Chapter 63

**Freya‘s pov.**

When my eyes opened, the first thing I saw was Tiberius—his expression taut with concern. Right behind him stood Victor, his gaze sharp, hard, almost angry.

I blinked slowly, taking in the room and the chains. The memories came back in bits and pieces—laughter that wasn’t mine, words spoken through my mouth that I didn’t choose.

“I’m so sorry,” I said hoarsely. “For everything Reyna did… for what you both went through.”

Tiberius didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, wrapped his arms around me, and held me close. His warmth was grounding, a balm to the storm still stirring inside me.

“Gods, I missed you,” he whispered into my hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head. His embrace was tight—like he was afraid I’d vanish again if he let go.

When he finally pulled back, his eyes searched mine. “What do you remember?”

I swallowed, trying to make sense of the jumble in my head. “It was… strange. I couldn’t control anything. But I could hear you. I heard everything Reyna said. I just… couldn’t respond. I couldn’t stop her.”

Tiberius nodded thoughtfully. “Probably some kind of new connection—maybe from your last shift into the wolf. The fact that you could hear her this time, hear us—that’s progress. We need to get to the shaman as soon as possible. Then to the safe house.”

Victor stepped in, voice harsh. “Are you completely out of your damn mind, Tiberius? You just got back from an emergency council meeting, and now you’re running off again?”

Tiberius exhaled slowly. “Victor—”

“No,” Victor growled. “Do you even remember what you’re supposed to be? You’re our leader, or did you forget that because you’re too busy playing savior to your twisted little girl?”

“That’s enough,” Tiberius said, his voice hardening.

Victor wasn’t finished. “What’s the plan, huh? Are we just abandoning everything now? How are we supposed to protect our people while you’re holed up in some forest shack with your wolf-bride and her split personalities?”

Tiberius’s jaw clenched. “It’s all under control. The meeting was tense, yes, but it confirmed what I already knew. We’re on the edge of something bigger. And we’ll be with Dorian. The wolf issue affects both sides now. We need to find a solution. Together.”

Victor barked a humorless laugh. “So what—you’re just handing us over to him? You’ll run off and leave us leaderless while you go fix

*this*

?”

Tiberius snapped. “The fact that

*you*

don’t know the plan doesn’t mean there

*isn’t*

one. I’m not answering to your panic, Victor. We’ll talk later—somewhere else.”

Victor didn’t reply. He glared at both of us one last time and left.

Tiberius turned back to me, offering his hand. “Come on. We need to see the shaman.”

I nodded, taking it. I couldn’t shake the guilt twisting in my stomach.

“I’m sorry I’m making things harder for you,” I said softly. “I keep causing chaos wherever I go. Maybe if—”

“Freya,” Tiberius interrupted, turning to face me. His voice was sharper than I expected. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but not everything revolves around you. You are not responsible for other people’s choices. I have my duty. But I *chose* to be here with you. And I don’t regret that. Don’t carry weight that isn’t yours to bear. Understood?”

His words hit me hard—but they rooted me. I just nodded.

We stepped out into the sunlight, but I barely took two steps before a piercing pain split through my skull. A shriek—not from my mouth—echoed inside my head. Reyna. Hera. I crumpled to my knees, vision going white, my eyes rolling back.

Then—nothing.

When I opened my eyes again, everything was hazy. Distant. I was lying on something soft, voices buzzing like static. I could hear Tiberius, faint but present.

“Every time is different,” he muttered.

“That’s normal,” a calmer, deeper voice said. The shaman.

“Reyna’s unstable, but…”

“Tiberius,” the shaman interrupted. “She’s running out of time.”

I groaned and tried to sit up. My limbs felt heavy, like stone.

Tiberius was at my side in an instant. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

“Been better,” I croaked.

The shaman crouched next to me. His eyes were strange—deep, ancient. “Do you remember anything?”

“I heard them,” I whispered. “Reyna. Hera. They were screaming inside my head.”

He nodded. “They’re hurting you, Freya. Not out of malice—but confusion. Both think they’re doing what’s best for you.”

I sighed. “We already knew that. What’s changed?”

The shaman’s gaze darkened. “The time to restore your bond is nearly gone. What I didn’t expect was that their conflict is damaging them, too. Reyna used to be focused. Protective. She trusted Tiberius. But lately… she’s unbalanced. Reckless. Her hatred for Hera—and the rest of us—has grown. She’s obsessed with one thing: Dorian.”

Tiberius added, “I’ve noticed it too. She used to work with me. Now she treats me like a threat.”

The shaman looked grave. “If you don’t reconnect soon, Freya, they’ll spiral. And when they do, they won’t just be dangerous to you—they’ll be a danger to everyone.”

I frowned. “You’ve met Reyna now… but what about Hera? She’s never taken control. Not fully.”

The shaman smiled faintly. “That’s because Ravenhold is safe for her. She thrives in your strength, in your moments of clarity. She doesn’t need to rise to the surface. She’s *with* you. Quietly. But Reyna… Reyna wants to be seen. To *own* you.”

I blinked, memory surfacing. “There was… a fight. In the kingdom. I didn’t expect that kind of strength from myself. But I didn’t feel different, not in how I thought or acted.”

The shaman nodded. “That was Hera, lending you power. She’s watching. Helping. But for how long?”

Tiberius stood. “Freya, I’m going to call for Eira. Pack anything important. We leave tonight. I’ll finish what I need to.”

I nodded again, still dazed. But my hands were already moving.

We were running out of time.

And the next time I lost control, I wasn’t sure I’d wake up to find myself still… me.