《Poppies and Persecution [HIATUS]》


 Chapter One

    The air left Freya¡¯s lungs and her hands became clammy. She could feel the back of her neck heat up as she thought about her aunt¡¯s proposal. She desperately searched for answers as to why her aunt thought it would be a good idea for her to face her nightmare again. Why erase nine years of much-needed therapy to go back to the sorry excuse for a pack regardless of how superior it apparently was?


    Even though her back was turned to them, she knew her aunt and dear cousin were anxious for her answer with the way she heard her cousin take a sharp breath in, and the hesitancy in her aunt¡¯s voice when she told Freya of the dreaded news.


    She tried not to think about the reason why she left, she didn¡¯t have the energy to unpack her emotions and besides, she never gave them a definite answer.


    Light showed through the large windows of their apartment, reflecting against the teacup on the wooden coffee table that was placed in front of the coach Freya sat on. The skies were clear as the last remaining hints of sunlight smeared across the horizon just as nighttime was beginning to take over. Their apartment was quite cluttered, a biology textbook lay open on the kitchen counter and crumpled pieces of lined paper were not far off, pens were rolling off the coffee table and coffee mugs stained with last night¡¯s round of hot chocolate lay in the sink.


    Freya couldn¡¯t tell if the air was warm because of the broken air conditioning or if it was just her sympathetic nervous system. Perhaps her body was rightfully warning her that danger was to be lurking by uninvitingly.


    She sighed, biting her bottom lip as she pondered the idea. She had a great job here in Toronto, working at a popular practice while getting involved in cutting-edge research in women¡¯s health, they had just finished their study on the implications for bedrest in werewolf women in the third trimester. She was a new person here even though she didn¡¯t have much to show from it, different from that little girl who felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be such a great opportunity to get experience, especially with a pack like Meadow Stream,¡± her aunt said.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong, Meadow Stream is a strong pack, one of the most influential in the Kingdom of Roscoe, so having a job there wouldn¡¯t be the worst idea. But why would they want her? Her resume only had a couple of research studies where she assisted her mentor, Dr. Allens, the owner of the practice she worked at. She wasn¡¯t anyone special. They should¡¯ve just used her to get to Dr Allens for their consulting position instead.


    But they¡¯re in a crisis situation in Meadow Stream, their lack of doctor due to the rising tensions of the war left child-bearing women without proper medical care, many of them at risk for succumbing to complications that could¡¯ve easily been avoided. She couldn¡¯t just turn her back on them regardless of her own personal feelings, it was an oath she took when she went into the profession.


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    Besides, she probably was sought out because her father was a delta of the Meadow Stream Pack, most likely a case of nepotism.


    That and there was less paperwork since she was still a member of the pack.


    Deltas were like council members, each specializing in a different sector of the pack such as education, health, foreign policy, and all that boring government jazz. Her father, a son of Danish immigrants had worked from nothing to get to where he is today, an effort that required sacrifices, the notion of a reputable image to display to the pack as to why he should be and continue to remain so a delta.


    Being the daughter of a politician, she was expected to go into a more¡­let¡¯s say a more corporate path, well, maybe not her specifically considering pack members never looked past her limitations, but expectations were high for the Laursen children.


    She internally snorted, yeah, cause that worked out so well.


    A career in economics like her parents wanted would¡¯ve been practical, but learning about supply and demand or the threat of privatizing their healthcare system didn¡¯t and never would sound meaningful to her. Or her aunt liked to put it, satisfy her soul.


    Whatever that meant.


    A throat cleared, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep on it?¡± her aunt suggested, ¡°You must be so tired after being up all night.¡±


    On cue, Freya yawned, reliving the trauma she endured helping Georgie study for her NCLEX exam. Times like this she was glad she was a midwife and didn¡¯t need to see the gross pictures of an infected wound, Like birth is any more aesthetically pleasing, she sarcastically thought.


    Freya stumbled into her room, her whole body tired as she consoled her dear cousin half the night when she failed a practice exam. She couldn¡¯t help but be in awe of Georgie, having accomplished such a difficult program only to face a case of imposter syndrome. Life had a peculiar way of screwing you over.


    She had Alexa play her playlist as she made her way to her bed. Her bedroom was nothing special, everything was where it was supposed to be and she liked to keep it that way, it was simple. She never understood the concept of home decor anyway, the basic necessities seemed to be enough for her but some people, like her mother liked to put on a show through books that are never meant to be read on a bookshelf, or tall vases filled with fake flowers along the entryway. Ridiculous.


    Richard Strauss¡¯ A Hero¡¯s Life played in the background as she climbed onto her bed, feeling a hard surface against her knee. She pulled it out, finding the book under the blankets, remembering her feeling of the pressed white poppies Georgie had given her when she graduated from her midwifery program. Freya often liked to graze her hand over it, feeling the ridges that made up the flower as she thought about how far she¡¯d come.


    Perhaps that¡¯s what this offer was for her, a chance to show Meadow Stream how she was able to build herself back up again.


    But was this a good time? Last she¡¯d heard, tensions at their borders were at an all-time high, she ran her hand over that flower again right before her head grew light and felt the weight of it hit the floor.

 Chapter Two

    The wolf¡¯s paw slipped on a patch of ice hidden under the snow, he sneered as his face slammed into the hard ice as another puff of wide attacked him. The other two looked back at him, cautiously moving ahead of him as they made their way up the mountain.


    The one with the black fur rolled his eyes at the brown¡¯s incompetence. It was a rookie move to disregard the ice hidden under the fresh snow just as a storm was currently brewing.


    A rumble of thunder crashed against the earth, it was peculiar how nature worked, snow, thunder, and lightning, all at once, it was a once-in-a-millennium occasion. Perhaps a sign from the God of Nature himself declaring his disapproval on behalf of Irene, the Goddess of Peace.


    What audacity do they have to disturb the sacred peace that had been established in all the lands?


    Such arrogance they had over a lover¡¯s quarrel. Had they followed the natural order that Agapian set out when establishing the mating bond, such a pathetic display could have been avoided.


    The wolf with the blonde fur purposefully flicked snow on Brown as he haughtily passed him. For a wolf whose pack prided itself on honour, such superiority complexes apparently could not be avoided.


    Another clap of thunder roared through as the God of Nature deeply disapproved of the pathetic displays these so-called alphas brought upon themselves. A gust of wind whipped their furs up as their arrector pilli muscle became activated against the cold wind and flurries that aggressively sailed through.


    The three wolves dug their claws into the ice to gain a grip as they trekked their way up the tortuous peak of the mountain. Their eyelids were half-closed in an attempt to shield them from the flurries, their sight already obscured by said snowflakes, they could barely look past their noses from the wrath of the God of Nature.


    But vengeance, honour, and vindication made it worth it.


    She felt drops of a cold liquid on her face, then suddenly a splash. Sitting up while gasping for air, coughing as the liquid, presumably water made its way into her nose and down her throat. What a horrible feeling as her nostrils burned.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she heard someone squeak, she looked to see her well-meaning cousin laughing nervously. Ah Georgie, sweet, good-natured and well-meaning Georgie.


    She was handed a towel, which she used to wipe her voice, her voice hoarse as she said, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have shaken me?¡±


    ¡°We tried,¡± said her aunt, ¡°But you were more out of it this time.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re getting stronger,¡± Freya mumbled under her breath. She groaned, running a hand through her copper hair in frustration, ¡°Why can¡¯t a control them?¡±


    Four years ago, on her 21st birthday, her auramancic abilities emerged, a peculiar event as the magic gene in her family was diluted by the dominant werewolf gene. Freya had stayed up the night before with her cousin and aunt, waiting for midnight to strike as the 21st birthday of a werewolf marked the end of their coming-of-age, where half of their soul was completed in preparation for meeting their other half.


    Their fated mate.


    Not that Freya believed she had one.


    The minute the clock struck twelve, Freya felt her head grow heavy and her body falling. The next thing she knew, she saw a silver wolf with streaks of white with ice blue eyes at the edge of a cliff when suddenly, the ground he stood on began to crumble.


    Freya remembered that vision, it was so vivid and clear, unlike the dreams she had when she slept. It was quite overwhelming, having felt like she was present and looking into someone¡¯s life.


    She remembered the cool breeze, the rustling of the trees, and the clear, blue sky with not a cloud in sight. No one but the silver wolf was there.


    And her.


    The next day, word got around to her aunt¡¯s pack that an established veteran of the Meadow Stream Pack had died of unknown causes. Many speculated suicide given his deteriorating mental health.


    The two events couldn¡¯t possibly have been related.


    Right?


    Visions, as she liked to call them had originally been mistaken for a newfound lucid dreaming ability and her past trauma was blamed for her fainting spells as the doctors believed it to be translating into her body as her body relived its trauma. It was hypothesized that her 21st birthday had triggered such events.


    Since she was born without a wolf.


    Freya¡¯s birth was infamously known as traumatic within the Meadow Stream Pack, used as a case study for wannabe doctors in what essentially not to do or let happen. Her mother, considered at an advanced age at the time when pregnant with her, had experienced bleeding throughout the pregnancy, which the doctors disregarded, claiming it to be normal for her ¡°advanced maternal age¡±.


    It was said that pack members had rushed to the Laursen House after hearing her mothers screaming in agony, only to find her in a puddle of blood around her while she clutched her round belly in pain. Her mother was only 27 weeks along.


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    Traumatic was what many doctors and midwives referred to the event as. An emergency c-section led to a premature infant with underdeveloped lungs, a low birth weight, and no wolf.


    She was never supposed to survive past thirty days.


    The wolf spirit in werewolves developed during the third trimester of pregnancy, it was why many women were bedridden as its development took much of the mother¡¯s mind, body, and soul. It was a werewolf¡¯s core, intertwined and woven through one¡¯s heart and soul.


    This was the essence that tethered to their other half.


    Their fated mate.


    Freya wasn¡¯t exactly told what happened that led to the decision for an emergency c-section, however, what she did understand was that her wolf wouldn¡¯t have survived her birth regardless due to her weak constitution. It was hypothesized in research articles that her wolf¡¯s limiting strength at the beginning of the third trimester was the reason Freya even survived, a sacrifice for Freya to continue, even if it meant she would never be complete.


    Born without a wolf, she was considered an automatic nuisance and burden to Meadow Stream, as a werewolf without a wolf spirit made her an easy target, for enemies outside the pack.


    And within.


    Her aunt soon grew worried as Freya began passing out more after the initial events, followed by peculiar events occurring afterwards. Visions of sinkholes that swallowed up whole packs manifested into the prestigious Dawn Pack being conquered by The Knight Pack. Lightening striking the ocean manifested into a tsunami in Vancouver, leading to floods on the western coast packs.


    It was quite a stretch connecting the two, however, when Freya¡¯s vision illustrated a grey wolf with buffy facial markings was covered in blood, and her Alpha¡¯s son had gotten severely injured in a car accident, Freya and her aunt soon realized that it was no coincidence.


    And that when they sought assistance from the Pack Elders, a group of honourable and prestigious members who created great impacts and significance in their packs. It was theorized that as she had been born without a wolf, the sourcery gene, which had been traditionally recessive had activated in compensation.


    Despite its instability.


    However, the full extent of her abilities was yet to be discovered.


    ¡°Freya,¡± Elder Monroe said, her former mentor leaning his weight against his wooden cane, Freya always thought of him resembling an aged Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame with his long and prominent nose, shorter stature, and hunched back. The fabric of his navy robe swished as he sat in a chair in front of her.


    It was then she had noticed that her aunt and cousin moved her to the couch, she wondered given their antics if they swung her like a hammock for fun in another attempt to wake her up, or maybe she¡¯d find a bruise on her hip later if they accidentally knocked her into the coffee table.


    She¡¯d probably been really out of it.


    He adjusted his round, gold-rimmed glasses, aggressively coughing as if there¡¯d been phlegm stuck in his throat for half a century. ¡°Freya,¡± he said, ¡°It appears you¡¯ve had a powerful vision given that you¡¯ve passed out,¡± he sighed as if disappointed that their five years of hard work in trying to stabilize her powers were for nothing. ¡°What was the vision?¡±


    Freya told him about the three wolves, the mountain, and the tension between them as if they were competing against each other. She searched her brain as to what could have triggered such a vision, she tried to remember what she was doing. Her aunt had just informed her of the job opportunity in Meadow Stream, and told her to sleep on it¡­


    ¡°I was thinking about the war,¡± Freya whispered, she was now sitting up, her elbows on her knees as she stared at the coffee table in front of her, the glass vase that held a disfigured version of her face where her nose was bigger than her head and her eyes of too far wide apart reflected at her.


