Left the Pack, Fated Mate Regrets Chapter 07
(Sylvia’s POV)
The snow in the Frostlands was heavier than I had imagined.
Wrapped in a thick fur cloak, I curled up in the corner of the carriage, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. My escort had turned back three days ago; the rest of the journey, I had to face alone.
The further north we traveled, the stronger the scent of blood in the air.
I had long heard of the Snow Wolf pack’ brutality, but seeing them in person confirmed that the rumors were entirely true.
Three massive, silver-white wolves swooped down from a snowy ridge, completely surrounding the carriage. They were a full size larger than any wolves I had ever seen, their fangs bared, emitting low, threatening growls from their throats.
I remembered Selina’s curse:?”I hear the Alpha of the Snow Wolf pack is an expert at torture…”
My heart hammered wildly against my ribs.
But I knew I couldn’t back down.
I pushed aside the carriage curtain and stepped down slowly.
The north wind whipped snow pellets against my face, stinging sharply, but I straightened my spine, lifted my chin, and stared directly at the lead silver wolf.
“I am Sylvia, from the Southern pack,” my voice trembled slightly in the wind, but every word was clear. “I have come to fulfill the alliance pact.”
The three silver wolves exchanged a glance, then slowly parted to clear a path.
At the crest of the snowy ridge, a massive, snow-white wolf lay quietly upon a giant boulder, his silver fur glowing with a faint halo in the moonlight.
He raised his head, and those ice-blue eyes fell upon me.
My heart clenched tightly.
But a second later, he gave a gentle flick of his tail, and the three silver wolves scattered in all directions, vanishing like a receding tide.
He leaped down from the boulder, and the ground trembled slightly as he landed before me.
Then, to my sheer astonishment, the massive wolf’s forin began to shrink and recede, eventually shifting into a tall man.
He wore a simple white fur coat, his long hair cascading over his shoulders. His features were strikingly handsome but cold, yet his eyes were unexpectedly… gentle.
“Scared?” His voice was low, soft as falling snow.
I took a wary step back. “Are you… the Alpha of the Snow Wolf pack?”
He nodded, reaching out to brush the snow from my shoulder. “My guards startled you. My apologies. The Frostlands are not safe; they were simply doing their duty.”
I froze.
The supposedly brutal and bloodthirsty Alpha of the Snow Wolf pack was actually apologizing for his pack?
“Come,” he said, turning to walk ahead. His pace was neither too fast nor too slow, perfectly allowing me to keep up. “Your room is ready.”
Despite this, I still wanted to run.
Why should I trap myself here, waiting for an Alpha I had never met to decide my fate?
Taking advantage of a gap during the guard shift change, I pulled my fur cloak tight and slipped out through the castle’s side door.
The night in the Frostlands was as thick as ink, with only the moon overhead providing a faint illumination over
the snow.
I stumbled frantically southward, snow pouring into my boots and numbing my toes, but I dared not stop.
Until I realized I was hopelessly lost.
The surrounding snow ridges all looked exactly the same, glowing with a pale, ghostly light under the moon, trapping me like a cage of mirrors.
I couldn’t tell which way was which. I had no idea if the castle or the endless snowfields lay behind me, or if freedom or an abyss awaited me ahead.
Then, I caught the scent of blood.
It wasn’t strong, but it was fresh, as if a hunt had just occurred.
I froze in place. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw several pairs of eerie green eyes floating in the shadows of the snow ridge.
Rogues.
They were much skinnier than pack wolves, nothing but skin and bones with sunken eye sockets. But it was precisely this starvation that made them exceptionally dangerous.
They formed a semicircle, closing in on me step by step, low, guttural growls rumbling in their throats.
My inner wolf snapped to high alert, my claws involuntarily extending.
“Don’t come any closer…” I took a step back, my heel sinking into the snow. I tripped and collapsed onto the frozen ground.
The eerie green eyes drew nearer.
Just then, a silver-white shadow swooped down from the adjacent ridge, moving so fast it was almost a blur. The shadow landed directly between me and the rogues, sending a wave of snow crashing into my face.
Coughing, I looked up to see a massive, silver-white wolf standing protectively in front of me.
He was two full sizes larger than the rogues, his fur shimmering with a faint silver glow in the moonlight. His ice- blue wolf eyes swept coldly over the opposing pack.
The starving rogues immediately tucked their tails and scattered, whining pitifully as they fled.
Alexander didn’t pursue them. He turned around and looked down at me.
Then, he lowered his massive head, his warm nose gently brushing against my forehead-as if checking to see if I was hurt.
I went completely rigid.
He shifted back into his human form and crouched before me, his ice-blue eyes reflecting my disheveled state. I expected him to be angry, or at least demand to know why I had run.
Instead, he simply brushed the snow from my hair and said softly, “Trying to go home?”
I turned my face away, unable to speak.
“I suppose so.” He didn’t press the matter. He simply stood up and extended his hand toward me. “It’s too cold out here, and you aren’t used to it yet. Come on, let’s go back and get you some hot soup.”
I stared at his hand for a long time. His palm was broad, his fingers long and slender, and there was a deep, old scar at the web of his thumb. I had no idea when he had gotten it.
After a moment of hesitation, I placed my hand in his.
He wrapped his fingers around mine and gently pulled me to my feet.
For the entire walk back, he never let go of my hand.
Upon returning, he brought me a steaming bowl of venison stew, added a few logs to the fireplace, and then sat across from me, quietly watching me eat.
I cradled the bowl in my hands, the rising steam blurring my vision.
“Why did you save me?”
He fell silent for a moment, his gaze resting on my face.
“Because you’re the most beautiful she-wolf I’ve ever seen in the Frostlands.”
