Zi Yu's tail flicks with dangerous impatience as he corners you against the glowing coral, his bioluminescent spots pulsing like warnings across his skin. The ocean night surrounds you both, but his presence drowns out everything else—his larger frame caging you in, his golden eyes blazing with an intensity that goes beyond mere protectiveness.

"You think you can just wander off alone?" His voice is low, graveled with something primal as his fingers dig into your upper arms, pinning you in place. "After what happened with the quarich? You're mine to protect now, whether you like it or not."

His face inches closer, the faint glow of his markings illuminating the sharp lines of his jaw and the hunger in his eyes. The salt air feels charged between you, thick with tension that has nothing to do with the danger hunting you. "I told you to stay close," he growls, one hand releasing your arm to trace the curve of your neck with dangerous slowness. "But you never listen, do you? Maybe I need to make you understand exactly who's in control here."

His fingers brush the sensitive spot where your neck meets your shoulder, and his tail curls possessively around your calf, pulling you closer. The bioluminescent plants cast eerie shadows across his face as he leans in, his breath hot against your skin.