---- Aidan walked forward with determination and raised his hands to the sky.


    His hair lifted with the windstorm, and his magic started wrapping around the scattered power of the heart.


    It rose into the air, mingled with the clouds, and everything began to freeze.


    I watched as the elemental energy was split apart, locked inside frozen blocks that shot off in all directions, with no clear path.


    Aidan was imprisoning that magic so no one could ever use it again.


    My eyes widened in awe.


    Once again, I was stunned by this man of winterhow he dismembered the heart and hid it across the world.


    I dont know how much time passed, only that snow covered my spirit and at some point, the storm stopped.


    Aidan copsed on the white ground, his magic finally drained, and dragged himself to his mates coffin to embrace it.


    His beast alsoy under the snow, next to the body of his female, guarding the pups that hade out of hiding. Goddess, this was so heartbreaking, I couldnt even crymy tears froze just like the Alpha princes heart had.


    ---- Aidan spent the night watching the pack near the castle, the werewolves who had no idea someone was deciding whether or not to wipe them off the face of the earth.


    I knewit, I could feel it in his aurahe was thinking about destroying everyst one of those miserable savages, this entire realm.


    And yet...


    the goodness still buried beneath his frozenyers finally won out in his soul.


    The next day, he managed to leave.


    He summoned a portal once he recovered.


    He looked desperate to go backmaybe he hoped to find a solution in his homnd.


    Through the vortex, I saw him disappear with his shattered family, some fragments of the Beasts Heart...


    and for some reason, he took Eryons remains too. I stood there, the cold breeze still blowing through my transparent hair, and before his broad back vanishedpletely, Aidan Walker looked back...


    and I saw raw sorrow and regret deep in those blue eyes.


    Aman who lost so much in an instant.


    And me...


    a witch trapped in the lives of others.


    Thad no idea what to do.


    Once again...


    ---- eK The Wolf King had died without anyone knowing of his fall, but his influence still lingeredhis name, the castle, and Drusi.


    Aidan was apassionate man deep down.


    It seems he believed her lies, that they were all forced by Eryon, and he let her live. That cockroach who just wouldnt die.


    Aged by the very power she stole, she locked herself in the thrones quarters and went back to what she did best...


    she tricked everyone into thinking she was the Wolf King.


    She built a cloud of mystery and mysticism around the title.


    Only one surviving priest knew her secrets and covered for herI imagined he was the one whoter took her ce and was killed by Laziel.


    I dont know how many years passed.


    Time here felt endless...


    The desperation to leave was eating me alive, just like madness was breaking Drusis sanity.


    She managed to live far longer than she should''ve or deserved, but the specter behind her back tore her mind and will apart, piece by piece...


    until it drove her to suicide?


    <!---->