Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Drip. Drop.
Drip. Drop.
Freja scowled as the strong scent of decay hit her nose. She turned and looked at Ciana. “How can you stand to be near this scent?”
Ciana only shrugged. “You get used to it. I’ll wait for you out here, though.” She winked, staying out in the fresh air.
Freja hated coming here. She hated having to seek out the dark priestess. There was only one thing that could ever bring her here, and that was Hunter.
With the scent stinging her nose, she walked into the dark cave.
The darkness was overwhelming, but a few candles burned to light the way.
There were puddles where water droplets pulled in from the mountain would land occasionally.
The air was thick with the nauseating stench of rotting flesh, a putrid aroma that made her curl her lips and wrinkle her nose in disgust.
As she navigated through the oppressive shadows, she reached an opening in the rugged stone walls.
There, silhouetted against the dim light, stood a figure beside a shadowy cauldron.
The person's hair was as black as a raven's wing, cascading down to contrast starkly against their ivory-colored skin, pale as moonlight.
The woman slowly turned to face Freja, her eyes void of any emotion.
They were inky black, glossy in their darkness, as if absorbing any light that dared to approach.
“So, you have finally come to see me in person.” Kali tilted her head as she examined Freja.
Freja scowled and crossed her arms. “You already know why I’m here. I hate games.”
Kali’s lips curled upward, and she chuckled quietly. “You’re a lot like me in that way. I do hate games. However, I’m not going to just hand over the answer that you seek.”
Freja sighed. She figured as much. “What do you want?”
“Your blood oath, Freja. That no matter what the outcome of this is, you will lend your aid in the demon war to come. And one more thing … I need you to retrieve something for me.” Kali’s dark orbs glistened from the light of a candle as she stood like a statue, watching Freja.
“No matter the outcome? So, there isn’t a guaranteed way to fix this?” Freja couldn’t help the frown that formed over her face.
“No. There isn’t. Well? Is it worth it? To pledge the oath even if the chance of success is slim?
” Kali already knew what Freja would do next.
She watched as the girl walked toward her, her boots clacking against the rock floor.
When she reached the pot, she raised her hand over it and grabbed her dagger.
The white flash of her blade flickered in the light as she sliced her hand, her blood dripping into the pot.
With each drip, the pot sizzled, accepting her life force into it.
Freja then looked straight into the dark orbs with fierce determination. “You have my word. Now, hold up your end of the agreement.”
Kali’s lips curled upward. Her eyes glinted in humor as she stared into the pot. “Your fate is now sealed.”
Hunter stood looking out over the training grounds with his father, Grayson, and Chasen.
His mother was spending time with Jin, Kristen, Rosa, Merida, Susan, and Renee.
He looked upward as the sunbeams hit his face.
It had been days since he’d last heard from Freja.
But what could he do when he saw her again?
He was a wreck, and he knew it. He could barely focus.
He hated himself. Why did he leave the pack territory? This was all his fault.
He turned and slammed his hand into a tree, his eyes squeezed shut and his face tensed. What was he going to do?
“Easy, son,” Asher said, putting his hand on his shoulder.
“What would you do? What would you have done?” Hunter asked in a strained breath. He turned his gaze toward his father.
Asher opened his mouth and then shut it.
If this would have happened to him with Lita …
well, he couldn’t fathom it. What would he have done?
He smirked a bit. “I would be taking my frustration out right now on some witches.” He raised his brows.
He would have to spill a lot of blood first. Then, he would deal with the emptiness of not being able to have his mate.
Hunter clicked his tongue in annoyance. “You know what I mean.”
“What can be done? If there was anything we could try, we would. But there isn’t. Your mother has searched, your grandmother has searched, and the Bloom Coven has searched and reached out to other covens. There isn’t a way to reverse it.” Asher squeezed his fist in pain for his son.
“I’m a werewolf. I heal quickly. What about trying to drain my blood and let my system refill itself with new blood?” Hunter was desperate. He was willing to try anything.
“Hunter, it isn’t an option. One, you would kill your wolf that way for sure.
Two, the new blood you would make would still be infused with the dark strain.
