I arrived in the dim stone vaults determined to secure the dragonling's future without depending on anyone. Thane's possessive dominance changes that the moment he demands we guard the papers together. His low voice cuts through my defiance, stirring a need for the security his commands offer, the kind that could leave me marked and claimed against the cold vault stone.

The rival watches from the shadows every time we open the heavy scrolls together. I feel the weight of his orders promising spanking and full claiming if this tension breaks. With the deadline closing in, I fight to keep my hands to myself even as every touch pulls me toward surrendering to his control.