Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the Crown のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 271 - チャプター 280

Ember Frost’s POVOnce everything began to unravel, the consequences spread far beyond those at the heart of the conflict. Pain and devastation rippled outward, touching countless innocent lives. Orion. Eira. The victims who died at Malachar's hands. Even Henry and Lilian, whose broken souls remained trapped inside a dark cocoon. Every one of them became another victim of events no one could have predicted. A single snow-covered mountain had become the turning point that changed all of our lives. And somehow, it had all started with my decision to get back at a school bully in a way that was far more dramatic than it ever needed to be."I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm responsible for every horrible thing those monsters chose to do," I said quietly. "I'm not that naive. They made their own choices. Their cruelty was theirs, not mine." I paused and let out a slow breath."But I can't stop wondering if things could've turned out differently," I admitted. "Maybe if I'd been m

Ember Frost’s POVHenry's situation was no less concerning than Lilian's.If anything, the biggest question was whether Henry still existed at all.The fragments of his divided soul had been brought back to the palace in the hope that they could be restored. But on the night we confronted Malachar, something completely unexpected happened.The version of Henry that had remained at the base of the mountain suddenly began to change.His body lost its solid form, melting into something like flowing liquid before slipping away unnoticed. It moved on its own, eventually making its way into Lilian's room.After that, he simply vanished.No one knew where he'd gone or whether the Henry they knew still existed.The investigation team eventually reached one conclusion. They believed Henry hadn't escaped at all. Instead, there was a strong possibility he'd somehow merged with the cocoon.But without being able to examine the cocoon any further, it was impossible to prove. With no new leads to f

Ember Frost’s POVFreya had officially left the army in February, so it had only been a few months since she'd returned to civilian life.Lyra stared at her like she'd just heard the greatest betrayal of her life.“You're telling me you've been sitting on news like this for months?” she demanded. “Not even a hint? Not one suspicious comment? I can't believe you.”“Hey, it's not like I was trying to hide it from you,” Freya said quickly. “I just... didn't know what to do.”Her teasing smile faded, and she grew unusually quiet. “When Jace proposed, I was overwhelmed. I needed time to think, and I couldn't give him an answer right away.”She let out a small breath before looking back up.“I've spent the last few months sorting out my feelings and figuring out what I really wanted. That's why I didn't tell anyone. I only said yes yesterday.”I knew Freya and Jace had become close before I left for the Mountains, but I had no idea what had happened between them while I was gone. There wer

Ember Frost’s POVThe cool night air brushed against my face, but it did little to cool the warmth the alcohol had left behind. Everything felt a little softer around the edges, and I found myself standing beneath the moonlight, swaying slightly as I waited for someone to take us home.Eira had an arm around my shoulders, though I honestly couldn't tell if she was supporting me or if I was the one keeping her upright. We were both far too tipsy to trust our own balance.Jace had been sent to collect us after his equally drunk fiancée decided we couldn't be left unsupervised. As for Lyra, she had vanished hours ago with Freya. Knowing those two, they were probably already curled up together somewhere, fast asleep and completely unaware of the chaos they'd left behind.Even this late at night, the area outside the school gates was still buzzing with life.A few vendors had rolled their carts onto the empty field nearby, turning it into a tiny night market. The air was filled with the sm

Ember Frost’s POV“I’ve served this palace since the previous King was on the throne,” Millie said softly. “In all those years, I’ve watched more people come and go than I can count. One generation follows another, and little by little, the younger ones step into the roles we once held. That’s simply how life works.” She smiled softly. “I didn’t start out as the acting head servant. I was just another young maid, making mistakes and learning from those who came before me. They were patient with me. They guided me until one day, I was trusted with the same responsibilities they once carried.”She looked down at her hands for a brief moment before continuing. “The day I accepted this position, I also accepted that it wouldn’t be mine forever. Sooner or later, someone younger would be ready to take my place, just as I once took someone else’s.”She lifted her gaze again, her expression peaceful. “There’s nothing sad about that. We all have our season. When ours comes to an end, we make