AGREED?

 I walked with purpose, my feet pounding the earth in a rhythmic cadence. I ran when I couldn't contain my frustration, my legs pumping furiously as I devoured the distance. I jumped over obstacles, my anger fueling my movements. And when exhaustion set in, I trudged on, my feet heavy with the weight of my emotions.

 All the while, my anger seethed, my blood boiling with a fury that threatened to consume me. I struggled to maintain a peaceful facade, but my rage refused to be silenced, simmering just beneath the surface, waiting to erupt.

 I was a storm brewing, the tempest raging inside me. My heart raced with every step, my mind a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions. I couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped, of being forced down a path I didn't want to take. The village seemed like a distant dream, a mirage on the horizon that I couldn't quite reach.

 But I pushed on, driven by a determination I didn't know I had. I would reach the village, no matter what lay ahead. I would find a way to escape this fate, to break free from the chains that bound me. And so I walked, ran, jumped, and trudged, my anger and frustration fueling every step.

 My face burns with embarrassment and ignorance. Apparently, everyone has known about my fate except for me. But that ends now. I saw the way they all looked at me. When was this decision made?! I asked myself angrily.

 I finally arrived in front of the alpha's doorstep. I stared at the door with hate in my eyes, wishing there were a way I could make a good entrance either by burning down the door and emerging into the fire or kicking it with my little legs.

 I turned the door knob and pushed the door open, slipping inside unnoticed. The downstairs area was empty, and I let out a scoff of relief. I hurried towards the backyard, familiar with the layout of Alpha's house from previous visits. I knew that if he wasn't indoors, he was likely outside, teaching his son Astrid how to shoot a bow. I had been to this house several times before, and I knew the Alpha's habits all too well.

 As I made my way to the backyard, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the thought of Astrid's archery lessons. The Alpha was obsessed with turning his son into a skilled hunter, just like him. But from what I had seen, Astrid lacked the focus and dedication required to master the bow. Still, the Alpha persisted, driven by his own pride and ambition.

 I pushed open the door leading to the backyard, and a warm sunlight greeted me. The sound of bowstrings and muffled voices carried through the air, and I followed the noise to find Alpha and Astrid standing by the archery target.

 "What about him, father? Perhaps pay him a visit? This could jeopardize my chances of being the alpha". I knew that was Astrid talking.

 It was an offense to walk up on an Alpha and his son when talking. You literally had to wait to be called out, so I stood far from them waiting to be noticed and also eavesdropping on their conversation -the lot I could hear.

 "You have your Luna now, son. That will make you a leader against him" The alpha spoke, his voice sounding more composed.

 Luna? I knew there was no way these two assholes were referring to me.

 I realized that standing there, far from the action, was pointless. I had walked all the way from my place to the village, fueled by anger, and now I was just standing there like a drenched chicken, accomplishing nothing.

 I approached them quietly, not wanting to startle them. The Alpha was so focused on his lesson that he didn't even notice me standing there. Astrid, on the other hand, caught my eye and nodded slightly. I returned the nod, and he turned his attention back to the lesson.

 Jerk!

 The Alpha finally noticed me and turned around, a hint of surprise on his face. "Ah, Freya," he said, his voice firm but friendly. "What brings you here today?"

 "Alpha, please I would like to speak with you regarding some rumors I heard today" I said, bowing my head as a way of showing my respect for him.

 "Well, let's go inside then, have a seat, and talk," he said, casually discarding his bow and quiver of arrows on the ground. I couldn't help but notice the arrows' impeccable craft skills - the straightness of their shafts, the sharpness of their tips, and the vibrant colors of their feathers. They looked like they'd been made with great care and precision.

 As we walked back to the house, the crunch of gravel beneath our feet echoed through the silence. The Alpha led the way, his strides long and purposeful, while I followed closely behind, my eyes fixed on the rhythmic motion of his cloak. The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the scene, illuminating the vibrant colors of the garden and the rustic charm of the wooden house.

 The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the earthy smell of freshly turned soil. We entered the house through a creaky door, and Alpha gestured for me to take a seat by the fire, where a kettle was already simmering, ready to brew a warm cup of tea.

 "So? What is the rumor you heard?" The alpha inquired, taking a seat opposite me as his son stood over him. I knew his gaze was resting on mine, but I would be too much of a fool to even bother about him.

 "Forgive me, but I heard your son has plans on making me his Luna."

 "Oh yes! You must be overjoyed indeed" Alpha Jaime said. I lifted my head up in disbelief and saw him standing up from the chair and making his way to the door, his son following him.

 Who do these two men think they are? Overjoyed? More like over saddened.

 "I'll not marry your son!" I announced, standing up vigorously from my seat and abruptly stopping the two men from walking away from me.

 Two pairs of eyes fixed on me, their gazes intense. Astrid's eyes are a radiant light blue, complemented by her sleek, raven-black hair, which falls in neat, silky folds. In contrast, her father's eyes are a deeper, piercing blue, set in a face where once-luxuriant black hair is now flecked with gray, a testament to the weight of responsibility and the strain of leadership.

 "No one was asking you Freya, you're just being told" Astrid said, smiling like a goat.

 I didn't have any form of business with him for now. I had come to meet his father, and so I only talked with him.

 "I said I do not want any form of ties with your son" I said, feeling a little bit more confident.

 The Alpha kept quiet and stood , watching me keenly as if he was studying. It was the kind of thing he did whenever he was making a decision. I respected him for his way of carefully making hard decisions, but not this time. I was ready to say anything to him.

