BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 67: A MATE FOR "FREYA"

Chapter 67: A MATE FOR "FREYA"

{"The face of a man who had sipped life’s vinegar."}

"A mate," I uttered the words, and how my tongue rolled over them left a bitter taste in my mouth. My nostrils flared as Freyr’s voice pushed through our mind link, scolding me to calm down, Fennel was already beginning to suspect something was amiss.

Forcing my emotions to the back of my mind, I nodded and spoke up. "That would be great. When Freya’s wolf awakens, she has the right to choose her mate."

The room erupted in cheers. Freyr grinned like a fool while General Tiger laughed, prompting Flora, Spark, and Wave to follow suit. The tension that had hung thick in the air eased, and I chose to sit down before I gave myself away, crossing one leg over the other.

Flora stood and served our drinks, the hall alive with merriment. All eyes were on Freyr, who smiled politely, though I could tell he was wary of Fennel and the triplets.

Then, Elder Mercury stood from her seat and slowly made her way toward us. She stopped in front of Freyr, observing him with an amused expression before speaking. "You are a true beauty."

Freyr let out a hearty laugh, stood up, and extended his hand. She took it, and they shook. "And you, ma’am, have such a fine sight," he responded smoothly.

Elder Mercury blushed before turning to me. "Alpha Tor, your relative is truly a sight to behold. She has stirred quite the commotion within the Bay Shifter Pack and changed the very air around us. But some people are not so easy to deal with; I can smell trouble brewing sooner than expected."

"Thank you, Ma, for always keeping us on edge," Flora drawled, rolling her eyes.

I interjected before she could say more. "I already sensed that trouble in the room."

Elder Mercury nodded, then bid us goodnight. "I am too old to be around the young ones for too long," she said with a knowing smile.

As she left the hall, General Tiger’s mother, Crystal, followed suit, her presence vanishing into the night.

"How long shall we keep up this charade?" I muttered under my breath.

At that moment, Fennel stood and strode toward Freyr, stopping just a few meters away. Freyr, uninterested, looked away with a bored expression, then casually leaned toward Flora. "How long is this dinner party going to last?" he asked as if Fennel wasn’t even there.

But Fennel was undeterred. The tension in the room thickened, the air bristling with emotions. I could hear Spark and Wave’s low growls of anger, and General Tiger let out a sharp huff of annoyance that reached my ears.

"Greetings, Alpha Tor," Fennel piped up, his voice smooth yet edged with arrogance. "I would like to offer myself as one of the suitors for the beautiful Freya." He pointed directly at Freyr.

Freyr turned, locking eyes with Fennel, whose gaze glistened with something unsettling. I watched as Fennel raked his eyes up and down Freyr’s form before licking his lips.

Freyr leaned back, his expression unreadable at first. Then, his voice rose, cold, sharp. "You are the type of man every mother would warn her child about," he said icily. "And I have no interest in having you as my mate."

Fennel threw his head back in laughter. "No one in this pack is strong enough to challenge me," he declared smugly. "That is why I’ve come forward to claim my stance."

A smirk tugged at General Tiger’s lips. "That’s not the case," he countered. "I am stronger than you."

A pin-drop silence fell over the room as General Tiger’s words sank in. Fennel’s smug expression faltered for the first time, his confidence shaken. He mumbled under his breath, "You’re... kind of aged to be interested in Freya."

General Tiger’s response was swift and unwavering. "I am unmarried," he said, his smirk widening. "And I wouldn’t mind a mate like Freya."

From where I sat, I could hear the barely suppressed laughter of Flora, Spark, and Wave. The situation had taken an almost comical turn, though the tension still lingered in the air.

"That only seems fair," Flora nodded. Then, with a small smile, she added, "I wish you the best of luck, General Tiger."

General Tiger grinned enthusiastically, but across the room, Fennel’s eyes flashed with anger. A low growl rumbled from his chest, his frustration barely concealed.

Before the tension could escalate further, the triplets—Aqua, Dayra, and Hali—stood up. Isla followed closely behind, stepping forward before lowering her head in submission.

"Greetings, Alpha," they chimed in unison.

Freyr gritted his teeth, his fingers twitching at his sides. A small smirk threatened to form on my lips as I observed the scene unfold.