    ¡°The trigger, ¡° he mumbled, rubbing his chin as he stared off to the side. He turned back to look at her, his dark eyes meeting her grey ones, ¡°Freya, it seems you¡¯re meant to go back to Meadow Stream-¡±


    She interrupted him, standing, ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Atalane wants you to go back, that¡¯s why she sent you the message.¡±


    ¡°Are you on the waiting list for an insane asylum?!¡± She was now pacing back in forth trying to contain herself. She felt as if she was going to burst, the blood in her body pumped viciously through her and her brain was scattered, buzzing as if she had sensory overload. She wanted to scream, but she already lost her composure when she questioned the function of his prefrontal cortex.


    She was Freya Laursen, a regular midwife who struggled to pass her way through school because she took on more than she could handle. Attempting to fake it till she made it until someone realized how incompetent she was at her job.


    She was Freya Laursen, the wolfless werewolf that was nothing special, where the fates felt bad for her that they gave her powers that she had no control over.


    She was Freya Laursen, the epitome of standing on a tightrope with no training, while everyone around her held their breaths as they waited for her to fall.


    She was Freya Laursen¡­


    Nothing.


    Elder Monroe banged his cane into the floor, snapping Freya out of her internal rant, she looked at him with tears in her eyes as he stood up to leave, ¡°The path is set out for you, whether to take it or not is up to you,¡± and he left.


    Freya stared at the white door, trying to rationalize everything. Elder Monroe had said that her vision was triggered by thinking about the war, so her vision probably had something to do with that. It was somehow a sign that she should accept the job and go back to Meadow Stream. But why?


    Freya jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she saw her aunt guiding her back to sit on the couch, holding both of Freya¡¯s hands in her soft, warm ones, ¡°He¡¯s right, sweetheart,¡± she said. ¡°You were given a gift and that gift is telling you something, they need your help.¡±


    Her aunt knew her weakness, she refused to turn her back on people who needed her help, and her parental figure for the last nine years knew that Freya would never forgive herself if anything bad happened when she could¡¯ve stopped it.


    She was conflicted, this was Meadow Stream, the origin of all her terrors in her youth, they probably still saw her as the weak little girl who was sent away because she couldn¡¯t handle a ¡°little teasing¡±. To them, she was fragile little Freya.


    ¡°You could show them how far you¡¯ve come,¡± Georgie said, taking a seat on the coffee table in front of them. ¡°You¡¯d be their saviour, Freya!¡±


    Saviour.


    Perhaps they were right, that this was fate and Freya¡¯s chance to help those that once overlooked her, to prove herself and show them that they were wrong about her.


    If only she could figure out what the vision meant.

 Chapter Three

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a good idea to go back to a warzone?¡± Georgie asked.


    ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t,¡± Freya responded, a bit drowsy. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you it was safer that you stayed in Cold Stream.¡±


    Although in the Sleeper Plus class, Freya had sleep deprivation all caused by the lumpy and hard seats, confined spaces, and screaming children. Now, she sympathized with all the parents on the train, their children were just expressing what adults had to keep inside. Adventures were fun, but being stuck on a train for more than forty-eight hours was not ideal for her circulatory system¡­


    And her motion sickness.


    The air around her felt thick and she just wanted to scream in frustration, not a fan of being confined or restricted. However, the view was nice as she laid her head back, staring at the scenery in an attempt to force her brain and senses into getting along rather than giving each other mixed signals.


    She truly envied those who could enjoy a trip rather than worry about throwing up their lunch at the smell of garlic or broccoli.


    She stared at the scenery as the train crossed the Canadian Prairies. Vastly stretched out, Freya admired the serenity and tranquillity of the grasslands and acres of golden wheat. They passed hills and valleys, the grasslands expanding out to the horizon, the blue sky blending with shades of yellow, orange, and red as it transitioned into the night.


    Freya hoped to see some stars, as they were far enough away from their stop in Saskatoon, there were never any opportunities to see any constellations when she spent half of her week in Toronto conducting clinical trials.


    The trio had opted to take the Via Rail to Kamploops and drive to the Meadow Stream Pack, all expenses paid as her aunt and Georgie wanted an adventure. She didn¡¯t have the heart to deny them their wishes as ever since her uncle, Georgie¡¯s father was killed in battle some years ago, her aunt and Georgie rarely left their pack, let alone the province.


    ¡°We do things together,¡± her aunt said, putting her reading glasses on her head as she put down her book, The Duke and I. She squeezed Freya¡¯s hand, a twinkle in her grey eyes as she smiled at her, ¡°As a family.¡±


    Her aunt had managed to age beautifully despite the pain she always held inside, her joy was always evident and contagious with the laugh lines that always adorned the corners of her eyes, her smile and soothing voice, and her little giggle that always made you believe that everything was going to be okay.


    She pulled Freya in her arms, allowing her head to rest on her shoulder where her calming, sweet and fruity scent of jasmine allowed her tensed shoulders to relax, her heartbeat to steady, and unclench her jaw.


    She remembered when she and Georgie were young and they still lived in Meadow Stream, people often asked if they were mother and daughter as they shared the same colouring. Her aunt¡¯s auburn hair matched Freya¡¯s own, hers with streaks of silver that laid elegantly in a low bun as the nape of her neck, with some of the strands framing her face. She liked the idea of Georgie being her sister and her aunt her mother, she never felt this much warmth and security as she did the past nine years.


    She noticed Georgie picking at her nail polish as she nodded in agreement that they were family, and it was just what they did. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± her cousin mumbled, ¡°Maybe we could visit the memorial.¡±


    Freya had the strength to tuck Georgie¡¯s dark curls behind her ear, knowing that they were only doing this for her, going back to the place where her aunt lost her fated mate and her cousin lost her father. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Georgie.¡±


    ¡°A better idea would¡¯ve been to end the war,¡± she muttered, rolling her eyes.


    She wondered if others shared the same sentiment, it wasn¡¯t surprising that Georgie held some bitterness and resentment towards Meadow Stream, Knight, and Land Bay for continuing the war after one hundred and fifty years.


    It was the reason her father died.


    The Battle of Abruzzi.


    Freya liked to compare the start of the war to the romance and marriage between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, as Henry¡¯s desperation for a legitimate son and Anne¡¯s refusal to become a royal mistress. The issue of succession had driven the King to separate from Rome and establish the Church of England.


    It paralleled with The Great War within the Kingdom of Roscoe as the notions of legitimate succession, pride, and honour drove the devastating war that killed many.


    It was said that the war started because of a fated mate rejection, where the Alpha of the Land Bay Pack had rejected his fated mate, a hybrid werewolf from the Meadow Stream Pack. It was believed that because she was a hybrid, especially a werewolf-sorceress hybrid, he and his pack believed she was unfit.


    Under the council¡¯s guidance, the Alpha of the Land Bay Pack had claimed a chosen mate, the daughter of a Delta from the Knight Pack, claiming her impeccable lineage and genes were a better fit to produce a proper heir.


    But that only made things worse.


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    Because the Alpha Female of Land Bay was the Alpha of the Knight Pack¡¯s fated mate.


    The werewolves of Meadow Stream were offended that their pack member wasn¡¯t good enough for Land Bay, and the werewolves of Knight were furious that Land Bay had taken away their rightful Alpha Female.


    War was declared, and Meadow Stream and Knight allied.


    One couple had ultimately triggered a war that no one believed would last a hundred and fifty years.


    *****


    Freya stood in front of the obstacle course, watching as the others crawled under barbed wire and climbed up ropes or rock towers, or walking across a rope bridge.


    Sweat dripped down her forehead, its saltiness stinging the cut lip she got that morning when she looked at a Delta¡¯s daughter wrong. The sun beamed down on them as the clear skies failed to cover some of the light. A warm breeze came through, rustling the leaves on the trees all around them. You could hear some of the girls shriek as their partner pushed them in the mud to go under the barbed wires while others hissed in pain from their rope burns.


    She stood at the sidelines alone, her well-worn faded blue cap and the tree she was leaning against providing some sort of shade. She was thankful that her sister, Natalia nagged her enough to wear a bucket full of sunscreen, knowing that she burned easily with her pale skin and red hair.


    The bulky warrior in charge of training the teenage wolves stood beside her with his clipboard in hand, occasionally jotting down everyone¡¯s progress. He gulped down some water before telling Freya, ¡°You might have better luck next year, kid,¡± wiping the sweat on the back of his neck as he tied his curly locks into a simple updo.


    No one wanted to be partnered with a human.


    She sighed, knowing that he was only trying to make her feel better, but even he knew the truth. At least, he was subtle about it. It was a waste of resources to train Freya in basic defence because she didn¡¯t have a wolf. She believed it didn¡¯t make sense, complaining to her politician father that because she didn¡¯t have a wolf was a good reason to train her. But her father countered her by saying that she was a liability during training, with no wolf, she had no healing abilities.


    The other parents didn¡¯t want to get into conflict because their kid hurt a Delta¡¯s daughter.


    Her head whipped back from the impact, the substance cold, soft, and somewhat sticky. She wiped it off, spitting whatever it was out, coughing in between. Her hands were on her knees as she heaved as she heard snickers and laughter all around her and the warrior in charge telling them to shut up.


    She finally looked up and saw Christian and her brother, Jonathan laughing as they had mud in their hand. Thankfully it was mud and not some sort of feces they¡¯d found in the woods.


    ¡°Laursen! Engstrom!¡± the warrior yelled, ¡°That¡¯s ten laps around the premises!¡±


    Christian Engstrom, future Beta of the Meadow Stream Pack and her brother, Jonathan, prodigal warrior as her father liked to put it were having their daily dose of ¡°What Will Make Freya Cry Today? - Episode 999¡±.


    Christian¡¯s icy blue eyes glared at her, blaming her for them getting in trouble as he ran a hand through his long brown locks in frustration. His muscles flexed and Freya feared what would become of her if she made the mistake of being alone in a hallway when they went back to school for the next period.


    In contrast, her brother smirked at her, the grey eyes that matched Freya¡¯s own glistening as she knew he had a sinister plan, one that required their father. She shivered as she thought about what he¡¯d do to her. Use Freya for sparing practice? That was what he managed to convince their father to let him do the last time Freya got him in trouble.


    Maybe she¡¯ll sleep in the woods tonight.


    No, that was worse, they¡¯d find her with their tracking skills.


    She had no chance, Jonathan¡¯s wolf had no familial bond with her. Because Jonathan shifted early at sixteen, it was believed that his wolf was primitive from being underdeveloped. Their father believed him to be a prodigy, the pride and joy of the Laursen name as it made him top of the warrior class.


    ¡°Freya! We¡¯re here!¡± She jolted awake to Georgie aggressively shaking her and screaming in her ear. Even though her senses were at the same level as a human''s, her ears were still sensitive for some reason. Weird.


    She jumped when her aunt placed her hand on her shoulder, although groggy, her body remembered the fight or flight response that often occurred when she was in the pack, her own body reacting as if it was being attacked even though her mind was saying something else.


    It was as if her mind and body were at war themselves.


    They passed a large green sign on the highway, welcoming them to The Meadow Stream Pack as they reached Marysville. She leaned against the window of the car, watching as they passed by the tall Douglas Firs that shadowed them from the piercing sunrise. She tried not to focus on the scent of strawberries that the driver had bought from Bath and Body Works, usually, she had no problems with the scent, but her motion sickness played a cruel trick on her by reminding her of her breakfast, an omelette with an English muffin.


    She forced herself to go back to sleep, not wanting Meadow Stream''s first impression of her being back would be of her not able to keep her food down. Oh, the scandal that would cause as they would assume the worst with her slim figure.


    She bounced her leg, her heartbeat tachycardiac and her breathing constrained. She had to pull it together. Christian was now a Beta and her brother a Head Warrior.


    Betas were the Alpha¡¯s right-hand man, often a child of the Alpha family, most likely the second-born male or a male cousin, like Christian was. This wasn¡¯t law, however, but a practice many werewolf packs followed. Theoretically, anyone could be chosen as a Beta if the Pack Elders agreed according to the wellness of the pack.


    Freya thought of Betas as glorified Deltas with a pretty title, they essentially did the same role in most packs, them being the head of the defence sector.


    It was terrifying that Christian was the head of Defense.


    Warriors were the protectors of the packs, like each pack¡¯s own little army just like how a dukedom would have their own knights. It was quite a prestigious title to be a warrior, as in their werewolf culture, protecting their own was highly valued. It was quite laughable given her experience, a statement that was preached but not practiced. Being the Head Warrior, like her brother Jonathan who¡¯d just recently received such a title, was basically equivalent to a Delta, which made their father proud.


    It was truly horrifying.


    The car stopped, and the trio got out and Freya was met by two individuals she wasn¡¯t prepared to see.


    Hannah and Christian.

 Chapter Four

    ¡°Hey Hannah,¡± the spunky redhead greeted her best friend at her locker, ¡°Do you want to come over and watch a movie?¡±


    The duo had been inseparable since kindergarten when the two bonded over their love for Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony. Freya¡¯s sister Natalia was having a hard time getting Freya to let go of her legs that morning as the day before, Christian had called Freya a human and got the other kids to join in. No one wanted to play with her and often excluded her from their game of hide and seek.


