Freya's POVThere was something I found very annoying about people who talked too much. And it wasn't that they talked too much. It was that they were greedy. They weren't content in using their own time to drone on and on about something as trivial as the pair of shoes they picked that morning. No, they were much comfortable using others' time. The time they had was not as precious as others deemed theirs, so they made it a point to waste yours. Your time.What's worse death by hanging from a rope or death by being forced to sit and listen to the most ancient healer I had ever encountered in my life who only cared about the scary warts that were growing on her nose?

Freya's POVRun.Run now.Run. Now.Seneca sounded like she would take over my body and run in my stead since I wasn't listening to her.That is a good idea, I told Seneca in my head. But running won't solve anything, I added."If you used all your might and speed. It really could." Seneca was pleading this time.It really could.As if I could run anywhere fast enough to escape the reality of what had just happened. What I had just done. As if I could be strong enough to face my fears. As if through sheer force of will I could block who was right in front of me from my sight. From my mind."We're carrying our child, Seneca. I can't shift." I bit back a little harshly. This was my own rather cowardly way of explaining for my lack of any progressive mobility.Run. It's not so hard. Just put one foot in front of the other and go.But I didn't run. I moved, at least. I hit my ankle on the edge of the bed railing as I feebly attempted to curl back into myself to hide.But run?I couldn't.

Zane's POV*Still Within 2 Hours Before*We got home. Or more precisely, we were reaching home. And yes by home, I mean the castle. At that moment we were only just nearing the gates. Of course no one could see us, I made sure. Perks of being a hundred and twenty something year old Alpha Lycanthrope who happened to be extremely experienced with dark magic.I had sent my little convoy of fifty trained foot soldiers ahead of me so right now, they were safely back and at their duty posts in the castle. Nylf, I was sure had gotten the healer in Freya's bedchambers for an immediate customary check up as soon as she got in, and was rounding up the maids to make sure that the queen Luna of Adivaine was attended to and that they devote their full mental and physical faculties to this endeavor, ensuring that it was done with the utmost severity and precision.The point I was trying to make is, it was just me and her. Not a single other living thing within sight…. maybe except the birds scatter

Freya's POVHe didn't move to kiss me at first. His whiskey orbs ping-ponged both of my eyes like he was searching for something. I always wondered what he wanted to find whenever he looked at me this way. My mind flashed back to our first intimate moments that happened in his brooding nest after meeting in the woods that fateful night I tried to escape this castle. I wasn't his mate then. Just Darius's sex slave.He looked at me the same way he was looking at me now. Hopeful? Maybe. I wasn't sure. It was almost as if he was convincing himself to face the reality–which was no longer brutal or haunting but….me, his mate– and let down his defenses. That it was okay. That I was here. That he didn't have anything to worry about. That he didn't need to hide from me. That he was never going to go rabid as long as I was by his side.I watched him for a moment then I let out a little sigh. I figured I needed to make a bolder move to initiate sex. So, I unlaced my fingers from his neck and ste

Freya's POVMy legs were water. I couldn't use them anymore than I could use my vocal cords. My voice had left me due to all the screaming from about thirty minutes ago.I was in the bathtub of his study soaking up the warmth of his familiar musk-scented bath that he had drawn for me before he left the room. He left to do his cursory check of the palace and keep appearances as the mate who was tortured because he wasn't able to see his Luna.What was taking him so long anyway? Quite a good chunk of time had already passed.I closed my eyes and sunk into the bath and sighed as I let my muscles relax. Needless to say, I was so deliciously sore. I played back the events of the night in my head again and I felt my face spreading with a smile. I was so perfectly wrapped up in bliss I almost forgot my fears. Almost.I saw them again. Krayne's eyes. My eyelids flew open that very instant. Doing that was useless, I didn't need to open my eyes to escape seeing his eyes. They were still there.