Years have passed since the omega prince Ilia, the thirteenth prince of the small, cold kingdom of Romelidahl, was married off to the alpha King Khalid of the prosperous, sun-drenched nation of Hanu in a political arrangement. What began as a transaction born of necessity has grown into a genuine, loving marriage, and Ilia has settled into his role as a beloved queen consort, respected in Hanu where omegas are honored. Their peace is shattered when word arrives that King Cyril of Romelidahl, Ilia's father, has fallen gravely ill. Despite having been treated cruelly by his family because he was an unwanted omega, Ilia hesitantly decides to return to his homeland to pay his respects, encouraged by Khalid.

Upon arriving in the snowy kingdom, Ilia is met with the same coldness he fled. His elder brother, Prince Sorn, who rules in their father's stead, treats him with contempt and has arranged for him to occupy a chilly, poorly furnished room. Sorn, seeking political advantage, sends a unilateral divorce letter to Khalid, falsely claiming Ilia is abandoning the marriage, and orders Ilia to be married off to a neighboring kingdom instead. Meanwhile, Ilia begins to form an unexpected bond with his nephew Hyuei, Sorn's initially hostile son, who reminds Ilia of his own lonely childhood.

The crisis escalates when Hyuei, trying to gather flowers for his ailing grandfather, becomes lost in a snowstorm. Ilia and his loyal servant Suya set out to rescue the boy, only to be cornered by a black tiger. At that moment, Khalid arrives with his retainer Tarju, having ridden to Romelidahl upon receiving the forged divorce letter, knowing Ilia would never send such a thing. The reunion is tense: Sorn continues his provocations, but the recovering King Cyril steps in. In a private conversation with Khalid, Cyril reveals that he sent Ilia to Hanu not out of disdain but out of a desire to secure a better life for his son, knowing Hanu's respect for omegas. He apologizes for his past harshness. The conflict is resolved, and a welcoming ball is held, where Ilia and Khalid dance, and Hyuei shares a joyful dance with Suya.

The story concludes with Ilia and Khalid returning to Hanu, where Ilia later announces a pregnancy. An epilogue set several years later shows the couple with three children—and an afterword indicates they eventually have five children total, including twin sons and a daughter, living happily surrounded by their growing family in the palace of Hanu.