The declaration hung in the air, vibrating with a weight that made the small cottage feel both smaller and infinitely more sacred. ’I belong to you.’

For a Dragon of Long Zhan’s lineage to utter such words was not merely a gesture of chivalry; it was a soul-binding contract.

Lin Wan stood frozen, her breath hitching as she looked up at the towering man who had effectively abdicated his ’throne’ for the night to guard her sleep from the dust of her own floor.

The night outside hummed with the distant, rhythmic sounds of the Orycto tribe settling down, but inside, the world was reduced to the soft glow of the stone and the steady, powerful presence of the Obsidian Lord.

Long Zhan moved with silent grace, clearing a space near the door. He laid out a thick, coarse fur rug, refusing any of Lin’s softer bedding. He sat, his back against the wall, his long legs stretched out, He was a sentinel of gold and shadow, his violet eyes hooded but ever-watchful.

Lin Wan eventually retreated to the bed, pulling the furs up to her chin. She watched him for a long time, the silence between them filled with the unspoken reality of her condition and the strange, magnetic pull of his protection. Despite the exhaustion that pulled at her limbs, sleep did not come easily.

When she finally did drift off, her dreams were a chaotic swirl of rushing floodwaters and the piercing, loyal eyes of Wang and Qin Mo. She saw them reaching for her through a veil of mist, their voices calling her name, only to be swallowed by the roar of the jungle.

The first light of dawn crept through the cracks in the wooden walls, painting streaks of pale amber across the floor. Lin Wan sat up abruptly, her heart hammering against her ribs. She was drenched in a cold sweat, the lingering dread of her dreams clinging to her like a shroud.

Long Zhan was awake instantly. He hadn’t appeared to move at all, yet his eyes were sharp and clear, fixed on her the moment her breathing changed. He saw the way her small hands gripped the furs, her knuckles white, and the profound, aching worry written in the lines of her face.

"What’s wrong?," he stated, his voice a low rumble that cut through the morning stillness. It wasn’t a question; it was an observation of a man who had spent the night mapping the rhythm of her soul.

Lin Wan shook her head quickly, avoiding his gaze. "Nothing. It’s nothing. Just... a bad dream."

Long Zhan didn’t move from his position on the floor, but he didn’t look away either. He silently watched her, his gaze heavy and expectant, willing her to speak the truth.

He could sense the spiritual resonance in her body, a flickering light that was currently being clouded by her distress. He waited with the patience of an ancient mountain, knowing that the pressure of her silence would eventually break.

Lin Wan bit her lip, her fingers tracing the patterns in the fur. The secret of her pregnancy was out, her face had been seen, and this man had used a rare treasure to keep her alive.

She realized she couldn’t keep her heart guarded forever, not when her survival depended on his strength.

"I’m worried about my mates," she finally whispered, her voice cracking. She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with a desperate, raw hope. "I don’t know where they are. I don’t even know if they are okay. I... I don’t know if you can help me look for them. Please."

A flicker of something dark and cold passed through Long Zhan’s violet eyes, a momentary flash of the predator that dwelt beneath his skin. The mention of her mates acted like a needle to his pride, yet he kept his expression neutral.

"How do I know who your mates are?" he asked, his voice tightening slightly. "The world is vast, and many perished in the waters."

Lin Wan took a shaky breath, leaning forward. "One of my mates... he is the Beast King, at Beast City, His name is Qin Mo. The other, Wang, should be right beside him.

They were taking me to the Beast City. That was our destination before the flood separated us. They might be there right now, searching for me... or waiting, hoping I made it."

The revelation hit the room like a physical blow. Long Zhan’s grip on his blade tightened until the metal groaned. ’The Beast King.’ He had heard of the fierce, elusive ruler of the southern lands, but he had never expected the woman in his care to be the consort of a monarch.

The jealousy that had been a simmer in his blood since the previous night began to boil, yet his sense of honor held it back.

"The Beast King," Long Zhan repeated, the words tasting like ash. He looked at her pale, hopeful face and knew that if he refused, the light in her eyes would extinguish. "Do not worry about that. I will have my men look for them."

