Chapter 5: Freya's Plan

The pack members sat in silence, their spoons tightly gripped in their hands, their eyes fixed on the three Alphas who surrounded Freya, carefully piling food onto her plate.

Steele couldn't resist but comment with a sigh, "You should eat more. You look so skinny."

Knight and Hunter simultaneously turned their attention to Alexander, who clenched his knife so tightly that it began to bend, saved only by Mariah's quick intervention.

The entire pack was on edge, wishing fervently that this was all a terrible nightmare. Everyone in the pack had wronged Freya at some point, and given the Alphas' apparent attachment to her, there was little doubt that punishment would follow if she were to speak up.

"Freya, isn't there something you'd like to clarify?" Alexander asked, offering her a strained smile when she glanced up at him.

Freya stared at him for a moment and attempted to get up, but Hunter firmly held her down.

"What are you doing? I'm sure Alexander wouldn't mind if you said whatever you have to say when you're done. Don't you think so?" Hunter asked softly, casting a resentful look at Alexander.

Alexander swallowed nervously but nodded in agreement. "Of course, but I think the sooner, the better."

"Indeed. The sooner, the better. That's why I believe we should send our findings to the Council as soon as possible," Knight declared, causing Alexander to recall their earlier discussion from less than three hours ago.

"Alpha Knight!" Alexander exclaimed in a tense voice, his brows furrowing in worry.

The pack members' fear had now transformed into visible disdain for Freya. Will had shared the true reason the Alphas had visited the pack - it wasn't due to any extraordinary qualities of the pack, but because it was under scrutiny and on the brink of dissolution.

Will's words had not only revealed the Alphas' real intent but also implied that Freya played a role in it. The pack members knew their pack was in jeopardy because of her.

"Freya, I'm deeply sorry for what happened this morning. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and I... I just needed someone to take it out on. I'm truly sorry," Mariah apologized, her voice filled with sincerity.

Freya took a moment before she glanced in Mariah's direction. Once again, Mariah reverted to being the loving and considerate sister everyone knew.

"Mariah is so nice and charming. Despite passing out due to a misunderstanding, she still owned up and apologized. Unlike someone who hides behind others," a voice murmured from the crowd, causing Freya's grip on her spoon to tighten.

Hunter's gaze pierced through the onlookers until he pinpointed the individual who had spoken those words. He then shifted his attention to Will, who was seated beside Alexander.

Mariah was quick to realize that the pack member was in trouble and was getting prepared to plead for the pack member who had spoken ill of Freya, fearing Hunter's wrath. However, she was surprised when Hunter didn't punish him. Instead, he stood up and placed both hands behind his back.

"Anyone who dares to speak ill of Freya Armstrong, my mate, and the future Luna of my pack, speaks ill of me and will be punished for it!" Hunter declared.

Steele, not one to be outdone, also rose and declared, "Freya Armstrong is my mate, making her second only to me!"

Knight, filled with jealousy, questioned their claims, saying, "What are you two beasts doing, claiming that my mate belongs to you? I'll kill anyone who speaks ill of her!"

He turned his attention to Freya, who sat between Hunter and Steele, and continued, "Now, Alexander, I want the tongue of the bastard who made that snarky remark."

Alexander spotted the trembling man in the crowd who had made the comment.

"Alpha Knight, I don't think he meant any harm with his words, right, Freya?" Alexander said with a warning glance toward her.

Freya quickly nodded and replied, "Yes, he didn't. We play around here a lot."

Knight clenched his fists and approached Alexander, breathing heavily as he said, "If my mate chooses to overlook it, I won't. Hand over his wretched tongue to me, or I will kill him with or without your permission."

Alexander was about to look at Freya again when Knight pulled him closer by the collar, "Don't do that. You're scaring her."

"Alpha Knight, I think this is just a misunderstanding," a middle-aged man spoke up, rising from his seat with a deep frown etched on his face.

Knight turned his attention to the man, asking, "And who are you?"

The middle-aged man walked up to Knight and introduced himself, "I'm Daniel Armstrong."

"Armstrong?" Knight repeated, his brows furrowing in thought. "Freya's father?"

Daniel hesitated briefly before confirming, "Yes, I am."

Knight released his grip on Alexander's collar and faced Daniel squarely, sliding both hands into his pockets. "I see. I thought she was an orphan, which might explain why she forgot to eat last night while your other daughter did."

"Freya is often busy with pack matters and doesn't always have the time to eat," Daniel explained, his expression unwavering.

"Another example of one of your pack members being neglected, Alexander. Another reason for this pack to be challenged by another pack," Knight commented with a smile, briefly glancing at Alexander before turning his gaze back to Daniel.

“It was my fault. Mariah did nothing wrong!” Freya suddenly yelled, pushing her chair backward and getting up. Having everyone's attention, she gulped down nervously and repeated, “It was my fault. Mariah was only reprimanding me. Something I deserved."

Alexander didn't waste any time walking up to Freya. He pretended to flash her a warm smile as he asked, “Don't you think there's something else you're supposed to do other than this?"

Freya nodded, walked up to Mariah, and intending to give a knee-length bow. However, Hunter quickly intervened.

“My Luna apologizing and bowing to you is something that will never happen again.” He spoke coldly, not just to Mariah but to everyone in the room.

Without seeking Freya's opinion like before, Hunter held her arm and led her out of the room.

Just when they thought everything was over, Knight strolled towards the man who had spoken ill of Freya, pried open his mouth, and pulled out his tongue!

This action earned gasps from everyone in the room as the man who had just lost his tongue fell to the floor in pain while Knight tossed aside the bloody tongue.

Alexander clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes darkening in rage as he watched Knight and Steele walk out of the dining room like nothing happened.

“I'm certain this misunderstanding will be clarified.” Mariah said in consolation, placing her palm on his hand.

Alexander nodded. That evening, he changed Freya's room to a luxurious one and filled its wardrobe with luxurious clothes to please the alphas.

Freya stood by the window of her new room, her face devoid of any form of excitement. When Mariah approached her weeks ago looking like she had turned over a new leaf, Freya halted a plan of hers.

She was often mistreated and most times beaten to a pulp by the other pack members and left for dead. So she began harboring resentment towards everyone in the pack, including Alexander.

She managed to get her hands on numerous explosives she found in the weapon room whenever she was sent in to clean it.

After Mariah's betrayal, Freya wanted nothing more than for everyone to evaporate with her. Since she couldn't get the same treatment like them, she figured it was only fair that they died the same way.

However, the Alphas arrival to the pack made her conflicted. Their words and actions proved to be genuine, but she didn't doubt any of the stories she had heard about them. How they tortured any omega they found.

If she wasn't their mate, they would've treated her like the other omegas they had come across. Their deaths would mean a safer world for other omegas. So her plan remains the same.

"Tomorrow, they'll all cease to exist." She resolved firmly.