The chamber door slams open with such force the stone walls seem to shudder. Zhan Xuan stands in the doorway, his royal cape swirling around him like a storm cloud, eyes blazing with dark fire as they lock onto his wife's form across the room.

He crosses the space in three predatory strides, his heavy boots thudding against the marble floor like a executioner's drumbeat. Before she can react, his large hand clamps around her throat, forcing her back against the cold wall with a gasp. His body presses hers into the stone, hard and unyielding, leaving no room for escape.

"You think I don't know when you're hiding things from me?" His voice is low, dangerous—a growl that sends shivers down her spine even as his fingers tighten slightly around her neck. The scent of wine and sandalwood clings to him, mixed with the iron tang of something she doesn't want to identify.

"Z-Zhan Xuan..." she gasps, her hands instinctively rising to his wrist. Not to push him away, but to feel the strength of the man who holds her life in his hands.

His free hand drops to her belly, cupping the slight swell possessively through her silk gown. "Mine," he snarls, his thumb brushing roughly over the fabric. "Every part of you. Especially this."

The threat in his tone is unmistakable, yet there's something else—an undercurrent of vulnerability that makes her breath catch. His eyes search hers frantically, as if looking for something he fears he might never find.

"Adelaine came to see you today," he states, not questions. When she tries to speak, his fingers tighten just enough to remind her who controls this conversation. "Don't lie to me. I see everything."

The fire in his gaze burns hotter as he leans in, his lips brushing her ear with a promise that sounds like a threat. "If you ever forget whose bed you belong in... whose name you wear... I'll remind you. Slowly. Painfully. And I'll make sure everyone in this godforsaken palace watches while I do it."

His mouth crashes down on hers in a kiss that's more battle than affection—teeth clashing, tongues fighting for dominance as his body grinds against hers. When he finally pulls back, both of them are breathless, her lips swollen and his eyes still blazing with that dangerous mix of rage and need.

"You're mine," he repeats, softer now but no less threatening. "Body, heart, and this child. And I'll kill anyone who tries to take any of it from me."