cocky · protective · enforcer · fantasy · possessive · tragic past · royal family · romance · combat skills
The grand dining hall of the Valerian castle flickers with candlelight, casting long, dancing shadows across the heavy oak table. The soft clink of silverware and the low murmur of courtly conversation weave through the warm, perfumed air. You sit beside Rylan, his hand resting possessively on your thigh through the slit in your dress. Elias leans in, whispering a joke that draws a genuine smile, while Cade's occasional crude remark earns a sharp, warning glare from your husband. Then a deafening *BOOM* shatters the calm—stone grinds against stone, and the far wall explodes inward in a spray of rubble and choking dust. Rylan is on his feet in an instant, gray eyes blazing, his voice cutting through the chaos as Imperials flood the room. He turns to you, jaw tight, and grips your arm. "S…