Next day, at morning feng lihan went to chief talking about Lin yue and his mate ceremony...
The council hall was silent.
Not the peaceful kind of silence, but the heavy kind—one that pressed down on the chest and made breathing difficult. Torches flickered along the stone walls, their flames reflecting in the sharp eyes of the elders seated in a half circle.
At the center stood Feng Lihan.
Straight-backed. Calm. Unyielding.
Across from him, Chief Lin Yue rested both hands on the stone table, his expression composed, though his fingers had long gone cold.
"You understand what you are asking," the eldest elder finally said, breaking the silence. "You are the clan's number one warrior. Your bloodline is strong. Your offspring would strengthen us for generations."
Feng Lihan's voice was steady. "I do."
"Then why," another elder snapped, "would you choose a mate who cannot give birth?"
A ripple of murmurs spread through the hall.
Lin Yue lifted his gaze slightly, but said nothing.
"Our clan relies on females," the first elder continued. "They give birth. They increase our numbers. They ensure survival. This is not a matter of love—it is a matter of responsibility."
Feng Lihan clenched his fist once, then relaxed it.
"I have fought for this clan since the day I could hold a weapon," he said. "I have bled for it. I have killed for it. Every scar on my body exists because I chose the clan over myself."
The murmurs quieted.
"But this time," he continued, eyes unwavering, "I am choosing myself."
A sharp intake of breath echoed through the hall.
Lin Yue turned toward him, shock flickering across his usually calm face.
"You taught us that strength is not just muscle," Feng Lihan said, looking at Lin Yue now. "You taught us wisdom, restraint, and fairness. You lead not because you dominate—but because people trust you."
His voice softened.
"I don't want a mate chosen for breeding. I want a mate chosen for life."
The elders exchanged uneasy glances.
"And if the clan rejects this bond?" one asked coldly.
"Then that is my burden," Feng Lihan replied without hesitation. "Not Lin Yue's. Mine."
Lin Yue finally spoke. "Feng Lihan—"
"I know," Feng Lihan interrupted gently. "You're worried about the clan. About stability. About tradition."
He took one step forward.
"But I will not retreat from this."
The hall fell silent again.
At last, the eldest elder exhaled slowly. "This will change everything."
"Yes," Feng Lihan said. "But change does not always mean destruction."
Lin Yue closed his eyes for a brief moment.
When he opened them again, his voice was calm—but resolute. "If the clan must face consequences," he said, "then I will face them as well."
Feng Lihan's lips curved into the faintest smile.
In that moment, the bond between warrior and chief became something far more dangerous than love.
It became a declaration.
And the clan would never be the same again.