Chapter 3

I shoved open the doors to the council hall and saw a horrifying scene.

Several Southern Alphas had Nolan pinned to the floor. Sharp wolf claws pierced his shoulder blade, and blood streamed down his arm.

"You were pretty tough when you punched me just now, weren't you?! Come on, get up and hit me again!" The Alpha Nolan had punched earlier planted a foot on Nolan's back and laughed wildly.

"You're throwing your life away for some worthless nobody. Pathetic." With a vicious glare, he drove a dagger into Nolan's thigh.

The pain made Nolan tremble. Sweat and blood dripped to the floor, but he clenched his teeth and didn't make a sound.

That was when I pushed the doors open.

When Nolan saw that I'd actually come back, he stared at me in shock.

He tore free of the Alphas holding him, ignored the claws through his shoulder, and forced his way to my side, roaring, "Who told you to come back?! Damn it..."

I looked at him and shook my head. "I'm not leaving. I can't sleep if you're not holding me."

Nolan was stunned for a moment. Then he hugged me tight and said softly, "You little fool..."

The Alphas across the room quickly recovered and eyed us menacingly. Nolan drew me behind him, trying to shield me with his own body.

The idiot. He could barely stand, yet he was still trying to protect me.

I looked at him, close to tears.

The doors opened again, and a man walked in.

It was Ennis Voss, the one who'd started this siege and the strongest of the Southern Alphas.

His gaze slid past Nolan and raked over me. "Nolan, this useless little pet of yours really is pretty. No wonder you like her so much.

"Listen, little pet. Take off your clothes right now, crawl around my feet in circles like a dog, and I'll spare your life. How about it?"

"Ennis! You've got a death wish!"

Nolan clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and lunged at Ennis. "Damn you! How dare you ask her to do that?"

A brutal fight broke out between the Alphas. Even badly wounded, Nolan held his ground and pressed his claws to Ennis's throat.

Ennis didn't panic. He burst out laughing. "Drive those claws in, Nolan, and we'll tear your two brothers apart, along with every one of your people!"

Nolan jolted, and his hand trembled at Ennis's throat.

Humiliation and fury churned in his eyes, but in the end, he lowered his hand.

Ennis took his time getting up, straightened his collar, and kicked a parchment scroll in front of Nolan. "Sign it."

Nolan looked down at the agreement. His expression changed the instant he saw it.

This was no treaty for handing over land or paying reparations. Instead, a sinister ritual circle had been drawn across the parchment in dark red blood.

"A blood sacrifice pact?" Nolan ground his teeth and glared at Ennis. "You want a witch to drain my power with dark magic and transfer it to you?"

"Smart." Ennis sneered and dropped the pretense. "The weak fall prey to the strong. That's the law of the ice fields. Sacrifice your life, and I'll withdraw my army at once. I'll spare your people and the useless little pet behind you.

"Your life in exchange for the lives of your whole pack. That's a great deal, isn't it?"

"Nolan! Don't sign it!" Nolan's parents burst in with several elders, all covered in blood.

Helena threw herself forward to grab the scroll. "This is forbidden magic! It'll drain your soul, and you won't even get a chance to be reborn!"

"Get out of the way, old woman!" Ennis kicked her aside with a vicious glare. "My patience has limits! Nolan, if you don't sign, I'll wipe out the Frost family right now! Then I'll rip your useless little pet apart in front of you!"

"Don't touch her! I'll sign!"

Red-eyed, Nolan bent down and picked up the dagger from the floor.

Signing the blood sacrifice pact would pierce Nolan's heart with the pain of a thousand arrows and imprison his soul forever. But he had no way out.

Nolan turned toward where I stood in the shadows.

That proud Alpha of the North now looked at me with nothing but love and longing.

"Iris..." He swallowed hard, his voice soft. "Leave this place. Live well."

With that, he raised the dagger without hesitation, ready to drive it into his own heart.

Before the blade could land, I caught Nolan's wrist. Every eye turned to me as I spoke.

"You dare use forbidden blood sacrifice magic in front of the Moon Goddess's Judge? Ennis, you must have a death wish!"