The Crown Duke Prince stepped even closer, his dark eyes fixed on Cecil like a predator zeroing in on its prey. Every movement radiated obsession and danger.
"You're mine," he whispered, leaning closer, his hands reaching to hold Cecil down. "No one else can have you. Not him… not anyone. Only me."
Cecil's chest tightened with panic. He struggled against the chains, but they held him fast. "N-no! I… I won't… I don't belong to you!"
The Crown Duke Prince's grin widened. "Resistance is pointless. You can't hide from me, not even in your own body."
He pressed closer, trying to assert control, but suddenly a wave of warmth and energy pulsed from the mark on the back of Cecil's neck. The Crown Duke Prince froze, his hand jerking back as if an invisible force had struck him.
"What…?" he muttered, eyes widening in shock.
Cecil gasped, feeling the mark's protective magic flowing through him. It wasn't strong enough to break the chains, but it pushed the Crown Duke Prince back, holding him at bay and keeping Cecil safe from being forced.
The prince's expression darkened, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "So… that's what he did," he whispered under his breath, his obsession now mixed with irritation and fascination.
Cecil's chest heaved. Even chained, even cornered, he realized one thing: the Grand Duke had left him more than a mark. He had left him a shield—a way to survive, even in the Crown Duke Prince's chamber.
The Crown Duke Prince stepped closer again, slower this time, studying the mark. "Interesting," he murmured, voice low and almost thoughtful. "You really do belong to me… but that mark… it complicates things."
Cecil pressed his back against the chains, heart racing. Fear, panic, and a spark of hope all collided inside him. He had no idea what would happen next, but he knew one thing for certain:
The mark protected him. And that was the only thing standing between him and the Crown Duke Prince's obsession.
---
The Crown Duke Prince's dark eyes never left Cecil. He moved closer again, each step measured, deliberate, his hands reaching out like he was testing the invisible barrier the mark created.
"You think a little magic can keep you safe?" he hissed, leaning closer until their faces were mere inches apart. "I've waited for you… for so long. You'll belong to me, whether you like it or not."
Cecil's chest heaved, sweat forming at his temples. He pressed back against the chains instinctively, but no matter how hard the prince pushed, he couldn't get closer. The mark glowed faintly at the nape of his neck, a shield of pure energy.
It's protecting me… Cecil thought, a tiny spark of hope flaring in his chest. It's really protecting me…
The Crown Duke Prince stopped, frozen for a heartbeat as he felt the mark's force pushing against him. His eyes narrowed, a mixture of fury and fascination. "So… this is his doing," he muttered under his breath. "The Grand Duke. Clever… very clever."
Cecil's heart raced, but he dared not move. I can't let him see fear… I won't…
The prince circled him slowly, studying the chains, the mark, Cecil's every reaction. "You're stronger than I thought," he said, voice low and dangerous. "But I'll find a way… I always get what I want."
Cecil's ears flicked back, tail twitching nervously. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet the prince's gaze despite the fear clawing at him.
I won't give in… not yet… he thought fiercely. That mark… it's the only reason I'm still me.
The Crown Duke Prince paused in front of him once more, leaning down so that their eyes locked. "Interesting," he murmured, almost a whisper. "You can resist me now… but how long before your resolve falters?"
Cecil's chest tightened. He didn't have an answer. He only knew that the mark was his lifeline, his secret shield against the prince's obsession. And as long as it held, he could survive… somehow.
---
The Crown Duke Prince's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "Clever boy," he murmured, circling Cecil like a predator testing his prey. "You think that little mark can keep you safe? That it can stop me?"
He reached out again, fingertips grazing the back of Cecil's neck—but the moment his touch neared the mark, a pulse of energy flared, sending him stumbling back. His hand recoiled as though burned.
Cecil's chest heaved. The protective magic thrummed through him like a heartbeat, steady and alive. For the first time, he felt a shred of real power in the chamber—not strength to fight, not the fox's magic, but the shield left by the Grand Duke.
The Crown Duke Prince's dark eyes flashed with a mixture of frustration and fascination. "So… that's why he left it. That's why he marked you." His voice was low, almost a growl. "The Grand Duke… always thinking ahead."
Cecil pressed his back against the chains, tail flicking nervously, ears flattened. It's protecting me… I can survive… just a little longer…
The prince stepped closer again, slow, deliberate. "You'll belong to me," he whispered, voice like silk laced with steel. "Whether you fight me… or this mark… or him."
Cecil swallowed hard, refusing to look away. I won't… I won't let him claim me… not yet…
The Crown Duke Prince leaned closer, until their faces were nearly touching. The mark pulsed faintly, a soft glow against the skin at Cecil's neck, keeping him from being forced. "Interesting," the prince breathed. "Your resolve… it's admirable. But don't forget…" His gaze darkened, dangerous. "…I always find a way."
Cecil's chest heaved, the chains rattling with every shiver of panic. I have to survive… I can't let him break me… that mark… it's my only chance…
The Crown Duke Prince straightened, circling him slowly, eyes never leaving Cecil. Every step was careful, every movement deliberate, testing, measuring—but each time he tried to push closer, the mark's energy pushed back, refusing him.
Cecil realized something, a flicker of certainty in his fear: even here, even chained and cornered, he wasn't completely powerless. The mark was his shield, and for now… it was enough to keep him alive.