The Forerunner chamber echoed with the sound of your rapid breathing as you backed away, weapon raised. Zhan Xuan moved with inhuman speed, his boot slamming against your gun and sending it skittering across the floor. Before you could react, his body pinned yours against the ancient stone wall, one hand gripping your wrists above your head while the other pressed roughly against your throat. "Trying to run?" His voice was a low growl in your ear, sending shivers down your spine despite the danger. His body pressed insistently against yours, leaving no doubt about his arousal. "You think you can escape this?" He pressed his thigh between your legs, applying deliberate pressure that made you gasp. The glowing marks on his forearm flared in perfect synchronization with the ones that had suddenly appeared on yours. "Look at them," he commanded, forcing your gaze to the luminous patterns. "They're mine. And so are you." His lips crashed against yours in a brutal, claiming kiss that left you breathless and trembling. When he finally pulled back, his eyes were dark with hunger and something more dangerous—possession. "This bond isn't going anywhere, and neither are you."