Chapter 1
The December corridors pierced with supernatural cold, a chill that went beyond mortal temperatures.
Alpha Valdrin had left Ravenna outside for three hours, her limbs stiff with frost, her lips pale as moonlight.
Ravenna couldn’t understand her transgression. Was it simply because she refused to surrender her wolf’s heart to Winter?
Behind Alpha Valdrin stood their young son, his posture rigid, mirroring his father’s coldness. “Mother, because you won’t give Aunt Winter your heart, she can’t play with me anymore.”
“You won’t really die anyway, so why not give Aunt Winter your heart?”
“If you don’t agree, I’ll never call you Mother again.”
Despite steeling herself for this moment, her son’s icy words pierced Ravenna’s heart like silver.
Young Ash was only seven, but he’d inherited his father’s brilliant mind and, devastatingly, his same preferences.
They both favored her twin sister–Winter.
The thought sent waves of pain through Ravenna’s chest. She’d always known about Valdrin’s obsession with his lost mate. When she first received her Moon–Blessed Trial, attempting to earn Valdrin’s favor, she understood the impossible task ahead.
Valdrin had rejected every female wolf, no matter how perfectly she matched his requirements. Every attempt ended in failure.
Until the third time, when the Moon Goddess granted her the form of Winter’s twin sister.
Wearing a face that echoed Winter’s, she successfully became Valdrin’s mate, standing beside him for eight years.
She’d remained loyal through his darkest moons, shared in his triumphs, watched him rise to power. His favor rating had finally reached ninety–nine percent.
Ravenna had foolishly believed she’d succeeded, that Valdrin had grown to love her.
Chapte
Then Winter returned to the territory, needing a heart transplant.
Valdrin demanded Ravenna’s heart.
With each refusal, his favor dropped another point.
Finally, he revealed the cruel truth: “Why resist? You can’t leave my side without completing your Trial. I know the Moon Goddess bound you to this task. Until it’s done, you must keep trying to please
me.”
“Submit willingly, and I might feel sympathy. My favor might increase. Why not be clever about
this?”
Be clever.
Ravenna laughed through her tears.
Valdrin was certainly clever–his tactical precision in pack negotiations matched only by his calculated manipulation of her emotions. He measured feelings like territory boundaries, using cold authority and tiny slivers of hope to force her repeated submission.She realized then that Valdrin didn’t dislike her–he was simply heartless, utterly devoid of warmth. A block of iron that would never heat, no matter how long she held it.
that was the case, she refused to waste another eight years.
“I agree,” Ravenna finally consented through her tears.
Simultaneously, she sent a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess: “After this death, please assign me at different Trial subject.”
Once she surrendered her heart to Winter, this vessel would perish completely.
When that happened, she wanted nothing more to do with Valdrin.
Valdrin, Ash–both father and son, she would relinquish them forever.
A flicker of surprise crossed Alpha Valdrin’s typically stoic features.
Ravenna had always been defiant, never one to submit easily. He’d prepared for a lengthy battle of
wills.
Yet here she was, yielding so quickly, so decisively.
Are you certain about this?”
Chaple
Ravenna nodded, forcing a bitter smile. “Since you all want me to give her my heart, I will.”
Valdrin fell silent, momentarily unsure. His brow furrowed, sensing something amiss in Ravenna’s
demeanor, but he dismissed it. “Come inside and rest.”
The moment she entered, young Ash thrust something before her, his stance imperious. “Bad
Mother, fix this.”
On the table lay an intricate silver moonweave band.
By its craftsmanship, it was clearly from the European packs–likely belonging to Winter’s daughter.
Ravenna’s laugh was hollow. Like father, like son–their devotion extended even to Winter’s pup.
Ash bristled at her laugh, his small face contorting. “I want it fixed by tomorrow morning. Do it now.”
Ravenna’s gaze turned cold. “I can’t.”
