Elara Driscoll

Erin was born into poverty, a "border dweller" at the very bottom of Wolf City. Orphaned at a young age, she made a living by working as a servant for the wealthy, pretending to be mute.

No one knew she actually possessed the rare "Silver Tongue Bloodline"—her voice could awaken the spiritual core of a dying Alpha. For this reason, she had been told from childhood never to "speak."

One day, she was forced to sign a "lifetime care agreement" and sent to the snowy plains of the Northern Realm to look after Prince Sear Umbra, an Alpha who had been paralyzed by war wounds.

Silent howl

“Are you trying to provoke the empire?” Varek demanded.


Cyr sipped his tea without glancing up. “No. I’m trying to bait a traitor.”


“The Blood‑Moon ambush nearly killed you.”


“Exactly,” Cyr said, calm. “That means someone inside wants me gone.”


Across the room, Eileen folded fresh linens without comment.


“And your solution,” Varek growled, “is to host a *masquerade ball*?”


Cyr finally looked up. “Let the vipers dance. They’ll expose themselves eventually.”


He added, “And she’ll be at my side.”


Varek snapped, “She’s not a guard.”


“She’s more effective than all of them.”


Varek turned to Eileen. “You really think you can protect him in a ballroom filled with assassins?”


Eileen met his gaze, then signed: *I only need one hand.*


Varek muttered something about lunatics and stormed out.


Cyr smirked. “He’s warming up to you.”


The conservatory was transformed into a world of crystal and frostlight.


Chapter 9 – Masquerade Vows