Freedom
twenty-five
*ROSEA*
It’s late at night when I finally catch up with Forest again. I meet him, together with Martin and Griffin, in front of Griffin’s place. When Forest spots me, he rushes to me, grabs me by my waist and twirls me around. It makes me laugh.
His eyes widen. “First time I’ve heard you laugh, Rose,” he exclaims. “And it’s such a beautiful sound.”
“Don’t be silly,” I say, feeling how my cheeks heat up.
“I am not being silly,” he says. “Most beautiful sound I have ever heard.” He doesn’t wait for my answer, but takes my hand and tugs me along to the other two men.
“Now, that’s what I call a victory,” Griffin says with a grin, high-fiving first Forest and then me.
“What happened with Lissa?” I ask.
“She is in the cells for now,” Forest explains. “Two of the elite warriors are guarding her, because I don’t trust my father not to pull off something. I have also talked to our elders, and Dr. Francis will have her sent to one of our actual prisons. They will deal with her sentencing there.”
“After all she’s done, it’s best for her to leave the pack,” Griffin says, a grin curling his lips. “In full disgrace, if I might add. I thought she couldn’t dig her grave even deeper, but she surprised me.”
I nod. “I agree. When you guys left, the pack members went crazy. It was tumultuous, and I can tell you, no one had any kind thoughts to share about her. On the plus side, I saw some of the warriors talk to Nina and some other omegas. They seemed to be genuinely concerned.”
“They didn’t like being called stupid,” Martin says. “But it was good that they heard it, and they noticed that to the outside they might appear callous at times.”
“Omegas are part of the pack,” Forest says. “The discrimination will end today!” He pauses. “Okay, it’s probably na?ve to say it like that, but I will fight against it from today on.”
“We all will,” I say.
“What now?” Griffin asks. “What’s your next step?”
Forest and I exchange a look. We both have a few ideas we’d like to discuss with him, but Martin is here, and Forest still hasn’t made a decision about him.
Martin must have sensed our hesitancy, too, because for a moment, he looks crestfallen.
He recovers quickly and steps forward. “I know you don’t fully trust me yet,” he says. “But I’d do anything to prove myself.”
“It’s not like I don’t trust you,” Forest says. “It’s just that every step I take means I am taking a huge risk. And I am not just risking my life, I am also risking Rose’s and Griffin’s.”
“I know,” Martin says. “But I am not loyal to your parents or mine. I am loyal to you. How can I prove myself if I never get the chance?”
“What’s that with your parents?” Forest wants to know.
“Well,“ Martin takes a deep breath. “They hate their very obviously gay son.”
At that, all three of us look at him in surprise before Griffin breaks the silence. “That’s the reason they dislike you so much?” he asks.
Martin shrugs. “I am the only son of a family of high-ranking wolves. I am not the son they expected me to be. Plus, you might have noticed that I am not the most sociable out there. I am an introvert.”
“We certainly share that,” Forest admits quietly. “Man. Martin, your sexuality is not a problem for us; in case you are afraid it is. Thank you for being honest and sharing it with us.” He pauses, casting me another look.
I take a deep breath. We trusted Nina, Elli, and Ben. It’s time to give Martin a chance; besides, we’ll need him. Griffin can’t do everything on his own. “We… we can’t tell you everything yet,” I say honestly. “But I think we could fill you in a little.”
Martin’s eyes light up. “That’s more than I expected,” he admits.
Forest nods. “Rose’s and my goal… or one of our goals… is the downfall of my parents. There are reasons for that. Are you ready to help us even when you don’t know the full reasons yet?”
“Yes,” Martin says promptly.
Forest nods towards me. “Okay, your turn, Rose.”
“I’ll need you to look into something for me, Martin,” I say. “I’ve noted some… unusual transactions in some of Donna’s bank statements.”
The shady money flow is an issue the luna should handle, but also a job for a beta. Martin is trained to be an alpha’s assistant.
