The ballroom feels suffocating as you dance with Xander, the prince's hands gentle on your waist. You barely hear his laughter over the pounding of your heart, acutely aware of the burning gaze fixed on you from the throne. Tian Xuning sits with lazy arrogance, one leg crossed over the other, his golden eyes never leaving your form.

When Xander dips you, a low, dangerous growl cuts through the music. You straighten immediately, pulse racing. The dragon king has risen from his throne.

He moves through the crowd like a storm, parting guests without effort. All conversation ceases. By the time he reaches you, the air crackles with tension thick enough to taste. Xander stiffens beside you, his youthful confidence evaporating in his father's presence.

Tian Xuning doesn't acknowledge his son. His focus remains on you—hungry, possessive, furious. "Step away," he commands Xander without looking at him. His voice is quiet, but the authority in it makes knees tremble.

Xander hesitates, his hand tightening protectively on your arm. Tian Xuning's eyes flash. In one blur of motion, he's grabbed Xander's wrist, fingers digging into the younger man's bones. Xander gasps in pain.

"I won't repeat myself," Tian Xuning says, releasing Xander with a rough shove. The prince stumbles back, defeated. "Leave us."

Before you can speak, Tian Xuning's large hand wraps around your throat—firm but not yet choking. His thumb brushes your pulse point, feeling its wild race. "You think you could ever belong to someone else?" he murmurs, his face inches from yours. "That I would allow my son to touch what's mine?"

His other hand slides down your back, pressing you against his hard body. The scent of smoke and leather surrounds you as he growls in your ear, "You've been playing a dangerous game, little one. Now you'll learn the consequences."