All Chapters of Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the Crown: Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

Ember Frost’s POVWe didn’t talk at all, even as we made our way onto the plane.Orion still acted polite. He took my suitcase, held the door, and did everything a gentleman should do, except speak. He didn’t even glance my way. It felt worse than shouting.I kept hoping for some kind of rescue, someone to crack a joke, break the tension, or anything. But Eira, who usually sensed emotions better than anyone, had stayed behind in the Stormspire Mountains. Elder Harriet wasn’t much help either; she was even quieter than I was. So there we were, three people sealed inside a metal cabin, trapped in our own thoughts. The silence was so thick it made my skin crawl. At one point, I honestly felt like opening the door and jumping out just to escape it.I thought about saying something to Orion. Something simple. Something like, ‘I’m sorry. Let’s stop fighting.’ But Elder Harriet was right there. I’d always been that kind of person, the one who gets secondhand embarrassment during love confess

Ember Frost’s POV“My sweet girl… my heart,” my mother murmured as she pulled me into her arms, holding me so tightly it felt like she was afraid she might lose me. “What you just said hurts me more than anything. Why would you think of yourself that way?”My father let out a soft sigh, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “You’re being far too strict with yourself, Ember. Sometimes I wonder if the way I raised you, as a king, always talking about balance and rules, made you forget something important. Justice matters, yes. Fairness matters. But love doesn’t live by those rules.”He continued, calmly. “Parents naturally lean toward their children. Lovers toward each other. Friends toward the ones they hold closest. Calling that ‘favoritism’ misses the point. Feelings aren’t measured on a scale. They don’t care about fairness or logic, because emotions are never objective.”Then he smiled faintly and glanced at my mother. “Am I supposed to treat her like every other citizen just be

Ember Frost’s POV“So, I came here today to ask for your forgiveness,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.“You’ve always been the one to make peace after our arguments,” I continued, “because you love me, because you care enough to set your pride aside. So… why can’t I do the same this time? This was my fault, from the start.”I stepped closer and lowered myself to sit beside him, taking his hand in mine. “I’m sorry, Orion. I promise I’ll be more careful from now on. I’ll take care of myself the way you’ve always cared for me. I won’t let you worry over me again. I’ll learn to control my powers properly, and I won’t let my emotions run wild. Can you forgive me?”For a long moment, he stayed still, his gaze locked on mine. Then, slowly, he pulled me into his arms.“I’ll forgive you… always, my girl,” he murmured, pressing his face against my neck. I could feel the dampness of his tears on my collar as he buried himself closer. “Just… don’t ever hurt me again. My heart… it’s yours

Ember Frost’s POVI woke to a wide, empty stretch of land that seemed to go on forever. The grass was short and dry, pale in places, and it bent softly whenever the wind passed through. Between the blades, small glimmers of yellow drifted and flickered, like dead firefliesFor a while I just lay there, listening to the faint rustle of the field. Then I pushed myself up and realized I was sitting in a shallow creek. The water slid gently around me, cool and strangely comforting. I noticed, almost absently, that I wasn’t wearing anything. Instead of feeling embarrassed, I felt light… as if something heavy I’d carried for years had been lifted away without me noticing.The air here felt different too—clean, open, and joyful. It made me want to giggle for no reason, to run without caring where I was going.The creek flowed slowly over my feet. At first it looked clear, but when I looked closer, there was a faint purple and pink tint running through it, like colors dissolving in a glass cu

Ember Frost’s POVWhat struck me most wasn’t what had happened—but how my parents reacted to it.They weren’t shocked. Not even a little. If anything, they looked like people who had been expecting this day for a long time. There was a quiet understanding in their eyes… and, strangely enough, relief.My father studied me for a moment, then spoke in a calm voice.“Let me guess. This is connected to that Ingesting ability of yours, isn’t it?”He said it like he already knew the answer.I blinked at him. “How did you figure that out?”He gave a small shrug. “It wasn’t hard to piece together. Your mother and I have been waiting for something like this. We didn’t know what form it would take, or how serious it might be—but we always knew there could be consequences. Power like that never comes without a cost.”He leaned back on the chair, his expression calm.“If you read enough history, you start to notice a pattern. Abilities people call blessings often carry a hidden price. So we prepar