C22 Chasing the Shadow

Freya’s Pov

As I dug deeper into the woods, my better mind screamed at me to halt and retreat my steps, to go back. But my curious mind that was a grazing ground for animals ate at me to find out, to discover to satiate my curiosity. A need brewed within me to discover whom it was.

Even as my curiosity drove on a spinning wheel my fear was fixated like a spindle. It pierced me like thorn.

I shouldn’t delve this far, this could be dangerous. Scratch that, this was dangerous.

But even as my fears surfaced and floated like a feather on an ocean my legs carried me like they had a mind of their own. With every adding steps my fears increased but so were my steps.

From my peripheral vision I saw a shadowy figure run past the woods. Reflexively I turned with no hesitation. I don’t know what pushed me or what aided me, worse what convinced me to chase the shadow in the woods but I did.

I ran after the directions I suspected he headed. Jumping and ducking tree branches. It was evident that this ground was for training.

The roped tied on individual trees, climbing ropes and net. They were all for training and if I was being right—-my stalker knew this place better than I seeing how he was running and skidding like he was fu-cking Tarzan.

He was fast and I could only make out his dark silhouette figure——from his black hoodie and pants.

I felt my senses heightened, my nose perked up as well as my heart rate. The push and pull to chase even faster. It was like my heart suddenly attained higher beat urging me to catch up. There was this excitement, this bubbling rush and adrenaline willing me to catch up.

I discovered my fear no more. They were vague and nonexistent——just a pull to catch up… and something else, something foreign. I could not quite describe it, it really was ali—-

And then I collided with a bug tree trunk. I fell backwards, my butt receiving pains. I hissed from annoyance and when I looked up I lost the trails of my stalker.

Dusting my butt with my tawny hands my head moved in a three hundred and sixty degrees form as I looked in circles of my immediate environment.

Two things flashed in my mind: 1—I had lost him and my chance of getting him but that was the farthest thing on my mind.

Because 2— I was unaware of my environment, I had been so engrossed on trying to catch my stalker that I lacked any form of retrospection on where I was. The place was suddenly creepy. He could be hiding anywhere ready to plunge at me.

That thought immediately crashed a wave of fear into me like a tornado. I spun like a wheel, my eyes went fuzzy from spinning around in fear.

The nonexistent fear suddenly sunk back with the thought of my environment unknown. I couldn’t see the field from here and I wondered if those whores would let Artemis know that I was missing.

Missing. That word brought phobia.

Would they find my dead body here. Why do I exhibit the characteristics of a deranged mind far more than usual.

Oh Artemis would forget me, those whore would gnaw out every atom of my image from his head. The Merona, I hated her the most. She was everything Loretta and I wasn’t; strong, beautiful, smart and perfect enough to lead firmly by his side.

I was foolish, I brought this one on myself. Morgana was right. I was a foolish girl.

The eerie feeling sprouts even more like a plague within me. A sound got me steering on my position, trying with vein to spot whomever it may be. As the place grew silent, the hair on my body perked up, standing with full wattage from fear.

“Freya!”

By the mention of my name my heart sank and my worst fear overwhelmed me like a fog.

Is this how I die?

“Freya?”

I heard again this time the voice came in clearer and familiar, “what are you doing here?”

Now that voice was the voice that I could never forget even if I should lose my memory.

“Artemis!” I said with glee, running into his arms.

I didn’t ponder on why he was here. With all the whores swarming around him like bee’s, he noticed my absence. Emphasis on notice.

‘Of course he will, he’s mate,” Jade my wolf said. I smiled in agreement. I guessed sometimes I was still in doubt with all this mate bond. I’m used to being disappointed so I guessed I was always preparing to be plunged into my harsh reality sooner than later.

I was going to tell him everything should he ask. After all, no one could protect me far more better than my mate. I breathed in his smell, letting it intoxicate me and relax me like a pill.

“What are you doing here?” Artemis asked.

“I came to check the training grounds in the process and got lost while exploring,” I lied without a heartbeat.

Why did I lie?

I couldn’t understand my sudden rush of lies. My mind was prepared to spill out the truth a moment ago but at the last minute a lie came forth from my mouth rather than what I had planned.

There was a feeling I was suspecting but I didn’t want to believe that. I of course was just being my rash self. Acting on impulse again with little or no thoughts. That had got to be it.

He chuckled and the sound of his laughter revibrated within me erupting sparks deep down within me. Very deep.

