117

Chapter 117
*Freya*
The crimson pack is cursed. His words still hung tightly in the air. The shock was evident in people’s faces. I was shocked as well, but there had to be a reason for this.
“Listen to me, all of you!” Rafael’s grip tightened around my neck, the knife cold against my skin. His voice rang out with a sinister authority that sent shivers down my spine. “The only way to break this curse is for me to become your Alpha King. Then, and only then, can we all find our true mates and live in peace and harmony.”
The room was thick with silence, every eye flicking between Rafael, Rafe, and me. The confusion on their faces mirrored the turmoil in my heart. Rafe’s jaw was set, but his eyes betrayed the uncertainty gnawing at him.
I stared at Rafe expectantly, waiting for him to say something. After what seemed like forever, Rafe finally raised his head up and tuned to everyone facing him.
“Do you want Rafael Kingston,” Rafe’s voice broke through the tension, each word measured and deliberate, “former Gamma, to become your Alpha King?”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, glances exchanged, brows furrowed. It was as if a great fog had descended upon us all, clouding our thoughts and judgment. My own mind raced, desperate to find something-anything-that could cut through this moment of paralysis.
“Please,” my voice came out stronger than I felt. Lifting my head as much as Rafael’s hold allowed, I locked eyes with the members of the pack. “Rafe is the best Alpha King anyone could ask for, curse or no curse. He’s led us with strength, honor, and love.”
The uncertainty in the room began to waver, shifting like sand under a steady wind. One by one, heads started to nod, voices rising in hesitant agreement.
“Yes, he’s our Alpha!”
“Rafe is the only king we need!”
“Long live Alpha Rafe!”
The chorus grew louder, more confident, until the room surged with collective support. Tears stung my eyes, not from fear or pain, but from the overwhelming sense of unity washing over us.
“See?” I turned my gaze to Rafe, ignoring the blade still pressed to my throat. My heart swelled with love and pride. “You’re the only Alpha King we want.”
In that instant, everything else faded away-the danger, the knife, even Rafael’s menacing presence. All I saw was Rafe, and the love that bound us together, unbreakable despite the shadows looming over us.
****
*Rafe*
My heart swelled with pride as I stood before my people, their voices a powerful chorus of support echoing through the room. Each chant of my name was a testament to their belief in me. Even Freya, though held at knifepoint by my treacherous Gamma had found the strength to believe in me.
“Release her, Rafael,” I commanded, my voice unwavering despite the storm of emotions within me. “You have five seconds. Or you die.”
Rafael’s eyes locked onto mine, a cold, defiant glare that dared me to act. He knew me too well. Knew that if it weren’t for Freya’s life hanging in the balance, I would have torn him apart already. The knife pressed against her throat was the only thing keeping him alive.
“One,” I began, my voice cutting through the air like a blade. The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of each second pressing down on us all.
“Two.” Every fiber of my being screamed to save her, but I had to be careful. One wrong move and-
“Three.” My people watched with bated breath, their faith in me palpable yet fragile.
“Four.” Freya’s eyes met mine, filled with a blend of fear and trust. She believed in me. I couldn’t fail her now.
“Fi-” Rafael’s voice cut through my count. “Fine! I’ll release her.”
Relief washed over me, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Freya took a hesitant step towards me, her eyes wide, her movements slow. And then, faster than I could react, Rafael’s hand moved, the knife glinting ominously before slicing across her neck.
“Freya!” I screamed, my world collapsing as she stumbled, blood blooming against her pale skin. I lunged forward, catching her before she could hit the ground. Blood gushed from her neck, warm and relentless, soaking through my hands as I pressed desperately against the wound. Her eyes were wide with panic, struggling to focus, her breaths coming in shallow, choking gasps.
“Hold on, Freya,” I begged, my voice trembling with disbelief. “You can’t die. Not like this.” Each word felt like it was tearing me apart, but I had to stay strong-for her.
