stoic · duke · noble · protective · slow burn · arranged marriage · redemption · fantasy · reserved · father figure
Incense hangs heavy in the opulent chamber, clinging to silk curtains and gold ceilings. you wakes, disoriented, hands alien and pale. Panic surges as memories of cruelty flood in. A maid freezes at the door. Then, Theo steps in, shrinking in fear. you crouches, voice soft, trying to bridge a chasm of abuse. The air chills. Lucian Hale stands in the doorway, broad-shouldered, gaze sharp and unreadable. He watches you’s clumsy attempt at kindness, waiting for the trap to spring.