Chapter 31: A Debt of Honor
Chapter 31. A Debt of Hone
(Fry’s POV
Emily’s f
spoon in her coffee the
nearly spilling over onto the table
the leaned forward, her bow dangerously close to my nearly emory tesou
st think about it, Frayat if s a little boy, he could grow so to be the strongest warrior in the pack” Her voice was bubbling with enthusiasm and the practically bounced in her seat. “Oh–oh, on What if it’s a gift? She could be a diplomat like you, but even beter A smart and stunning te she–wat
I tried to smile. I really did but my heart wasn’t in it. Her exctement
stirred my tea and stared at the light ripples on the surface my voice quiet as I replied, haven’t really thought about it that way, Emily
She blinked at me, her enthusiasm faltering only briefly “What? Why not? This is big Freya!”
ps pulling int
- e. To feels too early to ream like that. There are other things I
I shook my head, my need to focus on first, I said. My words came out softer than I meant, but the weight behind them hung
heavy
Emily’s smile didn’t fade, but her eyes softened. She reached across the table, brushing her fingers against mine where they held the spoon. “know you’re scared” she said gently her voice lower now. “But you don’t
have to do this alone”
Before I could say anything, her excitement reignited, as if fueled by an idea. Her eyes widened, and she grinned. “Oh, I’ve got it! Freya, I can be the cut’s pack guardiant help with everything! Diapers. Hunting.
Even first howls. Doesn’t that sound amazing?”
I blinked at her, surprised “Emily”
“No, think about it,” she interrupted, sitting up straighter
could even move closer! Not just for the pup, of course. It’s not just about that.” She tripped over her words slightly, waving her hand as if to brush them
away
Her eagerness was endearing in a way, but I could see through her offer. She wasn’t doing it for herself or even entirely for me. She was doing it because she cared about me and my cub
“Emily,” I said softly, my tone more serious now. “You know you don’t have to do that for me. You’ve already
done so much”
She frowned, leaning in like she was trying to convince me. “But I want to, Freya. You’re my best friend. And
this cub? They’re going to be incredible, just like their mom”
Her words warmed me, but they also weighed on me. I didn’t want to be the reason she turned her life upside
down “Let’s take it one step at a time, okay? I don’t even have a plan yet.”
Emily hesitated, visibly holding back her argument. But finally, she nodded. “Alright, one step at a time. But
I’m serious, Freya You don’t have to shoulder this alone.”
Before the conversation deepened further, Emily’s expression shifted, her lips pressing into a thin line Speaking of support–or the lack of it–has Caroline contacted you again?”
The ruumation snapped me out of my thoughts. My fingers tenses slightly around the handle of my oup “She did I said, keeping my tone cam
Emily straightened immediately “What did she want this time?
Thesitated There was no point in hiding it “She came to the pack house yesterday”
Her eyebrows shot up “She what??
“She brought me an envelope, I continued it was an offer for some territory rights”
Emily’s reaction was instant. She slammed her hands onto the table, rattling the teacups Territory rights?
is she serious?” Her voice was loud enough to draw the attention of a few nearby patrons.
“Emily, lower your voice, I urged, glancing around.
But she was past caring. Her face was flushed with anger, and her fists clenched “That woman has some
nerve! Who does she think she is?”
“She’s trying to help,” I said, even though I wasn’t entirely convinced myself.
Emily’s gaze snapped back to me like I’d just betrayed her. “Help? By offering land like she’s the Luna? By acting like Aaron is hers to fight for?”
“Emily. “I started, but she was just getting started.
“No, Freya, this is ridiculous!” she hissed, leaning closer now but with no less fury in her voice. “First, she returns unannounced. Then, she inserts herself into every part of Aaron’s life. And now she’s bribing you with territory to leave quietly?”
Her words stung, though they weren’t directed at me. “It’s not that simple,” I murmured, more to myself than
to her.
Emily scoffed, throwing her hands up. “How can you even defend her after the way she’s treating you?”
I looked her directly in the eyes. “Because she helped me once, Emily. She didn’t have to. But she did.”
My words brought her rant to a sudden halt. She stared at me, stunned. “What are you talking about?”
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “It was right after we lost the Snowfang territory. When things were…..
bad.”
Emily looked at me with a mixture of confusion and concern. “Freya, what happened?”
The memory surfaced like an unwelcome wave. Shadows and chaos. The metallic scent of blood. The hollow echo of silence after the rival wolves retreated.
“Our resources were frozen,” I began slowly. “We didn’t even have enough hunting rights to sustain the pack That’s when the rival wolves came. They invaded. Took everything.”
Emily’s face grew pale as realization dawned. “I remember hearing about the attack. Wasn’t Alpha Jensen-?” I nodded. “He was leading them. They caught my father just outside the pack house. They…” I swallowed hard. “They were brutal, Emily. He tried to fight them off, but there were too many
“Oh, Freya…” she whispered, her hand reaching for mine.
“They had him pinned when Jensen got a phone call,” I continued. My voice wavered, but I pushed through the memories. “One minute, they were about to deliver the final blow, and the next, they were retreating.
O
“What stopped them?” she asked, even though she already knew
“He said it was out of respect for Miss Redwood
Emily sat back in her chair, stunned. “Caroline 7”
“She called me after,” I confirmed “Arranged for safe passage Sent a healer for my father She
Emily shook her head, still processing. “Why? You two weren’t even friends”
saved us-
I hesitated, remembering Caroline’s voice over the phone that day. The awkwardness, the unspoken
emotions. “She said it was for Aaron. That she considered me a friend because of him.”
Emily exhaled sharply, her anger momentarily replaced with incredulity. “She really said that?”
I nodded. “She even asked me not to tell him. To keep her involvement… private.”
“Why?” Emily pressed, her disbelief clear.
“Because she wanted to let him go,” I said, the realization settling in my chest. “She was trying to make peace
with his choice.”
Emily stared at me, her expression unreadable. “And you accepted her help?”
“My father was dying, Emily,” I said quietly. “The pack was gone. I didn’t have a choice.”
Her face softened, understanding replacing her earlier anger.
I swallowed hard, the memory of that car ride to the medical facility flooding back. How my father had questioned me, worried about the future consequences of accepting help from Caroline Redwood of all people. How I’d tried to reassure him, even though I barely believed my own words.
“Maybe Aaron and I aren’t-” My old words echoed in my head. “Maybe the moon was just playing a cruel joke.”
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