Chapter 6: Deception and Escape (2)
1166 Words
(Freya's POV)
"I have more power than you know," I growled, feeling the magic Sage had taught me stirring within me. I focused on the potted plant by my bedside, willing its vines to grow and twist.
Loki's eyes widened as the plant suddenly sprang to life, its tendrils snaking towards him. "What the—"
"Get out," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "And if you ever come near me again, I'll show you just how much I've learned since you last saw me."
He stumbled backwards, fear replacing the arrogance in his eyes. Without another word, he fled the room, leaving me alone once more.
I slumped back against the pillows, exhausted by the confrontation and the use of magic. But I couldn't rest, not yet. Loki's presence here was a reminder of how vulnerable I was, how many enemies surrounded me.
As night fell, I felt a strange restlessness in the air. Something was happening, a shift in the energy of the pack house. And then I felt it—a familiar presence, drawing closer.
Fenris.
His aura was chaotic, a storm of conflicting emotions that I could feel even through our fragile bond. He was fighting against something, struggling to maintain control.
I pressed myself against the door, straining to hear. Fenris's voice, low and urgent, drifted through.
"I need to see her," he was saying. "I can't... I can't think straight. The wolf, it's..."
"Alpha, please," another voice—one of the guards, I thought. "You ordered us not to let anyone in. For your own safety—"
A growl cut him off, so primal it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "I am your Alpha. You will obey me."
Silence fell, and then the sound of retreating footsteps. My heart raced. Fenris was coming, and I had no idea what state of mind he'd be in.
I backed away from the door just as it burst open. Fenris stood there, chest heaving, his eyes glowing with that eerie, feral light I remembered from the forest. He looked like a man on the edge of control, barely holding his wolf at bay.
"Freya," he growled, the sound sending shivers down my spine.
An idea struck me then, born of desperation and the teachings Sage had imparted. If I couldn't reason with Fenris, maybe I could reach him another way.
I closed my eyes, focusing on our bond. I thought of that night in the forest, of the connection we'd shared during the ritual. I poured every ounce of sincerity, every fragment of truth I possessed into that fragile link between us.
And then, drawing on the magic I'd been cultivating, I wove an illusion. I heard Fenris's sharp intake of breath as the illusion took hold. When I opened my eyes, I saw him standing frozen, his gaze unfocused as he experienced the vision I'd created.
In it, we were entwined, our bodies moving together in a dance as old as time itself. I could feel his hands on my skin, his lips on mine, the heat of his body against me. It wasn't real, but it felt real enough to make my cheeks flush and my heart race.
The illusion faded, leaving us both breathing heavily. Fenris stared at me, the feral light in his eyes dimming, replaced by a look of confusion and something else—desire, maybe?
"How..." he began, his voice hoarse. "How did you do that?"
I took a cautious step towards him. "There's so much I need to tell you, Fenris. About the plot against you, about the power your grandmother and the elders have been abusing. Please, just give me a chance to explain."
But before I could say more, Fenris's expression hardened. "No," he growled. "This is just more of your manipulation. Using forbidden magic to cloud my mind, to twist our bond. I won't fall for it."
He advanced on me, his presence overwhelming. "You will answer for this, Freya. The werewolf council will hear of your treachery."
Panic rose in my throat. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I had to think fast.
"Fenris, please," I begged, backing away. "You're not thinking clearly. Remember what you felt, what you saw. That was real, even if the illusion wasn't."
But he wasn't listening. His wolf was too close to the surface, driven by anger and confusion. I knew I had only one chance left.
I threw myself into his embrace, and we fell onto the bed together. Gathering every ounce of magical energy I could muster, I cast another illusion. This time, I made it appear as though we were locked in an intimate embrace, our bodies moving together in passion.
The guard outside, hearing the commotion, peered in. Seeing what appeared to be his Alpha in a compromising position, he quickly averted his eyes and retreated, closing the door behind him.
Fenris, caught in the illusion, froze. I saw the moment of hesitation, the flicker of doubt in his eyes. It was all I needed.
With a silent apology to my unborn pups for the risk I was about to take, I bolted for the door. The guard, believing Fenris and I were... occupied, had left his post. The hallway was clear.
Heart pounding, I ran. As I burst out into the cool night air, I sent a silent prayer to whatever forces might be listening. Keep us safe, I thought, one hand on my belly. Let us find a way through this.
Sage's words echoed in my mind: The forest will aid you if you ask. And so I asked, with every footfall, every labored breath. Help me, I pleaded silently. Help us survive.
The trees seemed to part before me, creating a path where none had existed before. Roots that should have tripped me instead steadied my steps. Branches that should have scratched instead caressed, guiding me deeper into the heart of the ancient wood.
At this moment, I seemed to hear a roar, was it Fenris?
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Fenris awoke with a start, his body bathed in a cold sweat. The remnants of the illusion lingered, a phantom warmth that quickly faded, leaving him with a hollow ache. He had been deceived, manipulated. Freya had used her magic to twist the mating bond, to make him believe…
Fury surged through him, hot and consuming. He stormed out of the healing den, his wolf snarling within him. He would hunt her down, expose her treachery to the entire pack. She would pay for this humiliation.
Luna Fanny and the pack Beta arrived at the healing den, their faces etched with concern. "Fenris, what is it?" Fanny asked, her voice sharp.
"She's gone," Fenris growled, his eyes blazing with anger. "Freya has escaped."
Fanny's lips curled into a sneer. "The little witch thinks she can outsmart us. We will find her, Fenris. And when we do, she will face the consequences."
- Writer
