Page 34 of Jilted By Jack Frost

“Fuck.” I slam my palm against the window. Through the frosted glass, I watch snow pile up in drifts against the castle walls.

She’d do it for me.The thought hits hard. Alana’s always been there - through med school applications, failed relationships, endless night shifts.

I stand up, resolve hardening in my gut. I have to go back. Not just for Alana, but for me. To prove to myself, and maybe to Jack, that love isn’t something to fear. That it’s worth fighting for, worth taking risks for.

But how? Jack’s not going to just let me waltz out of here. I’ll need a plan, a way to sneak back to Earth without him stopping me.

A soft knock at my door interrupts my thoughts. I tuck the journal under my pillow just as Cora slips inside, her eyes wide with concern.

“Violet, are you alright? I heard about what happened with Jack.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... trying to figure some things out.”

Cora sets down the tray, her crystalline features softening. “The king has forbidden any attempts to send you back.”

“I know.” I sink onto my bed, clutching a pillow. “But Alana... she’s the only person who’s never given up on me. Even when I pushed everyone else away after my dad died.” Tears freeze on my cheeks. “I can’t abandon her now.”

“And what of our realm? Of Jack?”

“I don’t know.” The weight of both worlds settles on my shoulders. “But I do know that if Alana dies because I chose to stay here solving magical politics instead of saving her, I’ll never forgive myself.”

She sits down next to me, her gaze searching. “You’re thinking of leaving?”

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

Cora takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “I know you care about your friend. And I know Jack’s... difficult. But Violet, you’re meant to be here. With him. You’re changing things, changing him.”

Tears sting my eyes. “You wouldn’t say that if you saw how he was today. But Alana needs me, Cora. And Jack... he’s so scared of what we could be. He’s so scaredof loving me.”

She smiles sadly. “And you fear not loving him enough to stay.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Because she’s right. I’m terrified that if I stay, I’ll lose Alana. But if I go, I’ll lose Jack. And despite everything, I do care about him. More than I want to admit.

Cora shifts beside me. “Sometimes the hardest choices aren’t between right and wrong.”

“They’re between two rights.” I wipe my eyes. “Or in this case, two wrongs. Either I abandon someone I love, or I abandon an entire realm that needs help.”

“And what about Jack?”

My chest aches at the thought of leaving him trapped in his father’s lies, manipulated by his own brother. “He made his choice.” But even as I say it, I know it’s not that simple. The mate bond pulses between us and I feel the frosty pull on my heart, a constant reminder of what could be.

Leaving means giving up on fixing things with Jack. On helping his realm. Understanding whatever this mate bond really means.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I have to do. “Cora, I need your help. I need to get back to Earth, just for a little while. At least until I know Alana’s safe.”

She studies me for a long moment, then nods. “Alright. But Violet, promise me something.”

“What?”

“Promise me you’ll come back. That you won’t give up on him, on this realm. Promise me you’ll fight for what you both deserve.”

I clench my fists, drawing strength from Cora’s faith in me. “I promise. But first, I need to try one more timewith Jack. He needs to understand what his father and Gabriel have done.”

Rising from the bed, I grab the journal and head for the door. Cora catches my arm.

“He’s in a dangerous mood, Violet.”

“When isn’t he?” My lips quirk into a half-smile. “Besides, I’m pretty dangerous myself when someone I care about is in trouble.”

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