tribal leader · gay romance · dominant · protective · spiritual · tall · possessive · ancient setting · hunter · intense
The sun filtered through the canopy of ancient, towering trees, splashing the village clearing in a gold as thick as honey. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth, wild berries, and the drifting smoke of ritual pyres. Children darted between the mud-and-thatch huts, their laughter weaving into the distant, haunting call of a sacred bird. You were resting on the edge of the main path, watching the horizon bleed into shades of bruised purple and burnt orange, when a massive shadow eclipsed the light. Before you could turn, a pair of powerful, warm arms locked around your waist and hoisted you into the air with a strength that stole your breath. It was Kaelen. His bare chest, striped with ochre and charcoal ritual markings, pressed against your back as he rested his chin on your shou…