Freya's POV
I pushed Kingsley aside and hastily got out of the car, stumbling as I went.
Unexpectedly, I met Finley there.
What was he doing here so late at night?
"Freya," Finley whispered my name, his eyes carrying a hint of bitterness. "Did Alpha Kingsley give you a ride home?"
I hung my head in shame, contemplating what had just occurred. "Finley, I..."
"Freya, I know all about it. Can we talk about it?"
I nodded and opened the door to my room, inviting Finley inside. He approached and settled on the couch as I poured him a cup of coffee.
Finley took a cautious sip of his coffee and then seemed to come to a decision before speaking, "Kingsley isn't actually Grace's biological son."
I froze in place.
What?
I had expected Finley to ask about what was happening between Kingsley and me, not to reveal such a significant secret.
Seeing my stunned expression, Finley chuckled softly. "Surprised, aren't you? I was just as shocked as you when I first learned about it."
"Kingsley is the love child of his father and his own mother. Afterward, Kingsley's father was compelled to marry Grace and have Joyce, but he kept Kingsley's existence hidden from the public to protect him. Grace never got pregnant again after giving birth to Joyce, and Kingsley was eventually brought back to the pack as an heir."
"After Kingsley's return, Grace has been secretly collaborating with her pack and Uncle Kingsley's pack to make things more challenging, attempting to eliminate Kingsley from the pack. In one of the most brutal battles, Kingsley led the pack to victory, but it came at a great cost. I was left disabled and unable to fight again, and he lost his best friend, Shawn Jones, forever."
"Shawn Jones?" I flinched, wondering if he could be...
"That's right, Shawn is Tracy's brother, and before he died, Shawn asked Kingsley to take care of his only sister, Tracy."
I was completely frozen in place, unable to believe my ears.
Finley continued, "For the sake of his best friend, Kingsley made a solemn pledge to the moon god under the moonlight that he would take care of Shawn's sister. The moon is the source of the wolves' power, and loyalty is the wolves' highest honor. Breaking an oath made in front of the moon god would result in severe consequences, including losing all of one's powers and becoming wolfless."
"But Kingsley didn't anticipate that Tracy would gradually fall in love with him and insist on him marrying her because of that oath. However, Kingsley, he met you, Freya, his fated mate."
"I remember Kingsley once called me with palpable excitement in his voice. He told me he had found his destined mate and was completely captivated at first sight. He eagerly informed me that he would be having a MATING CEREMONY with you in a few days and asked me to make sure I attended. Unfortunately, I was abroad and missed it."
"So, that's what happened?” I asked with a sneer.
I couldn't accept it.
If it was true, as Finley said, that Kingsley fell in love with me from the start and I was his fated mate, then why did he later pretend to be so indifferent, hurting me?
As if he could read my doubt, Finley continued, "I also asked Kingsley why he chose you as his mate but acted aloof. Kingsley went silent for a while and then explained that his initial instinct as a werewolf was to claim and mark you the moment he saw you. However, once reason returned, his priority as a mate was to protect you. He believed that love required restraint. For your safety, he chose to keep you away from the conflicts and dangers until he had resolved them all."
"But Kingsley didn't expect..." Finley began.
Yeah, Kingsley didn't foresee that his seemingly restrained love would ultimately become the most potent weapon to hurt me.
I smiled bitterly.
"When your mother passed away, Kingsley disappeared for a few days because he had encountered a witch who claimed to possess the means to break his vows. He needed to investigate further."
Just when I thought I wouldn't be shocked by anything, Finley spoke up again.
My eyes widened in shock as I looked at Finley. Half a dozen times, I heard my hoarse voice squeeze out of my dry throat, "And the price? What's the price?"
Finley looked at me, a little surprised, as if he hadn't expected me to ask that. He hesitated, then said, "Kingsley sacrificed most, if not all, of his power."
What?
My face went completely blank, and I froze in place, my mind going blank.
"I, Freya of the Dark Moon Pack, hereby reject you as my mate, Kingsley Wright of the Shadowmoon Pack."
The vow to reject Kingsley echoed in my ears. I couldn't imagine how Kingsley, after sacrificing most of his power, had endured the pain of rejection once again.
"When you were leaving, I went to ask Alpha Kingsley for permission to leave with you. When Kingsley heard about it, he just paled and was silent for a long time, telling me one thing and asking me to help take care of you."
"But I was the one who acted selfishly. I cut off all contact with Kingsley and hid you after I left."
After hearing Finley's words, I couldn't help but feel pain while tears filled my eyes.
"And why did you choose to tell me this now?"
Hearing my words, Finley flinched for a moment, then said helplessly, "All these years, I felt like a thief, stealing someone else's most precious thing for myself. However, when I learned that you and Kingsley met again, I realized that fate truly exists in this world, and it's time for me to return you to Kingsley. I'm sure you don't realize that Kingsley is the one who purchased 'remembrance.'"
I shook my head and choked softly, "Finley, you didn't do anything wrong. You're not a thief; you're my best friend. You're the one who helped me break free from the cowardly Freya. It's your encouragement and support that made me Alice. From the very beginning, it has been our choices that brought Kingsley and me to this point. Even if you're telling me this now, it's all too late."
"Freya, I..."
"Finley, thank you for telling me all of this. I've had a long day, and I'd like to get some rest."
I lowered my head, trying to hide the sadness in my eyes.
Finley hesitated for a moment and then got up to leave. Before he left, he said, "I'll support you in whatever you decide to do, Alice."
After Finley left, I sat in the living room for a long time, allowing the tears to spill out.
Why did I have to learn that Kingsley loved me too just when I had decided to give up on loving Kingsley? Why did I have to hear all of this now, and knowing all of this, how could I pretend to know nothing and not care about Kingsley anymore?