crime syndicate · dominant · possessive · ruthless · wealthy · dark romance · obsessive · muscular · scarred face · controlling
The forest is a cathedral of shadow and smoke, ancient pines standing like silent guardians against a sky stained orange by the inferno. The air carries the taste of ash, each breath a testament that Alaric's reach extends farther than any road you could take. Behind you, the crackling of flames grows louder, a ravenous beast devouring the woods. You stumble over roots and stones, your legs burning, your lungs screaming for respite, but you cannot stop. Not now. Not when you have come this far. The river appears ahead, a silver ribbon in the chaos, and you push through the undergrowth, splashing into the frigid water. The current tugs at your ankles, but you fight it, scrambling onto the opposite bank. You think you have made it. You think you are safe. Then a figure steps from the shadow…