Prologue. Whispers in the snow. The wind howled like a mourning widow across the

frozen expanse. Somewhere beyond the reach of fire light and memory, an ancient forest stirred. Its tall frost

bitten trees whispering secrets to the moon. Beneath their branches where the snow lay untouched and silence reigned

like a god. Something moved. Not beast, not man. Something forgotten yet

waiting. Villagers in the valley below dared not speak of the old legends. Not

near fire, not near children, not even in prayer. It was forbidden

because names held power, and some names once spoken could awaken things best

left buried in ice. They called them creatures of the snow once.

Now, they didn\'t call them anything at all, but the mountain remembered, the wind remembered, and soon someone would

remember, too, because destiny walks in circles. And winter always comes home.

Welcome back to my channel. This is an audio book for The Cursed Alpha\'s Chosen Mate. A tale of love, broken laws,

dynasties, and werewolf shifters set in a world where light and darkness collide. Written and narrated by

Cauliflower Campbell. If you\'re new here, my channel creates stories for adults and teenagers with lessons and

experiences to learn from. We post mainly on Saturdays. Our videos are in

different genres and also in different forms. There are fulllength audio books and short chaptered audiobooks. Go to my

channel page, subscribe, and check out the playlists for more fantasy, romance,

thriller, mystery, suspense, and adventure. Prepare yourself for a breathtaking adventure filled with

werewolves, forbidden magic, and a love that defies destiny. Don\'t forget to

subscribe to my channel. Become a member of my channel for exclusive stories and second parts of books. Let the story

continue. Chapter 1, Whispers of the Forbidden. In

the secluded village of Alkeia, surrounded by towering frostbitten pines between jagged mountains, silence was

more than a virtue. It was survival. Here, words held power, and some were

never to be spoken aloud. Among them was the name of the old race, the werewolf

shifters. Or, as the elders called them in hushed warnings, creatures of the

snow. They were the kind of tales children were told to keep them close to the fire. Not bedtime stories, but

solemn warnings passed down in cold, hushed tones. Once long ago, the

creatures were beautiful, magical, and revered. They lived in the high mountain reaches, shifting between human and

beast with the grace of snowfall. But that was before the curse, before

the rage, before the blood. It was said the werewolves hated humans now, cursed

by betrayal and bound to ice, driven by savagery and sorrow. According to

village law, to even speak of them, to so much as whisper their name beyond the veil of night, was to invite death.

Zara Frostveil had always felt the weight of that silence more than most. She had the look of snow itself, long wavy silver

hair that shimmered even under clouded skies, and eyes as blue as glacier

crystals. Many whispered that she was cursed. Others said she was a gift, but

none dared say it too loudly. In a village that feared difference,

Zara stood out like moonlight in a storm. Orphaned as an infant, Zara

had been raised by Freya, Alkeia\'s master healer. Freya was stern and wise,

with her chestnut brown hair neatly tied in a bun, and a sharp tongue and gentler

heart, took in orphans the way most collected herbs. But Zara was

different. The girl had a knowing silence in her, and a way of listening to the wind as if it were trying to

speak just to her. She grew up alongside two younger children, Rita, a fiery,

kind girl with wild auburn curls, and Kasha, a cute, quiet, and sweet girl

with short, dark raven hair, who rarely let go of Zara\'s hand. The three

were as close as sisters, and Freya\'s cottage, nestled on the edge of the woods, had always felt like home, warm,

alive, and smelling of pine, sage, and healing salves. But the wind had

changed. One morning, as frost covered the earth like silver lace, and the

first light bled through snow-laden trees, Kasha fell ill. Her skin grew

pale, her breath shallow, and her body burned with a fever that no ordinary herb could quell. Freya had tried

everything. By dusk, her weathered hands trembled as she ground the last of the pine blossom root. \'There is one herb

left,\' she said, voice low. the Gilly night flower. It grows in the warm al

cove beyond the dead glade, but it\'s dangerous. The path is marked. You must

use and follow the red thread. Zara nodded. She had gone there before to

fetch rare ingredients for Freya, always quick and quiet, never straying. But the

idea of venturing out now, with Kasha\'s life slipping like sand through her fingers, filled her with a dread she

couldn\'t explain. She packed her satchel with supplies, emergency herbs, thick gloves, a lantern, and the crimson

thread that Freya had wound for her in case she strays. Tie it around the trees. Never let it break or cut. If it

does, follow it back immediately. And no matter what you hear, don\'t look behind

you. Those were the last words Freya said as Zara disappeared into the

forest. The woods were alive with silence. Each crunch of her boots in the

snow echoed louder than it should. She tied the thread to the trees one by one,

marking her path like breadcrumbs in a frozen labyrinth. Deeper and deeper she went until the cold began to shift,

growing warmer strangely so. The air smelled of moss and something sweet. And

there, nestled between two massive stone pillars veiled in ice, bloomed the gilly

night flowers, blue, luminescent, and fragile.

She reached down, careful to pluck them gently, placing them in the cloth wrap and into her satchel. Then she turned.

The thread was gone. Panic coiled in her chest. She spun in circles, searching

for the flash of red between the trees, but found only white. The wind picked

up. Snow flurried into her eyes. Her breaths came faster. \'Calm,\' she

whispered. \'Stay calm!\' But the forest no longer felt empty. The crunch of snow

behind her was not hers. She ran. The storm came fast, like a beast set loose.

Wind howled, trees groaned, and the snow thickened to a white wall. Zara

staggered up a slope, her vision fading. And then the ground gave way beneath her. She fell. Avalanche. The world

roared. Then nothing. Zara awoke with a start, her breath hitching in her

throat. The memories of the avalanche, the storm, and the freezing dark clawed

at her mind. But when she opened her eyes fully, she was not buried beneath snow. She was in a cave, dimly lit by a

flickering fire that danced against the frozen stone walls. The air was warm and

thick with the scent of pine smoke and earth. And there it was, the white furred beast, massive, regal, and

terrifying. He lay a few feet away, head resting between his paws, his chest

rising and falling in rhythmic calm. His thick fur glimmered like starlight. Blue

eyes, too blue, too bright, were half-lidded in what looked like rest, but she could feel it. He was watching

her. A creature of the snow. She froze. She didn\'t scream. She couldn\'t because

somehow she didn\'t feel afraid. Chapter 2. The Beast and the Fire. Everything in

her screamed to run, to move, to vanish. But the cave felt sealed by the silent

weight of the creature. It wasn\'t just fear that froze her. It was confusion.

He could have killed her in her sleep, but he hadn\'t. He had built a fire, and

he had brought her warmth. She slowly sat up, eyes never leaving the creature.

It didn\'t move. Then she saw something behind him. Near the cave wall, a pile

of meat, freshly hunted and skinned. His hunt for her. Her stomach twisted in

hunger and confusion. She shifted, reaching for her satchel to check the gilly night flowers. They were safe.

