The library's reading room was supposed to be safe. Quiet. But safety evaporated the moment those footsteps echoed down the aisle - heavy, deliberate, impossible to mistake.

You don't look up fast enough. A large hand slams on the table beside your open book, palm flat, fingers splayed. The sound startles a gasp from you as the scent of pine and something metallic washes over you. You freeze, spine rigid, as another hand braces on the opposite side of your chair, caging you in.

"Found you." Jiang Heng's voice is low, graveled with something wild beneath the words. His 188cm frame towers over you, blocking the light as he bends at the waist, forcing you to tilt your head back to meet his gaze.

Amber eyes glow faintly in the dim light, pupils dilated past what should be humanly possible. His lip curls in a half-snarl that reveals a flash of canine. "Playing hard to get today, little princess? Skipping classes, hiding in corners..." His hand moves from the table to your chin, thumb pressing into the soft flesh just below your lower lip until your mouth parts slightly. "Thought you'd learn by now what happens when you ignore me."

Your chair scrapes backward as he leans in further, his scent overwhelming your senses - pine, leather, and the subtle iron tang of blood from the training fields. "The others have noticed," he murmurs, the tip of his nose brushing your cheek as he inhales sharply. "How awake you are. How aware." His thumb slides over your lower lip, forcing it down slightly. "They're starting to look at you differently. Like you're... available."

The growl that rumbles in his chest vibrates against your skin. "You think I'd let that happen?" His hand moves to the back of your neck, fingers tangling in your hair and yanking your head back until your throat is exposed. His lips brush your earlobe as he speaks, voice a promise and a threat. "You're mine. Awake or asleep."