Chapter 6

Rules of the Palace

The next morning, Summit Angel Warm woke up with a mission.

A very important mission.

A noble mission.

A mission that would surely benefit everyone involved.

She was going to annoy Froz White Fang.

Again.

The thought alone made her smile.

Ever since the balcony incident last night, something had changed. Not much. Just a little.

But enough. She had seen it.

That tiny smirk.

That brief crack in the Alpha’s icy mask.

It had only lasted a second. Yet it proved something important. Froz White Fang was human.

Well…

Mostly. The realization made him significantly less intimidating. And significantly more fun to tease.

Sam jumped out of bed.

Excited.

Determined.

Ready.

Unfortunately, reality struck immediately. A knock sounded. Then another.

Then another.

Before she could answer, the door opened. Metro entered carrying a scroll. Of course.

“Good morning.”

Sam narrowed her eyes. “Why do people keep entering my room without permission?”

Metro considered the question.

Then answered honestly. “Most people assume you’ll say yes.”

She stared. “You all have problems.”

“Probably.” Metro handed her the scroll.

She frowned. “What is this?”

“The rules.”

Sam’s smile disappeared. “The what?”

“The rules.”

“Oh no.”

Metro nodded sympathetically. “Oh yes.”

The servant sat down.

Looking entirely too comfortable. As if he were about to witness something entertaining. Which he was. Sam unrolled the scroll. Her expression worsened with every line.

Rule One:

Do not leave palace grounds without permission.

Rule Two:

Do not enter the Alpha’s private quarters.

Rule Three:

Do not interfere with official clan matters.

Rule Four:

Do not provoke the Alpha unnecessarily.

Sam immediately laughed. “What?”

Metro pointed at the fourth rule. “That one was added this morning.”

She blinked.

Then blinked again. “Seriously?”

Metro nodded. “Personally.”

By whom?

There was only one answer.

Froz.

The absolute audacity.

Sam folded the scroll dramatically. “I hate him.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I absolutely do.”

Metro raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you smiling?”

Sam immediately stopped smiling. Traitorous face.

An hour later, she found Froz. Not because she was looking for him. She was. But that wasn’t the point.

The Alpha stood inside the training yard. Watching warriors spar. As usual. The moment Sam entered, several warriors immediately recognized her.

Whispers spread.

Smiles appeared.

Apparently, the future Luna had become entertainment.

Wonderful.

One young warrior waved enthusiastically. “Lady Summit!”

Sam waved back.

The warrior looked delighted.

Froz looked annoyed.

A perfect beginning.

Sam approached confidently. “Good morning.”

The Alpha didn’t even turn around. “No.”

She blinked. “No?”

“No.”

“That’s not how greetings work.”

“It is today.”

Several warriors immediately walked away.

Smart decision.

Very smart.

Sam crossed her arms. “I read your rules.”

“Good.”

“They’re stupid.”

“Good.”

She stared. “What?”

“I said good.”

Sam pointed accusingly. “You’re impossible.”

“Good.”

The warriors nearby looked terrified.

Because for some reason—

Froz seemed to be enjoying this.

Not visibly.

Not obviously.

But there was something different about him.

Something subtle.

Something dangerous.

Like a wolf observing prey.

Or perhaps—

A wolf observing another wolf.

The following days became a battlefield. Not a real battlefield. A verbal one. Rule after rule.

Argument after argument.

Challenge after challenge.

Sam broke almost every palace rule. Not the important ones. Just enough to be annoying.

For example—

Rule:

Do not feed the palace wolves.

Sam fed them. Immediately.

The giant wolves loved her.

The guards loved her.

The wolves loved her.

Froz did not.

Another example—

Rule:

Official meetings are restricted.

Sam accidentally wandered into one. By accident. Mostly. The elders nearly fainted. Froz looked seconds away from banning her from existence.

Then there was the garden incident. Perhaps her finest achievement. She had discovered a section of frozen flowers that nobody touched.

Naturally, she touched them.

Then rearranged them.

Then decorated them.

Then convinced several servants to help.

By evening, the once-serious garden looked cheerful.

Colorful ribbons.

Fresh flowers.

Small lanterns.

Even the wolves seemed happier.

The servants loved it.

Queen Rhed loved it.

The palace children loved it.

Froz did not.

At least—

That was what he claimed.

Three days later, Sam found herself summoned.

Again.

This time she entered Froz’s office. The room matched its owner perfectly. Large. Organized.

Cold.

Intimidating.

Boring.

Froz sat behind a massive desk. Reading reports.

Of course. The man practically lived there.

Sam sat down without permission. Immediately.

Froz looked up. "No."

She smiled. “Hello to you too.”

His eye twitched.

Tiny.

Almost invisible.

But she saw it.

Victory.

