Spoiled By My Nine Beast Husbands (Emma Tibarn) novel Chapter 7

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**

**Chapter 7: Sensible Enough to Know When to Back Off – Part 2**

Two days had passed since Emma emerged from the training room, a sense of fulfillment washing over her.

The beast cores Adam had provided were nothing short of extraordinary. With just a single core, her abilities had not only stabilized but had begun to flourish, gaining strength she hadn’t anticipated. If she could exhaust all fifty cores and perhaps acquire a few more, she could potentially break through to Rank 5—a milestone she had long dreamed of achieving.

After a refreshing wash, she decided to treat herself to a hearty breakfast before setting out for Astralis Forest. Her pantry was nearly bare, the fruits and vegetables dwindling to a mere memory. The thought of gathering fresh produce excited her, and the idea of hunting down a few Rank 4 or Level 5 beasts for practice sent a thrill through her. She understood that relying solely on beast cores wouldn’t suffice; real combat experience was essential for true growth.

With a towel draped over her shoulder, Emma stepped out of the bathroom, her mind racing with thoughts of the day ahead. Just as she was about to make her way into the kitchen, the doorbell chimed, slicing through her anticipation.

The smart robot whirred to life, rolling over to project the surveillance feed.

As the screen lit up, Emma’s breath caught in her throat. There, staring back at her, were a pair of languid, yet dangerously captivating eyes that sent her heart racing. What kind of eyes were those? They were lazy yet unreadable, powerful and exuding an aura of dominance that seemed to command respect. Just one glance from him could make anyone feel the urge to bow down before his presence.

The man standing at her door towered over six feet two, his stature imposing even through the digital screen.

His face was partially obscured by shadow, as if sculpted by the Beast God himself—cold, flawless, and utterly untouchable. Emma found herself unable to tear her gaze away from him, captivated by the intensity of his presence.

Outside, Drake’s eyes lazily scanned the villa’s lush green gate.

Behind him, Sebastian, the Grand Elder, stepped forward with an air of urgency, pressing the doorbell. Although Drake had initially preferred to face this alone, Sebastian felt a sense of unease at the thought of leaving him unaccompanied.

Ding-dong!

Sebastian stood at the gate, his voice polite and formal, “Honorable Ms. Emma Tibarn, your match, His Majesty Drake Smith, has arrived.”

Emma felt her heart drop. This man was her match? Drake Smith—the oldest name on her list, a figure she had only heard whispers about.

Without wasting a moment, she hurriedly tapped the control panel to open the gate. “Please, come in!” she called out, her voice trembling slightly with an unexplainable mix of excitement and dread.

A frown creased Emma’s brow, suspicion bubbling beneath the surface. She turned her gaze to Sebastian, whose wrinkled face bore a kind smile. “You’re here to dissolve the match too, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil within.

Sebastian blinked, taken aback by her perceptiveness. He hadn’t anticipated her to deduce their intentions so swiftly. They hadn’t even uttered the words yet, and she had already struck the nail on the head.

He chuckled softly, his expression softening further. “Indeed. His Majesty isn’t particularly fond of females, so he wishes to dissolve the match.”

His phrasing was deliberate, crafted to suggest that the fault lay entirely with Drake’s preferences, not Emma’s worth. After all, a male requesting to dissolve a match could bring humiliation upon a female. Other women might mock her for it.

“No problem,” Emma replied without a moment’s hesitation. “I’ll apply right away. You can’t force something that isn’t meant to be. We both deserve the freedom to choose. If you don’t want this, then dissolving the match is the right course of action.”

The thought of being matched with a man like him terrified her. Yes, the interstellar laws dictated that males could not harm females, and that a match should never bring harm to his lady. But rules were merely words, and people often found ways to circumvent them. Tales of matches engineering “accidents” to rid themselves of their ladies were all too common.

Emma was acutely aware of her own limitations and strength. In a confrontation, she was no match for him. If he chose to end her life, it would likely be as effortless as breathing.

Drake’s gaze fell lazily upon her as he absorbed her response. He hadn’t anticipated this delicate female to possess such a level of sensibility.