Chapter Four

Freya Rose

I sat up and then tried to stand, but my legs were weak and my head began to spin, making me unsteady on my feet. Traian gently put his hands on my waist and guided me back down to the lounger. I needed to stop Marik before he had a chance to hurt Tristan, but I was too late, Tristan had already shifted and Marik followed suit. Within seconds, the wolves were snarling, snapping and charging each other.

Poor Lachlan didn't stand a chance, Marik’s wolf was over double the size of him and he looked like a pup in comparison. I closed my eyes not wanting to see the devastation, but as soon as I heard Lachlan yelp in pain my eyes shot open and before I knew it, my ashen gray wings tore through the skin on my back and I began to levitate. Once I was in the air, my body burst into flames and the howl that came from deep within me was the loudest and most ferocious I'd ever heard. It rumbled and must have travelled for miles because I could hear other werewolves replying in the far distance. Marik froze and Lachlan glanced up at me. We all recognized those howls that were carried on the wind.

“My Pack!” I screeched.

“Draco, they need us.” I mind-linked my subpet.

His gorgeous gray, pearlescent body came curling around the side of the cabin, then soared up into the air, blocking the rays from the sun. His magnificent form cast a gigantic dragon shadow on the ground below us. With an ear-piercing screech, he flew towards me. Once close enough, my flames extinguished and I mounted my pet. “Let's go and save our family.” Draco let out a booming growl as he flapped his monumental wings and carried us off on the air current to find our pack. Tristan had shifted back into his human form as soon as Marik's wolf sprinted off into the woods to help us hunt down our pack. Traian mind linked me, “Freya, this could be a trap.”

“I don't care, Tray.” I was going to get them back no matter what was waiting for me. They were my pack; my family and I would fight the Gods if I had to. They were mine and no one was taking them from me again. “Of course, just let Marik and I go in first, please.” Traian pleaded. “Okay, but you better be quicker than us, because I am not waiting for you to catch us up.” I only agreed because Traian was faster than all of us anyway and I could see Savanah flying behind us. I was sure that a hybrid, an angel, a dragon and the twins should be enough to face anything that stood in our way.

We soared above the trees and I could still hear my pack calling to me. My heart was jumping for joy but my brain wasn't. As I scanned through the trees, I couldn't sense them and I didn't see their energy lights. The only auras I could see were Traian's, Marik's and Savanah's.

“Slow down, Draco.”

“Why? We are so close; I can hear where they are. It's not far.”

“I think Traian was right. It's a trap!”

Draco reduced his speed and I dismounted so I could fly alongside him. There was a clearing up ahead and that was where the howls were coming from, but no light was there to guide me. I glanced down at Traian and he was almost there. I needed to stop him and warn him that it was a trap, but I was too late, he entered the clearing with Savanah and Marik following close behind him. As soon as the three were in the circular clearing, bright lights blinded me and Draco. There were hundreds of hybrids surrounding the clearing. They just have been hiding out in the trees. Draco and I tightly closed our eyes and pushed ourselves backwards in the air. “How did I not see them all?”

“I don't know, Luna. I couldn't smell them, or sense their presence.” Draco mind-linked me.

“Is there a masking spell that could achieve this?”

“I presume so. I never got to learn a lot about magic, but from what I did manage to read, there is a spell for pretty much everything. Even pimple removal.”

“Well, I think it's safe to say that Selene is behind this.”

Draco growled at the mention of her name. I could feel the anger pouring out of him. It was like his scaly skin was spewing out molten fury. It was too much for him to take and with his eyes still firmly closed he dove down towards the clearing. My own eyes were closed but I could see him in my mind. He wrapped his wings around himself and free-fell through the air. As he got closer to the trees he began to spin, spitting fire in a circle around the clearing. It was hitting some of the hybrids but not enough of them. As soon as he'd fanned his wings out and landed on the ground, he vanished.

“Draco!” I screamed out, but I got no answer, not even a growl or whimper.

“Savanah!” I wailed, my voice echoing for miles.

As tears rolled down my cheeks, I opened my eyes and gasped at what I saw. The clearing was scorched and the trees around it were a blaze, but no one was there. They were all gone. Draco, Traian, Marik, Savanah and even the hybrids. There was silence, I couldn't hear a peep. Even all the birds had ceased chirping their beautiful songs. I flapped my wings, slowing myself down while bringing myself into the clearing and when my feet touched the simmering ash-covered earth, I collapsed onto my knees. Bending over and placing my head in my hands, I wept. How could I be so stupid? How did I let this happen?

