Chapter 4
Mikhail
Carrying Freya’s limp form out of the graveyard had a multitude of emotions running through me.
My beast was simultaneously unsettled and ecstatic that we had her safely in our arms. I had dreamed of holding her like that, having her body close to mine, but I never imagined it would happen under those circumstances.
Nothing could have prepared me for the state I found her in, and I was still struggling to process what I had just witnessed.
Afternoon classes had started, and I quickly became aware that Freya wasn’t in her physics class across the hall from me.
Since she had started at the university, I had memorized her schedule.
After that first night, I checked that she was safe in her room every night before bed.
I tried to time my day to make sure I saw Freya on her way to each class.
My heart pounded in my chest, filled with the need to know where my mate was.
When I caught sight of Freya quickly crossing the courtyard, I only had a moment of relief.
Her form was hunched, she seemed rushed and in pain, and it had all my alarms going off.
Professor Harvey was droning on about statistics when I abruptly stood up from my chair.
“Bathroom,” I grumbled, and watched as Harvey paled slightly, barely hiding a wince as my bear waited for him to submit. I was throwing off alpha commands, my powers on the fritz because I was afraid of what Freya was getting herself into.
As soon as I got outside, all of my senses went on high alert.
Everything felt off. The sun was out, but the air smelled like rain, and lightning streaked the clear sky.
There was a vibration under my feet, as if the grass and trees around me were coming alive all at once.
I jogged toward the graveyard, struggling to keep my bear leashed.
He was ready to shed the human skin and burst through, find, and claim our mate.
Sliding into the cemetery, I scanned the bleak area, looking for Freya.
Although I couldn’t see her, I could feel her, and instinctively let my bear guide me.
The mausoleums were at the far end of the cemetery, and I quickly realized she was over there.
Every fiber of my being was drawn to her, but my animal scented a threat in the area.
Turning the corner, I was stunned by the sight in front of me.
Freya, my delicate human mate, was caught in a whirlwind of unfamiliar magic.
I turned to look for a foe, someone to fight, but her screams stopped me.
She looked trapped, on her knees in the dirt with her hands holding up her shaking form.
Her body bowed under the weight of the forces smothering her.
I had no idea how to process the scene in front of me.
Magic was pulsing all around us, unfamiliar but potent.
Freya seemed stuck in her own bubble with all of that power pointed toward her.
Wind was whipping around her as I felt the grass grow hot under my feet—even through my shoes.
I tried to get closer to Freya, but the forces had her in a cocoon.
Anything loose in the nearby area was getting sucked into that web.
I dodged rocks and sticks, pushing through invisible walls just to get to my girl.
Horrified, I watched as more items were sucked into the storm around her.
The tangy scent of her blood ripped through the air as a rock grazed her forehead.
She barely flinched as it dripped down her face.
My fangs extended, and I jolted into action.
With a roar, I used all my strength to push through the stream of magic surrounding her.
Once I made it into her orbit, I wrapped my arms around her, shocked at the scorching heat radiating off of her.
Now that I had my hands on her, the magic was only stronger.
It felt like it was trying to rip me into a million pieces and scatter my remains in every direction.
I curved my body around Freya, trying to protect my mate from any more unexpected objects as I tried to get her off the ground.
It felt like she was stuck in quicksand; the more I tried to get her out, the more it sucked her in.
Finally, I managed to rip her from the ground before the earth could suck her under.
Once her arms were free, I had to fight the winds wrapping around us just to settle her in my arms. They grew so intense, I was worried tombstones would start flying if I didn’t get us out of there soon.
With Freya safe in my arms, I pushed against the wayward elements, determined to get us out and protect her from any further injury.
When those stormy grey eyes slowly slid open, I couldn’t help the animalistic urge that ran through me at having her so close.
Freya’s body jumped and twitched in my arms, so I clutched her closer to my chest, nuzzling her hair to soothe both of us.
Her scent was stronger, flowers and fire invading my senses.
“Mine,” I declared in a beastly voice, my bear and I united in our claim.
Just as quickly, she went limp in my arms, passing out before everything settled around us.
It was eerie, especially after the erratic conditions we had just been trapped in.
Clutching Freya closer, I turned on my heel, determined to bring her back to my den.
Taking long strides, I made it into the castle and up to my room in good time.
With care, I placed Freya on my bed, not bothering to cover her since she was still overheated.
With haste, I found a first aid kit and quickly poured antiseptic onto a cotton ball.
I tried to work as gently as I could to clean the wound on her forehead.
Cleaning the blood off her face, I applied a small butterfly bandage to the laceration.
An injury like that would have taken me less than a day to heal from.
How long will this scar my human mate? I hadn’t given much thought to humans over the past few years, preferring to stick to my family and clan members.
Even during the years spent at human schools, I never saw a need to really learn about them.
Now, watching Freya’s face scrunched in pain even unconsciously, I wished I had taken some time to learn more.
The need to take care of my mate ate at me, and I was worried I wouldn’t adequately be able to protect her until I knew what we were facing.
Having Freya so close, I was able to study her.
She was stunning, her long hair the color of a raven’s wings making her creamy skin seem almost luminescent.
Her body dipped and curved in all the right places.
Her lashes were thick, dark crescents, hiding what I knew to be gray eyes that shifted colors, reminding me of storm clouds.
Needing to touch her, I lay down beside her, wrapping her in my arms. She was so small that I was able to curve my body until I completely surrounded her.
I don’t know what had just happened, but I was with her, and from then on, nothing would hurt my mate.