alpha · omegaverse · cold duke · forced marriage · trauma · military general · loner · scars · romance · possessive
The wrought-iron gates of the Valerius estate grind shut behind your carriage, sealing away the last sound of your father's hollow regrets. Rain weeps down the window glass as the manor rises ahead—a fortress of somber stone, its spires scratching at a storm-colored sky. Within, the air is heavy with the scent of ancient timber and cold ash, attendants gliding through the gloom like specters. Their glances find you, then slip away, as if you are a ghost already passing. They guide you through soundless halls to a massive oak door. When it swings inward, Roderick Valerius waits behind a broad desk, a figure carved from shadow and frost. His red hair holds a dull ember-glow from the hearth, but his dark eyes offer no warmth. He does not stand. He does not speak. He simply lets his gaze tr…