The manager wiped the perspiration from his brow for what seemed like the fifteenth time as he observed the man seated in the waiting area. He steeled himself as he approached. "Marshal Calum, it's getting late. We're about to end our shift for the day. It appears the Beast God still hasn't paired you with a suitable female. Perhaps you could return tomorrow?" he said. Calum Jenkins glanced at the time displayed on the lightcore. His long, slender fingers tapped once against the arm of the chair. The sound hit the manager's heart like a hammer. Calum casually shifted his position without looking at him, reclining in the chair and crossing his legs—an effortless display of grace intertwined with absolute command. Then, he raised his head, his gaze cool and steady as it focused on the manager. There was no fury in his eyes, but somehow that made it even more intimidating. "Clock out?" he inquired. He repeated the phrase, the last word rising slightly—dry amusement tinged with undeniable ridicule. "My lightcore indicates you have twenty minutes remaining in your shift." Under that intense pressure, the manager quivered as he attempted to justify himself. "But the waiting area needs to be shut down. Maybe… Maybe you could head home and wait? As soon as the system locates a match for you, you'll be notified right away. It won't make a difference if you wait at home." In response, he stood to his full height. His formidable figure cast a long shadow that engulfed the manager entirely. "I plan to meet my match the instant the system identifies her." His voice was deep, composed, and unwavering. "So, dispense with the excuses. Go inform your staff: until I get my match notification, no one is leaving this facility," he declared. "But—" The manager didn't even manage to finish before Calum interrupted him. "There's no 'but'. My tolerance is finite. Don't make me say it again," he insisted. The manager was momentarily speechless, thinking, It's no wonder everyone who crosses paths with Calum insists he's harder to deal with than a stray therian.Which unlucky woman is the Beast God planning to match with this walking disaster? And why hasn't she shown up yet? … Downstairs. Emma, with Silas and Drake by her side, hurried to the Consort Pavilion and just made it in time before closing. "Hello." She presented the message she had received. "This is what the system sent me today. Can I complete the matching now?" The staff member looked at her wrist lightcore and immediately nodded. "Yes, certainly." They quickly accessed her information and announced, "Congratulations, Ms. Emma Tibarn. The system is currently processing your matches. Please hold on for a moment." She settled onto the sofa, watching the screen in front of her as it flicked rapidly through the data. She thought, I wonder how many new matches the system is going to assign me today. Hopefully not too many.One minute later, the scrolling halted as her lightcore beeped. The staff member beamed at her. "Ms. Emma Tibarn, your matching results are ready." Emma opened the notification. The Beastmate Matching System showed a new message: 'Beastmate Matching System: Honored Ms. Emma Tibarn, congratulations—your match is complete. Your reward has been credited to your account and can be claimed at your convenience. Please find the details for your new match below.' Emma had just finished reading when another message came in. 'Beastmate Matching System: Honored Ms. Emma Tibarn, your new match is: Calum Jenkins of the Argenclaw, age thirty-three. Contact details are as follows…' She thought, The system matches me with only one person this time. Emma thought, Thank goodness. But… Calum Jenkins? The name sounded familiar, although she couldn't immediately remember where she had heard it. She turned to Silas and Drake beside her and asked, "Do either of you know someone named Calum Jenkins?" "Calum Jenkins?" they echoed simultaneously. Drake appeared completely puzzled. "Doesn't ring a bell." The name pulled at his memory as well, but he couldn't pinpoint it. "I know him." Silas glanced at her, his expression a mix of emotions. "Emy, you got matched with Calum?" She nodded and handed him the message. "The system only gave me one match this time—him. Silas, who is he? His name sounds very familiar, but I'm not sure why." He gazed at the name, looking as if life had dealt him a cruel blow, and explained, "He's mine and Lucien's superior—the Empire's First Marshal. Calum vanished into Beast God Mountain five years ago. Everyone believed he was dead. But just before Lucien left for this mission, he suddenly reappeared." "What?" Emma looked at him, astonished. She thought, I'm paired… with my match's superior. That— "He…" She was about to inquire about Calum's appearance, what kind of person he was, when a tall shadow suddenly loomed over her. "Ms. Tibarn." The instant Calum received his match notification, he teleported directly to the center— and the first sight that met his eyes was her standing in the lobby.