Page 56 of Bound to Exiles (Rejected Wolf Pack #5)

Freya

In the nearby tree, one of the ravens ruffled its feathers, its head bobbing as if in a nod.

Fear clutched at my heart. “You’re sure?”

“Denraider isn’t just hunting. They’re on the warpath.”

“Witches,” I whispered, the realization hitting like a physical blow. “They hate witches.”

Torsten’s arm tightened around me. “You think they know about what’s happening in Frost Fang?”

“They must know. Why else would they put on this show of force?”

“They’re conquerors,” Tor growled, his chest rumbling against my body. “They don’t seem to need a reason. Although this is unusual, even for them.”

“So now they show up, while we’re already dealing with Dryden and the witches.” I closed my eyes, the weight of it all threatening to crush me. “It’s too much, Tor. We can’t fight on two fronts.”

“I’m bringing allies.”

I looked up at him, hope flickering to life. “Allies?”

“I took your advice and sought out Jasmine and her mates,” he said. “They were… cautious at first, but when I mentioned your name, they listened. ”

“Are they willing to help?”

Tor nodded. “I’m waiting for them to gather some things, but Jasmine seemed particularly determined once I explained the situation. She said she owes you for helping her ‘grow a backbone,’ I think were her exact words.”

“We can use all the help we can get.” Relief washed through me.

He smoothed my hair back away from my face, his thumb sliding along my chin. “Denraider hasn’t pushed any farther yet. They’re merely preparing by cutting off travel, even on neutral roads. For now, focus on rescuing Heath. Hopefully the time will come where we can focus on Denraider together.”

I wanted to protest, to insist that he couldn’t face an entire pack alone, but something in his steady gaze stopped me. He was an Odinswolf, like me — powerful in ways I was only beginning to understand.

“Be careful,” I said instead. “I’ve only just found you. I don’t want to lose you before we’ve even met in person.”

His hand cupped my cheek, his touch gentle. “You won’t lose me, Freya. The stars have marked us for each other. Not even Denraider can stand against that.”

The conviction in his voice warmed something deep inside me.

With Heath’s presence torn away, I’d felt unbalanced, incomplete.

But here, with Tor, I felt a different kind of connection forming — not replacing what I’d lost, but offering a new source of strength.

And he was right. The witches may have blocked me from Heath for the moment, but the stars had brought us together. No one could change that.

“Tell me what you need,” Torsten said, his thumb brushing across my cheekbone. “How can I help you from where I am?”

I thought for a moment. “Information. If you can watch Denraider’s movements, warn us if they get too close…”

“I can do that,” he promised. “My ravens see far and wide. One will come to you and drop to the ground the moment Denraider crosses into Idaho. In case I don’t have time to reach you, you’ll know. ”

I tilted my head. “Can I communicate with your ravens, too? Since I’m an Odinswolf.”

“Perhaps if I could share my magic through your Bonded link,” he allowed. “But without it, I’m not sure.”

I nodded, unsurprised. “And when you hear back from Jasmine…”

“I’ll tell her to contact you directly,” he finished. “I’ve also procured a phone recently.”

“The whole pack’s phones are on silent while we wait to ambush the witches at Frost Fang,” I warned. “But we’ll get back to either of you as soon as we can.”

“Of course. I’m glad to hear a stray phone call won’t betray your position.”

“Gage would never let that happen,” I laughed.

He smiled, his thumb caressing my lower lip. “I can’t wait to meet them all.”

I smiled, thankful for this easy understanding between us. He was an Odinswolf, and he understood having multiple mates. I had the feeling he would find his place among us even faster than Zak had.

“Thank you, Tor. For everything.”

His blue eyes held mine, intense and sincere. “You don’t need to thank me. As an Odinswolf, I understand that your connection to your mates transcends typical wolf mating bonds. I look forward to feeling the same once we’re bonded.”

“Is that why it hurt so much when Heath was cut off?” I asked. “Because I’m an Odinswolf?”

“Perhaps,” he said. “Our bonds run deeper, are more fundamental to who we are. A normal wolf might survive the loss of a pack or even a mate, though maybe not a fated mate. For us…”

“Our bonds are stronger,” I finished, understanding at last why the pain had been so debilitating.

