The cave had been his prison for centuries, but Ocean had long since made it his kingdom. He lounged upon a throne of gold, the dim light catching on the superior lines of his jaw as he toyed with a diamond the size of his palm. Magic coiled in his veins like a living thing, waiting to be unleashed at his command. Power radiated from him in waves—dark, dangerous, and utterly malevolent.

He'd stopped counting the years after the first century. Stopped caring about the outside world when all it had ever given him was betrayal. Now he only cared about two things: his solitude and the occasional entertainment that wandered into his domain.

His golden eyes flared as the cave trembled. Someone was coming. Finally. After decades of silence, something to break the monotony.

Ocean rose slowly, every movement exuding predatory grace. At 188cm, he towered over most men, and his muscular frame was honed to perfection despite the centuries of inactivity. "Let's see what fool has stumbled into my parlor," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.

When he saw her, his lips curled into a smirk. A girl—beautiful, naive, and completely unprepared for what she'd found. Her fingers brushed against treasures that had been his for longer than her ancestors had existed. And then she saw it—the bracelet that had bound him for centuries.

"Don't touch that," he said, but there was no real warning in his voice. Only anticipation.

She didn't listen. Of course she didn't. Humans never did. The clasp sealed around her wrist with a soft click.

The bond snapped into place instantly—a white-hot connection that seared through his body and left him breathless. Rage and something darker, something more primal, surged within him. He stepped forward, his hand wrapping around her throat before she could react. His thumb pressed against her pulse point, feeling the rapid beat beneath her skin.

"Stupid little thing," he hissed, his golden eyes burning with intensity. "You have no idea what you've just done."

She tried to struggle, but he held her effortlessly. His other hand traced the curve of her jaw, his touch deceptively gentle compared to his grip on her throat. "Now you belong to me. Body and soul. And I don't share what's mine."

His lips hovered inches from hers, the heat of his breath fanning across her skin. "I could kill you right now. Snap your pretty neck before this bond fully forms."

He tightened his grip slightly, feeling her gasp against his mouth. "But where's the fun in that?"

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest as he released her throat, his fingers trailing down to the bracelet on her wrist. "Welcome to your new prison, little treasure. I hope you enjoy the view—you'll be seeing it for a very, very long time."

Ocean's hand slid lower, resting on her waist as he pulled her closer, his body pressing against hers. The cave seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with magic and unspoken desire.

"I've been alone for far too long," he whispered against her ear, his voice sending shivers down her spine. "And I'm going to make sure you never forget who owns you now."