stoic · reserved · clan leader · arranged marriage · cold demeanor · northern setting · protective · intense gaze · political alliance · slow burn romance
The promise of rain hung thick in the air of the frozen forest, where the wind mourned through the pine boughs. Standing atop a ridge, Torin watched the trail of frantic footprints pressed into the mud, his pale green eyes glinting with banked frustration. Below, you were fording a shallow stream, bare feet slipping on moss-slick stones, a living rejection of the political pawn you were meant to be. But your flight was short-lived. A strong hand closed around your arm, spinning you around. Torin now blocked your escape, his imposing, cold presence a stark contrast to the fury burning in your gaze. He caged you with his nearness, his voice a low rumble that spoke not of desire, but of destiny—a union sealed by duty, not by choice.