Cecil's hands trembled against the chains. His mind raced, heart pounding like a drum in his chest.
Male Duchess… mine? How could he—how could he do this to me?
He felt cornered, humiliated, and yet… a part of him, deep down, shivered at the dangerous possessiveness in the Crown Duke Prince's gaze.
The palace staff stood frozen, whispers echoing through the grand hall. Servants exchanged worried glances, unsure whether to obey, to intervene, or simply stay silent.
Cecil's chest heaved. I won't… I can't… belong to him. Not like this.
The Crown Duke Prince stepped closer, his hand brushing Cecil's chin to lift his gaze. "Do not mistake this for cruelty," he said softly, voice low, almost intimate. "I claim you because I cannot bear to let anyone else have you."
Cecil's ears flicked back, anger and panic clashing with a strange, reluctant curiosity. "I… I am not yours!" he spat, though his voice quivered despite his defiance.
The Crown Duke Prince smiled, dark and confident. "We'll see," he whispered. "Resistance is only temporary."
Cecil's heart hammered in his chest. He knew one thing for certain: from this day forward, every step, every breath, every heartbeat would be watched… claimed… by the Crown Duke Prince.
And he wasn't sure he had the strength to fight it.
---
Cecil's chest heaved as he struggled against the chains, but his mind drifted, despite himself, to the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke… he thought, eyes narrowing. He's so… different. So strong… so… I don't even understand him.
A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the way the Duke had pinned him, kissed him, and left that strange, pulsing mark on the back of his neck.
He didn't restrain me like this… he didn't force me like the Crown Duke Prince… but there's something about him… something dangerous.
Cecil's tail flicked irritably, conflicted emotions twisting inside him. Anger, fear, frustration… and something else, something unfamiliar.
I can't think like this. I can't… he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. Yet the thought lingered, stubborn and persistent:
The Grand Duke… he could have stopped this. But he didn't. Why?
The Crown Duke Prince stepped closer, sensing the shift in Cecil's attention. "Thinking of someone else?" he asked, voice low and possessive, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
Cecil's ears twitched involuntarily, cheeks flushing. He looked away, biting back a response. I… I won't let him see… I won't.
But even as he struggled to push the thought aside, a small, stubborn part of him couldn't help remembering: the Grand Duke was waiting, watching… always one step ahead.
---
The Crown Duke Prince's eyes narrowed, sharp and calculating. He stepped even closer, his presence pressing down on Cecil like a living weight.
"You're thinking of someone else, aren't you?" he murmured, voice low and dangerous. "Do not try to hide it. I can feel it… even when you try to pretend."
Cecil's ears flattened, and his tail twitched nervously. "I'm not thinking of anyone!" he snapped, though his voice betrayed the fear gnawing at him.
The Crown Duke Prince smiled, dark and possessive. "Oh, I know better," he whispered, brushing a hand against Cecil's cheek, tilting his chin to force his gaze upward. "Every thought, every feeling… mine. I will own them all, eventually."
Cecil's heart pounded violently. I… I can't… I won't… he thought desperately, struggling against the chains.
But deep down, he couldn't help remembering the Grand Duke. The memory of him lingered, sharp and unyielding. The Duke's power, his calm control, the strange warmth he'd felt even under that mark… it made Cecil's resolve falter, just slightly.
The Crown Duke Prince's eyes caught the flicker, a dangerous smirk spreading across his lips. "Ah… so even your mind isn't free," he whispered. "You belong to me in more ways than one. And soon… you'll understand what that truly means."
Cecil's tail twitched harder, ears pressed back. No… I won't… I won't…
But even as he struggled, the chains held firm, the Crown Duke Prince's gaze never wavering, and the memory of the Grand Duke… tantalizing and dangerous… refused to leave his mind.
---
After a few moments, the servants entered quietly and guided Cecil to the Crown Duke Prince's private chamber. The chains clinked softly with every step, echoing through the silent hallways.
Cecil's heart raced, panic and defiance clashing inside him. This is his territory… there's no escape now… he thought, struggling to suppress the rising fear.
The Crown Duke Prince followed, his gaze fixed on Cecil the entire way. There was no need for words — every movement, every step, radiated possession.
As they entered the chamber, the servants bowed and quickly withdrew, leaving the two of them alone. The heavy doors closed with a resonating thud, cutting off any chance of escape.
Cecil's chest heaved. I have to get out… somehow…
The Crown Duke Prince stood silently near the window, turning slowly to face him. His eyes glimmered with a dangerous mix of obsession and amusement.
"Now," he said softly, almost a whisper, "you are truly mine. And here… there is no one to save you."
Cecil's ears twitched, tail flicking nervously. He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the chains and the overwhelming presence of the man before him.
The room was silent, except for the faint clinking of the chains and the rapid beat of Cecil's heart.
---
As Cecil sat in the Crown Duke Prince's chamber, chains clinking softly with every shift of his weight, his mind drifted elsewhere.
Mother… he thought, his chest tightening. If only you were here… if only you could see me now.
Memories of her flickered through his mind — her gentle smile, the warmth of her hands, the whispered warnings about his fox powers. She had always known his life would be dangerous, had always told him to stay careful, to protect himself.
Cecil's tail twitched involuntarily, ears flattening against his head as a pang of sorrow and longing hit him. She's gone… and now I'm here, trapped… chained… at his mercy.
A shiver ran through him. He pressed his hands against his forehead, trying to steady his racing thoughts. I have to survive… for her… I can't let him break me…
The Crown Duke Prince, sensing the shift in Cecil's attention, stepped closer, his gaze sharp and possessive. "Thinking of someone else again?" he murmured, voice low and dangerous.
Cecil froze, swallowing hard. No… I'm not thinking of anyone else! he told himself, though his mind and heart betrayed him.
But deep down, the thought of his mother, of the life he had before the palace, gave him a small, stubborn spark of courage.
I have to get out… I have to survive… he whispered to himself, determination flickering through the fear.
The Crown Duke Prince smirked knowingly, closing the distance between them, and Cecil felt the full weight of possession pressing down — yet, somewhere inside, the memory of his mother reminded him he still had a spark of freedom he wasn't willing to give up.