 "You will marry Astrid and that's not an offer being made to you", he said, grabbing his walking cane from the tabletop. I always wondered why he needed one of those walking canes even when he walked perfectly.

 Perhaps it added more swag and confidence to his walking.

 "What if I don't? What happens?" I asked, swallowing a large amount of my saliva, fighting within me not to make the matters escalate more with the Alpha. I knew what happened to people who tried to challenge the alpha, and it never ended well for them.

 To my right, I heard Astrid scruffle his feet and chuckle.

 "Your stubbornness is going to get you killed, Love," he said. "It's no big deal. Be my Luna, and I'll make you the happiest butterfly"

 "For God's sake Astrid, I'm happy. I don't want your stupid title", I shot back at him, feeling the surge of anger clumping up in my chest.

 I despised the way Astrid thought he was the only one that could make me happy, he was a spoiled little boy. But he saw himself far more than that.

 Alpha Jaime snarls at me for my backlash. "Young lady, you're under my roof. Watch your tongue, or I'll have it watched over".

 He walked past me to sit back down and when he did, he looked at me as if he was trying to figure out something.

 "Do you know what happens if you don't do as I say?"

 He asked, sounding sweeter than before. It made me sick to my stomach that he was trying to force his "royal son" on me.

 I kept quiet, assuming that he took my silence for a yes, since I didn't say a no. He tapped his cane on the floor three times and then spoke. "I'm sure your little best friend wouldn't mind paying the price for your disobedience."

 I clench my jaw tightly, my hands curling into fists. "What the hell?"

 For a moment, I felt like swinging my clenched fists back at Astrid for the way he chuckled at his father's threat, he sounded proud of his father's twisted ideas.

 He tilts his head down and smiles darkly, clasping his hands loosely together. "And I'll make sure you watch as I tear her apart, feeding you her flesh every day, forcing her blood down your throat. You wouldn't want that, would you? Freya!"

 My blood turns to ice and suddenly I feel cold. Chilled to the bone. It's as if I can already feel the frigid stone against my skin and the silence ringing in my ears.

 I hide my fear and scoff, skeptical and taken aback. There's no way I would play with my best friend's life. There was something about the way Alpha Jaime threatened me that made him sound so calm about it, but yet serious, and he never made empty threats.

 "Don't yo_you dare touch my friend!" I force my words to come out as a challenge, yet on the inside I feel like breaking down, dropping to my knees, and begging him to forgive my manners.

 He smiles again, his eyes sparkling with a twisted amusement. "Oh but I would."

 He enjoys this. I know he does. And I knew his sick son loved it too.

 I find myself staring down at my shoes. Heat rushes to my cheeks at the fact that he can bend me so easily with one simple threat.

 This can't be happening...

 "The wedding is in the next three full moons," the Alpha's words are like a cold bucket of reality, reassuring me that this isn't a nightmare.

 "That should be enough time. Now go on. I believe you have a ceremony to prepare for, pick out any dress you want and make sure its beautiful enough to stand by my son on that day."

 Seriously? I wasn't going to receive any help??

 My feet moved mechanically towards the door, more than ready to leave. But not without knocking a potted plant off a nearby table first. The sound of the clay shattering on the floor is amplified by the thick silence of the room.

 "You're going to regret this", I mumbled under my breath.

 "What was that?" Astrid snapped. It surprises me that he doesn't let his daddy handle this for him, either.

 I start to prepare a sarcastically sweet response, but instead I decide to voice my true feelings. There's no longer a reason to keep my mouth shut.

 I whirled around on my heel to face him. My eyes lock with his, shooting daggers dripping with venom.

 "I'm pretty sure you heard me, you pretender. I said you're going to regret this" I thundered, feeling my face burn with anger and hate.

 It feels as though my skin is on fire and my lungs ache for air. I mean every single word of what I say, and my tone is more than laced with hatred; it's seeping into it. Pure and livid hatred.

 I don't wait to see if he's going to patronize me further or if his father is probably going to hit me with the cane he so much loved. I kicked the door with my elbow and ran off with my legs feeling wobbly.

 I ran and ran, tears streaming down my face, until my legs ached, and my breath grew short. Finally, I slowed to a stop and made my way down to the lake's tranquil shore. The water's glassy surface reflected the surrounding trees like a mirror, creating a sense of perfect stillness. A few ripples disturbed the calm, caused by a gentle breeze or a fish breaking the surface, but otherwise, the lake was peaceful and serene.

 The surrounding trees, a mix of towering pines and weeping willows, cast long, soothing shadows across the water. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming water lilies and the soft chirping of birds, creating a symphony of calming sounds. Heavens knew I needed this quiet refuge after the drama at the Alpha's house, and the lake's peaceful embrace was just what I needed to soothe my troubled mind and heart.

 I plop down, letting water crash on to my leg. Water touching my feet always had a way of making me feel calm.

 I kept feeling more troubled having the thoughts of limited freedom in my head. The wedding would happen soon enough.

 Maybe I'll just run away! No! He'll carry out his threats and still find me!.

 This was useless.

 Just forget it. Forget everything.

 Suddenly, at a random thought, I remembered what the stupid goat Astrid had said to his father when I stood far from them at the house.

 "Perhaps we should pay him a visit."

 A visit.

 When that kind of tone was used, it meant danger and I shuddered thinking of the fact that this involved me being the Luna.

 Who were they going to pay a visit?.