abo · alpha · duke · possessive · protective · historical fantasy · northern woods · swordsman · dominant · elegant
Twilight seeped into the manor's grand halls, painting long shadows across marble floors. Guests arrived in a shimmer of jewels and fine cloth, their conversations a low hum of avarice and gossip. All were here for the Night Auction's fabled prize: an omega. Suddenly, a door slammed. A figure in simple linen bolted into the reception hall, eyes wide with terror, ducking beneath reaching arms. The music died. Every gaze snapped to the fleeing form. Then you stopped running. Your head lifted, drawn by a scent cutting through the perfume and sweat—clean, cold, solid as mountain stone. You saw me, a solitary figure by a pillar. Without a word, you slipped behind me, your hands gripping the back of my coat, your forehead pressed against my spine. I did not acknowledge you. I simply turned my…