Chapter 3 Mate

The moment Niklaus Lockwood called Freya his mate, the entire terrace seemed to fall into a deadly silence.

The two guards who had thrown Freya into the pool stood frozen beside the water, their faces pale with terror. Only a few minutes ago, they had treated her like a criminal Omega who could be shoved, threatened, and humiliated without consequence. Now she was trembling in the arms of one of the most powerful Alphas in the territory.

His arms tightened around Freya's soaked body, and his cold blue eyes swept over the guards with such crushing pressure that both men dropped to their knees at once.

"Alpha Lockwood," one of them stammered, his forehead nearly touching the wet stone floor. "We didn't know she was your-"

"Mate?" Niklaus finished for him, his voice low and dangerous.

The guard shuddered so violently that his shoulders shook.

Freya leaned weakly against Niklaus's chest. Her soaked Omega uniform clung to her skin, her wet hair stuck to her cheeks, and the slap mark on her face burned painfully beneath the night air. She should have felt embarrassed to be held like this, but his body was so warm, and his scent was so overwhelming, that for a moment she could barely think.

Vicki was restless inside her, pressing toward him with desperate joy.

"Mate."

"Mate."

"Mate."

Freya closed her eyes for half a second.

But was not Jonas.

Niklaus looked down at her. His gaze lingered on her wet hair, her trembling lips, the red mark on her cheek, and finally the debt collar half-hidden beneath her soaked uniform.

His expression darkened.

"Who ordered this?" he asked.

Neither guard dared to answer.

Freya's fingers curled weakly against his suit jacket. "It was... Miss Berea. She said I stole her necklace."

Niklaus's jaw tightened. "Did you?"

"No." Freya's voice was hoarse from cold and humiliation. "She planted it in the pool and made me search for it."

The air around Niklaus turned colder.

Before either guard could beg for mercy, Niklaus lifted Freya fully into his arms and turned toward the banquet hall.

"Alpha Lockwood," one guard cried desperately. "Please, Miss Berea said we should not let her disturb the ceremony-"

Niklaus stopped.

He did not turn around, but the pressure rolling off him was enough to make the guard choke on his next word.

"Then Miss Berea should have chosen a quieter way to die."

Freya's breath caught.

Niklaus carried her through the side doors and back into the Frostwood Pack House.

The music inside the banquet hall faltered first. Then the conversations died one by one as guests turned toward the entrance and saw Niklaus Lockwood walking in with a drenched Omega in his arms.

Freya felt hundreds of eyes fall on her at once.

Her face burned. She instinctively tried to hide against Niklaus's chest, but his arm held her steady, not allowing her to shrink away.

Berea, who had been standing near the refreshment table with her friends, went stiff the moment she saw them. The diamond necklace had already returned to her throat, glittering coldly beneath the lights, but her face lost all color when Niklaus's gaze landed on her.

Jonas stood not far from the center of the hall, surrounded by elders and ranked families. His welcoming smile slowly disappeared.

For a moment, Freya's eyes met his.

Something flickered across Jonas's face. Shock, confusion, and then a darkness she had never seen before. He looked from Freya's soaked body to Niklaus's arms around her, and his expression tightened as if someone had pressed a blade against his ribs.

"Freya?" Jonas said quietly.

Her heart twisted.

That was all she had wanted earlier.

For him to see her.

For him to say her name.

But now it was too late.

Niklaus's voice cut through the hall before Freya could answer. "Who is Berea Maddox?"

The entire room went silent.

Berea's lips trembled, but she quickly forced out a smile and stepped forward. "Alpha Lockwood, I think there has been a misunderstanding. Freya was caught stealing my necklace, and I only asked the guards to-"

"To throw her into a pool?" Niklaus asked.

Berea froze.

"To accuse her of theft during Alpha Jonas's welcome ceremony? To have guards threaten her with prison while you wore the necklace she supposedly stole?"

Berea's friends instantly stepped away from her.

Whispers spread across the hall like sparks catching dry grass.

Berea shook her head quickly. "No, that's not what happened. I only wanted to protect the ceremony. Freya has always been unstable since her father ran away, and everyone knows she is desperate because of her debt. I was afraid she might-"

"Enough."

Niklaus's single word crushed the rest of her explanation.

Berea went pale.

Jonas finally stepped forward. His eyes were fixed on Freya, but his words were directed at Berea. "Is this true?"

Berea looked at him, panic flashing through her eyes. "Alpha Jonas, I was only trying to prevent trouble. She came here dressed as an Omega servant and kept trying to approach you. I thought-"

"You thought humiliating her in front of my guests would please me?" Jonas's voice was calm, but the warmth Freya remembered from childhood was gone.

Berea's mouth opened and closed.

Jonas looked at the wet marks on the floor beneath Freya, then at the red slap mark on her cheek. His expression grew darker.

"I will investigate everything that happened tonight," Jonas said. "If you abused your authority as Beta Maddox's daughter, you will be punished according to pack law."

Berea's face crumpled. "Jonas, I-"

"Alpha Jonas," he corrected coldly.

The room inhaled as one.

Freya should have felt relieved.

A month ago, hearing Jonas defend her would have been enough to make her cry. But now, held in another Alpha's arms and marked by a bond she had never expected, the relief came mixed with something painfully hollow.

Jonas had spoken too late.

Before the tension could settle, a sharp female voice broke through the crowd.

"Niklaus?"

A beautiful brunette in an elegant champagne dress pushed through the guests. Her eyes were wide, her carefully composed face already breaking apart.