Goddess Gifted Mate

Ex's and Hierarchy

Thane re-adjusts himself before turning back to Freya. With furrowed brows he says, "I'm sorry Freya. I never thought that I would find you. I've had a couple of girlfriends, but the last one was a big mistake. She's possessive and manipulative. When I realized this, I broke up with her right away. She won't let me go, and is downstairs and won't leave until she speaks to me." Freya got a sinking feeling in her stomach. She never thought that he was a virgin like she was, but she never considered the consequences of it. She shook the feeling off and vowed that she would face her and show her that she would not back down or give up her fated mate. Freya straightened her stance and said, "Let her come up. I will show her that you are taken, and she can't have you." Thane smiled and couldn't believe that she wasn't upset with him for not waiting for her. Thane opened the door and told Ryder to send Lyra up. Ryder went downstairs where Lyra was waiting in the greeting hall. "The alpha will see you now," Ryder said to Lyra. "Finally, took him long enough!" Lyra scoffed. Ryder guided her to Thane's room. She walks into the room, exuding confidence and a flirtatious vibe, completely unaware of the tension she's about to stir up. "Well, well, well, what do we have here," Lyra says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I see you've found yourself a new plaything, Thane." She takes a step closer to Thane, her voice taking on a flirtatious tone. Thane grimaces, and Freya just stands there staring Lyra down. "What do you want, Lyra? You know that I broke up with you a year ago," Thane says uncomfortably. Lyra smirks and says, "So what's it to you, Thane? You're not exactly tied down anymore, are you?" Freya steps forward and says, "He is actually. I'm his fated mate, Freya, Goddess of Love and Magic. Who are you, and what gives you the right to talk to your alpha like that?" Lyra scoffs, "Mate? You can't be serious? You don't know the first thing about pack life! How ar you going to be a Luna? I'm obviously the better choice and Thane knows it!" Lyra was really digging deep, her insecurities starting to show. Thane's expression turns cold, his voice firm as he addresses Lyra. "Enough, Lyra. You've overstayed your welcome. Freya is my mate, my fated mate, and I won't tolerate anyone - especially not you - questioning her place beside me." Lyra scoffs again and takes a step back, not believing what she's hearing. She's about ready to speak again when Thane raises his voice in his Alpha Tone, "I'm serious Lyra. You will not question Freya's place beside me. You will treat her with respect and address her as your Luna. Is that understood?" Lyra bows her head in submission to her alpha and with gritted teeth says, "Yes alpha." The tension in the room was palpable. Freya's assertiveness and Thane's alpha tone seem to have put Lyra in her place for now, but Freya thinks she might still be plotting something in the shadows. Freya looks Lyra in the eyes and says, "You will do well to remember it. If you don't, I can and will handle you myself. I may not know anything about pack life yet, but I am a fast learner and can handle anything you throw my way." Lyra's expression twists into a mixture of anger and humiliation, her eyes flashing with resentment towards Freya. She spits out barely audibly, "I'll remember," before turning on her heel and storming out of the room, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake. Thane lets out an exhausted sigh and says, "I'm sorry Freya. I totally forgot about Lyra when we got home. If I had, I would have prepared you better for it. Though I must say that you handled her better than I could have imagined." He smiled wide at her and embraced her in a tight hug. Freya embraced him back and said, "I meant what I said Thane. I will deal with her the way I see fit, if she doesn't back down or tries to get between us." Thane chuckles and says, "I would expect nothing less, my love," kissing her on the head. He pushes her at arms length and says, "Freya, I know it's a lot to take in, but I want you to feel comfortable among our pack. Let me tell you about some of the key members and how things work around here." Freya nods her head in agreement and says, "OK, where do you want to start?" Thane smiles and begins, "Well, let's start with the highest-ranking members of the pack. You've already met them, actually. I'm at the top as the alpha. Ryder Nightshade is the Beta. He has a similar sense of loyalty as me but a more reserved approach because of past trauma. It makes him more cautious and introspective, and he only opens up to Asher and me." Freya frowns and asks, "What happened to Ryder?" Thane shakes his head and says, "It's not my story to tell. I'll let him tell you when he's ready." Freya nods her head. Thane continues, "Asher Storm is the Gamma. He's like the peacekeeper of the pack. He has a calm and gentle nature about him. He mediates duties in the pack. He's also got a secret wild side of thrill-seeking. Always itching to break free of his responsibilities and taking risks. It creates an internal conflict in him, making him more relatable to people." "They sound like amazing people Thane! I can't wait to get to know them!" she exclaimed. Thane smiled and said, "They are love. Ryder and I go way back. He's been my best friend since childhood. Growing up together and forming a strong bond over the years has led to him becoming my Beta. Asher came along around 5th grade, and we all hit it off right away." Freya looked at Thane with a warm smile, "That sounds amazing, Thane. I never had any friends growing up. My father didn't want me to interact with any of the other Gods because he was afraid I would be used for my magic." Thane frowns and says, "I'm sorry to hear that, Freya." He gives her a quick tight hug and kisses her on the head. Thane then smiles at her and continues, "The rest of the pack are Omegas. They do all the cooking, cleaning and run all the shops in the pack. We pay them well, and they are all treated well here." Freya smiles and says, "That sounds like a pretty good system, where everyone contributes and is taken care of. It's interesting that the Omegas handle all the domestic duties, though - what kind of dynamics exist between the Omegas and the higher-ranking pack members?" "We take care and protect them like parents. In return, they willingly give their support and loyalty." Freya nods her head as they continue walking. Finally, Freya asks, "What's Luna's role in the pack?" Thane smiles at her and says, "She's the heart and soul of the pack. She's also like the mother of the pack." Freya frowns, "Why the heart? That sounds more like the Omegas." He cups her face and says, "Without you love, I wouldn't be able to run the pack. Without an alpha, the pack would waste away and become rogues." Freya's eyes widen when she finally understands his meaning. Thane chuckles and says. We should get some sleep love. When we wake up I will show you around the pack house and introduce you to some of the staff.