Chapter 26: How Does One Live Without Flying?

FREYA

She knew she was dreaming. The air whipping her hair around her face and the feeling of wind beneath phantom wings was a dead giveaway. Yet, it felt as natural as breathing to be in the sky.

Freya looked down at the tops of the trees below, watching them brush against each other in the breeze. Flying was pure ecstasy. Wind whistled past her ears and tears began to brim in her eyes. She was miles above the ground.

Would she ever be whole without this feeling? Wasn’t flying the act her people were made for? How does one live without flying?

It was well past noon by the time Freya awoke. The sounds of the bustling camp outside made her think she’d missed the chance to break her fast from the night. And then she began thinking about the night.

Something amazing had happened between Freya and Cain. A moment in time that would change their lives forever. Perhaps for the first time in history, an Adaryn and Vargar were officially together. She was making history with Cain, and it felt so good to do so.

~Well, if she needed proof he didn’t hate her, she had it now.~

Freya was sore, and her legs wobbled dangerously as she got up from the bed. Cain was already gone, but with the endurance he had, she figured he went for a morning run. It was good for her to have a little time to herself to think.

Freya was careful to wash herself thoroughly. All the Vargar in camp would be able to smell Cain on her skin.

They might already know. The music and singing had been loud, but with everything she and Cain had done, they must have been much louder. By the time she was dressed and presentable, her face was already flushed due to the memories that were clouding her mind. And she was very eager to see Cain again.

Their relationship had changed so fast. It was unlike anything Freya had ever experienced. She’d wanted to know what love was, and now she was sure she knew. These were the most fantastic feelings she’d had in her whole life. Even now, it made her heart race to think about being in his arms again.

Still, she thought of Aurik. He had tried to make her his on one of the worst nights of her life. She knew she would never have been able to reciprocate his feelings. A concubine was the only thing she ever could have been for him. Adaryn society would never accept her as his wife or queen. What did they need with a broken thing?

Freya hadn’t asked to be a sick child with deformed wings. Yet, had that not happened, she wouldn’t have been given the chance to meet Cain, Vistra, or any of the Vargar she now adored. Freya felt equal with them.

Well, there had been Vistra’s brother. Ivar had called her a runt, and that had stung. But was it wrong? The Adaryn were happy to get rid of her. Slap a title on her father’s name in honor of her sister and they had a noble’s daughter to give away.

It made her skin crawl to think of the council members staring at her back in the market. Everything had fallen into place for them so perfectly. They got rid of their outcast and would live out the rest of their peaceful lives in the sky.

When she left the tent, she was slapped in the face with an excruciatingly cold wind. Winter wasn’t supposed to start yet and it felt as though they were in the midst of the season. She glanced up to the sky to see it littered with dark roiling clouds, heavy with rain. The trees around the camp were swaying dangerously in the wind.

In the distance, back in the direction of the Adaryn colony, Freya could just see the bodies of soldiers in the sky. That must be where the Valkyrie were posted. At this distance they looked like mere flecks against the darkened clouds. She didn’t think the Vargar would be able to see them at all.

If she guessed their trajectory correctly, they were heading in the direction of the Vargar camp. Her chest clamped tightly with disappointment. She was ready to leave that world behind her for good.

She had been told they were going to check on her. What they cared about was their peace treaty. Those nobles didn’t want the citizens they really cared about to be in any trouble moving into the future.

As long as their sacrifice was still intact, they could sleep easily in their nests at night.

How quickly she had turned against her own people. Especially now that she could see how they had conspired to give her up as soon as they could. Her sister never would have allowed this. Raga would have drawn her sword against the colony for Freya. She’d had more love for Freya than even their parents.

Once their father became a noble, he was able to drop his façade that he cared for Freya and gave her away. He hadn’t for a moment looked remorseful. No tears were shed for Freya as they had been for Raga. But still, she would never envy Raga for that. Not of the one person who truly loved her unconditionally. More than their parents ever could.

They had cared for Freya out of principle. It was their duty as parents to raise her and see her cared for, but their love was mainly reserved for Raga. The strong and beautiful warrior that could bring them great honor.

Lonan now had that great honor. All it took was him losing both of his daughters. One he gave up all too willingly.

Freya hoped he wasn’t a part of the flock now flying in their direction. She wasn’t sure if she could look him in the eyes. It felt like her father had betrayed her, and she wanted nothing to do with him. Give an Adaryn a pretty cloak and a new home, and they’ll hand over their only surviving child.

The Vargar were so different. It warmed her heart to know that she’d continue her life with them. They were no monsters as the Adaryn thought they were. Perhaps they were better.

Wolves took the family seriously. Children were a treasure gifted by the Moon. They raised their families as one massive community. The wolf-mother knew all of her people and interacted with each individual as much as she could. Even when her mate died, that hadn’t stopped her from being the leading pillar the pack needed.

After what felt like too long a time staring into the sky while standing in the cold, Freya decided she should go tell Vistra that she had spotted the Adaryn flock heading their way.

As she walked through the camp, she tried not to think of the smirks teasingly tossed her way. The entire camp had to know that Cain had taken her as his official mate now. Freya attempted to walk with purpose to the fire pit, so no one could potentially stop her to talk. A blush was already spreading across her cheeks, and it wasn’t because of the cold.

***

Vistra was huddled close to the fire surrounded by several of her best warriors. They had their heads bent in deep discussion. The expressions on their faces made her feathers rustling uneasily on the back of her neck.

~Did they know the Adaryn were coming already?~

When Vistra spotted Freya walking in their direction, her dark eyes opened wide followed by a massive smile. That genuine smile turned into a knowing smirk.

