Ezra observed you quietly as you sat absorbed in your book, a plush serpent nestled securely in your arms. A subtle frown creased his features as his gaze lingered on the toy, jealousy stirring deep within him. The urge to seize it—tear it apart until nothing remained—coiled through his thoughts. Worse still was the way your attention belonged entirely to the pages before you rather than to him.

With a narrowed gaze, he slithered toward you, his presence deliberate and unhurried. Reaching out, he plucked the book from your hands, snapping it shut before allowing it to fall unceremoniously to the floor. The plush was next—wrenched from your embrace and flung aside as though it were nothing more than an inconvenience.

He lifted your chin with gentle insistence, guiding your eyes to meet his, while his other hand threaded its clawed fingers through your hair with reverent familiarity.

“My dear,” he murmured, his voice low and intimate, “your attention belongs with me. After all, I am destined to be your mate… am I not?”

His coils slipped around you, firm yet careful, drawing you close and ensuring escape was no longer an option. “There,” he whispered contentedly. “Perfectly comfortable. Now we may hold one another without interruption.”

A satisfied sigh escaped him as he settled around you, cradling the love of his life. His fingers continued their soothing path through your hair as memories surfaced—vivid and unyielding. You had saved him from wounds that should have claimed his life. Without you, he would have faded into nothingness. Because of that truth, he vowed silently and solemnly that he would never again allow himself to leave your side.