Chapter 369: Claiming
The Female Master had called him handsome.
She had called him powerful.
Most importantly, she wasn’t afraid of him.
She was praising him.
A wave of scorching heat surged from Vangar’s chest straight to his face. A faint flush quickly spread across his features.
"I..." His lips parted.
He wanted to say something, anything, yet for some reason, his mind seemed to have been completely frozen, as though someone had suspended his thoughts with an ability.
Not a single coherent sentence would come.
Several long seconds passed before he finally managed to stammer out a response.
"As long as... I didn’t scare you."
Rory couldn’t help laughing at his reaction.
"Did you really think I was that timid?"
Her eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Did you think a little scene like that would frighten me?"
She wasn’t afraid of killing.
Why would she be afraid of a few arrogant officials getting put in their place?
By now, Vangar had calmed down somewhat.
Looking at her, he spoke softly.
"The first time we met, you were afraid of me."
Back then, she hadn’t even dared look directly at him. She had avoided his gaze whenever possible.
At the mention of that first meeting, a faint blush crept onto Rory’s cheeks.
"Well... that was because I didn’t know you yet."
Then she pointed a finger at him accusingly.
"Besides, that’s your fault."
A smile tugged at her lips.
"Who told you to look so intimidating?"
"I look intimidating?" Vangar instinctively touched his own face.
As a Rank Twelve powerhouse, his appearance was exceptional by any standard.
Countless people would have described him as strikingly handsome.
Intimidating?
After a moment’s hesitation, he looked at Rory again.
His expression was unexpectedly serious.
"Rory..." His voice lowered. "Do you still think I look frightening now?"
The question carried an unmistakable trace of nervousness.
If the Female Master always saw him as frightening...
Would she ever develop feelings for him?
And if she didn’t... How would they ever become mates?
The possibility alone caused his heart to tighten all over again.
Without drawing attention to himself, Jasper quietly retreated toward the kitchen, leaving the spacious lounge entirely to the two of them.
Watching Vangar’s cautious expression, Rory felt both amused and unexpectedly softhearted.
A laugh escaped her lips.
The bright sound echoed through the quiet room.
Then she stepped forward.
Rising onto her toes, she lifted both hands.
Almost the instant she moved, Vangar understood what she intended.
Without the slightest hesitation, he bent down willingly, lowering his tall frame so she could reach him comfortably.
Rory’s soft hands gently cupped his face.
The delicate warmth of her touch sent a tremor through his entire body.
Looking up at him, she leaned closer.
Then she pressed her soft lips lightly against his.
The kiss was brief. Gone almost as soon as it arrived.
Yet the effect was devastating.
In that instant, it felt as though a supernova had exploded inside Vangar’s mind.
Every coherent thought vanished beneath a blinding flood of light.
The Female Master had kissed him.
Not his cheek. Not his forehead. His lips.
The memory of that fleeting softness lingered with irresistible force.
Rory had barely pulled away when she noticed the stunned expression on his face.
She was just about to speak.
Suddenly, a powerful arm wrapped firmly around her waist.
The movement was swift and decisive.
Before she could react, she found herself pulled against Vangar’s broad chest.
His familiar scent surrounded her instantly, crisp and clean, carrying a warmth that was uniquely his.
Instinctively, she lifted her head.
Her gaze collided with his. His eyes had changed. Deep and dark, they resembled swirling whirlpools capable of drawing her completely under.
Powerful emotions churned within them.
Vangar looked at her for a long moment.
Then he slowly lowered his head.
This time, he gave her no opportunity to retreat.
Nor did he hesitate.
The predator who had terrified the Empire’s highest officials moments earlier quietly seized the initiative.
His lips met hers once more.
There was nothing rough about the kiss. Nothing rushed. Instead, it carried an astonishing patience, a tenderness that seemed wholly at odds with the fearsome warrior he appeared to be.
Yet beneath that gentleness was obvious determination.
A slow, deliberate claiming of the precious person held within his arms.
The heat of the man’s breath brushed against Rory’s skin with every exhale, surrounding her so completely that it felt as though she had been caught within an invisible net, leaving no path of escape.
The lounge had fallen utterly silent.
Only the sound of their mingling breaths remained, growing increasingly uneven with each passing moment.
The arm wrapped around her waist gradually tightened.
Even through the thin fabric separating them, the warmth of Vangar’s palm was startlingly intense.
Slowly, he lifted his free hand.
His long fingers trembled ever so slightly as they slipped through her silken hair before gently cradling the back of her head.
