108

Chapter 108
*Freya*
The door closed behind Rafe with a final, resounding thud. I stood there, frozen, unable to breathe. My heart pounded in my chest like a war drum, each beat louder than the last. The silence of my chambers felt suffocating, and the realization of what I’d just done hit me like a tidal wave. Rafe had really gone and it was all my fault. I had tried to send him out of my room, out of my life. I hadn’t intended to push him away but it seemed like he had given up on us.
What did I actually do?
I thought of how Rafe had protected me again and again, how he’d showed me so much and made himself vulnerable to me, and I had tried to throw all that away because Jessica was manipulating us. How could I have been so foolish?
Slowly, my legs gave way beneath me, and I slid to the ground, my back pressed against the cold wooden door. Tears blurred my vision as they cascaded down my cheeks, hot and relentless. Was this really happening? Had I really just pushed away the one person I loved more than anything?
“Why did I say that?” I whispered to myself, my voice cracking with the weight of my emotions. “Why did I push him away?”
I buried my face in my hands, my body shaking with sobs. The image of Rafe’s hurt expression played over and over in my mind, a cruel reminder of the pain I had inflicted. He was right-I hadn’t believed him. I had let my insecurities and fears cloud my judgment, and now I was paying the price.
“Rafe,” I choked out, as if saying his name could somehow bring him back. But the emptiness of the room only echoed my regret.
I couldn’t leave him. The thought of being away from Rafe, of not seeing his smile or feeling his touch, was unbearable. I loved him too much to let Jessica-or anyone else-come between us. Yet, my words had already inflicted deep wounds, ones that might never heal.
“Please, don’t let this be the end,” I pleaded to the empty room, the walls bearing witness to my heartbreak. “I can’t lose you.”
As I sat there, crumpled on the floor, hope flickered in my chest-a fragile, desperate thing. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe, somehow, we could find our way back to each other. But for now, all I could do was cry and pray that Rafe’s love for me was strong enough to withstand the storm I’d unleashed.
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*Rafe*
I stormed out of Freya’s chambers, my blood boiling with a rage I couldn’t contain. How could she believe Jessica’s lies over the truth she should have seen in my eyes? The one woman I loved more than anything had just banished me from her room and her life, all because she thought I’d done something I hadn’t.
“How could she not see?” I muttered under my breath, my fists clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white. Jessica had framed me, twisted reality with her poisonous words, and Freya had believed her. It was like a dagger to the heart, but instead of bleeding, it made me burn.
I couldn’t hold back the fury any longer. My fist collided with the stone wall beside me, the impact sending a shockwave through my arm. The wall crumbled, chunks of stone and dust crumbling to the floor, leaving a jagged hole as a testament to my wrath.
As I moved down the corridor, maids and servants scattered, their eyes wide with fear. They pressed themselves against the walls, their faces pale and trembling. I caught glimpses of their fearful expressions, the way they avoided meeting my gaze. This was Jessica’s fault. Her deceit had not only torn me from Freya but also turned my own people against me.
But I wouldn’t let it stand. Each step I took toward Jessica’s chambers felt like a vow carved in stone. She would regret ever trying to come between me and Freya. She would rue the day she decided to play with fire, thinking she wouldn’t get burned.
I stormed into Jessica’s room, the door slamming against the wall with a deafening crash. Jessica’s eyes widened in shock as she sprang up from her bed, where she had been chatting with Kelly. Her mouth opened to greet me, but I didn’t give her the chance. With a swift motion, I grabbed her by the collar and yanked her toward me.
“Admit it!” I roared, my voice echoing off the walls. My grip on her tightened, my nails digging into the fabric of her dress. “Admit that you lied! I never touched you last night because I asked you to leave, and I slept alone.”
“Rafe, please,” Jessica stammered, her hands trembling as they reached up to cover mine. Kelly stood frozen beside the bed, her face pale. “You’re scaring us.”
“Get out!” I snarled at Kelly, not even sparing her a glance. “Leave us alone.”
Kelly hesitated, her eyes darting between Jessica and me. Then, with a reluctant nod, she slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
“Why are you doing this, Jessica?” I demanded, my voice low and dangerous. “Why are you trying to manipulate Freya into thinking we were together last night?”
Jessica’s lips quivered as she looked up at me, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m not lying, Rafe,” she whispered. “We did sleep together. You don’t remember because you were drunk. You begged me to stay, and I… I couldn’t say no.”
“Don’t lie to me!” I shouted, shaking her slightly. “I remember everything. I told you to leave because all I wanted was Freya.”
“Rafe, please,” she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You have to believe me. You were so drunk, you don’t remember. But I stayed because you needed me.”
“Needed you?” I scoffed, releasing her collar and pushing her away. “The only thing I need is for you to stop your lies and manipulation.”
“Rafe,” she pleaded, stepping forward. “Please, just listen-”
“Listen? To more of your deceit?” I interrupted, my breath coming in ragged gasps. “I remember vividly telling you to leave me alone in my chambers because all I could think about was wanting Freya.” My voice cracked slightly at the mention of Freya’s name, but I forged on, my anger seething.
Jessica’s eyes went wide with a mix of jealousy and rage. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white. “You’re lying against me Alpha!” she spat, her voice trembling with fury. “We did have sex last night. You were too drunk to remember, but I stayed with you because you begged me to.”
“Prove it,” I demanded, stepping closer again. “Call the special doctor. Get checked if you’re so sure you’re pregnant. Then we’ll see who’s lying.”
“Fine!” Jessica shouted back, her face flushed with anger. “I’ll prove it right now. I’ll call Dimitri, and he’ll confirm it.”
“Do it immediately,” I growled, crossing my arms over my chest. “Because I know we didn’t have sex, and this will shut you up once and for all.”
Jessica’s fingers trembled as she reached for a small bell on her bedside table. She rang it sharply, and within moments, one of her attendants appeared.
“Fetch Dimitri, the special doctor,” Jessica ordered, her voice cold and steady despite the turmoil in her eyes. The attendant nodded and quickly exited the room.
“You’re making a mistake, Rafe,” she said quietly, almost as if trying to convince herself more than me. “You’ll see. He’ll find that I’m carrying your child.”
“Then let him come,” I replied, my resolve unshaken. “And let him reveal the truth.”
Minutes felt like hours as we stood there in tense silence, the air thick with unspoken accusations and doubts. I kept my gaze fixed on Jessica, my heart pounding in my chest. This had to end here and now. For Freya, for myself, and for the pack.
Finally, the door creaked open, and Dimitri stepped inside, his presence immediately commanding attention. His eyes flickered between Jessica and me, sensing the gravity of the situation.
“My King, Miss Jessica,” he greeted us with a slight bow. “What seems to be the matter?”
“She claims she’s pregnant with my child,” I said, not taking my eyes off Jessica. “Check her now and tell us the truth.”
Dimitri nodded solemnly. “Very well. I will conduct the examination.”
Good. It was time for Jessica to be put in her place. I would waste no time in sending her out of this palace for good once i found out the truth about her deceit. Enough was enough.
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