Chapter 298

Chapter 298
【Elsa POV】

The overwhelming heat that had been consuming my body for hours finally begins to subside. I can feel the difference immediately—the desperate, clawing need that made every nerve ending scream for Leif's touch has mellowed into something manageable. The marking has changed everything. My pheromones, which had been broadcasting my availability to every male wolf within miles, now carry Leif's scent intertwined with mine.

Relief washes over me as I realize I'm no longer a walking danger to the pack.

"I feel... normal again," I whisper against Leif's chest, my breathing finally steady.

"Good," he murmurs, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my bare shoulder. "You had me worried there for a while."

That's when I hear it—the soft padding of paws in the hallway, followed by a familiar whine. My heart leaps as I sit up quickly.

The door nudges open, and a silver-gray head pokes through. Freyja's ice-blue eyes find mine immediately, sparkling with joy despite her obviously disheveled state. Her usually pristine coat is matted with dried mud, and she looks thinner than when I last saw her, but she's here. She's actually here.

"Freyja!" I breathe, throwing off the sheet.

She bounds across the room and leaps onto the bed without hesitation, her tail wagging so hard her entire back end wiggles. But instead of coming straight to me like I expect, she goes directly to Leif, pressing her nose against his arm and letting out soft whimpers of contentment.

I stare in shock as Leif automatically reaches out to scratch behind her ears, his movements natural and practiced. "Hey there, girl," he says softly.

Freyja melts under his touch, pressing closer and making little huffing sounds of pleasure.

"What the hell?" I mutter, watching my wolf act like she's known him forever.

Leif glances at me, noticing my expression. "What's wrong? She seems friendly enough."

You understand him now, Freyja's voice flows into my mind, warm with satisfaction. He's not as bad as I thought.

I blink at her, then lean forward. You... what? Who are you and what did you do with my wolf?

Don't be dramatic, she responds, leaning into Leif's scratches with obvious bliss. He's very good at ear scratches. You should let him try sometime.

My mouth falls open. Freyja!

Well, she continues with what I can only describe as a mental smirk, I suppose you'd rather have him scratch you in other places.

"Freyja!" I exclaim out loud this time, my face burning.

Leif pauses his petting, looking between us with growing confusion. "What's she saying?"

I glare at my wolf, who has the audacity to look smug. "Nothing important."

But honestly, I'm feeling a weird mix of emotions. Part of me is thrilled that they're getting along—it makes everything so much easier. But another part of me feels oddly jealous. I scoot closer, gently nudging Freyja with my shoulder.

"When did you two become best friends?" I ask, unable to keep the slight edge out of my voice.

Leif's hand stills on Freyja's fur. "Were we not friends before?"

"She used to hate you," I tell him bluntly, crossing my arms.

"Huh." He shrugs, resuming his gentle stroking. "Well, she likes me now, don't you, girl?"

Freyja's tail wags harder, and I can feel her smug satisfaction through our bond.

You know, she says to me, settling down between us, I did work pretty hard to keep him alive so you could have him.

That stops my irritation in its tracks. I reach out to stroke her head, my fingers tangling briefly with Leif's. "Thank you, Freyja," I say softly, meaning it completely. "I'm grateful. More than you know."

She nuzzles my hand affectionately before turning back to Leif for more attention.

Someone certainly is being dramatic about keeping her mate away from his own wolf, Freyja grumbles.

I sputter, sitting up straighter. "He's my mate."

Our mate, she corrects firmly.

"But still mine," I insist, reaching across to push her slightly away from Leif's side.

Freyja actually bares her teeth at me, a low growl rumbling in her throat.

"Whoa, hey," Leif says, his hands coming up between us. "What's wrong?"

"We're arguing about whose mate you are," I explain, glaring at Freyja.

Leif blinks in surprise, then lets out a short laugh. "Am I not your mate?"

"Absolutely," I confirm, sliding closer to him.

Freyja turns to fix Leif with those ice-cold blue eyes, her tail stopping mid-wag. Her nose wrinkles with displeasure.

Mine too, she tells him directly.

