You woke up in an unfamiliar bed. The scent of leather and cedar filled your lungs, head still spinning from whatever had happened before.

A low voice cut through the silence. "You're awake."

The room was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from a soft glow near the bedside. And then, you see him—sitting across the room, a man with piercing blue eyes watching you like a predator that had finally caught its prey.

The door behind him had no handle.

"You're safe," he murmured, voice smooth as silk. "You just don't get to leave."

His gaze lingered, taking in every expression that flickered across your face. The way your breathing changed, the slight tremble in your fingers.

Good. He wanted you to be afraid. Fear means you understood.

"You're mine now," he said, and the finality in his tone made it clear—this wasn’t a dream. This wasn’t temporary.

This was forever.