Chapter 11
1444 Words
The Festival Dress
The Winter Moon Festival was tomorrow. And the White Fang Palace had officially lost its mind.
Servants ran through hallways carrying fabrics.
Warriors moved supplies from dawn until sunset.
Children raced around with handmade lanterns.
Music echoed from nearly every corner of the territory.
Excitement filled the air.
Everyone was preparing.
Everyone was celebrating.
Everyone was happy.
Everyone except Froz White Fang.
Because Queen Rhed had made a decision.
A terrible decision.
A dangerous decision.
A decision that directly involved him.
“You are going.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“No.”
The Queen calmly sipped her tea.
Froz sat across from her.
Looking like he was attending his own execution.
The Queen smiled.
The Alpha immediately became suspicious.
Whenever his mother smiled like that—
Disaster followed.
“I don’t understand why this is necessary.”
Queen Rhed placed her teacup down. “Because you are opening the festival.”
“No.”
The Queen ignored him. “And Lady Summit will be beside you.”
The Alpha pinched the bridge of his nose.
Again.
Lately he had been doing that a lot.
Mostly because of Summit Angel Warm.
Or his mother.
Sometimes both.
Usually both.
“Mother.”
“Yes?”
“I am not dancing.”
“You are.”
“No.”
“You are.”
Metro stood nearby.
Writing something down.
The traitor.
Froz narrowed his eyes. “What are you writing?”
Metro looked up. “The outcome.”
“And?”
“The Queen wins.”
Silence.
The Queen looked pleased.
Froz looked betrayed.
Again.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the palace—
Sam was experiencing her own nightmare.
One involving dresses.
Far too many dresses.
“Absolutely not.”
A servant sighed. “Lady Summit—”
“No.”
Another dress appeared.
Sam pointed dramatically. “It has feathers.”
“They’re elegant.”
“It looks like a bird exploded.”
The servant nearly cried.
Three hours.
Three entire hours.
And they still hadn’t chosen a dress.
Queen Rhed sat comfortably nearby.
Looking entirely too amused.
“You’re being difficult.”
Sam gasped. “Me?”
“Yes.”
The future Luna pointed toward a mountain of rejected dresses.
“There are too many.”
“There are not.”
“There absolutely are.”
The Queen smiled.
Dangerously.
Then she nodded toward another servant.
The woman immediately disappeared.
Moments later—
A large wooden box was carried into the room.
Sam blinked. “What is that?”
Queen Rhed’s smile widened. “A surprise.”
The room suddenly became very suspicious.
Very suspicious.
The box was opened.
And for the first time all day—
Sam became speechless.
Inside rested the most beautiful dress she had ever seen.
Silver.
White.
Moonlit.
The fabric shimmered like freshly fallen snow beneath starlight. Tiny crystals decorated the sleeves. Silver embroidery flowed across the bodice like frost patterns. The skirt looked soft enough to float. Beautiful enough to belong to a queen.
Or a Luna.
Sam stared.
Unable to speak.
Unable to move.
Unable to breathe.
The room became silent.
Then Queen Rhed softly said:
“It belonged to my mother.”
Sam immediately looked up.
The Queen’s expression softened. “She wore it during her first Winter Moon Festival.”
The servants smiled.
Sam swallowed.
The meaning behind the gift hit harder than expected.
This wasn’t just a dress.
This was family.
Acceptance.
Love.
Trust.
Her eyes burned slightly.
Dangerously.
Queen Rhed immediately noticed.
Of course she did.
The older woman stood.
Then gently touched Sam’s cheek.
“You belong here.”
The simple words shattered something inside her.
Because deep down—
A part of her still feared she didn’t.
A part of her still remembered Fuji’s letter.
Still remembered being sent away.
Still remembered feeling unwanted.
Yet here stood Queen Rhed.
Offering her something precious.
Something irreplaceable.
Like a mother.
Like family.
Like home.
Sam suddenly hugged her.
The Queen laughed softly.
Then hugged her back.
Neither noticed the servants quietly wiping tears.
The next day arrived.
And with it—
The Winter Moon Festival.
The entire White Fang Territory transformed overnight.
Lanterns illuminated every street.
Silver banners waved in the wind.
Music filled the air.
Food stalls lined the festival grounds.
Families from neighboring villages arrived by the hundreds.
Children laughed.
Merchants shouted.
Performers entertained crowds.
The entire territory looked alive.
Like something out of a dream.
