By the time I finally made it to Beta Wing, I was exhausted but satised after our passionate encounter in Augustin’s office. He had been wild, taking me against his desk with an intensity that showed how much he needed me. I knocked on Scarlett’s door, hearing voices inside.
“Come in!” Scarlett called out.
I entered to find Scarlett and Freya sitting in the living area of the bedroom, tea, juice, and cookies laid out before them. Scarlett was living like a queen in her new quarters.
“What’s going on?” I asked, noticing the tension in the room.
Scarlett sighed dramatically, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Freya is sabotaging herself and wasting her second chance. After everything we’ve been through, she’s choosing to live in fear.”
“What happened?” I took a seat next to them, helping myself to a cookie. It was still warm, and I wondered if they’d had them delivered from the kitchen.
“Adryx is taking Eliza to the dinner party,” Scarlett explained, “Can you believe it?”
Freya moved out of his room three nights ago, telling him she only wanted to be ‘friends with benefits. Her exact words! Adryx wanted something more serious and refused such an arrangement. Said he wasn’t interested in being used for his body while she keeps emotional distance.”
“He’s disappointed and angry with her, and they’re not even speaking Scarlett continued, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “I’ve never seen him so cold to anyone. It’s like he’s shut down completely.”
“And since Eliza wanted to attend the party but didn’t have an invitation, and Adryx doesn’t have a date now, Augustin arranged for him to bring her,” Scarlett added with a grimace. “That woman is going to sink her claws into him if Freya doesn’t do something.”
I turned to Freya, disappointment washing over me. Her eyes were red–rimmed, and she clutched her teacup like a lifeline.
“Why are you doing this to yourself?” I asked gently but firmly. “Why can’t you let go of the past? Quinn is gone from your life. You’re safe here.”
Freya’s eyes flashed with hurt and anger. She slammed her cup down, tea sloshing over the rim.
“What about when your fated mate shows up?” she demanded, voice rising. “What will all of you non–fated couples do then? It’s easy for you to judge me!” Her voice cracked with emotion. “I understand your choice, Juno. Matthew loved you until the end, even after finding Isabelle. He fought for you!”
She turned to Scarlett. “But you – how can you try again after what Maddox did to you? Have you forgotten the scars on your back? The nights you cried yourself to sleep? How do you trust anyone after that?”
Tears streamed down her face, and the scent of her anguish filled the room. “I was locked in a cell, reduced from Luna to the pack’s plaything. They took turns with me while Quinn watched!” Her body shook with sobs. “I lost my baby, my dignity. I had land, money, power–and it was all taken away until I had nothing.”
She wiped angrily at her tears. “I offered Adryx a casual relationship because I’m terrified of being hurt again. Don’t you understand? If he hurts me, I won’t recover. There won’t be anything left of me to put back together.”
Scarlett and I moved to comfort her. I sat on one side while Scarlett took the other, both of us instinctively surrounding her with
our scents.
1/2
Chapter 89
“Love requires courage and hope, I said softly, taking her trembling and in mine. ‘I worry about Augustin’s fated mate appearing too. Moon knows I lie awake some nights terrified of losing everything we’ve built. But I choose to cherish every moment with him because the alternative is wors
I squeezed her hand. ‘Running away and closing yourself off will never free you from past pain. Trust me, I tried that after Matthew. It only makes the darkness deeper.”
Scarlett nodded, wiping a tear from Freya’s cheek. “And honestly, the chances of meeting a fated mate are slim. Think about it logically. In all of Forestvale, only a handful of Alphas were married to their fated mates. Matthew was the exception, not the rule
“Most people spend their lives with chosen partners,” she continued Even among regular pack members, few ever meet their fated mates. The Moon doesn’t guarantee everyone a perfect match. Sometimes we have to make our own happiness.”
“If you let Adryx take Eliza to the dinner,” I warned, lowering my voice, “she’ll use the opportunity to get close to him. We’re staying overnight at Sebastian’s estate, remember? Sharing the same wing, probably with adjoining rooms,
I held her gaze, making sure she understood. “Eliza lost her chance with Augustin and Bryloch, so Adryx is her next target. That woman is relentless. Once she gets an opening, she won’t let go. And Adryx is a man with needs who’s been rejected by the woman
he wants.”
Freya wiped her tears, her expression changing as determination replaced her sadness. She stood up suddenly.
“I’m going back to his room. Right now.”
Maybe you should talk to him first?” I suggested, concerned about her impulsive decision. “Explain what you’re feeling, why you’ve been holding back?”
She shook her head, squaring her shoulders. “Actions speak louder than words. He’s been patient enough with my words.” A hint of her old confidence returned to her posture. “He won’t turn me away. Not when I show him exactly what he means to me.”
We spent the next hour discussing outfits for the event, Freya’s mood gradually improving. I asked for their help planning the dinner Augustin had requested, and they enthusiastically agreed. Watching their excitement, the reality that I was about to become Luna Queen began to sink in.
What had once seemed impossible was now taking shape before my eyes. I only hoped I was ready for what lay ahead.
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