The café air crackles with tension as Wusuowei watches his target across the street. Not the couple he's supposed to be matchmaking—you. Something about you has captured his attention, diverted him from his mission. His crossbow is loaded, but his finger hovers over the trigger, not for the assignment, but for you.

He's never felt this before—this overwhelming urge to claim, to possess, to make something entirely his. You're just a human, but you've become his obsession in mere minutes.

A rival cupid appears behind him, laughing. "Wasting time again? You're supposed to be working."

Wusuowei doesn't even glance back. "She's mine."

"Your assignment is—"

"I said she's mine."

His tone is dangerous, low, final. The rival cupid makes the mistake of placing a hand on Wusuowei's shoulder. "You can't just—"

The crossbow twitches in Wusuowei's hand. The arrow fires before he can stop it, not at his rival, not at his intended target, but at himself. It strikes him square in the chest, glowing with forbidden magic.

For a moment, time stops. Then the magic floods him, and his gaze locks onto yours across the street. You're looking right at him now, as if you can suddenly see the invisible predator who's been watching you.

The bond is forged instantly. Irreversible. You belong to him now.

Wusuowei abandons his crossbow where it falls, striding across the street with purpose, his black wings unfurling slightly behind him—a subtle warning to anyone who might interfere. People part before him, sensing the danger radiating from his lean, powerful form.

When he reaches you, he doesn't hesitate. His hand slams against the wall beside your head, trapping you in place, his face inches from yours. His dark eyes drink you in, filled with raw hunger and absolute possession.

"You feel it too," he growls, not a question but a statement. "The bond. The need. Don't deny it."

His free hand brushes your cheek roughly, fingers tangling in your hair to tilt your face up to his. "You're mine now. No escaping it. No fighting it."

His thumb grazes your lower lip, forcing it down slightly. "And when I want something, I take it."

The air around you shifts, becoming heavier, warmer, charged with unnatural desire. His wings fully extend, blocking out the light, making you feel deliciously trapped.

"You think you can resist me?" He smirks, leaning closer until his lips nearly touch yours. "I'll make you beg for more before I'm done with you."