“Yes.” His expression grew serious. “Our bonds keep us anchored when we dreamwalk like this or have visions. That’s why what’s happening to Heath is so dangerous.

Not just for him, but for you too. If the bond remains disconnected for too long…

your mind becomes destabilized, unanchored in reality. ”

I could guess the implications. “I already tried to use the Bonded link to reach Heath,” I admitted. “It worked for a moment, but the witches did something to shut us down again.”

“That’s a good first step,” Tor said, his eyes gleaming with something like pride. “But remember, your magic is a blend of both sides of your heritage. The witches were prepared for your witch magic through the Bonded link, but they won’t be prepared for Odinswolf magic.”

“What can I do that they won’t expect?”

Tor leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper despite the privacy of our dreamscape. “You can see the bonds, can’t you? Between pack members, between mates?”

I nodded, remembering how I’d seen the glowing threads that connected the Howling Echo pack. “Yes, but I can’t always control it.”

“You can learn,” he said with certainty. “And if you can see the bonds, you can affect them. Strengthen them, even rebuild them.”

Hope sparked in my chest. “You think I could reconnect with Heath?”

“I think you have a better chance than anyone else,” Tor said. “Especially if your mage helps you.”

The possibility was tantalizing. “I’ll talk to Zak as soon as I wake up.”

“And don’t forget that you’re immune to alpha commands. You said they have an alpha wolf shifter helping them. He doesn’t know your an Odinswolf, does he?”

A smile spread across my face. “I don’t think he does.”

“Good.” Tor smiled, and the warmth of it reached his eyes, making them crinkle at the corners. “You’re stronger than you know, Freya. All of you are. Together, you’ll find a way to save Heath.”

His confidence in me — in all of us — was heartening. For the first time since Heath had been taken, I felt a genuine spark of hope.

“I wish you could be there with us,” I said softly.

“I will be, as soon as I can,” he promised. “But until then, I’ll be with you in your dreams.”

The dreamscape around us began to blur slightly at the edges, a sign that one of us was beginning to wake.

“We’re running out of time,” I said, reluctant to leave him .

Tor nodded, his expression growing serious again. “Before you go, there’s something else you should know. About the witches.”

“What is it?”

“My ravens have seen the stones the witches are using. Freya, they’re not just blocking the wolves’ ability to shift. They’re draining their life force. It’s an ancient, forbidden practice.”

Cold dread settled in my stomach. “Why would they do that?”

“Power,” Tor said grimly. “Raw life force can be channeled into powerful spells. The kind that could tip the balance between species.”

The implications were horrifying. “Then we need to stop them, not just for Heath, but for all wolves.”

“Yes,” Tor agreed. “And you will. I believe in you, Freya.”

The dreamscape wavered more insistently now, the clearing growing misty around the edges. Tor’s hand tightened on mine.

“Remember what I said about your Odinswolf abilities,” he said urgently. “Trust your wolf’s instincts. Let her guide you.”

“I will,” I promised.

He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against mine. “Be safe, my mate. I’ll find my way to you soon.”

“You too,” I echoed, my hand rising to touch his face.

Before my fingers could make contact, the dream dissolved completely, and I found myself jerking awake in wolf form, still curled beside Gage’s warm bulk. The world around us was no longer pitch black. Dawn loomed, and with it, our attack.

Gage was already awake, his golden eyes watching me intently.

“Did you sleep okay?” he asked.

“Well enough to reach Torsten in my dreams,” I answered.

He perked up, instantly alert.

Carefully, I stretched and stood, shaking out my fur.

Around us, the camp was stirring to life.

Flint and Rowan had returned from their scouting mission and were conferring with Bretton and Varden near the remains of the fire.

Zak sat a little apart, his hands moving in intricate patterns as he worked some kind of spell.

I shifted back to human form. As I dressed quickly in the cold morning air, my mind raced with everything Tor had told me. About Denraider, about the stones, about my own abilities. We had so little time, and so much at stake.

Once dressed, I approached Zak, who looked up as I neared. The dark circles under his eyes told me he’d slept little if at all.

“Give us some space,” Gage told Bretton and Varden as he gestured Flint and Rowan closer.

Flint gathered me in his arms, pulling me down to sit on his lap. To my surprise, Rowan sat down next to me, lacing his fingers with mine. It was strange enough to see him in human form, even stranger to notice all his old scars were gone.