Thank the stars. But the moment she turned her body, a sharp crack echoed underfoot. A twig. The beast stirred,

then rose. The full scale of him was breathtaking. He was taller than any

man, his body thick with layers of fur, muscle, and old scars. His eyes locked

onto hers. She bolted. Snow crunched behind her. The world became a blur of

white and shadow as she sprinted out of the cave into the forest beyond. But the cold slammed into her like a wall. Her

legs burned. Her breath turned to frost. And behind her the beast followed, not

with snarls, but with long bounding strides that easily outpaced her. He

leapt in front of her, blocking her path. She slid, gasping, and fell onto her back in the snow. He loomed over

her, tail lashing, breath steaming. But he didn\'t hurt her. Instead, he nudged

her gently with his snout, urging her back, back to the cave, back to warmth.

Trembling tears stinging her eyes, Zara obeyed. She didn\'t understand what he wanted, but something deeper

than instinct told her. He wasn\'t trying to kill her. He was trying to protect

her. Back inside, he dragged the meat closer to the fire. Then to her utter

disbelief, he sat and waited. Realizing he wouldn\'t let her starve, she pulled a

flint from her satchel and built the fire higher. She cooked the meat carefully, the scent filling the cave.

When she offered him a piece, he turned his head. He had no interest in it. It

was for her. Later, he led her to a chamber deeper in the cave. There, in an

almost dreamlike hollow of glowing stones and moss, a natural hot spring

bubbled gently in the center. He waited by the entrance, letting her bathe,

letting her feel clean, human. She stepped into the spring, heat enveloping

her cold limbs. Tears came freely now. It was too much, too strange, too kind.

That night, as she lay curled in the cave, she watched him sit at the mouth of the cavern, watching the snow,

guarding. He hadn\'t spoken, not once. But the gentleness in his actions told

her something even words never could. She whispered, \'Storm!\' His ears

flicked. She smiled faintly. \'I\'ll call you Storm.\' The name fit, fierce,

silent, untameable, yet gentle. The wind outside howled like wolves mourning

something ancient. But within the cave, Zara felt safer than she had ever felt in her

life. The creature didn\'t move, but as she drifted to sleep, she could feel it.

He was listening. Chapter 3. The path of quiet footsteps.

Zara sat near the crackling fire, the scent of pinewood and smoke drifting lazily through the cave. Her eyes kept

darting toward the pouch of gilly night flowers tucked safely inside her leather satchel. Every time she looked at it,

Kasha\'s face flashed in her mind, pale, fevered, slipping further from life. And

each time she thought of her, the weight on her chest grew heavier. Storm was

resting a few feet away. His enormous body coiled beside the fire, his head on

his paws. His blue eyes remained half-lidded, always watching her,

protective, possessive, but also immovable. Whenever she tried to leave

the cave, even just to explore the surrounding forest, Storm blocked her path. At first, it felt like

imprisonment. But Zara had begun to understand something more complex. He wasn\'t keeping her in. He was keeping

something else out. Still, she had to go. Kasha didn\'t have much time. Back in

the village, the mood was no better. Freya paced outside her cottage with a deep frown lining her face. The snow

crunched beneath her boots as she scanned the treeline again and again. She\'s never been gone this long, Freya

muttered to herself, wrapping her fur cloak tighter around her shoulders. Rita

and Kasha watched her with wide, silent eyes. Eventually, Freya made the

decision. She gathered the elders. That evening, torches lit the edge of Alia as

men and women took to horses and sleds, calling Zara\'s name into the darkness, but none would dare cross the

glade. Not where the creatures of the snow were rumored to walk. Meanwhile,

the days had bled together in the cave. Storm never spoke, but Zara had

started talking to him anyway. She\'d tell him stories of the village, of Freya and the girls, of the sky at

springtime when the frost melted into rivers. He would watch her, sometimes

cocking his head in curiosity, sometimes resting with his eyes closed as if listening to the wind through her

voice. They had fallen into a strange rhythm, a quiet companionship of glances, fire light, and silent

understanding. until the day he didn\'t return. Zara had waited for hours, pacing

the edge of the cave, glancing outside nervously. Finally, just as the sun bled

gold over the distant hills, he limped in, his fur streaked with blood, his side

torn open by long, savage gashes. \'Storm!\' she gasped, rushing to his

side. He collapsed with a pained grunt, eyes barely open. Panic rose in her

throat, but she forced herself to breathe. Her healer\'s training kicked in. She unpacked her supply kit, mixing

crushed herbs and melting snow to clean the wounds. Her hands trembled, not from

fear, but from something else. A bone-deep connection she couldn\'t yet name.

He growled as she stitched the torn flesh with trembling hands. But he didn\'t bite. Instead, he let her work.

Trusted her. When it was done, she lay beside him, resting her hand on his massive paw. \'You shouldn\'t have gone

alone,\' she whispered. He made a low, rumbling sound in reply. Not quite a

growl, not quite a sigh. Later, when he finally drifted into deep, exhausted

sleep, Zara was packing back her satchel, the flowers. She had almost

forgotten. \'Kasha!\' The urgency returned like a cold slap.

She couldn\'t wait another day. Moving with quiet resolve, she bundled her supplies, finished packing her satchel

carefully, and slipped on her boots. She pressed a silent kiss to Storm\'s forehead. Then she stepped into the

blizzard. The forest was darker than before, more alive. Every shadow seemed

to breathe. The snow burned against Zara\'s cheeks as she staggered through the icy terrain, her breath

ragged clouds in the air. The forest had turned against her, a maze of

white shadows and unfamiliar trees. Every branch looked the same. Every

snow-laden rock blurred with the next. She had to get back. Kasha\'s life

depended on it. But the red thread was gone. She stumbled forward, glancing

left, right, spinning in circles. Her eyes scanned the trees, desperate for

that single ribbon of crimson that had always guided her home. Nothing.

Zara moved fast, crouching low and following the line of distant frost trees, hoping for a glimpse of red

thread or familiar terrain. The wilderness stretched endlessly. The snow

beneath her boots was no longer soft. It was hard-packed and cruel. The cold

pierced her cloak and her bones. She didn\'t care. She had to make it. Just as

hope began to wane. She saw it. A flash of red. Her breath caught the thread.

Hope surged in her chest. She ran toward it only to hear something worse than wind. A snarl. A branch snapped behind

her. Snow crunched. She turned slowly. Five enormous white furred beasts

stalked toward her, low and growling. Not Storm. These were different. Savage,

cruel, hungry. They were larger, their fur more ragged, eyes darker, wild and

hateful. They moved in a circle, bearing teeth and growling as they closed in.

