FINN

When Freya was dragged out that day, my heart snapped, air stuck in my throat and my lungs felt so full I thought I’d pass out and till now, even after six days, I still recount that moment. The moment I rejected her, the betrayal in her eyes and that moment when our bond was broken.

That day, I know I did what my people expected of me but I lost myself in the process. The rejection broke me too… I swear the pain could have killed me but here I was.

“Don’t tell me you are still thinking about what happened?" Camille leaned against the door to my study room, her arms crossed over her chest.

“She was my mate.” I said boredly. This has been Camille’s everyday thing…. Always taunting me and showing me how to live my life.

"A mate you rejected on your own accord not on gunpoint." She rolled her eyes, smirking teasingly and she was right. I was not forced to reject my mate but now I regret everything… every single thing.

“You shouldn’t talk that way Camille." Laura spoke after a while. "We are supposed to support him, not taunt him.” Laura was nothing like Camille. Camille was outspoken, kind of rude and feared while Laura was the calm, sweet and gentle soul everybody wants to be with. Most of the time, I wish I had met Laura first because she seems to understand me.

“I need a moment for myself." I was staring into space right now, my whole mind a mess. Laura nodded and left almost immediately but Camille did not. Always a pain in the ass.

“Suit yourself!" Camille snorted and left afterwards. I know I put myself in this position and I will fix it… if not now, later.

To the park, their Alpha did the right thing by protecting them from a murderer but to me, I broke that little innocent girl. I kept my cold mask on and acted as though everything was working out but it wasn’t.

“Aaaah!" I sped over and punched the wall. Pain shot through my system and my knuckles began to bleed but that pain… it was nowhere compared to what I had caused Freya.

You did it for the pack Finn. They needed justice and you gave it to them. Rejection was the only way to save Freya from my curse.

“Your mate will have to save you and your pack." I remember the old witch’s words. “Your fate is too dark, Finn… too dark.” I sighed recounting that very moment. No matter how hard I wished to spend the rest of my life with my mate, I couldn’t also put her life at risk just because of my selfishness.

I sat back in the chair, pulled the drawer and took out cotton to clean the dripping blood. That day kept haunting me because I saw the truth in her eyes.

Freya didn’t kill Zara– somebody else did and I’ve promised myself to find the culprit and a punishment worse than death will be meted out.

“She still wanders out alone, Alpha." My chest tightened on hearing Philip. On the second day of her banishment, I did something no Alpha should ever do… I sent trackers after her. I wasn’t thinking like an Alpha but as a man who lost his mate.

“We have to see her situation, Finn." Damien purred eagerly in my head. These past few days have been hell for him too and I could feel it.

“No one is allowed into my chambers, Philip. I will be back." With that, I set into the forest, ready to see things for myself.

I watched her desperately tear the intestines apart, blood dripping from her hand and her eyes filled with some sort of satisfaction. Just then, I smelt it – the smell of death and darkness.

“Rogues," I growled at the realization. They were here to hunt and unfortunately,Freya was the prey. Damien started pacing uncomfortably.

“Not my mate Finn, not Ava!" He roared, trying to break free but I wasn’t giving him that chance.

“Who do we have here?" One blonde guy among them snickered, moving closer to Freya. “A pretty chick I see." He bent towards the already scared Freya and brushed his fingers on her arm.

That scene was enough to push me to the edge but I kept my cool till the horse broke loose.

One of them grabbed a handful of hair and dragged it causing Freya to whimper in pain. Then another dug his nails into her skin.

“Aaah!" A painful scream tore her lips. My wolf became impatient as we both watched them maltreat our mate. She started losing blood, her eyes held fear in it and slowly, she started to lose consciousness. That was my cue to step in.

“You filthy rogues have no right to touch what’s mine!” I could feel the change in my eyes and I could bet it was red now. Their smirk faltered and their body started to shake with visible fear.

" Alpha–" I didn’t need to do or say anything. They were already looking like they’d die soon.

“Scram!" Just with that command, they bolted, fear so clear in their eyes. I walked over to Freya who was lying half unconscious, looking battered but still very much pretty.

“Finn?!" She whispered with a raised brow and a small smile tugging her lips. She wrapped her arms around my neck but it began loosing slowly. I held her carefully just like a diamond I didn’t want to let go even though I had already shattered that diamond, I was ready to put the pieces back together.

Her lips parted slightly, head lay on my chest and her breath was so fragile. I wanted nothing else than to cherish, love and protect the very person I broke into pieces.

With no time to waste, I rushed into the forest using the path no one else knew… the path that leads to the only place I know could keep Freya safe. Safe from the people that haunt her, safe from her destiny…. and from me.