Chapter 20

Freya's POV

I felt like I was stuck in a long, strange dream. In this dream, I was in a bright white place with nothing around me. I had no clothes on, my body clean and bare like a baby’s. It was quiet and empty, and I felt calm but exposed.

Then Ethan appeared, materializing from the whiteness like a shadow taking form. He approached without speaking, his movements fluid and purposeful. In this dreamscape, his eyes held none of the coldness I'd grown accustomed to—instead, they burned with hunger and something deeper that made my heart flutter.

When he reached me, his fingertips traced along my bare shoulder, leaving trails of fire in their wake. His mouth moved down to my neck, then to my chest, and finally to the side of my waist. I couldn’t help it—I let out a soft moan. Between my legs, I felt wet, my body reacting to him.

I laughed softly at myself. Even in dreams, I couldn't escape my longing for him. How pathetic that my subconscious would torture me with what I couldn't have in reality. In this white void, I could admit the truth I denied while awake—I still wanted him, despite everything.

A sharp tingling sensation in my fingertips pulled me from the white void. Consciousness returned gradually, like wading through thick fog. I blinked slowly, moonlight filtering through tree branches above coming into focus. The forest? Why was I—

Memory rushed back. The hunt. The trap. The silver spikes. The poison. Riley's scent lingering near the pit. The desperate activation of Ivy's moonstone pendant. The fading awareness as toxins spread through my system.

I felt something warm against my side where the worst wound had been. When I looked down, my breath caught in my throat.

Ethan was there—not dream Ethan, but real, flesh-and-blood Ethan—his head bent over my exposed torso. His tongue moved methodically across my injured skin, the gentle pressure sending dual sensations of pain and relief through my body. The realization of what was happening hit me: he was healing me with his saliva.

A familiar heat bloomed low in my belly, and a moan slipped out as his tongue moved on my skin. Ethan looked up at me, and I saw the cut on my side healing fast. His jaw worked as if chewing over his words. "Noah gave you antidote for the poison. I'm speeding up the healing."

He mentioned Noah, but I couldn’t bring myself to think about him at all. My eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from Ethan’s strong chest muscles and his erection. Since I got pregnant, I haven’t felt that strong mate-lust for Ethan. But seeing him naked, licking my body, still made me want him. When he pulled away, I felt empty inside. I whispered, “Ethan… don’t stop.”

He didn’t wait. He lifted my legs, and I noticed a raw wound behind my knee, still tender. He started licking there, his tongue gentle over the injury, moving up slowly. I could feel the warmth of his touch soothing the pain, the wound tingling as it began to heal under his care.

Ember whined softly in my mind, her energy pulsing with need, urging me to give in completely to the bond. It felt so good, making me shiver. When he got to the spot between my legs, he teased me with his tongue, flicking over the sensitive part. I gasped, my body shaking. “You’re so wet, Freya,” he growled, his voice low and rough. It made my cheeks burn, but I couldn’t hide how much I wanted him.

“Please, Ethan,” I begged, squirming under him. My hips moved on their own, needing more. Ember howled faintly in my head, her excitement mirroring mine, her wild nature craving the closeness of our mate. He looked at me with hungry eyes and then pushed into me hard and fast. I gasped, feeling so full, the pleasure hitting me all at once.

“Say my name,” he demanded, his voice thick as he moved inside me. “Ethan,” I moaned, my hands grabbing his shoulders, my nails digging in. “Louder,” he urged, thrusting deeper. “Ethan!” I cried out, my voice breaking as the feeling built up inside me.

We moved together, faster and harder, our bodies in sync. Each push took me closer to the edge. I could barely think, just feel. His hand slid between us, rubbing that sensitive spot again. “Come for me, Freya,” he whispered, and that was it. I fell apart, a loud cry escaping as waves of pleasure crashed over me. Ember let out a triumphant howl in my mind, her energy vibrating with the intensity of the moment. My body tightened around him, and I felt him shake too.

“Freya,” he groaned, his voice rough as he lost control. I felt his release, hot and strong, filling me as he pushed in deep one last time. We both trembled, the high washing over us together. For a moment, we stayed like that, breathing hard, locked in each other’s arms.

Finally, he lay down next to me, his chest rising and falling fast. I turned to look at him, my body still buzzing from what just happened. His eyes met mine, softer now, like he was seeing right into me. “You okay?” he asked quietly, his voice gentle after all the heat.

“Yeah,” I whispered back, a small smile on my lips. “More than okay.” He nodded, pulling me closer, and I let myself relax against him.

Ember settled down in my mind, a contented rumble echoing through me as she basked in the warmth of our bond. The warmth of Ethan’s body felt real, grounding me after everything.

"How many deer did you catch before..." Ethan hesitated, his eyes drifting to my healing wounds.

"Six," I replied, summoning strength to my voice. "I need four more to complete the trial." The desperate activation of Ivy's moonstone pendant after I'd successfully hunted my sixth deer and fell into the trap while tracking the next.

Ethan's expression shifted, a determination replacing the concern in his eyes. "I could help you. The pack would never know. I could track the remaining four and lead you to them."

The offer was tempting—far more tempting than it should have been. It would guarantee my position in the hunt, secure my chance at becoming Zeta. But something in me rebelled against accepting his help. This was my trial to complete, my challenge to overcome. If I was going to prove my worth, it had to be on my own terms.

"No," I said firmly, pushing myself to sit up despite the lingering ache in my muscles. "I appreciate the offer, but I need to finish this myself. It's the only way it counts."

His jaw tightened, clearly unhappy with my decision. "Freya, you nearly died. The poison—"

"Is neutralized now, thanks to you and Noah," I cut him off. "I can do this, Ethan. I have to do this."