Kaelen's fury filled the cave like a total wave about to crash. The air thick with tension that made the walls seem to tremble with his unbridled wrath. Each breath he took was sharp, the force of his anger palpable, as though the very water surrounding them could sense his mood. Aria floated in the water beside the rock wall. She was too exhausted to climb out and Kaelen hadn't helped her. The water around her was icy, though it was the fear knotting her chest that truly made her tremble.

Kaelen circled her, his massive tail undulating with terrifying grace. Each flick of it rent ripples through the water, a reminder of his power in his domain. He hadn't spoken yet, but his silence was even worse than any words of rage. She couldn't swim away – he had proven that already. Every movement of his body kept her exactly where he wanted, the water and extension of his control. There was no escape. The endless deep surrounded her, as imprisoning as the strobe walls of the cave.

Aria's breath hitched as she felt the shift in the water, Kaelen moving closer. The disturbance of his approach sent a cold current past her skin. She pressed her back against the jagged rock, her limbs heavy and sluggish, weighted down by both the frigid water and her lingering exhaustion. Her earlier attempt to flee had drained her, leaving her vulnerable and weak.

He stopped just a few feet in front of her, his navy blue tail hovering with barely a flick of moment, his powerful form held in perfect stillness. His wild black hair drifted around his face like a living shadow, framing his sharp features. His expression was a storm of rage and something darker – something possessive.

"You thought you could run from me?" Kaelen's voice finally broke the silence, resonating though the water with a deep, dangerous tone. His eyes were narrowed glowing fainting in the dark water, as cold and unforgiving as the depths of the sea itself.

Aria flinched but didn't respond. What could she say that wouldn't provoke him further? Her attempt to escape had failed miserably, and now she as left to face the consequences.

"I..." she opened her mouth, but no weirdos came out. Her throat was tighter, her fear rendering her speechless.

Kaelen's eyes flashed with fury at her silence. With one swift movement, he surged towards her, his tail propelling him with terrifying speed. In an instant her was inches form her, his hand gripping her arm tightly. The water around them seemed to still as his anger grew more intense. His touch, though cold, burned against her skin, a reminder of just how powerful he was in this world. He was the sea, and she was nothing but a shipwreck caught in his current.

"Look at me," he growled, his voice deep and low, sending vibrations through the water. His grip tightened painfully around her arm as his eyes bore into hers.

Aria swallowed hard and forced herself to meet his gaze, though it felt like her body was betraying her with every glance. His eyes held a terrifying blend of anger and something more – something primal. His tail twitched beneath him, a constant reminder of his strength.

"You belong to me, Alaria," Kaelen hissed, his voice a mixture of possessiveness and anger. "Did you really think I would let you go?"

Her heart pounded as his words echoed through the water, reverberating in her ears like a drumbeat. The cold current around her made her skin prickle, but it was nothing compared to the icy dread settling in her stomach. She had tried to run, tried to escape this cage of water and stone – and now she was paying the price.

"I don't belong to you," she whispered, her voice trembling but defiant. "I'll never belong to you." Her words were weak, and she knew it.

Kaelen's expression darkened, a flicker of surprise crossing his features before it morphed into something sinister. He tightened her grip further, dragging her even closer, to that their faces were more inches apart. The fury radiating form him was almost tangible, wrapping around them like a thick fog.

Kaelen's fury exploded, and he suddenly shouted, "you are Alaria! You are not just some pathetic human! You are my goddess reborn, and in my home, you will obey!" His voice echoed around them, a deafening roar that shook the very foundation of the cave.

"I will not let you forget who you are meant to be," he added, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper. The intensity of his gaze bore into her soul, seeking to unravel her resolve.

"I decide what you belong to," he snarled, his voice sending a cold shiver through the water. "And you belong here, with me."

In one fluid motion, Kaelen's tail swept upward, sending a powerful wave crashing into her. The force of it knocked the air from her lungs as she was thrown backward. She hit the rocky cave wall hard, her body curling in on itself from the impact, and immediately, the water rushed to fill the void around her. Panic surged within her as she struggled to regain her bearings, but Kaelen was there before she could recover.

