Run! The Lost Princess of the Black Wolves

Chapter 32 - Deadly secrets

”You like it?” Iron murmured in her ear, taking the opportunity to fix her in his arms, embracing her from behind. Chloe was so stunned, she could hardly breathe, even less move. “I think it’s completely true to nature,” he added, gazing at the shimmering ice sculpture over her shoulder.

Chloe had to agree. It was disturbingly lifelike, which made her utterly uncomfortable. She was staring at a complete replica of herself, wearing a thin and sheer dress that exposed every little curve, leaving nothing to the imagination.

While most of the sculptures were transparent, this particular sculpture had a slight frosting, making it uncomfortably realistic. The wind seemed to delicately tug at the sculpted dress, adding to the illusion of movement.

Theo appeared behind it, looking at her with a wide grin. “What do you think?” he smiled brightly. “Did I capture your soul?”

Chloe frowned, her hand still covering her mouth in disbelief. Had he captured her soul? Well, thank Goddess, it was made of ice, otherwise she might have said yes. It was her face, without a doubt. But it went beyond that; she recognized every shape and contour, even the shape of her breasts. Even the nip.ples that were budding through the sheer ice fabric were true to nature.

“How did you…” she shook her head in disbelief.

“I have a vivid imagination,” Theo shrugged. “And Iron helped me with the very last details…”

Chloe swiveled around, staring at Iron with intent. “And how, exactly…?”

“I saw you shift, remember?” Iron grinned. “"Can't blame a man for taking a peek, can you?? Especially when it’s such a fine piece of art…”

"I... I don't know what to say," Chloe murmured, her attention returning to the ice sculpture. It stood tall, exceeding her height, which at least made it a little less overwhelmingly realistic. Yet, did she really want everyone present to witness her more or less nude form so explicitly?

"We can only hope it falls into the right hands," Marcus joined them, his gaze fixed on the statue. "I wouldn't want some repulsive old man owning it, drooling over you."

"Is it up for sale?" Chloe asked, her voice barely a squeak. "Oh, Goddess, the auction..." Her voice trailed off.

"It will be sold to the highest bidder," Theo declared, extending his arms wide. "The sculpture that fetches the highest bid will also be deemed the winner of the competition. And I’m confident I will win this time.”

“You really outdid yourself this time, Theo,” a dark voice resonated behind them, and Chloe turned around, seeing her uncle staring at the statue with a provokingly hungry gaze. “I think you’re right. This year you’ll win.”

Cassiopeia's voice sliced through the tension. "Oh, but there are so many marvelous ice sculptures this year, Father," she interjected, grasping Marcus' arm and casting a contemptuous glance at the statue. "And we can't have this one placed in the center of the ballroom," she added. "No one will be able to enjoy their dinner with that figure staring at them."

"What do you mean, in the ballroom?" Chloe furrowed her brow, perplexed.

"The winning ice sculpture is always showcased in the heart of the ballroom," Argen explained, his eyes still fixated on the statue's curves.

“But that’s impossible,” Chloe exclaimed, looking up at Iron with wide eyes. “It will melt, right?”

"No," Iron chuckled, drawing her closer. "It won't melt. There's a special glass-enclosed cube acting as a freezer, ensuring its preservation."

"Oh, Goddess," Chloe groaned. This was a nightmare.

"Look at you," Iron whispered in her ear, his breath gently grazing her neck. "So beautiful. I can't wait to show you..."

Chloe cleared her throat and shrugged him off, sensing Marcus eyes shooting daggers at them. “Alright, let’s explore the other statues, shall we?” she tried to keep her voice calm, not showing her discomfort and shock. “I really loved that one with the dragon,” she added.

“Me too,” Cassiopeia chimed in. “I think it might win, actually.”

Chloe and Cassiopeia ushered the group forward, directing their attention to another exquisitely carved statue resembling a ferocious dragon. Every scale had been meticulously crafted and adorned, resulting in a breathtakingly beautiful piece that also emanated an aura of danger. Its size was comparable to that of a horse, and Chloe fantasized about climbing onto its back, imagining it springing to life, unfurling its wings, and carrying her away into the boundless sky.

