A Sickly Bet, The Death, And Rebirth

Finally, Freya turned and her eyes locked onto hers. Amelia. How was that possible? This was her hunter best friend whom she had caught with her betrothed back in their team house just a couple of days ago.

“Her?” Luna Athena questioned the use of ‘her’ for Freya with surprise. Amelia quickly changed her expression, feigning obliviousness. “I didn’t see the moustache at first, I thought it was a woman” A smirk slowly crept around her thin lips.

Freya’s fists tightened around her, her eyes running through Amelia’s frame which looked dirty. Her hair was a mess of auburn tangles, her clothes ripped and dusty like she’d rolled through the worst of the night. But those green eyes held the same arrogance Freya had last seen on the afternoon she walked in on her and Lucian. 

She had no doubt that Amelia had also been a victim of the previous night raid. But her instinct said otherwise; Amelia had been sent as her replacement for Alpha Torin’s mission, disguised as one of those helpless humans forced here, just like she herself was doing.

Luna Athena looked Freya’s way, brow arched. “Well, will you fight her?”

Freya’s fake brown lenses stayed on Amelia. She had a feeling Amelia wanted to hurt her. “No. I don’t have to prove to her that I can win her.”

“Oh?” Amelia laughed. “Someone is afraid of losing his pretty-boy reputation?”  She mocked.

“Coward,” Another muttered. Others joined in with low jeers.  

Just as Luna Athena opened her mouth, likely to shut it all down, a new voice rang out.

“Why not let him fight?”  The crowd looked the way of the new arrival; a tall-looking handsome young man with short blonde hair, looking late twenties. He was dressed in a charcoal colored three-piece suit

He was their Beta— Caleb.

Luna Athena looked his way and smiled. “Caleb, you are back” Caleb did a small bow as he acknowledged his Luna. “Yes, my Luna. And it seems like I arrived at a precious time. Let the match begin.” He stretched two arms as if giving the floor to the two fighters.

All eyes were now on Freya and Amelia. She had no choice now or she would seem like a coward. “Fine.”

The moment Luna Athena signaled, Amelia didn’t pull back, she lunged first.

She came in fast, fists flying with aggression. Freya blocked, ducked, and twisted her body. But Amelia wasn’t holding back. Her strikes were targeting weak points; Freya’s ribs, her jaw, her neck.

Then her fingers slashed dangerously close to Freya’s chin.

Freya stepped back just in time, but Amelia still managed to grip the edge of her moustache. She tugged once but Freya caught her wrist in time.

“You’ve lost your damn mind,” Freya hissed low.

“Oh, I’m just getting started,” Amelia whispered back, shoving her knee toward Freya’s gut.

The fight escalated. It was brutal…raw skill clashing with betrayal. The wolves cheered louder now, taken in by the ferocity of it.

Freya was losing it. She was hesitating for Amelia, but Amelia wasn’t holding back. Okay. She ducked a punch, twisted behind Amelia, and elbowed her in the spine. Amelia gasped as her strength faltered. Blood pooled at her lips.

Freya didn’t stop. She had no choice. Amelia went for her throat literally, and Freya slammed her heel into Amelia’s chest.  

The hit landed.

Amelia flew back, and hit the ground hard, lying there as blood trickled from her mouth as her limbs twitched once, then went still.  

A total silence enveloped the scene at first.

Then cheers erupted in a loud and savage kind of tempo.  

Freya stood over her as she panted. Her hands trembled. She hadn’t wanted to go that far, but Amelia hadn’t left her a choice.  

It was either Amelia or her. She chose Her.

Luna Athena stood slowly, her hazel eyes glinting with amusement. Even the Beta’s attention was caught. “His strength almost matched that of a wolf. I don’t know if that is amusing or ridiculous. Isn’t he just human?” Beta Caleb commented beside Luna Athena.

Freya couldn’t tell what was happening anymore. She was suddenly more aware of herself. And there was a scent… what was that? Amelia still lay limp on the floor and the wolves’ ongoing comments sounded far away.

She was drawn to something. Her energy was bustling like she was on a high, something tickled her eyes and she shut it momentarily, but when she opened it, her eyes shone a bright gold color. She could feel it, so she closed it before anyone else could sight it as she didn’t know what was happening to her.

Then just immediately, footsteps approached. Without looking up yet, she felt his presence. It was impossible not to. It was drawing her in, but she was holding back. Her energy bubbled more as if something was stirring in her. 

What was happening to her? Her body felt hijacked by something primal.

She looked up to see Alpha Torin’s gaze locked on hers. Everyone else was bowing, but her eyes were shining fire gold, just like the Alpha’s own. 

They suddenly snapped back to her normal brown fake lenses, but she feared that the beastly Alpha had seen it before it returned back. The frown on his face proved it, had he seen what just happened to her? Would he kill her now?

“I will take him,” Alpha Torin’s voice suddenly filled the training ground. Luna Athena looked stunned. “You rejected him last night.”  

“I changed my mind, the boy isn’t weak like I thought.”  Even Freya was utterly dazed.

“I agree, we shall have a good use for him.” Beta Caleb added with an interesting smile as he walked around to stand right beside his Alpha, both looking charming but dangerous in their charcoal suits. 