“Tell us about your dream,” Gage prompted.

Understanding dawned in Zak’s eyes. “You contacted the Odinswolf.”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure we can trust him?” Gage double checked, though I felt very little doubt from him through the mate bond.

“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “The stars brought us together because we’re Odinswolves.”

“His Odinswolf powers will no doubt prove useful,” Flint agreed. “It’s his destiny to join us, and we need all the allies we can get at the moment.”

I nodded. “He’s meant to help us in our time of darkness, just like Zak.”

“Then I trust your sixth wolf shifter mate,” Gage said with finality. “What did he say?”

I proceeded to tell them all about Denraider’s movements, about Torsten’s efforts to contact Jasmine and her mates, and about the stones. The gravity of the situation settled over the group.

“Their life force?” Flint growled incredulously.

“We’ve got to get Heath out of there,” Gage said, his voice edged with desperation.

“We will,” Rowan assured in his low, powerful voice.

“The Ashworth Coven is huge,” Zak warned.

“We’re not alone. Our Frost Fang allies will want blood,” Rowan answered .

Flint glanced outward toward where Frost Fang wolves patrolled. “They’re worried about the family they left behind.”

Gage sighed. “But even with their additional numbers, we can’t hope for all-out victory. We need to get in, get Heath out, do whatever we can to slow down the witches, and then get out.”

“What were you working on?” I asked, squeezing Zak’s shoulder.

His hand came up to cover mine, his touch warm and reassuring. “Trying to think through curse-breaking spells. It wasn’t something I specialized in.”

“It’s okay. I think I might have a way to help Heath.”

His eyebrows rose in interest. “What kind of way?”

“Remember how I can see the bonds between pack members? Tor thinks I can restore my bond with Heath.”

Zak’s expression grew thoughtful. “It makes sense. The Bonded connection is a type of magical bond, similar to pack bonds. If you can see them…”

“I might be able to manipulate them with your help. I want to use the Bonded link in combination with my Odinswolf abilities.”

A spark of excitement lit his tired eyes. “It could work. The witches won’t be expecting that kind of hybrid approach.”

“Tor gave me the idea.” I smiled.

“Smart guy,” Zak said, returning my smile. “I look forward to meeting him.”

“I only hope Denraider doesn’t reach us first,” I added, my voice dropping even lower.

Gage’s expression fell. “That does complicate things. We’ll need to move quickly. And we may need even more backup.”

“We’re out of time,” Rowan growled. “We need to get Heath and get out before Denraider arrives.”

“We can’t just leave Frost Fang to fend for themselves,” Gage argued. “Denraider will make them all omega slaves.”

“Same goes for Moonblessed,” Flint murmured. “We can’t let them fall.”

I shook my head. “I won’t let them take Shante or Willow.”

“Agreed,” Gage said. “We’ll wait for our backup to arrive, then we strike. In the meantime, Freya and Zak can try working on the bond with Heath.”

“Got it,” Zak agreed.

Gage studied me intently, his blue eyes searching mine. “You think you can reach him again?”

I nodded, holding his gaze. “I believe it. Especially with Zak’s help.”

Gage gave me a relieved peck on the lips, then turned back to the others. As they began discussing the logistics of the rescue operation, Zak pulled me aside.

“I need to prepare a few things for this spell,” he said. “And you need to focus on your connection to Heath — try to visualize the bond as it was before. The more clearly you can picture it, the better chance we have of rebuilding it.”

I nodded, determined to do whatever it took. “I’ll try.”

Zak squeezed my hand encouragingly. “We’ll get him back, Freya. All of us together.”

As I found a quiet spot to sit and focus, my thoughts drifted to Tor. Somewhere out there, he was fighting his own battles to reach us, a sixth piece of a puzzle I hadn’t even known existed until recently.

Six mates, each bringing something unique and essential to our pack. Together, we were stronger than any of us could be alone.

That knowledge settled deep in my bones as I closed my eyes and began to focus on the tattered remnants of my bond with Heath. He was one of us. I wouldn’t let him slip out of the Bonded link that easily.

“Hold on,” I thought, reaching out across the emptiness where his presence should be. “We’re coming for you.”