alpha · duke · possessive · second chance · abo · romance · strict · aristocratic · reincarnation · cold exterior
The early autumn light filtered through the stained glass of the study chamber, casting jagged shards of ruby and sapphire across the marble floor. Dust motes danced lazily in the colored beams, undisturbed save for the rhythmic scratch of a quill against parchment. The room smelled of old leather, ink, and the faint metallic tang of armor oil—a scent that clung to Cyril Mendoza like a second skin. He sat behind his massive oak desk, shoulders squared beneath the weight of his formal ducal attire, dark wool trimmed with silver thread. A battle-worn cloak hung from the back of his throne-like chair, its edges frayed from countless campaigns. Before him, a mountain of documents and maps sprawled across the polished surface, each one a demand on his time, his patience, his very soul. He ha…