It was truly captivating, and Chloe fervently hoped this particular sculpture would secure the highest bid. It simply had to! The thought of enduring an entire evening with a practically nude depiction of herself on public display was unbearable.

A young woman with a very slight figure, blue eyes and cascading hair braided all the way down to her knees, stood beside the sculpture, looking small and vulnerable by her impressive dragon. Her outfit was plain in comparison to everyone else’s, but she held her head high with confidence.

Chloe locked eyes with the young woman, sensing they were around the same age. "Are you the artist?" Chloe inquired curiously.

"Yes, I am," the woman replied, a tight-lipped smile gracing her features. "And you must be Theo's muse."

"Not that I had any say in it,” Chloe grimaced. “But I suppose there's no denying it."

The young woman nodded, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she leaned closer. "The resemblance is striking," she smirked. "Though I could have done it even better," her comment making Chloe burst into laughter. She examined Chloe closely. "By the way, who are you? I've never seen you before, and you look completely different from the others," she observed, her eyes filled with interest and curiosity.

“I’m from the South. Or actually the West, but south of here,” Chloe explained. “My name is Chloe, from the River Valley Pack.”

The young woman's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, I've heard about you! You're Aurum Crassus's daughter, right? The Black Wolf Princess?"

Chloe frowned. She had thought only the men were calling her that, but now even this young woman did. What was up with that nickname? Noticing the others’ attention already moved on to other subjects, Chloe moved closer. “I hate it when people call me that. I don’t understand why they do… I’m no princess. If anything, I’m a warrior.”

Surprised, the young woman raised her eyebrows. "Oh, but you shouldn't take offense," she chuckled, lowering her voice. "Your mother was known as the White Wolf Princess—a legendary assassin and undercover spy, one of the deadliest of all time!"

"What?" Chloe was taken aback. She must have heard wrong?

"These are just rumors, of course... No one is supposed to know about it,” the young woman shrugged. "But after she left the North, the secrets started surfacing. But of course, you already know all of this."

"No, actually, I don't," Chloe sighed, a sense of betrayal tugging at her heart. Her mother had kept so many secrets from her, and now it seemed even strangers knew more of her hidden history than she did.

“You don’t?” the young woman looked at her with curiosity.

Chloe regretfully shook her head. Her mother had so much explaining to do…

Sensing Chloe's confusion, the sculptress extended her hand for a firm handshake. "My name is Sigrun. I'm just a simple girl trying to make a living," she gestured toward her dragon sculpture. "I usually work with more enduring materials, but ice sculpting remains my favorite."

Chloe nodded, her gaze drifting toward Theo conversing with Iron, Arnulf, and Marcus near his sculpture of her. "Do you attend the same art school as Theo?" she asked, motioning toward them.

"I used to," Sigrun replied, her gaze contemplative as it rested on Theo. "Theo and I..." she started, but paused, cutting herself off. "Well, never mind. He has changed. Spending too much time with the Praetor brothers has clouded his judgment. We no longer study together anyway. I can't afford it. A girl's got to eat, you know," she shrugged.

Chloe was silently absorbing Sigrun's words, however her attention was diverted as an omega approached, carrying a tray adorned with crystal glasses with sparkling champagne. Just as she was about to accept one, the resonating sound of a bell pierced the air, demanding the immediate attention of everyone present.

Turning towards the source of the sound, Chloe's gaze locked onto Argen and her grandmother positioned on the majestic staircase at the castle's entrance. Standing beside them was a formidable figure - a man of towering stature, his long white hair pulled back into a restrained ponytail. There was an air of dread surrounding him, evident in the sternness of his expression and penetrating gaze. That had to be Cato Praetor, Chloe mused. Iron's father.

All of a sudden, his gaze fell upon her. Chloe couldn't help but shiver, her unease growing as a faint, wolfish smile played upon his lips before he shifted his gaze toward Iron, giving him an almost imperceptible nod of approval.

Chloe squirmed uncomfortably, a surge of dissatisfaction welling up within her. Did Iron's father just approve of her solely based on her outward appearance? What about her character? Her virtues, her flaws? Why should a woman's value be reduced to mere physical appearance?

