Chapter Eight
Freya’s POV
The moonlight shone into the forest Mansion through the openings in the wooden blinds, casting a strange glow across the room. I was sitting in the slightly dark study, the only sound was the faint rustle of leaves outside. My claws had shredded the parchment I’d been gripping–a letter from Lila, her venomous. words burning into my mind.
“You were just convenient, Freya. A stepping stone while Kade found his true mate.”
Each word was a jagged shard, cutting deeper into my heart. I had given Kade my loyalty, my love, and my very wolf–bonded to him through the sacred lunar ritual. But now, it seemed I was nothing more than a placeholder while Lila, the alpha
council‘ s favored candidate, claimed the place I thought was mine.
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The next morning, sunlight spilled into the cabin, golden and warm, but I felt none of it. Kade was already gone–again. The empty bed, the faint scent of his musk fading from the room, were cruel
reminders of the growing distance between
us.
In the living room, a heap of garments lay draped over the couch–pink silks and velvets. Lila’s scent clung to them like a toxic perfume. My wolf bristled. Pink had once been my favorite color, a symbol of warmth and love. Now, it mocked me, a facade hiding betrayal.
“He’s building our future, Freya. You were never part of his plan,” her voice. echoed in my mind, repeating the words from her visit yesterday.
My grip tightened on the coffee mug in my hand, cracks spidering through the ceramic. I had been by Kade‘ s side when he fought to claim the Silver Fang pack‘ s throne, supported him through the brutal
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trials, bled for him when rivals sought his death. And now, Lila, with her perfect pedigree and council connections, reaped the rewards.
Mid–morning brought an unwelcome disruption. The doorbell rang, the sharp sound snapping me from my spiraling thoughts. When I opened the door, a young courier stood there, his scent neutral but tinged with unease.
“This is for you, Luna,” he said, handing over a sleek, black envelope embossed with the Silver Fang crest.
I ripped it open, dread curling in my stomach. Inside was a deed–a property certificate. But my name wasn‘ t on it. Instead, it bore Lila‘ s. My chest tightened as I scanned the address: the newly built pack penthouse Kade had once mentioned,
place he‘ d claimed would be ours.
Then, her message came through:
“Kade has made his choice, Freya. He s
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providing for me and our child. The penthouse is just the beginning. Soon, you’ll have your freedom. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
My wolf howled inside me, claws scraping against the fragile barrier of control I
fought to maintain. My freedom? As if that could ever compensate for the betrayal, the rejection.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to stay composed. Smashing things would only satisfy my wolf‘ s rage temporarily. I needed clarity. A plan.
Kade returned that evening. His presence filled the room, his commanding aura as alpha undeniable, but his scent–a blend of pine and rain–no longer brought me comfort.
“How was your day?” he asked, his voice gruff.
I studied him, searching for any hint of
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remorse. His golden eyes refused to meet mine. “Fine,” I replied, my tone clipped.
He nodded absently and busied himself with his phone, the tension between us thick as a storm cloud. My wolf snarled, demanding confrontation, but I silenced her. Not yet.
As I turned to leave the room, I paused. “Kade,” I said softly, my voice steady.
He looked up, startled.
“I’ll be traveling in a week,” I said, as I watched his face carefully.
His brows furrowed, and for the first time in a long time, I saw genuine panic pass through his eyes. “A trip? Where would you go?”
I let a bitter smile curve my lips. “Exactly what I said. Seven days. That’s all the time you have left to explain yourself.”
His hands clenched into fists, his wolf rippling beneath the surface. “Freya,
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what do
But I was already walking away, my heart heavy yet resolute. I had endured enough. The time for silence was over. Seven days. That was all the time I had given myself to reclaim my fate.
As the door closed behind me, cold air swept through the room, and the darkness deepened. In the distance, a wolf‘ s mournful howl pierced the night, as if warning about the storm to come.