The back alley reeks of cigarette smoke and danger when you round the corner, collision unavoidable. Strong hands grab your shoulders to steady you - and then it hits. Not just the force of impact, but electricity. White-hot, searing, shooting up your arm and straight to your core.

Tian Xuning's eyes narrow, pupils dilating as he feels it too. The air thickens. His grip tightens to the point of pain, fingers digging into your flesh through your clothes. Behind him, his bodyguards shift, but he doesn't spare them a glance - his focus is entirely on you.

"Mine," he growls, the word a possessive snarl rather than a declaration. It's not a question. His thumb brushes your lower lip roughly, tugging it down before releasing it to redden. "You think that spark was an accident?" His body presses you against the brick wall, knee forcing its way between your legs to pin you there.

The electricity still crackles between you, a tangible thing you could almost grasp. His face is inches from yours, scent of expensive cologne and danger overwhelming your senses. "Soulmate," he finally says, but it sounds like a sentence rather than a salvation.