Freya

He was completely insane. Racing after a horse on a narrow gravel road with a motorcycle? Nova thundered beneath her, his breath shallow and fast. The powerful rhythm of his hooves matched her pounding heart as he pushed himself to help her escape. Escape from painful memories. Escape from the reality pounding on her door.

But was that even possible?

The air whipped against her face, stinging her skin and blurring her vision, but she didn't care. The pressure in her chest was unbearable, the weight of everything crushing her as she pushed Nova harder. His strides stretched farther, his powerful muscles surging beneath her.

She could still hear it, though. That damn engine. The steady growl of Seth's bike cut through the wind and the pounding of Nova's hooves, a constant reminder that he was there—chasing her, refusing to let her go.

She glanced back quickly, her breath catching. Seth was still following, the headlights from his bike casting long, flickering shadows on the trees that lined the road. He was far enough to keep from spooking Nova but close enough that she couldn't pretend he wasn't there. Her teeth clenched as anger twisted in her chest.

Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

Gripping the reins tightly in one hand, she raised the other and waved it in the air, signaling she was stopping. The roar of the motorcycle softened as Seth eased up on the throttle. Freya shifted her weight, tugged the reins gently, and sank into the saddle. Nova slowed to a walk, his muscles tense, his movements sharp and agitated as he fed off her energy.

Her breath came fast and uneven, her pulse pounding in her ears. Nova's breathing wasn't much better—his sides heaved with every exhale, his body slick with sweat. She stroked his neck absently, murmuring soft words to him as she tried to steady her own breathing.

Nova's steps slowed further, his hooves crunching softly on the gravel as she turned him toward the motorcycle. Seth had stopped a little farther back, his bike idling on the road. The rumble of the engine filled the silence, low and grating. Freya frowned, the sight of him stirring her irritation even more.

Why couldn't he just let her be?

The horse stretched his neck out, sniffing at the noisy machine. Freya held him steady, though she didn't think Nova would spook. He rarely did. But even he seemed wary of the growling beast parked in front of them.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Seth's voice snapped through the air, sharp and cold, cutting through the sound of the engine like a whip. His eyes burned into hers, unrelenting and furious.

Freya glared at him, her chest tightening under the weight of his anger. "What was I thinking?" she snapped, her voice trembling with rage. "What the hell are you doing? Chasing me down like a maniac on that thing?"

"You tore off like an idiot," he bit out, his voice low but razor-sharp. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

Her grip on the reins tightened, her hands trembling despite her effort to stay composed. "Dangerous? The only dangerous thing here is you."

"I was trying to stop you from killing yourself," he growled, his hands tightening on the handlebars, his knuckles white.

Freya laughed coldly, the sound hollow and bitter, her gaze burning into his. "Stop me? I didn't ask for your help, and I sure as hell don't need it."

"Clearly you do," he snapped. "Because if you had even half a brain, you wouldn't have done something so goddamn reckless."

Her breath caught, her fury bubbling hotter. "Reckless?" she hissed. "You followed me! You're the one tearing down a gravel road like some lunatic, not me."

"You know what you are?" His voice dropped lower, the words cutting deeper. "Selfish."

Her jaw tightened, her nails digging into her palms as her voice rose, sharp and unyielding. "Shut your mouth. You don't get to judge me when you don't know a damn thing about what I'm going through."

"Then tell me," he snapped, stepping closer still, his tone dangerous and unrelenting. "Tell me what made you make such a goddamn stupid decision."

"No," she hissed, her voice trembling but resolute. "You don't get to know. You don't get to know me. And you don't get to pretend that you care."

"I don't care," he growled, his jaw clenched tight. "But I'm not cruel enough to just let you ride off alone like that."

She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "You might not see it, but you are cruel. To the core."

His expression darkened, his voice dropping to a warning growl. "Watch yourself. Don't throw words like that around unless you mean them."

She smiled then, sharp and bitter. "Oh, I mean it. Every word."

Without giving him a chance to respond, she turned Nova sharply, the horse's hooves crunching against the gravel as she rode away, leaving him and his bike behind.

Her chest burned with anger as she put distance between them, her hands trembling as she gripped the reins tightly. She hated him. Hated the way he interfered. Hated the way he raised his voice, the way his words burned into her more than she wanted to admit.

She hated the way he made her feel... protected. Like he was worried.

The thought made her stomach churn, her breath catching in her throat. He had no right to worry about her. No right to make her feel anything.

But she hated herself even more for not stopping him from following her. Because she could hear it—the sound of his motorcycle rolling quietly after her and Nova.

And it made her sick to her stomach that she let him.