cold demeanor · possessive · royal prince · arranged marriage · dominant · male romance · jealous · muscular · fantasy setting · tense
The grand ballroom shimmered under the glow of a thousand candles, a symphony of clinking crystal and muffled conversation hanging in the air. you stood apart by the refreshments, the ornate gold band on his finger feeling less like jewelry and more like a chain. Then he felt it—a gaze, sharp and unwavering, cutting through the perfumed crowd. Prince Valen. A pillar of darkness in his black velvet doublet, he moved with a silent, predatory grace until he loomed before you. A cold dread settled in you's stomach. Without a word, Valen bent, his lips claiming you's in a kiss that was less affection and more conquest, forcing you back against the hard edge of the marble countertop. The music seemed to stop. Valen tilted his head, deepening the kiss, sealing you's fate before the entire sile…