It was Hali who spoke next, her voice smooth yet deliberate. "The pack would be truly blessed if you were to take on a Luna, Alpha Tor."

I watched Freyr’s hands clench into tight fists, his knuckles audibly cracking. His frustration was palpable.

"I’m in no hurry to take on a Luna," I responded firmly. "Pack matters take precedence, especially considering the ongoing threats emanating from the Colbat family."

A visible shock rippled through the group, their expressions betraying their surprise. Fennel’s face darkened; his fury barely restrained. I took that moment to twist the knife a little deeper.

"By the way," I continued, feigning casual curiosity, "has the Colbat family been fully cleared of the bloodstone bugs? I haven’t seen any of them at the training grounds."

Dai was quick to react, her expression tense but composed. "Everyone carves their path," she replied carefully. "If some members of our family made mistakes, the rest of us shouldn’t be crucified for their actions."

Nevertheless, she let out a quiet sigh before adding, "That being said, I sincerely apologize on behalf of the Colbat family for what my uncle Thorn and cousin Aqua did. We only wish to exist peacefully in Bay Shifter alongside my sisters and Uncle Fennel."

I gave her a slow nod, then shifted my attention back to Fennel. "Since you’re interested in being mated to Freya, you should know that we’ll be conducting a vetting process," I stated. "Whoever is chosen must be beyond reproach, free of any past ties to the bloodstone bug or anything that could compromise the pack."

Fennel’s eyes darkened dangerously. His jaw tightened, but he quickly masked his annoyance with a forced cough. Without another word, he turned sharply on his heel and bid us a curt goodnight. The triplets followed him, leaving the hall just as they had entered hurried and dramatically.

An hour later, we stepped out of the hall, bidding the pack members goodnight. The cool night air settled around us as I observed Blossom and Lily’s eyes flickering between General Tiger and Freyr. Their interest was obvious.

Flora scoffed beside me, shaking her head. "Looks like they’ve found their next target. Since they failed with Wave, now they’re setting their sights on General Tiger."

A round of laughter rippled through us at the thought, the tension from earlier finally dissipating. With that, we made our way toward my home, escorted by the enforcer guards. The quiet of the night settled in, only interrupted by the distant sounds of the forest and the faint hum of voices fading into the distance.

Once we arrived, I wasted no time. Without hesitation, I grabbed Freyr’s wrist and pulled him upstairs straight into my room. The moment we stepped inside, I shut the door and locked it behind us. I could hear Flora and General Tiger leaving, giving us the privacy we needed. Turning back to Freyr, I met his gaze, one filled with something unreadable, something simmering just beneath the surface. Without another word, I lifted him effortlessly and pinned him against the wall.

"Freyr, you tested my patience today," I muttered, my voice dangerously low. I could feel the growl threatening to break free, my wolf, Gale, pacing on the edge of my consciousness, restless and agitated.

Freyr met my gaze, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, with a slow exhale, he pushed his power outward, and the female disguise shimmered before fading away. His true face emerged, raw and unguarded, his sharp features bathed in moonlight, his eyes glistening, not just with power, but with love and need.

"I understand, Tor," he whispered, voice filled with urgency. "I saw the way the triplets stared at you, I could barely contain myself."

His words spilled out in a rushed confession as he pressed fevered kisses against my face, his breath hot against my skin. His touch sent a shiver down my spine, awakening something primal within me. I had had enough of his rambling g. Gripping the back of his head, I yanked him down, crashing our lips together in a deep, claiming kiss. The world outside ceased to exist as I lost myself in him, the fire between us igniting into something unstoppable.

When the kiss finally broke, I didn’t look away; I didn’t need to. The hunger in Freyr’s eyes mirrored my own. Without breaking a sweat, I lifted him effortlessly, carried him to the bed, and laid him down with deliberate slowness.

Towering over him, I let out a deep growl. "Tell me, Freyr, how do you want to be punished?"

A smirk curled at his lips, his eyes dark with mischief and desire. "All night," he whispered, pulling me down onto the bed with him. "I want to be punished the whole night."

A dangerous grin spread across my face. "Then you better be ready, love."