Freya stood still, her chest heaving as the energy that surged through her body slowly dissipated. The clearing had gone silent, save for the faint rustling of leaves and the soft groans of the injured. Her heart pounded in her chest, but her mind was sharper than it had ever been, alive with the clarity of what she had just done.
She had unlocked something within herself—something wild and untamed.
The man, who had been knocked back by the shockwave of Freya's unleashed power, staggered to his feet. His eyes locked on her, a deep growl rumbling from his chest. The powerful wolf had never expected Freya, the supposed human, to fight back with such ferocity. He bared his teeth, his gaze dark and threatening, but there was a flicker of uncertainty behind his aggression now.
Kieran, still bloodied from his fight, managed to rise, though his stance was shaky. He looked at Freya with awe, disbelief, and something else,,, pride. The way she stood between him and Gabriel's men , unwavering and confident, was unlike anything he had seen before. She was no longer the terrified girl caught in a web of conflicts she couldn't understand. She was something more.
"Freya..." Kieran rasped, his voice hoarse from exertion.
Her eyes flickered toward him for a brief second, filled with concern. But she didn't falter. Her attention returned to Viktor, who was circling her slowly, his body tense as he prepared to strike again.
The world around her seemed to slow, every sound muted except for the steady rhythm of her breathing. She could sense everything.. the wind brushing against her skin, the faint crackling of energy in the air, and the heartbeat of the earth beneath her feet. She knew, without a doubt, that she wasn't alone in this fight.
But the newfound power came with uncertainty. Freya didn't fully understand how to control it, and that terrified her. The pulse of energy she had unleashed was pure instinct.. an explosive reaction to protect Kieran. Could she summon it again? Could she contain it if she needed to?
The man lunged without warning, his massive form hurtling toward her like a force of nature. Freya's instincts flared, and in an instant, she moved. Time seemed to slow as she sidestepped his attack with surprising agility, her body acting on its own. She spun, landing a kick to his side with more force than she thought possible, sending him crashing into the ground.
The moment he hit the earth, Kieran was on him. Kieran tore into him with renewed fury, his claws slashing through fur and flesh as he fought to keep the dangerous wolf down. But he was strong, and despite Kieran's relentless assault, he managed to push back, his claws raking across Kieran's chest.
"No!" Freya screamed, her heart leaping into her throat as she saw the blood on Kieran's body. Panic surged inside her, threatening to drown out the clarity she had just found.
He pushed Kieran off with a powerful shove, sending him tumbling into the dirt. For a brief moment, Freya's fear returned, overwhelming her. What if she couldn't stop this? What if this beast killed Kieran right in front of her?
But something deeper inside her stirred, a voice, ancient and commanding. It whispered to her, urging her to calm the storm of fear within her heart. She could do this. She had the power to stop this.
Her hands clenched into fists as she faced him once more. The wolf was battered but far from defeated. His glowing red eyes fixated on her, the hatred burning deep within them. This time, though, Freya wasn't afraid of him. She was done running.
With a sharp inhale, Freya closed her eyes and reached inside herself, searching for that untapped well of energy she had felt earlier. It pulsed beneath her skin, wild and ready, waiting for her to call on it again. Slowly, she extended her hands, palms facing him.
He snarled, but before he could lunge again, the air around Freya shimmered with power. An invisible force radiated from her, pushing out in all directions. The earth trembled, and the wind whipped through the clearing, carrying with it an unmistakable sense of danger.
Freya's eyes snapped open, glowing with a faint, otherworldly light. Her entire body hummed with energy, and he hesitated, his instincts warning him to stay back. This wasn't the weak girl he had been sent to capture. This was something far more dangerous.
"Stay down," Freya commanded, her voice steady and firm. The power in her words echoed through the clearing, vibrating in the air.
He growled, his body tensed to strike, but Freya was faster. With a wave of her hand, she sent another pulse of energy crashing toward him. It wasn't as wild or uncontrolled as the first... this time, Freya guided it, focusing her will on immobilizing the wolf.
The force hit him square in the chest, knocking him off his feet and pinning him to the ground. He struggled, snarling and thrashing, but Freya's power held him fast. He couldn't move.
Kieran, who had been watching the entire scene unfold with wide eyes, slowly got to his feet. His body ached from the fight, but his gaze was locked on Freya, who stood at the center of the clearing, bathed in the glow of her own power.
She was magnificent.
"Freya…" Kieran whispered, unable to keep the awe from his voice.
Freya, breathing hard, finally let the power settle. The shimmering energy around her dimmed, and the forest grew still once more. He lay on the ground, subdued, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He glared at her with pure hatred, but for the first time, there was a flicker of fear in his eyes.
Freya turned to Kieran, her expression softening as she saw the blood dripping from his wounds. Without a word, she rushed to his side, her hands shaking as she reached out to steady him.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with concern.
Kieran managed a weak smile, though it was clear he was in pain. "I'll be fine," he said, his voice rough. "Thanks to you."
Freya blinked, still processing what had just happened. She had saved him. She had actually fought back and won. But as the adrenaline began to fade, the weight of what she had done hit her full force. She had unleashed a power she didn't fully understand, and while it had worked in their favor this time, what if it spiraled out of control next time?
"I didn't know I could do that," Freya admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know I had that kind of power."
Kieran reached up, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "You did what you had to. You protected us, Freya. That's what matters."
She nodded, though doubt still lingered in her chest. There was so much she didn't know about herself, about this power that seemed to awaken within her. And there was something else. something darker... that gnawed at the edges of her mind. The force she had called on didn't just feel protective. It felt dangerous, like it could consume her if she wasn't careful.
But before she could dwell on her fears, the sound of footsteps drew their attention. Caleb and Seth emerged from the treeline, both of them bloodied but alive. Relief washed over Freya as they approached, but it was short-lived.
"We need to move," Caleb said, his tone urgent. "More of Gabriel's men are on their way. This was just a scouting party."
Kieran cursed under his breath, pushing himself to stand with Freya's help. "We can't stay here."
Freya's heart sank. They had barely survived this attack, and now more were coming? She wasn't sure how much longer they could hold out.
"We'll go back to the safe house," Kieran decided, his jaw clenched. "But we need to regroup, come up with a plan."
As they turned to leave, Freya cast one last glance at Viktor, who still lay pinned to the ground by the force of her power. His red eyes burned with hatred, but he didn't follow them.
For now, they had won. But Freya knew the fight was far from over. She could feel it in her bones... a storm was coming, and it would take everything she had to survive it.