Jasper stared at his phone, his heart pounding hard in his chest. He'd let Mia make his judgement, now he was paying dearly for it.

He called her severally, but every time the call dropped it said: Number unreachable.

She had blocked him. Why wouldn't she? After what he'd done to her, she had every right to do so.

Mia was still there, shedding fake tears. The mere sight of her made him want to lose his cool, but that wasn't important. Freya first then he'd handle her later.

"Jasper, please." She pleaded. "I'm your true mate, not her." She tried to touch him, but he glanced at her coldly, making it known that she needed to be steps away from him.

His wolf was howling within him out of anger and respite. Not at Freya, but at him all because of his foolishness. He had believed Mia. He had pushed Freya away when she begged to be believed. And now it was too late.

"No. it can't be," he whispered.

He rose up and ran outside. "You!" Jasper snapped. "I need your phone." he ordered.

The guard, startled, quickly brought out his phone and handed it over without asking why.

With shaky hands, Jasper quickly typed in Freya's number. It rang for a bit until it dropped. At least he knew the number was going through so he tried it again. His heart nearly stopped after the third ring.

Then-she answered. "Hello?" Her voice was quiet, cautious. He didn't speak, just looking at the phone.

"Hello, who's this please?"

"Freya," he called, his voice low. "It's Jasper." He announced like she was supposed to be excited that he'd called.

There was a long pause. He could feel the coldness in the silence.

"I know you don't want to talk to me," he rushed out. "But I found your letter. It was in the trash can at the office. Mia lied about everything. I just found out that she set you up, Freya. I didn't know. I swear, I didn't know-"

"Stop," Freya cut in sharply. His hands froze.

"You've done what you wanted, You're with Mia now so stop bothering me."

"Freya, please." He was on the verge of tearing up. "I had no idea, I should have never cast you out. I should have believed you when-"

"It's too late, Jasper," she cut him off. She was tired. "It's too late for any of this."

"No, please, Frey, don't do this to me-"

"The part of me that loved you?" she said, her voice hard. "It's dead, and buried alongside the past memories we shared. And I hope it never comes back." The line went dead.

Jasper stood there, phone in hand, staring into space. The pain hit him hard. He had truly lost her.

Back at Freya's........

Freya let the phone fall to the floor. Tears were welling up in the corner of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them off. Crying over someone who treated her like trash was useless.

She said what needed to be said. It still hurts. Her fragile heart was still broken in many pieces, but she'd learn to live with the pain. Her wolf was right here with her, that's all that matters.

She turned back to the last box she was unpacking. Her new house was small and quiet, but it was hers. It was a fresh start where there would be no more pain, no more lies, no more Jasper and no more Mia.

Freya lost the urge to unpack. She put her dress on the bed, and went to stand in front of the mirror, observing herself. Her eyes were still red from the nights when she'd cried herself to bed.

"Freya, please." His words were still in her head. No, she shouldn't think about him.

That letter, why did she even put it there? She'd have let him continue living his lie, but the deed had been done.

"You did the right thing, Freya." Her wolf said to her. "Don't think about him-

Then, all of a sudden, her wolf growled softly inside her. Not out of anger-but something else. An Alert. A strange feeling came over her and her heart beat faster.

Then. she caught a scent. It was Woodsy, deep, rich and masculine. She looked around frantically for what wasn't lost.

It wasn't Jasper. That was for sure. It was someone new, and her wolf was eager to find out who it was.

Her wolf purred, clawing at her chest like it was trying to reach something outside. Pushing her towards the door.

Freya froze. Her eyes widened. She looked toward the window but didn't see anyone. Still, the scent was stronger now, and it was getting closer.

Without thinking, she pulled open the door and rushed outside, looking around for the person who was making her wolf jump.

Then she saw him. A man. Tall, strong, and beautiful in a way that stole her breath. He looked just as shocked to see her. His golden eyes locked onto hers, and he stopped in his tracks.

She couldn't move. Neither could he.

The air between them felt different, like something very powerful was holding them together.

Her heart was beating fast against her chest. Her wolf was jumping and howling inside her, full of joy.

The man took one step closer to her, and she did too. And at the same time, they both whispered the same word.

"Mate."

Freya's POV

"Go to him," my wolf's voice echoed repeatedly in my head. I tried to move, but my dumb legs decided to become stuck with the ground. What was wrong with me?

