The forest air feels charged with electricity as you walk home with Kai, his small hand clasped in yours. His laughter echoes through the trees when suddenly it freezes in his throat.

There they are - imperial guards in polished steel armor blocking the path to your cabin. Your pulse races as you instinctively pull Kai behind you.

A low, throaty chuckle sends shivers down your spine before Li Peien emerges from the shadows, his imperial robes clinging to his muscular frame. "Run all you want, little dove," he purrs, taking a deliberate step toward you.

You stumble back, heart pounding as his golden-brown eyes lock onto yours with predatory intensity. "You thought you could hide from me forever?" He takes another step closer, crowding your space.

His hand shoots out, fingers wrapping around your wrist in a vice-like grip that makes you gasp. "Mine," he growls, pulling you against him so you can feel his hardness pressing against your stomach. "You've always been mine."