    It was Hannah who got up from the carpet with her Strawberry Shortcake doll and took Freya¡¯s hand, asking her to be her friend. It was the same time that Natalia made a run for it before Freya started crying again.


    Hannah looked at Freya hesitantly, her brown eyes showing uncertainty with the way she bit her bottom lip and played with her fingernails. ¡°Umm, well, Freya, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± she spoke with little confidence. She checked behind her and looked down at the ground, unable to meet Freya¡¯s eyes.


    The halls were empty, luckily, making Freya believe Hannah¡¯s paranoia was unreasonable. It was just the two of them, the halls quiet enough that Freya dropping her metal water bottle to the ground would replicate the sound of fireworks on Canada¡¯s Day. They were safe from torment, however, Hannah wasn¡¯t a target to the pack like she was, so her mistrust was more so unreasonable.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Freya asked, grabbing Hannah¡¯s hand, ¡°You never turn down a reason to not do homework.¡±


    Hannah sighed, grabbing her hand back from Freya, ¡°Freya, I think we need to talk.¡±


    Freya giggled, ¡°You¡¯re making it sound like we¡¯re breaking up.¡± When Hannah¡¯s lips thinned, Freya¡¯s heart dropped, as if reading Hannah¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be friends anymore.¡±


    ¡°E-excuse me?¡±


    Hannah shook her head as if in disappointment, Freya wondered what she did to warrant such a drastic change in her behaviour. Just yesterday, the two made a pact to leave the pack together and go to school in Toronto.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t hang out anymore.¡±


    ¡°B-but why,¡± Freya managed to choke out, she refused to cry at school, she didn¡¯t want to risk any passerby from seeing fragile little Freya crying again. ¡°D-did I do something?¡±


    ¡°I found my fated mate, Freya,¡± she said.


    Freya stared at the brunette in disbelief with unshed tears, ¡°H-how?¡±


    This has got to be some sort of joke, you didn¡¯t find your fated mate until you turned twenty-one and they were only sixteen, Hannah hadn¡¯t even shifted into her wolf yet.


    ¡°A seer told him,¡± Hannah explained, ¡°She told him I was his fated mate.¡±


    Seeking a seer out was expensive, it wasn¡¯t something common wolves like Hannah had access to, which meant her fated mate was the son of a high-ranking member.


    Freya shook her head, the tears in her eyes falling as she realized this horrible revelation, ¡°N-no¡­y-you can¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Hannah crossed her arms, her expression stern as if she disapproved of Freya¡¯s reaction, ¡°Christian is my fated mate.¡±


    Freya¡¯s mind was buzzing, her chest squeezed at the thought of her best friend, well, former friend being mated to that devil. ¡°But he¡¯s a bully,¡± she whispered, not having the energy or breath to voice your concerns aloud.


    Hannah glared at her, of course, she wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone badmouthing her fated mate, she flipped her hair over her shoulder as she leaned closer to Freya and that¡¯s when Freya could barely recognize her. ¡°He¡¯s my fated mate, he loves me. You wouldn¡¯t understand ''cause you¡¯re a human.¡±


    And there she said it. Freya the human who would never understand the cosmic connection the fated mates bond was. She didn¡¯t think Hannah would stoop so low, but she guessed you could never really know a person.


    As if it wasn¡¯t enough, Hannah continued, her eyes dark and her eyebrows furrowed, her facial muscles tense as she looked at Freya in disgust. ¡°Christian is the future Beta of the Meadow Stream Pack, making me the Beta Female. It would look improper if I was associated with a human.¡± She turned to leave, but not before saying over her shoulder, ¡°Some things are just more important than others.¡± and with that, she left.


    Leaving Freya all alone.


    She blinked in what felt like forever as she recalled the day Hannah ditched her for popularity and the chance to move up in the ranks like her parents so desperately wanted. It was why they encouraged her to befriend Freya in the first place, the daughter of a Delta.


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely to see you, Freya,¡± she smiled.


    Freya thought Hannah hadn¡¯t changed since they were sixteen, she still had her same baby face features with her chubby cheeks, doe eyes, and plump lips. To Freya, her former friend was typical in her eyes, she didn¡¯t have anything special about her features as they coercively fit together with her button nose, curvy build, and chestnut hair that she cut short.


    She was the typical beauty that men adored.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± she smiled, bowing her head to Christian as well, ¡°Both of you. Beta Engstrom.¡±


    Christian smiled back at her, the smile reaching his blue eyes that suddenly seemed warmer to her, like a clear sky on a crisp autumn day, she tried not to show her being taken aback at the unusual warmth he gave her. He had transformed since she last saw him, he was incredibly tall which said plenty given Freya¡¯s own above-average height as she barely reached his shoulders. His facial features grew sharper and more rugged in contrast to the softer and boyish features he held in his youth, his hair long enough to tie into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to have you back, Freya,¡± he said, his voice seeming it dropped six feet since she last saw him, as he wrapped his arm around Hannah¡¯s waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m Georgiana!¡± her cousin beamed, knowing that Freya would love to avoid an awkward silence. She gestured to her mother, ¡°And this is my mother, Alice!¡±


    The Betas nodded, beaming, ¡°Oh yes,¡± Hannah nodded, ¡°We heard you were coming as well! It¡¯s so great to see you two again!¡±


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    Hannah placed a hand around her belly, and that was when Freya noticed she was expecting, it made sense why they were in such a hurry to have a midwife now. The Betas were expecting and with Vincent without a fated mate, the Betas¡¯ child was their chance at an heir.


    Freya smiled, ¡°How far along are you?¡±


    Hannah giggled, ¡°A couple of weeks.¡± She sighed, her smile fading, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you guys are here, with the war, the pack doctors are stationed at the borders and they rarely come back, we have no one taking care of the pregnant women.¡±


    Christian¡¯s muscles tensed as he further explained, ¡°There¡¯s no physical warfare, but Vincent is paranoid about being attacked unexpectedly with the rising tension, we already have a bunch of our warriors injured because someone keeps sending rogues our way.¡±


    She nodded understandingly, ¡°And you think it¡¯s Land Bay or Knight?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t say for sure, but that¡¯s what our intel is telling us. And since we''re having a big boom in births, it¡¯s getting risky letting our doctors camp out at the borders,¡± he said, he pulled Hannah closer to him, smiling down at her, ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk Hannah¡¯s or the others¡¯ safety.¡±


    She felt a pinch in her chest, a knot of envy as she unintentionally conjured her green-eyed monster as she watched the happy couple together. She knew it was foolish to want what they had or what her aunt and uncle had even though it was near impossible.


    Studies about werewolves born without a wolf did not exist as many didn¡¯t survive past their first month, therefore, the topic of the fated mates bond was irrelevant as currently, research is geared towards establishing life without a wolf.


    Freya was different because she had a wolf when her mother was pregnant with her, but she died to give Freya her best chance. It was hypothesized that Freya didn¡¯t have a fated mate given her lack of a wolf as well as her lack of primitive need for one, unlike most werewolves. However, a small minority of experts had suggested that she may have a fated mate since she had a wolf at one point, and since it was believed that the human and wolf were one, a fated mate bond would have been established.


    But this was only theoretical.


    She wasn¡¯t naive to believe she had a fated mate. The God of Love and curator of fated mates, Agapian was known to be sinister and malicious, therefore, Freya had no fated mate.


    Fated mates were sacred within the werewolf community, it was common practice for many to not engage in provocative behaviour as it was looked down upon to not wait for one¡¯s fated mate. It was why The Great War was a big deal, the sacred bond was disregarded in favour of lineage and prestige when in the end, all three alphas ended up dying because they were not with their fated.


    Fated mates was true love, it was a cosmic connection, a sacred bond that united two souls together for eternity. Freya always believed such a concept paralleled the love between King Pedro and Ines de Castro of Portugal, where their love extended beyond the grave and into the Heavens where it was believed they spent eternity together.


    She was not deserving of such a feeling.


    *****


    Her office exuded comfort and serenity, it was what she would¡¯ve decorated it as to allow expecting parents the relaxation they needed in times of excitement and stress. It would be the only place where she emphasized aesthetics and decor.


    Tchaikovsky¡¯s October: Autumn Song played on her laptop as she organized her desk, she liked the nostalgic feeling it gave her and allowed her to relax. She was quite taken aback when she was shown her office, hit with the tranquillity scent of lavender from the candles placed beside the computer screen, instantly, her hunched shoulders relaxed and her breathing steadied for the first time since she arrived.


    Light showed through the large ceiling-to-floor windows, providing an ample amount of light where she didn¡¯t need artificial ones. She believed natural light gave a boost in happy hormones that everyone needed every now and then. She planned to put some flowers at the window sill, perhaps some peonies or cattleya flowers if importing permitted, just to give the place some colour and positive energy.


    She liked the soft girl vibe her office emitted, the colour schemes seeming to be white, and pink with a hint of pastel green. Her long white desk lay perpendicular to the windows and there was a tall white bookshelf behind it. She had plenty of storage space as her patient files were laid in a small filing cabinet under her desk and she had a head-to-toe closet behind her.


    There was a nice consulting space beside her, with a matching neutral loveseat and armchair across from each other, with a crystal glass coffee table between. She made a mental note to add some refreshments and pamphlets, as well as some herbal tea options that were safe for pregnancy. She found that most couples felt comfortable in a setting that allowed comfort and a sense of home in comparison to the bland and strict nature of a typical doctor¡¯s office or hospital room.


    She found it quite peculiar that her space was set up to her liking and preferences, perhaps Hannah or Natalia had given their input to make Freya feel more included and at home in an attempt to convince her to stay during their trying times.


    She was flattered to be considered, but she felt undeserving of such treatment as she had yet to show her performance.


    She sighed as she sat at her desk chair, noting its ergonomics allowing sufficient lumbar support, she was sure living the life if they spring her with a great chair. She leaned down to pull out the filing cabinet, deciding to get a head start on reading her patients'' files so she could gain an idea of what type of care plan and potential birth plan they required before setting up meetings.


    She read over the notes of the pack doctors for one of the clients, because they were camped out at the borders, a different doctor made it back to the clinic each time for their care. She knew it was tough times, but inconsistent care made room for error and increased risks for complications. This one individual had an extensive history of pregnancy loss and miscarriages, with her only child making it to term being stillborn.


    She noted down on her notepad that this couple most likely required extensive emotional support as well as frequent monitoring given her history as she just entered her second trimester. Sometimes talk therapy eased anxiety and managed stress, however, Freya refused to come to conclusions without consulting with the couple first. She believed it was better to gain the couple¡¯s own perspective of their experiences. It made sense anyway, they were the best people to know about their own lived experiences.


    She debated whether to have her first consults be the Betas, although she was a citizen of the pack, they didn¡¯t know the extent of her abilities, possibly hesitant to seek her out as she was an outsider. Her train of thought was that if the Betas trusted her enough to take care of them, then others might follow.


    Freya knew she had to push her own feelings away in order to do her job, it was challenging as Christian made her youth difficult and Hannah had betrayed her. She had to constantly remind herself that she was here to do a job and that they needed her, but ever since she¡¯d accepted the job offer, her mind kept tormenting her with memories of the past, she didn¡¯t know the last time she had a good night¡¯s rest.


    She¡¯d close her eyes, and all she¡¯d see were the cold blue eyes of Vincent that reminded her of the freezing temperatures of the depths of the Arctic Sea. He was Meadow Stream¡¯s current alpha and the one who¡¯d sent the pack kids to torment her in school. Even years ahead of her, he¡¯d found ways to make her life a living hell, wishing every night that she was six feet under instead.


    She even tried, but failed miserably as even she couldn¡¯t even do that right.


    She chastised herself for letting her mind wander, she groaned as she put her files away and leaned forward, her elbows on her knees as her hands clenched her hair. She sniffled a bit, as the memories seemed to trigger her sinuses and her chest to constrict. She counted in her head, breathed in at odd numbers and breathed out at even, it was something her aunt had talked her through when Freya first went to live with her and she had a nightmare.


    She squeezed her eyes shut, the tears that were building up being pushed out as they made their way down her cheeks. Perhaps this was a bad idea, perhaps she wasn¡¯t as strong as she thought. Maybe her aunt was wrong about the progress she had made, all she wanted to do right now was go to her and be in her arms, with her head in her lap as she sang to her.


    Her body jolted at a hand on her shoulder, suddenly, the scent around her was filled with the earthy aroma of rosewood, it made her knees weak for some reason as she knew they would give out if she attempted to stand. Her fingers began tingling and her breath hitched as she felt rough fingers under her chin, lifting her head to meet the intruder.


    Her grey eyes met arctic blue, and she only knew one person who held such a shade that often resembled the frosty flakes of the first snowfall.


    Vincent Engstrom.


