Chapter 5
Freya
Matteo had been consistently present, in my opinion. He frequently visited the school, and I couldn’t discern the reason. I began to suspect that something was amiss or that a potential threat loomed over the pack, yet I didn’t detect any.
“Freya, can you hear me?” Mom inquired, waving her hand before my face. I blinked several times before realizing that she had been addressing me, my thoughts still preoccupied with Matteo.
“Is there something bothering you, Freya?” Dad questioned, and I shook my head.
“I’m sorry, Mom, Dad,” I responded. “I was just pondering why the Lycan prince has been attending school more frequently. He has been part of the pack for months, yet recently, he’s been going to school as if anticipating an imminent threat.”
“It’s not like that. He’s genuinely concerned about the younger generations. That’s precisely why he proposed the tournament – to assess everyone’s strengths and abilities,” Dad explained, and I nodded in understanding. Despite my hopes for a different reason, it seemed he simply wanted to visit someone at school, and that someone was me.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Are you prepared for training later?” Mom inquired. I smiled and promptly nodded my head. I enjoy training, as does Pi. It brings a sense of relaxation, and I can personally sense our growing strength each time.
“Then you better eat quickly because we have the day off today, and I invited Alpha to join us. That includes all of us,” Dad informed us. We had a secret training location, a place that always evoked a peculiar sadness in me. Whenever I asked my parents about it, they would dismiss it, claiming they stumbled upon it by accident.
There was no reason for them to keep secrets since they had already shared with me my identity and what I was. I never doubted them, and I eagerly anticipated our training sessions. My parents were skilled warriors, but with alpha blood flowing in me, there were occasions when I unintentionally harmed them. Luckily, their wolf forms allowed for swift healing, sparing them from scrutiny due to their rapid recovery.”
“Mom decided to bring a substantial amount of food because we usually get hungry after training. We devised a picnic alibi, just in case someone spotted us.
Just like now, after completing our training and taking a rest, I caught a whiff of that distinct Lycan scent. A moment of concern washed over me, fearing my mate might be among them. However, relief set in when I didn’t detect his scent.
“Why are you here?” Calvin, my mate’s future beta, inquired. My parents lowered their heads, but I remained upright.
“We were simply enjoying some family time,” my father responded.
“You’re from the Midnight Pack; what brings you to this place?” he questioned again, directing his gaze at me.
“We sought permission from our Alpha as we’re on our way to patrol duties,” Mom explained. “Both warriors?” he asked, and they nodded. “Why do you have bruises?”
“We were teaching our daughter self-defense,” Mom replied. “We discovered she was being bullied at school, and we weren’t happy about it,” she added, prompting Calvin to nod and glance in my direction.
“Are you finished here?” he asked again.
“We were just taking a break and were on the verge of finishing our meal; then, we planned to leave,” Dad responded, and Calvin nodded. After glancing at me, they departed. Following Dad’s instructions, we wrapped up our meal and departed. To avoid arousing suspicion, we engaged in casual conversation during our time there, just in case someone was eavesdropping.
“Make sure you don’t participate in the tournament, dear,” Mom cautioned, and I nodded. “You can be quite stubborn, and I worried you might do something reckless. Even with Clay and Alec by your side, the presence of Joric and Britney could pose a challenge,” she added.
Upon learning about the bullying, Mom couldn’t help but worry. Despite my confidence in handling them, I refrained from provoking them, fearing Alpha Daniel’s potential retaliation against my parents.
Upon returning home, we rested. The day after tomorrow marked the start of the tournament, with participant announcements at school tomorrow. Although I initially had no intention of attending, Clay and Alec wanted my support, so I decided to go.
“Hey, Frey!” Without looking, I recognized Clay’s voice. I was heading towards the grounds where the opening ceremony would take place. While the tournament wouldn’t commence until the next day, today featured participant announcements and rule explanations. Matteo aimed for a simple and meaningful tournament.
“Have you registered?” I inquired.
“Of course! I did it with Alec. You know we always do things together,” he replied, and I smiled.
“Yes, because he can’t do anything without me,” Alec teased, earning an eye roll from Clay.
“What will you do if you end up facing each other?” I asked.
“Why ask? You already know I’ll win,” Alec confidently stated.
“Do your best when the time comes,” Clay advised Alec. “I don’t want a lackluster opponent,” he added.
As we reached the grounds, everyone was already gathered. Joric and Britney stood together, and I couldn’t shake off a bad feeling. What had those two troublemakers done?
“Alright, listen up,” Beta Jack announced, and we all turned our attention to him. “I will now announce the names of all participants who signed up for the tournament in the last five days,” he continued.
“You really did sign up together, huh?” I teased them, and they both shrugged. We laughed until Beta Jack cleared his throat.
“Unexpected,” he remarked, glancing around with a furrowed brow. Anxiety flickered across his face as our eyes met. “Freya Collins,” he uttered, drawing everyone’s attention toward me. I was taken aback, adamant about not joining them as per my parents’ wishes-we were striving to conceal my wolf identity.
Recollections of Joric and Britney’s expressions flooded my mind. I locked eyes with them, realizing they were the ones who had enrolled me without my consent.”