Chapter 16

Tristan Cole I sat beside the bed wiping Freya's sweat-covered brow. It was devastating watching her suffer. Pure werewolves didn't go through a transition, they do however have to go through a first shift when they turn sixteen. That was bad enough, but each shift after that first shift became easier and easier, until you didn't feel the pain anymore. I couldn't imagine what Freya was going through, all I wanted to do was be in the moon realm with her. I wanted her to know that I was there for her every step of the way.

Guilt consumed me and I couldn't believe that I had been so selfish. I wanted us to be together forever, but why couldn't I have just accepted her for who, and what she was? Why did I need to turn her? I knew that the pack wouldn't have accepted her as Luna while she was a human, let alone a hunter. I should have told my father and the pack to shove it up their asses. If they wanted me to be the Alpha, they should have accepted the mate I had chosen. But no, I had to put her in danger and do what my parents and pack wanted. I’ve been so stupid!

“What have I done? I can't lose her.”

I lowered my head into my hands to cover up the tears that freely streamed down my face.

“You won't lose her son. She's a very strong girl. She will make it through this!”

My placed his hand on my shoulder, which I promptly shrugged off.

“At least mom will be happy if she doesn't make it.”

My father sighed before answering.

“I heard what she did. Inviting the Alpha's here was wrong, but she was only trying to protect you son. Yes, how she went about it was completely wrong, but she's scared, Tristan, you have to understand that.”

I did get what he was saying, but I was still pissed off by her, and her actions.

“I know dad, I do understand, but she needs to accept that I have chosen my mate. Nothing is going to change my mind. I love, Freya and I will do anything to be with her. Even if that means leaving the pack,” I replied in a monotone voice, as I watched over my sleeping beauty. The decision to leave my pack held no emotion for me. All I cared about was Freya.

“I'm sure it won't have to come to that son. We will work something out. I'll talk to your mother.”

He sighed with defeat as he walked away.

“Dad!?”

Freya was holding her breath and writhing around on the bed. My dad ran back to the bed and quickly shouted for the Doctor, “Linda, get in here quickly!”

Doctor Dobson sprinted into the room and squeezed herself between me and my father. She leaned over the bed and forced open Freya's eyes. Peering over her shoulder, I could see them rolling into the back of her skull.

“What's happening to her? Why is she holding her breath like that?”

Panic swept through me while she did her rapid examination.

“It could be anything, Tristan. She's still in the moon realm. My guess would be, that she's holding her breath because she's underwater, someone’s choking her, or something else along those lines.”

Freya exhaled and began ccoughing gathering all our attention. When she began gargling like she was drowning, I lunged forward, but my father held me back before I could reach her.

“Get the hell off me. She needs my help, she's choking!” I screamed at my father and tried to pull myself away from him.

“Get him out of here, I need to focus on, Freya. I can't do that with him in hysterics.” Doctor Dobson yelled at my father while pointing to the door.

“No! I'll stay quiet I promise. Just please don't make me leave her.”

“Okay. Just keep your mouth shut and do exactly as I ask.”

She laid out her rules and I was more than happy to obey her if it meant I could stay with Freya.

“Of course,” I replied while moving my chair away from the bed to sit further away from the bed.

“Alpha, I need to concentrate. Could you mind link, Danny for me? Tell him to get the medical bag from my room and bring it here asap!”

She didn’t pull her eyes away from Freya.

“I'm on it,” dad replied then zoned out talking to Danny.

“Tristan, have you got a turkey baster?” Linda asked without turning around.

I stood up and saw that she was looking into Freya's mouth. I watched while she put two of her fingers into it and scooped out some kind of black sludge.

“Um, yeah I think so. I'll be right back.”

I sprinted out of the room to go check if I had one in the kitchen. I rummaged through the kitchen drawers and luckily found one.

“Tristan quickly!”

I grabbed the turkey baster then sprinted up the stairs and back into the bedroom.

“Here, Doctor Dobson.”

I handed her the baster before heading over to the chair to sit back down.

“Tristan?” I halted and made my way back towards her. “While I'm doing this, can you sit on the bed next to her? I need you to wipe away the sweat and sludge, please.”

I jumped at the chance to be close help her Freya, instead of sitting around feeling useless. I got a bowl and a cloth then sat beside Freya as instructed while Linda was suctioning black sludge out from Freya's mouth and nose. I found it so hard to keep the tears back as I watched my beautiful girl struggling to breathe.

I wiped her brow, rinsed the cloth out then wiped her neck. She was burning up and sweat was just pouring out of her. I dabbed the cloth along her neckline trying my best to cool her with the cold water. Freya was gasping for air and didn't know how much longer she would last. Linda was suctioning the sludge away as fast as she possibly could, but it just kept filling up her mouth and nose. I placed the bowl of water on the side table, it was more sludge than water by then anyway.

