Chapter 3

FREYA

"Help."

"Please help…"

"Help…us…"

"Shhh, you’re safe now," came the reply, forcing me awake.

I blinked, trying to adjust my eyes to the brightness. I attempted to move, which proved to be a terrible idea as a wave of pain coursed through me. I whimpered, feverish and weak. My entire body hurts, every movement stabbing at me from all angles.

"Where am I? And who are you?" I asked the stranger approaching me with a bowl of water and a washcloth. My voice was shaky, laced with distrust. "Stay away from me!" I wanted to snarl, but it came out weak and pitiful.

"Easy there, I’m harmless, I promise," he replied gently. "I was  going somewhere when I found you wounded on the road. I brought you to my cabin. You’ve been out for three days."

As he sat beside the bed and moved the damp cloth toward my head, I flinched and cried out, my body protesting the sudden movement. "I need to go… I have to go," I pleaded weakly.

"You’re in no condition to leave," he said firmly. "By the way, I’m Asher. Do you remember your name?" He placed the cool cloth on my forehead.

I stared at the stranger who had rescued me. There was nothing familiar about him, and just because he saved me didn’t mean I could trust him. In fact, I would’ve preferred he let me die. The thought made tears prick my eyes as memories began flooding back.

"The others… you have to let me leave," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.

"I’ll take you to the others, I promise. But first, you need to regain your strength," he said, standing up. "You must be hungry. I’ll prepare something. Give me a few minutes." With that, he disappeared through another door, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Three days… I thought, my mind drifted to Claire. Her last words echoed painfully in my head. More tears fell as I fought against the image of her dying. Maybe someone had found her and rescued her. Maybe others had survived. Maybe someone reported what happened to the council. That meant the Shadow-Moon family might pay for what they had done to my pack.

Those thoughts consoled me enough to relax slightly. Minutes ticked by, and I was nearly dozing off when Asher returned with a bowl of soup and some bread.

"I’m not much of a cook," he said, placing the bowl on the nightstand, "but I remember my nanny making this whenever I was sick as a kid. She’s old now. I think it was fate that brought us together. Maybe the Moon Goddess wanted me to save you."

I didn’t care about his nanny, or his thoughts about fate. I just wanted him to shut up or, better yet, go away.

"Is it okay if I help you sit up?" he asked.

Reluctantly, I nodded. Even with his help, the movement sent jolts of pain through me. By the time I was upright, I was drenched in sweat. I stayed silent, letting him feed me spoonfuls of soup, my eyes scanning the room for an escape route.

"Who are you?" I asked after swallowing the last spoonful.

"Asher," he replied with a faint smile. "Just call me Asher."

"Do you have a TV or something? I need to watch the news."

"Sorry, no. This cabin’s my escape from the world," he replied. "Are you strong enough to tell me what happened? You were on the brink of death when I found you. And those stab wounds… did someone do that to you?"

"Thank you for saving me, but you shouldn’t have," I whispered, my voice thick with tears. "You should’ve let me die. I deserve to die."

Memories of that night overwhelmed me. I could still hear their screams, Claire’s terrified voice pleading for help. I had left her behind.

"I have nothing to live for," I sobbed, running trembling fingers through my tangled hair. "It’s all my fault."

"No, you deserve to live," Asher said firmly. "The Moon Goddess must have had a reason for sparing you. Please don’t hurt yourself. Rest for now. If you need anything, I’ll be in my room."

He excused himself, leaving me alone again.

This was my chance. Despite the pain, I swung my legs off the bed and stood up slowly, clutching my bandaged stomach. My breaths were labored, and each step sent waves of agony through me. I clenched my teeth and pushed forward, determined to leave.

I only made it a few steps before my body gave out. I collapsed to the floor with a painful cry.

Asher rushed in, alarmed. "What were you thinking?" he scolded, kneeling beside me.

"Let me go," I rasped. "I need to go home. I need to see my people."

"You’re not in any condition—"

"Take me home!"

Seeing my desperation, he relented. "Fine. I’ll take you home. Just give me a minute to change."

He disappeared into his room, returning moments later in a fresh shirt.

"Let’s go," he said, scooping me up and carrying me to his car.