Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Hunter, Chasen, and Freja sat there, staring across the table, each with three unfinished cups in front of them. Across the table were three empty glasses and a very perky Jin. Their faces drooped in defeat.
“That was fun, guys. Want to have another round? Maybe you can beat me this time.” Jin giggled.
Chasen chuckled and reached under the table, grabbing the lip of her chair and scooting it into him. He pulled Jin into his chest, pressing his lips onto the side of her head. “This victory is all yours, my dear. We will never question your strength again.”
Freja looked at Hunter. “I told you we were no match for her.”
“No kidding.” Hunter chuckled as he scooted his chair back.
“Alright guys. Let’s head home. I have a luna to introduce to the pack.
” Hunter pulled Freja up to his side. “As long as you’re still okay with being introduced today.
” He held her hands up to his face and brushed over her fingers with his lips.
She smiled and nodded. “I’m ready.”
The whole pack had gathered in front of the pack house.
It was evening now, and they were all waiting on their alpha’s announcement.
They knew it had to do with the new luna, since most of them felt the connection to her already.
Freja peeked out the window, feeling a bit anxious. The crowd had gathered to see her.
Hunter’s strong arms spun her around and away from the window. He leaned his head down and nuzzled his mark on her neck.
“They are going to love you,” he whispered into her sensitive skin, making her shudder.
“I’ll do my best, Hunter. To be who I should be,” Freja whispered.
“You don’t have to change a thing, Freja. You’re already what’s best for the pack and best for me.” Hunter nipped at his mark, then gently licked at it. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” She scrunched her nose up at him as he pulled away to look her over.
“You look beautiful. Come and meet your pack.” Hunter tucked her arm around his and led her out through the door.
The crowd immediately hushed at the sight of their alpha and the woman at his side.
“Today, I am introducing you to your new luna and the Werewolf Queen. Black Ice Pack, meet my mate, Freja!” Hunter said proudly, pulling Freja closer to his front side.
The pack whooped and whistled, clapping their hands in excitement. “Congratulations to you both!”
“Freja is very special. Not only is she my queen, but she is a very powerful breed. She is part witch, part vampire, and also part werewolf. She is our very own rare, powerful tribrid. She will help us rule into the future, in prosperity.”
The werewolves cheered even louder in enthusiasm. They were excited to have a very powerful luna and had completely accepted who she was. The Black Ice Pack had never been a pack to discriminate.
Freja leaned into Hunter’s embrace with a smile resting on her face. She could feel it. They were genuinely happy to meet her. She felt connected to all of them and protective over them. They were her pack.
“It seems like only yesterday I met your mother as the luna, and here I am, meeting your mate,” Kristen said with teary eyes.
Garrett chuckled and nodded his head to Freja in respect. “Pleasure to meet you, Luna.”
“Freja, please.”
Garrett smiled. “Lita always made us call her by her name as well.” He looked at Hunter and winked. “Looks like you got a good one.”
“I think so.” Hunter beamed proudly.
Caspian and Merida walked up to the new luna. “It’s nice to meet you. Welcome to the pack. We’re actually moving to Elysia in just a few short weeks. You won’t have to be worrying about us. But we will be leaving our daughter Renee here with Sam.”
“I’ll look out for her in your place,” Freja said kindly. She could sense his fairy magic. A weird attractant of sorts. It didn’t work on her, though. She was lucky that her vampire side helped keep a lot of fairy trickery at bay.
“Thank you. We both appreciate that. Keep an eye on our Hunter, too. I know he can be a pain, but he has a good heart. Just like his father.” Caspian winked at Hunter, who chuckled a bit.
“I’ll keep him in line.” Freja giggled as she felt Hunter inch closer to her face.
“You’ll keep me in line?” Hunter said with a wry smile.
“Sure will.” Freja tilted her head up to him, smiling.
Hunter grinned. “I’ll look forward to it then.” His silver eyes flashed mischievously over her, and he gently clipped her shoulder with his own, then walked away from her, joining his pack members. He reached Caden, who pulled him in for a hug while patting his back.
The pack had accepted his luna, and she was fitting in nicely.
His heart felt complete. The emptiness was vanishing away.
Having a mate was like securing your happiness.
He turned to look at Freja, who was chatting with Jin, Susan, and Renee.
