Chapter 309

Chapter 309
Bella

I stared down at Cindy and felt absolutely nothing but disgust. After everything she'd put me through—the snide comments, the deliberate sabotage, pushing me into that silver-contaminated lake—she actually thought a few tears would fix everything?

I remarked, "You seriously think I'd forgive you?"

Cindy's face went blank with shock.

"You... you won't forgive me?" she stammered.

I retorted, "Why would I? When you were scheming to hurt me, did you think about what would happen if you got caught? You thought you could just apologize and I'd forgive you, pretend none of this ever happened, and you could go back to playing supporting roles like nothing changed?"

"The world doesn't work that way, Cindy. The moment you decided to hurt me, you should have been prepared to face the consequences."

Cindy's head dropped, and I could see her jaw working as she bit back whatever she really wanted to say. She didn't dare speak up—not with Freya standing right there, radiating Alpha authority that made the air itself feel heavy.

"However..." I let the word hang in the air, watching as hope flickered back to life in Cindy's eyes.

"Tell me!" she said desperately, lifting her head. "Whatever conditions you set, I'll agree to them!"

I smiled coldly. "I don't want you serving me. Because you're right about one thing—seeing your face every day would make me sick." I paused, letting that sink in. "But you could serve someone else."

Freya's lips curved into an approving smile. "That's actually a brilliant idea, Bella. There are plenty of other stars in the industry who need assistants. I can make some calls and have her transferred immediately."

Hearing this, Cindy realized her fate was being decided without any input from her.

"Please," she whispered, "don't do this to me."

But it was too late. Freya had already gestured to the two pack enforcers waiting outside my dressing room. They entered silently, their presence filling the small space with an unmistakable sense of finality.

"Take her to process the paperwork," Freya instructed calmly. "I'll have her new assignment details ready within the hour."

Once the door closed behind them, the silence in the room felt almost peaceful. Freya turned her attention to Soren, who had been standing quietly in the corner throughout the entire exchange.

"Bella," Freya said, "aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

I glanced between them, noting the way they were both standing—alert but not aggressive, sizing each other up.

"Freya, this is Soren," I said quickly, hoping to defuse any potential tension. "He's the one who saved me when Cindy pushed me into the lake. If it weren't for him..."

"Is that so?" Freya studied Soren with new interest. "And what exactly is the nature of your relationship with Bella, Alpha Soren?"

I felt heat rise in my cheeks. "Freya—"

"We're just friends," I said firmly, shooting her a warning look. "Stop reading things into every situation!"

I reached over and poked her forehead with my finger. "Get whatever you're thinking out of your head right now!"

Soren's laughter made me look over at him. His golden eyes were bright with amusement.

He said, "Alpha Freya, while Bella and I are currently just friends, I want to be completely transparent about my intentions." His gaze flicked to me briefly before returning to Freya. "I'm pursuing this remarkable Beta woman. I'm hoping that someday she'll accept my courtship."

The heat in my cheeks intensified. He was so direct about everything—no games, no hidden meanings, just straightforward honesty. It was refreshing after dealing with Liam's constant emotional manipulation.

I saw Freya's expression soften slightly.

Soren was probably exactly what I needed—someone who said what they meant and meant what they said. No more second-guessing every word or wondering what hidden agenda was lurking underneath.

Just then, Freya's phone rang with an urgent tone. She glanced at the caller ID, and I watched her entire demeanor change.

"I have to take this," she said, stepping toward the corner of the room.

"Jackson?" Her voice was tight with worry. "What's wrong?"

I couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but I watched Freya's face carefully. Relief flickered across her features, followed immediately by something that looked like barely controlled panic.

"I'll be right there," she said finally.

"Freya, what's happening?" I called after her, worry gnawing at my stomach. "Is everything okay?"

---

Freya

I was still processing Soren's declaration when my phone rang.

I asked, "Jackson? What's wrong?"

Jackson replied, "Freya, Flynn's awake. You need to get here now—visiting window is narrow."

Relief and terror crashed through me simultaneously.

I barely managed to say goodbye to Bella before rushing out. The drive to the hospital felt endless, my hands gripping the wheel as golden flashes threatened to take over my vision.

Jackson met me in the ICU, handing me protective gear. "Five minutes. He's been asking questions about his condition."

Flynn lay connected to machines, staring at the ceiling with vacant eyes. When he turned to look at me, his attempted smile nearly shattered my heart.

"Freya." His voice was hoarse. "I can't feel my legs. Am I paralyzed?"

Tears spilled down my cheeks before I could stop them. I gripped his hand tightly, letting my Alpha authority fill my voice.

"Flynn, I promise you—no matter what it takes, I will find the best doctors. You will recover."

A tear rolled down his cheek. "The nurses told me my spinal cord is severely damaged. Even the best teams might not be able to fix this."

"No." I shook my head fiercely. "Dr. Philip can heal your spine. He's a specialist. I've already sent people to find him."

Flynn looked at me with our mother's dark eyes, hope and fear warring in his expression.

"Let me handle everything else," I said gently.

His eyes filled with fresh tears, but he nodded. "I trust you, Freya. I believe you'll help me stand again."

I responded, "I won't let you down, Flynn. I swear it."