Your body is treating it like it was always part of you.
I know it’s hard, but you’re going to have to accept it.
You’re going to have to let her go.” Asher watched as Hunter’s gaze snapped up at him, furious.
“No … no … no … NO! I don’t accept this! I CAN’T ACCEPT THIS! I won’t accept this,” Hunter snarled angrily.
“You are the Werewolf King, Hunter. You have to think about all the wolves, not just yourself.” Asher put a firm hand on his son as he tried to level with him.
“That’s easy for you to say. You have your ‘MATE,’” Hunter said in a mocking growl.
“Meanwhile, I’m being gutted from mine. But I just have to accept it.
That’s just the way it is. Bullshit.” Hunter shoved his father’s arm off him and began to pace angrily.
“I don’t accept this life without Freja.
I won’t not see her again.” Hunter stopped moving and looked down at his hands.
That was it. That was the answer. He then looked back at his father.
“This life is pointless without her. No matter what, I won’t live without her. ” His voice became strangely calm.
Hunter began walking deeper into the forest. The three men stayed close to him, not sure what he was doing.
“Hunter. Come on, man. We aren’t giving up,” Chasen said, trying to pull his brother back from the darkness that was enveloping him.
Finally, when they were near the pack border, he stopped.
He lifted his head up and searched through the trees.
“Freja! Are you close? Can you hear me?” Freja!
He yelled out loud and in their mate link.
He looked at the leaves as the sun streamed through them.
“I refuse to live this life without you. I don’t care what has to be sacrificed. ”
Hunter extended his claws. He let out a chuckle and shook his head.
“If I can’t see you, then I won’t go crazy, right?
I won’t hurt you if I don’t have my sight.
” Hunter quickly raised his claws to his eyes.
His father, uncle, and brother all yelled at him to stop, but they weren’t close enough to stop him.
His claws were just about to reach his eyes when two silver pins were wedged into them.
The silver burned him, immediately making his claws retract.
Hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind, and a familiar scent reached his nose.
“What the hell are you thinking, you crazy wolf?” Freja sighed in relief that she got to him in time.
“Freja,” he choked out.
She sighed and turned her head to Chasen. “Remove the pins from him. Those are made of silver and are burning him.” She glanced at the two men she didn’t recognize but turned her attention back to Hunter. “This will burn,” she warned him as Chasen removed each of the pins.
Hunter hissed at the sting in his hands, but the scent of his mate calmed him. “I can’t do this without you, Freja. I need you. I don’t care if that means losing my sight. As long as it means I can be close to you.”
“So extreme, Hunter,” Freja breathed out. She pressed against his back, having missed his heat. She looked back at the two men she didn’t recognize.
“Freja, this is our dad, Asher, and our uncle Grayson. This is Freja, Hunter’s mate.”
Asher chuckled and looked up at the trees. “You have some great precision and excellent timing.” If she’d been a fraction of a second later, his son would be blind right now.
Freja nodded to him and smiled. “The timing … I just got lucky. The precision—years of practice will give that to you.” She gave him a crooked smile. “Nice to meet you. Sorry it’s under the circumstances of me putting silver through your son’s hands. Sometimes he needs tough love, though.”
Grayson started laughing. “I think silver pins in the hands is definitely tough love.”
“You really do seem like you’re the perfect match for him. I’m sorry about the circumstances, though.” Asher frowned. She was a good mate for his son. She was strong, and that was something a luna needed to be. It was tragic that she would have to leave Hunter.
“The circumstances suck.” Freja then caressed Hunter’s face with her thumb. “But I’m not giving up. There is still something else we can try.”
“And what is that? Will it put my son at risk?” Lita asked, walking up to them through the woods. She had sensed a strong presence, and she and her wolf Mira had gone to investigate.
“Freja, this is my wife, mate, and queen, Lita,” Asher said as he held his arm out to Lita.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Freja nodded her head to Lita.
“Hunter might be your son, but he’s mine.
He’s my mate.” Her eyes laid the challenge down for Lita.
“No one can protect him better than me.” Freja could feel Hunter tense under her hands, his heart rate quickening at the way she was speaking to his mother.