Slowly, she raised her hands, gently cupping his sharp, handsome cheeks. She leaned in and pressed a tender, feather-light kiss against his lips.
"This is my duty, Xuan Long," she whispered softly, her eyes shining with warmth. "From the very day we became mates, I swore to protect you at every turn... just the way you have always protected me."
Xuan Long's throat bobbed up and down heavily. Her words hit him like a wave of pure emotion.
Before he could even control himself, a thin mist blurred his emerald eyes. He quickly lowered his head, unable to hide the sudden rush of overwhelming feelings.
In his entire life, this was the very first time anyone had ever stood in front of him to shield him. And that someone was no one else… It was his beautiful, magnificent mate!
He felt a sudden, uncontrollable urge to cry. He was a proud, powerful serpent lord; he had never shed a single tear in his entire life! Yet right now, the sheer warmth in his chest was almost too much to bear.