    He leaned in, whispering the word she never thought she¡¯d hear.


    ¡°Mine.¡±

 Chapter Five

    The golden chandelier glistened above them as they all sat in the luxurious dining room that was her mother¡¯s pride and joy in her life. She felt stiff in her position, as her childhood house had always felt like to her, it was constricting, restricting her to behave a specific way, the Laursen way. The air was indifferent, the only character being the fragrance of vanilla that emitted from the candles her mother had placed in the middle of the table.


    She played with loose string at the edge of the placement where her empty plate sat, her feet rubbing against the carpet in anxiousness as she preferred to get this whole ordeal over with. Her parents had reached out to her aunt and extended an offer to join them for dinner, it was her first time seeing them in nine years.


    Her mother had looked the same, however, Freya could tell that she had some work done as her lips appeared plumper and her cheekbones suddenly were more prominent. She couldn¡¯t tell if she had lost some of her facial fat that made it appear so, or if she had convinced her father to allow her to get fillers.


    Probably the latter.


    Her once mousey brown hair was now blonde and cut into a blunt bob, highlighting her sharp jawline and her curly and thick eyelashes were applied expertly, allowing her brown eyes to pop. It was even more so obvious of her difference to her own daughter.


    Her father sat at the other end of the table, discussing with Jonathan his plan as the Delta of Education for detecting a talent in combat in the youth, and if Jonathan believed whether their pack had potential. Her father¡¯s auburn hair had faded, less vibrant as there were mixes of grey between his strands, and the wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes had become more prominent with his bushy eyebrows so furrowed. It was more obvious with his serious expression in his discussion, however, that was the face he had always given Freya, so it was nothing new.


    Her sister, Natalia sat across from her, texting her fated mate, Anastasia as she wasn¡¯t able to make it that night as she was patrolling the borders that night. Her older sister was fidgeting with her fork in front of her, her lips thinning now and then as she waited for Anastasia to respond, sighing once in a while. She had briefly greeted Freya, Georgie and their aunt when they arrived, but stayed on her phone as her father explained of the heightened tensions at the borders.


    ¡°Natalia, my dear,¡± her mother said, ¡°Your sister, cousin and aunt have travelled far to see us, I¡¯m sure Anastasia will be fine if you put down your phone for an hour.¡±


    Natalia looked up and stared at her mother, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mother, I¡¯m just worried eversince Anastasia and I decided we¡¯re ready for a baby.¡±


    This perked Freya¡¯s ears, topics of pregnancy and babies were her specialty and she would love to be an aunt, even though she hadn¡¯t even met her sister-in-law yet. ¡°You¡¯re going to have a baby?!¡±


    Jonathan and her father¡¯s conversation stopped as they waited to hear Natalia¡¯s answer, appearing as if this was news they were hearing for the first time as well. However, a potential grandchild did not soften her father¡¯s expression, rather, his eyebrows furrowed further as he placed a hand on his chin, sighing and shaking his head.


    Natalia smiled sheepishly, nodding, ¡°We¡¯re discussing what we want to do, but really want to do IVF.¡±


    Her mother clapped as her aunt, who sat beside Natalia, grabbed her hand with both of hers, smiling, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! A child is always such a blessing.¡± She then gestured to Freya, ¡°Freya has worked with many couples who did IVF, mayb-¡±


    Her mother interrupted her aunt, ¡°I¡¯m going to be a grandmother! Do you hear that, Richard? A grandchild!¡±


    Her father grumbled a congratulation, nodding as Natalia beamed, squealing with their mother about the different baby names she¡¯d been coming up with. Freya was happy to see her sister smile and happy after sacrificing her youth to take care of her, Anastasia was clearly responsible for that.


    She stared at the china cabinet behind Natalia, admiring the photo of Natalia and Anastasia on their wedding day last year, it was the same one that they had sent her when she received the news, telling her that the two eloped. However, Freya knew that wasn¡¯t the case, as they stood in their wedding gowns in front of the God of Love, Agapian¡¯s shrine as they prayed for his blessing in their union as a custom.


    Natalia, who greatly resembled their mother in her younger years, her chestnut locks elegantly curled as they flowed down her back looked stunning in her diamond white satin gown. Its low-cut round neckline highlighted the curves and shadows of her collarbone and pearly necklace that had belonged to their grandmother, and the off-the-shoulder sleeves created a nonchalant essence. She loved the rushing along the bodice, believing it to highlight her sister¡¯s hourglass form, its a-line gown and long slit accentuating her slender and long legs. It was simple, classic, Natalia.


    Her sister-in-law stared back at Natalia with such warmth in her dark eyes, her happiness obvious with her beam and laugh lines, her eyes glassy as she watched her beloved. Her dark locks were in a classic and simple updo at the nape of her neck, with curled strands framing her round face, the long tulle fingertip veil cascading down her lean figure, draping off off her shoulder. Her gown was an ivory white, a complement to her darker complexion, its v-neck showing off Natalia¡¯s mark on her. Her favourite part was her sister-in-law¡¯s long train in the a-line skirt, a favourite element she had in wedding dresses.


    Freya thought the two looked beautiful in their wedding gowns, matching perfectly with one another, a representation of their harmony and joining of their souls as the fated mates'' bond was. Anastasia was a warrior in their pack, Jonathan¡¯s right hand if she may add, it was how she and Natalia met and found out they were fated mates. Natalia had come to the Warrior¡¯s Training Grounds to meet with Jonathan and there, she met Anastasia, who was sparing with their brother. Freya was told that Anastasia lost her concentration and Jonathan managed to strike a punch at the opportunity, pissing Natalia off as she tackled her brother for hitting her fated mate.


    He had gotten a broken nose much to their father¡¯s dismay, however, all was forgotten when a new family member was added to their mix.


    ¡°Congratulations, Natalia,¡± their brother expressed, smiling at their elder sister even though Freya knew his sentiment didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


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    Her sister caught it as well, her gaze softening and her head tilting, ¡°You¡¯ll find yours someday, Jonny.¡±


    Freya tried not to show her taken aback at Jonathan¡¯s desire for a fated mate, as he never expressed such an interest before, let alone his craving for some sort of bond. She always believed that his wolf was incapable of forming a deep, bonded connection with another given his first instinct was primitive, perhaps that¡¯s what it was for him. Humans have researched grey wolves and found that even they desired a lifelong mate, perhaps Jonathan¡¯s wolf desired such companionship as well.


    ¡°Yeah, Jonathan,¡± Georgie stated, smiling at him, ¡°She¡¯s out there somewhere, have you ever thought about travelling to different packs to find her?¡±


    Her father patted his back, ¡°We¡¯re just waiting for the Alpha¡¯s approval, it¡¯d be nice for Jonathan to find his fated mate so that the family name could continue with him.¡±


    Freya saw Natalia wince from the corner of her eye, her news regarding her and Anastasia¡¯s baby was now overshadowed by golden boy Jonathan¡¯s prospects for a fated mate. Her aunt took notice and chimed in, ¡°You have Natalia,¡± she said, then nodded towards Freya, ¡°Or Freya.¡±


    The room tensed and was silent at the mention of Freya, it was thick and once again, Freya felt suffocated, she wanted to leave and crawl into her bed, reading a good history book or maybe look into some projects she could do in her spare time. It was far better to help organize the next Full Moon Gathering than listen to her father talk about her lack of wolf.


    Jonathan was the first to speak, ¡°Freya wouldn¡¯t even have a fated mate, she would never even understand what it was like to go without one like Natalia or I.¡±


    Vincent, her mind unwillingly wandered to.


    She remembered his piercing blue gaze holding hers with such intensity as she stared back at him in shock and fear, her mind and heart conflicting. She never thought he would be her one and only, let alone let herself foolishly believe she even had one.


    All her life she¡¯d been told that no one wanted her and she prepared herself for a life where she was destined to be alone. Destined to watch everyone else around her find the one that was perfectly curated for them, perfectly meant for them.


    She was never ready for this.


    Vincent was a man of terror throughout her earlier years, the ringleader in the reason why she left in the first place.


    The reason she met her breaking point.


    She vividly remembered everything, how she and Vincent were inches away, hearts beating, heavy breathing. The little girl inside of her was desperately telling her to get away, but the lonely part of her was telling her to claim.


    Her mind was out of control.


    She remembered flinching when he made a move closer to her, making him angry and upset. He was supposed to protect and love her, but he was the one who tortured her all those years ago.


    And she refused to let herself be hurt again.


    So she pushed him away, remembering the tingles against her fingers as she made contact with him.


    And she ran.


    And she hadn¡¯t seen him since, nor had he made an effort to seek her out himself.


    So they were wrong, she did know what it was like, even if it was for the briefest moment, Ever since Freya found out that Vincent was her fated mate, she always felt as if something was missing inside of her, her soul longing for something that wasn¡¯t there. Emptiness filled her as she desperately tried to replace it with her work, such as reaching out to high-risk couples and creating an extensive care plan for them.


    They didn¡¯t understand that they¡¯d all been wrong, because Freya had a fated mate.


    And it was Vincent Engstrom.


    Freya cleared her throat, cutting into the meat from the food that had finally arrived, ¡°Just because I have no fated mate, doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to want a partner in my life.¡±


    She believed it was best to keep this hidden until she figured out what her next move was, as ignoring and avoiding the Alpha of the Meadow Stream would not last long.


    Surprisingly, her father understood the need to change the subject, and Freya was grateful for his lack of interest in her life for once. He pushed his glasses to the top of his head, rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°Everyone¡¯s worried about our borders constantly being infiltrated.¡±


    Jonathan replied, ¡°We have three more wounded from last night, but we managed to capture one for questioning, it¡¯s obvious it¡¯s Land Bay and Knight sending them,¡± stabbing the meat with his fork as if his prey wasn¡¯t already dead, gritting through his teeth as his wolf was about to make an appearance with the way his grey eyes darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Vincent hasn¡¯t retaliated yet.¡±


    The last fifty years of the war emulated the human civilization¡¯s Cold War that occurred in the latter half of the twentieth century. During the fiftieth anniversary of the war, the Royal Pack of Roscoe had done a census as many packs were experiencing a significant decline in birth rates since the beginning of the war. It was at an all-time low as the previous 3.4 birth rate was then a staggering 0.8 per couple in just fifty years.


    It was analyzed that through forced conscription to maintain the physical warfare between The Meadow Stream, Knight, and Land Bay Pack, as well as any allying packs that joined them, they were losing their population, especially young men, and the birth rate wasn¡¯t high enough to replenish the population. People were losing their fated mates, children, and parents, therefore, the birth rate dropped.


    However, instead of ending the war, the three packs soon turned to political hostility instead of open warfare. Tariffs increased, emigration and immigration became almost impossible, and recently, an arms race.


    It definitely paralleled the Cold War.


    Freya¡¯s head began to feel light and her vision a bit blurry, she blinked multiple times to try to get her eyes to regain their focus.


    Her aunt replied with her wisdom, ¡°We¡¯re already in the middle of a war, even if there¡¯s no physical warfare, the Alpha would be foolish to risk the safety of his pack members over a speculation.¡±


    Freya¡¯s vision went black:


    A metal shield lay upright in the snow, with snowflakes falling as the grey skies grew darker and darker. Screams and crying could be heard in the background, however, not a body was in sight, just blood dripping down the shield and onto the freshly fallen snow.


    The white flag behind the shield was torn, blowing as another harsh blow of wind came through as rotting and burning flash reached her nose.


    The heater shape of the shield was crafted by resilient iron with a coat of blue and silver to symbolize the superior pack, was now weathered through its constant use in battle, the once adornment of a wolf¡¯s crest, now cracked and deformed.


    Any writing or inscription on the shield was now ineligible, except for the engravement of the fallen comrades


    Her vision went back to normal as her aunt continued her perspective, as if no time had passed since Freya had another vision.


    It was peculiar, she¡¯d never had a vision where she had not passed out and didn¡¯t have to be woken up, but here she was, upright at the dining table as if time had frozen for her to receive her vision before bringing her back as if nothing happened. No evidence that she had even had a vision, no underlying symptoms such as a headache or dizziness. What changed?


    And why?

 Chapter Six

    Freya leaned back against the rough bark of the tree, enjoying the shade it brought during this warm day of September as she ate her favourite lunch, chickpea sweet potato stew. Not that she¡¯d even call it lunch as it was the mid-afternoon, she and Georgie had seen patient after patient that day and this was the first time they had their chance to catch their breath.


    A soft breeze rustled the leaves above her as she tucked a face-framing strand of her hair behind. She was glad she¡¯d chosen to wear her hair up with a claw clip that day, letting the back of her neck be free as the heat today had decided to remind them of the earth¡¯s impending doom due to global warming.