"Mate," he said again, softer this time. "Mate." He said repeatedly while walking to me. He had on a faded jean with a shirt that had dirt on it. With the gloves on his hand, I guessed he'd been working maybe in the farm or garden.

His strong jaw, dark eyes that held something deep, something broken but kind. His hair was scattered too, but I liked it just the way it was. He was perfect for me.

He didn't say anything at first. Just reached out and pulled me into his arms, holding me tight like he'd finally found that which was lost. I didn't argue.

Time passed, but we stayed there wrapped in each other's arms, not wanting to let go. Reluctantly, we pulled back, taking a good look at one another. We were mates!

"I'm Freya," I finally got the words out. I brushed my hair behind my ear and pointed towards my small cottage. "I just moved to the pack...a newbie." Why did I start to laugh anyhow?

I was dying from second hand embarrassment, but he was amused which made me feel better, a bit.

He looked at me like he wanted to say something, for some reason best known to him, he decided not to.

"I'm Al-" He paused, then cleared his throat, chasing a bee that was buzzing in his face. "Orson. I'm Orson." he introduced himself.

He stretched forth his hand for a handshake. He'd thought I was hesitating because his hand was dirty, so he quickly cleaned it on his trousers.

"Sorry about that." I shook his hand. He didn't let go immediately, neither did I. God, the way he was looking at me made me weak in the knees.

Everyone has at least a secret that was best kept, so I didn't push him. His life was none of my business, that's why I didn't bother to ask why he had stalled for a bit.

It was the sound of the leaves as a deer passed that made me leave his hand.

"Do you. have family here?" I asked gently. "Or do you live around here too?

His face darkened a little like I'd said something wrong, making me berate myself inwardly. "No. I lost them. I'd rather not talk about it."

"I understand," I whispered. "Sorry."

He smiled. "What about yours?"

"I lost mine too."

He looked at me with a strange softness then. Like he could really see through me-not just what was on the outside but the broken part of me.

For a few seconds, we were quiet and my eyes were everywhere but on him. It was so awkward to say the least. Maybe I should just go home.

I suddenly felt small, insecure before him. My fingers played with the hem of my sweater, while I felt his eyes burning into me like he was trying to find out more about me.

Maybe he was thinking of how to reject me, stupid me thought. Why else would he be so quiet? "Girl, you need to stop thinking about rubbish." My wolf growled at me.

"I understand if." I stuttered a bit. "If you want to reject me," I said quietly, not meeting his eyes. "You don't have to feel pressured to accept me."

I lifted my head, but kept my eyes on his chest. I mean, I'm not. I'm not much. I've been through a lot, and most men wouldn't even look at me twice." I wasn't saying any of this to gain sympathy, I hated pity parties. Just stating painful facts.

His head tilted slightly. "Why would you think that?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Because that's what life has taught me." I answered. "So just do it, let's part ways." My wolf snapped at me for saying such nonsense.

"I'm not rejecting you, Freya," he assured me. "I don't have any reason to." He smiled.

"But the choice isn't mine alone to make. It's yours too. You get to decide if you want to accept me." He caressed my cheek with his thumb.

I stared at him, heart thudding again. At this rate, I'd just give myself a heart attack. The look in his eyes was so real. In them, I saw no lies, no pressure. Just a quiet kind of honesty. It undid something in me.

Even Jasper didn't make me feel this way. At this point, I'd have to slap myself hard across the face in order to forget that bastard.

My throat tightened, and I nodded slowly. "Then. I, Freya," My wolf was already jumping once more, "accept you, Orson, as my mate."

His lips curled into a small smile, the kind that reached his eyes. "And I, Orson, accept you, Freya. Though I was hoping you'd do it first."

We both laughed lightly. The tension between us broke, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like running. I felt seen, wanted and maybe genuinely loved-though that was a scary word I wasn't ready to say yet.

With what I had been through, I couldn't let it happen again, but Orson's words felt genuine. The look in his eyes, and the warmth in his touch told me he was my fated mate.

We sat down together on the porch steps after that. We didn't talk much, just sat close, our shoulders touching. It felt. peaceful. Like the world had gone quiet just for us.

I didn't know what the future would hold. I didn't know what he was hiding, or what was coming.

Didn't know anything about him aside from his name, and the fact that he had a garden. As he spoke, I just stared, lost in his charming nature. I had to pinch myself to be sure I wasn't dreaming.

But for that moment, I let myself believe it was okay to feel this. To hope again, to believe that every disappointment was a blessing.

To trust that maybe this time, I wouldn't end up broken.