Despite the chaos still churning inside her, she was pleased to be finally chosen by the Alpha himself. She couldn’t help but think he had just chosen his doom. Her inner devil smiled.

Later that night in her new chamber that Alpha Torin had bestowed her under his luxurious mansion, Freya battled with the thought of everything. 

From Amelia’s sudden appearance to the fight, and the strange thing that had happened with her body.

Freya sat on the edge of the narrow bed, hands bandaged, ribs sore, her body still trembling slightly from the fight. The adrenaline had passed, but the strange awakening inside her hadn’t. That flash of golden light in her eyes still pulsed behind her closed lids.

Was she possessed? Or some kind of evil spirit was under this wolf's estate? If that was it, why had it felt like the Alpha’s presence had triggered what happened to her? 

Which added to the reason why she was scared when he said she should check in his room tonight. Even though he might see her as a man, the idea of being with someone like him alone unsettled her.

The door to her new room creaking open jolted her. And Luna Athena surfaced from the door.

She was dressed in a flowing silk whine-colored robe. Her white hair packed messily behind her hair. Her cat wasn’t with her this time around. Strange.

She closed the door and didn’t waste time in sitting beside Freya on her bed.

“You were impressive today, Ariel. Where did you learn to fight like that?”

“Thank you…My Luna.” She murmured. “I guess I watched quite a lot of fighting movies.” She lied, but the Luna didn’t catch up. Her desire pressed over Freya’s sarcasm.

“I wonder,” Athena said, now only a breath away. “What else are you good at?”

Freya’s jaw clenched. “What do you mean?” Athena chuckled softly, placing a hand on her Jean-claded lap. “You don’t speak much. I love that. You are mysterious, confident, and smart.”

She reached out, brushing Freya’s collar with her long well manicured fingers. “You're trembling,” she murmured.

“I’m sore,” Freya replied, keeping her eyes down. She had to escape this. Luna Athena was seducing her. This wasn’t good. She would find out that she was a woman if she didn’t come up with a plan quickly.

“Hmm,” Athena said as her hand slid lower. “You don’t have to be afraid of me. You want to stay here, don’t you? To earn your place?”

Freya stiffened. “Yes.”

“Then you should be willing to please the ones who hold power over you.”

Before Freya could move, Athena leaned in, and in one swift tug, pulled her shirt halfway open. Buttons popped suddenly. Freya’s eyes widened and instinctively shoved her away, breathing hard.

But it was too late.

Athena’s eyes locked on the curve of her chest. The wrappings had slipped. And now, her cleavage was visible, half of her breasts spilling from the bralette she had on. Athena and Freya’s eyes widened in terror for different reasons.

“You…you are a woman!” She screamed without holding back. Her voice dropped. “You…filthy lying thing.” Freya rose and was going to run past her when she knocked her to the ground with her Luna strength, the impact causing her already sore rib to hurt.

“Please, don’t tell any one about this. Please.” Freya begged weakly but it was too late. The door bursted open, revealing the omegas that worked in the mansion. One spoke as Freya rushed to tie her shirt together, but Luna Athena held her and didn’t allow her.

The Omegas could recognise Freya’s face under the bright light illuminating the room and the gasped. “He is a girl?” One of them commented curiously.

Freya breath became uneven as she tried to grasp her reality. She wasn’t even aware that she was now being dragged and taken outside, then thrown to the floor. The wolves were alerted, and crowd was now forming over them. 

“Who is she?” One of them asked and information started passing around. “Kill her!” 

The sight of Alpha Torin stepping into the scene, lowered the noises. Luna Athena suddenly came to him. “I’m sorry I let this happen under us. Ariel is a girl. I will kill her now.”

Beta Caleb stepped forward, confusion plain on his face. “You’re telling me… the fighter from earlier is a woman?”

Torin’s eyes dragged over Freya’s frame, pausing at her chests, her bandaged wrists, and her trembling body. His brows furrowed deeper than before. 

“No one is killing  her.” He suddenly said, surprising them all. “Throw her into the dungeon,” He commanded. Luna Athena wasn’t having it. She had tried to get in bed with Freya earlier thinking she was a man. What if she later rats her out…Without thinking, she snatched a silver blade from one of the warriors hovering over the scene and went for Freya’s chest.

“Noooo!” Alpha Torin screamed, and even the crowd tensed, but the deed has been done. Freya clutched her bleeding chest and gasped for breath. Alpha Torin’s expression turned livid then suddenly darted towards Athena and held her throat tightly. “What have you done?” He rasped through gritted teeth, tightening his hold on her neck.

“P…please,” Luna Athena pleaded, knowing that Torin could tear her throat and kill her if he wished. He was that merciless.

“She’s dead.” Beta Caleb muttered, looking terrified as if he also didn’t want that to happen. Freya’s body was lying lifelessly on the floor.

It didn’t last for long.

A pulse rippled through the air, and Freya’s supposed dead body started convulsing, catching everyone’s attention. Her body stirred violently, claws out, eyes snapping open as she sat up, shining a bright gold. Alpha Torin released Luna Athena mindlessly and she fell with a thud.

While every other person wondered what was occurring with someone who was supposed to be human, Alpha Torin’s wolf whispered inside his head— MATE.