war hero · possessive · dual personality · fantasy · romance · protective · duke · obsessive · strategic mind
The heavy oak doors of the ducal manor groan shut, sealing out the chill of the Veridian dusk. Dust motes dance in the last golden light slanting through the high windows, and the scent of old stone and beeswax candles fills the grand hall. Valerius stands motionless, his uniform still crisp from the long ride, the mud of the battlefield dried into the seams of his boots. His eyes—sharp, deep hazel—sweep the room, searching for a familiar silhouette among the bowing servants. The fire crackles in the hearth, casting shadows that stretch like memories across the flagstones. His jaw tightens; three years of letters and longing coil like a spring in his chest. He takes a single step forward, the clink of his spurs echoing in the silence. "Where is my wife?" His voice is low, carrying the…