LUNA WHISPERS: CHAPTER 16

 

ACE POV

I woke up the next morning feeling more content than I've been in a long time. Seeing Freya's face was like a breath of fresh air. After we stopped the rogues from getting the wolfsbane from the mountain, it gave a new source of hope to people in the pack. Made them believe that we could defeat Kye and his tyrants. It gave them stamina to keep training harder. To keep fighting harder. Freya did all of this. 

After she told me everything that she had been through since she got to the rogue territory and how she overcame, I couldn't have been more proud of her. I'll learn not to doubt her or her strength next time. I'm less worried about her safety, knowing that she's fully capable of taking care of herself. I went to meet mother at her chambers. She requested to meet with me. I didn't know what it was about but I could guess. I went inside and she was already waiting for me. She was standing. This ought to be serious.

"What is it you wanted to discuss mother?" I asked 

"Sit son." She said. I sat down on the bed and she also did as well.

"I heard you went to see Freya yesterday. How was she doing?" She said

"She's doing fine. It's not easy but she's doing exceptionally well." I said with pride in my eyes.

"That's nice." She said. 

"Why are you suddenly worried about her?" I asked. Mother thinks I don't notice, but I know quite well that she hasn't adjusted to Freya yet. It's shocking that she's asking about her well being actually.

"I'm not heartless you know." She said.

"That's not what I meant. I know you still haven't adjusted to Freya mother. You wouldn't be asking me about her well being if you didn't have a reason for it. I'm I wrong? " I said. Mother sighed and adjusted her dress.

"You're right. I do have a reason for asking." She said 

"So? What is it?" I said 

"Son, in advent that she dies we need to have a solution, If she dies we won't have a Luna. I was thinking Ralia would be a good..." I didn't allow her to finish. I just cut her off.

"Stop!" I said angrily and stood up.

"Mother do you have no shame. How can you even imagine something like that. How can you say that. Nothing will happen to my wife and if anything does. I will be Alpha of this pack all on my own. Nobody will replace Freya." I said. Mother tried to say something else but I cut her off with a finger. She looked at me shocked.

"I respect you mother. But I will not allow you say such things In front of me. This is the last I'll hear of this topic. Start getting used to the fact that Freya is your Luna and there will never be another apart from her. You should be proud to call her daughter." I said walking out.

"The moon goddess won't choose any other mate for you Ace. Are you even going to..." She said.

"I said enough mother!" I screamed my eyes going feral and red.

"Do not let me lose the remaining respect that I have for you!" I said walking away. I was angry and I needed to calm myself and so I went to the gardens for some fresh air. It reminded me that my love was still close and near to me. I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I turned and I saw that it was Ralia. I let out a sigh.

"My mother didn't put you up to this right?" I said and she looked confused.

"No, why?" She said.

"I just had an interesting conversation with her, how if my wife dies, you would be a suitable replacement." I said 

"Aunt Isis, doesn't hide her distaste for Freya but that was not nice of her to propose."

"I don't get it. She should be happy and proud to have such a daughter-in-law. Well, whether she likes it or not. Freya is the Luna of this pack and she should learn to accept it."

"Why would she bring the conversation up anyway?" Ralia asked and I realized that she did not know anything about what Freya was doing." 

"She just wanted to strike up the conversation. Said it was important to discuss it." I said 

"Oh" she responded.

"I just wanted to know how you were doing. You looked stressed."She said 

"Thank you Ralia. I appreciate it." I said to her.

"If you ever want to talk. I'm here." She said putting a hand on my shoulder again. I removed it gently.

"Thank you." And after that I walked away.

FREYA POV

I woke up in the morning. Well, technically I didn't wake up because I didn't sleep. I was still thinking of the dream. Was it a revelation of what was going to happen in the future. No, I won't allow that to happen. Kye won't get his way. What did the crying girl mean then, what did it all mean. I was still in my thoughts when I was jolted back by sounds of grunting. Kye was training with the rogue guards. More like beating them up to a pulp. I'm guessing he just wants to show his strength and nothing else. If he keeps this up defeating him would be much, much easier. He looks at me with a smirk on his face. I smile at him. Maybe he thinks I'm impressed by all this. He should think again.