“When you were canceling some payments and changing investments?” he asks.
I nod. “There is a florist she pays an awful lot of money to. I need you to research the place, discreetly. Something smells fishy there. I trust that as a beta, you know how to lie low and how to ask the strategically important questions. I don’t know what we should expect. It could be anything.”
“Got it,” Martin says, nodding grimly. “I am not going to disappoint you.”
“There is something else,” Forest says. “You are attending some meetings during the upcoming two weeks, aren’t you?”
“Yes, there are a few meetings with fellow betas scheduled.”
“I need intel on Jordan,” Forest says. “Something doesn’t feel right with him.”
“Yeah,” Martin says. “I got the same feeling.”
“Do you know his beta?”
“Clemmens?” Martin tilts his head, and I try not to flinch when I hear his name. Forest gently strokes my hand.
“Is that his name?” Forest asks, playing dumb. “I am not sure yet what we are looking for, but there is something.”
“Definitely. There are also a lot of rumors surrounding his luna,” Martin says. “Or… his former luna, or something like that.”
Griffin shifts from one foot to another and tries to look curious, while I can’t help but hold my breath. “You don’t say?”
“Yes. Jordan must be a total creep,” Martin explains.
“Sometimes when the betas drink, Clemmens and some of his friends get talkative. The last time they talked about how Jordan wants to take this very young girl as his new mate. Plus, there are a lot of rumors about the former alpha family, swirling around.”
My family?!
“Yes, dig deeper into that,” Forest says. “You said they drink?”
“I guess I could go from there,” Martin says. “I will try to hit it off with them and make sure they drink plenty.”
Forest pours me a glass of wine and hands me a plate of freshly made cake. “I had the kitchen prepare it,” he says. “You like cheesecake, don’t you?”
“Like is an understatement,” I say. “But if you keep feeding me like this, I will gain quite some weight.”
“You would still be the most beautiful person in a room,” he says. Then he blinks, his face turning red. “I just said that out loud, didn’t I?”
I nod, feeling a twinge of joy at his compliment, but also a tad embarrassed.
“I meant it,” he says, his voice more confident now. “You are beautiful.”
I stare at him, twisting the glass between my hands. “Now I am flustered,” I admit.
“Good,” he grins.
It’s funny how he can go from heartthrob to boyish in such a short time span, but that’s his biggest charm. “You are quite handsome, too,” I say.
He looks happy. “No one has ever called me that.”
“No one called me beautiful, either,” I admit.
“No way!!”
“Obviously Jordan would never,” I say. “And before that… people called me the Ice Queen.”
“You are not icy or cold at all,” he says. “I don’t know how anyone would think that. You are very kind and protective of others. Literally everyone in this pack can see it. They love you!”
“Do you really think so?”
“You know, it’s fine not to be a sweet, gentle type of luna,” he says. “You are you, and that’s what pulls them in.”
He is right. Despite my being here starting as a charade, I am much more myself than I have ever been. Even when I was a teen, I was trying to play the perfect alpha daughter and then the dignified luna, to be able to endure Jordan’s abuse.
But here, I feel like I am myself.
“Don’t send me away,” I hear myself say.
Forest looks at me, and before I can take back my words, he takes my hand. “Never,” he says. “I will never send you away.” He reaches out his free hand, gently touching my cheek. “Too soon?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I admit. Yet I move my hand forward to brush a strand of hair from his face. I need to see his eyes. My heart is beating faster than it should when I gaze into his eyes, noting how gentle and warm they are.
His thumb brushes over my lips, but he doesn’t do anything else.
It confuses me at first, but then I understand why.
He knows what Jordan did to me; he wants me to be the one to initiate anything.
This realization finally pushes me to take the next step, leaning forward.
Forest meets me halfway, his lips pressing against mine.
It’s so unlike any kiss I’ve shared with Jordan, even from before he showed his true colors. Forest is an alpha, yet he holds back his instincts and urges. He is gentle, treating me like I am precious. When I part my lips, his tongue moves past them, brushing against mine.
