S-Tier Awakening

The moment her eyes met his through the glass, a visceral wave of revulsion crashed over Garrick. He broke the connection, pivoting on his heel and striding toward the staircase. Every step he took down the floating stairs was sharp and rushed. Even a passing glance from that female felt like a physical stain on his skin.

He located Sylvia in the spacious ground-floor lounge and moved straight toward her.

"Ms. Rostova, that vile female Marcella is in the haven across from us."

The statement brought Sylvia and her other four mates to a dead halt. The males exchanged dark looks. The same undisguised distaste that clouded Garrick's expression settled over their faces.

Sylvia pushed past the lingering tension and walked toward the front window. She stared at the sprawling property opposite theirs and crossed her arms.

"What is she doing over there?"

Sylvia found it incredibly grating. The female seemed intent on making a scene right on her doorstep. Sylvia and her team had been waist-deep in the Umbra Forest since dawn. They spent the hours tracking and hunting mutant beasts, leaving them disconnected from the endless chatter of the AetherWeb.

Vaughn activated his Holocom. The device projected a glowing blue interface into the air between them. He swiped through the trending feed, freezing as the top headlines registered in his mind.

"Marcella's psionic power triggered a second awakening. She is S-tier now. She even manifested a wood-based ability."

The room went dead silent. Sylvia and the five males shared the exact same stunned expression.

"How is that possible?"

"How does a creature like her get that lucky?"

"She lives in the haven across the street. Does this mean she plans to harass Ms. Rostova every single day?"

"She might just come over and torment all of us."

The blood drained from Garrick's face. The other males looked just as pale. They harbored a deep desire to teach Marcella a physical lesson, but the beastworld laws were absolute. Females were the most precious resource. The system forbade any male from laying a hand on one. They were restricted to harsh words and cold glares.

Sylvia uncrossed her arms and let out a steady breath. She refused to let the news ruin her evening. She would face whatever schemes Marcella threw her way. Beneath the surface annoyance, Sylvia recognized the broader implications. Another high-level female psionic meant the male therians stood a better chance against the lethal contamination levels ravaging their kind.

Vaughn gasped, drawing the group's attention back to the glowing screen.

"Marcella worked at the Resonance Tower today. She performed resonance for forty-nine one-star therians. Their contamination levels dropped by sixty to sixty-five percent. To purify that many in one sitting without collapsing... her psionic reserves must be bottomless. The announcement says she plans to conduct both collective and individual resonance sessions tomorrow. She is treating the Resonance Tower like a full-time factory job."

The males stared at the Holocom in a daze. The numbers defied all logic.

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "That is actually a good thing."

If Marcella kept herself busy at the tower, she would lack the time and energy to stalk Sylvia or harass her mates.

Another sharp noise escaped Vaughn's throat. His voice pitched up as he read the next trending post.

"She divorced all five of her mates yesterday."

A fresh wave of shock hit the room. The sheer absurdity of the situation left them speechless. None of them could decide whether to pity the five males or feel a twisted sense of sympathy for their sudden loss.

"Do you think they are losing sleep over the regret? She is an S-tier female now."

Miles away, Jaxon, Corey, Gaelen, Tobias, and Derek sat around a massive wooden table, staring at the exact same trending articles. A cold, sinking feeling of regret brushed against their minds. The realization that they had severed ties with a newly awakened S-tier female was a bitter pill. Then the memories surfaced. The endless verbal abuse, the casual cruelty, the suffocating toxicity. They shifted their focus to Gemma. Her gentle demeanor and soft-spoken nature felt like a safe haven compared to the nightmare they had escaped.

They shared a silent, collective confidence that at least one of them would earn her favor. Gemma might only be an A-tier, but she would never subject them to the daily humiliations they endured under Marcella's roof.

Rylan scoffed and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "A second awakening means nothing. Reaching S-tier will only give her the power to act more ruthless. She will use that status as a weapon to torture her new matches."

Corey tapped his fingers against the table. "Working at the Resonance Tower is just a front. It is a convenient excuse to lure desperate male therians into her web."

Gaelen let out a dry laugh. "Pure attention-seeking behavior."

Tobias shook his head and crossed his legs. "Even with her shiny new S-tier status, Garrick and the others still want nothing to do with her."

Derek curled his lip into a sneer, his eyes fixed on the glowing text. "An evil female is an evil female. The core of who she is has not changed. The system is going to pair her with some poor bastard, and he is going to suffer worse than we did."

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the pristine streets of the sanctuary. By six-thirty in the evening, Sylvia and her five mates stepped out of their haven, heading toward the central dining district.

