Freya's POV
"Robert, take it easy!"
Kingsley observed Robert's trembling hand, gripping the dagger, and couldn't help but raise his voice to offer a reminder.
"Shut up, you fool! Do I need your lessons at this moment?" Robert retorted with annoyance, brandishing his dagger and pointing it at Kingsley.
"You, kneel down!"
Upon hearing Robert's words, Kingsley appeared somewhat incredulous.
"NO! You can't do that! You're an Alpha!" I cried out.
I noticed Kingsley seemed to be relenting, his knees gradually buckling. I understood what this implied, and to an Alpha of a pack, it was unquestionably an insult that could not be tolerated.
"On your knees!" Robert repeated, and a faint trail of blood was already forming on my pale neck from my struggles.
Kingsley's body trembled slowly, his resistance weakening as he eventually knelt in front of Robert.
"I can't believe that the unbeatable Kingsley would one day kneel before me in such a pathetic manner," Robert laughed maniacally, the sound echoing in the desolate factory, appearing extremely terrifying.
"Here, tie him to this woman," Robert beckoned, and with that, two or three masked men approached Kingsley and secured his hands with chains.
Kingsley initially made some subconscious attempts to resist, but seeing me in distress, he eventually gave up and allowed them to drag and secure him next to me.
"Good, how touching. Since you two are so determined to seek death, it's better to die together," Robert laughed maniacally, suddenly kicking over a bucket in front of him. The liquid inside spilled, and instantly, a pungent gasoline odor filled my nostrils.
"He's the Alpha. If the pack finds out we did this, I'm afraid..." the masked rogue beside me appeared a bit flustered and stood in front of Robert.
"You useless fool! If you're afraid, get lost!"
Clearly, at this point, Robert had descended into madness. Realizing he couldn't be stopped, the other masked rogue looked at us regretfully and then hastily made their escape through other exits.
"Speaking of that, I owe Tracy for this; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to catch this foolish woman so easily."
Robert kicked over the gasoline and then pulled a lighter from his pocket.
"Tracy?"
Kingsley furrowed his brow, a murderous look in his eyes.
"Tracy mentioned she had something to discuss with me about you, but I didn't realize it had already happened," I said.
"Damn!"
Kingsley gritted his teeth and reluctantly punched the wall, the sound of chains echoing through the space.
"Save your anger for another time!"
Robert exclaimed, throwing the lit lighter into the air. The flame hung in the air momentarily before igniting the gasoline-soaked ground.
Boom!
The entire factory instantly transformed into a sea of flames. The smoky air and intense heat made it impossible for me to keep my eyes open, and in the haze, I saw Robert doing a celebratory dance in the open space.
"Robert, listen, Freya is no different from a regular werewolf like you. She shouldn't have to die with me. All the good I did for her in the past was a sham. I just can't stand it when something I don't use is treated like a treasure by someone else. I'd rather hold it in my own hands and let it go to waste than let anyone else have her!"
At that moment, the corners of Kingsley's mouth suddenly turned upward, and he shouted loudly.
Perhaps it was the "regular" in Kingsley's words that stung Robert again, who looked at Kingsley in disbelief.
"I used to think you were cold-hearted and heartless, but I never imagined that even your own mate was just a tool for you to flaunt. What right do people like you have to be an Alpha of a pack?"
Robert said, picking up a bucket of gasoline at his feet and throwing it at Kingsley.
"Let her go. There's no way a regular werewolf like her should die with my noble blood."
Kingsley's pupils slowly turned amber, and I noticed the wolf inside him whining wildly.
"No, that's not true."
I froze in place, feeling overwhelmed for a moment.
"Let me tell you something, you deserve all of this. I'm going to make your mate watch you burn to death."
Robert said as he smoothly tore away the chains binding me and then pushed my hair toward Kingsley.
"Burn! Burn everything!"
Robert's laughter was filled with madness as he moved away from us.
The flames from the gasoline slowly advanced towards us, and I noticed sweat forming on Kingsley's forehead.
"Freya, there's no time. Come on! Leave now!"
Kingsley clenched his teeth, struggling against the restraints, the sound of the chains hitting the wall was particularly harsh.
"Kingsley, you..."
I didn't know if it was from the smoke, but instant tears welled up in my eyes.
Immediately after that, I frantically tugged at the chain binding Kingsley, but no matter how much strength I used, the chain remained firmly locked, hardly budging.
"No, this can't be happening!"
I hissed in frustration, pounding on the chain with all my might.
"Freya, leave me alone and go!"
Kingsley held his head high and pushed against my body in an attempt to push me away.
A deep sense of powerlessness overwhelmed my entire body as I unfolded my arms and embraced Kingsley, a fleeting moment of reassurance in the face of life and death.
"Freya, there's no way out. I'm begging you, just go."
Kingsley's voice quivered, with a hint of tears.
Looking into Kingsley's determined eyes, I realized my true feelings at that moment.
As the mark on my neck burned again, the gaze I directed at Kingsley became resolute and brave.
"Kingsley, the biggest mistake I made in my life was not wholeheartedly believing in our love. Because I didn't have complete faith in you, I left you. But now, I don't want to spend my life in regret."
I grabbed Kingsley's chains and exerted all my strength once more.
The flames grew more intense, the smoke from the factory darkened the sky, and the air I inhaled carried a scorching heat.
"Fool, if I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have come back for you after what happened. You wouldn't be stuck here because of me."
Kingsley hung his head, tears of remorse welling in his eyes.
"Not at all. I'll be there whenever you need me. I don't want to deceive you at a time like this, Kingsley. I love you."
"I love you so much that I don't know how to make it right. So, please stop saying things that make me want to leave. Even if I die, I want to die with you."
As soon as my words fell, a loud explosion suddenly rang out nearby, the deafening sound accompanied by a wave of heat hitting Kingsley and me.
"Freya."
Kingsley struggled to pull his chained hands together, intertwining them with mine.
"Good, we'll never be apart again," he said.
I nodded vigorously.
Suddenly, a powerful surge coursed through my body, gradually strengthening my limbs. The newfound power filled me, pulsating relentlessly and causing a tearing sensation. Alongside the pain, I transformed into a massive white wolf.
Once more, I tugged at Kingsley's chains, opening my jaws menacingly. A howl of pain from the wolf within me coincided with the unexpected power condensing over my fangs.
Roar!
A mournful cry echoed through the space. The chains collapsed with a sharp ring, falling to the ground. Simultaneously, a profound weakness descended upon me, weighing me down like a massive mountain.
My eyelids grew incredibly heavy, and as the power faded, I reverted to human form. Both Kingsley and I were groggy, our consciousness obscured by the smoke and dust we'd inhaled.
"Come on, I'll get you out," I told Kingsley, gripping his hand tightly. I relied on instinct as we made our way towards the exit. However, after just a couple of steps, we both collapsed to the ground.
Before I succumbed to unconsciousness, I noticed a faint smile at the corner of Kingsley's mouth as he clung to my hand as tightly as he could. Then, darkness overcame me.