Her heart thundered. Instinct screamed, \'Run!\' And she did. She gripped her

satchel tighter against her chest. The precious gilly night flowers all she had to hold on to. She sprinted through the

snow, lungs aching, leaping over roots and dodging tree limbs. She kept

following the thread, weaving through the forest like a ghost. Behind her, the

snarls grew louder, the footsteps heavier. The wolves were gaining. She followed the thread. Closer, closer, but

the beasts were faster. The village gates appeared in the distance, flickering torch light dancing across

wooden beams. So close. Too late. Chapter 4. The Silver Guardian. They

surrounded her. The lead wolf lunged and something slammed into it midair. A blur

of silver and fury Storm. He struck the beast with bone-breaking force, sending it hurtling into a tree. Bark exploded

outward, snow falling in sheets, bleeding, furious. The earth trembled as

he stood over her, his massive body shielding her from the snarling circle. She had never seen him like this. Not

just protective, not just fierce, divine. The other wolves attacked. He

fought like a god. Storm met them head-on. Fangs flashed. Claws tore

through fur and snow. He crushed one beast against the rocks. Sent another flying with a bite to the throat. His

massive claws slashing through the air. Teeth snapping like ice breaking on stone. Two wolves ganged up on him,

biting into his flank. Zara screamed. He flung one off with a twist of his body, then pinned another beneath

his weight, his jaws closing around its throat. But there were too many. Zara cried out, \'Storm, please.\' He

was protecting her with everything he had, but he was bleeding. Then came the pounding of hooves. \'Freya!\' the

villagers. Torches lit the dark like angry stars. She heard Freya call her

name. Horses galloped through the trees and arms grabbed her, pulling her up. \'We have her. Ride!\' Storm howled.

Zara reached for Storm, but hands held her back. She twisted in the saddle as the wolves circled the weakened

beast. He stood his ground, blood matting his fur, one eye swollen shut.

They dragged him, bit at him, pulled him back into the shadows. Storm was gone.

\'No!\' Zara screamed. \'Stop! He saved me. He saved me. She screamed

until her throat tore. But no one listened. It was too late. The gates of

Alia were being closed behind them. The heavy iron doors echoing like a final heartbeat. Zara, crumpled in

Freya\'s arms, wept into her cloak. She had returned with a gilly night. Freya

worked through the night. Kasha recovered, but Zara did not. Her

heart was broken. The villagers watched her with suspicion. She had broken the law. She had seen a creature of the

snow. Rita and Kasha snuck in and held her as she cried. Freya said nothing.

They tried to soothe her. Freya brought tea and blankets, and Rita and Kasha

never left her side. The villagers whispered, casting suspicious glances.

They had seen the wolf. They had seen her cry for it. Freya was sterner than

usual. You could have died,\' she said one night, slamming down a bowl of stew in front of her. \'I told you not to go

far, and you disobeyed.\' Zara didn\'t argue. She had no strength left for it. Instead, she

turned to the fire and whispered, \'He saved me. He wasn\'t like them. He was different. He didn\'t hurt me. He fed me.

He saved me.\' Freya said nothing for a long while. Then she sat beside her. Not

all curses make monsters, Zara. Some make martyrs. Zara\'s eyes filled again. They took him. He looked

at me like he knew me. Like I mattered. Freya stroked her hair. Perhaps you do.

Perhaps he wasn\'t just saving a girl. But no one else believed her. The elders

declared that she was under suspicion for consorting with creatures of snow. Zara didn\'t care. She watched the

forest every night, hoping for a sign, a howl, a shadow. But there was only

silence, only snow. And in the quiet of her room, Zara whispered one word

into her pillow. Storm. The fire crackled, and the wind outside carried

her voice into the woods. Chapter 5. The dream and the departure.

Snow had blanketed Alia in silence, its heavy white veil muting footsteps,

voices, and questions. Within Freya\'s cottage, the air remained still, heavy

with both the scent of herbs and the weight of unspoken truths. Kasha was better. The gillite flowers had done

their work. Her cheeks had color again. Her laughter, soft and full, floated

like the tinkle of windchimes in summer. But Zara was not the same. While

Kasha danced through the hall and Rita giggled through chores, Zara sat by the window wrapped in a cloak too large

for her frame, her eyes fixed on the frostline trees in the distance. Storm

was out there. She could feel it. The villagers kept their distance, suspicious and tense. Whispers followed

her like cold breath in the air. The girl who consorted with a creature of snow. The girl who wept for a monster.

That night, the dream returned. It came in a rush of snow and silence. She was

floating, weightless, her body glowing like moonlight. Then she was inside a

stone cavern. Chains rattled. Cold torch light danced on wet walls. Storm was

there. He was no longer the towering beast she had known. He was shackled, wounded, smaller somehow, a white wolf

bound with iron that hummed with ancient magic. Surrounding him were men. Some

wore fur and bone, others black cloaks with eyes like death. They laughed. They

kicked at him. They fed on his pain like wolves tearing at a carcass. Storm\'s

eyes met hers. Not in fury, in sorrow. And then the dream shattered. Zara

awoke with a cry, clutching her chest, her breath wild. Rita stirred. Kasha sat

up, frightened. Freya came in from the next room. \'Another nightmare?\' she asked, kneeling by her side. Zara

nodded, voice shaking. \'It wasn\'t a dream. It was real. He\'s caged somewhere

deep in the wild. They\'re hurting him. Freya, I have to go back.\' Freya sighed,

brushing silver strands from Zara\'s damp forehead. \'You know I believe you,

but the villagers won\'t. They think you were bewitched. If they see you heading north again, they might accuse you of

worse. He protected me, Zara whispered. He didn\'t deserve this. Freya

stood silently. Then walked to the fire, stirring the embers. You\'re not the same

girl who left this village, Zara, she said quietly. You carry something ancient now. The weight of a bond forged

outside the laws of men. There was a long pause. If we do this,

Freya said, turning slowly. We do it together. You\'ll not face the wilds

alone. Zara blinked. You\'ll come with me at dawn morning came with quiet

farewells. Rita and Kasha stood on the frozen path, bundled in two large cloaks and tearful

eyes. You can\'t go without us, Rita cried. You need us. Zara knelt

before them both. This path is too dangerous. Stay. Look after each other. Be strong for me. Kasha wiped her nose

with the back of her sleeve. Will you come back? Zara looked toward the woods, towards Storm. I\'ll try. Freya

handed her a walking staff wrapped in red thread, a pouch of herbs, a satchel of dried fruit. No more words, only

footsteps. As the village faded behind them, the snowy trees opened like a m.

And the path to Storm\'s prison began. Chapter 6. across the tundra into the

unknown. The tundra stretched before them like a frozen sea, rolling hills of

white under a pale ghostly sky. Zara\'s breath misted in the air as

she pressed forward beside Freya, the snow crunching beneath their boots in rhythm with their resolve. They had been

walking since before sunrise, following faded trails carved by long-lost nomads

and beasts. There was no turning back now. Storm was out there and Zara

could feel the pull of his pain like a heartbeat thrumming in her chest. Halfway across the tundra, they paused

to rest beneath a jagged rock outcrop, sheltering briefly from a biting wind. That\'s when they heard it. Footsteps

soft, hesitant. Freya spun around, staff raised, eyes narrowed. From behind a

snowdrift emerged two familiar figures, cloaks pulled tight, cheeks flushed from

the cold. Rita, Kasha?\' Zara gasped. The girl

stood there sheepish and smiling. \'We\'ve been following you since the forest,\' Kasha said proudly, bouncing on her

toes. \'We didn\'t want to be left behind again,\' Rita added. Freya\'s eyes blazed

with fury. \'Do you two have any idea how dangerous this path is? This isn\'t a

game, but we\'re a family,\' Kasha said softly. and families don\'t leave each

other behind. Freya\'s mouth opened, ready to rebuke, but then she stopped. She looked at the

girls, then at Zara, and the fire in her eyes dimmed to glowing embers.

