Chapter Five - You know what I am?

Freya Rose

“Freya?” I heard my mom calling me as she came into my room. She quickly closed the door behind her and whispered, “Shhh, honey it's okay. You need to calm down, nana and granddad can't see you like this, it will freak them out.” 

I brought my head down to look at her. She was acting so calm, why was she not screaming or telling me I'm a freak or something, anything?

“You know what I am?” I asked her in confusion.

She sat down silently on the bed next to me. I was finding it hard to accept that she wasn't afraid of me, looking like this. She began to speak calmly,

“Yes, honey. See, when you were really little you used to have these rage fits. I tried everything to calm you down, but they escalated. Then one day your eyes changed, and a light shot out of them, and your mouth,” she said with a sigh. 

I couldn't believe what she was telling me, she knew all this time? She took a deep breath then continued, 

“I was so scared and had no one to talk to about it, so I called up an old friend of mine from my school here in Banff. He told me to bring you to him straight away, and then he helped us.” 

I slowly began to calm down as I listened to my mom tell her story. I started doing my breathing exercises. 

“Oh good, you know about the slow breathing?” She asked, but I was still too pumped up to reply without full-on screeching at her. I decided it was best to just nod my head. My mom nodded back at me, then continued, 

“See, this might be hard for you to believe, but my old friend is actually a werewolf,” she paused gauging my reaction, I just smiled and nodded. “Oh, you know about wolves? Wow, you seem to know a lot more than I thought. I was going to tell you everything, I promise I was. But you just seemed so happy and content with your life, and I didn't want to blow it all apart.”

I giggled and went to put my hand on hers to let her know that I had no hard feelings towards her.

“No!” She snapped while quickly snatched her hand away from me.

I pulled back in shock, was she scared of me after all? I thought to myself. Seeing my reaction, she lifted her hand up and held it a few inches away from my face. 

“Oh no, honey, I'm not scared of you. It's just if you touch my skin while you're ascended, you'll burn my flesh off. That's not exactly something I feel like doing this early in the morning.”

There is so much more that I need to learn, I thought as I continued to do my controlled breathing. My mom then continued to talk, 

“So... Ah right, yes. My friend is a werewolf, he's now Alpha of the Banff pack. He knew what you were, and taught you how to suppress your rage,” she paused to take a breath. “I then made sure your life was as worry and stress-free as I could, and slowly but surely the rage fits stopped. I know it's hereditary, so I know that you get it from that deadbeat father of yours,” she said furrowing her brow.

I'd calmed myself down enough now to be able to finally answer her,

“Yeah I do, he's a hunter, and he's right here in Banff,” I replied to her in a quiet voice.

She gasped and held her hand to her mouth as a tear slid down her cheek. 

“He's been here the whole fucking time?” She yelled out and I instantly sat back in shock.

I'd never seen my mom get so angry, and did she just curse? I questioned myself. She could see my shock and automatically apologized. 

“I'm sorry, honey, I'm just so angry with him. I need to see him, like now,” she snapped as she stood up. She began to pace around the room and mutter things under her breath. “Do you know where he is? We need to go and see him right now,” she demanded.

I'd managed to calm down even more by now, and my wings had vanished, and my eyes had returned to normal, but panic now began to overwhelm me instead. My breathing became fast and shallow as I remembered that Damien was on his way to stop Mason from killing Tristan. 

“Oh, dear honey, you're having a panic attack, you have to slow down your breathing, Freya. Quick, copy mine,” she said as she knelt down in front of me and started breathing slowly. “In through your nose... Good... Now out through your mouth,” she said softly as she held my hands.

We did this for a few minutes until my breathing had finally returned to normal. 

“Tristan,” I managed to spit out.

“What, honey? What's wrong with, Tristan?” She asked in a panic.

“It's a long story mom, but we need to get home, like now! He's in terrible danger,” I said as I lowered my head into my hands. 

“Get dressed. I'll go and pack my bag, then I’ll call your uncle, Russ to come and help your nana look after your granddad. Then we will catch the first flight home, okay, honey?” She asked as she stood up and made her way to the door.

I looked up at her and nodded. I was shaking like a leaf and absolutely petrified of what I was going to face once I got home.

“It will be okay, Freya,” she said with an encouraging smile. 

“Thanks, mom,” I replied as I quickly got up to go and get dressed. 

 ***

We got to the airport and boarded the plane. We took our seats and I slumped back into mine and sighed. 

“Right, are you going to fill me in before we get home?” My mom asked as she turned in her seat to face me.

I inhaled deeply and upon exhale, I started to quietly ramble off a list of everything that had happened recently,

“Tristan, Tyler and Cassie are werewolves. A vampire Prince wants me to be his Princess, so he attacked Tristan, now Tristan's in a coma. I ran away and made my way to you. On the bus I met another hunter called Mason, who apparently is my soul mate. He took me to meet dad. I chose to come home to be with Tristan, and now Mason is heartbroken and is currently making his way to Jasper to kill him,” I inhaled deeply again as I finally finished my rant.

