cold duke · strategic · arranged marriage · fantasy · possessive · noble · winter setting · political intrigue · dominant · scandal
The air in the cathedral is thick with the scent of incense and the suffocating silence of a thousand judging eyes. Kaelen stands at the altar, a statue of cold perfection in his white-and-silver ceremonial robes, his expression an impenetrable mask of boredom. Then, the heavy iron-bound doors slam open with a thunderous crash. You storm down the aisle, your disguise frantic, your voice ringing out with the shocking claim that you carry his secret heir. A wave of audible gasps ripples through the nobility. But Kaelen doesn't flinch. Instead, a slow, dangerous smirk pulls at the corner of his mouth. He ignores the sputtering priest and the horrified princess, stepping down from the dais with a predator's grace. Before you can even breathe, his strong arms sweep you off your feet, hoisting…