Chapter 58
**Freya‘s pov.**
Running in wolf form was unlike anything I’d ever known. My body was sleek and powerful—my fur like snow kissed by moonlight, shimmering silver-white as I soared between trees. My paws barely touched the forest floor. I was weightless. Free.
Then I reached a still lake, its surface glassy and quiet. I slowed, approached the edge, and stared.
A majestic white wolf stared back.
I didn’t recognize her. And yet, she was me.
*“We are magnificent, Freya,”*
came a voice in my head.
I flinched.
*“You can hear me?”*
*“Yes, Freya. I hear you. My name is Reyna. I am your wolf."
*“How I’ve longed to hear you,” I* whispered. *“To see you. But tell me why? Why did it hurt so much t*he shift... it was unbearable*?”* I asked.
*“Because Hera resisted,”* Reyna growled.
*“She’s been suppressing me for years. Your shift should’ve happened at fourteen, but Hera blocked me.”*
*“Hera?”* I blinked. *“Who... what are you talking about?”*
*“Hera is the legacy of your father’s blood,”* Reyna snapped.
*“The hunter’s gift. She’s kept me trapped. I only managed to stir when you met our mate—Dorian. His presence gave me strength. But when he rejected us, and Hera resisted again, I was forced back. No more, Freya. Hera’s reign ends. I’ll make sure she stays buried.”*
*“No, Reyna,”* I said quickly.
*“Hera is part of me too. Just like you. You have to find a way to coexist.”*
*“Absolutely not.”* Her voice was ice.
*“Hera dominated for too long. Now it’s my time.”*
*“But your fighting hurts me,”*
I whispered.
*“When you argue... when you pull in opposite directions... I feel it. Tiberius and the shaman said the threads between us were broken. If they aren’t mended, I could lose my mind.”*
Reyna’s tone darkened. *“Don’t trust that hunter. Especially not Tiberius. He’s using you. Twisting the situation.”*
*“What are you talking about?”*
*“The first man in your life should have been your true mate—Dorian. But Tiberius took what wasn’t his.”*
I bristled. *“Tiberius is also my mate. And unlike Dorian, he has always been there for me. Kind. Gentle. I cherish every moment with him. You’ll have to accept that.”*
A long silence followed.
Then Reyna hissed, *“He and Hera have poisoned your mind. But don’t worry, Freya. I’ll fix it.”*
*“No, Reyna! We need balance—”*
But she went silent, pushing forward instead. I had no control.
We ran. Fast. Wild.
Soon, we caught the scent of a rabbit. Without hesitation, Reyna pounced. In a blur of motion, she struck and devoured it. The taste of fresh blood filled our mouth—satisfying in a way that made my stomach twist. But beneath the instinctual hunger, there was something else: a sense of ancient rite. The first hunt after a shift wasn’t just about survival—it was a ritual, a sign of transformation. A mark of belonging to the wild. This was our initiation. The first true act of unity between wolf and woman.
*“We need to go back,”* I said.
*“No,”* she replied. *“We’re going to him. To our true mate—Prince Dorian.”*
Panic surged.
*“No, Reyna! You can’t. No one’s waiting for us there—only darkness. Alaric. The dungeons. Tiberius is fixing everything—”*
Reyna snarled.
*“Don’t say his name!”* I focused, fighting back.
*Hera, if you can hear me—please. Help me. Help me take control. Shift back...*
I fought Reyna with everything I had, calling her name, begging her to stop. The internal tug-of-war tore through my mind, each thought a battle between fury and fear. My muscles strained, my breath heaved with every mental push against her will. I imagined grabbing hold of a fraying rope, pulling with bleeding hands as Reyna tried to drag us further into chaos. I shouted in my mind, pleaded with her to listen, to feel, to remember who we were—one body, one soul, not enemies. I could feel Hera now, faint but present, lending what little strength she had. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep fighting. Enough to believe I could still win.
*Reyna, stop! We need to go back!* I pleaded.
Finally, with one last scream of will, my body twisted. Pain exploded through me.
I shifted back.
I collapsed, naked, into the leaves and dirt. My strength gone. My vision blurred.
The world dimmed.
Then... after a long, eerie silence, voices began to echo through the forest. Distant at first, soft and uncertain—then one voice rose above the rest, calling my name with growing urgency.
“Freya!”
I groaned. “Here...” I whispered. My throat burned.
The footsteps neared. Then Eira dropped to her knees beside me.
“Oh gods, Freya. What happened to you?”
Victor pulled off his jacket, draping it over me. “Took too long with your wolf. We started worrying. Honestly, I thought you ran off to your prince.”
I tried to smirk. “You sound disappointed.”
Victor gave a lopsided smile. “You’d be surprised.”
Together, they tried to lift me. But I couldn’t walk.
Victor sighed. “Typical.”
Then he picked me up bridal style without effort.
Victor looked down at me with a sarcastic smirk. "What happened, princess? Where'd you disappear to for so long?"
I opened my mouth, but no words came out—my body too drained, my mind too foggy.
He arched a brow. "Oh, I see. Playing the 'too exhausted to walk' card, huh? Smart. Let everyone else do the heavy lifting."
It took nearly an hour to get back. When we reached my cabin, he gently laid me in bed.
Eira turned to him. “Go, Victor. Thank you. I’ll take care of her now.”
He nodded and left.
Eira tucked the blankets around me.
“You need to rest. I’ll stay with you. Just sleep, Freya. You’re safe now.”
I murmured a weak thank-you, then closed my eyes.
And for the first time that night, I truly let go.