    The skies were clear, absent of any clouds that would¡¯ve inhibited any light from shining through once in a while. Georgie sat cross-legged in front of her heaving down the chicken sandwich and french fries she¡¯d packed, it was as if she didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d have her dinner that day as well. She felt like a proud older sister watching her cousin even though they were the same age, her dark curls were pulled back in a bun at the nape of her neck with a pink scrunchie, matching with the pale pink scrubs she decided to wear that day. The sleeves of her white undershirt were rolled up to her elbows, revealing her wrist adorned with her matching apple watch.


    Her caramel eyes were focused on her food, as if afraid that if she blinked, it¡¯d be gone, especially her french fries. Freya knew better than to take Georgie¡¯s french fries, as the last time was when she first moved in with her aunt and cousin and Georgie tackled her when she picked up one fry. She remembered her eyes in a frenzy, feral even and her yelling indistinguishable words at her as Freya watched her agape.


    Perhaps a documentary or study should be considered for such a phenomenon.


    Pack members chatted as they walked passed them, many of them saying hello to her and Georgie and offering their appreciation of them helping the pack in their time of need. She was flattered, blushing and shyly looking down as hearing such praise from Meadow Stream was foreign to her, she didn¡¯t really do much yet as only a week had gone by.


    A week, this was her home pack and she still felt out of place, like a commoner amongst the ton or a lady in a gambling hell. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she was having a hard time adjusting to the pack¡¯s healthcare facilities, which she considered prehistoric compared to her Toronto practice, or being forced to revisit her past.


    The Meadow Stream Pack, although within the modern era of technology and infrastructure, still had areas of industry, architecture and agriculture that were devastated when there was still open warfare. Most streets were rehabilitated during the past fifty years, however, with limited funds as most went to the war front, many areas still remained devastated. Skeletons of what were once homes, and piles of rubble and debris cluttered a good portion of streets, damaged irrigation systems and barns were left abandoned, their fields to be used as a wasteland now as the fields were left unusable for agriculture as the soil was contaminated from munitions and chemicals.


    Before open warfare was ceased, many men were conscripted to join the trenches and soon, society was on the brink of collapse within the participating packs, especially Meadow Stream as they bordered both Land Bay and Knight. With a two-front war, most of the fighting occurred in their territory and surroundings, resembling France during the First World War.


    When cease fire occurred, Meadow Stream was left to pick up the pieces and for the past fifty years, the Alphas of Meadow Stream have slowly rehabilitated the pack. During Alpha Hugo Engstrom¡¯s reign, Vincent¡¯s grandfather, who was the first to cease fire, restored water and sanitation systems, Vincent¡¯s father began to reconstruct the schools and government buildings, and currently, Vincent is finishing what his father started while restoring the healthcare facilities.


    There was still a long way to go to keep up with the eastern packs, however, the war had to end for that to occur.


    ¡°Do we convince Hannah to change her birth plan?¡± Georgie asked, a new grad nurse who was still learning the ropes of nursing practice and didn¡¯t have much confidence in herself yet. ¡°I want to respect her wishes, but she¡¯s considered high-risk...¡± Georgie said hesitantly.


    Just as Freya previously planned, she scheduled Hannah and Christian for an appointment first as she wanted the pack to trust her. Hannah was eight weeks along and Freya knew she and Christian had a difficult time getting pregnant with Hannah¡¯s PCOS, just about giving up when Hannah fell pregnant. During the appointment, she had Georgie sit in for their consultation where Hannah expressed her desire for a home birth.


    She explained the risks with Hannah¡¯s PCOS that she was at a higher risk for experiencing complications and asked Hannah to reconsider a hospital birth, however, she didn¡¯t want to push as Hannah had the right to her wishes and decisions. Christian, on the other hand, was restless the entire time, offering Hannah some tea or volunteering to go get her favourite pregnancy cravings, pickles. His jaw was tense and he kept tapping his fingers on the back of his phone that was on his lap, trying to convince Hannah to hear Freya out.


    ¡°The best we can do is educate her so that she can make an informed decision, and offer some support and alternatives,¡± Freya said. ¡°If she pushes for the home birth, we can offer to have an ambulance on standby just in case.¡±


    She always felt uneasy when a couple came in with a high-risk pregnancy, remembering her mother¡¯s experiences and her own birth, she desperately wanted to prevent another traumatic birth from happening. A healthy mother and baby was always her goal. Sometimes she thought of herself as selfish for wanting to give in to her paternalism and tell the couple that her plan was best.


    Her job was to protect and heal, wasn¡¯t it?


    Georgie nodded, taking a sip from her can of Coke, ¡°Makes sense, I guess,¡± she then changed the topic, ¡°Why was Christian pushing for you to see Alpha Engstrom? Is there a problem with your paperwork and transfer?¡±


    Vincent.


    She still hadn¡¯t told anyone about Vincent being her fated mate, or that she even had one, she was still trying to grasp her own mind around the concept, let alone figure out what she was going to do. It was obvious Vincent had confided in his little brother about her and their ¡°predicament¡±. He¡¯s the alpha of one of the strongest packs in the Kingdom of Roscoe, and his fated mate was a wolfless werewolf, a liability.


    Of course, he¡¯d have doubts.


    ¡°No,¡± Freya said, she took a deep breath and revealed, ¡°It¡¯s because Vincent is my fated mate.¡±


    Georgie spit out her coke, luckily not on Freya, coughing as if she may have aspirated some, ¡°What?¡± she freaked out in between coughs. ¡°You have a fated mate? It¡¯s Vincent? When did this happen? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? What are you going to do? W-¡±


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    Freya stopped her cousin, ¡°I¡¯m just as shocked as you are,¡± she said, not having the heart to face her cousin, who¡¯d been her closest companion and best friend for the last nine years. It killed her not telling Georgie about Vincent, she stopped herself many times that week from telling her. She wanted her head screwed on right before telling anyone, until she figured out what to do.


    Georgie¡¯s shoulders were tense, Freya felt guilty for keeping the secret her way her bottom lip trembled a bit and her eyebrows drawn together, ¡°Wh-¡± she started, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Freya felt tears build up in her eyes, she¡¯d been an emotional rollercoaster since, often crying in her sleep from the uncertainty that came from a ¡°relationship¡± with Vincent, having a cosmic connection of a bond between them forever until the day they drew their last breath.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do,¡± she choked out, she looked Georgie in the eye, a traitor tear falling down her cheek, ¡°I don¡¯t think he w-wants me, Georgie.¡±


    ¡°Oh Freya,¡± Georgie pulled her into a hug as she sniffled in her shoulder. ¡°He¡¯d be an idiot if he didn¡¯t.¡±


    Freya pulled away, ¡°He hasn¡¯t come to see me since we found out¡­I-I think he¡¯s going to reject me,¡± she finally confessed out loud.


    Georgie shrugged, offering a small smile, ¡°Maybe he wanted to give you space, I mean, no one ever thought you had a fated mate, Freya. Maybe he¡¯s giving you the courtesy of letting you have time with the idea.¡±


    Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.


    She wasn¡¯t naive to believe she had a fated mate before, so she didn¡¯t follow the sacred practice of waiting for her fated mate against her aunt¡¯s disapproval. So she dated, had boyfriends, went to third base and beyond, she wasn¡¯t lacking in experiences in what to expect in a relationship, she knew red flags, green, and even beige ones.


    You didn¡¯t avoid someone you had a connection with.


    Especially an Alpha.


    Alphas were notorious for being protective and possessive of their fated mates, not allowing them out of their sight when they first found their fated mate as their wolf was believed to be feral until they settled down. They kept what was theirs.


    And she was not Vincent¡¯s.


    A fated mates¡¯ rejection was not taken lightly, hell, there was A Great War because of one. Rejection was either formal or informal, with the former being the most lethal to a wolf, it made sense as Agapian was known to be malicious and rejecting the one he oh so carefully curated for you was insulting.


    A formal rejection was just that, the rejector states they reject the other as their mate. This was rare as an individual¡¯s wolf could not withstand the heartbreak and had six months to live. Slowly, the body began to decay as since the person and wolf were one, the wolf saw no will to move on.


    Passive rejection, however, was more common than many cared to share, it resembled rejecting the bond without outwardly stating so, illustrated by not accepting the bond while not rejecting the bond as well. It was a grey area and debated by many, especially the younger generations who believed that they had the right to choose their own partners, not some god who took pleasure in the misery of others.


    She had no wolf, so Vincent''s rejection would only affect him more than her.


    But that didn¡¯t make it any easier than the thought of knowing you were unwanted.


    Again.


    *****


    Freya leaned back against the tree, her eyes closed trying to determine what her notes regarding her new visions meant. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that both occurred when the topic of The Great War was brought up, perhaps it had something to do with that.


    With her notebook laid in her lap, Freya thought to take the opportunity of Georgie rushing back to the practice early to organize her thoughts about her visions. Elder Monroe had indicated that Atalane wanted Freya to go back to Meadow Stream, and the visions that were shown to her meant something, she just couldn¡¯t figure out what.


    But she was chosen by Atalane to do this right?


    Did that mean she was the only one who could save them all?


    She could save Meadow Stream.


    Be the hero.


    She took a deep breath, perhaps she¡¯d follow up on this when she got home that night as she had to get back to work, her next client coming in ten minutes, a young woman with no partner who was about eight weeks along.


    She began packing up her belongings into her backpack when she heard footsteps along the pathway beside her, the ladies gossiping, however, this piece of information caught her ears.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how Delta Laursen is handling her return,¡± the first said, she recognized her voice as being one of her mother¡¯s socialite friends that she liked to plan events with, Mrs. Abrams. ¡°She couldn¡¯t handle the pressure before, you know¡­when she did¡­that thing.¡±


    Their tones were hushed, laced with a heavy weight of judgement, they were unaware of the full story, of the torture their youth had put her through, but she was the one that was blamed because she couldn¡¯t handle the pressure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Alpha Engstrom is thinking bringing her back, they can¡¯t be that desperate,¡± her friend said, ¡°The pack can¡¯t afford another PR intervention if she can¡¯t handle the pressure again.¡±


    Freya froze, tears brimming in her eyes as she couldn¡¯t believe the twisted narrative everyone supposedly had about her and what she did nine years ago. It was shameful to them, to her family, that was why they sent her away to live with her aunt.


    She committed a sin, by disrespecting the Goddess of Life and Death, Atalane.


    Her feet dragged against the ground as she speedily walked with her head down, her long hair covering her face as she tried to draw little attention to herself. She clutched the straps of her backpack, so tight that they¡¯d leave a mark on her hands, but she didn¡¯t care as her goal was to make it outside without an ¡°incident¡± as the teachers liked to call it.


    Suddenly, she was pushed against the lockers, her head slamming against the cold, hard metal before she lost her balance and fell. She didn¡¯t dare to look up as the rest of the student body snickered at her misfortune, glad that it wasn¡¯t them.


    She felt liquid come down her nose, she put her hand and saw blood. Great, she thought.


    Werewolves tended to have enhanced senses, as well as abilities such as healing, however, because she was born premature and didn¡¯t have a wolf, her healing abilities were worse than a human. Bruises lasted longer, bones healed longer, and her immune system was weaker, she always wore a mask during flu season. She had a weak constitution, as doctors liked to describe it when Natalia got so worried about her constant bedrest as a child from someone sneezing on her during the winter.


    She sighed, she didn¡¯t have any energy left in her anymore, she was but a mere punching bag to these individuals. You would think that because she was physically weaker, they¡¯d protect her, but instead, she was nothing but a wolfless liability.


    She felt herself getting dragged up by her backpack and shoved once again into the lockers, she looked up and saw Christian laughing as her own brother had his hand tightly around her neck. She gasped for air, scratching him so he¡¯d let her go, pleading him with tears in her eyes for mercy.


    ¡°Vincent asked us to show you your place,¡± Christian sneered, spitting on her.


    Her brother pushed her to the ground, landing on her left arm as he kicked her leg, she hissed in pain as the tears continued flowing down her cheeks.


    She saw her classmates walk away, laughing and snickering, calling her a weakling who should¡¯ve been kicked out of the pack when she was born. Or better yet, died. She didn¡¯t deserve to live and her wolf made a mistake sacrificing her so that Freya could have her best chance.


    Best chance, she thought bitterly.


    In time, she¡¯d be the Siege of Leningrad, her heroic suffering marked by her tormentor''s bombardment and warfare would soon end as she¡¯d had her tragic victory.

 Chapter Seven

    Lanterns hung from the tree branches, giving a warming and welcoming atmosphere as fireflies flew all around the pack members. String lights added to the homely aesthetic, some wrapped around the tree trunks to add dimension and quirk.


    Long tables were filled with dishes various pack members have brought, its different flavours of spices and herbs were a testament to the talented cooks in the pack, Freya made a mental note to track them down for the enchilada meatballs and the strawberry cheesecake recipes. Her mother would be horrified if she found out that Freya heaved down the food in an unladylike manner, however, she couldn¡¯t help herself, she began salivating the minute the aroma of Mrs Park¡¯s pork kimchi stew hit her nose.


