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Chapter 40: A Desperate Agreement
Chapter 40: A Desperate Agreement
(Freya’s POV)
“You need to understand, Freya, Caroline said, her voice sharp and insistent, leaning forward sightly iner usually calm tone was laced with frustration now. This pregnancy it complicates everything”
I pulled back slightly but kept my gaze on hers, cold and unwavering. My hand moved instinctively to t over my stomach. I felt Bella stir defensively inside me, her presence a reminder of my resche y foun
My wolf is not up for discussion, Caroline.” I said evenly though my tone carried the weight of finality
Caroline’s lips pressed together in a thin line. Her fingers tapped the edge of the table betraying her inner agitation. Think about the pack About Aaron,” she pressed, her voice dropping as if she warned to sound
reasonable, but it felt more manipulative
I
Her words hit a nerve, but I stayed composed. The decision about my cut I said firmly my voice riding just a little, “is mine and mine alone. Not yours. Not Aaron’s”
Caroline’s eyes darkened, her perfect composure beginning to ck Freya, you’re being shortsighted This isn’t just about you. Aaron’s reputation as Alpha King–his leadership–it could all be questioned
I didn’t back down. “And that’s my cub’s fault, is it? Aaron’s leadership rests on his actions, not on my child She stared at me for a long moment, then shook her head, locking disappointed or at least pretending to be “You’re being stubborn,” she muttered. Her tone shifted, this time tinged with frustration. After everything fue done for you. You owe me
The words cut, and I clenched my jaw I tightened my grip on the table but forced myself to stay reasonable “I acknowledge that debt,” I said, my voice lower but steady. I locked my gaze with hers. You helped when my pack was cornered. You gave me and my father a chance when no one else would”
“But then repay it!” she snapped, leaning closer across the table. Her hands flattened against the polished wood, her nails tapping impatiently
“I will,” I said sharply, cutting her off. I straightened, refusing to let her bullying demeanor affect me Tl repay it however you see fit, but not at the expense of this cub. Do you understand me, Caroline?”
Caroline inhaled sharply, her expression hardening even more as she realized her demands weren’t swaying me like she’d hoped.
“You’re making the wrong choice.” Her voice dropped, a low, almost threatening tone
I met her challenge head–on, my resolve crystallized in that moment. “Maybe in your eyes I am. But it is my choice, nonetheless.”
For a moment, she looked as if she might lash out or say something that would push this confrontation into more dangerous territory. Then, slowly, she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. Her eyes flickered with calculation, the wheels turning in that manipulative mind of hers
“Then perhaps,” she started carefully, her tone smoother now but no less sharp, “we can come to a different arrangement. One that satisfies both of us, if you’re so determined to go against my advice”
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Clube 404 Domate A
“An arrangement?” 1 echoed suspiciously
Her lips curved into a small, practiced smile that I didn’t trust for a second. She reached into her designer handbag, her movements careful and deliberate
She pulled out a sleek leather folder and laid it on the table with a soft thud.
“What is this supposed to be?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her
“A way to protect everyone’s interests,” she said smoothly, though there was an unmistaken edge to her torse
(Caroline’s POV)
The timing couldn’t have been better. Just as Freya hesitated, her defiance softening momentarily with curiosity, Sarah Mitchell–a waitress at the Moonlight Cafe–approached with a steaming glass of milk balanced carefully on a serving tray.
Sarah placed the drink gently in front of Freya and dipped her head respectfully.
Special blend for pregnant wolves, Luna Snow, Sarah said softly, her human voice meek yet polite
I forced a soft smile and gestured toward the glass as it glistened faintly under the cafe’s dim lighting 7 ordered that for you,” I said, my tone laced with feigned warmth. Taking care of yourself is crucial, Freya. especially in your condition.”
Freya blinked, momentarily caught off–guard. I could see she didn’t trust me, though, she kept her guard up. and Bella likely mirrored her silent growls.
Still, she nodded stiffly at Sarah before thanking her.
Once the waitress moved away, Freya brought her attention back to the folder I had placed before her. Her violet eyes scanned the leather–bound item with suspicion before flicking back toward me “What kind of arrangement‘ are we talking about?” Her tone was sharp, her distrust hanging heavily between us.
I slid the document across the table slowly, holding her gaze as I did. “Take your time. Read through it thoroughly. This isn’t something to skim over.”
While she focused on the papers, her brows furrowing slightly as she scanned the heady legal language within, memories clawed their way back into my mind.
I couldn’t help it, not as I sat there watching her, so resolute yet still clearly vulnerable in her own way. My mind went back to that day–the rival pack attack.
Everyone looked up to me after that, saying I had saved Aaron. That I had been brave. But the truth…. the truth was that Freya had been the brave one. She had faced down those wolves when I could barely stand without
shaking.
And yet here I was, seated across from her once again, controlling the narrative. She didn’t even seem to remember–what really happened that day.
She would never know how much her bravery had contrasted with my own fear.
I pressed down on the pang of old humiliation, focusing instead on the power I now held
Everyone believed I was Aaron’s savior. That would never change. And Freya wasn’t going to take that title–or anything else–from me.
“Well?” I asked finally, masking my emotions under a calm facade. “Do you have questions?”
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Chapter 40 & Desperate &
(Freya’s POV)
I wasn’t halfway through the agreement when one particular section caused me to pause My eyes traced over the carefully worded clause, and my frown deepened.
“Why,” I said slowly, lifting my gaze toward Caroline, “why can’t I mention the cub to Aaron?”
For the first time, her composure slipped. It was brief–just a moment of hesitation flaring behind her eyes before she recovered.
“It’s for your own good,” she said smoothly, folding her hands in front of her as if she were trying to seem more approachable. ‘Aaron can be… complicated when it comes to matters like this”
“Complicated?” I echoed, not buying her excuse. I felt Hella stir restlessly in the back of my mind, her growls growing louder.
Caroline sighed quietly, as if dealing with an unruly child. “Listen to me, Freya. Aaron might be friendly enough toward you now, but another wolf’s cub?” She trailed off pointedly.
A coldness ran through me. “Another wolf’s cub?” I repeated, my voice low
“Face it,” Caroline said bluntly. “He would resent it. And I-” She stopped herself, carefully choosing her words as she straightened, “I only want to protect both of you from unnecessary hurt… complications.”
1 let out a bitter laugh. “Protect me? And how would this protect my cub? Or you, for that matter?”
She inhaled sharply, straightening in her seat. Her perfect nails tapped against the table’s edge again, a sign she was grasping for Ontrol. “Aaron might feel obligated,” she said carefully. “He might try to claim pack rights over the cub. A move that could destabilize everything.”
Her words twisted in my mind like a snake, colling tighter and tighter. My initial anger fought with a brief flicker of doubt. What if–just what if–she was telling the truth?
Bella growled louder, snapping at my hesitation. She could feel my inner turmoil and fed into my frustration. “And what’s in it for you, Caroline?” I asked finally, pushing past my doubt to glare evenly at her.
“My only interest,” she insisted, though her smile was sharper now, “is seeing this matter resolved peacefully.” I didn’t trust her words, not for a second.
Yet I returned my attention to the document anyway, scanning the terms once more.
The agreement outlined everything:
-I would leave the pack territory for a period of five years after severing my mate bond.
– There would be no communication with Aaron before my departure.
– I would never use the cub to lay claim to pack rights.
In exchange, Caroline would provide financial support for my cub. Resources from her Redwood Pack would ensure the child’s upbringing, at least until adulthood.
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