Aleya Rowan is forced to sign a secret blood pact with August: in exchange for bearing three pureblood heirs, she will earn her freedom. She accepts the bargain both to protect Silas, the fiancé she truly loves, and to repay the Drake family for years of protection. Over the next five years, she gives Cassian Drake two sons and a daughter. Everyone—including Cassian himself—believes Aleya is deeply in love with him. In truth, she has only been waiting for the day the contract ends.
Just as their third child is about to complete the final dragon-blood certification required by the pact, Aleya discovers that she is pregnant again. At the same time, Cassian begins making plans to keep her in the Drake family permanently.
Terrified of losing her position as mistress of the household, Seraphina drugs Aleya, sets her up with a man from another clan, and forges an order for one hundred strokes bearing Cassian’s dragon seal. Aleya is dragged into the Ancient Dragon Sanctuary to be punished. Before this, Cassian has already hurt her at the Frost Dragon Pool after acting on a misunderstanding. The drugs, freezing water, violence, and brutal punishment ultimately cause Aleya to lose her fourth child and leave her on the verge of death.
August finally fulfills the promise he made five years earlier and secretly sends Aleya to Elvia in the North.
Only after Aleya completely disappears does Cassian begin uncovering the truth piece by piece: Seraphina framed her, Aleya had been carrying a fourth child, and even Seraphina’s supposed act of saving his life five years ago had been a lie. Consumed by regret, Cassian begins searching for Aleya everywhere.
Later, Cassian is gravely injured during a family war and is sent to Elvia, where he unexpectedly reunites with Aleya, who has already begun rebuilding her life. There, he finally learns the truth from her: their three children were never proof of her love for him. They were the price she paid for her freedom.
Cassian eventually stops