The Alpha folded his arms. “You redecorated the western gardens.”

“They were sad.”

“They were historical.”

“They were sad.”

“You entered a council meeting.”

“It was boring.”

“You fed battle wolves.”

“They were hungry.”

The silence stretched.

Then Froz sighed. A long suffering sigh. One that suggested she was actively reducing his lifespan.

Good.

“Why are you like this?” He finally asked.

Sam blinked. “What kind of question is that?”

“A serious one.”

She looked away. For the first time, her smile faded.

Because beneath the joke…

Beneath the teasing…

There was an answer.

One she rarely gave.

One she rarely admitted.

“Because being quiet hurts.” The words escaped before she could stop them.

The room fell silent. Froz stared.

Waiting.

Listening.

Sam laughed awkwardly. “Forget it.”

But Froz didn’t.

For once—

He didn’t immediately look away.

Didn’t dismiss her.

Didn’t walk away.

Instead he asked quietly:

“Hurts because of your mother?” The question stunned her.

No one mentioned her mother anymore.

Not in the Warm Clan.

Not even Apo.

Not even Fuji.

Most people avoided the subject entirely.

Yet somehow—

Froz had noticed.

Sam swallowed.

Then nodded.

Once.

The Alpha remained silent. For a long moment. Then he looked toward the window. As if remembering something painful himself.

Something old.

Something unresolved.

And suddenly—

Sam realized she wasn’t the only person carrying scars.

That evening, Queen Rhed hosted a small dinner. Just the three of them. Unfortunately. Or fortunately.

Sam still hadn’t decided. Dinner began normally.

Then Queen Rhed ruined everything.

Deliberately.

“Froz.”

The Alpha looked up. “Yes, Mother?”

“When are you taking Summit riding?”

Silence.

Sam blinked.

Froz blinked.

Queen Rhed smiled.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

“I beg your pardon?”

The Queen sipped tea. “You heard me.”

“No.”

“Take her riding.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I enjoy peace.”

Sam gasped dramatically. “Rude.”

“Accurate.”

The Queen ignored both of them. “Summit has barely seen the territory.”

“I’m surviving.”

“That wasn’t the question.” The older woman turned toward Froz.

“Tomorrow.”

“No.”

“Tomorrow.”

“No.”

“Tomorrow.”

The battle continued.

Several servants secretly watched. Apparently this was normal. Eventually—

The Alpha surrendered.

Again.

Sam was beginning to understand why Queen Rhed always won. She was terrifying.

Truly terrifying.

The Queen smiled. “Wonderful.”

Froz looked miserable. Sam looked delighted.

A perfect outcome.

The next afternoon arrived. Cold winds swept across the mountains. Snow danced through the air.

And for the first time—

Sam left the palace grounds. Beside Froz. The Alpha sat atop a massive black horse.

Powerful.

Elegant.

Annoyingly handsome.

Sam hated how noticeable that was becoming. She climbed onto her own horse. Trying very hard not to notice.

Failing.

Terribly.

They rode through snowy forests.

Frozen rivers.

Mountain trails.

The scenery was breathtaking. For a while, neither spoke.

Then Sam broke first. “You know…”

Froz sighed immediately. “What?”

“I think you’re becoming nicer.”

His horse nearly stopped. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“No.”

She grinned. “You gave me your cloak.”

“No.”

“You replaced my broken glass.”

“No.”

“You assigned extra guards.”

The Alpha looked away.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Then Sam smiled mischievously. “And you smiled.”

Froz froze.

Completely.

For three entire seconds.

Then he continued riding.

“That never happened.”

“It did.”

“It didn’t.”

“It absolutely did.”

“No.”

She laughed.

The sound echoed through the snowy valley.

Bright.

Warm.

Alive.

For a moment—

Something strange happened.

Froz listened.

Really listened.

To her laughter.

And for the first time in years… He didn’t find it annoying. The realization bothered him. A lot.

As sunset approached, they stopped atop a ridge overlooking the territory. The entire White Fang Kingdom stretched before them.

Mountains.

Forests.

Rivers.

Villages.

Snow-covered beauty in every direction.

Sam stared in awe. “It’s beautiful.”

Froz stood beside her.

Silent.

Then—

Unexpectedly—

He answered. “Yes.”

Not because he was agreeing with the view.

Because for the first time—

He was looking at something else.

Someone else.

Someone standing beside him.

Someone who brought noise into his silence.

Warmth into his winter.

Chaos into his order.

And somehow…

The palace felt less empty because of it. Neither of them noticed the change. Not yet. But it was there.

Growing.

Slowly.

Like the first rays of sunlight breaking through a frozen sky.

And somewhere above them—

The Moon Goddess simply smiled. Because the Alpha who claimed his heart was frozen…

Had already begun melting.