“You have such large hectares of land and the training centre is enormous,” I said with excitement seeping from my voice and all the other parts of my body.

Artemis Pov

I and Aegus were proud of our mate. She had just arrived and had little training, f*ck that, that was literally her first time on the field and she came in fifth.

She was awesome, I saw the fire in her eyes, she had the guts and mind of a Luna.

‘She would be perfect to rule beside us,’ Aegus said with pride laced with every letter.

Before now I wasn’t going to be in denial. I had actually contemplated if she had a strong enough heart to rule beside me. She just seemed so fragile and soft. Being a Luna to such powerful pack came with so many expectations and tasks to live up to, tasks that may sometimes require a lot of sacrifice and strength—-I had imagined she wouldn’t fit but my mate—-

‘Our mate,’ Aegus corrected. I smiled. Aegus was getting so obsessed.

‘Our mate,’ I took notice would fit in just perfectly well. She was such an angel.

Immediately the competition started I saw her focus her all into winning. The fiery fires in her eyes, It was as though she was a different person.

The frail, soft and shy girl was gone. She was fierce as she ran with all her might like her entire world depended solely on that race. She was running to win—

‘Something we both have in common,’ Aegus noted.

Yes, that was true. Even after Loretta shoved her to the side, she was resilient and I couldn’t have asked for a more better mate.

We walked out from the training ground where she had let her curiosity get the best of her and she had lost her way. It was amusing.

“You like it?” I asked Freya, referring to the training ground that I just found her at.

She nodded a ‘yes,’ with glee. This girl knew exactly what she was doing to me, she had got to have an idea.

“You were perfect out there, in the race,” I complimented. I was expecting her to mutter a thank you but she was rather indifferent.

She waved off my compliment and said, “fifth isn’t winning, I wanted to come first.”

It seemed as though mate was also obsessed with winning and topping in anything she was involved in.

“We’re going to train alright, I’ll let Merona train you, she’s the best female warrior,” when I said that I peered at her to see her reaction but she gave out no such.

I knew that she didn’t like Merona and the feelings were mutual but seeing her not object cemented my feelings of her being a Luna. She was perfect for the Waterfall Pack.

“Oh hi,” Oslo said approaching us with my beta by his side. His greeting was rather directed towards my mate.

“Hello,” she greeted back, it was clear that she was still hyped about the training centre. She wasn’t shy and she replied him without her cheeks going scarlet.

“I thought you were more of the shy type,” Oslo chipped in. Trying to incipient small talks.

She being her usual self didn’t get that.

“What?” She asked attempting to hide her face.

“Oslo?” Iris called in a warning tone and I immediately grasped where this was headed.

He ignored Iris and went on to say what he had on his mind.

“I imagined you to be the shy and introverted type but you were so bold out in the field like you were suddenly someone else,” Oslo told her.

“I’m sorry do I know you?” Freya asked, “I’m not trying to be disrespectful but I believe we haven’t met officially,” she added.

‘Another point for mate, she doesn’t just give out information,’ Aegus noted, at this I rolled my eyes. He had got to quit, he wasn’t helping either of us.

“Oh we’ve met darling. Remember that little incident with the book? Yeah I was there. Still you’re right, we haven’t met officially,” Oslo said and came to her side.

“I’m Oslo, the gamma to Waterfall Pack,” he introduced himself.

She broke into a smile then, “I would have loved to tell you my name but it seems as though you know mine,” she said.

“Oh yes I do. So in the field, what happened? Did you like grow super powers or something,” Oslo said teasingly.

“Are you going to allow this?” Iris asked. I did not give him an answer and yes, I was going to allow it.

I waited for her answer, we all seemed to be waiting for it.

With a smile on her face she started, “It’s nothing of sort,” she laughed, “I and my wolf are particularly very competitive, when found in a competition we only want to win, losing doesn’t come with our name. That’s just how we’ve been,” she explained.

“Hmmmm,” Oslo drawed.

“That’s a lovely spirit. To be competitive and win, do you feel like it’s a trait? Do you usually feel entitled to win?” Oslo asked lightly and I felt the need to step in.

“Oh yes, I either win or die. I love the feeling of winning and being in control,” Freya said, confirming the words of Oslo.

“Oh really. Get ready because you’re going to work your ass off,” Oslo teased and she laughed.

Like father like daughter Oslo said in my mind and looked directly into my eyes.