[COMPLETE - Bronze $2,000 Winner WSA 2021] Elreth is a Princess in the world of Anima—where humans can shift into the form of their animal ancestors. As the Lion King's daughter, Elreth breaks a thousand-year tradition when she challenges her father for dominance—and wins. But as the first known dominant Alpha Female, she faces a lonely, and dangerous Rule. Aaryn, Elreth’s best friend, has always secretly loved her beauty, and her strength. But as a member of the wolf-tribe, and unable to shape-shift, he is not viewed as the right Mate for Anima's first Dominant Queen. When events force Aaryn to admit his feelings, for the first time, Elreth's eyes are opened to Aaryn not just as a friend, but as a male--and her True Mate. But Aaryn also has secrets. Secrets spanning decades, that open Elreth's eyes to the threats against her people, and threaten to tear down the royal family, and the Anima as a whole. Can love really conquer all? Can Elreth convince a prejudiced people to accept Aaryn as her mate before these secrets threaten not just her rule, but her life? [Mature Content: No sexual violence] ***** Then, as Aaryn stared at Elreth, his scent changed. Which only confused her more, until something flashed behind his eyes. Something she’d only ever seen in her father’s face when he was staring at her mother. Desperation. Joy. Hunger. But that was crazy. Why would—? And suddenly, like a cub tumbling down a grassy hill to land on its feet, everything fell into place. Everything. Her mouth dropped open. She blinked. And blinked again. And for the first time in a very long time, she looked at him. Not at her confidante. Not at her closest ally. Not at the friend who’d been present for every major milestone in her life. She looked at Aaryn. The male. The wolf. She stared at his silver-white hair, that scattered over his ice-blue eyes, fixed on her, and created a barrier between them. She looked at the strength in his jaw, shadowed because of the late hour. She let her gaze drift down the cords of his neck, and his broad shoulders and the wide, smooth expanse of his chest that rose and fell rapidly. And she let herself remember the ladders of muscle that painted his torso—hidden by the white shirt he wore. She swallowed. She’d seen every inch of him at some point. Well, almost. Her mouth went dry. (Cover Art used by paid copyright permission. Illustrated by Aenaluck--see more gorgeous art and support them on DeviantArt and www.patreon.com/aenaluck)
~Updates Daily~ (usually near 8PM Eastern Time / 12AM GMT) Other Tags: #Slice of Life #Comedy #TheStrongActingWeak #ChildhoodSweethearts (It counts!) Single love interest Yuri! No lengthy misunderstandings over this fact~ --- After failing to ascend to the heights of Divinity despite all her preparations, an ancient cultivator finds herself not embracing the emptiness of the void - but the interior warmth of a womb. Her memories intact despite her spirit being a merest fraction of her height - and her trusted Astralism unchanged - she carefully starts over from an infant. How to navigate her family: [really easy with only two parents and an estate full of servants!] How to portray herself: [everyone likes 'sweet' kids and trusts (underestimates) 'weak' girls!] How 'quickly' to reveal the power she gathers: [this region is a 'backwater', let's just take it slow~] How her marriage was arranged before birth: [my parents adore me so at an appropriate time I'll just have it cance- oh?] Dealing with an 'amusing' deceit: ['he' looks worried still, but 'he' doesn't have to worry from me!] Confronting the 'boy' in private: [whatever their iffy plan is, I just obtained a husband-wife~] Even in a new life, | Elua er Goltbred | can't and doesn't *want* to change who she really is. A scheming cultivator. A possessive lover. Neither of those things had been a real hindrance to the Peak of Demi-God. Balancing the two in this life - without driving away the young 'boy' she decided would be hers - centers as much around helping | Qatrand er Yecine | find herself... as it is hoping to ease the fiance into how messed up the 'younger' girl honestly is. It's a good thing that the reborn cultivator can improvise with her ridiculous control of an Illusion Astralism - because plans fail and unexpected things happen when you're not *really* a genius. Like her Physique in this life allowing the lightest 'grip' to crack stone... | Qat | (the nickname picked almost instantly!) despite being a little stunted by her family environment early on, finds her future wife to be 'cute' on their first meeting. ... she really shouldn't have let on. It made her | El | kind of vain. Oh, and muscles. | Elua | : I just like looking at them, okay!? Is it so weird? People can have hobbies... - - - > Types of Cultivation // Spiritual (Soul), Physical (Body), Essence (Qi) > Aspect Trinity // Astralism, Physique, Element 'Ranks' Initial - Early, Mid, Late Lower Realms // Enchanter, Primalist, Breacher Upper Realms // Defier, Demi-god, Divinity - Echelons (First -> Seventh[Peak]) - - - Cover Art: AI Text Prompt Generation + title (etc.) added with an image editor. I also tend to do other 'fixes' in post! Potential trigger warnings: > A FL that may seem (to some) like they are being groomed due to 'true age' difference. > A MC that gets a little 'thirsty' a little 'young' but tries to 'keep her own pants on' until the proper age. > A toxic family environment willing to force an unloved child into the role of a crossdresser. A child that grew more than okay with it. > 'Pretty Good Dad' intentionally 'picked on' by his 'sweet daughter' for being a relatively 'minor obstacle'. Seriously, you were warned, average fathers with teenagers. Do not engage your trauma.