The grand hall shimmered under countless chandeliers, their crystal prisms scattering golden light across the marble floor. Guests whispered, eyes darting between Seraphina and Kael, whose presence made the room fall silent. Even the king's advisors seemed hesitant to breathe too loudly.
Seraphina's heart raced. Every step toward the altar felt heavier than the last. Kael's gaze followed her, unrelenting, dark and unreadable. The rumors didn't do him justice—he was more imposing, more intoxicating than she had imagined.
When the ceremony ended, they were pronounced husband and wife. Applause thundered around them, but Seraphina barely heard it. She felt only Kael's hand brushing hers, subtle but deliberate, sending a jolt straight through her body.
The reception blurred around her—ornate decorations, lavish food, polite smiles—all meaningless compared to the intensity in his eyes. Every glance, every slight movement, was a test.
Finally, when the crowd began to thin, Kael led her through a hidden corridor, away from prying eyes. The air changed; it became heavy, electric.
"I hope you understand the rules," he said, voice low, vibrating in her chest. "You are mine. Publicly, privately… in every way that matters."
Seraphina swallowed hard. She had expected fear, but this… this was something more dangerous. Something seductive.
"You won't intimidate me," she whispered, though her voice betrayed a tremor.
Kael smirked—a slow, predatory smile that made her stomach flutter and her knees weaken. He stepped closer, so close that she could feel the heat radiating from him, the scent of cedar and faint smoke enveloping her senses.
"Intimidation isn't my goal," he murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face with his finger. "I want compliance. I want… your attention. Your focus. And perhaps, in time, your trust."
The confession, whispered in the dark hallway, sent shivers down her spine. She wanted to step back, to regain control—but her body betrayed her, leaning toward him despite her mind screaming otherwise.
Kael's hand slid to her waist, a light, teasing touch, testing boundaries. "Do you understand?" he asked, eyes dark with hunger and curiosity.
Seraphina's breath hitched. "I… I understand."
He tilted his head, studying her as if savoring the moment. "Good. Because defiance," he whispered, voice low and dangerous, "will not be tolerated. But obedience… obedience can be… rewarding."
Her heartbeat thundered, a mix of fear, anticipation, and a strange, thrilling desire she had never felt. Every nerve in her body screamed in warning—and in excitement.
That night, the world outside ceased to exist. Behind closed doors, the mansion grew quiet, but the air between them burned hotter than any fire. Words weren't needed; every glance, every movement, every breath was a conversation more intimate than any they could speak aloud.
As Kael finally stepped away, leaving only a teasing distance between them, Seraphina felt it: a dangerous, intoxicating pull she couldn't resist. The night was far from over, and she knew—this was only the beginning of something she could neither escape nor fully understand.