Chapter 10
1280 Words
Freya’s POV
The room fell into a heavy, uncomfortable silence as both men watched me. Mr. Vlad Weathers fidgeted with his tie for the third time in under a minute, his fingers trembling slightly. I simply stared at him, letting the tension stretch.
“Is there something wrong, Princess Freya?” he asked, his voice strained. He shot a desperate glance at Carl. “Did my daughter offend you somehow, Miss? I promise you, I will punish her severely if she did. She has always been a very respectful young woman.”
I’m sure she is.
I forced a warm, disarming smile onto my face. “Oh no, she didn’t offend me at all,” I said lightly, turning toward Carl for a moment before looking back at Vlad. “We actually attended the same Wolf Academy. She was a good friend of mine back then. I probably slipped her mind after all these years, but the moment I saw your eyes, I was reminded of her. I just had to ask. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
I offered a small bow. Vlad immediately panicked, waving his hands.
“Oh no, Princess! There’s no need for that, please,” he said, stepping closer. “I wasn’t uncomfortable all. In fact, I’m quite happy to hear you both knew each other. I’m sure Chloe would be thrilled to know you visited our station. She speaks very highly of her academy days.”
I gave him another polite, practiced smile. “Alright then.”
Turning to Carl, I added, “I’ve seen enough for today. We can leave. I’m already famished and a little tired.”
I turned on my heel and walked out of the office, heading straight for the elevator. I heard the two men exchange a few more words…Carl commending Vlad on the station’s performance, before he hurried after me. He caught up just as I reached the elevator and was about to press the button.
“Please, allow me, Freya,” he said smoothly. I nodded, stepping aside as he pressed the button. A soft chime sounded a minute later, and the doors slid open.
We stepped inside. Carl reached for the ground floor button, but before the doors could close, a young worker rushed forward with a thick stack of files in his arms.
“Down floor, please,” he said, sliding his foot between the closing doors.
“Take the stairs,” Carl replied nonchalantly, pressing the button anyway. “And if I were you, I’d remove that foot before you lose it. You don’t want to lose both your foot and your job, do you?”
The worker’s face paled as recognition dawned. “To the Moon Goddess, forgive me,” he stammered, bowing deeply and pulling his foot back.
Just before the doors sealed shut, I reached out and placed my hand on the sensor, holding them open.
“There’s no need to apologize,” I said kindly, smiling at the nervous man. “Please, come in. We’ll ride down together.”
The worker hesitated, eyes darting between Carl and me. Carl’s irritation was obvious.
“Do you want to come in or not?” Carl asked, his tone sharp.
The worker stepped inside quickly. At Carl’s silent command, he positioned himself behind us. The elevator descended in thick silence, the floor numbers lighting up and dimming one by one until the doors opened on the ground floor.
A group of employees waiting outside bowed deeply and parted like water as we stepped out. Carl and I walked through the lobby and into the parking lot. Once we were in the car, Carl inserted the key but didn’t turn it on. He turned to me instead, one brow raised.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I don’t understand,” I replied, mirroring his expression with genuine confusion.
“Back there,” he said, pointing toward the top floor where the manager’s office sat. “When you asked about his daughter, I could tell you were upset. It felt personal. I know you, Freya. I know your tells. So don’t give me that ‘we used to be friends at the Wolf Academy’ story. What’s really going on?”
I sighed and stared out the window, watching the city lights begin to flicker on. “She was just someone I met who… we got off on the wrong foot. I recognized her father’s eyes because they reminded me of hers. I was surprised, that’s all. I didn’t want to say more because then the old man would be walking on eggshells around me, and I don’t want that kind of atmosphere here.”
Carl studied me carefully, searching my face. “That’s it?”
“That’s it,” I insisted, reaching over and placing my hand on his. “By the Moon Goddess, you know I can’t lie to you. That’s all. Nothing else.”
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, eyes still locked on mine. Doubt lingered there, but eventually he exhaled.
“Okay then. f**k it. Fine… I believe you.”
I withdrew my hand with a small smile. He started the car, and we drove out of the premises.
We stopped for some shopping on the way home. Carl insisted on carrying all the bags himself. When we arrived, the maids immediately offered to take them, but he refused with a polite shake of his head.
“Where are the kids?” I asked one of the maids.
“They’re already in bed, Princess. Sleeping soundly.”
“And my father?”
“He’s in the Alpha’s conference room right now.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
Carl set the bags on a nearby table. “I’ll be going now. Take care of yourself, alright?” He smiled warmly.
I returned it. “I will. Thank you for today.”
He turned and walked out. Moments later, the roar of his engine filled the air before fading into the distance.
Curious about the meeting, I made my way toward the Alpha’s conference room. Worried I might interrupt something important, I paused just outside the heavy doors and listened.
“There is no way you expect the princess to rule the pack,” a male voice said, thick with frustration.
Murmurs of agreement rose from the others. I pressed my ear closer.
“She is unfit,” another elder added. “She has no experience running a pack, and she seems weak. Have you seen her? She doesn’t appear to have inherited the royal family’s strength. She’s simply an Omega at best. She is no hellhound. Why should she lead this Pack?”
My blood boiled. My fists clenched at my sides.
“Enough!” My father’s voice thundered from within the room, filled with raw authority. “How dare you speak about my daughter that way in my presence? She is my heir, and she will remain my heir. The only reason I called this meeting is because my time is running out. This Wolf Syndrome is taking its toll, but Freya is every bit a hellhound as the rest of our royal line. She will lead this pack, and you will all support her as you swore to do. I will hear no more of this treachery!”
The door suddenly creaked open. My father stood there, eyes widening in surprise when he saw me. Behind him, the council elders offered tight, false smiles and bowed deeply.
“What are you doing here, Freya?” Father asked, quickly composing himself with a nervous smile. “How long have you been standing there?”
- Writer
