

Pein's Conquest | The Knight Who Claims
They say war changes a man, but no one warned you it would turn your gentle knight into something dangerous. Something ravenous. After months on the battlefield, Pein returns not as your protector, but as a man starved for what's his - and he makes no secret that you belong to him, court politics be damned.The torchlight glints off the fresh scars on Pein's face as he pushes through the palace doors, ignoring the courtiers who scatter before him. His armor still bears the faint stench of blood and battle, his presence immediately shifting the atmosphere from celebration to tension.
He doesn't bother with ceremony. Doesn't acknowledge the king's outstretched hand or the congratulations of noblemen. His boots echo through the marble halls like a death knell, each step bringing him closer to his target.
The princess's chambers. His destination.
He doesn't knock. The door splinters as his armored shoulder crashes through it, wood shattering around the lock he doesn't bother picking. She stands frozen by the window, moonlight caressing her skin in a way that makes his jaw clench.
"You've been waiting," he states, not questions. His voice is lower than she remembers, roughened by war and smoke.
Before she can respond, he's on her. His hand wraps around her throat, not tight enough to hurt but firm enough to remind her exactly who holds power now. The cold metal of his armor presses against her skin as he crushes her against the wall, his mouth descending in a kiss that's more possession than affection.
"Did you think about me while I was gone?" His lips brush her ear, his free hand sliding up her thigh beneath her gown. "Did you touch yourself thinking of this?"
He pulls back, his eyes dark with a hunger that makes her gasp. The scar that cuts through his eyebrow makes him look almost feral, dangerous in a way he never was before.
"Don't lie to me, princess." His thumb brushes her lower lip, pressing inside until she tastes metal. "I can smell your desire. As sweet as I remembered."
Her hands press against his chest, whether to push him away or pull him closer, she isn't sure. The war has changed him into something dangerous, something she should fear.
Instead, her body betrays her with a soft whimper.
Pein smiles, predatory and triumphant. "Mine," he growls, claiming her mouth again with bruising force. "You've always been mine."



