Chapter 19: A Painful Resolution
Chapter 19: A Painful Resolution
(Freya’s POV)
+8 Poists >
Emily tightened her grip on my hand as we sat in the bustling Moonlight Cafe. Her concern was obvious, her eyes locked on mine with a desperation I didn’t want to face. Her voice trembled as she spoke, raw with
emotion.
“Freya, tell me you’re not serious about this,” she begged. “You can’t mean it!”
I stared at the teacup in front of me, avoiding her gaze. The tea had long gone cold, its surface still as glass, yet I continued to stir it aimlessly.
“The appointment is tomorrow,” I said softly. My voice wavered, betraying the composure I was clinging to. Emily leaned closer, her hands trembling slightly. “Tomorrow? Freya, you can’t… Please don’t go through with
this.”
“What choice do I have?” I asked, my tone heavier than I intended. I set the spoon down with a soft clink, still refusing to meet her eyes. “This is the only way.”
She shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. “That’s not true. It’s not the only way. Please, listen to me.”
“I tried,” I said, my voice barely audible over the chatter in the café. “I really did.”
I finally looked up at her, the emotion in her face making my heart ache. My hands trembled in my lap, my wolf Bella pacing restlessly inside me. Her sadness and frustration mirrored my own.
“I sent the message,” I continued, biting my lip. “I waited, Emily. You know I waited.”
She sat back in disbelief, her jaw tightening. “And he didn’t say anything? Not even one word?” Her voice cracked as she spoke, her frustration clear.
“No response,” I whispered, my gaze dropping again.
Emily’s hands balled into fists on the table. “He must not have gotten it,” she argued. “There’s no way. Aaron would never ignore something like this. Never.”
“He got it,” I said firmly, lifting my head. “He got it, Emily.”
“How do you know that?” she demanded, her voice tinged with desperation. “A message can fail, signals get messed up-”
I cut her off with a bitter laugh. “Caroline called me. On his phone.”
Emily froze, her expression shifting from anger to shock. “Caroline?”
“She called to let me know he wouldn’t be coming home,” I said, the memory alone making my chest tighten painfully. “He didn’t even call me himself. He sent her instead.”
Emily’s eyes darkened, and her lips pressed into a hard line. Her wolf, as loyal as she was, would be fuming at this point. “He… asked her to call you? The nerve.”
I nodded silently, too drained to respond.
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Chapter 19. A Painful Res…
Bella whined again inside me, her frustration growing with each passing second.
Emily leaned forward again, her voice strong but filled with sadness. “Freya, you don’t have to do this. Please. Let’s think about it more. Let’s talk to him-”
“I’ve already made my decision,” I interrupted, my voice quiet but steady.
Her shoulders slumped, and she bit her lip, trying to find the right words. “Do you want me to come with you tomorrow, at least?”
I blinked, surprised by her offer. Relief quickly replaced my surprise, though I tried to hide it. “You’d do that?” “Of course,” she said firmly. “You shouldn’t have to go through something like this alone. I’ll be there. You can count on that.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice breaking slightly. “I… I don’t think I can do it alone.”
Emily reached across the table, placing her other hand over mine. For a brief moment, the world around us faded, leaving just the understanding between two friends who had been through far too much together.
“You’ll never have to,” she said, her voice soft but full of conviction. “Not while I’m here.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Thank you,” I repeated, barely able to form the words.
Emily gave me a small smile in return, but it was weighed down by the sadness in her eyes. She saw me in a way no one else did. She saw behind the mask I wore for the pack.
“Still,” she added, her voice sterner this time, “I don’t want you to pretend you’re okay with this. You don’t have to be so calm all the time, Freya. It’s okay to let yourself feel.”
“I’ve already felt enough,” I replied simply, leaning back in my chair.
Her brows furrowed deeply. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I’ve done my share of crying,” I explained, keeping my voice level. “But crying doesn’t change anything, Emily. It never has.”
“That doesn’t mean you need to bury this,” she countered. “You can’t just keep it all inside. It’s not healthy.”
My lips twitched into a faint smile. “Maybe not. But it’s necessary.”
She shook her head, clearly frustrated. “All because of who? Caroline? The pack?”
“All of it,” I admitted. “The pack watches everything I do. Especially now, with her back. I can’t give them the
satisfaction of seeing me break.”
Her jaw tightened. “They’re not worth it. None of them are. Especially not her or Aaron.”
I hesitated, my voice dropping to a whisper. “Aaron and I… it’s a political arrangement, Emily. It always has
been.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “A political arrangement? Freya, you’re carrying his cub!”
I flinched at her words, my hand instinctively moving to my stomach.
“If it’s just a political arrangement,” she continued, her voice growing louder, “then how can he let you terminate his cub? That doesn’t sound like politics to me.”
“It doesn’t matter what it sounds like,” I said sharply, though my chest ached at her words.
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Emily’s face softened as she realized the impact of her statement. “Freya, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”
*Pos
“It’s fine,” I interrupted quickly, “You’re right, though. It doesn’t make sense. But then again, nothing about this relationship has ever made sense.”
Emily looked at me, clearly confused, I could see the questions forming in her mind before she even asked.” What do you mean?”
I sighed heavily, the weight of memories threatening to crush me. “Do you remember that night? After the meeting with the allied Alphas?”
Her frown deepened, but then realization crossed her face. “When you had too much wine?”
I nodded, my thoughts drifting to that evening.
Aaron had introduced me to the visiting Alphas as his Luna. I remembered feeling proud, excited even. But the nerves and the wine had gotten the best of me.
“I stumbled against him,” I explained quietly. “And that… that sparked something.”
Emily raised an eyebrow, urging me to continue.
“Our wolves took over,” I admitted, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. “I woke up in his arms the next
morning.”
Her eyes softened. “Freya…”
“I told him it was just our wolves‘ instincts,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “He didn’t look happy when I
said that.”
“Of course he wasn’t happy!” Emily exclaimed. “You’re his mate!”
“He asked me what I wanted in return,” I continued, ignoring her outburst. “I told him I wanted territory
protection rights.”
“You what?” she said, her jaw dropping.
“I didn’t know what else to say,” I admitted. “I was trying to keep everything political.”
Emily leaned back in her chair, visibly frustrated. “And he just… agreed to that?”
“Not right away,” I said, shaking my head. “We didn’t speak much after that. Things were cold between us.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Freya, I don’t even know what to say to that.”
“There’s nothing to say,” I replied, trying to keep my voice even. “It was what it was.”
Emily didn’t look satisfied, but she didn’t press further.
“Once Elder Katherine’s treatment is complete, I’m leaving,” I said firmly. “I’ll start fresh in a new territory. I’ll rebuild what’s left of my life.”
“And the cub?” she asked hesitantly.
“Will be dealt with tomorrow,” I said, though each word felt like a stab to my heart.
Her face fell, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she reached out to hold my hand again.
“What time are we leaving tomorrow?” she asked softly.
“Morning,” I answered.
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<Chapter 19: A Painful Res
She nodded again, her grip tightening.
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