LOGIN🌘 Fenrir POV
🍃 Arria POVSilence followed.Not the sharp silenceFenrircreated.Not the frightened one Alaric pulled from people without trying.This one was heavier.“You don’t have to choose now,” I told them. “You can ask all your questions first. Greg and Stone will answer truthfully. Then you’ll have three more days before the official vote.”
🍃 Arria POVA few minutes later, I was standing beside Fenrir on a wool blanket.Stone had organizedthespace perfectly. We were part ofthegathering circle, butthere was enough space around usso Alaric would not become overwhelmed.We received greetings, and as usual, everyone acted calmly, but no one met Fenrir’s gaze directly for more than two seconds.I positioned myself betweenhislong
🍃 Arria POVI had finished my morning training session an hour ago, and now,freshand physically spent, I was going through the pile of documents I had postponed for the last two days.The housing arrangements were moving swiftly, and all families in the gathering already had their own place. So now I was prioritizing which building should come next—a new school, a packhouse, three more one-family houses, or an actual healing house instead of home visits.A loud knock startled me.
🌘 Fenrir POV Arria was shocked. She needed time to think it through, so I pulled away from her and started moving around the kitchen, preparing the table and reheating the food. It gave my hands something to do. “This can’t be part of the curse,” Arria said eventually. “Alaric had a mate back then, right?” “Yes,” I confirmed. “A chosen mate.” “Chosen or not, it doesn’t matter if he wasn’t forced to take her. And the king’s Beta being forced is out of the question.” “You are right. He wasn’t.” I set a plate on the table. “They had been friends from a young age. Neither he nor she had found their fated mate by twenty-five, so they had decided to try courting for a while. Eight months later, they had been officially mated.”“That doesn’t sound bad,” she said slowly.Uncertain.“No. It had been good. She had always been respectful, understanding, and soft around him, and the Beta had reciprocated her feelings and actions.”I took a moment.“In time, they had grown affectionate wit
🍃 Arria POV I knew my mate pretty well by now. He was a man surrounded by rules, control, and walls. So when I said I loved him, I hadn’t expected “I love you too” in return. I didn’t need the words back. I needed them out of my chest. I needed him to know he had something solid, something permanent with me. I expected a hug, maybe. Or a kiss. I would have been fine with “good” said in his usual level tone, or even just a nod. I wouldn’t have seen a problem in a silent transition into setting the table for an early dinner. What I hadn’t expected was for him to stay so utterly frozen for what felt like two full minutes. And I definitely hadn’t expected the word that eventually left him. “Impossible.” Stated as an undeniable fact. I lowered my gaze, unsure how to deal with an answer like that. What was that even supposed to mean? Did he think I was incapable of love? Or too naive to understand the weight of the words and the extent of the feeling itself? Stone had voi
🍃 Arria POVI opened the office door without hesitation.“I am back,” I announced with a smile and went directly to him to give him a kiss.Fenrir pushed his chair back and pulled me into his lap.The kiss was small and perfect, and then he lifted his hand and started pulling leaves and small sticks out of my hair.My eyes widened.“Oh, Goddess, I must look like a witch,” I said, shifting to slip out of his hold.“You look like a nymph,” he answered, unbothered, tightening his hold on me.I was staying where I was. Obviously.He took a moment to finish, and when he spoke again, his words came tender.“You had fun.”I just nodded.I was still too ashamed of my appearance. And the fact, that he was intentionally showing me how he felt about it by letting his usual even tone soften, did not help at all.“Good.”I was rewarded with another kiss. This time on my forehead.“Are there more tasks on your list for today?”“Yes,” I confirmed softly, glancing at him.“I just came to say hello o
🌘 Fenrir POV She kissed me like she meant it. That did it. The last careful piece of restraint cracked. And I kissed her back. Not the way I wanted. Not hard and hungry. Not possessive. I kissed her like she was precious. Because she was. And I needed her to know it. To feel it. To nev
🍃 Arria POV For a moment, he said nothing. Only looked at me. And somehow, that was worse. My fingers curled lightly in his shirt as I waited, trying to read something in his face. Anything. Did he believe me? Could he feel it through the bond—the sincerity behind all of it? Or did he think
A year later. Sixteen. The age when a wolf answers. The clearing was filled once again. Torches circled the altar. Warriors lined the perimeter. Children were lifted onto shoulders. My father’s voice carried across the gathering. “Tonight, our future steps fully into her power.” Cheers erupte
The moment my feet left the edge, the world fell silent. There was only wind. And peace. For one fragile heartbeat, I was free. Like a bird. Then something slammed into me from behind. Arms. Hard. Unforgiving. The impact hurled me sideways instead of down. Wood splintered. Something inside m







