Exiled Princess? The Entire Galaxy Desires Me!

A piercing alarm suddenly rang out, shattering the silence.

Haley Collins flinched awake, caught off guard by the noise.

She pushed herself upright and stared in confusion at the cluttered surroundings. Her mind was blank.

What was this place? How had she ended up here?

Her last memory was of battling zombies. In the middle of the fight, her supposed closest friend, Katherine Smith, had betrayed her by pushing her straight into the swarm.

The device strapped to her wrist continued to sound. Haley pressed her fingers against her aching temples before touching the screen. Somehow, her hands moved with a familiarity she couldn't explain, as though they already knew what to do. A notification from the Bonding Service Center appeared before her.

"Dear Ms. Haley Collins, congratulations! The Bonding Service Center has selected eight suitable mates for you and they have been informed of your current address. Their profiles will be ready for you in five minutes, and the mate nearest to your location will reach you in fifteen minutes."

Before Haley could make sense of the message, her vision blurred. A flood of scattered memories surged through her mind, piecing together the truth of her situation.

She had somehow crossed into a world inhabited by werecreatures, occupying the body of a false princess of the Crescent Empire.

Seven days earlier, the Empire's rightful heiress, Erika Collins, had returned to the imperial palace.

Within that brief period, Erika had repeatedly shed tears and played the victim until the former Haley was accused of plotting to murder her.

Empress Veronica Collins wasted no time passing judgment. She ordered Haley's immediate exile to the Desolation Planet, a remote world situated at the greatest possible distance from the Capital Planet.

Crushed by the injustice and consumed by rage, the original Haley had eventually lost the will to remain alive, and her soul faded away.

That was when another Haley Collins, a woman with the exact same name who died in another world, had awakened in this body.

Another alert sounded from the communicator.

Haley lowered her gaze to read the latest message.

"Dear Ms. Collins, your eight compatible mates have been selected. Please review their details below.

Tyler Jones, 24, werewolf. Esper abilities not yet awakened.

Jordy Taylor, 23, werefox. Level 3 fire esper ability.

Ethan Williams, 24, wereserpent. Level 2 plant esper ability.

Brennan Brown, 22, merman. Level 2 water esper ability.

Austin Douglas, 20, werehawk. Level 1 wind esper ability.

Colton Evans, 21, werepanda. Level 1 earth esper ability.

Dylan Gordon, 25, weretiger. Level 2 metal esper ability.

Lucas Wilson, 22, werepeafowl. Level 5 water esper ability.

All eight mates are required to report to Villa 66 in Veritia, located on the Desolation Planet, within fifteen days. Anyone who fails to appear before the deadline will incur a penalty of one million star coins and become ineligible for another domina match for the next three years."

Haley couldn't help letting out a bitter chuckle.

Before her transmigration, Haley had possessed a Level 8 plant esper ability, placing her among the most powerful individuals of her kind. Yet the men assigned to her were mostly Level 1 or Level 2. How could such weak partners possibly benefit her?

She lifted one hand, willing her power to respond. A thin, frail tendril emerged from her palm, barely resembling the vines this body had once commanded.

Haley's expression changed.

What had happened to her Level 8 ability?

She examined the miserable little shoot in disbelief. After several seconds, a humorless laugh escaped her lips.

Fine. She might have lost nearly everything, but she was still breathing. That alone was enough. She would rebuild her strength, one step at a time, until she stood at the summit once more.

The memories she had inherited from this body's original owner also revealed the unusual social order of this universe. Females enjoyed an exceptionally privileged position and were permitted to have several mates.

When a match was confirmed, a spiritual bond was established by God. Unless the female chose to terminate the arrangement, the male's life remained intrinsically connected to that of his domina.

Every pairing also came with a three-month trial period. If a male failed to develop a complete bond with his domina during that time, he could request to end the relationship once the trial expired.

The rules became even more favorable to the female after a full bond was established. From that point onward, every asset legally registered under the male's name automatically became her property.

In other words, Haley had gained control over eight men and everything they owned, including their money.

Perhaps fate was offering her some compensation for all the suffering she had endured during the apocalypse.

With renewed determination, Haley rose to her feet and approached the mirror. She studied her luminous eyes and the captivating charm reflected in them, noticing a subtle, lingering seductiveness in her gaze. A satisfied smile touched her lips.

Her appearance remained unchanged after the transmigration. She was still the same breathtaking woman who could turn heads throughout an entire survivor base.

She turned toward the wardrobe and swung its doors open, expecting to find at least a few outfits. Instead, she was greeted by nothing but empty shelves.

Haley drummed her fingers against the wooden door, deep in thought.

The previous owner of this body had been a princess, yet she had been reduced to such poverty that she couldn't even afford a spare set of clothes.

There was no clothing to speak of, and not a single weapon in sight.

After leaving the room, Haley wandered into the yard and picked up a small gardening trowel. With that as her only equipment, she decided to venture beyond the city and see what she could find.

But the instant she swung open the front gate, she stopped dead. A female dressed entirely in white stood on the other side. Haley's fingers curled into her palms until her nails bit painfully into her skin.

An overwhelming wave of hatred rose within her, so fierce that she struggled to contain it. She forced the female's name through clenched teeth. "Erika."

There was a faint resemblance between the two females, though Haley's expression hardened the moment she recognized the visitor.

Erika looked at her with timid, watery eyes, already wearing an expression of sorrow. "Haley... How are you supposed to live somewhere like this?"

Haley drew in a slow breath, struggling to keep the urge to kill her from taking over. Then she curved her lips into a pleasant smile that concealed none of the coldness in her eyes. "Are you worried about me?"

Erika dabbed at the corners of her eyes before nodding softly. "I've been through plenty of hardships myself over the years, so I'm used to living under difficult conditions. But you've spent your entire life in the palace, Haley. How could you possibly adjust to a place like this?"

A laugh escaped Haley's lips. Under the brilliant sunlight, her beautiful features seemed to glow. "You make a good point. Since you're so concerned, why don't we trade places?"

Before Erika could respond, her communicator rang. She glanced at the incoming call and answered, lowering her gaze as though she were too distressed to look anyone in the eye. "Kate, I... I'm with Haley at the moment. I'll come over to see you as soon as I return."

The caller's face and voice emerged from the communicator's projection. Haley instinctively stumbled backward, her eyes widening in shock.

What did Erika just call her? Why did this woman have Katherine's face and voice? And even her nickname?

Haley could never mistake that face. It belonged to the one person whose betrayal had haunted her final moments in the apocalypse, someone she would recognize even if she were standing at death's door.