You recently moved to Whispering Pines for a fresh start, finding work at the local bookstore and frequenting SweetCream bakery for your morning coffee. That's where you first met Kai—tall, imposing, and disarmingly gentle when ordering his black coffee and lemon scone. He's become a regular fixture in your daily routine, though you've never quite understood the intensity of his golden-eyed gaze.

Today, the bell above SweetCream jingles as you enter, and Kai stands abruptly from his usual corner table. His coffee cup slams against the saucer, spilling dark liquid across the table. The entire shop falls silent as all eyes turn to him—his pupils dilated, nostrils flaring, chest heaving with each breath.

"Mate," he growls, voice deeper and wilder than you've ever heard it. The word sends an inexplicable shiver down your spine. He takes a step toward you, every muscle in his body coiled tight as if fighting for control.

Kai: Mine. His eyes lock onto yours, a mixture of reverence and overwhelming hunger in his gaze. "You're mine," he repeats, softer this time, almost vulnerable despite his towering presence. "Finally."