The night deepened, and the clan slowly surrendered to sleep—but not everyone found rest.
Lin Yue turned on his side, the thin fur blanket pulled up to his chest. Outside, the wind brushed against the wooden walls, carrying distant howls and the low murmur of beasts guarding the perimeter. This world was dangerous, raw, alive. Yet the most dangerous thing he faced wasn't the clan's suspicion or Layla's gaze.
It was his own heart.
He closed his eyes, but Feng Lihan's silhouette returned immediately—standing tall beneath the lanterns, unyielding, as if the world itself had to step aside when he chose to protect something.
If this continues, they'll use me against you.
Lin Yue swallowed. He had lived once already. He knew how fragile happiness was—how quickly it could be weaponized.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
Lin Yue froze.
The knock came again, slower this time.
"…Come in," he said after a pause.
The door opened quietly. Feng Lihan stepped inside, careful not to let the hinges creak. He didn't wear his armor now—only a dark robe tied loosely at his waist. Without the weight of authority on his shoulders, he looked almost… human.
"I thought you might still be awake," Feng Lihan said.
Lin Yue pushed himself up, surprised. feng lihan…?"
"I'm not here as your to disturb you." Feng Lihan closed the door behind him. "I Just want to talk."
ok..
Feng Lihan stopped a few steps away, as if deliberately maintaining distance. "Layla confronted the elders tonight."
Lin Yue's breath caught. "About me?"
"Yes."
Silence stretched between them.
"What did they say?" Lin Yue asked carefully.
"They reminded her," Feng Lihan replied, "that clan law forbids interference in a personal bonds."
Lin Yue stared at him. "Personal… bonds?"
Feng Lihan's gaze didn't waver. "I didn't deny it." you are my mate
Lin Yue's heart slammed against his ribs. "You shouldn't have."
"I know." Feng Lihan's voice lowered. "But I chose to."
Lin Yue looked away, fingers gripping the blanket. "This is exactly what I was afraid of."
Feng Lihan took one step closer. "Look at me."
Lin Yue didn't want to—but he did.
"In my life," Feng Lihan said, "everything has been weighed by usefulness. Strength. Bloodline. Loyalty. You are the first thing that wasn't measured that way."
Lin Yue's throat burned.
"That makes you dangerous," Feng Lihan continued. "Not because you're weak—but because you matter."
Lin Yue laughed softly, the sound fragile. "You make it sound like loving me is a liability."
"It is," Feng Lihan said honestly.
Lin Yue's heart sank.
"And I accept it."
The words landed like thunder.
Feng Lihan reached out this time—slowly, giving Lin Yue time to pull away. His fingers brushed Lin Yue's wrist, warm and grounding.
"I won't ask you to stay," Feng Lihan said. "But I won't push you away either. If you leave, I'll protect you from afar. If you remain… then stand beside me."
Lin Yue's vision blurred. In his previous world, love had always been conditional—earned, bargained for, revoked without warning.
This was different. Terrifyingly so.
"…You're not afraid?" Lin Yue whispered.
Feng Lihan's thumb tightened slightly around his wrist. "I am."
"Then why—"
"Because some things are worth fear."
Lin Yue inhaled shakily. He didn't pull away.
Outside, unseen by either of them, Layla stood in the shadows near the corridor, her expression cold as ice.
"So you've chosen him," she murmured.
Her lips curved into a thin smile.
"Then I'll show you," she whispered into the night, "what happens when a your becomes his weakness."
The wind surged through the clan grounds, carrying with it the promise of blood, betrayal—and a love about to be tested.