A sleek, aerodynamic flying supercar glided silently down the street. It hovered mere inches above the pavement, the anti-gravity thrusters emitting a low, powerful hum. The vehicle sported a custom metallic finish that caught the fading orange light and approached their group.

Orson Carver kept his tone soft and attentive. "Ms. Rostova, that is the newest flying supercar developed by the Hayes Group. If it catches your eye, I can place an order with Mr. Hayes tonight."

Jared Huxley stepped forward and studied the approaching vehicle. "That is Cassian's supercar. Why is he driving through this sector?"

Jared worked as a senior surgeon at Vertex Hospital. He and Cassian shared a solid professional and personal dynamic, often scrubbing into the same operating rooms.

Vaughn narrowed his eyes at the sleek machine. "He is not here to compete with us for Ms. Rostova, is he?"

Sylvia felt the corner of her mouth twitch. "Vaughn, stop talking nonsense."

Vaughn dropped his gaze, looking like a kicked puppy. He felt his suspicion was justified. Sylvia was a rare S-tier female with powerful supernatural abilities. Every top-tier male in the city wanted a chance to court her.

Inside the supercar, Cassian spotted Jared standing on the sidewalk. He engaged the braking thrusters and pulled the vehicle smoothly to the curb. The tinted window slid down.

Jared stepped off the curb. "Cassian, what brings you to this neighborhood?"

Cassian offered a polite nod to Sylvia first, honoring the presence of a female, before shifting his attention to his colleague. "I am here to meet my new female."

Jared's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "The system finalized your match? Who is the lucky female?"

Cassian let a warm smile touch his lips. "Marcella."

The name hit the group like a physical blow. Jared and the other four males froze. The casual atmosphere evaporated. Dark memories of Marcella's relentless harassment and toxic schemes flooded their minds. Their expressions twisted into a complex mix of horror and pity.

Cassian noticed the sudden shift in their demeanor. He furrowed his brows. "Is there a problem?"

Sylvia stepped forward before any of her mates could speak. She refused to let their past grievances poison Cassian's first meeting. The male doctor had saved countless lives; he deserved a fair chance.

"There is no problem, Dr. Cassian. You should not keep Ms. Vance waiting. Have a good evening."

Cassian offered a brief, polite nod. The window slid up, and the supercar lifted off the ground, gliding smoothly toward the massive estate across the street.

Jared and the others watched the glowing taillights recede. A heavy, collective sigh left the group.

"That poor guy. Out of all the females in the beastworld, the system shackled him to Marcella."

"I bet he does not even make it past the front door tonight. Remember what Jaxon and his group went through?"

"Do you think she will divorce him too?"

"Cassian possesses incredible supernatural abilities and unmatched medical skills. If she ruins him, it will be a monumental tragedy for the entire sanctuary."

Cassian remained oblivious to the wave of pity trailing behind his car. He kept his focus locked on the massive, modern structure of Haven No. 1. He guided the vehicle down the smooth driveway and brought it to a halt near the towering front entrance. He stepped out and pressed the buzzer.

An S-tier robot butler opened the thick reinforced door, its optical sensors scanning his identity chip.

Cassian returned to the driver's seat and maneuvered the supercar down the glowing ramp into the expansive underground garage. He parked the vehicle, killed the engine, and stepped out into the cool, climate-controlled air. He spent a long moment smoothing out the invisible wrinkles in his crisp white shirt and adjusting his cuffs. A tight knot of anticipation formed in his chest.

"Ms. Vance, your mate Cassian has arrived."

The robot butler's mechanical voice echoed through the sprawling first-floor living room.

Marcella pushed herself off the plush leather couch. She smoothed down her casual clothes and took a deep breath. She felt a sudden spike of nervous energy. This was her first face-to-face interaction with one of her newly assigned mates. The endless digital profiles on the AetherWeb were nothing compared to the reality of standing in the same room.

Footsteps echoed against the polished floorboards, steady and deliberate. Marcella lifted her gaze toward the hallway archway.

Cassian stepped into the light.

The breath caught in her throat. The sheer visual impact of the male therian hit her like a physical force. He possessed a flawless, refined aesthetic that commanded the room without a shred of arrogance.

His silver hair caught the ambient light, framing a face dominated by striking, liquid gold eyes. The collar of his white shirt rested open, exposing a glimpse of smooth, pale skin along his collarbone. A pair of delicate gold-rimmed glasses sat perfectly on the bridge of his sharp nose. His gaze carried a profound, gentle warmth. A faint, natural smile played on his lips. He radiated the calm, sophisticated aura of a scholar and a gentleman.

"Oh, wow! Ms. Vance, a refined, dangerous type of mate! Do you like him?"

The system's voice shattered the silence in her mind, buzzing with an electric thrill that rivaled a fan meeting an idol.