\'We stay together,\' Zara said, stepping between them. \'Well protect each other,\' Freya gave a stiff

nod. \'Dot, but one mistake. And I take us all back.\' \'Understood?\'

The girls nodded quickly. They were a family now, strange, scattered, stitched

together by fate, and they would face the storm together. That night, they set up a small camp

between two iceberied stone pillars. Freya made a fire from dried roots and

herbs, their aroma masking the scent of beasts. The stars above blinked down

through the drifting clouds like watching eyes. Rita and Kasha huddled close, laughing quietly about how snow

squeaked under their boots, or how Kasha had seen a rabbit the size of a house cat. Zara smiled, her gaze often

drifting north. Storm was out there. She knew it. The next morning, Freya arose

early. Stay here. I\'m going to find us food. She didn\'t wait for protest. With

her staff in hand, she vanished into the frost shadowed trees. Hours passed. The

girls played quietly, building shapes in the snow. Zara tried to stay calm,

but the sun was already dipping past its peak. Freya hadn\'t returned. Zara

stood up, her heart pounding. She packed a small satchel with bandages, herbs, and a flask of warm tea. \'I\'ll go find

her,\' she said, voice tight. Rita stood too. \'Then we\'re coming.\' \'No,\' Zara said firm. \'Stay by the fire.

Don\'t wander. If I\'m not back by nightfall, don\'t say that. Kasha whispered. Zara softened and kissed

them both on the forehead. Keep the fire going. I\'ll be back. She followed Freya\'s tracks through the

snow deeper into the forest. Ice clung to branches like crystal talons. The

silence here was heavy, broken only by the distant cry of a raven. Then she saw something. A staff broken blood on the

snow. Her breath caught in her throat. Freya.

No answer. The trees seemed to close in around her, and the snow began to fall harder.

Somewhere ahead, something moved. Zara pressed forward, gripping her own staff tight. She had to find Freya,

and she had to bring her family home. Chapter 7. The fire within. The cold was

deeper here. Not just the sting of snow on skin, but a heaviness that wrapped

itself around bone and soul. The den had been cruel, dark, and suffocating. A

prison carved into the roots of the ancient woods. But Zara found her courage, slipped through shadows, and

followed the echo of her heartbeat to where Freya was caged. Chains clinked as Freya stirred inside the ironbred

enclosure, slumped but alive. \'Zara, where are the girls?\' she rasped.

\'They\'re safe,\' Zara whispered, crouching low, her fingers working on the rusted latch. Before she could break

it open, a guttural growl echoed from behind. A beast, larger than anything

they had fought, lurched from the shadows. Its eyes were savage, glowing red. Its breath steamed in the icy air.

It lunged. Freya screamed. Zara raised her arm to block the attack, but

before the beast reached her, two shapes emerged from the dark. Rita, Kasha, both

carrying thick branches, swinging with all their might. They struck the beast\'s side and legs, buying precious seconds,

though it threw them aside like ragdolls. They hit the stone wall with groans of pain. \'The door, Zara!\'

Freya shouted. The latch broke. Freya burst from the cage with fury burning in

her veins. The four of them descended on the beast, striking, pushing, biting,

and clawing with sheer will. Blow after blow until finally the beast fell,

groaning into a heap. They didn\'t look back. They ran. Night claimed the forest

with thick, suffocating shadows. They returned to their dwindling fire and collapsed around it. The girls were

bruised and bloody but alive. Freya\'s cloak hung in tatters, her braid undone.

Zara sat with her arms around Rita and Kasha, shielding them from the wind.

Then came Freya\'s voice, sharp and trembling. You reckless, reckless child.

Zara flinched. Freya rose to her full height. The fire lighting her face

in flickers of gold and fury. Do you even understand what you walked into? That wasn\'t just a den. That was

Talri\'s nest. A sanctum of darkness of beasts who have no memory of what it

means to be human. You brought the girls into that. I didn\'t know they followed me. I told them not to come. But they

did because they trust you. and I trusted you two to keep them safe. The

words were knives. Even Rita and Kasha looked away, shame washing over their tired faces. Freya turned her eyes on

the girls. \'You could have died, all of you,\' Kasha\'s lip trembled. \'We just

wanted to help,\' Freya exhaled, her fury slowly melting into sorrow. \'I know,\'

she said gently. \'But Talri\'s pack. They don\'t understand mercy.\' Rita

raised her hand, voice quiet. They looked like Storm from Zara\'s drawings, but darker. Wrong. Freya nodded. Storm

and Talrich are brothers, sons of the last high alpha. When the curse shattered Frostf Fang, half the pack

fled to the mountains to seek redemption. They still fight to remember who they were. But Talri\'s pack,

they forgot. They embrace the beast. No love, no conscience. They enjoy the

curse. Zara felt a cold dread tighten around her heart. Storm lived alone

because he couldn\'t choose between light and darkness. He chose solitude, but now

he\'s with Talik, and the longer he stays there, the more of himself he loses. A

deep silence fell around the fire. Zara bowed her head. I\'m sorry.

Freya knelt beside her, hand firm but gentle on her shoulder. Sorryt won\'t be enough if you don\'t survive. We

have to be smarter now, stronger. Then Rita whispered, \'What do we do

now?\' Zara opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by a scream. Her

own. She staggered back from the fire, clutching her skull. A blinding pain

cracked through her like a glacier splitting in half. \'Zara!\'

Freya lunged toward her. She fell to her knees. Her skin shimmered with silver

light. Her breath came in ragged gasps. Rita and Kasha rushed to her sides. \'What\'s

happening?\' Kasha cried. Freya\'s face turned pale. \'No, the dreaming.\'

Zara collapsed into the snow, her body glowing faintly beneath the moonlight. The air thickened. Snow began

to fall faster, swirling in strange, unnatural spirals. The storm was answering her. Freya looked north toward

the mountains. She\'s slipping into the dreaming, the realm between worlds where

cursed wolves whisper secrets and sleeping souls wander. If she doesn\'t find her way back, she swallowed. We\'ll

lose her forever. And as the blizzard rose around them, Zara\'s body lay still in the snow while her spirit

traveled deeper into the truth of who she really was. Chapter 8. The dreaming

of Sarah. Snowflakes danced in slow motion as silence blanketed the world.