    She was such a sucker for good food.


    Adults stood with glasses of red and white wine discussing their child¡¯s latest achievement, while young girls squealed about their upcoming twenty-first birthday and their plans to travel to find their fated mate.


    Children ran around them, one crawling between their father¡¯s legs in an attempt to hide from their peers in their game of tag, claiming that their father was the designated timeout spot. Toddlers had macaroni all over their cheeks as they¡¯ve placed it everywhere except their mouths and their mothers laughed at a comment another made as she took out a napkin to wipe the little one¡¯s face.


    Freya leaned against a tree with a plate of food in one hand as she stuffed Mrs Abrams¡¯ chicken casserole in her mouth, praising the heavens for creating such a creamy and savoury concoction. She listened as Hannah, who joined her not too long ago asked her various questions regarding her pregnancy and whether her bizarre cravings were harming her baby. She answered Hannah in between her bites, while smiling and nodding as people acknowledged her, some even stopping by while she was mid-bite to chat with her about her contributions to the pack.


    She felt like Mulan¡¯s first day of training when Mushu was giving her breakfast.


    Today was the first Full Moon Gathering of autumn, commemorating Photina, the Goddess of the Sun and Moon. She was the one that raised and set the sun and the moon, often controlling light and darkness. Many scripts have described her to be selfish and arrogant as one folk song, which werewolves know as The Rays of Photine, had suggested that because she controlled light and darkness, which are essential in the essence of every living being, that she deserved praise and esteem, as nothing would exist without her.


    Werewolves feared that she would never bring back the sun and that it¡¯ll be nighttime forever, so they celebrated her through parties in her honour and gave her gifts as a thank-you for her services. Every full moon and eclipse is celebrated in her honour.


    Packs often celebrated in various ways, the Meadow Stream Pack often held potluck gatherings whereas her aunt¡¯s pack, The Cold Stream Pack organized a hunt where any meat they found would be given to Photina.


    Freya smiled at Hannah¡¯s enthusiasm and excitement as she chatted about potential baby names, apparently when she ran a poll with her favourites, Hans was winning for boys and Edith and Runa were tied for a girl, she wanted Freya to be the tiebreaker.


    Hannah rubbed her belly, her smile gone, ¡°Freya, I-¡± she stopped herself, taking a deep breath as she stared down at her growing belly, she met Freya¡¯s eyes once again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She stood still, her mouth open as she was just about the devour the garlic bread in her hand, a family of flies could¡¯ve taken residence there for her frozen state. She didn¡¯t know how to feel, she felt somewhat numb, was this genuine, did they actually feel remorse or were they just grateful for her help despite their history with her?


    Georgie said to give the benefit of the doubt, just as she said with Vincent. Perhaps it¡¯d be fair if she gave Hannah the same courtesy.


    Hannah continued, tears building up in her eyes, she quickly blinked as a couple of traitor tears fell down her cheek. Freya quickly looked around her, not wanting people to assume she made the beloved Beta Female cry. Hannah fanned herself, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the hormones are making me so emotional.¡± she sniffled, ¡°I was a horrible friend to you, you didn¡¯t deserve what I did, I was caught up in being popular and having a fated mate that I never considered your feelings. You were the one that always stuck by me and I did something horrible to repay you. It took not having you around to realize what I did. I want us to be friends again, I really miss you,¡± she put her hand on Freya¡¯s shoulder, she sighed before frowning, ¡°But I would understand if you don¡¯t forgive me.¡±


    She was touched, tears forming in her own eyes, she never expected an apology from anyone, coming to terms with the idea a long time ago that people couldn¡¯t change. Was she wrong?


    She vividly remembered when Hannah chose Christian over her, letting Christian torment her while she stood back and did nothing.


    But she also remembered when she and Hannah snuck out of the house during their sleepover to head to the lake for a fun midnight picnic, or when they cut school to watch the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie. Or when they tried to summon spirits with an Ouija board and both of them had nightmares for a month, believing that the ghost of the rejected mate, Johanna was trying to haunt them.


    She put down her garlic bread before wiping her hand on her jeans, grabbing Hannah¡¯s and doing their secret handshake, the simple, unoriginal pinky swear. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.


    She didn¡¯t know if they could ever be friends again, but this was a start.


    Hannah beamed, ¡°Freya, you¡¯re so much better than us, you came back when you had every right not to.¡±


    Freya shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not about me.¡±


    ¡°I know Christian woul-¡±


    Hannah stopped mid-sentence at the sound of Natalia¡¯s voice nearby, mentioning Freya by name.


    ¡°I¡¯m really happy to see her doing well,¡± her sister commented, Freya slowly backed closer to hear, using the tree she leaned on to hide her as she watched her sister. Hannah¡¯s brows furrowed as she had a clearer view of what was happening given her werewolf sight and hearing.


    She was only able to catch snippets of the conversation, Natalia¡¯s voice hushed as she discussed Freya with Mrs Abrams, ¡°...she¡¯s always been sensitive, even as a child¡­¡± Her sister flipped her dark long locks, ¡°---heartbreaking when she did what she did¡­don¡¯t know if she could handle the pressure of this job¡­¡±


    Mrs Abrams sighs, ¡°...I couldn¡¯t imagine what you¡¯re going through¡­you¡¯ve done so much for that child¡­


    Her heart sank at her sister¡¯s words, it was obvious she meant what she said with the disdain and condescension palpable in her voice. Freya¡¯s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, it stung that Natalia thought so little of her, her fists clenched, her jaw tensed, her heartbeat quickened, she debated whether she¡¯d turn the other cheek or confront her sister.


    Yes, Natalia did watch her growing up when their mother was off at galas and brunches with the other Delta wives, but she had no idea what Freya went through, passing it off as ¡°mere teasing¡± and that ¡°she was too sensitive¡±, and that ¡°she couldn¡¯t take a joke¡±.


    Hannah rolled her eyes, ¡°She acts so holier than thou,¡± she mumbled, ¡°Ever since she took over the orphanage, it¡¯s so annoying.¡± Hannah turned her attention to Freya, squeezing her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her.¡±


    Freya smiled back, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes, she pulled her hand away from Hannah¡¯s, ¡°I-I just need some air.¡±


    She threw out her leftovers in the closest garbage bin and headed to where there were no pack members. Many of them greeted her, she smiled back but her lips trembled as she scurried through the grass, heading to St. Mary Lake, she always went there when she was young and wanted to be alone for a while, luckily it was near where the Full Moon Gathering was being held.


    She sat on the picnic table, looking ahead at the serenity of the water as it gently flowed and rippled, reflecting the moonlight and the surrounding stars, the mountains, and the trees. The sky held shades of navy that blended harmoniously together just as watercolour paint tended to do, the stars sparkled brightly, its bright light contrasting against the muted tone of the upper atmosphere. The moon resembled a pearl that night, she was fortunate to have seen Photina¡¯s effort in creating a nocturnal beauty, a quiet semblance of the reason for the gathering tonight.


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    A light, cool breeze flowed through, slightly swinging the lanterns hung along the tree branches and the string lights. She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, sniffling as the tears began to pour down her cheeks. She felt foolish for being upset at Natalia¡¯s comments, she was twenty-six years old and crying like the child she¡¯d been nine years ago.


    She was weak back then and was only foolish enough to believe she¡¯d moved past everything.


    She jolted at the sound of a crack behind her, her shoulders tensed up and her breathing constricted, her bottom lip trembled and her heartbeat became tachy, she froze like a deer in headlights. She prayed to Atalane that it was just a deer passing by and not some rogue.


    ¡°Freya,¡± the voice said, she shivered at the raspy and baritone voice, it sent tingles down her back and allowed her shoulders to relax. There was only one person who would ever have that effect.


    Vincent Engstrom.


    He appeared in front of her, giving Freya a premium front-row seat to his toned physique, the curves of his abdomen and chest highlighted and contrasted against the slim, dark-toned dress-shirt he wore. She gulped, cursing herself for ogling Vincent Engstrom. He leaned down, the scent of his rosewood cologne filling her nose, she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in, all the muscles that were once tense in her body relaxing, as if she had just finished getting a full body massage. The knots in her neck disappeared, the beat of her heart steadied, and her breathing regular, normal. The air moved in and out of her smoothly, and peacefully.


    His scent reminded her of snowfall in the northern forests.


    He placed the lantern he was holding in his hands beside her, his cheek brushing against hers as he whispered in her ear, the rumble in his chest as he spoke, brushing the tears from her cheek with his rough, large hands, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go off on your own, it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, her brain and mouth refused to communicate with each other, ¡°I-¡± she managed to stutter out.


    This man was her fated mate.


    What the hell was she supposed to say?!


    The light emitting from the lantern did a splendid job highlighting the the curves of his features, his square jawline sharp, the prominent brow bones making his hooded eyes more mysterious, mystifying even. His blond fringes were under the light, creating more contrast to his face, she knew if he smiled, she¡¯d be blessed with the dimples that adorned his gorgeous face, even though her feelings for him were conflicting, she knew when to appreciate an aesthetically pleasing face.


    ¡°We need to talk,¡± he said, pulling away from her, his hands now in the pocket of his dark jeans. Oh boy, this was it, this was what she was waiting for, an answer to the undetermined and unknown future they would have.


    Their future together would be decided at this very instant.


    And Freya didn¡¯t know if she wanted an answer.


    She stood up, facing him however, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look into his crystal eyes. This was Vincent Engstrom, the man that caused all her misery, he was meant to be her fated mate however, judging by both their behaviours, it was obvious they were not ready for such a phenomenon.


    Agapian was cruel.


    ¡°We are fated mates,¡± he started.


    She nodded, wringing her hands as she waited to hear his judgement of the situation. This could not be taken lightly as other fated mates pairing, Vincent was an Alpha, the Alpha of one of the largest packs in the kingdom, known for its superior diplomatic strategy, often on the advisory committee when the Royal Pack of Roscoe needed council for diplomatic situations.


    His fated mate needed to be just as exquisite.


    The silence between them was deafening, the only stimulation to the ear coming from the soft waves of the lake as another breeze came through.


    After a while, Freya took a deep breath before asking, ¡°What are you waiting for? Aren¡¯t you g-going to reject me?¡±


    Suddenly, Freya felt a hand on her chin, roughly bringing her face up to force her to meet his eyes. His once-blue eyes that resembled snowflakes of the Arctic Circle disappeared into darkness, a sign that Vincent¡¯s wolf wanted to make an appearance.


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± he growled. ¡°It¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¡°I have no wolf,¡± she said, her voice steady, ¡°I can¡¯t die if you do.¡±


    ¡°My wolf wants you,¡± he said, ¡°This pack needs you, as the rightful Alpha Female.¡±


    Wait what?


    He let her go, running a hand through his blonde locks, his jaw clenched, ¡°With tensions rising at both sides of our border, I¡¯ve determined that we need to best ensure the stability and safety of our people.¡± His icy eyes meet hers, devoid of any emotion or feeling, blank. ¡°Accept each other as fated mates to benefit the pack¡¯s political standing. This union would demonstrate unity and strength to our allies and adversaries, challenging potential threats and solidifying alliances.¡±


    ¡°A political union,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he said. ¡°This union needs to happen, Freya, for the sake of the pack, it needs stability and it¡¯s my duty to maintain order and unity, our people come first.¡±


    ¡°What about us?¡±


    ¡°What about us?¡± he said, ¡°There¡¯s no us,¡± gesturing between the two of them. ¡°You of all people should jump at the joy of wanting nothing emotional with me.¡± He finished with, ¡°Emotion cloud judgement, it¡¯s best to not involve them.¡±


    He should be right if she was thinking rationally, but she lived life with her heart on her sleeve. Her mind and heart were in conflict, she should be jumping for joy for him offering a way out, he was Alpha Vincent Engstrom, the man who was the root of her misery and torment.


    But he was also Vincent Engstrom, her handsome fated mate.


    But he didn¡¯t want her, didn¡¯t he?


    ¡°You want me to settle for a loveless union?¡±


    He growled in frustration, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to settle, I¡¯m asking you to consider fulfilling your political obligation, and understand the importance of our roles as leaders of our pack. This union was created by the almighty god himself, who we all know is laughing on his ass about this cruel pairing.¡±


    His proposal reminded her of the union between Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, who initiated confederation that allowed the unification of two kingdoms to create Spain. Since then, Spain had become a significant political power in international relations.


    She nodded, she had a duty as the pack¡¯s midwife to see to the wellbeing of expecting mothers and couples, now she had a duty for leading the pack, didn¡¯t she? Her purpose both Atalane and Agapian set out for her.