And somewhere inside White Fang Palace—
Froz White Fang was losing a battle.
With a tie.
The Alpha glared at the piece of fabric.
The piece of fabric glared back.
Metro adjusted his glasses.
“My Alpha.”
“No.”
“You haven’t even tried.”
“I don’t need to.”
Metro sighed.
The servant had fought wars.
Negotiated treaties.
Managed political disasters.
Yet somehow—
Helping Froz prepare for a festival proved more difficult.
Eventually the Alpha surrendered.
A little.
Only a little.
Five minutes later he emerged wearing formal festival clothing.
Black and silver.
Elegant.
Powerful.
Dangerously handsome.
Metro nodded.
“Acceptable.”
Froz looked offended.
Elsewhere—
Sam finished preparing. The servants stepped back. Admiring their work. The room became quiet.
Almost reverent.
Because the transformation was breathtaking.
The silver-white dress fit perfectly.
Her golden hair cascaded down her back in soft waves.
The crystal embroidery caught the sunlight.
Making her appear almost ethereal.
Like moonlight given human form.
Like a goddess.
Like destiny.
Queen Rhed smiled proudly.
The servants looked emotional.
Sam looked terrified. “I can’t wear this.”
“Yes, you can.”
“What if I trip?”
“You won’t.”
“What if I embarrass myself?”
“You won’t.”
“What if—”
“You sound like Froz.”
The room burst into laughter.
Sam groaned.
That was somehow offensive.
Outside—
The festival officially began. Crowds gathered near the central square.
Waiting.
Watching.
Anticipating.
Because tradition demanded one thing.
The future Alpha and future Luna would make the opening appearance.
Everyone wanted to see them.
Everyone.
The nobles.
The warriors.
The merchants.
The children.
Even visitors from neighboring territories.
Thousands of eyes waited.
Then the palace doors opened.
Froz stepped out first.
The crowd immediately fell silent.
Respect.
Admiration.
Fear.
The future Alpha commanded all three.
Then—
Another figure appeared.
And the entire world stopped.
Sam stepped into the sunlight.
Gasps echoed through the square.
Whispers spread instantly.
Heads turned.
Eyes widened.
Nobody looked away.
Because she was beautiful.
Not simply because of the dress.
Not because of the jewelry.
Not because of the elegance.
Because she glowed.
Warm.
Bright.
Alive.
The exact opposite of Froz.
Yet somehow—
Perfect beside him.
Froz turned.
Planning to say something.
Anything.
Then he saw her.
And forgot how words worked.
Completely.
The Alpha stared.
Longer than appropriate.
Much longer.
The crowd noticed.
The servants noticed.
Metro definitely noticed.
Queen Rhed nearly laughed.
Sam blinked.
“Froz?”
Nothing.
The Alpha continued staring.
She waved a hand. “Hello?”
Still nothing.
Finally Metro cleared his throat.
Loudly.
Very loudly.
The Alpha blinked.
Reality returned.
Barely.
Sam narrowed her eyes.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing.”
“It was.”
“It absolutely wasn’t.”
The crowd quietly watched.
Fascinated.
Because the terrifying future Alpha looked uncomfortable.
Actually uncomfortable.
A rare sight.
A very rare sight.
Then Queen Rhed appeared.
Smiling.
Dangerously.
Again.
“My son.”
Froz immediately became suspicious.
“You forgot to compliment her.”
The entire square became silent.
Dead silent.
Sam’s face turned red.
Froz looked trapped.
The Queen looked delighted.
Metro looked interested.
Everyone waited.
The Alpha stared at his mother.
Then at Sam.
Then back at his mother.
Then sighed.
Defeated.
Again.
“You look…” The words stopped.
Because for once—
He couldn’t find the right ones. The realization annoyed him.
Greatly.
Finally he said:
“You look beautiful.”
Silence.
Pure silence.
Then—
Sam smiled.
And somehow—
That smile hit harder than anything else.
A strange warmth spread through his chest.
Dangerous.
Confusing.
Unwelcome.
Yet impossible to ignore.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
The festival officially began.
But neither Sam nor Froz noticed.
Because for one brief moment—
The noise disappeared.
The people disappeared.
The world disappeared.
And all they could see was each other.
Neither realizing that hundreds of eyes were watching.
Neither realizing that the story of the Cold-Blooded Alpha and his sunshine Luna had already begun spreading across the North.
And before the festival ended—
Everything between them would change.
- Writer
