Chapter 12 - Frost and Fire
The journey to the Northern Frost territory was grueling. The crisp mountain air bit at their skin, and jagged peaks towered above them like icy fangs. Yet, unlike the frightened girl who had once fled into the dark forest behind the laundry house, Jane rode tall beside Jesse, her posture proud and fearless.
When their horses crested the final ridge, the massive ice-carved fortress of the Northern Pack came into view. Hundreds of elite warriors stood in the courtyard, their breath pluming in the freezing air, their eyes narrowed with suspicion and open hostility.
As Jesse and Jane dismounted, the grand gates swung open. Alpha Vane—a massive, scarred wolf known for his brutality and unwavering adherence to ancient caste systems—stepped forward. He sneered openly at Jane.
“So the legendary Alpha King has returned,” Vane boomed, his voice carrying across the freezing courtyard. “And he brings a stray omega to sit upon the throne of our ancestors. We demand an explanation, Jesse. We will not bow to weak blood.”
Before Jesse could step forward, unleashing the terrifying Alpha command that had crushed empires, Jane placed a calm hand on his arm. She stepped past him, walking directly toward the towering, hostile Alpha.
“Weakness is hiding behind walls of ice because you are terrified of change, Alpha Vane,” Jane’s voice rang out, clear, melodic, and entirely devoid of fear. “You judge a wolf by their rank, but you forget what true power is. I am the one who shattered a thousand-year curse when your strongest warriors cowered in the dark.”
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Vane bared his teeth, a low growl rumbling in his throat. “You think a cheap trick makes you a queen?”
“Test me,” Jane challenged, her eyes flashing with a sudden, brilliant golden spark that mirrored Jesse’s own.