    His words offered a semblance of reassurance to his acknowledgement of her worthiness as his fated mate since he made the offer. However, deep down, she knew she was but a mere pawn to a political game, yet, she¡¯ll play the part, striving to prove her worthiness beyond a pawn, but as a queen.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°I accept.¡±


    *****


    Christian stood in front of the large gathering with Vincent beside him, the two brothers were large and tall, emitting power and dominance. The pack members chatted, whispering different reasons as to why the alpha and beta wanted to make an announcement. Some claimed that Vincent wanted to step down as alpha temporarily to travel to find his fated mate, while others believed that they were creating a new policy that helped the small business owners of the pack.


    Freya noticed Vincent¡¯s gaze on her, his expression hard and void. Was Vincent announcing her as his fated mate? Already? She wasn¡¯t prepared for this, surely they would discuss some sort of plan before announcing it to the pack.


    She turned her attention to Christian, whose own expression was stern with the way his jaw clenched and his eyes cold. Perhaps it was likely to do with the rumours regarding the tension at the border.


    ¡°Pack members,¡± Vincent¡¯s voice boomed, the crowd instantly went silent. ¡°As you may have known, there has been suspicion that the Land Bay Pack has been sending rogues our way, threatening the safety of our pack and violating the cease-fire declaration that was made in 1974.¡±


    Pack members mumbled, some fearing that once again, the three packs would engage in open warfare again, just as the Meadow Stream Pack was on its way to its former glory.


    Freya¡¯s head felt light, her vision became blurry, she knew what was about to come and steadied herself by placing her hand on the tree beside her.


    She stood in a field of white poppies, however, the air around her was thick, warm, it was difficult to breathe. Her chest struggled to expand, she was coughing, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes as she fell to her knees, her hands burning from the heat of the grass and stinging as they touched the petals of the poppies. She looked up, black smoke in the distance, shooting up to the sky that made the once white cloud poisoned by the flames brewing in the distance.


    She could hear children crying and soldiers shouting orders to abandon their cause, and mothers desperately shouting out to their little ones to follow their voice, as the smoke was too thick to see through.


    She covered her ears, as the shrieks and the screams that came from a distance will forever be burned into her mind.


    She blinked, her vision going back to normal as her attention made its way to Vincent, once again, it was as if no time had passed by from her vision, and she was still conscious as well. It was triggered by¡­oh god no.


    ¡°It has been decided through the council,¡± Vincent continued, ¡°That we, The Meadow Stream Pack, will retaliate with force, to show Land Bay that we are unstoppable, bound by loyalty and fueled by the fire of our ancestors! We will wage war once again under the moon¡¯s watchful eye and come out victorious!¡±


    Pack members cheered, embracing the nationalism they had for their pack, chanting ¡°Meadow Stream¡±.


    Open warfare has been declared once again.

 Chapter Eight

    ¡°You are forbidden from having any other romantic partners,¡± he declared.


    Vincent¡¯s office was simple, minimalistic even, the walls were black and his scent dominated the room, she couldn¡¯t help but take in a deep breath when she walked in, her tense muscles relaxing at the woodsy aroma. She determined that his office matched his character, rigid and dark, the dark wood of his desk had a matching bookshelf that laid perpendicular, the only sense of lightness coming from the beige rug, the only colours coming from the full-length windows that showcased the outside.


    Freya crossed her arms and leaned back against her chair as she crossed her right leg over her left, her eyebrows raised as she asked, ¡°And does this apply to you as well?¡±


    The nerve of this man to even consider bringing this up as if Freya was some harlot.


    He stared back at her, his expression void of any emotions, not even a hint of frustration for her question, stone-cold was what reflected back. ¡°Of course, it would be improper.¡±


    Of course, that was his answer.


    Prim and proper Vincent, the perpetrator of order, this trait of his was the reason for his disdain for her in their youth as her mere existence went against the principles of the werewolf community. She was a nonconformist in his eyes, she assumed, the free spirit, flower child when she was merely just living her life.


    He had proposed spending their lunch hour establishing the rules and boundaries for their relationship, to make it clear to one another what was expected, she felt like she was negotiating a business contract. So far:


    Both must commit to the welfare of the pack, fair enough, it was their duty as the Alphas.


    Both must respect one another¡¯s boundaries and autonomy. When asked for elaboration, Vincent declared that it merely meant they were entitled to their privacy and space, as if they were roommates.


    Both must remain professional and respectful conduct in public and private, this includes no open conflict that potentially undermines their authority and establishes tension within the pack.


    Both must engage in decision-making.


    And lastly¡­


    Both must maintain a united public front, the mere reason for this relationship in the first place. The leaders of a pack must be unified to maintain stability and order within the pack.


    Politically, it was crucial for an Alpha to have his fated mate or Alpha Female as it strengthened the sense of duty and responsibility a leader had for their pack. Packs needed a ruling couple to signify unity and bond, perpetuating the ideal notions of devotion, loyalty and partnership, ultimately motivating others to strengthen their own bonds with their fated mates and other pack members.


    The Meadow Stream Pack hadn¡¯t had an Alpha Female since Vincent¡¯s mother passed away almost two decades ago and his grandfather had ruled alone when Meadow Stream had no Alpha since Vincent¡¯s grandmother was ill. The pack needed one, especially now during dire and uncertain times.


    An alpha couple strengthened leadership and authority within the pack, they maintained order and emphasized the existing social order. That and it signified the certainty of a pack¡¯s future through a potential heir.


    They haven¡¯t gotten to that part yet of their relations yet.


    Vincent took a sip of his coffee, Freya couldn¡¯t help but notice how incredibly handsome he looked today, she thought the light grey dress shirt he wore complimented his eyes, bringing out the shades of grey as well as its form-fitting cut that enhanced his toneness.


    She played with her pearl earrings, she constantly wrestled with her emotions. Vincent was her fated mate, but he was also the reason she was miserable growing up. Would Young Freya be ashamed of her?


    She always thought that she¡¯d move away from the pack and join the human world as she was essentially one of them, cutting off all contact she had with the werewolf community, like a grown child going no contact with their toxic or narcissistic family. She used to dream of a future where she¡¯d meet a nice human guy, get married and have the family she always wanted, keeping them all away from the life she once knew, it was the only certain future she believed herself to have anyway.


    Because she never even thought she¡¯d have a fated mate.


    And now, here she was, back in the place she never wanted to be in again, in the community that once shunned her for being not like them, even though it was of no fault of her own or anyone else¡¯s. Her past and future were in conflict and it was up to her present to make sense of it all.


    But she was just Freya Laursen, she wasn¡¯t meant to be anything or anyone significant.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine pack members looking to her for guidance with full confidence and admiration in their eyes, no matter how much she yearned for such approval. She was a fraud, suffocated by blankets by the mere thought of their weighted expectations on her.


    She didn¡¯t choose any of this.


    Fate had decided that Freya would have her gift, it was fate that decided she was meant to come back to Meadow Stream, and it was fate that made Vincent her fated. It was the force that led to a myriad of events that created such a juxtaposition she was in right now.


    It was fate that decided she was the hero.


    Atalane, Elder Monroe, her visions, they were all signs.


    Be the hero.


    That was her role, wasn¡¯t it? She had to swallow her cowardness and suck it up, she¡¯s meant to save everyone and she couldn¡¯t do that if she was crying in a corner. Vincent accepted her as Alpha Female, and she had to prove to him that it was not a mistake or just for convenience since she was his fated mate.


    Honour and duty, that¡¯s what was entailed in such a role.


    And she must uphold such values to fulfill her obligations, didn¡¯t she?


    Vincent leaned back, his head tilted as he studied her, his gaze burning into her as if analyzing her, she noticed his eyes kept going back and forth between blue and black. He was having a battle with himself as well. Blue had won as Vincent said, ¡°We must also disclose any confidential matter to one another.¡±


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    She was taken aback, her eyebrows rose as she demanded, ¡°Why?!¡±


    The nerve, she barely knew him, did he really expect her to trust him just because they were ¡°fated mates¡±?


    No one other than her cousin, aunt, and the Cold Stream Pack Elders knew about her powers, they were unstable and could be taken advantage of, it was why many sorcerers and sorceresses rarely made contact with anyone outside of one of their own.


    She didn¡¯t trust him.


    His forehead scrunched up as his own brows drew together, ¡°What do you mean why? We¡¯re in a partnership with one another and must remain transparent.¡±


    Her nose twitched as she clenched her fists, ¡°Trust goes both ways, you can¡¯t expect me to be open and honest with you if you haven¡¯t earned that trust, especially when my secrets are none of your concern.¡±


    His lip twitches, ¡°None of my concern?! We are partners, alphas, we have a duty to this pack and if you continue to hold information from me then how can I trust you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about control, I can¡¯t risk you having something to use to have hold over me, so you can manipulate me for your own agenda.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous.¡± He growled, roughly running a hand, tousling his blonde hair, ¡°You agreed to uphold your duty as the future Alpha Female and that means being honest with me. You can¡¯t maintain a proper partnership if-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not just partners,¡± her eyes brimmed with tears, she couldn¡¯t control what she was saying or figure out why she was so triggered, it was as if her primitive desire for a fated mate had taken over, ¡°We are fated mates.¡±


    He slammed his fist into the desk, the wood cracking, she jumped back as she could¡¯ve sworn his eyes softened at her reaction.


    ¡°I made my intentions clear from the beginning, this is merely political, I only asked you to fulfill your obligations as the rightful Alpha Female. I have told you before to not expect anything more when you agreed, the only relations we would have is when it¡¯s time for an heir.¡± His eyes stared at her, cold, ¡°Understood?¡±


    King Henry VII married Elizabeth of York in 1486 to unite the Houses of York and Lancaster, however, Henry already made the opinion that the marriage was a horrible idea before meeting his bride-to-be. He feared for his throne, worried that Elizabeth may claim it as rightfully hers so before their union, he made sure he was crowned king.


    But fate had other plans.


    Considered a beauty, Elizabeth ended up winning Henry over and the two ended up living out their happily ever after.


    It was even suggested that throughout their marriage, the two would exchange gifts for one another.


    She gulped, steadying her voice, ¡°Understood.¡±


    *****


    Ehsan Abbasi was an all-around nice guy, even while Freya was growing up no one ever picked on her when he was around. She remembered one time when her brother pushed her into the mud, Ehsan was there to help her up while berating her brother for his cruel treatment of her. Growing up with four younger sisters, it was no wonder he knew what to do when she was upset.


    She could never understand why he was Vincent¡¯s best friend.


    Suppose there was some truth in opposites attracting given their polarizing attributes. The Head Warrior of the 1st division was tall and large, having an athletic and more muscular and bulkier build compared to Vincent. The best friends were quite opposing with Ehsan¡¯s darker colouring and softer features compared to Vincent¡¯s lighter and sharper ones.


    That didn¡¯t mean Freya didn¡¯t enjoy Vincent¡¯s features.


    Not that she was paying attention.


    ¡°Look at you Freya, all grown up,¡± he said, pulling her into a hug, he pulled away before patting her shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡±


    Freya smiled, ignoring Vincent¡¯s burning stare, ¡°I missed you, Ehsan, it¡¯s great to see you again. How¡¯s your family?¡±


    ¡°My sisters are still causing trouble,¡± he said, ¡°The twins are in university now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really nice to hear,¡± she said, ¡°So much time has gone by, hasn¡¯t it? It feels like just yesterday I was babysitting them and they were trying to convince me they had twin telepathy and kept slapping each other to see if they felt it,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Time does move fast when you¡¯re not here,¡± Vincent commented, taking a jab at her.


    ¡°Vincent,¡± Christian warned, but he backed down when Freya gave him a soft smile to let him know it was fine. ¡°Let¡¯s start this meeting.¡±


    Christian leaned against the bookshelf, holding a rolled up paper as Ehsan took a seat on top of Vincent¡¯s desk, earning a glare from Vincent but he laughed it off, calling Vincent, ¡°Uptight twinkle toes.¡±


    Freya couldn¡¯t bring herself to meet Vincent¡¯s eyes after she almost lost control of her emotions some time before, she was only still there because she was expected in the meeting with the Belta and Head Warrior of the 1st Division.


    It was nice to see Ehsan again, he and his family were always kind to her when she babysat for them. She earned extra money and Ehsan let her stay for dinner a couple of times, it was no wonder Ehsan turned out the way he did with the warm and loving family he had. It made going back home after those nights so much more colder.


    ¡°As the future Alpha Female, Freya,¡± Christian started, ¡°It¡¯s imperative you begin participating in these meetings, especially with recent events.¡±


    Freya nodded, it was obvious she had to start training for her role, however, it would be difficult since she didn¡¯t have a mentor, the former Alpha Female to guide her. However, she was up to the challenge, she¡¯ll figure it out.


    Even though historically, the Alpha Female role was only in name, she had no formal role in the pack as an Alpha or Beta would have, however, they do since have an active presence in the lives of pack members. Their main role is essentially to take care of the welfare of the pack, it was very vague and could be interpreted differently. In Meadow Stream, the Alpha Female historically worked alongside the Alpha, taking some of the load off the Alpha as the two collaborated and worked together to ensure the welfare of the pack.


