The Frozen Throne
When the private jet finally touched down, the world outside the reinforced windows was a swirling, violent abyss of white snow and jagged black mountains.
We had landed in the heart of the Northern Wastes. Kade's territory.
The heavy cabin door hissed open, letting in a blast of freezing, biting wind. I instinctively shrank back into the plush leather seat, pulling Kade's massive fur cloak tighter around my shivering shoulders.
Kade didn't make me walk. He unbuckled his seatbelt, crossed the aisle, and effortlessly scooped me up into his armored arms.
"Bury your face in my neck, little one," Kade murmured, his deep voice easily cutting through the howling wind outside. "The cold is brutal here, but I won't let it touch you."
I did as I was told, pressing my cold nose against the warm, pulse-beating skin of his neck, completely surrounded by his intoxicating scent of pine and dark musk.
As Kade carried me down the metal stairs onto the snow-covered tarmac, I peeked over his broad shoulder.
Looming in the distance, carved directly into the side of a massive, icy mountain, was a terrifying fortress of black stone and iron. It looked like a castle built for a god of war. And waiting at the base of the jet's stairs were at least fifty massive, heavily scarred werewolves.
The Winter Pack. They looked brutal, wearing thick furs and leather armor, their eyes glowing faintly in the blizzard. They were the most feared army on the continent.
As Kade's boots hit the snow, the entire terrifying army moved as one.
They didn't cheer. They didn't speak. Fifty massive, lethal warriors instantly dropped to one knee in the freezing snow, bowing their heads in absolute, terrifying submission to the Butcher.
"Welcome home, Alpha," a massive, scarred man at the front—who must have been his Beta—spoke to the snowy ground. His eyes flicked up for a fraction of a second, catching sight of my bare, bruised legs dangling from Kade's arms.
"Prepare the healers," Kade ordered coldly, not even slowing his stride as he walked past his kneeling army. "And have the Omegas draw a hot bath in my private quarters. Immediately."
"Alpha, the council has been waiting for your return—" the Beta started to protest.
"The council can wait until I decide they are permitted to breathe," Kade's voice dropped to a demonic, vibrating growl that made the kneeling warriors physically flinch. "My Queen needs warmth."
I squeezed my eyes shut, my heart hammering against my ribs. My Queen. He said it with such absolute conviction that it made my soul ache.
Kade carried me through the massive iron gates of the keep, weaving through dark, cavernous stone hallways illuminated by roaring fireplaces. The fortress was cold and intimidating, but in Kade's arms, I felt an impossible, terrifying sense of safety.
He didn't take me to a dungeon or a servant's quarter. He kicked open a set of heavy, intricately carved oak doors and carried me directly into his private penthouse suite.
The room was massive, dominated by a huge fireplace and a four-poster bed covered in thick furs. But Kade bypassed the bedroom, carrying me straight into an enormous, heated bathroom made of dark marble.
In the center of the room was a massive stone tub, already steaming with hot water.
Three female Omegas stood nervously near the towels, keeping their eyes glued to the floor.
"Leave us," Kade commanded softly.
The Omegas practically sprinted out of the room, shutting the heavy door behind them. We were completely alone. The only sound was the crackle of the fireplace and the soft bubbling of the hot water.
Kade gently set me down on a plush velvet stool near the tub.
I kept my arms wrapped tightly around the fur cloak, my entire body trembling. I was covered in dried blood, dirt from the auction cell, and dark, ugly purple bruises from my uncle's fists. I felt disgusting. I felt like a runt.
Kade didn't look at me with pity or disgust. He looked at me with a reverence that made my breath catch.
Slowly, Kade reached up and began to unbuckle the heavy leather straps of his combat armor. He removed his chest plate, leaving him in a dark, fitted t-shirt that stretched tightly across his massive muscles. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing thick, tribal tattoos wrapping around his forearms.
He knelt on the hard marble floor right in front of my stool.
"Nia," Kade's voice was a rough, gentle whisper. "I am going to take the cloak now. You need to get into the water before the cold settles into your bones."
I swallowed hard, my fingers white-knuckled as I gripped the fur. "I... I can bathe myself. You don't have to stay."
"I am not leaving you," Kade vowed, his golden eyes completely sincere. "You have been hurt by people who were supposed to protect you. I understand why you are terrified. But I swear to you, the only thing my hands will ever do is keep you safe."
He reached out, his massive, scarred hands moving with impossible delicacy. He gently pried my trembling fingers away from the edges of the cloak.
As the heavy fur slipped off my shoulders, the full extent of my injuries was exposed to the bright bathroom lights. The thin, tattered slip dress did nothing to hide the dark, hand-shaped bruises gripping my upper arms, or the cruel whip marks scarring my collarbone.
Kade went completely, terrifyingly still.
The air in the bathroom instantly plummeted in temperature. I watched in horror as Kade's pupils blew wide, completely swallowed by the feral, blazing gold of his inner wolf. A jagged, uneven breath tore from his chest.
He looked at my bruises, and for a terrifying second, the Butcher of the North looked like he was going to rip the entire castle apart with his bare hands.
"Kade?" I whispered, shrinking back slightly.
The sound of my terrified voice snapped him out of it. Kade squeezed his eyes shut, his massive jaw clenching as he visibly fought to force his furious, bloodthirsty wolf back into submission.
When he opened his eyes again, the violent gold was gone, replaced by a deep, agonizing sorrow.
He slowly reached out, completely avoiding my bruises. He gently gripped the hem of the ruined slip dress.
"Lift your arms, little one," Kade murmured, his voice thick with unshed emotion.
I did. He pulled the ruined fabric over my head and tossed it into the corner like it was infected.
I stepped into the steaming, massive stone tub, sinking into the hot water until it reached my chin. The heat was absolute heaven on my aching muscles. I let out a soft, shuddering sigh, closing my eyes.
I heard a splash. My eyes flew open.
Kade hadn't stayed on the stool. The massive, terrifying King of the North had submerged his hands in the water. He picked up a bar of rich, lavender-scented soap and a soft cloth.
"Lean back," Kade instructed softly.
He didn't touch my body. He moved behind me, his massive hands gently supporting the base of my neck as he began to wash the dried blood and dirt from my tangled hair. His large fingers massaged my scalp with a slow, rhythmic pressure that was incredibly soothing.
"You are an Alpha," I whispered, the absurdity of the situation finally hitting me. "You shouldn't be washing a half-breed's hair."
Kade's hands paused. He leaned down, his warm breath ghosting across my wet cheek.
"You are not a half-breed to me, Nia," Kade promised, his deep voice carrying a vow that settled deep into my soul. "You are my Queen. And from this day forward, you will be worshipped as one."