73

Seventy three
*Freya*
“Hello, Freya, it’s me. It’s Daniel.”
The voice was like a bolt of lightning, jolting me back to a time before the palace, before Rafe. I forced my eyes open, blinking away the tears, and found myself staring up into the concerned face of Daniel Stonecrow, my old coworker from the villa.
“D-Daniel?” I croaked, my voice hoarse from the smoke and the screaming. “What are you doing here?”
He offered me a tight smile, his eyes scanning our surroundings for any sign of danger. “I heard you were going to be here today, and I wanted to see you. But we need to get you somewhere safe. Can you stand?”
I nodded, gritting my teeth against the pain as Daniel helped me to my feet. The world spun around me, and I clung to him for support, my heart pounding in my ears. As we stumbled away from the chaos, I couldn’t help but wonder what had caused the explosions, and whether Rafe and the others had made it out unscathed.
Please, Goddess, I prayed silently, let them be alright. Let this all be some terrible nightmare.
But deep down, I knew that this was just the beginning, and that the road ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty.
Daniel half-carried, half-dragged me through the winding streets, away from the screams and the smoke. My head throbbed with every step, and I could feel the warm trickle of blood running down my face. But I couldn’t focus on the pain, not when my thoughts were consumed with fear for my friends.
“Here, this should be far enough,” Daniel said, gently lowering me to the ground in a quiet alleyway. He knelt beside me, his hands gentle as he examined my wounds. “You’re lucky, Freya. It looks like you just have a few cuts and bruises.”
I nodded, wincing as his fingers brushed against a particularly tender spot on my temple. “Daniel, what are you doing here? How did you know I would be at the gifting event?”
He smiled, his eyes softening as he met my gaze. “I heard rumors that you and the other candidates would be visiting the streets today. I just wanted to see you, to make sure you were okay.”
My heart fluttered at his words, and I felt a rush of warmth spread through my chest. Daniel had always been there for me, even when I was just a lowly worker at the villa. He was kind and compassionate, and I had always had a secret crush on him, though I never had the courage to tell him how I felt.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I whispered, reaching out to take his hand. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t found me.”
He squeezed my hand, his touch sending sparks of electricity up my arm. “I’ll always be here for you, Freya. No matter what happens, I’ll be by your side.”
I smiled, feeling a sense of calm wash over me despite the chaos that still raged in the distance. With Daniel here, I knew that everything would be alright. We would find a way to get through this, together.
“Daniel, do you have any idea what caused the attack?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly as I fought to keep my composure. “Who would do something like this?”
He shook his head, his brow furrowed with concern. “I’m not sure, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was most likely rebels. There have been whispers of unrest in the kingdom for weeks now.”
My heart clenched at his words, and a sudden, terrible thought struck me like a bolt of lightning. Rafe. What if something had happened to him in the attack? I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him, not now, not when we had just begun to forge a connection again.
I struggled to sit up, ignoring the searing pain that shot through my body with every movement. “I have to find Rafe,” I gasped, my voice raw with emotion. “I need to make sure he’s safe.”
Daniel placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, his eyes filled with concern. “Freya, you’re in no condition to go anywhere right now. You might have broken bones from when you were thrown into those rocks. You need to rest and heal.”
I shook my head stubbornly, tears streaming down my cheeks as I fought against his restraining hand. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing, Daniel. Rafe needs me. I have to go to him.”
But even as I spoke the words, I felt my strength ebbing away, my body betraying me as the pain and exhaustion took their toll. I slumped back against the ground, sobbing quietly as the reality of the situation crashed down upon me.
Daniel gathered me into his arms, holding me close as I wept. “Shh, it’s okay,” he murmured, stroking my hair with a gentle hand. “We’ll find Rafe, I promise. But first, you need to focus on getting better. You’re no good to anyone if you’re hurt and weak.”
I knew he was right, but it didn’t make the pain in my heart any easier to bear. I clung to him like a lifeline, my tears soaking into his shirt as I prayed silently to the goddess for strength and guidance.
Please, I begged silently, let Rafe be safe. Let him find his way back to me. I can’t lose him, not now, not like this.
As the darkness closed in around me once more, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible had happened, and that nothing would ever be the same again.
My thoughts grew hazy as I drifted in and out of consciousness, snippets of memories and fears swirling together in a dizzying kaleidoscope. I saw Rafe’s face, his eyes filled with love and concern as he reached out to me across an impossible distance. I saw Addy and Connor, their laughter echoing in my ears as we shared a moment of joy and camaraderie.
If only I had my wolf, I thought bitterly, my heart aching with the weight of my own inadequacy. With a wolf’s strength and healing power, I could be out there fighting alongside my friends, helping the people I loved. Instead, I was trapped here, helpless and alone, while the world fell apart around me.
“Freya, stay with me,” Daniel urged, his voice cutting through the fog of my thoughts. “You need to stay awake, okay? Help is on the way, but you have to hold on.”
I tried to focus on his words, but they seemed to slip away from me like water through my fingers. The pain in my head was a dull, throbbing ache now, and I could feel the darkness creeping in at the edges of my vision.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice barely more than a breath. “I’m trying, but I’m so tired…”
“I know, Freya. But you have to keep fighting. Think about your mother, and how much she loves you. Think about your Alpha, and how much he needs you by his side. You can’t give up now, not when there’s so much left to fight for.”
At the mention of my mother, a fresh wave of tears spilled down my cheeks. I missed her so much it felt like a physical ache in my chest. I wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in her arms, safe and loved and whole again.
But even as I yearned for the comfort of her embrace, I knew that I couldn’t let myself slip away. Not now, not when the people I cared about needed me most. With a final, desperate burst of strength, I forced my eyes open and met Daniel’s gaze.
***