Stella's POV

The morning sunlight filtered through the wooden slats of my cabin window, casting long shadows across the polished pine floor. Outside, fresh snow blanketed Aurora Peak, glittering like thousands of tiny diamonds in the brief winter daylight. I sat before my small altar to Aurora, fingers tracing the emerald stone of my mother's ring as I contemplated the Polar Night Festival that would soon be upon us.

The excitement fluttering in my chest contradicted the stern lectures my father had been delivering since the days began shortening toward the winter solstice.

"A warrior doesn't fuss over ceremonial attire," Dad had said just yesterday.

his massive frame filling the doorway of our home. Brian, Head of Security for the Frost Moon Clan, wore his weather-worn face and tribal tattoos with the same pride as the arctic wolf fur that lined his heavy jacket. His dark hair, streaked with premature silver from years patrolling our territory in the harshest conditions, framed features hardened by countless blizzards.

"Which potential mate would want a girl obsessed with festivals rather than clan duty? And what Alpha would ever consider you?"

The memory made me smile despite myself. If only Dad knew I had grown up alongside the future Alpha, Damon. We had shared stolen kisses beneath the northern lights, though I had preserved the deepest parts of myself for my soul mate—whoever the Moon goddess might reveal that to be.

My mother, Sarah, had been more understanding. "Your father fears for your future," she had whispered while teaching me to use a hunting knife when I was only five years old. "He wanted a son to follow his path, but the goddess blessed us with a daughter instead." She had pressed the blade into my small hands.

"Show him a daughter can be just as fierce in the snow."

I rose from my prayers and moved to the mirror The young woman who stared back at me was no longer a child. At nearly eighteen, my body had taken on the curves of womanhood, though my frame remained athletic from years of training in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. My dark chestnut hair fell in waves to my waist, partially braided for practicality. But it was my eyes that drew attention—emerald green, unusual among our clan and said to be a mark of the Storm Sense gift.

Damon once told me my eyes reminded him of the rare summer forest. Standing nearly six-foot-eight with muscles forged from years of surviving in extreme conditions, he cut an imposing figure among our people.

The traditional Inuit-inspired tattoos that stretched from his chest to his shoulders, neck, and back marked him as the future Alpha. His short black hair,.

Many young men of the clan had sought my attention—most of them eyeing my father's position as much as my form. I paid them little mind. My thoughts had always drifted to Damon, though I dared not speak of it openly. Would the Ice Blood Awakening reveal him as my Soul Mate? The thought both thrilled and terrified me.

"Stella!" Haley's voice cut through my musings. "Are you still inside? The sun's already up, and it won't stay that way for long!"

"Coming!" I called back, hastily slipping on my insulated boots. "I had to complete my prayers."

I hurried to the door before Haley could burst in and interrupt the sacred ritual. My friend stood outside, stamping her feet against the cold.

Her creamy mocha skin glowed in the winter light, her shoulder-length black hair adorned with small silver ornaments that caught the sun, small in stature.

"The others are waiting with the snowmobiles," she said, linking her arm through mine. "Travis is complaining about the cold, as usual."

"When is Travis not complaining about something?" I laughed, allowing her to pull me toward the gathering area.

As we approached, I saw them—Chuck, tall and lanky with his golden hair half-tied back, looking more scholar than warrior; Travis, Haley's brother, with his deeper mocha skin and the same dark brown eyes.

And Damon, towering above them all beside his custom black snowmobile, the morning light gleaming off the tribal markings visible on his neck above his thermal jacket.

"Bye, Mom and Dad!" I called back toward our cabin. "May the Goddess guide your path!"

From the security office attached to our home, my father's voice rumbled back: "Remember who you are, daughter. Use the Mind-Link if danger finds you." He paused, then added sternly, "And no more confrontations with those mining company scouts this time!"

I rolled my eyes, though he couldn't see it. I was perfectly capable of handling myself without male protection. Haley and I continued toward the snowmobiles, our arms linked.

"Hurry up, ladies!" Chuck called out, adjusting his position on his sleek machine. "I don't have all day to wait. The council meeting starts at noon."

"Shut your mouth, Chuck," Haley retorted. "It's the preparation day before the solstice. You have plenty of time." With practiced ease, she mounted her smaller blue snowmobile.

I walked toward Damon, who extended his hand to help me onto his machine. Before I could reach him, Travis's voice cut through the crisp morning air.

"I should ride the faster snowmobile," he complained, adjusting his high-tech goggles. "My legs are much longer than yours, Stella, and if we encounter those mining company goons, I need a quicker escape route than any of you."

Everyone laughed, and Damon shot Travis a warning glance that silenced further protests.

I snorted and rolled my eyes as Damon let out a low growl. Taking his offered hand, I swung up behind him on the large black snowmobile, wrapping my arms around his waist. The familiar scent of pine and winter filled my nostrils, and I fought the urge to press my face against his back.

As we rode toward the clan border where traders sometimes gathered, Haley maneuvered her snowmobile alongside ours. "What kind of ceremonial dress do you want? Something that will catch the eye of your soul mate, perhaps?"

I considered for a moment, then said with deliberate mischief, "Perhaps something fitted, knee-length, with a deep neckline and transparent fabric."

"You will not!" Damon growled, his body tensing beneath my arms.

I laughed, the sound carrying through the frozen forest. "I'm kidding! Goddess, I don't know. Something floor-length with green embroidery to match my eyes, I think."

"I want something short," Haley announced, revving her engine slightly. "To make my legs look longer and show off my curves."

Chuck rubbed his face in exasperation. "You'll be the death of me."

"I am the darling of the Council," Haley declared confidently. "They wouldn't dare! Besides, if I find my Soul Mate, they can say nothing about it!"

As we approached the trading post, I explained to the others the significance of the upcoming ceremony. The Polar Night Festival had evolved beyond a traditional celebration. In recent years, all unmated wolves of eighteen years or more have attended these gatherings from various clans, hoping to find their destined partners or forge alliances.

My own Ice Blood Awakening would take place on the winter solstice—just one week away. The thought sent a thrill of anticipation through me. After the ritual, I would finally know if Damon was truly meant to be mine, as I had secretly hoped for so long.

Yet deep within, a strange premonition lingered. What if Damon wasn't my destined mate? What if he found another girl? The thought brought an unexpected ache. I had always appreciated how he protected me while still allowing me to be myself, to maintain my dignity.

As we rode through the snow-laden forest, I pushed the troubling thoughts aside. Today was for celebration and preparation. Tomorrow would bring what the goddess willed.