Chapter 6 What the Snow Remembers

The immense power shattered, forcing me back into my human skin as I collapsed into the dirt, curling into a tight ball. Before the cold air could hit me, a heavy jacket was draped over my exposed body, smelling sharply of pine and ash. It was Ares's coat.

A thorough, hollow weakness pinned me to the ground. I couldn't move.

"Selena," Thane said, kneeling beside me. "Are you hurting?"

"H-Hot," I choked out, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm so hot."

Echo reached down, pressing the back of his hand firmly against my forehead. He swore softly under his breath, his eyes widening. "She's burning up."

"She needs cold water on her body right now," Ares ordered, his voice cutting through the panic. "I’ll bring her to the stream."

Ares knelt in the dirt, his large arms coming around to lift me up. Thane immediately stepped forward and blocked Ares from moving. They stared at each other. No doubt, it was silent battle of dominance passing between them.

"Thane," Echo intervened, his voice calm. "Allow Ares to take her. He belongs to her, too. He is her mate."

Thane glared at Ares for a long second before he backed down. "Do not let her out of your sight," he ordered.

Ares didn't even look up at him as he slid his arms securely under my knees and back. "I don't need you to tell me how to protect what is mine."

The heat inside me was growing worse. I forced my weak arms up, my fingers tugging at Thane’s hand and Ares's shoulder. I wanted them to stop fighting. The touch broke their stare, and both Alphas immediately looked down at me.

As Ares pulled me up into his arms, the sudden realization hit me through the pain. I looked at Thane, then at Ares, and finally at Echo, a genuine smile breaking across my face.

"I... I transformed," I managed to say, my voice trembling but proud. I was so happy I could cry.

Somehow, that softened something that all three Alphas smiled back at me.

Ares carried me through the trees behind the lodge, stopping where a stream of fresh snowmelt. He brought me right to the bank and set me down on a large, flat stone. Kneeling in front of me, he slowly took my hand, his grip firm and grounding.

"You're still shaking," Ares murmured, his sharp eyes scanning my face for any sign of pain.

"The water... it's very cold," I whispered, though the chill was a relief against the heat under my skin.

Ares leaned closer, completely focused on me. "It will cool you down, Selena. You did good today. Let me take care of the rest."

He lifted my bare feet and lowered them into the running water. The cold was biting at first, but it slowly became soothing. I calmed down and leaned completely against Ares. At first I thought he was scary, but I realized, he isn’t.  He was a gentle giant, treating me like I was something incredibly fragile.

The wind grew stronger. Ares shifted his massive body to block the cold air from hitting me. I could feel his heartbeat getting faster and louder. His chest was warm, and I could not resist it. Ares became stiff. I noticed,  but his warmth was better than the stream. It felt healing.

"I-I'm sorry," I murmured, looking up. "I… just felt so safe—"

Ares cut me off, pulling me firmly against him before I could finish.

"Ten seconds," he muttered.

I could feel it. The massive restraint in his muscles, yet he held me so delicately. He took my hand and brought it up to his lips. Ares opened his mouth and bit down on my skin just a little bit. It was not enough to hurt, but it left me startled.

Then, he stopped.

He was fighting himself, yet treating me with absolute care.

“Ares,” I called his name softy.

"I am holding back," Ares said, his voice strained.

I looked at him. "From me?"

His pale eyes met mine. "For you," he corrected softly.

We stayed close like that for ten seconds. Then, Ares carefully nudged his body away from me. For a quick second, he looked down at me. I could tell he didn’t want to move away from me, but he forced himself to do it.

Ares stood up and walked a few steps into the trees. I thought he was leaving me alone.

“Stay,” I said. "Just for a little while, please." My voice trembling.

Ares stopped and turned around. "Wasn't going anywhere," he said.

He walked back to the stone, closing the gap between us but still keeping a safe, protective distance. We sat together by the rushing stream, waiting in the quiet for my burning skin to cool off.

I sat by the water, thinking about my transformation. When I became a wolf, I saw how Ares reacted. He was not confused like Thane and Echo. I wanted to ask him about it, but I did not know how to say the words.

Ares caught me watching him. He turned his head, silently waiting for me to speak. I completely panicked under his intense stare. Looking for an escape, I blurted out the first thing I remembered.

"The seal on the summons letter," I said quickly. "You knew what it was."

He nodded.

I frowned, trying to understand. “How?”

"It belonged to him," Ares replied, his tone flat and direct.

My heart skipped a beat. "Who?"

"My father served him."

I waited for more, but he said nothing more. I looked down at the rushing water, and a strange calm washed over me. "I've made my decision," I said, looking up at Ares. "Take me back to the lodge."

He didn't ask questions. He simply helped me up and led me back to the clearing where Thane and Echo were waiting.

I looked at Thane, then at Echo, and finally back to Ares. "I am going to answer the summons," I said, my voice steady for the first time in my life.

"You don't have to do this, Selena," Thane said, his voice raw as he tried to persuade me. "We can find another way. Don't go to the Concord."

"I want to go. I have to do this."

The three Alphas went quiet, accepting my decision. In that exact moment, the entire forest went dead silent. The shadows between the trees seemed to thicken. Past the clearing and over the hills, we could feel them.

Hundreds of wolves from different packs, all gathered together in the dark. They were surrounding us. Every single eye was watching me.

Ares narrowed his eyes at the shifting shadows ahead, his claws extending. "A Grand Elder is standing on that ridge. He came here to break you. Show him what we knelt for."