Whispers of Frost and Fire

Life in the Ravenclaw Pack was perfect. As a junior in high school, captain of the cheerleading squad, and dating my one true love, Jeremy Philings—the football team’s captain and future alpha—I had everything I ever wanted. We were just waiting for his eighteenth birthday to confirm what we already knew: we were destined to be mates. His big day couldn’t come soon enough.

“Hey gorgeous, ready for tonight?” Melissa, my best friend and vice-captain of the squad, asked, practically bouncing with excitement. Tonight was prom, and I had been dreaming about it forever.

“You know I am. Come over, and we’ll get ready together.”

She grinned. “I can’t wait for you to see my dress!”

I pulled into the driveway, eager to rush inside. “Mom! I’m home!”

“In the kitchen, darling,” she called back. “Your dress is almost ready. Go shower first.”

“Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.”

“Hey, Snow, ready for another dull night of dancing?” my brother, Ares, teased from the couch. He was charming, cocky, and the next beta of our pack.

I rolled my eyes. “Hey, Stone, ready to break another girl’s heart tonight?”

He smirked. “Not my fault they fall for me.” 

Melissa arrived, and we slipped into our dresses—mine, a soft powder pink with embroidered roses down the center, its off-the-shoulder design making me feel like royalty. Melissa’s emerald-green dress complemented her perfectly. As Ares walked in, his eyes flickered over us. “Wow, Snow. You actually look decent. Melissa, you look… good.”

Melissa smirked. “That almost sounded like a compliment.”

Laughing, we all piled into Ares’ car and sped off into the night. Tonight was going to be perfect.

The gym had been transformed into a fairy-tale ballroom, glittering with soft golden lights. The scent of roses mixed with perfume and fresh linen. Music pulsed around us, setting the rhythm of the night.

And then I saw him.

 Jeremy stood with his friends, his sharp jawline illuminated by the dim glow. His dark hair was slicked back, and his suit fit like it had been made for him. When our eyes met, everything else faded away.

“You see him?” Melissa whispered.

“I do.” My heart pounded as I stepped forward.

Jeremy’s gaze swept over me, his smile growing. “You look… perfect.”

Warmth spread through me as he took my hand, pulling me closer as a slow song began to play. We swayed together, the moment so perfect it felt surreal. My head rested against his chest, his heartbeat steady beneath my ear.

“I can’t wait to spend forever with you,” I whispered.

Jeremy’s grip on me tightened slightly. His jaw clenched, and for the briefest moment, his expression flickered—uncertainty, hesitation? 

“Are you okay?” I pulled back to meet his eyes.

He forced a smile. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”

Before I could press further, Ares appeared, smirking. “You two lovebirds done hogging the dance floor?”

I rolled my eyes. “We’re not hogging it. We’re enjoying the night.”

Jeremy exhaled, the tension leaving his shoulders. “Yeah, I guess so.”

The rest of the evening seemed to float by in a blur of glittering lights, laughter, and the warm glow of happiness. The music thumped in the background, a rhythmic heartbeat that matched the pulse of excitement in the air. My dress swished with every step, the soft fabric gliding against my skin, but nothing felt as surreal as the moment they called our names—Jeremy Philings and Aurelia DiRossio—Prom King and Queen.

The applause that erupted around us was deafening, a thunderous sound that seemed to drown out everything else, but all I could hear was the beat of my own heart as we stood there, hand in hand, on that stage. It was like a dream, and I half-expected to wake up at any moment, to find myself back in my room, surrounded by textbooks and the mundane routines of a high school life. But this... this was real.