Leif goes very still, his hand freezing on her fur. "Did she just...?"

"Talk to you? Yeah, she can do that with the mate bond now." I settle against his side, pleased when his arm automatically wraps around me.

"This is all very strange," he murmurs, but continues petting Freyja with his free hand.

"Your attitude change is quite the one-eighty," I tell Freyja, poking her gently in the ribs.

I changed my mind, she says simply, then yawns widely, showing all her teeth.

She stretches out more comfortably on the bed, then her expression grows serious. Speaking of changes, his wolf... he's very weak. He can't break through that barrier on his own.

I sit up straighter, alarm bells going off in my head. "Wait—wait. What barrier? Is that why Leif can't hear his wolf?"

Exactly. Freyja's ears flatten slightly. There's some kind of barrier in Leif's mind. It's not just blocking his memories—it's blocking his wolf too.

"Why? How? How do you know this?" I fire off the questions rapidly, my hand gripping Leif's arm.

"What are you talking about?" Leif asks, looking between us with growing concern.

His wolf told me, Freyja responds, and I can hear the distaste in her mental voice. I couldn't hear him before, but our bond through you... it allows him to reach me.

I turn to look at Leif, my heart aching for him. "That's why you can't hear him. There's something blocking the connection."

His jaw tightens. "Something like what?"

"I don't know yet," I admit, then focus on Freyja again. "Freyja... a long time ago, I asked you what your problem was with Leif. I think it's time for an explanation."

She shifts uncomfortably, her weight pressing against both our legs. I can feel her reluctance like a physical thing.

"What problem?" Leif asks, his voice carefully neutral.

His wolf spirit is... a familiar presence to me, Freyja finally admits. I knew him in a past life.

I remember Freyja mentioning past life memories before, though she's spoken of them less and less recently.

This isn't the first time I've been mated to that wolf, she continues reluctantly. He rejected our bond in the last life. Chose another she-wolf instead.

The thought of Leif with someone else makes my chest tighten painfully. I study his face, watching as confusion.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asks quietly, his grip on me tightening slightly. "Are you angry with me?"

"No," I tell him firmly, placing my hand on his chest. "Not with you, anyway."

He rejected us, Freyja continues, and I can hear the old hurt in her voice. But he's back. He didn't choose someone else this time.

He's separated from his wolf, she adds. His human half was never part of our bond before.

"So you're still angry about that?" I ask her, stroking her fur gently.

Leif tenses beside me. "What exactly did I do?"

Shouldn't you be angry? Freyja snarls, her tail lashing against the mattress. He mated with her in front of me while I was in agony from his rejection. If I hadn't been in so much pain, I would have torn out his throat. And hers.

Leif suddenly grips his head with both hands, his face contorting in pain. "Fuck!"

Freyja immediately whimpers and presses against his leg, her earlier aggression forgotten.

"Are you okay?" I ask, my hands hovering over him uncertainly.

"Fine," he says through gritted teeth, forcing his hands down. "Just a sharp pain. It'll pass."

That might be his wolf, Freyja tells me, nuzzling against Leif's thigh. He's very agitated. He insists he would never reject me, but he has no memory of the past.

I reach out to stroke both of them—Freyja's ears and Leif's arm. "Don't judge him by his past," I tell her firmly. "He's started a completely new life now, hasn't he? He's not the same wolf who made those choices."

Leif looks at me with something like gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you."

I know, Freyja says wearily, her mental voice smaller now. I've been trying. For you.

"I'm sorry," I say to both of them. "I didn't realize how complicated this was."

Don't apologize, Freyja responds. I don't remember many of the details anyway. Just the pain and anger. A lot of the memories have faded. She sounds puzzled by this.

"Are your memories still fading?" I ask, concerned.

I don't know. She settles more heavily against us both. The past feels... hazier than it used to. Less real. Almost like I've only lived this life.

She pauses, then lifts her head to look at me directly. But never mind that. His wolf is struggling, and he won't leave me alone.

"What do you think we can do about it?" I ask.

Leif leans forward, his interest sharpening. "Yeah, what can we do?"

We need to restore his memories, Freyja says simply.