If I was going to lose her, I wanted to be as close to her as possible. I knew that Doctor Dobson was doing her best, but even I could see that it was a lost cause. I bent down and kissed Freya's forehead and it was like a fire beneath my lips. I sighed as I laid down beside her. As soon as my head sank into the pillow, I heard the last of her air expel from her body. My dad dragged a chair over for Linda and she slumped down onto it.

“I'm so sorry, Tristan. I can't stop it, the more I take out, the quicker her mouth and nose fill back up,” she mumbled in a low defeated tone.

“I understand, you did everything you could. Can I be alone with her for the end?”

I glanced up at both of them, but I could barely seem them through my tears. As I placed my head back on the pillow, my tears began running down my face. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing, trying my best not to cry like a baby.

“Of course, son. We'll be downstairs, okay?” My father managed to choke out.

Even with everything that's happened recently, Freya has been a part of our family since she was a kid. He loved her like a daughter. I knew my mother did too, deep down. Danny the doctor’s assistant arrived carrying the medical bag. My dad looked at him and shook his head while waving him away with his hand. The guy glanced over to me with sadness in his eyes, before lowering his gaze to the floor. They all left while I laid my head on my mate's shoulder. I sobbed uncontrollably as my best friend and the love of my life gradually slipped away.

“This is all my fault. I'm so sorry I did this to you, Freya. I should have told you to leave me for Mason, then none of this would have happened. You'd be alive, safe and loved,” I cried out to her lifeless body.

I was so angry at myself and I couldn't believe that I'd killed my Freya. I leaned down and kissed her mark one last time.

“I wish I could take it back. Arghh!”

I was so infuriated with myself that I couldn't fight off the shift any longer. I could feel the slight mate bond that we did have, fading, and fading fast. I shifted as quickly as I could. Sprinted down the stairs and straight out of the house. I darted into the woods and just kept running.

***

Tyler Cole Mom had only just spilt the beans to me about what was happening to Freya. I drove as fast as I could, back to the house from Cassie's. She wanted to come with me, but she didn't think that she could go through watching Freya die too. Not so soon after Jessie. I understood completely. We had finally started to get a bit of the old Cassie back and I didn't want to risk losing her again. I ran through the house and out into the garden, then headed for the pool house.

“Tristan!?” I hollered when I saw his wolf sprint out of the pool house and into the woods.

Oh crap! If he's running away, she must be...

“Freya!?”

I ran into the pool house as fast as I could. My dad, Doctor Dobson and Danny were sitting in the living room crying their eyes out.

“No… No. She can't be dead. It's not true. Freya!”

I glanced from one face to another, begging them to tell me it wasn’t true. They all dropped their heads and looked away from me. I dashed up the stairs and into the bedroom. I froze when I saw her, throwing my hands up to my mouth as I saw her lifeless body lying on the bed. One of her arms were hanging over the edge of the bed and there was no movement at all. Her chest wasn't moving, she wasn't breathing.

“Oh no, Freya...” I whispered, grief hitting me instantly as I made my way over to my best friend.

I jumped with fright when she inhaled deeply then began choking and gasping for air.

“Freya? Linda, get up here. She’s breathing!” I screamed out while jumping onto the bed to pull her forwards.

I slapped her back trying to get some of that gross black slime out of her, but stopped when I spotted a cloth. I grabbed the cloth and wiped away all the sludge that I could. She kept coughing as the other three ran into the room.

“Oh my God! Thank the moon she's alive. Quick, Tyler lean her forwards more so I can suction. Danny plug the suction machine in,” she ordered.

She had no panic in her voice she was calm and focused. Danny plugged in the machine and it hummed as it began sucking in air. Linda immediately suctioned Freya's mouth, then moved on to each nostril. After a minute or two, all the sludge was gone. We all let out a sigh of relief when no more came back. Linda slumped onto the chair.

“I have never seen anything like that stuff. I'm used to blood, but that stuff is something else.”

She sighed and wiped her sweat covered brow.

“Danny, go make us all a coffee will ya?” My dad asked him politely.

“Of course, Alpha.”

Danny walked out of the room. I laid Freya back down onto the bed and then sat back.

“If all the slime is gone, so why isn't she waking up?” I questioned looking at Linda and my dad.

They exchanged a few glances, before Linda sat forwards on her chair and linked her fingers together.

“Tyler, she is still in the moon realm. Whatever just happened to her luckily didn't kill her, but we have no idea what she's going through. We just have to wait until she wakes up.”

I hung my head and stared at Freya, begging and praying for the moon Goddess to wake her up.

“Selene?” Freya uttered in a crackled voice.

