Chapter 18 Confrontation
+8 Points)
Chapter 18: Confrontations and Commands
Chapter 18: Confrontations and Commands
(Freya’s POV)
Aaron’s golden wolf eyes pinned me as I stood in his office. The displeasure was clear, even in the way he tapped his fingers on the desk. His gaze had a weight that made my chest tighten. Bella stirred uneasily inside me, but she stayed quiet for once.
I couldn’t stop thinking about seeing him with Caroline earlier. Her presence had put me on edge, even though she wasn’t here now. Where had she gone?
I wasn’t sure why my thoughts wandered there, but Aaron’s sharp knock on the desk had me jolting like a startled rabbit. His voice broke through the fog clouding my mind.
“The territory report, Luna?” he asked, his tone clipped and stern. His gaze didn’t waver, and my wolf bristled faintly at the perceived challenge.
“Of course, Alpha,” I replied quickly, forcing composure.
I dove into my Luna duty report, focusing on the quarterly updates for the pack’s finances and territory
status. Every few minutes, my words faltered under the pressure of his steady gaze. His golden eyes glinted
now and then–a warning sign when his wolf was near the surface.
He said nothing throughout the report, though his expression remained stoic. It was unnerving, as it always was around him like this. This wasn’t the boy I’d grown up with. This was the Alpha King, detached and
intimidating.
If he had seen my message about the cub, there was no sign of it. Not even the flicker of recognition in nis
gaze.
As the meeting drew to a close, Aaron shifted ever so slightly, hinting at dismissal. But before either of us could move, Daniel’s voice broke the silence like thunder.
“Luna Freya,” Daniel said smoothly, “shall I pick you up tomorrow for lunch? We can continue discussing the territory negotiations.”
I froze. My hand tightened ever so slightly around the stack of papers I held.
Aaron’s eyes shot toward Daniel, his already tense demeanor tightening even further.
For a moment, there was silence, the air in the room thick with newfound tension.
Daniel was unfazed. He waited expectantly, his calm demeanor an unspoken challenge.
Finally, Aaron’s voice cut through the atmosphere like the snap of a whip. “Does the Alpha mind if I speak with his Luna?” Daniel’s words had that note of deliberate formality.
Aaron’s jaw tensed. “Pack business is pack business,” he stated coldly. “Private matters are private matters. I see no need to discuss territory during lunch breaks.”
Daniel didn’t so much as blink. “Who says it has to be about business? Freya and I could have lunch for personal matters, Alpha.”
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Chapter 18: Confrontation.
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With that, Daniel turned and walked out of the room, his statement left to hang heavily in the space between Aaron and me.
Aaron’s wolf eyes darkened as his gaze snapped to mine. I swallowed hard, grounding myself as Bella stirred uneasily in my shadow.
“You went out with him today?” His words came low and sharp, penetrating the fragile calm I was desperately trying to hold on to.
“Yes,” I admitted, keeping my tone steady. “For lunch. We discussed yesterday’s territory updates.”
His shoulders seemed to relax a fraction at the mention of pack business. He leaned back slightly, though
the storm in his eyes didn’t entirely fade.
“Well,” he said, his words slow and deliberate, designed to sting. “How considerate of him. Taking my Luna to
lunch. People might think I’ve been mistreating you.”
Before I could stop myself, the words slipped from my lips, my frustration bubbling past containment. “Do you think you haven’t mistreated me?”
The words hit the air like a physical blow, leaving us both stunned.
For a split second, his expression was unreadable. Then his jaw tightened, and his wolf eyes seemed to glow faintly. In two strides, he closed the distance between us.
Before I could react, I felt the cold wall press against my back. Aaron’s hand found my neck, his fingers brushing deliberately against my mate mark.
My breath caught as he leaned in closer, his voice low and husky with a predatory edge. “How have I mistreated you, Freya?”
His breath ghosted against the sensitive skin of my ear. My heart pounded against my ribs as my thoughts spiraled. Bella growled faintly inside me, but her usual fierceness was dulled by the tension in the moment.
My head spun. I couldn’t understand this shift in his behavior. After ignoring my message… staying out all night… Now, this?
His lips brushed the edge of my cheek as his fingers pressed softly but firmly against the mate mark he’d given me two years ago, his touch claiming and almost possessive.
I wanted to speak, to argue, to demand answers. But the words caught in my throat, tangled in fear.
Did he read my message? Did he know about the cub? Would he punish me for hiding it?
Would he demand I get rid of it?
The thought alone made my chest tighten painfully. I couldn’t bear to hear him say it.
“It’s nothing,” I said finally, forcing my voice to stay even. I shook my head, keeping my gaze steady despite the turmoil in my chest. “Just a casual comment.”
Aaron’s wolf eyes seemed to darken further, catching the lie in my tone. His grip on my neck loosened, and he stepped back, leaving a cold void where his warmth had been.
I exhaled shakily and looked away, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill.
“Alpha, if there’s nothing else, I’d like to return to my duties,” I said, my voice thin but composed.
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<Chapter 18 Confrontation..
“Wait.”
The authority in his tone stopped me mid–step, my hand halfway reaching for the door.
“When was the last time you took leave from your duties?” he asked.
I hesitated. “I… don’t recall.”
“Then take it,” he commanded.
“Starting tomorrow,” he added. “Rest and recover. Physically and emotionally.”
+8 Points >
His words sent a cold shiver down my spine. I could sense the hidden implications. This wasn’t a suggestion.
It was a directive. A veiled command to handle the pregnancy before it disrupted pack matters.
Bella whimpered quietly, her sadness echoing through me.
“Yes, Alpha,” I replied softly, my voice barely audible over the pounding in my ears as I left.
The Moonlight Cafe was dimly lit, its peaceful ambiance a much–needed change from the suffocating
confines of the pack house.
Emily sat across from me, her hands gripping her coffee mug tightly, her expression etched with anger.
“That man…” she hissed, clearly holding herself back from outright cursing.
I stirred my tea absently, watching the steam curl into the air. I had shared the meeting with Emily, though I
left out the most private parts.
“He actually told you to take leave?” Emily’s voice rose with incredulity.
“Yes,” I said simply.
Her hands clenched around her mug. “Just admit it, Freya. He told you to handle the pregnancy while you’re resting.‘ That’s what he was really saying.”
I didn’t reply. My silence was answer enough.
Emily slammed her mug down harder than intended, drawing the attention of nearby patrons. She ignored the looks as she leaned closer.
“He ignored your message. Then spent the night God–knows–where with her. And now, he’s practically ordering you to…” She trailed off, her face filling with rage.
I shook my head. “Don’t, Emily. Please.”
“You can’t defend him anymore, Freya. I won’t let you!” she snapped.
But I stayed calm, sipping my tea despite my stomach twisting in protest.
“I’m not defending him,” I said quietly, my voice steady. “I just refuse to give him–or Caroline, or anyone in the pack–the satisfaction of seeing me break.”
Emily’s shoulders slumped slightly, her anger simmering as she caught the meaning behind my words.
“And the mating?” she asked after a long pause.
“The same as it’s always been,” I answered simply. “Transactional. Temporary.”
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Chape in Condronten
I looked down at the table, my tea nearly untouched, and set the cup down.
“All I can do is keep my dignity intact until it’s over”
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