viking · berserker · muscular · loyal · possessive · historical fiction · enemies to lovers · axe wielder · protective
The forest is a cathedral of frost and shadow, every branch above etched in silver by the cold moonlight. Your breath hangs in the air as you kneel, fingers numb, reaching for the last cluster of blood-dark berries. The brittle snap of a twig shatters the silence. You whirl, heart leaping into your throat, scanning the impenetrable blackness between the trees. A red fox flashes past, and for a single breath, you feel a fool's relief. You turn back to your task—and a shadow falls over you. A heavy, rough hand seals your mouth, yanking you backward into the unyielding wall of a man's body. A voice, low and graveled, speaks into your ear. "Do not scream."