Chapter 1

The cold floor bit into Casey's cheek. A sharp, throbbing pain exploded at the base of her skull, pulling her from the void. Her eyes snapped open.

Blurry lights. The smell of synthetic cleaner and expensive perfume. Not the wasteland. Not the smell of ash and rot.

Her body moved before her mind caught up. She rolled, muscles coiling, pushing herself up into a crouch. Her hands curled into fists, knuckles white, ready to strike. Her eyes, sharp and cold as steel, swept the room.

A dressing room. Mirrors, bright lights, racks of clothes. A place for the privileged. A place she did not belong.

A wave of dizziness hit her. She grabbed the edge of the makeup counter, her nails scraping against the hard surface. Memories she had buried deep within her flooded her brain. Not just of the wasteland she had conquered-the decade spent as a ruthless warlord scavenging radioactive ruins, fighting feral mutants, leading a gang of hardened survivors. And then, the tear in reality. The blinding light. The death that was supposed to be final.

But death had not wanted her. Instead, she had woken up here. In a new body. A younger, softer body. A body that could do something her old one never could: shift. She could feel the beast coiled inside her ribs-a massive, fanged creature of fur and claw. In this strange future, she had become a shifter. A rare female. And in this society, females were treasures, allowed-even encouraged-to take multiple male mates.

The sharp click-clack of high heels echoed from the hallway. Fast. Deliberate. Getting closer.

The door flew open. Harsh light from the corridor spilled in, making Casey squint.

Coralie Henderson stood there. A white dress hugged her perfect body. Her face was a mask of concern, but her eyes flickered with a quick flash of disgust before she schooled her features.

"Sister!" Coralie rushed forward, hands outstretched, reaching for Casey's arm.

Casey moved. A simple shift of her body, a step to the side. Coralie's hands grabbed nothing but air. She stumbled slightly, her perfect smile freezing on her face.

"Don't touch me," Casey said. Her voice was flat. Empty.

Coralie blinked. Her eyes watered instantly. The tears looked practiced. "Casey, I'm so worried about you. You fell... you need to sign the contract. It's the only way to fix your reputation. Please, for the family."

Casey crossed her arms over her chest. She stared at Coralie. The girl was a terrible liar. Her pulse was steady. Her breathing was even. This was a performance.

Coralie shifted under the cold gaze. She swallowed hard and gestured to an assistant waiting by the door, who quickly brought a holographic tablet to her. Coralie snatched it and held it out like a shield.

"It's what Mommy wants," Coralie said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "She said if you don't sign, you're dead to the Hendersons."

Mommy. The word hit the air like a slap. Casey's eyes narrowed. A chill settled in her gaze. She reached out and snatched the tablet from Coralie's hands.

She didn't look at the main text. That was garbage. The main text was just the show's rules: survive on Planet A13 for one year, attract male mates, entertain the audience. The usual degrading spectacle designed to break people like her. She scrolled down, fast. Her eyes, trained by a decade of scanning for danger in the ruins, caught every word. Termination clauses. Liability waivers. And then, at the very bottom, in a font so small it was almost invisible.

Clause 7.4: Any participant surviving a full standard year on Planet A13 shall be granted absolute ownership of the planetary body and all resources contained therein.

Casey's breath hitched. A planet. Valued at 460 billion credits. A fortress. A home. A deal too good to be true. They thought they were sending a weak, disgraced girl to die on a monster-infested world, torn apart by beasts or rejected by her potential mates. But they didn't know about the wasteland. They didn't know about the十年的 blood and fire. She was going to live. She was going to win. And she was going to own this planet.

Coralie leaned in, her voice sickeningly sweet. "I know it's scary, Casey. The wild planet is dangerous. But you have to try, right? For the men?"

Casey looked up. The cold calculation in her eyes made Coralie take a step back.

Casey grabbed the stylus from the counter. She pressed the tip to the screen. Coralie held her breath, her eyes bright with anticipation.

Casey signed her name. The strokes were sharp, aggressive, slashing across the digital paper like a blade.

A green light flashed. Contract binding.

Casey tossed the stylus onto the counter. It clattered loudly in the quiet room. She stood up straight. She was taller than Coralie. The height advantage, combined with the sheer force of her presence, turned the dynamic upside down.

Coralie stumbled back another step, her face pale.

Casey smirked. A look of pure contempt. She walked past Coralie, her shoulder brushing the other girl's, forcing her to move aside.

Casey grabbed the door handle and shoved it open.

The hallway exploded with light. Cameras flashed like strobes, blinding her. Microphones were shoved in her face. The noise was a physical assault.