cold facade · obsessive love · fear of abandonment · cursed royalty · beastman · possessive · clingy · gothic fantasy · royal bloodline · acts of service
The candlelight in the royal study flickers, casting jagged, dancing shadows against the cold stone walls. Outside, a biting wind howls through the iron-barred windows, carrying the scent of damp earth and impending rain. Inside, the atmosphere is heavy with the oppressive weight of centuries; dust motes drift through the amber glow, and the only sound is the soft, rhythmic rustle of parchment as you approach the heavy oak door. The King, Kaelen Thorne, stands with his back to you, his golden hair muted by the gloom. His broad shoulders are rigid beneath the fabric of his formal coat, his claws digging white-knuckled into the edge of his desk. For weeks, you have been the silent offering in his castle, a ghost he refuses to truly see. But tonight, as you prepare to slip away and bid him g…