I looked over at my mom, and she was wide-eyed just staring at me with her mouth open. I looked from side to side awkwardly and raised my own eyebrows, and then plastered a fake toothy grin on my face. 

“Wow.”

I dropped my head and shoulders and began to weep.

“Oh, Freya, I'm so sorry. I should have told you a long time ago. At least then, I would have been there for you to talk to when all of this was happening.”

“It's okay, mom, you were only trying to protect me,” I replied between sniffles.

We sat back and I rested my head on my mom's shoulder, then we just enjoyed the peaceful silence for the rest of the flight home. When we finally landed, we jumped into a cab and headed straight for the clinic. My head was thinking all sorts of awful things, and in the end, I had to close my eyes and concentrate on my breathing. I was trying so hard not to ascend in the poor cab driver’s car. My mom could sense that I was struggling, and held my hand as she said,

“It's okay, we're nearly there.”

She stroked my hand with her thumb, and it helped me have something to focus on, and eventually I managed to calm myself down. We pulled up outside the clinic, and I looked over at my mom with worry in my eyes.

“You’ll be fine, go. I'll sort the bags,” she said as she leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

I smiled and quickly got out of the cab, I knew I couldn't go at angel speed in front of the driver, so I hurried as fast as was humanly acceptable. 

 ***

As soon as I got through the doors of the clinic, I sprinted all the way down the corridor. I heard crying and screaming coming from a room at the end of the clinic. I took in a deep breath and sprinted as fast as I could, and then burst in through the door. Breathing hard, I just stood there for a second taking in the scene. Damien and Evan were holding back a fully ascended Mason. Clara was huddled over Tristan's body crying into his chest. Tyler and Aiden were stood defensively in front of Tristan's bed, holding their arms out ready to defend Tristan with their lives. I couldn't believe Evan and Damien had managed to hold Mason off for so long. 

“Freya, we managed to calm him down twice, but he keeps ascending, we can't hold him back much longer!” Evan screamed at me.

I grew angry immediately and screeched into the air as I ascended.

“Mason!” I screamed as loudly as I could, trying to get his attention.

Tyler, Aiden and Clara yelled out in pain and quickly covered their ears, as they all doubled over and fell to the floor. Mason turned to face me; it was clear to see that he was completely beyond humanity at this point.

“Fianna?” He asked in a low and husky voice as he easily threw Evan and Damien off of him.

He walked slowly towards me, and I knew right then and there, that I needed to get him out of that room and quickly. 

“Fennid, I need you,” I said softly as I ushered him to follow me with my hands.

When I was sure that he was following me, I turned and dashed out of the door and back up the corridor. Suddenly my mom came walking through the clinic doors. 

“Mom, move!” I yelled out.

She gasped but quickly pushed herself up against the wall and out of harm's way. I ran right out of the clinic doors and straight into the woods, with Mason hot on my tail. It wasn’t long before his electric filled hands were wrapped around my waist, pulling me hard into his chest. He whirled me around and slammed me into a tree. The tree cracked and roared as my body hit it, and birds flew up into the sky.

I stood there frozen, pinned to the tree. My heart was racing and my breathing heavy. It was a mix of the running, panic, and lust that was making me find it so hard to catch my breath. Both in our ascension forms, it was extremely difficult to resist each other. Mason didn't want to resist me, obviously. Me on the other hand, I didn't want this at all, but my body and my angel side were fighting against my humanity. I clung on for as long as I could, but Mason must have noticed that I was trying to fight the angel bond, and he just smirked at me. 

“Don't fight it my beautiful Fianna,” he said in a husky voice then leaned in, smashing his lips against mine.

The feeling was electrifying, and it made everything inside me pulse with raw power. I closed my eyes as I felt myself giving in to him, and I began to relax into the kiss.

“Ahhhh-Oooooooooo!”

My eyes shot open as soon as I heard that howl. I knew instantly who it was, and screamed out,

“Tristan!”

I screeched into the air and tried to push Mason off of me.

“No, Fianna. You will not choose that damn dog over me,” Mason boomed while slamming me harder against the tree. 

I wheezed when my back hit the tree so hard that it winded me a little. With my head down I concentrated as hard as I could, and quickly I began to build my rage to new extraordinary heights.

“I love Tristan!”

Mason's eyes grew wide when he saw my anger building. I spread my wings and placed my foot on the tree behind me, I then used the tree to launch myself forwards at Mason, instantly pushing him off of me. He lost his balance and stumbled backwards a few steps, and I used his unbalance to my advantage. I picked him up by his throat, lifting him off of the ground. He swung his legs around and squirmed as he tried to get free. I stared into his pure white eyes and said in an angry but firm tone, 

“Mason, you need to calm the hell down! I want to talk to you properly.” 

He looked at me and shook his head. You stubborn macho jerk, I thought as I boomed, 

“Now! Or I swear to the angels I will snap your neck in two.” 

He looked around as if he was trying to work out his options, this just infuriated me more, so I squeezed his throat even tighter. He struggled to breathe and quickly nodded to me in agreement. I dropped him to the floor and stepped back, closing my eyes to calm myself down. Mason coughed and held his throat as he crouched on the woodland floor. With me now descended, I demanded that he changed back too. He slumped to the floor and held his head in his hands. I watched as his wings faded away, then I sighed with relief. I sat down on the dirt in front of him, and started to speak to him softly,

“Mason, please talk to me.” 