“It's not your fault, Freya. Please get up. We can find them. We can find them all, but you need to get up!” Mina cried out to me, and she was right.

I hit the ground with my hands, then bunched them up into fists. The ash in my hands began to spill out between my fingers and as it did, I pounded the bottom of my fists onto the dirt once more. With my head still down, I raised my wings up and spread them out as far as they would go. I then threw my head back and roared into the air. It was loud and deep and I knew it would travel for miles. If any of the kidnappers were still lurking around, they would hear my cry and take it back to Selene and Azael. I knew that they were behind this and they probably thought they could capture me too, but they underestimated me. I am the strongest, most powerful hybrid Luna they had ever come across and I was going to make them pay for taking my pack. I wouldn't stop until I had my pack back. Even if that meant killing them both, and their little army of hybrids. I was raging and I knew I needed to hunt them down and destroy them, but as strong as I was, I needed help.

“Freya!” Tristan called through the trees.

I turned and saw him sprinting towards me. I thought he would stop when he reached me, but he didn't. He grabbed me and lifted me into his arms. Hugging me tighter than he'd ever done before. I was in shock. Did he remember me? I wondered. “It was that roar you let out. It was a call for all who are lost.” Mina informed me. “What does that mean, exactly?” I asked while Tristan buried his head in my hair. “I joined in the call and screamed out for all the lost souls. I guess it broke through the spell and allowed Tristan to accept us as his mate. Once he did that, all his memories flooded back. Well, at least that's what Lachlan is telling me.”

“You can have private conversations?”

“Of course, we all need privacy now and again.”

I huffed and rolled my eyes thinking, “Well, I don't get any privacy, you only leave when you are pissed at me.”

“That’s because you're always getting into trouble.”

“Am NOT!”

“Are too!” She replied in a smug tone.

Just as I was about to jump into an argument with her, Tristan lowered me so that my feet were back on solid ground, then cupped my face and stared into my eyes. He had tears in his eyes and before I had a chance to process, he kissed me. I melted into his arms like a hot knife through butter. I had forgotten how sweet and passionate his kisses were. I hadn't had those soft plump lips on mine for years and I won't lie, it took me back to when we were high school kids in love. That was such a long time ago, like a whole other world away. Almost like a dream, but as he intensified the kiss, all the memories and feelings came flooding back. The good, the sad and the heartbroken ones. All of it swirled around in my head, but most prevalent of all, was the love I had felt for this man. He was my first, my mate, my forever.

Samael Wülf

I thought we had been far enough away from the clearing to not be spotted or sensed, but we clearly weren’t. I knew they wouldn't see or smell me, but when I heard Freya's wailing, I knew they would hear us if we made too much noise. She sounded so heartbroken and I wondered if what we'd done was taking it a step too far. Selene said we would capture Freya as well as her pack, but she was wrong. The only reason why I agreed to help was because I thought we would have Freya locked up and at my mercy. That's what they promised me. Regardless of the anger I felt towards her, I also felt shame and guilt for causing her so much pain. She ripped my heart out and I didn't understand how I could still be hopelessly in love with the woman.

I sighed as I turned and walked away as quickly as I could. I couldn't listen to her grief any longer. I tried to tell myself that I didn't do anything wrong. All I did was bring my vampires out for a small job. We had to stand there and make sure none of Freya's pack got through the circle of hybrids or escaped from the clearing. We weren't even really needed. The hybrids did a fantastic job. If Draco had attacked sooner, then we would have gotten involved, but Selene's plan worked flawlessly. I knew I wanted to get back at Freya, but I was now seriously doubting my actions. Partnering up with Azael and Selene could have been the worst mistake I'd ever made, but they weren't the type of people you backed out on. Once you sided with them, there was no changing your mind.

“I am so sorry, Freya,” I whispered into the air once I knew I was far enough away.

I extended my wings and signaled to the rest of my party to do the same. Flying up into the air, barely above the treetops, I shook my head, realizing the gravity of my hasty decisions. I was now an enemy of the woman I loved, she may have not known it yet, but I had truly sacrificed her to the Devil, just so I could have my revenge, and now I regretted that, more than anything. She would never forgive me. Never take me back. My only option was to get closer to Selene and Azael, make them trust me, and then find a way of warning Freya about their plans. To do that, I needed allies, but who could I find to help me? My vampires would turn on me in an instant, sure they'd fight for me, but only if I was on the winning side. Vampires were sneaky fuckers and selfish as hell. They’d sell their own mother down the river if it meant saving their wretched skin. I had to locate Freya's pack and work with them in secret. It was going to be risky and I could easily lose my head over it, but I couldn't live the rest of eternity knowing that Freya despised me. I'd rather stake myself in my cold, shriveled-up heart.

