Inside the central hut, a different atmosphere had settled while Aron was away. Freya, the mother of Freja and Ingrid had come to sit next to Claudia. Her calm and wise gaze fixated on Claudia as she smiled warmly.
Claudia looked up at the towering woman, her voice filled with admiration. "Your children are as beautiful as you," she complimented, offering a genuine smile. Freya gave a gentle nod and tilted her head, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
After a moment, Freya's voice, as direct as ever, broke the silence. "Do you desire Aron as your mate?" she asked, her tone filled with bluntness.
Claudia was taken aback by the straightforwardness of the question, her thoughts racing to find the right words. She finally lowered her head and spoke softly, "I... I admire him, but I don't understand why. I've made my feelings known to him, but he remains distant."
