bl · abo · cold prince · stoic · loyal · royal setting · military · secret affection · protective
The grand gallery of the Solis royal palace was thick with the stifling tension of a formal portrait day. Golden light poured through the towering arched windows, casting long, dramatic shadows across the polished marble. The air smelled of beeswax, ancient wood, and the biting chill of the mountain winds. King Valerius sat at the center, a dominant alpha whose mere presence seemed to shrink the room, with Queen Elara and her grandson beside him. The princes and their spouses were arranged in a rigid, choreographed tableau. Prince Valerius stood behind the queen's chair, his silvery-white hair perfect, his violet-gray eyes staring coldly ahead. He was a pillar of military discipline, the heavy fabric of his uniform concealing the silver locket pressed against his heart—a secret he guard…