107

Chapter 107
*Freya*
Time seemed to freeze as Rafe and I stared at each other silently. I couldn’t deny how much i loved him and didn’t want to lose him. But what would i do? He was the Alpha king. He had the right to do whatever he wanted and no one could question him. He could be with as many women as he wanted and no one would question his decisions.
“Just.. listen to me, Freya. You can’t run every time something goes wrong between us, Freya. Don’t I deserve a chance to explain at least?”
“You barged into my room, Rafe. You sent my maids away from me. Why would I listen to you?!”
“Freya, please, just give me a chance to explain,” Rafe pleaded, his voice heavy with desperation.
“There’s nothing you can say,” I shot back, my chest tightening as I stared at him. “Leave my chambers.”
“Listen to me, Freya,” he said, stepping forward. “I didn’t sleep with Jessica last night. I was drunk. I passed out.”
“Drunk?” I echoed, my voice cracking under the weight of my disbelief. “Are you seriously trying to use that as an excuse? I saw her pant on your bed, Rafe!” My voice rose, and despite my best efforts, tears streamed down my face, hot and unchecked.
“Freya, I swear-”
“Don’t swear anything to me. Her pant was on your bed!” I yelled, my anger vibrating through every word. My hands trembled at my sides, fists clenched so tightly my nails bit into my palms.
“Freya, I won’t leave until you listen to me,” Rafe insisted, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made it impossible to look away. His presence filled the room, dominating it with the power and authority of the alpha wolf he was. Every inch of him screamed strength and confidence, but right now, all I saw was betrayal.
“Get out!” I shouted, the volume of my voice echoing off the stone walls, but he didn’t budge. We stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills, the air between us thick with tension. For a moment, neither of us moved. Neither of us spoke. We were trapped in this painful limbo, our hearts waging war against our minds.
“Freya,” he whispered, his voice softening, but the command behind it still clear. “I’m not leaving. Not until you hear me out.”
The fire in his eyes, the set of his jaw, they were all so undeniably Rafe. The very things that had drawn me to him in the first place. And yet, they felt like a cruel mockery now, a reminder of how deeply he’d hurt me. How could someone so powerful make me feel so powerless?
“Fine,” I spat, wiping at my tear-streaked cheeks. “Say what you need to say, but it won’t change anything.”
“Fine,” I spat, wiping at my tear-streaked cheeks. “Say what you need to say, but it won’t change anything.”
“Freya, please,” Rafe began, his voice hoarse with desperation. “I was upset that I couldn’t be with you last night but I never wanted any of this to happen. You have to believe me; I was drunk and-”
“Stop it, please!” I interrupted, my voice trembling with rage. “I don’t care if you were drunk! You promised me, Rafe. You promised there would be nothing between you and Jessica after the festival ball. If you want to be with her, just say it. I can handle the truth better than lies.”
“Freya, listen to me.” He stepped closer, closing the distance between us, his eyes pleading. “There is nothing between Jessica and me. I swear it.”
“Then why did I see her pant on your bed?” I demanded, my voice breaking as fresh tears streamed down my face. My heart ached with every word. “How do you explain that?”
“Jessica… she must have left them there on purpose,” he said, but I could see the frustration in his eyes, the struggle to find the right words. “She knows how much you mean to me, Freya. She wants to drive a wedge between us.”
“Don’t touch me,” I warned as he reached for me, but my resolve wavered when his strong arms enveloped me, pulling me into his chest. His warmth was intoxicating, a cruel reminder of what I stood to lose.
“Freya,” he murmured, his breath hot against my ear. “I love you. Only you.”
Before I could protest, his lips found mine, capturing them in a fierce, desperate kiss. My initial instinct was to push him away, but my body betrayed me. My hands gripped his shirt, pulling him closer instead of pushing him back. The anger and hurt melted away, replaced by raw, undeniable passion. Our mouths moved together with an intensity that bordered on wild. It was as if we were trying to convey a thousand unspoken emotions through our kiss.
His hands roamed my back, pressing me even closer to him, and I responded in kind, feeling the heat radiate between us. For a moment, it felt like everything else ceased to exist-our pain, our arguments, Jessica. There was only us, lost in each other.
When we finally broke apart, gasping for breath, reality crashed back in. My heart pounded erratically in my chest as I looked into his eyes, searching for answers.
“Jessica gloated to my face,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. “She told me about spending the night with you, about how she pleasured you in ways I never could.”
Rafe’s face contorted in shock, genuine surprise etched into every feature. “No,” he breathed, shaking his head vehemently. “Freya, that’s not true. I didn’t sleep with her. All I thought about last night was you! I asked her to leave my room, but she refused. She must have planned this to sabotage us.”
“Planned it?” I echoed, my mind reeling. Could Jessica really be so conniving? And could I trust Rafe’s words? The sincerity in his eyes made me want to believe him, but the pain of betrayal was still too fresh.
“Yes,” he insisted, holding my gaze steadily. “You have to believe me, Freya. Please.”
The sincerity in his eyes clashed with the turmoil in my heart, leaving me torn and uncertain. As much as I wanted to believe him, the wounds were still too raw. But one thing was clear-this battle between love and doubt was far from over.
“Rafe,” I said, my voice trembling as I stepped back from him. “You need to do something about Jessica. She’s obsessed with you, and she’ll stop at nothing to make my life a living hell if she doesn’t get what she wants. She wants to be your queen, your Luna.”
“Freya, I-” he started, but I cut him off, the words spilling out in a rush.
“I can’t stay here anymore. I can’t live like this, constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering if she or my stepsister or anyone else I don’t know will strike next. I’m going to leave the palace. Go far away. Somewhere I can have peace of mind.”
Rafe’s face crumpled as if I’d struck him, his eyes wide with shock and pain. His powerful frame seemed to shrink under the weight of my words. For a moment, he was silent, and the room felt like it was holding its breath alongside us.
“You’re leaving?” he whispered, his voice barely audible. The hurt in his eyes was unbearable, like watching a great fortress begin to crumble.
“Yes,” I replied, my throat tightening. “I need to get away from all of this.”
Tears threatened to spill, but I swallowed them down. I couldn’t afford to break now. Not when I had to stand firm.
“Freya,” Rafe said, his tone changing abruptly, anger flaring in his eyes as he grabbed my shoulders, his grip tight but not painful. “How could you think I would ever let her come between us? I’m hurt because you don’t believe me. I love you more than anything. But if you want to leave, then I won’t stop you.”
The tension between us was palpable, a storm brewing just beneath the surface. His eyes bore into mine, searching for any sign of doubt or hesitation. I could feel his frustration, his desperation, and it mirrored my own turmoil.
“Rafe…” I began, but he shook his head, cutting me off.
“I’m done trying to beg you, Freya. I’m done trying to make you listen to me.” His voice was low and dangerous, each word punctuated with raw emotion. “If you can’t trust me, then there’s nothing left to say.”
His hands dropped from my shoulders, and the sudden loss of his touch felt like a cold wind slicing through me. We stood there, staring at each other, two hearts breaking in unison. The silence stretched on, filled with everything we wanted to say but couldn’t find the words for.
“Goodbye, Freya,” he said finally, turning on his heel and striding towards the door.
“Rafe, wait!” I called after him, but he didn’t turn back. The door closed behind him with a final, resounding thud, leaving me standing alone in the echoing silence of my chambers.
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