Freya gulped down the bitterness in her chest, her fists clenching as she heard the brutal words. However, she was unflinching.
"What were you expecting from the man who banished you?" She thought to herself and gritted her teeth.
"Where are these guards? Do I not have any competent guards anywhere around now?" Her father, Alpha Nightshade bellowed again.
At his demand, some guards rushed at Freya, immediately grabbing her roughly. She could only look at her father in disappointment and agony, so she couldn't resist allowing the guards to do their job.
"F... Father ..." She muttered, her gaze searching for her father's face but the man refused to look at every other place than her direction.
As the scene unfolded, Alpha Grimfang had his gaze fixed on the girl. He was looking at her from head to toes, his cold demeanor giving nothing away.
"What are you waiting for? Take her to the dungeon and ..." Alpha Nightshade was commanding the guards but got interrupted by Alpha Grimfang who had been silent all along.
"Wait!" Alpha Grimfang suddenly spoke up, his voice commanding immediate attention. Freya's head shot over to look at him, her eyebrows furrowing, wondering what he would say now, after all he had been quiet all along.
Alpha Nightshade heaved a frustrated sigh and glared at the girl, before turning to face the younger Alpha.
"Pardon me for this rude interruption, Alpha. Let us not allow this to disrupt the perfect arrangement we have going on. I will have it taken care of, immediately." He informed him firmly, casting a dirty glare at Freya as he spoke.
Freya's fists clenched and she swallowed hard, resigning to fate that she was going to be spending her eighteenth birthday in her father's dungeon instead of being welcomed back home.
However, Alpha Grimfang shook his head in disapproval at the other Alpha's declaration.
"This can't change what we have agreed on, Alpha Nightshade. We have signed a treaty and you have my word on working together to finish all the rogues tormenting our community." The younger Alpha paused then took a step forward to stand directly before Freya.
"It's amusing to know that this rogue is my mate..." He continued, his demeanor still cold and there were gasps from some of the wolves around, his beta inclusive.
Even Freya's lips parted in shock. She had believed he would never admit the mate bond or wanted to be associated with her.
"What is he playing at?" She wondered, tilting her chin.
"Your mate? Alpha Grimfang, I think there has to be some grave mistake..." Freya's father couldn't hide his bewilderment and was saying but the younger Alpha didn't have the patience to allow him to finish his sentence before interrupting him.
With a raise of his hand, Alpha Grimfang commanded his guards;
"Take her, put her in the car."
"Wait, this should be my matter to handle. I ..." Alpha Nightshade tried to stop him again but this time, a frown from the younger Alpha shut him up instantly.
"I will take care of her since she is my mate." Alpha Grimfang maintained sharply and the older Alpha took a step backward, in silence. He knew better than to argue with the most feared Alpha.
Freya who had had enough of the men talking about her as if she wasn't present, let out an annoyed scoff.
Then she gathered her strength which she hadn't wanted to make use of untill now and wriggled her arms, freeing herself and getting out of the guards' hold.
"Well, I don't want to go with you..." She firstly addressed Alpha Grimfang curtly then turned to her father with a sharp expression:
"I will find my way out of here since I have known that I'm not welcomed. It's somewhat pleasing to see you hale and healthy, by the way." She said to her father. However, Alpha Grimfang didn't spare her a glance. It was as if she hadn't said a word to him or make her stance cleared. Instead, he faced his guards and said;
"Don't let me repeat myself." With that, he turned to address Alpha Nightshade.
"I will take my leave now, Alpha. We have a deal."
Swiftly, his guards jumped into action and grabbed Freya roughly, overpowering her.
~~~~~~~~~~
A few minutes later, Freya was seated rigidly in the back seat of Alpha Grimfang' car, a Dodge challenger, with his Beta, Sebastian, driving them. She was on the right side while the Alpha was on the left side, leaving a big space in the middle that felt coldly empty.
"Why did I allow myself to be dragged into this car? What the hell am I doing?" She wondered inwardly and swallowed hard.
"Well, it's either going with his stranger or getting rot away in my father's dungeon. This is definitely a lesser hell, right?" She chuckled dryly to herself as she analyzed her situation in her mind.
From the corner of her eye, she stole curious glances at the Alpha, her supposed mate.
Kade Grimfang was seated, the cold demeanor plastered on his face like a second skin and he looked so intimidating but not too intimidating to Freya.
"Excuse me..." She cleared her throat, deciding to start a small conversation.
"May I know why you insisted that I come with you when you clearly don't want to have anything to do with me?" She asked but got no response. The Alpha had brought out his phone from his pocket and was typing away.
Freya tightened her jaw in anger.
"I would love to get down. I can find my way from here." She added louder this time but still got no response.
The Beta that was driving simply concentrated on the task at his hand while the Alpha pressed his phone. Either of the men acting like somebody was talking.
"Jerk!" Freya mouthed, her chest heaving up and down. Then with a reluctant resignation, she leaned into the seat, deciding to let events unfold as fate wished.
"We will see how it goes..." She concluded and stared out of the window, letting her view be graced with the serenity of the quiet road.
After what felt like eternity but in reality was only half an hour, the car approached a clearing and drove into one of the biggest pack she had ever seen or being into.
"Nightfang pack, what a glamorous view! And here I am, dressed like a..." She exhaled sharply, instantly conscious of her appearance.
Everything and everyone she had seen along the road as they drove to the Alpha's manor looked sophisticated and presentable.
"I can't step out of the car like this." Freya was just saying when Kade got out of the car and commanded her;
"Get down."
His tone left no room for argument and she ould only clench her fists in anger.
"Fine, let's give you what you want. I'm not one to feel ashamed, anyway!" She grumbled defiantly and stepped out of the car, her head held high.
Outside the Alpha's manor were some guards, some servants and a few pack members who had come to welcome their Alpha. As they saw the strange woman dressed in leaves, they shared collective gasps.
"Who is she?"
"Was she living under the rocks?"
"She looks like a rogue, can't you tell from the pungent smell rolling off her?" The crowd whispered amongst themselves and Freya almost felt embarrassed. But almost!
"I have heard worse from my own people, this is nothing." She told herself and kept a straight face.
All of a happening, Freya heard some movement behind her but before she could make any move such as turning around to check, something rammed into her and instantly, she was falling down.
But that wasn't the worst part... The leaves she had on were slipping from her body!
Her eyes widened in horror.
"No, this can't be happening!"