~TOBIAS~
Freya’s trembling body pressed against the earth as Tobias’s growled word hung heavy in the air.
Mate.
The word echoed in her mind, foreign and overwhelming. All her life, she had been unseen, ignored, pushed aside. Now, in this single moment, everything had shifted. These people—Tobias, George, even Darice—were staring at her with an intensity that felt suffocating. Her breaths came shallow and rapid, panic rising in her chest like a flood she couldn’t control.
Her lilac eyes darted between Tobias, George, and Darice, searching for something—anything—that might make sense of the situation. Tobias stepped forward, his movements slow and deliberate, his hand outstretched as though calming a skittish animal.
“Freya,” he said softly, his voice low and steady. “My name is Tobias. We haven’t met, I know, but I’ve seen you before.”
Freya stiffened, unsure whether to trust him. Her wolf, though wary, didn’t sense danger in his approach, only a strange pull that made her want to lean closer, to trust him despite her fear.
Tobias continued, his tone filled with a tenderness that surprised even himself. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you before. I should have been. But I’m here now. If you’ll let me, I’ll stay by your side.”
He crouched lower, his hand still outstretched. Freya’s instincts urged her to retreat, but she found herself hesitating. Her eyes flicked toward Darice, who stood a few paces behind Tobias, her face calm and encouraging.
“It’s okay,” Darice said softly. “You’re safe.”
Freya’s wolf sniffed at Tobias’s hand, and the moment their skin touched, a tingle shot through her, leaving her breathless. She flinched, pulling back slightly, and Tobias stilled, his brow furrowing. Her body lowered instinctively into a submissive crouch, her wolf’s response to the sheer dominance radiating from him. His aura was not that of a warrior… it was something far more powerful.
Tobias growled, the sound low and filled with frustration—not at her, but at the sight of her submission. “No, Freya,” he murmured, his voice trembling with emotion. “Please, no. You don’t have to do that with me. I will never hurt you, honey. Never.”
Freya’s ears twitched at his words, her eyes searching his face. He looked pained, almost desperate, as he reached for her again.
“I just want to know you,” Tobias said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “You and your wolf. I promise, I’m here now. For you. Always.”
Her trembling subsided slightly, and she took a tentative step forward, her wolf’s curiosity overpowering her fear. Tobias’s hand hovered inches from her muzzle, and when she touched her nose to his palm, the tingling sensation returned, stronger this time. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was strange—intimate in a way she had never experienced.
Darice, sensing Freya’s emotions, stepped forward, her movements slow and careful. “Freya,” she said softly, her voice calm and reassuring. “Think of your human form. Picture it in your mind. You can do this.”
Freya closed her eyes, her wolf reluctant to let go of the moment. She focused on the image of her human self—the girl who had survived years of isolation and pain, the girl who had thought she was invisible. Slowly, the pull of the shift began, and her body contorted as the white fur receded. Moments later, she knelt on the ground, human once more, the cloak Darice had draped over her shielding her from the cold.
Before she could gather her thoughts, a low, menacing growl shattered the fragile stillness.
Freya’s head snapped up as a massive black wolf emerged from the shadows of the trees. His eyes glinted with malice, his presence radiating a primal danger that made her blood run cold. The rogue was enormous, his size dwarfing even Tobias’s wolf form. Without hesitation, he shifted, his sleek black fur replaced by the form of a tall, tanned man with sharp features and dark, piercing eyes. His movements were fluid, almost predatory, as he stepped closer.
Tobias snarled, moving to stand between Freya and the rogue, but the man was fast—too fast. Before Tobias could react, the rogue sprang forward, his hand clamping around Freya’s arm like a vice.
She screamed, struggling against his grip, but his strength was overwhelming. Her bare feet dug into the earth as he yanked her backward, dragging her toward the border with terrifying ease.
“Freya!” Tobias roared, shifting mid-stride and lunging at the rogue. But the sound of movement from the trees stopped him in his tracks.
More rogue wolves emerged from the shadows, their snarls filling the air as they encircled the clearing. Their eyes glinted with savage intent, their bodies sleek and muscular. The leader, still dragging Freya, grinned cruelly as his pack moved to block Tobias and George.
“Darice!” George shouted. “Get inside now!”
Darice hesitated, her eyes darting between the fight and Freya’s terrified face.
“Go!” Tobias barked, his wolf growling fiercely.
Realizing she would only be a liability, Darice obeyed, running back toward the cottage. Tobias wasted no time, shifting back into his wolf form and charging at the nearest rogue. His powerful jaws snapped around the wolf’s neck, the sickening crunch of bone reverberating through the air as the rogue collapsed.
George’s grey wolf was at his side, fighting with precision and ferocity. Together, they tried to break through the circle, but the rogues were relentless, their attacks coordinated and brutal. For every wolf Tobias brought down, another leapt into the fray, forcing him back.
“Freya!” Tobias’s voice echoed trying to connect with her via pack mindlink, raw with desperation.
Freya struggled against the rogue leader, her cries of fear cutting through the chaos. Tobias pushed harder, his claws raking through fur and flesh, but every step closer to her was met with vicious resistance.
The sound of howls in the distance brought a glimmer of hope. The border patrol, alerted to the attack, was closing in fast. Moments later, the Alpha and his warriors burst into the clearing, their sheer numbers turning the tide of the battle.
But it was too late.
The rogue leader crossed the border with Freya, disappearing into the shadows of no-man’s-land. Tobias roared in fury, tearing through the remaining rogues with savage precision. By the time the last wolf was subdued, the clearing was littered with bodies—some dead, others incapacitated by wolfsbane injections.
Tobias stood in the middle of the carnage, his chest heaving, his fur matted with blood. He shifted back into his human form, his face a mask of rage and despair.
“She’s gone,” George said quietly, his voice heavy with guilt. “They took her.”
Tobias didn’t respond. His heart felt like it had been ripped from his chest. Freya wasn’t just a white wolf. She was his mate. And he had failed her.
As the warriors rounded up the surviving rogues, the Alpha shifted back, his expression grim. “George,” he said quietly, “we need to talk.”
Tobias barely registered the words. His gaze was fixed on the darkened trees where Freya had disappeared. His mate was out there, alone and terrified, in the hands of a rogue who had planned this attack meticulously.
He clenched his fists, his jaw tight with resolve. He had let her slip through his fingers once. He wouldn’t let it happen again.
Freya was his. And he would bring her home.
