“No… I won't.”
“Oh, petal, I wasn't asking. You WILL marry me.”
****

Dr. Kiyomi, a neurosurgeon rogue lycan, lives in & never leaves the human hospital— the safest place for her. That’s until a high-profile mafia surgery goes wrong and she’s blamed for it despite being on leave. 

Suddenly the limelight is on her, forcing her rare last name back into the memories of people who have long wanted her dead — the Bogdan Lycans. As if that isn't enough, the Ivanov Russian mob is after her with vengeance in their hearts. 

Scared, Kiyomi leaves the hospital pretending to be a night-shift male nurse — which works, only for her to be kidnapped at the hospital’s entrance, by the cruel lycan queen’s guards who drag her to the queen Sakura’s human home.
— — — 
Sakura Watanabe; the soulless crazy queen known to screw up everyone for fun. She ruins everything she touches and sucks the life out of everyone around her. She is bad, cruel, and a menace who does whatever she wants, however, and whenever she wants it.

When she hears of Dr. Kiyomi’s misfortunes, she is curious to see what will make that lycan break, and orders that Kiyomi be brought to her, so she can sign the infamous Sakura contract that always leaves the signee dead, dead and dead. 

What Sakura doesn't factor in is the fact that the woman who walks through her door is her soulmate. And even worse is the desire she gets to protect Kiyomi. Not one to relent in the hands of fate, Sakura forces Kiyomi to sign the oppressive contract.

What happens when Sakura's heart starts beating for Kiyomi, and she goes after everyone who hurt her soulmate? Will she cancel the contract and embrace love, or will she stay the stoic soulless queen with nothing to live for?

And even better, how long can Sakura fight fate?

"...Bond yourself to her and show the world how great your love is," Izanami said, like the world was all black and white for her. 


In that moment, for what she couldn't even count, Liu froze. That was not a good idea. That was the worst possible idea. That was not something that she would let Sakura lean into. 


If Sakura marked her, then she would know Liu's truth. 


She would know about Shenxia, and she would know that the queen who hadn't been seen in Shenxia for almost thirty-two years was here with her. That would trigger so many things. 


"No… Th… The vial. I'll take whatever is in there. Doesn't matter what the effects can be on me; I'm dying anyway. It couldn't be worse than death., I just… Don't mark me yet, Sakura. I'm not… 


"I'm not ready yet, please," Liu said suddenly, like it was the only thing that stood between her and madness. It was a desperate moment that seemed to drag on more than it had been intended.


Chapter 385 - A Crown of Silence, A Heart of Ash [7]