105

Chapter 105
*Freya*
I pushed through the heavy wooden doors of my room, the morning chill biting at my skin. The corridors were empty at this hour, a stark contrast to the lively ball that had taken place just last night. A pang of irritation surged through me as I recalled the scene: Rafe, the Alpha king, standing tall and commanding as always, but his attention had solely been on Jessica. Her high-pitched laughter echoed in my mind, an unbearable reminder of how he had ignored me.
“Rafe,” I murmured under my breath, quickening my pace. It wasn’t my right to question him-I knew that well enough. He was the alpha king; his duties often required him to entertainthe other ladies, sometimes even flirt with them. But last night… last night had been different. He hadn’t even acknowledged my presence, let alone spoken to me.
A knot formed in my stomach as I remembered attempting to approach him-how I had tried to engage him in conversation, only to be met with cold indifference. He’d laughed, drank, and danced with Jessica as though I didn’t exist. My heart clenched at the memory, the unfairness of it all burning in my chest.
But I couldn’t let this continue any longer. I needed to see Rafe, to clear things out with him. I needed to understand why he had acted that way. Deep down, I knew he loved me as much as I loved him. Our bond was undeniable, forged through countless shared moments and whispered secrets. I had even assured him that it was okay to go to the party with Jessica, understanding it was a part of his role. But to ignore me so completely? That had never been part of the deal.
The closer I got to his chambers, the heavier my steps felt. Each step echoed my growing resolve and the gnawing uncertainty within me. I hoped desperately that this confrontation would bring clarity, that we could move past the confusion and hurt. I reached his door, my hand trembling slightly as I raised it to knock. This had to be done. For both our sakes.
As I raised my hand to knock on Rafe’s door, it suddenly swung open, catching me off guard. Jessica stood there, looking disheveled-her hair a tangled mess, her dress wrinkled and slipping off one shoulder. Her makeup was smudged, as if hastily wiped away in the early hours of the morning. My heart sank, confusion and dread knotting in my stomach.
“Jessica?” The name slipped from my lips before I could stop myself. What was she doing here at this hour?
“Surprised to see me?” she asked, a sly smile playing on her lips as she adjusted her dress with deliberate slowness. “I spent the night.”
My mind raced. No. This couldn’t be true. Rafe had promised he would never get intimate with her. He wouldn’t break that promise-would he?
“Excuse me,” I mumbled, trying to step past her, but she blocked my way with ease, her grin widening.
“Why so eager, Freya?” she taunted, leaning closer to me. “You know, Rafe has such… insatiable needs. It was quite a night, pleasuring him. He truly knows how to reward loyalty.”
“You’re lying,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “You always lie.”
“Believe what you want,” she said with a shrug, stepping aside just enough for me to see into the room. “But I think his bed tells a different story.”
I stood frozen, my mind reeling. Could it be true? Had Rafe really betrayed me? My heart pounded painfully in my chest as I forced myself to move forward, each step feeling like an eternity. Jessica had to be lying as usual. Ignoring her mocking laughter, I pushed past her and stepped into Rafe’s room, my heart a storm of emotions. The door closed behind me with a soft click, sealing us in silence.
Rafe stood at the far end of the room, half-dressed, his hair damp and tousled from a recent shower. Water droplets still clung to his skin, glistening in the morning light streaming through the window. His eyes widened as he saw me, surprise etched on his features. For a moment, neither of us spoke; the air between us was thick with unspoken words and mounting tension.
“Freya,” he finally said, his voice husky with concern.
But I couldn’t respond. My gaze had fallen on something more jarring-crumpled on his bed was a piece of pink fabric. Underwear. Jessica’s underwear. It matched perfectly with the gown she had worn last night, the same gown she had just adjusted smugly in front of me.
“What’s this?” I managed to say, though my voice was barely above a whisper, trembling as much as my hands were.
“Freya, it’s not what it looks like,” Rafe said quickly, taking a step toward me.
“Then explain,” I demanded, my voice breaking. “Because it looks like proof that Jessica wasn’t lying.”
“She came here, yes,” Rafe began, his tone urgent, almost pleading. “But nothing happened. I promise you, Freya, we didn’t… she spent the night because I was too drunk to be left alone. That’s all.”
“Stop lying!” I shouted, unable to keep the tears from spilling over. “Do you think I’m blind? Do you think I’m a fool?”
“Freya, please believe me,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine, filled with a desperation I had never seen before. “I would never betray you like that.”
“Then why is her underwear here, Rafe?” I asked, each word cutting through the air like a dagger. “Why did she say those things if they weren’t true? Is humiliating me some kind of game for you two?”
“She left it here to make you doubt me,” Rafe replied, his voice soft but insistent. “You know how manipulative she can be.”
“Manipulative or not, she was right about one thing,” I choked out, my vision blurring with tears. “I expected more from you. I thought you loved me enough to stay true to your word.”
“Freya,” he called after me as I turned away, but his voice seemed distant, muffled by the sound of my own heartbreak.
My chest felt like it was being ripped apart, and every breath was a struggle. I wanted to scream, to cry, to run away and never look back, but all I could do was stand there, rooted to the spot, staring at the damning evidence on his bed.
“Freya,” Rafe’s voice was a desperate whisper, but I had already turned my back on him. My hand brushed the doorknob, cold and unyielding like my resolve.
“I’m sorry for expecting more from you,” I said, my voice trembling with the weight of shattered dreams. “I thought you were serious about me.”
“Wait!” he shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me into him. His touch was warm, almost burning, in stark contrast to the icy numbness spreading through me. “Please, Freya, let me explain.”
“Explain what?” I spat, wrenching myself free from his grip. “That you enjoyed her company more than mine? That you’re nothing but a liar?”
“That’s not true,” he pleaded, his eyes searching mine for any glimmer of understanding. “Just give me a chance to-”
“Enough!” I pushed him away with all my strength, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a wild beast. “I don’t want to hear anything from you. Be happy with Jessica if that’s what you want.”
“Freya!” His voice echoed behind me as I stormed out of his chambers, the sound fading with each step I took.
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