Freya Rose

“What the fuck happened?” Cassie called out to me while running towards us.

Tristan broke away from the kiss and my disappointed lips followed his slightly. I sighed and opened my eyes and saw Cass and Tyler walking towards me. I stepped away from Tristan so I was standing next to him. Reaching my hand out, I attempted to entwine my fingers with his, but as my hand brushed against his, he yanked it away. Furrowing my brow, I tried to work out what was going on and then I remembered that Tristan was the one that turned me, maybe our mind link would still work. It would be easier to ask him what was up, rather than me guessing and jumping to all sorts of conclusions.

“Tristan? Can you hear me?” It was awkwardly silent for a second, then I got a faint reply,

“Freya, I am so sorry, but Tristan is refusing to talk to you.”

“Why?”

“I can't answer for him. Please give him a little time. I'm sure he will discuss all of this later.”

It then fell silent again. I could hear Tristan talking to Tyler, but I was so focused on my own thoughts that I couldn't hear what they were saying. I was so preoccupied that I didn't even notice the hand flying towards my face. With a loud thud, my head went zooming to the side and I lost my balance. I stumbled a little but managed to save myself from falling to the ground.

“Why the fuck did you also me, Cass?”

“That's for nearly killing my husband. You're lucky I didn't let my wolf rip you apart!”

A laugh burst from my lips, I couldn't control or stop it. It was Mina taking over for a second, she clearly found Cassie's threat amusing.

“Don’t you dare laugh at me!” Cassie yelled as she lurched towards me.

Luckily, Tyler put his arm out and stopped her from getting any closer. It wasn't lucky for me, but it was for her. Mina was right at the surface and she was even more unstable than I was. She was usually the calm and rational one, but with everything that had happened, she was on the edge and the last thing I wanted was for her to tear my friend apart.

“I'm sorry, Cass. My wolf is raging right now and it's taking a lot of strength to hold her back. Please, calm down. I don't want to fight you.”

“Well, you should have thought about that before you attacked my husband.”

She huffed, then walked towards a tree. She slid down it and sat on the floor with her head in her hands. Tyler shot me a smile, before heading over to Cass. Tristan turned to face me and I was hoping he would be smiling at me with love in his eyes, but he wasn't. There was a stern look on his face, he looked like his thoughts were torturing him. I reached my hand out for his, but yet again he yanked it away from me. What the fuck was going on? Why kiss me, then act like my pure presence repulsed him? I didn't know what to think. I felt so alone and pathetic. I'd lost my entire pack and the only people I had left in this world either couldn't remember me or despised me. It took everything in me not to burst into tears. I hoped the ground would just open up and swallow me whole.

Tristan Cole

All my memories had come flooding back, but they were only in snippets and I was trying to process them and file them back in order. I had no idea why I kissed her. I just had an overwhelming need to protect her and make sure she was okay. It didn't help with Lachlan screaming “Mate!” in my head every five seconds. I was still in love with Elsa. I knew she'd been gone almost a year, but she was supposed my forever and always. Minutes ago, I didn't even know who that woman was and now she was my mate.

What in the fuck was the moon Goddess playing at? Matching me with this freak! Those were the thoughts I had when I was watching her trying to murder my brother. From her scent I knew she wasn't just a werewolf, her smell had hunter hints and even vampire. I didn't know what the hell she was, but I sure as hell didn't want her as a mate. I had a pack and children to protect, so I definitely wasn't going to accept her as my mate, no matter how much Lachlan was screaming in my head. As soon as I got the opportunity, I would reject her ass.

Then everything changed. When I heard her screaming out in heartbroken agony, I dropped to my knees. All the memories of the Freya I'd once known and had been madly in love with came crashing down upon me. I didn't understand how I had forgotten her in the first place. How could I have forgotten such an incredible person? She was once my everything. I was so infuriated that the moon Goddess had screwed me over. Why couldn't she have made Freya my one and only? If she had then none of this shit would have happened. Freya would have already been mated to me and hopefully, Mason wouldn't have been able to sway her heart. Selene was to blame for everything. I didn’t care that she was the mother of all wolves, that bitch was going to die for what she'd taken from me.

I'm coming for you, Selene!