LOGINEmber Frost’s POVThat night, Vivian came by with a bracelet clutched in her hand. It was the only thing she had left that still connected her to her sister."This was the last thing our mother gave us," she said softly. "When she gave birth to Xena and me, my father couldn't accept that he'd had two Omega daughters. He left us without looking back."She fell silent for a moment, her fingers tightening around the bracelet."After that, it was just the three of us. My mother had no one to lean on, but she never complained. She took every job she could find just to keep us alive. She barely rested. Eventually, her body couldn't keep up anymore." Her voice caught slightly."By the time she got sick, there wasn't much anyone could do. We lost her soon after.""Xena was still so little when our mother died. She couldn't understand why she wasn't coming home anymore. Every night, she'd cry and ask where she was."A faint, bittersweet smile appeared on her lips."I'd put this bracelet on he
Ember Frost’s POV"Your Highness," Alistair said, lowering his voice, "something this important can't be rushed. People need time to accept a truth like this, and the graduation ceremony gives us the best chance to tell them."He looked around the crowded hall before continuing."The people who'll be there aren't rival nobles or political enemies looking for a reason to turn this against you. They're your classmates and the professors who've watched you grow over the years. They know you. That alone makes them more willing to listen before they judge." His expression grew more solemn."The journalists invited by the academy were chosen carefully. They're experienced reporters, not people chasing rumors or sensational stories. If we present the truth clearly, they'll report the facts, and the palace can take it from there.""Besides," he continued, "Wolfsong Academy already has the people's respect. If you reveal your identity there, they'll be more likely to accept it. They'll see yo
Ember Frost’s POVAt first, Juniper looked embarrassed by all the attention everyone gave her, but it didn't take long before she settled right into it. Within a few days, she was living her best life as a tiny wolf pup.She figured out exactly how to win Millie over too. A couple of innocent looks, a little tail wag, and before long she'd convinced her to ask the head chef for an extra bowl of warm milk.I stared at the two of them in disbelief."You're getting way too used to this," I said. "If you keep letting everyone spoil you, you'll never grow into a proper fierce wolf. You'll end up soft."Juniper barely looked up. She stretched lazily and flicked her tail."Maybe," she said. "But I think your jealousy is the bigger problem."I blinked at her."Jealous?" I pointed at myself. "Excuse me? Don't go around making things up. Are you seriously trying to ruin my reputation?"The days slipped by so quietly that I hardly noticed the weeks passing. Before I knew it, August had arrived.
Ember Frost’s POVThe signs had been there all along. I just hadn't wanted to see them.The bond between Juniper and me was gone.I reached for her over and over, calling her name the way I always had, hoping for even the faintest response. Nothing came back. Just silence.It shouldn't have been possible.A werewolf and their wolf weren't supposed to lose each other. Our bond was deeper than a simple mind link. It was part of who we were, something that could only disappear if the wolf was truly gone.Yet here we were.Juniper and I were no longer two halves of the same whole. We had become two separate beings, each existing on our own.If the strange presence inside me was responsible, then it wanted nothing to do with anyone.Even Juniper.We tried everything we could to undo the change, hoping things would go back to normal.I shifted back into my human form without any trouble, but Juniper remained trapped as a tiny wolf cub. Every attempt to shift back failed.Panic hit me like a
Ember Frost’s POVI stayed in the quarters alone, wrapped in a silence that felt almost comforting. For once, no one came looking for me. No one knocked on the door or tried to distract me. The others had returned to their own rooms, leaving me alone with my thoughts and whatever the night had in store.Then I felt it. Before I even looked outside, I knew the moon had risen.Moonlight spilled through the window, washing over my face. My breath caught. A shiver raced down my spine as my fingers curled around the windowsill, an irresistible force drawing my gaze upward. I crossed the room without thinking and pushed the window open. Cool night air rushed over my skin as I lifted my eyes to the endless sky.Every instinct inside me pulled me toward the moon. I opened my mouth before I even realized what I was doing, and a long, mournful howl tore from my throat. "Awooooo..."A wave of heat rolled through me, setting my skin ablaze with a sharp, tingling ache. Grey fur burst through m
Ember Frost’s POV“I’ve served this palace since the previous King was on the throne,” Millie said softly. “In all those years, I’ve watched more people come and go than I can count. One generation follows another, and little by little, the younger ones step into the roles we once held. That’s simply how life works.” She smiled softly. “I didn’t start out as the acting head servant. I was just another young maid, making mistakes and learning from those who came before me. They were patient with me. They guided me until one day, I was trusted with the same responsibilities they once carried.”She looked down at her hands for a brief moment before continuing. “The day I accepted this position, I also accepted that it wouldn’t be mine forever. Sooner or later, someone younger would be ready to take my place, just as I once took someone else’s.”She lifted her gaze again, her expression peaceful. “There’s nothing sad about that. We all have our season. When ours comes to an end, we make
Ember Frost’s POVMy chest ached with guilt all at once, strong and sudden. If there were a prize for being irresponsible, I would’ve taken it without question. I’d shoved the newly awakened “wolf child” to the back of my mind and left it there. I never meant to, but intentions didn’t change the ou
Ember Frost’s POVWhen we woke, we were sprawled in the snow just outside the base. The cold bit straight through us. None of us had on proper gear—no coats, no gloves. We were dressed like people who had stepped out for a minute and never made it back.That was when the pieces started to line up i
Ember Frost’s POVI was frozen in place, my mind blank. Eira’s words strangely made sense, yet my heart refused to accept them.“If all of this is just a trick, if someone wants us to freeze to death… then why create all these dangers inside the illusion?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ember Frost’s POVWe had nothing that could truly blow things apart, no bombs, no blasting powder. A few alcohol blocks and a lighter weren’t going to do much against a tree that rose like a tower.I exhaled slowly, then turned to Eira. “You wouldn’t happen to know any fire spells, would you?”She