    It was why Freya had to begin her studies in politics, foreign affairs and economics if she was going to lead beside Vincent.


    ¡°As you know,¡± Christian began, ¡°We¡¯ve declared open warfare with the Land Bay Pack for violating the cease-fire declaration of ¡®74.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that create tensions for you with our allies? Land Bay hasn¡¯t formally declared open warfare against you, it would appear as if you were provoking them,¡± she chimed in, saying out loud what she heard other pack members had been saying.


    ¡°We,¡± Vincent emphasized, ¡°have intell that it was in fact Land Bay sending the rogues to our borders, however, what wasn¡¯t revealed to the public is their accusation of Meadow Stream kidnapping their pack members. Of course, they¡¯re untrue and I¡¯ve requested a formal meeting with Alpha Landvik to discuss the matter civilly,¡± he shrugged, ¡°However, my request has been denied.¡±


    ¡°Part of the reason could be because they¡¯re still dealing with the aftermath of the civil war and coup d''¨¦tat,¡± Christian said, ¡°It¡¯s quite possible that all this could be remnants of the dictatorship of the former Alpha of Land Bay.¡±


    With Freya¡¯s confusion, Ehsan elaborated, ¡°Considering you¡¯ve been residing in the Kingdom of Neros for almost a decade, it¡¯s natural you¡¯re not familiar with the current happenings of the Kingdom of Roscoe. The Land Bay Pack had been under an authoritarian rule and recently, an uprising emerged, the former Alpha Landvik was executed and his son, Sebastian was declared Alpha.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re vulnerable,¡± Freya stated, ¡°Why would they instigate if they just had a civil war and reorganizing their pack?¡±


    It was like Russia entering a civil war following WWI.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, unfortunately,¡± Vincent declared, ¡°And to be frank, I don¡¯t care, my only concern is the wellbeing of my own pack and if its safety is being threatened, that is not something I will take lightly.¡±


    ¡°That brings us to our next point of discussion,¡± Christian said, coming to Vincent¡¯s desk to lay out the paper, it was a map of the Kingdom of Roscoe where Meadow Stream was marked in red, Land Bay was marked in blue to the west and¡­


    Knight marked in green to the northeast?


    ¡°Wait, why is the Knight Pack marked?¡±


    Vincent looked at Freya in the eyes, it was the only time Freya had witnessed some sort of fire in them as he said, ¡°Because we will strike against them as well.¡±

 Chapter Nine

    The clear blue sky was void of any clouds, the sun shined brightly as a light cool summer breeze came through, rustling the leaves of the trees that surrounded the lake. A lone leaf floated along the water, making its way towards the twin cranes that elegantly stood, whose shadows danced along the surface of the water.


    Their slow steps were deliberate, gliding through the water, causing a cascade of ripples against the serene current of the water. They were the epitome of poise and precision with their grace, their sleek feathers pristine, shimmering as if golden glitter was sprinkled on them.


    They stretched their wings out, preparing to take flight, their elongated necks stretched out, when suddenly, a shot could be heard from a distance and the cranes took off.


    She watched as hunters rustled out of the forest, making an appearance, one had a gun and another had a bow and arrow. They were covered in camouflage, dirt all over their faces. The one with the bow and arrow aimed for the crane, his body still, and breath steady, he released the arrow and it hit one crane as the other tried to get away.


    The targeted crane¡¯s beautiful feathers were now stained with dark red, seeping out as the crane fell into the water. Their eyes closed as they made the impact, the arrow still inside them, as if it had taken over its being with its threat. What was once peaceful and calm, was now a bloody warfare.


    Freya blinked multiple times to regain her focus, no time once again had passed by since Vincent had revealed the plan to strike the Knight Pack as well. She made a mental note to add this new vision to her notebook, perhaps it would help her decipher their meaning with this one, she couldn¡¯t for the life of her figure out their meaning and their connection to the war.


    Her first vision was the easiest, it was about the three wolves, it made sense that they signified the three packs, Meadow Stream, Knight, and Land Bay. The others, she had no idea, perhaps later that day she¡¯ll arrange them in different orders to attempt to make sense of them all.


    Sunlight beamed through the large windows, she thought it hit Vincent¡¯s face perfectly, highlighting the sharp curves of his square jaw, the shadows created by the brow bones and hooded eyes made his eyes more mysterious, creating contrast against the icy specks of his iris.


    She desperately wanted to run her fingers through his blonde locks, freeing them from their restricting form of being slicked back, letting some of the strands fall forward, like how they were when they were at St Mary Lake. She wanted to be in his strong arms, her ear on his chest as she listened to his steady and strong heartbeat, his woodsy scent the only thing in her mind.


    Her mind and heart were playing tricks on her.


    ¡°Why are you attacking Knight?¡± Freya asked, clearing her throat, wanting to forget about the images of Vincent she had in her mind.


    The Alpha smirked, taking delight in his devilish motives that were unbeknownst to her, ¡°One must remain opportunistic if one wants to assert their dominance.¡±


    Christian explained, ¡°Knight is still a threat, we can¡¯t risk turning our backs for a second knowing how dishonourable they are.¡±


    Both Vincent and Ehsan nodded in agreement.


    They were referring to the Battle of Abruzzi.


    ¡°Now,¡± Ehsan changed the subject, ¡°Your coronation.¡±


    ¡°So when are you thinking of informing the pack?¡± she asked.


    Christian rubbed the back of his neck, looking to Vincent as Ehsan¡¯s lips thinned. Vincent rolled his eyes at them before telling her, ¡°We will be holding off on informing the pack.¡±


    Freya shot up, the chair almost tipping back as her nose twitched, her body heated and she had her fists clenched at her side. ¡°Holding off?! The whole point of this freaking agreement was that you needed an Alpha Female and now you refuse to inform the pack that you have one?!¡±


    Ehsan attempted to calm her down by placing a hand on her shoulder but she slapped it away, her teeth grinding against each other, anger and frustration flowed through her, the blood in her veins replaced with lava as she felt the urge to strangle the Alpha.


    Vincent stared back at her blankly, ¡°Stop throwing a temper tantrum.¡±


    ¡°Temper tantrum?!¡±


    Christian shook his head in disappointment, ¡°You know nothing about women.¡±


    His icy eyes were replaced with black, ¡°Silence,¡± he commanded. ¡°Just listen.¡±


    Freya crossed her arms, glaring at him, the nerve to use his wolf against her.


    ¡°Yeah, he clearly knows nothing about women,¡± his brother muttered to Ehsan.


    Vincent shot his brother a glare before returning his attention to Freya, ¡°Revealing you as Alpha Female will be held off, Freya, it must be done strategically. We¡¯ve just declared open warfare, if your true identity is revealed, then you will be in danger and the pack will be vulnerable. It would jeopardize what we¡¯re striving for in this union.¡±


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    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Freya started, her voice quiet, ¡°You¡¯re worried about me?¡±


    ¡°Oh course I¡¯m worried about you,¡± he snapped. ¡°I¡¯m obligated to keep you safe.¡±


    Obligation.


    He continued, ¡°We need to proceed strategically, your father is a Delta and has made it clear to be anti-war, he has a following as well, Freya.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t risk you being taken advantage of,¡± Ehsan said.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about your authority being challenged,¡± Freya stated.


    ¡°After the impact an uprising had created in Land Bay, we can¡¯t risk that here, we need to remain a united front and that starts with holding off on your reveal, understood?¡±


    Freya nodded, unsure whether her father was capable of leading such a thing. He was correct that her father had made his anti-war opinions vocal, it didn¡¯t help that Jonathan was a Head Warrior, they had sway in the pack, what Vincent was insinuating was not a baseless assumption.


    ¡°That about covers everything required to be discussed today, you are all dismissed,¡± Vincent said.


    Freya nodded again, turning away but not before stealing one last glance at her fated mate, wishing for him to see her out, give her any indication of something. She looked away in disappointment and headed to the door where Ehsan was waiting for her, he patted her shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡±


    She did a double take, ¡°What? You¡¯re joining us?¡± referring to her aunt, cousin, and her.


    His brows drew together in confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t Georgie tell you?¡± he asked, when Freya mirrored his expression he revealed, ¡°We¡¯re fated mates.¡±


    *****


    Freya sat at her desk, deciding earlier to stay late at her office to have a few moments to herself to think things through and possibly decipher what her visions meant. She lit a lavender candle beside her computer, letting the tranquil scent fill the room as she leaned her head back, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.


    So far, her visions were of the three wolves, a shield covered in blood, poppies burning, and a crane shot by an arrow. What did they mean individually?


    She interpreted the wolves climbing up the mountain so far to be the three packs at war, however, she wasn¡¯t sure what the mountain symbolized. Perhaps the increasing tensions that recently came about.


    The bloody shield? It was obvious it meant war and bloodshed, it was consistent with the past, however, what did it mean for the present and future? If she could figure out the correct order of the visions, then she could determine if the shield was a representation of the past or not.


    The poppies burning, she recalled when Georgie had given her pressed poppies as a graduation gift, she explained to Freya that it was a symbol of peace, wanting her to have something physical to remind Freya of her journey in healing her inner child, as her aunt put it.


    They were also an emblem that was first produced to commemorate the victims of WWI, where members of the Co-operative Women¡¯s Guild first produced it in 1933, as a reminder that ¡°never again¡± will something so horrific happen again after losing their family and friends.


    Clearly, it meant that peace was burning into ashes.


    The fallen crane, when she watched it happen, she felt like someone was stabbing her in the chest, and twisting the knife in her. The crane was simply enjoying the amity of the lake and the forest, lively in the harmony nature provided before it was taken away from it. The crane fell to its death, tainted by the threat of the arrow, and the other crane lost a friend.


    She rearranged their order in her mind, it made sense to have the wolves first, followed by the crane, then the poppies, however, whether the blood shield was last or first, she could not determine.


    Before she was able to write down her interpretations, the door slammed open, making Freya jump as she looked at the intruder who dared interrupt her private time.


    Her cousin smiled sheepishly, mumbling a sorry as she yelled, ¡°Freya!¡± Her curls bounced as she jumped up and down, ¡°Guess who¡¯s coming for dinner?!¡±


    Freya leaned back in her chair, smiling, ¡°Ehsan?¡±


    Georgie stopped jumping, her face fell, ¡°You knew?¡±


    Freya nodded, ¡°He told me.¡± She sighed before asking, ¡°How come you didn¡¯t tell me?¡±


    She was hurt that she had to hear it from someone else, she thought she and Georgie were closer than that.


    ¡°We thought it would be too much for you, you know, with everything going on with Vincent?¡± she said, however, she couldn¡¯t meet Freya¡¯s eyes, her gaze darted to the notebook on her desk, her posture was stiff suddenly and her lips thinned, she cleared her throat and forced out a smile, ¡°Is that your vision notebook?¡±


    It was odd of Georgie to change the subject from such a milestone in her life, she had been waiting for years to find her fated mate, staying up many times with Freya daydreaming about what he¡¯d be like and the things they¡¯d do together. She already had a Pinterest board of their future wedding, and a list of names on her phone of what she would name their children. She was there when Georgie would cry about not having found her fated mate, and the times she cried about her father not being able to meet him and see her get married.


    Why didn¡¯t she want to talk about it now that she had gotten everything she ever wanted?


    Freya let it slide for now, ¡°Yeah, it is, I was just trying to make sense of what I¡¯ve been seeing.¡± She clutched the notebook to her chest, ¡°Georgie, I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re about the war, something bad is going to happen.¡±


    Her cousin¡¯s eyebrows drew together as she made her way to her desk, Freya laid her notebook open and Georgie hovered over her shoulder to read Freya¡¯s notes, mumbling Freya¡¯s interpretations as she read. ¡°Are you sure?¡± When Freya nodded, she followed with, ¡°Then what do we do?¡±


    Be the hero.


    Before Freya could answer, there was a knock on her door, both cousins looked at the entryway to find Christian leaning against the frame, holding Freya¡¯s keys, she knew it was hers because she painted her apartment keys pink so she¡¯d known which one it was.


    ¡°Thank you, Beta Engstrom,¡± Freya said as he gave her the keys.


    ¡°You can call me Christian, Freya,¡± he acknowledged Georgie with a smile and nod. He started to leave, but stopped and turned around, he said nothing at first, then hesitantly said, ¡°You know Freya, I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but I think you¡¯re on to something.¡±


    She and Georgie stared at him, he overheard them, did he know about her powers? Her visions? Was he going to rat her out to Vincent?


    He put his hands up in surrender, ¡°You¡¯re entitled to your secrets, I won¡¯t ask how you know what you know, but please let me help.¡±


    Georgie crossed her arms, raised a brow and squinted her eyes as if analyzing him, ¡°And why should we?¡±


    ¡°Because my grandmother mumbled about the same things.¡±