He darted forward again, faster than she could process, his arms wrapping around her waist like iron chains. His tail whipped around, wrapping itself around her legs, holding her still as he pulled her further down into the cave's depths.

"Alaria, stop fighting," his hissed, frustration lacing his tone. "You are only making this harder for yourself."

Aria screamed, her voice muffled by the water, bubbles screaming from her lips as she struggled against him. But Kaelen's grip didn't falter. He dragged her deeper, where the light of the bioluminescent algae was barely visible above, leaving only cold darkness below.

"You think you can escape me?" Kaelen's voice echoes in the water as he held her close, his mouth hovering near her ear. His tail tightened around her, pulling her further into his embrace. "You belong to the sea, Celestara Alaria. To me."

Aria felt as if the very essence of his being was entwining with hers, the weight of his claim pressing down on her like an anchor. She clawed at his arms, kicked against his tail, but nothing. His hold remained. He was relentless, dragging her deeper into the abyss.

The darkness was suffocating, and for a brief moment, panic surged through her. The realisation that she was truly trapped, that she had nowhere to go, tightened her chest like a vice. The cold of the water seeped into her bones, dulling her senses and sapping her strength.

Aria's vision began to blur form the pressure, the desperate need for air turning her struggles into frantic thrashing. Kaelen didn't let go, his gaze never leaving hers, his tail coiling around her tighter as he pulled her against him.

Just as she thought her lungs would burst, Kaelen's lips crashed against hers. Her eyes widened in shock, but he pressed harder, his kiss fierce and possessive. For a moment, she was too stunned to react, her mind reeling form the suddenness of it all. Then she realised – he was breathing air into her. The kiss wasn't just an act of dominance; it was a lifeline. Just like when he had taken her that day.

Kaelen pulled away slightly, just enough to look into her eyes, his expression dark and unreadable. "You're mine," he whispered, his voice barely audible though the water.

The weight of his declaration hung heavily in the air between them, a shackle binding her to this moment, to him. She wanted to scream, to fight, but his words wrapped around her like a spell, igniting a flicker of something deeper inside her – terror, an undeniable state of petrifaction.

Before she could respond, he dove deeper, pulling her with him. The water around them grew darker and colder as they sank further into the abyss, the cave's jagged rocks fading into the shadows. Her heart pounded in her chest, her body trembling in his grip.

"This is your home now, Alaria," he murmured, the name slipping form his lips like a spell. "You will learn to love me, as I do you."

Each word hung in the water like a curse, heavy and unyielding. She tried to push him away, but Kaelen's hold was unbreakable. His tail wound around her more tightly, his arms pressing her against his chest as if he could fuse her to him. The further they sank, the more the darkness closed in, the cold numbing her limbs.

Kaelen's voice broke through the silence gain. "I'll never let you go. No matter how far you run, you'll always belong to me."

Tears blurred aria's vision, mixing with the saltwater. She had no more strength to fight, no more hope. The ocean had become her prison, and kaelen was the jailer who would never let her escape.

Suddenly, he stopped their descent, pushing her up into a small air pocket. He held her there in the cold, dark water, his eyes locked on hers. The intensity of his gaze sent shivers down her spine. "Say it," he commanded softly. "Tell me you understand."

Aria's throat tightened, and she shook her head weakly. "I'll never be yours," she choked out, the the words were faint.

"You will, Alaria." He hissed, his voice dripping to a low growl. "You'll come to understand."

Kaelen's face darkened, his eyes narrowing in a dangerous glare. His tail flicked once, sending a shockwave of water that slammed into her body once again. His grip tightened painfully as he held her agains him. "You will, Alaria. You'll come to understand."

Before she could react, kaelen kissed her again, the force of it overwhelming. It wasn't tending, it wasn't kind – it was dominance, pure and simple. And this time, there was no air. Just his crushing presence, his cold lips, and the weight of the water surrounding her.

When he finally pulled back, Aria was left gasping for air, her chest heaving with the effort. Kaelen's grip loosened just enough to allow her to breathe, but he didn't let her go. His tail still held her fast, his arms wrapping around her like chains.

"You're mine, Celestara Altria." He shivered, his voice like the cold current that surrounded them. "You'll never escape me."