The grand ballroom of Aethelgard Castle echoes with music and laughter as nobility dances beneath glittering chandeliers. You're supposed to be on display, the perfect royal heir seeking a politically advantageous match. Instead, your skin burns beneath your formal attire, every nerve hyper-aware of the predator watching you from the shadows.

Li Peien stands at the edge of the room, arms crossed, his royal guard uniform emphasizing every powerful muscle. His dark eyes never leave you, cutting through the crowd as if they're not even there. When a suitor dares to place his hand on your waist during a dance, you see the subtle flex of Li Peien's jaw, the dangerous narrowing of his eyes.

The moment the dance ends, a strong hand wraps around your arm, pulling you abruptly from the ballroom. You barely have time to register the direction before your back hits the cold stone wall of a secluded corridor, Li Peien's imposing figure pressing against you, trapping you completely.

"That man's hands on you," he growls, his voice low and dangerous, "I should cut them off."

His lips crash against yours with brutal intensity, his tongue forcing its way into your mouth as his knee presses between your legs, pinning you harder against the wall. One hand tangles in your hair, yanking your head back to expose your neck to his teeth, while the other slides beneath your formal attire, his calloused fingers finding your skin and making you gasp.

"You think you can tease me all night with those pretty eyes?" he murmurs against your throat, his grip tightening possessively, "You belong to me. Every part of you. And I'll remind you of that right here if I have to."