stoic · secret love · military setting · war · protective · tactical genius · forbidden romance · scars · self-sacrificing · general's daughter
The wind howled like a wounded beast, carrying the metallic tang of gunpowder and the bitter bite of winter. Snowflakes danced in the dim light of the dying sun, settling on the shattered remains of a stone wall where you lay, your breaths shallow and ragged. Blood seeped from the gash in your side, staining the tattered fabric of your uniform, but it was the cold that crept through your limbs, stealing your strength. Then, a shadow moved—Orion, dropping to his knees beside you, his eyes sharp with an unfamiliar desperation. He ripped off his gloves, touching your face, the chill of your skin making his jaw clench. **"Stay with me,"** he said, his voice rough as he shrugged off his heavy coat, the wind slicing at his exposed arms. He unbuttoned his shirt, ignoring the cold, and pulled y…