Chapter 7

Freya’s Pov 

As those words flew from my mouth, the air around me got chilly and I stood frozen in time, not moving, my mind in a steady frenzy.

The room fell silent, so quiet that anyone would mistake it for a graveyard. The atmosphere was portentous and I began wishing at the last minute that I had shut up.

My back was still to him, the grey shirt firmly held in my hands. Holding tightly to it like it would take me back in time to undo the words that I had said.

He was quiet, I was equally silent, the only sound being his breathing and my erratic beating heart. I turned slowly to him.

Fear had of course engulfed me like a fog, but nonetheless, the need to look him in the face would satiate me and at least, reduce the terror in me.

He didn’t say anything, I wished he would say something, a word perhaps. Even a facial expression would heavily be needed but he was emotionless and stoic which only increased my worry.

What was I thinking? Freya!!

This was as a result of fear, why did I blurt out rubbish?

“What did you say?” He repeated his question.

I thought that maybe as he had spoken his features would be distorted and I could read him but he wore a poker face.

“I just thought that maybe…. Ummm, I could umm,.. get a… room of … a room of my own?” After all the stuttering I still ended up having to put it out in the form of a question.

His face contorted into that of an icy gaze, instantly I regretted wishing he had on any facial visage because the moment a flicker of emotion flashed across his face I adjusted small on my spot.

“What are you insinuating?” He looked at me quizzically, his gaze stern and somewhat demanding.

There was no escaping, I might as well get it out with. 

“Nothing opulent, just a room where I can get all my womanly activities done,” there! I said. Let the worst happen.

Staring at him felt like an eternity, he did not say a word. His silence crept on me like a bug that I couldn’t shake off.

I saw the moment he gave in, it appeared as though all the mate feelings were back in his eyes and it was then that I had hope.

“I’m not going to resist, but it isn’t bad having you in my arms and if there’s anything I love sleeping next to you,” he said.

I was so indulged in a simple four letter word ‘love,’ that I shut out the remaining things that he said.

All the blood in my organs seemed to be gathering at one place, my cheeks grew hot and tingled me prior to his words.

He took note of this and said, “get dressed and come up,” at his words I turned and quickly threw the big grey shirt over my shoulder buttoning it all the way up, exiting at the two last buttons.

Climbing up on the bed where he lay I lie on my side facing him. While I was laid my emotions were turbulence like a stormy dessert. My mind was swirling with no destination.

In one swift motion, his large hand came over me and pulled me closer to his body. With our body making friction, my whole cell went into a frenzy.

He brought me close and made me lay scruple on his chest, he took my hand and crossed it over his body, my head on his chest. 

The position earned a drumming from my heart; the sound of it beating could be heard.

Initially I layed frozen on his side, my mind still trying to apprehend what was happening. Was I the same girl from thirteen years ago, who was beaten and locked up in a cell multiple times: now I laid beside my mate who was willing to evolve for me.

The whole scenario sort of felt foreign therefore my frozen and alien feeling.

The warmth from his body slowly crept into mine, seeping into my head and intoxicating and soon after I was relaxing and pressing further to him with a sigh of relief.

“Tomorrow, you’ll be shown your room,” he said as his hand found its way into my scalp, massaging me slowly.

I moaned a ‘yes,’ as he continued.

I curled closer to him as the darkness began closing in, sleep was taking over.

****

Faint chilly air grazed my skin harshly and by instinct I moved to my warmth beside, I threw my hand ready to run into his embrace and warmed but when I did that I met a cold space.

My eyes flew open, the light from outside made me groan, but most importantly I was focused on the empty spot of Artemis side of the bed. Where has he gone?

I recoiled out from the bed, my feet made contact with the cold tile floor. I winced and tiptoed round the bed, going to Artemis' side of the bed, I found flip flops on the floor and immediately slided my legs into them. 

Opening the door I strode out. My mouth opened by reflex to call out to Artemis but I halted on my words, ‘what do I call him, how do I address him,’ I contemplated.

Strolling further into the endless hallway I contemplated on who to call to. Iris came to my head but I decided against it. What was I going to tell him or ask him? They were roaming along the hall as I passed them.

On the wall hung a portrait of a family, which I assumed was the Artemis family. I also wondered if he was an only child. A portrait of an aged man hung on the wall, his eyes were filled with wrinkles, yet his eyes appeared sharp, there was this twingness in his eyes that sold out on how he was when he was a youth.

I pictured him to be one of those brutal and elite Lycans that commanded a territory who wouldn’t hesitate to trample on anyone that dared him. 

Even as a mare portrait he commanded respect, fear and power, it was literally emitting from the lifeless picture that was strung up.

He of course, with no utmost doubt was strikingly handsome, good looking. I saw where Artemis got his looks from.

I had to avert my eyes from him because it seemed as though he was staring right into my soul, passing on judgement and making a list of reasons why I’m not fit for his dear perfect son.

A woman in a purple robe stood motionless in her painting. She had the look of class. Her eyes bore no emotions, I imagined her gazing into nothing as they painted her. All her features were relaxed but there was something more… something uncanny, I couldn’t quite decipher.

Still completely soaked in the portrait, I heard footsteps. Glancing around, I spotted nothing, no one.

My mind told me to move, I didn’t like it here anymore. It was time to return to finding Artemis.

My heels were already in motions, as my footsteps quickened, so did the persons’ 

I hastened my steps, turning back every now and then to look back, still I was met by no one. This was eerie. I began running and walking. My head was flying back to look at my shoulder in every step.

The sound of the footsteps quickened, increasing rapidly at that point I sprinted, my head swung back and forth till I came crashing with a hard surface