1. The Night She Marked the King

Past. 

Freya breathed in sharply as she launched the dagger with accurate precision, causing it to cut through the air with the sound of a whoosh as it pierced into the tree right in the middle of the mark making a springy noise as its handle vibrated for a couple of seconds before stilling in place. 

The girl straightened as she glared at her aim. It was at least two to three centimeters to the left, which made her jaw tick. 

Freya was just 12 years old but she was angry at herself for not hitting the dagger right in the middle. She wanted perfection. Yanking out her beautifully carved silver dagger from the tree she walked back to her spot, this time she stepped a little further away from her usual spot and focused on the mark on the tree. 

Freya was all alone in the woods. This place was her hidden spot, which no one knew about. No one ever dared to wander this far in the woods so it was her safe place, or so she thought. 

Breathing in deeply, she raised her hand and was about to launch the dagger again when, all of a sudden, goosebumps rose on her flesh as she heard rustling nearby. This place was so securely hidden that she was sure no one would ever find this; it could be a wild animal. 

Freya faced in the direction from which the noise came. Her senses were on full alert as she launched the dagger in the direction from which the noise came. 

A couple of seconds passed, and the air was still but there was something eerily different in the surroundings, something darker. And then it hit her like a zap of lightning. 

The strong scent in the air. It was an Alpha. But not just any Alpha. The air seemed to quiver with his dominant presence, and just like that, a boy who was close to 15-16 years of age appeared through the woods. It wasn't his presence that startled her. It was those glaciers of cold blue eyes glaring at her that unsettled her, and that wasn't even the end of it. He was holding the sharp blade of her dagger between his two fingers. There was no blood on him, no cut, nothing. Her blade didn't even cut him. But it was made of silver, and it was burning him as he held the hilt of it.

Freya was sure that he didn't see that coming then how could he react so fast and stop the attack with zero injuries. 

She flinched visibly when he made a tsk sound. Freya instantly recalled her mother's wise words to stay miles away from Alphas. 

"An Omega," His voice was deeper than the deep sea and it was rich with dominance. It was unlikely for a teen of his age to have that deep voice and all those muscles. He looked strong. Bigger than most of the alphas his age. 

It was clear that he was surprised by her presence in the woods. 

"You shouldn't be out here all alone," He said darkly expecting the little girl with silver ash hair to flinch or probably run away. She had unique hair, he hasn't seen such hair before, instead of running away she stepped towards him. Raising her palm in front of him, she demanded. "My dagger," Her voice sharp and void of any fear which took him by surprise. 

"Mind your tone, little one," he growled lowly as the girl flinched back. Her heart thumped wildly, but she remained cold. 

Fearless. 

"My dagger!" Her voice was cold as she jutted her chin in the direction of her palm. 

Defiance danced through her fierce green eyes as he grabbed her jaw rather roughly with his free hand and yanked her to him.

She didn't rest her hand on his chest to steady herself, though he pulled her roughly, but her balance was good as she steadied herself, glaring back at him with equal fervor. 

"Aren't you scared?" His deep voice was deadly calm. The small hair on her skin quivered because of his alpha authority, but she refused to back off. Despite his hold on her jaw, she still jutted her chin out in defiance and uttered a single word. 

"No," Her voice was calm and her face was blank, causing him to smirk darkly. He twisted the dagger in his free hand, twirled it as if it were his favorite toy, and pressed it against her throat. 

"Respect me," He said dangerously. The dagger slightly burned her skin.

"Earn it!" She gritted, glaring up at him. 

For the first time in his 16 years of life. Ragnar was rendered utterly speechless. He was stunned by this little she-wolf omega who wasn't acting like an omega at all. She had piqued his interest. 

Ragnar pressed the dagger to her throat, expecting to see fear in her eyes, but the girl was calm. 

"Didn't your mom teach you how to be submissive like an omega?" He asked coldly. 

"Didn't your father teach you how to behave with girls?" She countered back, and his jaw ticked. His smirk disappeared. Now she was getting on his nerves. 

"You have got a sharp little tongue, don't you?" He hissed as the girl inhaled sharply. 

"I do," She agreed and yet again he was baffled by her. How old was she? 11-12? And she had the nerve to talk to him like that... 

"If you're done, give me my dagger?" She demanded yet again, though she was in his hold but she was fearless. 

"Take it-" The words barely left his lips when the girl charged forward. She abruptly jerked down, freeing herself from his hold, and the next thing she jumped on him with her legs on his shoulders, and she elbowed his head. He raised the dagger to hit her, but she swiveled on top of him, so now she sat on his shoulders while covering his eyes with her hands. 

She poked both of his eyes, making him scream as the dagger fell from his hand, and he winced, holding his eyes. The girl jumped off him, grabbed her dagger from the ground, and made a run for her life. She barely ran a few steps when he grabbed her nape, and she was yanked back and slammed on the rough ground. 

The fall was so brutal that it knocked the breath out of her lungs. She grabbed her elbow, which felt as if it had fractured. 

Before she could gather her bearings, the boy grabbed her throat in an attempt to punish her. Just when he began to choke her, Freya swung her dagger, causing him to move back. 

He expected her to run, but she charged at him. She hit his calf with all her might, causing him to fall on his knee, but Ragnar grabbed her wrist, yanking her down to her knees, and before he could tackle her, she swung the dagger, and a sharp pain exploded in his face. 

He growled in pain, pressing his hand on the wound as he glared at her with his good eye, only to notice fear on her face for the very first time. Seeing his blood might've done something to her because the next thing she was sprinting for her life. 

Ranger let out a throaty laugh, which sounded maniacal as he pulled to his feet chasing after her. 

Wounded. 

Outrageous. 

Curious. 

... But he never found her.