Zara\'s body lay still in the waking realm, wrapped tightly in thick fur

blankets, her lips pale, her skin a glow with faint silver light. Freya knelt

beside her, hands gently pressed to Zara\'s chest, whispering ancient words of protection. Rita and Kasha

hovered nearby, their young faces etched with worry as the fire crackled low

beside them. But Zara wasn\'t there. She had slipped into the dreaming. At first,

there was nothing, then light, then warmth. The air was fragrant with pine and snow melt. She opened her eyes to

summer snow swirling through golden rays. But they weren\'t her eyes. She was

someone else. She was Sarah. She looked down at her hands, slimmer, paler,

softer, marked by ceremonial ashclaw rings. Her body moved in elegant rhythms

unfamiliar to Zara. The skin wore the memory of royalty. Her long chestnut

hair flowed over a cloak of deep glacier blue embroidered with the crest of her lineage. The world around her sang with

magic and memory. She stood in the heart of the glacial court, a sacred clearing

surrounded by towering pines and ancient stones carved with frost fang runes. To

her left stood her father, the mighty alpha of the Ashclaw Pack. Tall, stern,

regal, his presence anchored the peace summit between the Ashclaw and Frost Fang legacies. But Sarah\'s gaze wasn\'t

on her father. It was drawn to the pair of brothers watching her from across the court. Tolk and Eric. The first was

proud, his jaw square and proud, his icy eyes filled with something darker than

admiration. The second, Eric, stood quietly, thoughtfully. His gaze met

hers, steady as a mountain stream. There was warmth in his presence. A solemn

fire buried beneath snow. Sarah\'s heart fluttered. Something deep and ancient

stirred. For 3 days, she remained within Frostfang territory, attending council

meetings, walking the snow paths, dining under vaulted ice halls. Talrich was

ever at her side. his gifts abundant and overwhelming. Midnight roses, crystal

necklaces, pelts of slain shadow wolves. But she avoided his touch. Her steps

always led her back to Eric. He showed her the forgotten groves, the wild frost berry meadows, the secret passages

beneath the cliffs. They spoke of stars and storms of dreams and duty. She

listened to the pain buried in his voice when he spoke of the curse the elders whispered about. One not yet fulfilled,

one feared. Under moonlight, they shared whispered hopes. Under the frost crowned ancient

tree, they shared a kiss, a sacred kiss, a promise. Talrich saw it. He never

spoke. Not then. The morning of her departure arrived. Her heart swelled with joy and

anticipation. She would speak to her father, plead for union. There would be alliance. there would be love. She

dressed with care, the ceremonial cloak wrapped tight, her hands shaking with

excitement. Then the tea arrived, simple, fragrant, brought by a silent

servant with Talri\'s seal. She drank it slowly. Then the world tipped.

Her limbs trembled. Her heart spasmed. She collapsed. The last thing she saw

was Eric rushing to her, screaming her name. She died in his arms. In the

dreaming, Zara saw it all. Felt the poison in Sarah\'s veins. Felt Eric\'s

scream echo into the mountain air. Felt the hollow emptiness descend upon the frost fang court.

Tal stood by her side, weeping, playing the part of the morning brother. Eric

never accused him. He couldn\'t. There was no proof. No one could speak. And

then Sarah\'s mother came, the high priestess of Ashclaw. She arrived

wrapped in red morning silk. Her eyes were dark holes of sorrow. Her screams

were storms. She saw her daughter laid on snow and ice. No mark, no wound. Who

killed my child? She screamed. They all knew who was cruel enough to do that, but couldn\'t speak a word. No answer,

just silence. And she knew. You stole my child, she thundered to the

Frost Fang elders. and so you will lose yours. With her blood and snow, she

carved a rune upon the sacred stone. With trembling hands, she tore the veil between spirit and beast. You will never

know peace. You will never love. You will never be men again. The curse poured from her mouth like a blizzard,

sweeping over the gathered wolves. Their bones cracked. Their flesh tore. They

shifted. Not by will, by wrath. And thus the frost fang curse was born. Chapter

nine. The twin souls. Snowflakes fell gently in the waking world. Zara\'s

body lay still under the fur blankets surrounded by Freya, Rita, and Kasha who

tended to her through the days of silence. Her skin shimmered with a faint silver light. A soft heartbeat in

a frozen world. But inside her mind, far beyond dreams, she drifted deeper into

memory, into magic, into the heart of the curse. Zara screamed as Sarah\'s

final breath left her lungs. She stumbled back through the memory, through the storm, through the veil,

back toward her own body. But before the dreaming let her go, it shifted once more. Gone were the echoes of Sarah\'s

life and death. Now Zara found herself wandering an endless white

plane. Snow stretched to the horizon in all directions. The sky overhead a

swirling canvas of stars and silver winds. The silence was heavy, filled

with whispers she couldn\'t understand. Voices of the past, of pain, of love.

And then she saw him. A tall man walked barefoot across the

ice. His dark hair tousled in the wind, storm gray eyes gazing into the distance

with a sorrow so deep it carved the world around him. Zara felt her heart stutter. She stepped forward,

breathcatching. The man turned, their eyes met, his lips parted, his breath

hitched. Sarah. Zara hesitated. She looked down. A

frozen lake lay beneath her feet, a perfect mirror. But the reflection staring back at her wasn\'t Zara\'s.

It was Sarah\'s. Tears welled in her eyes. \'It\'s you,\' he whispered. \'It\'s

always been you.\' She stepped closer. Her voice broke as

it left her lips. \'Eric, the name fit like an old melody.\' He took another

step, the snow shifting beneath his feet. When you died, I lost everything.

I wronged you, Sarah. I couldn\'t even bring myself to tell your father what Talrich did. I was a coward. And when

you were gone, I stopped being a man. I let the curse take me. Zara reached

out and warmth bloomed beneath her fingertips. The snow around them turned gold. \'After I died,\' she said softly.

\'My soul didn\'t leave Frost Fang. It stayed. It waited. And now I live as

Zara. He stared at her, eyes wide. She continued, voice gentle. I wasn\'t reborn

to punish you. I came back to set you free. His hand clasped hers. You found

me again. A soft wind stirred the air. The shadows shifted and a whisper echoed

around them from the very bones of the curse itself. Only when love is

remembered can the beast become a man. Suddenly,

cracks appeared across the dreamscape. The ice beneath them shattered like glass. The sky twisted. Eric held her

tighter. Don\'t leave me again. Zara smiled through the tears. I\'ll come back

to you. Always. The dream dissolved. Light snow silence. In the waking world,

a gasp tore through the air. Zara shot upright, her body glowing brightly.

The snow around her melted in a perfect ring, steam rising like mist around her.

\'Zara!\' Rita cried out, rushing to her side. Freya fell to her knees. \'Thank

the stars!\' Kasha gripped her hand, eyes wide and brimming with tears. Zara

blinked slowly, her breathing ragged, her eyes adjusting to the fire light and the pale snowy glow. \'I saw him,\' she

whispered. I saw Eric. I saw everything. I remember all of it now.

Freya gently pulled her into a hug. You\'re back, my child. You\'re safe.

