorelei's true potential all these years!"

The Pack Shaman bowed in agreement. "Twin souls balance one another. Kira's survival has stolen Princess Lorelei's divine luck and power."

Below the altar, pack members watched with bloodshot eyes, their voices dripping with hatred. "Kill Kira! Only her blood can clear the path for Lorelei to conquer the Gate!"

Father gave a merciless wave of his hand, commanding the warriors.

"Tear through every inch of this territory! Drag the sinner Kira back in chains!"