C40 At Atermis' office

Freya's pov

Today was the day, the day for my beauty treatment. Argh… I didn't see the point. I was gonna be treated like a princess, bath with honey and milk and rose and all the things that would make me glow, and then I would be sent into a battle where all of that would be nothing but vain.

The pack was almost done with the decorating, they had transformed the hall into magic. It was lovely but at the same time, all the decor and interior were getting in my way.

Occasionally I would bump into a crate of balls, a box of ribbons and drapes, and poles, basically everything used for decorating. It pissed me off, especially when I was done with training, and I was tired, those traitorous drapes would occasionally get in my way.

With my face-off fast approaching, my time for myself was limited, making me train even more. I had had less time for Loretta, I barely even saw her which I felt bad for. It seemed as though I just abandoned her after learning of her problem. It was hard balancing life as a future Luna and being friends, not when I have a smart bitch who was obsessed with defeating me.

So as of right now, I was walking toward Loretta's room to check up on her. Just a knock was all it took for the door to burst open. A disturbed-looking Loretta stood in view.

She was dressed up, of course, she was always dressed up but this time she had a box by her side, wearing a long face.

“What happened Loretta?” I asked barging in without a clear cut invite.

“I'm going back, my brothers have asked me to come,” Loretta said with a sad face.

“Can't you say no? We don't even know if it's safe out there,” I reasoned out.

She sighed and groaned, her hand went up to dishevel her hair but she stopped it mid-air, obviously not totally in that state of frustration where she would strew her hair that she has spent hours perfecting. She smacked her lips and groaned.

“I know, but there is nothing else to be done, I have to meet with them,” she said painfully.

“Okay.. Okay.. What about Artemis, we should at least inform him, he could offer you protection,” I told her. She was skeptical, she paused and tried to consider it, so I pushed further, “Common Loretta, he should know.”

I decided to try the popular theory, that the only way to convince someone to do something was to share your own experience, “I have something of my own I'd like to share,” I confessed deliberately. Her eyes suddenly twinkled with light, “you have something you want to share with Artemis also?” she asked like I didn't just say that.

It was for the best, it was good to tell him. She smiled and said, “Are you alright Frey?” she asked and I reconsidered my path that I had not told Rachael of my stalker. It sounded crazy just thinking about it. Not the fact that I was going to tell Loretta before Rachael knew, it was rather because the story didn't seem plausible, it sounded made up and just a figment of my imagination from all the stress I was in. They could easily say that I was just being paranoid, or it was just in my head, or the fact that I was just new to the environment. There were a lot of reasons why they could slash my thoughts. Even I, had enough reason.

“You can tell me you know right?”

Dammit, she used my words on me. Okay, it was either this or I sent her out to a pack of hungry wolves whose claws were sharpened, ready to pounce on her.

“It's nothing serious, just when I first arrived here, I had the feeling like I was being stalked,” I prepared my mind to hear her say that maybe I was crazy, to list all the reasons in my head.

But she instead moved to me and held my hands. Her gesture froze me. Okay, she just wants to let me down slowly.

“I believe you, now you can wipe that look off your face,” Loretta said and gave me a hand squeeze. My eyes stretched wide and felt my body go rigid. My next action was taken unaware, I crashed her into a hug. She froze for a moment before she hugged me back.

“You believe me?” I asked, still wrapped in her arms.

“Yeah I do, it's very obvious, and the fact that kept it a secret meant you were possibly doubting yourself. I believe you, Frey,” she said to me.

Smiling, I pulled her further into a hug. The sound of footsteps had us pulling away and when I looked, I saw Rachael, and she didn't look the least excited.

Her eyes met mine before she walked away without uttering a single word.

“Wow, it looks like you have a little explanation to do,” said Loretta with a tight smile, staring at Rachael's retreating form, “it's okay, go after her,” Loretta encouraged.

I stared down the hallway that Racheal had taken for a long beat, and briefly my head withdrew, “I can do that later, let's go inform Artemis,” I said.

She looked at me for a moment and I suddenly felt scrutinized under her glare.

“What?”

“You are just very sweet,” she said to me and strutted.

We went down to Artemis's office, a room that was in this winx, we knocked a little and the door was pulled open. Just about when we crossed the threshold, Loretta grabbed my palm.

“Are you sure about this?” she whispered.

I retraced my steps and went to her side, “I wouldn't do anything you are not ready for, but you must know that this is the best option we have and you're not alone,” I said and gave her a hand squeeze.

“Okay, I'll do it, I'm ready,” she said and I smiled.

The office was home-owned, not in the company. It was just an empty quiet room. Sun rays filled the room, forcing their way in from the thick golden curtain drapes. Books were stacked neatly in the cupboard. The books were enormous, thereby causing some to be piled on the desk of his table and by the feet of it. A laptop and a telephone. His gaze was searching us, observing us.

I knew what would be in his mind, since when did I and Loretta become friends that we were even holding hands?

Loretta let out an awkward noise, a sign that she was nervous.

“What do you ladies want?” Artemis asked, taking a look at me and then down to our intertwined hands.

“And since when did you two become a thing?” Iris's voice rang from within a door I hadn't noticed.

We both let out a tight smile and delved further into the office, “we want to tell you something Artemis,” I said and looked at Loretta as she nodded.

“Okay, have a seat,” he gestured to the vacant seat in front of me.

“Alone, please,” both I and Loretta said.

Iris nodded and walked away.

Phew, here goes nothing.

“What is it?” he inquired, his focus solely on me.

Our last chance to bail out, were we going through with this? Why did I find it difficult?