Freya

Freya's ride with Seth through the forest had been awkward. Tense. Not that she'd expected anything different. She was just relieved he hadn't called off the bet or refused to give her a chance to win. Now, she stood alone in Nova's stall, unsaddling her horse. Seth had walked off toward the house without a word as soon as they finished, leaving her to handle both horses on her own. Jerk.

She dragged the brush across Nova's gleaming black coat, stripping away the sweat and dust from the ride. The feed bucket was already filled with pellets and oats, and Nova contentedly crunched away at his meal.

Freya's eyes kept flickering toward the aisle outside the stall, her senses on high alert. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest, a familiar tightness coiling through her. But she tried not to let Nova feel her unease, keeping her strokes steady and measured. She knew he could sense it anyway—animals always did. His ears flicked forward and back, but they weren't pointed toward anything unusual.

Good. No one was there.

She moved to untangle Nova's tail, using the repetitive motion to distract herself. Her thoughts wandered in spite of her efforts, drifting to Seth. She had to admit, she'd been impressed by him during their ride. He wasn't as hopeless as she'd expected. He'd shown confidence, even though the trail was steep in places, the footing uneven, and they'd passed dangerously close to the road. He'd sat deep, kept his heels down, and even held the reins correctly most of the time.

The tail was free of tangles now, its coal-black strands flowing smooth and clean, gleaming in the soft light of the barn. Freya straightened, brushing her hands over her breeches to rid them of stray hairs, her mind still wrapped in the quiet rhythm of her work. But as she turned, the fear she had been suppressing all evening slammed into her like a physical blow.

He was there. Standing just outside the stall door.

Her breath hitched, her heart lurching painfully in her chest. Caleb's presence filled the air, a shadow that loomed darker than the dim barn light. His blond hair caught a faint gleam from the lantern overhead, casting a halo around a face that once had been comforting, even handsome. Now, it was a mask of malice, his green eyes cold and sharp as shards of glass.

The soft creak of the stall door as he shifted his weight sent a chill racing up her spine. Her body locked, muscles rigid with fear. Her pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out the soft nickers of the horses in the nearby stalls. Sweat prickled under her shirt, her mind a chaotic swirl of panic and desperation.

"Finally caught you alone," Caleb drawled, his voice low and oily, sliding into her ears like a whisper she couldn't escape. He leaned against the doorframe, his casual stance at odds with the intensity in his gaze. His lips quirked into a smile—a cruel, mocking twist that made her stomach churn.

Freya's throat tightened as though invisible hands were squeezing it shut. She tried to summon her voice, but the air seemed trapped, her chest heaving with silent breaths. Her hands clenched at her sides, trembling despite her efforts to still them.

"Cat got your tongue?" Caleb's smirk widened, his tone cutting deep. "Or have you gotten so used to wagging it for someone else that you've forgotten how to use it with me?"

Her mouth opened, but no words came. Caleb tilted his head, his expression shifting into something darker, more dangerous.

"I'm talking to you, Freya," he said, his voice sharpening. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"No," she finally whispered, the single syllable escaping like a plea. Her knees felt weak, the wooden stall wall behind her suddenly her only support.

"No?" he repeated, his tone mocking, as though savoring her fear. He took a slow step closer, the sound of his boots on the barn floor unnervingly loud in the oppressive silence. "That's better. I hate it when you act like I'm some kind of monster. You know I'd never hurt you. Not unless you earned it."

Freya swallowed hard, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts. She forced her trembling hands to her sides, hoping he wouldn't notice. "What... what do you want, Caleb?" she managed, her voice barely audible over the roar of her own heartbeat.

"What do I want?" Caleb repeated, his lips curling into a smile that sent a shiver racing through her. "I want what's mine, Freya. You've forgotten that, haven't you? Forgotten your place."

He leaned on the stall door, his knuckles whitening against the wood as he fixed her with a predatory stare. "But I'm not here to lecture you. Not tonight. I'm here to ask you a question."

Freya forced herself to meet his gaze, though every instinct screamed at her to look away. "What question?"

His smile widened, teeth glinting in the dim light. "Who is he?"

She blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Caleb snapped, his tone turning sharp. "Who's the guy you're spending all your time with?"

Her heart stopped for a moment, then resumed its frantic race. "He's... he's my boss," she stammered, grasping at the truth, hoping it would be enough.

"Your boss," Caleb said slowly, his disbelief evident. He leaned further over the door, his eyes narrowing. "You expect me to believe that? Do I look stupid to you?"

Freya flinched, her breath catching in her throat.

Caleb straightened, his expression hardening. "I know what you're doing, Freya. You're lying to me. And you know how I feel about liars."

The stall door creaked open as Caleb released the latch with deliberate slowness. The sound sent a fresh wave of panic through Freya, her body pressing instinctively against the back wall of the stall.

"See, this is what happens when I leave you alone too long," Caleb said softly, stepping inside. His voice was gentle, almost tender, but the malice in his eyes betrayed him. "You get confused. Forget who you belong to."

She tried to move, to slip past him, but her legs felt like lead. Her back pressed harder into the wall as Caleb closed the distance between them. His hand reached out, brushing her cheek in a mockery of affection.

"I'm back now," he whispered, his thumb stroking her skin. "And I'm willing to forgive you. We can fix this. You just have to stop pretending you don't need me."

Freya shook her head, her movements jerky and desperate. "I don't—"

"Don't what?" Caleb interrupted, his fingers tightening on her face, his voice dropping to a menacing growl. "Don't love me? Don't belong to me? Don't lie to yourself, Freya. You know you'll never find anyone else who can handle you like I can."

"Stop," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Look at me," he demanded, his grip firm as his eyes bore into hers.

Her stomach churned, her skin crawling as he leaned closer. His breath brushed her neck, his lips ghosting over her skin.

The stall door slammed open with a force that rattled the walls.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Seth's voice was low and hard, the fury in his tone like a storm breaking over the barn.

Caleb froze, his body tensing before he slowly turned. The expression on his face twisted into a sneer. "This doesn't concern you," he said coldly. "She's mine."

Seth stepped into the stall, his movements slow and deliberate, his fists clenched at his sides. "Yours?" he repeated, his voice calm but laced with a quiet menace. "You'd better think carefully about what you say next."

Caleb's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before he straightened, folding his arms. "You don't scare me, rich boy. Men like you—money and no backbone. Stay out of this."

Seth's jaw tightened, his eyes locked on Caleb. "You've got five seconds to walk out of here before I make you regret every word you just said."

Caleb's eyes flicked to Freya, then back to Seth. For a moment, the tension hung thick in the air.

"This isn't over," Caleb muttered, shoving past Seth as he left the stall. "You know I always come back."

Seth didn't move until Caleb disappeared into the shadows of the barn. Then he turned to Freya, his expression softening as he crouched beside her.

"He's not coming near you again," he said, his voice steady. "Not while I'm here."