Chapter 11: Freya

I was far too tired. That was why I fell asleep, which was okay. I will gladly accept that I needed to sleep. No kitsune could spend several hours in their fox form and also cast an illusion without getting completely exhausted when they changed back. So falling asleep, I accepted it without a fight.

However, whatever sick, twisted little game this moon goddess was playing with my emotions was not welcome. I had only gotten a glance at him without clothes before from behind and then when it was dark from the side. How the fuck did I get enough details to be able to imagine him on top of me? Oh no, not just on top of me either. I was wrapped around him, pressed against him, moaning, groaning, swearing and fucking asking him to destroy me.

I woke up changed after that. Suddenly, I was lost in thought of how I could make it real. I wanted to feel his skin, I couldn’t imagine how he felt in my dream but it was a detail I needed. Was he soft? Calloused? Hard in all the right places?

“Rise and shine little cousin.” Andre laughed and leaned over the couch to pass me a glass of ice water.

“Thanks?” looking over the glass I feared there was some ulterior motive.

“Oh no,” he winked, “thank you my lovely girl.”

I heard my bag buzzing on the floor. “Fuck!” gasping I placed the cup on the coffee table and dove with a little too much sense of urgency. Latharn, I didn’t message him. It’s been how long? My phone said just past noon, so I guess it wasn’t too late. I picked it up and saw several missed calls and unanswered texts.

Headed out yet?

Driving?

Please find a rest stop and answer me.

Okay things are getting weird. Call me we need to talk.

Seriously, you’ve got ten minutes.

Time’s up, I’m calling you.

“Fuck fuck fuck!” I cursed under my breath as I opened my phone, dialing him as quickly as possible.

“What the actual fuck Freya!” No hello? Just straight into the scolding. “You are in so much trouble.”

“I know!” Scrambling to find my words I shook the tension in my core to focus, “Listen something happened. I was robbed okay. My car was stolen. It’s been a whole ordeal.”

“Tell me you’re out of the fucking wolf territory.”

Pausing a little too long I answered quietly, “Not exactly…”

“Freya!”

“It’s fine-”

“It’s not fucking fine! I will come out there and get you myself. You can’t fucking ignore me and then say you’re still with the wolves. You don’t belong with them!”

“I know-”

“You don’t fucking know! You’re so fucking stupid. This is why I told you not to go. You should have sent the damn papers certified. You are so fucking careless.”

“It-”

“Seriously you interrupt me one more fucking time I will come over there and knock some fucking sense in your head do you understand how much fucking trouble you’re in?”

The phone was far too easily taken from my hands and Andre rested a hand on the top of my head as he spoke calmly, “Boy oh boy, I sure would love to meet the man who has the fucking biggest balls on earth.”

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Family. Which is more than I can say for you. Now, you’re forbidden from talking to Freya for the rest of the day. If you text her, call her, even think about her I will know.”

“Hand her the phone back now!” I could hear him yelling and it caused me to hang my head low.

“Tisk tisk,” Andre shook his head, “that’s not how you play the game.”

“You don’t want to play games with me you fucking dog!”

“Presumption sounds terrible on you. When you learn how to talk to her with more respect, we can revisit resuming contact, until then, bye.” I saw him hang up and then immediately switched over to blocking his number.

“What are you doing!” I gasped and struggled to get my phone back. “Seriously, he’s my friend-”

“Friend?” He raised an eyebrow, “You’re lucky Elias wasn’t here for that. He’d be halfway to your home right now to shove that failed abortion’s head up his own ass.” My phone was held high in the air now, “You’re going through a very stressful time. You don’t need some nobody to berate you like a child. That’s my job.” pushing me down one last time he put my phone in his pocket and jumped over the couch with a thud. “Whether you accept Elias or not until he rejects you, you’re his mate. Which makes you just as important as he is to our pack. What kind of beta would I be if I allowed my lady to be spoken to like that?”

“It’s not like that with him.” I sighed, “He’s just worried because I told him I’d be on my way home by now.” My thoughts spun to the worst-case scenario. If I made him too mad I could lose my job.

“You do know two people have tried to hurt you in the past twenty-four hours.”

“Please,” my head hung low as I twisted around making sure to keep the blanket covering me, “It’s my life. I can’t risk losing everything.”

He rolled his eyes and pulled the phone from his pocket hanging it back to me with an eye roll. “You’ve got maybe ten minutes before Elias comes through that door. If he hears you getting yelled at I can’t save his life.”

“Thank you.” I smiled and quickly unblocked his number, phoning him immediately.

“Freya.” His voice was calmer now, “Tell me what the fuck is happening right now.”

With a deep inhale I gathered my thoughts and then looked over to Andre wondering if I should have omitted anything… It was Latharn though. He might have been able to get me out of this mess. “One second okay?” Pressing the mute button I looked over to Andre, “Can I please have privacy?”

He nodded and went out to the patio.