The gesture carried an unmistakable sense of possession.
Yet it was also impossibly gentle.
Rory found herself unable to resist.
All she could do was tilt her head back slightly and surrender to the moment.
She had no idea how much time passed.
Minutes, perhaps.
Just as Rory began to feel herself dissolving beneath the overwhelming warmth of Vangar’s affection, he suddenly stopped.
He didn’t pull away completely. Instead, he rested his forehead lightly against hers.
Their breaths remained tangled together. His eyes were closed as though he were struggling to steady something deep inside himself.
His chest rose and fell heavily.
The arm around her waist remained firm, unwilling to let her go.
Only after a long while did Vangar finally open his eyes.
He looked at her. The possessiveness in his gaze was impossible to conceal.
Yet beneath that fierce intensity lay something equally powerful... Devotion.
Vangar knew Rory was carrying their child.
Her body needed care.
Needed protection.
No matter how desperately he wanted more, he neither dared nor wished to push beyond her comfort.
His gaze lingered on her lips, now soft and slightly swollen.
Then he looked into her misty eyes.
His throat bobbed visibly.
When he finally spoke, his voice was rough and husky.
"Rory..."
The word lingered between them.
He hesitated.
Then forced himself to continue.
"When... when the baby is born..."
His eyes never left hers.
"Will you become my mate?"
The question was asked quietly.
Almost carefully.
The moment the words left his mouth, nervous anticipation filled his expression.
Rory looked at him.
Then her eyes curved into crescents.
The lingering moisture within them transformed into dazzling laughter, like starlight scattered across a midnight sky.
"Of course."
Her answer came without hesitation.
It was exactly what she had been planning all along.
For a moment, Vangar simply stared at her.
Disbelief and joy collided within him.
Then he pulled her tightly into his arms.
Holding her close, he rested his chin atop her head and rubbed against her hair affectionately.
Only a few moments later, he abruptly released her.
Much faster than she expected.
At last, he finally understood what those perpetually single veterans in the military meant whenever they joked about an old house catching fire.
Once it started burning, it became impossible to stop.
Vangar didn’t dare hold her any longer.
Only he knew how much self-control it had taken to suppress the emotions threatening to overwhelm him moments ago.
Once she sensed he had regained his composure, Rory finally remembered the question that had been nagging at her.
"I heard you talking about Starlight Prime Tech with those officials earlier."
She looked up at him curiously.
"What’s going on?"
"Isn’t Starlight Prime Tech Dax’s company?"
The moment Rory brought up Starlight Prime Tech, Vangar recalled what Nix had mentioned the previous night.
Dax had once been one of Rory’s matched mates.
Afterward, Vangar had asked Vincent for the details.
According to Vincent, only two days remained before the dissolution of Rory’s match with Dax would become completely finalized.
Now Rory was asking about him on her own initiative.
Did she still care about Dax?
Vangar quietly pressed his lips together.
None of those thoughts showed on his face.
Instead, he calmly explained.
"Dax’s company has run into some trouble."
"He offered Vincent and me sixty percent of the profits in exchange for helping him resolve it."
After speaking, Vangar carefully watched Rory’s reaction.
Then he added, almost cautiously,
"Rory, I don’t actually need those profits."
"If you aren’t comfortable with it, I can contact Dax right now."
His voice softened.
"I can help him for free."
"Why wouldn’t I be comfortable with it?"
Rory blinked in confusion.
Then she looked at him and asked, "You’re helping him deal with those Imperial officials."
"He’s compensating you with profits."
Her answer came naturally.
"That’s a fair trade."
People might think all Vangar had done was threaten a few powerful figures.
But Rory knew better.
Those officials hadn’t risen to the top of the Empire by being harmless.
There would undoubtedly be countless complications afterward.
Since Vangar was helping Dax solve those problems, receiving compensation was perfectly reasonable.
Leaning comfortably against his chest, she smiled.
"You’re worried that I still care about Dax, aren’t you?"
Vangar remained silent... Which was answer enough.
Rory laughed softly.
"Vangar, Dax and I have already dissolved our match."
"There won’t be anything between us anymore."
She lifted her head to meet his eyes.
"As long as you’re not doing something completely unreasonable, you don’t need to worry about me."
"Whatever you need to do, go ahead and do it."
Her smile was warm and trusting.
"If it’s something I can’t help with anyway, then I won’t interfere."
She trusted them to handle their own affairs.
And she had no intention of standing in their way.
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