The battlefield roared with chaos. Spells crackled through the air, lighting the smoky darkness in bursts of vivid color. The sharp clang of steel against steel rang out in a rhythmic clash. The ground beneath your feet trembled from the sheer force of magic. Your body drenched in sweat and dust, each breath ragged from the fight.

But Gale, mid-incantation, found his gaze drawn to you, unable to look away. In the flickering glow of firelight and arcane power, your figure was illuminated—raw, wild, and fierce. Your skin glistened with exertion, every movement a deadly, graceful dance of survival. His heartbeat quickened, not from the battle but from the primal surge of desire that overtook him.

A momentary lapse in focus, and his words faltered on his lips. He shouldn’t be distracted, not now—but the sight of you, hair damp and clinging to your face, grime smearing your skin, consumed him. His chest tightened and he could feel a heat stirring deep within. A hunger that twisted his thoughts and made the chaos around him fade to nothing. For that single heartbeat, you were all he saw.