Dawn crept over the mountain.Frost clung to the leaves, unmelted in the chill.
Su Sheng stirred.
She awoke still wrapped in him—his wings curled around her waist like golden chains.
She turned her head slightly. Yu was seated behind her, robe loosely draped, gaze downcast, as if resting with his eyes closed.
She tried, ever so gently, to slip her hand free.
The wings shifted.
"If you're awake, stop pretending."
His voice was calm. Hoarse. Clear.
Su Sheng froze.
He'd never slept.
"Let me go. I'm leaving."She bit her lip and sat up, pulling on her clothes with trembling hands.
Yu didn't move.His gaze simply drifted—to the mark on her neck where his bite had broken skin.To her shoulder, her collarbone, her waist—All stained with the proof of last night.
"Leaving?"He chuckled, low and sharp."You eat the eagle and think you can just walk away?"
"I—" Her voice caught. She opened her mouth to argue—But his wing snapped forward, coiling around her ankle.
In a flash, she was pulled back into the bed.
She gasped—And fell straight into his arms.
"Greedy, aren't you?"He held her close, lips brushing her ear, voice dangerously soft."Last night you cried 'no' so sweetly.Now you want to run?"
She struggled. The wings wrapped tighter—loop after loop—until both her hands were bound again above her head.
"Yu, you're insane!" she shouted, eyes brimming with fury. "You beast!"
He bit her chin, low and slow:
"You told me last night I was good at being a beast."
Her ears burned. She tried to snap back, but—
He yanked open her robe.
His mouth found her skin, fast and merciless—Kissing, claiming, burning down her collarbone, chest, and lower.
"Stop… I said I'm leaving…" she cried, breathless. Fear flickered in her eyes."If you keep going like this… I'll hate you."
And suddenly—he stopped.
He looked up at her, and for the first time, his voice dropped into something else.
Not hunger.
Something darker.
"Then tell me… why did you want to kill me?"
She froze.
"That year…" she whispered, "My master died in the mountains.The only clue left was a single sentence—'He was torn apart by a golden-winged beast.'You… you're not innocent."
Yu's eyes darkened.
But he only gave a crooked, bitter smile.
"And you think I'm the only one with golden wings?"
"...What?"
He leaned close, one word at a time:
"The reason I let you shoot me—was because I wanted to know why you hated me so much."
Then he pushed her back down again.
Kissed the tears from her eyes.Licked.Whispered.
"Hate me if you must.I made you cry—And I'll make you…"
"Cry while loving me."