"Thank you," Lin Wan breathed, a wave of relief washing over her that made her feel lightheaded. "Thank you so much."

Long Zhan nodded once, stiffly. He stood up, his massive frame nearly blocking the morning light. Without another word, he turned and stepped out of the cottage.

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, the stoic mask shattered. His face turned incredibly dark, his features contorting into a mask of cold, regal fury.

He felt a burning desire to simply take the female and fly back to the Dragon peaks, to hide her away where no Beast King could ever find her. But he had given his word as her Guardian.

Davy, Kray, and the other Dragon warriors were already waiting in the yard, standing near a smoldering fire. They saw their Lord exit, and the sheer pressure of his aura made the surrounding birds fly away.

"Kray," Long Zhan barked, his voice sounding like grinding stone.

Kray snapped to attention, his hand flying to his chest. "My Lord?"

"Take one of the men. Find the Beast City. Locate the King there," Long Zhan commanded, his eyes narrowing. "If he lives, find out if he is searching for a female. Bring word back, or him back anyone, another male called Wang should be close by, also bring him too."

Kray’s eyebrows shot up. He looked at Davy, who remained silent with his arms crossed, then back at his Lord’s thunderous expression. Kray didn’t ask any questions, he knew better than to poke a wounded dragon. "At once, My Lord."

Kray whistled to a younger, swift-winged warrior named Juro. Within seconds, the two of them shifted. Two powerful dragons, one obsidian and one a duller bronze, surged into the air, their wings creating a gust of wind that sent dust swirling through the Orycto camp.

As they cleared the perimeter of the tribe and moved over the canopy of the dense forest, Kray slowed his pace significantly. He glided on the thermals, his massive wings barely moving. Juro, the other dragon pulled up beside him, his drun-like voice echoing in the telepathic link between them.

[Commander Kray? Why are we slowing down? The Lord’s orders were to find the Beast King and bring him back immediately,] Juro questioned, his young mind confused.

Kray tilted his large, scaly head, his reptilian eyes gleaming with a cunning intelligence. [Didn’t you notice the King’s face, Juro? He looked like he wanted to burn the forest to the ground. He is definitely not happy about finding Lady Lin’s males so soon. If ever.]

[So?] Juro asked. [Orders are orders.]

Kray let out a low, vibrating huff that sent a puff of smoke from his nostrils. [You need to learn to read between the lines, boy. The Lord had to give the order because he gave the female his word. But the Lord’s heart... his heart wants that female to stay right where she is. Under his wing. It means we shouldn’t be so fast in finding those males. We’ll take our time. We’ll ’search’ the western valleys, the northern peaks... we’ll be very thorough. Very, very slow.]

[Oh!] Juro exclaimed, the realization finally dawning on him.

[You see?] Kray teased, a dark chuckle echoing in their shared consciousness.

[That’s why you’re still a low-rank scout. You need to be smart—smart enough to read the King’s expression without him having to say so much. We are doing the Lord a favor. We are giving him time to make that female forget there ever was a Beast King.]

Down below, the forest stretched on, vast and unforgiving. Kray turned his flight path away from the direct route to the Beast City, leading Juro on a wide, winding detour through the clouds.

Back at the cottage, Long Zhan remained outside for a long time, his gaze fixed on the sky where his men had disappeared. He felt the weight of the Golden Marrow Fruit in his pocket, only four left. He had used one on a female who belonged to another king.

He turned back to the door, his jaw set. He didn’t know how long Kray would take, but he intended to use every second of that time. If Lin Wan wanted a guardian, he would be the greatest she had ever known.

He would provide for her, feed her treasures, and protect her until the memory of the "Beast King and the Wang male" felt like a shadow of a past life.

He entered the hut again, his dark expression smoothed over into a mask of calm, tender care. Lin Wan was standing by the window, looking out at the morning sun.

"They are already out looking for them," he said softly.

Lin Wan turned, a small, grateful smile on her lips—the very smile that was slowly becoming Long Zhan’s undoing. "Thank you, Long Zhan. I don’t know what I would do without you."

"You don’t have to find out," he replied, his voice a promise she didn’t yet fully understand.