Chapter Thirty-Three
If Connor was surprised to see the three of them together, he didn’t mention it. Freya refused to be left behind, and so they took her.
The ride to Alpha’s house was silent, and they walked hand in hand once they parked the car.
Freya had taken a quick shower before leaving her house, but fatigue was starting to creep in again. Even so, she kept her shoulders straight, refusing to bow.
A guard—she didn’t know his name—took them to the Alpha’s office, and Freya, who had never been introduced to Connor, was startled when she saw him. He was a younger, male version of Evelyn, impossible to deny the kinship even if they wanted to.
Despite the tension evident on Connor’s shoulders, he offered Freya an encouraging smile.
“It’s good to see you standing. You had us worried.”
She tried to smile, but the only thing that came out was a twitch of the corners of her mouth. She whispered a “thank you” that he probably wouldn’t have heard if he wasn’t paying attention.
He focused his attention on the twins.
“I’m so happy you’ve been following my orders,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Freya cleared her throat and said, “I invited them in.”
“I know. That’s the only reason they’re not in chains right now,” barked Connor, and Freya flinched. Even from a distance she could feel the power that emanated from the big man. Ciaran gave her a slight squeeze, and Declan placed a conciliatory hand on her waist.
****
Connor’s eyes zeroed in on Freya and he frowned, clearly deep in thought. After a while, he sighed and gestured for them to sit down. Freya sat on a chair, but the twins kept guard behind her, each touching her shoulder. Connor snorted, clearly at the end of his patience.
“Sit the fuck down,” he boomed and the twins sat. One of them barked like a dog and Connor’s face went almost purple.
“You’re a funny guy, aren’t you?”
The twins were used to their uncle’s grumbling, which he let slide for once. He sighed, rubbed his face with his hands and stared at Freya, who couldn't help but jump when she felt all eyes fixed on her.
“Freya, even if you weren’t the destined mate of these fools, you would always have a place in my pack and in my city.
Not only because it was a direct order from my king, but because of what you went through,” he shook his head.
“You would always be welcome. Despite what you may think, this city’s population is not just composed of wolves, although the majority is.
Our sacred grounds are far from the city limits, and coexistence has been peaceful. ”
“Why the secrets?”
“Would you have come willingly if you had known what we were?” He smiled ruefully when she shook her head.
“Yeah, I thought not. Now it’s time for you to know the rest.” He paused when she saw her tense.
“The howls you heard the night you had the accident didn’t belong to this pack.
One of them had a strange smell, almost rotten, and that only happens when the wolf is rogue and packless for a long time.
The thing is, nobody claimed the Alpha title when Lewis died.
His pack doesn’t exist anymore, and his cousins are also rotting near the mountains where they died.
You were there for the longest, so I must ask” her eyes widened and Connor paused before asking, more gently, “Freya, where did the gun come from? The one you used when you tried to kill yourself?”
Freya opened and closed her mouth several times, until her voice finally found an escape and she said, in a hoarse whisper, “I don’t know.
I never had a gun. But when I entered the living room, it was there, and I picked it up before I even realized what I was doing...
” she rubbed her head, flinching when she touched the bandage.
Understanding dawned on her face. If she hadn’t bought the gun, someone had planted it.
Someone who clearly knew that a person, pushed enough to the edge of a cliff, would eventually jump.
“The gun’s license number was wiped clean. We have no way of knowing who bought what and where. I just know it wasn’t bought here, because in my city we don’t have these kinds of things.” He smiled, ruefully. “They were never needed.”
Connor pierced his nephews with his eyes, and his voice came out abruptly as he said, “You will keep an eye on her, at all times. Not that I can keep you apart, apparently ... but those rogues weren’t sniffed in any other part of the city, their scent disappeared in the river.
They went specifically to her house; they were searching for her.
” His tone gentled when he looked at Freya, “Unless I can convince you to stay here, with us.”
With so many unknown wolves? It was asking too much of her PTSD. Connor laughed a humorless laugh.
“Yeah, didn’t think so... I’ll have patrols to your house.
You won’t see them, don’t worry. Ciaran and Declan will stay with you, and Faolan will also sleep in my mother’s house.
An added sense of security, if you prefer.
You’ll resume your work at the gym as soon as you feel able, and you’re not going anywhere alone.
One of your mates should always be with you. ”
“That won’t be a hardship...” muttered Ciaran, kissing the back of her hand.
“And mate the girl already,” grumbled Connor. “Your scent needs to be on her so that all the other wolves will know she’s taken.”
Suddenly everyone was looking everywhere except at her.