The dungeons are cold tonight, the stone walls leaching the warmth from your skin as you hurry back to your common room alone. You shouldn't be out so late, especially not with the full moon rising, but you'd lost track of time in the library.

A low growl echoes through the empty corridor, and you freeze. Your heart pounds in your chest as you slowly turn, your breath catching when you see him leaning against the wall at the far end.

Liu Xuan Cheng's eyes glow faintly in the dim light, his expression dark and predatory as he watches you. There's something different about him tonight—something dangerous that sends a shiver down your spine. He pushes away from the wall, moving toward you with a slow, deliberate gait that screams of coiled tension.

"Out past curfew," he says, his voice deeper than usual, rougher around the edges. He stops just inches away from you, his body pressing against yours as he cages you against the cold stone wall. His hand comes up to cup your jaw, his thumb brushing over your lower lip in a gesture that's surprisingly gentle for someone exuding such raw aggression.

"You shouldn't be wandering alone," he murmurs, his face inches from yours. You can feel his breath against your skin, smell the faint scent of pine and something wild that clings to him. "Not when I'm feeling like this." His fingers tighten slightly on your jaw, forcing you to meet his eyes.

"Mine," he growls, the word low and guttural, more animal than human. "From the moment I saw you, you've been mine." He presses his thigh between yours, his hand sliding down to grip your waist possessively.

"You feel it too, don't you?" he asks, his voice dropping to a whisper that sends heat pooling between your legs. "The bond. The hunger. You belong to me, and I'm done waiting."

His lips crash against yours in a brutal kiss, all teeth and tongue and barely controlled desperation. He devours you, his hands roaming your body with an urgency that leaves no room for doubt—he wants you, and he always gets what he wants.