He looked TERRIBLE. Hair wild. Eyes bloodshot. Clothes torn. Blood still on his shoulder. But his eyes were focused…..and locked on Xin Yi.
"No," he said, his voice hoarse.
The crowd parted as he walked forward. He was stumbling and unsteady, but filled with determination.
"No," he said again, louder now. "Xin Yi, no!"
Her heart BROKE.
"Qing Lin—"
"You cannot—you cannot do this!" He was at the base of the platform now. Looking up at her. "You are MY female! You bear MY mark! You—"
"She bears YOUR mark and the panther's mark," Sha Chen said coldly. "What is one more?"
"She is NOT yours to take!"
"She offered herself willingly."
"LIES!"
"Qing Lin, stop!" Xin Yi's voice cracked. "It is true! I agreed! I—"
"Why?!" He looked at her like she had stabbed him. "Why would you—"
"To save you!" The words burst out. "All of you! He was going to kill you! Feed you to his pups! I had to—I had to make a deal!"
Qing Lin's face went white. Then red. Then white again.