Linda inhaled deeply and my dad gasped.

“Did she just say the moon Goddesses name? How does she even know her name? We haven't taught her about that yet,” I asked in confusion while staring at Linda and my dad.

Neither of them answered me, they gaped at Freya in shock.

“It's very rare, but it has been reported that some humans have seen and spoken to Selene when they transitioned. Because not many humans have completed the transition, we don't know if they all get to see her, or just a select few. If Freya is truly with the moon Goddess, then she must be very special indeed,” Danny announced in a matter of fact way when he brought in our coffees. We all stared at him in silence while he placed the coffees on the table then casually strolled back out of the room.

***

Freya Rose “Selene?” I questioned, my voice barely coming out. The sludge had really messed up my throat, it was really sore, like I’d been swallowed razor blades. I rubbed at my neck attempting to soothe it a little.

“Oh, I'm so sorry about that back there. I had to make sure you were as strong as I believed you to be. Here let me.”

She reached for my throat, but I nervously pulled back a little. After telling me that it was her that had nearly drowned me in black sludge, the last thing I wanted was to have her hands around my throat. She held her hands up in defense and smiled sweetly.

“You don't need to be scared of me, my dear girl. You have already passed the test. I do not wish to harm you any further. I was just going to heal your throat, that is all.”

Her voice was so soft that it made me feel at ease instantly. I decided against my better judgement and let her do what she needed. I mean my throat was killing me, and every breath I took burned my lungs. I silently nodded my head. She smiled again while placing her hands on my neck. Even though they were ice cold, whatever she was doing, felt warm and tingly. Wihin seconds the pain and burning were gone.

“Better?”

She chuckled when she me run my hand over my neck in disbelief.

“Much. Thank you.”

“Good. Now, we don't have much time. You will be waking up soon and that will conclude your transition. I wanted to be able to talk to you first and let you know what greatness I have planned for you.”

She ushered me to follow her so I complied. We walked side by side and I made sure that I listened intently. I really didn't understand what the hell was going on, so I thought it was for the best that I kept my mouth shut and tried to take everything in.

“I have never had a hunter wanting to be one of my werewolves before. I had already assigned Tristan another mate, but now that you have come along, it looks like I will be changing my plans. Now that you have been marked, I can see what life holds for you, and my dear girl, you are going to be magnificent.”

She stopped walking and took my face into her ice-cold hands. She was filled with pure excitement, but I shivered at her touch. The was something not quite right about her.

“Freya Rose, you’re going to be my best warrior yet. You’re going to be, by far, the strongest Luna the earth has ever seen. I am so eager to watch your journey unfold.”

“The world is going to fear you, Freya. You will command many armies and rule over all species. There will be rivers of blood spilt in your name, and you will be a Goddess on earth. They will chant your name. Oh, it's going to be glorious.”

She jumped up and down clapping her hands like a demented child. How can she look so sweet and innocent and be so evil? I don't want to shed blood or rule over anyone. I just want to be happy with Tristan. What is this crazy bitch on about?

Selene cackled making me stare at her with wide eyes, wondering what craziness she had thought up now.

“I can hear you Freya! I'm not a ‘crazy bitch'. I'm just very excited. I'm not evil either. I have just been around for so long, that I am how you would say, bored. I need something new to get my teeth into, and that my dear is you,” she explained while extending her canines.

Fear swept over me when her eyes turned black and glowed red just like Balan's.

“You're a vampire?” I shouted in shock.

She smiled while nodding.

“I am both a werewolf and a vampire. See, I am the Goddess, or ‘mother' if you will, to werewolves and vampires. I am a hybrid, and they are all my creatures of the night. My wolves decided on the path of goodness and my vampires chose the path of evil. It was fun watching them break away from each other and lead different lives, but it has been the same now for centuries. It needs a shakeup and here you are, ta-da!”

She jumped around again. I didn't want to think about anything, because I knew she could hear my thoughts.

“So, what do you want me to do exactly?”

She shook her head and held my hands.

“Nothing, Freya. I will be happy to sit back and watch. Whatever you do will be different and new to what I’m used to. It's been the same for such a long time, but I can't wait to see how you will affect all of my children. You seem to have already made quite an impression on two of them, Tristan and Balan. I cannot wait to see how that unfolds.”

She rubbed her hands together with excitement. So, I'm just entertainment for her?

“No, not at all, Freya. You are my daughter now and I love you. I am so proud of who you will become. I know you are destined for great things. You will suffer great losses and others will try to break you, but I will watch over you. I know deep down in my soul that you will triumph over all. Now, it is time for you to start your journey, Freya. Welcome to the family my dear girl.”

She kissed my cheek then lowered her head and sank her teeth into my mark.