“Okay,” I sighed, “I think the alpha of this pack is convinced that his goddess chose me to be his mate. My car was stolen, I’ve been attacked twice now and the alpha isn’t letting me leave.”

“You’re the alpha’s mate?” Latharn gasped, choosing that part to focus on furst. “Seriously? Do you like him or something? Did you tell him you weren’t interested?”

“No,” I sarcastically retorted, “I thought how about I give it a few months and try things out first. Of fucking course I told him.” My thumb and forefinger rubbed my eyes, “Seriously, he’s not one to take a hint.”

“You’ve given him some sign you like him though. That’s why he’s not rejecting you. What did you say to him?”

“I didn’t do anything!” I snapped, “he’s just been hanging around me since last night.”

“He’s been following you?”

“I told you the wolves were watching me.”

“You clearly aren’t being convincing with telling him off.”

“Look, it’s complicated. Long story short though I don’t have a way to get out of here. My car’s gone.”

“Yeah, are you sure the alpha didn't have something to do with it? He probably thinks spending more time with you will wear you down and you’ll fall for him.”

Spot fucking on, I thought. “Honestly, have you ever heard of this before? Is there anything I can do?”

He took a loud few breaths, “I can try calling a few people. Just don’t go falling for this wolf, you’re not meant to be with them remember?”

I nodded and felt my voice crack through the air, “Yeah-” I did remember far too well. I tried living with my father, I tried playing this whole werewolf game with him. It hurt him when I left though. He had been sick for years after I left and finally… he just gave up. All because I had to tell him I wasn’t like him. We had been fighting far too much before I left. We both needed the break. His break from me was what did it. I’d have to live with that the rest of my life. I already killed one werewolf, did I really want to be the reason for another’s suffering?

“I’ll let you know what I find okay? Just please don’t do anything stupid.”

“Okay-” I nodded my voice not allowing anything more than that one word out before I hung up collapsing back to the couch as tears started to flow.

It was some time later, not too long but the front door opened. I didn’t look up, I thought there was only two possibilities and neither of them I cared to be near me right now.

“Fuck!” Andre rushed back inside confirming the silent conversations were going to continue, “Sorry Freya. You okay?”

I nodded.

What happened? It was Oliver? Where was Elias?

She was talking to her friend.

Doesn’t look like it was a good conversation.

Fuck you, I’m not going to prevent her from talking to people just because tall dark and dumbass says so.

She’s fucking crying! Oliver barked and I felt him reach around the couch, Make her stop!

Make her stop? Andre laughed, like it’s a fucknig switch?

Well Elias is going to think we did something, so make her stop.

“Both of you stop.” I interrupted raising my head.

Huh? Wait you can hear us? It was clearly Andre talking, did they honestly think they were being subtle?

“Yes,” I looked over to Andre whose mouth was gaped open. “What?”

You can hear me. He spoke only… it wasn’t out loud. His mouth wasn’t moving.

I shook my head, “No, I can’t hear anything.” my eyes clenched shut, this wasn’t happening. It wasn’t real. I was a kitsune, I wasn’t a werewolf. Kitsune don’t have mental abilities.

She heard us. Oliver spoke low and I looked over to him to confirm he hadn’t just said it out loud either. She’s looking at me like she can hear us, but I’m deliberately only reaching out to you. Do you think it’s working?

I don’t think so. Andre whispered mentally next and I looked over to him. Bring Elias in on this maybe she’ll hear him too?

“NO!” I snapped and threw up my hands to cover my ears. You both need to stop now!

What’s going on? That was Elias… his smooth voice was coming directly to me. I needed to ignore it. I needed to make sure I didn’t hear anything he was saying, I needed to make sure he didn’t know.

“Stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop!” I pleaded pulling my knees to my chest and hiding my face from the world.

“What happened to her?” Elias growled.

“Nothing!” Andre stood up and I guess that meant they were all in the apartment, “She was-”

“She got upset.” Oliver interrupted, “She’s hungry and still tired. She didn’t take the news well that we didn’t find her stuff. Sorry I knew you wanted to tell her.”

What? I looked up and saw the boys flanking me and looking behind me. They weren’t going to tell Elias?

“Sorry cousin,” Andre smiled and patted me on the head, “I told you, you are still stuck here and it’s our job to protect you.” I felt the difference when he shifted to silently reassuring me. He’d be thrilled you can access the werewolf mental network, but that’s between you two. When you’re ready, tell him, but don’t let it slip because he’s much more aware of you than we are and we figured it out easily.

You two are up to something, Elias growled and I knew it was across the mental bond. “Are you okay Freya?”

“She’s good.” Oliver smiled and touched my shoulder, “She’s really just-”

“Stop talking for her!” Elias growled low, “Both of you have jobs right? Go.”

“Right away!” they both answered. Oliver walked around the couch as Andre jumped over the back.

“Have fun cousin.” Andre called and the echo against the walls confirmed he was speaking out loud.