Chapter 170

Chapter 170
Alexander's POV

The second day of testing arrived faster than I wanted it to.

I watched from the observation area as Freya faced her second opponent - a seasoned male warrior with scars marking his arms.

Despite yesterday's blood awakening giving her that silver glow, I could see exhaustion weighing on her shoulders. Her stance was strong, but there was a slight tremor in her left hand.

The whistle blew. Her opponent lunged immediately. Freya dodged, but barely - where yesterday she'd moved like lightning, today she was just fast enough.

'Damn it, these back-to-back fights are wearing her down.'

Even tired, Freya was incredible. She used her awakened senses to predict his moves, landing quick strikes while the silver light flickered unstably around her.

Twenty minutes later, she managed to pin him using speed and tactical thinking.

'One more fight. Just one more and she's done.'

---

The next day, when the third opponent stepped into the ring, my wolf started pacing anxiously.

This guy was built like a truck - tall, broad, with muscles that spoke of raw power. The kind of fighter who could end a match with one solid hit.

The silver glow that had been steady during her first fight now flickered like a dying lightbulb. Her blood awakening was running out of steam.

'I should stop this,' I thought, gripping the railing. 'She's proven herself enough.'

"Alex," Tyler's voice came from beside me. "Don't even think about it."

"She's exhausted. Look at her."

"She'd never forgive you if you interfered now."

He was right, but watching her struggle against someone twice her size was torture. Every time the guy's massive fist swung toward her, my wolf snarled with the need to protect our mate.

But Freya was incredible. What she lacked in strength, she made up for with intelligence. She used the ring's boundaries, made her opponent chase her until he was winded, then struck at pressure points with surgical precision.

When the ref raised Freya's hand in victory, something inside my chest swelled with fierce pride.

"Champion by decision - Freya Austen passes her Warrior certification!"

That's when she collapsed.

I was moving before her knees hit the ground.

"Freya!" I vaulted over the barrier, catching her before she hit the floor.

"Get the healer!" I shouted, already lifting her.

'Breathe. She's breathing. She's just pushed herself too far.'

---

I'd been sitting beside Freya's bed for two hours when she finally stirred.

But as I leaned forward to check on her, she suddenly shot upright - and her head connected directly with my nose.

"Shit!" Pain exploded across my face as I jerked back.

"Alexander!" Freya's voice was panicked as she rubbed her forehead. "Oh god, are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

I blinked away tears, testing my nose. Thankfully, my enhanced healing was already kicking in.

"Who knew you'd be such a dangerous patient?" I muttered, smiling despite the throbbing.

"Hey, you're the one who decided to hover over me like some creepy stalker," she shot back, laughter in her voice. "I couldn't have known you'd be right there!"

"I was worried," I said, catching her hand. "When you collapsed..."

"I'm fine. Just pushed the blood awakening too hard."

Looking at her now - hair messed up, that stubborn tilt to her chin - I made a decision.

"Freya." I moved closer, my hand sliding around her waist. "Do you know what I was thinking these past two days, watching you fight?"

She looked up, suddenly wary. "What?"

"That when you woke up, I didn't care if your test scores met Anson's requirements or not. I was going to ask you to mate with me officially. Right away."

'I can't wait anymore.'

Her eyes widened. "Alexander..."

"I mean it. Forget the politics, forget the complications. I want you as my Luna, and I want it now."

But instead of agreement, Freya gently pushed me back.

"Alexander, I can't just... we can't just..."

"You don't want to?" The rejection hit hard.

"I didn't say that." She sighed. "But I made a promise to Anson. If I just mate with you without meeting his requirements, what does that say about my integrity?"

"And besides," she continued, "your pack's background is incredibly complex. I don't understand the politics or history. If I become your Luna without knowing what I'm walking into, how can I be effective?"

I stared at her, struck by how thoroughly she'd thought this through.

'This is why she's perfect for me.'

"If you want to know about the pack's history," I said, "I'll tell you everything. Starting with why Caleb and his siblings matter so much."

Her attention sharpened.

"Caleb's parents weren't just any pack members. They were part of my grandfather's inner circle - wolves who proved their absolute loyalty. When my grandfather needed someone for dangerous missions, he sent them."

"But what makes Moon Shadow Pack so powerful that other packs either fear you or want alliance?"

'Here we go. The real family history.'

"My great-grandfather wasn't born into power," I said. "He was from a poor pack, a warrior with ambition. He ended up as personal guard to a wolf royal princess, and together they created a secret organization called Fangs."

Freya's eyes went wide. "Fangs? I heard whispers about them in the eastern packs. Some kind of royal enforcement group?"

"Exactly. My great-grandfather became the princess's enforcer - they called him her 'hound' because he was so ruthless. He killed nobles, rival pack leaders, anyone who threatened her position."

"And that's how your family gained power?"

"That's how we gained enemies. When it came out that the princess had been having an affair with a commoner - and that they'd had children together - the royal family was furious. My grandfather and Anson were those children."

Freya was quiet, processing the implications.

"So Edward and Anson are half-royal. That's why they have those mixed features - and why certain noble packs would see your family as an embarrassment."

"Exactly. To them, we're mongrels with delusions of grandeur."

"But why are you here instead of the royal territories?"

I pulled her closer before continuing. "The royal family wouldn't accept the relationship. To protect everyone, the princess sent my great-grandfather away with the boys. To throw off hunters, he split them up - Anson went to live with Angela's great-grandfather, while Edward came with distant relatives."

"And your great-grandfather?"

"Went back to the princess. They both died under suspicious circumstances."

"That's why Anson treats Angela like family," I continued. "Her great-grandfather saved Anson's life. And yes, when we were children, I did have feelings for Angela."

I felt Freya tense.

"But then the eastern territories needed Anson's attention. He took Angela with him, and that's when my mother..." I stopped, the old pain still sharp.

"That's a story for another time," I said. "The point is, you're the only one I want as my mate. I won't let anyone separate us - not Anson, not Angela, not any noble packs who think they're better than us."

I took her hand and pressed it against my chest.

"I swear to you, Freya - I won't let you face any disrespect alone. If anyone tries to hurt you or undermine your position as my Luna, they'll have to go through me first. Even if it costs me my life."

Freya stared at me with shock. "Alexander, you don't need to make dramatic vows like that."

"The Moon Goddess doesn't want your life anyway," she said, but there was something soft in her voice.

I smiled, moving my hand to trace her jawline. "Then from now on, my life belongs to you. No one else gets to decide my fate - only you."