"So did you enjoy seeing how a real man fights?" He asked. Real men fight with dignity. That is what I would have said but I held my tounge. I stood up. Wrapping my hands around his neck.

"That was impressive. I'm almost turned on by it." I said. More like I almost had the urge to vomit.

"Almost? that won't do." He said smiling. I laughed untangling myself from him.

"I would have loved to continue watching you display your fighting abilities but I have to go inspect how the weapon making is going. Because technically it is my job now." I said. He pulled me back towards him. Holding my waist. 

"I command you to stay with me." He said with an amused look on his face.

"If we have any chance of winning. I have to leave your side. Regrettably of course." I said 

"Come to my room later tonight." he said 

"Yes, my lord." I said bowing and he laughed.

I went to where the weapons were being made. I needed to find out what type of weapons they were going to use to attack us. Just in case they did.

"How is everything going here?" I asked. Some of the men looked at me with contempt in their eyes. Probably angry that I run part of the things here now. Some others looked on with some respect in theirs.

"I would like to see all the weapons. Who oversees this when I'm not here." I said. Someone murmured in the crowd.

"You don't even know that. We are all doomed then. This is why women shouldn't be allowed to do things like this. They'll run everything down to the ground I tell you." The voice said. I chose to ignore him.

"I understand that you all might be upset about the slight changes. But I earned my place here. I fought to get it. So I deserve it. At least some of you should agree with that." I said and some of them nodded.

"I demand that you all show me respect from henceforth. Which means no complaining, no murmuring and you do exactly as I say, unless told otherwise by Kye." I said 

"Is that understood?" I said 

"Yes." The crowd shouted.

"Now, I'll ask again, who oversees the weapon making when I'm not here." I say.

"It's me." A young man said coming outside. He was thin and good looking. He looked maybe 18. I was a bit shocked.

"You?" I asked in disbelief.

"It might seem strange but it's true." He said.

"Walk with me. The rest of you get back to work." I said. I went outside with the man.

"You are quite young. Surely you don't go with the others to fight."

"No, I'm more better at crafting weapons, I don't like the violence of it all. I stay away from it." He said

"Why did you get exciled. You are so young." I said 

"My mother and Father were the exciles. I was given birth to here among the rogues before Kye became leader." He said. I still didn't know the story behind that. I would get it out of him soon enough.

"Is she still alive?" I asked 

"No, she's not. She died during childbirth." He said.

"I'm sorry about that." I said sadly.

"So tell me. What type of weapons are made here?" I said 

"All type of weapons. But I have been working on something quite peculiar." He said

"Perculiar. What do you mean by peculiar?" I said

"It's quite an explosive surprise. I have figured out how to use wolfsbane to make bombs." He said.

"Bombs?" I said fear gripping me.

"This is why it annoys me that our last mission to get wolfsbane was unsuccessful." He said disappointed.

"Thank goodness, we still have some. Enough to make bombs to destroy the packs but not sufficient enough to coat on our weapons as we had planned." He said.

"Won't the wolfsbane hurt you as well?" I asked.

"No, it won't. We wear gloves and enough protective armour." He said

"Wow. Quite impressive." I said. Keep up the good work. I'll be back to inspect the new development." I said.

"I'll be giving it a test drive tomorrow. I'll inform you when I start." He said.

"Of course." I responded.

I left the weaponry shed. Pondering on what this meant for us. This was bad. This was really bad. I went to the maids quarters to tell Neveah about the developments. She was also as shocked as I was.

"Well, that is dangerous. Jacob is really going all out isn't he." She said.

"That's his name." I asked 

"Yes. He makes the weapons. According to what I hear. People say that he is exceptionally smart. Too smart for this place." She said.

"How are I'm I going to stop him and his plans. This could be very dangerous for us." I said 

"I could help with that."She said.

"How?" I asked 

"People say that his loyalty to Kye is dwindling. Kye was the reason he is an orphan after all and he thinks Kye's plans are absurd." She said.

