The Contract with the Alpha

retch endlessly into the night. The city was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind or the distant sound of a car engine. Normally, the peace would have soothed her, but toni

g on her. When he saw her, his expression softened, and he made his way over to her table. "Freya," he greeted, his voice low and calm, though she could sense the tension beneath the surface. "Mind if I join you?" She shook her head, gesturing to the empty seat across from her. "Go ahead." Lucas sat down, his movements deliberate and controlled. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words. "I figured I'd find you here," Lucas finally said, his eyes never leaving hers. "You always came here when you needed to think." Freya gave a small, humorless laugh. "You remember that?" Lucas smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I remember a lot of things." She looked down at her coffee, the familiar ache of old wounds resurfacing. Lucas had been her friend once-one of her closest, actually. They had grown up together, trained together, fought side by side. But when Ethan had rejected her, everything had changed. Lucas had tried to stay in her life, but she had pushed him away, unable to bear the reminder of everything she had lost. "Why are you here, Lucas?" she asked, cutting through the small talk. Lucas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wanted to check on you. After what happened with Ethan, I figured you could use a friend." Freya's heart softened at his words, though she kept her guard up. "I'm fine." "You don't have to lie to me, Freya," Lucas said gently. "I know this is a lot to take in. But you don't have to go through it alone." She looked at him, her defenses crumbling just a little. "It's not that easy, Lucas. I don't even know what to believe anymore." Lucas reached across the table, his hand resting on hers. "Believe in yourself. You've always been strong, Freya. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. Whatever happens, whatever this prophecy means, you'll get through it. And I'll be here to help you, if you'll let me." Freya's eyes filled with tears, and she quickly blinked them away. She had spent so long trying to be strong, trying to hold everything together on her own, that she had forgotten what it felt like to have someone else to lean on. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Lucas. Everything is so... overwhelming." Lucas squeezed her hand gently. "One step at a time. We'll figure it out together. You don't have to face this alone, Freya." She nodded, taking comfort in his words. But deep down, she knew that no matter how much support she had, the battle ahead was one she would have to fight herself. The prophecy had chosen her, and whether she liked it or not, she was the key to breaking the curse. As they sat there in the quiet café, Freya allowed herself a moment of peace, a moment to gather her strength. Because when the time came, she would be ready to face whatever destiny had in store for her. She had to be. After some time, Freya an