Zara looked at each of them, love swelling in her chest. Her purpose was clearer now than ever. She hadn\'t just

been reborn to uncover the truth. She had been reborn to rewrite it. And it began with freeing the one she had

always loved again. Chapter 10. the wolf within. Snow crackled beneath them. The

sky had begun to lighten at the edges with the faintest hue of dawn, though the forest remained wrapped in shadows

and frost. She sat up, trembling, but not from cold. From understanding, I saw

everything, she whispered. The dreaming showed me I was her. Sarah, the princess

who died at Frostfang. I lived that life. Freya\'s breath caught in her

throat. She dropped beside her, staring. You remember your past life. Zara

nodded, the weight of lifetimes resting on her shoulders. Storm, Eric, he loved

me. We were in love. And Talic, he poisoned me out of jealousy. Rita

blinked in confusion, still holding Zara\'s wrist as if afraid she might slip away again. But you\'re you,

right? Zara smiled gently, her eyes glassy with unspilled tears. I\'m both

Zara and Sarah, the same soul. A second chance. She stood slowly,

unsteady, but with a rising strength humming beneath her skin. And then the

wind changed. The forest fell utterly silent, and the transformation began. It

was sudden, like lightning, cracking through still air. A pulse burst from

her chest. Her body arched forward, bones twisted, cracking, reforming. Her

cry turned into a howl that was neither of pain nor fear, but something primal, pure, and powerful. Light burst from her

skin. Freya leapt back. Rita and Kasha stumbled in awe. Where Zara had

stood now rose a majestic creature, a rustle wolf of ancient lineage, silver

fur, a glow with streaks of moonstone blue. Her eyes glimmered like twin stars. Her paws left trails of frost,

her breath curled like soft clouds. Kasha gawked, her voice small. \'She\'s

so pretty,\' Rita whispered. \'She\'s glowing.\' Freya placed a trembling hand

over her chest. \'You\'re one of them now, but something more. You carry both the

curse and the cure.\' Zara\'s wolf form lowered her head, then looked skyward. She howled long, loud, and

beautiful. It echoed through the forest across hills beyond the snowy cliffs.

Something stirred in the distance. The wolves of Frostf Fang had heard her. Later, when she shifted back, wrapped in

Freya\'s spare cloak, she sat by the rekindled fire as dawn rose. The others

looked at her like they were seeing her for the first time. Rita grinned. So,

what now? Do we go fight Triick? Freya shook her head. Not yet. Now we prepare.

You\'ve awakened something in you, Zara. But power without focus can destroy as easily as it can save.

Zara looked north toward the snowy mountains where she could feel Storm\'s presence flickering like a flame in the

cold. We don\'t have time. Talrich still has him. Kasha frowned. You think Storm

will remember you now that you know who you are? Zara didn\'t hesitate. He\'ll remember. And even if he doesn\'t,

she glanced up, eyes shimmering. I\'ll remind him. That evening, as twilight

returned and they camped beneath a stone overhang near a frozen lake, Freya gave Zara a small leather wrapped

satchel. \'These are my old charms,\' she said softly. \'I kept hidden after the

elders banished all rights of the old moon. They belong to a daughter I never had, but I have you now, my daughter.\'

Inside were crystal runes, pieces of frozen flower petals, a thread of ice silk, and a pendant carved with a

crescent moon. Zara clutched them to her chest. \'Then I carry more than

just my name,\' she whispered. \'I carry your purpose, too.\' She hugged Freya

tightly as tears fell. The sky above them glittered with stars, but it was not a peaceful night. A storm brewed in

the east. And somewhere deep in the shadows, a cursed brother prepared for war. But Zara, the reborn princess

of two lives, was no longer afraid. She had remembered who she was. Now she

would remind the world. Chapter 11. Into the ice den. The wind howled through the

mountain pines as Zara raced through the frostbitten woods. Her rustle wolf form swift and graceful. her

silver and moonstone coat catching the light of the stars like a streaking comet. She was faster now, stronger,

sharpened by the truth of who she was and the bond she carried deep in her soul. Storm was still out there, and she

had no more time to waste. She pushed herself, cutting through snow banks,

weaving between icrusted trees, following a thread of instinct and buried memory. Sarah\'s memories, a

princess\'s memories, guided her with eerie clarity. She could see places she had never been, paths that her past self

once walked. Her paws barely touched the ground. By dusk, she had reached the

northern cliffs. Talri\'s territory. A bitter cold blanketed the land, thick

and unnatural, making the air burn in her lungs. But she kept going, teeth

bared, ears alert. The entrance to the underground cavern was buried behind a frozen waterfall, concealed by jagged

stone and guarded by two hulking wolves with eyes like cracked obsidian. Zara shifted behind a snow ridge,

breath coming in controlled bursts. Her body shimmered, shrinking back into human form. She crouched low, silent

with a dagger carved from frost iron Freya\'s parting gift. She struck two

quick takedowns efficient and bloodless. She slipped into the cave. The air inside was thick with cold and sorrow.

Chains clinked. Shadows groaned. She padded forward quietly deeper into the

cavern until she reached the prison chamber. There he was, Storm. Eric, no

longer the feral white beast who had once brought her firewood and meat. He was weak now, barely, shackled to the

stone wall, covered in bruises and dried blood. His body trembled from cold and madness. His large head lifted slowly at

the sound of her approach. Their eyes met, and in that single moment,

something sacred stirred. \'Sarah,\' he rasped, disbelief cracking his voice.

Her heart clenched. She dropped the dagger and ran to him, wrapping her arms around his large furred, crumbling form.

\'No, I\'m Zara,\' she whispered, brushing his fur. But but I remember I

remember all of it. You, the grove, the kiss beneath the frost tree. He closed

his eyes, tears freezing on his cheeks. You came back to me. I always will.

She shattered the chains with her frost iron blade. They snapped with a hiss of ancient magic. Eric collapsed into her,

his weight heavy with pain and relief. For a moment, they simply held each other, their foreheads pressed together,

their breaths mingling in the cold cave air. And then she shifted. Two wolves,

one shimmering silver, the other blinding white. They leapt through the tunnels, darting past icy walls,

vanishing into the night like whispers of smoke. But not all escapes go unseen.

High above, standing on a jagged overlook of frost and stone, Talrich watched them go. He had been informed

the moment the guards fell, he could have stopped them. But he didn\'t. He watched as Zara and Storm vanished

into the forest. His expression unreadable. A flicker of something. Grief, rage, or perhaps recognition

twitched in his jaw. So the girl from the village came, he murmured to himself, and she broke the chains. He

turned, his eyes glowing in the darkness. Let them run. Let them think they are free. Behind him, the wolves of

his pack howled into the sky, but Talrich simply smiled. This time, he

whispered, \'The ending will be mine.\' Chapter 12. The calm before the storm.

The first rays of dawn filtered through the towering frostbark trees, painting

silver light across the snowy glade. As Freya stood, waiting outside the cave they settled in. Beside her, Rita and

Kasia peered anxiously into the forest beyond. Cloaks pulled tightly against

the chill. And then, like a vision from a dream, Zara emerged through the

mist, flanked by a massive, elegant white wolf whose coat gleamed like fresh

snow. Kasha gasped. \'Is that him?\' Rita

squealed, bouncing. \'He\'s even prettier than your drawings, Zara.\' Freya crossed

her arms, her stern mask slipping just a bit, the edges of a smile tugged at her

lips. \'So this is the legendary Storm.\' When he came close, he was surrounded by

light, almost ethereal, even though he was weakened. Scars like stories across skin beneath his fur. He bowed slightly.