"How Is that possible. How did Kye make him an orphan." I said 

"You see. Jacob's father was ruler before Kye. According to the whispers he still habours some hatred towards Kye for killing his father. People also say that things were better with Jacobs father leading. They say the rogues just stuck to their business. No voilence against the packs. They just lived in peace and made due with what they had. Jacob was supposed to take over. He was supposed to usher in a new era of peace" She said.

"But Kye happened." I responded.

"And then Kye turned the rogue territory into a place of violence to accomplish his own selfish desires." She said.

"Your best bet is to get Jacob on your side." She said.

"Use this information to your advantage. He'll be a huge help if you're able to sway him." She said.

"I'll try my best. Thank you for this information Neveah." I said and then I left.

I went back to my bedroom to see if I could get some sleep. I needed rest if I was going to think properly. I closed my eyes and I fell asleep. I woke up again but this time, on top of the garden with different flowers. Not this again, I thought. When I stood up I saw the sage. What was he doing here?

"Welcome Freya." He said

"What I'm I doing here. What are all these dreams about? I said 

"This is not a dream Freya and the last one's weren't dreams as well. They were revelations." He said 

"Revelations?" I asked

"Yes, revelations." He said.

"Sit Freya." He said and I did.

"Those revelations are showing you what is going to happen in the future." He said.

"So Kye? Does he succeed?" I ask.

"That is up to you to decide." He said.

"But you just said that..." I said before he cut me off.

"It is what will happen if you don't let go of the things that are holding you back." He said.

"What are those things?" I asked.

"Your fear Freya. The belief that you're a failure." He said.

"I don't think that." I said 

"Yes, you do. it is what you've always thought. If you don't let go of them. You will never be able to reach your full potential and you won't defeat Kye." He said.

"Accept yourself Freya. That is the only way you can reach your full potential." He said. And then my eyes opened. I sat up on the bed with sweat on my body.

"Accept my full potential." I said. I sighed and laid down again. I thought and thought until I drifted back to sleep but this time it was dreamless.

Later that night, I went to Kye's bedroom. I was still pondering on what the sage said, I wasn't afraid of anything and I didn't think I was a failure. Or did I? I walked in and I saw Kye standing near the window he was shirtless. He turned when he heard my footsteps.

"I could hear your heartbeat from downstairs." He said 

"Somehow it's been imprinted in my brain Thea." He said. I walked closer to him.

"Is it a bad thing?" I asked. He looked at me intensely. 

"I'm beginning to think that it is." He said 

"Join me for a bath?" He asked. I couldn't do that. I wouldn't do that. He cannot see me naked. This isn't like the time in the river where my undergarments could save me. My body only belongs to one person. I smiled at him.

"I'd rather watch you." I said seductively.

"I'd rather you join me or is there a problem with that." He said and I swallowed.

"I'm not really comfortable with that yet." I said.

"It's not like I'm asking you to sleep with me Thea." He said.

"Are you uncomfortable with me. I've been getting the feeling that you are." He said 

"I'm not. It's just a long story. It's not something I like to discuss.

"Do you not trust me with this story." He said 

"I don't think you'll see me the same way." I said mustering the ability to shed a tear. He took my hand and led me to the bed. We both sat down together.

"Try me." He said. Stroking my hand tenderly. How can someone so evil be so gentle at the same time. I needed to think of a good lie. Fortunately I already had one.

"When I was younger. I was always bullied. Believe it or not. I was a bit fat or very fat I guess." I said.

"People would always make snide remarks about my body. Including the stupid boys at the pack. I did a lot of things to loose weight. Unimaginable, I hope you will not mind if I don't mention them." I said 

"I will not." He said 

"I started loosing weight drastically and father noticed but I told him it was nothing. One day I was at the garden when some of the boys came. They..." I said pausing and sighing.

"They wanted to touch me. One got close but I ran. They said that no one would want anyone like me anyway and I had no right to protest. I ran away from them and I didn't speak of the matter to anyone till date. Since then I've always felt so insecure about my body. I hated it. Then when those men came to the stables to touch me. It triggered some memories. I was scared but I masked it. If you hadn't come. I don't know what would have..." I didn't complete the sentence, I just started crying.

"It's okay. I understand now." He said hugging me 

"Thank you." I replied crying.

I had gotten away with this, for now.