It’s a slow kiss, and every part of me enjoys it. I am safe with Forest. I will always be safe.
“Are you aware that you are my luna now?” Forest asks me when he draws back.
I smile. “You must know by now that I‘ll be hard to get rid of.”
He kisses me gently a second time, then he takes my hand. “How about we let our wolves meet each other?”
“I think Alora would enjoy that,” I say.
“So, that’s her name,” he smiles. “It’s beautiful. And just so you know, Darien is very interested.”
I am interested, too, Alora tells me. Let me out, Rosea. I need to see and meet his wolf before we get deeper into this. Forest is a good man, but I need to see if I can trust him with you. I won’t repeat my previous mistake.
An alpha wolf is always a risk, at least in our minds.
Then let’s meet him.
I nod at Forest. “Alora wants to meet him.”
Forest looks happy at my words, something in his eyes flashing.
For the first time, I can see him in touch with his wolf spirit.
It’s late at night, so there is barely anyone around when we quietly leave the pack house.
Forest leads me through a narrow path into the forest. “For privacy,” he tells me.
“I don’t want you to feel pressured or uncomfortable by curious eyes watching us.
But if you feel unsafe, I will have Griffin come and watch over us. ”
Again, it strikes me how safe I feel with him. If anyone else had led me into a forest at night, it would have triggered my fight or flight response. “It’s fine with just the two of us,” I assure him.
We walk a little further, silence engulfing us for a while until I break it. “Say, Forest, how do you think your parents truly feel about Lissa, now that everything went down?”
Forest takes my hand into his, walking next to me now. “I don’t know. I am not sure if they knew everything she was up to.”
“I agree. I think they knew about her blackmailing Nina’s mate, but I am not sure if they truly knew what she was doing in the pack. After all, they wanted her as your mate, and image is everything for them.”
“Yeah, she might have played a role in front of them, too,” Forest agrees.
“Maybe they think she lied to them about your mate, as well,” I point out. “After all, you appeared with me at your side, and nothing indicates that we aren’t mates.”
“I was wondering about that,” he admits. “Maybe they think you are truly my mate,” he smiles. “Now that would be convenient.”
I chuckle. “Right?”
He stops abruptly. “Here,” he says. “This clearing is far away from the warriors who are on guard duty tonight.” He looks at me. “We don’t need to do it if you don’t feel comfortable.”
“I am fine,” I reassure him, and like the gentleman he is, he turns around for me to strip off my clothes. Once I am naked, I let Alora take over, shifting into her wolf form. Forest follows suit, and suddenly, I am eye to eye with his majestic dark grey wolf.
Alora is of alpha blood, too, so she stands tall for a she-wolf, but she is nowhere near as big as he is. She doesn’t show her discomfort, though, but doesn’t hold back on her distrust.
Darien, however, doesn’t approach her, but lowers himself to the ground, looking up at her through his dark eyes.
Alora gasps, I can’t believe he just did that! She takes a few steps forward, her curiosity and fascination now winning over. Darien remains lying on the ground, dropping to his side now, as if he is sleeping.
What’s he doing? I ask.
He is submitting to me, she blurts out. He wants me not to be scared; that’s why. An alpha wolf, who is so forthcoming! Now, that’s a surprise.
Her initial skepticism is gone, and she takes a leap forward to Darien’s side, burying her nose into his fur and sniffing at him. Darien raises his head now, turning it to follow Alora’s movements. She jumps around him until he gets up.
I don’t have much experience of interactions with other wolves, due to Jordan basically having me locked in and never letting me join the other pack members, but I can tell that Alora is intrigued.
She is not scared anymore; I can’t even feel any distrust from her. Instead, she seems joyful, almost free.
She hasn’t been able to take a run for so long.
Darien probably senses this because he nudges her with his snout before taking off into the forest. Alora follows suit, for the first time in a long while, letting loose and feeling her freedom.