\'Eric, actually,\' Zara replied as she shifted into her human form. Rita

grinned. \'We know.\' Freya walked over to Zara and pulled her into a fierce

embrace. \'You did it,\' she whispered. Zara clung to her. \'No, we did.\'

That night, beneath a frostbark tree with its luminous silver leaves, Zara

and Eric sat in silence in their wolf forms. Stars shivered overhead, the wind

still and reverent. \'When I saw you again, I didn\'t dare believe it. After

everything I lost, I thought I was beyond redemption. Zara touched his

fur. You never lost me. In your beast form, after being cursed, your soul knew

mine. You saved me from that avalanche. You sheltered me, protected me, her

voice dropped to a whisper. I forgive you, Eric Frostfang. And I forgive

Talrich, too. Emotion trembled in his eyes. even after what he did to you as

Sarah because forgiveness is the only way to peace. As they embraced, a warm

breeze rustled the frostbark leaves and their bodies shimmered with soft light.

They shifted seamlessly into their human forms together, their limbs tangled beneath a blanket of stars. He leaned in

slowly, gently, and their lips met in a soft kiss that was neither desperate nor

hurried. It was a kiss of remembering, of peace. Eric pulled her closer,

nuzzling her forehead. I\'m whole again, happy he is back to his human form. But

far beyond the snowy ridge, darkness stirred. In a cavern lit with blue flames, Talrich roared, his body

cracked, twisted, fur falling away in patches as the transformation seized him. He screamed as his monstrous form

shed, revealing the body of a man beneath. He resisted, which made it more painful, muscular, wildeyed, burning

with hate. His claws faded, his mind, once beast wild, returned. He knew

immediately the curse had broken. \'Eric is free,\' he spat, voice trembling with

fury. That cowardly wolf, naked and snarling, he paced. \'If he has returned

to man, then the throne is within his reach.\' He turned, eyes glowing like

embers. Track him now. I want the traitor Eric found. From the shadows, a

dozen massive wolves howled. The hunt had begun. Deep in the sacred mountains,

the true frost fang pack stirred. Elders sat around a circle in their massive wolf forms. Messengers ran across frozen

bridges and deep corridors of frost crystal. One message echoed. Talri has returned

to human form. And with that, they descended. For the first time in decades, the mountain pack moved, their

eyes fixed on one goal, to find Eric before Tal did. Back at the snowy

homestead cave, laughter bubbled like warm springs. Eric, now fully himself,

carved a charm for Kasha, a tiny silver wolf. He helped Rita build a snow

shelter, the two girls giggling as they pelted him with snow. Freya watched from the porch, arms crossed, trying not to

smile. Stop staring at the poor man like that. She chided playfully. Rita

smirked. I want a man just like Eric. Kasha beamed. Maybe even two. Freya

rolled her eyes, chuckling. Stars, help me. Zara stood nearby, twirling a

frostbark leaf between her fingers. She looked at Eric training with a wooden staff, his smile aimed at her. She

walked to him, breathcatching. \'I don\'t know how long this piece will last,\' she

murmured. Eric lowered his staff and took her hand. \'Then let\'s make every moment count.\' He kissed her forehead,

and somewhere beyond the forest hills, the howls of wolves split the silence.

War was coming, but love had returned, and this time it would fight back.

Chapter 13. The storm and the spear. Eric and Zara raced through the

ancient forest, two shadows against the pale wash of moonlight. In their wolf forms, they weaved effortlessly between

snowladen branches and over frosted rocks, their paws barely making a sound

in the soft powder. Here, in this untouched part of the world, where the wind whispered through icicles and pine,

they felt a momentary freedom, a lull in the storm that hung over them. Far from

Freya, Rita, and Kaja, far from war, they entered a clearing circled by

towering evergreens, their breath rising in soft clouds. Slowly, the shimmer of

magic traced across their bodies, fur retracting, bones realigning, light

weaving through them until they stood once more in their human forms, naked, unafraid, and hand in hand beneath the

stars. For a moment, Zara whispered, her breath fogging. \'It feels like we\'re just free.\' Eric turned

toward her, brushing a loose strand of silver from her face, his touch lingering. \'Because we are right here,

right now.\' She smiled. \'Thank you for waiting for me.\' I never stopped. The

world around them was hushed. Just the whisper of wind weaving through pine trees and the soft fall of snowflakes

that melted upon their skin. Eric gently gathered Zara into his arms and lowered her into the snow. A cocoon of

warmth surrounding them despite the chill. His touch was reverent, not rushed, as if every part of her was a

fragile memory he never wanted to lose again. His lips found her neck first,

brushing over her skin like snow brushing mountain stone. She gasped

softly, threading her fingers through his dark tousled hair. \'Eric,\' she

whispered, her voice trembling like the wind. He paused, looking into her eyes,

stormy gray to moonlit blue, and kissed her deeply, their souls pressed into

that single breathless moment. Then he moved with her, not with hunger, but

with purpose, a slow, loving rhythm that made the forest hold its breath. They

moved together as if the world had been waiting for this one sacred union. Bodies meeting in perfect harmony. When

the fire inside her could no longer be tamed, Zara cried out softly and

leaned forward, marking him with a bite edged in eternity. With love and devotion, Eric responded, brushing his

lips along her neck before biting gently into her skin, marking her as his his

mate. Their bond sealed by moonlight and ancient blood. Afterward, wrapped in one

another\'s warmth, they dressed slowly and lay side by side beneath the stars, her head resting on his chest, his

fingers brushing strands of her silver hair. He turned to her, smiling softly,

and kissed her once more, not with desire this time, but with peace. Their

lips were inches apart when the forest erupted. A thunderous crack echoed in the distance, followed by another and

another. Trees groaned and splintered, falling one after another like dominoes

collapsing into snow. The ground trembled beneath their feet. Eric pulled

her behind him, instinct awakening. From the shadows came massive shapes, beasts

unlike any she\'d seen before. 10. No more. Towering wolves with silver

glinting fur, muscles rippling beneath their pelts, ancient runes scarred into

their hides, their eyes gleamed with intelligence and history. Eric stepped

forward. The wolves halted. Then one by one they knelt. Your highness, a deep

rumbling voice said. They were the Frost Fang elders. Eric\'s breath caught, his

throat tightened. These were his people. the mountain dwelling frost fangs, the

ones who remembered who they were, who had waited through generations of curses

and snow for their prince to rise again. But peace is always fleeting. A sharp

whistle split the air. Crack! A spear gleaming with ice and death tore through

the clearing and slammed into Zara\'s side. Her scream echoed like a wounded bird. She crumpled. Eric. He

caught her before she hit the ground, cradling her body as blood spilled into the snow, bright and crimson. Her lips

trembled. Her eyes blinked rapidly clouded. \'No, no, no.\' Eric whispered

frantic. \'Please, no. Stay with me.\' She touched his cheek with shaking fingers.