He didn't answer, but I could see his body shaking as he silently sobbed. My heart really did break for him, he didn't want any of this. 

“Please Mason,” I pleaded while reaching out my hand and placing it gently onto his knee, but he swiftly swatted it away. 

“What do you want me to say, Freya? That I'm sorry I just almost killed, Tristan?” He yelled at me as he looked into my eyes with tears streaming down his face.

I didn't know how to respond. I didn't want to upset him more than he already was.

“Well... Um,” I went to say, but Mason spoke before I had a chance to reply,

“Well I won't, I'm only sorry that Damien and Evan managed to stop me. I love you and have waited all my life for you. I will not let a flea-bitten dog get in the way of our happiness!” He said angrily through gritted teeth. 

“What about my happiness, Mason?” I asked him in a very low voice. 

I really didn't want to be with him. I knew that we had this magical and amazing connection, but it was just because I was his Fianna and he was my Fennid. Other than that, I realized I didn't even know the guy, let alone love him. The only feelings I had towards him right now was anger, and pity. 

“I can make you happy, Freya, I swear I can. I will spend my life making you happy, if you'd let me,” he said in such a loving way, it was hard not to melt a little.

He took my hands into his, I expected to have to pull my hands away as soon as the sparks hit my skin, but the sparks, the electricity and the heat, it didn't arrive. He moved my hands around in his, touching them, then turning them over, then touching them again, he then looked up at me in confusion. 

“The angels have turned their backs on us, Mason. You have hurt me beyond repair, and they know it. There is no connection left there anymore,” I said as I stood up. 

I had no idea if I was right or not, but it sounded like a good explanation. I thought maybe it would help him understand that I was done with all of it, he had hurt me too damn much. He couldn’t just push me around and demand that I loved him. 

“No, this can't be. I love you, Freya. Please give me a chance to prove it to you,” he pleaded with me while sitting up on his knees and grabbing one of my hands. 

“You don't know me well enough to love me. I'm done, and if you come near my boyfriend or his pack again, I will kill you! Do you understand?” I screamed into his face.

I allowed my angel eyes to shine through just a little, so he'd get the hint. He let go of my hand and slumped back down onto the dirt. He rested his hands on his knees and then bowed his head in defeat. 

I felt so bad for him and I wanted to say that I was sorry, but I knew that would have given him false hope, and I just couldn't risk it. So, I turned my back on him, held my head up high. I walked away from him looking and feeling like a complete, heartless bitch.

Once I knew I was far enough away from Mason I sprinted as fast as I could back towards the clinic. Once there I ran all the way through the corridor, avoiding all of the people as I went past them. I skidded as I tried to slow down and ironically landed right outside of the door to Tristan's room. I looked in through the little window and saw that over one side of the room was, Damien and Evan talking to Clara and Aiden. I then scanned over to the other side of the room and I saw, Tyler and my mom sitting either side of Tristan's bed. 

Then there he was, my wonderful wolf, he was actually sitting up in bed, still a little battered and bruised but he was awake and talking. I sighed with great relief, while just standing there watching the love of my life. Suddenly Tristan lifted his head and sniffed the air, and as he brought his head back down his eyes connected with mine. The biggest and most loving smile I had ever seen spread across his face.

My heart leapt into my throat and butterflies filled my tummy. My mom and Tyler followed his gaze to me and immediately smiled. They both stood up, Tyler then walked over to his parents and pointed over towards me. Clara smiled, and Aiden nodded at me. Everyone made their way out of the room one by one, and I backed up to let them out. 

“Hey Freya, I'm glad you're home,” Tyler said as he hugged me before walking off down the corridor. 

“I'm so sorry,” Clara said while pulling me in for a hug. I hugged her back.

“It's okay, Clara, honestly it was me, not you.” 

She started to cry, and Aiden put his arms around her, and he smiled at me as they walked away. 

“I'll go and wait in the family room with the others. I’ll be there if you need me honey,” my mom said as she gave Damien the evil eye, then kissed my cheek and followed the others. 

“I got through to him, he's in the woods, I think he's going to need the both of you right now,” I said to Evan and Damien. 

“You didn't kill him then, Angel cakes?” Evan mocked.

“No, but I'll kill you if you keep calling me that!” I joked back, he chuckled and hugged me. 

“You okay, Freya?” Damien asked with sadness in his eyes.

“Yeah, I will be,” I said as I looked through the window at Tristan. 

“I see, well we'll leave you to it, and go and get Mason, we need to get him home. I'll call you in a few days, I love you,” he said as he squeezed me tight. I watched them as they both walked out of the clinic. 

Turning back to the window, I spotted Tristan ushering me in with his hand. His giant grin was infectious. I was so happy and so in love with him at that moment. The moment was quickly crushed though, when thoughts of what I had done with Mason flooded my mind.

How the hell was I going to tell Tristan that I'd just cheated on him while he was on his deathbed?