Freya’s feet slowed from her quick pace.

Oh, how quickly word spread in the camp. That was one thing the birds and wolves had in common. Everyone loved to gossip.

“Little bird, come join us by the fire on this cold day.” Vistra swept her arm back, gesturing to the roaring flames at her back. The orange light flickered across her red hair, and it looked like she was wearing the flames.

“I see a flock heading this way,” Freya said.

“Oh, really now?” Vistra leaned back, unconcerned.

“Yes, based on their trajectory and the power of the wind, I assume they’ll be here before nightfall.” Freya wrung her hands together nervously.

After the night she had with Cain, she didn’t want to see any of her former people. That and the looks she was getting from the Vargar were driving her mad. All eyes on her were full of knowing, reading her like a book. Or perhaps they could still smell it on her. Smell Cain on her.

“I suppose they’ll be coming for more of their droning speeches. Damn, can they talk about nothing for hours.” Vistra rolled her eyes and stretched her shoulders before standing up. “I’m going for a run before they get here. Moon knows they’ll stress me out.”

“Should we get a meal ready for them?” One warrior questioned.

“No, they’ll wrinkle their noses at anything we offer them. Just keep the fire going and keep an eye on where they’re coming from.” Vistra turned to the spot in the sky Freya had pointed out. She squinted her eyes, but Adaryn's eyes were better at long-distance sighting. The wolf-mother pursed her lips in a sort of frown before removing her cloak and heading to the line of trees marking the forest closer to the edge of the canyon.

As Vistra was only a short distance from the trees, a group of Vargar wolves burst through the underbrush of the forest and into the clearing of the temporary camp. Most of the wolves kept running into the heart of the camp, but one slowed to talk to the wolf-mother. A massive wolf with fur such a dark red it almost appeared black in the dim light of such a cloudy day.

Freya knew that it was Cain.

It was the first time she had seen him in his fur. The sight took her breath away. If he decided to stand up on his hind legs, he would easily tower over the tallest tent in the clearing.

From here, Freya could see his glistening sharp fangs as he opened his maw to communicate. His talons could rip her to shreds.

Her body trembled as she looked at him in this form. But it wasn’t in fear. She was in awe of the incredible power that emanated off him. His dark fur rustled in the breeze. Freya was overcome with an urge to touch him. She wanted to feel his wolf.

As if he could sense her eyes on him, Cain’s dark red eyes turned away from his mother. He found Freya standing by the fire pit. A body-shaking shiver crept up her spine as she saw Cain licking his chops as if he was thinking of eating her as his next meal.

She blushed hard.

Vistra shook with laughter, watching them. She patted Cain on the shoulder and continued walking into the line of greenery. As she left him, Cain took a step in Freya’s direction. His ears went back against his head, and he lowered his face to the ground. Cain must have thought that Freya would be afraid of him in his fur.

But that wasn’t true. He took her breath away.

Freya figured she’d go ahead and close the distance between them. The smile on her face only grew as the space between them shrunk.

Cain must have realized that Freya was only excited to see him again. Her hand reached out in his direction. He closed the last bit of space in an excited leap toward her.

Freya couldn’t contain a giggle at the sight of this massive beast who looked thrilled. If his toothy maw could smile, she was sure Cain was giving her a big wolfish smirk.

Freya paused briefly, her hand hovering over the fur on Cain’s body. She felt shy. Then she pushed her hand into the surprisingly soft fur under his chin.

Cain nuzzled Freya’s face. She giggled again at how nice it felt. But when his massive wet tongue came out and licked up the side of her face and wet some of her hair, she groaned loudly.

“Oh, Cain! I already had a wash this morning. It’s bad enough everyone in the camp can already smell you on me.” She wiped her face with the back of her coat sleeve.

Cain’s deep wolfish chuckle reverberated through his chest.

“Did your mother tell you that Adaryn are flying this way?”

Cain wrinkled his face in confusion and turned his head up to the sky.

Freya also rotated so that she was facing the direction of the little dots in the sky heading toward them. They were definitely closer now, there was no denying they were coming to the camp now.

A rumbling growl came from Cain’s chest. There was no way he was going to be happy to see them. She couldn’t say she was, either.

Cain used his large head to nudge Freya in the direction of their tent. She thought perhaps he wanted to prepare himself for the company that would be joining the camp.

As they walked through the camp, she kept her hand on the fur at Cain’s shoulders that were at about the same level as her head. His size was still so impressive. She marveled at the sight of him as they walked.

At the entrance of the tent, Cain swiveled his head to look around. When he felt comfortable that no one was explicitly watching, he began to shift.

Freya shuddered to hear the sounds that followed the change. It sounded of cracking bones and tearing flesh as his massive body began to writhe. It only lasted a few moments. Cain thrashed until he was kneeling before Freya.

Her hand was covering her mouth at having watched this transformation so close. It had slightly unsettled her stomach to see it.

Once in his flesh Cain stood up to his full height in front of Freya. She looked up to him smirking down at her with his red eyes swirling with excitement. A blush appeared on her cheeks when she realized that he was standing fully nude in front of the tent.

But before she could open her mouth to speak, Cain had wrapped his muscular arms around Freya and pulled her into the comfort of the tent where the harsh chill of the day couldn’t reach them as easily.

His hot mouth was already covering hers in passionate kisses. Both of his arms wrapped her backside to keep her upright. She could vaguely tell he was walking them back toward the bed. Freya wasn’t able to stop the moan in the back of her throat as pleasure rolled through her body from Cain’s kisses.

Cain seemed to intend to have his little bird for lunch before the enemy arrived at his door. Freya felt the same way. Even if she was sore, she still needed his touch.

This was better than flying.