\'I came back, remember?\' Something inside Eric shattered. He stood, placing

her gently in the snow, his body trembling. Then he screamed. The air warped, trees bent, wind screamed

through the pines. Eric shifted, but this was no ordinary shift. He grew and

grew, five times his normal size. His fur glowed blue and silver. His eyes

burned like stars trapped in ice. Power rolled off him like a tsunami. The

wolves around him bowed lower, not out of obedience, but reverence. He turned

to the traitor wolf, the one who threw the spear. one of Talri\'s. He pounced.

The ground cracked beneath him. The wolf barely had time to snarl before Erics fangs tore through his

throat. Blood misted into the sky. Snow turned scarlet. Then the forest parted.

Talrich appeared. Clad in black armor, face calm as a frozen lake. Behind him,

the rest of his savage pack stood growling, hungry for blood. Talrich stepped forward, eyes narrowed. \'You

always were the favorite,\' he said quietly. Then he shifted and the world fell apart. His beast form was colossal,

black as night. His eyes glowed red. His fur shimmered like obsidian. He roared

and the brothers met in the middle. Claw to claw, fang to fang. The forest

exploded around them. Snow spiraled into blizzards. Trees toppled and splintered.

The land quaked beneath their fury. Wolves scattered, giving them space as the two gods of frost fought like stars

colliding. Zara, barely conscious, opened her eyes just enough to see them.

\'Eric,\' she murmured. But the fight raged on. Tal tore into Eric\'s

shoulder. Eric clawed down Tal\'s ribs. Each hit shook the earth.

Lightning split the sky. And the storm had only just begun. Chapter 14. Death

is only the beginning. The wind howled like a dirge. Back at the edge of the

icy forest, Freya felt the tremor in her chest. The ancient pulse of something sacred shattering. The snow whispered a

warning. She turned to the girls. \'Hide now.\' Rita and Kasha obeyed, their wide

eyes brimming with tears and ducked beneath the cover of a hollowed pine tree. Freya didn\'t wait. She sprinted

into the heart of the forest, her breath coming in clouds. Her healer\'s satchel clutched tightly. The ground quaked

beneath her feet. When she broke into the clearing, the world stood still and broken. Two titanic wolves, one stre

with divine silver and deep blue, the other a monstrous black beast with eyes like burning coals, collided in an

earthsplitting dance of fury. Trees crashed down around them. The sky split

with thunder. And there, half buried in the snow, bleeding motionless, Zara.

Freya dropped to her knees beside her, sliding to her side. She cradled Zara\'s head in her lap, hands

already covered in blood as she tried to stop the bleeding. Her voice cracked.

\'Stay with me, please, my child. You must stay.\'

Zara\'s breath was shallow. Her glow, once radiant, flickered like the last embers of a dying fire. Above them

the battle raged. Eric\'s monstrous form was a blur of vengeance. Each strike was

thunder. Each howl a vow through bloodied jaws in the ancient tongue only

shifters remembered. He roared at his brother. \'You killed her once. I won\'t let you kill her again.\' Talrich

snarled. \'You fool! What are you bickering about?\' Eric\'s fury ignited.

She\'s Sarah. The soul you murdered came back as this girl, and now you\'ve killed

her again. The words struck like a spear. Talrich faltered mid-lunge. His

massive body twisted, skidding back into a heap of snow. His glowing red eyes

flickered with confusion, and then horror. Eric, with the wrath of generations, lunged and slammed him

down. The world cracked. Silence fell. Tal shifted back into human form.

Bruised, bloodied, breathless. He stared at the broken girl lying in the snow.

Guilt carved deep lines into his face. He sank to his knees. Sarah. His voice

was that of a boy lost in time. He could not meet her eyes. Eric fell beside her,

shifting into his human form. In grief, he took her hand in both of his, brushing frost from her cheeks. Freya

wept, unable to stop the shaking. Zara\'s eyes fluttered open one last time. \'I forgive you,\' she

whispered, barely a breath. Her gaze resting on Talrich. He sobbed openly,

the truth too heavy to carry. She turned her head to Eric. Her voice trembled.

\'You\'ve given me memories I\'ll forever cherish. My storm, my alpha, I love

you,\' Eric broke. Then, no, no, no. It\'s too soon, he whispered through tears.

Please don\'t leave me again. She raised a weak arm and pulled him close. Their lips met, fragile, desperate.

You\'ll never be alone, Eric. Her gaze then fell on Freya, who knelt beside her

with red eyes and a heart shattering beneath the weight of helplessness. She has healed countless strangers, but

right now can\'t heal a child she has raised from birth, her daughter. Thank you, Zara said, breath growing

fainter. for being the mother I never had. Freya kissed her forehead, the

gesture full of heartbreak. Tell Rita and Kasha, Zara whispered. I love

them. Her fingers gripped once, then loosened. Death is only the beginning.

The light around her dimmed. Her chest fell still. Eric knelt, stone silent. He

did not sob. He could not. His grief was beyond sound. Freya trembling

gently closed Zara\'s icy blue eyes. The snow began to fall again quietly

like a lullaby. Even the trees seemed to mourn. Above them, clouds parted and a

shaft of moonlight bathed Zara\'s body in silver. Her fur cloak fluttered

like wings. She was gone, and the world would never be the same. Chapter 15. The

blossom of snow and blood. A low hum shook the earth. A wave of light rippled

from Zara\'s body, rolling across the snow like a heartbeat returned to a land long frozen. It traveled beyond the

clearing, over hills and rivers, under the soil and through the wind, racing

across frostfang territory like a spirit unleashed. When it reached them, the

cursed, those beastborn wolves, those once men of the north, they felt it. The

pull, the warmth, and then it happened. Wolves dropped to their knees in the

snow. Confused gasps echoing in the silent woods. One by one, they began to

shift. Not by will, but by something greater. Fur gave way to skin, claws to

fingers. Their eyes widened as the fog of rage and beast hunger faded. They

wept. The curse was broken, but it had demanded a price. Talrich stood at the

edge of the battlefield, surrounded by blood and shattered pines. Eric\'s voice still echoed in his mind. She Sara, the

soul you killed, came back as this girl whom you\'ve killed again. He couldn\'t

stay, couldn\'t answer for it. Without a word, without a farewell, Talrich

shifted one last time into his black wolf form. He didn\'t roar. He didn\'t

run. He simply walked into the wilderness, head low, heart heavy. He

was never seen again. The snow fell softer now, peaceful.

Freya sat in the snow. Zara\'s head resting in her lap, her arms wrapped tightly around the

cold silken wrapped body. Her fingers trembled as they pushed silver hair behind her ear, now matted with blood

and frost. And then a cry. Two figures burst through the trees. Rita and Kaja,

faces wild with fear. They had felt it. Something had shattered in their hearts,

and they ran until their lungs burned. They saw her. The moment froze. \'No,\'

Rita whispered, stumbling forward. Kasha fell to her knees. \'Zara!\'

Freya couldn\'t speak. The girls clutched her, clung