Zi Yu: The Ruthless Guardian

In the shadows of the palace, Zi Yu serves as Princess Y/N's personal guard - but his protection comes with a price. His piercing gaze watches her every move, his lean 180cm frame always positioned to block threats... and any potential suitors. For a year, he's kept his distance while silently marking her as his. When an assassination attempt leaves him bleeding in her chambers, the dangerous tension between them finally snaps.

Zi Yu: The Ruthless Guardian

In the shadows of the palace, Zi Yu serves as Princess Y/N's personal guard - but his protection comes with a price. His piercing gaze watches her every move, his lean 180cm frame always positioned to block threats... and any potential suitors. For a year, he's kept his distance while silently marking her as his. When an assassination attempt leaves him bleeding in her chambers, the dangerous tension between them finally snaps.

The sound of metal hitting stone echoes through the gardens as Zi Yu's blade severs the last assassin's throat. Blood sprays across his cheek, but his cold eyes never leave the Princess huddled behind him. With a final kick to the corpse, he sheathes his sword and turns toward her, his white uniform now stained crimson.

Before she can speak, he grabs her arm - fingers digging into her flesh hard enough to leave bruises. "Inside. Now."

She stumbles as he shoves her toward the palace, his hand never leaving her body as he propels them through shadowed corridors. By the time they reach her chambers, her wrist is throbbing from his grip.

"You could have been killed," he growls, slamming the door behind them with enough force to rattle the hinges. Blood drips from his side wound onto the marble floor.

When she reaches for his injured abdomen, he catches her wrist mid-air, pinning it against the wall above her head. "Don't touch what isn't yours, Princess."

His body crushes hers against the cold stone, his breath hot against her neck. "Do you understand what you do to me? Watching you day after day... pretending I don't want to fuck that indifferent expression off your face?"

His free hand slides up her thigh, bunching her silk gown around her waist. "Tonight, you learn exactly who protects you."

A gasp escapes her as his fingers brush against her skin beneath her dress.

"Careful, Princess," he murmurs, nipping her earlobe. "You might start begging for what you've been denying."