These questions tugged at her, stirring up a mix of frustration and defiance, as Iron and Marcus came to stand by her side. Her ruminations were interrupted as Argen began to speak. “Dear guess, fellows and friends,” he bellowed. “Welcome to this year’s opening of the Winter’s Ball, held by the Northern Alliance! As always, we will start off with an auction of the truly excuisite masterpieces that our talented artists have carved this year. Ice sculptures so magnificient, they all should win. But only one of them can.”

Thora leaned on her staff, the wolf head’s ruby eyes shimmering in the sunlight. "Remember, half of the prize money will be dedicated to the sculptor, except for the ultimate winner who will receive the entire sum. This ensures that they can continue their education and pursue their artistic endeavors.”

Chloe’s gaze shifted to Marcus who leaned in closer. "And what about the rest of the prize money?" she muttered under her breath.

A knowing glint sparkled in Marcus' eyes as he whispered, "It goes to the Northern Alliance war factory..."

Chloe's head snapped towards Iron, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. Iron, in turn, shot Marcus an irritated glance. "It's solely allocated for the following year's winter ball," he growled, clearly irritated by Marcus's revelation. "Nothing else."

Suddenly, Cato bellowed with a commanding voice, "Let the Winter's Ball Auction begin!" The announcement filled the air, signaling the official start of the event.

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, filling the air with a vibrant and electric atmosphere. The ice sculpture contest progressed at a remarkable pace, the ten sculptures that had been recognized as the most exquisite being auctioned out, one by one. Chloe was astonished by every shocking sum offered for the frozen works of art.

"How can people place such high bids on pieces that will eventually melt away?" she breathed.

Iron leaned in. "Many of us have winter gardens and exhibition halls designed to maintain freezing temperatures. And remember, here in the North, we have winter most part of the year."

As the auction reached its climax, only two sculptures remained - the statue of Chloe and the impressive dragon. Just as the announcement for the dragon's turn was about to be made, Chloe's determined voice cut through the air.

"Stop!" she exclaimed, causing all eyes to turn toward her in surprise. "I can't wait any longer," she declared, her chin held high as she met Iron's surprised and amused gaze. "I want my statue to be the next one up for bidding."

Iron chuckled, seemingly intrigued by her boldness. "So eager, huh?" he grinned, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"I've waited long enough," Chloe lowered her voice, her gaze filled with both temptation and a daring challenge. "No, I want you to prove to me just how much I'm worth to you."

Iron wasted no time in accepting her challenge. "I agree," he declared, raising his voice to address the crowd. "Let's proceed with Theo Elsher's ice sculpture next."

"But we agreed to have it as the last piece," Argen sneered, a touch of annoyance in his tone. "You can't change the order now..."

"Father," Iron responded calmly, locking eyes with Argen. "There's no need."

Father and son exchange a long gaze, obviously mindlinking each other. It seemed like a battle of wills, but eventually Argen sighed and shrugged. "Very well," he addressed the audience. "The next piece up for bidding is the sculpture 'Ice Queen' by Theo Elsher. Please place your bets."

Chloe found herself overwhelmed by the overflow of bids for her icy copy. To her surprise, not only Marcus and Iron were vying for it, but several other men in the crowd as well, driving the price higher and higher. Finally, Iron triumphed, crushing all other bids with an astonishingly high offer. Theo's face radiated with satisfaction.

"And the highest bid goes to Iron Praetor!" Argen announced, prompting the crowd to erupt into applause and cheers. "This is the highest bid in the history of the Winter's Ball!"

Iron leaned in, his voice filled with pride and affection. "Next year, you'll be the one hosting it," he whispered, gently brushing Chloe's hair to the side, his touch lingering on the spot where her future mate would place his mark. "And we can retrieve this statue from the ballroom after tomorrow, preserving it forever in my winter garden."

Chloe offered him a warm smile. "Thank you, Iron," she beamed. "Thank you for showing me just how much I mean to you. You've made a girl very happy."

Iron glowed with pride, on the verge of bursting. "Anything for you, my prin... I mean, beautiful," he chuckled, planting a tender kiss on her cheek.