Chapter Four
Freya’s POV
The Alpha Quarters was quiet, the fire in the hearth crackling softly as Kade sat across from me, reminiscing about our past. In his hand, he held a small carved wolf figurine, its edges worn from time.
“This little thing,” Kade began with a wistful smile, “was the first gift you ever gave me, Freya.” He turned it over in his hand, the firelight casting shadows across his rugged features. “I remember how you crafted it during one of the pack‘ s festival nights. You were so focused, and when I saw you had finished it, you handed it to me without a word. I thought it was a sign -your way of saying I mattered.”
His words stirred a memory I hadn‘ t thought about in years, but the emotion I once felt seemed distant now, obscured by the tension between us.
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Kade chuckled, a trace of embarrassment in his tone. “I was so sure this little wolf
meant something back then. Silly, wasn’t it?”
For a moment, I wanted to believe the sincerity in his voice. I wanted to think the bond we once had wasn‘ t entirely
severed. But my eyes drifted to his collarbone, where faint scratches marred
his skin.
“Kade,” I said evenly, pointing at the marks, “why is your collarbone scratched?”
His reaction was immediate. Panic flashed
across his face before he covered the marks with his hand, fumbling with the collar of his shirt. “Oh, that? Must‘ ve been during sparring practice earlier. You know how rowdy the younger wolves get.”
I kept quiet, as I watched his guilt eat away at him through the cracks in his usually
confident font.
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The smell of another female wolf was all over him–faint but still there. And this scent is definitely not mine, and it wasn’t any of the pack‘ s usual scents.
Before I could press further, Kade stood abruptly, his voice flustered. “I need a shower,” he announced, disappearing into the adjacent room.
As the water started running, a knock at the cabin door startled me.
I opened it to find Lila, one of our outstanding she–wolfs and also Kade‘ s Beta, standing there. She wasn‘ t initially from our pack, though her posture screamed confidence, and her emerald- green eyes sparkled with mischief. She wore an outfit designed to command attention, and her jewelry–a necklace and bracelets adorned with green stones- gleamed under the porch light.
“Oh, Luna Freya,” Lila said sweetly, though her tone carried a hidden edge, “I didn’t mean to disturb you this late. Alpha
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Kade left some critical documents at the council meeting, and I thought I’d deliver them personally.”
She held out a leather–bound folder, but my attention was drawn to the scent wafting from her–the same one that clung to Kade.
I stepped aside, gesturing for her to come in. “He’s in the shower. You can wait here if you’d like.”
Lila sauntered past me, her lips curling into a smile as if she’d won some unspoken battle. She placed the folder on the table with deliberate carelessness and
then held up a basket.
“I also brought him a late–night snack,” she said, her voice laced with false humility. “He didn’t eat much earlier.”
My gaze landed on the basket, and my heart tightened. The smell of the bread and stew inside was distinct–it was from the Moonlit Hollow Tavern, the place Kade had promised to take me to for dinner tonight.
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Lila‘ s smugness was palpable. She didn’t need to say more; her actions were screaming the truth I already knew.
If this had been months ago, I might have lost control. I might have screamed, demanded answers, and torn through the room in a fit of rage. But now? I simply felt
hollow.
“You‘ re very thoughtful,” I said, my
tone calm.
Before Lila could reply, Kade‘ s voice echoed from the other room. “Freya, did you move my cedarwood oil? I made plans. to make use of it tonight, but I can’t find it anywhere.
I didn’t respond, my silence saying more than words ever could. The truth was, I had been packing my things for days now.
Kade stepped into the room, a towel draped over his shoulders and his hair damp. His expression shifted instantly when he saw
Lila.
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“Lila? Why are you here?” His voice was sharp, almost accusing, and his eyes flicked toward me, filled with unease.
Lila pressed her lips together in a mock pout, feigning innocence. “Alpha, I came to deliver the council’s documents.
They re crucial for tomorrow‘ s meeting.
Kade frowned, his jaw tightening. “Fine. Take them to the study upstairs.”
He turned to me, his tone softening.
“Freya, it’s late. You should get some rest. I’ll deal with this and join you
Soon.
I nodded, retreating to the bedroom. The moment I closed the door, I turned off the lights and moved to my hidden desk.
Sliding open a compartment, I retrieved a small device. The study wasn‘ t just a place for council discussions–it was also where I had hidden a surveillance crystal weeks ago.
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As I activated the device, the glowing screen revealed the study in real time.
What I saw made my blood run cold.
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