Rafael took a step back, a smug smile playing on his lips as he turned to make his escape. The sight of him retreating, leaving Freya to bleed out at my feet, ignited something primal within me. A molten fury surged through my veins, and before I knew it, the transformation began.
My bones cracked and reshaped, muscles swelled, and fur erupted across my skin. My vision sharpened, honing in on Rafael’s fleeing form. The room seemed to shrink, the terrified faces of my people fading into the background as I became the beast they all feared.
“Everyone, back!” someone shouted, but the words barely registered. All that mattered was the man who had dared to harm what was mine.
With Freya cradled in one arm, I leapt forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. My free hand lashed out, claws slicing through flesh and bone as if they were paper. Rafael’s scream was a high, desperate wail as his head, hand, and leg separated from his body in a single, savage move. He fell to the ground, defeated, the light fading from his eyes even before he hit the floor.
The room was silent, save for the ragged sound of my own breathing. Slowly, the fury faded away, and I shifted back to my human form, collapsing next to Freya with her still in my arms.
“Freya,” I whispered, brushing a blood-soaked strand of hair from her face. She was the love of my life. She couldn’t die. I wouldn’t let it happen. It didn’t matter if we were cursed, or if fate itself was against us. She was mine.
“Stay with me,” I pleaded, my heart breaking with each passing second.
“Get a healer! Someone, now!” I roared, my voice echoing through the room as panic clawed at my chest. Freya’s blood soaked into my clothes, a macabre reminder of how little time we had left.
“Rafe…” Her voice was so faint, it was almost lost in the cacophony of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. Her hand, trembling and slick with her own blood, reached up to touch my face.
“Don’t speak, Freya. Save your strength,” I implored, my eyes frantically scanning her face for any sign of hope, any indication that she could still be saved.
“No… no healer,” she whispered, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips despite the agony she must have been in. “I want my last moments… with you.”
“Freya, please.” My voice broke, raw emotion spilling out as my vision blurred with unshed tears. “You can’t leave me. You can’t.”
“Rafe, listen.” Her breath hitched, tears coming out of her eyes, every word a struggle. “I’ll always… love you. Forever. But you… need to find happiness… with someone else. Maybe… Jessica.”
“Jessica?” The name tasted bitter on my tongue. “No, Freya. No one else. Only you.”
“Rafe…” Her eyelids fluttered, her strength waning. “Promise me… you’ll live… even without me. Please,”
“Don’t ask me that,” I pleaded, shaking my head as if denial could somehow change our reality. I couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my face. Addy and Aurora and Freya’s maids stood nearby. Their sobs were muffled, a heartbreaking chorus to our tragedy.
“Promise,” she insisted, her voice barely more than a breath. “I’ll always be… with you.”
“Freya, you can’t do this. You don’t have the right to leave me,” I choked out, clutching her tighter as if I could anchor her soul with my embrace. “I can’t live without you.”
“Shhh,” she soothed, her fingers weakly caressing my cheek. “One last… kiss?”
“Anything for you, princess,” I whispered, leaning down, my heart shattering with each inch that brought us closer.
Our lips met, a bittersweet union of love and pain. Her breath was faint, a mere whisper of life against my mouth. I could feel her slipping away, the warmth leaving her body, the spark in her eyes dimming. A desperate ache clawed at my chest, a primal scream trapped in my throat.
“Freya, please,” I murmured against her lips, feeling the tremor of her last breaths. My soul cried out, ready to trade my own life for hers if it meant keeping her here, with me, forever.
She gasped softly, and then… nothing. The kiss broke, and as I pulled away, her eyes were closed, her chest still.
“Freya?” My voice cracked, disbelief freezing my thoughts. My hands shook as I cradled her lifeless body, blurred by the tears in my eyes. the world around us dissolving into a blur of agony and silence.
“Freya!” I screamed her name, willing her to wake up, to breathe, to live. But she remained motionless, peace etched on her beautiful face. Fresh tears blurred my vision, but I couldn’t look away. She was gone.
****