Chapter Thirty-One: Deception

Freya’s POV.

Demetri’s office couch was so comfortable and his scent was even more calming.

Recently I’ve been depending on him a little bit more than I would have guessed. I was leaning on him again; there was no problem with that so far. Since we had a son together and his mother forcefully took me under her wing we didn’t have a choice but to spend time together. He got me out of spending time with her with plenty of excuses.

In a way, we did seem like friends but I wasn’t ready to truly consider him one. I wanted to be done with any personal relationship with him but I accepted I never could be. That didn’t mean I didn’t still have my guard up.

As I woke up from my nap I realized Demetri’s meeting with his inner council had started. Caroline and Brandon were present but Kyle wasn’t.

They were in the middle of a discussion. “Who’s the prisoner?” Caroline asked. “Maybe I’ll know them.”

“We didn’t get a name,” Demetri said. “I don’t think you should get too involved in that anyway.”

“I agree,” Brandon agreed quickly.

There was an awkwardness between Caroline and Brandon. They weren’t their usual selves around each other.

They moved on to a different topic not giving Caroline the chance to ask any other questions. Talk of war progressed but they weren’t sure if it would come to that any time soon. They also discussed how we might spend our first full moon with a blessed wolf. They ended the meeting off with a conversation around an upcoming ball hosted by us that we’d invite our allies to. They mentioned maybe moving the date of the ball to a full moon.

During the meeting Demetri was focused, resourceful, and took charge. I hadn’t realized till now the alpha he’s become in the last few years. It was kind of inspiring. I always knew he’d be a great leader, but seeing it was… I don’t know how to put it. I guess my younger self was proud.

When Demetri dismissed his delta and gamma he looked at me. “Sorry if we woke you,” he said. “You’re welcome to continue your nap.”

“I’m good,” I said and got up. “I should spend the rest of the day with Gabe.”

“Okay,” Demetri said with a nod. “But I have something important I want to talk to you about alone.”

“Okay… we can talk in the morning before I go to work. I’ll meet you in here.” I felt his gaze as I left.

When I left Caroline was waiting outside the office for me. “Freya,” she whispered and grabbed my hand, taking me down the hall to create distance between us and Demetri’s office. “Come with me to see the prisoner,” she said. “I can’t go alone, you’ll be able to get us in. Demetri might find out eventually but I really need this.”

“I don’t know Caroline… how would I get us in?” I asked.

“Everyone sees you around the packhouse with Luna Vella,” she started. “Everyone thinks you’re going to be the next Luna.” They did? “That gives you authority and respect.” That’d be a big one-eighty to how I’ve been treated in the last month and a half. “Lean into that. Please, Freya, this is an old pack member of mine. What if it’s someone important to me?”

“Um, okay,” I said and was unsure but wanted to do my new friend a favor. Not only that but I could relate or some extent.

Caroline led me to the prison. One of our warriors Bella was guarding the entrance. She stared at us as she blocked the door, not saying a word.

I thought about the way Luna Vella conducted herself and how she let confidence carry her. I tried to channel that. “We’re here to see the prisoner,” I announced, head held high.

“Alpha Demetri didn’t notify me of any visitors,” Bella said. “I’m sorry Freya, I can’t let you or Gamma Caroline in.”

“Luna Freya,” I corrected, trying not to cringe and it got a surprised reaction out of Bella. “Alpha Demetri, who I’ll remind you is my fated mate, making me your official Luna in the near future isn’t the only one who can give orders.” I didn’t love saying that but…

“I…” Bella lost her steadiness. “I’m going to mindlink him, just to make sure.”

“Don’t,” I said, stifling my panic. “He’s handling important matters and isn’t to be disturbed.”

Bella glanced at Caroline for confirmation that everything I was saying was true. Caroline nodded to her and that was enough, Bella stepped aside. I couldn’t believe it worked. I guess the time I spent with Luna Vella wasn’t worthless after all. I even liked the confidence I got from mimicking her, even if it was fake.

Caroline and I walked in and down the steps.

I felt instant discomfort, this wasn’t a very well-kept space. There were only dimmed lights, some flickering, the stone walls weren’t appealing and I felt a cold breeze against my skin.

Caution washed over me.

“What now?” A voice came from a few cells down.

We walked down to it and there was a woman with a depressing aura. She had a plate of food next to her and that seemed like she was refusing to eat. She was small with light brown skin and a short red pixie cut. “Rose?” Caroline muttered.

Rose’s head whipped around to us. “Caroline?” She got up and practically ran to the bars of her cell almost tripping over herself. “They said you joined this pack but it was hard to believe.”

“Yeah, they’ve been very welcoming to me I’m their Gamma,” Caroline said then looked at me. “We were friends when I was still a part of the pack.”

So it was someone she knew and she looked harmless, maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea.

“Caroline you need to help me, please,” Rose pleaded and I felt for her. “I wasn’t sent here by Alpha Cornell or anyone else in my pack. I haven’t even tried to get through to them with mind-linking because I’m trying to get out. I was sick of being a part of a pack that only cared about power.” I believed her for the most part because she didn’t even look old enough to be a warrior. Maybe sixteen at the oldest.

“I… I don’t know what I can do for you,” Caroline said sadly. “Our alpha is just trying to protect his mate.” She gestured to me.

“Wait, you're the blessed wolf?” Rose asked with wide eyes and I nodded. “Oh my god, fuck.”

I waved my hands in front of me embarrassed. “It’s really not that big a deal,” I said.

“It’s a big deal to me,” Rose said and she stared at me like she’d been searching for me all her life. “I wish I knew I was going to see you because then I’d know what to say.”

Was she that impressed? I just felt like I lucked out, nothing more to it. I wasn’t some idol or icon. I didn’t work for or earn my power in the slightest. “We don’t have long Rose,” Caroline said. “I’ll do what I can to try to get you out of here. I do have a question for you… I’m just curious how Alpha Cornell is doing.”

“Oh, he’s…” Rose trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

“I can take it, Rose”

Rose groaned and said, “He’s taken a Luna, the daughter of an alpha from one of our allied packs.”

Caroline clenched her fists, turned away, and started to leave in distress. “Caroline,” I said but when I tried to follow her Rose shouted for me to stay.

“Freya wait!” Rose walked the length of her cell, trying to keep up with us.

I stopped as Caroline was halfway to the stairs. “I need to make sure Caroline is okay,” I said and had no idea what was so urgent that Rose needed to tell me.

“You’re my sister,” she said, breathing deeply and then speaking faster. “I don’t know if you know but you were taken from your real parents by Alpha Austin when you were a baby and brought here. We didn’t know who took you until recently. Our Dad really wants you back and he has ever since you were kidnapped.” By this time Caroline was gone and I should have been too but I couldn’t stop listening. “Alpha Cornell only suddenly cares about bringing you back now because you turned out to be a blessed wolf. Alpha Austin must have already known you were destined to be blessed with an ability he could take advantage of. Or so his son could take advantage of.”

Rose stared at me as if she was begging me to believe her.

‘Freya,’ Demetri mindlinked me. ‘Where are you?’

I couldn’t move or speak. Rose’s little speech was running through my head and I was trying to make sense of it. Could this have been a ploy by The Cold Lightning pack to manipulate me…?