The four girls had really been getting along great.
Jin and Freja already knew each other, but Susan and Renee had openly accepted them both.
This meant a lot to Hunter, especially because he knew that Susan had a crush on him.
It would be different once she shifted and found her mate.
He could tell it would be soon. He could sense her wolf readying, something he could detect now that he was the Werewolf King.
He could recognize the wolves when they were close to shifting.
He frowned slightly as he looked at Susan.
He could sense her wolf, but something else seemed to be surfacing within her, something his pack hadn’t seen in a long time.
He was hoping he was wrong, though. Maybe it was because Susan also had fairy magic that this was happening?
In either case, he would have to stay alert and sharp, just in case.
“Caden.” Hunter turned back around and looked at the old beta with a serious expression. “Let’s take a walk.” He looked around for a moment and found who he was looking for. “Sam!” He motioned for Sam to join them.
“Is there something wrong?” Caden asked as he judged his alpha’s expression. Sam jogged up to them and looked at his father and Hunter.
“I have something I want to talk to the two of you about. Let’s take a walk.”
Chasen trotted up to Hunter, sensing his unease. Being a guardian, he could always understand how Hunter was feeling. I’m coming with you. I asked Jin to stay with Freja.
Hunter smiled and nodded. It would be helpful to have Chasen know, too. He also planned to talk to Freja about it later, just in case they needed to be prepared.
The four of them walked away from the pack and into the distance.
For them to be leaving his luna’s introduction meant it must be important.
Sam knew it had to be crucial because they were walking away from prying ears.
Whatever it was, Hunter seemed concerned, and there was a look in his eyes that he’d rarely seen.
Sam would do whatever was needed in order to take the unease away from Hunter, once he figured out what it was.
Freja’s eyes flickered in the direction of her departing mate.
Her instincts screamed for her to follow him, but she was getting bombarded by her new pack.
They all wanted to introduce themselves to her.
As she watched his ebony hair fade in the distance, she averted her gaze from him and back to the pack.
This was her job now ... to make sure each pack member had a chance to greet her.
Freja sighed as she finally managed to greet everyone.
Susan had left with a group of guys and Renee had gone back with her mother, wanting to spend time with them while Sam was gone.
Jin had remained steadfast at her side. Adam walked up to her and patted her on the back.
“You’ve done enough. Let’s sneak you away from here. ”
Freja smiled at him in appreciation. “Thank you.” Jin was bouncing as they walked away from the group. Must be from all the slushies … no, she’s always like this. Freja shook her head with a small smile. She felt drained from all the interaction.
Hunter still hadn’t come back yet. He had been gone for over an hour now. She was a little concerned, but the idea of getting away for a bit seemed like the perfect distraction. They walked down into a small field.
“This is my favorite training arena.” Adam beamed, proud to introduce his luna to the area.
Freja glanced around, confused. “It looks like every other training field.”
“Only to the untrained eye.” Adam winked, leading her to a darker green area in the center. “Lie down on that and look up.”
Freja looked at Jin, who shrugged. Both girls laid on the dark green, mossy earth and looked up at the dimming sky. A smile crossed Freja’s lips.
“You don’t come here to train, do you?”
“Shhh, don’t tell Hunter on me. This is our secret, Luna.” Adam’s lips curled upward in a smile.
“Freja, please. And your secret is safe with me.” Freja felt the cool, soft earth below her and gazed up at the sky. It was very calm and peaceful. White, puffy clouds slowly moved over the beautiful blue above them.
“So, you just lay here?” Jin sat up with a frown on her face. “That’s boring.”
“Only if you’re a child.” Adam laughed as he teased Jin, Freja giggling as well.
They heard a scream from across the field, and Freja was on her feet in an instant, directing her gaze to a corner of the training area.
Susan was hunched over with her arms wrapped around herself.
There were a few guys nearby, the ones she had left with earlier.
Freja used her vampire speed to get to her side quickly, placing her hand on Susan’s back.
She was burning up. She looked up at Freja in pain.
Freja could see her darkened eyes. She’d gotten her wolf, but there was something else going on here. Susan clutched her stomach and groaned again in pain. Freja heard a low snarl behind her and looked back to see the guys, their eyes dark, their primal gazes focused on Susan.